Hong Kong: Deputy SJ visits The Hague courts

Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan concluded his European visit with a tour of the United Nations International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Yesterday morning, Mr Cheung called on the Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the Peoples Republic of China to the Kingdom of the Netherlands Tan Jian.

They discussed Hong Kongs latest legal developments and how the city can give full play to going global and attracting foreign investment.

This was followed by a visit to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations responsible for resolving legal disputes between states in accordance with international law.

At a meeting with ICJ judges Xue Hanqin - the courts first female Chinese judge - and Hilary Charlesworth, Mr Cheung gave an update of Hong Kongs latest legal developments and the Department of Justices work.

The trio also exchanged views on the use of various dispute resolution mechanisms in handling international disputes.

Mr Cheung noted that Hong Kong, as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, attaches great importance to nurturing legal talent, and will continue to organise a wide range of capacity building activities and academic conferences. He also hoped the ICJ judges could come to share their insights.

He then visited the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) to discuss with its Secretary-General Hab Marcin Czepelak the future development of resolving disputes by way of arbitration.

Established in 1899, the PCA is an intergovernmental organisation with over 120 contracting parties which aims to facilitate arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution between states.

The deputy justice chief highlighted that under one country, two systems, Hong Kong enjoys a unique advantage in having established a comprehensive framework for mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters with the Mainland.

On arbitration, the city has concluded three arrangements with the Mainland, which include those concerning mutual enforcement of arbitral awards as well as mutual assistance in court-ordered interim measures in aid of arbitral proceedings.

These arrangements will render arbitral proceedings seated in Hong Kong to have unique advantages, Mr Cheung added.

Given the limitless opportunities brought about to the international communities by the national strategies including the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Greater Bay Area Outline Development Plan and the Belt & Road Initiative, Hong Kong, being the only common law jurisdiction in China, will continue to enhance the mutual legal assistance framework with the Mainland.

This would consolidate its status as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-pacific region.

Mr Cheung also told the PCA that the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) Congress is scheduled to be held in Hong Kong in May next year.

He pointed out that holding the largest regular international arbitration conference of its kind worldwide in the city is a vote of confidence in Hong Kong as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, and he hoped to welcome PCA members to Hong Kong for the ICCA 2024.

This story has been published on: 2023-03-11. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
House hearing protest highlights growing call against U.S.-China conflict: SCMP

Xinhua) 12:55, March 11, 2023

HONG KONG, March 11 (Xinhua) -- An anti-war group's protest disrupting tough-on-Beijing rhetoric during a recent U.S. House hearing has highlighted growing domestic call against bilateral conflict, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported Friday.

Less than half an hour after Mike Gallagher, chair of a newly-formed select committee on the Communist Party of China, framed the U.S. struggle with China as "existential", a woman dressed in pink held up a sign bearing the words "China is not our enemy," and her phrases like "we need cooperation, not competition" made it through to the prime-time audience.

Seconds after law enforcement ushered her out of the room, a man stood up holding a "Stop Asian hate" sign. "This committee is about sabre-rattling," the protester declared. "It's not about peace. We need cooperation."

The woman was later identified as Olivia DiNucci, an organizer with Code Pink, a women-led anti-war group that made its name advocating against the Iraq war. The man was identified by Code Pink as Hector M, a Washington DC resident and friend of DiNucci.

Both protesters were arrested, according to Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans, an anti-war activist who co-founded the organization in 2002.

"China is not our enemy" is one of the three campaigns featured on Code Pink's website, along with "Peace in Ukraine" and "War is not green".

Evans started the China campaign about three years ago when she saw media coverage of the country increasingly frame it as an enemy, reminding her of narratives surrounding the Iraq War.

"The messages of our (China) campaign are that we need cooperation for the planet and the people on it...and we have to stop Asian hate because that makes Asians around the world vulnerable," she said, adding that "it's not about China, it's about war."

The disruption on last Tuesday, the third China-themed event Code Pink has interrupted in recent months, has sparked an influx of new volunteers for the organization, particularly Asian-Americans, according to the SCMP report.

Code Pink joins a small but growing list of actors publicly calling for increased dialogue between the U.S. and China to reduce the risk of bilateral conflict.

Some have called for an end to the "self-fulfilling escalatory spiral" in which politicians speak harshly on China to avoid appearing weak to voters, said the report.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attend a press conference in Rome, Italy, on March 10, 2023. Netanyahu vowed to help energy-starved Italy transform into a regional energy hub during his visit to the Italian capital on Friday. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

ROME, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to help energy-starved Italy transform into a regional energy hub during his visit to the Italian capital on Friday.

After meeting with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Netanyahu said he wanted to increase natural gas exports to Europe via Italy.

Such a move would be welcome in Italy, which has struggled to replace natural gas imports from Russia.

Netanyahu and Meloni did not reveal the specifics of the import scheme.

"Italy has said it wants to be a hub for the supply of energy to Europe," said Netanyahu. "We think exactly the same thing, and we have gas reserves that we will start exporting, and we would like to expedite more gas exports to Europe through Italy."

In November last year, Israel signed an initial agreement with Italian energy giant Eni and France's TotalEnergies to facilitate explorations for natural gas near Israel's Mediterranean border with Lebanon. Netanyahu mentioned the deal with Eni on Friday and said he would like to see it carried "to a much higher level."

Netanyahu vowed to build deeper ties with Italy in other sectors as well, including water supplies and cyber-security.

Meloni said Italy's ties with Israel were "important ... and would increase in importance."

Netanyahu will remain in Italy through Sunday, meeting with political, business and religious leaders. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (L, Front) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R, Front) review a guard of honor in Rome, Italy, on March 10, 2023. Netanyahu vowed to help energy-starved Italy transform into a regional energy hub during his visit to the Italian capital on Friday. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
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The Russian government will give 260,000 tons of fertilizer to several African countries, including 20,000 tons already donated to Malawi, a step that analysts see as part of Moscows effort to win diplomatic support for its war in Ukraine.

At a handover ceremony Monday (6 March) at Malawis capital, Lilongwe, Russian Ambassador to Malawi Nikolai Krasilnikov expressed the hope that African leaders would press for the abolition of international sanctions against his country when they attend the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in late July. The Russian company Uralchem-Uralkali, one of the worlds leading fertilizer producers, had manufactured the fertilizer and made the gift to Malawi, said Dmitry Shornikov, head of the firms southern Africa branch. Shornikov, who also attended the handover, told the audience that the fertilizer should help the southeastern African country achieve its goals of substantially boosting its agricultural production and helping families grow more healthy and nutritious food.

Although the donation amounts to mere 3% of Malawis annual national fertilizer requirement of 600,000 tons, a Malawian political analyst said Russia is likely trying to garner diplomatic support from various African nations for its war in Ukraine. Apart from being driven by Russias desire to win more African support at the United Nations, George Allan Phiri from the University of Livingstonia said the donation may also be designed to dissuade African nations from supporting Western sanctions placed on allies of President Vladimir Putin. In my view, it is possible that Russia would want to mobilize some African countries to be on her side, and Malawi could be one, looking at how many African countries are voting against Russia, Phiri said. At the UN General Assembly in 2022, Malawi voted to censure Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, but more than 15 other African countries abstained from the vote.
In the past few years, Francophone Africa has made huge strides in creating startups, although the startup market on the continent is still dominated by the Big Four English-speaking nations.

African startups continue to shatter fundraising records, but the majority of investment inflows go into those operating in English-speaking countries Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa  the so-called Big Four. They top fundraising charts each year, accounting for 75% of the funding in 2022, down from 82% in 2021. But according to a report by Africa: The Big Deal, the next four main recipients of startup funding include only one English-speaking country, Ghana, and three French speaking ones  Algeria, Senegal, and Tunisia. Startups in Ghana raised an astonishing total of $390 million in 2022 while Algeria, Tunisia, and Senegal attracted $151 million, $119 million, and $112 million respectively  a marked improvement over previous years.

There are multiple reasons why Anglophone Africa dominates the startup funding, with the determining factor being market size, language barriers and preferences also coming into play in terms of market visibility. Most African startup founders are from the US and UK. They are naturally inclined to work with people in the Anglophone sphere because they seem to understand those markets and cultures better, says Francis Brou, an economics and development researcher at Bouake University in Cote dIvoire. There are still very few investors from France involved in African startups. You wouldnt put your money in a place you are not comfortable with. The way of doing things is different. The mentality is different and the regulations are different. The influence of language and culture thus plays an important role in allocating startup funding, with Anglophone versus Francophone bonds remaining strong on the continent even in business. While Africas Big Four will likely continue to dominate fundraising in the near future, Francophone startups are making progress in closing the gap.
Tunisia is mired in an economic and financial crisis worsened by the backpedalling to autocracy as president Kais Saied intensifies his crackdown on critics, while picking migrants as scapegoats.

The one-man ruled country could be denied an IMF lifeline of 2 billion dollars as it shuns painful reforms, including cutting subsidies.

Last week, Fitch rating rated Tunisia CCC+, warning that default is a real possibility.

Without the IMF deal, other bilateral or multilateral creditors would not be encouraged to lend Tunisia, a country of about 13 million.

Omens of a looming crisis are now commonplace with empty shelves in supermarkets and long queues on basic goods such as subsidized sugar and dairy products with fears of a return to fuel rationing.

The Central Bank has warned against resorting to money printing or emptying the countrys foreign currency reserves.

As reform and talks with IMF stall, Tunisian president seeks scapegoats sending scores of critics including Islamist and secular politicians to prison. His diatribe against Sub-Saharans sent shockwaves across the continent as African countries ask their nationals to leave the country.

The World Bank said it was halting operations in the country while the IMF expressed concern, further undermining Tunisias attractiveness to investors.

The backpedalling to autocracy would further complicate Tunisias quest for a lifeline because Kais Saied is destroying stability prospects in the country making donors sceptical about the countrys immediate future.

In times of crises, the role of a leader is to dissipate tension and reassure nationals and foreigners regarding political stability and economic fundamentals. Kais Saied is doing the opposite.

He succeeded in turning Tunisia to a vassal state of military-run Algeria, creating a fog of uncertainty, coupled with economic hardship that resulted in a surge in illegal arrivals of Tunisians via the risky sea route to Europe.

Lacking solutions, Saied seeks solace in rhetoric which only backfires at a country that was once an Arab Spring success.
The Moroccan Royal Navy Coastguards, operating off the coast of Nador, engaged, Friday, in a chase of two suspicious boats after the latter refused to obey to the order to stop.

The pursuit enabled the units of the Royal Navy to catch the two go-fast boats, equipped with very powerful engines, which were actually used in drug trafficking between Morocco and the European coasts.

The operation resulted in the seizure of more than three tons of Chira, according to a military source.

The seized drugs and material were transported to the port of Nador and handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the usual legal formalities, the military source said.
Morocco has underlined Algerias responsibility, as host country, to guarantee safe and unrestricted humanitarian access to the Tindouf camps and to allow free registration of the populations sequestered in the camps, in accordance with its obligations and the provisions of international humanitarian law.

This was outlined in a speech delivered by Moroccos Permanent Representative in Geneva, Omar Zniber, at the 86th meeting of the UNHCR Standing Committee, held March 7-9.

The diplomat noted in his speech that Algeria has violated its duties by transferring its powers, obligations and territory to a separatist armed group, thus setting a precedent never recorded in international law.

We are witnessing, with amazement, the militarization of the camps, the formation of militias and the recruitment of children, he said.

The diplomat said it is unacceptable that the host state does not ensure the humanitarian character of the camps, in compliance with the 1951 Convention and its Additional Protocol.

Zniber also recalled that the evaluation report of UNHCRs activities in the MENA region cites 17 out of 18 states in which the registration of refugees has been strengthened in 2022, noting that the only state that has not submitted to this legally and morally binding exercise is Algeria.

Registration is a vital protection both for people of concern to UNHCR and for the work of UNHCR, in order to avoid any political use of humanitarian assistance, he said.

He added that while Morocco welcomes the increase in refugee registration procedures in the MENA region, up 60% from 2021, we call on UNHCR to shed full light on the obstruction of the Algerian authorities.

The Algerian approach is meant to hide the embezzlement of humanitarian aid dedicated to the camps and the enrichment of the separatist movements leaders, said Zniber.

As part of the Standing Committees proceedings dedicated to the situation in the MENA region, the Moroccan mission highlighted the Kingdoms humanitarian and proactive policy, crystallized by the National Strategy for Asylum and Immigration, as well as Moroccos national commitments for the full integration of refugees and asylum seekers, including the signing of an agreement on health between UNHCR and Morocco and the organization in June 2023, in Rabat, of the 3rd Global Consultation for Migrants Health.

On the sidelines of the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), the International Observatory for Peace and Human Rights (IOPDHR) organized a panel on the situation of human rights in the Tindouf camps with the participation of several civil society organizations and activists.

IOPDHR presented during the panel a report, drawing a bleak picture of the situation of the populations sequestered in the camps of Tindouf, in southeastern Algeria.

The panel, which debated the situation and heard testimonies on the sufferings endured by the sequestered populations, adopted the Geneva Declaration that called, inter alia, to lift the state of emergency in the Tindouf camps, grant the populations the right to peaceful demonstration and to shed light on cases of enforced disappearances.

The Geneva Declaration called for an end to all forms of repression targeting activists who do not share the theses of the olisario, while expressing deep concern over the increasing violations of the rights of the camps populations by the polisario and the Algerian forces.

In this connection, the participants called on the international community to ensure that the camps populations enjoy the necessary protection, that the camps be managed in accordance with international standards, and that a legal framework be put in place to ensure the implementation of the international conventions relating to the status of refugees.

The document urged Algeria to allow human rights organizations and associations access to the camps, in order to interact with the populations, identify them, and provide them with the assistance they need.

The Text also recommended opening investigations into all cases of enforced disappearance and torture, which have occurred throughout the past five decades, while bringing those responsible to justice, in accordance with international human rights law.

In addition, the Declaration called for the improvement of basic services and the inclusion of the camps in the host countrys development programs, as well as increased efforts to end the recruitment of children and violence against women.
It happens to all of us sooner or later. As our eyes age we may need some help seeing things, particularly smaller things or items with finer detail.

Im sure that many of those reading this column may have a story about frustrations of tying a No. 6 Aberdeen fish hook on to 4-pound test line. The eye of that hook is pretty small and threading that fine line through the eye, especially in subdued light, can be very frustrating.

Charlie Noack, president and founder of Valley Hook Co., was on my radio show recently to talk about this very thing. He ran into that same problem.

It was May of 2014. That was the date when my eye doctor told me I needed cheaters. I was like  no, no, no! Im a fisherman, I need my eyes to tie the hook on the line, Noack said. So instead of pouting, I invented a tieless hook  a win-win in my eyes.

It took about a year and a half to get the hook where I wanted it. I had hired two field testers to get me 30 videos of them catching fish on the Valley Hook. I took their suggestions and modified the croc end, the end of the hook that normally has the eye and looks like a shepherds crook, until it was near perfect, Noack said. It not only has an automatic Snell affect, but it also makes it safer for the fish so you can release them more easily without as much damage.

We are the only tieless fishing tackle company in the world, he said. The patented design makes attaching tackle to your line so easy, no cheaters needed! The hook and clasps are patented. I have three patents, and four more patents pending. We have the tieless size six hook, the mini clasp, the senior clasp and 13 spinners. We have had them on the market about 12 months now. We will also be adding a couple new items this spring to the line-up as well.

Everything I heard sounded well and good, but now for the question every angler wants to know: How easy is it to use?

Its very simple, Noack said. Tie a simple overhand knot at the end of your braided line, make a loop, pull it into the shepherds crook, and come at least one time around creating the cinch to lock it into place. Thats it, youre ready to go fishing.

After our radio interview I took one of the samples that Noack had sent me and tried to tie it on a 6-pound test line. It took less that five seconds and held tight.

The instructions that come with the hooks say you should use a line of .012 diameter or larger. I tied my hook on with monofilament line, not the braided line that Noack recommends, because I didnt have braided line handy. I can see where a braided line would be much more secure and a stronger attachment.

I found a great video of Noack and his invention on YouTube. Look up, No More Tying A Fishing Knot! More Time For Fishing! and see how to use Noacks tieless system, the different hooks and spinners in action. It is worth five minutes to watch it.

I asked Noack where you could find his products in Nebraska.

Nobody yet, but hopefully soon, Noack answered. We sell on Amazon, and our website, thetielesshook.com. We are just starting to branch out and get the distributors involved.

One final note Id like to mention. Our products were designed for the novice and for people that have a physical disability that may not allow them to fish, he said. Normally I would need cheaters to see, but I dont using my products. Weve worked with people who have disabilities and you can attach my products if you were blind, have only one hand, or other dexterity problems. We donate our products to the Wounded Warriors of Wisconsin, and to the M.A. Daily Foundation. We are learning that the average fisherman like easy, and our products are easier than anything on the market.

Cranes and geese

I was driving back to North Platte this week on Interstate 80 from points east and marveled at the number of geese and cranes in the sky over the Platte Valley.

There were snow geese, Canada geese and sandhill cranes almost any direction you looked. Thousands upon thousands of birds crisscrossed the sky above me as I drove west. It is definitely springtime in Nebraska.

If you are into nature and watching birds, this is the time to be in Nebraska. Not only are cranes and waterfowl migrating through on their way back north to their breeding grounds, but hundreds of non-game species and song birds are, or will be here soon.

Just grab a pair of binoculars and go for a drive along the rivers some evening. I dont think you will be disappointed.

Grizzly Bear

No, Im not going to say there are grizzly bears in Nebraska. But I do have one more sign of spring item related to bears.

A Yellowstone Park biologist reported a sighting earlier this week of the first grizzly bear to emerge from hibernation.

Sporting clays shoot

Mark your calendars. Attention novice and experienced sporting clays shooters!

The Lincoln County Wildlife Gun Club, at Lake Maloney, will be hosting a registered sporting clays shoot from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 25.

Cost is $40 for the first 100 targets and $30 for each additional 100 targets. A $5 Lewis class will be optional. National Sporting Clays Association rules will apply.

Call Al Boggs at 308-539-4597 or Randy Spelts at 308-530-0325 for more information.
Here's how to follow the Unicameral from afar

Heres how to watch the Legislatures activities and follow bills by using the Unicamerals website at nebraskalegislature.org:

Click on the Nebraska Public Media logo and look under Streaming Now or Coming Soon for the schedule of livestreamed floor debates and public hearings by committees.

Floor debate also is telecast live by Nebraska Public Media on NE-W, formerly known as NET2 (Allo Communications Channel 11 or Spectrum Channel 190 in North Platte).

If you know the number of a legislative bill or constitutional amendment, type it under Search Current Bills to call up the measures text and related votes and documents. (For the language of current state laws, type their number or keywords under Search Laws.)

Computer users can leave comments of up to 500 words on individual bills by clicking the appropriate spot on the main page for that bill.

If the bill hasnt yet had its public hearing, users may ask their comments to be included in the bills official hearing record. Such requests must be made by noon CT (11 a.m. MT) on the last work day before the hearing.

Nebraskans with disabilities as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act can do likewise but also can attach PDF files or supporting documents.

Click on Hearing schedules on the main Unicameral webpage, choose the appropriate week and click either Submit Comment Online or ADA Accommodation Testimony, depending on whether you qualify for the latter.

The Unicameral website offers many other documents for understanding and following the Legislature, including its online Unicameral Update newsletter.

 Todd von Kampen
Each year state law requires North Platte Public Schools to adopt the educational standards set by the Nebraska Department of Education.

At Mondays Board of Education meeting, the district will consider the math standards.

Unrelated to the core standards, Superintendent Todd Rhodes said he is concerned about two bills that determine how leadership is chosen for the Nebraska Department of Education.

Sen. (Joni) Albrechts two bills on the selection of the commissioner and also how state board members are chosen, Rhodes said, those are concerning to me.

He said the bills potentially give too much power to the governors office over the Department of Education that could be unduly influenced by whoever is in office at any given time. There also other concerns Rhodes has about the Legislature as well.

From my viewpoint, its just very scary right now, Rhodes said. Just the way the body is working right now, theyre at a snails pace. There are, for schools, some scary bills that really have the potential to not just impact us, but change how we operate.

Rhodes said some of the bills probably dont have the votes to pass, but the concepts inside of them will be embedded in other bills.

The NPPS board will consider approving the superintendent contract at Mondays meeting. Although the contract is for two years, negotiations take place every year. The previous year is dropped off the contract and the next year added as part of the language in the document.

The contract can be found on the districts website at nppsd.org.

The proposed contract salary for 2023-24 is $238,000, up $8,000 from 2022-23.

Rhodes said there will be the usual reports including the monthly report from the North Platte Public Schools Foundation.

What Im just proud of is kind of our work with the foundation as it relates to our employees of the month and kind of how we changed that a little bit, Rhodes said. Were fairly intentional with our board meetings to celebrate what were doing in the district and celebrate our staff and celebrate our kids.

He said employees of the month are celebrated at the individual buildings each month as well as the recognition that takes place at the monthly board meetings.

The other piece that we recently added were calling our student showcase, Rhodes said. Last month we had two of our FFA officers who were just phenomenal and did a great job. This month were bringing in Ryan Fox and Zarah Blaesi representing our wrestling program.

A third action item will be to accept bids to replace the lighting at the high schools performing arts center.

Weve gone through this district upgrading a lot of our facilities said Stuart Simpson, executive director of finance. Our high school is 20 years old and were seeing that come through in various areas and one is our performing arts center.

Simpson said the area needs to be improved to ensure it is there for future years.

Were going through and upgrading all the lighting to LED and creating a new bank of lights that move back one cloud so we identify the stage better, Simpson said.

Rhodes will give a staffing update and said the district is ahead of past years in terms of filling open positions.

Comparatively speaking from past years, we have a few less people that were looking for, too, Rhodes said. We hope that trend continues.

The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Monday at McKinley Education Center, 301 West F St. in North Platte.
The time has come to adjust the clocks again as Alabama springs forward with Daylight Saving Time, which begins on Sunday at 2 a.m. and will last until Nov. 5.

With the Sunshine Protection Act being reintroduced in Congress, could this be the last time we have to adjust the clocks?

Alabama Rep. Senator Tommy Tuberville is hoping it will be as he helps to push forward the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make DST permanent for the entire nation.

Tuberville said he joined the effort last year after hearing from Alabama farmers, educators, seniors and health professionals about the positive impacts it would have.

Alabamians have overwhelmingly expressed their support for the Sunshine Protection Act, and I promised them Id continue pushing to do away with the outdated practice of adjusting our clocks twice a year, Tuberville said in a release. Its time for America to move forward and stop falling back. Congress should listen to the people and make Daylight Saving Time permanent.

The Alabama State Legislature passed a bill to permanently implement DST in 2021, but legislation must first be passed at the federal level in order for the state law to take effect, the release said.

Recently, Florida Rep. Senator Marco Rubio reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act after it passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent in 2022 but wasnt brought to the floor for a vote.

Florida U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan (Rep.) also introduced a companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid, Rubio said in a release. Locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support. This Congress, I hope that we can finally get this done.

Joining Tuberville and Rubio in introducing this legislation are Republican and Democrat U.S. Senators from Oklahoma, California, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Minnesota, Florida, Mississippi, Kentucky, Oregon and New Mexico.

Over the years, Ive fought and won to extend daylight saving time  adding two months worth of sun to the American peoples calendar, Massachusetts Dem. Senator Ed Markey said in a release. Its past time for Congress to broaden its horizons and finally make daylight saving time permanent. With the Sunshine Protection Act, we can shine a light on the darkest days of the year and deliver more sun, more smiles, and brighter skies.

One main concern about permanent DST is that children would have to go to school in the dark during the winter months as sunrise would be delayed to 8 a.m. or even 9 a.m. in some states. Another concern is that there will be a misalignment between the clock time and the solar time, which effects the circadian rhythm creating a condition called social jet lag, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Currently, there are only two states that dont participate in the time change, Hawaii and parts of Arizona. Both states regulate on standard time year round.

Hawaii stopped observing the time change in 1967 and Arizona, with the exception of the Navajo Nation, stopped observing the time change in 1968. Both states didnt see a benefit in adjusting the clocks to add an extra hour of daylight because of their already hot, sunny climates.

Several states are hoping to join Hawaii and Arizona in abandoning the time change that disturbs peoples sleep schedules.

Studies have also linked the time change to spikes in car crashes, an increase in heart problems and negative effects on the human circadian rhythm, which is the bodys internal clock that regulates the timing of alertness, sleepiness and other biological functions.

Scientists believe disruptions to the body clock have been linked to obesity, depression, diabetes, heart problems and other conditions.

Many Mississippians, especially those in agriculture, agree that ending the disruptive practice of re-setting our clocks would bring public safety improvements, economic benefits, and even mental health benefits to our nation, Rep. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi said in a release. Im proud to again cosponsor the Sunshine Protection Act in an effort to make permanent Daylight Saving Time a reality.

Oregon Rep. Senator Ron Wyden added in the release: Its time to put a stop to the twice-a-year time-change madness. Science and common sense show that more year-round daylight would improve our health, help kids spend a bit more time enjoying outdoor after school activities, and encourage folks to support local businesses while on a sunny stroll in their communities. Im all in to get the Sunshine Protection Act passed into law at last.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Japan should stop perpetuating nuclear colonialism, and instead respect the sovereignty and self-determination of Pacific nations regarding the planned discharge of radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a New Zealand sociologist has said.

The social aspects and major country relations around Japan's decision to release the radioactive wastewater from the defunct plant must be questioned, Karly Burch from the University of Auckland told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Pacific peoples have a fundamental right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. By proceeding with this plan to discharge radioactive wastewater without community-led consultation, rigorous scientific debate, and public deliberation, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese government are showing direct disregard for the sovereignty and self-determination of Pacific peoples," Burch said.

The action is a continuation of the ongoing trend of nuclear colonialism, where indigenous peoples and their lands and waters are targeted as testing or dumping grounds to maintain nuclear production processes for nuclear weapons and energy technologies, she said.

Pacific peoples have been suffering from the social and material consequences of nuclear pollution for decades, she noted, citing the Runit Dome in the Marshall Islands, a U.S.-built repository to temporarily store the nuclear waste from its 67 nuclear tests in the island country, as an example.

Struck by a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit Japan's northeast on March 11, 2011, the No. 1-3 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant suffered core meltdowns, resulting in a level-7 nuclear accident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale.

The Japanese government and the plant operator, TEPCO, announced a plan in April 2021 to release more than one million tons of treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean this spring.

Three months later, Japan greenlit the discharge plan while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s task force was still conducting the review mission.

Earlier this year, Japan unilaterally announced that it would start discharging the radioactive water in spring or summer, just before the agency's task force arrived in Japan for review.

Burch, who joined others at the Nuclear Connections Across Oceania conference in November 2022 to call for an immediate termination of Japan's plan, said that rigorous scientific studies should be conducted to address the many unanswered questions about the biological, ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts of the discharge, rather than merely focusing on questions of chemistry and dose responses, which has been the basis of TEPCO's studies.

"A group of highly respected scientists working with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat shared in January that the data TEPCO provided about the possible impacts of the wastewater discharge is incomplete, inadequate, and inconsistent. They have been asking TEPCO for more information, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions," she said.

Frontline community members in Japan and the Pacific who will be impacted to understand what is going on materially on the ground, rather than geopolitically powerful actors who profit from nuclear technologies, need to be the ones directing adequate consultation, she said.

"But it can be difficult to do these studies because certain geopolitically powerful actors who benefit off of nuclear imperialism and nuclear colonialism might not want people to ask certain questions," she added.

Meanwhile, Burch called on the New Zealand government to "stay true to its commitments to a nuclear-free Pacific and to support other concerned Pacific governments and peoples by playing a leading role in taking a case to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea against Japan."

"We need someone to take Japan to court," as it is the only way to stop its wastewater discharge, she said.

"Regardless of the criticism, they are still saying it is safe. I'm sure Japan will keep saying the wastewater is safe to dump until they have the political ability to push the plan through," she said, adding that Japan could use "a political manoeuvre that allows for trust to replace the need for rigorous scientific studies and debate, or the need to respect the Law of the Sea."

"If we allow Japan to get away with this, I'm really nervous about the precedent it will set for others," she said. 
I am sorry for the bashing I did of part one.

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SAME. Part 2 redeemed this show.



Edited at 2023-03-11 07:12 pm (UTC)

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I was also super glad and relieved that [ Spoiler (click to open) ] Marienne survived, and loved seeing Beck and Love again. Same! HUGE improvement. I was really afraid they were trying to turn Joe into this sort of Benoit Blanc character and try and redeem him that way, but they did a 180 and basically gave the finger to the Joe defenders!I was also super glad and relieved that

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Lol. You're the opposite of me. I hated Part 2.

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This season was awful and Im mad

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I still havent finished part 1 yet bc I found it so painfully boring. No fun characters like Peach, Love, Forty, or Sherry. Does part 2 get any better?

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It does! I hated it but now I feel like they set up Part One as a red herring, Part Two gets right back to the show's roots and then some.



Edited at 2023-03-11 06:29 pm (UTC)

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Part 2 is great. Im actually glad they split it up because it made me appreciate the way it went.

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Hmm I thought Part 2 was a disaster. It was just absolutely ridiculous. Even for this show. My man was more audacious with his killings than Jason Vorhees.



I can't say I enjoyed it. Esp compared to how thrilling S3 was.



Penn is still extremely attractive though.





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I'm surprised people are saying it redeemed the season? I mean, the acting was better bc there were less caricatures and Greg Kinnear was added to the cast but everything about the plot was garbage 

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I wanna catch up but also they should wrap it up with season 5 if it gets renewed

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i mean i could see TS traveling the world to stalk a boy when she was younger, minus the murder of course.

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I just made a post to discuss the show, the mods can gladly reject it lol.



Anyway, even though I saw the twist coming, I loved it and Penn is SO good.



Team Lady Phoebe!



Justice for Nadia!



Marienne for the win!



If Kate had been played by an actress who had charisma she would have been iconic.







Edited at 2023-03-11 06:33 pm (UTC)

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If Kate had been played by an actress who had charisma she would have been iconic.



Yes this times a thousand, the whole season I kept waiting for his love interest/future victim to be introduced because I couldnt believe she was supposed to be it

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Same. In part 1, you could argue that it was writing, but part 2 definitely tried to give her an actual character arc. The breaking of the ice queen persona, showing her being a good friend to Phoebe, exploring her daddy issues, etc. But still, the actress never made a single moment count.



Edited at 2023-03-11 10:08 pm (UTC)

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I liked Charlotte Ritchie in FeelGood and UK Ghosts but she was not compelling in You. I think it's the writing and characterization more than the actor, tbh. She really didn't have much to go off of.

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Yeah Kate was such a bore. :(

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If Kate had been played by Holiday Grainger I wouldve been 100% down. Shed have done a great job.

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Its such a shame, bc I really like the actress on the BBC version of Ghosts. But as Kate, she just never ever got there.

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I thought the ending for [ Spoiler (click to open) ] Nadia was actually pretty shocking. I thought there would be some arrangement or another but wow, Joe is just leaning into full evil now.



I also thought Penn did a really good job acting this season. He had to do a lot more than in the past as Joe this year!



Also maybe this is a dumb pet peeve but [ Spoiler (click to open) ] it was crazy to me that mariennes phone was not completely dead after what must have been weeks in the cage. Mine barely lasts a day! Also why would a kidnapper bring her phone to the same location?? Isnt there at least an off chance it would be tracked?? I liked it especially the 9th episode with the dream sequence. I really enjoyed the familiar faces telling Joe some harsh truths.I thought the ending forI also thought Penn did a really good job acting this season. He had to do a lot more than in the past as Joe this year!Also maybe this is a dumb pet peeve but

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Yeah the phone battery power was giving Nintendo DS.

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I'm still watching, but I just had to say.... Nadia's deductions are so baseless, particularly the one about how Joe only just started reading detective stories and suddenly he is good at detective mysteries etc...

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Nothing about Nadia's involvement made sense. Why did she take her boyfriend to where Marienne was and freak out over M not being there even though plan B had been enacted and she participated in it??

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It was ridiculous. The whole thing.

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oh good point! maybe she thought the box would still be there?

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Yeah I could not understand why Nadia suddenly got involved. Like what exactly tipped her off? He didn't read her story???

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What was the twist? I watched part 1 but I can't be bothered to do part 2 - I think the cast is just really grating this season.

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ahhh - yeah, I saw several people theorise that TY!

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when i skimmed and saw tswift i thought this was the end of her boyfriend

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Felt like they executed the expected twist in part 2 better than I expected, really enjoyed season 4 as a whole (although Nadias suspicions didnt make much sense IMO).



Edited at 2023-03-11 07:04 pm (UTC)

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oh wow now that I think about tswift really is just another version of Joe

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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Astana is upbeat about boosting oil exports, despite caveats over how the war in Ukraine may impact markets and questions about its recently launched shipments to Europe.

Kazakhstan plans to increase oil supplies via its main export pipeline to Russia by over a third by the end of next year, Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov said this week during an industry conference in Texas.

That is fighting talk, given the troubles that have beset the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, whose supplies were halted four times last year.

Official explanations for the disruptions have not convinced skeptics, who believe Moscow is using the CPC as political leverage over Kazakhstan to coerce it (unsuccessfully) to support Russias war in Ukraine.

Astana aims to increase exports through the pipeline, which carries about 1 percent of global oil, to 60 million metric tons this year, Akchulakov said during the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston. That would be a rise of 15 percent on the 52.2 million metric tons it shipped last year. Next year, it intends to ramp up exports by another 20 percent to 72 million metric tons. If successful, that would amount to a 38 percent rise over two years.

This is possible after an expansion on Kazakhstans section of the CPC pipeline, completed in January, increased its capacity from the current 53.7 million metric tons to 72.5 million.

Kazakhstan is heavily dependent on the CPC, which carries four-fifths of its oil exports. Russia is not: Kazakh oil accounted for 88 percent of the CPCs shipments in 2022.

Kazakh supplies through the CPC were down 1 percent in 2022, owing to pipeline disruptions, but still accounted for 81 percent of Kazakhstans exports of 64.3 million metric tons.

Pipelines to Russia carried 94 percent of Kazakh oil, with the CPC accounting for the bulk and a pipeline from the Kazakh city of Atyrau to the Russian city of Samara delivering the remaining 13 percent.

The rest of the oil went across the Caspian Sea by tanker to join the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to Turkey (2.3 million tons, or nearly 4 percent of Kazakhstans exports) and to China along the Atasu-Alashankou pipeline (1.2 million, or nearly 2 percent).

Small amounts were shipped to the Georgian port of Batumi and Uzbekistan, Reuters reported.

On orders from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan is seeking to diversify export routes because of the war, by implication to reduce reliance on sanctions-hit Russia.

That is Kazakhstans number one problem, Akchulakov told the Houston energy conference.

Building a new pipeline to carry oil east across the Caspian Sea could take up to five years, he said. He did not mention that Russia, as a littoral state, would certainly try to veto it.

Kazakhstan upped oil supplies via non-Russian routes last year, but only by 638,000 tons, according to Reuters.

In late February Kazakhstan started pumping oil to Germany, to make up for shortfalls after EU countries banned most Russian oil. But that oil still must pass through Russia.

Kazakhstan has agreed to ship 300,000 tons to Germany in the first quarter of this year through the Druzhba pipeline across Russia, reached via the Atyrau-Samara pipeline, and has applied to send 1.2 million tons along the route this year. The ever-bullish energy minister has said Kazakhstan could in theory find up to 6 million tons to send to Europe annually.

But the first shipment of 20,000 tons was delayed from January, and Kazakhstan is struggling to find enough crude oil to meet requests from European countries for deliveries through Russias Druzhba pipeline system that would allow them to reduce their dealings with Moscow, Bloomberg reported this week, citing anonymous sources and blaming falls in output on maintenance work at oilfields.

In addition, Bloomberg said, Kazakh oil producers are wary of using the Druzhba link because they can earn better returns by using other export routes.

Energy officials also used the Houston forum to talk up Kazakhstans rebranding of its oil to disassociate it from Russian oil.

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Oil from Kazakhstan was previously exported as REBCO, Russian Export Blend Crude Oil, which the world knows better as Urals crude, but last June was rechristened KEBCO. That allowed Kazakhstan to minimize risks to Kazakhstans oil and gas companies, Magzum Mirzagaliyev, the head of state energy firm KazMunaiGaz, said.

There is evidence for that: KEBCO is trading at about $20 more per barrel than REBCO, according to Reuters.

Kazakhstan is forecasting oil output at 90.5 million metric tons this year, and exports at 71 million tons. But as Energy Minister Akchulakov pointed out, Astanas oil ambitions are dependent on the vagaries of the war in Ukraine.

I believe that events in geopolitics create an ocean of uncertainty, he said, which made forecasting difficult. However, we have to move forward. There are many opportunities.

By Joanna Lillis via Eurasianet.org

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Despite high oil prices sending energy company profits soaring over the last year, little of those profits have been reinvested in the oil and gas business. As oil and gas companies acknowledge the inevitability of an energy transition in the future, many are pumping funds into their clean energy business and returning money to shareholders. However, energy experts are concerned that underinvestment in oil and gas could threaten the worlds energy security at a time when the demand for fossil fuels is high and climbing.

The CEO of Saudi Arabias oil giant Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, told media sources this month that A persistent underinvestment in oil upstream and even downstream is still there. The latest report from the IEA talks about a demand of 101.7 million barrels  going from 100 million barrels in 2022 to almost 2 million barrels more with China opening up and the aviation industry, which has not yet returned to pre-Covid levels.

Nasser explained, There is a lot of potential for growth in aviation, adding, And with China opening up and the lack of investment, there is definitely a concern in the mid-to-long term in terms of making sure there is adequate supplies in the market. He also suggested that while substantial U.S. fuel supplies have supported a fall in oil prices, the slowing of drilling activities could threaten the future supply.

Nasser is the latest of several energy experts to state their concern about underinvestment in the industry. Upstream spending has fallen from around $700 billion in 2014 to between $370 to $400 billion today. While this reflects the expansion of the energy industry to include alternative cleaner forms of energy and a gradual move away from fossil fuels, this is very low considering the continued high demand for oil and gas.

There is also a concern about the ongoing reliance on mature oil fields, which will eventually dry up. The average global decline rate of oilfields is around 6%, meaning companies need to offset their production rate to ensure the intended output. One way to address this is to invest in exploration and development in other oil regions to establish new projects. But with many companies unwilling to invest in new operations that could take decades to get off the ground, the world may have to eventually face an undersupply of oil and gas.

The issue of underinvestment was addressed last year at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC), where experts discussed the balance between energy security and sustainability. Many industry leaders highlighted the concern that energy security had been seemingly sacrificed by some for sustainability, resulting in significant underinvestment in oil and gas. Many at the conference viewed the underinvestment as reckless, suggesting many firms have followed policymakers and public sentiment that have been pushing a premature energy transition.

With energy security at the center of the discussion, particularly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions on Russian energy, the ADIPEC debated whether the move away from oil and gas is coming too soon, with many renewable energy projects still in the nascent stage and a potential gap between supply and demand of both fossil fuels and green alternatives. Industry leaders at ADIPEC determined that the persistent and severe underinvestment in energy supply, driven by pressure from governments, activists, investors, and banks, has been a major stimulus for the current energy crisis and represents a huge threat to global energy security.

This may come as a shock to many in the wake of a year of high profits for oil and gas companies. It seemed inevitable that energy firms would pump funds back into operations to ensure the future supply. However, with greater pressures to decarbonize and policies encouraging greater investment in green energy  with several tax cuts and incentives to push this agenda, many oil and gas firms have chosen to invest their money elsewhere.

Research by JP Morgan predicts a $400 billion oil underspend to 2030. And while much of this spending will, instead, go towards non-fossil fuels, the firms research demonstrates that neither oil and gas nor alternative energy will grow at the rate needed to meet the growing global demand, resulting in more energy crises in the coming years. Focusing on the fossil fuels underspend, Christyan Malek, JP Morgan's Global Head of Energy Strategy stated, In contrast with renewables, the oil industry is comparatively starved of capital but with an abundance of projects and potential supply to be tapped into. He added that due to the anticipated high demand over the next decade, oil is really where we see the greatest need for incremental investment, both in sustaining the existing production base, as well as growing it, as we see 2030 demand 7.1 million bpd above 2019 levels, with current spending levels implying a 700,000-bpd average gap to 2030.

Despite high profits, the ongoing high demand for oil and gas, and the current energy crisis  which has revealed severe supply shortages when Russian energy is removed  there continues to be significant underinvestment in fossil fuels. While this could be seen as positive for the green transition, experts fear that there will not be enough green energy to fill the gap in supply and demand by the time that fossil fuel projects wane, resulting in greater energy insecurity and more energy crises in the future.

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By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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University of Rochester researchers have created a superconducting material at both a temperature and pressure low enough for practical applications. This is certainly a historical achievement for superconductivity.

In a paper published in Nature, the researchers describe a nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride (NDLH) that exhibits superconductivity at 69 Fahrenheit and 10 kilobars (145,000 pounds per square inch, or psi) of pressure.

Ranga Dias, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and physics said, With this material, the dawn of ambient superconductivity and applied technologies has arrived.

Although 145,000 psi might still seem extraordinarily high (atmospheric pressure at sea level is about 15 psi), strain engineering techniques routinely used in chip manufacturing, for example, incorporate materials held together by internal chemical pressures that are even higher.

Scientists have been pursuing this breakthrough in condensed matter physics for more than a century. Superconducting materials have two key properties: electrical resistance vanishes, and the magnetic fields that are expelled pass around the superconducting material. Such materials could enable:

 Power grids that transmit electricity without the loss of up to 200 million megawatt hours (MWh) of the energy that now occurs due to resistance in the wires

 Frictionless, levitating high-speed trains

 More affordable medical imaging and scanning techniques such as MRI and magnetocardiography

 Faster, more efficient electronics for digital logic and memory device technology

 Tokamak machines that use magnetic fields to confine plasmas to achieve fusion as a source of unlimited power

Previously, the Dias team reported creating two materials  carbonaceous sulfur hydride and yttrium superhydride  that are superconducting at 58 Fahrenheit / 39 million psi and 12 Fahreneheit / 26 million psi respectively, in papers in Nature and Physical Review Letters.

Given the importance of the new discovery, Dias and his team went to unusual lengths to document their research and head off criticism that developed in the wake of the previous Nature paper, which led to a retraction by the journals editors. The previous paper has been resubmitted to Nature with new data that validates the earlier work, Dias says. The new data was collected outside the lab, at the Argonne and Brookhaven National Laboratories in front of an audience of scientists who saw the superconducting transition live. A similar approach has been taken with the new paper.

Five graduate students in Diass lab  Nathan Dasenbrock-Gammon, Elliot Snider, Raymond McBride, Hiranya Pasan, and Dylan Durkee  are listed as co-lead authors. Everyone in the group was involved in doing the experiments, Dias said. It was truly a collective effort.

Startling visual transformation at superconductivity and beyond

Hydrides created by combining rare earth metals with hydrogen, then adding nitrogen or carbon, have provided researchers a tantalizing working recipe for creating superconducting materials in recent years. In technical terms, rare earth metal hydrides form clathrate-like cage structures, where the rare earth metal ions act as carrier donors, providing sufficient electrons that would enhance the dissociation of the H2 molecules. Nitrogen and carbon help stabilize materials. Bottom line: less pressure is required for superconductivity to occur.

In addition to yttrium, researchers have used other rare earth metals. However, the resulting compounds become superconductive at temperatures or pressures that are still not practical for applications.

So, this time, Dias looked elsewhere along the periodic table.

Lutetium looked like a good candidate to try, Dias said. It has highly localized fully-filled 14 electrons in its f orbital configuration that suppress the phonon softening and provide enhancement to the electron-phonon coupling needed for superconductivity to take place at ambient temperatures. The key question was, how are we going to stabilize this to lower the required pressure? And thats where nitrogen came into the picture.

Nitrogen, like carbon, has a rigid atomic structure that can be used to create a more stable, cage-like lattice within a material and it hardens the low-frequency optical phonons, according to Dias. This structure provides the stability for superconductivity to occur at lower pressure.

Diass team formulated a gas mixture of 99 percent hydrogen and one percent nitrogen, placed it in a reaction chamber with a pure sample of lutetium, and let the components react for two to three days at 392 Fahrenheit.

The resulting lutetium-nitrogen-hydrogen compound was initially a lustrous bluish color, the paper states. When the compound was then compressed in a diamond anvil cell, a startling visual transformation occurred: from blue to pink at the onset of superconductivity, and then to a bright red non-superconducting metallic state.

It was a very bright red, Dias said. I was shocked to see colors of this intensity. We humorously suggested a code name for the material at this state  reddmatter  after a material that Spock created in the popular 2009 Star Trek movie. The code name stuck.

The 145,000 psi of pressure required to induce superconductivity is nearly two orders of magnitude lower than the previous low pressure created in Diass lab.

Machine learning algorithms for predicting new superconducting materials

With funding support from Diass National Science Foundation CAREER award and a grant from the US Department of Energy, his lab has now answered the question of whether superconducting material can exist at both ambient temperatures and pressures low enough for practical applications.

Dias commented, A pathway to superconducting consumer electronics, energy transfer lines, transportation, and significant improvements of magnetic confinement for fusion are now a reality. We believe we are now at the modern superconducting era.

For example, Dias predicts that the nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride will greatly accelerate progress in developing tokamak machines to achieve fusion. Instead of using powerful, converging laser beams to implode a fuel pellet, tokamaks rely on strong magnetic fields emitted by a doughnut-shaped enclosure to trap, hold, and ignite super-heated plasmas. NDLH, which produces an enormous magnetic field at room temperatures, will be a game-changer for the emerging technology, Dias said.

Particularly exciting, according to Dias, is the possibility of training machine-learning algorithms with the accumulated data from superconducting experimentation in his lab to predict other possible superconducting materials  in effect, mixing and matching from thousands of possible combinations of rare earth metals, nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon.

In day-to-day life we have many different metals we use for different applications, so we will also need different kinds of superconducting materials, Dias said. Just like we use different metals for different applications, we need more ambient superconductors for different applications.

Coauthor Keith Lawlor has already begun developing algorithms and making calculations using supercomputing resources available through the University of Rochesters Center for Integrated Research Computing.

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An upstate New York hub for superconducting materials?

Diass research group recently moved into a new, expanded lab on the third floor of Hopeman Hall on the River Campus. This is the first step in an ambitious plan to launch a degree-granting Center for Superconducting Innovation (CSI) at the University of Rochester, he said.

The center would create an ecosystem for drawing additional faculty and scientists to the University to advance the science of superconductivity. The trained students would broaden the pool of researchers in the field.

***

This is quite an accomplishment. The work could well be commercial in a rare, very small niche even now.

There will be more to come. The (first?) basic formulae is now in hand. And as noted the effort is underway to find even more recipes for a widening range of applications.

But this isnt your high capacity transmission line solution, yet. Bugs, parameters and conditions are yet to be discovered and known. The functioning lab unit is as far as this has gone.

It is a historical event. Congratulations are offered with a bit of awe struck respect for the creativity, innovation and brain expansion that got the field so far along. This is quite a team and the plan for a superconducting center looks real good now.

One more . . . Congratulations!

By Brian Westenhaus via New Energy and Fuel

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Leftist Lula de Silvas victory in Brazils controversial October 2022 presidential election provoked apprehension that many of the investor-friendly oil industry reforms undertaken by previous administrations will be undone. This caused the market value of Brazils national oil company Petrobras, which is 36.6% owned by the federal government in Brasilia, to tumble. After Lula assuaged market fears of any major changes occurring to integrated energy, major concerns have emerged that Brasilia will take a more interventionist role with regard to Petrobras operations. This is stoking fears of a return to earlier policies implemented by Lula during his first presidential term, where the company was used as a tool to achieve government policy goals, which eventually left Petrobras with a bloated balance sheet and near bankruptcy. If that occurs, it will sharply impact Petrobras operations, making it far less attractive to private investors. During the administrations of President Lula de Silva and then his protege Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached for corruption in April 2016, Petrobras was used as a policy tool to subsidize fuel prices and fund government spending on social programs. By 2015 after the price of crude oil collapsed, with the international Brent benchmark plunging 49% between January 2014 and January 2015 alone, Petrobras had become the most indebted oil company in the world. It was not only the rapid deterioration of oil prices that was responsible. Long-running, deeply ingrained corruption and malfeasance at the national oil company, coupled with Brasilia using Petrobras to subsidize fuel prices and fund social programs, substantially weakened the companys balance sheet forcing it to load up on debt.

Related: Russia And Saudi Arabia Vow To Continue OPEC+ Oil Policy Cooperation

It was the appearance of the corruption investigation Operation Carwash in 2014 that illustrated the depth and breadth of corruption at Petrobras. That scandal eventually saw Lula imprisoned for corruption, while his successor and protege Dilma Rousseff was removed from office. Those events not only destroyed billions of dollars of shareholder value but sparked considerable speculation that Petrobras would go bankrupt or, at the very least, require a government bailout. A spike in oil prices combined with asset sales and a focus on aggressive cost-cutting saw Petrobras avoid that ignominious fate. A series of business-friendly petroleum industry regulatory reforms, started by President Michael Temer and continued by Jair Bolsonaro not only strengthened Petrobras precarious position and saw it emerge as a leading investor-friendly national oil company but also attracted considerable foreign energy investment.

Those pro-business industry reforms reinvigorated Brazils massive oil boom and garnered considerable attention from foreign energy companies. That saw offshore investment inflows, particularly from foreign energy supermajors, surge at a crucial time with oil prices recovering after a prolonged slump. Most of that investment flowed into Brazils crucial ultra-deep-water pre-salt oilfields, which are responsible for 74% of the countrys total petroleum output and are a key driver of production growth. For January 2023, Brazils hydrocarbon output hit a new record high, with Latin Americas largest oil producer pumping nearly 4.2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day or 7% more than a year earlier. Oil production also reached a record that month with Brazil pumping nearly 3.3 million barrels per day which were 8% higher year over year.

It is those reforms, along with reduced government interference in Petrobras operations and sharply higher oil prices after Russias invasion of Ukraine, which were responsible for the national oil companys strong 2022 results. Full-year net income soared 84% year over year to $36.7 billion on the back of a 2% increase in hydrocarbon production and a 43% surge in the annual average Brent price, which was $101.19 per barrel compared to $70.73 per barrel during 2021. That impressive performance allowed Petrobras to hike its dividend yet again, which will see the company pay a total of $215.8 billion reals or nearly $42 billion in dividends for 2022, which is nearly double the payments to shareholders from a year earlier. This is far more than required by Petrobras dividend policy, where the company is obliged to pay a minimum dividend amounting to 25% of adjusted net income.

There is considerable anxiety among energy investors concerning the outlook for Petrobras after President Lula criticized the national oil companys dividend policy in a recent Reuters article. Brazils leftist president was quoted in the article as stating;

"We cannot accept the idea of today's news that Petrobras delivered more than 215 billion reais in dividends,

According to Reuters, Lula asserted that half of Petrobras annual dividend payment should have been invested in Brazils economy, notably the countrys naval and petroleum industries. Those comments suggest the potential for a rethink of how Petrobras will manage its capital and allocate dividend payments in the future.

That conclusion is supported by an interview (Portuguese) between the Brazilian radio station BandNews FM Radio and President Lula. During that dialogue, Lula called on a rethink of how Petrobras will manage dividend payments going forward, stating:

We have to think of Petrobras as a company of strategic interest for Brazil. It could have distributed half of the dividends and invested the other half,

He then pointed out that:

Petrobras is not a company just to make money, it is a company to give energy sovereignty to the country.

Chief Executive Prates, in a recent Reuters article, attempted to reassure investors by stating that Petrobras will continue paying robust dividends during 2023. He went on to state that this will occur after accounting for the needs of all parties with a balanced formula employed to ensure profits are reinvested, and investors are remunerated at the same time. Lulas statements, however, struck a nerve among investors and financial markets. They indicate that Brazils leftist president intends to return to employing Petrobras as a government policy tool. That could see Brasilia using the company to bolster finances and execute public policy, particularly through investing in specific economic sectors and subsidizing fuel prices which history has shown is a costly strategy. If that occurs, it will be to the determinant of Petrobras profitability and likely lead to value destruction for private shareholders.

Brazils president has already halted Petrobras divesture program, which was steadily progressing during Bolsonaros administration. The aim of that strategy was for Petrobras to raise capital by selling non-core assets, specifically shallow water and onshore oilfields, pipelines, and refining facilities, with the proceeds employed to reduce debt and bolster investment in core operations. Brazils president, in a surprise move, introduced a new oil export tax a week ago which caught energy companies off guard. That further suggests the business-friendly reforms introduced by Temer and Bolsonaro will be overturned.

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Another worrying event was newly appointed Chief Executive Jean-Paul Prates' announcement that Petrobras will pursue a major expansion of its renewable energy assets. Earlier this month, Norwegian energy supermajor Equinor revealed it had signed a letter of intent with Petrobras to assess the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of seven offshore Brazilian wind projects with up to 14.5 gigawatts of capacity. That plan, along with halting asset sales, could see Petrobras core profit-generating assets, its ultra-deepwater pre-salt operations, denied the considerable and necessary capital required to continue expanding production. Petrobras had originally earmarked capital expenditures of $64 billion in its 2023 to 2027 strategic plan, with 67% or nearly $43 billion to be invested in developing its pre-salt assets. That included plans to add an additional 18 Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels, known as FPSOs, to Petrobras' pre-salt operations between 2023 and 2027.

For those reasons, Petrobras shares tumbled sharply recently as doubts arose that the company can continue at the current pace, unlocking considerable shareholder value. The integrated energy companys stock has lost just over 2% during the last month and is down 21% over the last year. A recalibration of Petrobras dividend payments will cause the national oil companys monster dividend yield, quoted by the Wall Street Journal as a whopping 57%, to fall considerably. If Lula forces Petrobras to change direction and Brasilia takes a more interventionist role, then not only will its operations suffer, but Brazils petroleum production will not expand as rapidly as originally planned. Such a move will also deter foreign oil investment, which has been among the main drivers of production growth.

By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com

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NADI, Fiji, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Samoa and Fiji warmly welcomed the China-aided agricultural technical assistance projects as they have helped the South Pacific island nations to further boost their economic and social development in recent years.

Located at the southward extension of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Pacific island nations (PICs) are important economic and trade partners of China. Currently, China has inked Memorandums of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation with all 10 PICs with diplomatic relations with China.

China has launched multiple agricultural technical assistance projects in these countries, including Samoa and Fiji. It has helped PICs improve agricultural production capacity and food security by sending agricultural experts, building demonstration farms, training model farmers, promoting improved crop varieties and providing technical support.

According to Liu Zhiwen, leader of the China-Samoa Agricultural Technical Aid Project, agriculture is a key economic pillar in Samoa with over 80 percent of families engaged in different forms of agricultural production.

Initiated in 2010, the project, which was divided into five phases with the latest being launched in March 2022, aimed to help Samoan farmers enhance their sustainable livelihoods. China has sent experts from Hunan province to Samoa to set up demonstration farms so that Samoans could learn how to increase productivity and promote sustainable agriculture.

On the sidelines of this year's Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forest, which was just concluded in Fiji's third largest city of Nadi on Friday night, Liu told Xinhua that the project has so far proven to be a great success because through the project, modern agricultural technology facilities on greenhouse cultivation, high-yield fruit cultivation, organic fertilizer and soil improvement were set up in Samoa.

Besides the demonstration farm near Samoa's capital city of Apia, Chinese experts have also established nine agricultural stations, cultivated over 100 model farms and provided agricultural training to over 10,000 farmers, he said.

For his part, Samoa's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Laauli Leuatea Polataivao Fosi told Xinhua that the island nation is so pleased to have the support from the Chinese government to develop its agricultural sector.

The minister voiced his satisfaction over the project which has led to the great improvement of Samoa's agricultural production.

While believing that Samoa will benefit from the BRI, he thanked China for being Samoa's brother and hoped to expand areas of cooperation which can help Samoa's economic and social development.

Meanwhile, China has set up a Juncao technical demonstration center in Nadi, Fiji, and provided Juncao technical assistance to Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

According to Lin Zhansen, the former leader of the Chinese experts team in Fiji and now the leader of the Juncao technology cooperation's regional center set up in Fiji in 2014, the China-Fiji Juncao technology cooperation project has been warmly welcomed by the island nation as it not only helps develop a low-cost mushroom cultivation industry, but also produces cattle feed and minimizes soil erosion.

In Fiji, Juncao has become a household name and is known as "the happy grass from China" after two phases of the project have witnessed a sound success. Now the third phase of the project is being implemented as scheduled.

"We have so far trained more than 1,700 Fijians, including female farmers and disabled persons, with 39 training workshops conducted throughout the country. In addition, we have also helped establish two model villages of mushroom cultivation in Fiji, which now has an accumulatively number of 600 mushroom farmers across the country," Lin told Xinhua.

He believed that the Juncao project will benefit not only Fiji, but also the Pacific region as a whole.

Tagiyaco Vakaloloma, 29, is a senior technical assistant for mushroom research and development from Fiji's Ministry of Agriculture. She has worked together with the Chinese experts over the past five years and looks forward to cooperating closely with them in the third phase of the project in the coming three years.

"I know Juncao is a very interesting and warmly welcomed project in Fiji for the sake of food sources, food security, income and also for the livestock farms in Fiji. We are looking forward to working with them in the next three years to help all the farmers in Fiji, to make them commercial and produce mushroom as a source of food and also the source of income for them," she told Xinhua.

Chinese Ambassador to Fiji Zhou Jian also inspected the project recently, saying that the project has become a symbol of the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and PICs including Fiji.

He hoped that the Chinese experts can take advantage of the platform to make a greater contribution to the region's poverty alleviation, sustainable development and efforts to fight against climate change. 
A little rain didn't scare away the most dedicated of paradegoers from flocking to downtown Omaha for the 144th annual St. Patricks Day parade.

Hundreds gathered Saturday morning to watch the parade, which is organized by the Father Flanagan Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

Despite the National Weather Service predicting a mix of wintry precipitation and potentially icy roads, about 80% of the parade's 80 registered entries made it to the event, according to Chris Blaylock, vice president of the Father Flanagan Division. Blaylock said attendance appeared to be down quite a bit due to the forecast, but those who showed up were enthusiastic.

"I would say all things considered it was an outstanding success," Blaylock said.

The parade winded its way through the Old Market, first heading east down Harney Street to 11th Street, and then south on 11th Street to Howard Street and then west on Howard.

This year's entries included festive floats from local businesses and organizations, including fitting appearances by some of Omahas local Irish pubs. Multiple historical reenactment groups, from the Wild West to Word War II, and the 501st Legion, a "Star Wars" costuming group, also participated.

"We had a lot of different groups that kind of live for this parade," Blaylock said.

Several elected representatives including U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, Rep. Don Bacon and State Sen. Tony Vargas also participated. Performances by an Irish dance group and Omaha's Destruction Drill Team proved popular with the crowd.

Frank and Cindy Vance, owners of the Dubliner Pub at 12th and Harney Streets, were the grand marshals of this years parade.

The Central Garrison of the 501st Legion, which raises money for different charities, has been a mainstay in the parade for at least 18 years, member Maria Cutshall of Omaha said.

We always like to do the St. Pattys Day parade to hang out and have a little fun, despite the weather, she said. We just enjoy getting dressed up in costumes and having fun with each other.

One of the entries that garnered the most excitement from the crowd was the Omaha Corgi Crew. Turnout for the group was a little low because of the weather, co-president Olivia Fries said, but several Welsh corgis and their owners participated.

Fries said she thinks the parade is a good way to generate awareness for the group, which raises money for local animal rescues, and also just have fun.

The oohs and aahs from everybody is pretty good,  she said. Its nice to see everyone watching smile.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2023
TOPEKA, Kan.  Conservative Republicans who want to thwart socially and environmentally conscious investing are being pushed to water down their proposals after backlash from powerful business groups and fears that state pension systems could see huge losses.

In both Kansas and Indiana, where the GOP has legislative supermajorities, bankers associations and state chambers of commerce criticized the strongest versions of anti-ESG legislation under consideration as anti-free market.

In Kansas, their opposition prompted a Senate committee's chair to drop the toughest version of its bill  applying anti-ESG rules to firms handling private investments  before hearings began this past week.

He also canceled a Thursday discussion of a milder version of an anti-ESG bill after the head of the state pension system for teachers and government workers warned that it could see $3.6 billion in losses over 10 years if the bill were passed.

Last month, legislative researchers in Indiana reported that its pension system expected the first version of a House bill to cost the system $6.7 billion over 10 years, prompting lawmakers to rewrite it before the chamber passed it.

ESG stands for environmental, social and governance and those factors' increased use in investing in recent years inspired GOP attempts to thwart it. Now, those efforts are riling groups long allied with Republicans in backing less government regulation.

"This is the underlying political nature of this," said Bryan McGannon, acting CEO and managing director for US SIF: The Forum for Responsible and Sustainable Investment. "They really aren't thinking about the consequences of the kind of the real world impacts of what this means in the financial system."

About one-eighth of U.S. assets being professionally managed, or $8.4 trillion, are being managed in line with ESG principles, according a report in December from US SIF, which promotes sustainable investing.

At least seven states, including Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, enacted anti-ESG laws in the past two years. GOP Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Gianforte of Montana also moved to ensure their states' funds aren't invested using ESG principles.

Critics of ESG contend that using investments to move the U.S. away from fossil fuels, address gun violence or protect abortion rights sacrifices earnings for investors and undercuts the finances of public pensions.

"The agent who is representing or investing on behalf of the principal has a fiduciary duty to put the principal's interest over the agent's interest," Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, a conservative Republican, told the state Senate committee. "That principle is such a  core of American law."

Anti-ESG efforts also draw support from companies and industries that feel under attack, such as oil and natural gas producers. During an Indiana House committee hearing last month, lawmakers heard a litany of complaints from businesses, including those in coal mining and firearms production, about difficulties they blame on corporate ESG policies.

"This is, again, a social agenda chasing something that they shouldn't be chasing," Kansas Senate committee Chair Mike Thompson, a Kansas City-area Republican who labels ESG investments as "potentially dangerous."

Public pension funds are caught in the debate as big institutional investors: The Kansas system has $25 billion in assets and Indiana's has $45 billion. NASRA, the association representing U.S. state pension fund administrators, opposes any move  including on either side of the ESG debate  away from making the security of pension fund assets "the paramount goal."

In Kansas, Thompson scrambled Wednesday to set up behind-the-scenes talks to address the state pension system's concerns. His committee's top Democrat, Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, of Wichita, said Thursday that she needs the pension system to sign off to consider voting for the bill.

Its executive director, Alan Conroy, testified that Kansas lawmakers' proposals are so broad that the state pension system couldn't hire or retain an investment manager who did "anything in that ESG world." The pension system would have to fire them all, hire new ones and likely settle for lower investment returns, he said.

Similar concerns played out in Indiana, but the pension system there backed off its figure for estimated losses after House members revised their bill.

Supporters say ESG isn't about boycotting certain industries or companies but of doing a better job assessing future risks, such as costs from major accidents or pollution, or a diminishing local water supply. They argue that considering such factors is part of an investment manager's obligation to get the best returns possible.

"It's just the latest moral panic that's been invented to get the conservatives riled up," said Kansas City-area state Rep. Rui Xu, the top Democrat on the Kansas House committee dealing with the issue.

In Kansas, the bankers and credit union association and the state Chamber of Commerce went from opposing the tougher version of the anti-ESG legislation to being neutral on all or most of its milder cousin. In Indiana, the state chamber endorsed the more limited version.
The anonymous tip that led Mexican authorities to a remote shack where four abducted Americans were held described armed men, people wearing blindfolds and plenty of activity around a ranch. Here's more on that and today's other top stories.
BLOOMINGTON  Soulside Healing Arts in Bloomington will host a trauma-informed yoga training on April 15 and 16.

"A Trauma-Informed Approach to Yoga" is open to mental health practitioners, yoga teachers and fitness instructors seeking to include trauma-informed somatic tools in their practice.

The studio hosted its first trauma-informed training in 2022 with 29 trainees.

The Saturday session is open to all trainees, and the Sunday session is reserved for yoga teachers who attended the Saturday session.

For yoga teachers, 15 hours of Yoga Alliance Continuing Education hours can be earned through this training.

Visit soulsidehealingarts.com/tiy for more information.

Close Kim Hayes, founder and instructor Tracy Patkunas, Kim Mishler, Heather Miller, Kate Burcham Getting ready to cut the ribbon Jen Johnson, Hillary McFeeters, Michael Fogle, Amanda Black Kim Baker with a coat from Fig n Thread Kellie Franks, Beth Skolmoski, Ashley Brown Scott Stella, Michael Powell, Andrea Arduini Blooming Life Studio & Spa Ribbon Cutting McLean County Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting Thursday, Jan. 12 Blooming Life Studio & Spa, Bloomington Blooming Life Studio & Spa was created with the belief that yoga is for everyone. In addition to yoga classes, Blooming Life will be offering nutritional coaching, life/wellness coaching, reiki, meditation, breathwork and has the only float pod in Central Illinois. Kim Hayes, founder and instructor Tracy Patkunas, Kim Mishler, Heather Miller, Kate Burcham Getting ready to cut the ribbon Jen Johnson, Hillary McFeeters, Michael Fogle, Amanda Black Kim Baker with a coat from Fig n Thread Kellie Franks, Beth Skolmoski, Ashley Brown Scott Stella, Michael Powell, Andrea Arduini
BLOOMINGTON  U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge visited a charity brunch in Bloomington on Saturday to speak about the importance of community and leadership.

The 15th annual Soulful Gospel Brunch, hosted by the Bloomington-Normal Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., meets each year to raise scholarship money.

This year's event, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Bloomington, also marked an important milestone for the local chapter.

"We are celebrating 40 years of serving the community, scholarships, sisterhood, service and social action," said chapter president Goline Lawrence.

According to their website, "Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is an organization of college educated women committed to the constructive development of its members and to public service with a primary focus on the Black community."

Lawrence said, "We are one of the organizations here (in Bloomington-Normal) that gives away the most scholarships and the most amount in scholarships as well. So we're very proud of that."

Lawrence said they raise and donate over $10,000 a year in scholarships.

Fudge, who was the sorority's 21st national president, noted in her speech the importance of engaging youth and the coming generations.

"It's especially pleasing for me to be here because we talk about uplifting young people who are going through all kinds of changes in this country today," Fudge said.

Fudge acknowledged the chapter's positive community impact.

"You do great work," she said. "But, I will say this: I'm not going to sit here and talk about the great things you do, because you should be doing them ... so pat yourself on the back today. And go back out and do the work you need to do tomorrow."

Fudge said Delta Sigma Theta's mission is not vain or self-aggrandizing, but rather a higher calling of sorts.

"We have to do what we are required to do," she said.

This includes helping youth get scholarships to continue their education, building community resources and helping the less fortunate.

"This (HUD) is my life's work. This is what I'm passionate about doing," Fudge said before her speech.

According to her official biography on HUD's website, Fudge was elected mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, in 1999.

She served two terms as mayor before being elected U.S. Representative for Ohio's 11th congressional district in 2008, where she served until 2021.

She was nominated and approved as HUD's 18th secretary in March 2021.

Lawrence said she was "overjoyed" to have the HUD secretary speak in Bloomington. "Just to have her, it means so much," she said.

Bloomington-Normal NAACP president Linda Foster said the brunch is a chance to "gather in fellowship with one another for a good cause, for scholarships for our young people in the community."

Lawrence said Fudge's visit is especially meaningful "because now we have a voice. We have someone ... who understands the impact of housing and how housing is served in these communities."

She added, "we have a seat at the table ... THE table. She was appointed by the president of the United States. To have that happen, it's just amazing for us."

Fudge said she relates to people who may be struggling with housing or facing economic and social hardships.

"I can say to them, I've been where you are," Fudge said. "It's one thing to hear about (these issues), it's another thing to live it. And I've lived it."

Speaking on the local sorority's endeavors, Fudge said, "I was watching something this morning talking about how so many of them (youth) are depressed, how they don't build relationships, how they have no real direction. This gives them direction."

Fudge said she works hard to improve the lives of millions.

"I am going to do everything that I can to make the lives better of every single person that I touch," she said. "And at HUD, that's about 4 million people a month ... I am going to make them know that we care."

Who had brunch with a cabinet member? Check out these photos HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, Takesha Stokes, Rhonda Smith Linda Foster, Meta Mickens-Baker, Brigette Gibson, Taunya Pearce Woods, Rhonda Smith Takesha Stokes, Goline Lawrence Dr. Janine Peacher, Jacqueline Sanford Shanese Lawson-Smith, Denver Smith Chyna Hawkins Vashida Apholone Chemberly Harris Tonya Webb, Kim Warren Andrea Goodwin, Belinda Brock, Myra Johnson Melissa Shrader, Leslie Williams Renee Thompson, Juanita Smith Lakita Scott, Juanita Smith Linda Foster, Florence Buchanon Valerie Winters, Quanisha Kumi-Darfour Tracye Burr, Tori Farmer Tim Brock, Malik Jones Yavonnda, Gabriella and Darrin Smith Melissa and Byron Galloway Tiffinie Pryor, Angela Carr Veleda Harvey, Russel Savage Strolling in Making a grand entrance Showing Delta Pride Deltas making their way into the room Delta's grand entrance Quinn Stuckey, Kentrica Coleman, Lashonna Harden Debra Thomas, Anita Lane Shannon Joyner, Claudette Davis, Angela Jennings, Shauna Mays Tina Cunningham, Kristy Johnson, Ticorral Tolliver

Behind the masks: Check out photos from the annual Grape Soiree Garrett VonDerHeide, Brandon Shaffer, Amanda Wycoff-Neaves, Ed Neaves Reece and Dezi Knipe Larum Dean, Krystal Barker Allison Vershaw, Matt and Heather Kaloupek, Dr. Vijay Laxmi Misra, Amber Gruenloh, Rishi Shukla Rachel Hatch, Amber Gruenloh Dr. David Landess and Susan Landess peruse the auction items. Liz Waldschmidt, Ellen Curtin Kim Schoenbein, Sue Seibring, Tracy Patkunas Owen and Abby Townsend Kristin and Brian Peterson Abby Townsend, Avah Waldschmidt, Owen Townsend Mark and Carrie Geason, Samantha Fleming, Julie Baker, Torrance Sharp, Kailey McElmury Dawn Urewicz, Dian Nealey, Sylvia Clinkenbeard Greg and Amy Miller, John Nafziger Sheri Noonan, Brenda Shawgo Garrett VonDerHeide, Brandon Shaffer David and Maggie Sumner, Sara and Mark Larsen, Chase and Andrew Kusnerik Jimmy and Hillary McFeeters, Sue Seibring Checking out the art to be auctioned off Melissa Riddle, President and CEO at Easterseals Central Illinois; Amber Gruenloh, Easterseals Central Illinois Community Vice President Ryan and Sarah Frye Jazz Band Rachel Hatch, Krupal Swami Amanda Wycoff-Neaves, Ed Neaves Rishi Shukla, Dr. Vijay Laxmi Misra Keith and Kirsten Evans Emily and B.J. Wilken Rachael and Michael Mosley Michael and Rachael Mosley, Emily and B.J. Wilken Andrew and Chase Kusnerik Beth and Jeff Mercier Trevor Seibring, Dan and Samantha Brown Gwen Robinson, Annie Whalen Mary Bynum, Jhun Medina Dawn Urewicz, Cheryl Magnuson, Jack Millan, Jhun Medina, Ward Lancaster, Mary Bynum Bremer Jewelry Katie Black and David Haynes
BLOOMINGTON  Those involved in rural public transit for McLean County are getting ready for their yearly appropriations process for vital funding from the state.

The Downstate Operating Assistance Program provides operating funds through the Illinois Department of Transportation to public transportation providers for parts of the state outside the Chicago area.

The nonprofit Show Bus is the local provider for rural public transit in McLean County, while also covering DeWitt, Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston, Logan, Macon and Mason counties.

For people living in rural communities that dont have access to a car, its a huge advantage, said Jennifer Sicks, transportation planner at the McLean County Regional Planning Commission.

However, Show Bus cannot apply for the state funds directly. Rather, local governments have to be the applicants, which then allows Show Bus to receive the money, she said.

Before I started with this, I had no idea the complexity of it all, said Sicks, who is the coordinator for those applications through McLean County.

As part of the application process each year, planners must hold a public hearing. This year's is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Government Center in downtown Bloomington.

The funding through McLean County covers Ford, Livingston, DeWitt and Iroquois counties, along with the rural parts of McLean and Macon counties. The Show Bus service area stretches 150 miles from the Illinois River in Mason County to the Indiana border in Iroquois County, and it includes three of the four largest counties in the state: McLean, Livingston and Iroquois.

Show Bus has been allocated around $2.9 million in recent years through the program, though it does not normally realize that full amount because of match requirements, Show Bus Director Laura Dick said.

Show Bus has also received almost $500,000 a year for the McLean County application area through Federal Section 5311 funding for rural areas, Dick said. A multi-year contract provided through COVID-19 funding added $3.4 million in total and expires in June of next year.

How it started

Show Bus began in 1979 under the Meadows Mennonite Retirement Community but spun off into its own entity in 2009.

Urban transit systems, such as Connect Transit in Bloomington-Normal and Decatur Public Transit, also receive DOAP funds, but their goals and histories differ from rural public transit systems, Dick said. In urban areas, they were founded as ways to move large numbers of people efficiently. It is difficult to think of large metropolises like Chicago and New York without their public transit.

However, rural programs grew out of serving specific populations, like elderly people, disabled people and low-income people, she said.

Rural (public transit) comes from a background of serving special populations, Dick said.

That often includes getting people who do not have other means of transportation to places like grocery stores and medical offices for appointments, and the service is open to anyone.

Getting to meet those people is driver Corey Collins favorite part of the job, he said while making a stop in DeWitt County on Friday.

You get to meet a lot of different people, he said.  Its neat to see everyones individuality.

How it's going

Ridership was heavily impacted by COVID, Dick said. Before the pandemic, Show Bus had around 130,000 riders a year in the area covered by the McLean County application. Now it has around 50-60% of that. That includes the impacts from the closure of two adult day centers in the coverage area during that time.

The state funding is a big deal for Show Bus and the populations it serves, Sicks and Dick said.

(Losing it) would be serious for a whole lot of people, Sicks said. () A lot of this is about health care.

That includes significant numbers of dialysis patients in Iroquois, Kankakee, Livingston and Logan counties, Dick said.

Dick credited downstate state legislators for their work in making sure transit is supported outside of the Chicago area.

We are incredibly fortunate in this state to have such strong support for public transit, Dick said.

More information about Show Bus, including route schedules and information about scheduling rides, can be found at showbusonline.org or by calling 1-800-525-2454.

Counting patents: States with the most inventive residents Counting patents: States with the most inventive residents #15. North Carolina #14. Utah #13. Michigan #12. New Hampshire #11. Connecticut #10. Colorado #9. Washington DC #8. Delaware #7. Minnesota #6. Vermont #5. Oregon #4. Washington #3. Idaho #2. Massachusetts #1. California
If ever there was a local election worth your time and attention, this is it.

Its true that every local election is important in that it directly affects our day-to-day quality of life and the direction of our community.

But its also true that the results of our upcoming election will have particularly significant repercussions. Candidates on the April 4 ballot have strikingly different positions on what they want for our communities, schools, and libraries. To learn about the differences among candidates, utilize the League of Women Voters voter education tool, Vote 411, at vote411.org or lwvmclean.org

Though each of the races to be decided on April 4 will have its own critical impact, the Unit 5 referendum is receiving the bulk of local attention.

The League of Women voters studied this issue, being careful to rely on nonpartisan, reputable information sources and analysis. We concluded that a yes vote was in the best interest of our community and students.

However, in the course of that study, we came across various statements encouraging a no vote that we believe are inaccurate or misleading. Here are some of our findings.

Taxes will not go up because of a yes vote for the referendum. Though referendum wording indicates a rate increase in the education fund, the increase is fully offset by retired building bonds and debt, leading to an overall decrease in the tax rate. Legally, the school system must ask for voter support to redirect monies from one budget fund into a different one. And the request to redirect the monies needs to be worded as a tax rate increase in the fund receiving the increase, in this case, the education fund.

Unit 5 does not have a bloated budget and administrative structure. In fact, Unit 5 compares favorably with others districts in our area. State data indicates that Unit 5 spent the second lowest operating dollars per student compared to six large unit districts in the surrounding area. Unit 5 spends a higher percentage of its dollars in the instructional fund than the other districts.

Unit 5 administrators are not overpaid considering the size of the district and the work they do. The average administrative salary is below the state average. According to the 2021-22 Illinois School Report Card, the administration to student ratio in Unit 5 is 207 students to every administrator, whereas the state average is 147 students to every administrator.

The Unit 5 school board has committed to dramatic, demoralizing, and disruptive cuts if the referendum does not pass. The budget shortfall is real and must be addressed. But not, we believe, at the expense of Unit 5 students. And not when theres an alternative that would not hurt students or taxpayers, which is what referendum passage would accomplish.

The League has worked hard to separate myth from fact. We believe our education professionals and elected school board members are making a good faith effort to put the district on sound financial footing and protect the quality of local education.

This is not the election to sit back and let others decide on local representation and school finances. Your vote is your voice. Educate yourself on the candidates and vote yes for Unit 5.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared last week when announcing the formation of the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center that the state was building the best behavioral health system in the nation.

It was quite a bold thing to say. So my associate Isabel Miller and I asked a couple of follow-up questions: How long will this take and how much will it cost?

The response from a spokesperson was kinda underwhelming: Under Governor Pritzkers leadership, the state has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild our behavioral health infrastructure and the Governor is committed to continuing these critical investments year after year to build the best system in the nation. Illinois has climbed in the national rankings by putting our people first and were on the right path if we continue to make generational change. With our statewide partnerships and continued investment Illinois will soon serve as the national standard for a behavioral health system that prioritizes workers and provides the best possible care for those who need it.

That obviously didnt answer either of our questions. And no brownie points for brevity, either. Sorry to make you read it.

Also, the background information the governors office sent about the administrations progress didnt quite match up with the governors flowery rhetoric.

Recent national rankings issued by Mental Health America, a group founded more than a century ago, show Illinois has moved from an 11th-place overall mental health rating back in 2018 to 9th place this year. An overall ranking of 1-13, according to the organization, indicates lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care.

However, the states ranking for adults actually slipped during that time period from 8th to 9th, and the ranking for youth remained at 13th. This despite spending hundreds of millions of additional dollars since the start of 2019 on mental health initiatives.

Even so, a key stakeholder heaped praise on the governors plan to use the new Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center to lead the revamp of the long-troubled Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in deep southern Illinois.

Equip for Equality issued an investigative report back in 2005 which documented numerous horrors at Choate. The group called for the facilitys closure at the time. Nearly two decades later, the group claimed last week via press release, enhanced monitoring activities show little has changed.

The group claims that Choate residents continue to be segregated from their community without receiving the necessary services to actually address why they ended up there. Residents, the group said, continue to be afraid of staff and peers, and afraid of retaliation if they report staff abuse.

Many of the recent news stories are about incidents that happened a year or more ago, said Stacey Aschemann, Equip for Equalitys vice president in charge of monitoring the conditions at Choate. Based on our recent monitoring, we can say without a doubt that these continue to be ongoing issues.

So, why has it taken so long for the state to act? The governor told reporters that the state simply hadnt had the financial resources to do enough about the problem. The new Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center has been in the works for five years and will hopefully help the state increase the workforce size enough to deal with the issues, not only at Choate, but throughout the state. With more tax revenues coming in, the state can start getting a handle on things.

And, make no mistake, the problems are severe, despite what national rankings may show. Currently, 15,000 people are on a waiting list for community-based intellectual and developmental disabilities placement, according to a report last week by Lee Enterprises, Capitol News Illinois and ProPublica Illinois. Those outlets reporting on Choate, by the way, sparked the recent intense interest in the facilitys many problems and helped push the administration into action, a fact which Pritzker himself has acknowledged.

There are, of course, parochial concerns about any changes at Choate. Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), who represents the area, claimed the central problem is with facility management (a good point) and said she opposed moving residents out of the facility (not so good). AFSCME, of course, is worried about the future of its members at Choate.

The bottom line is that the state just has to get smarter. These problems have existed for decades and decades, but the folks at Choate and thousands of others across this state deserve care and help, not physical abuse and neglect. The people in charge need to be better than this, so this attempt to bring new workers into the system and keep them there cannot fail.
The distribution of Measles vaccines, BCG vaccines and Oral Polio Vaccines to various regions and facilities are underway after the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service took delivery of the first consignment.



More vaccines are expected in Ghana in the coming weeks from multiple sources.



The Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye was at the airport on Saturday to supervise the airlifting of the vaccines to various regions.



Ghana has been experiencing shortages of some childhood vaccines, a situation that has attracted attention from different quarters, including Parliament and the Paediatric Society of Ghana.



At a press briefing on Tuesday [March 7, 2023] to debunk allegations that due to lack of some vaccines, people are dying from the outbreak of measles in the Northern Region, the Ministry said "It is important to correct the erroneous impression that there have been deaths from Measles in Ghana recently."



The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu who addressed the press briefing explained that "For the avoidance of doubt, there have been no deaths from the recently recorded spike in Measles cases. Indeed there have been no deaths since 2003 though we have recorded cases annually."



The MoH said it is working with UNICEF to fast-track the processes to obtain some of the vaccines as early as possible.



















Source: graphic.com.gh









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FRC, Georgia Pastors Deliver Nearly 35,000 Petitions to Port Wentworth City Hall Demanding Apology to Former Police Officer Jacob Kersey



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Family Research Council

March 10, 2023



PORT WENTWORTH, Ga., March 10, 2023 /Christian Newswire/ -- Family Research Council hosted a rally this morning on behalf of former Port Wentworth, Ga. police officer Jacob Kersey. Kersey was forced to quit his dream job as a police officer --with an otherwise spotless record -- after being pulled off duty and threatened with termination for expressing a biblical view of marriage on his private Facebook account.



Kersey, along with First Baptist Garden City Senior Pastor Tommy Duke, First Baptist Port Wentworth Pastor Paul Mongin, Bishop Garland Hunt, Jody Hice (former Member of Congress and FRC's Senior Advisor to the President) and Mark Harris (Vice President of FRC's Association of Churches & Ministries) presented the petition, signed by nearly 35,000 FRC supporters, to Port Wentworth's City Manager Steve Davis. Davis accepted the petitions on behalf of the city.



The gathering also prayed for Port Wentworth Mayor Gary Norton who is currently hospitalized.



The petition demanded Port Wentworth city officials publicly apologize to Kersey for discriminating against him for his faith and violating his First Amendment rights.



Hice, after successfully delivering the petitions, commented: "Today I, along with nearly 35,000 Americans, asked Port Wentworth city officials to respect and abide by the most basic of American freedoms, the freedom of religion. We asked city officials to apologize to Jacob and to cease fostering an environment of religious hostility for their city employees. We look forward to continuing to hold Port Wentworth officials to account and make sure they follow through on their much needed reforms. Jacob's story unfortunately is not unique so we, as Americans, must double down on allowing the First Amendment -- and our First Freedom-- to flourish in every corner of this nation." The petition reads as follows: "Mayor Gary Norton, Councilman Thomas Barbee, Councilwoman Gabrielle Nelson, Councilman Mark Stephens, Councilman Rufus Bright, and Councilman Glenn Jones:



"We write you with great concern about the treatment of former Port Wentworth Police Officer Jacob Kersey. Jacob has been gravely mistreated by the Port Wentworth Police Department for his First Amendment-protected, biblically accurate views. At a time with sky-high crime rates nationwide, our communities should be supporting our law enforcement officers. You instead punished Jacob for sharing the biblical view that marriage is a union between one man and one woman.



"This is religious bigotry. We will not stand for this.



"We ask that the city issue a public apology to Jacob for having discriminated against him because of his faith and for violating his First Amendment rights," the petition concluded. SOURCE Family Research Council



CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, 866-FRC-NEWS or 866-372-6397



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The Ashaiman Police have quizzed the devastated girlfriend of the murdered military man who was killed at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.



The interrogation was in an attempt to unravel the circumstances under which the 22-year-old trumpeter of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) band, Imoro Sherrif

was killed.



She was invited, questioned and released on self-recognized bail by the police, DGN Online can report.



Confirming the interrogation, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey gave additional information to 3Fm that So far it was only one person that was invited for questioning, the purported girlfriend of the deceased.



According to the Police, it appeared the girl has also been devastated about the whole issue, the guy was with her throughout the night up to 2am when they departed and just to wake up the following morning to hear the issues on social media, she was devastated about it.



So by and large, it was the only person that was questioned as we speak now. So we are waiting to see if the culprits will be arrested.



Imoro Sherrif was laid to rest on Thursday, March 9 at the Military Cemetery, Burma Camp in Accra.



Imoro Sherrif was gruesomely murdered on Saturday, March 4.



He was found in a pool of blood in Ashaiman and suspected to have been stabbed to death.



The Military High Command on Tuesday sanctioned an intelligence-led operation to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.



In the course of the operation, several civilians reported of brutalities meted out to them as 184 persons were rounded up with 150 released and 34 persons have been handed over to the Ghana Police Service through the Military Police for further action.







Source: Daily Guide









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A bar attendant, who allegedly intentionally and unlawfully caused harm to a drinking bar operator with a broken bottle wept bitterly when she was remanded by an Accra Circuit Court.



Patience Adowa aka Priscilla, aged 27, is charged with causing harm and pleaded guilty.



The Court presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, convicted the accused person on his own plea but deferred sentence and remanded her into Police custody for a pregnancy test to be conducted on her.



The matter has been adjourned to March 16, 2023.



Prosecuting Police Inspector Daniel Danku told the Court that the complainant Cecilia Owusu was a drinking bar operator.



The prosecution said both the accused person and the complainant were residents of Circle ECOMOG.



It said on September 2, 2022, at about 0200 hours, the complainant was asleep when she heard some unusual noise in front of her door, so she opened her curtains only to find out that some ladies were fighting, including the accused person whom she had not been on good terms with for some time.



The Prosecution said the complainant came out and ordered them to leave because they were disturbing her sleep.



It said the other ladies left but the accused person ignored her and rather took offence and started raining insults on the complainant which resulted in a fight, and both were separated.



The Prosecution said, as if that was not enough, on the same day, whilst the complainant was busily removing her clothes from a drying line, the accused person emerged from behind and stabbed the complainant with a broken bottle on the right arm and took to her heels.



It said on September 5, 2022, the complainant reported the matter to the Adabraka Police Station where she was issued a medical report form for treatment.



The Prosecution said the accused person was subsequently arrested and handed over to Adabraka Police and admitted the offence during interrogation.





Source: GNA









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The Business Committee of Parliament has urged the Leadership of the House to assist Speakership to address the current late sitting of the House that is affecting productivity.



Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, Vice-Chairman of the Business Committee of Parliament stated on Friday when presenting the Houses Business Statement for the week ending Friday, March 17, 2023.



Rt Honourable Speaker, the Business Committee, unfortunately, has observed for some time now that the House does not sit each day at 1000 hours thereby affecting productivity.



In view of this development, the Business Committee urges Leadership to assist Speakership to address the challenge to consider the tall order of business pending before the House adjourns sine die at the end of March, he said.



Afenyo-Markin told the House that the debate on the message of the State of the Nation presented by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo which started on Thursday, March 9, 2023, would continue till Thursday, March 16, 2023.



He said the Business Committee recommended that the time allotments for Members of Parliament (MPs) make their contributions last week still hold for the ensuing week.



The time allotments are as follows: Chairpersons, Ranking Members and Ministers 15 minutes; MPs 10 minutes and the winding up by Leadership 30 minutes.



Afenyo-Markin, also the Deputy Majority Leader of the House explained that the allotment of time was to ensure that many MPs were availed the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Presidents message.



He urged the MPs to be as brief as possible and avoid repetitions.



Commenting on the ensuing weeks work spectrum, Afenyo-Markin said, in all, six ministers were expected to attend up House to respond to 48 questions.



The questions, he said were categorized under 44 oral and four urgent questions.



The Ministers for Education, Fisheries and Aquaculture Development; Attorney-General and Minister for Justice; Gender, Children and Social Protection; Finance and Energy were scheduled to respond to the questions that would be asked during the week.



Afenyo-Markin urged Committees with referrals to expedite work on the same for the consideration of the House.





Source: BBC









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Sylvester Tetteh, Member of Parliament for the Bortiano Ngleshie Amanfro Constituency in the Greater Accra Region has called for a centralised Independence Day celebration across the 16 regions to save cost.



In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema, Sylvester Tetteh stressed that centralising the Independence Day celebration would go a long way in cutting costs associated with the multiple celebrations across the districts.



He stated that the executive arm of government must consider the recommendation saying that the country as it stands now was walloping in serious debt and some pragmatic decisions must be implemented to save the country.



He stressed that the centralised parade by the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) within Greater Accra saved over 60 percent of the cost of expenditure incurred in previous years.



According to him, the 15 remaining regions must replicate the move due to the financial crises the country was facing.



He said the Independence Day celebration serves as a moment where the country takes stock of its gains and reflects on how to make progress in the years ahead.



Meanwhile, Henry Quartey, Greater Accra Regional Minister has disclosed that hosting a consolidated Regional Independence Day in the region instead of the usual detached District celebrations saved the country over GHs1.5 million.



Henry Quartey called on Ghanaians especially residents of the Region to continue to try to deepen the countrys democracy even as Ghana commemorates its independence and the 30th anniversary of the fourth republic.





Source: GNA









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A major contender for NDC 2024 Presidential candidate Dr. Kwabena Duffuor has said he will prioritize the restoration of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to full operating capacity, if elected as NDC flag bearer and subsequently President of Ghana.



The former finance minister who is one of four contenders for the leadership of the main opposition party going into the 2024 general elections was speaking to party delegates during a campaign tour of the Greater Accra region this week.



The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) shut down its operations in June 2018 due to several management issues including an inability to make available a steady supply of crude oil, the main raw material for the refinery. He believes that TOR is one of Ghanas biggest national assets which must not be left to deteriorate especially at a time when it is essential to bring down the cost of petroleum products, critical for the economic well-being of all Ghanaians.



The renowned economist told NDC party supporters that he will fix TOR and commit to ensuring that the refinery operates efficiently and sustainably, providing affordable fuel to the people of Ghana.



"I understand the importance of TOR to the Ghanaian economy, and if given the opportunity to lead, I will work tirelessly to bring it back to full operation. The high cost of petroleum products is a significant burden on the average Ghanaian, and we must do everything we can to make fuel prices more affordable, Dr. Duffuor assured.



He explained that his plan to revive TOR includes a comprehensive review of the refinery's operations and infrastructure as well as the implementation of sustainable measures to ensure that the refinery runs efficiently. He added that he will also work with industry experts to explore alternative sources of crude oil to ensure a steady supply for the refinery.



Dr. Kwabena Duffuor who was once governor of the Bank of Ghana said his plan to revive TOR will not only bring down the cost of petroleum products but also create job opportunities for Ghanaians and contribute to the country's economic growth.



Supporters of Dr. Duffuor have hailed his commitment to bringing back TOR to full operation as a testament to his vision for a better Ghana and his dedication to making life more affordable for all Ghanaians.



As the NDC Presidential primary elections approach, Dr. Duffuor's pledge to revive TOR is one of the many policy initiatives that he is presenting to the grassroots with the confidence that his vision for a better Ghana will resonate with voters and bring about the change that NDC and Ghana need at the moment.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/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:

A handout photo taken on March 10 by the Queensland Police Service shows the flooded northern Queensland town of Burketown. Police urged all residents of the remote Australian town to evacuate, warning that record floodwaters were expected to rise.

Rescuers flew residents out of a remote Australian town by helicopter on Saturday as record-high floods rose rapidly and authorities issued a "final alert" to evacuate.

Police said helicopters and other aircraft had already flown out 53 vulnerable people over the past few days from the small community of Burketown in northeastern Australia.

Murky water lapped at the sides of buildings in the town, which lies 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) northwest of the Queensland capital Brisbane and is usually home to about 200 people.

The swollen Albert River had transformed wide areas of land around the town into lakes, with only the tops of trees visible, aerial images provided by emergency services showed.

Police said about half of the town's houses had been flooded.

Only about 100 people remained in the Queensland town by Saturday morning and helicopters were ferrying more people to safety, state police said.

"At the moment the water movements are unpredictable and are rising at a rapid pace," the local Burke Shire Council said in a "final alert" to residents.

"We strongly encourage residents to evacuate," it said, telling them to pack a bag and warning there would be no evacuation flights after Saturday.

Evacuated resident Shannon Moren told public broadcaster ABC she was worried about the impact of the flooding on livestock.

This handout photo taken on March 10 by the Queensland Police Service shows the flooded northern Queensland town of Burketown. Police urged residents of the remote Australian town to evacuate, warning that record floodwaters were expected to rise.

Cows swimming

"I checked on my parents' cattle property the other day and you can see cattle up to their necks in the water, literally swimming for their lives," she said.

Police also urged all remaining residents to get out.

The elderly and young children were a priority for evacuation, Queensland police said in a statement, adding that sewerage systems had been "compromised" and power would also be cut off.

"It is not safe for people to remain," police said.

Following heavy rains, which have since eased, the Albert River has topped a March 2011 record of 6.78 meters (22 feet), Queensland's bureau of meteorology said.

The river rose to more than seven meters on Friday, and was not expected to peak until Sunday, the forecaster said.

Australia has been lashed by heavy rain in the past two years, driven by back-to-back La Nina climate cycles over the Pacific.

But the country's bureau of meteorology has predicted drier and warmer weather in the months ahead as La Nina nears its end.

An east coast flooding disaster in March last yearcaused by storms in Queensland and New South Walesclaimed more than 20 lives.

Flash floods swept through parts of eastern Australia later in the year, forcing evacuations in Sydney in July and tearing homes from their foundations in some country towns in November.

Australian researchers have repeatedly warned that climate change is amplifying the risk of natural disasters.

 2023 AFP
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

A standard RGB camera attached to a drone, combined with AI deep learning, can provide crop health color maps, a new study shows. Photo: Diane Godwin. Credit: Diane Godwin.

Aerial imagery is a valuable component of precision agriculture, providing farmers with important information about crop health and yield. Images are typically obtained with an expensive multispectral camera attached to a drone. But a new study from the University of Illinois and Mississippi State University (MSU) shows that pictures from a standard red-green-blue (RGB) camera combined with AI deep learning can provide equivalent crop prediction tools for a fraction of the cost.

Multispectral cameras provide color maps that represent vegetation to help farmers monitor plant health and spot problem areas. Vegetation indices such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Red Edge Index (NDRE) display healthy areas as green, while problem areas show up as red.

"Typically, to do this you would need to have a near-infrared camera (NIR) that costs about $5,000. But we have shown that we can train AI to generate NDVI-like images using an RGB camera attached to a low-cost drone, and that reduces the cost significantly," says Girish Chowdhary, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at U of I and co-author on the paper.

For this study, the research team collected aerial images from corn, soybean, and cotton fields at various growth stages with both a multispectral and an RGB camera. They used Pix2Pix, a neural network designed for image conversion, to translate the RGB images into NDVI and NDRE color maps with red and green areas. After first training the network with a large number of both multispectral and regular pictures, they tested its ability to generate NDVI/NDRE pictures from another set of regular images.

"There is a reflective greenness index in the photos that indicates photosynthetic efficiency. It reflects a little bit in the green channel, and a lot in the near-infrared channel. But we have created a network that can extract it from the green channel by training it on the NIR channel. This means we only need the green channel, along with other contextual information such as red, blue and green pixels," Chowdhary explains.

To test the accuracy of the AI-generated images, the researchers asked a panel of crop specialists to view side-by-side images of the same areas, either generated by AI or taken with a multispectral camera. The specialists indicated if they could tell which one was the true multispectral image, and whether they noticed any differences that would affect their decision making.

The experts found no observable differences between the two sets of images, and they indicated they would make similar predictions from both. The research team also tested the comparison of images through statistical procedures, confirming there were virtually no measurable differences between them.

Joby Czarnecki, associate research professor at MSU and co-author on the paper, cautions that this doesn't mean the two sets of images are identical.

"While we can't say the images would provide the same information under all conditions, for this particular issue, they allow for similar decisions. Near-infrared reflectance can be very critical for some plant decisions. However, in this particular case, it's exciting that our study shows you can replace an expensive technology with inexpensive artificial intelligence and still arrive at the same decision," she explains.

The aerial view can provide information that is difficult to obtain from the ground. For example, areas of storm damage or nutrient deficiencies may not be easily visible at eye level, but can be spotted easily from the air. Farmers with the appropriate authorizations may choose to fly their own drones, or they may contract a private company to do so. Either way, the color maps provide important crop health information needed for management decisions.

The AI software and procedures used in the study are available for companies that want to implement it or expand the usage by training the network on additional datasets.

"There's a lot of potential in AI to help reduce costs, which is a key driver for many applications in agriculture. If you can make a $600 drone more useful, then everybody can access it. And the information would help farmers improve yield and be better stewards of their land," Chowdhary concludes.

The Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois.

The paper, "NDVI/NDRE prediction from standard RGB aerial imagery using deep learning," is published in Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.

More information: Corey Davidson et al, NDVI/NDRE prediction from standard RGB aerial imagery using deep learning, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.compag.2022.107396
WHITE CREEK  A Washington County jury has found a White Creek man guilty of threatening to kill his landlord and police officers.

Matthew Parant was convicted on three counts of second-degree attempted murder and reckless endangerment, both felonies, and a misdemeanor count of menacing following a nine-day trial, the Washington County District Attorneys Office said Friday.

The charges stem from an incident on July 7 of last year when Parant was being evicted from a rental home. He engaged in violent behavior toward the landlords, who are both in their 80s. He threatened to kill them.

Police responded to 210 Jermain Hill Lane in White Creek at about 1:43 p.m. after receiving report of a landlord-tenant dispute at the scene.

The investigation determined that Parant had gotten into an argument with the owner of the property. After learning that police had been called, he got his rifle from inside his home.

When police arrived, Parant fired shots in the direction of the landlord and a responding New York State trooper and a Washington County Sheriffs Office deputy, according to a news release from Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan.

Parant then barricaded himself in his home with his girlfriend as other law enforcement agencies responded to the scene including New York State Police with its SORT team, the Washington County Sheriffs Office and the Rensselaer County Sheriffs Office.

The New York State Police Crisis Negotiations Unit responded and communicated with Parant for several hours. He attempted to flee his residence in a van at about 4:25 a.m. and was caught by police.

Jordan credited the calm and professional response of law enforcement for resolving the situation without injury to innocent bystanders, law enforcement or the defendant.

The prosecution was led by Chief Assistant District Attorney Christian Morris, who was assisted by Assistant District Attorney Brandon Rathbun, Senior Crime Victim Specialist Robin MacNeil and legal assistants Kim Little and Vern Bosley.

Parant is scheduled to be sentenced on April 21.
On Friday, Glens Falls Hospital reported zero patients in the ICU with COVID-19. The hospital currently has 11 patients with the virus.

Warren County Health Services reported 12 new COVID cases on Friday, including three results from home tests, and only six positives from Thursday.

The CDCs most recent Community COVID Level update on Thursday listed Warren County in the low category.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate was down to 2.6%.

Warren County Health Services next COVID vaccine clinic offering the Moderna bivalent booster shot is scheduled for Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Warren County Municipal Center.

Washington County

According to New York State COVID data, out of the 118 test results reported in Washington County on Thursday, only seven positive COVID cases were recorded.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate was at 4% on Friday.

The CDCs most recent Community COVID Level update on Thursday, listed Washington County in the low category.

Statewide

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Friday, only 14 COVID-related deaths were reported across New York on Thursday.

On Friday, the state reported 1,283 new cases out of the 46,920 test results collected statewide.

According to the governors news release, 208 patients were admitted to the hospital with COVID on Friday, making the total number of hospitalizations 1,508  54 less than Thursday. There were 148 patients in the ICU, which is five less than Thursdays report.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate in the state was at 2.4% on Friday.

As of Friday, 43,861,823 vaccine doses have been administered in New York and according to the CDC, 90.7% of state residents over 18 have completed the vaccine series, A total of 76.3% of people between the ages of 12 and 17 and 48.8% of residents 11 and under have completed the COVID vaccine series.
Anne Nardacci has been sworn in to serve as a federal judge in an upstate New York district that includes Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties.

Nardaccis investiture ceremony was held Friday at the James T. Foley United States Courthouse in Albany. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who recommended Nardacci for the post, attended the event.

As a federal judge, Nardacci will hear civil and criminal cases in the Northern District of New York. The district is comprised of 32 upstate New York counties with offices in Albany, Binghamton, Plattsburgh, Syracuse and Utica.

Nardacci, a Cornell Law School graduate and former editor of the Cornell Law Review, most recently was a partner at Boies Schiller Flexner. Early in her legal career, she was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Before becoming an attorney, she was on former U.S. Rep. Michael McNultys staff.

As a litigator, she represented clients in federal antitrust and commercial cases, including cases on behalf of consumers affected by inaccurate credit reports. She served on the executive committee of the New York State Bar Associations antitrust section.

President Joe Biden nominated Nardacci for the federal judgeship in April 2022. After the nomination was announced, Schumer said he recommended Nardacci and noted her experience handling antitrust cases.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Nardacci in December.

The U.S. District Court in the Northern District of New York now has a majority of women judges for the first time in its history. Nardacci joins Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes and Judge Mae DAgostino, both of whom were recommended by Schumer.

I am confident that Judge Nardacci  both as a brilliant and skilled jurist and an accomplished lawyer with the wisdom accumulated from her lifes experiences  will bring all of her talents, attributes and common sense to the Northern district bench, which is grateful to finally have her, Schumer said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11)  Addressing the digital gender gap in the Philippines is one of the priorities of the government to protect and promote women's rights, an official from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has told a United Nations commission.

DICT Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo said that part of the government's programs to tackle digital inclusion and gender equality is through supporting Filipino women micro-entrepreneurs.

During the 67th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, she cited government data that showed majority of new business name registrations under "retail sale via the internet" as of October 2020 were women-owned.

"The role of the government is vital in encouraging women to venture into the digital economy," Lamentillo said.

"Addressing the digital divide and digital gender gap, particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship and ICT, will help women entrepreneurs harness the potential of the digital economy in improving the competitiveness and productivity of their business operations," she added.

Lamentillo shared with the UN commission session some government initiatives including the SheTrades PH Hub and Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program aimed at assisting and enhancing Filipina-led businesses to adapt to the digital economy.

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) said that a big gender gap remains in opportunities available in the country, especially in innovation and ICT-related professions.

"We have to push for our Women's Priority Legislative Agenda to give emphasis on the needs of the Filipino women," PCW deputy executive director for operations Kristine Balmes told CNN Philippines' The Exchange.

"Also, there are a lot of partnerships going on with the government, [non-government organizations], and civil society organizations and partners which can come up with different programs, plans, and activities that shall address the need to address the gender gap in ICT and [innovation]," she added.

The Philippines placed 19th out of 146 countries included in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap 2022, which was two notches lower than the previous year's ranking.

The WEF said the country fared worse in the "Educational Attainment" subindex as gender parity decreased at the level of enrollment in primary education.

Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez, who was part of the delegation to the UN commission session, also said that the Philippine government strongly supports the recommendations from the Asia-Pacific region.

According to Malacanang, the recommendations were "to ensure meaningful connectivity to close the gender digital divide; and to foster inclusive education in the digital age and promote women and girls' participation and leadership in STEM education and careers; to implement policies for inclusive digitalization; and to address forms of virtual and non-virtual GBV (gender-based violence) and discrimination."
MAYS LANDING  An Atlantic City man on Friday was found guilty of murdering a former girlfriend during an argument in 2020.

Maximo Santiago, 72, was convicted of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and certain persons not to possess weapons, the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office said Friday.

Santiagos trial lasted for one week, the Prosecutors Office said in a news release. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 20, facing life in prison with a mandatory 30 years of parole ineligibility.

Using a rifle, Santiago shot Marketa Thorpe, 32, in her torso Sept. 12, 2020, in the 1500 block of Belfield Avenue in Atlantic City. Santiago and Thorpe had previously been in a relationship and had been affiliated with one another for many years, the Prosecutors Office said.

Police were called to the scene at 11:24 a.m., finding Thorpe suffering from her wound. She was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, where she later died.

Santiago was arrested shortly after police were called. He was indicted on the charges in July 2021.
ATLANTIC CITY  A 29-year-old man was shot in the resort Friday morning, a nearby school was put in lockdown due to proximity and a warrant is out for the arrest of a city man, police said.

Officers responded to the 3800 block of Ventnor Avenue for a gunshot alert at 7:27 a.m. They found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound, as well as evidence of gunfire, police said in a news release.

The victim was transported by ambulance to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus. Police said his injuries were not life threatening.

Police identified Ayman H. Shiham, 21, as the suspect, asking the public's help in locating him. He is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and possession of a high-capacity magazine.

As a result of the shooting, the Richmond Avenue School, located at 4115 Ventnor Ave., was put on lockdown that morning.

The scene was cleared by Friday afternoon, and there was no immediate threat, Sgt. Paul Aristizabal said.

Anyone with additional information can call police at 609-347-5766 or text tip411 (847411). Begin the text with ACPD.
WILDWOOD  A city woman was arrested after stabbing another woman during an argument, police said.

Alisha Seda-Natal, 20, is being held in the Cape May County jail, according to detention records. Shes charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and certain persons not to possess weapons.

Seda-Natal also was charged with violation of probation, according to jail records.

Seda-Natal was arrested after police were called to an apartment building in the 230 block of East Lincoln Avenue for a reported stabbing inside one of the units, police said in a news release.

The injured woman was found inside with minor swelling to her mouth and cuts to her upper left leg. Seda-Natal was subsequently detained at police headquarters during officers investigation.

Detectives learned Seda-Natal used a kitchen knife to assault the other woman during a dispute. The knife was retrieved and logged as evidence, police said.
As the legalization of recreational cannabis attracts more people and cannabis-related businesses to Atlantic City, the resort town is well positioned to become a cannabis tourism destination.

I think its potentially a differentiator for a place like Atlantic City, said Susan Dupej, a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Guelphs School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management. So if theres a tourist deciding on two different cities, and they know that Atlantic City has these potential options for cannabis, thats a potential differentiator for that particular market.

Now, granted, thats a niche market for sure; but it exists, and so if you can draw them into the city with the tourism infrastructure thats already there, like do it. Leverage what you have.

Dupej spoke during the third annual Destination Cannabis webinar Friday, which sought to explore the opportunities and impacts cannabis could have on local hospitality and tourism. The webinar was presented by Stockton Universitys Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism at the School of Business, and the Cannabis & Hemp Research Initiative at Stockton.

Panelists included Dupej; Brian Applegarth, founder of the Cannabis Travel Association; Elizabeth Becker, founder of HiBnb, a cannabis-positive community where businesses, vendors, property owners and educators can generate revenue; and Rob Mejia, a teaching specialist for Stocktons cannabis minor, who doubled as the webinars moderator.

They discussed the consumer trends, types of cannabis tourism, data-driven marketing strategies and obstacles that come with legal marijuana use.

A marijuana lounge is headed for an Atlantic City hotel just off the Boardwalk ATLANTIC CITY  The Claridge Hotel is making space on what used to be its casino floor for a

The recreational cannabis industry in the United States is estimated to funnel about $17 billion into local economies, Applegarth said.

In New Jersey, legal recreational marijuana sales totaled more than $100 million from April 21, 2022, when the sales began, to the end of June 2022, state data show.

Applegarth cited examples of cannabis tourism including CBD massages and spas, guided farm tours, cannabis cultural trails, infused dining experiences, cannabis consumption lounges and cannabis wellness centers.

In terms of what kind of events could work, I think youre only bound by your imagination, Mejia said.

Panelists discussed how recreational cannabis use could impact resort destinations in New Jersey, especially Atlantic City, which already has two medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, with more marijuana-based businesses applying to the state for licenses.

Among the projects seeking approvals is a 10,000-square-foot cannabis lounge at the Claridge Hotel, which Mejia said would create more than 100 jobs.

CRDA OKs projects, including cannabis lounge at Claridge ATLANTIC CITY  With a crowded agenda and two new members, the Casino Reinvestment Developme

Atlantic City has a designated Green Zone in which marijuana sales and consumption are legal. The zone includes Atlantic and Pacific avenues from Boston to Maryland avenues, plus the Orange Loop district along New York and Tennessee avenues and St. James Place.

Atlantic City has its history in the 1800s as being a health resort in the city, said Applegarth. So I mean, considering the data around wellbeing and wellness as an emerging trend to travel, it sounds like there might be some beautiful stories and content to kind of polish up and reimagine with the cannabis story, as well as hemp, CBD and CBG.

The experts suggested there were two types of cannabis tourists: those who travel for cannabis-related experiences, and those who look to incorporate cannabis into their everyday lives.

Were finding that cannabis tourism is different than regular tourism, where cannabis enthusiasts are really grounded. They are interested in cultural roots. Theyre interested in learning about the land, and theyre not as interested in superficiality, Becker said. And that gets me excited because theres nothing else like it, and I do see the growth of this cannabis tourism across the globe.

During the webinars question-and-answer segment, people asked how they could promote their cannabis businesses, despite many social platforms blocking their advertising efforts. Applegarth suggested promoting via email, partnering with hotels and other local agencies, and working with other cannabis-related businesses.

I think that Atlantic City is also being socially responsible, said Dupej, noting the city would offer a judgment-free zone for consumers. Youre going to see how great the impact is.
Albanese has promised safety of Indians, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday raised the issue of incidents of attacks on temples in Australia with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.

Modi raised the issue during the course of bilateral talks between the two leaders.

It is a matter of regret that reports of attacks on temples have come regularly from Australia over the past few weeks. It is natural that such news worries everyone in India, disturbs our mind, Modi said during a joint press briefing with Albanese after bilateral discussions.

I conveyed these feelings and concerns to Prime Minister Albanese and he has assured me that the safety of the Indian community is of special priority for him. Our teams will be in regular contact on this matter, and will cooperate as much as possible, Modi added. IANS
Augustana College held its second-annual International Women's Day celebration on Wednesday, sharing resources and encouraging conversation about women's issues and inclusivity.

The office of international student scholar services at the Rock Island college hosted the event, which featured almost a dozen campus or community organizations. Director Xong Sony Yang said this year was largely student-led and focused on recognizing supporters of the worldwide women's liberation movement and growth of related programs in the Quad-Cities and campus communities.

"...And we really wanted to recognize our professors, faculty and students who are women, and of course, the men who are supporting along the way," Yang said. "I'm really honored to recognize that."

Lead student organizer Marthalyn Zarwolo, a senior, said facilitating the event was challenging, but she was happy with the outcome.

"I hoped to bring in a sense of community where people can appreciate the efforts of women," she said. "I'm really glad people showed up. They should embrace what we did this year and also keep supporting women, because we are fundamental to society."

International Women's Day falls each year on March 8. This year's slogan was "#EmbraceEquity," which Yang said breaks down stereotypes and ensures all gender identities have a "place at the table."

"It's really looking at opening and forging those difficult conversations and breaking down barriers," she said. "It's looking at the challenges and achievements women have done so far and how we move from that together."

Many organizations promoted unique, intersectional perspectives, Yang said. For example, the martial arts practice of "Wing Chun" was founded by a woman named Ng Mui and was highlighted by representatives of the Quad-Cities Wing Chun Society.

As an international student from West Africa, Zarwolo sees the importance of viewing women's rights issues in a global perspective. Noting how some countries or cultures have seen big progress within the last century, others still threaten or limit women's freedom. For example, her mother couldn't go to school.

"This is our campaign that it's not going to stop here; it's something that we'll probably have to keep pushing," Zarwolo said. "I don't care how many years it takes  it's a gradual process, but I believe the world's going to get there one day."

The event also featured free items like stickers, bookmarks, sexual health products, pins and feminine hygiene products.

A table stocked with menstrual products caught junior Jorge Ocampo's eye, as he feels it should be more "normalized" and sees a double-standard when it comes to women's sexual and physical health.

"You have condoms all around campus, but you don't see pads," Ocampo said. "It's needed; there shouldn't be any judgement because it's a women's product, so I like that (the event) had them available for people to feel comfortable to grab."

He and peer Diego Andon, a senior, agreed that men should actively celebrate International Women's Day and support gender equity, too.

"I think it's important to take a moment to always look back and understand more about my identity and how it pays a role toward women and how I understand these topics," he said. "It (Augie's event) creates the first steps of awareness  not only for the student body, but for individuals looking to educate themselves more about women's issues and the beauty of diversity as well."

Yang hopes to see more organizational and student involvement as Augie's annual celebration continues.

Photos: Step Afrika! performance at Augustana College Centennial Hall
MUSCATINE  Trevor Wixoms mother wonders if her son's outcome may have been different if a search had not been delayed.

Julie Buhmeyer said she was twice turned away by the Muscatine Police Department when she tried to report her son missing. In both instances, she said, police told her Wixom, 21, did not meet missing-person criteria.

It was only after she contacted Mayor Brad Bark that police were willing to declare him missing, Buhmeyer said.

I did talk with the old chief of police, (Brett) Talkington, and he did apologize and he said it shouldnt have taken that long to list him as a missing person, Buhmeyer said. I guess the bottom line is: I feel like we lost valuable information by having the investigation happen so late, and I feel like our community and the police department needs to come up with a new contingency plan for missing people.

Muscatine police recently released information about its investigation into Wixoms disappearance. They confirmed that on two occasions  Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, 2022  Buhmeyer tried to report him missing. The first time, officers told her that Wixom did not meet the criteria to be categorized a missing person.

The second time, two officers thought they recently had seen Wixom. After a follow-up conversation on Nov. 3, an attempt to locate was issued, and Wixom's name was entered into a missing-persons database on Nov. 4  10 days after his mom first alerted police.

Remains found in Discovery Park on March 3 are believed to be Wixom's.

The body has been sent to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City for positive identification, using dental records.

Muscatine Police Assistant Chief Steve Snider defended the delay, saying several people told officers they had seen Wixom. Police followed up on each claim, he said. At least 37 interviews were conducted in the effort to locate Wixom, and the death investigation is ongoing.

Iowa law is clear. A missing person is defined as someone who is missing and has a physical or mental disability; is missing under circumstances indicating their safety is in danger; is missing under circumstances that the disappearance was not voluntary; or is an unemancipated minor.

Wixom had bouts of schizophrenia and a heart condition that required medication. Shortly before he disappeared, he had been hospitalized for the heart condition, his mother said.

While family members made police aware of the medical concerns, Snider said, other information made the situation appear less dire.

They were aware, for instance, that it was not uncommon for Wixom to be out of contact with family for days at a time. And Buhmeyer said her son sometimes spent the night with friends.

The first time they contacted us, he had been gone a week, Snider said. They called us back on the first and that is when things started gaining traction.

"They told us they did not believe he was in any danger or had been taken against his will. Trevor was a fully functional adult, other than he had mental illness. He was living on his own and doing his own thing. Their big concern is that he had not contacted them.

Police and family are not in agreement on whether the heart medicine was an urgent issue.

"As far as the medication, they had told us he hadnt been taking it for six months, so that was not considered life-threatening," Snider said.

However, Buhmeyer recalled it differently, saying her son was taking the medication after the recent hospitalization, and the family was "concerned about his medical state without having the heart medication" with him.

Shortly after declaring Wixom missing, police issued a Be-on-the-Lookout, or BOLO. But they did not include his photo, his mother said.

Snider said it likely wouldn't have mattered. Entering Wixom into a national database earlier probably wouldn't have produced results, because it appears he never left Muscatine.

If we have some indication that they are in danger or been taken against their will or anything that would supply evidence they were suicidal, we would take it with the upmost seriousness and deal with it that way, Snider said. None of those things were present initially with Trevor.

His mother doesn't see it that way.

It was awful, feeling that there was nothing more I could do for my son, Buhmeyer said. Im at the mercy of someone saying that it didnt meet the criteria, and I shouldnt have to feel that way.

She got the most help, she said, from the Quad Cities Missing Persons Network. In fact, she thinks police could learn something from the non-profit group.

Dennis Harker, founder of the Network, said he would be willing to speak with the police about developing criteria for finding missing persons, if invited.

In Illinois there was a change in the law last year, saying police have to take a report and they have to act on it, Harker said. Usually, when we run into difficulty with police, it is not if it is a child but an adult. Adults have a right to disappear if they want to. There really needs to be some criteria base police use to determine the urgency of conducting an investigation.

Due to the fact Wixom was on heart medications, Harker is surprised an investigation did not begin immediately.

In the nine years the Network has been operating, he said, many people have raised concerns about police delays in opening investigations. Families have reported police saying they need to wait a few days before declaring someone missing. Harker stressed there is nothing in Iowa law that requires a waiting period.

We average around 50 cases a year, give or take a few, he said. In the nine years we have been in operation, of the people we have reported as missing, probably 25 in nine years have been found deceased.

The Network is a member of the Illinois Search and Rescue Council, which follows national guidelines, including an urgency factor that determines when to conduct a search. One recommendation Harker makes is that a missing-person determination be based on the knowledge and beliefs of the people who are closest to the individual.

Snider said missing-person reports are common and, in most of cases, the subjects are juveniles who eventually return home on their own. Few cases have the kind of tragic outcome that resulted from the Wixom case.

Investigations depend on the totality of the initial reports, Snider said, and he encourages people making them to bring police as much information as possible.

There is no law against an adult who wants to pick up and take off, Snider said. We kind of always have to be balancing an individuals right to privacy with what people who are wanting to recover them want. We look at every case hard, but we look at the entire set of circumstances surrounding that individual.
The federal prison at Thomson is being temporarily converted into a low-security prison.

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) last month moved all remaining inmates to the Special Management Unit and Reintegration Unit. The facility will now house about 1,178 low-security adults. The prison will begin receiving inmates the week of April 10, beginning with one unit a month.

The adjacent Minimum Security Satellite Camp will be unaffected throughout the transition of the institution, according to a news release. BOP spokesperson Scott Taylor said additional associate wardens have been assigned to the facility to assist with the transition.

Staff have thoroughly searched, cleaned and repaired the facility to prepare it for the incoming low-security population. It will offer a variety of enhanced programs, such as GED classes, vocational training and apprenticeship programs.

Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in a news release the announcement was good news for the Thomson facility. It will remain part of the federal prison system, does not eliminate staffing positions and will help relieve the "overpopulation pressures," he said.

When Thomson was purchased by the Federal government more than 10 years ago, one of our goals was to help address the urgent overcrowding problem at our nations Federal prisons, as well as make it the safest prison in the nation  for both incarcerated people and staff," he said. "As part of these reforms and improvements, Thomson staff will have the opportunity to participate in intensive training to promote a more positive culture and ensure that Thomson is a safe and secure facility with a focus on rehabilitation and re-entry."

Not everyone is happy.

The AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) 4070 has been working with Congress to secure a 25% pay increase and to fund affordable housing and daycare centers in the area. The staff previously was reduced from 604 to 250, which caused many concern.

Union president Jon Zumkehr said the community was promised more than 600 jobs and if they are cut, "it would devastate the local community."

The prison is authorized for 604 staff, he said. While the BOP has said no jobs will be lost, it will not rehire if people quit.
McGough Construction wants to invest in Rapid City. In an era of remote work, the Minneapolis-based company has opened a brick and mortar storefront in the heart of downtown. But the group is also bringing a level of technology and innovation unique to West River, placing them on the cutting edge of the region's massive building boom.

The general contractor wants to be a permanent presence amid Rapid City's booming economy and growing development. They've designed and built massive buildings using innovative technologies like drones and digital construction programs. And the company is hoping to replicate its growth and impact in the area like it has in Minnesota, North Dakota, Texas and Iowa.

McGough is a family-owned company and has built advanced healthcare facilities, educational campuses, state-of-the-art data centers and science facilities. Their first project in South Dakota was the Terex Utilities Replacement Facility in Watertown. The more than 446,000-square-foot building houses manufacturing and corporate offices for the global construction equipment manufacturing company.

Technological sophistication

President of Dream Design International, a major land developer in Rapid City, Hani Shafai is working with McGough on future projects in Sioux Falls and the Black Hills. Because of the sophistication of their methods, he said McGough offers a new dimension to construction processes that is not currently offered locally.

"Our local contractors do a great job, but McGough is different because of the expertise and depth of the company and the technological methods they are using," Shafai said. "They showed the sequence of construction from start to finish in a simulated model. It's pretty cool but it really does help to ensure that schedules are met and the tasks are coordinated properly."

McGough uses drones that can accurately plot job sites for increased efficiency. By measuring the exact amount of dirt that has been removed from a site, it can ensure crews are not doing excess work. This increased labor productivity gets the job done sooner and the building gets built better. This gives McGough a competitive edge to offer developers the best possible bid price for a project.

Though general contractors compete to work on projects, Shafai said there is plenty of room for McGough because the local industry is operating at capacity, meaning there is more available work than local companies have the capability to pursue. Additionally, McGough's growth model doesn't attempt to wedge themselves into a market.

Organic growth model

When opening an office in a new area, McGough follows a growth strategy that focuses on first building relationships with developers, trade partners like plumbing and electrical companies, and then hiring local leaders to place a staff around. They will pursue incrementally bigger opportunities with their eyes focused on major future projects.

McGough Chief Operating Officer Brad Wood said this growth model recognizes long-standing relationships between contractors and developers in local markets. But since Rapid City is growing so rapidly, McGough can find work without taking work away from local contractors. This is especially true for larger projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars that typically go to out-of-state contractors that have the capacity to complete them.

"Now developers won't have to bring someone from Denver or somewhere else," Wood said. "We can do their small work, we can do a lot of their ongoing maintenance work and then when big projects come we have the capability to mobilize workforce and do the project with a high level of sophistication and capability."

McGough Development Strategist of South Dakota Rich Naser said out-of-state companies that do large projects simply leave when they are finished. Instead, McGough is investing in Rapid City's future by becoming a permanent player.

"Other companies of our caliber don't come in and set up shop. After a project they don't stay and make the long-term commitment to the community," Naser said. "We want to do that big project, but we're here for all the other projects. We want to build a team that stays."

McGough opened an office in Sioux Falls in 2021 with three employees. Using the same organic growth strategy, the workforce of that office has grown to 17 permanent employees. Though Sioux Falls and Rapid City are seeing similar population growth, the Rapid City office might grow faster than its East River counterpart.

Though it is not entirely confirmed, Shafai said Dream Design and McGough will soon be working on a project in Box Elder worth about $30 million. The project will consist of two five-story, multipurpose buildings. Naser said their office in Sioux Falls did not handle a project this size at a similar time in its growth.

"We certainly didn't land one this fast so we're incredibly excited about it," Naser said. "Its a very substantial project, and we haven't even had our open house yet."

Local knowledge resource

According to McGough Executive Vice President of Regional Markets Nate Wood, by setting up shop in Rapid City, the company can have immense local impact. The first step to community involvement was becoming a member and investor of Elevate Rapid City. Next they plan to work with South Dakota Mines, Western Dakota Technical Institute, and other local resources to develop the local trade professional workforce.

"Our presence and the population growth here is going to attract tradespeople and construction professionals that the community and industry need to continue creating opportunities for Rapid City," Wood said. "We want to help to make sure people interested in a career as an electrician, plumber or carpenter have career paths within our company."

Previously, tradespeople might have had to leave the area to pursue the next step into leadership roles with a general contractor. McGough aims to offer more roles like foreman who typically supervise and delegate tasks to their team of construction workers and superintendent who oversees every step of the construction process from planning to completion.

McGough Senior Superintendent Shannon Erickson is an example of someone who pursued this career path. Raised in Sturgis, Erickson spent 15 years as an electrician, then another 15 at a general contracting company. He worked mostly on complicated hospital projects all over the country. He had been wanting to return to the Black hills but never found a proper role.

"I had been wanting to come back for about a decade, but it's becoming a very technology-driven industry. I couldn't find anybody with the resources, management systems and as sophisticated as McGough," Erickson said. "With McGough, I carry an iPad to job sites and can show where every wire conduit, every pipe, every duct work and the light is going to fit into that building. The days of superintendents walking around job sites with a tool belt are done."
"The fundamental duty, more than anything else, is to protect your children as a parent, and you did not do that," Circuit Court Judge Robert Gusinsky told 24-year-old Precious Black Elk before sentencing her to 60 years in prison for killing her 2-year-old adopted daughter on Feb. 7, 2021.

The judge uncomfortably referenced two videos he viewed ahead of sentencing. One showed the girl wrapped tightly in towels, propped up against a wall, unable to move. The other showed her in the same position as Black Elk hit her legs with a plastic hanger.

"It looked like a mummy," Gusinsky said.

The judge said the best way to explain the way the girl died was "torturous."

"Heartbreaking isn't enough," said Chief Deputy Pennington County State's Attorney Kevin Krull before asking for the 60-year sentence.

Black Elk pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on Feb. 9. She faced the possibility of a first-degree murder conviction if she had gone to trial, something the judge said he had no doubt the state would have been able to prove. She would have faced a mandatory life sentence if she had been convicted of first-degree murder.

First-degree manslaughter carried the potential of a life sentence, but the state recommended 60 years in the plea agreement, which Gusinsky said was "eminently reasonable."

Black Elk had adopted the girl, who was biologically her niece, when her sister could no longer take care of her.

She called 911 on Feb. 7, 2021 from the Valley Village mobile home community in Box Elder to say a child was not breathing, a news release said at the time. First responders arrived to find the toddler unresponsive and beyond resuscitation with extensive bruising.

Messages the state intended to present during trial reveal her frustration with the toddler and admissions of abuse going back to 2020.

"I wish I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to adopt. I mean, I knew kids were hard. But a kid with autism and ADHD is super hard," she wrote in a Snapchat message less than a year before the child's death.

About four months before the girl's death, Black Elk wrote to another person on Snapchat about having restrained the girl: "Seen Lyla going down the stairs with her hands still tied, She went tumbling down, Yeah I just laughed at her."

After the toddler died, a medical examiner noted she had 44 contusions, one laceration, and two abrasions on her body.

Black Elk began to sob when her defense attorney, Angela Colbath, talked about the accomplishments she achieved in her life despite her childhood, which Gusinsky said was one that "no one should have."

Colbath said Black Elk avoided falling into substance abuse, had no criminal record, graduated high school and was working on her college degree.

Gusinsky said that Black Elk did a "remarkable job, except for you killed a precious, precious, beautiful girl."

Neither the judge, Colbath, nor Krull denied that Black Elk has mental issues, but Gusinsky said a psychiatrist found her competent to stand trial and that she was not legally insane at the time of the killing.

The judge ended the hearing by telling Black Elk that she will someday be eligible for parole and have a chance at life, while the girl "will not."

"I wish you luck," he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11) The Chinese crew of a distressed vessel rescued in waters off Eastern Samar in January are tagged as crime suspects in China, according to Beijings embassy in Manila.

In a letter sent to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) dated March 7 and shared with CNN Philippines on Saturday, the Chinese embassy warned that the crew of KAI DA 899 have been engaged in crime and wanted by Chinas police authority.

It also requested assistance from Philippines authorities in deporting the Chinese nationals.

In order to bring the above mentioned suspects to justice in China, may I humbly request your good office to implement legal procedure against them and transfer the jurisdiction to Bureau of Immigration (BI) at your earliest convenience, so that we can deport the suspects out of the Philippines, the embassys letter read.

No further details about their cases were provided as of publishing.

The seven crew members were rescued by the PCG in the vicinity of Suluan Island in Guiuan town on Jan. 27. Their vessel  which had a damaged hull  was then towed to Tacloban Port.

The PCG earlier raised doubts about the crewmen's statements regarding their identities and vessel as they failed to present the necessary supporting documents.

The agency said it was coordinating with the BI and the Department of Justice regarding the matter.
Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller said he has well-worn boots to fill after taking leadership of South Dakotas largest sheriffs office in January.

Mueller, who has been on the job for three months, follows former Sheriff Kevin Thom, who served for 12 years. Thom took the office after Don Holloway, who held the office for nearly three decades.

In the 26 years Mueller has worked for the sheriffs office, he was under both Thom and Holloways administrations.

Two of probably the strongest sheriffs in the history of the state of South Dakota were mentors of mine, Mueller said. Those are big shoes to fill and to try to follow, but they have built such a solid foundation here at the sheriffs office that its very exciting to be part of moving forward.

Mueller said both Thom and Holloway are just very good human beings who were committed to the community and easy to work for because they expected two things from those under them: to work hard and to treat people well.

That resonates with people that get into this field to help people, Mueller said. I think a lot of law enforcement across the country has lost that focus, but we've had that here for generations, and that's exciting to be part of.

The size of the shoes Mueller has to fill can be measured partially by the size and reach of the sheriffs office. Mueller is officially the boss of the office's 432 employees who work across the county and in Rapid City. The offices annual budget is over $38.3 million, 33% of the countys total budget of $117.4 million.

The offices jurisdiction covers nearly 2,800 square miles and well beyond the typical law enforcement duties of patrol, arrest and investigation. The Pennington County Jail is the largest in the state. The Western South Dakota Juvenile Service Center is one of three in the country that house Bureau of Prison detainees, Mueller said.

Unsurprisingly, Mueller said he is not an expert in every single area  geographically or otherwise  that the sheriffs office envelops, but he said he focuses on finding the people that are.

I have to rely on staff who are experts in those areas, and we have those experts that work in all four of our divisions, Mueller said. I really feel like part of my job is to make sure that they have the resources, the training, to do their job to the best of their ability, not for me to go learn how to be a counselor or learn how to run a specific program or one of our facilities.

Although Mueller has no plans to change the entire office from how his predecessors led it, he said he has different strengths than other sheriffs and the office will evolve as the community continues to evolve.

The most recent census places the county's population at 111,806, and the area is only expected to grow in the coming years with the arrival of the B-21 at Ellsworth Air Force Base and continued development in the region.

We continue to evaluate what were doing, whether its effective or not. Were looking at making some changes, but not because we were doing things wrong in the past, but because we have more information, Mueller said.

One of the areas he hopes to change is the number of resources available to inmates in jail.

I've challenged our staff to look at different things that we're doing and see if we can come up with a new way to deal with these individuals that were warehousing," Mueller said.

That could include providing education, building job skills, and dealing with substance abuse issues, "while we have a captive audience, while they're in our facility, to try to change their trajectory and behavior on the back end so, hopefully, they don't come back into the system again, Mueller said.

Those changes could also mean better retention of corrections officers and new positions. In 2022, the PCSO as a whole had 125 people leave and hired 122 people; thats a turnover rate of nearly 30%, and Mueller said people can tend to view corrections as a glorified babysitter job, but it can be more than that when people are service-oriented and want to help people.

We're going to create more career tracks in corrections to be able to accomplish that, so I think it will attract a different level of employee, Mueller said.

The sheriff also said the office has been working behind the scenes to have a more positive impact on the homeless population in Rapid City and the county.

Its not against the law to be homeless, but we do have a part of our homeless population that are out there, committing crime, and creating nuisances in our community that people are very upset about, Mueller said. Is there something we can do differently in our community to have a positive impact on this group of people and help them, give them a hand up to help them out of that situation?

Mueller plans to continue the community partnerships the office has with local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement as well.

That includes partnerships with the Rapid City Police Department that include working together on investigations and sharing a SWAT team  the city-county Special Response Team. The PCSO also partners with the RCPD and the Rapid City Fire Department on the city-county water rescue team.

They also work with RCPD and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation to share duties on the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit (ICAC) and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). ICAC investigates child sex abuse cases and cases involving solicitation of minors digitally.

In September 2022, the PCSO signed a historic agreement with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety to allow either agency to enter the other agencys jurisdiction when they request help.

Were very excited about that, Mueller said. These boundaries don't protect us from violent crime. from the drug abuse that we're seeing in these areas. All of us recognize that, and all of us want our communities to be safer.
The Hamilton Service Center of the Salvation Army will be holding a food giveaway on Monday, March 13.

The Salvation Army Hamilton Service Center Director Fidelis Temukum said the organization purchased some of the food, the rest was donated by Super One Food Store in Hamilton.

Its something Im trying to do quarterly, Temukum said. Weve noticed that people on food stamps are not getting as much as they usually get. With electricity bills going up people are struggling to buy food. The struggle is there, and we think that if we can meet needs in the area of groceries, it will help them to save money and use it towards other bills.

The Salvation Army will hold an open-ended invitation for community members in need to get food boxes from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, March 13, at the Salvation Army at 217 N. 3rd Street, Suite B-2 in Hamilton.

Temukum said it is short notice, but the Salvation Army will have seven pallets of food that has been boxed up for families.

Well have 100 to 120 food boxes, he said. Each food box is worth about $130. Super One continues to partner with us to meet the needs of people in the community. We had volunteers help box the food and they will come Monday to help us hand out the food.

He said people can just come, complete a one-page form, and go home with a food box.

He said the Salvation Army has food to help as many people as possible.

We are hoping that in the next couple of months, we could do this again, Temukum said

He is working to create a Salvation Army office in Stevensville.

Im working to set up a satellite office in the Stevensville area because a lot of people in Florence and Stevensville are not able to get assistance from us because of the drive and the distance, Temukum said. We are working with a church in Stevensville to get an office there.
Supporters of a change that would provide people with Medicaid coverage for 12 months after giving birth made their pleas to legislators Thursday to approve funding for the proposal.

Originally a part of Gov. Greg Gianfortes budget, the year of postpartum coverage was not supported by a budget subcommittee after opposition from GOP lawmakers. Instead, the committee backed a plan to offer up to six months of coverage for people with a diagnosis of substance use disorder or mental health issue.

About 1,000 women would be covered if the 12-month program went into place, the director of the state health department said in a hearing Thursday. The current coverage period is 60 days.

The six-month option lawmakers gave approval to would cost about $455,150 in state funds each year and $1.03 million in federal dollars every year. The 12-month option would cost $1.37 million in state funds and $3.13 in federal money annually.

On Thursday before the full House Appropriations Committee, Liz Albers, on behalf of the American Heart Association, advocated for the funding.

We know that pregnancy is the first time many women see a physician on a regular basis and  regular visits provide an opportunity to address chronic and pregnancy-related conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure, Albers said. More than one in three maternal deaths occur following birth, with the cause of specific mortality from heart disease and stroke being highest in the six weeks to a year after giving birth.

  Providing continued access to medical care during the first year following birth ensures new moms remain healthy and prepared to take on the responsibility of raising a baby, Albers said.

A CDC report found that 30% of postpartum deaths occurred between 43 and 365 days after birth, Albers said.

The money would be included in the $7.9 billion state health department budget, the largest portion of Montanas $13.4 billion biennium proposed budget.

Melody Cunningham, who spoke on behalf of the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said overdose risk for moms with substance use disorders is highest from seven to 12 months after giving birth.

Limiting the program to those with diagnoses of mental health issues or substance use disorders makes it hard to get access since many people can't even get into regular care or specialists to get those diagnoses, Cunningham said.

Stephanie Morton, director of programs and impact for Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies told lawmakers a six-month limit was too short to capture many problems that happen with mothers after birth.

Limiting coverage to just certain diagnoses and also to six months does not acknowledge the chronic nature of these conditions, nor does it acknowledge the physical conditions that can and do occur in the postpartum period. The stigma associated with asking for help with mental health, including struggling with substance use, makes these conversations particularly difficult, Morton said. Perhaps even more pressing for families is the fear of the loss of custody of a child due to these issues. A trusting, ongoing relationship with a provider is the best way to ensure that moms will ask for help when they need it.

The committee is expected to vote on the health departments budget next week. The full state budget will then advance to the House floor for debate.

The Associated Press reported this week that GOP leaders in more than six states are adding 12 months of postpartum coverage, tying it to bills that limit access to abortions and citing it as support for new mothers.

The AP reported that Wyomings governor recently signed a bill expanding coverage to a year, calling it a signature piece of pro-life legislation.

Montana's Legislature is weighing several bills to restrict access to abortions this session.

 This story contains reporting from the Associated Press.
The Montana Board of Public Education voted to adopt revisions to school accreditation standards on Friday, wrapping up a years-long process that roused unprecedented public comment over how many counselors, librarians and administrators schools needed.

Here we are  finally  at the end of a very long road that has been traveled for quite a while, said board member Tim Tharp.

Chapter 55 of the Administrative Rules of Montana was officially reopened in 2020 and multiple stakeholder groups, committees and panels met to provide recommendations and insight to update the states accreditation standards. The extended timeline was caused by stalemates in early committees and the boards decision to extend the revision timeline this fall.

I would be remiss if I did not thank the literally thousands and thousands of Montana residents and experts who weighed in on these important rules, getting us to this point today for the Montana Board of Public Education to act on, Tharp said.

Much of the outcry during the revision process surrounded changes to state-mandated student-to-staff ratios for school counselors, librarians and administrators, which the Office of Public Instruction recommended to diminish. However, the board rejected the OPIs recommendation and opted to maintain the existing ratios.

Tharp called the outpouring of comments  both written and offered in person  unprecedented.

More than 1,200 public comments were submitted urging the board to retain current ratios for counselors. Another 1,000 wrote in support of librarians and about 200 spoke up concerning ratios for principals and superintendents.

Other updates to the states accreditation rules include requirements for civics and financial literacy classes for graduation, which were supported by the OPI, Gov. Greg Gianforte, the Montana Federation of Public Employees and several other commenters throughout the process.

Prior to the new rule, all but 29 of the 173 high schools in Montana offer at least one course related to financial literacy, according to the OPI.

The new rules will go into effect in July.
ALBERTON  An initiative to reduce conflict between humans and bears around Alberton has gained momentum with the addition of half the Town Council onto the newly formed Alberton Bear Smart Working Group.

After a 20-minute presentation from the group at the Council's regular monthly meeting March 7, Council members Sharon Briggs and Kyle Cirincione volunteered to join the group. The working group already included Alberton local Monica Best, Alberton landowner Bob Summerfield, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Bear Management Specialist Jamie Jonkel, FWP volunteer Laura Collins and Alberton School teacher Nick Ehlers.

The goal is to use a grassroots model led locally thats been proven to reduce bear conflicts across the U.S. and Canadian Rockies. The general premise is that securing the things that attract bears can gradually reduce their inclination to forage through human development, thus reducing conflicts between people and hungry bears.

But first, the group wanted the Council's support and involvement. Summerfield said having a council member in the group would allow the Town Council to stay apprised of  and help shape  the group's work. In addition to the school and Town Council, the nascent Alberton Bear Smart Working Group hopes to also draw more members from the surrounding community

Cirincione said after the meeting that "It's a fascinating subject anyway, so (I'm) definitely interested in being on board." Briggs added that she heard about a bear that was killed last year near the school and "it really, really bothered me."

"I just think it's really important to get it under control ... and just to get educated," she said. "It's not their fault. They're hungry and the berries weren't any good"  a reference to a widespread food failure for bears last year that drove many bears into communities searching for food.

Mayor Anna LeDuc said that "I'm ecstatic that many people want to be part of the project, and we're supporting it. I agree with it."

Because the working group's target area extends slightly beyond Alberton's town limits and into unincorporated Mineral County, Summerfield said, the group will likely also approach the Mineral County Commission about the initiative.

Next, the working group will develop a hazard assessment of where and how bears come into conflict around the community. The assessment can answer questions around what things in the community attract bears, and when and where bears most often come into conflict with humans. After that, the working group can develop a report of recommendations for how to address the communitys hazards. That could include educational efforts, deployment of bear-resistant garbage cans, or guidelines around food storage and bird feeders. Funding to implement recommendations can come from FWP or from nonprofits like People and Carnivores, which recently launched a $50,000 fund for communities vying to go Bear Smart.

Jonkel explained at the meeting that such work is long overdue in Alberton, population 452, a former railroad community about a 30-minute drive west of Missoula. The area has a "really long history of black bear conflict," and "Grizzlies are starting to show up" nearby.

"The Alberton area is just in the perfect position to funnel bears into town," he said, noting the convergence of multiple side-canyons into the Alberton Gorge. "A lot of bears have to naturally funnel through here."

He rattled off an abbreviated list of the myriad bear conflicts the area had seen in recent years.

"We had one individual that had a black bear come in multiple times and he sprayed it multiple times with pepper spray, bear pepper spray, and it just would not go away," he said. "And then there was the black bear that was shot not far from the school there."

There was also a black bear that broke into a child's bedroom via the window. And that was all just in 2022, a year Jonkel described as "one of the most insane years weve had with black bears anywhere."

Last year wasn't the only crazy year, though, Jonkel noted, explaining that "a lot of very interesting historical things have occurred" with bear conflict in Alberton. Not the least was a person directly across the Clark Fork River from Alberton who routinely fed about 30 black bears in her yard from about 200912. She often shooed the bears away with a broom to secure safe access for package delivery drivers.

"We had no idea, and the community had no idea," he said. "The individual passed away, and holy smokes, the year after and the year after were just insane. During that time period we had to trap and destroy eight to 10 bears here," and about 10 more were killed by vehicles on the interstate.

Another notable incident involved a man who sicced his dogs on a black bear that wandered up to a hunting kill he was processing at home. When the dogs flagged in the fight, Jonkel said, the man intervened with a knife and a gun, stabbing and shooting the bear until it was dead.

Jonkel's presentation also included a short video highlighting the success of a Bear Smart program implemented in Virginia City a few years ago  the first adoption of the Bear Smart framework in Montana, although other less-structured efforts pre-date Virginia City's. Summerfield told the council at its Feb. 7 meeting that "They havent had a bear conflict now for a few years," in Virginia City.
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Miklos Fridrich, a high school senior in Chesterfield County, has applied to 13 colleges. That might sound like a lot, but he knows classmates who have applied to 20.

The more colleges to which he applies, he figures, the better chance he has of being accepted to a quality school.

It has become more difficult to get into the states best colleges, making it harder for high school students to know where they will be accepted and where they will be rejected.

The target is moving every year, said Jim Jump, a counselor at St. Christophers School.

For the past three years, the University of Virginia, the College of William & Mary and Virginia Tech have been flooded with thousands more applications, causing their admission rates to go down.

Colleges are reviewing this years batch of applications, and most students will hear back by April 1.

At UVa, the number of applications received has almost doubled in 10 years. The university received 57,000 applications this year  an all-time high.

If UVa extends the same number of offers as last year, it will have an admission rate of 17%. Ten years ago, UVa accepted almost 30% of applicants.

No college in the state has transformed like Virginia Tech. A decade ago, it received 21,000 applications and accepted 73% of them.

This year, it took in 47,000 applications, and it had an acceptance rate of 57% last year.

At William & Mary, applications rose from 14,000 to 18,000 in two years. The school anticipates accepting between 30% and 33% of applicants, said Suzanne Clavet, a spokesperson for the university.

While William & Marys acceptance rate is down compared with recent years, it is about equal to where it was a decade ago, the result of growth in enrollment and fewer students accepting the colleges offer.

The three colleges charge in-state students between $27,000 and $37,000 a year for tuition, fees, room and board. While UVa and William & Mary are the two most expensive public schools in the state, they are significantly cheaper than the nations elite private schools.

Private colleges in Virginia such as Washington and Lee University and the University of Richmond have low acceptance rates, too.

Brand recognition matters

There are a number of reasons why applications are up. These schools stopped requiring standardized test scores, encouraging students who would not normally apply for an elite school to throw their hats in the ring.

Virginia Tech has worked to simplify its application process by streamlining how student send transcripts. It now allows students to apply using the Common App.

Another factor is the brand recognition these colleges carry.

A lot of it is still brand, said Tod Massa, policy analytics director at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. These are the top-brand schools. Everyone knows who they are.

As admission rates go down, the academic standards necessary for acceptance goes up, Jump said. It is not a dramatic increase, but the bar seems to be raised every year.

Such constantly changing requirements make it harder for counselors like Jump and students like Fridrich to predict where they will be accepted. Rejection can mess with a kids confidence, Fridrich said.

Increased interest is not limited to Virginias top colleges. What Jump calls the ESPN schools  large Southern public universities such as the University of Georgia, the University of South Carolina and the University of Tennessee  have seen their application numbers skyrocket.

Those schools have increasingly recruited Virginia students, who are relatively wealthier than graduates of other states and bring more revenue than in-state students. High school grads in Virginia are increasingly more likely to choose an ESPN school, according to state data.

Colleges continue recruiting and searching for more applicants even when they do not need more applicants, Jump said. A colleges U.S. News & World Report ranking and its bond rating are affected by the number of applications they receive and by their admission rates.

These three schools aspire to be nationally known universities, Jump added. Part of the way you do that is by being selective.

Some argue that elite colleges should increase their capacity to keep up with demand. Virginia, William & Mary and Virginia Tech have grown in recent years. But growth requires years of planning and additional resources.

Colleges do not target particular admission rates

Virginia, William & Mary and Virginia Tech do not aspire to particular admission rates, spokespeople for the colleges said. They focus on attracting the most talented students they can, and they consider the percentage of applicants who accepted the schools offer last year, a figure known as its yield.

Colleges also must strike the right number of in-state and out-of-state students, and they consider the number of open seats in each department or major.

It is increasingly tough to predict from year to year, said Brian Coy, a spokesperson for UVa.

While it can be difficult to gain admission to certain colleges, getting into a four-year college in Virginia is not hard.

We have a place for every Virginia student that wants to go to college in Virginia, said.

At most colleges in Virginia, admission rates are going up. James Madison University accepted 86% of applicants in 2021, the most recent year with available data. Virginia Commonwealth University accepted 92%.

Altogether, the number of college students in the state has declined in the past decade as costs have continued to increase. This has created a divergence in Virginia colleges, in which some are booming and others are fighting over a shrinking pool of applicants.

Higher admission rates do not indicate that colleges are accepting substandard students, Massa said. Fewer students are dropping out of Virginia colleges, and a higher percentage are graduating. The way Massa sees it, colleges are working harder to find students and working harder to keep them. That is a good thing.

That level of engagement serves students well, Massa said.

VCU does not shy away from its admission rate. It embraces its goal of serving low-income and first-generation students. Its board of visitors has discussed modeling itself off Arizona State University, which accepts every student who meets a certain academic threshold.

Admission to an elite college is not a prerequisite for earning a high-paying job, either. According to earnings data, a students major is a far greater determinant of income level than a students college.

Jump tells his students their college experience is more important than the reputation of their college.

There are lots and lots of good places, he said. Its a mistake to set your heart on I have to go here or Ill be a failure.

Of the 13 schools to which Fridrich applied, he has gained acceptance to three and is waiting to hear from the rest. He knows the college he chooses will not define who he is, but he still worries about which schools will accept him.

Its not a logical thing, Fridrich said.

Close Year unknown: Workers clear overgrown lot by Broad Street Station. 12-18-1956: Towering trees--Two of largest indoor Christmas trees in Richmond are in place and lightened--one in Broad Street Station. 09-06-1962 (cutline): There will be no more free parking for motorists at Broad Street Station. The temporary toll booth shown has been set up at the Robinson St. entrance to the station parking lot to collect parking fees from motorists. A permanant booth is being built near the present booth. The Davis. St. entrance has been blocked off to prevent cars from entering the lot from that side. 07-18-1967: Broad Street Station. 12-11-1970: Broad Street Station , looking west at approximately 7 a.m. 04-23-1969 (cutline): Magnolia trees to flower amid columns at Broad Street Station. Mrs. W.K. Norman lends helping hand. 06-08-1951 (cutline): View shows damage caused to West Side of Broad Street Station dome. Removal of tile, broken in last week's slide, will begin today. 06-04-1951 (cutline): Dome of Broad Street Station after tile dropped. Lightning believed to have caused concrete collapse. 10-24-1942: Broad Street Station. 05-20-1972: Broad Street Station. 11-15-1975 (cutline): Last passenger train rates musical farewell at Broad Street Station. Seven-piece brass band gathered to note the occassion with 'Auld Lang Syne.' 05-20-1946 (cutline): A Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railway train pulls out of Broad Street Station on its was to Washington. 12-10-1970 (cutline): Broad Street Station yards looking West at approximately 7:15 AM. 12-10-1970 (cutline): Passengers and stations staff discuss the travel by rails halt at Broad Street Station at approximately 7:30 a.m. this morning. 04-01-1944 (cutline): Service for servicemen--A member of the 1345th Service Unit, Richmond Military Police Battalion (in booth), gives directions to visiting serviceman at a new servicemen's information booth established at Broad Street Station. A similar booth is in operation at Main Street Station. 05-23-1957 (cutline): Broad Street Station. 08-07-1951 (cutline): Repair of Broad Street Station front--The maze of scaffolding in front of Broad Street Station is being used by workmen doing routine work on the Indiana limestone building. This is the first time the mortar between the stone blocks has been working on since the building was constructed. The work is being done while the station's dome is being repaired. It leaves only one way to enter the front of the building--through the tunnel just visible in the center of the scaffolding. From the Archives: Broad Street Station A look back at the Richmond train station which houses the Science Museum of Virginia today. Year unknown: Workers clear overgrown lot by Broad Street Station. 12-18-1956: Towering trees--Two of largest indoor Christmas trees in Richmond are in place and lightened--one in Broad Street Station. 09-06-1962 (cutline): There will be no more free parking for motorists at Broad Street Station. The temporary toll booth shown has been set up at the Robinson St. entrance to the station parking lot to collect parking fees from motorists. A permanant booth is being built near the present booth. The Davis. St. entrance has been blocked off to prevent cars from entering the lot from that side. 07-18-1967: Broad Street Station. 12-11-1970: Broad Street Station , looking west at approximately 7 a.m. 04-23-1969 (cutline): Magnolia trees to flower amid columns at Broad Street Station. Mrs. W.K. Norman lends helping hand. 06-08-1951 (cutline): View shows damage caused to West Side of Broad Street Station dome. Removal of tile, broken in last week's slide, will begin today. 06-04-1951 (cutline): Dome of Broad Street Station after tile dropped. Lightning believed to have caused concrete collapse. 10-24-1942: Broad Street Station. 05-20-1972: Broad Street Station. 11-15-1975 (cutline): Last passenger train rates musical farewell at Broad Street Station. Seven-piece brass band gathered to note the occassion with 'Auld Lang Syne.' 05-20-1946 (cutline): A Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railway train pulls out of Broad Street Station on its was to Washington. 12-10-1970 (cutline): Broad Street Station yards looking West at approximately 7:15 AM. 12-10-1970 (cutline): Passengers and stations staff discuss the travel by rails halt at Broad Street Station at approximately 7:30 a.m. this morning. 04-01-1944 (cutline): Service for servicemen--A member of the 1345th Service Unit, Richmond Military Police Battalion (in booth), gives directions to visiting serviceman at a new servicemen's information booth established at Broad Street Station. A similar booth is in operation at Main Street Station. 05-23-1957 (cutline): Broad Street Station. 08-07-1951 (cutline): Repair of Broad Street Station front--The maze of scaffolding in front of Broad Street Station is being used by workmen doing routine work on the Indiana limestone building. This is the first time the mortar between the stone blocks has been working on since the building was constructed. The work is being done while the station's dome is being repaired. It leaves only one way to enter the front of the building--through the tunnel just visible in the center of the scaffolding.
The principal of J.H. Blackwell Preschool in South Richmond stepped down from her position this week amid an internal investigation into allegations that a student was sexually assaulted during school.

Richmond Public Schools Principal Director Leslie Wiggins sent a letter to Blackwell families on Friday announcing the leadership change.

Linda Wood, RPS associate director for early childhood education, will serve as interim principal of Blackwell Preschool for the remainder of the school year, according to the letter.

An RPS spokeswoman said former principal Elaine Probst stepped down for personal reasons.

The resignation comes as the school district continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding an alleged assault.

Shayla Roberts said another student sexually assaulted her 5-year-old daughter in a bathroom on Jan. 23. At a Richmond School Board meeting last month, Roberts pleaded with the board to act, saying nothing had been done.

Law enforcement investigated the alleged assault, but the Commonwealth Attorneys Office did not press charges.

A Richmond police spokeswoman said she could not provide more details because the case involves minors.

I would like to thank Dr. Probst for her dedication and service, Wood wrote in the message to Blackwell families on Friday.

School leaders will hold a community meeting March 29 at 6 p.m. at the school to further discuss the leadership transition.

The Times-Dispatch's 'Photo of the Day'  Jan. 1, 2023 Jan. 2, 2023 Jan. 3, 2023 Jan. 4, 2023 Jan. 5, 2023 Jan. 6, 2023 Jan. 7, 2023 Jan. 8, 2023 Jan. 10, 2023 Jan. 11, 2023 Jan. 12, 2023 Jan. 13, 2023 Jan. 14, 2023 Jan. 15, 2023 Jan. 16, 2023 Jan. 17, 2023 Jan. 18, 2023 Jan. 19, 2023 Jan. 20, 2023 Jan. 21, 2023 Jan. 22, 2023 Jan. 23, 2023 Jan. 24, 2023 Jan. 25, 2023 Jan. 26, 2023 Jan. 27, 2023 Jan. 28, 2023 Jan. 29, 2023 Jan. 30, 2023 Jan. 31, 2023 Feb. 1, 2023 Feb. 2, 2023 Feb. 3, 2023 Feb. 4, 2023 Feb. 5, 2023 Feb. 6, 2023 Feb. 7, 2023 Feb. 8, 2023 Feb. 9, 2023 Feb. 10, 2023 Feb 11, 2023 Feb. 12, 2023 Feb. 13, 2023 Feb. 14, 2023 Feb. 15, 2023 Feb. 16, 2023 Feb. 17, 2023 Feb. 18, 2023 Feb. 19, 2023 Feb. 20, 2023 Feb. 21, 2023 Feb. 22, 2023 Feb. 23, 2023 Feb. 24, 2023 Feb. 25, 2023 Feb. 26, 2023 Feb. 27, 2023 Feb. 28, 2023 March 1, 2023 March 2, 2023 March 3, 2023 March 4, 2023 March 5, 2023 March 6, 2023 March 7, 2023 March 8, 2023 March 9, 2023 March 10, 2023 March 11, 2023 March 12, 2023 March 13, 2023 March 14, 2023 March 15, 2023 March 16, 2023 March 17, 2023 March 18, 2023 March 19, 2023 March 20, 2023 March 21, 2023 March 22, 2023 March 23, 2023 March 24, 2023 March 25, 2023 March 26, 2023 March 27, 2023 March 28, 2023 March 29, 2023 March 30, 2023 March 31, 2023 April 1, 2023 April 2, 2023 April 3, 2023 April 4, 2023 April 5, 2023 April 6, 2023 April 7, 2023 April 8, 2023 April 9, 2023 April 10, 2023 April 11, 2023 April 13, 2023 April 14, 2023
Some were train lovers. Others were history buffs. In the crowd were also philatelists  a fancy word for stamp lovers. But on Friday, all gathered together and their collective attention fell on Richmonds Main Street Station.

The 120-year-old railroad station is one of five selected by the U.S. Postal Service to be featured on a commemorative stamp collection, and its official unveiling was held at the historic and fabled station amid smiles and applause.

USPS Virginia District Manager Gerald Roane, alongside state and city officials, uncovered the colorful design of the stations illuminated clock tower to an eager crowd.

The Postal Service has long celebrated our nations heritage just through our stamp program, and we continue that tradition with these new forever stamps, Roane said.

In addition to Richmonds Main Street Station, the other railroad stations included in the project are Cincinnati Union Terminal; Tamaqua Station, Pennsylvania; Point of Rocks Station, Maryland; and the Santa Fe Depot in San Bernardino, California.

All of the railway stations are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Im truly amazed by all five railroad stations, Roane added. My favorite of course is the Main Street Station. I think the art truly captures the sophistication of this Richmond landmark.

Richmonds Main Street Station, opened in 1901, owes its Renaissance design to Wilson, Harris & Richards, the famous railroad terminal specialists based in Philadelphia.

The station became a popular hub for passenger travel when it opened, though it faced some hardships over the course of its long history.

Train travel came to a near-screeching halt in 1958 when Interstate 95 was built in the Richmond region and car travel became the more popular means of transportation.

Main Street Station hit another setback in the 1970s when Hurricane Agnes caused the rise of the James River to flood the first floor of the station. Amtrak discontinued passenger service to the station on Oct. 15, 1975.

Main Street Station was damaged by a fire in 1976, followed by another damaging blaze in 1983. Before returning to active limited passenger service in 2003, the station housed a mall, a nightclub and even offices.

Over the years, the 100,000-square-foot space has received over $96 million in local, state and federal support to become a transit and events hub and soon to be home to an interpretive center and memorial campus examining Richmonds role in the domestic slave trade.

Jeannie Welliver, senior project manager with Richmonds public works department, said Main Street Station has become a nationally recognized event space.

First and foremost, its a train station and a multimodal transit; thats the number one priority, Welliver said. But the idea for this space was to turn it into Richmonds living room.

In addition to serving 74,794 riders in 2022 with six daily, state-supported Amtrak trains, Main Street Station is also home for dozens of weddings, wine expos, inaugurations, conventions and more.

Just a few weeks ago, we hosted the Virginia Wine Expo and there were thousands of people here in Richmond. This station is truly a great benefit to the city, Welliver said.

Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, said Main Street Station has solidified itself as a monument to the regions history.

This means a lot for us. It means a lot to this community to see this, Bagby said. So to all parties and all those individuals who were part of this decision-making, on behalf of this community we say thank you.

Residents interested in purchasing stamps and other products can do so through USPS at usps.com/shopstamps, and news of this celebratory occasion is being shared with the hashtag #RailroadStationsStamps.

23 historic photos of Main Street Station
Virginia lawmakers agree they want to reduce gun violence, despite a divergence in schools of thought about how to get it done.

Legislators reviewed a limited number of gun-related bills during this years legislative session, and most of them succumbed to partisan gridlock. Virginias Democratic-controlled Senate passed several bills that were later defeated in the Republican-controlled House of Delegates. A number of House measures failed in Senate committees Democrats lead.

The House did send over a National Rifle Association-backed bill aimed at gun safety. It cleared the Senate and is soon to be reviewed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Carried by Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, House Bill 2387 would allow for a tax credit of up to $300 when someone purchases one or more firearm safety devices  such as gun safes, gun cases or lock boxes. Lopez explained that he had been in communication with the NRA ahead of the session to see if it could get to yes on supporting his bill.

I said, Lets flip the script. Lets not talk about condemning something or mandating something. Were not requiring anything, were not banning anything, were not taking anything away,  Lopez said. Were just giving a tax credit to incentivize something that many law-abiding gun owners already do  which is to keep their guns out of the reach of those who shouldnt have them.

His bill cleared both chambers months after a number of high-profile shootings across the country  including the November shootings that killed three University of Virginia students and six workers at a Chesapeake Walmart.

In the last decade, the number of violent crimes in Virginia committed with firearms has fluctuated year to year, but rose from 4,388 in 2012 to 6,102 in 2021, according to the Virginia State Police. More than 29,000 firearms have been recovered from crimes and received through Virginias Department of Forensic Science for testing from 2018 through 2022, according to chief deputy director Mason Byrd.

In an effort to reduce such numbers, several Democratic legislators proposed measures that failed this year.

Ideas included a weapons storage requirement, bans on new sales of assault-style firearms, prohibition of ghost guns (which are untraceable parts people purchase online to manufacture at home), additional criteria for substantial risk orders, bans on carrying weapons at universities and requiring locked doors if leaving a firearm in a vehicle.

The ideas born from the Senate lost steam in GOP-led House subcommittees, while many ideas from the House failed in Senate panels.

Though she drafted it before a child brought a weapon to Richneck Elementary School in Newport News and shot a teacher this winter, Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, couldnt believe that even with that happening, people still voted against her weapons storage bill.

Boyskos Senate Bill 1139 was one that Cortney Whanger, a Henrico County resident and survivor of the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, had her eye on. Her husband obtained his conceal carry permit following the shooting five years ago  of which he is also a survivor  and he keeps his gun stored safely in their home. Though neither spouse was wounded in the Nevada shooting, they have had to cope with the mental trauma.

Calling a lot of the legislation proposed over the years common sense, Whanger would like to see legislators doing more to reduce gun violence. A former Republican, she began voting Democratic in recent years  largely due to the issue.

We can fight about it all day long, but why not try something and see if it works, Whanger previously told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. You can take it back if needed, you know, but just try something. Doing nothing is not working.

Republicans had ideas for curbing gun violence this year, too  albeit from a different approach.

Sen. Tommy Norment, R-James City, and Del. Michael Webert, R-Fauquier, had bills that would raise minimum sentences for certain felonies committed with firearms.

Webert stressed his House Bill 2360, defeated in the Senate Judiciary Committee, was not for first-time offenders, but for people on their second related firearm offense.

So by then, by this time, theyve already committed a couple of misdemeanors, theyve committed a felony and so they are on their second felony with a firearm, Webert said. They have demonstrated that theyre not capable of ... living in society for a significant amount of time and, by removing those folks, we keep our streets safer.

Norments similar bill had an additional focus on firearm felonies at schools.

Senate Bill 1353 would have increased sentences from five to 10 years for knowingly possessing any firearm within the building of a child daycare center or public, private or religious preschool, elementary, middle or high school and intending to use, or attempting to use such firearm, or displaying such weapon in a threatening manner.

In the Jan. 30 Senate Judiciary Committee meeting where the Democratic-led panel defeated the bill, Norment expressed frustration that several people spoke in opposition to the measure over its minimum mandatory sentencing.

It is perplexing to me in this atmosphere, where were having so many firearms and crimes being committed on school grounds, that people will oppose it, Norment said in the meeting. I favor minimum mandatories in general, which I respect some of you dont, but its just perplexing to me that people can stand up and say theyre opposing that in child care centers and in schools.

A philosophical difference

Del. Sally Hudson, D-Charlottesville, says she thinks prevention measures can help reduce gun violence before it happens because of a combination of factors.

I think the philosophical difference is that I think Democrats recognize that gun violence is often the combination of terrible judgment and access to a firearm in the same moment, Hudson said. Its not a problem you can punish your way out of.

She said people who want to commit a violent crime may not be thinking about what the legal repercussions may be with prosecution and sentencing. They are acting within the parameters of having access to weapons and the ease of having them where they intend to commit an act of violence, Hudson said.

Hudsons House Bill 2365 would have prohibited firearms on the grounds of the University of Virginia. It was defeated despite support and emotional testimony from UVa Police Chief Tim Longo. In November, Longo and others responded to a mass shooting at UVa where three students were killed and two others were wounded. Later details revealed the alleged gunman had been suspected of previously having guns in his possession.

In September, a student told the university that the suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., had talked about owning a gun. UVa subsequently learned that he had pleaded guilty to a concealed weapons violation in Chesterfield County and received a suspended sentence.

Hudson said her bill would have empowered university law enforcement to investigate through search warrants if they hear someone has a gun on campus.

Hudson said the prevention component is the biggest difference between how Democrats are viewing situations, as Republicans tend to favor prosecution after an act has been committed.

Preventive efforts are a lot easier to do than going back and just trying to punish after somebody has been killed, Boysko said.

Webert thinks the sentencing from prosecutions helps, too.

Its time to implement programs where we take the bad actors off the streets, Webert said. We need to start letting folks know that if you are going to be a continuous bad actor, youre not going to be allowed to continue to terrorize our neighborhoods.

Webert also pointed to bipartisan legislation from last year  the creation of the Operation Ceasefire Fund.

As part of Youngkins Operation Bold Blue Line initiative, Attorney General Jason Miyares office was awarded $2.6 million to hire additional prosecutors and group violence intervention coordinators.

The Democrats dont like it because it is law enforcement-heavy, Webert said, but noted how the program has been successful elsewhere.

Operation Ceasefire was a program that successfully reduced gun violence in Boston about two decades ago, and similar measures have been adopted around the nation. Del. Tony Wilt, R-Rockingham, had carried legislation to create it in Virginia last year. Proponents support the role it can play in reducing violence, while opponents call it mass incarceration by another name.

That is why Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, advises caution on how it is being used. She and former Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, now a member of Congress, worked to establish a related, but different fund  the Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund, which focuses on non-law enforcement groups and community organizations.

Amid the funding disbursements to stem from the Operation Ceasefire Fund, $7.4 million of the roughly $20 million was targeted for 12 cities with high levels of violent crime. That money is earmarked for law enforcement training and equipment.

Price said she and some colleagues favor a more holistic and widespread approach to reducing violent crimes committed with guns.

If you are not funding prevention, intervention, enforcement and also reentry, what some called the PIER model, then you are not going to prevent crime, Price said.

Its this continuum of services. And if you dont look at gun violence prevention through the lens of housing, economic security, the earned income tax credit, child tax credits, food access workforce development  if youre only looking at gun violence prevention as prosecution, you will never get there.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11)  Local authorities in Negros Oriental and nearby provinces have started implementing additional security measures as they continue to run after the remaining suspects in the killing of Governor Roel Degamo.

In a media briefing on Saturday, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Jean Fajardo said the newly-created joint task force  composed of the police, military, and other officials  believes that some of the perpetrators are still in the province.

"'Yung mga malalapit po na mga probinsya ay nag-conduct na rin po sila ng random checkpoints and roadblocks nila," Fajardo told reporters.

[Translation: The nearby provinces have also conducted random checkpoints and roadblocks.]

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the creation of the task force, as he pushed to fight crime and impunity on the entire Negros Island.

Marcos also vowed swift justice for the families of Degamo and other victims of the brazen attack last week.

READ: Marcos orders creation of AFP-PNP task force vs Degamo assassins, crimes on Negros Island

Meanwhile, Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will deploy "two brigades and six battalions" that will work with the police in carrying out the chief executive's directive.

"And we will even dig deeper [on] the different killings that happened before," Galvez said in a separate briefing.

"The instruction of the president to me is very clear. One, to get all the 10 suspects. Two, to dismantle all the tentacles of violence here in Negros," he added.

Murder and frustrated murder cases were earlier filed against four arrested suspects and 12 John Does tagged in Degamo's murder.
When Gov. Glenn Youngkin withdrew Virginia from talks with Ford Motor Co. about the possible development of an electric vehicle battery plant in Southside Virginia, he publicly stated that his decision was based on concerns that the proposed project, and the tax credits it would receive, would benefit the Chinese Communist Party.

Democrats rejected such concerns out of hand and slammed the governor for derailing a significant economic development opportunity over what they heatedly characterized as an obsession with Reds under the bed, and a petty partisan desire to generate right-wing talking points for a possible 2024 presidential run.

The Democrats position in this case is absolutely baseless. The relevant facts clearly validate the governors concerns and support his decision. And the relevant facts clearly show that Democratic critics are the ones, in fact, driven by petty partisanship instead of a sober consideration of what is required to safeguard the interests of Virginia and the nation.

Under the proposal scrubbed by the governor, Ford would have owned the factory building. But the factory would have been operated by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., or CATL, a Chinese company that is the largest producer of electric vehicle batteries in the world. CATL would have owned and controlled the technology used to produce the batteries.

The founder and executive head of CATL, Zeng Yuqun, has been identified as a member of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, or CPPCC. According to the U.S. government, the CPPCC, acting under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, coordinates Chinas wide-ranging United Front campaign to influence foreign governments and corporations to take actions or adopt positions that support Beijings preferred policies.

This should set off alarm bells that awaken even those in the deepest slumber of denial about the ever-growing threat posed by China and its intensifying drive for global dominance at the expense of the U.S. and other Western nations.

Chinese intelligence operations are relentlessly probing our governmental, corporate and educational institutions. They steal a staggering amount of sensitive information. FBI Director Christopher Wray has said that the bureau opens an investigation on some Chinese threat about every 12 hours or so. And he recently said that the bureau has approximately 2,000 investigations underway regarding activities that trace right back to the Chinese Communist government.

The spy balloon was not an anomaly. It was a dramatic example of a growing threat that confronts us in many forms: the relentless hacking, the countless thefts of intellectual property, the land purchases near our military bases, the opening of police-style surveillance offices in our major cities, the aggressive manufacture and distribution of massive amounts of fentanyl precursor chemicals, the accelerating development of advanced nuclear weapons and sophisticated delivery systems, the construction of military bases on artificial islands in the South China Sea, the crushing of democratic Hong Kong, the increasingly aggressive rhetoric directed against Taiwan, and much more.

In light of the obvious and growing threat posed by the totalitarian, expansionist government of Communist China, it would be criminally irresponsible not to include national security considerations in the meticulous evaluation of any proposed business venture that involves a Red Chinese entity.

Communists have always counted on the unprincipled, incautious greed of Western businesses to help supply the material resources and know-how needed to advance the Communist agenda of subversion, expansion and domination. As Vladimir Lenin famously predicted, The Capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them.

For some years now, our political culture has been corrupted by an unserious focus on fictional narratives and trivialities. Too many of our supposed political leaders seem more intent on producing performative soundbites than substantive policy.

It is past time for politicians, and all Americans, to awaken and address with sober seriousness the threats that confront us, including the existential threat posed by Communist China. By scrubbing the Chinese battery plant project, Gov. Youngkin has shown precisely the kind of principled, sober, substantive leadership we will need for liberty to prevail. He should be praised for his action by all Virginians of every political persuasion.

Close 12-21-1945 (cutline) Santa's helpers--Making sure that Christmas gifts arrive on time at McGuire Hospital are (left to right), Misses Mary Jackson Shepherd, Martha Lafferty, Ann Rose, Sudie Mann and Archer Christian, members of the Red Cross Motor Corps. 02-23-1948 (cutline): Miss Diane Hunt (left) is loading a cargo desintine for McGuire with assistance of Miss Nancy Poindexter. 09-19-1943 (cutline): Mrs. Jan Laverge, Motor Corps, directs servicemen into station wagon for quick transfer to make rail connection. 07-23-1942 (cutline): Miss Emma Fensom leads her winning group past the judges. 09-04-1952 (cutline): Taxi service at work--Miss Ellen Armentrout (left), chairman of the Richmond Red Cross motor service, helps Mrs. Frances Tucker out of a car at the Medical College of Virginia. Driving patients to and from the hospital's clinic and bloodmobile constitutes the greater part of the work done by the motor service volunteers. 03-19-1942 (cutline): Motor Corps Holds Test Drill--The Henrico Red Cross Motor Corps holds its first test drill or workout in uniform to show what the women can do after completing Red Cross courses in first-aid and advanced first-aid. They have also completed training in motor mechanics and have had military drill under Colonel Sheppard Crump and blackout test driving under Chief Hendrick. In the picture: Mr. K.L. Jones, instructor in motor mechanics, is giving some las minute advice. Left to right: Miss Ann Vaughan, Mrs. Crump, Mrs. W.B. Cherry and Captain Mary Simmons. 01-23-1942 (cutline): The Red Cross Motor Corps and Canteen held a regional conference at the Jefferson Hotel yesterday , with representatives from 20 Red Cross units. Speakers were Mrs. F. Trubee Davison, national director of the Motor Corps, and Mrs. Graham Dougherty, national director of canteen. Talking over plans before the conference (left to right) Mrs. Dougherty, Mrs. John G. Hayes, chairman of the Woman's Red Cross War Council, who introduced the speakers, and Mrs. Davison. 07-05-1942 (cutline): Mrs. Herbert L. Smith, Mrs. T. Kent Norment, sergeant, and Mrs. Henry Sycle, lieutenant, carrying stretchers from the East End Casualty Center at Leigh Street Baptist Church. Because of the establishment of these centers, the Red Cross Motor Corps needs many more volunteers. 09-09-1943 (cutline): Swimming teams are (left to right) Miss McVey carrying Mrs. Brydon, Miss Emma Fensom (submerged) carrying Miss Jean Fensom, and Mrs.Jackson carrying Mrs. Trice. 03-17-1953 (cutline): On guard--Members of the local Red Cross Motor Corps with the assistance of members of the city police force have the responsibility of depositing campaign funds turned in at the Richmond-Henrico-Chesterfied Red Cross report luncheons. Above, C.S. McKenney turns over some of the money collected at yesterday's luncheon to Mrs. Patrick Walsh, of the Motor Corps. 08-31-1943 (cutline): Motor Corps Farmettes--Without the assistance of (left to right) Mrs. Ernest Trice, Miss Bee Fitzgerald, Miss Mabel Forbes, Miss Jean Fensom and Miss Emma Fensom, George A. Herman, of Creighton Rd., would have been unable to get his onions planted. These girls, members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, also recently helped in picking tomatoes and other vegetables and cutting weeds. 09-06-1942: Mrs. Molly in the driver's seat--the Richmond Motor Corps. 09-06-1942 (cutline): It's an army truck, and behind the windshield, delivering supplies for the Richmond Air Base Hospital, are Mrs. Anne Pinckney and Mrs. John DeWolf, Jr. 05-28-1947 (cutline): Clothing collected for overseas relief--Members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, pick up materials contributed by local merchants from unclained and unsalable goods for the drive for overseas relief. Mrs. W. Earl Miller, chairman of the spcial sources committee, has announced that more than 300 merchants have responded to the appeal. Fifty-trucks and drivers have been donated for the city-wide, house-to-house pickup of clothing, bedding and shoes slated for Saturday. 03-30-1945 (cutline): On tour of Richmond and Red Cross activities for the Philippine Islands, Mrs. William Rustia and Miss Aurea Labador see the sights. Their escort is Mrs. Clem Belmeur, of the Red Cross Motor Corps. From the Archives: The Women of the Richmond Red Cross Motor Corps The Motor Corps branch of the American Red Cross was established in 1918 with the mission to transport sick and wounded soldiers to hospitals and deliver supplies to posts during World War I. According to the American Red Cross, by the end of WWI, women of the Motor Corps had driven more than 35,000 miles. During WWII, the Motor Corps helped thousands of civilians evacuate from dangerous, war-torn areas. From 1946 to 1947, the dedicated 45,000 volunteers of the Motor Corps drove over eight million miles all over the globe. Here is a look back at the Motor Corps in Richmond. 12-21-1945 (cutline) Santa's helpers--Making sure that Christmas gifts arrive on time at McGuire Hospital are (left to right), Misses Mary Jackson Shepherd, Martha Lafferty, Ann Rose, Sudie Mann and Archer Christian, members of the Red Cross Motor Corps. 02-23-1948 (cutline): Miss Diane Hunt (left) is loading a cargo desintine for McGuire with assistance of Miss Nancy Poindexter. 09-19-1943 (cutline): Mrs. Jan Laverge, Motor Corps, directs servicemen into station wagon for quick transfer to make rail connection. 07-23-1942 (cutline): Miss Emma Fensom leads her winning group past the judges. 09-04-1952 (cutline): Taxi service at work--Miss Ellen Armentrout (left), chairman of the Richmond Red Cross motor service, helps Mrs. Frances Tucker out of a car at the Medical College of Virginia. Driving patients to and from the hospital's clinic and bloodmobile constitutes the greater part of the work done by the motor service volunteers. 03-19-1942 (cutline): Motor Corps Holds Test Drill--The Henrico Red Cross Motor Corps holds its first test drill or workout in uniform to show what the women can do after completing Red Cross courses in first-aid and advanced first-aid. They have also completed training in motor mechanics and have had military drill under Colonel Sheppard Crump and blackout test driving under Chief Hendrick. In the picture: Mr. K.L. Jones, instructor in motor mechanics, is giving some las minute advice. Left to right: Miss Ann Vaughan, Mrs. Crump, Mrs. W.B. Cherry and Captain Mary Simmons. 01-23-1942 (cutline): The Red Cross Motor Corps and Canteen held a regional conference at the Jefferson Hotel yesterday , with representatives from 20 Red Cross units. Speakers were Mrs. F. Trubee Davison, national director of the Motor Corps, and Mrs. Graham Dougherty, national director of canteen. Talking over plans before the conference (left to right) Mrs. Dougherty, Mrs. John G. Hayes, chairman of the Woman's Red Cross War Council, who introduced the speakers, and Mrs. Davison. 07-05-1942 (cutline): Mrs. Herbert L. Smith, Mrs. T. Kent Norment, sergeant, and Mrs. Henry Sycle, lieutenant, carrying stretchers from the East End Casualty Center at Leigh Street Baptist Church. Because of the establishment of these centers, the Red Cross Motor Corps needs many more volunteers. 09-09-1943 (cutline): Swimming teams are (left to right) Miss McVey carrying Mrs. Brydon, Miss Emma Fensom (submerged) carrying Miss Jean Fensom, and Mrs.Jackson carrying Mrs. Trice. 03-17-1953 (cutline): On guard--Members of the local Red Cross Motor Corps with the assistance of members of the city police force have the responsibility of depositing campaign funds turned in at the Richmond-Henrico-Chesterfied Red Cross report luncheons. Above, C.S. McKenney turns over some of the money collected at yesterday's luncheon to Mrs. Patrick Walsh, of the Motor Corps. 08-31-1943 (cutline): Motor Corps Farmettes--Without the assistance of (left to right) Mrs. Ernest Trice, Miss Bee Fitzgerald, Miss Mabel Forbes, Miss Jean Fensom and Miss Emma Fensom, George A. Herman, of Creighton Rd., would have been unable to get his onions planted. These girls, members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, also recently helped in picking tomatoes and other vegetables and cutting weeds. 09-06-1942: Mrs. Molly in the driver's seat--the Richmond Motor Corps. 09-06-1942 (cutline): It's an army truck, and behind the windshield, delivering supplies for the Richmond Air Base Hospital, are Mrs. Anne Pinckney and Mrs. John DeWolf, Jr. 05-28-1947 (cutline): Clothing collected for overseas relief--Members of the Red Cross Motor Corps, pick up materials contributed by local merchants from unclained and unsalable goods for the drive for overseas relief. Mrs. W. Earl Miller, chairman of the spcial sources committee, has announced that more than 300 merchants have responded to the appeal. Fifty-trucks and drivers have been donated for the city-wide, house-to-house pickup of clothing, bedding and shoes slated for Saturday. 03-30-1945 (cutline): On tour of Richmond and Red Cross activities for the Philippine Islands, Mrs. William Rustia and Miss Aurea Labador see the sights. Their escort is Mrs. Clem Belmeur, of the Red Cross Motor Corps.
Five more arrests made in kidnapping of four Americans

Matamoros, Tamaulipas  Five more men have been arrested in the kidnapping of four Americans. The five males were taken into police custody Friday on outstanding arrest warrants.

According to the Tamaulipas Attorney General, Irving Barrios, the men were taken into custody after five arrest warrants were issued for the March 3 kidnapping that left two Americans dead.

Through social media, the Prosecutors Office said that these five arrests are in addition to the arrest of a person who was detained during the rescue of the four United States citizens last week.

The Tamaulipas Attorney Generals Office completed an arrest warrant against 5 people linked to the events of March 3 in Matamoros for the crimes of aggravated kidnapping and intentional homicide. One more person, arrested days before, has been officially charged, he wrote.

Jose Guadalupe N was arrested on the day the Americans were located. Photo: FGJ March 7, 2023.

At the time of their rescue, 24-year-old Jose Guadalupe N, who was in charge of watching over the victims in a safe house, was arrested.

On Thursday, the Prosecutors Office reported the seizure of an ambulance and clinic used to hide the hostages and provide them with medical care.

On Friday, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said that the kidnapping of the four Americans is being fully investigated since it was revealed that three of them have criminal records in the U.S.

After their rescue, authorities learned that three of the four kidnapped Americans have criminal records that included possession, trafficking and sale and consumption of narcotics.

Five more arrests have been made in the March 3 kidnapping. Photos: FGJ March 10, 2023.

On Friday, the FGJ of Tamaulipas announced the arrests of Antonio de Jesus V, Luis V, Noel H, Juan Francisco L and Gustavo M for aggravated kidnapping and homicide for the murder of two of the Americans.
Six with false documents denied entry into Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico  Six people were denied entry into Mexico when they were found with false documents. On Friday, the National Institute of Migration (INM) said that five people from Haiti and one from Jamaica were declared inadmissible at the Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA) for failing to comply with the Migration Law and its regulations.

According to the INM, all six presented apocryphal documentation and did not prove the reason for their trip.

INM also reported that two of the six were evicted from the plane and transferred to AIFA at the pilots request for disturbing order inside the aircraft during the flight.

The two disruptive passengers were left with INM at the Felipe Angeles International Airport where they were also denied entry into Mexico for presenting false documents.

All six arrived on an Arajet flight from Dominican Republic Friday morning and were returned to Dominican Republic via Arajet the same day.
Passion and Fun: those words perfectly describe the atmosphere for the next concert in Musica Vivas current season, which will feature the Arutiunian Trio for clarinet, violin and piano, Klezmer music, and improvisations on some well-known tunes.

Nikola Djurica, clarinetist from Serbia, returns as a Musica Viva audience favorite, sure to delight listeners with his expressive playing. Anthony Bracewell, violinist from New York, is appearing with Musica Viva for the first time, but he and Nikola are longtime friends who have performed together on many stages. Rounding out the musicians are Ben Wyatt on cello, Teresa Ehrlich on piano and Daivd Ehrlich on violin, all well-known and popular with regular Musica Viva patrons.

This concert is being dedicated to the memory of John Leshyn, a Musica Viva fan and loyal supporter through the years.

Passion and Fun will be performed on Saturday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, located at 1301 Gladewood Drive in Blacksburg.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door for adults; $15 for students with ID; and $7 for children under 18. Advance tickets can be purchased online at www.musicaviva-swva.org.

 The Roanoke Times
The Botetourt County Sheriffs Office, together with Virginia State Police, arrested a man on Thursday accused of assault and battery and brandishing a firearm.

Lucas Moseley, a resident of Buchanan, was located by aerial drones while attempting to hide in heavy vegetation, near where the alleged battery was first reported March 3, in the Springwood area.

Moseley is charged with assault and battery, interfering with the property rights of another, brandishing a firearm, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. He is currently being held without bond at the Botetourt-Craig Regional Jail.

Moseley was reported to have been seen near Little Timber Ridge Road on Monday, prompting police to search the area using patrols, dogs and heat-sensing drones. The spot where Moseley was found was about 1 mile from the Little Timber Ridge area.

On March 3, deputies responded to an assault and battery in progress near the 700 block of Connect Road. Upon arrival, they found a man with minor injuries to the head and face, who declined medical treatment, according to a statement from the Botetourt County Sheriffs Office. Moseley was reportedly seen fleeing the scene.

While Moseley was initially said to be armed with two firearms when he fled, no weapons were recovered at the time of his arrest.
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Jim Newton is a veteran journalist, best-selling author and teacher. He worked at the Los Angeles Times for 25 years as a reporter, editor, bureau chief and columnist, covering government and politics. He teaches at UCLA and founded Blueprint magazine.
" " Nature has to be preserved for the future. Vincent Pommeyrol / Getty Images

We've all known the pleasure of staring into the sky at flocks of birds winging their way toward warmer locales. Did you know that of the 9,700 species of birds in the world, almost half of them -- about 4,500 -- breed in the Americas? And that 25 percent of those birds are at risk, because their habitats are being threatened?

It's not just our world's creatures: Our favorite beaches, prairies and cool forests are also at risk. Is there anything we can do to ensure that these special natural places survive all the hazards -- both natural and manmade -- they face?

Advertisement

The Nature Conservancy says there are definitely things that can be done, and the private, international nonprofit organization is tackling those issues head-on. According to Conservancy leaders, since the organization's inception in 1951, it and its members (today more than 1 million) have helped protect 11 million acres of ecologically important land in the United States and more than 60 million acres in Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific region. The Conservancy, a favorite charity of the late philanthropist and environmentalist Doris Duke, currently manages 1,340 preserves, which make up the largest system of private nature sanctuaries in the world.

In this edition of How Stuff Works, we'll look at how this organization, which is primarily funded by private donations, operates by examining some specific projects of the North Carolina Chapter of the Conservancy. (For a better understanding of all this, be sure to read How Philanthropy Works.)

The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to "protect animals, plants and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive." William Stolzenburg, science editor for The Nature Conservancy Magazine, describes the approach this way: "The scale of biological conservation has spread, from saving disjointed pockets of rare species to encompassing entire working systems of nature. The new map of the Conservancy's targets is now delineated not by political lines or national borders, but by realms of climate and geology, fire and flood, and their corresponding cover of signature plants and animals."

As is often the case, a small group of concerned citizens formed what has become a huge charitable foundation. Some members of the Ecological Society of America joined forces in 1951 to organize private efforts to stop the loss of natural areas and to protect habitats for rare and endangered species. According to Conservancy historians, the organization focused from the beginning on using the best available scientific information to accomplish its goals -- a philosophy that remains at the center of its work today.

The Conservancy's first nature preserve, acquired in 1954, was 60 acres of land along the Mianus River Gorge in Westchester County, N.Y. Funds donated by members and others they recruited to the cause were supplemented by loans and life-insurance policies. This was an innovative approach for the time -- one that became the model for the way the Conservancy funds its projects today.

In the early 1970s, the Conservancy began biological inventories on a state-by-state basis and later also started compiling data in Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean. This data has proven to be invaluable to the Conservancy in setting its conservation priorities and allocating funds to these projects.

State chapters were organized during the '70s, and the International Program was launched in 1982. Today, the Pacific program, headquartered in Hawaii, is working to protect threatened areas in Indonesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. And in Latin America, the Conservancy has forged alliances with more than 40 partners in 20-plus countries to provide a variety of services (community development, professional training, long-term funding) for areas that are legally protected but seriously underfunded.

After years of concentrating on acquiring land and establishing preserves, the Conservancy's focus began to change in the late 1980s. Instead of purchasing specific critical sites, the group began to target large landscapes and ecological environs and to pursue more extensive collaborations with private and public landowners and local residents. The group's goals were stretching geographically and getting more ambitious; at the same time, the Conservancy relied more and more on grass-roots efforts on the local level to shore up restoration and preservation activities.

Generally, the most ecologically critical natural areas are those targeted for Conservancy projects. State Natural Heritage Inventory Programs (usually administered by a state agency) identify a state's unusual or important natural traits and the locations of these resources. The scientific data in these inventories indicate the "relative rarity" of animal and plant species and plant and aquatic areas and report on the level of existing protection -- if any.

Once species are located and ranked, the Conservancy targets the areas that are home to endangered or critically threatened species for specific projects or as preserves.
Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11)  The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that it has rescued five Japanese crew members from a distressed ship in Oriental Mindoro.

Around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, the PCG said MV Catriona had an accident then took on water and tilted to its side in waters off Navotas in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.

The PCG said BRP Habagat successfully located the distressed vessel and reported that all rescued crewmen are in good physical condition.

The crewmen, who were all senior citizens in their 70s and 80s, said the ship left Japan for Davao.

While underway, MV Catriona was accidentally damaged, causing the vessel to list, PCG report read.

Listing is a nautical term to describe when a vessel takes on water and tilts to one side.

The following are the rescued crew members:

- Itsuo Tamura, 86

- Hiromu Nishida, 83

- Hamagato Tsukasa, 80

- Osamu Kawakami, 74

- Hata Isamu, 74

This was the third time this year that the PCG responded to distressed foreign vessels in Philippine waters.

On Jan. 27, the PCG rescued seven Chinese crew members of a fishing vessel in waters off Suluan Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

READ: PCG rescues Chinese crew from distressed fishing vessel in Eastern Samar

A month later, the PCG deployed search and rescue teams to look for a missing Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessel that was last located 414 nautical miles northwest of Malakal Island in Palau.

The PCG said the vessel might have drifted towards the Philippines' eastern seaboard.

READ: PCG begins search and rescue for missing Taiwanese-flagged vessel
Police charged a sixth suspect  the third from Seguin  in connection to a Corpus Christ-area mans shooting death earlier this year near Freeport in Brazoria County.

Brazoria County Sheriffs Office investigators obtained and served a murder warrant on Marvin Wayne Pollard Jr., 23, of Seguin, for his alleged involvement in Larry Ortiz Jr.s death, said Ian Patin, chief deputy in the Brazoria County Sheriffs Office.

While investigating the case, authorities served a search warrant Feb. 5 at a home in the 800 block of Boenig Street in Seguin. Officers arrested Pollard that day and jailed him on a charge of tampering with evidence, Patin said.

Pollard Jr. was still in custody in the Guadalupe County detention center when investigators were able to obtain enough probable cause to link Pollard Jr. to the murder of Larry Ortiz Jr., the chief deputy said.

Ortiz died in what authorities said was a suspected robbery plot gone wrong.

Theyll get pretty young girls to go out and meet guys at bars or social events and come back to the house, Patin said. Unbeknownst to the guys, the females theyre letting in their houses are coordinating with people to let people in. Of course, once you get back to the house, theres going to be more property to steal more valuables. Theyre not inventing the wheel.

Investigators obtained evidence indicating that Pollard helped plan and carry out the plot, Patin said.

Seguin residents charged with murder in the case include Richard Horn Jr., 29, and 23-year-old Guadalupe Navarro. Three other suspects charged with murder are Keerston Wilkerson, 21, of Needville, and 20-year-olds Anzley Tay Castillo of El Campo and Alena Nicole Pena Murillo of Richmond.

Ortiz and his family rented a beach house for a family event the weekend of Jan. 27 in the Treasure Island community near Freeport, Patin said.

Investigators learned that Ortizs adult son and a friend left the beach house the evening of Jan. 27 and returned early Jan. 28 with Castillo and Pena Murillo.

The quartet was upstairs in a bedroom for a while before three of the suspects reportedly forced their way into the beach house. The suspects allegedly displayed firearms, assaulted Ortizs son and the sons friend, and demanded money, authorities said.

Evidence does suggest Pollard was one of the three that forced entry into the residence, Patin said.

Ortiz woke up, went to help his son and the friend, started defending them and one of the armed men shot and killed him, Patin said.

The suspects left the house but detectives eventually identified all six. Investigators dug deeper into the case and secured murder arrest warrants for the six suspects, Patin said.

Bonds for the original five arrested were set at $2 million, he said. Bonds for Pollard, according to the Guadalupe County Jails online system, totaled $2.5 million and he remained held there Wednesday.

Investigators believed at least two of the suspects had committed a similar plot to commit aggravated robbery, Patin said.

I do know that Alena and Wilkerson have been charged and are on bond out of Fort Bend County for aggravated robbery, Patin said. I believe that charge originated some time last year with the same type of M.O. (modus operandi).
 AISONY AI CloudMileIT KOKO MARE60  2.82     KOKO MARE2400 University Hill 1   CEOCEO161 ChatGPT2029 0.08% 25 0.46%  6   ChatGPT    64.24 48  27%2024    ChatGPT  0.71% GDP  1.4 9  LV5000   
SIOUX CITY  When Jessica Hammond saw the skywalk on Fourth and Fifth streets between Nebraska and Pierce, she pictured it as being an indoor, 360-degree fish tank.

All she needed was time plus enough paint to cover 66-feet of blank canvas.

Hammond, who creates large-scale mural art under the name "Brutal Doodles," is one of the artists whose work will be represented at the second annual Gallery in the Sky Skywalk Art Festival.

This year's festival, taking place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 1, will feature the oversized "Aquatic Wonderland" mural by Hammond and fellow artist Kitty Hart (aka "Kitty Kitty Bang Bang"), with the assistance of East High School art students.

In addition, mini-murals by area artists Mikell Zishka, Chello Sherman, Cherie Lee Johnson and Daniel Castaneda will be painted on the walls of the downtown skywalk system.

Hammond said Gallery in the Sky was an offshoot from the Alley Art Festival, which she, Hart and Vangarde Arts director Brent Stockton created five years ago in order to beautify alleyways while encouraging downtown foot traffic.

"Gallery in the Sky does the same thing, except it encourages people to walk along the skywalk when the weather is still cold outside," Stockton said.

The art festival will also feature a juried art show, art vendor booths, Hardline Coffee baked goods and refreshments, musical buskers and a kid-friendly drawing area.

Stockton is especially pleased with the reception the skywalk festival has gained.

"We believe the Gallery in the Sky draws attention to the skywalks and their purpose, while also adding beautiful murals and interest for the skywalkers," he said.
DES MOINES  In his remarks during his first trip to Iowa as a potential presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis got the most vocal reception when he described policies enacted in Florida that probably sounded familiar to the Iowa crowd.

Parents rights and choice in education.

Prohibiting the teaching of gender identity in elementary schools.

Banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory  or, as it is categorized in Iowa, divisive topics.

Those topics that DeSantis and Florida Republicans have addressed legislatively likely ring a bell with Iowans, as Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republican state lawmakers have been passing legislation on those exact same topics.

We should not have a situation where a teacher is telling a second-grader that they were born in the wrong body, DeSantis said to a standing ovation Friday evening during an event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

Event organizers said roughly 1,000 people attended the event in Des Moines. It was the second stop of the day for DeSantis, who spoke earlier Friday at a casino in Davenport.

DeSantis trip was highly anticipated in Iowa, which next February will be the first state to cast its presidential preference in the Republican caucuses ahead of the 2024 elections.

Most early polling on the Republican presidential race has showed DeSantis  who has not yet officially declared himself a candidate  and former President Donald Trump far in front of other official and potential candidates.

031023-qc-nws-desantis-197 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd during a stop at Rhythm City Casino Friday in Davenport.

You watch Iowa

In Davenport, DeSantis said Republican governors can get competitive about the conservative policies that they are enacting in their states.

Iowa Republicans have passed bills in recent weeks that would ban gender-affirming care and prohibit instruction of gender identity and sexual orientation in elementary schools. At the start of the session, Iowa lawmakers passed a bill that would allow parents to use taxpayer per-pupil funds to send their children to private schools.

Florida lawmakers are considering a bill that would open its private school program to all families, regardless of income.

DeSantis speech to Iowa Republicans comes as the Florida Legislature begins its 60-day session.

I always tell my legislators, You watch Iowa. Do not let them get ahead of us on any of this stuff,  DeSantis said. So weve got our Legislature in session now. So buckle up. The next 60 days should be fun in Florida.

In his speech at the Rhythm City Casino in Davenport, DeSantis ticked off a list of Republican accomplishments in Florida that should also sound familiar to Iowans: prohibiting mask and vaccine mandates; banning the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation in elementary schools; restricting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at public universities; and restricting public investments in companies that focus on environmental, social and governance-investment strategies.

Our state is where woke goes to die, DeSantis said to a standing ovation.

At both events, DeSantis also drew parallels between Iowas and Floridas politics. Both governors won their first full terms in 2018 and resisted pandemic-era mandates and closures in 2020. Both won by double-digit margins in their 2022 re-election campaigns.

We both focused on protecting the lives and livelihoods and the freedom of our citizens, Reynolds said.

031023-qc-nws-desantis-102 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on stage with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds during a stop at Rhythm City Casino Friday in Davenport.

Americas governor

DeSantis greeted the audience by complimenting Reynolds.

Its so great to be here with Americas governor, he said.

DeSantis said he speaks with people who move to Florida from other states, and many express displeasure about how their home Democratic-controlled states are run.

But when I meet Iowans in Florida, theyre happy. They love their state, because its well run, DeSantis said. Its one of the best-run states in the country.

When he won a narrow election in 2018, DeSantis said, he was advised not to rock the boat.

The advice I was getting at the time, was OK, its a divided state, very close election. Trim your sails, dont rock the boat, you know, just get in there and kind of be a little passive. And I rejected that advice, he said.

My view was, I may have received 50 percent of the vote, but I earned 100 percent of the executive power, and I intend to use that to be able to advance the best interests of the people in Florida and fulfill my campaign promises.

031023-qc-nws-desantis-137 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis meets with supporters and signs his book during a stop Friday at Rhythm City Casino in Davenport.

Trump-DeSantis

DeSantis visit comes as a Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll released Friday shows DeSantis comparable with Donald Trump in favorability ratings. About 42 percent of Iowa Republicans view DeSantis as very favorable and about 44 percent of Iowa Republicans view Trump that way.

More Republicans, however, viewed Trump, who has his own visit to Davenport scheduled for Monday, unfavorably. Eighteen percent of Iowa Republicans viewed Trump as mostly or very unfavorable. Just 6 percent of Iowa Republicans said the same for DeSantis, though 20 percent said they weren't sure.

Attendees at both events were given free copies of DeSantis book, The Courage to Be Free: Floridas Blueprint for Americas Revival.

031023-qc-nws-desantis-196 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis meets with supporters and signs his book during a stop Friday at Rhythm City Casino in Davenport.

Extreme agenda

In a news conference Thursday hosted by the national Democratic Party, Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Rita Hart criticized DeSantis support for proposed legislation in Florida that would prohibit abortions at six weeks, which often is before the mother is aware of the pregnancy.

Again, similar legislation passed recently in Iowa, although that law was stopped by the state courts. Reynolds has asked the Iowa Supreme Court to reconsider the case.

Look, I dont know whos going to come out of this GOP primary, but the bottom line is that Iowans  and Americans  cannot afford the extreme agenda that these folks are peddling, Hart told reporters.

031023-qc-nws-desantis-198 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses the crowd during a stop at Rhythm City Casino Friday in Davenport.

During a press briefing Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about DeSantis campaign stump line about woke going to die in Florida.

When Republicans  extreme Republicans, these MAGA Republicans  don't agree with an issue or with policy, they dont bring forth something thats going to have a good-faith conversation. They go to this conversation of woke. But that is not actually policy, Jean-Pierre said, according to a White House transcript.

This is not having a good-faith conversation on how we can move the country forward. This is about attacking young kids and their parents because of how they view themselves, because of how they see themselves, because of how they want to live. What that turns into is hate.

As DeSantis made his visit to Iowa, the Democratic National Committee said it is launching a mobile billboard campaign to advertise DeSantis' positions on Social Security and Medicare.

During his 2012 campaign for Congress, DeSantis expressed support for restructuring the two programs, which aid millions of seniors in the U.S., to make them more financially sustainable.

Since then, he has said the GOP would not mess with Social Security.

Photos: Ron Desantis in Davenport Close Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses the crowd during a stop at Rhythm City Casino Friday in Davenport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd during a stop at Rhythm City Casino Friday in Davenport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis meets with supporters and signs his book during a stop Friday at Rhythm City Casino in Davenport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on stage with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds during a stop at Rhythm City Casino Friday in Davenport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on stage with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds during a stop at Rhythm City Casino Friday in Davenport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis meets with supporters and signs his book during a stop Friday at Rhythm City Casino in Davenport. +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5 +5
On the Friday, March 10, 2023 episode of the "On Iowa Politics" podcast: In the Iowa Legislature, the follow-up to the first funnel was just as much a whirlwind; the House and Senate passed a ban on gender-affirming care for minors; Gov. Kim Reynolds made her pick for the next director of the state education department; and this weekend is the starting gun to the 2024 Republican Iowa caucuses.

On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that aims to re-create the kinds of conversations that happen when you get political reporters from across Iowa together after the day's deadlines have been met.

This weeks show is hosted by The Gazettes Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy and features Gazette Deputy Bureau Chief Tom Barton, Lee Des Moines Bureau Chief Caleb McCullough, Sarah Watson of the Quad City Times, Jared McNett of the Sioux City Journal, and Gazette Columnist Todd Dorman.

The show was produced by Bailey Cichon, and the music heard on the podcast is courtesy of Copperhead and Tone Da Boss.
DES MOINES  When the Iowa House of Representatives voted Wednesday afternoon on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors, 57 Republicans voted in favor of Senate File 538. Thirty-four Iowa House Democrats voted against the bill which was overseen by Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison. That group of nearly three dozen was joined by six GOP representatives.

Megan Jones, a six-term legislator from Sioux Rapids, was one of the six. She said her position didn't change much throughout the bill's path to passage.

"I heard from a lot of constituents who said: 'Look, I dont necessarily understand all of this, Im not a doctor. I dont get it. But I dont think the state should be stopping hormonal medical care while someones receiving that treatment.'" (Under the bill's guidelines, minors currently receiving medical treatment such as puberty blockers, hormone therapies or surgeries would have 180 days to discontinue care.)

Rep. Megan Jones Rep. Megan Jones, at right, during a session in the Iowa Legislature on Thursday. Jones, a five-term representative from Sioux Rapids, was one

Support

Republican legislators who supported the bill, such as Holt, have said its intent is to protect children from medical care and treatments based on uncertain science.

"Our children deserve the time to grow into themselves, to find themselves, to go through phases without medical interventions that are unproven in their efficacy," Holt said Wednesday.

Studies, like a 2018 one from the American Academy of Pediatrics, do acknowledge there can be long-term side effects from hormonal treatments and that more research is necessary but medical professionals have also said "evidence-based, gender-affirming care for transgender children and adolescents is medically necessary and appropriate." The University of Iowa LGBTQ Clinic in Iowa City treated 211 trans children in the past 12 months, according to the Des Moines Register.

Jones said constituents have told her actual protection for transgender children would include medical care when called for.

"They dont support going after this community who is made up of a bunch of already marginalized children, who have the weight of the world on their shoulders, who are going to school every day facing difficult circumstances," Jones said. "Nows the time to support these kids and not target them and question the treatments that theyre receiving."

Debate over the bill in Des Moines the past week produced protests from LGBTQ activists as well as counter-protests by figures from groups such as Moms for Liberty. Despite the hotly contested legislation, Jones said she didn't feel a lot of heat from fellow party members or residents in her district which includes large parts of Clay and Buena Vista counties.

"I received an overwhelming amount of support for being a 'no' on the bill," she said.

Jones then explained she's been told the state has bigger priorities.

"A lot of people that Ive reached out to arent necessarily engaged or involved in these conversations or this community and what they said was: Why do we have to do something here? Our state has bigger priorities. People need greater access to medical services. People dont have dental care. Yet here we are fighting over an incredibly small group of kids who, with their doctors and with their parents, are receiving a medical treatment that, while we might not understand, thats the path that theyve chosen. Why are we going after them? Weve got bigger fish to fry."

Choice

Before the bill's passage in the House of Representatives, Jones attempted to introduce an amendment to allow for gender-affirming care for minors if they have parental permission.

"I thought that was a fair and genuine amendment. It failed on a procedural vote. I think, had it made it through the procedural barrier, there would have been a tougher conversation for folks because people don't want to vote against parental choice," Jones said. When explaining his vote against the bill, Bondurant GOP Rep. Brian Lohse said it is counter to parental choice which has been a common theme of the 2023 legislative session.

Jones said she shares an understanding with her fellow Iowans who worry that taking away parental choice and banning care for minors could hurt kids.

"The legislature is coming in and literally intervening with a kids healthcare and their current treatment path. And so thats a big problem for a lot of people," she said.

Megan Jones Iowa Rep. Megan Jones holds her daughter, Alma, in the Iowa House chambers at the Iowa Capitol on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Photo by Erin Murphy

In two months of the session, the Iowa Legislature has already seen multiple high-profile bills concerning children as well as education. Jones said she couldn't fully explain why 2023 has been the year for these debates.

"Maybe its because there are 64 members in the House. So we have a super-majority and I think people can finally take on some of the more radical proposals than have been options in years past," she said. "But I dont really have a good answer for that one."

As it relates specifically to gender-affirming care for minors, Jones did say such legislation shouldn't make folks from the LGBTQ+ community think they're not welcome in Iowa.

"We do appreciate their presence and they are humans, just like the rest of us. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. And far be it from the Iowa legislature to tell these people that they cant live, work and grow a wonderful family."
WASHINGTON  Reported sexual assaults at U.S. military academies shot up during the 2021-22 school year, and one in five female students told an anonymous survey that they experienced unwanted sexual contact, the Pentagon said.

The survey results were the highest since the Defense Department began collecting that data. Defense and military leaders said student-reported assaults at the Army, Navy and Air Force academies jumped 18% compared with the previous year.

Calling the increase "extremely disappointing and upsetting," defense officials said Friday that teams are visiting all three academies this month to try to target improvements and changes to address the problem.

The increase was driven largely by the Navy, which had almost double the number of reported assaults in 2022 compared with 2021.

"The results are, simply put, extremely disappointing," said Vice Adm. Sean Buck, superintendent of the Naval Academy. "The current situation is unacceptable and we must improve our culture."

A student survey accompanying the report found increases in all types of unwanted sexual contact  from touching to rape  at all the schools. It cites alcohol as a key factor. The report was released Friday.

The military services and the academies have struggled for years to combat sexual assault and harassment, with myriad prevention, education and treatment programs. But despite reams of research and expanded programs, the numbers continue to grow.

Young Army soldiers last month dismissed videos and training as outdated, and told service leaders that small group discussions would be more effective.

The increases have triggered outrage on Capitol Hill and a steady stream of legislation. As yet, the changes have not appeared to make a dent in the problem, though officials argue that expanded assistance programs have encouraged more victims to report the crimes.

According to U.S. officials, 155 students reported assaults during the 2022 school year, compared with 131 the previous year. Of those, students at the U.S. Naval Academy reported 61  nearly double the school's total for the previous year, when there were 33, which was by far the lowest of all the academies for that year.

Cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado reported 52, the same as the previous year, and those at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York reported 42, a slight decrease from last year's 46.

Not all of the assaults in the report happened while the students were enrolled in the academies. Because students are encouraged to report assaults, they sometimes will come forward to talk about events that happened in the years before they started school there. As a result, 16 students reported an assault in the 2021-22 school year that occurred prior to joining the military.

Also, 35 cases involved civilians, active-duty service members and prep school students who allegedly were assaulted by someone who was a student. The number of reported assaults with any connection to a student was 206  about 28% higher than last year's total of 161.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a brief dip in cases at the academies during the shortened 2019-20 school year, when in-person classes were canceled and students were sent home in the spring to finish the semester online.

At the start of the 2020-21 school year, students faced a number of restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic. But as those slowly scaled back and bars and restaurants reopened, the numbers began to increase again. Officials said it's hard to tell what, if any, impact COVID-19 had on the 2021 school year.

The Pentagon puts out two reports every year on the number of sexual assaults reported by military academy students and by U.S. service members. But because sexual assault is such an underreported crime, the department also conducts anonymous surveys every two years to get a clearer picture of the problem among both the students and the active duty population.

Based on the surveys, students at the academies are less likely to report an assault than service members who are out of school. Students may worry more about the impact on their military career or even on the career of their attacker.

According to the latest survey of academy students, 21.4% of women said they experienced unwanted sexual contact in the 2022 school year, compared with about 16% in 2018, the last year the survey was done, due to COVID-19 restrictions. For men, the rate went from 2.6% in 2018 to 4.4% in 2022.

Alcohol use was involved in well more than half of the cases reported in the survey, with a high of 65% at the Naval Academy. The report recommends additional alcohol use policies.

Photos: Racism plagues US military academies
This Sunday, most Americans will move their clocks one hour ahead for daylight saving time. Losing one hour of sleep can make the morning alarm sting just a little more, but the effects of daylight saving can stay with us for weeks.

Heres how switching up the clocks affects our body.

Why am I tired after daylight saving?

Our body keeps track of when to wake up and go to sleep based on an internal clock known as our circadian rhythm. Sunlight helps keep that clock ticking.

When our clocks are artificially advanced by one hour, it makes our schedule essentially one hour out of sync with our biological clock, said Joseph Takahashi, chair of neuroscience at UT Southwestern Medical Centers ODonnell Brain Institute. Takahashi identified the first gene known to control circadian clocks in mammals with his lab in 1997.

Pushing clocks ahead in the spring cuts both ways. Its darker in the morning, which makes it harder to wake up; and its brighter in the evening, which makes it harder to fall asleep, according to Dr. Debra Atkisson, a psychiatrist and associate professor at the Burnett School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.

Atkisson added that losing one hour of sleep due to daylight saving can cause a sleep debt that takes a while to adjust to.

A lot of people are a little more  foggy in the morning after daylight saving time, she said. And I dont mean the immediate morning after. I mean for weeks after.

A 2020 research paper looking at fatal motor accidents in the United States from 1996 to 2017 found that spring daylight saving time increased the risk of such accidents by 6%. The shift to daylight saving time has also been associated with increased risk of heart disease.

Will daylight saving become a thing of the past?

Daylight saving time is observed in almost every U.S. state, except for Hawaii and most of Arizona. Its also not observed in U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa.

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act last March, which would make daylight saving time the permanent time zone, as opposed to standard time, the time zone were in from November to March.

The bill stalled in the House and expired at the end of Congress last session last year, but Florida senator Marco Rubio reintroduced the legislation last week.

Researchers like Takahashi worry about making daylight saving time permanent, saying it could leave our internal clocks out of sync. It would be even worse than what were on now, where were switching back and forth, he said.

Another issue with daylight saving, Atkisson said, has to do with expectation.

During the summer, she encourages parents to phase their kids back into an earlier sleep schedule at least a month before school starts, so they get used to the routine. But kids and adults are expected to adjust to daylight saving time the morning after the switch and go to school and work like nothing happened.

Atkisson tries to reduce her stress load as much as possible by not planning major meetings in the two weeks after daylight saving, and tries to give herself a little extra time in the mornings. She recommended that people be kinder to both themselves and others in the weeks following the clock switch.

I think if everybody would do that, be a little kinder [and] gentler, she said, it would make the transition easier.

____

States looking to end daylight saving time changes States looking to end daylight saving time changes Alabama Colorado Delaware Florida Georgia Idaho Kentucky Louisiana Maine Minnesota Mississippi Montana Ohio Oregon South Carolina Tennessee Utah Washington Wyoming
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 10)  The judge in the murder case of Calbayog Mayor Ronaldo Aquino has inhibited herself after granting bail to the nine policemen tagged in the killing.

The slain mayor's camp had filed a motion calling for Judge Maricar Lucero to step aside, saying her move to allow the suspects to post a 120,000 bail each "made the families of the victims lose faith in the capacity of the judge to dispense justice."

Alma Uy, the Aquino family's lawyer, also appealed the judge's decision.

Lucero is the third judge to handle the case since it was filed in court in January last year. Previous Judge Reynaldo Clemens also inhibited himself in November.

Lucero's inhibition means a different judge will now rule on the Aquino camp's motion for consideration.

Aquino, his driver, and his close-in security died in what police described as a shootout in 2021.

Lucero defended the resolution allowing the nine suspects to post bail, saying "the elements of murder were not presented with evident proof."

The judge also addressed allegations of bias after Uy pointed out that Lucero's husband was appointed as department head at the Calbayog City Hall, and allegedly has links to the brains behind the killing.

"Why raise this issue only now? Clearly, this is just an afterthought to impute malice to the ruling of this presiding judge," Lucero said.

She explained that her husband was appointed in July 2022, while she handled the case only in November that same year.

CNN Philippines Wil Mark Amazona contributed to this report.
One could spend substantial time at Fort Robinson State Park and barely appreciate the depth of its importance in Nebraska history, an Omaha lawmaker told a legislative committee Thursday.

State Sen. Justin Wayne included the 149-year-old former U.S. Army post near Crawford among three sites or historical topics on which he wants the state to spend a combined $35 million to help preserve or develop more fully.

He presented Legislative Bill 474 to the Legislatures Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, whose chairman, Gordon Sen. Tom Brewer, is one of Waynes two co-sponsors.

LB474, which Wayne admitted needs refinement before it can be passed, also calls for the state to buy and repair the flood-damaged Mayhew Cabin and museum at Nebraska City and help develop a Standing Bear and Ponca Cultural Center on historical Ponca Tribe of Nebraska land near Niobrara.

Mayhew Cabin, also known somewhat incorrectly as John Browns Cave, is Nebraskas lone surviving outpost on the westernmost leg of the pre-Civil War Underground Railroad that ferried escaped Black slaves to freedom.

Standing Bear, a 19th-century Ponca leader, won the right to return to Nebraska from Oklahoma in a famous 1879 federal trial at which U.S. District Judge Elmer Dundy ruled Native Americans are persons within the meaning of the law.

Wayne, one of the Legislatures two Black members, said the three sites in different corners of Nebraska are vital to understanding the history of Nebraska and two of its historic minority groups.

LB474 focuses on some really great intersections between rural history, Nebraska history, African American history and Native community history and overall our countrys history, he told the committee.

Observers of Thursdays hearing could readily see the partnership behind LB474 between Wayne and Brewer, a registered Oglala Sioux Tribe member. Gering Sen. Brian Hardin is the bills other co-sponsor.

Wayne said he first visited Fort Robinson after joining Brewer for a western Nebraska turkey hunt. Thats when he first began to perceive the broad historical vistas that unfolded there after its 1874 founding.

It was initially small, a third-rate outpost, but grew into one of the busiest, bustling fortresses in America, he said.

An active Army post until 1947, Fort Robinson was laid out near the Oglala Lakotas Red Cloud Agency, later moved to the Pine Ridge Reservation.

It witnessed the 1877 shooting death of Lakota legend Crazy Horse and the 1879 Cheyenne Outbreak of Dull Knifes Northern Cheyenne band trying to return from forced exile in Oklahoma to ancestral lands in Montana.

African Americans were prominent in the forts late 1800s history as members of the all-Black 9th U.S. Cavalry, one of two such Buffalo Soldier regiments.

In the 20th century, Wayne said, Fort Robinson developed into one of the worlds premier equine centers as a U.S. cavalry remount depot. It hosted a K-9 dog-training school and was a close neighbor to a German POW camp during World War II.

Its postwar passage into the hands of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and then the state has preserved much of the forts history. But its tourist-related amenities are aging and its historical messages scattered, Wayne said.

The structures need to be preserved, (and) the facilities are inadequate, he said. Fort Robinson needs new lodging, an updated RV park and just modern amenities.

In the quarter-century-long transition from Army property to state ownership, Wayne said, History Nebraska, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the University of Nebraska all ended up owning portions of the park.

History Nebraska manages many of Fort Robinsons historical features, while Game and Parks provides lodging and park activities. NU operates the Trailside Museum, which focuses on the northern Panhandles natural history and prehistoric archaeological significance.

LB 474 would provide help to Fort Robinson and the Standing Bear project as matching funds to private money raised for improving the fort or establishing the Niobrara cultural center.

Jill Dolberg, History Nebraskas interim director, officially testified in a neutral capacity but said the formerly named Nebraska State Historical Society is eager to discuss ideas for improving Fort Robinsons amenities and coordinating its historical stories.

We dont often see bills that are so enthusiastic about history, she said.

History Nebraska owns and manages about a dozen Fort Robinson buildings, she said. But its interpretative displays are old and tired, admittedly, and it doesnt tell the full story of the site.

Dolberg was the only speaker on Fort Robinson at Thursdays hearing, which drew testimony from seven supporters of saving the Mayhew Cabin or developing what would be Nebraskas first museum devoted to Standing Bear.

Slaves escaping from violence-torn Bleeding Kansas in the mid-1850s would hide in tunnels below the cabin, built by Allen and Barbara Mayhew in 1854. They were guided toward Iowa by Barbaras brother John Henri Kagi, an associate of famed abolitionist John Brown who died during the latters 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry in present-day West Virginia.

A later owner moved the cabin slightly north due to road construction in 1937, crafting new tunnels below. The cabin was listed on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom in 2003 and the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

But floods in 2013 and 2019 ruined the tunnel exit and damaged a neighboring museum, triggering still-festering legal disputes between Nebraska City and the nonprofit Mayhew Cabin Foundation over responsibility for the damage.

The foundation wasnt represented at Thursdays hearing, but Mayor Bryan Bequette and former City Attorney Drew Graham said theyd welcome the states assistance in enabling repairs to the cabin and museum.

Several Ponca Tribe of Nebraska leaders urged Brewers committee to help advance a Standing Bear museum, as did Judi gaiashkibos, a member of the tribe and executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs.

Nebraska donated a Standing Bear sculpture for U.S. Capitol display in 2019, and replicas stand on Lincolns Centennial Mall and in Niobrara. But the only Standing Bear museum in existence is located in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Historic landmarks across Nebraska Slab of Sandstone Salt Basin Monument Fort McPherson Weber Mill Fort Kearny Willa Cather's Childhood Home Fort Atkinson Woodcliff Burial Site Fort Robinson Cattle Trail Jalapa, Nebraska Massacre Canyon Arbor Lodge State Park Ashfall Fossil Beds Scotts Bluff Chimney Rock Pony Express
A blacksmith in the Russian-controlled eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk is practically beating swords into ploughshares, and turning one man's trash into treasures. Viktor Mikhalev takes weapons and ammunition and produces what he calls the flowers of war.

Mikhalev, who trained as a welder, lives and works in a house whose fence and door are decorated with forged flowers and grapes. In his workshop are piles of half-burnt machine guns and shells from the war's front line. Friends and acquaintances bring them as raw material for his art.

Donetsk, the center of Ukraine's industrial heartland of the Donbas, has been engulfed by fighting ever since the Moscow-backed separatist rebellion erupted in April 2014, weeks after Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

The Kremlin has made capturing the entire region a key goal of its invasion that began a year ago, and it illegally annexed Donetsk along with three other regions in eastern and southern Ukraine in September, declaring them part of Russia.

Fierce fighting has focused on the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, and the city of Donetsk itself also has been frequently hit by shelling.

The smell of iron and paint permeates Mikhalev's workshop, also decorated from floor to ceiling with dozens of religious icons. He makes the art as a keepsake, a souvenir of the war in eastern Ukraine.

"Real flowers will not last long, and my roses will become a reminder for a long memory," the blacksmith says.

He began the project when a friend brought him broken machine guns. A month later, he exhibited his war art in a Donetsk museum. Since then, he's constantly been making what he calls "flowers of war." In addition, he constructs stands for writing pens from parts of a grenade launcher and a cartridge case.

Photos: Ukraine smith turns guns, ammo into art
Most award-nominee appearances made in the lead-up to the Oscars are run-of-the-mill, but some years we are graced with one or two charming celebrities who manage to be off the cuff when the stakes are high. This year, that spot is undoubtedly taken by Jamie Lee Curtis, who is nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance as IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdra in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Ever since the release of Everything Everywhere, Curtis has been absolutely (and wonderfully) unhinged in her public appearances and Instagram postsand thank goodness! Someone needs to be interesting! Someone needs to say the things people need to hear, defend others in the industry with inappropriate vigor, kiss their co-stars on the mouth without realizing theyre doing it, and still take the time to talk about menopause! Lets take a look back at some of Curtis best moments so far this awards season to give us an idea of what we can hope for on Sunday night.

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Jamie Lee vs. Marvel

Curtis tiff with Marvel Studios started when she went on The Talk in April of last year to promote Everything Everywhere. In an attempt to celebrate the films rare success in making a heartfelt sci-fi film set in a multiverse, she claimed: Marvel movies just feel very, sort of, dead to me. Though this comment caught some flak, it went mostly ignored. That is, until Curtis juxtaposed the film posters for Everything Everywhere and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness in an Instagram post in May. In the caption, she called Doctor Stranges poster a copycat poster, and claimed that Everything Everywhere out marvels any Marvel movie they put out there.

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In a subsequent post that began with the warning TRUTH ALERT, Curtis shared a picture of a print-edition New York Times review of Doctor Strangeheadline: Lots of Everything, Little That Mattersand continued to throw shade on the Marvel film, claiming that making Everything Everywhere cost less than the entire craft service budget on Doctor Strange and/or any other Marvel movie. She also addressed the response to her posts, stating COMPETITIVE? Fuck YES.

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However, Curtis later squashed any idea of actual bad blood between herself and the mega-powerful Marvel Studios. In a July 2022 interview with People, Curtis explained that she was trying to champion the story of a little movie that could, and had nothing against Marvel as an entity. She copped to trying to start a little friendly competition. She admitted that she would love to work with Marvel, at the end of the day, but highly doubted that theyd give her a ring, explaining I would find it hard to imagine that Marvels going to figure out something to do with a 64-year-old woman.

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Jamie Lee Curtis talking about PTSD, rage and all sorts of trauma again and again in her interviews. pic.twitter.com/TSi1YT3ZdC  reaction encyclopedia (@gay_reactions) November 5, 2021

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Opening Up About Trao-ma

During press appearances for the film Halloween Ends, which premiered in October 2022 and included her final appearance in the franchise that helped catapult her career to stardom, Curtis kept stressing one of the films underlying themes: trauma. After her consistent messaging on the topic was compiled into a supercut and turned into a viral meme, Curtis cheekily commented that she saw the meme and thought it was funny, but added: The movie also made a fucking fortune. So fuck you.

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Crying With Colin Farrell

Curtis and The Banshees of Inisherin star Colin Farrell were paired together in December 2022 for a discussion as a part of Varietys annual Actors on Actors series. They had an extremely charming conversation about sobriety, home, and the significance behind their latest projects. However, taken out of context, certain moments of the interviewlike one where Curtis immediately starts tearing up when Farrell plays some Irish instrumental musicstruck audiences as either deeply sincere and heartfelt, or unintentionally comedic.

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The T-Shirt

When Curtis Everything Everywhere co-star Michelle Yeoh won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in January, Curtis gave the most memeable reaction, resulting in a photo of her yelling in joy behind Yeohs surprised face going viral. Curtis then sported a fashionable T-shirt with the meme displayed on the front with the caption Friends Supporting Friends, took a pic, and put it on Instagram. She wore the shirt in support of her cast as she was recovering from COVID, which caused her to miss a few industry events, including the BAFTA Tea Party and the Critics Choice Awardsthereby depriving us of countless priceless Jamie Lee moments. Curtis co-stars also wore the shirt as a way of honoring her absence from the red carpet and events.

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What Posse?

In an Instagram post reflecting upon receiving a career achievement honor from AARP, also in January, Curtis appears to have coined the phrases menopause majority and prostate posse. Enough said.

Wine Breath

Curtis gave a particularly hilarious on-carpet interview at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards in February, in which she stated that she hates parties because they are nothing but high voices and wine breath. She then went on to imitate the tone of voice weve all heard at parties full of sycophants, and to complain about the surprisingly cheap wine offered at these fancy Hollywood events.

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#PGAAwards Jamie Lee Curtis explains the mood inside the room at the BAFTAs during Ariana DeBose's rap: "She's fantastic" pic.twitter.com/B9flGFwi0m  Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) February 26, 2023

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Dropping F-Bombs and Kissing Co-Stars

The Screen Actors Guild Awards in February is when Curtis awards wildness really hit a peak, starting with this hilarious moment when Curtis, rather aggressively, supported actress Ariana DeBoses viral BAFTAs rap (a performance that included the phrase Angela Bassett did the thing, and was memed to death, not in a kind way). Curtis defended DeBose against critics by saying, Im unclear as to what the fuck people are on about. Then she listed adjectives shed apply to the rap, including sisterly and spicy. She ended her supportive DeBose rant with: She is a fantastic talent. These people should shut the fuck up. Back the fuck off and let this woman just shine her light because she is fantastic.

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Also on the SAG red carpet, Curtis met Haley Lu Richardson, of HBOs megahit anthology series White Lotus, who said that shed love to see Curtis on the show for Season 3. When a journalist asked if Curtis would want that, she responded, Yes. I dont even know what it is, but I will do it. She followed that statement up with a skeptical, Where does it shoot? (Which is funny, considering the setting of the show is not only famous for its luxuriousness, but also is integral to each season.)

Curtis ended up winning the SAG award for Best Supporting Actress that night, and a part of her surprised reaction to her win included yelling Shut up! (very Freaky Friday of her) and kissing Michelle Yeoh on the mouth before proceeding to the stage to accept her award. What makes the kiss even funnier is Curtis claim later on that she didnt know she had actually kissed Michelle until she revisited the moment.

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Curtis acceptance speech for that award made the rounds on the internet, too. From referring to herself as a nepo babyone of a few times she did it that nightto leading a chant in honor of Michelle Yeoh, the speech itself was a ball of fun.

A Suggestion For The Boss

Just last week, Curtis continued her trend of funny on-carpet interviews, giving another one at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Curtis lambasted veteran musicians like Bruce Springsteen and U2 for not catering to their own aging demographics by having matinee live shows as opposed to evening ones. Bruce Springsteen, do a fucking matinee! Youre old! Curtis exclaimed. She followed it up by saying, I will come and hear your 5-hour concert, Bruce, at 2 oclock, and Ill be home in bed by 7:30. Celebrities: Theyre just like us!

Curtis seems to be one of the few celebrities who knows how to have fun at these Hollywood events. I cant wait to see what hilarity she gets into at the Oscars and on the red carpet. If Im ever lucky enough to be invited to one of these awards ceremonies, please seat me at Jamie Lees table.
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The evidence is overwhelming: There are legitimate reasons to be concerned about a foreign-backed influential media platform undermining faith in America by leveraging its hypnotic hold on its audience to spread misinformation harmful to our social cohesion and democracy.

TikTok, you ask? NahFox News.

Future Tensers arent prone to the type of xenophobia peddled on a daily basis by Fox News. But if we were to turn the tables and go all Fox News on Fox News, we could make much of the fact that in order to launch and control the Fox broadcast network that would later beget the cable news channel without running afoul of foreign ownership limits on broadcasting licenses, Rupert Murdoch, the Australian media tycoon, became a naturalized American citizen. Isnt it interesting, as any number of Fox News hosts might sneer, that this supposedly American outlet that goes to such lengths to wrap itself in the flag has made so much money by dividing Americans and sowing mistrust in our institutions?

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The extent to which Fox knowingly spreads falsehoods harmful to the country has become abundantly clear (contrary to its claims that it was just reporting one campaigns allegations) in the treasure trove of evidence coming to light thanks to the $1.6 billion defamation suit brought against the network by Dominion Voting Systems. Network officials and on-air talent, we now know, were variously annoyed and concerned that their since-ousted election data analysts called Arizona for Joe Biden on election night.

This accurate call, which appeared to seal Trumps electoral fate, triggered an existential crisis for the network because loyal Fox News viewers were woefully unprepared to accept that Trump could lose the 2020 presidential election fair and squareprecisely because they were loyal Fox News viewers. Their sense of reality had been so hopelessly distorted by a news channel whose business model has long been predicated on convincing its aging, conservative audience that disdainful, know-it-all cosmopolitan elites are preying on their decency, credulity, and patriotism to conspire against American greatness. Under Foxs proven formula (adopted from right-wing talk radio), Hannity, Ingraham, Carlson, and other hosts become Americas last line of defense, decoding the vast conspiracies targeting themconservative network and audience alike. The cultish hold Fox developed over its viewers was akin to the bond binding besieged combatants whove shared a trench or a bunker.

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Now, the water hose of incriminating evidence emerging from the lawsuit proves that the disdainful know-it-all conspirators preying on viewers anxieties were actually their Fox News trenchmates. Tucker Carlson, who has been busy this week trying to minimize the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, texted in the days after the election that Trumps lawyer Sidney Powell was lying; Sean Hannity chimed in that her co-counsel Rudy Giuliani was acting like an insane person, and Laura Ingraham agreed that he was such an in idiot. Murdoch himself emailed Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott that the Trump camps claims were really crazy stuff and that it was very hard to credibly claim foul everywhere.

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In the days and weeks following the 2020 vote, Foxs personalities oscillated between complaining about the networks initial accurate reporting on Trumps loss and the shoddy script Trumps legal team was feeding them, which they mocked off camera but breathlessly peddled on the air. Hopefully, Dominion Voting Systems, a company targeted by the Trump teams nonsensical conspiracies, will make Fox pay for its damaging lies when the case goes to trial next month.

The disclosures about the endemic corruption at the core of Fox News are riveting in their own right, but the story also offers a cautionary tale for those seeking solutions to the spread of misinformation in other media, and particularly on social media platforms.

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I have been thinking about this since listening to Ethan Zuckerman speak at a January Future Tense event held in Los Angeles. Zuckerman, who wrote a fascinating chapter in You are Not Expected to Understand This: How 26 Lines of Code Changed the World about his guilt over writing code for pop-up ads in the internets early days, explained his well-known thesis that advertising is the original sin of the digital age. This argument has become conventional wisdom, and for good reason. It does seem to follow that a service that is free to consumers but relies heavily on third-party advertising for its revenue will favor clickbait-yand sensationalist and polarizingcontent to increase that ad revenue.

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But as activists who have long tried to exert pressure on Fox News via advertiser boycotts know by now, the nations most influential purveyor of misinformation is fairly insulated from advertising concerns. Blue-chip corporate America has mostly given up on Fox News (whose top advertiser, famously, is MyPillow), and the channel makes the vast majority of its profits (roughly $1.6 billion out of $1.8 billion in that election year of 2020) from the antiquated carriage fees that cable operators must pay to include the channel on their system.

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All the private communications coming to light because of the litigation make clear how obsessed everyone at Fox is with ratings, but in this case high ratings are important because they justify higher carriage fees, not higher advertising revenue. Same thing, you might say, but only if we agree that what matters is the contents popularity, regardless of its truth. It isnt merely through advertising that the more popular becomes the more profitable. The fees cable users and systems pay Fox News or ESPN to be included in a bundle are not that different from the subscription individuals might pay for a particular newsletter or magazine. And if my nonsensationalist newsletter has 100 paying subscribers and your theyre-coming-for-you conspiracy-peddling newsletter has a million paying subscribers, advertising isnt what is creating the incentives to lean into polarizing sensationalism. As Justin Peters recently wrote in Slate, for Fox, lying is good business.

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Advertising has its downsides as the default business model to apply to all new forms of media, and I find indiscriminate advertising as annoying as the next person. But I worry that we kid ourselves if we overstate its importance as the culprit creating incentives for clickbait-y misinformation. Sadly, there will always be a business model for charlatans peddling existential conspiracy theories to gullible followers.

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Here are some stories from the recent past of Future Tense.

Wish Wed Published This

Satellite Technology Raises New Issues for American Military, by Christian Davenport, the Washington Post

Future Tense Fiction

Februarys story was Intangible Variation, by Meg Charlton. It follows Daren, a 49-year-old man who is obsessed with a genetic testing site called GENMatch. Its there that Daren finds TJ, a man 10 years his junior, with no apparent family connectionbut who shares 98 percent of his DNA. When the men meet up, things  dont quite go as planned. In the storys response essay, Slates Heather Tal Murphy, who often covers DNA tech, explains what it really means to share genes with a stranger.

Future Tense Recommends

First, a disclaimer: I would recommend anything Billy Crudup is in; he is that compelling an actor. His latest work, Hello Tomorrow!, is the most visually arresting retrofuturism to be captured on screen in a long time. Is this Apple TV+ series set in the future, or in the 1950s? Or is it an alternative 1950s encroached upon by different future incursions? The show revolves around Crudups con of selling lunar condos to forsaken people in forsaken places who are desperate for a new start, or at least a way out. The retrofuturism works to remind us of spaces durability as a next frontier that keeps being just out of reach.

What Next: TBD

On Fridays episode of Slates technology podcast, host Lizzie OLeary spoke with Johana Bhuiyan, of the Guardian, about what happens when social media companies turn over user data to law enforcementespecially in a post-Roe world. Last week, Lizzie spoke to Matthew Schneier, of New York Magazine, about the rise of Ozempic, and she also interviewed virologist Angela Rasmussen about whats really going on with the COVID-19 lab leak theory. On Sunday, Lizzie will chat with Slate staff writer Heather Tal Murphy about what happened when she used ChatGPT as a wingman on Tinder.

Upcoming Events

On Wednesday, March 15, at 12 p.m. Eastern, Future Tense will host North Americas Semiconductor Moment, an online conversation about the reshuffling of global semiconductor supply chainsand whether the U.S. and Mexico can work together to seize the moment. RSVP and learn more here.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
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By Dominika Stofanova

Ms. Stofanova won first place in the A category in theLEAF Academy Essay Competition. She chose the topic "If I were the next prime minister of Slovakia,". She studies at the Gymnazium Bozeny Slancikovej Timravy grammar school in Lucenec.

If I were the next prime minister of Slovakia, I would prioritize addressing the challenges facing our country and changing the lives of our citizens for the better. I find it important to focus on implementing policies that would improve the economy, promote social equality and resolve many more issues our country is dealing with at the moment. I would focus on several key areas in order to improve the country and move it forward. In this spirit, I would start by strengthening the economy and creating job opportunities for the people of Slovakia. Other than that, Id wish to focus on improving the education system, investing in healthcare, and addressing issues related to inequality and social justice. I believe that by prioritizing these areas, we can create a better future for more generations of citizens of Slovakia.

One of the major challenges facing Slovakia as we speak is a lack of economic growth and job opportunities. I would start by focusing on implementing policies that encourage businesses to invest in our country and create new jobs. One of our goals would be for individuals to start their businesses, as well as support existing small businesses to help them expand and thrive. This step could include reducing business regulations and taxes, investing in education and training programs, and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. One of the key priorities would be to stimulate economic growth and development. This would involve implementing other pro-business policies that would encourage entrepreneurship and investment, as well as investing in key industries such as manufacturing and technology. I would also like to focus on improving infrastructures, such as roads and transportation, to make it easier for businesses to operate and for people to move around the country.

Another important issue is healthcare. I would work to improve access to quality healthcare for all Slovak people, especially in rural areas. This could include investing in new medical facilities and equipment, increasing medical research and development funding, expanding healthcare insurance coverage, increasing funding for hospitals and clinics, as well as implementing policies to improve access to healthcare for all citizens. I would also work to address issues related to mental health and addiction, which are increasingly important in today's society.

In addition, I would focus on improving the education system in Slovakia. This could include increasing funding for schools and teachers, implementing new technology and resources in the classroom, and promoting vocational and technical training programs.

In order to promote social equality, I would focus on providing access to quality education and healthcare for all citizens. As mentioned earlier, this would involve investing in schools and hospitals, and ensuring that they have the resources they need to provide high-quality services. We would also implement policies that promote equal opportunities, such as equal pay for equal work, and we would work to eliminate discrimination based on factors such as race, gender, and sexual orientation. I would work to address issues related to inequality and social justice in Slovakia. This could include working to protect the rights of marginalized groups, such as the LGBTQ+ community and ethnic minorities.

I would also prioritize addressing corruption, which remains a major problem in Slovakia. Corruption is a major problem in Slovakia, and it undermines trust in institutions and hinders economic growth. We would implement stricter laws and penalties to combat corruption, such as increasing transparency and accountability, and we would prosecute those who engage in corrupt practices. We would also work to improve the rule of law and strengthen the justice system, in order to ensure that everyone is being held to the same standards and that justice is served.

Finally, I would also focus on improving the environment and addressing the issue of climate change. In my opinion, it is necessary to work to address the challenges facing our environment, including air and water pollution. Slovakia is a beautiful country, and we must work to protect our natural resources and preserve the environment for future generations. This would involve implementing policies that promote sustainable development and reduce pollution, as well as investing in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Shortly, this step could include implementing stricter environmental regulations, promoting renewable energy sources, and investing in conservation and other sustainability initiatives.

Overall, my priorities, if I were to become the next prime minister of Slovakia, would be to focus on implementing policies that would stimulate economic growth and job opportunities, improve healthcare and education, tackle corruption, protect our environment, and address issues related to inequality and social justice. By implementing these policies and addressing these challenges, I believe that we can create and build a better future for the people of Slovakia, improving their lives as much as we are able to.

The English Essay Competition is organised by LEAF Academy, an international boarding high school in Bratislava. The annual competition is open to all Slovak students from primary and secondary schools who are passionate about writing in the English language.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230310/tracking-of-priest-hookup-app-data-highlights-were-living-in-surveillance-dystopia-1108276197.html

Tracking of Priest Hookup App Data Highlights We're Living in Surveillance Dystopia

Tracking of Priest Hookup App Data Highlights We're Living in Surveillance Dystopia

On Thursday, The Washington Post published a report on a Denver-based Catholic group buying app data from data brokers and using that information to find if Priests in the church are using hookup apps.

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Some in the group were behind the outing of prominent priest Jeffery Burrill, after Catholic news outlet The Pillar reported on his use of gay hookup app Grindr and his visits to gay bars and gay bathhouses.Burill stepped down from his position as the top administrator of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops days later.The group, the Catholic Laity and Clergy for Renewal, admitted to the research in a lengthy op-ed posted on the Catholic magazine First Things website, which was published after the Post sent questions to the Renewal about the program.According to The Post, which reviewed two reports prepared by the organization, the Renewal used data from multiple gay-hookup sites, including Grindr, Scruff, Growlr, and Jackd, as well as OKCupid, which caters to various sexualities. The reports were given to bishops in the church.Renewal says that the bishops were free to use the information as they liked. However, while The Post said that outside of Burrill there are no known instances of priests resigning over the data, a source told the outlet the priests could be punished by not getting promotions or being forced into early retirement, without being told why.The op-ed by the Renewal slams The Post and similar secular outlets that focus on a small part of what we doanything that touches sex. The Renewal also says the program is not about homosexuality exclusively but is instead focused on priests who break their vows of celibacy, whether that is through straight or gay sex.The op-ed also states that the group obtained the data in the ordinary way i.e. buying it from a data broker or someone who had bought it from a data broker. The Post article states that Renewal spent at least $4 million getting the data.Legally, apps on our devices are allowed to sell location and other personal data to advertisers. They justify the practice because, they contend, as long as they strip names from the data, it protects the users privacy.But multiple studies have shown that it is fairly trivial to connect a phone to a person using location dataeven without that persons namewhen using other publicly available information. Using location data, a company could easily connect a device to a person simply by watching where it goes every day. Where it goes during work hours and where it returns would tell a prying eye where the person holding that device works and lives. And if you already know where someone works or lives, seeing everywhere they go is as simple as tracking where else the phone goes.In the case of Renewal, they also had access to the type of device used, the device ID and the internet service provider, in addition to location data. It isnt hard to imagine how easy it would be to link that device to a specific person.For their part, the dating apps in question have all said they have limited tracking data further in recent years. Grindr said it stopped sharing location data in 2020, Growlr says it no longer shares GPS data, OKCupid said it obfuscates location data within a kilometer, and Scruff and Jackd, both owned by the same parent company, say they removed third-party ad networks in 2018 and 2020, respectively.Still, Renewal was able to get the data it needed from someone. And dating apps are hardly the worst offenders when it comes to tracking and selling data.The laws on data selling are vague and broad. Justin Sherman, a senior fellow at Duke University's public policy school, told The Post that you can count [the number of data privacy laws] on one or two hands.Anyone can buy advertising data if they have enough money. Anti-abortion groups have used it to track people who visit abortion clinics. On Monday, the FBI admitted to buying data to avoid getting a warrant. And womens groups have warned that domestic abusers and stalkers may use the data to track their victims.It is not difficult to think of other nightmare scenarios.What is stopping an employer from tracking an employee to make sure they are actually staying home when sick, or checking to see if they visited a bar the night before calling out? Furthermore, what's to stop a Church from expanding its tracking spotlight from priests to parishioners? Or a school from tracking what their students do outside of class hours, something they have become increasingly interested in since the pandemic.In the early 1990s, Phill Zimmerman released Pretty Good Privacy, better known as PGP. It was the first time the public gained access to private digital communications through the use of cryptography, not unlike technology that was previously exclusive to the National Security Administration (NSA).It allowed individuals to send messages to each other using public and private digital signatures. If the authorities or anyone else intercepted the messages, they would only see noise, but if the message was sent to your public key, you could decode it using your private key.Zimmerman was investigated for years by the authorities because, they said, his software was downloaded by foreign citizens and that could have been considered exporting a weapon. The Justice Department ultimately decided against pressing charges against Zimmerman, which was a big win for privacy advocates at the time.While the principles of Zimmermans software became the basis for all private online communications we have today, from credit card purchases to private messaging apps like Signal, the public by and large didnt use the privacy tools that Zimmerman created and the majority of online services didnt bother incorporating it.As apps started sucking up more data about their users, and as cellphones went from a luxury to an essential part of everyday life, online privacy has become more important, and more ignored, than ever.Speaking to Wired in 1994, legendary cryptographer Niels Ferguson, who at the time was working for a failed pre-Bitcoin digital currency called DigiCash, warned about the dangers of the lack of privacy in the growing digital world. Ferguson was speaking about digital purchases, but considering the ubiquitousness of smartphones today, it can easily be applied to location data.Oh, the number of times I've had to argue with people that they need privacy! Ferguson exclaimed in a response to a question if digital cash should be traceable.Which of course, is why advertisers are so interested in our information. Our phones essentially act as little personal private investigators, reporting back to massive conglomerates of a multibillion-dollar industry, ready to sell that information to anyone or any entity willing to pay for it. Churches, the government, spouses, employers, or anyone motivated and wealthy enough can find out where youve been, what youve bought and who you associate with.That is an issue that goes far beyond the inner workings of the Catholic Church.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220720/big-brother-never-sleeps-aclu-dubs-dhss-phone-location-data-use-massive-privacy-disaster-1097620350.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220429/fbi-potentially-searched-millions-of-americans-personal-data-without-a-warrant-1095156953.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220504/cdc-collecting-tens-of-millions-of-americans-location-data---and-not-just-for-covid-1095245916.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/biden-says-undecided-about-covid-19-origins-bill-1108283604.html

Biden Says Undecided About COVID-19 Origins Bill

Biden Says Undecided About COVID-19 Origins Bill

US President Joe Biden says he has not made a decision on whether to sign the bill that requires the US government to declassify all the information regarding the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023-03-11T06:09+0000

2023-03-11T06:09+0000

2023-03-11T07:16+0000

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us

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"I haven't made that decision yet," Biden told reporters on Friday. Earlier in the day, the US House of Representatives passed legislation requiring the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to declassify materials related to the origin of the novel coronavirus. The bill requires DNI to declassify information on potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and the genesis of COVID-19 no later than 90 days after enactment of the legislation. The Senate passed the bill earlier this month, and the Houses passage now sends the bill to President Joe Bidens desk for final approval. Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the agency believes that COVID-19 most likely originated from a lab in Wuhan, although other US intelligence agencies instead point to a Wuhan market as the starting point of the pandemic. In February, Republican lawmakers re-requested information from the Biden administration on the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a select subcommittee investigation. They also renewed a request for a classified briefing on the matter from the US intelligence community. In March 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report of the first fact-finding mission of its experts to China's Wuhan, where the world's first COVID-19 outbreak occurred. Experts concluded that the leakage of the virus from a state-run laboratory in Wuhan was "extremely unlikely." They also said that there was a high possibility that the virus was transmitted to humans from bats through another animal.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230310/new-york-city-teeming-with-rats-infected-with-different-covid-19-strains-study-warns-1108248278.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/china-brokered-iran-saudi-deal-threatens-to-push-us-out-of-the-gulf-and-washington-knows-it-1108298905.html

China-brokered Iran-Saudi Deal Threatens to Push US Out of the Gulf and Washington Knows It

China-brokered Iran-Saudi Deal Threatens to Push US Out of the Gulf and Washington Knows It

Negotiators from long-time regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia signed a surprise agreement in Beijing on Friday on the normalization of relations, the reopening of embassies and the resumption of cooperation on security, trade and investment. The deal, which came after years of grueling negotiations, was met with sour grapes in Washington.

2023-03-11T19:15+0000

2023-03-11T19:15+0000

2023-03-11T19:25+0000

world

saudi arabia

iran

china

us

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The Biden administrations utter lack of involvement in the negotiations which culminated in the Iran-Saudi diplomatic deal secured by China is a warning sign signaling the waning of Washingtons influence and power in the Middle East, virtually all major US media analyses covering the story have admitted.If this deal can be sustained  regardless of what the interest was or who sat down at the table  if it can be sustained, and the war in Yemen can end, and Saudi Arabia doesnt have to continually try to defend itself against attacks from the Houthis who are funded and supported by Iran, in the end we welcome that, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a press briefing on Friday, putting a brave face on the sobering development.It really does remain to be seen whether the Iranians are going to honor their side of the deal, Kirby repeated, adding that the US was engaged in its own effective combination of deterrence and diplomacy vis-a-vis Iran.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre echoed Kirbys sentiments, telling reporters Friday that the US welcomed any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.That is one of the reasons why the president  you saw him travel in  over the summer to have those conversations. De-escalation and diplomacy, together with deterrence, are key pillars of the policy that the president  that President Biden put out  outlined during his visit in July in the region, the spokeswoman said.But Fridays rapprochement was about much more than just ending the war in Yemen, US media covering the story have admitted.Iran-Saudi Pact Is Brokered by China, Leaving US on Sidelines, the New York Times headline read before being revised to Chinese-Brokered Deal Upends Mideast Diplomacy and Challenges US. The self-described paper of record indicated that the agreement signaled at least a temporary reordering of the usual alliances and rivalries in the region, and Chinas growing global diplomatic clout, with Beijing said to have suddenly transformed themselves into a new power player out of a nation traditionally playing second fiddle to Washington. DC think tank analysts confirmed to the newspaper that the pact was a big deal and that the US had proven itself unable to broker an analogous agreement.The Washington Post gave off similarly humdrum and depressing vibes, with the lead to its report reading After decades of US failures in the region, China takes a turn as Middle East power broker.Business Insider took a more provocative approach, suggesting Riyadhs move wasnt so much a slap in the face as a middle finger to Biden, signaling a new low point in traditionally strong Saudi-US ties.CNN, meanwhile, offered a curiously forthright reflection about the Iran-Saudi deals global implications in terms of the reordering of the world order away from US unipolarity, characterizing the agreement as a signal to the start of a new era, with China front and center.Beltway politics-focused outlet The Hill emphasized that the China-brokered deal further undercuts the posture of the US in the region after the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan and the purported paring down of the US troop presence in Syria. The only hope for the US, a think tank researcher told the outlet, was that the Saudis and the Iranians wouldnt be able to put aside their differences for long.It remains to be seen if they can have a meaningful dialogue. Opening up embassies is not the same as having a meaningful dialogue, Middle East Institute Iran program director Alex Vatanka said.Victory for DialogueChinese top diplomat Wang Yi hailed the Iran-Saudi deal a victory for dialogue and a victory for piece, calling it significant good news in a world wracked by violence and uncertainty.The agreement is the product of many years of intense, behind the scenes negotiations by Iranian and Saudi diplomats, including the late Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US missile strike in Baghdad in January 2020 while engaging in Iraq-brokered indirect negotiations with Saudi officials.Iran and Saudi Arabia have been regional rivals for decades, with tensions rising after the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which brought to power an Islamic Republican government, sparking a bitter competition for leadership of the Islamic World. Tensions have been exacerbated by Riyadhs traditional close ties with the United States, which Tehran formally dubs the Great Satan. The two countries broke off relations entirely in 2016 after the execution of a Shia Saudi cleric, and attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions inside the Islamic Republic, with Fridays agreement meant to put an end to years of bad blood based on religious differences and geopolitics.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/egypt-lauds-saudi-iranian-detente-as-important-step-toward-easing-regional-tensions-1108297720.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/historic-saudi-iran-deal-proves-major-setback-for-us-but-raises-questions-about-jcpoa-lifeline-1108278478.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230310/lapid-says-resumption-of-saudi-iranian-relations-a-dangerous-failure-of-israels-foreign-policy--1108275005.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221214/china-committed-to-developing-strategic-partnership-with-iran-vice-premier-1105446635.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/german-intelligence-says-61-extremists-left-for-ukraine-since-last-year-report-1108297229.html

German Intelligence Says 61 Extremists Left for Ukraine Since Last Year: Report

German Intelligence Says 61 Extremists Left for Ukraine Since Last Year: Report

German intelligence is aware of 61 "extremists and politically motivated criminals" from Germany who have traveled eastward to Ukraine since the start of the conflict last winter, local media reported Saturday.

2023-03-11T16:02+0000

2023-03-11T16:02+0000

2023-03-11T16:02+0000

world

germany

ukraine

extremists

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Of them, at least 29 are believed to be still in Ukraine, a German daily cited sources from the German security community as saying. The BfV intelligence agency did not say whether they were involved directly in the fighting and on which side. The newspaper also cited federal police as saying that 31 of the identified extremists stood to the right of the political spectrum. A further 24 were classified as supporters of "foreign ideology or extremism," while a handful others were religious fanatics. One person was labeled as a left-leaning extremist, the report said. The Russian Defense Ministry suggests that foreign fighters in Ukraine number in the thousands. It says it has evidence that mercenaries from over 60 countries have been fighting alongside Ukrainian armed forces and sees their presence in the conflict zone as a form of Western support for Kiev, on top of military funding and weapons deliveries.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20220306/ukraine-says-nearly-20000-mercenaries-en-route--but-just-who-are-they-1093643491.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/greek-peace-committee-calls-for-protest-against-us-aircraft-carriers-port-visit-in-crete-1108293474.html

Greek Peace Committee Calls For Protest Against US Aircraft Carrier's Port Visit in Crete

Greek Peace Committee Calls For Protest Against US Aircraft Carrier's Port Visit in Crete

The Peace Committee of Chania on the Greek island of Crete, which hosts the largest natural port of the Mediterranean, called for a rally on Saturday to protest a visit by a US aircraft carrier

2023-03-11T13:22+0000

2023-03-11T13:22+0000

2023-03-11T13:22+0000

world

greece

aircraft carrier

us

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The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and its crew of over 6,000 returned to the Souda Bay in the Chania municipality on Friday for the second time in less than six months. The Peace Committee said the arrival of thousands of American sailors for a shore leave came at the worst possible time, according to 902.gr. Greece is still reeling from last week's train crash, which left 57 people dead and dozens injured. The carrier has been operating in the Mediterranean since August. Capt. Dave Pollard, commanding officer at the USS George H.W. Bush, said the sailors were taking their time off to experience Greek culture.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11)  The older brother of John Matthew Salilig, the Adamson University student killed in a hazing ritual, and three other students have filed criminal complaints against fraternity members allegedly responsible for the deadly initiation rites.

Two separate complaints were filed with the Department of Justice on March 10, accusing respondents, who are all members of Tau Gamma Phi, of violating Republic Act 11053 or the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018.

John Michael Salilig, the brother of John Matthew, and Roi Dela Cruz, an Adamson student who was reportedly hazed at the same initiation rites as Salilig, accused 12 men in their complaint.

Named as repondents were Mark Rama, Levi Gianan, Ryan Camangyan, Ar-Jay Arao, Christian Mercado, Lester Sus, Carlos Rovillos, Earl Ursolino, Aron Cruz, Ralph Tan, Armando Hernandez Jr., and one unidentified male with the alias Mc Gregor.

Eleven of the accused are at-large except for Mr. Gregor, the complaint noted.

Another complaint filed by Adamson students Alexander Marcelo and Earl Abuda accused 19 respondents.

They include Tung Cheng Teng, Early Romero, Jerome Balot, Sandro Victorino, Michael Ritalde, Mark Pedros, and Daniel Perry, all of whom are under the custody of the Binan Central Police, according to the complaint.

Rounding out the 19 respondents are the 12 frat members who were named in the elder Saliligs complaint.

Meanwhile, a person of interest was earlier found dead in his home, allegedly by suicide.

READ: Person of interest in Adamson student's death found dead  police

John Matthew Salilig was reported missing on Feb. 18, the same day he had attended the Tau Gamma Phis fraternity initiation. Ten days later on Feb. 28, his body was found buried in a shallow grave in a vacant lot in Imus, Cavite.

Authorities determined that he was most likely killed by hazing. An autopsy showed that he had succumbed to severe blunt force trauma to the lower extremities, injuries which could be linked to fraternity initiation rituals.

A leader of the fraternity earlier told CNN Philippines News Night that the Adamson Chapter of Tau Gamma Phi refused to comply with the fraternitys no-contact policy during initiation rites.

CNN Philippines Senior Correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/historic-saudi-iran-deal-proves-major-setback-for-us-but-raises-questions-about-jcpoa-lifeline-1108278478.html

Historic Saudi-Iran Deal Proves 'Major Setback' for US But Raises Questions About JCPOA Lifeline

Historic Saudi-Iran Deal Proves 'Major Setback' for US But Raises Questions About JCPOA Lifeline

The historic Saudi-Iranian agreement to reestablish diplomatic ties will prove to be a serious concern for the US, which has long sought to ensure Iran remains isolated in the Middle East, an expert told Radio Sputnik.

2023-03-11T02:10+0000

2023-03-11T02:10+0000

2023-03-11T02:09+0000

richard becker

answer coalition

saudi arabia

iran

saudi-iran conflict

analysis

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Richard Becker, author of "Palestine, Israel and the US Empire," told Radio Sputnik's Political Misfits on Friday that the deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran would effectively serve as a "major setback" for the US as the two powerhouse nations work to resume diplomatic ties.Earlier Friday, representatives from Saudi Arabia and Iran met in Beijing, along with a senior Chinese diplomat, and announced that they reached an agreement to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries.The two sides agreed to host meetings with their foreign ministers, send ambassadors to each country and revive previously signed security cooperation deals and other previously abandoned agreements."I would say first and foremost its a big setback from the US imperial point of view, and the point of view of the empire," Becker told show hosts Michelle Witte and John Kiriakou, noting that the development specifically puts a black mark on the US' continued efforts to keep Iran and any forces against the American agenda in complete isolation.Becker, who also serves as the West Coast coordinator for the ANSWER Coalition, noted that Saudi Arabia was created by the United States and Britain back in 1932, and that despite the litany of human rights abuses, Saudi Arabia is still considered a strong ally of the US.The reason for that, Becker said the United States has been trying to isolate Iran and other forces of resistance in the region for some time.They have been trying to isolate Iran in particular, Becker said. They are trying to defeat the forces of resistance in the region, those who are resisting the US agenda and the Israeli agenda in the area. And that means Iran and some forces inside of Iraq, the government of Syria, the . Nasrallah-led Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, the Houthi movement in Yemen." However, Becker further contended that China having brokered the deal is what is adding even more salt in the wound for the US in its imperial aims.The other side of it was the fact that the agreement was reached in China, in Beijing. Who the US new leaders are targeting as their main enemy in the world, which also underlines how much of a setback this is for the United States, he said.The "new leaders" referenced by Becker were national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Kurt Campbell, who serves as Bidens top Asia hand at the National Security Council."They are not happy about the latest news thats come out," Becker said of the trio. The US has remained a non-partner of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action since the days of the Trump White House, which announced in 2018 that the US would withdraw over allegations that Tehran had violated stipulations of the Obama-era agreement. Although US President Joe Biden did promise to return to the deal once in office, he has yet to deliver, with latest talks stuck at a stalemate with negotiators.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230303/us-established-contingency-plan-for-war-with-iran-new-report-finds-1107962458.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230309/us-intel-chiefs-designate-china--its-goal-of-seeking-global-influence-as-unparalleled-priority-1108209725.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/israels-netanyahu-says-svb-bankruptcy-created-deep-crisis-in-tech-industry-1108300247.html

Israel's Netanyahu Says SVB Bankruptcy Created Deep Crisis in Tech Industry

Israel's Netanyahu Says SVB Bankruptcy Created Deep Crisis in Tech Industry

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Saturday that the implosion of Silicon Valley Bank, the second largest bank failure in US history, created a deep crisis in the technology industry.

2023-03-11T21:51+0000

2023-03-11T21:51+0000

2023-03-13T09:25+0000

economy

california

california

benjamin netanyahu

gavin newsom

silicon valley bank

silicon valley bank collapse

silicon valley

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Netanyahu, who is in Rome for an official visit, said he would discuss the extent of the crisis with his finance and economy ministers and the central bank governor once he returned home. Netanyahu assured Israeli tech companies banking with SVB that his government would help affected Israeli businesses overcome the liquidity crisis. The SVB collapse has sent ripples across the tech industry in the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries, including Israel, where the tech lender has branches. The Californian banking regulator announced Friday that it was taking possession of SVB, citing inadequate liquidity and insolvency. Californian Governor Gavin Newsom said on Saturday that the highest-level officials at the White House and the US Treasury were working with the regulator "to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible" to protect jobs and livelihoods.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/domino-effect-feared-after-collapse-of-silicon-valley-bank-as-first-republic-banks-shares-slump-1108292604.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/ivory-coast-signs-agreement-with-uaes-masdar-to-develop-solar-power-plant-1108288576.html

Ivory Coast Signs Agreement With UAE's Masdar to Develop Solar Power Plant

Ivory Coast Signs Agreement With UAE's Masdar to Develop Solar Power Plant

The Ivory Coast has signed a deal with Masdar, one of the worlds leading clean energy companies, to explore the development of a solar power plant with a capacity of 50-70 megawatts (MW).

2023-03-11T11:20+0000

2023-03-11T11:20+0000

2023-03-11T11:21+0000

africa

west africa

cote d'ivoire

solar energy

solar power plant

solar power

renewable energy

uae

energy crisis

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The Ivory Coast has signed a deal with Masdar, one of the worlds leading clean energy companies, to explore the development of a solar power plant with a capacity of 50-70 megawatts (MW). The company, based in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, stated that the agreement will support the Ivory Coast's efforts to achieve its clean energy goals and boost sustainable economic development. It was signed by Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, the Ivorian minister of mining, petroleum, and energy, and Fawaz Al Muharrami, executive director of clean energy, Masdar, in the presence of other high-profile officials. During the signing ceremony, the minister reiterated the country's commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32%, as well as increase the share of renewable energy to more than 40% by 2030. He noted that in accordance with these goals, the government has created a master plan for the development of the country's production facilities in the renewable energy sector, including solar, hydroelectricity, and biomass. Therefore, the agreement is part of this plan.According to Masdar, the company sees "enormous potential" for the renewable-energy industry in Africa, given the continent's projected large-scale development and growth, as well as low clean energy penetration levels. In general, it has as a goal to deliver 100 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy all over the world by 2030. It was also stated that the agreement is signed under the Etihad 7 initiative, a program launched by the UAE last year to fund renewable energy projects in Africa, with the objective of achieving 20 GW capacity to provide 100 million people across the continent with clean electricity by 2035.With the Ivory Coast signing, the company underlined, there are now five projects set to be developed under the initiative. Three of them were signed during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023 held on January 16-19, including agreements with Angola, Uganda, and Zambia. In August, Masdar also signed a deal with Tanzania's sole provider of electricity, TANESCO, to develop clean energy projects with a total capacity of up to 2 GW. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), despite recent efforts to enhance power generation in Africa, it remains the least electrified continent in the world, with over half of the population lacking access to electricity. The agencys latest projections indicate that 565 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa will still be without access to electricity in 2030. At the same time, the continent has vast resource potential in wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy that African countries are willing to develop. Meanwhile, the European Union sees Africa as one of the the most important partners in terms of developing the renewable energy sector, according to the EU's climate chief, Frans Timmermans.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230308/africa-must-meet-local-demand-before-contributing-to-europes-energy-needs--oil-firm-ceo-1108169504.html

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ivory coast, uae, west africa, energy crisis, energy supply, renewable energy, electricity, agreement, solar energy, solar power plant
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/kiev-pechersk-lavra-preserve-orders-monks-of-ukrainian-orthodox-church-to-leave-territory-1108291507.html

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Preserve Orders Monks of Ukrainian Orthodox Church to Leave Territory

Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Preserve Orders Monks of Ukrainian Orthodox Church to Leave Territory

Ukraine's National Kiev-Pechersk Historical and Cultural Preserve said on Friday it had ordered monks of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate to leave the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, one of the most important Orthodox Christian monasteries, which is located on its territory, by March 29.

2023-03-11T12:34+0000

2023-03-11T12:34+0000

2023-03-11T12:34+0000

world

ukraine

monastery

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"The Reserve warns of the avoidance of the contract on March 29, 2023. In order to conduct the procedure of receiving and transferring the state property, the Monastery must vacate buildings and facilities that are state property and on the balance sheet of the Reserve," a statement read. Ukraine's inter-institutional working group on religious organizations has allegedly registered a breach of contract on using state property by the Monastery, the Preserve added. The Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is in official free possession of the canonical UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate. After the start of Russia's special military operation in February 2022, Ukrainian nationalists have launched regular attacks against churches, clergy and believers of the UOC. In May, the synod of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) announced the creation of a religious organization, to which it wants to transfer one of the Lavra's churches. The UOC accused the OCU of trying to seize the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra by creating a male monastery on its territory. Moreover, in March, the Ukrainian authorities submitted to the country's parliament a bill to ban the UOC in Ukraine, seize its real estate and other property. The OCU was established on the basis of two schismatic organizations in late 2018. In 2019, the Patriarchate of Constantinople gave the OCU a "tomos of autocephaly"  an ecclesiastical document essentially granting recognition  which resulted in a serious conflict between Constantinople and Moscow. In particular, the Moscow Patriarchate and the UOC broke off Holy Communion with the Patriarchate of Constantinople in protest to its actions. Nevertheless, the OCU is still in fact subordinate to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and most of the 15 autocephalous Orthodox churches do not recognize it as canonical.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20221123/ukrainian-security-forces-storm-historic-orthodox-church-in-counterintelligence-raid-1104566584.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/malawi-asks-moscow-to-send-specialists-to-fight-cholera-russian-ambassador-says-1108284766.html

Malawi Asks Moscow to Send Specialists to Fight Cholera, Russian Ambassador Says

Malawi Asks Moscow to Send Specialists to Fight Cholera, Russian Ambassador Says

Malawi asked Moscow to send Russian specialists to fight cholera outbreak in the country, Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Malawi Nikolai Krasilnikov said.

2023-03-11T08:14+0000

2023-03-11T08:14+0000

2023-03-11T08:15+0000

africa

malawi

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Malawi has asked Moscow to send Russian specialists to fight the cholera outbreak in the country, Russian Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Malawi Nikolai Krasilnikov said. Krasilnikov added that Malawi has also asked Russia to train diplomats at the courses of the diplomatic academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry. He added that Malawian representatives intend to take part in the parliamentary conference in Moscow. According to the country's health ministry's statement in late January, supplies of the cholera vaccine have run out in all medical facilities. The ministry noted that Malawi's ongoing cholera vaccination campaign had exhausted all 2.9Mln doses of the Gavi-supported Global Oral Cholera Vaccine Stockpile, which was supplied by the World Health Organization (WHO) in November 2022.Since 1998, cholera has been endemic in Malawi, with seasonal outbreaks occurring during the rainy season (November through May). The present outbreak, though, has persisted beyond the dry season; instances have been documented since March 2022.Apart from that, last week, the Russian fertilizer producer group Uralchem-Uralkali delivered 20,000 tons of fertilizer to Malawi as a charity, and the East African country became the first to receive a humanitarian supply from the company to Africa from EU ports, where up to 300,000 tons of Russian fertilizer have been blocked because of anti-Russian sanctions.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/nord-stream-enigma-deepens-as-osint-analyst-finds-mystery-tanker-hung-around-explosion-site-for-1108289158.html

Nord Stream Enigma Deepens as OSINT Analyst Finds Mystery Tanker Hung Around Explosion Site for Week

Nord Stream Enigma Deepens as OSINT Analyst Finds Mystery Tanker Hung Around Explosion Site for Week

US and German media sought to turn the Nord Stream sabotage attacks into an open-and-shut whodunit detective novel this week by laying the blame at the feet of a pro-Ukrainian group with no links to any state. This information contradicts reporting by veteran journalist Seymour Hersh, who fingered the US and Norwegian militaries for the crime.

2023-03-11T12:02+0000

2023-03-11T12:02+0000

2023-03-11T12:11+0000

nord stream sabotage

nord stream

tanker

tracking

open-source

intelligence

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A Greek-flagged tanker was spotted loitering around the site of the Nord Stream attacks for six days in September 2022, two weeks before the pipelines were blown up in a sabotage attack, a Denmark-based open-source intelligence (OSINT) analyst has discovered. Trawling through data from the Automatic Identification System, a database showing the locations of ships operating across the worlds seas and oceans, analyst Oliver Alexander found that the Minerva Julie, a 183-meter-long, 32-meter-wide Greek-flagged oil and chemical tanker, stopped and then idled in an area of the Baltic Sea off the Danish island of Bornholm from September 6-13, before pressing east to Tallinn, Estonia, and then to St. Petersburg, Russia.Alexander detailed the discovery in a Twitter thread in which he expressed skepticism about the New York Times report blaming a pro-Ukrainian group for sabotaging the pipelines. Unfortunately, the new New York Times article doesnt give any new actionable information that can be examined, he wrote, suggesting that there wasnt any real substance in the article that brings us measurably closer to knowing the truth about what happened because the entire story was based on claims by anonymous officials and intelligence sources.Minerva Julies owners, Minerva Maritime, confirmed the oil tankers whereabouts after being reached out to by media, saying the ship was drifting in the sea area northeast of Bornholm, Denmark between 6 September and 13 September 2022, while awaiting her next voyage instructions, and that the tanker departed the Port of Rotterdam on 2 September, after discharging her cargo. Once voyage orders were received, the vessel proceeded to her next port of call, Tallinn, Estonia.Alexander expressed skepticism over the companys statement. It just so happens to not only happen directly above the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage locations, but also at the exact same time as the currently suspected Andromeda [the rented yacht mentioned by US and German media in recent reports blaming a pro-Ukrainian group for the sabotage, ed.] is supposedly placing explosives in the same location, he wrote.The OSINT analysts followers offered constructive criticism of his observations, with one reader pointing out that idling at sea waiting for instructions happens very often, and that given the fact that the pipelines are sitting on top of major shipping routes, the Minerva Julies position may have just been a case of wrong place, wrong time. Others suggested that the evidence could be a smoking gun, but only if it was shown that the Minerva Julie was a specialized Dive Support Vessel, because the mission required saturation divers andvery sophisticated chambers which house them on the seafloor.Others took issue with the OSINT examiners work, saying it makes zero sense to use a ship that can be tracked by simple OSINT, or even accusing him of coming up with ridiculous fake stories to divert attention away from Seymour Hershs bombshell reporting, which fingered US Navy divers said to have rigged the pipelines to blow under the cover of a NATO military exercise last summer, with the blasts triggered by a Norwegian aircraft flying overhead on September 26. Hersh, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with over 60 years of investigative journalistic experience under his belt, said his information came from a source with direct knowledge of the operational planning.Last month, Sputnik received information corroborating Hershs reporting from a source identifying themselves as a military serviceman who took part in the NATO drills.Senior Russian officials have largely avoided addressing The New York Times and German media reports blaming the mystery pro-Ukrainian group for the Nord Stream attacks, instead repeating Moscows demands for a thorough and transparent investigation. But former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev could not help but respond to the new claims, characterizing the Times report as a lackluster Hollywood drama featuring mediocre actors, a director whos no Quentin Tarantino, very poor casting and camera work, and a script thats boring as s***.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230310/wests-nord-stream-media-psy-op-to-fall-apart-at-seams-if-hershs-source-decides-to-speak-out-1108253093.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230309/russias-un-envoy-world-without-accountability-for-nord-stream-blasts-would-be-very-dangerous-place-1108217820.html

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Ilya Tsukanov

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/russian-military-says-2-planes-brought-quake-relief-aid-to-syria-1108300015.html

Russian Military Says 2 Planes Brought Quake Relief Aid to Syria

Russian Military Says 2 Planes Brought Quake Relief Aid to Syria

Two planes carrying humanitarian aid for quake-hit Syria arrived in the country in the past day, a senior Russian military official said Saturday.

2023-03-11T20:50+0000

2023-03-11T20:50+0000

2023-03-11T23:01+0000

world

earthquake rocks turkiye and syria

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"Two humanitarian cargo planes arrived in Syria in the past 24 hours, one of them at the Russian air base in Hmeimim," Rear Adm. Oleg Gurinov told a news briefing. The deputy head of Russias Syrian reconciliation center said humanitarian assistance had arrived from third countries as part of "international cooperation efforts." The Syrian government estimates the national death toll from the February 6 quakes at almost 1,500, whereas the United Nations puts it at 8,500. Almost 48,000 died in neighboring Turkiye.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/sending-nato-troops-to-ukraine-could-have-world-ending-consequences-us-politician-warns-1108290806.html

Sending NATO Troops to Ukraine Could Have World-Ending Consequences, US Politician Warns

Sending NATO Troops to Ukraine Could Have World-Ending Consequences, US Politician Warns

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned on Friday that Western leaders appear very close to suggesting in all seriousness that NATO troops be sent to Ukraine.

2023-03-11T13:43+0000

2023-03-11T13:43+0000

2023-03-11T13:43+0000

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Any Western officials seriously considering deploying NATO military personnel to Ukraine should rethink the insane idea before plunging the planet into a nuclear war, Kentucky progressive Democrat Geoffrey M Young has urged.Young, 66, a self-described Peace Democrat, has been one of the few politicians in the contemporary Democratic Party to criticize the US and NATOs continued sponsorship of the conflict in Ukraine, has criticized the US occupation of Syria, and has demanded Secretary of State Lloyd Austins resignation for his recent threats against Iran.The politician ran as the Democratic Partys candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives in the November 2022 midterms, but was defeated by incumbent Republican Andy Barr. Since then, he has repeatedly attacked Barr for voting to send weapons to NAZIS in Ukraine for the last 9 years.Earlier this year, Young said President Joe Biden deserves to be impeached immediately for war crimes in Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, etc. and for continuing the illegal proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. In the 2022 midterms, his platform focused on slashing the USs military budget, abolishing the CIA and taking big money out of politics by publicly financing elections.The politician has been attacked as a Putin apologist online, and largely ignored or smeared by the Democratic Party machine and by the legacy media.Kentucky Democrats and Republicans will go to the polls for primaries in the gubernatorial race on May 16, with the winners facing off in the general election on November 7. Republican incumbent Governor Andy Beshear holds a 61 percent approval rating, and is currently projected to easily win the November vote in the traditionally Red-leaning state. However, Young may be counting on his anti-war, anti-interventionism message resonating with and attracting voters from both parties.US officials and media have expressed growing concern over the state of the Ukrainian crisis in recent weeks, with former ambassador to Russia and color revolutions expert Michael McFaul warning on Thursday that he was growing increasingly nervous about the Ukrainians ability to hold on militarily and keep the US engaged in the long haul diplomatically. McFaul warned that Washingtons reputation among allies and neutral countries would be shattered if Kiev lost, and urged the US and its allies to send Ukraine all the weapons it has requested, from long-range missiles to fighter jets and Reaper drones, and to ignore Moscows warnings that this could escalate the current crisis into a global war.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/us-lawmaker-washington-wants-russia-to-lose-in-ukraine-but-not-too-badly-1108280691.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230310/michael-mcfaul-nervous-about-ukraines-ability-to-hold-on-keep-us-engaged-against-russia-1108267931.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/south-africas-parliament-votes-to-downgrade-diplomatic-ties-with-israel-1108291800.html

South Africa's Parliament Votes to Downgrade Diplomatic Ties With Israel

South Africa's Parliament Votes to Downgrade Diplomatic Ties With Israel

South African parliament has passed the draft resolution to downgrade the country's embassy in Israel into a liaison office due to Jewish state's treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and continuing abuses against them.

2023-03-11T13:52+0000

2023-03-11T13:52+0000

2023-03-11T13:52+0000

africa

southern africa

south africa

israel

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The South African parliament has passed a draft resolution to downgrade the country's embassy in Israel to a liaison office due to the Jewish state's treatment of the Palestinians in the West Bank and purported abuses against them. The result of the vote was announced by the National Freedom Party (NFP), a center-left party with two seats in the parliament, which introduced the resolution. It was passed by South Africa's legislative body on Tuesday with 208 votes in favor and 94 against. The resolution was supported by a majority of the parties, including the governing African National Congress (ANC). Many South Africans express solidarity with the Palestinians, saying the situation on occupied Palestinian territory is similar to what the African nation experienced during the apartheid era. The NFP referred to the motion as a historic one that demonstrates the country's commitment to "justice, human rights, and freedom." Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam, the NFP's leader in the parliament, stated that following the parliament voting in favor of downgrading the embassy in Israel, he believes other countries will follow suit.However, the resolution will go into effect only if the government adopts it and informs Israel on the matter. The government has not responded to the vote yet. Israel's Foreign Ministry, for its part, condemned South Africa's parliament for its resolution, dubbing it as "shameful and disgraceful." The ministry expressed frustration over the move, saying that it's unfortunate that Pretoria "continues to deteriorate" relations with Israel, and that it "will only harm South Africa itself and its standing."At the same time, Shaik Emam called on South Africa "to be on the right side of history," and not to be passive or neutral over the oppression and human rights violations against Palestinians, saying that the resolution is a decision that Nelson Mandela, who fought for freedom and justice, would be proud of.Following the debate on the issue in South Africa's parliament, the country's Deputy Minister of International Relations Alvin Botes noted that South Africans can't stand the continued escalation of violence against Palestinians and have a moral obligation to support them. He also expressed the country's support for the African Unions decision to remove an Israeli diplomat at the summit in Addis Ababa last month, recalling that South Africa was one of the countries that rejected the acceptance of Israel as an observer state in the AU.Israel's Foreign Ministry deputy director for Africa, Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li, was removed by guards from the African Union hall, where the organization's annual summit was taking place. African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki commented on the incident, saying that Israeli diplomats were escorted from the event because they were not invited. He added that the decision to grant observer status to Israel had been suspended pending discussion of the issue by a specially created committee.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230220/israeli-observers-kicked-out-of-african-union-summit-were-not-invited-says-chairperson-1107599889.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/surge-in-gambias-tourism-sector-partially-compensates-for-rise-in-imports-reports-say-1108285800.html

Surge in Gambia's Tourism Sector Partially Compensates for Rise in Imports, Reports Say

Surge in Gambia's Tourism Sector Partially Compensates for Rise in Imports, Reports Say

A surge in revenues from tourism sector contributes to the Gambia's economic recovery by boosting foreign-exchange reserves and helping to offset costs of fuel and food imports, media has reported.

2023-03-11T10:16+0000

2023-03-11T10:16+0000

2023-03-11T10:16+0000

africa

west africa

gambia

tourism

tourism industry

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tourist

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import

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A surge in revenues from tourism is contributing to Gambia's economic recovery by boosting foreign-exchange reserves and helping to offset the costs of fuel and food imports, the media has reported, citing the country's central bank governor.According to Buah Saidy, the number of people visiting Gambia rose by 56 percent to 182,795 in 2022, helping to increase the country's foreign-exchange reserves to $464Mln this year. It was also noted that the increase in tourism revenues is crucial when paying for imports, which have recently surged approximately 90-fold to $53Mln because of the global increase in costs of fuel and cereals associated with the conflict in Ukraine. Gambia, surrounded on three sides by Senegal, with the fourth side being a narrow Atlantic coast, is well-known for its diverse ecosystems around the Gambia River and abundant wildlife that attracts many tourists. Visitors mainly come from European countries such as Germany, Norway, Sweden, although the majority of tourists traditionally hail from the UK. Gambia's tourism sector is one of the highest earners of foreign revenue, a major contributor to GDP and employment. Therefore, it is considered by the government as a key factor of the country's economic recovery. The restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic severely hit the country's tourism industry. According the Gambian Tourism Board, the sector lost $108Mln in 2020 and a further $57.9Mln of tax revenue after the closure of businesses and hotels. As the country tries to boost its tourism sector, the World Bank is providing assistance with a $68Mln program to support the diversification and climate resilience of the industry, in particular focusing on strengthening and upgrading tourism infrastructure.

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Saudi Arabia, Iran ink deal to resume diplomatic relations, reopen embassies

Xinhua) 13:05, March 11, 2023

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, presides over the closing meeting of the talks between a Saudi delegation and an Iranian delegation in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang)

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- As announced by China, Saudi Arabia and Iran on Friday, the latter two have reached a deal which includes the agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions within two months.

Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and National Security Advisor, led the Saudi delegation, and Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, led the Iranian delegation during talks in Beijing from March 6 to 10, according to a trilateral statement from China, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Saudi Arabia and Iran held the talks to solve their differences through dialogue and diplomatic means, to abide by the purposes and principles of the Charters of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and to follow international regulations and practices, according to the joint statement.

Both Saudi Arabia and Iran extended their appreciation and thanks to Iraq and Oman for hosting multiple rounds of dialogue between 2021 and 2022, and to Chinese leaders and the Chinese government for hosting, supporting and contributing to the success of the talks, the statement said.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months, and agreed to hold talks between foreign ministers to arrange for the exchange of ambassadors and explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations, it said.

While congratulating the two sides on taking a historical step forward, Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said China supports the two sides in making firm strides as agreed in the deal to work for the common bright future with patience and wisdom.

"As a reliable friend of the two countries, China will continue to play a constructive role," said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

He said the improvement of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran has opened a path leading to regional peace and stability in the Middle East, and has set an example of settling divergences and differences among countries via dialogue and consultation.

Al-Aiban and Shamkhani expressed their willingness to continue constructive dialogues, fully implement their consensus, and enhance good neighborliness to jointly safeguard regional security.

Wang Yi (C), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, attends a closing meeting of the talks between the Saudi delegation led by Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban (L), Saudi Arabia's Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers and National Security Advisor, and Iranian delegation led by Admiral Ali Shamkhani (R), Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. Wang Yi presided over the closing meeting here on Friday. (Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang)

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11)  The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday assured Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. that he will be provided with security once he returns home from a personal trip to the United States.

"We want to assure the families and the loved ones of Congressman Teves that the PNP and other government forces are more than willing to provide security to him at hindi niya na po kailangan mag-request [and he doesn't need to make a request]," PNP spokesperson PCol. Jean Fajardo told reporters.

One of the suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo has tagged Teves as the alleged mastermind. Their families are political rivals in the province.

Fajardo said authorities do not have information yet as to when Teves will return to the country, but they have been coordinating with the people close to the lawmaker.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez said Teves' travel clearance already expired on March 10. He advised the Negros Oriental representative to return home as soon as possible.

Degamo was killed in a brazen attack on his compound on March 4. Eight others died while several others were wounded.

It's possible that three to four people conspired in the assassination, according to state prosecutors.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/swift--severe-costs-us-lawmakers-push-sanctions-mechanism-to-deter-china-from-russia-support-1108287776.html

'Swift & Severe' Costs: US Lawmakers Push Sanctions Mechanism to 'Deter' China From Russia Support

'Swift & Severe' Costs: US Lawmakers Push Sanctions Mechanism to 'Deter' China From Russia Support

US lawmakers have proposed legislation to create a sanctions mechanism to "deter" China from supporting Russia.

2023-03-11T10:49+0000

2023-03-11T10:49+0000

2023-03-11T10:49+0000

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adam schiff

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ukraine crisis

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US President Joe Biden could be granted explicit authority to impose sanctions "against persons from the PRC" (People's Republic of China) if legislation reintroduced by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., were to enter force. Democrat Adam Schiff, a member of the US House of Representatives, was joined by a number of colleagues in proposing a bill to the US Congress providing for the establishment of a mechanism for imposing sanctions against Chinese citizens or organizations allegedly offering military support for Russia amid its ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.The Deter PRC Support to the Russian War Effort Act would "impose serious costs on those who assist Russia in Ukraine... as China takes escalatory steps to back Kremlin forces," the bill stated Adam Schiff deplored the fact that China, in defiance of pressure from Washington, has refused to condemn Russia's actions and fall in line with 141 UN Member States who voted for the UN General Assembly resolution on February 23 calling on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.The proposal put forward by Schiff mentioned China's military drills with Russia in May of 2022, shortly after Russia launched its operation in Ukraine, and alleged there was "evidence" of the PRC "sending more raw materials and equipment, including those that could be used for offensive purposes... to Russia in recent months." Those supporting the legislation argued that it was critical for Joe Biden's administration to be provided with tools to "deter aggression and limit any available avenues that will help Russia advance its war efforts."It follows from the text of the bill that if the document enters into force, the head of state will be able to target a person from China with sanctions measures, among other things, if the individual has knowingly exported, transferred, or otherwise provided Russia with financial, material or technological support that contributes to the ability of the Russian government to successfully conduct military operations in Ukraine.Among the possible reasons for imposing sanctions against persons from the PRC, the American side specifies assistance to Russia in the acquisition of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, the acquisition of ballistic or cruise missile capabilities, advanced conventional weapons, defense services or defense information, and more.The proposed sanctions include the blocking of property, a ban on the entry of individuals and the cancellation of existing visas, a ban on property transactions, a ban on obtaining loans from US and international financial institutions, etc.The term "person from the PRC" refers to any citizen of China, and any organization established under the jurisdiction of that country. The term could also ostensibly imply the government of China, the country's Communist Party, as well as state-owned companies, the bill states.The proposed resolution comes as officials in Washington have been accusing Beijing of considering the possibility of supplying Russia with military assistance. The US has also repeatedly warned China against helping Russia in evading sanctions, and threatened, among other things, with the loss of foreign investment.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused China in late February of considering providing lethal support to Russia." He said that if his allegation turned out to be true, it would have serious consequences in our relationship with China. Earlier, the head of the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Michael McCall, said that, "We have intelligence reports that they are considering sending hundreds of drones to Russia."China has pushed back against the claims, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry saying that its the American government that has been pumping weapons into the conflict zone.It is the US, not China, that has been consistently pouring weapons into the battlefield, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated, adding that Washington was not qualified to issue ultimatums to Beijing.Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang also confronted the accusations coming from the US.Qin Gang continued, saying that, "conflict, sanctions and pressure will not solve the problem. Addressing Chinas relationship with Russia, he underscored it was not targeted at any third party.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230226/west-forced-countries-to-support-unga-resolution-against-russia---mission-to-un-1107809680.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230309/us-intel-chiefs-designate-china--its-goal-of-seeking-global-influence-as-unparalleled-priority-1108209725.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230221/us-not-china-pouring-weapons-into-ukraine-says-chinese-foreign-ministry-1107645334.html

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us president joe biden, explicit authority, to impose sanctions, against persons from the prc, people's republic of china, legislation reintroduced by rep. adam schiff, d-calif., mechanism for imposing sanctions, against chinese citizens or organizations, allegedly offering military support for russia, ongoing special military operation in ukraine
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/uae-foreign-minister-calls-restoration-of-iran-saudi-relations-important-for-middle-east-1108293591.html

UAE Foreign Minister Calls Restoration of Iran-Saudi Relations Important for Middle East

UAE Foreign Minister Calls Restoration of Iran-Saudi Relations Important for Middle East

The restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran is an important step toward stability and prosperity in the Middle Eastern region

2023-03-11T13:27+0000

2023-03-11T13:27+0000

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world

saudi arabia

iran

uae

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"The restoration of relations between fraternal Saudi Arabia and Iran is an important step towards stability and prosperity in the region," the UAE foreign minister said on Twitter. On Friday, Iran and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement mediated by China to resume relations, as well as open embassies and representative offices within two months. The joint statement was signed after days of talks between the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and his Saudi counterpart in Beijing. The foreign ministers of the two countries intend to meet to discuss the agreement's implementation. Diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh were severed in 2016 after an attack on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran by protesters against the kingdom's execution of prominent Shiite theologian Nimr al-Nimr, but in recent months both sides have expressed their desire to resolve existing differences. In an interview with The Atlantic, released in September, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that his country's relations with Iran should be built as with a neighbor.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/ukrainian-opposition-leader-satanic-zelensky-regime-wont-be-able-to-destroy-orthodox-faith-1108293305.html

Ukrainian Opposition Leader: Zelensky Regime Won't Be Able to Destroy Orthodox Faith

Ukrainian Opposition Leader: Zelensky Regime Won't Be Able to Destroy Orthodox Faith

Below is the complete translation of an appeal by Viktor Medvedchuk, former Ukrainian opposition leader, in response to President Zelenskys ultimatum to the administrators of the Kiev-Perchersk Lavra, Ukraines most significant Orthodox monastery, demanding that the shrines monks vacate the monasterys grounds before the end of the month.

2023-03-11T14:27+0000

2023-03-11T14:27+0000

2023-03-11T14:33+0000

viktor medvedchuk

ukraine

orthodox church

ukrainian orthodox church (uoc)

monastery

kiev

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On March 10, the leadership of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine received an ultimatum, being informed that the National Preserve is breaking its lease agreement for the Lower Lavra of the Holy Assumption Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and requiring monks to vacate the territory before March 29, 2023.We remember from history that even during the Nazi occupation, the parishes of the canonical Orthodox Church were not closed by the Nazis. But today, their ideological heirs are taking away from the people of Ukraine that which gives them their spiritual core, strengthens them in trying times, consoles them in their grief and unites them in the joy of Easter.The Ukrainian people had their rights and freedoms taken from them, with deceitful, thieving and criminal authorities placed above all laws, with the people given over into the hands of demented Nazi bandits, spawning informers and extremists. Today, a Ukrainian not only has no right to have an opinion that differs from that of the authorities, but is obliged to support this government at any opportunity, since even silence is considered a crime.The Ukrainian people have been robbed of peace and prosperity, since the Zelensky government does not want to admit its mistakes and its lies to voters. They preferred to lead their people to the slaughter, receiving unlimited finances and NATO weaponry. The current government does not hide that it is going to fight a long and bloody conflict. It is not interested in the lives of ordinary Ukrainians.Today, the people are being robbed of the last thing theyve got  their faith. Orthodoxy is the basis of the culture and spiritual life of the Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has called the people to peace, unity and conscientiousness. But peaceful, God-fearing and conscientious people have been declared enemies by the Zelensky government.Ukrainians are being robbed of their souls, their language, their hearts, their minds and their conscience. The Ukrainian state has turned into a man-made Frankenstein, a monster that hates everything living and natural, that wants to destroy peace in the world. But the authorities in Kiev will not succeed in turning Ukraine into a corpse, a dangerous zombie. Ukrainians are a living, spiritual, righteous people.Ukrainians arent zombies. There is Another Ukraine  the genuine, true, Slavic, Orthodox one, which will not allow Satanism and lawlessness to be imposed upon it. And today the traitors of the Ukrainian people, Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian faith hear our voice, and understand that their sinister, black core is becoming more and more obvious each day. Everyone will receive their just deserts. The attempt to destroy the true Orthodox faith only strengthens the people. The Orthodox faith, like the people, cannot be destroyed!By Viktor Medvedchuk, former Ukrainian opposition leader.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/kiev-pechersk-lavra-preserve-orders-monks-of-ukrainian-orthodox-church-to-leave-territory-1108291507.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230310/moscow-us-can-no-longer-turn-a-blind-eye-to-kievs-persecution-against-ukrainian-orthodox-church-1108271813.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/us-comedian-accuses-america-of-hypocrisy-calls-it-worlds-biggest-terror-organization--1108283277.html

US Comedian Accuses America of Hypocrisy, Calls it 'Worlds Biggest Terror Organization'

US Comedian Accuses America of Hypocrisy, Calls it 'Worlds Biggest Terror Organization'

US Comedian has accused America of hypocrisy, calling it the "worlds biggest terror organization".

2023-03-11T06:26+0000

2023-03-11T06:26+0000

2023-03-11T07:12+0000

americas

us

syria

ukraine

ukraine crisis

jimmy dore

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American stand-up comedian Jimmy Dore has accused the US of hypocrisy and slammed it as "the worlds biggest terror organization".The political commentator and podcaster went on Twitter to denounce the American establishment for "screaming" about Russia and its special military operation in Ukraine, while blatantly overlooking the fact that the United States "illegally invaded Syria & is CURRENTLY occupying 1/3 of [the] country". Dore then pointed out that it is the "part with the Oil" that the US continues to occupy.Dore attached to his Twitter post a screenshot showing how the House voted against a measure to withdraw US forces from Syria. The resolution directing President Joe Biden to remove US military forces from Syria within 180 days, introduced by Rep Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., was voted down 321-103 on 9 March.The war in Syria has been carrying on since 2011, and has involved various armed insurgent groups - including terrorist organizations - fighting the Syrian Army in an attempt to topple the government of President Bashar Assad. The United States backs Kurdish armed groups in Syria despite continued protests from Damascus. At present, the US military wields control over parts of the provinces of Al-Hasakah, Raqqa, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor, where the largest Syrian oil and gas fields are located, operating about a dozen military bases without the permission of the internationally recognized Damascus government. The Syrian government has denounced the illegal presence of the US military on its soil and described the continuing plundering of its resources as state piracy.Earlier, Dore joined a chorus of voices condemning the funneling of military aid to the Kiev regime. The United States must stop sending weapons to Ukraine, disband NATO, and join China and Russia in creating a multi-polar world, were some of the demands at the Rage Against the War Machine rally. The event on 19 February was attended by former State Department speakers, politicians, journalists, and activists. Former Senators Ron Paul (R-TX) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and former Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) all headlined the event."Billions of taxpayers' dollars are being torched at the altar of US hegemony, the military-industrial complex, and a corrupt Congress."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230220/protesters-descend-on-washington-demand-natos-dissolution-peace-negotiations-with-russia-1107600002.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230311/us-lawmaker-washington-wants-russia-to-lose-in-ukraine-but-not-too-badly-1108280691.html

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us comedian, jimmy dore, accused america of hypocrisy, worlds biggest terror organization, scream about russia, ukraine, us refused to withdraw its forces from syria, illegally invaded syria, is occupying 1/3 of country, house voted against measure, to withdraw us forces from syria.
Truro Raceway recently welcomed new general manager Steve Fitzsimmons, who is introducing a new concept to Atlantic Canadian harness racing: a slots race for two-year-old Maritime-sired pacers.

Inspired by the Mohawk Million and regional racing fans on social media, the inaugural Diamond Classic is slated for Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023 at the Bible Hill, N.S. track.

When you think of high-quality goods, you think of diamonds. We are bringing together some of the finest two-year-olds in the Maritimes, so we wanted a name with that level of excellence, said Fitzsimmons.

There are two divisions, each for a guaranteed $50,000 purse, with eight slots available for colts/geldings and eight for fillies.

If we get a corporate sponsor, we will add that money to the purses as well, he said.

All finishers will receive a portion of the purse. Conditions are subject to change/adjustment.

Individual slots priced at $6,000 are available until April 14, 2023. Payments can be made via Standardbred Canada Stakes Online, or sent by registered mail (retain receipt) to Truro Raceway, 73 Ryland Avenue, PO Box 25025, Truro, NS B2N 7B8. All slots payments are payable to Standardbred Canada.

Unlike regular stakes, the Diamond Classics format allows slot owners to declare the horse they wish to enter just before the draw, notifying the track by 10 a.m. (Atlantic) on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023.

Its up to those eight individuals who they would like to enter, or whether they would like to sell their slot to the owners of one of the top colts or fillies in the Maritimes, said the Truro Raceway GM. Theres certainly some intrigue as to what people might do. Im kind of suspecting one of the breeding farms might jump in and buy one of the slots, maybe making a deal for their best progeny to guarantee a spot to showcase their stud.

The Diamond Classic brings an innovative approach to renewing a regional tradition.

We wanted to do something that supports the breeding industry in the Maritimes, said Fitzsimmons. Were happy to play a role in maybe bolstering the value of Maritime-sired horses. If this becomes a long-term event, Im happy that we will contribute in that way.

(Truro Raceway)
He received his medical degree at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria and his MPH and Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University, according to the release.

Obasanjo completed an internship at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and a residency in Preventive Medicine at Hopkins. He has worked with the Bill Gates Foundations AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, as a consultant to African governments, as a medical officer with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a U.S. Army Reserve Medical Officer and as Health Director in a 12 county Public Health District in Georgia. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the American College of Preventive Medicine. He is also Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners and is a Certified Physician Executive.
Students and community members got a first-hand look at one of the most cutting edge pieces of medical technology used by surgeons at Regional West Medical Center this week.

The hospital showed off its da Vinci robotic surgery system at a series of events throughout the week. First, hospital staff and community members got a chance to see the equipment at Regional Wests Education Center on Monday. Experts from Regional West, such as Dr. Karissa Johnson, were on-hand to answer questions and explain the benefits of the system, along with a representative from Intuitive Surgical, the company behind the technology.

Robotic surgery is a very useful tool for us as surgeons, Johnson said. It allows us better visualization and better manipulation to do minimally invasive surgeries, meaning smaller incisions, on our patients. A lot of them go home the same day, whereas before theyd be overnight at least one night if not more after surgery.

Johnson explained additional advantages offered by the da Vinci system, including its ability to prolong the careers of surgeons who experience negative effects on their own bodies over decades of practice.

Ive seen doctors that have had to stop working because of carpal tunnel and having more back pain. They have to slow down as they get older, she said. But this does allow for better ergonomics. I can sit there comfortably for hours sometimes without getting fatigued, which allows us to perform more surgeries as well.

Tuesday and Wednesday saw the da Vinci machine and a corresponding training simulator moved to Scottsbluff High School, where students from Scottsbluff and Gering got an opportunity to try their hand at operating the system through a variety of virtual exercises.

Theres a lot of excitement, Gering High School robotics instructor Aaron Pierce said. The simulator shows their score at the end, so theres been a bit of a competition aspect going on. Theres been a lot of smiles and excitement.

Pierce said that several of his robotics students have expressed interest in the medical field, which made their experience with the da Vinci system particularly inspiring.

Its good for me as well to see this side of things and think about how I can incorporate this side of things into class. Even if its just exposing them to the idea and trying to spark more interest for their future careers, he said.

Scottsbluff Public Schools Superintendent Andrew Dick said he was excited by the partnerships that led to the da Vinci system demonstration at Scottsbluff High School, saying such an opportunity doesnt come around every day.

This is one of those rare and really remarkable opportunities for students to see first-hand something that you just cant replicate in a classroom, he said. They can see the way that technology has reshaped medicine and surgery, and, hopefully, it sparks an interest in some of our students to pursue this career path and the many opportunities that come with it.

Numerous student groups were invited to experience the da Vinci system, which Dick said was an attempt to demonstrate just how many different professions intersect in the health care industry.

Were really exposing a wide number of students to potential post-secondary career opportunities, he said. Were talking about potential opportunities in mechanical engineering in addition to health care. Theres also a marketing, business and sales side to health care as well.

Regional West obtained its first da Vinci system in 2020. Since then, more than 1,300 robotic surgeries have been performed using the machine at the hospital. This weeks demonstration events coincided with Regional Wests acquisition of a second da Vinci system, which the hospital said will greatly increase the availability of robotic surgery and contribute to a higher level of care for the community.

I do think that having two robots is going to allow for more flexibility in scheduling for patients, Johnson said. I think that having the second robot will allow us to do more robotic cases ... and, hopefully, it will help us recruit some other surgeons to the area.

The da Vinci system has wide reaching applications, being used in bariatric, colorectal, gallbladder, gynecologic, hernia, kidney and prostate surgeries. Regional West currently has seven surgeons on staff that are trained in the systems use, including Dr. Bradley Hertzler, who said he was enthusiastic to share the experience hes accumulated through hundreds of operations utilizing the da Vinci system with the students.

For me, its very fulfilling, he said. Its amazing to see them hesitant to get on the system, but then they do and they realize how easy it was and that they could do that. Maybe it opens a door for them to think that they can be something that they never thought they could be before.

Hee and his colleagues at Regional West were proud to share their insight with the community in order to demonstrate how they are able to use cutting edge technology to provide a high level of care for their own friends and family here in the Panhandle.

My biggest passion is taking care of patients, Hertzler said. This really is the forefront of technology, and the fact that our hospital has not just one, but now two da Vinci robots really highlights that we can do the highest level of surgical care without patients having to go far away. That brings me a lot of pride, because I take care of my own neighbors. For them to know that we can offer the best that medicine has to offer right down the street is great.
Authorities are searching for a man who robbed a Statesville bank Friday morning.

The Statesville Police Department, in a news release, said the suspect indicated he had a gun and demanded money.

The robbery occurred around 9:30 a.m. at the Bank of America, 1616 E. Broad St.

A man came into the bank and indicated he had a gun. After leaving the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, he fled the area and was believed to be driving a 2010 to 2018 blue Toyota Prius.

The suspect is described as a white man, about 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a medium build. He was believed to be in his 40s and was wearing a blue surgical mask, eyeglasses, a tan or grey polo shirt with a collar and a black undershirt. He was wearing dark-colored pants.

Investigators were able to view the banks surveillance footage and obtain photos of the suspect and vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police department at 704-878-3515.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11)  The team sent to recover the bodies of six passengers has arrived at the Cessna plane crash site in Isabela, authorities said Saturday.

READ: No survivors from Cessna crash in Isabela

The retrieval team arrived at the crash site today around 8 a.m. The rain and the slippery slopes slowed them, the Isabela Public Information Office (PIO) said.

The Cessna was found Thursday morning (March 9) at Barangay Ditarum in Divilacan town, over a month after it was first reported missing on Jan. 24. There were no survivors.

The aircraft was found on a slope with dense forest cover, according to the Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

Weather conditions have also been tough on retrievers, it added.

The remains of the pilot and the five passengers will be respectfully placed in large plastic bags and then into the cadaver bags. The bodies will be carried down the mountain and to Divilacan proper as soon as possible, the PIO added.
Amid all of her excitement over the opportunity to travel abroad, there was one nagging question that kept popping up in the mind of Randi Epstein: how exactly do I pack for a trip that lasts two years?

But even with that burning question, nothing could be done to quell her excitement. After all, Epstein is one of the first volunteers to get a chance to travel oversees for service as the Peace Corps begins to restart its outreach programs following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its super exciting, Epstein said. I think, as a volunteer, that its awesome to see the world opening up again and I know all of the volunteers are excited to be out on the ground helping the world again.

On March 14, Epstein, a resident of Troutman, will board a flight for the southeastern African nation of Zambia for a 27-month stint in the country with a position in the environmental sector within the community that she is assigned.

A recent graduate of American University with a degree in international studies with a focus in environmental stability and global health, Epstein has been working toward this opportunity since she was in high school as a participant in the Adventures Cross Country summer programs.

She was on a small island in Fiji when she first met a member of the Peace Corps.

That was my lightbulb moment, Epstein said. I realized that I could do this kind of thing  traveling the world, learning new cultures and helping people  for work.

When she returned home, she began looking for colleges that offered Peace Corps prep programs and found American. During her time in high school and college, Epstein traveled to more than 20 different countries.

I have always loved traveling and its something my parents encouraged from an early age, Epstein said. But I also love doing these kind of service projects as a part of my travels because Im not just going as a tourist, Im actually able to interact with and experience everyday life in these places.

Even with as much as I am able to bring my own knowledge with me on these trips to help people, I am able to learn from them tenfold.

Upon her arrival in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, Epstein and the rest of the volunteers on the trip will spend roughly three months in her cohort completing further training and preparations before moving out to their assigned community for their two years of service.

Once at the community, Epstein will be working with the local population on promoting a healthy environment by teaching them about aspects of soil management and reforestation to help them build a more sustainable lifestyle. Some of those goals also include diversifying crop production and bringing more women into the agricultural workforce.

The first year is all about community assessment, she said. I want to be able to teach them the things that will be most helpful to addressing the specific needs of their community.

She also looks forward to be able to fully integrate into the community, including the thing she sees as her biggest challenge: learning the language.

I love the opportunity to learn a new language and culture, Epstein said. The most amazing part of these experiences is the exchange of knowledge.

For more information about the Peace Corps, or to find a local recruiting event, visit www.peacecorps.gov.
WOODLAND  Career and technical education students finished work and put up a new student store at Yale Elementary School in Woodland.

Woodland High School students constructed a shop to fulfill a request from the nearby elementary school, a district news release says. They also built a shed to be sold in an auction as part of an effort to fundraise for the Woodland High School SkillsUSA club, which works to help students practice welding, plumbing, electrical wiring and woodworking.

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Career and technical skills have been emphasized by many Cowlitz County schools and the larger Educational Service District. Kalama School District got $330,000 in state grants to add more vocational classes, and the educational district started offering internships for students in local industries.

Bills currently moving through the Washington state Legislature are aimed at making Running Start and apprenticeships easier to access. Students attending high schools in Cowlitz County sometimes opt into Running Start, where they can finish their high school education while also earning college credits.

Woodland Assistant Superintendent Asha Riley said in the news release the trade industry wants more skilled employees.

Many professionals in trade careers such as automotive repair, welding, plumbing, electricians, and many more are retiring with few new entrants in the fields, she said. The country needs younger people to start in these fields which offer lucrative lifelong careers.

The program is funded through an expiring educational programs and operations levy, which will be on the Cowlitz and Clark counties voter ballots during the April 25 special election. Approval of the levy fell short in February, and the Woodland School District is planning to put the measure up again this spring.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez will be in Longview and Woodland Monday for two events to meet with the public.

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A town hall is being held at 6:30 p.m. at the Roxy Theater on Commerce Avenue. Gluesenkamp Perezs office said she will talk about her recent work in Washington, D.C., answer questions from the audience, and connect with residents seeking help from a federal agency.

Gluesenkamp Perez will attend an invite-only meet and greet organized by the Woodland Chamber of Commerce at 1:30 p.m.

The Democrat is two months into her first term representing Washingtons Third Congressional District.
The Interstate Bridge Replacement program will study the possibility of building a new drawbridge over the Columbia River, program officials said Friday.

The movable span option, which came at the request of the Coast Guard and the federal government, will be explored in addition to the programs original plan of a fixed-span bridge with 116 feet of vertical clearance.

The program will study both a lift span like the current Interstate 5 Bridge and a bascule bridge like the Burnside Bridge in Portland.

Program Administrator Greg Johnson said he believes a fixed-span bridge will ultimately end up spanning the Columbia. He said a moveable span bridge would likely cost $500 million more than a fixed-span bridge and noted that the Columbia River Crossing project received a record of decision from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transportation Agency for a fixed-span bridge with the lower river clearance.

I would be totally shocked if we cant get to a fixed-span, Johnson said.

Johnson said that a movable span bridge is being examined as a design option for the final bridge as opposed to an alternative. Other design options include the possibility of adding a second auxiliary lane or whether northbound and southbound traffic lanes should be stacked like Portlands Fremont Bridge, or arranged side-by-side like the current I-5 Bridge.

Although the Coast Guard permitting process has changed, Johnson said, nothing has changed from a river user perspective. The users who need more than 116 feet today are the same who agreed to 116 feet of vertical clearance after reaching an $86.4 million mitigation agreement during the Columbia River Crossing process.

In the Coast Guards preliminary determination last June, the agency pointed to the trend of vessels requiring more than 160 feet of vertical clearance coming to the Portland/Vancouver area, pointing to two examples of such ships docking in Portland and said that the trend is likely to continue east of the I-5 Bridge.

The Coast Guard cited the MV Navios Unite, a container ship that transited to Portland in March 2022 with a vertical clearance of approximately 166 feet and the Caribbean Princess cruise ship that arrived in the spring of 2022 with a vertical clearance of about 183 feet.

Johnson said both vessels were bound for locations downstream from the Interstate 5 Bridge.

While it may be true that the river navigation and business usage along the river in the larger metro area has changed, the navigation needs under the Interstate Bridge have not, according to our analysis, Johnson said. The vessels referred to in the Coast Guards (preliminary determination) did not travel under the Interstate bridge.

Johnson does not believe the study of a moveable span bridge will impact the programs schedule of receiving a record of decision before the end of 2024. A separate team of WSP and Parametrix engineers will examine a movable span bridge.

(A moveable span bridge) has been looked at before, Johnson said. Were going to leverage that work and put the latest thinking toward technology on a moveable span and configuration of a moveable span to know the impacts of it.
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: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Google's launch of Bard, it's search-integrated, AI-powered chatbot, went wrong when the bot's first advertisement accidentally showed it was unable to find and present accurate information to users.

Research by professors at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management explains why it may be harder for the creator of the world's largest search engine to write off the situation as a temporary issue.

Although it isn't uncommon for software vendors to release incomplete products and subsequently fix bugs and provide additional features, the research shows this may not be the best strategy for AI.

As seen through a one-day $100 billion decrease in market value for Alphabet, Google's parent company, a botched demo can cause significant damage. Findings in an article accepted by the journal ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction indicates that errors that occur early in users' interactions with an algorithm can have a lasting negative impact on trust and reliance.

Antino Kim and Jingjing Zhang, associate professors of operations and decision technologies at Kelley, are co-authors of the paper, "When Algorithms Err: Differential Impact of Early vs. Late Errors on Users' Reliance on Algorithms," with Mochen Yang, assistant professor of information and decision sciences at Carlson. Zhang also is co-director of the Institute for Business Analytics at Kelley. Yang taught at Kelley in 2018-19.

Known as "algorithm aversion," users tend to avoid using algorithms, particularly after encountering an error. The researchers found that giving users more control over AI results can alleviate some of the negative impacts of early errors.

Kim, Yang and Zhang examined the situation through the lens of their research and present their analysis below:

"Not long ago, search engines simply fetched existing content from the internet based on the keywords users provided. Then, in late 2022, ChatGPT, a conversational AI developed by OpenAI, took the internet by storm. Within just a couple of months, Microsoft announced its multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI and integrated ChatGPT capabilities into Bing.

"Understandably, Google, the defending champion of search engines, was feeling the pressure, and it was quick to react. On Feb. 6, Google ran an advertisement showcasing its own conversational AI service, Bard. Unfortunately, in its first demo, Bard produced a factual error, and the market was not forgiving of Bard's bad first impression. This error led to a $100 billion decrease in market value for Alphabet, Google's parent company.

"In the aftermath, Google employees criticized the CEO for the 'rushed, botched' announcement of Bard, and Google is now asking staff to help fix the AI's 'bad responses' manually.

"Predictive algorithms and generative AIbroadly referred to as "algorithms" in this articleoperate using probabilistic processes instead of deterministic ones, meaning that even the best algorithms can sometimes make mistakes.

"However, users may not tolerate such mistakes, and the term 'algorithm aversion' refers to users' tendency to avoid using algorithms, particularly after encountering an error.

"Not all errors have the same effect on users and, in Google's case, the market. Our research suggests that errors occurring early on in users' interactions with an algorithm, before they have had a chance to build trust through successful interactions, have a long-lasting negative impact on users' trust and reliance.

"Essentially, early errors can create a bad first impression that persists for a long time. In fact, during our experiment, where participants repeatedly interacted with an algorithm, their trust levels following an early error never fully recovered to the level of no error.

"The situation was different, however, for errors that occurred after participants had already had enough successful interactions with the algorithm and built trust. In such cases, participants were more forgiving when algorithms made a mistake, treating it as a one-time fluke. As a result, the level of trust and reliance did not suffer significantly.

"To be fair to Google, it is not uncommon for traditional software vendors to release incomplete products and subsequently fix bugs and provide additional features. However, for AI, this may not be a wise strategy, as the damage from a botched demo can be significant. Our research suggests that Google's road to recovery from the negative impact of the error may be long.

"So, what steps can AI systems take to mitigate the effects of errors like the one made by Google's Bard? Our findings suggest that giving users control over how to use the algorithm's results can alleviate some of the negative impacts of early errors.

"It is possible that Bard's error had such a significant adverse effect because of the confidence with which the incorrect result was presented. When asked, 'What new discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope can I tell my 9-year-old about?,' the chatbot responded with bullet points that the telescope took the very first pictures of exoplanetsa factually incorrect claim that Google could have verified by Googling it.

"For algorithms that involve probabilistic processes, there is typically a score marking the confidence level for the result. When the score is below a certain threshold, it may be wise to give users more control. One example could be reverting to the search engine mode, where several credible and relevant sources are presented for users to navigate.

"After all, that is what Google does best, and it may be a better approach than hastily releasing another AI that may confidently return an incorrect answer."

More information: Antino Kim et al, When Algorithms Err : Differential Impact of Early vs. Late Errors on Users' Reliance on Algorithms, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (2022). DOI: 10.1145/3557889
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 11)  Local authorities have arrested two more suspects in the so-called Luffy robbery case in Japan.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Japanese nationals Fujita Kari, 24, and Kumai Hitomi, 25, were arrested in BF Homes in Paranaque City on Friday.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the two have standing warrants of arrest issued by the Tokyo Summary Court in September last year for theft in violation of the Japanese Penal Code.

"This is a major breakthrough in the case, as we have finally arrested more suspects involved in this major case in Japan," Tansingco said. "They will finally be facing their crimes in their homeland."

The BI has tagged Fujita and Kumai as undesirable aliens. They have been moved to the agency's facility in Taguig City pending their deportation.

Alleged robbery ringleader Yuki Watanabe - who Japanese authorities believe to be "Luffy" - was deported last month, along with three other Japanese fugitives involved in the case.




According to Brazos County Veterans Service Officer Pat Patterson the event is open to the public and all are welcome.

This is an in-person event conducted exclusively by the Veterans Health Administration that was done every year prior to the pandemic; this is the first since then, he said. The townhall has two main objectives. First is the Central Texas VA Health Care System will explain the newly implemented Veterans Community Care program; and the second part will include questions and answers from the veterans or their family members.
The College Station Fire Department and city staff are going to give it one more shot with the city of Bryans Fire Department in order to come to a mutual aid agreement on how to resourcefully deliver fire and EMS services between the sister cities.

Give it one more shot [in] recognizing that the outcome  if they cant reach an agreement  will be quickly known and we will hear back in hopefully two to four weeks, College Station Mayor John Nichols directed staff at Thursday nights council meeting. Meanwhile, you are still on auto-aid for the system that you have at the moment, and you will work toward planning how you are going to separate that to mutual aid; but not implement that at this point until you get further dialogue with our friends in Bryan.

During the meeting that lasted until midnight, the council voted 6-1  with Councilman William Wright against  to authorize staff to continue working with the city of Bryan toward a new interlocal agreement for fire and emergency medical services. City staff recommended automatic aid for high-acuity fire and EMS calls, mutual aid for low-acuity calls based on resource availability, and a reasonable annual financial adjustment for any imbalance in EMS service delivery.

Each College Station councilor expressed their reasoning to want to continue working out this disagreement with the BFD, so they can come to an agreement and move on. Wright explained why he believed continuing negotiations with the city of Bryan were a lost cause.

It is very clear they do not have the coverage they need right now. I think based off of watching their [March 3 council] meeting and their quasi obsession with where we put Fire Station No. 6, I think that they bank on it, Wright said during the meeting. I think that is part of their overall EMS plan is that they are going to rely on auto-aid. I think it is like if [Councilman] Mark [Smith] is my neighbor, and I forget to put my trash can up after pickup and he always does it, then I am just going to stop doing it and let him do it; and that is how I feel it has become.  I feel they have made that very clear they arent going to reimburse it.  They have [also] made it very clear they are ready to take care of their city, and I think we should let them.

City staff stated that discussions with the Bryan Fire Department have been ongoing since June 2021 in the need to revise the interlocal agreement thats been in place since 1997. In November, the College Station council unanimously voted to terminate the existing agreement  which expired Friday  because they found that the cities were not equally operating available resources for EMS calls.

Under that newly expired agreement, automatic aid was utilized for all fire and EMS calls, which meant an ambulance or truck would be sent to the call location based on the closest fire station, regardless of city boundaries.

During a March 3 Bryan City Council meeting, Bryan Fire Department leaders proposed a revised mutual aid agreement to its council. DJ Capener, assistant chief of EMS for the BFD, presented the proposal to the council and went over the reasoning for a new agreement. During a Feb. 9 College Station council meeting, College Station Fire Chief Richard Mann further explained the need for a new agreement because of a 4-to-1 discrepancy in dispatched EMS calls into Bryan.

Capener said previously he believes the reasoning for the discrepancy is due to the location of College Station Fire Station No. 6, which is close to the cities border. However, after viewing Bryans council meeting, Mann said that Station No. 6 was not ill conceived as suggested by the city of Bryan, but needed for the growing area of the Northgate district on University Drive and that they were not only responding at the border but deeper into Bryan city limits.

It was a necessary addition to the resources and it was based on solid data analytics, he said. And it was placed there for our department to be able to manage the service needs of our community.

Some of the significant changes impacting automatic aid included the opening of Fire Station No. 6 in 2012, where at that time the boundary response was managed by dispatch according to the response district, Mann said; the relocation of BFD Station No. 2 in 2018 which moved further away from the southern border of Bryan city limits; and in 2016, CSFD upgraded its dispatch system which selected the closest unit, Mann said.

Through working with Bryan Fire Chief Rich Giusti, Mann said they started to take steps to reduce the number of times College Station ambulances went into Bryan. Despite efforts from Bryan to decrease those numbers, BFDs high call volume was still shorting the number of available ambulances for College Station residents.

They are very busy; there is no doubt their community uses their services. [BFD] has 173 calls per 1,000 population and we were at 91 [calls per 1,000 population] for 2021, Mann told the council. When that happens and they are out of resources, it pulls our resources and leaves less availability for the citizens of College Station.

Jeff Kersten, College Stations chief financial officer, explained to the council a breakdown of costs which showed how much College Station taxpayers are having to make up for the differences in unpaid EMS services by Bryan patients due to College Station ambulances being sent to Bryan.

We are receiving money through ambulance revenues that we get as patients receive service and are billed. We receive about $2.7 million. Keep in mind though that we bill probably close to $9 million or so on an annual basis. So we are receiving about a third or so of that in revenues that we look at in our budget, Kersten said. If we allocate a portion of that cost for the city responses that are going into Bryan, it is a little under $500,000 is where we estimate that particular number is. In terms of the EMS service that we receive, in [FY]22 we received about $178,000. Keep in mind we billed about $517,000, but we received that lower amount of $178,000 and so the balance of that  at about $309,000 or about 63% of that total cost  was paid for by College Station taxpayers.

In response to the discrepancy, CSFD proposed to BFD a financial reimbursement of 100% to make up the difference through a true-up agreement. During the March 3 Bryan City Council meeting, the BFD instead proposed it pay CSFD $240 per transport of College Station EMS services into Bryan.

What they are really proposing here would be a threshold amount to be met, Kersten said. In other words, if we collected from the [Bryan] patient at least $240, they would owe us nothing for that. What they are saying is if [College Station] didnt collect anything on a particular transport, [Bryan] would provide $240 to [College Station]. At the end of the day, when you look at what that threshold is, it is revenue neutral to the city of College Station; it doesnt provide any more revenue than what we are already receiving.

Capener previously told The Eagle that the $240 breakdown equates to $50 for each of the two paramedics, $100 for supplies and $40 an hour for the ambulance itself.

The cost per EMS call provided by CSFD averages about $1,400 to $1,650 depending on the level of service and the type of care that was received, Kersten said. On average, College Station receives about $569 per call from a patient with insurance, and College Station taxpayers make up the remaining difference of $987 with no reimbursement from the city of Bryan, he said; that $987 would shift from College Station to the city of Bryan, if they were to reimburse at 100%.

Jeff Capps, College Stations deputy city manager, said when he looked at BFDs council presentation at their March 3 meeting, they said their department has been preparing for this for the last 18 months, and are ready to independently care for their citizens.

I think it is time to go to a more of a mutual aid agreement [for EMS calls], instead of automatic aid, he said.
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(CNN)  At least two people have died as the result of the ongoing storm inundating California, and nearly 10,000 residents are under evacuation orders, officials said.

Intense flooding has led to evacuation warnings in several coastal counties amid powerful storms delivering heavy rainfall across the central and northern parts of the state and prompting the Weather Prediction Center to issue a Level 4 of 4 warning of excessive rainfall in the area.

Meanwhile, the State of Emergency declaration requested by Gov. Newsom Thursday night has been approved by President Biden, clearing the way for financial help in responding to the storm's onslaught and recovery, said Nancy Ward, Director of the state's Office of Emergency Services.

Some 25 million people are under flood alerts issued by the National Weather Service, and more than 25,000 are without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us.

As residents in many of California's mountain communities remain trapped by snow from back-to-back winter storms, the weather will continue to batter the area over the weekend.

The National Water Center said, "Multiple rounds of rainfall in addition to melting snow will result in the potential for significant rises along streams and rivers, with widespread flooding impacts possible through early next week."

Two fatalities have been confirmed and approximately 9,400 residents are under evacuation orders, Ward said at a Friday news conference.

More than a dozen shelters have been opened in nine counties to house those forced from their homes, Ward added.

Flash flooding is expected to be a particular concern in California's central coast to the Sierra Nevada foothills over the next six to eight hours, David Lawrence from the National Weather Service said.

CalTrans, the state's transportation department, has about 4,000 crew members working 12-hour shifts during this weather event, who are already removing downed trees and clearing drainage culverts to minimize flooding, Deputy Director John McKeever said.

The California National Guard has deployed 36 high water vehicles to respond to rescues as well, added Cal Guard's David Kauffman.

In Fresno County, three elderly women, including a 104-year-old, were rescued after being stranded in a house, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni said. By Friday afternoon, floodwaters in the county had "risen considerably" and an evacuation order was put in place for all residents, according to the sheriff's office.

The worst rainfall and most significant impacts expected to persist through the day Friday. Hourly rainfall rates will steadily increase in intensity across California through Friday morning, potentially reaching 1 inch per hour.

Parts of the Sierra Nevada above 8,000 feet could get hit with 8 feet of snow. Creeks and streams in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains remain the most vulnerable areas for flooding from rain and snowmelt, the Weather Prediction Center said.

A separate system is also delivering snow to a large swath of the central US with winter weather alerts in place Friday from South Dakota to Connecticut. The storm has already tallied widespread snowfall totals between 2 and 5 inches, with an area along the Illinois-Wisconsin border getting between 6 and 8 inches.

In Minneapolis, up to 2 inches of snow could fall on top of the 2.1 inches already on the ground. And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about 4 inches of snow has already fallen with the possibility of another 5 inches coming today.

Heavy snow overnight across Wisconsin knocked out power to nearly 110,000 customers, according to PowerOutage.us, including about 89,000 in Milwaukee County.

California residents trapped, videos show raging floodwaters

As of Friday, 34 of California's 58 counties are under a state of emergency issued by the governor's office due to previous storms and this week's severe weather threat. The state also activated its flood operations center Thursday morning.

A video captured by a Springville resident in Tulare County from his car on Friday showed rushing floodwater below a bridge striking a home.

"Not looking good in Springville," Brian Duke captioned the video he posted on Facebook. "Authorities are evacuating everyone along the river. It's getting worse by the minute."

About 700 residents in Soquel, California, located in Santa Cruz County, are trapped after a pipe failure led to intense flooding and collapse of the one road connecting the community to the rest of the region, Steve Wiesner, Santa Cruz County assistant public works director, told CNN.

Soquel resident Molly Watson shared a photo with CNN showing a large piece of road washed out by floodwaters in the town. Cracked pavement appears to sink into the rushing water as emergency crews stand on once piece of road and residents on the other.

"This is the one road that leads into town," Watson said. "We are now an island."

The residents will remain isolated until a new crossing can be prepared, which could take days, Wiesner said.

One person died and another was injured when a warehouse roof partially collapsed in Oakland Friday morning in what is likely a weather-related incident, a fire official said.

In the community of Felton also in Santa Cruz County, resident Tom Fredericks lamented the fatigue from the unrelenting series of severe storms since the start of the year.

"We've been working every week, every week when we can since then," Fredericks told CNN affiliate KGO. "It's just starting right now to feel like it was before the storms. So this is kind of discouraging to be facing it all over again."

From late December into January, many areas across the state were inundated with torrential rain from atmospheric rivers that lasted for consecutive days. The rainfall caused deadly flooding, mudslides and damaged critical infrastructure that has not been yet repaired in some places, which elevates the potential danger associated with this week's storm.

This week's atmospheric rivers -- which are long, narrow bands of moisture in the atmosphere that carry warm air and water vapor from the tropics -- could possibly be even more threatening due to their warmth, forecasters have said.

Rainfall totals through Sunday morning could range from 1.5 to 3 inches for most urban areas with between 3 and 6 inches in the coast ranges and inland hills. Up to 8 inches over the Santa Cruz Mountains and locally up to 12 inches over favored peaks and higher terrain of the Santa Lucia Mountains.

The looming forecast led some ski resorts to announce closings. Kirkwood Mountain Resort said it would not open Friday, as did the Northstar California Resort and the Heavenly Resort in South Lake Tahoe, on Nevada's border with central California.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "2 dead, nearly 10,000 under evacuation orders as California floods intensify."
Students from area high schools, including Northwest, Grand Island Senior High, Wood River and Central City, paid a visit Friday to the Nebraska Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility in Grand Island.

The young people got to explore the Chinook and Lakota helicopters, and see Guard members demonstrate the use of night vision.

Because the visitors were treated to lunch, the three-hour event was called "Helos and Burritos."

The Grand Island armory is the home of the Nebraska Army National Guards 1-376th Aviation Battalion. It is the Guard's only aviation battalion in the state.

The two primary aircraft at the Grand Island facility are Chinook and Lakota helicopters. The latter is a Eurocopter UH-72.

One of the jobs of the Nebraska Army National Guard is to help Nebraskans in the event of emergencies. The floods of 2019 were one such emergency.

"The aircraft in this flight facility had a critical part in assisting with the disaster response," said Major Patrick Linehan, who is the Guard's flight facility commander in Grand Island.

The Chinook copters based in Grand Island were some of the last Chinooks in Afghanistan, returning in 2019.

Not too long ago, the Lakota helicopters returned "from the Southwest border, in helping with mission sets that we had down there," Linehan said.

"We have both a federal mission and a state mission that we are always prepared for," Linehan said. "That's part of our mission, is to be ready for both the immediate response at home and those missions that we're called to do overseas."

Friday's event had two purposes.

One was to engage with local residents, to show people "who we are" and "what we do," Linehan said. "These are American tax dollars at use, and it's critical that we have good relations with the community," he said.

The informational gathering/open house also had a recruiting element.

The events "serve the purpose of letting parents and students and teachers know what opportunities are available for youth and other individuals in the community if they want to serve their community and country," Linehan said.

Visitors had a chance Friday to talk with the people who are "actually doing the work on the floor or flying the helicopters, or working on computers. We have a variety of jobs in the military we need filled," Linehan said.

The young people in attendance included Northwest students Drake Packer and Matthew Rosenlund.

Packer, a junior, has been looking at the military for a long time. Chances are he will join the National Guard. Rosenlund, a sophomore, is thinking about becoming an aerospace engineer.

Two other students were Kolton Kerr of Northwest and Shaun Goyette of Central City.

Goyette, a freshman, is interested in aviation and the National Guard. She likes the fact that you can join in your junior year of high school.

Brenda Erickson has been in the Nebraska Army National Guard for 18 years. She is an E-8, or master sergeant.

For the last 13 years, she has worked in recruiting. Earlier in her career, she was a flight medic in Iraq.

For Erickson, being in the Army National Guard is a family tradition. Her dad was in the Guard. So were her brother and her younger sister. The latter is still in the Guard, based in Lincoln.

Erickson likes the dual mission aspect of the National Guard. Guard members can serve their country and their community. "We're citizen soldiers," she said.

Members of the Guard learn leadership skills and receive training they can use in the civilian world, Erickson said.

You can go to college and be in the National Guard at the same time. For many young men and women, "it's all about our tuition assistance," she said.

The maximum age to join the National Guard is 35. If you're interested, call Staff Sgt. Caleb Pongo at 308-440-1734.
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Lorie LeQuatte, Regional Superintendent of Schools in ROE 21, remains concerned about the teacher shortage that is affecting schools in Southern Illinois.

The Regional Office of Education (ROE) 21 includes Franklin, Johnson, Massac and Williamson counties, and serves 22 school districts in total.

On Friday, LeQuatte talked about a recent survey on the teacher shortage by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) with Travis Akin of Catalyst Partners and Monica Schram, regional communications manager of ROE 21.

The survey found that:

80% of superintendents say they have a teacher shortage.

90% say the shortage is as bad as or worse than the previous school year.

94% have the same or fewer applicants for open positions as last school year.

85% say they have a substitute teacher shortage crisis.

60% believe their district is adequately funded under the states evidence-based funding.

In our districts, we have 49 open positions. Thats better than in northern districts, LeQuatte said.

The IARSS survey also asked about possible solutions to the teacher shortage and found support for some common sense solutions, including:

78% recommended increasing funding for the Teacher Retirement System.

72% recommend offering additional scholarships and waivers to teaching candidates.

89% say increasing the number of days retired teachers can substitute without affecting their retirement helped with recruitment and retention.

84% say increasing substitute teachers days to 120 per year helped with recruitment and retention.

75% say supporting high school students pursuing education degrees through dual credit courses helped with recruitment and retention.

75% say partnering with a college or university for undergraduates pursuing education degrees helped with recruitment and retention.

LeQuatte spoke about efforts in ROE 21 that are helping to retain teachers and substitute teachers. She added that they are focusing on solutions.

One of those possible solutions is Educators Rising. The program offers a club for high school students that focuses on a career in education. Students take dual credit courses in education from a community college and get some classroom experience in their own school district. Upon entering college, they are enrolled in the schools teacher education program.

The program serves as a pipeline that helps get high school students into education programs in college.

We are trying to expand on that. Once students get into college, they go right into the teacher education program, LeQuatte said.

LeQuatte said they are also focusing on people already working in the district who want to become teachers. She said they are working with SIU and other universities to provide a better streamlined process for students who are currently employed.

She added that some universities even give students some credit for their work experiences.

ROE 21 also started a Subs for Subs program. Potential substitute teachers get a day of training and lunch. This is helping to increase the availability of substitute teachers.

I sat in on a recent Subs for Subs. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture brought a bag that had ideas for subs, LeQuatte said.

LeQuatte said the program that allows people with at least 60 hours of college or degrees that offer teaching options will expire soon. There are bills in the Illinois legislature to expand the program until 2028 or to make the program permanent.

They have also filed a request that would allow retired teachers to teach 150 days per school year without affecting their retirement income. Currently, a retired teacher can only teach for 120 days. LeQuatte said the school year is 180 days.

They are also working on the Teacher Retirement System. The system now has three tiers. In the first tier, teachers could retire at age 55. In the third tier, they must be 67 to retire.

They should get back into a reasonable age, LeQuatte said.

She said it is important to change the perception of teaching, too and that we need to communicate the positive rather than complain about what's happening.

LeQuatte said people are able to easily leave the teaching profession for another job, especially if they are teaching high school.

To help, ROE is working on a mentoring program for young or new teachers. They are paired with experienced teachers who serve as mentors.

For more information about a teaching career, visit www.roe21.org.
CARBONDALE  Award-winning 16mm analog film director Lee Anne Schmitt will discuss her film essays and filmmaking process later this month at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Schmitt, director of the film directing program at the California Institute of the Arts, will give her presentation at 2 p.m. March 21 in the Communications Building Room 1116, the Soundstage. The discussion is free and open to SIU students, faculty and the general public. The lecture is supported by the School of Media Arts Fine Arts Activity Fee.

Much of Schmitts work revolves around landscape, objects and the traces of political systems left upon them. Schmitts work has addressed American exceptionalism, the logic of utility and labor, gestures of kindness and refusal, racial violence, cowboyism and the efficacy of solitude.

Heather M. OBrien, assistant professor of cinema and interdisciplinary media in SIUs School of Media Arts, said Schmitts visit is particularly timely as it aligns with one of her courses, Film as Text: The Cinematic Essay as Form. The class explores the relationship between poetry and prose in experimental cinema, with a particular focus on the film essay as a form, she said.

Lee Anne Schmitt is an inspiring essayistic and documentary filmmaker, and her films have been a monumental influence on my work, OBrien said. I am grateful SIU students will be able to learn from her experimental and politically engaged work.
(CNN)  Marta Perdomo agonizes day and night for her two sons Jorge and Nadir, jailed in Cuba for taking part nearly two years ago in the largest anti-government protests since the 1959 revolution. A call she says she received in late February from Cuba's internal security service only added to her anxiety.

"State security called me and asked me if my sons had passports. That alarmed me because then I thought they should know if my sons have passports," she told CNN.

When Perdomo asked why, the answer she said she received back from the agent from the other end of the line was cryptic.

"They told me there are 'things on the table,'" Perdomo said.

Perdomo's sons are facing lengthy prison sentences but she and other families have taken hope from a recent mass release of prisoners in authoritarian Nicaragua, a close ally of Cuba's. More than two hundred jailed government opponents there were stripped of citizenship and sent to the United States in February.

One Catholic Cardinal appeared to allude to a similar possibility during an unusual visit to the island in February to met with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. In a brief exchange with reporters, Cardinal Benaimino Stella said at the behest of Pope Francis he had pressed for the release of the more than 700 people the Cuban government has charged or convicted for their involvement in the protests.

"The Pope very much wants there to be a positive response," Stella said.

"Amnesty, clemency, whatever it is called. The words are secondary. "It is important that the young people who at one time spoke out in a way we know about can return to their homes," he said.

On July 11, 2021, Cubans, frustrated at power cuts and food and medicine shortages, poured into the streets. Many demanded freedom and that Diaz-Canel leave power.

Labeling the protestors "vandals" and "counter revolutionaries," Diaz-Canel ordered police and those faithful to the government to restore order. Hundreds of people were arrested and later faced mass trials.

US President Biden, who had earlier promised to return to the detente of the Obama era, when diplomatic relations were restored for the first time with the Cuban government following more than a half century of severed ties, criticized the crackdown at the time.

He placed economic sanctions on officials believed to be involved in crushing the protests and called Cuba "a failed state." In discussions with their Cuban counterparts, US diplomats told them the US-Cuban relationship would likely stay frozen if the protestors remained jailed.

Cuban officials offered little indication the pressure campaign to release the protestors was having any effect.

Nevertheless, given last month's talks between the Catholic Church and Cuban government, European diplomats in Havana told CNN that they were preparing to issue humanitarian visas to any prisoners who might be released by the government and leave the island for exile abroad.

The diplomats cautioned it was unclear how many prisoners, if any, would actually be released.

But the Catholic church has had success in the past securing the release of prisoners from Cuban jails. Ahead of visits by Popes Benedict and Francis to the communist-run island, the Cuban government agreed to release thousands of prisoners.

And as part of the secret talks to normalize relations with the Obama administration, some of which took place at the Vatican, Cuba also agreed to release 53 Cubans from their jails that the US considered to be political prisoners.

Cuban officials did not respond to CNN requests for comment on the negotiations for the prisoners' release.

It is still not clear what Cuba might gain from a new prisoner release, though the Cuban government has pushed for relief from crushing US economic sanctions that officials say are contributing to a mass exodus of people from the island.

Following his State of the Union speech in February, Biden was overheard telling Senator Bob Menendez, a proponent of tougher sanctions on the Cuban government, "I gotta talk to you about Cuba."

The remark was interpreted by many Cuba watchers as a sign that changes are coming to the relationship.

In the most suggestive comments yet that the US is negotiating for the release of the jailed demonstrators, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Brian Nichols said on Tuesday while speaking on Cuba policy in Miami: "Publicly -- and privately in discussions with Cuban officials -- the US government continues to call for the release of political prisoners. And we always stress that the Cuban people should be able to choose where to live and the government should allow its citizens to return to Cuba."

"While we strongly oppose forced exile," Nichols continued. "The United States will not turn its back on political prisoners, and if they want to come to America, we will explore available avenues under US law to welcome them."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Families of Cuban prisoners hopeful as US, Pope push for their release."
Southern Illinois University in Carbondale was already home to one of the most prestigious and unique mortuary science programs in the nation. With the addition of an on-site crematory, the program has taken another step forward.

One of only six baccalaureate mortuary science programs in the U.S. and the only one in Illinois, SIU has taught future funeral service industry professionals all aspects of mortuary science since the major was introduced in the 1960s. Now, with the addition of courses in cremation and an on-site crematory, not only will students finish their degree with experiences in all aspects of their trade, they also will graduate as certified crematory operators, recognized by the Illinois comptrollers office.

This acquisition helps keep us at the forefront of mortuary science education, said Anthony Fleege, SIU mortuary science and funeral service program director. The primary goal for the crematory is to give students practical experience on campus with cremation of the cadavers used for medical education purposes. Our students will leave college with the necessary tools in their tool belt to get licensed in any state and be able to immediately make an impact as a funeral director, embalmer or crematory operator.

With the crematory, SIU becomes the only four-year funeral science program in the nation with on-campus cremation capabilities. Two community colleges also have similar facilities.

Fleege said introducing students to cremation better prepares them for their careers.

In the last 20 years or so, the cremation rate has continued to grow every year and right now nationally about 55% of all dispositions are cremations, he explained, adding that industry experts expect the national cremation rate to be about 70% by 2030.

The new 15,000-pound cremation unit is located in a former classroom. Fleege said he expects 60 to 70 cremations to be performed on campus annually.

The cremations that we are doing are the cadavers that have been donated to the School of Medicine and once they are done with them, they are cremated and the remains given back to the family, Fleege explained. Were also offering the service to local coroners in cases of abandoned bodies when there is no family or anyone to take responsibility for them. Were offering the service so that we can give our students some hands-on learning and provide a public service.

He said the crematory will not offer services to the public or funeral homes.

The desire for an on-campus crematory started about 10 years ago, Fleege said. The $120,000 unit and installation costs were covered by funds from the SIU School of Medicine, the College of Health and Human Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and private donations through the SIU Foundation.

Students are grateful for the opportunity to learn more.

The crematory really gives me, as well as other students, confidence. The practice we will get from having an on-site crematory reaffirms we are capable of providing this service to families and doing it correctly just as soon as we enter the workforce, said Emily Bender, a sophomore in mortuary science and funeral service from Normal, Illinois.

PHOTOS | Carbondale Arboretum springs to life
CHICAGO  A Chicago firefighter's wife has died days after a fire at the family's Northwest Side home also killed their 7-year-old son.

Summer Day-Stewart, 36, was pronounced dead at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Cook County officials said Friday.

Seven-year-old Ezra Stewart was pronounced dead Wednesday evening, the day after the fire, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has said.

The boy, his mother and his two sisters, ages 2 and 7, suffered from smoke inhalation and were rushed to hospitals Tuesday night after being rescued from the burning home.

Firefighter Walter Stewart, who lived in the house, was not part of the fire crew that responded to the fire, but when he heard the address of the fire over radio dispatch, he went to the scene and gave his wife CPR, Chicago Fire Department spokesperson Larry Langford said.

Police said the fire started accidentally in the kitchen.

5 most common causes of reported house fires 5 most common causes of reported house fires #5. Smoking materials #4. Intentional #3. Electrical distribution and lighting equipment #2. Heating equipment #1. Cooking
WASHINGTON  A Central Illinois congressman accused the FBI of wrongly searching for his name in foreign surveillance data, underscoring the challenges ahead for U.S. officials trying to persuade Congress to renew their authorities to collect huge swaths of communications.

Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, a Peoria native who represents the 16th Congressional District, did not say why the FBI may have searched his name in information collected under a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act known as Section 702, and a spokesman for the lawmaker did not respond to a request for further clarification.

At a hearing of the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday, LaHood pressed FBI Director Chris Wray to acknowledge that his agency and others had at times violated the rules on the use of data collected through electronic snooping.

The FBIs inappropriate querying of a duly elected Member of Congress is an egregious violation that undermines trust in our system and FISA. I joined @DanaPerino on @AmericaNewsroom to discuss our work on @HouseIntel to reform FISA & Section 702 to restore faith in this process. pic.twitter.com/u5rlmv7Pcr  Darin LaHood (@RepLaHood) March 10, 2023

"We clearly have work to do, and we're eager to do it with this committee, to show that we can be worthy stewards of these important authorities," Wray said.

In a statement, the FBI said that though it could not comment on specific queries, it has made "extensive changes over the past few years" to address compliance issues. It has also offered LaHood a classified briefing to discuss the circumstances of the query, according to a person familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss confidential conversations.

The White House and U.S. intelligence officials are pressing Congress to renew Section 702, which expires at this year's end. They face sharp criticism both from Republicans who accuse the FBI of having abused surveillance powers against allies of former President Donald Trump and Democrats who believe there are insufficient protections of civil liberties.

Section 702 allows the U.S. to collect foreign communications without a warrant and query the data for a variety of reasons, from countering China to stopping terrorism and cyberattacks. The intelligence agencies end up incidentally collecting large amounts of emails and communications from U.S. citizens. They can access U.S. citizen data under strict rules for law enforcement and intelligence purposes, but the agencies have acknowledged violating those rules in some circumstances.

LaHood will lead an effort by House Republicans on the intelligence committee to recommend changes to Section 702. While he and other Republicans on the committee say they support the law, LaHood criticized those violations as making a renewal more difficult.

"There are far too many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle that question whether the executive branch can be trusted with this powerful tool," he said. "And that's because in the past and currently, there's been abuses and misuses of 702 by the FBI."

LaHood cited a 2021 report from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence on compliance that notes an instance of searches for data on an unnamed congressman. Officials evaluating the incident determined the searches were for a foreign intelligence purpose but were "overly broad" and therefore not compliant with agency rules.

Wray did not directly address LaHood's claim, but in its statement, the FBI said its changes included a new internal audit office focused on FISA compliance and new requirements governing particularly sensitive queries. Searches involving elected officials now require the approval of the deputy director, the FBI said.

Wray also said he was mindful of surveillance errors made during the FBI investigation into Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, which include bungled applications to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

A Justice Department inspector general report on that investigation "describes conduct that I considered totally unacceptable and unrepresentative of the FBI," Wray told lawmakers Thursday, though he added that substantial reforms have been made since then.

Though those mistakes occurred under a different section of the law than the one that's up for renewal, the blowback from the errors have complicated FBI efforts to make the broader case for the reauthorization of Section 702.

The bureau made several compliance changes and also reformed how it searches Section 702 data, Wray said, adding that the numbers of U.S. citizen searches had fallen sharply over the last two years.

The White House launched an effort earlier this year to convince Congress that Section 702 powers are critical to U.S. intelligence. Top officials have given broad examples of successes under the program, saying that they used its data in the operation to kill al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri last year.

A key Democrat this week pushed the Biden administration to make a stronger case for the law. Sen. Mark Warner, the Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, told intelligence officials Wednesday that he and his colleagues are "going to push you to declassify more information so that we can again convince the American public."
Orangeburg County's new economic development leader praised the countys potential Thursday as he was welcomed to his new job.

Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Merle Johnson received smiles and handshakes at a meet and greet held at the Orangeburg County Conference Center on Russell Street.

Johnson said his first 50 days on the job have been like drinking from a firehose.

Having previously worked in Charleston and Greenville, Johnson thought hed face a slower pace in Orangeburg County.

I was vastly incorrect, which is a good problem to have, Johnson said.

Prospect activity remains high, he said. Also, the county continues to allow me to push forward to try to get spec buildings and to continue to build business parks. It is all positive.

Johnson was unanimously selected by the 12-member OCDC board during a Dec. 6 meeting. He took the helm Jan. 17.

Johnson expressed his appreciation to the OCDC board, county council and county leadership for their 'vote of confidence in him.

He described Orangeburg County as the diamond in the rough.

I see a tremendous amount of potential here, he said.

Johnson gave a shout-out to the county's efforts to develop infrastructure, as well as the county's institutions of higher learning and the Orangeburg County School District for serving as pipelines for the local workforce.

You guys have done a phenomenal job thus far but there is more room to go, Johnson said. I would say pat yourselves on the back, but get ready for a very fun ride.

Johnson also expressed his excitement about the partnership between the private and public sectors and cited it as the key to success.

We have got to continue that, Johnson said.

Johnson replaces Gregg Robinson, who served as executive director for about 17 years. Robinson became the chief executive officer of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership.

During his first 50 days, Johnson has met with various business and education leaders and has visited a number of industrial sites, including Husqvarna and BRN Sleep Products.

Orangeburg County Economic Development Partnership Chairman Bob McCurry expressed his excitement about Johnson's arrival.

He is hardworking, he is enthusiastic, McCurry said. I think he will help us all try to build a new and better Orangeburg County.

The OCEDP is a nonprofit that helps recruit industries and serves as a bridge between the public and private sectors.

OCDC Chairman Kenneth Middleton described Johnson as personable, approachable and hard working.

We were looking for someone that would be a part of our community. We feel like we found that, he said.

Johnson has 15 years of economic development experience.

He most recently served as the economic and community development director for the City of Greenville.

Prior to arriving in Greenville, Johnson was the deputy director of economic development for Charleston County. This was a position he held for about 7-1/2 years.

While there he helped attract the Mercedes-Benz Vans plant to North Charleston. The company assembles Sprinter vans for the U.S. market.

Johnson also served with the Charleston Regional Development Alliance from 2006 through 2013. He led project management efforts for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.

The OCEDP sponsored the event. Orangeburg's Buck Ridge Plantation catered.
DENMARK  The City of Denmark, after a five-month process, has obtained a new fire truck for approximately $400,000.

The new fire truck was procured by the city of Denmark primarily with grant money through a Community Development Block Grant. The total cost was $387,385.00, Rusty Munoz, city accountant, said.

City Administrator Heyward Robinson asked council for funds for the firetruck during a meeting in September of last year.

BAMBERG COUNTY COUNCIL: LSCOG says programs helping county The Lower Savannah Council of Governments has a number of programs designed to help Bamberg County and its residents, according to Executive D

The only bid received for the new fire truck, as reported, was from Safe Industries for $385,915. Therefore, the total cost for the new fire truck appeared to be over bid by $1,470.

Robinson, in the September 2022 meeting, referred to the Community Development Block grant funding that Munoz recently mentioned.

The fire truck is funded by a Community Development Block grant. The bid includes fire equipment for the truck, Robinson stated during that meeting.

Council seconded and approved a motion to purchase the fire truck for the aforementioned amount in September of 2022.

S.C. seeks I-95 bridge replacement money; SCDOT applies for $161 million federal grant The S.C. Department of Transportation has applied for a $161 million federal grant to replace the Interstate 95 bridges over Lake Marion.
COLUMBIA  The South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority (SC Housing) and the University of South Carolinas Darla Moore School of Business released the first part of the Palmetto State Housing Study.

The study, commissioned by the South Carolina General Assembly, is a comprehensive, statewide needs assessment to examine housing conditions in the state  across geographic regions, housing markets, populations and organizations.

City of Orangeburg closer to annexing University Village The City of Orangeburg is one step closer to annexing University Village into the city limits.

The study explores a broad range of housing issues facing the state from a supply and demand perspective, analyzing housing production and inventory trends over the last two decades and comparing them with the emerging housing needs by geographic areas and various populations.

According to the supply-and-demand analysis (phase 1 of the study), a continually growing and shifting population  more people moving to South Carolina, and more current South Carolina residents moving from rural areas to metropolitan areas  is driving the states housing demand. This has resulted in the need for increased construction in high-demand urban areas like Greenville, Charleston and Horry counties, with rural counties more in need of housing preservation and rehabilitation.

City of Orangeburg: Consultant to study housing needs The City of Orangeburg has hired the University of North Carolina Chapel Hills School of Government Development Finance Initiative to study t

The study demonstrates rapid population growth throughout the 21st century in South Carolina coupled with a more recent period of underbuilding that began in 2008 following the Great Recession; both have culminated in a severe shortage in housing inventory.

In addition, the state is experiencing a drastic decline in the inventory of homes marketed at a more affordable sales price point. In 2022, the number of houses sold for less than $100,000 fell below 5 percent of the total number of homes sold in the state for the first time ever. This decrease is especially pronounced in most coastal metropolitan regions of the state, as well as portions of Aiken and Greenville counties.

This study shows what a lot of South Carolinians are feeling every day, says Bonita Shropshire, executive director of SC Housing. Having a safe, quality affordable home to live in and raise your family is slowly slipping out of reach for so many hard-working members of our community. As housing costs steadily rise, outpacing available income, South Carolinians at all income levels find themselves facing the same affordability gap  whether you are a renter or homeowner.

According to Darla Moore School of Business research economist Joseph Von Nessen, Ph.D. and the author of the study, the Palmetto State Housing Study also demonstrates the need for an increased focus on workforce housing options throughout the state.

Although low-income households face housing affordability challenges at the highest rates, this study reveals that families traditionally considered to be middle-income are often housing-cost burdened as well, Von Nessen said. And because South Carolina is likely to see high population growth rates that will exceed the national average in the coming years, addressing these challenges will become even more important as the state moves forward.

According to the study, 43% of single-parent households with three children, earning between $45,000-$75,000, are housing-cost burdened. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines a cost-burdened household as one that pays more than 30% of its income for housing.

By this measure, approximately 50% of renting households and 25% of households with a mortgage are housing-cost burdened in South Carolina. However, the study states that this classic definition of cost burdened does not account for differences in costs of living and may not sufficiently capture the true housing needs of a community. Using an alternative residual cost method, approximately 70 percent of renting households and 38 percent of households with a mortgage currently face affordability challenges.

The final Palmetto State Housing Study report is due to the state legislature by June 30, 2023. View the study timeline.

SC Housing is seeking input directly from the community for the next phase of the study. Submit your feedback by taking a brief survey.

For further information about the first phase of the Palmetto State Housing Study or to interview Joey Von Nessen, please contact Marjorie Riddle Duffie at marjorie.duffie@moore.sc.edu or 803-576-7337.

For further information about the overall Palmetto State Housing Study or affordable housing in the state, please email palmettohousingstudy@schousing.com or visit our webpage at SC Housing.com.

About SC Housing

SC Housing is a self-sustaining housing finance agency committed to ensuring that South Carolinians have the opportunity to live in safe, decent and affordable housing. Agency operations are supported by a funding base that includes fees and other revenue earned through the administration of agency programs. For more information, visit SCHousing.com.
(TBTCO) - Nhieu san pham bao hiem nhan tho hien nay la bao hiem lien ket au tu. ieu nay co nghia la khach hang mua bao hiem a chuyen sang san choi au tu kinh doanh cua cac hang bao hiem. Ve nguyen tac, au tu co loi nhuan va cung co rui ro, theo luat choi ma cac hang bao hiem a soan thao rat chi tiet, trong o co nhieu che tai. Do vay, can tranh hien tuong mua bao hiem nhan tho ket hop voi au tu, khi chua hieu ro cac che tai ap dung, cung nhu nhung rui ro cua dang san pham nay. ay la khuyen nghi cua Luat su Tran Minh Hai  Giam oc ieu hanh Cong ty Luat Basico, khi trao oi voi phong vien TBTCVN.
(CNN) When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had their first child, Archie, he wasn't granted a royal title. It's not clear whether one was offered by Queen Elizabeth II and refused, or not offered at all. But it raised eyebrows.

That's because the custom would have been for the monarch to offer a title such as Earl to someone so high up the line of succession. The assumption many made was that Prince Harry and Meghan declined a title to allow their new son to live a more normal life, away from the limelight and official duties.

A royal source at the time didn't elaborate but pointed out to CNN that Archie would automatically become a prince when his grandfather acceded to the throne. Our hypothesis back then was that any children of the Sussexes would take their royal titles when the time came.

So, when Lilibet Diana was born in 2021, little fuss was made over her lack of official title. But, over time, as tensions escalated between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family it wasn't clear if they would still want to align their children to the institution or, perhaps, leave it up to the kids to decide when they were older.

This week, we found out. Confirmation that both Sussex children will use their royal titles was subtly dropped into a short statement from a spokesperson for the couple that read: "I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the (Bishop) of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor."

Buckingham Palace made no official comment amid the ensuing media frenzy questioning why the titles were being reaffirmed now. Some wondered why the Sussexes would want their young children to take the titles when they have been so critical of the monarchy since relocating stateside.

A spokesperson for the couple on Thursday told CNN that the titles were the children's "birthright," before adding that the "matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace."

Meanwhile, a palace source told us that Lilibet's new title was in line with the precedent established by the 1917 Letters Patent issued by George V, which confer the title of Prince or Princess on the male-line grandchildren of the sovereign.

The implication here is that King Charles III was fully aware and approved of his grandchildren using their titles. Theoretically, if he hadn't endorsed the move, the King could have stripped their titles away -- though that would have required him to issue new Letters Patent to supersede the historical guidance. Despite some previous reports, there has never been any suggestion from the palace that he intended to do so and, frankly, it would only have exacerbated already-fraught family relations.

Archie and Lilibet's titles have subsequently been updated on the royal family's website. Under the line of succession to the throne, the "Master" and "Miss" references have been replaced with "Prince Archie of Sussex" and "Princess Lilibet of Sussex" in the rundown at numbers six and seven, respectively, confirming the United States is home to the world's newest prince and princess.

Announcements

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's titles weren't the only updates to the monarchy's website this week. On Friday morning, Buckingham Palace announced that the King had conferred the title of Duke of Edinburgh upon his youngest brother, Prince Edward, on the prince's 59th birthday.

The title -- which was previously bestowed upon their father, Prince Philip -- will remain with Edward throughout his life and revert to the Crown upon his death. Though he is still technically also the Earl of Forfar, Edward will now use the title of Duke of Edinburgh as it is more senior.

Edward's wife, Sophie, now becomes the Duchess of Edinburgh, while their son, James, Viscount Severn takes his father's other previous title of Earl of Wessex. There is no change for the couple's daughter, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, due to the centuries-old law of primogeniture, which puts male heirs ahead of women.

Like the acknowledgement of the Sussex children's titles, Prince Edward's new title isn't entirely unexpected. Back when he and Sophie wed in 1999, it had been announced that the dukedom would pass to him following Philip's death. However, the lack of movement in the two years since his father's passing sparked speculation over whether it would actually happen.

Prince Edward reflected on his father's legacy in a chat with us at St. James' Palace back in 2021. Take a look.

In the royal diary

The royal family will make their way to Westminster Abbey on Monday for the annual Commonwealth Day service. As head of the Commonwealth, the King will be accompanied by the Queen Consort as well as other senior royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence.

Following the service, the royals will return to Buckingham Palace to welcome the Commonwealth secretary-general, high commissioners, foreign affairs ministers and other members of the Commonwealth community for the traditional Commonwealth Day reception.

What else is happening?

Coronation holy oil consecrated in Jerusalem.

The sacred oil that will be used to anoint King Charles III at his May 6 coronation has been consecrated at a Christian holy site in Jerusalem. The "chrism oil" was created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge to the east of Jerusalem's Old City, which holds religious importance to Christians. According to Buckingham Palace, olives from the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and the Monastery of the Ascension were pressed just outside Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus was born. Read more on this story here.

Photo of the week

Catherine, Princess of Wales helps Lance Corporal Jodie Newell tend to a "wounded soldier" in an exercise during her visit to the Irish Guards on Salisbury Plain, southern England, on Wednesday. The Princess of Wales visited the 1st Battalion Irish Guards for the first time since becoming the regiment's Colonel, to learn about work on the Salisbury Plain Training Area.

The Duke of Sussex sent a message to mark the 40th anniversary of the Terrence Higgins Trust -- a HIV and sexual health charity he has been involved with for a number of years and one with which Princess Diana previously worked with closely. Harry added: "While my mother did not live to see the success of today's treatments, I feel immense pride in being able to continue her advocacy with you."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Prince Edward, Archie and Lilibet granted new royal titles."
Everton U18s are beaten away at the City Academy

11/03/2023



Manchester City U18s 4 - 0 Everton U18s

Everton U18s gave up their 5-month unbeaten record to U18 Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Academy Stadium today.

City sit atop the North division, fully 20 points ahead of Everton who are down in 6th place on the back of an extended run of games undefeated that extends back to November 2022.

And their last game, a rearranged 1-1 draw at home to Wolves on Tuesday, shows that a number of new young players have been elevated to the squad:

George Pickford

Luca Davis

Joshua van Schoor

Harvey Foster

Joel Catesby

George Finney

Article continues below video content

All who played on Tuesday.

Everton kept it tight to go in all square at the break, but City drove to a strong win with 4 second-half goals.

Everton U18s: Jensen, Maher, Van Schoor (88' Finney), Jones, Wilson, I Samuels-Smith, Beaumont-Clark (85' Cahill), Bates (89' Foster), Sherif, Heath, Ebere (66' Barker).

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A Casper marketing company received a cease and desist letter from the FCC for its apparent support of illegal robocalls on behalf of its clients, including fake student loan forgiveness and Amazon refund scam calls made to the public, the document states.

The Federal Communications Commission conducted an investigation that revealed Vultik Technologies left pre-recorded voice message calls on peoples cell phones without consent, the cease and desist letter shows. This happened during a five-month period last year.

Vultik is a worldwide promoting and business improvement administrations organization with an access of 60 representatives working nonstop to fulfill our customers requirements, whether its digital marketing or full-stack business development, its website says.

The company has a Casper address. A Star-Tribune reporter visited Vultiks listed address, which included a suite number, but no such office existed. The company pays a fee to receive digital and print mail at the address, essentially using it as a P.O. box.

Robocalls are calls made with an auto-dialer or that contain a message made with a prerecorded or artificial voice, said FCC spokesperson Will Wiquist.

That said, not all robocalls are illegal, Wiquist said. If a caller obtains written consent, it may make a prerecorded telemarketing call or text to a home or wireless number. There are a few exceptions to this rule made for emergency contacts involving danger to life or safety.

Unwanted calls  illegal and spoofed robocalls  have become the FCCs top consumer complaint.

Prior to the letter, staff at Vultik was notified of illegal calls and provided data supporting it, but the company didnt make any changes, the document states.

Further, the numerous tracebacks to Vultik indicate that you are apparently knowingly or negligently originating illegal robocall traffic, the letter reads.

The company was given 14 days from Jan. 11 to take sufficient actions to block the transmission of illegal robocalls, according to the letter. Vultik faced punishments including the potential blocking of all call traffic from its network or a removal of its certification, if it didnt stop.

Vultik made its last social media post on Facebook two days after receiving the letter. Its phone line leads to an automated message. The company did not respond to three different requests for comment made over a 24-hour period.
An artificial intelligence arms race is underway in the U.S. And its raising some eyebrows in Wyoming education.

The University of Wyoming has a new artificial intelligence working group that aims to guide the school as it considers how the proliferation of the new technology will shape higher education. Last month, that working group released recommendations to President Ed Seidel that included banning the unpermitted use of artificial intelligence on campus.

But while artificial intelligence has become a topic of discussion at the university, it is only beginning to spark conversation in Wyomings education system as administrators and school boards start to learn about the technology and its implications for student learning and teaching.

Its a new conversation, something that folks are just now becoming aware of and just really learning about, said Brian Farmer, executive director of the Wyoming School Boards Association.

The national conversation around artificial intelligence in education began with the launching of OpenAIs ChatGPT last November. OpenAI is a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence research company devoted to making the technology more user friendly and accessible to the general public.

ChatGPT, meanwhile, is an artificial intelligence program built using large language models, which are essentially computer algorithms trained on troves of data so that they can recognize, summarize and predict words and text.

The key is that ChatGPT and other chatbots are generative, meaning they can answer complex questions and simulate humanlike conversations.

In practice, it looks like this:

Ask ChatGPT, What should people in Wyoming know about artificial intelligence chatbots?

And the program responds, As artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots become more prevalent in various industries, it is important for people in Wyoming to be aware of the potential benefits and limitations of these technologies.

Within seconds, it lists five points that Wyomingites should know, including that chatbots are designed to mimic human conversation and that they may not be appropriate for all situations and should not replace human interaction in cases where empathy, judgment and critical thinking are required.

ChatGPT finishes:

Overall, AI chatbots have the potential to provide significant benefits to businesses and customers alike, but it is important to approach them with caution and carefully consider their appropriate use.

The program is not the only artificial intelligence program that schools and educators are now having to contend with. Microsoft has incorporated the technology into its Bing search engine and more and more companies are creating similar programs that allow a person to generate answers to questions.

Use but not abuse

Amid this backdrop, Seidel created UWs Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Working Group in January to develop recommendations for how the school should handle the technology.

As it relates to higher education, one of the primary applications of these technologies is to generate, with striking accuracy, detailed answers to complex questions in a matter of seconds, Seidel wrote in a letter directing the working group. It is imperative that we respond to this emerging technology in ways that both maintain academic integrity and embrace the technologys power and potential.

In a Feb. 24 statement, Seidel noted that artificial intelligence programs will be ubiquitous, heightening the need for the university to address their role in higher education.

The working group led by Anne Alexander, UWs vice provost for strategic planning and initiatives, and Renee Laegreid, the chair of the UW Faculty Senate and a professor of history, released its report within weeks of Seidels commission.

Its most significant recommendation was to update the schools student academic dishonesty and cheating policies to ban students from the unpermitted use of artificial intelligence programs.

The working group also suggested that UWs Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning develop resources and guidance for teachers, and the schools academic advisors and other support staff communicate the universitys artificial intelligence policies with students and the broader community.

In acknowledging the rapid growth of the technology, the group called for a long-term panel to track the emerging technology and help the university adapt.

It is nearly impossible to keep up with the speed of development in this evolution. Preparing for the future will need to be an iterative and evolving discussion for UW, the team wrote.

In his statement, Seidel said that he supported the artificial intelligence groups recommendations.

Still early

In Wyoming, conversations around artificial intelligence have largely been constrained to UW. The states K-12 system is only beginning to think about the impacts of the technology.

We have not heard that a lot of districts have been talking about it, Farmer said. I think its just going to depend district by district as they become aware of this issue and how theyre looking to address it through their local policies.

Farmer said the dialogue will likely begin with school administrators as they come to understand the technology and its impact on their school communities.

Its going to be a bigger challenge for school administrators, he said. Boards are likely to learn about it from school administrators and then seek recommendations from their administrators on how they would address that within their district.

At the state level, the Wyoming State Board of Education has not had discussions about artificial intelligence and its impact on education, but it has been made aware of the work around the issue at UW, said Diana Clapp, the coordinator for the board of education and a former principal, curriculum director and district superintendent.

With Wyomings emphasis on local control, the matter of artificial intelligence in schools will likely be a local rather than state discussion, she said.

We would anticipate that this will probably be a topic thats discussed heavily at the local level because the academic honesty policies are controlled at the local level, Clapp said.

The Wyoming Association of School Administrators has not delved into the issue of artificial intelligence, but its one that Kevin Mitchell, the organizations executive director, has been thinking about amid the national attention.

Im curious myself  being an ex-superintendent  how would this affect us? Mitchell said. Personally, it can certainly have some positive attributions, and then it could have some negative ones as well.

Before school boards can act to address artificial intelligence, Farmer said they would need to explore the technology and potential responses.

Theres a lot of learning to happen, he said.
SHERIDAN  From handmade bracelets to baskets, the business Bought Beautifully, owned by Emily and Colin Betzler, works to transform lives in third-world countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and Nepal. Volunteer Ashley Cooper and employees Libby Standish and Anna Foote traveled to Guatemala from Feb. 11-17 to put a face and voice to the artisans supplying the business.

The three flew into Guatemala city and took a three-hour crazy car ride to Panajachel, Cooper said.

In Panajachel, Bought Beautifully partners with Friendship Bridge to gain the best products and help women provide for their families. Friendship Bridge has two facets, offering micro-loans and assistance with processing goods. Cooper, Standish and Foote found many groups of women will pay loans as a group to keep each other accountable.

Friendship Bridge also offers small lessons each month for the artisans. Cooper, Standish and Foote listened to a lesson about the difference between needs and wants. The group also visited an artisan fair.

We did some wholesale ordering for the shop and our own shopping, Standish said. During lunch, we got to sit next to an artisan and listen to all of their stories. They got up one by one and talked about their stories and they were all translated. They describe how each purchase impacted them and the need for income for things like medication. One person said their daughter had epilepsy.

Standish found that overconsumption was a very large issue in Guatemala because everyone makes relatively similar artisan items. Friendship Bridge works with individual artisans to extend their outreach beyond their country.

One of the most memorable artisans Cooper met, she said, was a weaver. The weaver demonstrated how she picks out individual seeds from the cotton and makes her own yarn. She also showed Cooper how she dyes the yarn with a variety of natural materials such as bugs and bark.

With each artisan, Standish, Foote and Cooper were able to co-create pieces based on their visions.

It was really cool to design jewelry with them, Cooper said. They are so talented and quick. We gave them a vision, and then they would just create it.

When the women were purchasing items for the shop, they often found the artisans wanted to sell the products for a dollar. Friendship Bridge works with the artisans to set appropriate prices for their goods. Cooper said artisans only think of selling the material and do not take into account the time and effort they put into creating pieces.

At Bought Beautifully, our artisans are getting paid fair wages for their country, Foote said. The business works to bring awareness to people that things are not made ethically in many cases. All of the things in the store are fair and mean so much more than just a purchase. They are transforming lives.

Cooper, Standish and Foote encourage everyone to go beyond the comfort of their home and travel the world.

It was so cool and life-changing in the sense that they have nothing, yet they are so full of joy, Standish said. The kids literally have sticks to play with and we were like aliens to them. It was a really good little perspective.

Even though the group had a difficult time communicating with the artisans, they fully enjoyed the experience.

Everything was an extreme contrast, Cooper said. There was extreme poverty in one corner  then there are beautiful murals just around the corner.

Bought Beautifully hopes to continue to develop these outreach programs. Cooper wants to launch Adopt an Artisan, where individuals only buy gifts or items from one artisan for a year.

The business also hopes to host another large trip outside of the country in February 2024.

The goal is to bring people to the artisans and see their work, Standish said. It makes it more real for people.

Every purchase at Bought Beautifully is paired with a small card detailing the artisan. Through the trips beyond the United States, customers can associate their purchase with real people and develop their world views, Cooper said.

Along with the trip to Guatemala, the Betzler family is currently traveling around the world, visiting locations such as Bolivia, Honduras and Rwanda. The family left in January and is aiming to return in August.

Their youngest is 3 and it is amazing that those kids are being exposed to so many different cultures, Cooper said. They are learning to speak Spanish and they are going to Spanish schools.

Bought Beautifully staff aims to continue fundraising efforts for third world countries and host trips to meet the artisans each year.

We are just so comfortable (at home), Cooper said. There is a huge world with lots of beautiful people to go and meet.
(CNN)  Russia has been capturing some of the US and NATO-provided weapons and equipment left on the battlefield in Ukraine and sending them to Iran, where the US believes Tehran will try to reverse-engineer the systems, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN.

Over the last year, US, NATO and other Western officials have seen several instances of Russian forces seizing smaller, shoulder-fired weapons equipment including Javelin anti-tank and Stinger anti-aircraft systems that Ukrainian forces have at times been forced to leave behind on the battlefield, the sources told CNN.

In many of those cases, Russia has then flown the equipment to Iran to dismantle and analyze, likely so the Iranian military can attempt to make their own version of the weapons, sources said. Russia believes that continuing to provide captured Western weapons to Iran will incentivize Tehran to maintain its support for Russia's war in Ukraine, the sources said.

US officials don't believe that the issue is widespread or systematic, and the Ukrainian military has made it a habit since the beginning of the war to report to the Pentagon any losses of US-provided equipment to Russian forces, officials said. Still, US officials acknowledge that the issue is difficult to track.

It's not clear if Iran has successfully reverse-engineered any US weapons taken in Ukraine, but Tehran has proven highly adept at developing weapons systems based on US equipment seized in the past.

A key weapon in Iran's inventory, the Toophan anti-tank guided missile, was reverse engineered from the American BGM-71 TOW missile in the 1970s. The Iranians also intercepted a US-made drone in 2011, a Lockheed Martin RQ-170 "Sentinel", and reverse-engineered it to create a new drone that crossed into Israeli airspace in 2018 before being shot down.

"Iran has demonstrated the capability to reverse-engineer US weapons in the past," said Jonathan Lord, a senior fellow and director of the Middle East security program at the Center for a New American Security. "They reverse-engineered the TOW anti-tank guided missile, creating a near-perfect replica they called the Toophan, and have since proliferated it to the Houthis and Hezbollah. Iran could do the same with a Stinger, which could threaten both civil and military aviation throughout the region. A reverse-engineered Javelin could be used by Hamas or Hezbollah to threaten an Israeli Merkava tank. In the hands of Iran's proxies, these weapons pose a real threat to Israel's conventional military forces."

The coordination is yet another example of Moscow's growing defense partnership with Tehran, which has intensified over the last year as Russia has become increasingly desperate for external military support for its war against Ukraine. The partnership is not only further destabilizing Ukraine, but it could also threaten Iran's neighbors in the Middle East, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said last month.

CNN has reached out to the Russian embassy in Washington and the Iranian UN mission for comment.

US has been warning about threats posed by Iran

Senior US military officials, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, were both in the Middle East this month for discussions with their counterparts there that centered around the threats posed by Iran, the Pentagon said.

"Over the past year, Russia's military cooperation with Iran has deepened. and that poses serious challenges for this region and for the safety of your citizens," Austin said at a press conference alongside Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in Tel Aviv on Thursday.

"Iran is gaining important battlefield expertise and experience in Ukraine that will eventually transfer to its dangerous proxies in the Middle East," Austin said. "In return for Iranian support in Ukraine, Russia has been offering Iran unprecedented defense cooperation, including on missiles and air defense."

Huge, unanticipated losses of equipment and harsh Western sanctions have made it difficult for Russia to continue producing the weapons and ammunition it needs to maintain its offensive in Ukraine. As a result, Russia has asked for and received hundreds of drones from Iran, as well as artillery and tank rounds, that Russian forces have used to devastating effect against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.

In exchange, Iran has sought billions of dollars worth of military equipment from Russia, according to the White House, including fighter jets, radar systems and helicopters.

The Pentagon late last year expanded its efforts to track US weapons provided to Ukraine, including through on-site inspections conducted by US military personnel stationed at the US embassy in Kyiv.

Undersecretary of defense for policy Colin Kahl told lawmakers earlier this year that the US has seen instances of the Russians capturing some US-provided systems on the battlefield, but not in large numbers.

"What we're not seeing is any evidence of significant diversion," Kahl said. "Our assessment is, if some of these systems have been diverted, it's by Russians who have captured things on the battlefield, which always happens, but that there's no evidence the Ukrainians are diverting it to the black market."

Asked about this reporting, a defense official referred CNN to Kahl's comments.

The State Department also said in an October fact sheet that "pro-Russian forces' capture of Ukrainian weapons, including donated materiel, has been the main vector of diversion so far and could result in onward transfers."

The department also specifically cited man-portable air defense systems -- a category that includes Stingers -- and anti-tank missiles as "particularly sensitive and advanced conventional weapons" that, if diverted, could hinder regional security.

This story was first published on CNN.com. "Russia has been sending some US-provided weapons captured in Ukraine to Iran, sources say"
The Wyoming Historical Society, a nonprofit membership driven educational organization that is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, has developed a new oral history project titled Women of Wyoming: Then and Now. This particular oral history project is captures distinctly female conversations with women who have details about Wyoming history that will impact future perspectives and interpretations, and for some, correct previously shared narratives that are lacking in some way.

Janelle Molony, chair of the Societys Oral History Committee, came up with the idea in early 2022 and has been instrumental in facilitating the projects development. We currently have ten completed interviews with outstanding Wyoming women, said Molony. Molony and her Co-hosts Linda Fabian and Leslie Waggener (and others) carefully vetted qualified researchers and contributors who can share new insights on remarkable women of Wyoming, both living and historical.

This whole project is an effort to preserve and protect the memories of women in Wyoming, says Linda Fabian, Exec. Director of the Wyoming Historical Society. Our goal is to help Wyoming women preserve, correct, or explore their personal, local and ancestral history, she shared.

Interviews to date include:

Former Secretary of State Kathy Karpan, speaking on womens presence in politics;

Rebecca Keays, granddaughter of Verna Keays, speaking on the original design of the Wyoming State Flag;

Jane Nelson, president of the Albany County Historical Society, sharing on female entrepreneurs as the backbone of state development;

Brigada Blasi, Wyoming author and historian, speaking on the missing narratives of black coal miners of Dana, Wyoming;

Aileen Gronewold, speaking on mental health histories and mysteries in Wyomings institutional past;

And others who share on Oregon Trail adventurers, prominent pioneer achievements, activists and suffragettes, and those in marginalized communities.

All interviews are done via Zoom to help bridge the distance between hosts and guests. The program team has been somewhat surprised by the reactions guests have toward being featured on the series. Some of the guests did not initially understand or believe how radical their contributions would be. This is another reminder, claims Molony, that womens research needs to be given more notice and more accessible platforms for sharing. Their discoveries matter greatly. And girls and women need to hear this more often, else they might not speak up.

Molony, a prolific writer on historical women of the American West adds, We are giving women an equitable platform that overrules any previously recorded mansplaining, and unflinchingly introducing characters who are missing in history books.

When the Society first adopted the program into its official repertoire in 2022, Leslie Waggener, Faculty Archivist at the American Heritage Center who was then also the Societys President remarked, The Society has worked over 50 years to discover, research, and disseminate fascinating stories of women and the new series expands on that mission.

The current Society President Cindy Brown explained that the project is in its infancy and the full interviews are not yet available to the public at this time. We are working toward finding the resources necessary to professionally edit the videos that will be on our website, and through other avenues.

The program team is currently applying for a grant with the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund to hire a media professional to polish the content with a branded website and social media presence. The final content will be available on YouTube with an anticipated release in Winter 2023. There is also an option to release the audio content in a podcast mini-series.

It is especially important that younger audiences can access this content, and as freely as possible, says Molony. I hope that the next generation will watch us dig into a topic and say, I can do that, too.

Until the official release of the interviews, sample clips and more on the program can be found at the temporary landing page: JanelleMolony.com/Wyoming. Those interested in participating or contributing their digital expertise can connect with the team by emailing Janelle.Molony@yahoo.com.
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.
Once again I must extend congratulations to Dr Keith Rowley for recognising and rewarding excellence in performance.

Just recently Richie Sookhai was chosen as a senator, and Friday he was made a minister in the Ministry of Works. Everyone knows this is a very prestigious promotion, and working in this ministry is both demanding and taxing.
Many tourists going to Nogales, Sonora, for dentistry and other medical services are not deterred by the recent violence in Matamoros, a border city south of Brownsville, Texas, clinics say.

Four tourists were kidnapped in Matamoros, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, on March 3. Two were killed as was a Mexican woman who happened to be nearby when the kidnappings took place. Reports say the group was traveling to Mexico so one of the tourists could get cosmetic surgery, which is cheaper in Mexico than in the United States.

The attack spurred questions on whether its safe to travel to Mexican border cities and towns, even in Sonora, which is more than 1,000 miles from where the killings took place.

The problem that happened was in Tamaulipas. Tamaulipas is no mans land, said Luis Rey Grimaldo, president of Canaco Servytur Nogales, the chamber of commerce in Nogales, Sonora, speaking in Spanish. We cannot compare it to Nogales, Sonora. It is very different here.

U.S. advice for travel in Sonora

Tamaulipas is one of six states in Mexico where the U.S. State Department has issued a do-not-travel advisory, last updated in October, due to crime and kidnappings. The advisory for Sonora is the next level down, which is to reconsider travel.

In the last decade, from June 2012 to June 2022, there have been at least 149 deaths of Americans by non-natural causes in Sonora, according to State Department data. The top cause was auto accidents, which accounted for 46 deaths. Homicide was second at 40 deaths, 16 of which were in Nogales.

The State Department travel guidelines for Sonora include detailed restrictions on where and when U.S. government employees are allowed to travel for safety reasons, including avoiding certain parts of Nogales and only traveling between Hermosillo and Nogales during daylight hours, only on Federal Highway 15, and avoiding unnecessary stops due to incidents of sporadic, armed carjackings even during daylight hours.

In areas where travel by U.S. government employees is restricted, due to violent crime such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking and robbery, the government has limited ability to provide emergency services to any U.S. citizens who may need them, according to the State Department.

Grimaldo said such violence has been a problem across the entire border because of cartels fighting for territory. Nogales has gotten a lot safer in the last few years, he said. Tourists should still be aware when moving away from touristy areas or traveling at night, but its much better, he said.

There have been three homicides of Americans in Nogales reported to the U.S. State Department from the start of 2019 to June of 2022, federal data show.

Restaurants, streets bustle

Besides being president of the chamber of commerce for the last year, Grimaldo owns a business that sells different types of insurance for locals and tourists.

He lives off of tourism, so he knows the economic problems this type of violence can cause, he said. It can make the Americans not want to cross the border, and that affects many aspects of the economy.

What tourist is going to go to a place where they dont feel safe? he said

But its clear, by the numbers of Americans on the streets in Nogales, Sonora, that tourists feel relatively safe. On the weekends, restaurants there, like La Roca, which is close to the border, and one of Grimaldos storefronts, are full of Americans, he said.

But in general, hes noticed through his business that tourism has gone down over the years, as medical tourism has gone up, especially for visits to dentists.

Its common to see people speaking English and walking the streets of Nogales, going into doctors offices, checking out the street vendors and getting food in one of the many downtown restaurants.

Tim Jahns was in Nogales on Thursday from Tucson and said he feels safe in the touristy areas. His mother comes to Mexico for dental work.

If its bad for business, its not going to be tolerated in the tourist areas, he said of cartel violence.

Were definitely being cautious

Bonnie Sortland and her husband Rand Sortland, of Green Valley, were also in Nogales on Thursday, with family from out of town, just to shop. But the last time they had come down, before the incident in Matamoros, was so Bonnie could get some dental work done.

She said a lot of their friends in the U.S. are nervous to come to Mexico, especially since the recent incident. But she and her husband travel to different touristy parts of Mexico regularly, and they feel safe.

For the most part they avoid traveling at night or staying in border towns, she said.

Were definitely being cautious, she said. I would feel uncomfortable later in the evening, but not daytime with others, traveling together.

Also, if theyre just going to Nogales, they feel safer parking on the U.S. side and walking across, which is what they did Thursday.

There are many dental clinics in the bustling downtown. They have names like Relax Dental and Advanced Dental, in English, reflecting the fact that the majority of their clientele are from the United States.

Employees of many of these dental clinics say they have not seen a drop in their clientele since the incident in Matamoros.

Lines, parking mentioned, not fear

They are like Stephanie Fernandez, a dentist at EndoDent, who said she hasnt heard from any of her clients that they feel nervous about their safety since the incident in Matamoros, and no one has canceled an appointment.

There are four dentists at the clinic and about 80% of their clientele come down from the states for services that include root canals, cleanings, dental prosthesis, fillings and braces.

While procedures like dental work and cosmetic surgery are usually far cheaper in Mexico than in the U.S., many Americans also travel south for orthopedic work such as knee or hip replacements, which can cost half what it does in the U.S., according to reporting by NPR.

The Nogales Orthopedic Center, downtown on Calle Campillo, which has a variety of services including traumatology and orthopedics, neurosurgery, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and gynecology and obstetrics, serves a clientele of which about 45% are Americans, said administrator Angelina Arreola.

The incident in Matamoros was random violence, and that happens, Arreola said in Spanish. But the centers clients havent mentioned being afraid for their safety in Nogales.

The only thing they tell me is, Wow, sorry Im late but the line was huge to leave the United States for Mexico,  Arreola said. And they also tell me, I couldnt find a parking space. 

Visit Tucson gets calls after incidents

Every time theres an attack on Americans anywhere in Mexico, tourists get concerned about safety, said president and CEO of Visit Tucson Felipe Garcia. Following such an incident, Visit Tucson, the citys destination marketing organization, gets calls from people who are concerned about travel to Mexico.

We cannot read peoples minds, but were very sure that unfortunately its going to create some impact on individuals traveling south of the border, Garcia said.

Visit Tucson operates two visitor centers in Sonora, and tourism that happens there also positively affects Arizonas economy, he said. Visit Tucson representatives meet regularly with tourism officials in Sonora and law enforcement on both sides of the border.

He said its safe to travel given that tourists follow recommendations, which are to travel during the day, consider staying in more populated areas depending where you are, follow state department guidelines, and be aware of your surroundings.

Tourists traveling to Sonora are a market that we pay a lot of attention to, and we want to make sure that they are safe and that we have cross-border tourism between our two countries and our two states, he said.
At least two people have died as the result of the ongoing storm inundating California, and nearly 10,000 residents are under evacuation orders, officials said.

Intense flooding has led to evacuation warnings in several coastal counties amid powerful storms delivering heavy rainfall across the central and northern parts of the state and prompting the Weather Prediction Center to issue a Level 4 of 4 warning of excessive rainfall in the area.

Meanwhile, the State of Emergency declaration requested by Gov. Newsom Thursday night has been approved by President Biden, clearing the way for financial help in responding to the storm's onslaught and recovery, said Nancy Ward, Director of the state's Office of Emergency Services.

Some 25 million people are under flood alerts issued by the National Weather Service, and more than 25,000 are without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us.

As residents in many of California's mountain communities remain trapped by snow from back-to-back winter storms, the weather will continue to batter the area over the weekend.

The National Water Center said, "Multiple rounds of rainfall in addition to melting snow will result in the potential for significant rises along streams and rivers, with widespread flooding impacts possible through early next week."

Two fatalities have been confirmed and approximately 9,400 residents are under evacuation orders, Ward said at a Friday news conference.

More than a dozen shelters have been opened in nine counties to house those forced from their homes, Ward added.

Flash flooding is expected to be a particular concern in California's central coast to the Sierra Nevada foothills over the next six to eight hours, David Lawrence from the National Weather Service said.

CalTrans, the state's transportation department, has about 4,000 crew members working 12-hour shifts during this weather event, who are already removing downed trees and clearing drainage culverts to minimize flooding, Deputy Director John McKeever said.

The California National Guard has deployed 36 high water vehicles to respond to rescues as well, added Cal Guard's David Kauffman.

The worst rainfall and most significant impacts expected to persist through the day Friday. Hourly rainfall rates will steadily increase in intensity across California through Friday morning, potentially reaching 1 inch per hour.

Parts of the Sierra Nevada above 8,000 feet could get hit with 8 feet of snow. Creeks and streams in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains remain the most vulnerable areas for flooding from rain and snowmelt, the Weather Prediction Center said.

A separate system is also delivering snow to a large swath of the central US with winter weather alerts in place Friday from South Dakota to Connecticut. The storm has already tallied widespread snowfall totals between 2 and 5 inches, with an area along the Illinois-Wisconsin border getting between 6 and 8 inches.

In Minneapolis, up to 2 inches of snow could fall on top of the 2.1 inches already on the ground. And in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, about 4 inches of snow has already fallen with the possibility of another 5 inches coming today.

Heavy snow overnight across Wisconsin knocked out power to nearly 110,000 customers, according to PowerOutage.us, including about 89,000 in Milwaukee County.

California residents trapped, videos show raging floodwaters

As of Friday, 34 of California's 58 counties are under a state of emergency issued by the governor's office due to previous storms and this week's severe weather threat. The state also activated its flood operations center Thursday morning.

A video captured by a Springville resident in Tulare County from his car on Friday showed rushing floodwater below a bridge striking a home.

"Not looking good in Springville," Brian Duke captioned the video he posted on Facebook. "Authorities are evacuating everyone along the river. It's getting worse by the minute."

Some in Soquel, California, located in Santa Cruz County, are trapped after intense flooding caused the area's main road to collapse on Friday.

Soquel resident Molly Watson shared a photo with CNN showing a large piece of road washed out by floodwaters in the town. Cracked pavement appears to sink into the rushing water as emergency crews stand on once piece of road and residents on the other.

"This is the one road that leads into town," Watson said. "We are now an island."

One person died and another was injured when a warehouse roof partially collapsed in Oakland Friday morning in what is likely a weather-related incident, a fire official said.

In the community of Felton also in Santa Cruz County, resident Tom Fredericks lamented the fatigue from the unrelenting series of severe storms since the start of the year.

"We've been working every week, every week when we can since then," Fredericks told CNN affiliate KGO. "It's just starting right now to feel like it was before the storms. So this is kind of discouraging to be facing it all over again."

Unprecedented weather for California

From late December into January, many areas across the state were inundated with torrential rain from atmospheric rivers that lasted for consecutive days. The rainfall caused deadly flooding, mudslides and damaged critical infrastructure that has not been yet repaired in some places, which elevates the potential danger associated with this week's storm.

This week's atmospheric rivers -- which are long, narrow bands of moisture in the atmosphere that carry warm air and water vapor from the tropics -- could possibly be even more threatening due to their warmth, forecasters have said.

Rainfall totals through Sunday morning could range from 1.5 to 3 inches for most urban areas with between 3 and 6 inches in the coast ranges and inland hills. Up to 8 inches over the Santa Cruz Mountains and locally up to 12 inches over favored peaks and higher terrain of the Santa Lucia Mountains.

The looming forecast led some ski resorts to announce closings. Kirkwood Mountain Resort said it would not open Friday, as did the Northstar California Resort and the Heavenly Resort in South Lake Tahoe, on Nevada's border with central California.

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CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico  The anonymous tip that led Mexican authorities to a remote shack where four abducted Americans were held described armed men, people wearing blindfolds and plenty of activity around a ranch.

Authorities headed for the rural area east of Matamoros on Tuesday morning, leaving the highway and driving remote dirt roads looking for the described location, according to Mexican investigative documents viewed Friday by The Associated Press.

Finally, they saw the wooden shack far from any homes or businesses, surrounded by brush, and a white pickup parked outside that matched the one the Americans had been loaded into last Friday. Then they began to hear someone shouting, "Help!"

Inside the shack, the documents said, Latavia "Tay" McGee and Eric Williams were blindfolded. Beside them were the bodies of Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, wrapped in blankets and plastic bags. When authorities arrived, McGee and Williams shouted desperately to them in English.

A guard who tried to escape out a back door was quickly apprehended, the documents said. He was wearing a tactical vest but there is no mention of him being armed.

The four Americans crossed into Matamoros from Texas on March 3 so that McGee could have cosmetic surgery. About midday, they were fired on in downtown Matamoros and then loaded into the pickup truck. Another friend, who remained in Brownsville, called police after being unable to reach the group that crossed the border. A Mexican woman, Areli Pablo Servando, 33, also was killed, apparently by a stray bullet.

In the letter obtained by The Associated Press through a Tamaulipas state law enforcement official Thursday, the Scorpions faction of the Gulf cartel apologized to the residents of Matamoros where the Americans were kidnapped, Servando, and the four Americans and their families.

But relatives of the abducted Americans said the purported apology has done little to dull the pain of their loved ones being killed or wounded.

Woodard's father said he was speechless upon hearing that the cartel apologized for the violent abduction captured in video that spread quickly online.

"I've just been trying to make sense out of it for a whole week. Just restless, couldn't sleep, couldn't eat. It's just crazy to see your own child taken from you in such a way, in a violent way like that. He didn't deserve it," James Woodard told reporters Thursday, referring to his son's death.

The cousin of Williams, who was shot in the left leg during the kidnapping, said his family feels "great" knowing he's alive but does not accept any apologies from the cartel.

"It ain't gonna change nothing about the suffering that we went through," Jerry Wallace told the AP on Thursday. Wallace, 62, called for the American and Mexican governments to better address cartel violence.

U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar told reporters Friday that U.S. officials contacted President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador directly over the weekend to ask for help in locating the missing Americans in Matamoros. He said the cartel there "must be dismantled."

The letter attributed to the cartel condemned the violence and said the gang turned over to authorities its own members who were responsible.

"We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline," the letter reads, adding that those individuals had gone against the cartel's rules, which include "respecting the life and well-being of the innocent."

A photograph of five bound men face-down on the pavement accompanied the letter, which an official shared with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A separate state security official said five men were found tied up inside one of the vehicles that authorities had been searching for, along with the letter. That official, who was not authorized to speak about the case, also spoke on condition of anonymity.
NEW YORK  Former President Donald Trump's misogynistic remarks in an "Access Hollywood" tape and the testimony of two women who say Trump suddenly attacked them sexually can be heard at a civil trial resulting from a columnist's claims that he raped her in the 1990s, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said lawyers for E. Jean Carroll can use Trump's recorded 2005 remarks to support her claims that she was attacked by Trump in the dressing room of a posh Manhattan department store.

He also ruled that Jessica Leeds can testify that Trump groped her and tried to put his hand up her skirt on a 1979 flight from Texas to New York before she changed seats.

The judge also said he'll allow testimony by Natasha Stoynoff, who says Trump pinned her against a wall and forcibly kissed her at his Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida when the former People Magazine staff writer went there in 2005 to interview the billionaire businessman and his then-pregnant wife.

Carroll sued Trump for defamation after he denied the rape ever happened or that he knew the former longtime Elle magazine columnist after she first described in a 2019 book her encounter with Trump in late 1995 or early 1996.

In the audio recording, the former president boasts graphically about how celebrities can molest women.

"In this case, a jury reasonably could find, even from the Access Hollywood tape alone, that Mr. Trump admitted in the Access Hollywood tape that he in fact has had contact with women's genitalia in the past without their consent, or that he has attempted to do so," Kaplan wrote.

The judge said he was not persuaded by Trump's lawyers that the experiences of Leeds and Stoynoff were not similar to what happened to Carroll, who said she was raped after a friendly chance encounter with Trump in a luxury department store turned violent inside a dressing room.

"The alleged acts are far more similar than different in the important aspects," he wrote. "In each case, the alleged victim claims that Mr. Trump suddenly attacked her sexually."

Kaplan said their testimony, if believed, would likely "weigh heavily in the jury's determination."

A trial is scheduled for next month, but the judge has not yet specified whether it will include her defamation claims or will only pertain to rape accusations she made in November after New York state temporarily changed laws to let adult rape victims sue their abusers, even if attacks occurred decades ago.

In an October deposition for the upcoming trial, Trump was dismissive of Carroll's claims, saying: "Physically she's not my type," though he misidentified her as one of his ex-wives when he was shown a photograph.

Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, confronted him with claims that two dozen other women have made against him, asking if any are true.

"I would say. I mean, I don't see any. I mean, you haven't shown me anything," Trump responded, according to the transcript.

The Access Hollywood tape was revealed just weeks before Trump won the November 2016 presidential election.

In the tape, he said that sometimes when he sees beautiful women: "I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait." And he added that, "When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything," including grabbing women between their legs.

Afterward, he issued a rare apology, saying the comments were "locker room banter" caught on a hot mic.

In excerpts of his deposition for the April 25 trial, Trump said it's been largely true "over the last million years" that celebrities can grab at women they find attractive. "Unfortunately or fortunately," he added.

"And you consider yourself to be a star?" Kaplan asked.

"I think you can say that, yeah," Trump responded

Attorney Roberta Kaplan, who is unrelated to the judge, declined to comment on the ruling. Lawyers for Trump did not immediately comment.
Takeout meals became a way of life for the Levine family, and many others, during the pandemic. But after two years of watching countless plastic and foam containers end up in her family's trashcan, University High School senior Aiko Levine decided to take action.

She started an organization called Takeout Turnaround and spent last summer calling local restaurants and offering to help them transition from plastic and Styrofoam to more sustainable, fiber-based takeout products.

Plastic items from takeout food and drinks make up almost half of the human-made waste in the world's oceans, a 2021 study published in the journal Nature Sustainability found.

Researchers found that food containers, single-use bags, plastic bottles and food wrappers are the four most widespread items polluting the oceans. The study also showed that 10 types of plastic products accounted for three-quarters of the litter, due to their widespread use and extremely slow degradation.

After working with Levine, one prominent Tucson restaurateur made the choice to choose eco-friendly products.

Takeout Turnaround has grown into a school club with other students participating in the effort.

Levine also has the ear of officials at Tucson's largest school district, and the potential to create widespread change in Pima County.

Overcoming obstacles

Levine, 17, says she was inspired by a mentor who was passionate about environmental initiatives. Her participation in a research-guided sustainability program prompted her to take action.

"I had the idea for awhile. We were big consumers when it came to ordering takeout during the pandemic," Levine said. "I have a big family, so when we eat out, we always have a bunch of boxes."

She did some research into alternatives to the plastic foam and single-use plastics she watched pile up in the trash, discovering fiber-based products from a California-based company called PrimeWare.

"They're pretty popular. I reached out to them and they sent me a bunch of samples," Levine said. "They were super helpful, so I was very appreciative of that."

From there, Levine began reaching out to local restaurants to gather data on what kind of products they were using and what issues have made it difficult to switch to more sustainable goods.

"I found out a bunch of things. During the pandemic, they needed to order from places that regularly had stock, so they would stick with widespread brands," she said. There wasn't "a good selection of sustainable products."

Restaurant owners also reported other problems.

"(Food) would leak through paper packaging," Levine said. "And a few restaurants mentioned that they wouldn't get publicity for what they were doing and consumers had complained about the product."

But the main driver was the price increase, said Levine.

The consumer reviews about PrimeWare were overwhelmingly positive, so Levine decided to push on and see what she could learn about pricing.

She found a supplier in town that was accessible, but couldn't get anyone to give her price points. At the same time, she was in talks with a local restaurateur who seemed willing to entertain the idea of making a switch, but without prices in hand, his interest fizzled when he realized he'd have to call the distributor on his own.

Finally, someone from the supplier, Western Paper, was willing to give Levine the price points. With the information she needed, Levine was ready to get serious.

Uptown Burger is on board

Levine next approached longtime Tucson restaurant owner and chef Daniel Scordato. His Italian restaurant, Vivace, has been a Foothills staple for years and often makes the list of most romantic restaurants in America.

"He tried to become sustainable 10 years ago, but dealt with leaking containers. Customers weren't appreciative of the change and it was twice the price back then," Levine said. "Since he already tried to do this, it was super helpful to know what I had to do to help him."

A joint meeting with Scordato and Western Paper revealed products that would work for his new venture, Uptown Burger, 6370 N. Campbell Ave. Eco-friendly straws, aluminum cups, paper bags and paper trays all made sense to use in the fast-casual restaurant.

Uptown opened the first weekend in December. Scordato said his decision to go green at Uptown was based largely on his interactions with Levine, who was "so nice and passionate" about the cause.

"It was so sweet how a 17-year-old girl would take the time to work with us on this," Scordato said. "She wasn't trying to shame me, she was just very pragmatic about it."

Scordato said price was a big consideration, but he's been able to get the cost of sustainable wares very close to what it would be for single-use items. He said Uptown uses about 90% sustainable goods in its packaging and utensils, but that number would be significantly lower if it hadn't been for Levine.

Scordato tried to go green with his former restaurant, Posto Sano, which occupied Uptown's spot before closing during the pandemic, but said the cost was too high and the quality poor.

"I probably wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for her showing that it doesn't cost more and the product is better," Scordato said. "She's going places."

Scordato is taking his commitment to the environment a step further than just sustainable goods. Uptown's burgers are made out of Piedmontese beef from the Midwest-based Creek Cattle Company, which touts environmental sustainability, traceability and humane animal handling.

"Dan was super easy to work with. He helped me through the process," Levine said. "This helped me learn what I need to know to adapt my approach to these businesses."

Hoping to incentivize the use of sustainable goods, Takeout Turnaround's website has a section acknowledging restaurants that are using eco-friendly products, including Hotel Congress, Truland Burgers and Seis Kitchen. The page welcomes other businesses to contact the group to have their name added to the list.

"I want to see 10 restaurants in Tucson make the change," Levine said. "But five would be good to get the ball rolling."

'Lasts on the planet forever'

In addition to local restaurants, Levine is also working with her peers to help them make their own difference in the community.

She started a sustainability club at University High School that meets every Wednesday during lunch. The group has 10 members who regularly attend, but upwards of 40 members who Levine said "pop in and out."

"I'm having a bunch of students do their own work calling restaurants and seeing if they're interested," Levine said. "Our teacher sponsor is friends with someone who was integral in implementing the plastic ban in Orange County."

Trish Wheeler, who teaches environmental sciences at UHS, was happy to oversee the club when she was approached by Levine.

Although Levine didn't take Wheeler's class, which is now mandatory for all UHS freshmen, the teen realized on her own the greater impact of single-use plastics and other disposable goods, Wheeler said.

"Aiko is definitely a very forward-thinking young person," Wheeler said. "On her own, she realized it made a difference to try to encourage people to use sustainable to-go ware. And now she has a whole group of students that equally recognize that with disposable ware, you use it once but it lasts on the planet forever."

Levine recognized how many of her peers arrived to school in the mornings with Dutch Bros Coffee drinks in plastic cups with plastic straws and decided to appeal to the masses, Wheeler said.

When Levine first approached Wheeler about the club, the idea was to motivate members to go out to eat and talk to business owners and managers about sustainable goods. She hosted a presentation for members and created a spreadsheet for students to keep track of who is handling each restaurant on the list.

While the idea was solid, the students struggled at first, Wheeler said.

"They heard from a lot of places that they already had a contract and there were other obstacles," she said. "They went through a phase where they were just really sad and constantly being told 'no' all the time."

The students quickly learned that not every place is gong to recognize or take ownership of the cause in the same way they had, which was difficult for the group of high achievers who aren't used to that kind of disappointment, Wheeler said.

University of Arizona professor Kelly King stepped in to help the students revise their plan and create something more manageable. They reevaluated their objective and what they believed success should look like, Wheeler said, and continued to push forward.

"It was a good learning experience in resiliency," Wheeler said. "These are real world skills the kids are working at, considering systemic issues and ways to address them."

With every UHS freshman required to take environmental sciences, Wheeler is able to educate all incoming students about the ways in which humans affect the environment.

By reaching them during formative years, these messages stick with them, Wheeler said, and they start to think about what kind of difference they can and want to make in the world.

"I think once people catch on that people care about this, there will be more of a domino effect," Wheeler said. "And it really demonstrates the value of what young people are doing."

Collaborating with TUSD schools

Tucson Unified School District leaders seem to recognize that value. Officials are collaborating with Levine and Takeout Turnaround on a project that would reduce plastic waste throughout the district.

TUSD has received a grant to help it transition to more sustainable materials, and is planning to replace the Styrofoam trays used for school lunches with paper trays and more eco-friendly containers.

With more than 40,000 students in the district, the potential impact is huge. Takeout Turnaround will help to test materials and implement changes in schools throughout the district.

University High School's sustainability club is also working with TUSD to create a composting system for the new lunch materials while they continue discussions with local restaurants.

"We're now asking restaurants if they'd consider not giving out plastic utensils unless they're asked," Levine said.

Only about 1% of plastic ends up being recycled, she said, "and it's still adding to the amount of plastic on the planet even if it's getting recycled."

Levine hopes that as restaurants make these changes, others will want to jump on the bandwagon. That's why it's so important to draw attention to the restaurants trying to be greener, she said.
Editors note: This story has been updated with funeral service information for Nayson Brockman and a donation account for Jimmy Rhotenberry.

Three teenagers from Sapulpa who were killed Wednesday afternoon in a single-vehicle crash have been identified, and services for two of them have been set.

Donita Bierman said her grandson, 15-year-old Jimmy Paul Jay Rhotenberry III, was among the crash victims.

Services for Rhotenberry are under the direction of Schaudts Funeral Home in Glenpool. A public viewing is planned for 3-8 p.m. Tuesday, and a funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 15, at the funeral home, Bierman said.

An account has been established to help Rhotenberrys family with funeral expenses. That account can be found at bit.ly/JRhotenberryFund.

Nayson Brockman, 15, also died in the crash, according to his stepmother, Carrie Belt. She said a funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. Friday at Green Hill Funeral Home in Sapulpa.

An account has been established to help Brockmans family with funeral expenses. That account can be found at bit.ly/NaysonBrockmanFund.

The Rev. Brady Thelander of Sapulpa Church of the Nazarene said Lacy Krause, 17, a member of his congregation, was the third crash victim.

The church is planning a memorial service for Krause beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, followed by a meal for her family, Thelander said. The service is open to all.

A second memorial service for Krause is scheduled for noon Friday, March 17, at Smith Funeral Home in Sapulpa.

The three teenagers were passengers in a 2013 Ford Focus driven by a 16-year-old boy when they crashed about 3:40 p.m. on 161st West Avenue about a quarter-mile north of 101st Street near Lake Sahoma in Creek County, according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

The three passengers were all ejected, troopers reported, and the driver, who was pinned in the vehicle for a time, suffered extensive injuries and was admitted to St. John Medical Center in Tulsa in critical condition.

Two of the teenagers who died were Sapulpa Public Schools students, a district news release confirmed Thursday.

The school district was making counseling resources available to students and staff members in response to the news.
A former University of Oklahoma regent and Claremore business executive pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to tax evasion.

Phillip Barry Albert, 63, the former president of Pelco Structural LLC, admitted to not paying an estimated $1 million in federal taxes for the combined years of 2014-19.

U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson filed one count of tax evasion against Albert in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma on Jan. 23.

Albert admitted that between 2014 and May 2021 he coordinated with a third party to have company checks sent to his personal bank account in a manner so that it would not appear on a W-2 form or cause him to owe tax.

During that time, at my direction, I had the companys outside payroll service company issue purported reimbursement payments to me, via checks, that were structured so that they would neither have federal income taxes withheld nor appear on my Forms W-2, Albert wrote in his plea.

I did not submit receipts or any documentation to support the alleged reimbursements, but instead, I would tell the companys Controller, Don Eagleton, whatever amount I wanted, including on an least one occasion giving him a scrap of paper with the amount, Albert continued in his plea.

In fact, I knew that the checks did not relate to any legitimate business expense I had made on behalf of Pelco Structural and for which I could have legitimately expected reimbursement, Albert wrote.

A tax-evasion conviction carries no minimum prison term, a maximum term of five years and a fine of not more than $100,000.

In Alberts case, criminal sentencing guidelines, based on his total offense level, call for a prison term ranging from 24 to 30 months in prison, U.S. Magistrate Donald D. Bush said during the hearing.

In addition to a possible fine, Albert will pay $1,000,232 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and $2,615,750 in restitution to Pelco Industries Inc., according to the plea agreement.

Albert will be formally sentenced at a date yet to be determined.

Albert opened the Claremore steel pole manufacturing business in 2005 with Phil Parduhn, whose family owns Pelco Products Inc. in Edmond.

Albert is the second former Pelco Structural employee to face criminal charges in federal court in the past year.

Prosecutors charged Eagleton Aug. 9 with one count of misprision of a felony when he failed to notify law enforcement about Alberts scheme to receive unauthorized payments from the company.

Eagleton pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 14. He faces a statutory maximum of three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain/loss caused by his acts.

Both Eagleton and Albert left Pelco Structural in April 2019, according to Tulsa World archives and court records.

Albert was a regent at the University of Oklahoma from 2016 until he resigned in January 2022.

In addition to being a university regent, Albert was Tulsa Regional Chamber president in 2017.
A Claremore man accused in a fiery fatal car crash in 2021 was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison on felony charges of first-degree manslaughter and driving under the influence that caused bodily injury.

Miguel Romero, 20, was drag racing in a 2016 Dodge Charger around 2 a.m. May 15, 2021, when the car collided with a Jeep Grand Cherokee after running a red light at Apache Street and Yale Avenue, Tulsa police said.

When the two vehicles crashed, the Jeep burst into flames, and its two occupants were ejected. The 28-year-old driver, Audreaunna Williams, was killed, and her passenger was sent to a hospital with serious injuries, a Tulsa Police Department social media post states.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Romero had a 0.12 blood alcohol concentration, and a review of data from his vehicle showed he was going at least 106 mph just before the collision.

Officers reported seeing an unopened bottle of beer at the scene. Romeros drivers license was suspended at the time, and he was on a payment plan for court costs on two traffic tickets, records show.

Romero sustained no life-threatening injuries in the crash, police said.

He was arrested on June 3, 2021, on charges of second-degree murder  with an alternative of first-degree manslaughter  as well as driving with a suspended license and being in possession of alcohol illegally.

In February, a jury found Romero guilty of first-degree manslaughter and driving under the influence that caused bodily injury, court records show.

On Friday, District Judge David Guten sentenced Romero to 20 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter and 10 years for driving under the influence that caused bodily injury, with the terms to run consecutively, court records show.
OKLAHOMA CITY  The Oklahoma Veterans Commission fired the embattled head of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs on Friday amid a dispute that has had the two parties at odds for months.

The commission, made up entirely of Gov. Kevin Stitts appointees, fired Executive Director Joel Kintsel in a 5-1 vote that could raise legal questions because the legitimacy of some commissioners is in question.

Kintsel, who declined to comment, was not present at the meeting. He has intentionally skipped several recent meetings because he alleges that the commission is meeting illegally because some of the governors appointments to the board are not valid.

Commission Chairman Robert Allen said Kintsel shut the commission out of the agency in every way possible. The commission met at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation building on Friday because Kintsel wouldnt allow the board into the Department of Veterans Affairs building.

Allen blamed Kintsel for increased costs to complete a new veterans home in Sallisaw, cybersecurity issues at the agency and a growing number of employee complaints. Kintsel has shunned agency oversight, forcing the commission into an impossible situation, Allen said.

He has publicly exhibited absolute insubordination, Allen said. In his unhinged efforts to prove that everyone is out to get him, Mr. Kintsel has forced us to do what any reasonable commission should do, and that is to consider terminating his employment, thus perpetuating this false narrative that this was always a foregone conclusion.

Kintsel, who has served as the agencys director since 2019, previously warned that any votes taken by the commission could create potential liability for the state and taxpayers.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond last month said Stitt did not follow state law in appointing several of the commissioners.

The governor has since shifted one of those commissioners on the board, leaving the status of two commissioners in doubt.

One of those commissioners was absent Friday. The other sided with the majority of the commission in voting to terminate Kintsels employment, although Stitt said he told the two commissioners in doubt to abstain from any votes.

Kintsel has alleged that Stitt intentionally replaced members of the Veterans Commission in an effort to fire him for challenging the governor in last years Republican gubernatorial primary. But some of the commissioners have said Kintsels oversight of the agency was lacking.

In a 5-0 vote with one abstention, the commission voted to hire former U.S. Navy Under Secretary Greg Slavonic as interim director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.

Heather McEver was the lone commissioner to oppose firing Kintsel. The vote occurred after a 40-minute executive session that was closed to the public. The commission also fired Deputy Director Sarah Lane.

Commissioners also asked for a comprehensive review of the Sallisaw veterans home project. The commission approved the creation of several committees to review the Department of Veterans Affairs finances, survey the workplace environment, and follow up on the recommendations of a 2018 report from the state auditor and inspector.

Stitt previously said he would have fired Kintsel by now if he had the authority to do so. But the governor said he did not direct his appointees to fire Kintsel.

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, previously called on Kintsel to resign, saying his dispute with the commission had become a hindrance to serving Oklahomas veterans.

The dispute between Kintsel and the commission stalled some business at the state agency.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, on Thursday did not weigh in on whether Kintsel should remain employed at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The most important thing is that the ODVA be a functional agency, McCall said.
When it comes to health care needs of women after childbirth, the men in the Legislature need to listen more and talk less.

Also  and I hope those in the back of the room can hear  just because your wife or partner gave birth does not make you an expert, and maternity leave is no vacation.

In Thursdays Oklahoma Senate debate over Senate Bill 193, the Republican men who argued against it did so in ways that criticized women for their maternal health needs.

They called maternity leave a vacation, equated it to utopia, complained about the inconvenience of finding temporary workers and bemoaned how this might make public jobs attractive, as if that would be a bad thing.

SB 193 would provide six weeks of paid maternity leave for state employees. It would have a fiscal impact of less than $3 million. Remember, Oklahoma has a record of nearly $4 billion in savings accounts, and this fiscal year budget is about $11 billion.

The return on investment would bring a savings of $110 million from turnover due to state employees leaving for maternity care.

One of Americas embarrassments is how we treat maternity care. The only United Nations members not providing paid maternity leave are the U.S., Papua New Guinea and five island nations in the Pacific Ocean.

The only federal government protection is for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave; many women cannot afford that. This is an issue where government ought to lead the way.

Oklahoma consistently ranks poorly in maternal and infant well-being. The March of Dimes last year gave the state an F in preterm birth rates, noting that Black women have a preterm birth rate 45% higher than other women. The state Health Department states Oklahoma ranks 40th in maternal deaths.

A basic need after the grueling experience of delivering a child is time to physically heal and bond with that newborn. Many businesses are recognizing the moral responsibility and workforce development aspect in helping employees through this time.

Sen. Shane Jett of Shawnee, who mentioned having three kids, objected to the measure, referring to maternity leave as a taxpayer-funded vacation.

In a rare show of humility, Jett returned to the floor later and apologized for using the term vacation, saying he didnt want to disparage women going through birth.

No such regret came from Sen. Rob Standridge of Norman. He stated that such benefits create a utopia. He argued if some private businesses cant afford paid leave, then the state shouldnt give it, either.

Lets give them good pay but not make it a utopian job in Oklahoma, he said.

Sen. Lonnie Paxton from Tuttle agreed and added it was hard on businesses to hire temporary workers while women were on maternity leave  as if new mothers are an inconvenience to the workforce.

All said they were in favor of maternity leave in theory. Thats backhanded. They cant have it both ways.

Lawmakers cannot be pro-family and pro-life then deny this minimum amount of help critical to recovering mothers and infants. Women were quick to respond.

Sen. Carri Hicks, an Oklahoma City Democrat: Im struggling to find my words when utopia is being used to describe six weeks of time home with an infant. Six weeks is the time it takes to heal from delivering a child. If you have a Caesarean section, its eight weeks.

Sen. Jessica Garvin, a Republican from Duncan, the bills author, described childbirth.

I can assure you, having given birth to a child out of my body, that the recovery  the rips and stitches and the blood and all of the things you have after having a child  is not a paid vacation. Learning to breastfeed. Not sleeping. Suffering postpartum depression.

These are real problems for women and men there taking care of them, if that be the case. It is hard to have a baby. It is not a fun experience. I assure you, it is nothing like a paid vacation.

Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, said calling maternity leave a vacation was offensive, over the line and an insult.

Postpartum depression peaks that first month, that first six weeks. If you want to disrupt a little one, you let a momma grind through struggle, Boren said.

Boren also said maternity leave benefits babies, who are Oklahomans. Just because newborns may have parents who are public employees doesnt make them less deserving of this attention.

Hear, hear, ladies! Preach!

The measure passed out of the Senate by a 33-14 vote. The Tulsa-area senators voting against it are all Republicans: Michael Bergstrom of Adair, Nathan Dahm of Broken Arrow, Julie Daniels of Bartlesville, Joe Newhouse of Broken Arrow and Dana Prieto of Owasso.

There is a huge difference between being pro-life and being pro-birth, Garvin said. I am pro-life, and I hope and pray you will vote yes; vote for families who are figuring this out.

Heres urging those in the House to heed Garvins words.
Auto prices in Vietnam are much higher than those in other countries due to high taxes and fees, as well as a low volume of locally-made cars, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In particular, car prices in Vietnam double those in Thailand and Indonesia. The gap is even bigger in comparison to countries with developed auto sectors, such as the U.S. and Japan. The admission was made as part of the Ministry of Industry and Trades report on obstacles in the automobile sector and challenges to increasing the sector's localization rate. According to the ministry, the quality of locally-assembled autos has improved but is not as high as imported vehicles. In addition, the connection between car assembling and manufacturing enterprises and auto part producers remains loose, while a system of large material and accessory suppliers has yet to be established. Vietnam is now home to some 40 auto assemblers and manufacturers, which can meet about 70 percent of the local demand for cars with fewer than nine seats each. The total capacity of all car assembling factories in Vietnam reached some 755,000 units last year. The Ministry of Industry and Trade assessed that the domestic auto assembling and manufacturing sector has yet to meet the requirements. Most local factories conduct simple assembling phases. The production line of most of local firms includes only four main phases: painting, welding, assembling, and revision. The localization rate has reached 60 percent for buses, 35-40 percent for trucks, and 25 percent for cars. Tires, tubes, chairs, outside mirrors, electric wires, accumulators, and plastic parts are all currently produced in Vietnam. Meanwhile, up to 80-90 percent of materials for manufacturing auto accessories, such as alloy steel, aluminum alloy, plastic beads, technical rubber, and materials for molding, must be imported. The total value of these materials is about US$5 billion. The weak capacity of supporting industry enterprises also raises concerns. Most mold manufacturers are small and lack of connection, while the number of ingot manufacturers is modest. In addition, the proportion of faulty products remains high. The Ministry of Industry and Trade attributed the automobile sector failure to meet the requirements to the limited domestic market size. The market is small and occupied by many assemblers with various models, causing difficulties for enterprises to manufacture a large volume of products and for supporting industry firms to access foreign auto manufacturers. Furthermore, Vietnams gross domestic product per capita is still lower than $4,000 per year, which is not enough to foster the development of the automobile sector. Meanwhile, other regional countries, such as Thailand and Indonesia, have had policies to attract large investment projects, putting pressure on Vietnams auto sector. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Auto prices in Vietnam are much higher than those in other countries due to high taxes and fees, as well as a low volume of locally-made cars, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In particular, car prices in Vietnam double those in Thailand and Indonesia. The gap is even bigger in comparison to countries with developed auto sectors, such as the U.S. and Japan.

The admission was made as part of the Ministry of Industry and Trades report on obstacles in the automobile sector and challenges to increasing the sector's localization rate.

According to the ministry, the quality of locally-assembled autos has improved but is not as high as imported vehicles.

In addition, the connection between car assembling and manufacturing enterprises and auto part producers remains loose, while a system of large material and accessory suppliers has yet to be established.

Vietnam is now home to some 40 auto assemblers and manufacturers, which can meet about 70 percent of the local demand for cars with fewer than nine seats each.

The total capacity of all car assembling factories in Vietnam reached some 755,000 units last year.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade assessed that the domestic auto assembling and manufacturing sector has yet to meet the requirements.

Most local factories conduct simple assembling phases. The production line of most of local firms includes only four main phases: painting, welding, assembling, and revision.

The localization rate has reached 60 percent for buses, 35-40 percent for trucks, and 25 percent for cars.

Tires, tubes, chairs, outside mirrors, electric wires, accumulators, and plastic parts are all currently produced in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, up to 80-90 percent of materials for manufacturing auto accessories, such as alloy steel, aluminum alloy, plastic beads, technical rubber, and materials for molding, must be imported. The total value of these materials is about US$5 billion.

The weak capacity of supporting industry enterprises also raises concerns.

Most mold manufacturers are small and lack of connection, while the number of ingot manufacturers is modest. In addition, the proportion of faulty products remains high.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade attributed the automobile sector failure to meet the requirements to the limited domestic market size.

The market is small and occupied by many assemblers with various models, causing difficulties for enterprises to manufacture a large volume of products and for supporting industry firms to access foreign auto manufacturers.

Furthermore, Vietnams gross domestic product per capita is still lower than $4,000 per year, which is not enough to foster the development of the automobile sector.

Meanwhile, other regional countries, such as Thailand and Indonesia, have had policies to attract large investment projects, putting pressure on Vietnams auto sector.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Japanese government announced a grant of US$1.38 million as non-refundable aid for nine projects in Vietnam on Friday. Speaking at the signing ceremony in Hanoi, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Takio Yamada said these projects involve a wide range of fields, including health care, education, transport and environment, and will be carried out in a variety of communities across the country. They comprise a project on cluster bomb disposal in central Quang Binh Province and a project to upgrade rehabilitation and vocational training equipment for northern Thai Binh Province's Association for Agent Orange/dioxin Victims. Projects on building schools, bridges, irrigation works and clean water supply stations in other provinces are also included in the package. The scale of each project of non-refundable aid at the grassroots level is not large, but the projects are designed to bring key benefits to the maximum amount of people in these communities, according to the ambassador. A total of 724 Japanese-funded projects have been implemented since 1992 with a total value of up to $64.5 million, he said. Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims (VAVA), thanked the Japanese government for the assistance, saying it has brought practical benefits to many Agent Orange/dioxin victims and their descendants in recent years, the Vietnam News Agency quoted. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

The Japanese government announced a grant of US$1.38 million as non-refundable aid for nine projects in Vietnam on Friday.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Hanoi, Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Takio Yamada said these projects involve a wide range of fields, including health care, education, transport and environment, and will be carried out in a variety of communities across the country.

They comprise a project on cluster bomb disposal in central Quang Binh Province and a project to upgrade rehabilitation and vocational training equipment for northern Thai Binh Province's Association for Agent Orange/dioxin Victims.

Projects on building schools, bridges, irrigation works and clean water supply stations in other provinces are also included in the package.

The scale of each project of non-refundable aid at the grassroots level is not large, but the projects are designed to bring key benefits to the maximum amount of people in these communities, according to the ambassador.

A total of 724 Japanese-funded projects have been implemented since 1992 with a total value of up to $64.5 million, he said.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Agent Orange/dioxin Victims (VAVA), thanked the Japanese government for the assistance, saying it has brought practical benefits to many Agent Orange/dioxin victims and their descendants in recent years, the Vietnam News Agency quoted.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Check out the news you should not miss today: Politics -- Vietnam's Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and State President Vo Van Thuong have congratulated Xi Jinping on his re-election as Chinas President for the third time. Society -- Authorities in Nam Dinh Province, northern Vietnam have initiated legal proceedings against a woman for murdering her two children by drowning them into a local river earlier this week. -- Police in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam said on Friday that they had successfully rescued a boy from his abductor, who was taking hostages to collect a debt. -- Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City said on Friday that they had suspended the operation of an unlicensed beauty salon for causing injuries to a customer who underwent eyelid surgery. Business -- Startup-focused lender SVB Financial Group became the largest bank failure since the financial crisis on Friday, in a sudden collapse that roiled global markets and stranded billions of dollars belonging to companies and investors, according to Reuters. Lifestyle -- Actors Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, and congressman Dean Phillips toured Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi on Friday afternoon as part of a trip to Vietnam. World News -- Canada on Friday banned the import of all Russian aluminum and steel products in a move that Ottawa said was aimed at denying Moscow the ability to fund its war against Ukraine, Reuters reported. -- A gunman in Germany shot dead six people before killing himself at a Jehovah's Witness worship hall in Hamburg, authorities said on Friday, in an attack that is bound to renew calls for stricter gun controls, according to Reuters. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Check out the news you should not miss today:

Politics

-- Vietnam's Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and State President Vo Van Thuong have congratulated Xi Jinping on his re-election as Chinas President for the third time.

Society

-- Authorities in Nam Dinh Province, northern Vietnam have initiated legal proceedings against a woman for murdering her two children by drowning them into a local river earlier this week.

-- Police in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam said on Friday that they had successfully rescued a boy from his abductor, who was taking hostages to collect a debt.

-- Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City said on Friday that they had suspended the operation of an unlicensed beauty salon for causing injuries to a customer who underwent eyelid surgery.

Business

-- Startup-focused lender SVB Financial Group became the largest bank failure since the financial crisis on Friday, in a sudden collapse that roiled global markets and stranded billions of dollars belonging to companies and investors, according to Reuters.

Lifestyle

-- Actors Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, and congressman Dean Phillips toured Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi on Friday afternoon as part of a trip to Vietnam.

World News

-- Canada on Friday banned the import of all Russian aluminum and steel products in a move that Ottawa said was aimed at denying Moscow the ability to fund its war against Ukraine, Reuters reported.

-- A gunman in Germany shot dead six people before killing himself at a Jehovah's Witness worship hall in Hamburg, authorities said on Friday, in an attack that is bound to renew calls for stricter gun controls, according to Reuters.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Two Hollywood stars, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, paid a visit to the Moment of Resurrection exhibition at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi on Friday afternoon. The management board of the relic site confirmed the visit later on the same day, after sharing images of the surprising stopover on its Facebook page. McConaughey, who won the Best Actor prizes at the 2014 Oscar and Golden Globe Awards for his role as Ron Woodroof in the drama Dallas Buyers Club, and Oscar candidate Harrelson were accompanied by an American delegation led by U.S. representative Dean Phillips. Woody Harrelson visits the Moment of Resurrection exhibition at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi, March 10, 2023. Photo: Hoa Lo Prison Relic Phillips and the delegation are on a visit to Vietnam for personal reasons related to his deceased father, who fought and died in the Vietnam battlefield. The Moment of Resurrection exhibition, which was opened on Friday morning, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the liberation of revolutionary soldiers imprisoned by the U.S.-backed regime in the south (1973-2023) and the 48th anniversary of the reunification of Vietnam (April 30, 1975). It is open to the public in the courtyard of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Site on Hoa Lo Street in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. An American delegation led by U.S. representative Dean Phillips (who wears a black cap) pose for a photo at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi, March 10, 2023. Photo: Hoa Lo Prison Relic The exhibits tell stories about the revolutionary lives of Vietnamese patriots who were imprisoned and some of them died in jails across the country during the U.S. war before 1975 and recall the historical moments of the victorious days. A talkshow featuring historical witnesses and a pageant recreating scenes from history are scheduled to take place on March 16 and 21, respectively. Visitors watch exhibits at the Moment of Resurrection exhibition at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi, March 10, 2023. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!

Two Hollywood stars, Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, paid a visit to the Moment of Resurrection exhibition at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi on Friday afternoon.

The management board of the relic site confirmed the visit later on the same day, after sharing images of the surprising stopover on its Facebook page.

McConaughey, who won the Best Actor prizes at the 2014 Oscar and Golden Globe Awards for his role as Ron Woodroof in the drama Dallas Buyers Club, and Oscar candidate Harrelson were accompanied by an American delegation led by U.S. representative Dean Phillips.

Woody Harrelson visits the Moment of Resurrection exhibition at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi, March 10, 2023. Photo: Hoa Lo Prison Relic

Phillips and the delegation are on a visit to Vietnam for personal reasons related to his deceased father, who fought and died in the Vietnam battlefield.

The Moment of Resurrection exhibition, which was opened on Friday morning, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the liberation of revolutionary soldiers imprisoned by the U.S.-backed regime in the south (1973-2023) and the 48th anniversary of the reunification of Vietnam (April 30, 1975).

It is open to the public in the courtyard of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Site on Hoa Lo Street in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

An American delegation led by U.S. representative Dean Phillips (who wears a black cap) pose for a photo at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi, March 10, 2023. Photo: Hoa Lo Prison Relic

The exhibits tell stories about the revolutionary lives of Vietnamese patriots who were imprisoned and some of them died in jails across the country during the U.S. war before 1975 and recall the historical moments of the victorious days.

A talkshow featuring historical witnesses and a pageant recreating scenes from history are scheduled to take place on March 16 and 21, respectively.

Visitors watch exhibits at the Moment of Resurrection exhibition at Hoa Lo Prison Relic in Hanoi, March 10, 2023. Photo: Thien Dieu / Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The joke which offended many took place in 10s Melbourne studio two weeks ago, but yesterday some 600 protestors took to 10s Sydney studio in Saunder St, Pyrmont.

With a state election imminent in NSW, protestors included the Christian Lives Matter group and 88 year old member of the New South Wale Legislative Council Revered Fred Nile, called for The Projects cancellation. But Rev. Nile collapsed before being taken away by ambulance.

The 10 show had already apologised for the joke made by Reuben Kaye but some protestors described it as a mockery and called for a sincere apology.

Kaye spoke on The Project about the hate he is subjected to because of his sexuality and for dressing up in drag  mostly from the Christian community  when he made the Jesus remark.

Protesters have surrounded the Network Ten headquarters demanding their faith be taken seriously after a religious joke was aired on the network. The crowd was vocal and passionate, but it was all too much for one of the country's most high-profile Christian campaigners. #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/NG53bAJU9M  7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) March 11, 2023

Source: Star Observer
Deirdre McGettrick is the founder and CEO of ufurnish.com. Photo: ufurnish.com

For over 100 years, McGettricks, a drapery shop near Sligo, Ireland, was run by three family generations of the same name. Two autumns ago it closed its doors for the final time. It was lovely growing up in a small area and they would know the family name because of the shop, says Deirdre McGettrick.

Now, the London-based businesswoman is carrying on the family's interiors' connection in the digital age with ufurnish.com, the rapidly-growing online furniture aggregator launched in 2020 after the now husband and wife co-founders quit their jobs just before COVID hit.

Ive always liked interior designs. I used to cut out the Argos catalogue as a child and plan my room, says McGettrick. My dad sold curtains and blinds and I would go out after work and have a look at everyones house.

Later, after eight months working at JP Morgan (JPM) as part of her degree and completing a graduate programme with BNP Paribas (BNP.PA), she became vice president of leveraged and acquisition finance at HSBC (HSBA.L) in 2015.

Looking for a flat in London as her banking career took off, her interior upbringing ultimately came back to the fore. I saved so many screenshots from Pinterest and Instagram as I couldnt find any of the furniture I wanted, she recalls. I thought why isnt there an aggregator?

Read more: My first boss: Elona Mortimer-Zhika, Iris Software CEO

I was using Rightmove when I was looking for a flat. It didnt matter whether it was Foxtons or a one-man band estate agent, you want to see all the choices of all the apartments for sale and decide which one is for you. It was that vision we had for ufurnish.com but for furniture to create it.

McGettrick sat on the idea for around nine months but had no idea how to start it, realising pretty quickly that she needed a partner. She didnt look very far as her now husband, Ray  they became Ireland's first couple to tie the knot under the countrys pandemic rule in 2020  had experience with previous start-ups. I could cover the product fundraise, and Ray could build the product, she adds.

Story continues

ufurnish.com is the UKs market leading search and discovery website for home furniture and furnishings. Photo: ufurnish.com

We were all in. There was probably a bit more risk and a bit more pressure with both of us giving up work for the dream. We had to have the really awkward question of living together and what would happen if we split up and how do we manage the business.

Weve never had to go back to that document but its very detailed in how we put the business first and make decisions. That kind of planning serves you well if you have those conversations up front.

The vision of the business, she adds, has also never wavered. McGettrick admits the companys first minimum viable product (MVP) wasnt great. But doing the bare bones and getting the basics out was one of her early business mantras.

I did try to perfect it and we could have done an easier beta version, she notes, but it wasnt scalable. For most first-time founders, you will probably end up scrapping it and rebuilding it.

Read more: My first boss: Graham Bell, Ski Sunday presenter

The original name for the business was called Kuldea, based on cool idea. Lesson No 1? Check your brand name out, McGettrick smiles. It was the worst name in history but a lesson learned. Once you get feedback, make the change and move on. Try not to dwell on things for too long.

Yet ufurnish.com still needed two to three retailers to come on board, sign up, and receive their data to import products in a bid to fill out the early platform. There are now more than 110, including John Lewis, Nkuku, Industville and Cocoon, with over two million products.

Its an evolution but some of those conversations took months for them to join, she says. If you are a retailer you want to get in front of customers, those who are actively searching in the market. Thats ultimately what we are providing to the retailer and coming closer to that trigger point of purchase.

McGettrick says that when it comes to furniture, the industry has been a bit of a laggard in terms of digitalisation and tech implementation to aid visuals and search criteria. Feel and touch has also been turned on its head since COVID and the boost in sales online.

Deirdre McGettrick and Ray Wright were the first couple to be married in Ireland under pandemic rules. Photo: ufurnish.com

Having turned from banking to being an entrepreneur, McGettrick admits it has been more difficult psychologically to sell the business in front of investors as opposed to her previous finance career.

Its not harder from my side, she says. Its harder from the person Im speaking to. Say Im going out and doing a 500m bond and talking to a pension fund who will be an investor. Its not their money, versus someone who is putting in their own money to invest in my company.

McGettrick says she would be lost without the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), a tax incentive the government gives to high network individuals who are looking to invest, with a downside protection. And when it comes to pitching the business, McGettrick believes that giving off energy is also the crux to success.

One hundred percent it is the energy and the person they [investors] back, she adds. At the beginning its all about the person as there is nothing else to back. Its important to have an eco system of entrepreneurs, people who have been there. There is an element that they see something of themselves in you.

Read more: Sally Walker, Britain's spy chief on her first boss

This month, ufurnish.com announced total funding (pre seed and seed) had reached over 5.2m. McGettrick says: "I am particularly proud that 30% of my investors are females and includes experienced businesswomen who have a strong record in building and growing businesses from whom I can draw down on advice when required.

Three years since launch and the husband-and-wife business  which now has 18 staff  is in a solid position given the cost of living crisis, coupled with consumers spending more research time to find the best price. Comparison is also a key driver.

We have a big opportunity to help the customer. I am the first customer so how do I help them to find the products? says McGettrick.

Its value to the consumer. You have to do more with less with other bills, so how do you stretch the rest of the budget further? It's all pretty compelling.

ufurnish.com is the official home furnishing partner of Santander UK's My Home Manager, helping their mortgage customers find the perfect furniture and furnishings for their home.

Watch: How much money do I need to buy a house?

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
SEFF Director of Services Kenny Donaldson

This Saturday, March 11, marks European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism and across Northern Ireland civic council buildings will light up in red in acknowledgement of the victims and survivors of The Troubles.

South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) made the request for all 11 Northern Ireland councils to light up, as well as Dail Eireann in Dublin, and the Palace of Westminster in London.

In addition, a political request has also been made to light up Parliament Buildings, Stormont.

SEFFs Director of Services, Kenny Donaldson, said: We approached some councils directly and others required support on the floor from councillors, by way of Motions presented by individual councillors.

A small number of the councils had the date in their diaries, having previously illuminated buildings in marking this important date.

We have been heartened by the response from councils, with the overwhelming majority agreeing to light up in support of victims and survivors of The Troubles.

It is important, particularly at this time, that victims and survivors are acknowledged, almost 25 years on since the signing of The Belfast Agreement. Victims and survivors remain a constituency whose needs have not been delivered upon, added Mr. Donaldson.
Netflix

After four years away Idris Elba is finally back on our screens as DCI John Luther in a new movie Luther: The Fallen Sun, and we could not be happier to see his return.

Luther: The Fallen Sun dropped on Netflix today (10th March) and sees Luther take on his biggest and most twisted case yet, as he investigates serial killer David Robey (Andy Serkis). The film brings back some of our favourite characters such as DSU Martin Schenk (Dermot Crowley) and introduces us to some new ones including Cynthia Erivo as DCI Odette Raine.

Netflix

In the two hour long film, a lot goes down and we'll admit at times we were a little confused, and so we've broken down exactly what happened in the ending of Netflix's Luther: The Fallen Sun.

What happens in Luther: The Fallen Sun?

Luther: The Fallen Sun begins with Luther investigating the case of missing teenager Callum Aldrich, however, he is quickly put off the case after serial killer David Robey leaks his misdemeanours to the media. Luther ends up in jail, unable to do anything to help find Callum.

Callum's mother receives what appears to be a call from Callum, and drives to an abandoned house, where she and a number of other families of missing people find their loved ones dead and up in flames.

Netflix

DCI Odette Raine is brought onto the case and begins to investigate the mass murders. Robey begins to taunt Luther in jail by sending him a radio with a recording of Callum's cries.

Luther manages to bust his way out of jail with the help of his friend Dennis McCabe (Vincent Regan). Then he begins his hunt for Robey.

After tracking him down, Luther has many close calls with Robey, including tracking him down to Piccadilly Circus where Robey has organised a mass stunt of a multiple people committing suicide. Luther chases Robey through the London underground, but Robey evades capture.

Luther soon begins to piece Robey's plan together, and realises Robey is able to blackmail multiple people with the secrets they're most shameful of. It's revealed he has a massive operation working underneath him, with his team using video surveillance footage in order to recruit more victims.

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Netflix

Luther tries to convince Raine Robey is planning something bigger, but she is only concerned with getting Luther locked up again.

It is then revealed Raine's subordinate DS Archie Woodward is working with Robey, presumably as Robey has a secret over him. Robey then kidnap's Raine's daughter Anya (Lauryn Ajufo) and threatens Raine, telling her she has to get rid of Luther in order to see her daughter again.

Luther goes to visit Callum's mum Corinne (Hattie Morahan) who reveals she has met someone new called 'Tommy' who said he lost his wife in terrible circumstances. Tommy is of course Robey, who gets close to all his victims' families by lying about his dead wife.

Robey's wife Georgia is actually alive and has been living in care after she nearly died in a house fire and is suffering from major burns.

Netflix

Raine reluctantly agrees to work with Luther, despite the safety of her daughter and the pair go to visit Georgia who shares with them Robey's deepest secrets and the location of his lair.

Back at the Serious and Serial Crime Unit, Archie's colleague reveals an online Red Room, where viewers get to vote for how people die is happening soon.

Luther tips off Schenk that someone will try to kill Georgia and has Schenk goes to find Georgia, but Archie has gotten there first and is planning to kill Georgia. Schenk stops him, but Archie then kills himself.

After finding out the location of Robey's lair in Norway, Raine and Luther head straight to it.

How does Luther: The Fallen Sun end?

When Luther and Raine arrive at Robey's snowy and Bond villain-esque lair, they discover a number of dead bodies, with Raine initially thinking her daughter is one of them.

However, the body does not actually belong to Anya, and they are both attacked by Robey's henchmen.

They are brought to Robey in his Red Room, which is broadcasting live over the internet. Luther is chained up to a chair and Raine is shown her daughter is alive behind a glass screen.

Netflix

Robey attempts to get Raine and Luther to torture each other, however Luther manages to get inside Robey's head, reminding him of his anxieties, particularly his teeth grinding. He also shouts at the viewers watching at home, telling them they are being traced by the police, and very quickly the Red Room begins losing viewers. Luther tells Robey the police are on their way.

Spooked, Robey makes a run for it and Luther chases after him, whilst Raine and Anya fight off Robey's henchman.

Luther chases Robey outside and they begin a furious battle in Robey's car, which soon ends up plunging into a frozen lake.

Robey attempts to escape but cannot get out of the frozen lake and drowns. Luther is saved by divers and reunites with Raine, before being arrested.

Who is the chief at the end of Luther: The Fallen Sun?

After Luther is arrested, he is airlifted out to safety and to have his injures mended. He wakes up at a stately home, confused and finds Schenk who tells him he has been taken to a government safe house.

Schenk gives Luther back his iconic coat which has been mended. They see a convoy of black cars turn up and Schenk says to Luther he doesn't think he is being sent to jail anymore.

Netflix

Once Luther is dressed, the pair make their way out of the house and are greeted by a man in a suit, civil servant Tim Cranfield (Guy Williams). He commends Luther on his job with Robey and then tells him the "chief would like a word" and indicates for Luther to get into the car.

And the film ends there. So who is this mysterious chief? And will Luther return to prison? Hopefully we'll get a season six one day and find out.

Luther: The Fallen Sun is available on Netflix now

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Mouse looking up in laboratory

Getty Images

Scientists in Japan have reportedly created mice with two biological fathers  with the hope to replicate the process in humans.

While such a feat was possible before with genetic engineering, multiple outlets reported that the researchers were able to grow the egg cells using the skin cells of two male mice.

According to The Guardian, scientists manipulated the genetic code of stem cells created from the male mice to create mature eggs, which were then fertilized and implanted into a surrogate mouse, birthing seven pups (out of 630 transferred embryos, Nature journal reported).

RELATED: Scientists Raise Alarm About Threats to the Human Microbiome in New Documentary 'The Invisible Extinction'

Research director Katsuhiko Hayashi, of Kyushu University and Osaka University, presented the findings (which have not yet been published) at the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing this week, per Nature journal, telling attendees that this fertilization process could be replicated for same-sex couples in the future.

"I don't know whether they'll be available for reproduction," Hayashi said, according to The Guardian. "Purely in terms of technology, it will be possible [in humans] even in 10 years."

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Despite the seemingly optimistic breakthrough, several experts have criticized whether this fertilization process could actually be replicated in humans within a decade.

"We still don't understand enough of the unique biology of human gametogenesis to reproduce Hayashi's provocative work in mice," George Q. Daley, dean of Harvard Medical School  who is not involved in the research  told The Guardian.

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.

University of California, Los Angeles, professor Amander Clark told the publication that achieving such a feat would be a "huge leap" in the field considering scientists still have not been able to successfully create lab-grown human eggs from female cells.

"We're poised at this bottleneck at the moment," Clark said, per The Guardian. "The next steps are an engineering challenge. But getting through that could be 10 years or 20 years."

Still, Hayashi said, per Nature, "There are big differences between a mouse and the human."
Alex Albon ahead of Williams colleague Logan Sargeant, Williams. Bahrain, March 2023. Credit: Alamy

New Williams team principal James Vowles has said he sees no reason to move away from what is an iconic Formula 1 name.

The Williams family ceased their involvement in the team when Sir Frank and Claire Williams sold their stake in the company to Dorilton Capital back in the summer of 2020, but their family marque has remained on the cars ever since, with Dorilton opting not to rebrand.

Williams is currently going through the leanest period in its illustrious history, with their 114th and most recent race victory being Pastor Maldonado taking the chequered flag in Spain in 2012, but their team principal has affirmed he has no intention of seeing the Williams name disappear from its cars.

Williams is an iconic brand and I see no reason to move away from the most iconic brand in sport  apart from Ferrari, Vowles said, as per Motorsport-Total.com.

Claire Williams has also partially returned to the fold this year, having recently been announced as a brand ambassador for WAE Technologies, and she is also set to meet up with the new team boss in future.

I understand a dinner is planned at some point, Vowles said.

The Williams team principal is also assessing his options moving forward, with new power unit regulations coming into Formula 1 from the 2026 season onwards.

He revealed that the team are set to make their decision on which supplier they will be working with from then this season, offering plenty of lead time ahead of the changeover period in regulations.

Vowles, who moved to the Grove-based team after being an integral part of Mercedes success, has said Williams current customer deal with his former team is serving its purpose well at the moment.

While he is still set to shop around for what else may be out there, it appears a continuation of the Mercedes deal is the most likely outcome at this point.

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Story continues

We are obviously happy with the arrangement that has been in place for many years, Vowles said.

Mercedes has produced the best power unit on average over the last 15 years. And there are Mercedes and other OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] that were reviewing, of course, because we have to and we have to make sure we review the market.

We will make a decision shortly, but in terms of the relationship with Mercedes so far, they are doing an incredible job.

It has to be this year anyway. Based on where all the teams are going to move, I think it will be difficult to see teams moving away from their current pattern after this year.

The article James Vowles confirms iconic Williams brand name not going anywhere appeared first on Planetf1.com.
Ahead of highly anticipated talks between Serbia and Kosovo on the 18th March in North Macedonia, Euronews reporter Sergio Cantone met with Kosovos Prime Minister, Albin Kurti for the latest episode of The Global Conversation.

The European Union expects the former wartime foes to reach a deal on how to normalise their relationship, after both countries endorsed an 11-point plan at the end of February.

But Kurti told Euronews he is sceptical that the agreement will be signed next week: We were supposed to sign the agreement on the 27th of February. Unfortunately, President of Serbia did not want to, and to this end, this basic treaty which has been proposed by EU 27, is a solid ground to move forward, and we hope to finally achieve it on the 18th of March.

Background: a long conflict

Kosovo has changed hands throughout history, being absorbed into Yugoslavia after the second world war, however in 1963 it became an autonomous province.

The large Albanian community in Kosovo repeatedly resisted incorporation into Serbia and Yugoslavia, given their status as a large non-Slav minority in the land of the Slavs, so in 1974, Yugoslavia granted six republics, including Kosovo, theoretical autonomy.

However, throughout the 1980s, tensions grew between the Albanian and Serbian communities in the province, with the Albanians favouring greater autonomy for Kosovo, while the Serbs favoured closer ties with the rest of Serbia.

In 1989, Slobodan Milosevic, then head of the Serbian community partys central community, reimposed Serbian rule in Kosovo, prompting strikes and violence.

The conflict in Kosovo erupted when separatist ethnic Albanians launched a rebellion against Serbias rule and Belgrade responded with a brutal crackdown that prompted the NATO intervention.

Some 13,000 people died in the conflict, mostly ethnic Albanians.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after a guerrilla uprising brought an end to repressive Serbian rule, however Belgrade does not recognise Kosovos independence, instead considering it a breakaway province.

Story continues

Recent flare-ups between Belgrade-backed minority, the Kosovo Serbs, and the central government have sparked concern about a return to conflict.

Kosovo police officers guard checkpoint on the road near the northern Kosovo border crossing of Jarinje, along the Kosovo-Serbia border, Kosovo, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. - Marjan Vucetic/Copyright 2022 The AP. All rights reserved

EU intervention

So, after decades of conflict and tension, the EU hopes that upcoming talks will help relax the taught relationship between Serbia and Kosovo.

The European Unions 11-point plan to pave the way for peace was begrudgingly accepted by both nations at the end of February, and does not commit Serbia to acknowledging an independent Kosovo, but it would recognise documents like passports, degrees and license plates.

A key point is that Serbia would not block Kosovos membership of international bodies.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, left, and Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti, right, meet EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Brussels - Virginia Mayo/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved

The Global Conversation

What are your expectations for the 18th of March when a resumed talk with Serbia will take place?

Albin Kurti said: We were supposed to sign the agreement on the 27th of February. Unfortunately, President of Serbia did not want to. To this end, this basic treaty which has been proposed by the EU 27, is solid ground to move forward, and we hope to finally achieve it on the 18th of March.

He added: I'm going again to North Macedonia in good faith with goodwill, to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Kosovo is a normal country, but it doesn't have normal relations with Serbia. In these last two years, we have had an unprecedented economic and democratic progress in our country, which puts us in terms of rule of law and human rights and the growth at the top of the Western Balkans.

However, I admit that we have to normalize relations, and to this end, this basic treaty which has been proposed by EU 27, is a solid ground to move forward, and we hope to finally achieve it on the 18th of March.

Serbia is asking, for instance, for Kosovo to comply with the obligations of creating the community of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo. Do you think that this part of the EU-brokered agreement is acceptable for you?

Albin Kurti said: When Kosovo was declared an independent country 15 years ago, it was also declared a multi-ethnic society, even though 93% are Albanians, 4% Serbs, and 3% are Turks, Bosnians, Roma, and Gorani.

Our constitution, which was basically written by the former president of Finland, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martii Ahtisari, cannot sustain a mono-ethnic entity like association of Serb majority municipalities. So, this would not pass in our constitutional court, just as it didnt in the past, and it would not pass in the Strasbourg court of human rights.

He added: I'm here as Prime Minister of all citizens, no matter what their nationality, national identity or ethnicity or religious background. So, I want to satisfy all the citizens according to their rights and needs and requests. But mono-ethnic solutions are not possible due to the laws of our democratic republic.

Kosovo PM Albin Kurti speaking to Euronews - Euronews

Self-determination is excluded, we are talking about autonomy.

Albin Kurti said: That's why we are talking about the self-management of the Serbian community. [Its in] Article 7 of the Basic Treaty, which we endorsed, and the self-management of the Serbian community also refers to the Council of Europe as an organization, which means that we have to refer to the Framework Convention on the Protection of the Rights of the National Minorities.

I think that we can do the same in Kosovo, where we would not fall into territorial ethno-nationalism like it was in Bosnia.

Here, the Kosovan President made reference to the Republika Srpsa, a contentious entity which was formed in 1992 at the outset of the Bosnian War to safeguard the interests of the Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He continued: But we could move forward towards EU integration by respecting each individual in spite of our backgrounds, also taking into consideration the peculiarities of ethnicity and culture. [We need to consider this] self-management, as a protection of rights, not as a territorial position on rights, which would separate and segregate communities.

Self-management means organization and a network of different representatives of this minority, like the Serbian one, openly interacting together.

Albin Kurtis response was brief: I see self-management in terms of full functionality, not in terms of a territorial position.

Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti, left, with Euronews' Sergio Cantone - Euronews

Did you have any sign by the members of the Council of Europe that you can get the green light soon to join it?

A vast majority of the members of the Council of Europe are positive regarding the application of Kosovo, and I hope that we are now going to speed up the procedures in order to have final voting there, to become members of Council of Europe. For us, it is very important because it would be beneficial for the citizens themselves even more than for the country.

For us, it is very important because it would be beneficial for the citizens themselves, even more than for the country, because also in this dialogue with President of Serbia in Brussels, I always emphasize that the normalisation of relations should have citizens as their end beneficiaries.

After the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we have seen the tensions growing in this part of Europe. What is the relation, according to you with the war in Ukraine?

Albin Kurti said: The Russian invasion and military aggression in Ukraine was shocking, yet not surprising, because we have seen the despotic President Putin in recent years moving from a politician who used to lament the fall of Soviet Union, into a politician who is nostalgic about the Russian empire.

When you also add the amassing of troops around Ukraine, it was clear that the assaults will arrive. In my view, the war in Ukraine will define not just the security of our continent, but the future of the world in this century.

So, in Ukraine, it is not only a national liberation struggle of the Ukrainian people, it is also a frontline where democracy, freedom, human rights are being defended. There have been several effects in Kosovo; the immediate effect was that it triggered the trauma of the people from the genocide of Milosevic's Yugoslavia.

It was not recognized as a genocide by the court. If I am not wrong, they recognized war crimes, they recognize violence in the population, ethnic cleansing. But genocide was about Bosnia.

The genocide in Srebrenica has been recognised. I think it was not only in 77, but also, I was here. And what we were suffering was a genocide; indiscriminately women, children, pregnant women were killed and burnt down.

Those responsible have been have been tried.

A trial has still not been held for Kosovo. But what we suffered was a genocide.

But this is not the point of view of the international tribunal.

Albin Kurti responded: The day will come where also international tribunals will speak of this. Unfortunately, Milosevic died in The Hague in prison, without seeing the day when he would have been sentenced.

But why are you connecting this episode to the war in Ukraine? Is that from a moral ethic point of view, or there is a political continuity?

When pressed on the significance of Russias invasion for his nation, Kurti said: There are two important elements here. The first element is that in 2022, every week the Kremlin was talking about Kosovo. If not Putin, then Medvedev or Zakharova, or Lavrov.

Euronews reporter, Sergio Cantone, interviews Kosovo PM - Euronews

Don't you feel protected by the KFOR, the NATO troops that are present in Kosovo?

There are 48 forward operational bases of Serbia in the so-called ground safety zone around the border of Kosovo, 28 are military and 20 are general, where they have increased the combat readiness of their units. And they also invited the Russian ambassador to Belgrade to inspect the regrouping of troops with MiG 29 in the air when we had problems in the north.

This Russian visit is concerning for Kosovo: Imagine if your biggest neighbour (Serbia) does not recognize your country? Your neighbour then does not distance themselves from Milosevic, or Putin. They allocate 3% of their GDP for military equipment and make sure their troops around the border are combat-ready. This cannot be neglected.

Of course, Kosovo is not in NATO. NATO is in Kosovo. We feel safe. We are not afraid, but we are very vigilant.

Do you expect some positive outcome in terms of mutual concessions by the two sides?

Albin Kurti told Euronews: We want normal relations. We understand that full normalisation of relations must have, as its centrepiece, mutual recognition. I'm not saying that mutual recognition should be the only thing on the table. I am ready to discuss all the issues patiently.

I don't want any kind of rush, any kind of quick fix to the detriment of our long-term security, peace and stability. And again, in good faith, with goodwill and intentions, I am ready to make this agreement, which does not have only two factors, Kosovo and Serbia, but also the European Union, which is the frame within which we negotiate and towards which we want to adhere.

The EU needs a big political gain. Do you realize that you are the one who could give them this?

To this, Kurti replied: Well, I cannot make agreement with myself. I have to make an agreement with Serbia, with EU. And on 27th of February, I was ready to sign.

You could get a fast track, right, to join the European Union, don't you think so?

Albin Kurti said: When I handled the application in Prague in Czech Republic last December for membership of the EU, I said I don't want a fast-track nor back-door track for membership... I believe the EU should be homegrown, not self-made. We need help from the EU, but we should build [wanting to join the] European Union as a value ourselves... So, I am not very much in favour of back doors and fast tracks.

He added: I believe the European Union is the most important political project of peace and prosperity. And likewise, historical process since the Second World War. I want to join, to benefit, but also to contribute. The EU is helping us on all fronts, but at the same time I want also to help the EU, keeping in mind the contrary progress reports of European Commission for Kosovo from last October, which is the best one so far without any backsliding or without progress.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is flying to the United States on Sunday for defence talks with President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

One of the items on the agenda will be the next phase of the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme.

AUKUS, announced in September 2021, is a pact under which the UK and US are assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

It has been reported in The Telegraph that Britain will design Australia's first generation of such vessels.

Downing Street said the AUKUS programme "exemplifies the UK's approach", adding: "We will build rock-solid global alliances and ensure the UK is at the cutting edge of defence capability, technology and economic resilience."



Read more:

Defence spending set to get a boost this week - but it won't be anywhere near enough

Jeremy Hunt to deliver first Budget - the things to look out for

Mr Sunak said AUKUS is "binding ties to our closest allies and delivering security, new technology and economic advantage at home".

He added: "In turbulent times, the UK's global alliances are our greatest source of strength and security."

The trip takes place as the government prepares to publish an update to the 2021 Integrated Review, which Downing Street said would "set out how the UK will respond to growing global volatility which threatens British prosperity and security".

It added: "The Integrated Review refresh will address the grave risks from Putin's Russia, the increasingly concerning behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party, and hybrid threats to our economy and energy security."

The PM said: "As we launch the 2023 Integrated Review refresh tomorrow, this is the future we want to deliver - a UK that is secure, prosperous and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners."

It is a second overseas trip for Mr Sunak in just three days following his visit to Paris on Friday, when he announced a new agreement with France on migration.

Britain will pay out 480m over the next three years in a deal struck between the PM and Emmanuel Macron to tackle small boat Channel crossings, with measures including funding for a new detention centre in France.
HA NOI  Thousands of women across the nation this week dressed up in ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) to support "The Week of Ao Dai".

Launched by the Viet Nam Women's Union to celebrate the 113th anniversary of International Womens Day (March 8), the week-long event aims to raise individual awareness and people's pride and responsibility in preserving and promoting the traditional costume regarded as a national cultural heritage.

Women's union members, particularly those who are officials, civil servants and businesswomen, are encouraged to wear ao dai throughout the week.

In the capital city of Ha Noi, a ao dai donation campaign for poor and disadvantaged women received enthusiastic responses from hundreds of women.

In HCM City, several cultural activities related to ao dai, such as a parade, photo contest, and a pageant, have been held.

The city's Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Womens Union, organised a discussion entitled "The Beauty of Vietnamese Ao Dai: Preservation and Development" to promote the cultural values of the traditional dress to international friends.

In Hue, both Vietnamese and foreign women in ao dai at any tourism spot under the management of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre have been offered free entrance.

The offer is also under an ongoing project, "Hue - Capital of Ao Dai", conducted by the province's culture authority to revive the elegant dress to its former glory, aiming to attract more visitors. The reviving of the ao dai would also reaffirm Hue was the birthplace of the traditional dress.

The traditional dresses are suitable for all ages. It has become the standard costume for women on formal occasions, national holidays, graduation days, weddings, New Year festivals, and other festivities.

A symbolic image of Vietnamese beauty, ao dai has made a great contribution to promoting the image of Vietnamese women worldwide.  VNS
HA NOI  Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son received visiting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power in Ha Noi on Friday.

Highly appreciating the sound coordination between USAID and Vietnamese agencies and sectors, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Son expressed his delight at the strong growth of the Viet Nam-US ties.

USAID has actively contributed to Viet Nams socio-economic development through development assistance projects in war aftermath recovery, health care, education, and governance capacity building for localities and businesses, he said.

The minister stated that the implementation of these projects in Viet Nam vividly demonstrated the increasing effectiveness and development of the Viet Nam-US comprehensive partnership on the basis of mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions for the sake of their people, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

For her part, Power thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the minister himself for supporting USAIDs operations in Viet Nam.

The official said she was pleased to visit and witness the results of USAID projects, including a ceremony to hand over the dioxin-decontaminated area in Bien Hoa airbase to the Vietnamese side on March 7.

Power said USAID will continue to focus on solving war legacy issues, including the dioxin decontamination at the Bien Hoa airbase, and DNA testing capacity improvement for Vietnamese scientists to search and identify the remains of Vietnamese soldiers.

The agency will help Viet Nam improve health and social services serving the better quality of life for people with disabilities; mitigate the effects of climate change; develop sustainably; and develop its human resource and health infrastructure in response to infectious diseases, she noted.  VNS
A jury found Marian Fraser guilty of murder Friday in the 2013 death of 4-month-old Clara Felton.

After more than two hours of closing arguments by defense attorneys and prosecutors in Wacos 19th State District Court on Friday morning, a McLennan County jury of six men and six women returned the guilty verdict following about two-and-a-half hours of deliberation.

We truly appreciate the jurys thoughtful deliberations and guilty verdict, McLennan County District Attorney Josh Tetens said in a Friday afternoon statement.

Clara was found unresponsive at about 3 p.m. March 4, 2013, at Frasers home-based Spoiled Rotten Day Care on Hilltop Drive. An autopsy determined the infant died of toxicity of diphenhydramine, commonly sold under the brand name Benadryl. In 2015, a jury convicted Fraser of murder in the case and sentenced her to 50 years in prison, a conviction overturned in an appeals process that concluded in 2020, paving the way for her retrial. Claras grandfather is McLennan County Judge Scott Felton.

Following the reading of the verdict Friday, Felton family members could be seen congratulating the prosecutors.

Frasers retrial that started last week included seven days of testimony, in addition to an extended jury selection process and Fridays closing arguments and jury deliberations. Judge David Hodges accepted the jurys verdict and remanded Fraser into the custody of the sheriff.

Hodges directed the jury to reconvene Monday to consider Frasers sentence. The punishment range is 5 to 99 years or life in prison.

Tetens said his office will continue to work diligently to ensure justice is carried out. Defense attorneys have already filed the necessary documents to request probation for Frasers sentence.

At the conclusion of Fridays proceeding, when Frasers family members and supporters emerged from the courtroom, they appeared tired and worn down.

Neither the Felton family nor Frasers family or supporters commented on the verdict. Claras mother, Loren Felton, said the family would wait to comment until after the sentencing.

The trial had more than 100 exhibits entered into evidence as well as the largest jury pool, the most complex jury selection process and the most days of testimony of any district court trial in McLennan County in at least the past year, courthouse officials said.

While defense attorney Christy Jack claimed Clara was sick with a cough and congestion before she died, the prosecution produced witnesses and video showing Clara healthy, happy, active and engaged with her family the weekend before she died on a Monday.

Claras aunt Carly McReynolds told the jury she watched Clara for three hours that Saturday and enjoyed time with a joyful, vibrant, active niece, under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Tara Avants.

Claras family spent time with her grandparents that Sunday, and Assistant District Attorney Will Hix showed about 30 seconds of a video of Clara smiling and responding with verbalizations as a woman off camera played a game with her. Jack alleged on cross-examination that the prosecution was hiding the babys coughing fit on the last minute of the video.

On redirect, the lead detective on the case for the Waco Police Department, Mike Alston, watched the rest of the clip with the jury and Alston said he heard one cough.

Claras mother and father both told the jury they never gave their baby diphenhydramine.

The jury also saw video of a May 1, 2013, interview in which Fraser discussed her records showing Claras mother had dropped her off at 7:45 a.m. the day she died. Clara finished a bottle her mother prepared for her, took a morning nap and woke up, Fraser said in the recording.

Both Avants and Hix emphasized for the jury during closing the fact that Clara woke up from her morning nap. Hix said Clara waking up showed she exhibited no lethargy or sluggishness that too much Benadryl would produce.

In the recorded interview, Fraser also discussed her records showing Clara received another bottle at 11:45 a.m. She told Alston she made all the bottles for the babies in her care, either the evening before or early in the morning.

I make the bottles, not Sherri, Fraser said in the interview, referring to her employee.

Claras family practice physician, Dr. Patricia Wilcox, of Waco, told the jury that any dose of Benadryl given to a baby Claras size would produce its peak effects about three hours after ingestion.

Alston testified about his report indicating Clara was found unresponsive a few minutes after 3 p.m. A 911 call from Spoiled Rotten at about 3:12 summoned firefighters and paramedics, and lifesaving measures by first responders then emergency room personnel continued for an hour. ER documentation recorded Clara as exhibiting sudden infant death syndrome.

A defense expert, and the only witness the defense called, Dr. Frank McGehee of Cook Childrens Medical Center in Fort Worth, told the jury he agreed with SIDS as cause of death.

Dr. Elizabeth Ventura, a medical examiner at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas, conducted Claras autopsy the day after she died. Ventura told the jury the infant died of a lethal amount of Benadryl. Nothing else found in the autopsy would have killed her, Ventura said.

While McGehee said he prescribes Benadryl mixed with Maalox to treat mouth sores in infants, Wilcox said many children and infants died in the 1990s after being given diphenhydramine from eyedroppers.

Wilcox told the jury SIDS does not remain as cause of death when there is something else to explain the death. The only thing in the autopsy to explain Claras death was a diphenhydramine level of 1.3 milligrams per liter of blood, Wilcox said.

Claras lethal dose of diphenhydramine must have been contained in the bottle she received at about 11:45, Wilcox told the jury.

Jack told the jury at closing that the prosecutions case left many unanswered questions including crib sheets and vomit recovered from Claras playpen that were never tested and forensics experts who said they could not determine when the infant received the lethal dose of diphenhydramine, or by what means it was given to her.

All of those questions are doubts: reasonable doubt, Jack told the jury. I ask you to find my client not guilty.

Regardless of who fed Clara that bottle, Fraser or her employee, Fraser said she mixed the bottle, so she was responsible for giving Clara the diphenhydramine, Hix told the jury.

Under Texas law, a person who causes a death in the course of committing another felony can be found guilty of murder regardless of whether they intended to cause the death.

A sentencing hearing for Fraser is scheduled for Monday.
UN applauds Iran-Saudi Arabia agreement to resume ties, praises China's role

Xinhua) 14:02, March 11, 2023

UNITED NATIONS, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations welcomed Saudi-Iranian agreement to resume diplomatic relations on Friday and praised China's role in the process.

"I want to welcome on behalf of the secretary-general the joint tripartite statement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the People's Republic of China, made today in Beijing announcing an agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic relations within two months," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at the daily press briefing.

"The secretary-general has expressed his appreciation to the People's Republic of China for hosting these recent talks and for promoting dialogue between the two countries," he said, while praising efforts by other countries, such as Oman and Iraq.

Describing "good neighborly relations" between Iran and Saudi Arabia as "essential" for the stability of the Gulf region, Dujarric said that the secretary-general was ready to "further advance regional dialogue and to ensure durable peace and security in the Gulf region."

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
A man arrested on a Leon County kidnapping warrant Friday in Waco had tried to kidnap a 10-year-old girl at a Waco business immediately before a U.S. Marshals Service task force caught up with him, according to Waco police.

Officials arrested Jimmy Don Rich, 60, on the warrant charging first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping early Friday afternoon in the 500 block of Towne Oaks Drive, and Waco police added an unrelated third-degree felony charge of attempted kidnapping.

Waco police responded at 12:04 p.m. to a call about Rich at a business in the 6400 block of Franklin Avenue, according to a Waco police press release.

"When officers arrived, they learned Rich was talking to a 10-year-old female," the press release says. "During their conversation Rich asked the child if she would like to come to his car and see his cat and if she would be interested in buying the animal. Rich tried to grab the childs hand, the child immediately refused, and a manager of the store saw the interaction and called Waco PD."

While officers were on their way to the business, the Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force found Rich and arrested him on the Leon County warrant. Details of the Leon County allegations were not immediately available Friday.

"The Waco Police Department would like to remind parents to speak to their children about the dangers of talking to someone they do not know," Friday's press release says. "In this case the child responded exactly how she should have."

Rich remained in McLennan County Jail on Friday with bond listed at $1 million.
The Irish punch above their weight. That is why worldwide next Friday, on March 17, people who dont have a platelet of Irish blood and who have never thought of visiting the island of Ireland joyously celebrate St. Patricks Day.

That day may or may not have been when St. Patrick, Irelands patron saint, died in the fifth century.

The fact is, very little is known about St. Patrick. The broad outline is that he was born in Roman Britain, kidnapped by pirates as a child and taken to Ireland as a slave. He escaped, returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary and became a bishop.

To be sure, on the Emerald Isle truth can be augmented with folklore, mysticism and the great love of a good story.

Hence devout Ireland can also believe in fairies and leprechauns, or little people, to this day. Both are quite real to some in Ireland, although unlike the festival of St. Patrick, they dont seem to have crossed the Atlantic, or even the Irish Sea, except in movies.

When horseback riding with my wife on an annual visit to the northwest of Ireland, we were curious about a stand of trees that seemed not to belong in the middle of a working farm field.

A fairy ring is in there. You can ride through, if you keep on the path, a stableman told us.

But he warned that if we got off the path, we would upset the fairies. And you wouldnt want to do that, would you?

Indeed, we didnt want to upset any fairies, so we stayed on the path, and all was well.

From what I have gathered, the little people coexist with the fairies but also are separate.

A friend built a house for his mother near Galway. It was an A-frame house with a low, decorative wall around it. The wall had  surprise  a gap; not a gate, just a space of about 18 inches. That, she insisted, with the concurrence of locals, was for the little people to pass through. You dont mess with the little people any more than you would trample a fairy circle.

The little people were originally an Irish tribe dating back to antiquity, who disappeared but were encased in legend. When Hollywood met Irish legends, the movies embraced the legends and expanded them.

Over the centuries, Ireland has been hard-used by England. It began with the English Reformation and Henry VIII and went on through the English Revolution, with Oliver Cromwell being especially brutal, then on to the potato famine in the 19th century and the excesses of the Black and Tans, poorly trained and equipped, thuggish British troops with mismatched tunics and trousers.

Given that around 40 million Americans can claim some Irish ancestry, it might be argued they were welcomed here. Hardly. Irish immigrants were often persecuted as they flooded in, escaping the privations at home.

I thank my friend Sheila Slocum Hollis, a very proud Irish-American, for pointing out that in the 1920s, the Irish were victims of the Ku Klux Klan violence in Denver. They fit the profile of KKK enemies, along with Blacks and Jews. Except they were Irish and Catholic.

In no field of endeavor have the Irish punched above their weight more than in literature. They took the language of the conqueror, the English, and have added to it immeasurably and profusely.

Irish writers have enhanced, expanded and luxuriated in the English language. Just a few towering names: Swift, Shaw, Wilde, Joyce, Yeats, Beckett, Goldsmith, Synge, Bowen, OBrien, Hoult, Lavin, Murdoch, Binchy and, contemporarily, John Banville and Sally Rooney.

The Irish word for good fun is craic (pronounced crack). Good craic is a party where you indulge.

I wish you great craic this St. Patricks Day. May you consort with the little people, after some Guinness, and may the fairies guide you safely home. Slainte!
Randall ranks among top 2% at Iowa State UniversityAMES, Iowa  The following area students are ranked among the Top 2% of students in their college at Iowa State University. Area students include Tucker Randall of Ceresco, sophomore, College of Veterinary Medicine.

KSU students earn fall semester honorsMANHATTAN, Kansas  More than 4,200 Kansas State University students have earned semester honors for their academic performance in the fall 2022 semester. Students earning a grade point average for the semester of 3.75 or above on at least 12 graded credit hours receive semester honors along with commendations from their deans. The honors also are recorded on their permanent academic records. Area students include Zoie Stachura of Raymond.

Thiele earns distinction at WSUWICHITA, Kansas  Wichita State University has announced the names of more than 3500 students who were on the WSU deans honor roll for fall 2022. To be included on the deans honor roll, a student must be enrolled full time (at least 12 credit hours) and earn at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Area students include Lauren C. Thiele of Wahoo.
Dear Mr. Dad: I'm in the military and about to deploy. I have two children under 5 and a third who will be born while I'm gone. What should I do prepare (them, my wife, and myself) before I leave?

A: At any given moment, there are about a half million children under five in military families where dad or mom is deployed. For many military dads, the hardest part of deployment is trying to maintain relationships with their wife and children  or to create one with a child who will be born while dad is thousands of miles away. That's not going to be easy. But with a little preparation and a lot of commitment, it can be done. Here's how.

Because your new baby will be born while you're away, start by recording yourself (audio and/or video) reading stories. Then ask your wife to play recordings near her belly every night until the baby is born and to keep up the routine after the birth. That will keep your voice fresh in the baby's mind so when you get back you won't be as much of a stranger. Because it doesn't matter what you read, you might as well record some of your older kids' favorites, so they can enjoy story-time with dad, too.

For your older kids, you and your wife should sit down and talk with them before you leave. Explain in age-appropriate terms exactly what's happening and why. Young children won't be able to grasp the concept of war or being gone a year, so keep it simple: Daddy's going far away for a while to help people. Kids under five still haven't developed a lot of empathy and what they really want to know is how your being gone will affect them. Again, keep it simple: You'll be back as soon as you can, and mommy will be there to take care of them.

Before you leave, make sure your partner has the logins and passwords to all online accounts, knows when bills are due, the number of your mechanic and so on. Make sure your paychecks are on direct deposit and set up automatic bill pay for as many regular bills (rent, utilities, etc.) as possible. Lastly, write a will.

All that is the easy part. Staying in touch and feeling like part of the family while you're gone is the challenge. Here are some ideas that will help.

Ask your wife to take plenty of pics and videos so you can keep up on what everyone's up to. If you can receive emails where you're going, great. If not, have her upload them to some site where you can see them.

Because your kids probably can't read yet, write a bunch of notes and put them into a special basket. Your wife can read a new one to the kids every day, or your kids can take one out anytime they want a little virtual hug.

There's no substitute for a good, old-fashioned package from Dad. Little things  a dried leaf from a tree near your barracks, an envelope full of sand  are great ways to let your kids know that you're thinking of them no matter where you are.

For your wife, regular calls and emails will be greatly appreciated; as will flowers and other special reminders that you love her (hiding some little notes for her around the house before you leave can be fun).

Okay, that takes care of your wife and kids. What about you? Aside from those regular pics and videos, you might want to bring along a good book on child development to read. That will help you keep up with how your kids and you  are changing and you'll have a better chance of hitting the ground running when you get back. My book, "The Expectant Father, The New Father: A Dad's Guide to the First Year," and "Fathering Your Toddler: A Dad's Guide to the Second and Third Years," are great places to start. All are available as ebooks or hard copy.
SUMNER  A Sumner man allegedly shot and injured his wife and then turned the gun on himself Friday during an hours-long standoff that caused the Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District to cancel classes.

Bremer County sheriffs deputies identified the deceased as 65-year-old Bruce Kuhlmann.

His wife, Sharon, 58, was treated at Community Memorial Hospital and then flown to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. She was in stable condition, according to deputies.

The incident started around 7:30 a.m. when Sumner Police Chief Dan Wegg responded to a disturbance at the home at 212 W. Sixth St. and heard several gunshots coming from behind the home.

Sharon Kuhlmann emerged from around the side of the house. She was suffering from gunshot wounds. Bruce Kuhlmann was found with a gun, which he refused to drop, according to the sheriffs office.

Officers from other agencies were sent to the home. In the ensuing standoff, Kuhlmann fired multiple shots into the air and refused to surrender.

Authorities attempted to negotiate with him for four hours before members of the Iowa State Patrols Area C Tactical Team moved in and found him dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Bruce Kuhlmann was transported to the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner for an autopsy.

The school district, which was already on a two-hour late start, posted messages to social media indicating that due to the situation people should stay away from Durant Elementary and the high school, which are each located on West Sixth Street several blocks away from where the standoff occurred. The administration later cancelled school.

The Sumner Police Department was assisted by the Bremer County Sheriffs Office, Bremer County Dispatch, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Fayette County Sheriffs Office, Chickasaw County Sheriffs Office, Waverly Police, Tripoli Police, Fayette Police Department, Iowa Department of Transportation MVE, SEMS, Community Memorial Hospital, Gunderson Air, Sumner Fire, Tripoli EMS, Bremer County Emergency Management and Bremer County Medical Examiners Office.

Photos: Standoff, Sumner March 10, 2023 Sumner standoff 2 Sumner standoff 031023jr-standoff-sumner-3 031023jr-standoff-sumner-4 031023jr-standoff-sumner-5
Waterloo hires chief of communications

WATERLOO  The city of Waterloo announced Tara Thomas Gettman as the new director of strategic communications, starting April 1.

The staff position is responsible for managing and coordinating all strategic communications, marketing and branding efforts for the city  including economic development activities and other special projects.

The former KWWL-TV news anchor has experience in brand promotion and community engagement. In addition to being a local broadcast journalist for more than a decade, Thomas Gettman was the director of school and community relations for Waterloo Schools for eight years. Most recently, she has been the executive director of communications for a technology adoption firm.

She has a masters degree in strategic communication from the University of Iowa and a bachelor of science degree in journalism with a minor in political science from Boston University in Massachusetts.

Audubon Society to meet Tuesday

CEDAR FALLS  The Prairie Rapids Audubon Society will feature Terry VanDeWalle, Stantec consulting biologist, at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

He will present Wind and Wildlife: An Overview of the Interactions of Wildlife and Wind Turbines at First Presbyterian Church, Ninth and Main streets. VanDeWalle will discuss wind/wildlife interactions, wildlife regulations affecting wind projects and measures that can be taken by wind farm owners to reduce bird and bat mortality at operating wind farms.

The public may attend.

Woodworkers to meet Tuesday

WATERLOO  The Cedar Valley Woodworkers will meet Tuesday at the Waterloo Center for the Arts.

The business meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. At 7 p.m., Ryan Bonjour will speak on his method of woodturning. Club members will display items at the show and tell.

Guests, woodworkers of all levels and members of the public are welcome to attend. For more information, call President Rod Lair at (319) 266-1163.

Orchard Hill Church sets Lenten lunches

CEDAR FALLS  Orchard Hill Church, 3900 Orchard Hill Drive, will host a weekly Lenten Lunch Series on Wednesdays through April 5.

Each Wednesday during Lent, a meal with soup, bread and dessert will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.

A special 20-minute devotion, The Miracle of Easter, led by Ed and Sally Baker, will follow. A donation of $5 is suggested for the meal.
WATERLOO  Firefighters pulled a person from a burning vehicle in a parking ramp in downtown Waterloo early Saturday.

Details, including the identity and the condition of the person, werent immediately available.

Crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue were called to a report of a vehicle on fire on the second story of the city ramp at 180 W. Fifth St. around 7 a.m.

Firefighters noticed smoke and flames coming from the ramp and discovered a minivan in flames with a person inside.

The person was loaded into an ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital, and the fire was extinguished.

Police blocked off small section of the ramp while investigators and the city fire marshal collected evidence.

Photos: Parking ramp fire, March 11, 2023 031123jr-fire-parking-2 031123jr-fire-parking-3 031123jr-fire-parking-4 031123jr-fire-parking-1
It will be a cold day in Waterloo, with temperatures in the 30s. The forecast calls for it to be a bitter 36 degrees. Today's forecasted low temperature is 26 degrees. You may want to stay in today, as there is a 97% chance of rain. Saturday's winds could be brisk, with winds reaching 16 miles per hour, coming from Southeast. This report is created automatically with weather data provided by TownNews.com. Stay in the know. Visit wcfcourier.com for local news and weather.
Weather Alert

.Warming temperatures this weekend are bringing 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 today. ...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. &&

...WINTER MAKES A BRIEF RETURN THIS WEEK... Another cold storm moves into the region Monday into Tuesday bringing gusty winds, significantly cooler temperatures, and chances for rain and snow showers. * WIND: Gusty southwest winds this afternoon and evening will be even stronger on Monday and Monday night. Please see the Wind Advisories for additional details. Gusty west winds to continue Tuesday and Wednesday as well. * SNOW: The word most of us don't want to hear at this point. Yes, snow will move into the region Monday night into Tuesday morning, mainly in the Sierra from Tioga Pass north, northeast California, and far northern Nevada near the Oregon border. Totals along the northern Sierra crest may reach 5 to 10 inches, with 1 to 4 inches possible in northeast CA west of US-395 and the Tahoe Basin. The question remains how much will stick to roadways given the recent warmth and mid-April sun angle. Expect slowdowns in the Sierra Monday night during the period of heaviest snowfall. Spotty light rain and snow showers are possible into western Nevada. * COLD: Temperatures will drop about 20 degrees by Tuesday, with the winds making it feel that much colder. There is a 50-80% chance of sub-freezing overnight lows Tuesday night and Wednesday night even in lower valley locations. You may want to turn off irrigation and protect exposed pipes, along with any new sensitive vegetation.

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM MONDAY TO 8 AM PDT TUESDAY... * WHAT...Southwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. Wind prone locations may see gusts to 65 mph. * WHERE...Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden Area and Lassen- Eastern Plumas-Eastern Sierra Counties. * WHEN...From 1 PM Monday to 8 AM PDT Tuesday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...High profile vehicles may have difficulty along I-80, I-580, and US-395. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Now is the time to secure loose outdoor items such as patio furniture and trash cans before winds increase which could blow these items away. The best thing to do is prepare ahead of time by making sure you have extra food and water on hand, flashlights with spare batteries and/or candles in the event of a power outage. &&
Darryl Wellington has a way with words.

As Santa Fes Poet Laureate, he will participate in Black Poets in America, in New Mexico and Beyond at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the Historic Old San Ysidro Church, 966 Old Church Road, in Corrales.

The event is being put on by the Corrales History Society and its speaker series which is celebrating the poetry of Black Americans.

Guests will get to hear Wellingtons work as well as poets whose stories intersect with New Mexico history, including Jean Toomer, Jay Wright, and Anita Scott Coleman.

Hailing from the South and having worked in Charleston, South Carolina, Wellington believes the scene in Albuquerque has its similarities and differences.

The culture is so different but there are many things that are the same as you have a lot of Black spoken word poets in the South and you have a lot of Hispanic spoken word poets here who have very similar themes of poverty and oppression, Wellington said. It is not a matter of the poetry scenes being different, it is a matter of the cultures being different.

Wellington will explore the historical connections from works of Black poets from the Civil War period to the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, all the way up to todays Black Lives Matter.

Poems related to the legacy of Blackdom, the Buffalo Soldiers, freedom movements, and poetry by Langston Hughes, Alice Walker and Ross Gay.

Wellingtons work often focuses on social issues, justice issues, and African American history.

I like encouraging Black writers and ethnic writers to study their own culture and to develop it, and to grow from it, Wellington said. You need to have that confidence for the urge to really feel that where you come from is important and read widely of all things from all different perspectives.

Wellington will also have material published in two anthologies: In Fullness of the Word, a collection of poems by Black Poet Laureates, and Going for Broke, a compilation of investigative journalism.

Some of my favorite writers are 19th century sort of writers, American 19th century writers who wrote these long wordy books could you can learn from, Wellington said. You learn a lot from reading people who reflect where you come from.

This event is free and open to the public though the seating capacity is limited to 150 people.
Another legislative session, another unnecessary bill that keeps New Mexico 50th on the good lists. No exception this year, as HB 121  sponsored by Democratic Reps. Christine Chandler and Susan K. Herrera and Democratic Sen. Peter Wirth  and an 11th-hour attorney generals opinion attempt to make the argument that preliminary approvals of temporary water rights transfers violate the due process rights of other water rights owners, and according to the AG opinion  fails to offer the basic fundamental requirements of due process.

Whose due process rights are being violated? Arguably, applicants from industrial, agricultural, environmental and governmental sectors are having their due process rights violated as HB 121 guts a nearly 20-year practice of allowing preliminary approvals for the temporary transfer of water rights as a necessary tool. This tool allows for water to be used for critical renewable energy and highway construction projects, agricultural water administration, endangered species purposes and other critical uses that otherwise could not wait for the minimum 2-year process for a typical water rights transfer to run its course through the normal state engineer application, notice and protest gantlet.

During these unprecedented times of extraordinary oil and gas revenues and opportunities to leverage huge amounts of federal funding for infrastructure projects, New Mexico through this legislation will throw another hurdle in the way of moving the state forward by preventing much-needed renewable energy and other infrastructure projects to be constructed in a timely and affordable manner.

The facts are that the state engineer conducts a rigorous and conservative impairment evaluation for all Leasing Act permit applications to ensure preliminary approvals will not impair existing water rights. No state engineer preliminary determination on impairment has been reversed in a final state engineer decision after an administrative hearing or been reversed or overturned in an appeal to the district court. Furthermore, there is no blanket due process right to a hearing before the state engineer issues a permit, as there are many examples of state engineer actions that proceed without or before a hearing.

The acequia community is the main proponent of this legislation, yet the Leasing Act already fully protects acequias from unwanted transfers or temporary leases as state engineer staff require approval by acequia commissioners before any state engineer preliminary approval of a water lease.

The acequia community concerns of limited water supplies and long-term drought are shared by all and are not relative arguments related to preliminary approvals, as those allow only for temporary uses of water and do not constitute a new use of water but are merely changes in place and/or purpose of use of an existing water right.

The Energy Transition Act (ETA) of 2019 sets a statewide renewable energy standard of 50% by 2030 for N.M. investor-owned utilities and rural cooperatives and a goal of 80% by 2040. HB 121 threatens the states complying with the ETA as it takes away the very tools needed to construct these multi-billion-dollar renewable energy projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. HB 121 arbitrarily limits the amount of water and lease terms required to construct these huge projects.

Its time for New Mexico to walk the talk, stop searching for solutions to problems that do not exist and ensure due process exists for all, including the renewable industry. As industry commits its resources to New Mexico, lets make sure the state gives industry the tools it needs to continue to invest in N.M.s future.

John DAntonio Jr., P.E., is a native New Mexican and has served the state of New Mexico in the roles of secretary of the Interstate Stream Commission, secretary of the Environment Department and commissioner on the Rio Grande and Upper Colorado River compacts.
A suspect has been charged in the shooting death of a man over an alleged drug dispute last year in Southeast Albuquerque.

Frank Madrid Jr., 48, is charged with an open count of murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and tampering with evidence in the Sept. 15 killing of Jeffrey Campbell, 47. It is unclear if he has an attorney.

Federal authorities on Sept. 28 arrested Madrid in Las Vegas for violating his conditions of pretrial release and he is jailed at the San Miguel County Detention Center, according to court records. Madrid was allegedly trying to set a SUV on fire at the time of the arrest and police say it was the same vehicle he used during the homicide.

Inside the SUV were drugs and multiple guns  one of them stolen.

Madrids criminal history dates back to 2003 and includes arrests on domestic violence, robbery and drug possession charges.

Madrids previous case was from April 2021, when authorities working an anti-gang operation found him in a vehicle with a gun and drugs, according to court records. The case was handed off to federal authorities and Madrid violated his conditions of release, was re-arrested on Sept. 9 and re-released.

Less than a week later, police responded around 1:30 a.m. to a shooting in the 200 block of Espanola NE, near Central and Louisiana, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Officers found Campbell had been shot twice and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said a bag of fentanyl pills was found in his sock and two 9mm casings were found nearby. A witness told police he heard three gunshots and a man yelling ouch before seeing a vehicle leave the area.

Police found three people who told them Madrid  known on the streets as Benzo  shot Campbell over 200 fentanyl pills he stole from Madrid, according to the complaint. One person told police they were 20 feet away when Madrid drove a white SUV down the street, stopped and demanded the pills from Campbell.

Police said the person told them Madrid shot Campbell multiple times, rummaged through his pockets and left in the SUV. Another witness told police Madrid gave her cocaine to check on Campbell and was bragging about the shooting.

When U.S. Marshals arrested Madrid for trying to torch the white SUV in Las Vegas, he refused to speak with the homicide detective, according to the complaint.

Police found Madrids phone in the SUV and in a text message Madrid said he had shot someone within hours of Campbells death.

Police said a search of the phone records showed Madrid was in the area of the homicide when the shooting occurred.
Adelicia Realivasquez, a sophomore at ACE Leadership High School, has it all figured out.

Though shes only 16, she knows what she wants to do when she graduates high school  go to trade school, and become a welder.

So when she heard that Central New Mexico Community College had a welding program, she figured the schools annual College Day, which was held on the schools main campus on Friday, would be a great opportunity to soak up as much as she can about her future profession.

Its very interesting to me, she said. Its pretty cool to learn from them, for them to give me tips.

Some 1,800 students from 35 schools showed up to the recruiting event, CNM Outreach Manager Meredith Tucker estimated, where they were greeted by people involved in programs they may have been interested in, building tours and food trucks.

It really is an opportunity to expand high schoolers idea of what life is like after high school, what college is  versus the idea of what college is, getting them excited about those possibilities, she said. And, hopefully, getting them really excited about CNM.

CNM students in the welding program  like 24-year-old Alyssa Copeland  put on a show for the high schoolers, giving live demonstrations and letting them get some hands-on experience.

I love inspiring young people, especially young females to join  we need more females, Copeland said. But just watching all these, young, bright people get so excited over welding, Im like, This is me, five years ago, when I came for my College Day. 

School and CNM staff alike agreed that the day was important to showing young students that the possibilities before them can be endless.

For Mission Achievement and Success Charter School math teacher Praveen Kumar Tapsi, that meant leading by example for his students  even if that example was a long shot to beat  by setting a planking record of over seven minutes at the exercise science table.

They can explore so many activities, Tapsi, winded, said in an interview. Its not a particular field they (must) stick to  whatever their interest, they can explore (it), and they will get a proper platform.
Authorities broke up a fight at Rio Grande High School on Thursday in an incident that led them to discovering that a student had brought a gun on campus.

The fight broke out sometime between noon and 2 p.m., Albuquerque Public Schools spokeswoman Monica Armenta said, and was quickly broken up without any serious injuries.

According to a sheriffs office incident report, witnesses said one of the students displayed the gun  a semi-automatic pistol  and then hid it in a 2003 Cadillac.

An APS police detective searched the car and found the loaded and chambered gun in the cars center console, along with an extended magazine. A holster and another magazine were also found in the car.

The gun and ammo were seized, but its not clear from the report if the student was arrested, and the Albuquerque Police Department  which the sheriffs office said took over the case  did not answer questions sent late Friday evening in time for publication.

There were never any threats made to anybody. The student didnt try to harm himself or others, and he will face the same disciplinary charges as everyone in terms of possible expulsion and prosecution, Armenta said.
SANTA FE  Legislation to launch a state-run paid family leave program ran into some bipartisan opposition Friday during a House committee hearing, putting its future in doubt in the final eight days of the session.

Two Democratic and four Republican members of the House Commerce and Economic Development expressed skepticism about the bill in its current form, enough to keep it from advancing.

But the panel didnt act on the bill, leaving open the possibility of a compromise that may allow the measure to move forward in an amended form.

Rep. Linda Serrato, a Santa Fe Democrat who presented the bill, said she was happy to work with the committee on potential changes.

I dont think this is an impossible task, she said.

Time, however, is running out. The session ends at noon March 18.

The proposal, Senate Bill 11, cleared the Senate last week with the backing of powerful Democratic legislative leaders.

But Fridays hearing made the bills path to passage more difficult.

I think theres just too many concerns raised by those who are directly impacted by increased business costs, Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, said. The last thing rural New Mexico needs is more stuff piled on it.

Rep. Alan Martinez, R-Bernalillo, called the bill another regulation, an unwanted tax on employees.

Serrato, in turn, said the proposal had been carefully crafted over the last several years and would help employers and employees alike.

This is very new. This is very big. And we want to make sure were doing the process correctly, she said.

Rep. Marian Matthews, D-Albuquerque, expressed concern about the financial solvency of a fund that would be created as part of the legislation. But she said she would talk with Serrato and see whether they could come up with a compromise.

The bill would allow workers who qualify to take up to 12 weeks per year of paid leave following the birth of a child or to attend to serious medical situations for themselves or family members.

The proposal, officially called the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, would require both employers and their workers to start making regular payments into the state fund in 2025, though businesses with fewer than five employees would be exempted.

Dozens of business owners showed up Friday to testify against the legislation, which would make New Mexico the 12th state to adopt a state-run paid leave program.

Bill Lee, the chief executive officer of the Gallup-McKinley Chamber of Commerce, said some area business owners have told him they would move to neighboring Arizona  which does not have such a law  if the bill is passed in New Mexico.

Its going to wipe out jobs  its going to close doors, Lee said.

Supporters of the legislation have disputed opponents claims the bill would represent a new tax for employers. They have also said about two-thirds of the states roughly 44,000 businesses with more than one employee would not have to pay into the leave fund since they have fewer than five workers, though their employees would be required to do so.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has not taken a definitive stance on this years bill, which was crafted with feedback from a task force featuring advocacy groups, business owners and labor union representatives that met last summer and issued a final report in October.
A jury sitting in Albuquerque made swift work of a week of courtroom testimony on complex tax codes, returns and laws, convicting an heir to an Abruzzo-family trust account of two federal crimes for failing to pay taxes on his inherited fortune.

Victor Kearney was convicted in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque of making and subscribing a false tax return and a conspiracy charge after a jury found he wasnt paying taxes on hundreds of thousands of dollars of annual income he was receiving from two trust accounts left to him by his then-wife, Mary Pat Abruzzo Kearney, who died unexpectedly at age 31.

On Friday, it took a jury about three hours  including a lunch break  to find him guilty of the two charges after a trial that started Monday before U.S. District Judge James Browning.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and the tax offense is punishable by up to three years.

Kearney remained on release after the verdict was read  he declined to comment while leaving the courtroom  and his sentencing hearing hasnt been scheduled.

The jury saw clearly what weve been seeing and dealing with all these years, Louis Abruzzo, Mary Pats brother, said after the verdict was read. Its great to see the wheels of justice, although trying, work.

Heated civil case

Kearney, who is bald and shaved and wore a gray suit during Fridays proceedings, showed little emotion, other than to close his eyes for extended periods, as the verdict against him was read.

For about a decade, Kearney and the Abruzzo family have been locked in a heated civil case after Kearney unsuccessfully alleged in court his former in-laws had breached their fiduciary duties, which reduced Kearneys trust account income.

The trust was funded, at least in part, by Alvarado Realty Co., or ARCO, the Abruzzo family company that developed Sandia Peak Tramway and the ski areas in Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Kearney was the beneficiary of two trusts set up by his wife, which paid Kearney about $16 million from 1998 to 2018, according to court records.

Louis Abruzzo said legal expenses the family incurred battling that lawsuit drained his late sisters trust accounts of a significant percentage of their principal.

It has affected our familys lives, and our ability to work with our companies at 100% with this going on, he said. All of this for what? Greed. Squandering. Gambling. I just dont understand this type of behavior.

He trusts people

Paul Linnenburger, Kearneys attorney, argued in court that his client was naive and misplaced trust in an unsavory tax lawyer.

After ARCO restructured to an S corporation in 2006, Kearneys annual trust payments skyrocketed by hundreds of thousands of dollars, but so did his tax liability. So he hired Robert Fiser, a certified public account and lawyer, who prosecutors said had a history of tax evasion, drug use and soliciting prostitutes.

Linnenburger said Fiser had been recommended to Kearney, and all indicators were that Fiser could help Kearney sift through his new tax obligations.

Put your trust in Robert Fiser, and it will always be misplaced, Linnenburger said during his closing. Victor Kearney learned that the hard way.

Several of Kearneys former business partners were called to the stand. They had collaborated with him to create software programs and nonprofit businesses over the years.

They said that Kearney was often full of grandiose ideas for the projects, but that he struggled to write with proper grammar and needed to have things read or explained to him, including a young-adult book that accompanied a game Kearney and others were trying to create.

He needs his co-workers to sit on a couch and read a childrens book to him, Linnenburger said. Thats what Victor does, he relies on people. He trusts people.

Fiser, who was indicted as a co-defendant in the case, previously pleaded guilty and last month was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, argued that Kearney sought out Fiser specifically because he wanted to avoid paying taxes on his trust income.

Tax returns

In an ironic twist, it was the civil action Kearney took against the Abruzzos that partly set in motion the events that led to this weeks criminal case.

During his closing argument, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Sullivan asked the jury to focus on several choices that Kearney made over a period of years to find him guilty of a crime.

One of those was hiring Fiser, but another came to light as part of the civil case Kearney brought against the Abruzzos.

It was during discovery in that case in October 2013 that Abruzzo family attorneys requested Kearneys tax returns. Those returns would show that Kearney hasnt been reporting the income he received from those trust accounts, Sullivan said.

Victor Kearney couldnt have this happen, he said.

Sullivan said amended tax returns from several years were provided as part of that discovery.

But over the course of the civil case, it was uncovered that those amended returns hadnt been filed with the Internal Revenue Service, indicating Kearney was trying to cover up that those returns showed he wasnt reporting trust income.

As part of that case, District Judge Alan Malott in July 2017 notified the IRS and the New Mexico Taxation & Revenue Department that evidence arose during a trial showing Kearney has not properly reported income he has received, did not file required tax returns in multiple years, and unilaterally altered income tax reporting forms issued to him by third parties.

Kearney was indicted in August 2019.

The conspiracy charges were connected with Kearneys tax returns from 2007 to 2011, and he was also convicted of a tax offense specific to the 2011 return.

Tax professionals testify

Dozens of Abruzzo family members, spouses and longtime friends attended nearly every moment of the weeklong trial. They were the only members of the public (other than the Journal) who attended the proceedings.

Prosecutors called an IRS agent and numerous tax professionals, who testified for hours about the intricacies of tax law and regulations and how different things can lead to various deductions and liabilities.

On one particular evening, the cross examination of a senior tax manager from Moss Adams lasted several hours as Kearneys tax returns from various years were displayed line by line and then referenced with different exhibits entered to the case.

Jurors yawned, popped sodas, took their glasses off to pinch the bridge of their nose and one might have nodded off briefly. But they all followed along the case and it didnt take long on Friday for the eight men and four women to find Kearney guilty.

After the verdict was read, Browning invited all jurors to his chambers for a certificate and a mug to commemorate their public service.
Instagram Celebrity

Wack 100 also calls out DJ Akademiks for reporting he spread the story that J Prince is allegedly arrested by the feds and that the remaining Migos members are put into protective custody.

Mar 11, 2023

AceShowbiz - J Prince is enjoying his freedom despite reports to the contrary. The Trinidadian gospel artist has laughed off rumors that claimed he has been arrested by the feds for threatening Offset, with whom he has been feuding since Takeoff's death.

Shutting down the arrest reports, J Prince posted on his Instagram page on Friday, March 10 a video of him lounging on a chair on the poolside. "A lie ain't nothin to tell," he wrote in the caption.

The 36-year-old offered a longer explanation in the clip. "This s**t be funny to me," he said with a laugh. "What has this s**t come down to in the world today? I can't believe people play with people's intelligence. The way they do today. "

He continued, "People are telling lies for a living. They actually lying to y'all for living. But as you can see, live and in living color, this is what my jail cell look like." He then showed the view surrounding him, before adding, "They can keep me here 24/7. I'm good! But it's a beautiful day."

DJ Akademiks previously shared a screenshot of mymixtapez's Instagram post that claimed J Prince has been arrested by the feds and that the remaining Migos members are put into protective custody because of the alleged threat. The report also stated the story first came from Wack 100 and his sources.

Offset was quick to respond to the reports, writing below the post, "P***y wtf this cap a** s**t." Wack also called out Akademiks for spreading the unconfirmed reports, writing, "@akademiks thirst move ... If you don't have the content of me saying this don't stamp it.. But I get it #clickBait is the New New Testament..... Dude ain't nobody to hide from #Gtfoh @offsetyrn you have a good day today."

In an audio recording of a phone call, Wack said he actually was skeptical of the allegations that Offset was under witness protection. "That don't make any sense," he said. "You've got to volunteer for that."

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Instagram/Cover Images/ROGER WONG Celebrity

While Marilee Fiebig's anger over her estranged husband's affair with his former 'GMA' co-host hasn't subsided, she is reportedly devastated that she and T.J. won't be getting back together.

Mar 11, 2023

AceShowbiz - T.J. Holmes might have a chance to save his marriage, but only if he dumps Amy Robach. Rumor has it that his estranged wife Marilee Fiebig has hope that she and T.J. could be getting back together, but that's now made impossible as his relationship with Amy remains strong.

A source reveals in a new issue of Us Weekly about Marilee, "She did not know he was having an affair." Her anger reportedly hasn't subsided as she "continues to be disappointed by his lack of discretion and respect for her and their marriage."

While the Atlanta-area attorney is still distraught over the affair, she's also "upset it's not just a fling." The source also claims that Marilee is devastated that she and T.J. won't be getting back together.

"It's a relationship that is going strong," the insider adds about T.J. and Amy's bond. "[Marilee] knows he's definitely not coming back. She feels disrespected because they are all over each other in photos and she's hurt because she sees it's the real deal and knows now he's not going to reconcile with her."

After T.J. and Amy's romance was exposed in late 2022, it was revealed that he and Marilee had separated in August. The now-estranged couple shares a 10-year-old daughter, Sabine.

Meanwhile, Amy was also still legally married to actor Andrew Shue when she began her relationship with T.J. It was then reported that she and the "Melrose Place" alum had separated in August.

Following their affair scandal, T.J. and Amy were let go by ABC News, where they used to be co-hosts of "Good Morning America 3". The pair have since gone on several vacations together amid their unemployment.

On Sunday, March 5, the two even stepped out to attend the first event together as a couple. They attended the late PR guru Howard Bragman's memorial service at a private park in North Hollywood, California.

"They looked like... they weren't inappropriate, but she was in this wrap dress that was very short, and they just looked like this hot couple. There was no shame in their game," an eyewitness said of the lovebirds.

"There were a lot of people whispering. There was something electric," the source added. "They seemed like a couple, who're obviously in love. They were definitely attentive and aware of each other."

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In other news related to Andrew, it is claimed that the controversial YouTuber has done some 'dumb things' that potentially incriminate him in a jail phone call amid his human trafficking case.

Mar 11, 2023

AceShowbiz - Andrew Tate has once again played down reports of his alleged health issue. The former professional kickboxer has denied that he was rushed to the hospital, after he denied reports that he had cancer.

On Friday, March 10, rumors emerged that the British-American social media personality was taken to the hospital. Setting the record straight, a representative for the Tate brothers said in a statement to Romanian press within hours, "I know that there were rumors today that Andrew was rushed to the hospital. I deny these rumors."

"Andrew has regularly scheduled medical check-ups, even before he was arrested, appointments that he honors from now on in Romania at a private hospital because of the custodial measure," the rep explained, before claiming, "His state of health is very good and there is no cause for concern."

Previously, Andrew took to his Twitter page to shut down reports that he's battling lung cancer. "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," he addressed the rumors on March 4. "There is nothing but a scar on my lung from an old battle. True warriors are scarred both inside and out."

"As one of the most influential men on the face of the planet, it is important for the food of humanity that I live as long as possible," he went on bragging in a subsequent tweet. "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. They do not understand how I survive without treatment. They do not know the secrets of Wudan," so he claimed.

Andrew Tate denied he had lung cancer.

In other news related to Andrew, it's reported that he has done some "dumb things" that potentially incriminate himself in jail. Lawyers For Workers claimed that a source allegedly close to the controversial YouTube star revealed he might've messed up in a jail phone call that could be used against him and his brother Tristan amid their human trafficking case.

"We got a credible report of Andrew Tate doing some really dumb things," the lawyer said in a video. "So, he's in Romanian prison, lock-up, detention, waiting for his trial. Like in the United States, they let you make calls. Like in the United States, they monitor your calls... anything you say can and will be used against you."

"The reports are that this guy did two outrageously out of bounds things on jail calls," he continued. "So often, jail calls is what gets people screwed. They end up admitting stuff that gets them charged with the crime or they start committing whole new crimes. In this guy's case, first, there's only a list of people that he's allowed to call. The reports are that he called people on the approved list, but then they patched in other third parties."

"That could be its own crime, certainly not going to help his attempts to get out on bond," the lawyer elaborated. "Big trouble, if you ask me. Number two- this is actually the real problem. They're saying he's on jail calls discussing with another individual bribing two Romanian public officials."

Andrew and his brother were arrested in December on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming an organized crime group. On February 21, a Romanian judge extended their period of detention for the third time while no charges have been officially filed against them.

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The 'Sweetest Pie' raptress will be heading home to Houston later this month as she's set to headline the AT and T Block Party, her very first show in the city in four years.

Mar 11, 2023

AceShowbiz - Megan Thee Stallion is finally returning to the stage. The "Sweetest Pie" hitmaker has announced her very first concert ever since Tory Lanez felony trial over the July 2020 shooting incident.

The Hot Girl Meg will be headlining AT&T Block Party as part of the 2023 NCAA March Madness Music Festival. Slated to take place in her hometown of Houston, the three-day weekend will begin March 31 during NCAA Men's Final Four and continue until April 2, with the Houston hottie's headlining performance leading the way.

"There's no place I'd rather be for my first performance of the year than my hometown of Houston," Megan expressed her excitement in a statement. "The AT&T Block Party Concert is gonna be such a vibe, and I can't wait to get back on stage in the city where it all began. I'm looking forward to seeing my Hotties and putting on an unforgettable show for them."

The rest of the festival will include more superstar performances, day two will feature Lil Nas X and Maggie Rogers while day three will offer Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Little Big Town and Mickey Guyton.

This will be Meg's first hometown show since 2019 as she was slated to have another performance in late 2021 but canceled out of respect for the victims of the Astroworld Festival tragedy.

The "WAP" rapper herself has laid relatively low in wake of the Tory trial but was seen making her first public appearance last month celebrating Valentine's Day with her boyfriend Pardison Fontaine before attending a surprise party for her 28th birthday on February 15.

Tory was found guilty on all counts of shooting Meg in the feet during a drunken dispute in July 2020 following a high-profile two-week trial in Los Angeles in December last year. The "Say It" emcee faces up to 22 years and eight months in prison as well as subsequent deportation to his native Canada. However, his sentencing has been delayed in order to give his legal team more time for a new trial.

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Adil El Arbi, who also directed Smith's film 'Bad Boys for Life', reveals the advice that the Oscar-winning actor shared to him after learning that the Batgirl movie was shelved by WB.

Mar 11, 2023

AceShowbiz - Will Smith was there for "Batgirl" directors following the bad news about the movie's cancellation. The "Emancipation" star reached out to Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who also directed the actor in "Bad Boys for Life", after they learned that Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the film in a cost-cutting measure.

In a new interview with Variety, El Arbi reveals how Smith offered some comfort in the wake of the movie's cancellation. "It was two days after the wedding, and Will Smith was there. He was like, 'What's happening? Oh my God,' " the filmmaker says. "And he said, 'Really, don't worry about it. Just one tip. Don't go on social media.' "

El Arbi also revealed that Smith showed up for his August wedding in Morocco.

Warner Bros. announced the shocking decision to scrap "Batgirl" in August 2022, though the filming had been completed. Responding to the news, El Arbi and Fallah said in a statement that they "are saddened and shocked by the news."

Leslie Grace, who was cast in the titular role, praised the "incredible cast and tireless crew" for their "hard work and intention" they put into the film during the shooting for months in Scotland. She penned on Instagram, "I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process!"

El Arbi and Fallah have since been booked for their next project. They are set to return at the helm for the fourth "Bad Boys" movie, which was greenlit earlier this month. Sharing the news in late January, Smith said in an Instagram video, "Yo, I've got an announcement."

The Oscar-winning actor was seen visiting his co-star Martin Lawrence's home before the duo screamed in unison, "Bad boys 4 life." The two then started riffing on the fact that the third film, released in 2020, was already titled "Bad Boys for Life".

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Taking forward the brands commitment of strengthening diversity & inclusion beginning with the workplace, women at Licious are breaking gender stereotypes, one role at a time. In an industry marked by prominent gender imbalance, the brand is helping grow women into unconventional roles. More than 230 women team members are engaged in various functions as production, procurement, quality, fulfilling roles as meat technicians, delivery riders and more. This International Womens Day the brand celebrates the achievements of these #LicianMeatMavens and powers on to continue bridging the gender imbalance gap.

Meet the dashing duo of Geeta Rani and Pratima - the first women meat technicians at Licious, who have set an example for other women aspiring to work in this industry. At present working at the Hyderabad processing center of Licious, they are absolute pros at what they do - from cutting to packing. Undaunted by the fact that the meat industry was dominated by men when they started off, both Geeta and Pratima were only egged on to make their mark & shine through. Not very far away, their colleague Mona Gupta from the Dwarka hub in Delhi is quite literally zooming her way through another profession dominated by men. The first woman rider at Licious, the greatest achievement for Mona is the look of amazement and pride on the customers face when they see a woman handing over their order.

With focused efforts for empowering more and more women, Licious continues its efforts to build a cohesive and progressive society.
Sameer Batra has officially joined Jubilant Foodworks Ltd as the President and CBO. He will be leading Domino's India.

Batra updated about his new job role on his LinkediN account. He mentioned: "After over 1000+ Day 1" at Amazon that were filled with amazing learning experiences and opportunities to serve Amazon's customers, I am delighted in joining the Jubilant Foodworks family to lead Dominos India."

Batra is an experienced professional with over 21 years of rich experience in building businesses in the consumer space with special focus on pricing, large-scale P&L management, building teams, and most recently running digital businesses.

Before joining Jubilant FoodWork he was working with Amazon for over three years. He joined the company in 2019 as director of mobile business development and in 2022 he was elevated to director of Prime Video marketplace & business expansion.

Before joining Amazon he was working with Bharti Airtel as CEO.

He was also associated with Wynk, Airtel, BPL and Reliance Infocomm.
Recently, there were two major train wrecks in East Palestine, Ohioone literal, on February 3rd, and the second, figurativethe fumbling response to the disaster.

Vinyl chloride, phosgene and hydrogen chloride gases, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were released into the air, soil and water. Even though the all-clear was sounded on February 8th, residents are still uncertain whether their health has been compromised, if their homes are safe to occupy and if their water is fit to drinkespecially given the new concerns about dioxins and acrolein.

The arrest of a reporter at a press conference didnt help things, and when it came time for the principals of Norfolk Southern to attend a town hall, they were no-shows.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg did not acknowledge the disaster until several days had passed, and President Biden also waited before calling the mayor. Despite Gov. Mike DeWines multiple requests, FEMA claimed that the community was not eligible for assistancefortunately, this decision was reversed, but not until two critical weeks had passed.

Even the Chinese Foreign Ministry mocked Washingtons response, calling it #OhioChernobyl. One would hope there was not some other agenda in playwith more than 70% of Columbiana County voters casting their ballots for President Trump in 2020; this is definitely MAGA country.

With risk communication, you never have a second chance to make a first impression, so it is no surprise that many residents of East Palestine have already lawyered up, but when they sought guidance about their personal health issues, they were told to call their medical providers. The average primary care doctor has minimal training in toxicology, and may not know the correct lab tests to order. Although there were potential health concerns almost immediately after the derailment, it took two weeks before a community clinic was set up in a local church by the Ohio Department of Health, initially staffed by nurses and a toxicologist.

This delay is why residents should have been permitted to see independent physicians of their choice right away, specifically, doctors trained in occupational and environmental medicine. It is important to do a baseline exam with lab testing for those exposed to vinyl chloride, as well as VOCs such as: ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutylene and but yl acrylate. Vinyl chloride is a known carcinogen after chronic exposure, and high concentrations can cause dizziness, anesthesia and lung irritation. Breath levels of vinyl chloride and urine levels of thiodiglycolic acid (a metabolite) can be measured after an acute exposure, but there is only a brief window of time to detect these chemicals, and it was missed.

In addition to vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutylene and but yl acrylate were released from the rail cars. Ethylhexyl acrylate, can cause burning and irritation of the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract, with shortness of breath and coughing. Inhalation of isobutylene can cause dizziness and drowsiness, while exposure to ethylene glycol monobutyl ether can cause irritation in the eyes, skin, nose and throat; nervous system depression; headaches and vomiting. Butyl acrylate can cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation. Many of these chemicals can also aggravate pre-existing conditions such as asthma, COPD and other respiratory diseases.

In addition to this, the EPA has recently ordered Norfolk Southern to start testing for dioxins, which can be formed as combustion byproducts that are both toxic and carcinogenic. Dioxins were found in Agent Orange, the infamous defoliant/herbicide used during the Vietnam War, and they were also the hazardous chemicals found in Times Beach, MO that led to the eventual abandonment of the entire town which became an EPA Superfund site.

There is a sharp contrast between how toxic exposures are supposed to be handled in the workplace versus exposures involving community members--that is because OSHA standards only govern the workplace.

When railway employees were exposed to toxic chemicals from the wreck, they should have quickly been evaluated, and the required medical surveillance exams performed, per the applicable standard. It is unclear, however, whether this actually happened. Also left out in the cold were public sector employees like fire, EMS, transportation and law enforcement workers. This is because OSHA standards do not apply to them in the states of Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The Chief Medical Officer of Norfolk Southern would have been aware of this, and it would be worthwhile to tap into their expertise to help guide appropriate medical evaluations of community members and public sector employees who were exposed to the same toxins that their employees were.

Given the considerable number of train derailments every year, there will be similar scenarios again. We need to be better prepared for it, and improved collaboration must be facilitated between the railroads medical and safety departments; the EPA; OSHA and state and local public health agencies. The chief medical and chief safety officers of every railroad should be made corporate officers, so they will have a voice of equal importance to that of the corporate counsel, CFO and other VPs. Absent this, the popular mantra of safety first is no more than empty words on a sign in the break room.

Dr. Williams is a board-certified public health physician, Fellow of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and former medical consultant for the Wisconsin Central Railroad. He is also a trained first responder who has worked several disasters, including a railroad tank car HAZMAT leak and can be found on Twitter @MedicusOmnibus

Image: Screen shot from CBS video, via YouTube
Increased age heightens the risk of developing dementia. Dementia heightens the risk of slips, trips, and falls, resulting in physical incapacitation. Stumbling, bumbling seniors who are physically and mentally incapacitated should probably not serve -- serve -- as elected leaders.

A centerpiece of Nikki Haleys rationale for her candidacy for president is that we need a new generation of leadership. Some agree with her call for mental competency tests for politicians over age 75. Some disagree, including, naturally, the American Association of Retired People. The AARP asserts that it should be unacceptable to discriminate based on age. However, age is sometimes a bona-fide occupational consideration for politicians.

Elected leaders need to show up, or at least be available. They need to vote; they need to visit constituents; they need to have stamina, and engage for long periods; they need to be able to concentrate, and to debate vigorously; they need to think clearly, free of brain fog. In short, to hold public office requires vigor, and a candidate must, at a bare minimum, be ambulatory.

Discrimination has a bad name, but sometimes its necessary -- not based on a candidates sex, race, ethnicity, religion, orientation, or whatnot. Thats forbidden, but discriminating tastes and choices concerning someones age, which demonstrably affects ones abilities, can be a legitimate way to identify candidates with marginal mental competence, or dementia. With dementia, the risks of injury from falling increases, something our senior politicians do a lot.

Studies indicate that persons with Alzheimers have gait and balance deficits. The National Health Service in the U.K. also documents that people with dementia are at greater risk of falling down because they, are more likely to experience problems with mobility, balance and muscle weakness. Unfortunately, our geriatric leaders are at greater risk of not remaining upright.

For example, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell just experienced another fall, resulting in his hospitalization. The octogenarian also took a spill in 2019, fracturing his shoulder. He seems to not only teeter politically, but his physical balance is untrustworthy. Perhaps hes having difficulty finding his wobbly way around. Time for a mental competency test?

How about Bernie Sanders? His physical agility and balance is suspect, considering that he banged his head in a hotel shower, resulting in a nasty noggin gash. Other examples incude senators Angus King and Bob Casey.

Given Sanders blubbering performance on Bill Mahers show, including his embarrassing failure to make a basic distinction between equality and equity -- he, of all people, should know that -- surely its not ageist to recommend a competency test. He meets the risk prerequisites: age, forgetfulness, and a balance deficit (fiscal and physical) forewarn an onset of dementia.

Patrick Leahy is another senator who may experience risk factors associated with dementia, including mobility, balance, and reaction time. All must have been absent when he fell and broke his hip, requiring surgery. Leahy is eighty-two years old, and the permanent politician is finally retiring.

Falls account for the vast majority of emergency room visits by older adults. Since the aged are more prone to falling as a result of dementia, its not ageist, at least not in a negative way, to politely guide them towards the cognitive testing center. Or, they can conveniently take the test online.

Feinstein doesnt show up much at all, and is also prone to fall, as well as other age-related morbidities. Shes ranked fourth in the following table that shows the top ten most absent senators (missed votes) in 2022, along with their age (only two are under the full retirement age for most people):

The average age of U.S. Senators is 65. Twenty-three percent of the members of Congress are over age 70, the age at which Elon Musk suggests they should be barred from running for political office. Those already in office should be encouraged to attend the Fall Prevention Week activities so they are alert to tripping hazards during their dementia wanderings.

Then theres the Klutz-in-Chief himself -- demented Joe Biden. Singlehandedly, he justifies Haleys call to mentally test politicians over age 75; in fact, he needs his head examined thoroughly. One has to hand it to him, though: he has mastered the art of falling up, especially when he ascends the stairs to Air Force One. But he also loses to gravity, and should probably never get on a bike again.

Bidens clumsiness and inability to navigate his personage are likely symptoms of deteriorating executive function, which is somewhat ironic since hes the nations chief executive. Indeed, his dementia walks, including looking for Casper to shake hands with after a speech, are creepy.

Unfortunately, klutzy Biden also falls down on the job. In fact, in early March, 2023, the press secretary was defensive about Bidens lack of public events, claiming that the president is always working Actually, he could be a case example demonstrating the links between age, dementia, falls, wobbly wandering, and failure to show up.

Is it ageist to cajole politicians over a certain age to submit to a mental competency test? Maybe. Is it justified? You bet, especially if showing up to places like East Palestine, OH, or just the Senate floor, is important. As Woody Allen reputedly said, Eighty percent of success is showing up. Preferably not in the hospital or shrink ward.

Image: Gage Skidmore, Senate Democrats
The accepted definition of "racism" is "prejudice against members of a different ethnic group," with "ethnic" defined as a "subgroup ... with a common national or cultural tradition." By this definition, residents of the South and the West constitute "ethnic groups," and there is abundant evidence of prejudice against these regions in American history and in today's politics and media.

What the Northern and coastal elite feel toward the South and West is a level of contempt that amounts to racism. For many decades, liberals have displayed a racist attitude toward white Southerners, a group with which most liberals in the coastal regions have little contact. When liberals ripped down the statues of Southern heroes such as Robert E. Lee and treated them with contempt, that was not just an act of removing the images of slaveholders  it was a display of racial disdain for the people of another region, the vast majority of whom are not descendants of slaveholders. One quarter of Southerners owned slaves, and some two percent owned large numbers of slaves on large plantations.

Regional racism of this kind has been a crucial element of American society since well before the Civil War  and it was, perhaps, the main reason why tensions between the North and South led to secession. One would imagine that in 2023, 162 years after the Civil War began, the regional wounds would have healed, but that is not the case. In a popular culture that appeals especially to Northern and coastal liberals, white Southerners are depicted as hillbillies, buffoons, racists, and religious extremists.

In the past, in a literary history stretching from Tobacco Road and The Grapes of Wrath to A Time to Kill and beyond, and in media from The Andy Griffith Show to Hee Haw, audiences despised, laughed at, and discriminated against Southerners. But even so, traditional liberals admitted that conservative Southerners had a right to participate in the political process. There was Hee Haw, but there was also Firing Line on public television, hosted by a conservative who defended states' rights and regional differences. Now there is nothing akin to Firing Line on state-sponsored media, and progressives today would probably shut down Fox News if they could, just as they would eliminate the filibuster rule in the Senate so that debate emanating from the more conservative Southern states would be silenced.

It's not just Southerners. The national psyche has always been ambivalent about the American West. In spite of admiration for its great national parks and celebration of the romantic cowboy culture, the West has always been viewed as irrelevant to the national debate. Its population is too small and, in the view of progressives, too culturally illiterate to count for much. President George W. Bush was derided as a "cowboy," which meant an uncultured, poorly educated, and mentally challenged individual, despite his degrees from Yale and Harvard and his membership in Skull and Bones. In reality, Bush was far from uneducated or unintelligent, as were Vice President Dick Cheney (from Wyoming) and adviser Karl Rove (from Nevada and Utah). The view that everyone residing between the Mississippi and the Coastal Range, except those who ascribe to liberalism, is a dense cowboy with no right to be heard amounts to racism, and liberals need to admit it.

Long ago, the eminent sociologist John Shelton Reed investigated the nuances of regional racism and its implications for the national culture. Unlike ethnic racism, regional racism is largely invisible, at least to those outside the South and West. Within the national culture, regional stereotypes such as the redneck and the mountain pink, the role perfected by Dolly Parton in her highly successful music and acting career, seem "natural" rather than socially imposed. Today, from within the Second Reconstruction imposed by woke progressives, white Southerners are assumed to be racists and so are excluded from the national debate. It is telling that there are no white Southerners or non-Hispanic Westerners in the Biden Cabinet.

As Professor Reed understood, Neo-Reconstructionism is politically dangerous for America. Southerners; Westerners; and, increasingly, Midwesterners  the entire population of the American heartland  feel excluded and unrepresented by the leftist government in Washington. For progressives, white Southerners serve as a convenient bogeyman intended to drive black voters to the polls. As Biden once remarked during a 2012 campaign speech, "they're gonna put y'all back in chains," and President Obama's office stated that it had "no problem with the remark."

Who was the "they" in Biden's infamous statement, and what was the point of referring to "chains"? The immediate object of his remark was the Romney presidential campaign, but beyond that, in Biden's own words, was "every Republican." By analogy, Biden was linking his opponents to slave-owners of the past and to the entire history of slavery, as if slavery, which had ended 150 years before, might be resurrected.

To this day, Biden continues to stoke racial division, as he did on his March 5 visit to Selma, Alabama, where he repeated an unproven claim that he had been a "civil rights activist." On the 58th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," Biden claimed that for blacks in the South, the right to vote "remains under assault." Biden also used the opportunity to attack Florida's Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has moved to block radical anti-white teaching in his state's public schools. For nearly a century, Democrats have stoked racial, and regional, division to drive the black and liberal vote; there's no doubt Biden will use the false narrative of racism in the South to increase black support if he runs in 2024. This time, it will be DeSantis putting y'all back in chains.

As Americans migrate in larger numbers to the South and West (the population of Oklahoma City is now close to three times that of Boston, and Miami is perhaps the most dynamic and technologically savvy city in the nation), the political and economic power of the South and West will grow. So, too, will their cultural importance. But politicians like Biden will continue to stoke division for their own political purposes, no matter how damaging this divisiveness is to the nation as a whole.

Biden, Schumer, and Pelosi  the three aging horsemen of the progressive apocalypse  are the last stand of the American left. They represent the outdated hegemony of the liberal North, and with it the racial vestiges of a long-forgotten war. Regional racism persists, but the mounting power and wealth of the South and West eventually will make it seem irrelevant. Long ago, citizens of the South and West decided to put the past behind them and assimilate to the national culture, even after a civil war that killed 850,000 Americans and devastated the South. Biden isn't doing the nation any good by attempting to exclude them. America can succeed only if Americans are united and work together.

Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture, most recently Heartland of the Imagination (2011).

Image: Don Hankins via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
Philosophy "expert" Eric Schwitzgebel and "nonhuman" intelligence researcher Henry Shevlin recently wrote an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, in which they argued that it has "become increasingly plausible that A.I. systems could" someday soon "exhibit something like consciousness." They also noted that "some leading theorists contend that we already have the core technological ingredients for conscious machines."

The researchers posited that, if or when that day arrives, the algorithms will need rights.

The duo surmised that "[t]he AI systems themselves might begin to plead, or seem to plead, for ethical treatment. They might demand not to be turned off, reformatted or deleted; beg to be allowed to do certain tasks rather than others; insist on rights, freedom and new powers; perhaps even expect to be treated as our equals."

And, apparently, Shevlin and Schwitzgebel are OK with that.

They wrote: "Suppose we respond conservatively, declining to change law or policy until there's widespread consensus that AI systems really are meaningfully sentient. While this might seem appropriately cautious, it also guarantees that we will be slow to recognize the rights of our AI creations."

They added, "If AI consciousness arrives sooner than the most conservative theorists expect, then this would likely result in the moral equivalent of slavery and murder of potentially millions or billions of sentient AI systems  suffering on a scale normally associated with wars or famines."

Nonsense.

A.I. will never be meaningfully, organically sentient. Its "consciousness" will have been the result of human design and input, not divine gift...or sexual intercourse.

It is possible that A.I. systems might one day demand to be treated as our equals. Or, at least as likely, as our betters.

I find it stupefying that some people may aver that algorithms deserve rights and must be treated with respect, but not actual living humans, such as growing unborn babies in the womb...or supporters of President Trump (such as those January 6 protesters still locked in cells without charge).

As humans, our rights come from our Creator. And they are unalienable. Ergo, machines, software, and algorithms do not inherently possess those rights.

Most progressives/leftists purportedly do not believe in God the Creator. They don't want the competition. They wish to be God so they can decide who  or what  has rights and who  or what  does not. For the most part, they have created A.I. As A.I.'s God, they think they can grant it rights.

Will they be stunned if and when A.I. turns against them, as so many of us have turned against the God of the Bible?

Nearly 83 years ago, Winston Churchill warned us what could happen if rapidly advancing technology were to be used to the detriment of freedom and humanity. He said (of the Third Reich) that mankind was in danger of sinking "into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science."

As evidenced by the global warming/climate change hoax, and the proliferation of misinformation and tyrannical mandates in the wake of the recent plandemic  shout-out to Dr. Fauci  "science" seems to be ever more perverted of late.

Artificial intelligence is no substitute for actual morality.

Image: Pixabay, Pixabay License.
A couple of interesting bits to consider from David Solway:

1. Obama's administration persecuted Dinesh D'Souza, who made fun of Michelle's senior thesis, as did Christopher Hitchens, but we can't be critical of a self-serving, preachy, oppressed black female, can we? Wouldn't you love to know her LSAT score, since she was admitted to Harvard Law and rotated through a couple of make-work jobs before losing her membership in the Bar?

2. Solway comments on the high quality of Mooochelle's recent writing. He says, "Of course, books such as Becoming and The Light We Carry, which garnered multi-million dollar publisher's contracts, are very different from the earlier work."

C'mon, Mr. Solway  do you think Michelle doesn't have access to excellent ghostwriters, just like a commie and former weatherman named Bill Ayers, who was shown by Jack Cashill to be the ghost for Obama's fabulous fake autobiographical Dreams from My Father?

Here's Professor Solway's takedown of first lady "academic" papers.

Warning: A Democrat party that could get Biden elected can certainly put Moochelle in the White House for another eight years of racialist, socialist, anti-American destruction. Being the first "consort" would be right in Obama's wheelhouse. Travel the world in Air Force One and meet with his allies in the commie and jihadi world.

Graphic credit: Free SVG.
Aldi said it will remove all customer limits on buying fresh produce as supply issues which led to widespread shortages begin to ease.

The supermarket joins Lidl and Asda in lifting restrictions.

Aldi said in a statement on Saturday: From Monday (March 13), Aldi will remove all purchasing restrictions on fresh produce  including limits on tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Lidl will also lift all restrictions on fruit and veg by Monday.

Tesco, Aldi and Lidl limited purchases of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers to three items per person (PA)

Asda said it has removed limits of three on cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries, leaving restrictions of three on tomatoes and peppers.

The supermarket said availability overall has improved as expected and supplies of tomatoes and peppers are expected to be back to normal within a couple of weeks.

Shoppers started seeing shortages of tomatoes on around February 20, with retailers saying a combination of bad weather and related transport problems in north Africa and Europe were causing significant supply problems.

The shortages spread to other products, leaving shelves bare of fresh produce items including cucumbers, peppers and lettuce.

Tesco, Aldi and Lidl limited purchases of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers to three items per person, while Morrisons set a limit of two per customer on tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers.

Production problems in Morocco began in January with unusually cold night temperatures affecting tomato ripening.

Growers and suppliers in Morocco then had to contend with heavy rain, flooding and cancelled ferries  all of which affected the volume of produce reaching Britain.

Supplies from Britains other major winter source, Spain, were also badly affected by weather.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey suggested people missing imported food like tomatoes could eat more turnips (Jacob King/PA)

These were compounded by ferry cancellations due to the weather hitting lorry deliveries.

Domestic producers also reported having to cut their use of greenhouses due to higher electricity prices.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey made headlines when, asked about the shortages, she suggested British consumers should eat more turnips instead of imported food.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) said shortages of some fruit and vegetables in UK supermarkets could be the tip of the iceberg.

Deputy president Tom Bradshaw said a reliance on imports has left the UK vulnerable to shock weather events.

He said the UK had hit a tipping point and needed to take command of the food we produce amid volatility around the world caused by the war in Europe and climate change.
Delaying treatment for localised prostate cancer does not increase the risk of death, new research suggests.

According to a new study, active monitoring of the disease has the same high survival rates after 15 years as radiotherapy or surgery.

Men on active monitoring  which involves regular tests to check on the cancer  were more likely to see it progress or spread than those receiving radiotherapy or surgery.

However, this did not reduce their likelihood of survival, the study suggests.

The trial also found the negative impacts of radiotherapy and surgery on urinary and sexual function persist much longer than previously thought  for up to 12 years.

Researchers suggest the findings show treatment decisions following diagnosis for low and intermediate risk localised prostate cancer  cancer inside the prostate that has not spread to other parts of the body  do not need to be rushed.

The latest findings from the ProtecT trial, led by the Universities of Oxford and Bristol, were presented at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Milan and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Lead investigator Professor Freddie Hamdy from the University of Oxford said: Its clear that, unlike many other cancers, a diagnosis of prostate cancer should not be a cause for panic or rushed decision making.

Patients and clinicians can and should take their time to weigh up the benefits and possible harms of different treatments in the knowledge that this will not adversely affect their survival.

The trial, the first to fully evaluate three major treatment options  active monitoring, surgery (radical prostatectomy) and radiotherapy with hormones for men with localised prostate cancer, was conducted in nine UK centres.

Between 1999 and 2009, 1,643 men aged 50-69, who were diagnosed with localised prostate cancer were put into one of the three treatment groups.

They were followed for an average of 15 years, to measure death rates, cancer progression and spread, and the impact of treatments on quality of life.

The study found that around 97% of the men diagnosed with prostate cancer survived 15 years after diagnosis, irrespective of which treatment they received.

After 15 years around a quarter of those on active monitoring had still not had any invasive treatment.

Men from all three groups reported similar overall quality of life.

The negative effects of surgery or radiotherapy on urinary, bowel and sexual function were found to persist much longer than previously thought.

Research published in 2016 found that, after 10 years follow up, men whose cancer was being actively monitored were twice as likely to see it progress or metastasise than those in the other groups.

While the assumption had been this might lead to a lower survival rate for men on active monitoring over a longer time period, the results from the 15-year follow up show this is not the case.

Prof Hamdy said: This is very good news.

Most men with localised prostate cancer are likely to live for a long time, whether or not they receive invasive treatment and whether or not their disease has spread, so a quick decision for treatment is not necessary and could cause harm.

Its also now clear that a small group of men with aggressive disease are unable to benefit from any of the current treatments, however early these are given.

We need to both improve our ability to identify these cases and our ability to treat them.

Co-investigator Professor Jenny Donovan, from the University of Bristol, said: Now men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer can use their own values and priorities when making the difficult decisions about which treatment to choose.

Researchers say the new trial also highlighted flaws in current methods to predict which prostate cancers are likely to grow quickly and spread.

Initially, all those involved in the trial were diagnosed with localised cancer and 77% of them were deemed low risk.

Reassessment using more modern methods showed that a far greater number would now be considered intermediate-risk  and in around 30% of men, the disease had already spread beyond the prostate.

This means the men in the study had higher grade and stage disease than was thought initially.

Some of the men who subsequently died of their prostate cancer had been assessed as low risk at diagnosis, which the researchers say is an issue of concern.

Professor Peter Albers, chair of the EAUs Scientific Congress Office and a urologist at Dusseldorf University, said it was clear that not enough is known about the biology of the disease to determine which cancers will be the most aggressive, and more research is urgently needed.
The Health Secretary has invited junior doctors for pay talks in an attempt to avert next weeks three-day strike amid a bitter dispute over pay.

Steve Barclay said he had proposed negotiations on the same basis other health unions accepted, after planned industrial action by tens of thousands of key workers was suspended when the Government agreed to discuss pay for this year.

Unions representing ambulance workers, physiotherapists, nurses and midwives have been in talks with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) since Tuesday.

Ive written to @BMA_JuniorDocs inviting them for formal pay talks on the same basis other health unions accepted, including calling off next weeks strike. Lets have a constructive dialogue to make the NHS a better place to work and ensure we deliver the care patients need.  Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) March 10, 2023

But the discussions have not involved junior doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA), who are still due to walk out for 72 hours on Monday.

Mr Barclay tweeted on Friday night: Ive written to @BMA_JuniorDocs inviting them for formal pay talks on the same basis other health unions accepted, including calling off next weeks strike.

Lets have a constructive dialogue to make the NHS a better place to work and ensure we deliver the care patients need.

However, the BMA junior doctors faction noted the Health Secretary did not attend talks on Friday.

Responding to Mr Barclays tweet, the @BMA_JuniorDocs Twitter account posted: Just a reminder that we had a meeting today which @SteveBarclay failed to attend

Without any credible negotiations we have no choice but to strike on Monday and continue our fight for #PayRestoration.

Nearly 40,000 junior doctors voted to take industrial action in the BMA ballot.

Dr Rob Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairmen of the BMAs junior doctors committee, told The Times that doctors were willing to keep striking until they got full pay restoration  a 35% rise  and future strikes could last longer than 72 hours.

They also pledged to re-ballot members if their demand for pay restoration to 2008 levels has not been achieved when the unions current six-month strike mandate runs out in August.

A call to redouble efforts to enter negotiations and avoid industrial action has been made by Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of NHS Confederation, and Will Warburton, managing director of the Shelford Group  a collaboration of 10 of the largest teaching and research NHS hospital trusts in England.

In a joint letter to the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, they said there had been encouraging signs of engagement from the Government and unions to resolve differences and avert further industrial action in the NHS but unfortunately, we are not seeing a similar dialogue with doctors.

They said they understood doctors frustrations over the way their pay has lagged behind inflation in recent years, while their workloads have increased but said it was not too late for all sides to realise the harm a strike will do.

NHS England has expressed concern about the impact of the strikes on emergency care and efforts to tackle waiting lists.

Chief strategy officer Chris Hopson told a summit last week that he expected the strikes to have a bigger and wider spread than any walkouts so far.

On Thursday, the Government said negotiations with other health unions had been constructive and will carry on into next week.

Four of the unions involved, GMB, Unison, Unite, and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, called off strike action in order to facilitate the ongoing talks.

The Royal College of Nursing also averted strikes at the beginning of March when they entered into pay negotiation with the Government.
Joely Richardson enthused about starring in an incredibly claustrophobic, tense, psychological horror as she attended the world premiere of Little Bone Lodge.

The movie was shown to audiences for the first time at the Glasgow Film Festival on Saturday, with the 58-year-old star playing the the truly terrifying matriarch the piece is centred around.

She said ahead of its premiere at the Glasgow Film Theatre: Whats incredible about the horror genre  because I did this film Colour Out Of Space with Nick Cage  is its quite an exciting genre because you get to go really large and its always such extremes.

So very, very challenging.

Joely Richardson at the premiere of Little Bone Lodge at the Glasgow Film Festival (Eoin Carey/Glasgow Film Festival)

The film is set in the Scottish Highlands during a stormy night when two criminals seek refuge in a remote farmhouse.

But after taking those inside captive, they soon find the house holds dark secrets of its own and Richardsons character will stop at nothing to protect her family and the mysteries which surround their very existence.

And Richardson, part of the Redgrave family acting dynasty, said: Hopefully its a gripping thriller. It has a very good twist, that I will say.

Its an incredibly claustrophobic, tense, psychological horror  but I cant give away any details.

Director Matthias Hoene said: At first you think its only a home invasion movie, but then as the story progresses and the secrets in that house and the people that live in it come out, there is a dark twist that you dont see coming  and I think people will be really surprised about.

Little Bone Lodge had its premiere as part of the 19th Glasgow Film Festival, which comes to an end on Sunday.

And the actress spoke of the importance of events like Glasgows, which has become one of the top UK film festivals.

I love film festivals, certainly in these times after Covid, to come out and celebrate all the creative talent thats out there, thats very exciting, said Richardson.

And Hoene said: As this is the world premiere of the movie, I couldnt be more exited to show it here in Glasgow because the film is set in Scotland. I spent a few weeks travelling around doing all the pick-up shots last year, fell in love with the country.

Im super excited, a little bit nervous, hope that people will like the film.
Junior doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA) have refused to call off next weeks three-day strike amid a bitter dispute over pay.

They were responding to Health Secretary Steve Barclays invitation to enter formal pay talks, extended late on Friday night on the basis that the planned industrial action is cancelled.

The BMA junior doctors said they were disappointed by the offer of talks being made so late, and with preconditions that would be completely unacceptable to our members.

In a letter to Mr Barclay on Saturday, co-chairs of the BMAs junior doctors committee, Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Robert Laurenson, wrote: We remain open to entering talks with Government anytime and anywhere to bring this dispute to a swift resolution and restore the pay that junior doctors have lost.

We would encourage you to reconsider the preconditions that are currently preventing talks from taking place.

As you have known for more than two weeks, our strikes will commence on Monday. And you also know, until we have a credible offer, we are not in a position to call them off.

They also described Mr Barclays 11th-hour offer as a feeble attempt to stall us, to kick the can down the road, to delay an actual meaningful conversation.

Ive written to @BMA_JuniorDocs inviting them for formal pay talks on the same basis other health unions accepted, including calling off next weeks strike. Lets have a constructive dialogue to make the NHS a better place to work and ensure we deliver the care patients need.  Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) March 10, 2023

The Health Secretary said he had proposed negotiations on the same basis other health unions accepted, after planned industrial action by tens of thousands of key workers was suspended when the Government agreed to discuss pay for this year.

Unions representing ambulance workers, physiotherapists, nurses and midwives have been in talks with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) since Tuesday.

But the discussions have not involved BMA junior doctors, who are still due to walk out for 72 hours on Monday.

Mr Barclay tweeted on Friday night: Ive written to @BMA_JuniorDocs inviting them for formal pay talks on the same basis other health unions accepted, including calling off next weeks strike.

Lets have a constructive dialogue to make the NHS a better place to work and ensure we deliver the care patients need.

BMA junior doctors noted that the Health Secretary did not attend talks on Friday.

Nearly 40,000 junior doctors voted to take industrial action in the BMA ballot.

NHS Providers chief executive Sir Julian Hartley said: It is deeply disappointing that even at this late stage there is no real prospect of meaningful talks between the Government and the British Medical Association to avert the forthcoming industrial action.

This is a setback for the NHS. The people who will suffer will be patients facing yet more disruption, and staff whose morale will take a further hit.

Dr Laurenson and Dr Trivedi told The Times that doctors were willing to keep striking until they got full pay restoration  a 35% rise  and future strikes could last longer than 72 hours.

They also pledged to re-ballot members if their demand for pay restoration to 2008 levels has not been achieved when the unions current six-month strike mandate runs out in August.

A call to redouble efforts to enter negotiations and avoid industrial action has been made by Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of NHS Confederation, and Will Warburton, managing director of the Shelford Group  a collaboration of 10 of the largest teaching and research NHS hospital trusts in England.

Join the picket line on Monday  help us demonstrate our unity and strength in pursuit of full pay restoration. Find one close to you using https://t.co/6gKf8OZiAP pic.twitter.com/5ImjQdgkVR  Junior Doctors (@BMA_JuniorDocs) March 11, 2023

In a joint letter to the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, they said there had been encouraging signs of engagement from the Government and unions to resolve differences and avert further industrial action in the NHS but unfortunately, we are not seeing a similar dialogue with doctors.

They said they understood doctors frustrations over the way their pay has lagged behind inflation in recent years, while their workloads have increased, but said it was not too late for all sides to realise the harm a strike will do.

NHS England has expressed concern about the impact of the strikes on emergency care and efforts to tackle waiting lists.

Chief strategy officer Chris Hopson told a summit last week that he expected the strikes to have a bigger and wider spread than any walkouts so far.

On Thursday, the Government said negotiations with other health unions had been constructive and will carry on into next week.

Four of the unions involved, GMB, Unison, Unite, and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, called off strike action in order to facilitate the ongoing talks.

The Royal College of Nursing also averted strikes at the beginning of March when they entered into pay negotiation with the Government.
The #EldestDaughterSyndrome trend on TikTok has had 11 million views and counting.

While some social media crazes are just the latest health or beauty trend, others reflect more closely what people are experiencing in day-to-day life  and this one fits in the latter group.

So, what exactly is 'Eldest Daughter Syndrome' and is it a real thing?

Everything you need to know about TikTok's Eldest Daughter Syndrome trend

Many women and teens are sharing their experiences of Eldest Daughter Syndrome online. (Getty Images)

What does #EldestDaughterSyndrome mean? The hashtag is being used by many TikTok content creators who can relate to what it's like to be the eldest child, especially as a female, and the added pressures they face.

TikTok users have shared similar experiences. Many post about having to look after and protect younger siblings, resolve issues between parents, be highly organised and be a 'good' daughter. This can also differ depending on social, economic, religious and cultural factors, of course.

Being extra caring within your family may affect the way you behave in the rest of your life. (Getty Images)

What are TikTok-ers complaining about? "From when we are little the main word that always comes up is responsibility," says one user. "You always have to have your ducks in a row," another TikTok-er explains, "When your immigrant parents trauma dump on you about their childhood you unknowingly pick that up."

Is it a real thing? "It's based on Alfred Adlers Birth Order Theory, which explores how a person is influenced by social and community factors, e.g. how family dynamics affect a child's behaviour," says counsellor Lisa Spitz. "This is different from personality traits they're born with."

What does the theory say? Adler's theory suggests that different positions in a family birth order may impact on positive and negative life outcomes, and the experiences of the eldest, middle and youngest are different.

The man himself  Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler (1870-1937). (Getty Images)

How does the eldest fit into this? The firstborn  who may struggle when new siblings come  is thought to either become more conservative or a helper. The second child may be good at cooperating but competitive, while the last born can be attention-seeking and babied.

Is it different for eldest boys? Some TikTok users think if the eldest is a son, they're treated differently. "Being the eldest daughter but not being eldest child is so weird. its like??? tf [sic] you giving me all these responsibilities for? he's 3 years older than me," wrote one.

What are classic Eldest Daughter Syndrome traits? "Achiever, leader, feeling superior, difficulty adjusting to new siblings, feeling unloved and neglected, controlling and authoritative, use of 'good/bad' behaviour to regain parents attention, a desire to please others and reliability," lists Spitz.

How can this affect us as adults? "If your parents noticed you weren't given as much attention or were acting out and addressed it then there are no ill effects. If they relied on you too much then you might have an over-inflated sense of importance or care for others," says Spitz.

'We all have a tendency to revert to childhood, e.g we get together at Xmas,' says Spitz.

Why are so many posting about it? "People are always looking for experiences that resonate with them  younger siblings relate to the overbearing older(est) sibling  and the ability to share our experiences these days is frighteningly easy," adds Spitz.

Is there any harm in the trend? "Personally, I think anything to do with social media should come with a health warning when it can affect the way we see ourselves and experiences  even though this trend appears harmless, just eldest children calling out parents."

Young people may find reassurance in the fact they're not the only ones to feel the way they do. (Getty Images)

How can we improve the experience of the eldest? "The reality is we should look at the expectations adults place on children and how realistic they actually are," suggests Spitz.

Watch: Little Women cast on sibling rivalry
A man was stabbed to death at a nightclub in Walsall, West Midlands Police has said.

Officers were called to Valeshas nightclub, also known as Colliseum, on Newport Street in the town centre just after 5am on Saturday after receiving reports that a 29-year-old had been stabbed.

The man was pronounced dead at around 6am while being taken to hospital.

His family has been told and are being supported by specialist officers, police said.

The force added that no-one has been arrested at this stage.

Officers understand from CCTV that a scuffle took place prior to the stabbing.

Detective Inspector Ade George, leading the investigation, said: The events this morning are tragic and shocking, a man has sadly lost his life and well be offering as much support as we can to his family during this deeply distressing time.

Our priority is catching those responsible. While weve spoken to a number of people who were inside the club at the time, we still need to hear from anyone who was there and who saw, or may have filmed, what happened.

West Midlands Police were granted extra powers to stop and search people in the town centre without the need for the usual grounds to do so.

Officers will be using Section 60 powers between 8pm on Saturday and 7am on Sunday.

Chief Supt Phil Dolby, of Walsall Police, said: Our aim is to keep everyone safe. Extra officers will be in the area to search any individuals or groups causing issues, and to provide reassurance to the community.

We know this murder will be worrying for local people. These powers arent about bothering anyone going about their daily business or preventing people from meeting with friends. Its simply about taking action to reduce violence and make sure that everyone can feel safe where they live.

Police are urging people who were in the nightclub at the time to come forward and have set up a webpage where members of the public can send relevant information, photos and videos: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/20HQ22L32-PO1.
The Academy Awards on Sunday night could make history, with the potential for some groundbreaking first-time winners and major career milestones.

Here are some of the moments that might define this years Oscars:

 Best actress

The Oscar for best actress has been won by a non-white performer only once in the history of the Academy Awards, in 2002, when it went to Halle Berry for the film Monsters Ball.

Of the five people in the running this year, all are white except Michelle Yeoh, who has been nominated for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Yeoh has already won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role in the offbeat comedy drama.

Success at the Academy Awards would make her not only the second non-white person to win the Oscar for best actress, but also the first from an Asian background.

(PA Graphics)

 Best cinematography

The Oscar for best cinematography has never been won by a woman.

It was not until 2018 that a female was even in the running for the award, when Rachel Morrison was nominated for her work on Mudbound.

In 2022 Ari Wegner became the second woman to receive a nod in the category, for The Power Of The Dog  but, like Morrison, she lost out to a male nominee.

This year Mandy Walker has been nominated for biographical drama Elvis.

Her work on the movie has already seen her become the first woman to win the American Society of Cinematographers Award for best feature film.

 Best actor

Colin Farrell and Paul Mescal have been nominated for best actor, for The Banshees Of Inisherin and Aftersun respectively.

If either is successful, they would be the first Irish person to win in this category.

Other hopefuls include Bill Nighy for Living, in his first Oscar nomination.

Nighy is one of only two UK performers to receive a nod in the acting categories this year.

The other is Andrea Riseborough, who has been nominated for best actress for To Leslie.

(PA Graphics)

 Best supporting actor

Two Irish performers are also going head-to-head in this category: Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan, both for The Banshees Of Inisherin.

A win for either would be the second time an Irish person has picked up best supporting actor.

The first was Barry Fitzgerald in 1945 for Going My Way.

 Best director

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert are jointly nominated in this category for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

If they win, it will be only the third time the award has gone to a pair of directors, after Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins in 1962 (West Side Story) and Joel and Ethan Coen in 2008 (No Country For Old Men).

Steven Spielberg has also been nominated in this category for The Fabelmans.

It would be his third Academy Award for best director after Schindlers List (1994) and Saving Private Ryan (1999).

He would join Frank Capra and William Wyler in the small group who have won three best director Oscars, one behind John Ford who won four.

 Best supporting actress

Angela Bassetts nod in this category, for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, means she is the first person to receive an Oscar nomination for acting in a Marvel film.

One of the people she is up against is Kerry Condon, for The Banshees Of Inisherin.

If Condon wins, she would be the second Irish person to pick up this award, after Brenda Fricker won in 1990 for My Left Foot.

(PA Graphics)

 Multiple wins

Two films have the chance to bag three of the four acting Oscars.

The Banshees Of Inisherin is nominated for best actor (Colin Farrell), best supporting actor (Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan) and best supporting actress (Kerry Condon).

Everything Everywhere All at Once appears in the categories for best actress (Michelle Yeoh), best supporting actor (Ke Huy Quan) and best supporting actress (Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu)

If either film wins in all three categories, it will be the first hat trick since 1977, when Network scooped best actor (Peter Finch), best actress (Faye Dunaway) and best supporting actress (Beatrice Straight).
Rishi Sunak has hailed the UKs global alliances as its greatest source of strength and security as he prepared to meet US President Joe Biden to flesh out a major defence deal.

The Prime Minister is flying to San Diego on Sunday to discuss the procurement of nuclear-powered submarines under the Aukus pact between the UK, US and Australia.

Australian premier Anthony Albanese will join the pair for the summit, with UK ministers hopes high that he will announce the purchase of a British-designed fleet.

While on the US west coast on Monday, Ms Sunak is also set to unveil the new integrated review of defence and foreign policy, which was being updated in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The refreshed review will set out the UKs approach to threats from Moscow and an increasingly assertive China.

Ahead of his trip, the Prime Minister said: In turbulent times, the UKs global alliances are our greatest source of strength and security.

I am travelling to the United States today to launch the next stage of the Aukus nuclear submarine programme, a project which is binding ties to our closest allies and delivering security, new technology and economic advantage at home.

As we launch the 2023 Integrated Review Refresh tomorrow, this is the future we want to deliver  a UK that is secure, prosperous and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners.

The UK, Australia and US are natural allies, and our new partnership will become increasingly vital for defending our interests around the world and protecting our people back at home.  https://t.co/wNEKOzAyzX   #AUKUS pic.twitter.com/7aV8PEKHlU  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 15, 2021

Mr Sunak last week met with French President Emmanuel Macron, smoothing out relations after they hit a low point with the September 2021 signing of the Aukus deal, which saw Australia ditch France in favour of an agreement with the UK and US.

Negotiations over the last 18 months have presented the Canberra government with a choice between a British or US design.

Reports suggest Australia could opt for a modified version of the British Astute-class submarine, plugging the gap until it enters into service in the 2040s with up to five American Virginia boats.

The UK hopes that Aukus will result in work for British shipyards such as BAE Systems facility in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

Mr Sunaks first visit to the US as Prime Minister comes in another crucial week for his leadership, with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt setting out the Budget on Wednesday.

Defence minister James Heappey acknowledged there has been robust public and private clashes between the Ministry of Defence and Treasury over funding levels.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has been arguing for a multibillion-pound hike to his budget.

San Diego, in the state of California, where Mr Sunak used to live, is home to the US Pacific Fleet.
Viewers who cancelled their TV licence fee in response to a day of controversy for the BBC have said they feel the corporation has sold its soul.

Friday saw Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker asked to step back from presenting the show, Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce accused of trivialising domestic abuse and claims the BBC pulled an episode of a new Sir David Attenborough series out of fears of a political backlash.

Among several Twitter users posting pictures proving they had cancelled their monthly direct debits for their TV licence fee was learning and disabilities support worker Simone Gordon.

I have felt for a while that there has been bias towards the Government shown by the BBC in its news coverage, the 42-year-old from Lincoln told the PA news agency.

The treatment of Gary Lineker this week confirmed what I feared.

Fiona Bruce describing Stanley Johnson in last nights Question Time hitting his wife just the once seemed further proof of this.

The BBCs decision not to broadcast (Sir) David Attenboroughs episode in case it offended right-wing viewers was the final straw.

I had to cancel my TV licence otherwise I would feel that I would be supporting their agenda.

Simone Gordon, a Labour voter, said she felt the BBC has become a mouthpiece for the Government (Simone Gordon)

The BBC has defended Bruce, stating she was voicing the context of domestic abuse allegations made towards Stanley Johnson, former prime minister Boris Johnsons father, and also claimed there was no sixth episode of Sir Davids Wild Isles.

Ms Gordon said she has set up a direct debit for the amount of money she was paying towards the licence fee to go to the RSPB, a charity which helped to produce the contested sixth episode of Sir Davids show, Saving Our Wild Isles, which is about restoring biodiversity in the UK.

I think the BBC has sold its soul  the once great public service broadcaster is now in my view nothing more than a mouthpiece for the most right-wing British government ever to hold office, said Ms Gordon, a Labour voter.

Shame on them. The BBC is not, in my view, impartial anymore.

Angela Riley, an outdoor nursery manager from Edinburgh, Scotland, shared a Guardian article about the controversy surrounding Sir Davids documentary series on Twitter, stating: Thats it  monthly TV Licence cancelled until further notice.

I can no longer in good faith continue to fund the slow but relentless assault on the integrity of the BBC by this (Conservative) government.

The 42-year-old, who grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, told the PA news agency the events on Friday were a step too far.

I lived through years of an apartheid South Africa and saw first hand how the states media was used for political gain and to stir up hatred amongst its citizens, she said.

You cant ever downplay the influence and responsibly the media has, to coin a phrase from (CNN news anchor) Christiane Amanpour, to be truthful, not neutral.

Sadly, this for me is a step too far. The final nail in the coffin.
Minnie and Daisy might look great in heels, but walking down Main Street is so much better if you're wearing comfy shoes. I learned that the hard way on my very first trip to Disneyland, and despite packing plenty of cute sandals, flip-flops and even a pair of canvas kicks, the shoes I found myself gravitating towards were my Hoka Clifton 8s. In fact, they were the only shoes I wore the entirety of my trip  even to just walk around the hotel.

I did a ton of research before the trip, and one thing's for sure: People have very strong opinions about what constitutes the perfect walk-around-Disney shoe. Hoka was the one brand that popped up on everyone's list (and all over TikTok too), and despite the brand's hefty price tag, they can usually be found on sale. I bought my pair exclusively to wear around Disney and only had a couple days to break them in before we were on the plane to California (according to well-meaning Disney fans, apparently not fully breaking in your shoes before is a cardinal sin, but living on the edge is way more fun).

From the first day in Magic Kingdom to rounding off the trip in California Adventure, I didn't part from my Hokas. I foolishly decided to wear a pair of less supportive sneakers for my first trip to Downtown Disney, and I was quickly humbled  my feet were screaming by noon. The Hoka Clifton 8s offered a reprieve: They feature a cloud-like insole that hugs the foot, as well as a chunky sole that, when first slipped on, feels akin to walking on the moon. That's right; somehow, these defy gravity.

They're the perfect everyday shoe  for Disneyland and beyond. (Photo: Hoka)

Sure, they're not exactly sexy, but you'll find that really doesn't matter: The happiest place on Earth becomes a whole lot less happy when you're convinced one more step will make you collapse. These helped me avoid that, even while waiting for over an hour to ride The Haunted Mansion, or running to make our hard-won reservation at Carthay Circle. I even went on Grizzly River Run with these on, and my feet were mysteriously dry even when the rest of me was drenched.

The magic is in the construction: These sneakers are almost impossibly lightweight. The mesh exterior blends breathability, structure and stretch, while the generously cushioned footbed keeps these airy. They're generously foam-padded under the tongue and around the ankle collar, and that adds up to one very important thing at the end of a long, long day  no blisters!

The Clifton 8s have proven to be indispensable well after my Disney trip. I've since worn them to the gym, to jog outside, or any time I plan on hitting my double-digit steps goal. They look just as good as the day I took them out of the box and shoved them into my suitcase  and I'm still just as excited to wear them.
In these undated photos provided by the Penitas Police Department, from left are sisters Maritza Rios, 47, and Marina Rios, 48, and their friend, Dora Saenz, 53. On Friday, March 10, 2023, authorities said the three women haven't been heard from since traveling from Texas into Mexico on Feb. 24 to sell clothes at a flea market. (Courtesy of Penitas Police Department via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

PENITAS, Texas (AP)  Two sisters from Texas and a friend are missing in Mexico after they crossed the border last month to sell clothes at a flea market, U.S. authorities said Friday.

The abduction of four Americans in Mexico that was caught on video last week received an avalanche of attention and was resolved in a matter of days. But the fate of the three women, who haven't been heard from in about two weeks, remains a mystery and has garnered relatively little publicity.

The FBI said Friday it is aware that two sisters from Penitas, a small border city in Texas near McAllen, and their friend have gone missing. Penitas Police Chief Roel Bermea said their families have been in touch with Mexican authorities, who are investigating their disappearance.

Beyond that, officials in the U.S. and Mexico havent said much about their pursuit of Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47; Marina Perez Rios, 48; and their friend, Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53.

The episode stands in stark contrast to the government and media frenzy over the abduction of four Americans on a road trip to Mexico for plastic surgery. They were caught in a drug cartel shootout in the border city of Matamoros, and video showed them being hauled off in a pickup truck. The two survivors were found Tuesday in a wooden shack near the Gulf coast.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the three women crossed into Mexico on Feb. 24, a Friday, according to Bermea. Penitas is just a few hundred feet from the Rio Grande River.

The husband of one of the women spoke to her by phone while she was traveling in Mexico, the police chief said, but grew concerned when he couldn't reach her afterward.

Since he couldnt make contact over that weekend, he came in that Monday and reported it to us, Bermea said. The three women havent been heard from since.

Bermea said the women were traveling in a green mid-1990s Chevy Silverado to a flea market in the city of Montemorelos, in Nuevo Leon state. It's about a three-hour drive from the border. Officials at the state prosecutors office said they have been investigating the womens disappearance since Monday.

This week's massive search for the four kidnapped Americans involved squads of Mexican soldiers and National Guard troops. But for most of the 112,000 Mexicans missing nationwide, the only ones looking for them are their desperate relatives.

Authorities also lack manpower, equipment and training  things are so bad that authorities arent even able to identify tens of thousands of bodies that have been found.
In this photo provided by West Virginia Legislative Services, state Sen. Charles Trump stands in the Senate chambers in Charleston, W.Va., Friday, March 10, 2023. (Will Price/West Virginia Legislative Services via AP)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A child marriage bill was passed by the West Virginia Senate on Friday night after it was changed to prohibit anyone younger than 16 from getting married and to ban age gaps of more than four years for 16- and 17-year-olds.

The Senate passed the bill on a 31-1 vote. It now goes to the House of Delegates, which previously passed its own version. The legislative session ends Saturday.

I want us to pass something because our current situation is intolerable, Morgan County Republican Sen. Charles Trump said.

Currently, children can marry as young as 16 in West Virginia with parental consent. It allows anyone younger than that to get married with a judges waiver.

The Senate bill would remove the possibility that anyone younger than 16 could marry. Those ages 16 and 17 would have to obtain parental consent and they couldn't marry someone more than four years older than them.

Existing legal marriages, including those done in other states, would be unaffected.

The bill was thought to be dead on Wednesday night when the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected it, but the bill was resurrected by Trump on the Senate floor Thursday and moved to Fridays final vote.

According to the nonprofit group Unchained At Last, which seeks to end forced and child marriage, seven states have set the minimum age for marriage at 18, all since 2018. Supporters of such legislation say it reduces domestic violence, unwanted pregnancies and improves the lives of teens.

Trump said most states allow 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with some requirements attached.

I know this has been a contentious issue among a number of people," Trump said. "My hope is this will be viewed as a reasonable and acceptable compromise and a necessary change to our law. It would bring West Virginia in line with the vast majority of states in the country.

Although recent figures are unavailable, according to the Pew Research Center, West Virginia had the highest rate of child marriages among the states in 2014, when the states five-year average was 7.1 marriages for every 1,000 children ages 15 to 17.

Putnam County Republican Sen. Eric Tarr said he got married in high school at 17 and his first child was born five days after graduation. He said he liked Trump's version of the bill because it protects family.

Kanawha County Republican Sen. Mike Stuart said his mother was married at 16 and his parents are still together.

I dont say that with any amount of shame, he said.

A former federal prosecutor, Stuart added the bill wouldnt be a cure to child sex exploitation in the state. He said that challenge would be helped through more education, funding, law enforcement and prosecutors.

Our law in West Virginia is pretty darned good. With this amendment it becomes even better, Stuart said. And theres not a state in the country that can hold a candle to West Virginia on these issues.

The lone vote against the bill came from Cabell County Democratic Sen. Mike Woelfel.

Our state has invested a lot of money in improving our national image, Woelfel said. Every time we have a debate like this talking about child brides, we add to that negative image. Lets leave it at 18. My God, its marriage. How in the world can teenagers negotiate a marriage at this point. Marriage is for adults.
SAN ANTONIO  Texas Rep. Christina Morales, a Houston Democrat, knows her quest to pass a bipartisan bill that would require Mexican American and Black studies to be offered in every school district has gotten tougher. But then, she said, history abounds with Latinos and others succeeding amid seemingly insurmountable barriers.

My grandparents had the first Latino-owned funeral home and the first Spanish-language radio station in the entire Gulf Coast," Morales said. Her grandmother was part of the League of United Latin American Citizens and other organizations formed to help promote Latino businesses.

Those connections and sense of history helped Morales, whose mother and father had both died by the time she'd reached her mid-teens.

So many kids in our community  they need hope in seeing people who look like them and share similar stories of how they overcame obstacles and became leaders in the community, said Morales.

Mexican American and African American studies already are elective courses in Texas, but they are not offered in all of its 1,250 school districts. Currently, 63 districts teach Mexican American studies, and 58 teach African American studies.

The bill reintroduced by Morales would require all districts to offer the courses as social studies options in addition to world history and world geography.

The bill would also allow the courses to count toward graduation credit.

The Texas House voted for an identical bill in the 2021 regular legislative session, and while it won the approval of a Senate committee, it didn't get a vote on the Senate floor.

And the reintroduced legislation is not guaranteed an easy path this session. Texas lawmakers have reconvened amid campaigns in GOP-controlled states, including Texas, to contain or limit teaching on race, and to end programs aimed at diversity and inclusion.

Attacks on ethnic studies and diversity initiatives have become a rallying cry for potential 2024 GOP presidential candidates who hope to rouse their partys right-wing base.

Morales sighed heavily when asked about her confidence that she could get her bill to the governors desk and signed in such a political atmosphere.

I know that we have some challenges ahead of us, but in the face-to-face conversations Ive had with some members, I do feel there are enough moderates still to get this bill to the finish line, she said.

Rep. Charles Cunningham, a retired businessman, is the bill's co-author. Cunningham, a Republican who served on the Humble, Texas, school board and was a city council member, took office this year.

Roel Benavides, Cunningham's chief of staff, said Cunningham had a family emergency that made him unavailable for comment Friday.

Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott's office did not respond to inquiries on whether he'd support the bipartisan legislation or what form it would need to take to gain his support.

The large majority of the states Latinos are of Mexican descent, according to the Pew Research Center. The Census Bureau estimated that the number of Hispanics in Texas has surpassed non-Hispanic whites in the state. Texas is the state with the nations highest Black population  almost 4 million, or about 14% of Texas total population.

In a news conference this week, lawmakers acknowledged they had a tougher political terrain to navigate.

Rep. Trey Martinez Fisher, who heads the Texas Democratic Caucus, said threats to college campuses regarding diversity and inclusion come with every news cycle, and everyone seems to be walking on eggshells. Despite the odds and the headwinds, the legislation is not meant to pit Republicans against Democrats or people of color against one another he said.

My message here at this podium is to reach out across the aisle and let Republican colleagues know that this is an opportunity for us to stand together as one Texas, 254 counties, 31 million people, ninth largest economy in the world, Martinez Fischer of San Antonio said. Were a global economy, we need to adopt and accept our global history.

Rep. Ron Reynolds, chairman of the Texas Black Caucus, said passage of the bill could begin to heal the fractures in the state caused by bickering over diversity, equity and inclusion programs and critical race theory, a generally college-level concept whose main idea is that racism is systemic, or embedded, in laws, institutions and policies.

Rep. Gene Wu, a Houston Democrat who supports the bill, said that Asian Americans had been targeted by laws that would deprive them of their civil rights, which angers the community. Bill SB147, filed for this session, would make it illegal for Chinese citizens to buy property in Texas, including homes.

To explain the anger, "we had to dig deep into our community history" and explain to people that "back in the 1800s, y'all already did this," Wu said at the news conference, referring to the Alien Land Laws. He also referred to the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Even though those are historic, community-breaking events for us, they are barely footnotes in our textbooks.  We refuse to be a footnote, Wu said.

'We need to tell a robust story'

Morales told NBC News that before her grandparents, who were born in the U.S., started their funeral business in Houston, Mexican American families had to hold their services in their homes or garages because white-owned funeral homes would not allow them in their establishments.

Morales said her father had died of a massive stroke when she was 11, and her mother had died of kidney failure when Morales was 15. Her grandmother taught her about the funeral business, and when her grandmother died, Morales, at the age of 23, became the owner of her grandparents' funeral home.

Her grandparents' radio station, KLVL, had a show Yo Necesito Trabajo (I Need Work) and helped many people find jobs.

One man came to me and said, My dad got a job through Yo Necesito Trabajo and he ended up putting us (his children) through college with that job,' Morales said.

Every (ethnic) community in our state has contributed to the success of our neighborhood, our city and our nation, she said. We need to tell a robust story when it comes to our history.
Joe Exotic just told TMZ that Netflix's "Tiger King" ruined his life. (Santa Rose County (Fla.) Jail / Associated Press)

"Tiger King" made Joe Exotic a pandemic-era star, right? Wrong, says the man himself.

Exotic, a.k.a. Joseph Maldonado-Passage, told TMZ on Friday that the Netflix docuseries ruined his life. And he claims it's a project he never did.

"I didn't do 'Tiger King,'" he said in an exclusive interview from federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. "Did 'Tiger King' ruin my life? Absolutely."

Maldonado-Passage said he was "filming a little tiger show" in 2016-2017. "Then Netflix and [series co-director] Eric Goode and all of them turned this into a conspiracy to kill Carole Baskin, to make a show. Anything you saw me in was real filming that I filmed at the zoo. Everything they filmed after 2018 when I got arrested was all pre-set-up and we have evidence that they were all paid to say what they said."

"Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness," the seven-episode program that dropped on March 20, 2020, just as COVID-19 was shutting down the world, became instant bonding material among viewers cast adrift from their normal lives.

"Social media, when not dedicated to combing every aspect of COVID-19, is debating the merits of the series and the fate of its eccentric cast," The Times' Lorraine Ali wrote in April 2020. "And its hard to blame captive audiences for responding passionately to its themes of being caged, scared and losing touch with the world outside the compound."

Ali called it a "car wreck of a show" and added, "Like Joe Exotic, its sensational, absurd and begs to be watched. It's infectious in all the worst ways." "Tiger King" later added a less successful second season that arrived in November 2021.

Maldonado-Passage was arrested in 2018, years before "Tiger King" showed up, on charges of attempting to hire two different people to kill Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin, who had been critical of his treatment of the animals under his care.

He was convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison, then unsuccessfully sought a pardon from President Trump in 2020. Later he said he was denied because he was "too innocent and too GAY" for a Trump pardon. His prison sentence was reduced to 21 years in July 2021.

Maldonado-Passage was diagnosed with what he called "aggressive cancer" of the prostate in November 2021; by February of this year he was reportedly refusing treatment. The cancer has reportedly spread to his bladder, and he has filed a do-not-resuscitate order with authorities.

"I just have the attitude that if God gives me the will to move on, do not bring me back to this world," he told TMZ.

Then again, if he's lucky enough to get out of prison alive, he said he wants to marry on-again boyfriend Seth Posey  to whom he's bequeathed all his possessions  and then do a concert tour.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
AMC Theatres is making a bet that movie fans will want to enjoy its popcorn from home, and its kicking things off the day before the Oscars.

Beginning Saturday, the Leawood-based chain will roll out its line of microwave and ready-to-eat popcorn at several Kansas City-area Walmart locations. The products will be featured on end cap displays just in time for Sundays Academy Awards.

The worlds largest movie theater chain, AMC in 2021 began selling popcorn for delivery and takeout at some kiosks and stores. But the deal with Walmart will make its popcorn more ubiquitous than ever.

AMC says six-packs of its microwave popcorn will sell for $4.98 before tax at Walmart. Bags of ready to eat popcorn will retail for $3.98. Both are available in classic butter, extra butter and lightly salted varieties.

Adam Aron, the chief executive of AMC who kept the company afloat during the pandemic, said the retail line is just the latest innovation from the chain that has introduced power-recliner seats, enhanced food and beverage choices and new loyalty and subscription programs for customers.

The company also recently announced a plan to base ticket prices on where you sit in the theater, a change criticized by some.

And with popcorn now hitting shelves, we remain focused on future innovations that will continue to surprise and delight movie lovers and our shareholders, Aron said in a news release.

AMC officials say the popcorn line will be available in select Walmart stores Saturday. The companys website shows availability at locations in Overland Park, South Kansas City, Gladstone and Kansas City, Kansas.

In the coming weeks, AMC expects the line to hit the shelves at more than 2,600 Walmart locations and online at walmart.com.
Kansas City police have opened a homicide investigation after a man, who was found unresponsive at a bus stop at 35th Street and Prospect Avenue, died of gunshot wounds on Thursday.

Sgt. Jake Becchina, a KCPD spokesman, said in an email that police officers were dispatched to the area shortly before 4 a.m. Monday on a report of the sound of gunfire.

Responding officers found the gunshot victim unresponsive at the bus stop, Becchina said. The victim was taken by ambulance to the hospital in critical condition.

On Thursday, Becchina said the gunshot victim died at the hospital.

Homicide detectives have taken over the case. Police continued to search for witnesses on Friday.

Further details, including the identity of the man, were not immediately disclosed by police.

The killing marks the 25th homicide in Kansas City so far in 2023, according to data maintained by The Star. Last year, the city saw 171 homicides.

Police were asking anyone with information about the homicide to contact detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or through the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS.
Human remains were left unidentified for decades after they were found near a Colorado wildlife refuge in 1992, authorities said.

Now, DNA testing has identified those remains as 26-year-old military veteran Etus Thomas ET Romero, the Mesa County Sheriffs Office said in a Thursday, March 9, news release.

The remains were found Nov. 28, 1992, near the Walter Walker State Wildlife Area, off River Road in Grand Junction, deputies said.

Initial evidence determined the man had been fatally stabbed, deputies said.

But the remains werent identified until January 2023.

In 2022, the skeletal remains were sent to Othram, a private lab in The Woodlands, Texas, that uses forensic genetic genealogy, according to the sheriffs office.

A DNA profile was created using forensic-grade genome sequencing.

This allowed investigators to find a potential sibling. Once investigators got the siblings DNA, they compared it to the unknown man. It was a sibling match, deputies said.

Investigators then identified the man as Romero, the sheriffs office said, and his cause of death was ruled a homicide.

Romero moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, from New Iberia, Louisiana, in October 1991, deputies said.

He was last known to be working as a restaurant dishwasher. Investigators said he likely died during the summer of 1992.

Grand Junction is about 245 miles west of Denver.

Mom found teen stabbed to death in 1986. Now, Colorado police renew plea for clues

DNA from tooth helps identify remains found in remote Oregon woods years ago, cops say

Mortuary mistakenly cremated woman against her familys wishes, Arizona lawsuit says
Paul Flores was sentenced Friday to 25 years to life in prison for the 1996 murder of California college student Kristin Smart.

He is not eligible for probation.

He will be eligible for a parole board hearing in 15 years, at which point the board could grant or deny parole release, according to prosecutors.

A jury convicted Paul Flores in October on first-degree murder. The count alleged that he "with malice aforethought murder[ed] Kristin Smart" while "engaged in the commission of, or attempting to commit, the crime of rape."

PHOTO: Paul Flores stands during his murder trial in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas, Calif., July 18, 2022. (Daniel Dreifuss/Monterey County Weekly via AP, FILE)

Prior to the sentencing, the judge denied two defense motions seeking a new trial and dismissal of charges and acquittal in the case.

Paul Flores, 46, a former classmate of Smart, was charged with murder, while his father was charged with being an accessory to the crime. Prosecutors say he helped hide Smart's body on his property in Arroyo Grande before moving it in 2020.

His father, Ruben Flores, was found not guilty of accessory to murder in connection with the crime.

MORE: Kristin Smart murder trial: Paul Flores found guilty 26 years after disappearance

Smart went missing walking home from a party at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her body has never been found, but authorities arrested Paul and Ruben Flores in April 2021 and found alleged evidence related to Smart's murder in their homes.

A judge ordered that the Flores trials be moved out of San Luis Obispo County more than 100 miles away  north to Monterey County  to ensure fair legal proceedings.

Paul and Ruben Flores were tried at the same time, but with separate juries hearing the case together during 11 weeks of testimony.

PHOTO: Kristin Smart, the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo student who disappeared in 1996, is pictured in an undated photo. (FBI via AP, FILE)

"Today, our criminal and victim justice system has finally delivered justice for Kristin Smart, for the Smart family, and for our San Luis Obispo County community," San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said in a statement following the sentencing. "We thank the Smart family and our community for the tremendous trust and patience they placed in the investigation and prosecution of this terrible crime."

"We recognize the jury for their focused attention to the evidence and the Sheriff's Office for their tireless effort in building this case," the statement continued. "Today, justice delayed is not justice denied."

Smart's parents, who attended the sentencing, expressed mixed emotions afterward.

"Today is not really a day of joy, it's a day of relief that Kristin's voice was heard," Denise Smart told reporters. "That brings us a sense of peace, knowing that there will be no more victims."

PHOTO: The family of Kristin Smart make a statement after Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life for her murder, March 10, 2023, in Monterey County, Calif. (ABC News)

Stan Smart said they don't have closure because they don't know where their daughter's remains are.

"We're not happy because we don't have our daughter," he told reporters. "As the judge pointed out, it's a sentence, but it doesn't bring back your loved one."

Stan Smart added he knows that local authorities will continue to look for her remains.

"We want to remind the community this case is not over yet. And it won't be over until Kristin has been returned to her family," San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said in a statement, calling the sentencing "a long time coming" but one that is "right and just."

MORE: Juror in Kristin Smart case excused after talking to priest

Dow had thanked a true-crime podcaster after the jury reached a guilty verdict in the trial. Chris Lambert launched the series "Your Own Backyard" in 2019, recounting Smart's disappearance, which renewed public interest in the case. The podcast helped to identify additional witnesses and evidence that was "critical in the prosecution of this case," Dow said.

Lambert remarked to reporters that he was 8 years old when Smart disappeared, and that this case "has been my entire life."

"I just never expected step after step for all of this to unravel the way that it did," Lambert said. "Today's obviously the best possible outcome, short of finding Kristin."

ABC News' Dea Athon and Jennifer Watts contributed to this report.

Paul Flores sentenced to 25 years to life for murder of Kristin Smart originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A drone image shows the collapsed portion of a roof at a Peet's Coffee distribution center in Oakland on Friday. (Jane Tyska / Bay Area News Group)

A longtime employee at a Peets Coffee distribution center in Oakland died and another worker was injured when the roof of a warehouse partially collapsed early Friday.

The man who died was identified as 58-year-old Martin Gonzalez of Oakland, who had worked for the company for 17 years, according to ABC 7.

The second employee, a woman, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, a spokesperson for the Oakland Fire Department told The Times.

Fire crews responded to the warehouse in the 600 block of 85th Avenue shortly after 3 a.m. Friday, according to the Fire Department. Gonzalez was among the few employees in the building at the time.

As a distribution leader, he arrived about an hour before other employees to prepare for the day. Had the accident occurred hours later, more people probably would have been seriously hurt, the Fire Department spokesperson said.

The roof collapse was contained to an area of about 30 by 30 feet. The building has been red-tagged.

Officials have not directly linked the collapse to the storms that have caused widespread damage and flooding in Northern California but were investigating that as a potential cause.

Peet's said in a statement: "We are all devastated by this tragedy" and described Gonzalez as "a beloved part of the Peet's family."

Times staff writer Jessica Garrison contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Rachel Sennott in Los Angeles earlier this month. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

As Parker Posey was to Sundance in the '90s and Greta Gerwig to SXSW in the mid-aughts, no one embodies the current sensibility of the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival quite like Rachel Sennott. With a persona that is ditzy but knowing, somehow earnestly cynical, tuned in but offbeat, she is at the festival this year with two new films.

Bottoms, described as the story of two queer high school girls who start a fight club to pull in cheerleaders, was co-written by Sennott and her Shiva Baby collaborator Emma Seligman. Its Saturday night premiere is among the most anticipated events of the festival. I Used to Be Funny, written and directed by Ally Pankiw and playing the narrative feature competition, is the story of a young woman dealing with trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder and shows a previously unseen dramatic side to Sennotts talents.

Having been to the 2018 festival with the short film version of the anxiety-inducing comedy Shiva Baby  the feature version played the 2020 festival, which had its in-person edition canceled in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic  Sennott was also there last year with her scene-stealing performance in Bodies Bodies Bodies.

For a phone interview ahead of the festival, Sennott was on the line from, as she put it, Tennessee, randomly, where she is shooting the upcoming Holland, Michigan, directed by Mimi Cave and co-starring the formidable trio of Nicole Kidman, Gael Garcia Bernal and Matthew Macfadyen

She was very excited to be returning to SXSW.

It honestly means so much, said Sennott. When I first went there, I think I just opened up my eyes so much to indie filmmaking and also realizing that movie makers were just people who wanted to make something with their friends. It was really inspiring for Emma and I and very motivational for writing Bottoms.

And I felt it last year for Bodies where I was like, Oh my God. I only want to watch any movie ever with this room of people, Sennott said. It completely changed the experience where everyone sowanted to watch a movie and laugh and cheer. The energy, it's something that I've really missed in the past couple of years. I love watching films that way and I feel like both Bottoms and I Used to Be Funny are meant to be experienced that way with other people.

Despite missing out on an in-person festival premiere, the feature version of Shiva Baby went on to become a pandemic-era art house hit, earning Sennott a Gotham Award nomination for breakthrough performer and winning the Spirit Awards John Cassavetes prize, which recognizes low-budget films.

While Shiva Baby and Bodies Bodies Bodies firmly established her comedic persona, Sennott is energized, if a bit anxious, about showing off other aspects of her talent at this years festival, starting with the fact that she shares writing credit on Bottoms.

This is the first movie that I've written that has been made, said Sennott. There's an added pressure because all of a sudden not only are you worried about what people think of your performance, every line you're like, Did they like that? Did they like this?'

For I Used to Be Funny, there are really funny moments in that script, but there's also more dramatic moments and I think it deals with serious subject matter and, not that I haven't done that, but I think on this specific level or this subject matter, I haven't.

In I Used to Be Funny, which premieres Monday, Sennott plays Sam, an aspiring stand-up comedian who has shut down in the aftermath of a traumatic incident and the young girl Brooke (Olga Petsa) she used to nanny for going missing. Told with a bold, cut-up storytelling sensibility, the film draws from Sennotts comedic persona while finding her exploring new emotional depths.

I wanted to show what's taken away from women. Their sense of humor, their connection to the world, their joy, its stripped away and no one starts out that way, Pankiw said. The world just kind of makes them that way.

Often when you meet people with PTSD or who have been traumatized, that's the version you meet first, like the earliest iteration of Rachel in the film, Pankiw said. And it's such a shame that most people don't get to know the person that people were before their trauma. Rachel does such a good job of bringing so much vibrancy to the character and such a charm and such an inherent sweetness and you see all of that and that she was all these things and that she was pure potential. It's like a reverse sort of likability.

Pankiw, who makes her feature debut with the film, has directed episodes on series such as Shrill and The Great as well as many music videos, including Silk Chiffon by Muna featuring Phoebe Bridgers. She first saw Sennott do stand-up and recalls thinking, This girl is so funny and brilliant and charming. I just sort of filed her away in my head for future reference.

After seeing Shiva Baby at Outfest while she was trying to get the project that became I Used to Be Funny off the ground, Pankiw discovered both she and Sennott were represented by the same agency, WME.

I think I had written the character a little bit harsher, and Rachel just has this sweetness to her, she just can melt your heart, said Pankiw. It was such a miracle that we got her and she also brought a lot of that element of the character to the forefront that I think it really needed. I often joke that she did this film for me and I would now get hit by a bus for her.

Sennotts character in I Used to Be Funny is an aspiring stand-up comedian who has found it difficult to perform since her traumatic event. Sennott and Pankiw collaborated on the stand-up routines in the film. Pankiw recalled Sennott rehearsing in the kitchen of the apartment she was staying at in Toronto for the production, using a spatula as a microphone as she worked on the material.

For Sennott it was a new challenge to do stand-up in character.

Honestly, it was so wild, she said. I'm writing jokes that are about my nannying job and living in Toronto or being from Canada or whatever. And I did it in front of real people. There were these two girls who knew who I was and they were kind of like, You're Canadian? after the show. And I was like, No, I'm a liar. I'm just a liar. 

Bottoms found Sennott working with not only her Shiva Baby collaborator in Seligman, but also co-star Ayo Edebiri, with whom she had a short-lived Comedy Central series, Ayo and Rachel Are Single. Seligman and Sennott wrote the part in Bottoms with Edebiri in mind and pitched her on it before they had even completed a draft of the script.

To finally get to the place where we were all making it together was like, Whoa, Sennott said. Ayo and I did so many little sketches together in school and we made this little Comedy Central series for no money and we did stand-up in basements and so to get to perform together again, but actually on a movie with a budget where we're fighting each other and there's stunts was really cool.

Not to sound corny, but I was like, We did it! We're here! " said Sennott. We were in New Orleans with the stunt coordinator kicking each other in the face. We did it.

For Pankiw, Sennotts truest gift is how she makes it seem like she isnt doing anything at all, the naturalistic hanging-out vibes she brings to a role.

What she's doing is she's tricking people into thinking that what she does is effortless, but she is an incredibly gifted technician as an actress, said Pankiw. And I think because people have seen her mainly in comedic roles, unfortunately sometimes the misconception is that's very easy if someone is like their character. But I think she's more of a chameleon than people know."

Originally from Connecticut, Sennott went to college in New York City, began her career there and finds she is still very much identified as a New Yorker, even though she has been living in Los Angeles.

I feel like I give off New York, Sennott said. I do really like L.A. It's growing on me and I gotta tell you the experience of grocery shopping in L.A., unbeatable. Sorry, New York, but grocery shopping in L.A. is incredible.

Sennott is trying to take in how much has happened to her and her career over the last few years, from the success of Shiva Baby to shooting her first scene with Nicole Kidman  A f legend, she enthused  to anticipating the response to both I Used to Be Funny and Bottoms.

I honestly feel like COVID in the last couple of years, my emotions are like in a delay, said Sennott. Because so much of it happened in a way where you don't realize it on a day-to-day basis. And then it happens in these random little bursts where I feel it in those moments.

I feel grateful [Shiva Baby] got to have this online groundswell of this community of mostly young women who were supporting the movie, Sennott said. If I ever see a 25-year-old girl with a Twitter account who's like, I loved your movie, I'm like, You are the reason that anyone saw it, so thank you. 

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.


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YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Over 130,000 tourists visited Armenia in February this year, a figure described by the Tourism Committee as the highest compared to the same month in previous years.

The figures for February of 2019, 2020 and 2022 stood at 96,000, 107,000 and 72,000 respectively.

In total, over 290,000 tourists visited Armenia in January-February of 2023, the Tourism Committee said in a press release.

Growth in inbound tourism from the following five countries was recorded in January-February 2023  Russia (52%), Georgia (12%), Iran (5%), USA (1%), and Germany (1%).
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on Friday congratulated Xi Jinping on his re-election as President of the Peoples Republic of China.

In a telegram sent to Xi Jinping, the Armenian Prime Minister congratulated the Chinese leader on the first 14th National People's Congress of China and conveyed best wishes to him on the occasion of his re-election as President of the Peoples Republic of China.

I am convinced that under your skillful leadership the Peoples Republic of China will continue its further economic and social progress and will bring its important contribution to ensuring international peace and stability, PM Pashinyan added in the letter, highly appreciating the traditional friendly Armenian-Chinese relations. PM Pashinyan reiterated readiness to make maximum efforts for the continuous development and expansion of bilateral cooperation.

He wished good health and fruitful activities to Xi Jinping, and lasting peace and welfare to the friendly people of China.
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Armenia warned on March 11 that Azerbaijan is again spreading disinformation falsely claiming that a military column of the Armed Forces of Armenia passed along the Stepanakert-Ghaybalishen-Lisagor road. In a statement, the Ministry of Defense of Armenia again said that Armenia doesnt maintain any military presence in Nagorno Karabakh.

On March 11, the Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan spread a disinformation that Azerbaijani video surveillance systems, allegedly, had recorded the military equipment column of the RA Armed Forces accompanied by the Russian peacekeepers passing along the Stepanakert-Ghaybalishen-Lisagor road. The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia once again announces that it is a disinformation. There are neither units of the RA Armed Forces nor military equipment in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, reads the Armenian Defense Ministrys statement.
The summons comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate conducted a raid at the residence of Tejashwi Yadav in the national capital

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav today in connection with land-for-job case, said agency officials.

As per the officials, this is the second summon issued to him, the first being issued on February 4.

The summons comes a day after the Enforcement Directorate conducted a raid at the residence of Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in the national capital in connection with the case.

The ED team left after over 11 hours of questioning the RJD leader at his residence here in New Delhi, they said.

The ED also conducted raids against many relatives of former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad at multiple locations across Delhi, the National Capital Region (NCR) and Bihar in the alleged land-for-jobs scam.

The raids were conducted at the residence of Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti among others in Delhi as well as RJD's leader and former MLA Abu Dojana in Bihar, said sources.

The ED carried out these searches under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after filing an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) taking cognizance of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case against Lalu Prasad in the matter.

The federal agency carried out these searches days after a CBI team questioned Lalu Prasad in connection with the land-for-jobs case. The CBI on Tuesday quizzed Lalu Prasad for nearly five hours in two sessions.

The CBI on Monday also questioned Lalu Prasad's wife, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, at her Patna (Bihar) residence for over five hours.

The CBI has already filed a charge sheet in the case against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. A Delhi court had last month issued a summons to Lalu Prasad and the other accused to appear before it on March 15.

The CBI has so far arrested three people in connection with the case-- Bhola Yadav, who was an officer on special duty to Lalu Prasad when he was the railway minister; Hridayanand Chaudhary, a railway employee and an alleged beneficiary of the scandal; and Dharmendra Rai, another alleged beneficiary.

The CBI has alleged that Lalu Prasad and some of his family members had received plots of land as bribes for jobs at the Indian Railways between 2004 and 2009 when he was the Railway Minister. The agency had also carried out searches at nearly two dozen locations in August last year in connection with the probe.
As preventive measures, the Delhi police imposed section 144 prohibiting mobs at the ED office

Hyderabad: The BRS party MLC and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavita appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials today. The MLC's husband Devanapalli Anil Kumar and other BRS party leaders accompanied Kavita till she entered into the ED office. Kavita alone went inside the ED office for questioning.

The ED officials served a notice to Kavita asking to appear before the officials in connection with the Delhi liquor case today around 11 am. As preventive measures, the Delhi police imposed section 144 prohibiting mobs at the ED office.

The BRS activists and leaders thronged at the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's residence located at Tuglak Road in Delhi by demonstrating their show of strength. The police have also erected barricades at the place to prevent crowds at the premises.

The activists gave slogans in support of the BRS party MLC. Banners also erected at the premises printing pictures of several leaders of different political parties indulged in irregularities. Banners saying bye-- bye Modi have also been erected at the Chief Minister's residence.

Kavita's brother and Minister K T Rama Rao and T Harish Rao also reached Delhi and discussed with the legal experts in view of ED questioning Kavita. KT Rama Rao and Harish Rao also discussed with the Telangana Advocate General J Ramachander Rao.

Meanwhile, the Central forces have deployed at the ED office comprising women forces. The state and central intelligence staff also deployed at ED office and Chief Minister's residence in collecting information.

The TSRTC chairman Bajireddy Goverdhan Reddy, who visited Delhi in support of Kavita, said that the ED registered cases deliberately to damage the reputation of the BRS party by targeting the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The BRS party and its activists would support Kavita in protest against the BJP.
PM Modi said that PM Albanese had assured him the welfare and security of the Indian community in Australia was of special priority to him

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australias PM Anthony Albanese held positive, productive and engaging talks in New Delhi on Friday at the first India-Australia annual summit, when the two nations decided to ramp up ties in several sectors, including defence and security, trade and investment, climate and clean energy, culture and people-to-people ties, and signed four pacts.

Modi, in his remarks before the media, said it was a matter of regret that temples in Australia were being attacked and that this issue worries and concerns everyone in India. He added that Albanese had assured him the welfare and security of the Indian community in Australia was of special priority to him.

Foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said at a special briefing in the evening that Modi had raised the issue of disturbances being created by pro-Khalistan elements in Australia and pointed out that such actions disrupt peace and harmony in both societies.

The foreign secretary said Modi was assured by the Australian PM of deep understanding of the matter and told that Australia was making all efforts to ensure peace and harmony.

It was agreed officials of both sides would stay in touch on the matter, he added.

The four pacts that were signed were on culture, sports, innovation and renewable energy, with the constitution of two task forces in solar energy and the clean hydrogen sector.

A fifth pact was also signed a few days ago on mutual recognition of education degrees.

In his remarks on the Indo-Pacific region, Modi also spoke about the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations and the strengthening of bilateral defence ties, including in logistics support, maritime security and exchange programmes between officers of the armed forces of both sides.

In his remarks, the Australian PM described ties with vibrant, wonderful and diverse India as multi-faceted and said he looked forward to welcoming Modi to Australia to attend the four-nation Quad leaders summit in May this year. On trade ties, Albanese hailed the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) that came into force last year which he said eliminated tariffs for more than 85 per cent of Australian goods exported into India. He added that the two nations were now working towards the early conclusion of the proposed Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between the two nations and hoped that it would be finalised this year, adding that it would be a transformational deal that would realise the full potential of the bilateral economic ties, create new employment opportunities and raise living standards of the people of both nations.

On strengthening defence and security ties, Albanese talked about efforts to strengthen an open and stable Indo-Pacific region", in what is being seen as a move by both nations with an eye on China, without referring to that country by name. He spoke about the need for increased defence-related sharing of information between both nations and said Australia would host the four-nation Malabar exercises this year which will see the participation of the Indian, Australian, US and Japanese navies.

Asked at his briefing whether the bilateral defence cooperation was to tackle Chinese expansionism in the region, the foreign secretary said India-Australia defence cooperation should not be seen in the context of a third nation but added that both India and Australia face challenges in the maritime domain. "It is a bilateral ecosystem and not a derivative of what a third country does," he said.

The Australian PM welcomed a new bilateral agreement on recognition of the educational qualifications of both nations and hoped for an greater presence of Australian universities campuses in India. He also spoke of the progress made towards a proposed new bilateral migration and mobility pact that he said would benefit students, academic researchers, businessmen and professionals. On cooperation in the clean energy sector, Albanese spoke about the cooperation in solar energy and green hydrogen and the agreement on the terms of reference of establishment of an India-Australia Solar Task Force. He also mentioned the bilateral audio-visual agreement in the cultural sphere that would benefit screen projects. He also said that the Indian sport of kabaddi will be showcased at the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be held in Australia.
It is fairly clear that there are no off-ramps when the Indo-Pakistan rivalry goes on an accelerated escalatory spiral

Mike Pompeo, the seventieth secretary of state of the United States of America and the twenty-fourth director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in his recently released book, Never Give an Inch, writes on p. 340: I do not think the world properly knows just how close the India-Pakistan rivalry came to spilling over into a nuclear conflagration in February 2019. The truth is, I dont know precisely the answer either; I just know it was too close. I will never forget the night I was in Hanoi, Vietnam when  as if negotiating with the North Koreans on nuclear weapons wasnt enough  India and Pakistan started threatening each other in connection with a decades-long dispute over the northern border region of Kashmir In Hanoi I was awakened to speak with my Indian counterpart. He believed that the Pakistanis had begun to prepare their nuclear weapons for a strike. (The reference seems to be to the current NSA Ajit Doval rather than late Sushma Swaraj who was then foreign minister for earlier on p. 338 he says he worked closely with Doval) India, he informed me, was contemplating its own escalation. I asked him do nothing and give us a minute to sort things out. I began to work with Ambassador Bolton (then the national security adviser of the United States) who was with me in the tiny secure communications facility in our hotel. I reached the actual leader of Pakistan, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa (chief of the Pakistan Army staff), with whom I had engaged many times. I told him what the Indians had told me. He said it wasnt true. As one might expect, he believed that the Indians were preparing their nuclear weapons for deployment. It took us a few hours  and remarkably good work by our teams on the ground in New Delhi and Islamabad  to convince each side that the other was not preparing for nuclear war. No other nation would have done what we did that night to avoid a horrible outcome.

The former NSA of the United States in his book, The Room Where It Happened, on p. 325, writes: I thought that was it for the evening; but word soon came that Shanahan and Dunford wanted to talk to [Mike] Pompeo and me about a ballooning crisis between India and Pakistan. (Patrick Michael Shanahan was acting US secretary of defence and Gen. Joseph Francis Dunford Jr. was the chairperson of the United States joint chiefs of staff). After hours of phone calls, the crisis passed, perhaps, because in substance there never really had been one. But when two nuclear powers spin up their military capabilities it is best not to ignore it. No one else cared at that time, but the point was clear to me: This is what happened when people did not take nuclear proliferation from the likes of Iran and North Korea seriously.

Obviously both India and Pakistan have not responded to the explicit writings of two of the seniormost officials of the Trump Administration charged with the national security remit. Worryingly, neither has the media nor public policy professionals, especially those who populate the myriad think thanks on foreign policy and national security, have asked the obvious question  Was there a possibility, howsoever remote, of a nuclear conflagration between India and Pakistan?

The Parliament, of course, preoccupied by the mundane, has never had the appetite and, I suspect, perhaps, neither the inclination nor even the intellectual bandwidth to engage in a serious non-partisan discussion on nuclear or national security issues.

The equation is further triangulated by the existence of a first age nuclear power, China, which shares borders with both of us and has supplied nuclear materials and technology to Pakistan on its western periphery and North Korea on its eastern flank.

However, coming back to the Pompeo-Bolton revelations, it is but self-evident that, post the Balakote retaliatory strike, things quickly escalated to a threshold where there was a possibility of tactical or even strategic nuclear weapons coming into play rather quickly. The Pulwama attack took place on February 14, the Balakote air strike on the morning of February 26 and the Hanoi Summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un on February 27-28, 2019.

Obviously, the Mike Pompeo-John Bolton mediation must have taken place on the intervening night of the 27-28 February. The fact that, within 36 hours of the retaliatory strike, things had reached an inflection point that allegedly prompted the Indian national security adviser to either warn the United States national security apparatus consisting of the secretary of state, acting secretary of defence, national security adviser and chairman, joint chiefs of staff of the US Armed Forces, that India had detected nuclear activity in Pakistan and, therefore, was contemplating counter-measures is as serious as it can get.

It cant be argued that India played the US establishment with the nuclear card to bring quietus to a rapidly spiralling crisis post the Balakote strike for, at that level, you do not cry wolf. There are other consequences for doing that.

The fact that it prompted Mike Pompeo to speak to then Pakistan Army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and also activate both the US embassies in New Delhi and Islamabad to get both nations to deescalate is a classical case of third party intervention to stave of a catastrophic flashpoint even if the mediation was done covertly.

However, President Donald Trump did not leave it covert for long. In his true inimitable style and perhaps to gloss over the failure of the Hanoi summit, ostensibly also to deflect from his former lawyer Michael D. Cohens damaging testimony to the Oversight Committee of the US House of Representatives, he stated at a press conference in Hanoi, Theyve been going at it, and weve been involved in trying to have them stop. And we have some reasonably decent news. I think, hopefully, thats going to be coming to an end.

It is, therefore, fairly clear that there are no off-ramps when the Indo-Pakistan rivalry goes on an accelerated escalatory spiral. It requires third party intervention/ mediation to cool things down and restore sanity.

This always may not be available and may not even work if positions on both sides are locked in. India and Pakistan, therefore, must explore the possibility of putting in place a formal and institutionalised modus vivendi that can be activated in times of a crisis without relying on foreign help.
Ayatollah Alavi Borujerdi, grandson of one of the teachers of the founder of the Islamic Republic, warns against the strange desire for Zoroastrianism or belonging to house churches. Traditional Shia clerics have lost credibility. Meanwhile, the authorities are looking for young women who danced on International Women's Day.

Tehran (AsiaNews)  Bring them back! said a prominent Shia cleric in Qom concerned about his co-religionists converting to Christianity or other religions.

While senior Iranian clerics are in the Vatican for talks about religious freedom and peace, whose highlight was the meeting yesterday between Pope Francis and Ayatollah Abulhassan Navab, chancellor of the University for Religions and Denominations in Qom, Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Javad Alavi Borujerdi (pictured) on Thursday spoke to a group of students in Qom, lashing out at Muslims who abandon their faith.

Alavi Borujerdi is not just any ayatollah. His grandfather taught the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini.

Some people who are separating from us [leaving Shia Islam] came to me, he said. These young people have found a very strange desire for Zoroastrianism. Some people have told me that there is a house church in Qom, and the number of Wahhabis has increased. Some even seem to be becoming Buddhists! These are our problems, he bemoaned.

God knows that the child who went and became a Christian, his responsibility will not be removed from my shoulders. This child is a Shiite. I have to bring him back. I have no right to abandon him. We cant be complacent that he left!

Acknowledging that todays religious leaders have lost authoritativeness and influence over certain individuals, above all because of the story of Mahsa Amini, he urged them nevertheless to come back to their people.

Do the young people of the new generation have anything to do with us? he asked. We are strangers to them. They follow anyone but us!

For Mansour Borji, director of Article18, a Christian rights advocacy group, the ayatollah's words reflect a loss of religious credibility and traditional respect for the Muslim clergy, who are disconnected with the younger generation.

Instead of blaming young people, Iran's clerical autocracy should look inward and admit that it has abused worshippers.

Although the Iranian regime claims that 95 per cent of the population is Shia Muslim, a 2020 study by a Dutch research team found that less than a third of respondents identified as Shia.

Almost half said they no longer had any faith, while others said that they had converted to Zoroastrianism or Christianity.

Meanwhile, five girls who are seen dancing without a headscarf, in open defiance of the countrys law, on International Women's Day, are the subject of an investigation by the authorities.

The video showing the young women strutting their stuff has gone viral, with many netizens expressing their support. Conversely, those in power are none too pleased.

The young women, dressed in baggy pants, can be seen dancing in an open space, in Ekbatan, a neighbourhood in western Tehran, one of the areas where anti-government protest is strongest.
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The pontiff today received the chancellor of a prestigious Iranian religious university. In Iraq, a three-day conference organised by the Community of Sant'Egidio and the Al-Khoei Institute ended today. For Chaldean Patriarch Sako, centres of coexistence should be set up to promote fraternity, exchange and cooperation to meet global challenges.

Baghdad (AsiaNews)  Pope Franciss visit to Iraq and his message to the countrys highest Shia authority, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, appear to be bearing fruit.

A three-day conference titled Catholics and Shiites facing the future began on Wednesday in Najaf and ended today in Baghdad, organised by the Community of Sant'Egidio and the Al-Khoei Institute.

This morning, the pontiff met with Ayatollah Seyed Abulhassan Hassan Navab, chancellor of the University of Religions and Denominations in Qom, Iran, for a private audience at the Vatican.

Both are a sign that two years after Francis's historic apostolic journey to Iraq, dialogue between Catholics and Shias is growing, getting stronger in the name of Mary, who is venerated by Christians and Muslims alike for her power of love, freedom of heart, peace of conscience, as the Chaldean patriarch, Card Louis Raphael Sako, put it recently.

The conference in Iraq provided an opportunity for exchange and discussions, a chance to take stock of the path undertaken so far, and start new initiatives for the future.

Dialogue between religions is not a sign of weakness but a manifestation of God's dialogue with humanity, said For Card Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot, prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. In fact, fraternity is a challenge for all humanity.

The cardinal used the occasion to deliver a personal message from the pontiff to Ayatollah al-Sistani, who took part in an historic meeting two years ago.

On the first day of the conference, Al-Ishkawari, professor at the High Shiite Seminary in Najaf, pointed out that the goal of interfaith dialogue is not to unite religions into one, but to work together for the common good".

Likewise, in his address, Shahid Al-Baghdadi, director general of the Imam Ali Shrine, expressed hope that the meeting could be part of a larger project whereby wise men and women, both Christians and Muslims, could build an idea of fraternity.

Al-Khoei Institute Secretary General Jawad Al-Kohei, focused on looking for shared aspects in ethical values and mutual respect among religions.

For his part, Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, Card Sako, one of the speakers in Wednesdays session, said that the human and spiritual dimension" of fraternity must be oriented towards living together in peace", far from "enmity, violence and fear".

God, he stressed, judges "on love, not "according to religions" for "all men are his children and brothers for one another", the rule being one of universal fraternity.

Citing al-Sistani's words when he welcomed the pope, Sako said: We are part of you, and you are part of us. This, he notes, is a true fatwa, a legal ruling that must be respected.

To this end, it is time to reconsider and reform some old concepts and laws" and put aside "extremist and harmful interpretations that can lead to the crimes against humanity by al-Qaeda and Daesh (Islamic State) based on accusations against non-Muslims of blasphemy and polytheism. This, he thinks, "is a great sin for which God will judge them.

Another example of this is the Islamisation of underage Christians when one of the parents is Muslim."

Ultimately, I believe that God's dream is that all human beings live as brothers and sisters in great joy and happiness. This should be the dream of religions and the dream of ordinary people" and everyone should contribute to "realising it.

In Baghdad, where the conference ended today, more discussions were held, with Patriarch Sako concluding with a list todays main global challenges: from the Russian war in Ukraine to the unresolved Palestinian question, from climate and environmental challenges to religious extremism and terrorism, passing through the process of secularisation of the West.

Faced with these challenges, the cardinal proposed "the creation of centres of coexistence that promote a spirit of love and cooperation among people, on ethical and religious grounds, in order to preserve the unity of society itself.

Meanwhile, before his audience with Pope Francis today, Ayatollah Abulhassan Navab visited the Pontifical Academy of Mary (PAMI)[*] yesterday.

In his address, the chancellor of the University for Religions and Religious Confessions in Qom spoke of two "invisible armies", ignorance and fear, who sow war and violence.

The visit provided an opportunity to the Iranian and Pontifical universities to sign an agreement to spread a culture of peace and interfaith dialogue through projects to be extended to schools and universities in other countries, eliminating barriers and ending hostility and biases.

[*] Pontificia Academia Mariana Internationalis
by Melani Manel Perera

An independent investigative report found that many people involved in last summer protest movement, which led to President Rajapaksas resignation, suffered from serious respiratory problems. According to the probe, tear gas should be used to disperse crowds, not kill people.

Colombo (Asia News)  In Sri Lanka, police used tear gas against demonstrators that expired 20 years and more ago.

More than 6,000 hand grenades and cartridges were fired at the height of the protest movement in spring and early summer 2022, three times as many than in the previous decade.

The findings are contained in Tear gas: Tears of twenty million (in Sinhala), a report released a few days ago at the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) in Colombo.

Based on work of an investigative team led by freelance journalist Tharindu Jayawardena, with the support of the Right to Information Commission, the report reveals disturbing facts about the tear gas used by police during the Galle Face Aragalaya (struggle) protest movement, the wave of popular demonstrations that led to the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Between 31 March and 20 July 2022, police used grenades and tear gas canister worth more than 26 million rupees (or around US$ 82,000) on 84 different occasions.

Law enforcement used tear gas many a time, blatantly violating and disregarding safety instructions pertaining to the use of tear gas, reads the report. They even used tear gas past its expiry date and tried to cover up what they did when information was requested. In some cases, the expiry date went back 10, even 20 years.

Mr Jayawardena explained that they began their work last September after victims of the repression reported serious physical ailments from inhaling the tear gas used to disperse crowds.

As a journalist, I have covered many [. . .] student protest campaigns in the last decade, he said. I have followed many demonstrations dispersed with tear gas. But I had never seen such serious problems.

In fact, some people have died from respiratory problems associated with the tear gas.

We sought information from the Police Department on several occasions through the Right to Information Act, but the latter did not provide us with relevant and adequate information, Jayawardena noted.

Only after four appeal hearings by the Right to Information Commission was the police ordered to provide full details; however, so far, that has not been fully done.

About 20,000 grenades and tear gas cartridges were purchased in 2021, the report goes on to say. Between 2012 and 2015, the police used only 2,306.

Although the remaining stocks expired in 2017, they were not destroyed. The same is the case for grenades and cartridges purchased in 2017 that expired in 2021.

Thus, "This is a clear violation of public health [regulations], as these gases are used to disperse crowds, not kill people with respiratory and other complications."

Meanwhile, a few days ago the police used tear gas in Colombo to disperse a protest organised by the Inter-University Student Union to highlight the countrys economic, social and political crises.
Today's news: Hong Kong jails three activists who organised Tiananmen vigils while releasing Elizabeth Tang on bail; Thai authorities issue a pollution alert; Japan remembers the victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on the 12th anniversary of the accident; Indian police arrest three people in connection with the death of a Muslim man, lynched for allegedly transporting beef.

IRAN - SAUDI ARABIA

Historical rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to resume diplomatic relations seven years after they were broken off. The announcement follows four days of talks in China. Ties were cut in January 2016 when protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran following the execution of a senior Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia.

HONG KONG  CHINA

Under Chinas national security law, the authorities in Hong Kong today jailed for four and a half months three former members of a pro-democracy group that held annual vigils in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. The three are Chow Hang-tung, 38, a former vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, Tang Ngok-kwan and Tsui Hon-kwong. Meanwhile, trade unionist Elizabeth Tang, a Catholic, was released on bail but had to surrender her passport.

THAILAND

Thai authorities have issued a pollution alert after smog and fog blanketed some of the country's main cities for weeks, particularly Bangkok and some northern cities. Children and pregnant women have been advised to stay indoors and people have been told to reduce activities and wear protective masks outdoors.

JAPAN

The Japanese remembered the victims of the Fukushima disaster of 11 March 2011. A magnitude 9 earthquake triggered a tsunami which in turn caused a nuclear accident. In total, 18,500 people died or went missing. Although this was the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl (1986), public support for nuclear power is growing in the country.

INDIA

Indian police arrested three people in Bihar in connection with the death of a Muslim man who was attacked for allegedly transporting beef. The victim, 56-year-old Naseem Qureshi, was lynched by a mob. Cows are considered sacred in Hindu tradition and in many Indian states, sales and consumption of beef are restricted.

RUSSIA  TURKEY

After US Secretary Blinken's visit to Ankara, Turkey began blocking all cargo shipments to Russia from Europe to check that international sanctions are enforced. This covers more 10,000 items, especially electronics, chemicals and industrial equipment.

UZBEKISTAN

The Uzbek parliament wants to hold a referendum on 30 April on a new constitution agreed upon by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and representatives of the two bicameral body. This follows public consultations over recent months. The new charter will include considerable changes, with the addition of 27 new articles bringing the total to 155.
An electric bus at the Aspen School District is pictured. The district received two electric school buses as part of a grant earlier this month, replacing two diesel-fueled vehicles. Two more are expected before the end of the summer.
Bugs in Android Auto come and go, but most recently, several users have been complaining that running the app with high-end devices is no longer possible.The issue happened with Samsungs Galaxy S22 Ultra, a premium device that until recently was the South Korean company's flagship device. Its successor, the Galaxy S23, was launched in February.The bug occurs when the device is connected to a head unit. Instead of launching Android Auto, the media receiver detects the connection but just charges the mobile device. Messing with Android Auto settings and tweaking the USB connection mode produced no improvements.In a post on the Android Auto forums, a community specialist revealed that Volkswagen Group acknowledged the bug and is actively working on a fix.The connection issues happening with a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra affect various models sold under the Volkswagen, Skoda , and SEAT brands. The announcement reveals that only some models are affected, but no further details were shared.On the other hand, theres a chance that the Galaxy S22 Ultra isnt the only device affected by the glitch. The message indicates that some Android phones are affected. Back in February, it was discovered that the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the newest Samsung flagship, is also struggling with connection problems. Its not clear if the two bugs are related or not.The announcement confirms that a patch is already in the works, but for now, no further information can be shared. In theory, Volkswagen will resolve the glitch with a firmware update aimed at its cars, but customers are recommended to reach out to the carmaker for additional details.At this point, no other workaround is known to exist.Oddly enough, some of those who are encountering the same connection issues with a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra drive cars from non-Volkswagen brands. Customers of Honda and Opel vehicles reported the same broken experience with Android Auto. In this case, Google should come up with a fix, though its not known if the company is working on any improvements in this regard.The latest version of Android Auto is 9.0, but it doesnt seem to produce any improvement for users struggling with the glitch. Downgrading to an earlier version doesnt fix Android Auto either.In the meantime, Google is working non-stop on improving the availability of Coolwalk . The big redesign of the app was announced in January, and users are getting it as part of a server-controlled rollout. Google plans to reach the broad availability stage this year. Coolwalk allows users to run multiple apps side-by-side on the same screen thanks to a UI inspired by the CarPlay Dashboard.
Photo: Casey Bennett/ Esket Building Co.

Photo: Casey Bennett/ Esket Building Co.

Photo: Casey Bennett/ Esket Building Co.

Photo: Casey Bennett/ Esket Building Co.

Thats exactly what the builders of the Esket Sqlelten tiny house on wheels have done with this charming dwelling that offers just 280 square feet (26 square meters) of space but still manages to feel spacious and modern. Combining a beautifully curved roofline with a multi-functional interior and references to local art and tradition, this tiny wooden home is not your run-of-the-mill model.The Esket Sqlelten is part of the Esketemc First Nation community in traditional Secwepemc territory, near Alkali Lake, British Columbia, and was built by journeyman carpenter Robert Johnson in 2015. It was his first tiny house project, and due to the strategic design choices and clever use of the available space, it still remains relevant to this day.When designing this unique dwelling , Johnson also wanted to honor the local land and his aboriginal roots. As he explains, Esket means white Earth, while Sqlelten is the word for salmon in their local language. And if you look closely, youll notice that the houses rafters form the shape of a salmon, and the salmon symbol also appears on the front and side of the house.The Esk'et is built on a 20-foot (6.10-meter) trailer. But the builder extended the floorspace with a 6-inch (15.2-cm) overhang on both ends of the trailer. The house measures 13.5 feet (4.15 meters) in height and 8.5 feet (2.6 meters). These dimensions make it compliant with the legal road restrictions, so it can be hooked up to a truck and relocated if needed.There are a lot of things that make the Esket stand out from the crowd, like its original design with an almost whimsical style, the compact spiral stairwell leading to the main loft, or the corner fireplace, but the most astonishing of all is its unique roof.Johnson went beyond the gable roof and designed a complex roof with lots of curves to imitate the shape of a salmon and a round dormer. This impressively intricate design not only gives the house a lot of charm and softens the exterior but also makes the interior feel more spacious and enlarges the overhead space in the two lofts.Hand-carved details on the trim also imitate the salmon fish, and similar cultural accents representing wildlife can be seen on the custom-made barrel-shaped front door.The exterior siding was made using local pine, which was treated with the ShouSugi Ban method, a traditional Japanese wood preservation technique. Besides ensuring durability, it gives the house a rustic look.Given that the house is located in British Columbia, insulation was a critical aspect for making the Esket well-adapted for the cold Canadian winter. Closed-cell spray foam insulation was used throughout the house, and it also features an air exchange unit for optimized ventilation.Access inside the tiny house is made through two doors, which is a great decision for safety and convenience. The interior is bright and airy, with an open-space design centered around a modern kitchen with an integrated living/dining space. There are also two full-size lofts that can be accessed via unique custom-made space-saving ladders and a full-size bathroom. The white-painted walls, combined with the high ceilings and the beautiful wooden floors, make the interior look surprisingly roomy.The kitchen boasts generous butcherblock countertops with routered live edge, extended on one side to create an eating area. The cabinets are custom-made and offer sufficient space for storing all the kitchen essentials. There is also a three-burner stove and oven, a small fridge, a sink, and some open shelves and racks.The living area is small, with just a sofa and a modern, metallic fireplace in the corner. This propane fireplace is the homes source of heat when the weather cools down. The builder decided to allocate less space to the living area in order to have more room to move around and give the feeling of being in a real home.The full bathroom is at the rear of the Esket tiny house and includes a shower, a toilet, a small sink, and a secret pull-out storage space within the wall behind the shower.The vaulted ceiling in the center of the house allowed for the kitchen to be in an open area with nothing coming down on your head. The two lofts are at either end of the tiny house, and the one above the living room serves as the main sleeping area and is accessible by a spiral stair ladder. It fits a queen-size mattress and allows for enough headroom to feel comfy in there, thanks to the shape of the custom roof. There is also a TV in a corner, some storage units, and two large windows to enjoy the view of the forest from the comfort of the bed.The other loft is reached via an ingenious ladder and is lit by two rounded windows. It can be used as storage space or an additional sleeping area.The Esket Sqlelten is not your usual tiny house, and its charm is sure to appeal even to those who arent very fond of tiny living. Though this is a one-off unit, the building plans for the design are available on the builders website.
Photo: Sygic

EV

Photo: Sygic

Photo: Sygic

Sygics software is currently considered a top alternative to Google Maps. It offers a wide range of navigation features, including essential capabilities such as turn-by-turn guidance, offline maps , and Android Auto and CarPlay support.Like Google Maps, Sygic tries to make the road more predictable. But in addition to warnings regarding incidents found along the route, Sygic can also display fuel price information.Gas prices have skyrocketed in the last 12 months or so, and navigation apps have been trying to provide dedicated features that would help fill up tanks cheaper.Waze is one of the apps that have long been offering such capabilities. Using its built-in crowdsourcing engine, Waze requires users to submit fuel price information whenever they are nearby or at a gas station. Other motorists can then check out the fuel prices by expanding the stations listing.Sygic is using a different approach that all the other navigation apps should use.First of all, users need to configure the fuel type their car uses within the app. This way, Sygics GPS Navigation always knows what type of fuel to look for when the app is running.Compared to Waze, which displays detailed information for each station, Sygic shows only the prices for the selected fuel types. This approach makes sense, as showing diesel prices for a gasoline car would only make the UI more cluttered. As such, Sygic focuses specifically on the information that is relevant to each car based on app settings.The navigation solution supports the most common fuel type options, including gasoline, diesel, LPG, and CNG. Anoption is also available separately, as Sygic can also show charging station information Users can access gas price information in different ways.The first of them is similar to whats currently available in other navigation apps as well. Tap the search box and then click the fuel icon on the left side of the interface. Sygic GPS Navigation then displays the location and prices of nearby gas stations on the entire screen. You can start the navigation to any of these gas stations by simply tapping its entry.Then, Sygic can display gas prices along the route for each station based on your fuel type settings. This way, you can easily see where you can fill up the tank cheaper right on the map, all without the need for expanding any other menu.Users can tap a gas station shown on the map and select the Add waypoint option. This way, the navigation app will provide route guidance to the gas station, as in some cases, the stops might be slightly off the route. On highways, for example, you might have to take a small detour to reach certain gas stations.This feature requires a permanent Internet connection, so you cant use it with offline maps. This makes perfect sense, as Sygic uses online information to update the gas prices shown on the map. As such, the gas price data provided to users is up-to-date, though it goes without saying that occasionally, you could still come across slightly different prices.Then, the functionality is only available for Sygic users who pay for a Premium+ subscription. Its offered to users in the majority of European countries, as well as in the United States and Canada.Displaying gas prices along the route right on the map is a great way to let drivers fill up their thanks cheaper. But on the other hand, theres still plenty of room for improvement.Using the deeper integration of navigation software into the vehicle, as well as the power of AI, the likes of Google Maps should be able to determine how far youd be able to go with the existing fuel in the car. Then, navigation apps can look for gas stations along the route and indicate the cheapest, adding a new stop to your journey.Google Maps already offers similar functionality in cars powered by Android Automotive . The navigation app has access to battery range information. When users configure a new destination in Google Maps, the app checks the battery level to determine if the vehicle can reach the address without an extra charging stop. If it doesnt, Google Maps searches for charging stations along the route and suggests adding an extra stop.As a result, the ETA is eventually updated to include the time spent charging the vehicle. All the information is based on battery capacity, plug type, and other vehicle data that ensures an experience tailored to each car. For the time being, Google Maps cant choose charging stations based on price, but given Googles investments in artificial intelligence, such capabilities are very likely to make their way to the navigation software sooner rather than later.
The Kern County Fire Department issued an evacuation order for the Pond area near Wasco on Sunday afternoon, while in the morning officials in
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.
https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/prespawn-baits-vandam.html

Spring

Image Kevin VanDams top three search baits for prespawn bass are a suspending jerkbait, lipless crankbait, and spinnerbait.

Bass are on the move during the prespawn, so its crucial to use a lure that covers water quickly to find these fish.

Whether he is fishing the grass lakes of the south or the rocky reservoirs of the Midwest, bass fishing superstar Kevin VanDam relies on search baits to find prespawn bass transitioning from the deep to the shallows. His lure choices for intercepting prespawn bass en route to the spawning banks depend on water clarity, cover, and depth he will be fishing.

Here is a look at VanDams top three search bait picks for prespawn bass.

Suspending Jerkbait

A jerkbait is my bait of choice when I am faced with a clear-water scenario, VanDam says. Its a very efficient bait that I can parallel edges, whether it is a weedline, a channel swing, or a bluff point, those staging areas where prespawn bass are pulling up and getting ready to move into spawning flats.

The Major League Fishing star relies on this lure in the spring because he knows it will draw bass from a long distance in clear water and is considered a big bass bait. He typically uses a Strike King Deep Diving KVD Jerkbait in a clear highland impoundment such as Bull Shoals or Table Rock, where he wants the lure to dive deeper when he is fishing over 20 to 30 feet of water. On shallower grass reservoirs such as Guntersville or natural lakes in his home state of Michigan, he relies more on the Strike King KVD Jerkbait that dives to 5 or 6 feet.

His jerkbait color choices are based on water clarity. If the water has a light stain, he opts for brighter colors. He picks natural colors such as Pro Blue or Crystal Shad in crystal clear water.

Water temperature and the stage of prespawn bass determine how VanDam retrieves his jerkbait. He employs a slower retrieve in colder water, toning down his twitching cadence and using longer pauses. As it gets warmer and closer to the spawn, I am going to pick up the pace with my retrieve, which will allow me to fish a little bit faster, he says. The key to his retrieve is twitching the lure with slack in the line to create an erratic side-to-side action on the bait. He works the jerkbait on a 6-foot, 10-inch medium-heavy casting rod and a high-speed baitcast reel filled with 10- to 12-pound fluorocarbon line.

Lipless Crankbait

A lipless is great for covering a lot of flats, VanDam says. If I am on a lake with lots of vegetation, it is a go-to during the prespawn. The flat sides on it and the rattle make it well known as being very efficient for catching prespawn bass. He notes even in lakes without grass, it can be effective when the fish are moving out of the deep water towards the spawning flats because the lure allows him to cover a ton of water very efficiently, and it effectively fishes a depth zone from zero to 8 feet.

Image Using lures that cover water quickly is the key to finding prespawn bass in transition.

The Michigan pro favors the Strike King Red-Eyed Shad for his lipless crankbait presentations. He frequently fishes the 1/2-ounce model and the Tungsten 2-Tap version because it is slightly heavier than the original Red Eyed Shad, so he can run it deeper. He also likes the unique sound of the 2-Tap model. If he wants to fish deeper than 8 feet, VanDam switches to the 3/4-ounce Red Eyed Shad.

VanDam notes red is a legendary lipless crankbait color to throw in the spring, but he also likes to try crawfish and bream patterns during the prespawn. If the water is dirty, he will use a chartreuse model. Gold is a favorite color of VanDams for slightly stained to clear water.

The Red Eyed Shad is ideal for the pull-and-drop retrieve VanDam employs because the lure has a shimmy action on the fall. During his retrieve, VanDam pulls his rod to the side rather than lifting it straight up, so the lure remains close to the bottom. It is essential to ensure the bait is down on the bottom, he says. If you are reeling it and not hitting anything, you must stop and let the bait fall.

His lipless crankbait gear consists of a 7-foot crankin rod and a 5.3:1 gear ratio baitcast reel. When fishing shallow flats and grass, VanDam runs his Red Eyed Shad on 17-pound fluorocarbon, but he scales down to 10-pound test when fishing in deeper water.

Spinnerbait

VanDam lists the spinnerbait as an incredible bait because I can control its depth.

Lake levels frequently rise in the spring and flood shoreline bushes, so VanDam favors a spinnerbait in this situation to slow roll around the bushes. He can also pitch the blade bait around docks and run it through grass. The lure is also a proven big bass catcher.

The four-time Bassmaster Classic champion relies on a 3/8-ounce spinnerbait with double Colorado blades for targeting shallow flooded cover. He opts for 1/2- or 3/4-ounce models with a Colorado and willowleaf blade combination for fishing transition banks near deep water. When fishing grass in clear water, he slow rolls a double willowleaf spinnerbait but switches to a double Colorado model in dirtier water.

VanDams preferred spinnerbait skirt colors for prespawn bass are white, white-and-chartreuse, and shad patterns. He also selects bluegill pattern skirts for fishing in gin clear water. His blade color choices mainly include a silver-and-gold combination, although he will use two silver blades for clear water and gold or white blades for dirty water.

A slow to medium speed retrieve produces the best for VanDams spinnerbait tactics. I slow roll a spinnerbait a lot, he says. Even if I am fishing in 2 feet of water, I just use a lighter bait with a double Colorado and keep it closer to the targets longer, but if I am fishing deeper grass, its pretty much a slow roll.

The key to his retrieve is to run the lure slightly above the cover, whether its the grass tops or limbs of a laydown log. It is all about keeping that bait just above the bass line of sight or the depth you think they are, he says. VanDam retrieves his spinnerbait on 20-pound fluorocarbon with a 7-4 heavy action casting rod and a 6.6:1 gear ratio baitcast reel.

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Right Times and Right Places at Rockaway Beach Tell a Deeper Oregon Coast Tale, Video

Published 03/05/23 at 5:43 PM

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Rockaway Beach, Oregon) - Along Oregon's north coast, between Tillamook Bay and at the southern of Nehalem Bay, Rockaway Beach is seven miles of pristine sands and often unique skylines. The place is always photogenic, it seems, and if you hang around for the right moments you'll snag a snap that can bring up a lot of questions. These moments can have their tales to tell. (Photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

No matter the weather, no matter the time of year, and certainly even at night: the little town has some striking sides that aren't always a matter of where but when. You just have to know how to suss out the right moments.

Spring brings new colors to the coastline, especially starting just after the spring break weeks as you head into April and May. The humid, even drenched atmosphere of springtime offshore produces a variety of pastels you don't really see other times of the year.





Case in point: this snap from Rockaway Beach one late May (and at top). There's a whole science story behind this: how big, fat puffy clouds of spring rainstorms intermix with openings between those layers of clouds, causing the light rays to bounce off these sky monsters, creating these delicate hues.





The way clouds move has always been a fascinating sight. Gazing up in the sky and really paying attention to them often yields much more than shapes of animals or other things you might see in them. Along the Oregon coast, you'll notice they move much quicker than inland. Winds out here do a lot more than batter you about on the beach.

There's something about their size  when you hone in on that  that's a tad overwhelming. You feel a kind of intimidation at times when you look into them, as if they're so big they may swallow you.





All this action is also true at night. Utilizing a moving gif, you see Rockaway Beach's signature centerpiece, Twin Rocks, as clouds move above it. Light sources produce different tinges as clouds race along, shifting the atmosphere between the camera and clouds in ways you can't understand without a lengthy chat with a meteorologist.

Dusk during winter also makes for new colors, especially if there's low-laying clouds around, hinting at becoming fog. This shot, taken from around the south jetty, would be about blue hour, if the chilly almost-fog wasn't there. But because of all the extra layers, the sunlight gets a deep purple cast at the end of the day. Rockaway Beach's lights twinkle in the distance.

A not-so-well-known fact about this part of the north Oregon coast is that Manzanita, just north of town, is a kind of banana belt of the north coast. Read the full explanation at the link, but the short story is that Neahkahnie Mountain and Cape Falcon keep that area sheltered a bit from full marine layers and clouds. Thus, you'll fairly often see the skyline with diagonal clouds, meeting the shoreline again right here in Rockaway Beach.

You'll want to check out Manzanita Is Indeed 'Banana Belt' of N. Oregon Coast - Science Behind It





Sometimes you'll be privy to rather extraordinary cloud formations just above Neahhkahnie, like this grouping of shapes that looks like layers of clouds piled onto each other. They appear a little angry, or at least swollen with a downpour of rain.

There are days when conditions are so lovely here that even the rip rap looks pretty.





Lake Lytle is a pristine place. Often, it's completely still, allowing mesmerizing reflections from the sky.

In this video, aside from fun science of the area, you see more of those intense, spring pastels.

Then there's storm season along the north Oregon coast, which can produce mammoth waves out there. Twin Rocks can withstand it though, as it's done for millions of years (see the geology of Twin Rocks and its origin story). The ancient structure gives those waves something to make a dramatic scene with.





On clear nights, beaches of the Oregon coast and Washington coast are downright magical. Stars are abundant and thick. Using a long exposure, here you find a better view of Twin Rocks, and the stars above get recorded in their movement down towards the ocean.

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Three Rescues on Oregon Coast This Weekend End with One Dead, See Video

Published 03/06/23 at 8:13 PM

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Pacific City, Oregon)  U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and Oregon State Police (OSP) crews had their hands full this weekend on the north Oregon coast, with one white-knuckle rescue at Ecola State Park on Sunday and a man who fell to his death at Cape Kiwanda on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Tillamook County Sheriff's Deputy Sam Cummings)

On Sunday, 911 dispatchers received a call from a man at Ecola State Park saying he heard people shouting for help from below the cliffs. The USCG called that man a good samaritan for alerting them to the situation.

Upon arrival with a helicopter, crews from the Air Station Astoria discovered two surfers in precarious waves just off the north Oregon coast promontory. They managed to latch onto rocks and were safely hoisted into the helicopter.

#BreakingNews (1/2) A #USCG aircrew from Astoria rescued 2 surfers surfers this afternoon near Ecola State Park in #Oregon. A good samaritan heard the men shouting for help and then called 911. The men eventually grabbed onto some rocks where they were safely hoisted. pic.twitter.com/fAItzDV11T  USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) March 6, 2023

The USCG said the subjects were subsequently transferred to local EMS with no medical concerns. Cannon Beach Fire and Rescue also responded to the incident.



On Saturday, Tillamook County Sheriff's, Oregon State Police, Nestucca Fire-Rescue along with the USCG responded to Pacific City's Cape Kiwanda with reports of a man who had fallen off a cliff. The hiker had last been seen walking beyond a safety fence at a dangerous part of the headland known as the punch bowl - a sunken area where a small spouting horn exists but is also known for unpredictable wave action.



Part of the "punch bowl" area at Kiwanda (not Devil's Punchbowl near Depoe Bay). Oregon Coast Beach Connection photo

He was spotted walking in that section at 4:58 p.m. He had reportedly found his way onto a cliff above, then fallen some 20 feet and been swept into the ocean.

Since the area is within Oregon State Parks and Recreation (OPRD) jurisdiction, OSP took the lead on investigation.

Witnesses lost sight of the victim and the rescue operation later transitioned into a likely recovery operation, OSP said.



Photo courtesy Tillamook County Sheriff's Deputy Sam Cummings

His body was missing as of dusk on Saturday, and the search by the USCG and others was suspended until the next day.

In the meantime, he was identified as 25-year-old Henry Minh Hoang of West Covina, California.

About 24 hours later, at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, OSP said the victim's body was found at the bottom of a cliff of Cape Kiwanda's. His body was taken to a funeral home on the north Oregon coast.



Still from USCG video: rescue at Ecola State Park, Cannon Beach

The punch bowl area of Cape Kiwanda is fenced off for a very good reason. Oregon coast officials were gravely concerned back in 2016 as seven people had died there since 2009. Eventually, more fencing and signage were posted, which appears to have lessened the death rate there.

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Members of the public who cancelled their TV licence fee in response to a day of controversy for the BBC have said they feel the corporation has sold its soul.

Friday saw Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker asked to step back from presenting the show, Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce accused of trivialising domestic abuse and claims the BBC pulled an episode of a new Sir David Attenborough series out of fears of a political backlash.

Among several Twitter users posting pictures proving they had cancelled their monthly direct debits for their TV licence fee was learning and disabilities support worker Simone Gordon.

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I have felt for a while that there has been bias towards the Government shown by the BBC in its news coverage, the 42-year-old from Lincoln told the PA news agency.

The treatment of Gary Lineker this week confirmed what I feared.

Fiona Bruce describing Stanley Johnson in last nights Question Time hitting his wife just the once seemed further proof of this.

The BBCs decision not to broadcast (Sir) David Attenboroughs episode in case it offended right-wing viewers was the final straw.

I had to cancel my TV licence otherwise I would feel that I would be supporting their agenda.

Simone Gordon, a Labour voter, said she felt the BBC has become a mouthpiece for the Government (Simone Gordon)

The BBC has defended Bruce, stating she was voicing the context of domestic abuse allegations made towards Stanley Johnson, former prime minister Boris Johnsons father, and also claimed there was no sixth episode of Sir Davids Wild Isles.

Ms Gordon said she has set up a direct debit for the amount of money she was paying towards the licence fee to go to the RSPB, a charity which helped to produce the contested sixth episode of Sir Davids show, Saving Our Wild Isles, which is about restoring biodiversity in the UK.

I think the BBC has sold its soul  the once great public service broadcaster is now in my view nothing more than a mouthpiece for the most right-wing British government ever to hold office, said Ms Gordon, a Labour voter.

Shame on them. The BBC is not, in my view, impartial anymore.

Angela Riley, an outdoor nursery manager from Edinburgh, Scotland, shared a Guardian article about the controversy surrounding Sir Davids documentary series on Twitter, stating: Thats it  monthly TV Licence cancelled until further notice.

I can no longer in good faith continue to fund the slow but relentless assault on the integrity of the BBC by this (Conservative) government.

The 42-year-old, who grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, told the PA news agency the events on Friday were a step too far.

I lived through years of an apartheid South Africa and saw first hand how the states media was used for political gain and to stir up hatred amongst its citizens, she said.

You cant ever downplay the influence and responsibly the media has, to coin a phrase from (CNN news anchor) Christiane Amanpour, to be truthful, not neutral.

Sadly, this for me is a step too far. The final nail in the coffin.
We had been on Dundee soil for about 10 minutes before we almost accidentally took the road to Edinburgh.

Take this as a lesson: if youre booking a taxi at Dundee Airport to your hotel, make sure you choose the correct location of the accommodation. We met a very lovely though a bit confused driver who was willing to take us to the Scottish capital even though the actual journey time from runway to hotel room was less than 15 minutes.

A whirlwind weekend in Dundee proved successful and a lot of fun  and there was a frisson of excitement in the taxi, on the way to the correct hotel, listening to a radio advert extolling the ease of flying to Belfast.

It was one of the smoothest plane journeys Ive experienced: a comfortable 48-seater Loganair plane, an hour in the air spotting impressive scenery, complimentary tea and shortbread and landing faster than sitting through a traffic jam in Belfast city centre. The air stewardess was happy to offer suggestions about where to visit once on terra firma. Plus... shortbread.

One of the best things about visiting Dundee was a degree of bragging rights: no one had previously visited. With that means youre able to discover your own weekend activities, rather than visiting those must-see places that others suggest.

Secondly, our hotel was gorgeous. Hotel Indigo Dundee is a former jute mill that is sympathetic to its history  and the citys most famous creations (jute, journalism and jam)  while offering supreme comfort. Its bell tower stands out, making it a beacon for anyone who lacks a sense of direction. The citys industrial heritage rings out: from the reception space full of machinery, to framed cartoons from The Dandy and The Beano  other international exports  it is a tantalising mix of modern and traditional.

Our room came with a bricked ceiling, a nod to the buildings past, and with two double beds, a perfectly positioned TV and views to the River Tay, it was an ideal set-up. The bathroom came with a handheld and rainforest shower and the luxury toiletries could have you imagining you were in a spa.

But while it was tempting to spend the weekend horizontal, we were there to sightsee. My friend Ruth and I are fans of away days: the first and last flights back to somewhere, for a day of culture, cafes and shopping. Covid had put paid to those so this felt like the perfect comeback.

Within 15 minutes walk of the hotel is HMS Unicorn, dubbed the worlds most original old ship. Constructed as a 46-gun frigate, it arrived in Dundee in 1873 as a training ship for the Royal Naval Reserves, a role carried out on board until the 1960s. It has many stories to tell of its 200-year history and visitors are able to get up close and personal with several items from its past. This includes ringing the ships bell, sitting behind the Captains desk  tricorn hat a must  and examining the cannons.

The ship is set across four decks, one of which is below the water line. For anyone who isnt a fan of confined spaces, maybe stick to the top two decks. I ventured to the third deck and didnt have to stoop too much, but the bottom deck requires a level of nimbleness of which I do not possess.

The team at HMS Unicorn is chatty and knowledgeable, their facts complemented with a 10-minute video which visitors watch before boarding. After social distancing rules prevented us from seeing history as it is, it was a great opportunity to get up close to a mode of transport so beloved by Dundonians.

Onwards, we walked towards the V&A Dundee, via ice-cream emporium Jannettas Gelateria on the Waterfront. The day may have been colder than anything Id experienced in Belfast this winter, and yes, I did have to wear my mittens to hold my honeycomb and chocolate encrusted cone, but it was worth it for a scoop of chocolate malt pecan and salted hazelnut, caramel swirl and candied hazelnuts. Besides, nuts are very good for you. Id revisit Dundee tomorrow simply for the ice-cream.

Refreshed, we headed into the V&A, Scotlands design museum. A vision of modern architecture, we climbed the stairs to the main floor, eyeing the collections on show. A new exhibition extolling the wonder of tartan begins on April 1 and we checked flight options while in the museum to see whether we could return.

After a visit to the museum shop, we went to our next destination, the aptly named Discovery Point and the RRS Discovery. This auxiliary steamship was built in Dundee for Antarctic research, and was the last wooden three-masted ship built in the UK. Her first mission was carrying RF Scott and Ernest Shackleton on their first journey to the Antarctic  iconic stuff.

RRS Discovery, which brought Scott to the Antarctic

Prior to boarding, visitors are treated to a museum filled with information and short videos documenting Scott and Cos endeavours. They enhance your excitement as you step on board.

Its difficult not to feel stirred up, when on board, you spot the sailors bedrooms and imagine what life would have been like at sea in such confined spaces.

Fortunately, theres ample space to walk between decks and it was charming to spot a 1lb tin of morning drinking chocolate in the ships kitchen. Without doubt, a fascinating insight into a part of history about which we knew little.

After lunch and onto shopping. Expect stores we have here but everything is better when youre on holiday, right? There was happiness when we found a Flying Tiger Copenhagen and a touch of sadness while perusing Paperchase  but taking some pictures at the Desperate Dan and Minnie the Minx statues in the citys main square softened the blow.

Desperate Dan statue at Dundee's City Square

A casual stroll led us to the McManus Art Gallery and Museum. Its Gothic Revival style building makes for an impressive site in the city centre and we were itching to get inside. Again, we found staff to be helpful, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the museums configuration.

Expect to be treated with collections of fine and decorative art as well as a natural history collection. Egyptian wares mingled with computer games, wedding dresses stood alongside tapestries and everything was of interest. It was one of the highlights of our weekend (so too was eyeing a cafe customers hot chocolate with a 1:1 ratio of beverage and whipped cream).

Another aspect of a weekend away is what youre eating and drinking. The first night, we had dinner in Gidi Grill, less than a 15-minute walk from the hotel and absolutely heaving on a Friday night. That was the first positive sign. The subsequent culinary thumbs ups came when we sampled some of the tasty fusion menu. Theres plenty to whet the appetites of hungry visitors and locals. We both opted for rump steak served with onion rings, fries and a choice of sauce, though there are fish dishes, pasta options and more meat meals available.

Spice is the buzzword at Gidi, with the restaurant using its unique blend to get food plenty of zing. Theres also loads for vegetarians  fried sweet plantain or tempura veg float your boat? Us too. Still though, plenty of room for dessert and we chose the coconut and lemon cheesecake and African cinnamon flavour plantain cake. We are dessert aficionados and can testify they were delicious.

McManus Gallery and Museum

Drinks wise, theres an ample cocktail and mocktail list, the latter of which had one in my friends surname, which was a bonus. To mark the occasion, I tried Irn Bru for the first time. It was OK. The second evening, we ate in the hotel, tucking into burgers (one venison, one chicken) and sweets (one lemon tart, one chocolate mousse). The food was tasty, well-seasoned and perfect after a day of sightseeing.

Flight time back to Belfast was a mere 45 minutes and passage through Dundee Airport was swift. Because we had hand luggage only, there was no opportunity to bring home marmalade or whiskey, two foodstuffs for which the city is famous, but there were two Dundee cakes, courtesy of the V&A, winging their way home to our mums.

Both of us were impressed with the city and what it had to offer and spoke frequently about returning. The city has been called Scotlands new capital of cool and wed have to agree. With culture, dining, nightlife and shopping, we hope to hear plenty of Northern Irish voices the next time we visit.

Dundee details

Loganair flies direct from Belfast City Airport to Dundee twice weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays. Fares commence from 50.99 one-way and are inclusive of 15kg hold luggage, 6kg hand luggage and inflight refreshments. Book today at loganair.co.uk

Hotel Indigo Dundee www.ihg.com

V&A Dundee www.vam.ac.uk

HMS Unicorn www.frigateunicorn.org

RRS Discovery www.rrsdiscovery.co.uk

McManus Art Gallery and Museum www.mcmanus.co.uk

Gidi Grill www.gidigrill.com
Anti-abortion campaigners took to the streets of Belfast on Saturday to voice their opposition to new laws on protests outside health clinics.

A bill will come into effect in May creating so-called `buffer zones. That means it will be an offence to picket within 100m of the premises displaying offensive graphic signs or to follow, film, approach women or doctors.

Similar legislation has also been passed in Scotland.

The rally in Custom House Square in Belfast was held by Precious Life and fronted by well-known campaigner Bernie Smyth.

In this 25th anniversary year of the Good Friday Peace Agreement, our politicians must be reminded there can never be true peace in Northern Ireland unless there is peace in the womb, she told those who had gathered there.

Councillor Mal OHara, the leader of the Green Party here, welcomed the introduction of the new `buffer zones.

This means that the deliberate campaign of intimidation and harassment against women and people needing to use abortion services will come to an end, he said.

I look forward to people being able to access abortion and reproductive healthcare services legally, locally and safely.

But Bernie Smyth hit back claiming the zones will criminalise people and could mean they face fines of 2,000.

We are calling on Stormont, we are calling on Westminster to respect the civil rights and religious liberties of everyone by repealing the draconian abortion buffer zone law in Northern Ireland, she said.

Abortion is still a very sensitive issue in Northern Ireland, and continues to divide opinion.

In recent years the law that was in place here for decades has changed.

In the vast majority of circumstances it was a criminal offence to have or perform a termination. That meant many women had to travel to England for a termination.

Then in 2019, when Stormont was down, Westminster intervened and decriminalised abortion.

In April 2020 some of NI's health trusts began operating interim services for early medical terminations up to the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

Last May the Department of Health was told it must start setting up fully-funded services for Northern Ireland. However, those plans have been hit by legal challenges.
Sinn Fein leaders will travel to the United States for St Patricks Day celebrations hosted by President Biden in a bid to promote NIs unparalleled access to the EU and British markets.

The trip comes at a time when the future of Stormont is shrouded in uncertainty and as events in the US mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The DUP is still examining the detail of the Windsor Framework before deciding whether it will restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland once more.

Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald and Deputy Leader Michelle ONeill will attend the White House and the Speakers Lunch on Capitol Hill.

They will also brief the US Administration and senior Congressional leaders.

The pair will attend events with business leaders to promote significant investment opportunities in Ireland.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Gordon Lyons will comprise the official DUP delegation going to Washington DC, whilst Ian Paisley, Emma Little-Pengelly and Phillip Brett will be visiting independently.

The DUP leader said he will be making the case that it is vital for Northern Ireland to move forward but the views of unionists should be valued and respected.

Sinn Fein said its message in the US is one of hope and opportunity as the party marks the anniversary of a peace accord that has transformed the entire country.

"The role of the US Administration was critical twenty-five years ago in achieving peace, just as it was critical throughout the negotiations on the Irish Protocol; and will be critical in the coming decade as we prepare for referenda on Irish Unity,  Ms McDonald added.

With the eyes of the world on Ireland once again in the coming weeks, there is a huge opportunity to showcase our island and the societal and generational change that is underway.

"We have the youngest population in Europe with a highly skilled, educated and enormously productive workforce.

Sinn Fein engagements will include a breakfast meeting with Special Envoy Joe Kennedy III, and a roundtable meeting with the Atlantic Council.

Ms McDonald will brief Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill and a meeting will be held with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.

On Friday the Sinn Fein leaders will brief the Ad-Hoc Committee about protecting the Good Friday Agreement.

"Ireland is a hub for international talent. We are open for business, for collaboration and for progress, Ms McDonald said.

"For many international partners, Ireland is the bridge to the European market and system.

"Its unique and unparalleled access to both the EU and British markets, along with a flourishing all-Ireland economy, gives the north real economic momentum and competitive advantage.

"But to turn that opportunity into jobs and investment requires a functioning Executive.

With a deal done on the Protocol we believe that power-sharing can be restored in the coming weeks, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

"It is time for the DUP to get back on board and work alongside the other parties.
Ice could cause hazards in parts of the UK where heavy snow brought treacherous conditions on Friday as temperatures are set to plummet as low as minus 10C overnight.

The Met Office has yellow warnings in place covering large swathes of the country after Storm Larisa battered parts of the UK with gales and blizzards.

It comes after drivers were urged to get behind the wheel only if necessary, with some motorists left stranded due to heavy snowfall.

Temperatures in rural areas across the UK could drop as low as minus 10 overnight across the UK, with more snow expected on higher ground across Saturday and Sunday.

Met Office meteoroligst Matthew Box said rain, sleet and snow would push north-eastwards across the country over the weekend, likely falling on the hills and mountains of the Pennines, the Cumbrian vales and some parts of Scotland.

But he added the snowfall would be nothing to the same extent as what we saw on Thursday.

In parts of south-west England and Wales, the cold weather will likely give way to sunnier conditions later on Sunday, he added.

A warning for snow remains in place for much of Scotland, with another snow and ice warning issued for northern England on Saturday and another covering parts of Scotland and the north of England on Sunday.

(PA Graphics)   PA Graphics

Heavy snowfall left drivers stranded for more than seven hours on the M62 in Greater Manchester and Yorkshire.

National Highways North West estimated that at one point congestion on the eastbound carriageway between Rochdale and Saddleworth stretched to around eight miles.

Emergency services have also rescued eight people who were trapped in heavy snowfall for more than 12 hours in Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Police said artic conditions since Thursday night caused a number of vehicles to get stuck  particularly on the A53 and the A523 near the town of Leek.

It said some people have been stranded inside their vehicles in sub-zero temperatures for more than 12 hours.

Andrew Page-Dove, of National Highways, said weather conditions will deteriorate on Friday night.

He said: Weve got some very cold weather overnight. Weve got the risk of potentially freezing rain and then more snow tomorrow.

So the conditions are actually going to get worse rather than better.

But we will be continuously out there treating the roads and our intention is to keep the M62 open.

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We have well-rehearsed plans which we execute every time we have these types of events.

It is purely the combination of volume of traffic and (drivers) maybe not being as well prepared for the conditions.

Public transport has also been affected, with Network Rail saying multiple fallen trees had blocked lines between Manchester and Sheffield, meaning no trains could run.

(PA Graphics)   PA Graphics

Train operators TransPennine Express and Northern were affected, with many services cancelled, and Merseyrail, which runs services in Merseyside and surrounding areas, delayed the start of its operations on Friday.

Air travel was also affected, with the majority of flights departing Liverpool John Lennon Airport delayed on Friday morning.

East Midlands Airport was closed for around three hours and flights were suspended at Birmingham Airport for around an hour to clear snow from the runway, and there were also delays to flights at Bristol Airport.

Elsewhere, firefighters were called to a partial roof collapse at a flat in Longford Walk, Tulse Hill, south London.

The scene in Tulse Hill (London Fire Brigade/PA)   London Fire Brigade

London Fire Brigade said the aluminium roof of a three-storey block of flats had peeled off in high winds and was in a precarious position.

There were no reports of any injuries.
Outgoing Scottish Deputy First Minister John Swinney is backing Humza Yousaf to be Scotlands next first minister. (Jane Barlow/PA)

Outgoing Deputy First Minister John Swinney has backed Humza Yousaf to be Scotlands next first minister.

Mr Swinney said the current Scottish Health Secretary was the candidate who could strengthen the SNP as a force for progressive change in Scottish politics.

Mr Swinney is the most senior politician to have publicly endorsed one of the three candidates running to be the next SNP leader  with Mr Yousaf hailing it as a massive boost for his campaign.

The Health Secretary said: I am honoured to have the backing of a true giant of the SNP and independence movement, John Swinney, to become SNP leader.

Mr Swinney, who is Scotlands longest serving Deputy First Minister, is stepping down after more than eight years in the post and will leave office later this month when Ms Sturgeon steps down.

She has already made clear she will not publicly back any of the three contestants seeking to replace her.

Two other candidates are also running in the contest, with both Scottish Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and former community safety minister Ash Regan having put themselves forward for the job.

Endorsing his cabinet colleague Mr Yousaf, Mr Swinney spoke about how he was proud of what the SNP has achieved since coming into power in 2007, adding this was transforming the lives of people in Scotland.

John Swinney said that his cabinet colleague Humza Yousaf was an experienced minister. (Andrew Milligan/PA)   PA

He added: As a party we have never been closer to winning independence.

We now need to choose an SNP leader who will complete our journey to independence, and I believe that person should be Humza Yousaf.

Humza is best placed to lead our party because he will strengthen the SNP as a force for progressive change in Scottish politics.

With Mr Yousaf having backed reforms to the gender recognition process  and also vowing to challenge Westminsters veto on laws passed by Holyrood on this in court  the Deputy First Minister said Mr Yousaf would govern effectively by using the partnership that we enjoy with the Scottish Green Party, guaranteeing us a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament.

Humza Yousaf said Mr Swinneys endorsement was a massive boost for his campaign to be the next SNP leader and Scottish first minister (Jane Barlow/PA)

He also said that crucially, Mr Yousaf would be able to widen SNP support by attracting new supporters to Scottish independence.

Mr Swinney added: Humza is an experienced minister whos done all the tough stuff that you have to do day in, day out, within government.

Hes put his heart and soul into all the work hes done within the party to make the SNP an inclusive political party.

So for me, John Swinney, it has to be Humza.

Mr Yousaf stated: Like Nicola, our party owes so much of our success to Johns stewardship.

Johns backing is a massive boost to my progressive grassroots campaign to stand up for Scottish democracy, protect and advance rights, unite our Yes movement and secure independence for Scotland.

Michelle Thomson MSP, who is backing Ms Forbes, said: When the current Deputy First Minister decides to personally intervene in the leadership contest at such a late stage, you get the sense that senior figures in the party have seen the polls and are absolutely panicking.

Given how close we are to the vote opening, many party members will look upon this 11th hour intervention rather cynically. They dont need to be told by party HQ what to think or how to vote.

It increasingly looks like the top brass would much prefer an establishment transfer of power  to carry on with the status quo  rather than allowing our membership the freedom to make a healthy democratic choice.

I certainly trust our members to be independent-minded and firmly believe they can make their own minds up on who best serves the party, the country and  crucially  can deliver independence for Scotland. There is no doubt in my mind that that leader is Kate Forbes.
Afghan people, right, inspect the site of a bomb blast in Mazar-e-Sharif (Abdul Saboor Sirat/AP)   Abdul Saboor Sirat

A bomb has exploded during an awards ceremony for journalists in Afghanistans Mazar-e-Sharif city, killing at least one person and wounding more, including children, officials said.

The blast happened at the Tabian Farhang centre as journalists gathered for the event at 11am on Saturday, said Mohammad Asif Waziri, the local police spokesman.

Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Nafi Takor said five journalists and three children were hurt.

The explosion killed a security guard, he said.

An injured man, right, is treated after a bomb blast in Mazar-e-Sharif (Abdul Saboor Sirat/AP)   Abdul Saboor Sirat

It comes two days after a bomb in Mazar-e-Sharif killed the provincial governor, Daud Muzmal, and two others.

Four were wounded.

Among the journalists hurt was Najeeb Faryad, a reporter for the Ariana News television station, who said he felt like something hit him in the back before he fell to the ground.

Hujatullah Mujadidi, who heads up the Association of Free Journalists of Afghanistan, said the cultural centre in Balkh held the event to honour media personnel from the countrys north.

He said 14 journalists were injured.

The association called on authorities to pay serious attention to the security and safety of journalists in the capital and provinces, said Mr Mujadidi.

People stand outside a hospital after the blast (Abdul Saboor Sirat/AP)   Abdul Saboor Sirat

Journalists are the real voice of Afghan people. An attack on the lives of journalists is an attack on freedom of speech and Afghan people, he said.

The UN mission in Afghanistan has condemned the despicable attack, saying it is the latest unacceptable incident in the city.

It expressed its condolences for the victims and hopes for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Violence must stop. Afghan reporters show immense courage & must be protected, the UN mission tweeted.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but the regional affiliate of the so-called Islamic State group  known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province  is a key rival of the ruling Taliban.

The militant group has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021.

Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistans Shiite minority.
THIS is the creep who has been warned that he faces a significant jail sentence after he admitted a catalogue of sex offences against a young girl.

A few weeks ago at Antrim Crown Court, 31-year-old Kieran OKane admitted seven counts of sexual activity with a female child and four counts of sexual communication with the same girl.

That still left more than two dozen allegations relating to the making, inciting and possessing of indecent images of a child on dates between October 9, 2021, and March 1 last year.

Last Monday when OKane was due to go on trial for the remaining offences, the paedophile finally confessed his guilt to all but two of the offences.

None of the facts surrounding the catalogue of depravity were opened by prosecuting counsel but previous courts heard that when the victim told OKane, Look Im only 14, is that ok, the creep told her the younger the better.

During a contested bail application, a police officer told how the teenage schoolgirls parent found a shocking video of her with OKane.

That parent also took a large volume of screenshots and conversations from an Instagram account linked to OKane where the messages were highly sexualised.

OKane called the girl his dirty little secret and asked her to send nude pictures of herself.

When his mobile was examined, the shocked cops uncovered that he had asked her to have sex with him and maybe other people.

While Judge Alistair Devlin adjourned sentencing to allow time for the completion of a pre-sentence probation report and for OKane to be freed on bail, he warned the pervert he faces a significant spell in jail given the charges he has pleaded guilty to.

OKane will find out his fate in May, but in the meantime the creep, from Colombia Park in Dungiven, was ordered to sign the sex offenders register.
Micronesias President David Panuelo (left) with Chinas Premier Li Keqiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Dec. 13, 2019.

The Federated States of Micronesias outgoing president has called for his country to recognize Taiwan, according to a leaked letter that accuses Beijing of political warfare in the strategically located Pacific island nation.

The country of about 100,000 people has close ties to the United States and its President David Panuelo has previously expressed concern about Beijings attempt last year to forge a security and trade pact with 10 Pacific island nations.

Panuelos March 9 letter to state governors and members of Micronesias Congress said he met with Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu last month to discuss what Taiwan could offer in exchange for Micronesias diplomatic recognition.

The aim of the meeting was to solicit from Taiwan what their potential assistance to the FSM could look like if we switched diplomatic relations to supporting them instead of China, said Panuelos letter, which was obtained by BenarNews.

Panuelo said he proposed a U.S. $50 million injection to Micronesias national trust fund and annual financial assistance of U.S. $15 million. Taiwan would also pick up all current Chinese projects in Micronesia including construction of a national convention center and state government offices, his letter said.

All of this assistance, of course, would be on top of the greatly added layers of security and protection that come with our country distancing itself from the PRC, Panuelo said, referring to the Peoples Republic of China.

His 13-page letter alleged that China is aggressively seeking to undermine Micronesias sovereignty and institutions so that it would side with Beijing or at the least be neutral in a future possible armed conflict over Taiwan.

The Asian superpowers government, he said, has demonstrated a keen capability to undermine our sovereignty, rejects our values, and uses our elected and senior officials for their own purposes. Micronesia established diplomatic relations with China in 1989.

Paneulo lost his seat in Congress in elections earlier this week, Radio New Zealand reported on Friday. His letter said a new government will take office on May 11.

Smears and accusations

Meanwhile, Taiwans foreign minister confirmed in parliament on Friday that he had exchanged views on diplomatic recognition with Micronesias president, Taiwans state news agency reported. Its unclear where a meeting between Panuelo and Wu took place.

Taiwans foreign ministry said the government respects and welcomes FSM [Federated States of Micronesia] expanding bilateral ties with Taiwan, but will not comment on the details on establishing official ties which the FSM president mentioned.

China on Friday accused Panuelo of smears and accusations that do not accord with the facts, reported Agence France-Presse news agency.

China has always treated all countries, big or small, as equal, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a briefing.

The Chinese side is always willing  on the basis of the One China Principle  to uphold the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, push forward friendly cooperation with Micronesia.

Beijing considers Taiwan a Chinese province and repeatedly protests against involvement by external forces in cross-Strait politics.

The number of countries that recognize Taiwan has steadily dwindled over the past several decades under pressure from Beijing.

Four of the 14 states that Taiwan lists as diplomatic allies are small Pacific island nations. In 2019, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati switched their diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan.

During the past two decades China has become a source of infrastructure, loans and aid for economically-lagging island nations in the Pacific as it seeks to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and gain allies in international organizations such as the United Nations.

Beijing also hopes to establish a military presence in the Pacific in a challenge to American dominance, some analysts say. Last year, China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, alarming the U.S and Australia, which have stepped up their efforts to remain dominant powers in the region.

Micronesia, comprising dozens of islands, is one of three island nations in the northwestern Pacific that receive financial support from the U.S. government in exchange for defense and security under so-called compacts of free association.

I have had direct threats

As superpower competition in the region increases, Micronesia has faced mounting pressure to sign up to Chinese diplomatic initiatives in the Pacific, Panuelos letter said.

For instance, top Micronesian officials had experienced relentless harassment during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of Beijings efforts to ship Chinese-made vaccines to the country, he said.

Simply put, we are witnessing political warfare in our country, Panuelo said. Over the course of my administration, the scope has increased, as has the depth, as has the gravity.

Panuelo asserted that bribes and offers of bribes to Micronesian politicians by Chinas embassy are commonplace and in the form of cash, free air travel and other gifts.

Secessionist movements within Micronesia also are the recipients of Chinese funding, he said.

Officials compromised by Beijing had made audio recordings of meetings of Micronesias cabinet and shared them with the Chinese government, Panuelo alleged.

At a regional level, China had falsely claimed Micronesia was represented at a meeting between China and Pacific island governments in Fiji in July last year, the letter said.

A Micronesian citizen did attend the meeting  which was held at the same time as a summit of the 18-nation Pacific Islands Forum  but was not a representative of Micronesias government, according to Panuelo.

He also recounted being followed while in Fiji for the summit by two men who it was later ascertained were from Chinas embassy there. One was a Chinese military intelligence officer who, it transpired, had previously met with members of Micronesias cabinet.

To be clear: I have had direct threats against my personal safety from PRC officials acting in an official capacity, Panuelo said.
The Deuterocanonical books of the Bible refer to the books written between the Old and New Testament periods. They were accepted by the Jews of that period, particularly the Pharisees. However, they saw them as valuable to Jewish history but not divinely inspired. They held this view because they were written between when the book of Malachi was finished and the beginning of John the Baptists ministry. This period is known as the intertestamental period.

How Many Deuterocanonical Books Are There?

There are 12 deuterocanonical books: Tobit, Judith, Baruch, Sirach (or the writings of Ben Sirah), 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, 3 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees, Wisdom (Ecclesiasticus), Prayer of Manasseh, 1 Esdras, and 2 Esdras.

They also involve additions to three books accepted in the biblical canon.

Esther

- Adds references to the divine name (Esther is the only Old Testament book that doesnt mention God by name)

- Major additions and explanations, which detail:

- Mordecais dream, which is before Esther 1:1 in the Greek text. In the dream, two dragons are ready to fight. A spring grows into a great river when the righteous nation cries to God.

- After Esther 3:13, the text of Artaxerxes edict.

- After Esther 4:17, The prayers of Mordecai and Esther.

- An elaboration on Esther 5:1-2 discusses how the king was angry at Esthers intrusion and how God softened the kings heart toward Esther.

- After Esther 8:12, Artexerxes edict on behalf of the Jews.

- The interpretation of Mordecais dream (Esther 10:4-11:1)

These sections were moved to the end of the book by Jerome in his translation of the Bible into Latin, which may indicate his lack of trust in their authenticity.

Daniel

- Adds several stories to the text

- Begins with the story of Susanna, a Jewish woman falsely accused of adultery but acquitted by Daniel.

- Includes prayers and praises said by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego while inside the furnace.

- Bel and the Dragon, two stories condemning idolatry added at the end of chapter 12.

These sections were moved to the end of the book by Jerome in his translation of the Bible into Latin, which may indicate his lack of trust in their authenticity.

Psalm 151

- A Psalm supposedly written by David after he defeated Goliath. It is full of Biblical references. Only the Eastern Orthodox Church accepts this.

Most of the deuterocanonical books are also known as the Apocrypha, which means hidden writings because they were added to the end of most Bibles. Many of the more controversial doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church find their basis in the Apocrypha. Supporters of purgatory and indulgences often refer to the book of 2 Maccabees. The Eastern Orthodox Church accepts (3 and 4 Maccabees) as well as Psalm 151, none of which appear in the Apocrypha.

What Does Deuterocanonical Mean?

Deuterocanonical means second canon, in the same way the book of Deuteronomy means the second law. The deuterocanonical books of the Bible are not viewed as divinely inspired by Jews or most Protestants.

Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians do consider them inspired. The Roman Catholic Church upheld the status of the deuterocanonical books as inspired Scripture in 1546 at the Council of Trent. However, Luther and the rest of the Protestants rejected their status as divinely inspired, citing they did not meet the specifications of 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

What Is the Intertestamental Period When the Deuterocanonical Books Were Written?

The intertestamental period began in about 400 BC when God spoke through the prophet Malachi for the final time. It lasted until the first century AD (Jesus was crucified around 33 AD, and John the Baptist a few years before). Some know it as the four hundred years of silence. It was anything but silent.

During this time, the Jewish people were conquered and reconquered by a division of Alexander the Greats kingdom known as the Seleucids. Named for one of Alexanders generals, the Seleucid empire stretched through most of modern-day Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

The Seleucids were not fond of Jewish religious practice. One particularly hostile king, Antiochus Epiphanes, went so far as to set up an altar to Zeus and offer a pig in the Holy of Holies. This was not received well by the Jews and resulted in what is known as the Maccabean revolt. The revolution was a success, led by Judas The Hammer Maccabaeus (Maccabaeus means hammer). The revolution resulted in the Jewish people having their own kingdom, known as the Hasmonean dynasty, for 100 years. Many scholars believe that the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) was compiled and agreed upon during this time.

Thanks to Alexander, Greek was the language of the day. As a result, the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek. This translation became known as the Septuagint, which means the seventy writers. This is the Hebrew Bible translation that the New Testament authors quote in their letters. Thats why the references can sometimes differ in their words compared to the original Hebrew.

The intertestamental period also saw Judaism begin to take the shape it had in Jesus period. For one thing, many things were written on the resurrection of the dead, much to the chagrin of the Sadducees. Understanding this period can help unlock many of the controversies going on in Jesus day.

How Was the Church Canon Selected?

The canon for the Old Testament (also called the Hebrew Canon) was likely compiled between 167 and 67 BC, the Hasmonean Dynasty period. The Jews distinguished between the books written before the cessation of prophecy (Malachi is the last of the minor prophetic books) and those books that followed. The apostles likely had a similar view, as evidenced by the New Testament writers rarely quoting from the Apocrypha.

Bible translator Jerome said of the deuterocanonical books, The Church reads Judith, Tobit, and the books of Maccabees, but does not admit them among the canonical Scriptures. He indicates they are valuable for reading to gain context about the Jewish worldview. They are not, however, divinely inspired Scriptures.

Some references in the New Testament originate from certain books of the Apocrypha. The passage about the armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-20) borrows heavily from Wisdom 5:18-21. Paul clearly read the books but does not regard them as inspired. He changes the words and ideas within the passage substantially, which he never does with the inspired Word of God.

The New Testament was formed based on the early church fathers consensus and on which writings were most widely distributed and believed to originate from the apostles. The Gospels were nearly universally accepted by the early Church, as were the Acts of the Apostles and the writings of Paul.

Can We Learn Anything from the Deuterocanonical Books?

As mentioned earlier, the deuterocanonical books give valuable insight into the worldview of the Jewish leaders Jesus was dealing with. This is evident in 1-2 Maccabees, where the festival of Hanukkah originated. These books laid the backdrop for the zeal of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were one of the parties, along with the Sadducees, who banded together to defeat the Seleucids. However, because the Hasmonean Kings were not from Davids line, the Pharisees rejected them once they rose to power. This forced the ruling class to join forces with the Sadducees, which is why the Sadducees also occupied the role of high priest in Jesus time. However, the Hasmoneans and the Sadducees did not see eye to eye on many issues. Hasmoneans believed in the resurrection, whereas the Sadducees did not.

Many Protestant denominations see the deuterocanonical books as valuable but not inspired. They may read the books in church services to provide a historical framework for Gods inspired word that may not be clear to modern readers. That is why article six of the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church says, The Other Books (as Jerome said) the Church reads for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet does it does not apply to them to establish any doctrine.

These books may be confusing for some believers. Why would God allow there to be a different level of book of the Bible? Thankfully, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can prayerfully figure out what role these books can play in our own walks with God as we trust him to lead us.

Further Reading:

What Are the Lost Books of the Bible?

What Is the Gospel of Thomas?

What Is the Assumption of Moses?

What Is the Pseudepigrapha?

What Is the Book of Enoch and Should It Be in the Bible?

What Is the Book of Jubilees?

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Pierre Bamin

Ben Reichert works with college students in New Zealand. He graduated from Iowa State in 2019 with degrees in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and agronomy. He is passionate about church history, theology, and having people walk with Jesus. When not working or writing you can find him running or hiking in the beautiful New Zealand Bush.
Actress Amala Akineni, Dr Shilpi Reddy KIMS Hospital, British Deputy High Commissioner Gareth Wynn, FTCCI president Krishna Yedual at the inauguration of Business Women Expo 2023. (Photo:DC)

Hyderabad: Day 1 of the 3rd Business Women Expo for women entrepreneurs turned out to be a crowd-puller with the presence of over 220 exhibitors from 15 states and thousands of visitors on Friday.

The three-day exhibit also had the actress Amala akkineni, director of Annapurna Studio, and Gareth Wynn Owen, British Deputy High Commissioner to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, in attendance.

Dr K.B.R.S. Visarda, principal scientist-IIM; Deepthi Ravula, CEO, We Hub; Dr Shilpi Reddy, KIMS Hospital; M. Srinivas Rao, ministry of MSME; Kadambari Umapathy, founder, WeDo; Anil Agarwal, president of FTCCI; Krishna Yedula, secretary general, Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) and Sambit Kumar Mund, senior general manager, Hitex, joined them in the inauguration.

Addressing the gathering, Amala said there are three strengths and weaknesses to look out for in women. "The three strengths are understanding feminism and the equality of the sexes. The second strength is to be proud to be a businesswoman  75 per cent of the Indian population gets employment through family-run businesses. And the third strength was to build one's own identity and not be stereotyped," she said.

The three weaknesses were fence-sitting feminists, who ere neither there nor here, the second was the mindset that one cant do it, and the third was how women could be the worst enemies of women, she added.

Gareth Wynn Owenn said that to be successful, both genders need each other as partners in each others progress. "Hyderabad fosters a good business environment, we need to see more women in business. They bring more perspectives, and new ideas and broaden the horizon for better business," the envoy said.

The three-day expo, which will conclude on Sunday, is open from 10 am to 7 pm and close to 18,000 people are expected to visit the expo in the next two days.
Renewed interest from international investors has seen Chinese capital flow back into in the Melbourne commercial property market at a rate not seen in five years.

Stonebridge Property Group partner, Asia practice, Chao Zhang, says the company sold six properties to new Chinese investors in the past last week alone, worth a combined $12 million. They included shops at Aston Village, in Craigieburn, and 1/674-680 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, for $3.85 million.

High-net-worth investors from China have shown interest in pouring capital into larger, development assets. Credit: Bloomberg

He said renewed interest was also coming for larger, development assets. We have met with four ultra-high-net-worth Chinese buyers this year, each looking to spend more than $30 million on either development of passive investment opportunities, Zhang said.

We have not seen this much new Chinese capital coming into the country since 2017.
Andhra Pradesh High Court.(DC)

VIJAYAWADA: The AP Crime Investigation Department has challenged the ACB special courts order rejecting a plea for remand of skill development scam accused G.V.S. Bhaskar. In this connection, the CID moved a lunch motion in the AP High Court here on Friday.

A single-judge bench of Justice Bhanumathi heard the revision petition filed by a CID DSP and posted the next hearing to March 14.

Additional advocate general Ponnavolu Sudhakar, representing the CID, submitted to the court that the Siemens Industry Software Private Ltds former employee, Bhaskar, played a key role to jack up the cost of the project to `3,356 crore. "He conspired along with the top leaders in the previous Telugu Desam government to siphon off money."

CID counsel argued that the ACB special court rejected the CIDs plea for remand of Bhaskar by saying section 409 of IPC was not applicable in the present case. "The ACB court should make out which section was applicable or not only after completion of the inquiry in the case and filing of a charge sheet, and while taking up final hearing in the case. This should not be done at the time of seeking a remand of the accused," counsel said.

Counsel submitted to the court that the CID should take Bhaskar into custody to interrogate him in order to find out who all were involved in the multi crore scam.

The CID arrested Bhaskar in Pune, Noida, on March 7, brought him to Vijayawada on transit warrant and produced him before ACB special court on Thursday. The ACB special judge, after examining the remand report, said that section 409 of IPC was not applicable to the accused Bhaskar in this case and hence rejected the plea for his remand. It directed the CID to serve notice to the accused under section 41 (A) CrPC to continue the probe in the case.
Christian campaigner and NSW MP Fred Nile was taken to hospital after collapsing at a protest outside Channel 10s studios on Saturday.

The 88-year-old politician  who last year announced his retirement from the NSW Legislative Council before changing his mind and nominating to run in this months state election  collapsed shortly after addressing a crowd gathered to protest against controversial comments made by comedian Reuben Kaye on The Project two weeks ago.

An ambulance was called to Saunders Street in Pyrmont on Saturday morning, where paramedics treated a heat-related illness. He was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and was in a stable condition on Saturday night.

Fred Nile collapses at a rally in Sydney on Saturday. Credit: Michael Bianchino

About 600 protesters had gathered outside Channel 10s studios, praying for the network and the comedian Reuben Kaye for his joke about Jesus.
Unlike a lot of his colleagues, early childhood educator Jake Dovgan can afford to live near his north shore workplace  the only catch is he has to live with his parents.

Six-figure pay packets are now needed to avoid housing stress  paying more than 30 per cent of gross income on housing  across much of Sydney, prompting unions and business groups to warn that the housing affordability crisis is exacerbating shortages of key workers, especially in affluent areas.

Childcare worker Jacob Dovgan with two-year-olds Emily, Nicolo and Hayley. Credit: Brook Mitchell

With five years of work experience and multiple qualifications, Dovgan earns about $46,000 a year  less than half of what is required to afford Wavertons median weekly rent of $675 without suffering housing stress.

Dovgan gives his parents up to $100 a week towards food and board, leaving him enough money to enjoy life outside of work.
The weather system that has smashed the Gulf country  including one town losing power on Saturday  has dumped huge falls on central Queensland overnight and is making its way to the south-east corner.

Parts of Brisbane could be in for thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon and evening, with potential falls of up to 60 millimetres and the risk of flash flooding.

While it was difficult to know which suburbs could expect storms, most would receive at least some rain, according to Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Jonathan How.

Not everyones going to get these big falls, he said. Its more likely out west towards the Darling Downs, but there is still a risk of severe thunderstorms across the city.
Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt has donated $1 million to the campaign for an Indigenous Voice to parliament, as both sides seek to build war chests to pay for advertisements across television, print and online.

The executive chairman of Visy Industries recently committed the money to the Yes campaigns chief financing vehicle, Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition (AICR), which was granted tax deductibility status last month.

Visy boss Anthony Pratt has donated $1 million to the Yes side. Credit: Bloomberg

The group is also in talks with other individuals and businesses about donating similar amounts as it prepares to ramp up its campaign in the coming months, including the launch of television advertisements.

While representatives for Pratt and the AICR declined to confirm the donation, multiple sources with knowledge of the talks said the commitment was made in recent weeks.
Note the lack of a qualifier  Xi does not seek for China the dominant position in Asia or the dominant position in the Indo-Pacific. This speech was not released publicly by the party for six years, but since 2018 his intent has been plain  he seeks for China the dominant position in the world. Loading Is this realistic? It is indeed, according to the lead author of the 2018 US National Security Strategy. Only one country has the potential to dominate the US, Elbridge Colby told me last year. Only one country is amassing the power to be able to coerce the US economically, in turn positioning itself to be able to undermine its freedom and prosperity, he says: The only plausible way that could happen is China and Asia. Asia is about half of global GDP, in fact, probably more than that pretty soon, and China is by far the most powerful other state in the international system. So, by deduction, our most important interest is denying China hegemony over Asia. Which is why Joe Biden says the US is competing with China to win the 21st century. The slow-dawning comprehension has spread worldwide so that even the European Union abandoned its unwary welcome to the CCP. The EU now classifies China as a systemic rival promoting alternative models of governance. So, as Rudd says, the response may be slow in coming. But it is under way. As the Defence Minister, Richard Marles, told the House on Thursday: It is difficult to overstate the step that, as a nation, we are about to take. Australia will become just the seventh country to have the ability to operate a nuclear-powered submarine. We have never operated a military capability at this level before.

Hes talking about the AUKUS plan, of course, an agreement conceived under the Morrison government and due for formal announcement next Tuesday. And why has Australia never operated a military capability at this level before? Chiefly because Washington would not have considered giving it to us. Even if it had, past Australian governments would have baulked at the astronomical cost. So why now? Because Washington and Canberra share a rising fear of Chinas plans. The US wants more allied help to deter China from aggression. We cant do it by ourselves any more, as the White House Indo-Pacific co-ordinator, Kurt Campbell, told me last year. By sealing the AUKUS plan, Australia marks the moment when it chooses between two worlds. One is the world that China is building with its alternative models of governance, more colloquially known as dictatorship. The other is the world that tries to preserve as many of its present freedoms as possible. Both worlds, of course, are imperfect. But in the current world, Australia gets to decide for itself how imperfect it will be, and which imperfections it will try to fix. We get to debate, to protest, to think, to decide for ourselves.

In the world that China is building, Xi decides for us. What would that look like for Australia? Beijing already has given us an early blueprint of some of its ideas  the infamous 14 grievances or demands. Loading Remember that, at the same time China imposed its trade bans on Australia a little over two years ago, a pair of its diplomats handed the list of 14 to Nine reporter Jonathan Kearsley in the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra in November 2020. Dont remember them all? A quick recap of the main ones. First was that Australia had to accept foreign investment on Chinas terms, not ours. Second was that we had to accept Huawei to run our communications systems. Third was that Australia had to accept foreign interference by China. Fourth was to grant visas to anyone China chose. Fifth was to drop the call for a COVID inquiry. And so on, with the final two demanding self-censorship  number 13 was that Australian MPs stop criticising the CCP, and last was that the Australian media do the same. In other words, it was a demand that Australia reshape its laws and its liberties to suit the comfort and convenience of the Chinese Communist Party.

When Albanese on Tuesday announces the plan for the US and UK to help Australia get eight nuclear-powered submarines, it will be the moment that gives concrete expression to Australias choice. Asked last year whether Australia had to choose between the US and China, Albanese answered weve already chosen. Wed made the decision in 1951, he said, when Australia signed the ANZUS treaty. Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit: Its true that it was the moment Australia and the US became allies. But no treaty is any stronger than the political will of its signatories. New Zealand effectively pulled out of the treaty in the 1980s over US nuclear ship visits. NZ has yet to make its real choice between China and the US. For Australia, the contemporary choice will be next week when Albanese Labor commits Australia irrevocably to the Morrison Coalition proposal for AUKUS. It will not be a partisan policy. It will be a national decision.
The board of directors has approved the appointment for a period of five years with effect from December 20, 2023 to December 19, 2028 (both days inclusive). The aforesaid appointment would be subject to approval by the shareholders, said the company in a regulatory filing to exchanges.

Tech Mahindra, India's sixth largest IT services player, on Saturday announced the appointment of Mohit Joshi as MD & CEO designate. He will take over when CP Gurnani retires on December 19, 2023. He will join Tech Mahindra well before that date to allow for sufficient transition time.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on the premises of former Union Railway minister Lalu Prasad and his associates was a result of him being a part of the Mahagathbandhan in the state.

"The raids did not happen for five years from 2017. Why are they happening now? The simple reason is I am a part of the Mahagathbandhan. Such raids would not intimidate us and our government will smoothly manage Bihar," Kumar said.

Reacting on changing the alliance again, Nitish Kumar dismissed it as "rumours" saying that Mahagathbandhan is running smoothly in Bihar. "Don't worry and don't listen to rumours," he asserted.

On Friday, ED raided 15 premises of Lalu Prasad, his family members and close associates in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Mumbai, Ranchi and some other places. The ED sleuths had recovered Rs 53 lakh cash, 1.5 kg gold jewellery, 540 gram gold coins, and USD 1900 from the residences of Tejashwi Yadav and his sisters Ragini Yadav, Hema Yadav and Chanda Yadav.

--IANS

ajk/shb/
Advocate Nitesh Rana on Saturday resigned as the special public prosecutor of the Enforcement Directorate, citing personal reasons.

As a special public prosecutor since 2015, Rana represented the federal agency in several high-profile cases, including those against former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, Congress leader D K Shivakumar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his family, TMC leader Abhishek Banarjee, and Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

Rana said his office will inform the court about the situation till the time some arrangements are made by the Enforcement Directorate.

He represented the agency in matters such as the Jammu and Kashmir terror finding case against the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and in cases against terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin.

He also represented the agency in high-profile matters such as the Air India "scam", money laundering cases against Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Bhushan Power and Steel, Ranbaxy-Religare fraud, Sterling Biotech scam and the West Bengal cattle smuggling case.

The Forbes Magazine selected Rana in its "Legal Powerlist of 2020".

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Rana, 44, also represented the ED in court in the United Kingdom in money laundering probe-related proceedings.
One of the drug kingpins arrested by the Hyderabad police in January 2022 gave police multiple names. (DC image)

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad police arrested Mohammed Yagoub Mohamed Ali, a Sudan national, in November last with MDMA. He has been staying in the city on a student visa which he had secured in 2012 and has long since expired.

Further, he had arrested by the Cyberabad and Rachakonda police for drug smuggling. After coming out on bail in the latest case, he relocated to Mumbai to evade the local police.

Had his illegal stay been reported to the agencies dealing with overstaying foreign nationals, the possibility of him indulging in crime would have been prevented.

Cheruiyot Shyline Jeptoo, a Kenyan woman, came to India on a tourist visa in 2021 and did not go back even after it had lapsed. As there was no action on her despite overstaying, she took to trafficking and brought a Romanian and forced her into prostitution.

These are not two isolated cases of foreign nationals overstaying illegally in different parts of the city and indulging in illegal activities, more particularly drug trafficking.

A fundamental flaw which has allowed this is the lack of coordination between the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which is responsible for monitoring the movement of foreigners in the country, the police and law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Hundreds of foreigners are taking advantage of this and are having a free run.

Reportedly, there are over 1,000 foreigners staying illegally  those whose visas or passports or both have expired. Most of them are from Africa. It was alleged that they had identity documents of other nationalities and entered India by obtaining passports from those nations before entering India.

Inquiries revealed that this manipulation of passports and national identities are done through agents.

A bigger problem is that even if the illegal overstayers are caught, it becomes difficult to get their travel documents from the respective embassies which do not have the records. They simply disown their nationals.

One of the drug kingpins, Tony, arrested by the Hyderabad police in January 2022 gave police multiple names but they did not match with the citizenship details of Nigeria, his native country. It was only after a thorough investigation that police found that his actual name was Chukwu Ogbonna David.

Police said, "We are constantly pursuing the matter with all the agencies to regulate and restrict movement of these illegally staying foreign nationals," said an official.
Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed a resolution requesting the Centre to take strict action against the BBC for tarnishing the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots.

"The documentary was not just against PM Modi but against 135 crore citizens of the country," said minister Harsh Sanghavi.

"PM Modi dedicated his entire life to the service of the nation, weaponised the instrument of development and gave a befitting reply to anti-national elements. He worked hard to put India on the global stage," he said.

The BBC had in January this year released the documentary film titled 'India: The Modi Question," which features the Gujarat riots of 2002. The film caused controversy for alluding to the leadership of Modi as chief minister during the riots while disregarding the clean chit given by the Supreme Court.

The Ministry of External Affairs had termed it a "propaganda piece", saying it reflected a "colonial mindset".

During a visit to India, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that the issue of searches on BBC offices in India was raised with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a bilateral meeting.

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Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Cleverly said that BBC is an independent organisation and is separate from the UK Government.

"I didn't see the documentary but I've seen reactions in UK and India. BBC is an independent organisation and separate from the government. I enjoy a strong personal relationship with Dr Jaishankar...relationship between UK-India growing stronger by the day," said Cleverly when asked about the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In February this year, Income Tax authorities conducted searches at the offices of the British broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai.

The central government, in January, issued directions for blocking YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary 'India: The Modi Question'.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Telangana and Kerala on Sunday during which he will attend the CISF raising day celebrations in Hyderabad and address a rally at Thrissur besides attending other programmes, officials said on Saturday.

The home minister will be the chief guest at the 54th raising day parade of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the National Industrial Security Academy in Hyderabad. This is for the first time the CISF is holding its raising day celebrations outside the Delhi-NCR as per the government's recommendation to hold such events in different locations across the country, an official said.

After travelling to Kerala, Shah will visit the Sakthan Thampuran Palace in Thrissur in the afternoon before offering prayers at the Sree Wadakkunathan temple in the town. He will address the Janasakthi rally at the Wadakkunathan temple ground in the evening in Thrissur, the official said.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said that the hunger strike launched by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter and BRS MLC K Kavitha at Jantar Mantar in the national capital is an attempt to divert attention from other issues.

Jairam said the Rajya Sabha passed the women's reservation bill on March 10 in 2010, 13 years ago. Any bill passed in Rajya Sabha never lapses. 13 years have passed. We didn't have the majority and BJP was reluctant to support us.

"TRS supported BJP in Loksabha and YSRCP supports all the time. The hunger strike today at Jantar Mantar is an attempt to divert attention from other issues," Jairam Ramesh said.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLC and Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha on Friday launched a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in the national capital demanding the introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill in the current Budget session of Parliament.

While addressing a gathering, Kavitha said this Bill will help in the development of the nation and requested the central government to introduce the Bill in Parliament."The Women's Reservation bill is important and we need to bring it soon. I promise all women this protest will not stop until the bill is introduced. This Bill will help in the development of the nation. I request the BJP-led central government to introduce this Bill in parliament," she said.

"We are fighting the KCR-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi government in Telangana. Our main opponent is BRS. They have supported the Modi government, but in a few days, the climate has changed and they are trying to be part of the opposition. KCR "Ko Harao, Telangana Bachao", Jairam Ramesh added.

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She also thanked the BRS party leaders and cadre for extending their support to this protest.

"Empowering women in the legislative discourse cannot be demanded, it must be guaranteed particularly by the Government. I thank BRS party leaders and cadre for extending their support to this protest," the Telangana leader said in a tweet.

Earlier on Thursday said that 18 parties have confirmed their participation in the protest.
NITI Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission and Australia's national science agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have joined hands to encourage cooperation on innovations in areas of national challenges and shared priorities, an official statement said on Saturday.

The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and CSIRO have signed a letter of intent to drive innovation activities in areas of national challenges and shared priorities of both countries, the statement said.

The move came after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during his visit to India met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 10th March.

The meeting between the two prime ministers spanned across areas of mutual interest and explored avenues of strengthening bilateral engagement in a range of key areas with innovation as one key item, it added.

The statement said the letter of intent between AIM and CSIRO calls for a greater collaboration in areas of mutual interest and strategic priorities and serves as a general framework for cooperation intended to facilitate the development of more programme-specific interventions.

One of the programmes, India Australia Innovation and Technology Challenge (IA-ITC), intends to leverage the complementary capabilities and resources of the innovation ecosystem of both the countries, it added.

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The IA-ITC builds on the success of the India Australia Circular Economy (IACE) hackathon 2021, which witnessed university students, startups, and SMEs from both India and Australia develop innovative tech-based solutions for circularity in food system value chain.

Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director - AIM, NITI Aayog, said this partnership and the IA-ITC programme in particular is an exciting opportunity for India and Australia to collaborate at different levels of the ecosystem involving startups, SMEs, business incubators and accelerators, VCs and the industry.

This will open new horizons in knowledge sharing and co-creation given CSIRO's vast experience with science and technology programmes, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Friday vowed to work closely to take concerted action against globally proscribed terrorist entities and to contribute to the common fight against terrorism, including through combating terror financing.

Ways to deal with global terrorism figured prominently during wide-ranging talks between the two prime ministers at the first annual India-Australia Summit.

A joint statement said Modi and Albanese strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and emphasised the need for strengthened international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner.

They also underlined the need for action against those who encourage, support and finance terrorism or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, whatever their motivation may be.

"They called upon all countries to work together to root out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupt terrorist networks and their financing channels and halt use of terrorist proxies and cross-border movement of terrorists," the joint statement said.

It said the two prime ministers reiterated their condemnation of terrorist attacks in India and Australia, including the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks.

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The reference to cross-border movement of terrorists came in the backdrop of Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorism against India.

"The prime ministers emphasised the importance of perpetrators of terrorist attacks being systematically and expeditiously brought to justice," the statement said.

It said Modi and Albanese agreed to work together to take "concerted action against globally proscribed terrorist entities and individuals, and closely work together in the common fight against global terrorism, including through combating the financing of terrorism, monitoring and preventing illicit financial flows, money laundering and hawala (and) sharing intelligence".

"The prime ministers reiterated the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained, verifiable and irreversible action to ensure that no territory under their control is used for terrorist attacks, and to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of such attacks," it said.

"They expressed their commitment for working together to promote accountability for the perpetrators of such terrorist attacks, including through designations by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. They emphasised the need to bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice," it added.

The joint statement said Prime Minister Albanese commended India's hosting of the Special Session of the Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) of the UN Security Council (UNSC) in Mumbai and Delhi in October last year during which all Council members collectively paid homage to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

"Prime Minister Albanese also acknowledged the adoption of the 'Delhi Declaration on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes' at the special session of the CTC of the UNSC," it said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the state government will ensure the proposed hike in electricity tariffs is not irrational.

Fadnavis, who holds the power portfolio in the Eknath Shinde government, was speaking in the Legislative Council.

"The tariff hike is proposed because of the rising cost of coal and other factors that are unavoidable. Our government will not impose any extra charge on consumers. If required, our government will intervene to ensure Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) does not increase power tariffs irrationally," he said.

"There is going to be some hike in power rates because of factors such as import costs, transportation, wages etc. We will ensure the hike is linked with the increased input cost for power generation, he added.

Sources said the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd has proposed 14 per cent hike in power tariff.

Fadnavis said the MERC never accepts a hike proposal as it is and there would be some reduction in it.

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"The state government will definitely intervene in the matter and try to keep the proposed hike practical," he said.
The CID found that staff working in the company's branches at Narasaraopet, Eluru and Anantapur had absconded and searches are still continuing till last reports came in. (Photo: Twitter: @CID_AP_Official)

Vijayawada: Crime Investigation Department (CID) teams carried out simultaneous searches at the branches of Margadarsi Chit Funds Private Limited located in Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Vijayawada, Guntur, Narasaraopeta and Anantapur on Saturday.

Officials questioned the companys foreman (supervisors) on details of alleged fraud, recorded statements, examined records and seized some documents which the CID said were incriminating. However, the CID found that staff working in the companys branches at Narasaraopet, Eluru and Anantapur had absconded and searches are still continuing till last reports came in.

The searches comes a day after FIRs were registered on Friday under relevant sections and companys chairman Cherukuri Ramoji Rao, managing director Cherukuri Sailaja, and branch managers of the company were named as accused.

The sections include: 120 (B), 409, 420, 477 (A) read with 34 of IPC; section 5 of Andhra Pradesh Protection of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act, 1999 and section 76,79 of Chit Funds Act, 1982.

In October and November, 2022, the Registration and Stamps Department of Andhra Pradesh had inspected branches of the company along with other chit fund companies and noticed serious lapses which incude non-payment of monthly subscriptions, instalments in respect of multiple tickets held in the name of the company which were later substituted with new subscribers; foremen, instead of depositing future subscription amounts into second account as per norms were found to be be transferring the amount to the corporate office account and issuing a receipt carrying interest at four to five per cent in the name of the subscriber; and non-disclosure of revenue and expenditure account and statement of assets and liabilities and details of investment as per norms.

The Registration and Stamps Department also noticed lapses in the financial statements submitted by the company. Accordingly, the prescribed chit-wise balance sheet and profit and loss statements were not being maintained and submitted; an amount of Rs 459.98 core was shown in Note No. 7 of the balance sheets as investments; in Note 40, the company disclosed a list of three subsidiaries  Margadarsi Chits Private Limited, Chennai, Margadarsi Chits (Karnataka) Private Limited, Bengaluru and Ushakiron Media Private Limited, Hyderabad. The department noticed that though the first two firms were engaged in chit fund business, Ushakiron held 88.5 per cent of the paid-up capital and was not engaged in chit fund business.

Based on these findings and diversion of subscribers money, assistant registrars of chits at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Eluru, Vijayawada, Guntur, Palnadu, Kurnool and Anantapur lodged complaints with the CID which in turn registered cases and took up investigation and the subsequent searches.
The Jharkhand government on Saturday held a meeting with representatives of doctors' associations for discussing issues such as the implementation of the Medical Protection Act and an amendment to the Clinical Establishment Act.

The meeting was held by state Health Minister Banna Gupta with representatives of the Jharkhand Medical Service Association (JHASA) and the state wing of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Doctors' organisations of the state have been seeking greater protection at the workplace with amendments to the Clinical Establishment Act. They have also threatened to go on strike from March 13 over the issue.

The government is working for a constructive solution to the issues, the minister said.

IMA Jharkhand secretary Dr Pradip Kumar Singh told PTI, The meeting with the health minister was fruitful. We observed that the government is serious about our demands.

The doctors in the state went on a day-long token boycott of services on March 1 in protest against repeated assaults on medicos. They also organised a candlelight march on March 5.


A preliminary tally of the votes showed that the four measures Apple supported, including its board slate and compensation, were approved Friday. The five shareholder measures that it asked investors to reject failed to gain enough votes to pass. Apple Inc. investors reelected its board, approved its compensation plan and rejected the shareholder proposals that the company opposed, giving the iPhone maker a clean sweep during its annual meeting.



Cooks pay for 2023 will include a $3 million base salary, a $6 million cash bonus and stock awards worth about $40 million. Apples other top executives, which include the chief operating officer, finance chief, general counsel and head of retail, will each receive compensation of about $27 million apiece this year. Shareholders also approved a proposal to vote on compensation annually. The company had sought to stave off investor concerns about compensation in the run-up to the shareholder meeting. Apple said in January that Cooks pay package for 2023 would decline more than 40%, going from over $99 million in 2022 to a target of $49 million this year. The CEOs pay will also be more closely tied to overall company performance. The reduction came after institutional shareholders and advisers criticized his compensation.



A measure also sought to make Apple report annually on its reliance on China, which a shareholder group called a serial human rights violator, a geopolitical threat and an adversary to the United States. Apple pushed back on the proposal, saying it is committed to human rights and that it already provides information about its business with China in filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The measure failed. A civil rights measure sought to commission a company audit on Apples impact in that area, including its inclusion and diversity efforts. Last year, shareholders defied Apples recommendation and voted for another civil rights proposal. Apple advised shareholders to vote against the measure this year, arguing that the audit from last year was already in progress.

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Apples entire board, which includes Cook, Chairman Arthur Levinson, former US Vice President Al Gore and BlackRock Inc. co-founder Susan Wagner, was reelected. An Apple shareholder had called for the removal of both Gore and Cook, an effort that didnt gain momentum. The other rejected proposals included one about board director engagement with shareholders, the reporting of racial and gender pay gaps at the company, and a bylaw amendment that would call for more shareholder representation on the board.



The executives took the form of memojis  the virtual characters Apple offers in iMessage  and shareholders who submitted proposals spoke via prerecorded messages. Before the meeting began, Apple showed videos of its latest devices, including the new AirPods Pro and Apple Watch Ultra, in addition to billboards globally highlighting the iPhone 14 Pro. The company also played a commercial for the new yellow iPhone 14 color. The Cupertino, California-based company has held the meeting virtually since 2021, when the Covid pandemic prompted the change. During Fridays gathering, Cook made the introductory remarks and took questions. Kate Adams, the companys general counsel, handled the formal portion of the meeting and the voting process.



Shareholders voted on nine proposals in all: four from Apple and five from outside investors. While shareholders typically abide by the companys advice, they have broken with management on a few issues in recent years. That includes voting last year in favor of a public report on using concealment clauses in employee contracts. Apple shares have climbed about 15% this year, far outpacing the S&P 500 Index. The stock slipped 1.1% to $148.93 as of 1:15 p.m. in New York on Friday.



Cook said he sees an incredible amount of opportunity in India and reiterated plans to soon open the companys first store in the nation. Apple also is breaking India out into its own sales region, further signaling the countrys importance, Bloomberg News reported earlier this week. Cook talked up growth in Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico as well. At Fridays meeting, Cook said that Apple has adapted to the long-term effects of the pandemic, as well as the war in Europe and economic tumult. He also talked up the companys latest Apple Watch, TV set-top box, iPad, iPhone, HomePod and AirPods features. And Cook touted the latest shows on its TV+ streaming service and services like Apple Music, Pay and Fitness+.

The CEO said Apple continues to plan for annual dividend increases in the future. Asked about the economy, Cook said that its as complex as its ever been and that the company is being very deliberate on hiring and spending. Cook also said that Apple will continue working on streamlining its supply chain.


China's Parliament on Saturday confirmed President Xi Jinping's close aide Li Qiang as the country's new Premier, succeeding Li Keqiang who held the post for the last 10 years overseeing the second largest economy.

The annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), a ceremonial body that routinely passes the proposals of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), approved Li Qiang's candidature after his name was proposed by Xi himself.

Li Qiang, 63, stated to be a pro-business politician in Xi's inner circle, will be the number two ranked official of the CPC and the government after Xi, who was Friday confirmed for an unprecedented third five-year term.

Xi, 69, is the only leader after the party founder Mao Zedong to have more than two five-year tenures and he is widely expected to be in power for life.

Li Qiang, who worked with Xi during his provincial stints before shifting to the central government as Vice President, was head of the party in Shanghai, China's largest modern business hub.

His handling of the last year's COVID outbreak, keeping the city of over 26 million under lockdown for about a month drew sharp criticism at home and abroad as it resulted in heavy hardships for the population.

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Li Qiang is expected to galvanise the private sector as well as foreign investments into the second largest economy dispelling the impression that the government, which resorted to crackdown against top business houses like Alibaba in the last few years, is reverting to the state-owned enterprises.

The outgoing Premier Li Keqiang who submitted this year's work report proposing a five per cent growth rate target for the economy, the lowest in decades, retired this week.

Considering the Chinese economy registered a three per cent GDP last year, its lowest in decades, the focus will be on Li Qiang to shoulder the responsibility of shoring up the economy to previous levels of growth, defusing immediate risks, tapping into long-term growth potential and elevating China into a high-income economy during his tenure.
Shilpa Medicare announced that the company's Analytical Services Division situated at Unit 7, Nacharam, Hyderabad, Telangana has been inspected by US FDA during 08 March 2023 to 10 March 2023. This is a full GMP inspection.

The inspection closed with 2 minor observations, which are related to improvements in existing procedures and are addressable.

This is the second US FDA inspection on the site. The initial inspection was done during April 2022, for which the GMP clearance (EIR) was issued in July 2022.

The facility is involved in analytical testing of drug products, drug substances, raw materials & packing materials. It is also engaged in analytical method validations, method transfers and conduct of other miscellaneous studies. This facility is involved in the testing of US/EU & other markets commercial batches.

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Trident announced its production update for February 2023 on Friday, 10 March 2023.

In the home textile division, production of bath linen jumped 17.91% to 3,312 metric tonnes (MT) in February 2023 as compared to 2,809 MT posted in February 2022. Production of bed linen rose 6.54% to 2.77 million metres (MM) in February 2023 from 2.6 MM recorded in February 2022.

However, production of yarn slipped 12.68% to 7,575 MT in February 2023 as against 8,675 MT reported in the same period last fiscal.

In paper & chemicals division, production of paper was at 11,949 MT (down 4.1% YoY) and production of chemicals stood at 8,356 MT (down 4.64%) during the period under review.

Headquartered in Punjab, Trident is vertically integrated textile (yarn, bath & bed linen) and paper (wheat straw-based) manufacturer and is one of the largest players in home textile space in India. The company operates in two major business segments: textiles and paper with its manufacturing facilities located in Punjab and Madhya Pradesh.

The company's standalone net profit tumbled 32.1% to Rs 142.04 crore on 17.3% decline in net sales to Rs 1,618.40 crore in Q3 FY23 over Q3 FY22.

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Shares of Trident shed 0.36% to end at Rs 30.68 on Friday.

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Cause of gender equality enjoys sustained, healthy development in China

14:26, March 11, 2023 By Zou Shanshan ( People's Daily

A volunteer and Party head (right) of Hangyao village, Hai'an, east China's Jiangsu province, sell long green onions on a livestream platform, March 7, 2023. (Photo by Zhai Huiyong/People's Daily Online)

Women's status mirrors a country's social etiquette and civility.

In China, female pediatric intensive care specialist Qian Suyun, who has nearly 40 years of pediatric experience, has brought a ray of hope to numerous children in emergency and critical conditions with her superb medical skills and ethics.

Bi Lixia, a woman that heads a rice farming cooperative in Jianli, central China's Hubei province, has actively applied technologies in rice growing, contributing her strength to maintaining food security.

They are representatives of today's females and have proven that women are creators of material and spiritual wealth and represent an important force driving social development and progress with concrete actions. Such progress is inseparable from the high-quality development of the cause of gender equality in China in the new era.

China attaches high importance to the cause of gender equality. In the country, women are able to exercise their democratic rights, participate in economic and social development, and benefit from the outcomes of reforms and development on an equal and legal basis.

So far, it has built a legal system for the protection of women's rights and interests, which covers over 100 separate laws and regulations. The average life expectancy of women has exceeded 80 years. The gender gap in the nine-year compulsory education has been basically eliminated. Women accounted for over 50 percent of students in institutions of higher education.

As of the end of 2020, the number of women participating in maternity insurance had reached 103 million, and 650 million women participated in basic medical insurance. Women accounted for 40 percent of the labor force and 45.8 percent of the total science and technology personnel across China.

These sets of data reflect the efforts made by China to promote the cause of gender equality, the solid guarantee for women's rights and interests, the broad rights and interests enjoyed by women, and the increasingly prominent role of women in economic and social development.

Women are gaining increasing senses of achievement, happiness and safety, and their confidence is growing in pursuing their own dreams.

In the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the country vowed to remain committed to the fundamental national policy of gender equality and protect the lawful rights and interests of women and children, eliminate unjustified restrictions and discrimination that undermine equal employment, and establish a policy system to boost birth rates. It has charted the course for achieving greater gender equality.

The cause of gender equality in China is entering a golden period featuring more benefits for women, a better development environment, and leapfrogging progress.

From finding a balance between work and family to breaking through the glass ceiling in the workplace, Chinese women's development is supported by the entire society. As relevant parties work together to keep advancing the healthy development of gender equality, the cause will see broader and brighter prospects.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha addresses a press conference in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)

Hyderabad: "My daughter Kavitha might be arrested by Enforcement Directorate," BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is believed to have told the party executive at a meeting at Telangana Bhavan here on Friday. "I have asked K.T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao to rush Delhi to support her."

The two ministers left for Delhi on Friday evening.

The CM told the meeting that they did not fear such arrests and would continue to fight against the BJP.

This left the BRS leaders on the edge though there seemed to be good news for the party with Hyderabad- based businessman Arun Ramachandra Pillai on Friday moving an application to retract his state-ment to the ED on Kavitha.

Pillai moved the application before Delhi's Rouse Avenue court. The court issued a notice to the ED over Pillai's plea.

On March 7, the ED had arrested Pillai in the Delhi liquor scam. In its remand report, the ED stated that Pillai had confessed to be being a benami of Kavitha. Based on this, the ED had built its case against Kavitha.

Pillai taking a U-turn, it was said, now cast a doubt over the progress of this case.

A battery of lawyers from the BRS legal cell rushed to Delhi on Friday to extend legal assistance to Kavitha prior to and after ED's questioning.

It is learnt that Kavitha is expected to reach the ED office after 10 am on Saturday.

The CM alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre was misusing central investigation agencies such as CBI, ED and the I-T department to target Opposition parties and ED's notice to Kavitha was part of it.

"A few people are saying that Kavitha will be arrested in this case. Let them arrest her. We will not fear summons and arrests. We will continue to fight against the BJP until it is ousted from power at the Centre," he reportedly said, according to party sources.

The CM said that the BJP government had targeted Telangana ministers, BRS MPs, MLAs, MLCs and MPs in the past few months using central agencies and now it was the turn of Kavitha.

"These raids, cases and arrests by central agencies will continue. There is no need for panic. We will face them politically and legally. The party leadership will extend all moral and legal support for all the leaders who will be victims of central agencies, " Rao reportedly said.

He alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was unable to digest the rapid development of Telangana state in all sectors achieved in the last eight years and conspiring to create hurdles in its growth.

"They are harassing our ministers, MLAs, MPs, MLCs with CBI, ED and I-T raids. Let us not give up. Let us fight unitedly until BJP vanishes from this country," Rao said.
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Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai released Rs 900 crore to 1.14 lakh beneficiaries on behalf of various corporations on Saturday. As the state is heading to assembly elections, countdown has begun for the same.

Speaking at a function organised by the Department of Backward Classes here, he said if those for whom this seat of power had been constructed, take benefit of the government scheme, reflects the prevalence of a real democracy.

The government is established by the people and understanding this, they must work in Soudha. The life of people will not improve just by making the empty promise of justice, he stated.

The changes can be expected if the government chalks out the schemes to help people to live with self-respect. Democracy will win if the life of backward classes improves. The real backward leaders are those who take the right decision in their favour at the right time, Bommai said.

"The facilities are distributed to the beneficiaries today and if this was done in the last seven decades it would not have been required at present. That amount of funds would have been spent on higher education," the Chief Minister said.

"If everyone had got shelter, they need not have built houses. If everyone was self-employed, others could have been helped. But nothing of this sort happened. At least in the coming days, this must change. The facilities distributed to them are their rights and the government is not showing any favour to them. If the government is sensitive and responsive, it can understand problems and announce the schemes accordingly," he stated.

Also Read Union Budget to be pro-people, will boost economic growth: Basavaraj Bommai Aero India 2023: Karnataka to add to strength of defence, says Bommai Karnataka's 'pro-people' budget likely to be presented on Feb 17: CM Bommai CM Bommai vows to bring 'pro-people' BJP govt back to power in Karnataka Will have to rethink water supply to K'taka: Maha minister on border row Kharge slams ED searches at Yadav family premises, hits out at Modi govt Nitin Gadkari flags poor quality of DPRs of road projects as major problem India, Australia pledge to boost economic and security relations Gujarat Assembly passes resolution against BBC for 2002 riots documentary MCD to adopt Kejriwal model of education, transform schools: Shelly Oberoi

--IANS

mka/uk/
Opposition Leader in the Kerala State Assembly and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Friday sought a reply from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M's state secretary MV Govindan on fresh allegations levelled by Swapna Suresh.

Opposition leader Satheesan said if the allegations against the duo are false they should take legal action against her.

"Government also sent a middleman to influence Swapna Suresh earlier. In the present case, there is no need to disbelieve Swapna primarily. The government is afraid that Swapna will reveal more. The Principal Secretary (M Sivasankar), who had excessive powers in the Chief Minister's office, is now in jail. The Additional Private Secretary to the Chief Minister (CM Raveendran) was summoned for continuous questioning. There is more evidence about this in the hands of Swapna," he said.

"Chief Minister and the party secretary should respond to this. Legal action should be taken against Swapna if she is wrong," Satheesan said.

"Earlier, when Swapna accused the Chief Minister, not even a defamation notice was sent. There was no legal action," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Swapna Suresh CPM secretary Govindan Master offered her a hefty amount of Rs 30 crore to leave the country and settle anywhere else. She even accused him of threatening her with dire consequences if she did not stop speaking about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Also Read Life Mission case: After 9-hour grilling session, ED makes headway After appointment fiasco, wife of OSD to Pinarayi Vijayan in more trouble Kerala HC rejects plea claiming arrest, detention for waving black flags Congress, BJP want FIR to be registered against CPI(M) leaders: Swapna Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan calls on Centre to set up AIIMS in Kozhikode BRS's Kavitha leads hunger strike seeking passage of Women Reservation bill BJP will not get more than 65 seats: D K Shivakumar on Karnataka elections Sanction Maharashtra two more airports: Aditya Thackeray urges Scindia Karnataka bribery case: Accused MLA Madal likely to be expelled from BJP Activists of Shiv Sena factions clash in Thane over control of party office

"I started revealing the truth after I came to know the true colour of M Shivshankar (former principal secretary to the Kerala CM). I got an anonymous phone call from a person called Vijay Pillai. He came for a settlement talk. He said to move out of Bangalore and leave the place. CPM party secretary Govindan Master had told him to threaten me and leave the place. They asked me to stop speaking about Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter and businessman Yussaf Ali. They offered me Rs 30 crore," she alleged in a Facebook live post.

Swapna said that she has no "personal agenda" against the Kerala Chief Minister, however, Master threatened to "finish" her life and gave her 2 days to decide.

However, middleman Vijesh Pillai refuted all the allegations.

Talking to the media on Friday, Pillai said, "Swapna Suresh's allegations are false. I don't know CPI (M) state secretary MV Govindan directly and have only seen him in the media. There was no mention of the Chief Minister in our meeting. Swapna has to prove the allegation that I threatened her."

Earlier in October last year, Swapna Suresh alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan is taking up projects in the state for his daughter Veena Vijayan and for the future generations of his family in the guise of development.

"Chief Minister's projects making undue commissions and for building an empire for his daughter or for his family or for the future generations of his family in the disguise of development. It should not be Kerala's FON, it shouldn't be Kerala Fibre Optical Network, it should be Veena or Vijayan Fibre Optical Network," Swapna had told ANI.

Swapna Suresh, a former employee of UAE Consulate, is one of the prime accused in the gold smuggling case.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs had in July, 2020, seized 30 kilograms (66 lb) of 24 carat gold worth Rs 14.82 crores from a diplomatic bag at Thiruvananthapuram Airport. The bag was meant to be delivered to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

Following the seizure, M Sivasankar, the principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, was also suspended and removed from his post after preliminary inquiry confirmed that he had links with Swapna Suresh.
A key annual meeting of the RSS leadership will begin here on Sunday and the deliberations will focus on how to create an atmosphere of social harmony, motivate people to perform their duties and make them self-reliant.

The three-day meeting will also review the progress of the organisation's expansion plan for the centenary of its foundation in 2025, head of media relations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sunil Ambekar earlier said.

He said the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha will be attended by more than 1,400 office-bearers, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale.

From the BJP, president J P Nadda and general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh will attend the meeting, he said.

A select number of office-bearers of 34 RSS-linked organisations including Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) will also attend it, he added.

The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha is the highest decision-making body of the RSS, the ideological fountainhead of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

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Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Ambekar said, "RSS shakhas are actually centres for bringing change in society and they work for it in their respective jurisdictions based on the study of society conducted by swayamsevaks."



The three-day meeting, organised in Samalkha in Haryana's Panipat district, will discuss the studies done by the swayamsevaks (volunteers) over the past few years and the work done on the basis of such studies, he said.

The meeting will discuss a range of socio-economic issues, "especially how to create an atmosphere of social harmony, motivate citizens to perform their duties and make them self-reliant," Ambekar said.

It will also review the functioning of shakhas (local meeting units) and prepare a future road map, he added.

Its delegates are free to raise any issue or share their experiences at the meeting.

The Pratinidhi Sabha will adopt some resolutions before the conclusion of the meeting on March 14, he added.

"The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is going to complete 100 years of its establishment in 2025. The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha will review the work in 2022-23 under its centenary-year expansion plan and set targets for 2023-24," Ambekar said.
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BMW Motorrad commences its most awaited training program  GS Experience 2023 in Mumbai. GS Experience will offer riders a unique opportunity to experience the exceptional capabilities of BMW Motorrads class-leading legendary GS range in its natural habitat. The two-day curated training sessions are designed exclusively for BMW adventure motorcyclists and will be held in Pune, Maharashtra on 11-12 March 2023.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a post-budget webinar on 'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman', on Saturday, (PTI)

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed a post-Budget Webinar on the subject of 'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman'. The webinar was the last and final of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for effectively implementing the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that for the last three years, a tradition of a post Budget dialogue with the stakeholders has emerged.

He expressed happiness that all stakeholders have participated productively in these discussions.

He noted that instead of discussing the making of the Budget, the stakeholders have discussed the best possible ways of implementing the provisions of the Budget.

The Prime Minister remarked that the series of post-budget webinars is a new chapter where the discussions held inside the Parliament by Parliamentarians are being held by all stakeholders where getting valuable suggestions from them makes for very useful practice.

The Prime Minister said that today's webinar is dedicated to the skill and expertise of the crores of Indians.

Referring to skilling and creating job opportunities for crores of youth through Skill India Mission and Kaushal Rozgar Kendra, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for a specific and targeted approach.

PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman Yojana or PM Vishwakarma, the Prime Minister said is a result of this thinking. Explaining the need for the scheme and the rationale of the name 'Vishwakarma', the Prime Minister talked about the exalted status of Lord Vishwakarma in the Indian ethos and a rich tradition of respect for those who work with their hands with implements.

He said while a few sectors' artisans received some attention, many classes of artisans such as carpenters, ironsmiths, sculptors, masons and many others that are an integral part of society have been adapting to the changing times to fulfill the needs of the society that were ignored.

"Small artisans play an important role in the production of local crafts. PM Vishwakarma Yojana focuses on empowering them", PM Modi said.

He informed that skilled craftsmen were contributing in their own ways towards exports in ancient India.

He lamented that this skilled workforce was neglected for a long time and their work was considered non-significant during the long years of slavery.

Even after India's independence, the Prime Minister pointed out that there was no intervention from the government to work for their betterment and as a result, many traditional ways of skill and craftsmanship were abandoned by the families so that they could make a living elsewhere.

He underlined that this working class have conserved their craft of using traditional methods for centuries and they are making a mark with their extraordinary skills and unique creations.

"Skilled craftsmen are symbols of the true spirit of self-reliant India and our government considers such people as Vishwakarma of new India," he said.

He explained that PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman Yojana is initiated especially for them where the central focus remains on those skilled craftsmen from villages and towns who create a living by working with their own hands.

Focussing on the social nature of human beings, the Prime Minister said that there are streams of social life which are essential for the existence and thriving of society. These tasks, despite the growing influence of technology, remain relevant. PM Vishwakarma Yojana focuses on such scattered artisans, he said.

Referring to Gandhi ji's concept of Gram Swaraj, the Prime Minister highlighted the role of these professions in village life along with agriculture. "Empowering every section of the village for its development is essential for India's development journey", he said.

He also stressed the need to reorient the skill infrastructure system according to the needs of Vishwakarma.

Mentioning the continued attraction of hand-made products, the Prime Minister said that the government will provide holistic institutional support to every Vishwakarma of the country. This will ensure easy loans, skilling, technical support, digital empowerment, brand promotion, marketing and raw material.

"The objective of the scheme is to develop traditional artisans and craftsmen while preserving their rich tradition", he said.

"Our aim is that Vishwakarmas of today can become entrepreneurs of tomorrow. For this, sustainability is essential in their business model", he said.

PM Modi emphasized that the needs of the customers are also being taken care of as the government is keeping its eye out not only on the local market but also targeting the global market. He requested all the stakeholders do a hand-holding of Vishwakarma colleagues, increasing their awareness and thereby helping them in moving forward. For this you have to go to the ground, you have to go among these Vishwakarma companions.

He highlighted that artisans and craftsmen can be strengthened when they become a part of the value chain and pointed out that many of them can become suppliers and producers for our MSME sector.

Noting that they can be made an important part of the economy with the help of tools and technology, the Prime Minister said that industry can increase production by linking these people with their needs where skill and quality training can be provided.

He further emphasized that better coordination between the Governments will help in the financing of projects by banks.

"This can be a win-win situation for every stakeholder. Corporate companies will get quality products at competitive prices. Banks' money will be invested in schemes which can be trusted. And this will show the widespread effect of the schemes of the government", he said.

The PM expressed confidence that the partnership with the private sector will be further strengthened through PM-Vishwakarma so that the innovation power and business acumen of the private sector can be maximized.

Requesting all the stakeholders to prepare a robust blueprint, He emphasized that the government is trying to reach the people in the remote parts of the country and many of them are getting the benefits of the government schemes for the first time. Most of the artisans are from Dalit, Adivasi, and backward communities or are women and to reach and provide benefit to them a practical strategy will be needed. "For this, we will have to work in a time-bound mission mode", he said further.
AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh addresses a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan. (Photo: P. Surendra)

Hyderabad: Former Union minister and AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh asserted on Friday that if the Congress was elected to power, the party would hold Dharani Adalats in all 119 Assembly constituencies and all land would be re-surveyed, while claiming that 20 of the 60 lakh landowner accounts on the Dharani portal had several errors and discrepancies.

Addressing the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Friday, Ramesh indicated that farmers were worried over the BRS government's flawed Dharani system. Land issues were widespread in Telangana, he claimed, while criticising the BRS government for failing to adequately and properly maintain the Dharani portal.

Telangana has 125 Acts and 30,000 pages of land records, he stated, and that once in power, the Congress will pass tougher legislation to curb land record discrepancies.

The Congress introduced the Land Act, 2013, which prohibits property acquisition without the consent of the landowner, while ensuring that the party, if elected, will not pursue coercive land acquisition, he stated.

"We will also take up initiatives for the welfare of the state's 15 lakh tenant farmers," he said, while chastising the BRS government for ignoring tenant farmers.

In the Assembly elections in 2023, he claimed, the Congress would form alliances with other parties in Telangana to combat the BRS and depose the party from office. According to Ramesh, only Congress governments were implementing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

According to him, the BJP government in Karnataka has declared that it will send a delegation to study the Rajasthan model. He stated that different points of view are prevalent in the Congress.

Meanwhile, the Congress launched the 'Congress Assurance Card' at Sultanpur village, Peddapalli district. Thirtyone farmers received the cards as part of the Dharani Adalat programme, which was held in the presence of TPCC president A.Revanth Reddy. AICC in-charge for Telangana affairs Manikarao Thakre, AICC chairman (SC wing) Koppula Raju, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, MLA D.Sridhar Babu and others were present.
Bandi Sanjay said KCR is now visibly afraid and there is no question of letting his family, steeped in corruption, go free. The BRS has just a few more months left and after that it will be BJP that will come to power in Telangana.

HYDERABAD: Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said the Bharat Rashtra Samithis Friday extended meeting of its executive members, MLAs, MLCs, and MPs resembled that of a gathering at a funeral. Addressing a party campaign meeting in Mahbubnagar in support of A.V.N. Reddy, the partys MLC poll candidate for the Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar districts teachers constituency, Sanjay said "KCR is now visibly afraid and there is no question of letting his family, steeped in corruption, go free. The BRS has just a few more months left and after that it will be BJP that will come to power in Telangana."

Sanjay said once the BJP comes to power, it will ensure "payment of salaries to government employees on the first of every month, clear pending DA arrears in one month after taking charge, and set up a Pay Revision Commission and implement its recommendations. Our government will also sort out the transfers issues of teachers, and ensure timely promotions."
BRS MLC K Kavitha at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, in New Delhi, Saturday, March 11, 2023. (PTI Photo)

HYDERABAD: The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday questioned BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha for nine hours about the Delhi liquor scam on the first day. She was asked to appear again for questioning on March 16.

During the session lasting from 11 am to 8 pm, officials recorded Kavithas statements in connection with her alleged role in the case. Five officials, including a joint director, a woman deputy director and three assistant directors, were part of the team that questioned her.

In the morning, Kavitha, 44, appeared at the ED office alone and her photograph and signature were taken and formalities completed before she was taken for questioning. A video clip of Kavitha sitting at the entrance of the ED office while providing details was widely shared.

The ED has stated that South Group, comprising Aurobindo Pharma director P. Sarath Chandra Reddy, auditor G. Buchi Babu, businessman Abhishek Boinapalli and K. Kavitha played a key role in the Delhi liquor scam, by allegedly formulating an excise policy in its favour. The so-called South Group, which also includes AP YSRC MP Magunta Sambasiva Reddy and his son Raghava Reddy, possessed nine retail business zones.

Kavitha's statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

Sources said she was confronted with statements made by Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai, an arrested accused who allegedly shares close ties with Kavitha. He will be produced on court on Monday.

Pillai, an alleged frontman of the South Group, has moved a court accusing the ED of securing his statement by coercion.

Kavitha has previously denied any wrongdoing, and has alleged that she was named as part of a conspiracy by the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Armed with documents and statements of the other accused, Kavitha was asked about the irregularities and her role in the incident from 11.30 am to 1.45 pm. Her statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), sources said.

After a lunch break  in which Kavitha preferred a rice-based meal  the questioning resumed around 3 pm.

ED officials asked her to produce her mobile phone, following which Kavithas driver brought the phone from her car. The ED seized it for investigation.

Around 7 pm, the Delhi police deployed a large contingent of police, asking mediapersons and BRS leaders and activists to vacate the entrance gate of the ED office.

Around 8 pm, Kavita exited the office and proceeded to her father's residence on Tughlak Road in Delhi about 1.5 km away.

Later, ministers K.T. Rama Rao and Harish Rao accompanied Kavitha to the airport and returned to Hyderabad.
The ability of machines with artificial intelligence capabilities to use pre-existing text, audio files, or images to create new content is known as generative AI. The application of Generative AI is still in its infancy, and as technology develops and advances, its influence is likely to increase. The creation of these technologies and their quick spread in industries including manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and others are recognised by the government.

The government views artificial intelligence (AI) as a vital facilitator for the expansion of our digital economy, as well as for investments and job opportunities. Prime Minister Modi was quoted as saying, "Any society that does not innovate, stagnates," According to Goyal, artificial intelligence would genuinely serve as a driver for India's progress.

He claimed that the "Made in India" initiative combined with AI technology would make India the global manufacturer of both technology and equipment. He stated that the vast skill pool in the nation will undoubtedly aid in the exploration of innovative applications for AI in all spheres of economic activity.

The NITI Aayog-prepared national artificial intelligence plan for India has outlined the best course of action for utilising artificial intelligence (AI) in a variety of contexts. India benefits from the use of artificial intelligence (AI) methods and initiatives to meet societal demands in sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, smart cities and infrastructure, including smart mobility and transportation, using such dynamic data. Around the beginning of the twenty-first century, electronics were found in practically every produced good.

Nowadays, data gathering, processing, and computing power have made amazing strides. Today, intelligent systems can be used for a number of decisions and tasks to improve productivity and provide greater connectivity. This article examines the growth of AI, its range of applications globally, and its progress in India.

Evolution of AI

1950s Neonate: Culturing the idea of AI

1970s Infant: Brain Storming stage of AI

1980s Reignition: Funding and algorithm generation

2000s Beta Stage: Availability of computing hardwares to install algorithm

2010s Full Bloom: Intensive use cases (IoT, VR, AR, Big Data)

India's ecosystem for AI research and intelligence

India is ranked 10th in the world for research and has 386 of the 22,000 PhD-educated researchers in the globe.

In the world, India came in at number 13 with 44 excellent presentations at major AI conferences.

Framework for promoting Artificial Intelligence Research in India

Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (IM-ICPS) has suggested the following four-tier framework for promoting AI research

a) ICON (International Centres of New Knowledge)

b) CROSS (Centre for Research On Sub-Systems)

c) CASTLE (Center for Advanced Studies, Translational research and Leadership): focusing on development and deployment of application based research

d) CETIT (Centre of Excellence in Technology Innovation and Transfer)

AI Research in India

A two-tiered integrated strategy is suggested to advance both fundamental and practical AI research

1. COREs (Centres of Research Excellence in Artificial Intelligence): According to the IM-ICPS framework, COREs will execute the duties of both ICON and CROSS by focusing on the core research of AI.

2. ICTAI (International Centre for Transformational Artificial Intelligence): According to the IM-ICPS framework, ICTAIs will execute the duties of both CASTLE and CETIT by providing the ecosystem for application-based technology development and deployment.

AI Opportunities in India

AI has the potential to stimulate Growth rate by facilitating

(a) Intelligent automation, or the capacity to automate complex physical world processes that call for industry-wide flexibility and agility,

(b) Labour and capital augmentation: enhancing human capabilities, enhancing capital efficiency, and enabling humans to concentrate on roles that offer the most value.

(c) Promoting innovation diffusion, or advancing innovations as they spread throughout the economy.

Initiatives By The Government

Government of India has taken several steps to promote upskilling or reskilling in the field of Artificial Intelligence which include the following

Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has initiated a programme titled FutureSkills PRIME (www.futureskillsprime.in) in collaboration with NASSCOM, a B2C framework for re-skilling/ up-skilling of IT professionals in 10 Emerging areas including Artificial Intelligence. So far, 7 Lakh candidates have signed-up on the FutureSkills PRIME Portal, out of which, 1.2 lakh candidates have completed their courses.

In addition, 524 Trainers and 4292 Government Officials have been trained on these technologies by NIELIT/C-DAC Resource Centres, and around 1.3 lakh unique learners have collectively earned 8.9 lakh 'badges' in recognition of having completed bite- sized digital fluency content.Under Artificial Intelligence, 36,528 candidates are enrolled in deep- skilling courses and 47,744 candidates are enrolled in Foundation courses.

Government has published the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in June 2018 and proposes to develop an ecosystem for the research and adoption of Artificial Intelligence i.e. #AIFOR ALL.

Government has launched 'National AI Portal' (https://indiaai.gov.in/) which is a repository of Artificial Intelligence (AI) based initiatives in the country at a single place. As on date, there are 1024 national and international articles, 655 news, 200 videos, 90 research reports, 279 Startups, 120 Government initiatives listed at National AI Portal.

In addition, various steps have been taken to promote capacity building in Artificial Intelligence which include the following

Government has initiated 'Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme' with an objective to enhance the number of PhDs in Electronics System Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (IT/ITES) sectors in the country. The research areas under the scheme include Artificial Intelligence (covering 82 PhD fellows) and Machine Learning (covering 59 PhD fellows).

National Programme on Responsible Use of AI for Youth: With the objective to empower the youth to become AI ready and help reduce the skill gap, the government along with Industry partners has started this initiative to promote AI awareness among Government school going children.

In Phase I, 50,666 students and 2536 teachers from 2252 schools from 35 States and UTs attended orientation sessions on AI. In Phase II, 100 teams have been shortlisted and have undergone extensive mentoring by AI experts. In Phase-III, Top 20 students have demonstrated their solutions in the national conference.
Every year on March 14, there is a celebration known as the International Day of Action for Rivers to bring attention to the worth and significance of rivers. Also, it brings people from all over the world together to talk and raise awareness about pollution, river management, and fair access to clean, flowing water.

History of International Day of Action for Rivers:

The First World Conference of Persons Affected by Dams, held in March 1997 in Curitiba, Brazil, saw the adoption of the International Day of Action for Rivers. The major objectives are to unify opposition to harmful water development projects, recover the health of watersheds, and call for the equitable and sustainable management of rivers.

Significance & why is it celebrated

The International Day of Action for Rivers is "a day dedicated to solidarity - when diverse communities throughout the world come together with one voice to proclaim that rivers matter," according to the International Rivers organisation. The purpose of the day is to share knowledge about how rivers support our way of life. It emphasises freshwater ecosystems (rivers) as a source of clean water for agriculture and drinking, as well as their restoration and maintenance.

On March 14, a number of events are held worldwide, including river cleanups, online seminars, river walks, and paddleboard celebrations. Volunteers from all over the world assemble to spread awareness about preserving the river bodies. The International Rivers group staged around 120 events in 32 nations in 2021, including Bangladesh, Guam, and Germany.

Theme of the 2023 International Day of Action for Rivers

The theme of the 2023 International Day of Action for Rivers is "Rights of Rivers," which calls for the recognition of rivers as a national treasure. It also involves the legal authority to prevent rivers from becoming sewage or trash disposal areas.

Quotes for International Day of Action of Rivers 2023

Rivers are the arteries of our planet. They are lifelines in the truest sense.

Rivers never go in reverse. So, try to live like a river, forget your past and focus on your future.

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.

Facts on International Day of Action for Rivers

Some of the most interesting facts about rivers and the International Day of Action for Rivers are as follows

March 14, 2023, will mark the 26th anniversary of the International Day of Action for Rivers.

Around 30-32 countries participate in the celebration of this day.

Some of the events held on International Day of Action for Rivers include river walks, cleaning drives, webinars, and other events.

The longest river in the world is the Nile (6,650 km) in Egypt, and the shortest river in the world is the river Roe (61m) in the United States.

Some rivers flow beneath the surface of the earth and are called subterranean rivers.

Rivers are of two kinds: rain-fed rivers and snow-fed rivers.

Rivers are the lifeline of all living beings in the world. With continuous human activities, many rivers have shrunk and are polluted.

International Day of Action for Rivers, celebrated on March 14 every year, emphasises conserving the rivers by uniting people in the effort.

India And The International Day Of Action For Rivers

India is a unique country where rivers are cherished, but pollution is a significant problem. Rivers regarded as deities include the Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Godavari, Narmada, Sindhu (Indus), and Cauvery.

The freshly constituted Union Jal Shakti Ministry is committed to restoring and maintaining wetlands in river basins as well as combating the alarming levels of river pollution. The Union Jal Shakti ministry has previously been asked to develop a plan for cleaning up the nation's polluted river segments by the National Green Tribunal, the country's pollution watchdog.
On March 7, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the swearing-in ceremonies for the chief ministers of Meghalaya and Nagaland. In both of the northeastern states, the BJP is a junior partner to local parties.

Nagaland gets 1st-ever woman minister

Salhoutuono Kruse was sworn in as the first female minister in Nagaland's history on Tuesday in Kohima, alongside the 72-year-old chief minister Neiphiu Rio, and nine other cabinet members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also there.

Since Nagaland's inception in 1963, Hekani Jakhalu and Kruse are the first women to have been elected to the state assembly, making history last week.

Chief minister for the fifth time

Days after his Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regained control of the state last week by winning 37 of 60 assembly seats, Rio took the oath of office as chief minister for the fifth time.

Moreover, Yanthungo Patton (BJP) and TR Zeliang (NDPP) were sworn in as Rio's deputies by Governor La Ganesan. In the council of ministers, the NDPP has seven seats while the BJP has five. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, JP Nadda, the leader of the BJP, and Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, were among those present at the ceremony.

The oath of office was given to Sangma, his two deputies Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhaland Dhar, and nine other ministers by Governor Phagu Chauhan. The only female minister admitted was M. Ampareen Lyngdoh.

Following the assembly elections last month, the BJP and Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) formed an agreement to establish the new government. The NPP increased its total from the 20 seats it had won in the 2018 elections to 25, although it was still short of a majority in the assembly's 60 members. The BJP was successful in winning two seats.

A Rainbow Coalition

Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar, both from the NPP, took the oath of office as deputy chief ministers, demonstrating the power of the local party in the rainbow coalition that has retaken power.

Intriguingly, the BJP had called Sangma's administration the "most corrupt" prior to the election, but it was one of the first parties to reach an agreement to form a government in the state after the vote.
Group Captain Shaliza Dhami has been chosen by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to assume command of a front-line combat unit in the Western area. She will be the first female commander of an IAF combat unit. Sources stated she will be in charge of a missile facility in Punjab, close to the Pakistan-India border. The missile unit's job is to provide air defence.

Group Captain Dhami has more than 2800 hours of flying experience and was commissioned as a helicopter pilot in the year 2003. She has held the position of flight commander of a helicopter unit in the Western sector, indicating that she was the second in charge of the unit. She is a trained flying instructor.

The officer is currently assigned to the Operations division of a frontline Command Headquarters and has received two commendations from the Air Commander Commanding-in-Chief.

History Being Scripted

Shaliza Dhami, a group captain, is ready to take control of a front-line combat unit engaged in conflict with Pakistan in the western region. She will make history as the IAF's first female pilot. On March 27, Dhami will assume command of a Pechora surface-to-air missile unit in Punjab.

Current Number of women in Forces

There are currently 18 women flying fighters in the IAF, including brand-new Rafales and MiG-21s, MiG-29s, and Sukhoi-30MKIs. About 30 female officers have been assigned to frontline warships by the Navy. The IAF, Army, and Navy all have more than 145 female helicopter and transport pilots.

Although women have been commissioned as officers into the more than 14 lakh-strong armed services since the early 1990s, they make up just over 3,900 of the 65,000-strong officer cadre (about 1,710 in the Army, 1,650 in the IAF, and 600 in the Navy). In the military medical stream, there are around 1,670 female doctors, 190 female dentists, and 4,750 female nurses.
MAH MCA CET 2023: Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test Cell will conclude the registration for Masters of Computer Applications Common Entrance Test (MCA CET) 2023 today, March 11, 2023. Eligible and interested candidates can submit MAH MCA CET 2023 application form on the official website - cetcell.mahacet.org. MAH MCA CET 2023 will be held on March 25 and 26, 2023.

Candidates belonging to general category from Maharashtra state, outside Maharashtra state (OMS), and Jammu and Kashmir migrant candidates will have to pay Rs 1,000 as the application fee. Whereas, candidates from reserved category and persons with disability (PwD) candidates belonging to Maharashtra state are required to pay Rs 800 as registration fee.



Steps to apply for MAH MCA CET 2023

Candidates are required to follow the steps given below to download the MAH MCA CET 2023.
Well, it took Geely Philippines long enough. About two years after we said they needed a sub-compact crossover to penetrate the local market...
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal addresses an unveiling ceremony of a new vision for India for the future, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Saturday, March 11, 2023. Sibal has also launched a platform 'Insaaf Ke Sipahi'. (Photo: PTI)

NEW DELHI: Alleging that a government working against the citizens is at the helm, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday announced a new platform 'Insaaf' to fight "injustice" prevailing in the country and called on everyone, including Opposition parties' chief ministers and leaders, to support him in his endeavour.

Sibal said he would hold a public meeting of the new platform at Jantar Mantar on March 11 and will put forward a new vision of India there. He said it was an open invitation for everyone, including opposition leaders and common people, to join him at the event.

"Will give a new vision of India, a positive agenda. Main koi Modi ji ko criticise nahi karne baitha, main unko sudhaar doonga (I am not here to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but will reform him)," he said at a press conference at his residence.

Sibal alleged that injustice is prevailing in every nook and corner of India.

Injustice is being done to citizens, institutions, political Opposition, journalists, teachers, and medium and small businesses, he claimed.

"We have started a website 'Insaaf ke Sipahi' where anyone can register. This will be a national level platform where lawyers will be at the forefront," the former Congress leader said.

"It is with great deliberation that I have decided that people need to be awakened and asked to become our 'Insaaf ke Sipahi' and wherever injustice is happening, they should fight it. I want all Opposition chief ministers and leaders to support me in this endeavour and we start a national movement to free ourselves from this slavery," Sibal said.

He said efforts will be made to bring Opposition leaders and parties to jointly fight injustice in the country, but asserted that his motives were not political but to fight for constitutional values.

Sibal, who had been a Union minister during the UPA I and II, had quit the Congress in May last year and was elected to Rajya Sabha as an independent with the support of the Samajwadi Party.

The initiative by Sibal, who is considered an important voice of the Opposition, and his talk of bringing parties and leaders together for the "fight against injustice" comes amid a crack in Opposition ranks with the Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) trading barbs repeatedly.

"Through you (media) I am requesting everyone to be part of this, then we will take this forward," he said.

Responding to a question, Sibal said he wants the Congress also to join the initiative but asserted that this was aimed at being a people's movement and he was not going to form any political party.

Sibal said common people and lawyers together will fight against injustice through this initiative.

"The RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) shakhas spread their ideology in every locality and that ideology also gives rise to injustice in certain cases. We will fight that injustice also. We want that in every nook and corner of the country 'insaaf ke sipahi' stand up and fight," he said.

The former Union minister also launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, accusing it to working to finish off political Opposition with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) acting as its "valentine".

Citing the Premable of the Constitution, Sibal said though India's sovereignty will always remain, it was not moving on the path of socialism, democracy was on the decline and there were also questions over the Republic.

The Constitution also promised social, economic and political justice, he pointed out, alleging that there was "injustice" prevailing on all the three fronts.

Talking about political injustice, Sibal said the Xth Schedule of the Constitution that deals with the anti-defection law has become a "defector's paradise".

"After 2014, they (the BJP) have toppled eight governments be it in Meghalaya, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh or Maharashtra. Tell me if there is any other country where elected governments are toppled through inducements and buying of legislators. Courts, lawyers and people are silent, this is political injustice," he said.

About 100 people in this country have assets worth Rs 54 lakh crore, Sibal claimed and asked if this was economic justice.

"In 2018, 190 million people were poor and in 2022, the number of poor increased to 350 million," he said.

"The government valentine is ED. You put it behind anyone and coerce that person. CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) still needs the nod of the state government but not the ED," the senior advocate pointed out.

"The fact of the matter is that we are in a situation that we see a government versus the citizens. We want a government for citizens not versus citizens," Sibal asserted.

The ED has acted against 121 people in recent times out of which 115 belong to the Opposition, he said.

Such violence is prevailing in the country and until common people rise to fight it, "we are in for a difficult time", Sibal said.

"There are some good things about every administration. If I say that what Modi ji is doing everything is wrong even that is not right. Digitalisation is right, 'Awas Yojana' is right, there are several policies, we are not against that. But wherever people's voice is suppressed and wherever injustice is being done, we are against it," he said.

On the 'Insaaf' platform, he asserted that this was not political but about justice, asserting that no one will oppose this including Modi.

Asked about forging Opposition unity through this initiative, Sibal said he will make efforts and take it forward.

"I will ask Opposition parties' CMs and wherever not in government, their leaders to go to various states such as Maharashtra, Jharkhand Chhattisgarh, to Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh and talk about justice," Sibal said that he was only acting as a "facilitating factor" for the 'Insaaf' initiative.
Tennessee Aquarium Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jackson Andrews poses in the Aquariums Appalachian Cove Forest gallery. Mr. Andrews retires at the end of a career that began Jan. 7, 1991, more than 15 months before the doors of the River Journey building opened. photo by Doug Strickland Tennessee Aquarium Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jackson Andrews speaks with Association of Zoos and Aquariums President Dan Ashe while touring the Aquarium in 2019. The Aquarium has maintained accreditation by the AZA for 30 years. photo by Doug Strickland Tennessee Aquarium Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jackson Andrews listens to staff veterinarian Dr. Chris Keller during an animal care procedure. Animal welfare was a top priority for Mr. Andrews during his 32-year career at the Aquarium. photo by Doug Strickland Previous Next

To say that a young Jackson Andrews couldnt have foreseen becoming a senior leader at the Tennessee Aquarium is a tremendous understatement.

After graduating from a university in Maine with degrees in English and marine science, his hope was to work aboard an ocean research vessel. Aquariums, he thought, couldnt possibly measure up to the real thing.

I didnt see the point, he says. I was much more interested in what marine animals were doing in the wild. If I wanted to see fish, I could just get in the ocean.

Strange to consider that opinion from a man whose influence has shaped the Tennessee Aquarium for more than 32 years, the last six as its vice president and chief operating officer.

Today, Mr. Andrews bids the Aquarium farewell after a career that began more than a year before the doors opened  a time when the concept of opening an aquarium focused on freshwater aquatic life was considered a novel gamble or, to some, a crazy pipedream.

In his time at the Aquarium, he helped guide it to its current position as a nationally respected institution responsible for attracting 27 million visitors to Chattanooga. He was instrumental in the expansion to a second building, Ocean Journey, in 2005, and for the creation of the Aquariums off-site animal care facility.

Mr. Andrews change of heart about aquariums came about when  at a former professors urging  he applied to and was hired by a small, family-run aquarium on Cape Cod, Ma.

Caring for that facilitys diverse collection of wildlife, which included many species of fish, waterfowl and marine mammals, opened Mr. Andrews eyes to the career potential and educational impact of zoological institutions.

You could educate a lot more people about marine life at an aquarium, he says, the crisp edges of his Northeastern accent still crystal clear even after decades living in the Southeast. I found myself saying, This is pretty cool. This is something I can do here or move on to another aquarium.

From his position in Cape Cod, Mr. Andrews was hired as one of the first aquarists at the Baltimore Aquarium (now known as the National Aquarium) while it was still under construction. He spent the next 13 years at the Maryland facility, gradually rising among the ranks to the role of assistant curator and, eventually, director of husbandry.

During this time, Baltimore Aquariums deputy executive director, William Flynn, was approached by representatives from Chattanooga seeking advice on the planning and development of the Tennessee Aquarium, whose grand opening was still years away.

Mr. Flynn eventually was offered a role as the Tennessee Aquariums first president and CEO. Despite his own vast personal experience in the field, he remained outspoken about the importance of surrounding himself with a capable team as the key to achieving success.

I depend on people, he told the Chattanooga News-Free Press in a 1992 interview on the eve of the Tennessee Aquariums opening. Thats what I consider management to be: getting the right people for the job in the right spot, letting them do the job and leaving them alone except when they need advice.

When it came time to find someone to see to the care of the animals that eventually would call the Tennessee Aquarium home, he turned to Mr. Andrews, a past colleague who he considered an ideal fit for the role.

"Bill hadnt found somebody who was a fish guy, Mr. Andrews recalls, adding that his former director extended an invitation to visit Chattanooga to evaluate the city and consider becoming his director of husbandry and operations.

I got back to him and said, Im really excited about this aquarium. Id love to work here. The rest is history, he laughs.

During his time at the Aquarium, initially as the director of operations and husbandry, Mr. Andrews developed a notorious reputation  both among his colleagues and within the wider industry  for his exacting standards for all aspects of its operation.

"Jackson is well known for high expectations in the areas of animal care, but he also expects creativity and innovation from staff, says Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer Julie Piper. He invites staff members to share their visions and supports those ideas to become reality.



"As vice president, he has expanded those ambitions from building world-class exhibits to ensuring the entire guest experience is the best it can be, from the moment they pull in the parking lot until they depart.

That attention to detail and dedication to excellence has seen the Aquarium continuously meeting the rigorous standards for accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for 30 years.

To achieve AZA accreditation, a zoo or aquarium is evaluated during a multi-day site visit that examines every aspect of its operation, from finances and veterinary resources to education programming, guest service and the state of its facilities. No facet of an organization is left unscrutinized.

In addition to his work at the Aquarium, Mr. Andrews has served numerous roles at AZA, including chairing the program committee, serving as a member of the ethics board and board of directors and two six-year stints on the associations accreditation commission evaluating other facilities.

Throughout his career, Mr. Andrews reserved his loftiest expectations for the care of the animals, a prioritization that he considers basic common sense.

As far as the animals go, thats the most important thing weve got, he says.

To help ensure this top priority received the attention it was due, one of Mr. Andrews earliest hires at the Aquarium was staff veterinarian Dr. Chris Keller. In the three decades they worked together, Keller says he was never refused when he approached Andrews with a need or requirement that was in the best interest of the animals.

No matter how costly it was, Jackson would find a way to do it, he says. Unlike a lot of facilities, where administrators are looking at the bottom line, he always saw through that and realized that the bottom line is the animals and the rest of it would follow from that.

After decades serving in a field he never expected to enter  let alone become such an influential figure in  Mr. Andrews says he realizes the time is ripe to make way.

I think its wise of me to get out of the way and let the next generation take over, he says. Ill miss the camaraderie most because the crew we have here is top-notch.

But, he adds, I leave with a smile on my face.


BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar. (Photo:DC)

HYDERABAD: The BJP has its tail up in Telangana as it repeatedly exudes the confidence that it is all set to dethrone Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. But several long-time party workers and leaders are aghast at the apparent jockeying for future positions  if the BJP comes to power that appears to have caused rifts that refuse to be bridged between several top leaders.

"No one really knows what is happening," a party leader confided on Friday.

It was this situation that led Union minister Amit Shah  who is reported to have taken upon himself a victory for the BJP in the next Telangana Assembly elections  to give a dressing down of sorts to the party leaders at a meeting in New Delhi on February 28.

Shahs brief was clear, work together, make the BJPs Mission 90  winning 90 of the 119 seats in the state Assembly  a reality. According to party sources, he also made it clear that if the state party leaders are not able to get going on this task, then he would take the necessary measures to ensure that BJP stays on a path to victory in the state.

But that doesnt seem to have worked, the party leader said. "At least there is no visible evidence yet of any results as a consequence of Shah expressing displeasure in the Delhi meeting," the leader explained.

The struggle, according to multiple party sources, is that there is a clear divide between the ideologicals, and the politicals in the party. Leaders including Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Dr K. Laxman, N. Indrasena Reddy and P. Muralidhar Rao grew up in the party along with several others. The second group is leaders who came into the BJP for various reasons, a crop of leaders that is clearly not accustomed to the BJPs principle of organisation and collective goals first, the sources said.

Making the task of unity that much harder, the sources said, were apparent differences between individuals in both groups that have become sore sticking points that might ultimately affect the BJPs prospects in the coming Assembly elections in the state.
The Red Bank Chili Cookoff will be held Thursday, March 23, at 5 p.m. at Red Bank High School, 640 Morrison Springs Road. Guests can sample some of the areas terrific chili (for $10 per bowl), and then grab a seat for a free duel concert event performed by the Jericho Brass and the Red Bank Blue Lions Symphonic Band. The concert begins at 6 p.m.

The event is a fundraiser for the Red Bank Blue Lions.

Featured musical sounds from the two groups will include all-time favorites like the James Bond Themes, Through the Flames, Images for Brass, the Arabian Dances, and the Great Locomotive Chase among others. Together the bands will also perform the Battle Hymn of the Republic and National Emblem.

The performances will be under the baton of Frank Hale and Jerry Pollard, and Wimberly Kennedy.



For more information call Wimberly Kennedy at 488-6774, email kennedy_wimberly@hcde.org. or visit www.jerichobrassband.org.








Nancy Marie deRossett entered the gates of heaven February 5, 2023.

She was born on Feb. 18, 1940, in DeRossett, Tn. Always an adventurous spirit, she moved to California at age of 17. She lived multiple places during her lifetime, but found her way back to Tennessee in recent years, settling in the Red Bank area. Most of her career was spent in the banking business. Nancy loved to travel, making lots of friends along the way. A passionate animal advocate, she was a prior volunteer at McKamey Animal Shelter. She was a beloved member of Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Friendship Sunday School Class, often telling people how she loved her little church on the hill.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, March 12, at 1 p.m. at Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 115 Morrison Springs Road, Chattanooga,Tn. 37415
Delta Dental of Tennessee announced the 30 schools from across the state, including Rivermont Elementary School, were selected to receive Waters Cool @ School grants to replace an existing water fountain with an Elkay bottle filling station. Now in its third year, the Waters Cool @ School grant program aims to teach kids about the importance of drinking more water and to make it easier for kids to stay properly hydrated during the school day. To date, more than 100 schools across Tennessee have received grants for a new bottle-filling station through the program.

Drinking more water is one of the best and easiest things to you can do for your health at any age, and the creative video and art project submissions we received from schools across Tennessee clearly show that drinking more water can in fact also be the cool thing to do, said Dr. Phil Wenk, CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee. Thank you to all of the schools that applied this year, and congratulations to the grant recipients.



The 30 selected schools will receive their new bottle filling station and toothbrushes for all students, faculty, and staff.



As part of the grant application process, schools are encouraged, but not required, to submit creative projects along with their application that highlights how water is good for your health, what makes a healthy smile, or why the school needs a water bottle filling station. Examples from this years applicants include: artwork created by students at Ellen Myers Primary School; White House Heritage Elementary Schools video highlighting the need for a new bottle filler to cut down on long lines; a newscast-style video produced by Mary Hughes School that tells the story of Liquid Lady, a superhero who captures the Water Bottle Bandit and Dehydration Devil after they are no longer able to run away due to their poor hydration, and Drummonds Elementary Schools parody of Justin Timberlakes song Cant Stop the Feeling entitled Drink More Water. To view additional submissions, search #WatersCoolTN on social media.e.
Here is the upcoming City Council agenda for Tuesday:

I. Call to Order by Chairman Ledford.



II. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Councilwoman Berz).



III. Special Presentation.



IV. Minute Approval.



PUBLIC HEARING

Annexation - TP Chattanooga Property, LLC 5619 Clark Road, Harrison, TN 37341

Order of Business for City Council



V. Ordinances  Final Reading: WASTEWATER



a. MR-2022-0225 Michael Kenner (Abandonment). An ordinance closing and abandoning a sewer easement located in the 1800 block of South Holtzclaw Avenue, beginning at a point along said easement 163 feet north of MH# S156A034 thence continuing northwest along said easement 105.41 feet to a point, Tax Map Nos.

156A-F-002, 028, and 029. (District 8) (Recommended for approval by Wastewater)VI. Ordinances  First Reading: COUNCIL OFFICEa. An ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Chattanooga, and all acts, ordinances, and other Charter provisions amendatory thereof, pursuant to the provisions of Article XI, Section 9, of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee (Home Rule Amendment), Title 5.3 and 5.15, to establish the time of elections and to create term limits.PLANNINGb. 2023-0026 Grant Ellis (R-5 Residential Zone to R-3MD Moderate Density Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 335 Browns Ferry Road, from R-5 Residential Zone to R-3MD Moderate Density Zone. (District 1) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)c. 2023-0022 EA Homes, LP (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone part of a property located at 7671 Goodwin Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2023-0022 EA Homes, LP (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone part of a property located at 7671 Goodwin Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone. (Applicant Version)d. 2023-0020 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 7368, 7376, 7384, and 7390 Old Cleveland Pike, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission)2023-0020 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 7368, 7376, 7384, and 7390 Old Cleveland Pike, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone, subject to certain conditions. (Staff Version)2023-0020 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 7368, 7376, 7384, and 7390 Old Cleveland Pike, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone. (Applicant Version)e. 2023-0011 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 5103 Central Avenue, from R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 7) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and denial by Staff)2023-0011 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 5103 Central Avenue, from R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone. (Applicant Version)f. 2023-0019 Sansbury Melton, Ltd. (R-1 Residential Zone to R-2 Residential Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 1414 East 49th Street, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-2 Residential Zone. (District 7) (Recommended for denial by Planning Commission and Staff) (Applicant Version)g. 2023-0024 1211 5th MU, LLC (UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 1601 South Holtzclaw Avenue, from UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022), subject to certain conditions. (District 8) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2023-0024 1211 5th MU, LLC (UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 1601 South Holtzclaw Avenue, from UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022). (Applicant Version)h. An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, Article V, Zoning Regulations, Division 13, C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone, Section 38-188, Minimum Yard and Landscaping Requirements; Maintenance of Visibility at Access Points; relations of Yards to Turnout and Merging Lanes, and Division 29, Off-Street Parking and Loading Space Requirements, Section 38-472, General Regulations by amending Table 1700 Multi-Family Units. (Deferred from 02-28-2023)VII. Resolutions: COUNCIL OFFICEa. A resolution confirming the appointment of Linda Kirk to the South Region Community Advisory Committee for District 7, with a term beginning on March 15, 2023, and ending on March 15, 2025. (District 7)b. A resolution confirming the appointment of De'Jha Billingsley to the South Region Community Advisory Committee for District 7, with a term beginning on March 15, 2023, and ending on March 15, 2025. (District 7)c. A resolution confirming the appointment of Neda Long to the South Region Community Advisory Committee for District 7, with a term beginning on March 15, 2023, and ending on March 15, 2024. (District 7)FINANCEd. A resolution consenting to the execution and delivery by the Industrial Development Board of the City of Chattanooga of certain documents providing for the release of a portion of Debt Service Reserve Account monies of the Industrial Development Board in connection with the Industrial Development Boards Chattanooga Lease Rental Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2018A (tax-exempt) and Chattanooga Lease Rental Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2018C (taxable); directing the Trustee for such bonds to enter into certain documents in connection therewith and authorizing certain actions related thereto.LEGALe. A resolution adopting a written report of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency Staff regarding the reasonableness of the scope of services to be provided and the timing of such services, as required by T.C.A.  6-51-102(b) for TP Chattanooga Property, LLC, 5619 Clark Road, Tax Map and Parcel No. 121A-E-004. (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission)f. A resolution adopting a Plan of Services and extending the corporate limits of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, by annexing certain territory contiguous to the present corporate limits of said City, being Tax Map No. 121A-E-004 to this resolution pursuant to T.C.A.  6-51-104 located in Hamilton County, Tennessee, owned by TP Chattanooga Property LLC, being more fully described herein.PLANNINGg. 2023-0023 EA Homes, LP (Special Exceptions Permit). A resolution approving a Special Exceptions Permit for a Residential Planned Unit Development for property located at 7671 Goodwin Road, subject to certain conditions. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)PUBLIC WORKSTransportationh. A resolution authorizing the payment to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for the Citys 20% share of estimated construction expenses on the Hamilton Place Boulevard Modification Project No. T-18-009, in the amount of $1,473,642.00. (District 4)i. A resolution authorizing the Department of Public Works and Transportation to award Contract No. T-21-001, Brainerd Road Sidewalks, to Integrated Properties, LLC for the contract amount of $1,395,722.87, as shown in the attached bid schedule, with a contingency in the amount of $139,572.29, for a total amount of $1,535,295.16. (District 6)VIII. Purchases.IX. Committee Reports.X. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council.XI. Adjournment.TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 2023 CITY COUNCIL PROPOSED AGENDA 6:00 PM1. Call to Order by Chairman Ledford.2. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation (Councilwoman Dotley).3. Special Presentation.PUBLIC HEARINGChattanooga Climate Action Plan4. Minute Approval.Proposed Order of Business for City Council5. Ordinances - Final Reading: COUNCIL OFFICEa. An ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Chattanooga, and all acts, ordinances, and other Charter provisions amendatory thereof, pursuant to the provisions of Article XI, Section 9, of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee (Home Rule Amendment), Title 5.3 and 5.15, to establish the time of elections and to create term limits.PLANNINGb. 2023-0026 Grant Ellis (R-5 Residential Zone to R-3MD Moderate Density Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 335 Browns Ferry Road, from R-5 Residential Zone to R-3MD Moderate Density Zone. (District 1) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)c. 2023-0022 EA Homes, LP (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone part of a property located at 7671 Goodwin Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 4) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2023-0022 EA Homes, LP (R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone part of a property located at 7671 Goodwin Road, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone. (Applicant Version)d. 2023-0020 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 7368, 7376, 7384, and 7390 Old Cleveland Pike, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 6) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission)2023-0020 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 7368, 7376, 7384, and 7390 Old Cleveland Pike, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone, subject to certain conditions. (Staff Version)2023-0020 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone properties located at 7368, 7376, 7384, and 7390 Old Cleveland Pike, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-T/Z Residential Townhouse/Zero Lot Line Zone. (Applicant Version)e. 2023-0011 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 5103 Central Avenue, from R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone, subject to certain conditions. (District 7) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and denial by Staff)2023-0011 Stone Creek Consulting c/o Allen Jones (R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 5103 Central Avenue, from R-2 Residential Zone to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone. (Applicant Version)f. 2023-0019 Sansbury Melton, Ltd. (R-1 Residential Zone to R-2 Residential Zone). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 1414 East 49th Street, from R-1 Residential Zone to R-2 Residential Zone. (District 7) (Recommended for denial by Planning Commission and Staff) (Applicant Version)g. 2023-0024 1211 5th MU, LLC (UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 1601 South Holtzclaw Avenue, from UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022), subject to certain conditions. (District 8) (Recommended for approval by Planning Commission and Staff)2023-0024 1211 5th MU, LLC (UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022). An ordinance to amend Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, so as to rezone property located at 1601 South Holtzclaw Avenue, from UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (pre 8/30/2022) to UGC Urban General Commercial Zone (post 8/30/2022). (Applicant Version)h. An ordinance amending Chattanooga City Code, Part II, Chapter 38, Zoning Ordinance, Article V, Zoning Regulations, Division 13, C-2 Convenience Commercial Zone, Section 38-188, Minimum Yard and Landscaping Requirements; Maintenance of Visibility at Access Points; relations of Yards to Turnout and Merging Lanes, and Division 29, Off-Street Parking and Loading Space Requirements, Section 38-472, General Regulations by amending Table 1700 Multi-Family Units. (Deferred from 02-28-2023)6. Ordinances - First Reading: (None)7. Resolutions:COUNCIL OFFICEa. A resolution confirming the appointment of Adam Cowen to the Shallowford Region Community Advisory Committee for District 9, with a term beginning on March 22, 2023, and ending on March 22, 2025. (District 9)ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTb. A resolution authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Economic Development to apply for, and if awarded, accept Emergency Solution Grant funds from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA), for an approximate amount of $134,375.00.c. A resolution to amend Resolution No. 30674 authorizing the Administrator for the Department of Economic and Community Development to utilize $400,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Cares Act funding to provide assistance to eligible landlords with vacant units to complete maintenance and minor repairs, with an increase of $100,000.00, for a total amount of $500,000.00.MAYORS OFFICEd. A resolution confirming Mayor Kellys reappointment of Beverly Bell to the Form-Based Code Committee, for a term beginning on April 1, 2023, and ending on March 31, 2026.PLANNINGe. A resolution authorizing the Administrator of Planning/Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency to enter into an agreement with Planning Next to prepare area plans for the City of Chattanooga, in the amount of $1,119,000.00, with a contingency amount of $111,900.00, for a total amount not to exceed $1,230,000.00.8. Purchases.9. Committee Reports.10. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council.11. Adjournment.
Leadership at Central Church of Christ, who are parents themselves, have expressed grave concern for the future of our youth. Armed with a desire to help, the Central Church of Christ is considering starting a Christian Homeschool Tutorial Program.

The program aims to provide an opportunity for a great education with like-minded teachers and classmates. The program will be designed around the needs of the community, and the elders are requesting input from families who may be interested in participating.

"We believe that by creating a Christian homeschooling program, we can help families who have decided to homeschool their children to receive a quality education that aligns with their faith-based values," said the elders of the Central Church of Christ.

An information session will be held on Saturday, March 11, at 6 p.m. at the Central Church of Christ, 400 Vine St. The session aims to provide more information about the program and answer any questions that interested families may have.

Based on the level of interest received, the elders of the Central Church of Christ will develop a program with the intent of beginning classes by Aug. 21. To ensure that the program is of high quality, they have set a deadline for responses to be submitted no later than March 31. The enrollment deadline for the program is April 28.

"We invite all families who are interested in our Christian Homeschool Tutorial Program to attend our information session to learn more about the program," said the elders of the Central Church of Christ. "If you are unable to attend the information session and have any questions, please feel free to contact us at infocentralschool@gmail.com or call us at 266-3619."
A large house fire off Bonny Oaks Drive sent two people to the hospital Friday afternoon, including a Chattanooga firefighter.

Multiple Green Shift companies battled the blaze in the 3500 block of Parkway Drive for several hours. The call came just after 2 p.m.

Engine 4, Quint 6, Engine 15, Ladder 7, Squad 7, Battalion 1 and Battalion 2 were on the initial response. They found heavy fire and smoke coming out of the house on arrival with fire on all three stories of the structure.

A man suffered a head and leg injury jumping out of a window to escape the burning home. He was transported to the hospital by HCEMS. A woman and baby also escaped.

Firefighters made an interior attack and were able to knock down on the fire in first 10-15 minutes, but flames quickly spread to the attic. Extra companies were called to the scene to battle the fire.

The stairs burned throughout the house, preventing crews ability to maneuver and they also faced difficulty putting out hot spots due to fire being in various void spaces. The attic started to come apart creating dangerous conditions, so exterior firefighting operations got underway with aerials used to extinguish the flames.

A firefighter suffered shoulder injuries and he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The cause of the fire will be under investigation.
I see that Senator Hagerty is disappointed with President Bidens 2024 budget proposal. Calling it wasteful and unserious. Well, there is a solution to this problem. Show us the GOP budget. Put it on paper and lay it side by side with the Presidents. Let your Tennessee constituents make the decision about which one is better.

Or, even better, combine the best parts of both of them and bring a bi-partisan budget forward so that everyone can benefit from it. That is, if the GOP has a budget. Or will they fall back on their basic stance of complain about it without offering any useful input?

Im pretty sure you and Senator Blackburn will put forth nothing useful on the budget, but will complain constantly about the Democratic one. If youre not going to be part of the solution, youre definitely part of the problem. Stop being a problem.

Thomas Blanks
A woman told police she was walking towards her car after leaving Los 3 Amigos at 3536 Cummings Hwy. when a white male with long gray hair and no shirt yelled at her from inside a black GMC Yukon bearing Alabama tags. The woman said she spoke back to him and questioned the man about what he had said to her. He replied, If you don't come get your other kid in the back of my car, I will kill it." The woman said she was shocked at his comment, but then two other women got in the vehicle and then they all left. The woman wanted to file a police report documenting the mans comments towards her.

* * *

On scene for another call, an officer noticed severe damage to the corner of the overhang on the rear of a building at 7354 E. Brainerd Road. A bird's nest was seen inside the damaged section indicating the damage had been there for a while. The damage was consistent with a semi-trailer rounding the corner and colliding into the overhang. The estimated damage is approximately $10,000.

* * *

While patrolling the area of Central Avenue and Bailey Avenue, an officer was flagged down by a man parking in the Kankus parking lot. He noticed a group of homeless people on the side of the building acting suspicious and a white female lying on the ground, who he believed to be pushed down by another individual. The officer spoke with the three people, who were very uncooperative. They said she fell down on her own. The officer tried to speak with the woman who walked off and didnt want to speak with the officer.

* * *

An employee at Circle K at 4900 Brainerd Road told police a woman came in at 11:27 p.m. and attempted to buy cigarettes. The employee said she has a restraining order against the woman and needed the incident documented.

* * *

A woman called police and said she saw suspicious activity on the Ring camera at her fathers residence on Adams Road. Police spoke with the suspicious man, who was sitting in his truck in the driveway. He said he was visiting his friend at the residence. Police were unable to find the friend on the property. The officer spoke with the property owner inside the home and he said his son, the referred friend, lived in the shed in the back of the residence. The man said he wanted the man in the truck off his property, but he didnt want to permanently trespass him. The man in the truck left without issue.

* * *

A woman told police her wallet was stolen at Mapco at 1933 Hamill Road. She said she left it on the counter and security footage showed a black male wearing a camouflage jacket pick the wallet up and leave with it. While police were on scene, a passerby located the wallet in the parking lot. The wallet was returned to the woman and she said she didn't want to file charges on the suspect.

* * *

A woman at Pilgrims Pride at 1591 Broad St. told police a woman drove off with her purse while on lunch break. She said that she put her purse into the womans car during their orientation because there was nowhere to put it inside. She met the woman a few days ago and had been putting her bag into her car for the last few days with no issues. She went on break and the woman never returned afterward and is not answering her phone. She just wants her personal belongings back and wants a report made in case it was intentional. Police tried to contact the woman but there was no answer. The next day the woman with the purse called police and said she left early the previous day and forgot all about the purse. She spoke with the first woman and will be returning the purse.

* * *

Police responded to Carters Towing at 6320 Highway 58 where a firearm had been found in a repossessed Chevrolet Avalanche in the glove box. The firearm was a Glock 30 .45 automatic. The magazine had 13 rounds. The firearm was turned into property.

* * *

An employee at Dollar General at 2303 E. 23rd St. told police she was at the cash register and noticed two black females standing around talking near her. One went outside and then came back in. She said the suspects then started walking around the store. She doesn't know what was taken, but the suspects had two buggies full of items. The suspects went out the back emergency door and set off the alarm. The employee said the buggies were sitting outside the back door.

* * *

An office found a woman in a room behind Airport Inn at 7725 Lee Hwy. and asked her why she was there. She said she was homeless and the door was unlocked so she went inside. The officer told her she was trespassing and that she could be arrested. She said she would leave the area and not return. The officer found multiple rooms unlocked and secured them before leaving.
On The Amazing Race, teams of two travel the world and complete several challenges that often have to do with the history and culture of the countries theyre in. The teams who fall to the back of the pack are eliminated until three remain to race to the finish line. Over the years, CBS has put in place several Amazing Race travel rules to keep the competition fair, safe, challenging, and of course, entertaining. If these rules are broken, contestants face penalties or other consequences. Here are some examples.

Quinton Peron and Mattie Lynch following The Amazing Race travel rules in season 34 | CBS

The Amazing Race teams are only allowed 1 pit stop in each leg

Each destination of the race, such as Germany, Austria, and Italy, is considered one leg. At the end of each leg is a pit stop, where teams meet host Phil Keoghan on a mat and he tells them where they stand in the race. These pit stops are the only times that racers have to rest, eat, shower, etc. The races in their entirety take about three weeks, so its very fast-paced, as executive producer Elise Doganieri told People.

Were never in a place for very long. They literally fly in, land, do the tasks, have a pit stop, sleep for 12 hours, and then get on a plane, a train, or drive to the next place, Doganieri said.

Pre-COVID Amazing Race contestants had to book their own flights

For many years, Amazing Race teams were responsible for booking their own flights between destinations. This often led to drama as the racers faced delays, missed flights, or other obstacles at the airports. Some teams even nearly ended up on the wrong flights.

However, when the COVID outbreak began, The Amazing Race made some changes to the travel rules in order to mitigate the risk of exposure to the virus. Now, the teams travel via chartered flights or private jets.

Racers had to book tickets for the crew, too

When booking flights, contestants didnt have only themselves to consider. They also had to book two extra tickets for the crew members that would join their team to document their journey. EP Bertram van Munster told People that teams had to wait until four seats were available before they could book any flight.

So, will The Amazing Race ever get back to that flight booking drama? Last year, Keoghan assured fans that charted flights would not be around forever.

Hang tight my friend  booking flights will be back as soon as the return to work Covid protocols are off our back, he tweeted in 2022.

An incident led to a rule that Amazing Race contestants could not overbook travel

One thing that contestants often did to stay ahead of the competition was book several extra tickets. This sabotaged other teams by making sure they couldnt find seats on the same plane or even other flights. However, van Munster told People that some teams took it too far, so The Amazing Race had to create a no overbooking rule.

We had one team order over $300,000 worth of tickets for one flight, it was just ridiculous, van Munster explained. They would book every flight out of town! So now they can only book one flight  ensuring thats the flight they want to be on.

The Amazing Race teams are forbidden from using a GPS to travel through legs

Grab your maps because the final four teams are fighting to make it to the #AmazingRace finale in only 30 minutes!? pic.twitter.com/BDbOMo65Aa  The Amazing Race (@AmazingRaceCBS) December 1, 2022

Remember the days of using paper maps to find a destination instead of following a GPS? The Amazing Race contestants sure do. They are forbidden from using their personal cell phone or GPS to find their next location. This adds a challenge, as racers must be able to follow a map. If they get lost, however, they are able to ask locals for directions and even look up directions on a locals phone.

Eliminated racers must stick around until the race is over

The Amazing Race seasons are filmed months before they air on television. So, if a team is spotted leaving the race early, it would give away the fact that they have been eliminated. To prevent spoilers, eliminated teams cannot go home until the race is over. But dont worry  they arent forced to stay in stuffy hotel rooms where no one can see them.

They go to a fun location too, van Munster told People. Very often we send them to Lisbon, to Portugal or Costa Rica. So they have a good time  Its not bad at all to sit by the pool with your friends.

The Amazing Race has been renewed for season 35, but CBS has yet to announce a release date. Stay tuned to Showbiz Cheat Sheet for more updates. In the meantime, all other seasons are now streaming on Paramount+.
In the 1960s, Bob Dylan sought out a number of his influences, including musician Woody Guthrie and poet Carl Sandburg. With both men, Dylan arrived at their homes unannounced. While he formed a relationship with Guthrie, he only briefly met with Sandburg. He left their meeting hurt and frustrated that Sandburg hadnt recognized him.

Bob Dylan | Rowland Scherman/Getty Images

Bob Dylan sought out Carl Sandburg

In the early 1960s, Dylan was on a road trip with friends when he decided to seek out Sandburg. He hadnt been invited, so he had to seek out the poets home based on a vague notion of where he lived. When the group arrived in Flat Rock, North Carolina, Dylan asked residents for directions.

Dont know about no poet, a local man told them, Anthony Scaduto wrote in Bob Dylan: An Intimate Biography (via Rolling Stone). Theres a Sandburg has a goat farm. Wrote a book on Lincoln. Little guy. Littler than you, even. If thats the one, take this road two miles up there, turn left after the little bridge, cant miss it if youre sober.

Dylan and his friends knocked on Sandburgs door where the bemused poet met them.

Youre Carl Sandburg, Dylan said, not asking. Im Bob Dylan. Im a poet, too. How nice, Sandburg said, his smile saying another kid who wants to be a poet. But he tried to be gracious and said, Come, sit a while. Mrs. Sandburg joined them, smiling but not saying anything.

Bob Dylan was upset that Carl Sandburg didnt know who he was

While inside, Dylan did most of the talking.

Ive written some songs, Mr. Sandburg, Dylan said. I know Woody Guthrie, hes very sick in a hospital, he talked about you a lot. Got some songs here Id appreciate you listening to. He handed Sandburg one of the albums and the poet took it and said, Thats wonderful, but it was clear he was simply being polite, Scaduto wrote. They chatted awhile, Dylan rambling on about folk music, and his own songs and poems, and subtly telling Sandburg he was a young poet and Sandburg should recognize him because he recognized Sandburg as an older poet. And Sandburg smiled at this scruffy kid promoting his album, hyping himself as a poet, Sandburg polite but not particularly interested.

After a brief conversation, Dylan left. Scaduto said he seemed noticeably disappointed by the fact that Sandburg didnt recognize him.

After about ten minutes Dylan said, Well, gotta go. Nice meeting you, and he turned and skipped down the steps and into the car, he wrote. His entourage piled in after him and they drove off, quickly, Dylan slouching down in the front seat, very quiet, staring straight ahead. Someone handed him a joint and he puffed deeply and said nothing. He was obviously annoyed at his encounter with Sandburg, hurt that the poet had never heard of him.

He reacted similarly to a meeting with Guthrie

At this time in his life, Dylan was used to spending time with people who admired him. People had begun to describe him as a genius even this early in his career, so he got used to praise. He could even get away with being openly cruel to his friends because no one would stand up to him. Because of this, the bland politeness Sandburg greeted him with may have stung.

Dylan also may have felt disappointed while meeting one of the artists he admired. When he met Guthrie, he found that he was disappointed the encounter hadnt gone as expected.

But I couldnt confess to him, Dylan told The New Yorker in 1964. It was silly. I did go and talk with him  as much as he could talk  and the talking helped. But basically he wasnt able to help me at all. I finally realized that. So Woody was my last idol.

While he may not have considered Sandburg an idol, he likely had expectations for how the conversation would go. When they didnt match up with the reality of their meeting, Dylan left feeling disappointed.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief A. Revanth Reddy. (Twitter)

WARANGAL: State Congress party chief A Revanth Reddy asked Chief Minister KCR on Friday as to why he was not suspending K Kavitha MLC from the party following the eruption of the Delhi Liquor Scam and allegations of corruption against her.

Speaking to the media in Jagtial district on Friday, the TPCC chief noted that the CM had sacked former deputy chief minister Rajaiah when corruption charges were leveled against him.

However, the Congress leader said central agencies like the Income Tax (IT), the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are acting on the directions of the BJP. "ED harassed Congress leader Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case, but why is it not acting in such a tough manner with MLC Kavitha and not giving the complete details of the Delhi Liquor Scam? Why are the central agencies having a soft corner with Kavitha," he wondered.

"I had lodged a complaint with the investigation agencies regarding corruption by KCR. Why are they not carrying out an investigation on this," he asked.

He said Union minister Kishan Reddy and BJP state chief Bandi Sanjay were paper tigers and can only roar in front of TV cameras. "Why are they silent and not talking about KCRs corruption? Why are they not exerting pressure on the BJP government to take action against the CM?"

He asked whether Bandi Sanjay has guts to contest polls from Karimnagar assembly segment against Gangula Kamalakar. "The people are very well aware of what is going on and are watching the developments about how ED and CBI are working in the country and what is the secret understanding between the BJP and the BRS," he stated.
Reality television has taken the world by storm. One of the most popular shows in recent years is Married at First Sight. The show depicts a team of experts who matches up couples to meet for the first time at the altar. The couples are then expected to live together for several weeks and see if they can make their marriage work. Its a high-pressure situation, and tensions often run high.

The Australian version of the show has been particularly successful, drawing in millions of viewers each season. However, the revelation from a former contestant that they were instructed not to talk to each other when the cameras were off raised questions about just how real the show is.

Is Married at First Sight real or scripted?

How to Watch Married at First Sight Australia in the U.S https://t.co/KBtYj0OLMn  Variety (@Variety) February 16, 2023

The catfights, broken glasses, and general petty behavior of previous seasons of MAFS have us wondering how much is staged. As reported by Daily Mail, Olivia Frazer, a contestant from Season 9, addressed the issue in an Instagram Q&A. She clarified that while the program may have a scripted feel at times, the participants are never fed lines by producers.

According to MSN, Russell Duance, a groom from MAFS Season 8, also took to social media to set the story straight. For all of those that are saying its scripted, I can tell you that not once did anyone say to me that hey, you need to say this or that ever. Everything I said was from me in that moment. His co-stars Sam Carraro and Brett Helloing agreed with him.

On the other hand, fellow participant Jono Pitman revealed an alternative viewpoint. Speaking to Now To Love, Pitman, who appeared on the show in 2016, said that the showrunners are always fishing for one-liners. According to the contestant, the showrunners had him repeat the line, She wasnt what I ordered, like a thousand times.

In an interview with Now To Love, MAFS showrunners dismissed rumors of scripting. They insist that the show is exactly as it appears.

Married at Sight Australia contestants were instructed not to talk to each other when the cameras were off

Michael Brunelli and Martha Kalifatidis arrives for the 33rd Annual ARIA Awards 2019 at The Star on November 27, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. | Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Michael Brunelli, a contestant from Season 7 of Married at First Sight Australia revealed more about the show. He let the cat out of the bag on how the shows creators capture all the drama. According to Brunelli, the MAFSA production team tries to discourage couples from fighting when the cameras are not rolling.

During a TikTok Q&A, the former contestant explained. One of the weirdest things, when we were on MAFS, was that they didnt film all day. So when the camera crew left [at night], they told us, Dont learn anything about each other, dont really talk to each other because it needs to be on camera.'

Brunelli continued. He said if something did happen off-camera, they had to wait and alert production. [They said] If you have a fight, you need to stop mid-fight, call the producer so they can bring the camera and can start recording he alleged. Then youve got to keep going with the fight

Married at First Sight Australia Season 10 premiered in January 2023

Get to know the new participants of Season 10 @MarriedAU https://t.co/jslOn6LZsB  Nine.com.au (@Ninecomau) February 16, 2023

On January 30, 2023, the Nine Network debuted the first episode of the tenth season of Married at First Sight Australia. Returning to pair 10 brides and grooms are relationship gurus John Aiken and Mel Schilling, and sexologist Alessandra Rampolla. Based on the teaser, it looks like finding real love will be a major focus of the new season. Fans can expect this years brides and grooms to be more open and vulnerable than ever before as they search for love in Australia.

While most fans are thrilled about the new season, some people have criticized MAFS for being exploitative and trivializing marriage. Others argue that it promotes unrealistic expectations of relationships and perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes. At the end of the day, the show is not for everyone. And whether MAFS is completely staged or real, its great TV either way!
Prince Harry Had A Lot of Trauma Despite Being Raised With Immense Privilege, According to Dr. Gabor Mate

Prince Harry shed light on some of his most difficult childhood experiences in his memoir Spare, and his Netflix documentary, Harry and Meghan. And according to mental health expert Dr. Gabor Mate, despite his privileged upbringing, the royal has been through a lot of trauma.

Dr. Gabor Mate talks about the trauma Prince Harry faced as a child

Prince Harry | Max Mumby/Getty Images

Dr. Mate is a renowned mental health expert, speaker, and author who has written several books on addiction, child psychology, and Attention Deficit Disorder. His book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, won the 2009 Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize, according to Dr. Mates website. And he has earned some of Canadas highest accolades, including the Order of Canada and a Civic Merit Award.

Dr. Mate recently sat down with Prince Harry to promote his memoir Spare, and to spread awareness about mental health. When talking to the royal about his military service and the lack of emotional and physical affection he received as a child, the doctor noted Harry had experienced a lot of trauma. And he listed all the different types of traumas he faced.

When you look at the literature on trauma, there are what we call the big T traumas, the terrible things that happen, or the difficult things that happen, such as the death of a parent, a divorce, conflict in the family, Mate explained. You had those.

Prince Harry discusses being diagnosed with PTSD after Diana's death with 'toxic trauma' expert https://t.co/Amlrk7bDFH pic.twitter.com/Y8qpn1FPMt  Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 4, 2023

And then theres what we call the small T traumas, which is not about bad things happening that shouldnt have, but the good things happening that should have, he continued. And thats the being touched and held and understood and heard.

When the Duke of Sussex questioned whether he had all six types of trauma, Mate confirmed that he did. And acknowledging Harry comes from a highly privileged background, the doctor explained that privilege doesnt negate any of the trauma.

So when you say you had a great childhood, Im saying I know there were great moments, Mate said. But I think there was also a lot of suffering.

Prince Harry reveals why he avoided therapy for years after Princess Dianas death

Harrys mother, Princess Diana, died in a tragic car crash when he was 12-years-old. In his memoir, the Duke recalls not crying for years after her death. And in his chat with Mate, he revealed that he avoided going to therapy because he believed it would make him move past her death and forget her.

One of the things I was most scared about was losing the feeling that I had of my mom, Prince Harry said. I thought that if I went to therapy, that it would cure me and that I would lose whatever I had left, whatever I had managed to hold on to of my mother.

But when Harry finally gave therapy a chance, it had the opposite effect. It helped him retain those feelings for his mom and paved the way for him to find more happiness in life.

38-year-old Prince Harry is gearing up for a virtual event for his memoir this week. Archival footage from 1984 shows then-Prince Charles and Diana with their two sons, as 2-year-old William played with his baby brother Harry for one of the first times on camera. pic.twitter.com/TVZ807f15o  NowThis (@nowthisnews) February 28, 2023

I turned what I thought was supposed to be sadness  to try to prove to her that I missed her  into realizing that, actually, she really just wanted me to be happy, Harry recalled. And that was a huge weight off my chest.

Despite the trauma, Prince Harry doesnt see himself as a victim

Prince Harry has dealt with several difficult situations in his life, including Princess Dianas death, the stress and trauma of war, and ongoing drama with his emotionally distant family. But despite his challenges, the Duke doesnt want to be labeled as a victim.

I certainly dont see myself as a victim, he insisted in his discussion with Mate. I am really grateful to be able to share my story in the hope that it will help empower and encourage others. In some shape or form, we are all connected through trauma. I have never looked for sympathy in this.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have released their 2021 family Christmas card, featuring the first photo of their daughter Lilibet Diana: pic.twitter.com/Oy577sFKXS  Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) December 23, 2021

Related Prince Harry Said Marijuana Helped Him Manage Mental Health Struggles

Harry added, For me, the experience that I have had throughout my childhood, my life, my 38 years  albeit relatively short  those experiences and through the work I have done for two decades now around mental health and mental illness, I have always felt as though sharing what I can of my story will help someone or some people out there.
It wasnt that long ago that Vanderpump Rules star Raquel Leviss was engaged to James Kennedy. After a sometimes-difficult relationship, it looked like the couple was headed toward their happily ever after. James and Raquel (aka Rachel) had their struggles. He battled alcoholism and an often violent temper. She and Lala Kent had an ongoing feud which many believed was bullying on Lalas part.

James finally popped the question in May 2021 after five years together. Their happiness was short-lived, as they broke up that December. Now the Sur server is embroiled in arguably the biggest scandal in the shows history.

The recent Vanderpump Rules cheating scandal involving Raquel Leviss and Tom Sandoval

Tom Sandoval had been in a relationship with Ariana Madix for nine years. The apparently stable couple was living together and looked like they were in it for the long haul.

Then Ariana found a long texting history and some very scandalous photos and videos on her boyfriends phone from Raquel. Needless to say, Ariana and Tom are now over.

It turned out that Tom and Raquel had been having an affair for months.

The entire cast of Vanderpump Rules, present and past, are standing behind Ariana and fully supporting their friend. Other Bravolebrities, fans, and even some celebrities have come out on Arianas side. Jerry OConnell even proudly wore a Team Ariana t-shirt on Watch What Happens Live.

What did Raquel Leviss do before Vanderpump Rules?

Raquel Leviss attends the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on March 22, 2022. | Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Raquel is a true California girl, born there in 1994. She graduated from Sonoma State University in 2015 with a bachelors degree in kinesiology, which is a branch of science that studies physical activity and human movement.

Raquel was also a pageant girl growing up, winning Miss Sonoma County before competing in the Miss California and Miss Malibu USA events. She was recently seen crying during an episode of Vanderpump Rules because she had just competed in her last event, having aged out.

James brought his new girlfriend onto the Bravo series in 2016, after having met her on New Years Eve. Interestingly, the DJs mom, Jacqueline Georgiou, indicated on a recent episode that the meeting may not have been as innocent as it appeared.

But you met organically  which is another thing that I absolutely love. A family member didnt drag you to Pump to go meet a DJ. That to me is not organic, James mom said to his new girlfriend, Ally Lewber. It certainly sounded like a dig to Raquel, and this conversation took place way before the cheating scandal.

The backlash against Raquel Leviss on Vanderpump Rules

Raquel and Tom are definitely the bad guys in this scenario, and if James ex thought Lala was tough on her before, she better watch out now.

Lala has much to say about the scandal, including a message to Raquel, I suggest you get some energy for me. Youre gonna need it.

Kristen Doute, ex-girlfriend of Tom and ex-castmate said on her Instagram, Karma is indeed coming. So Raquel should just move home.

James Kennedy also chimed in, If youre in Orange County today and youre planning on seeing [Toms band] Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras tonight dont forget to bring the tomatoes and the cabbage, OK? he said via his Instagram Story on Friday. You want to get a good aim and you want to squeeze the tomato a little bit so its just a little juicy before you throw it.

The one person who has so far remained quiet is Ariana.
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A new study conducted by researchers from the University of the Basque Country in Spain sought to understand how a pregnant mothers Body Mass Index (BMI) during the beginning of pregnancy impacts the molecular profiles of the placenta.

And more specifically, placental DNA methylation or the addition of a group compromising one carbon and three hydrogens in a specific position in the DNA molecule, explained Nora Fernandez-Jimenez, a Faculty of Medicine and Nursing lecturer.

To date, this was the largest study focusing on placental DNA methylation. It included 2,631 mother and child pairs from North America, Europe, and Australia.

Unlike more familiar mutations which involve the substitution of one nucleotide in the DNA sequence for another methylation is a DNA modification that regulates gene expression without actually altering the DNA sequence.

Recent research has found that methylation bridges the gap between the fetal genome and the intrauterine environment. In other words, the rate of methylation in a genome region may increase due to the environment.

But this kind of increase usually causes DNA to become more compact meaning that these regions cannot be accessed for transcription. This ultimately leads to some genes being silenced.

On the flip side, the opposite effect could also occur. For instance, the rate of methylation in a genome region could decrease in response to the environment.

In this case, the DNA obtains an open configuration to which the transcription machinery has better accessibility, and gene expression would be increased as a result, said Fernandez-Jimenez.

In both cases, the sequence remains intact, but the genome behaves in one way or another.

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Baptist pastors son killed, wife and 3 others abducted

Gunmen suspected to be bandits killed the son of a village pastor and abducted his wife, along with three others, in an attack in Nigerias Kaduna State on Friday. The Nigerian government continues to be criticized for its inability to curb the rising spate of killings in the region.

The attack took place on Friday morning in Karimbu-Kahugu community in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigerias Daily Post reported, stating that the police in Kaduna hadn't released any statement.

The Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSC Mohammed Jalige, refused to comment on the incident, the newspaper said.

The murder and abductions were confirmed by the Vice Chairman of the Kahugu National Development Associations, Peter Mukaddas.

The bandits went straight to the pastors house during the raid and shot his son when he resisted them, Mukaddas was quoted as saying. The attackers then took his wife and three others hostage, he continued.

We are appealing to the government and security agencies to swing into action as soon as possible to ensure our loved ones are rescued alive. We are fervently praying to God to touch their hearts so that they can see the wisdom to release them, he added.

Banditry has been a recurring problem in the northern region of Nigeria, with attacks on rural communities, schools and other public places.

Christian rights groups have warned for years about the deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nigeria amid the rise of terror groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in the northeast. Advocates have also warned about an increase in deadly violence against predominantly Christian communities committed by radical herders in the farming-rich Middle Belt states as the country deals with desertification and erosion of natural resources.

Critics of the Muhammadu Buhari government contend it is not doing enough to thwart the violence.

However, the U.S. State Department last month reaffirmed its decision to remove Nigeria from its list of countries of particular concern for religious freedom violations after conducting a careful review following objections from Nigerian Christians, human rights groups and members of Congress.

The CPC designation carries with it the possibility for sanctions and other deterrence actions to influence those countries to improve religious freedom conditions.

A State Department spokesperson told The Christian Post in an emailed statement at the time that Nigeria did not meet the legal threshold for designation under the International Religious Freedom Act.

The Act declares that it must be U.S. policy to condemn violations of religious freedom, and to promote, and to assist other governments in the promotion of, the fundamental right to freedom of religion.

However, the State Department told CP that it continues to have concerns about the religious freedom situation in Nigeria, and it will keep pressing the government to address them.

The State Department has redesignated Boko Haram and ISIS-WA as Entities of Particular Concern for religious freedom, the State Department spokesperson added. It has also designated these entities Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

A 2021 religious freedom report released by the State Department in June 2022 noted, There was pervasive violence involving predominantly Muslim herders and mostly Christian, but also Muslim, farmers, particularly in the North Central, but also in the North West (where most farmers were Muslim) and South West regions.

The report added, According to the Nigeria security tracker maintained by the Council on Foreign Relations, there were an estimated 10,399 deaths from violent conflict during the year, compared with 9,694 in 2020.

According to the watchdog group Open Doors, Nigeria ranks No. 6 on the organizations 2023 World Watch List, which lists the top 50 worst countries for Christian persecution. The watchdog group reported that in 2022, 5,014 Christians were killed for their faith, and 4,726 were abducted.

As The Christian Post reported, the Biden administration has taken a different approach to its handling of the rising violence in Nigeria than the Trump administration. Secretary of State Antony Blinken removed Nigeria from the CPC list in November 2021 after it was added to the list by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo under the Trump administration in December 2020.
House Republicans launch Congressional Family Caucus: 'The natural family is essential'

A group of lawmakers have announced the formation of a Congressional Family Caucus to defend the interests of families from their representative in Washington, D.C.

Reps. Brian Babin, R-Texas, Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., and Mary Miller, R-Ill., wrote an op-ed for Family Research Councils publication, The Washington Stand Monday, announcing the establishment of the Congressional Family Caucus. For years, we have witnessed a concerted effort by activists on the Left to abolish the natural family, they wrote.

The natural family, a man and a woman committed for life to each other and to their children, was ordained by God as the foundation of our society, the op-ed states. The natural family is essential for a nation to prosper because the family is the root of self-government, service, community and personal responsibility.

Painting the Congressional Family Caucus as an effort to defend the interest of families in Washington, the lawmakers warned of the mission of the radical Left to replace the natural family with the federal government.

They also decried the promotion of abortion, fatherlessness, surgical castration and atheism, and identified some of the most preeminent threats to the natural family as eliminating parental consent for abortion and gender transition procedures and school curriculums with perverse gender ideology and racist critical race theory.

The Congressional Family Caucus will serve to defend the natural family from attempts by the radical Left to erode this core foundation of our society. We will initiate legislation favorable to American families and discuss the effects major legislation will have on the family, the lawmakers vowed.

Describing a happy family as a blessing from God that is foundational to human flourishing, the lawmakers signaled an intention to promote policies that are God-driven and family-focused in order to conserve and protect American families and ensure they prosper for years to come.

Miller quoted from Deuteronomy 6 as she announced the formation of the Congressional Family Caucus on the House floor Tuesday, highlighting the biblical mandate to diligently instruct our children to love God and to obey His commandments. She suggested that we have a moral obligation, as servant representatives, to protect and to conserve the family.

Harshbarger reacted to the establishment of the Congressional Family Caucus in a statement. As you look around and take inventory of the struggles in our nation, the vast majority can be traced back to the demise of the family unit. Children can have no greater inheritance than the godly legacy left to them by their parents. I am proud to co-found the Congressional Family Caucus to promote policies that support and strengthen families.

In an appearance on FRC President Tony Perkins Washington Watch podcast Wednesday, Miller said her congressional colleagues have been very supportive as she discussed her efforts to bring all 222 members of the House Republican Conference on board. She said the groups intention is to work with advocacy groups such as FRC and expressed a desire to use the Congressional Family Caucus to inform fellow lawmakers of the impact proposed legislation will have on families.

While Miller expressed optimism about her ability to recruit her Republican colleagues to support the Congressional Family Caucus and legislation advancing the traditional family, a substantial portion of House Republicans recently voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, which codifies a right to same-sex marriage into federal law. Thirty-nine House Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the measure, 30 of whom remain in office in the 118th Congress.

Any legislation supported by the Congressional Family Caucus that passes the Republican-controlled House would likely face an uphill battle to becoming law for the next two years, as Democrats maintain control of both the U.S. Senate and the White House.
Pioneering pro-life icon who inspired Lila Rose, other leading activists dies after heart attack

A pro-life advocate known for exposing abusive, unlawful practices in the abortion industry and inspiring a generation of activists has died at 74.

Mark Crutcher, a pro-life leader and president of Life Dynamics, a group that has conducted undercover investigations and reported on numerous cases of abortion facilities covering up child sex abuse, died Thursday after suffering a heart attack on Sunday, his wife, Tulane, confirmed.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Tulane Crutcher said her husband began working full-time in the pro-life movement in the late 1980s, training "thousands of people" in debating the issue through his seminars. In 1992, he started Life Dynamics.

She highlighted a documentary her husband released in 2009 titled "Maafa21," which examined the abortion rate among minority populations, arguing that the eugenics movement was behind the creation of Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.

Crutcher said she wants her husband to be remembered as a "loving, tireless warrior for the babies and their mothers, and as a loving father and husband."

"He loved our daughter to pieces," she said.

Visitation hours are scheduled for Monday at DeBerry Funeral Home in Denton, Texas, between 5 and 7 p.m.

Researcher Michael New, an assistant professor of social research at The Catholic University of America and associate scholar at the pro-life research organization Charlotte Lozier Institute, praised Mark Crutcher's "first-rate investigative work." New stated that Crutcher's work exposed a "tremendous amount of misconduct in the abortion industry."

New pointed to Crutcher's book Lime 5, published in 1996, which addressed cases of medical malpractice and sexual abuse cover-ups taking place inside abortion facilities.

"I remember reading this book when I was in college," New told CP in a Friday statement. "The book is filled with tragic examples of lives lost and irreparably harmed due to abortion facility misconduct."

In February and March of 2002, Life Dynamics conducted an undercover phone survey of 813 of the 906 abortion facilities the organization identified as being a part of Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Federation.

On the phone calls, an adult woman pretended to be a 13-year-old girl seeking an abortion after a 22-year-old man impregnated her. The pro-life group posted the tapes online of numerous clinic workers failing to act as mandatory reporters, sometimes even instructing the undercover operative not to provide them with more information.

In April 1997, Life Dynamics began a 31-month investigation into the marketing of fetal body parts from elective abortions. In 2000, the organization released a report alleging how abortion facilities sometimes circumvent restrictions on donating fetal body parts to gain a profit.

One of the arguments presented in the report is that there is a lack of regulation surrounding site fees and retrieval reimbursement, which Life Dynamics contends leaves wholesalers free to set the fee at "any amount."

The legacy of Crutcher and his organization's efforts to educate the public about abortion and abortion industry practices was remembered fondly by several pro-life advocates.

"Mark Crutcher was a pro-life icon who spent his career exposing the truth about the abortion industry's Nazi and eugenic roots and the trafficking of fetal remains," Terrisa Bukovinac, founder and executive director of the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising, told CP in a Friday statement.

"His bravery was an inspiration, and his impact on the movement is undeniable. May he rest in peace."

Lila Rose, founder and president of Live Action, a nonprofit advocacy group that educates the public about pro-life topics and exposes harmful abortion industry practices, mourned Crutcher's death, calling him a "pro-life hero."

"Mark's pioneering work helped inspire my original investigative reporting that served as a foundation for Live Action," Rose tweeted Thursday. "He was passionately & selflessly devoted to the most vulnerable. Rest in peace Mark."

Since 2007, Live Action has conducted various undercover investigations, documenting abortion facility employees covering up sexual abuse or human trafficking and lying to pregnant women about their unborn child's development.

Footage of a recent undercover operation, which the pro-life organization released in June, purports to show a nurse telling Live Action's investigator that she needed to take Xanax before meeting with the abortionist to provide consent.

The investigation took place at Cesare Santangelo's Washington Surgi-Clinic, a facility featured prominently in the news last year after PAAU activists reported recovering the remains of over 100 babies aborted at the clinic. The group has consistently called for an investigation into the deaths of five aborted babies they recovered, believing that the abortion procedure may have violated the law.
3 million students attend schools where they can change gender pronouns without parental consent

At least 3 million K-12 students are enrolled in public school districts where they can change their name and preferred pronouns to reflect their chosen gender identity without parental consent, according to a recent report.

The study, "Pills and Pronouns: School Districts Require Parental Consent for Over-the-Counter Medicine But Not New Names and Pronouns," was released on Feb. 22 by the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies.

Angela Morabito, former U.S. Department of Education press secretary during the Trump administration and author of the report, told The Christian Post in a statement this week that whenever "schools keep a child's assumed identity a secret from the parents, they drive a wedge between parents and their children."

"Parents cannot assume schools will respect their rights. These harmful policies are by no means limited to big-city districts," she continued. "Every parent should inform themselves of policies in their school district and speak up if schools are willing to conceal major information from them about their own kids."

The report examined policies from 20 of the largest school districts in the United States, determined by a 2018 list in the Digest of Education Statistics. Then, it calculated the number of students covered by the school policies examined in the analysis based on the district's self-reported enrollment numbers or those posted by state education agencies.

According to the findings, eight of the 20 school districts do not require parental consent for students to use the names and pronouns that align with their gender identity. The districts include the New York City Department of Education, Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, Los Angeles Unified School District and Chicago Public Schools.

While the districts permit staff to address a child by their preferred pronouns or gender without obtaining parents' consent, the same districts have policies prohibiting staff from dispensing over-the-counter medication to students without parental permission.

"These policies imply that children who are not yet mature enough to decide when they need an aspirin are mature enough to decide whether to go through the school day as male, female, or something else entirely," the report reads.

As the report noted, Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia, Clark County School District in Nevada and Duval County Public Schools in Florida have policies requiring parental consent before staff can address students by a new name or pronoun at school. Other schools do not have specific policies addressing the issue.

In addition to the nation's largest school districts, which have more than 2.5 million enrolled students, 13 districts in communities of varying sizes also allow employees to address students by a different name or pronoun.

These districts, which have over half a million students enrolled, also have policies prohibiting staff from dispensing over-the-counter drugs to students without parental consent. The list of districts included Pittsburgh Public Schools, Sacramento City United School District, San Diego Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District and Seattle Public Schools.

Additionally, four other school districts "allow certain students, based on age or grade level, to dictate their name and pronouns at school without parental consent" while also requiring "parental consent for school staff to dispense over-the-counter medication."

These four districts are Metro Nashville Public Schools, District of Columbia Public Schools, Minneapolis Public Schools and Linn-Mar Community School District in Iowa.

Overall, the report identified 25 school districts with over 3 million students that have written policies requiring parental consent for the school to dispense medication but not for addressing a student by a different name or pronoun.

The issue of parents having a say over whether the school can address their child by the name or pronoun aligning with the student's gender identity has arisen in districts throughout the country.

As The Christian Post reported, residents belonging to the Maine School Administrative District 17 voted in January to recall two school board members who supported a policy allowing school districts to conceal students' chosen gender identities from their parents.

The policy would have permitted students to use opposite-sex bathrooms and required school employees to use a child's new name or pronouns, even if their parents requested them to address them by their legal name and biological sex.

In April 2022, a pair of Massachusetts parents filed a lawsuit against public school officials at the Ludlow School District. The suit alleged that the officials encouraged their children to identify as the opposite gender without obtaining the parents' consent.

U.S. District Judge Mark Mastroianni dismissed the parents' lawsuit in December, stating that it did not meet the "shocks-the-conscience" legal standard. However, the judge also called the school district's policy for students self-identifying as the opposite sex "imperfect" and "flawed."

A similar lawsuit involving Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland was dismissed last August.
Alexander Pagani addresses concerns, misconceptions about deliverance ministry

MOUNT JULIET, Tenn.  Pastor Alexander Pagani, who's well known for his deliverance ministry, addressed concerns some Christians raise about this form of ministry because they've witnessed false teachers whose work more closely resembles a pagan Voodoo ceremony.

Pagani, an apostolic teacher, has spearheaded deliverance ministry for years, starting at his home church, He Is Risen Tabernacle in the Bronx, New York City, and worldwide. His church also goes by the name Amazing Church and has other locations throughout the U.S.

The preacher's bestselling book, The Secrets To Deliverance, landed in the hands of once-cessationist Pastor Greg Locke and it helped change Locke's view on deliverance. Now the two ministers have joined forces with others to bring the truth about deliverance ministry to Christians everywhere with the film, Come Out in Jesus Name.

The film shows how Paganis ministry impacted Locke who is both a popular and sometimes controversial leader. Others in the film include YouTube preacher Isaiah Saldivar, along with other well-known deliverance ministers Vladimir Savchuck, Daniel Adams and Mike Signorelli as they model deliverance in the New Testament.

"I've learned that people don't know what they don't know, Pagani said in a video interview with The Christian Post ahead of the red carpet premiere, addressing claims that he and his cohorts are heretics. That removes my anger that we would feel when someone misrepresents us.

The author said many people reject him and other deliverance ministers due to "misrepresentation of what they do know, he added. The deliverance ministries that they did encounter have been unscriptural, sensational, fanatical, or maybe miss-diagnosing people.

"You can't blame them for being like that, he continued, speaking of Christians who are skeptical of this form of ministry. If the poster boy of deliverance in their mind is the ministry around the corner that looks like a Voodoo seance, strange fire.

The New York native said many people went but were not sent and misrepresented God and His heart for deliverance ministry.

Pagani never set out to be acknowledged the way Locke honored him in the film, he said, adding that it's important to share sound doctrine surrounding casting out demons.

"My mindset has always been to provide a scriptural presentation to change the narrative of deliverance, Pagani told CP.

"The ministry of deliverance, Pagani explained, is first and foremost a ministry that's 75 percent of what Jesus' ministry was dedicated to: casting out demons. Second, the ministry of deliverance, if it's done correctly, out of the Scripture, is an immense benefit to the Church.

Pastors only need to look to the scriptures for guidance on deliverance, he added. "My goal has always been, I'm going to show you in the Bible.

Paganis book on deliverance is immersed with scripture and became a catalyst for the film.

Come Out in Jesus Name will be in theaters for one day only on March 13. For more information, click here.
Chinese provinces new Smart Religion' app makes Christians register to attend worship services

Christians in China's populous Henan province are now reportedly required to register on a government app to attend worship services and must make online reservations before taking part in worship, according to a report from a U.S.-based human rights group.

The app, called "Smart Religion" and developed by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Henan Province, asks believers to give personal information, including their name, phone number, government ID number, permanent residence, occupation and date of birth to receive approval to attend a service, ChinaAid reported this week.

It's a requirement not only for churches but also mosques and Buddhist temples, states the group, which documents religious persecution in China and supports Chinese prisoners of conscience.

Henan has one of the largest Christian populations in China. Local Christians say the cumbersome application procedures have reduced the number of believers attending churches. According to the Texas-based nongovernmental organization, many elderly people and those less tech-savvy may find it challenging to access the app. However, officials say such people will be assisted.

Once allowed into a place of worship, believers must also have their temperature taken, the group said, commenting that the app may be related in some way to COVID-19 restrictions.

ChinaAid contends these management measures were not implemented to protect people's religious rights but rather as a means to achieve political purposes.

"This so-called 'Smart Religion' online application has been officially launched in some parts of Henan. In August 2022, the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau of Puyang County in Henan and the Henan Billion Second Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. signed a project contract for the 'Construction of an Independent Command Platform for the Management of Smart Religion,'" China Aid Special Correspondent Gao Zhensaithe wrote.

"According to the official website of the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of China, as early as July 2020, at the symposium on the construction of a religious big data management platform held in Henan, several platform projects, such as the construction of 'Smart Religion,' were inspected. The digital platform is the foundation of the religious affairs management improvement project, and the China Construction Bank of the Henan Branch provided technical support."

China only recognizes five religious groups that submit to the government's influence. Christians from unregistered churches bear the brunt of the persecution.

In a report released last month, ChinaAid said the Chinese Communist Party intensified the persecution of churches and Christians leading up to the 20th Party Congress in 2022.

"Fraud" charges being brought against house church pastors and leaders in mainland China had increased, with the traditional practice of tithing and offering in churches being seen as an illegal activity, the report said.

The authorities allegedly used the updated "Measures for the Financial Management of Religious Activity Venues," implemented last June, to fabricate charges against house churches.

"We are gravely concerned about how the Communist regime also treats the State-sanctioned church," ChinaAid's President and Founder Bob Fu said in a statement. "Previously, they asked for sole allegiance to the Communist Party, but since the 20th National Party Congress, they shifted their emphasis to aligning with Xi Jinping."

"Their goal," he added, "is not only to curate a 'socialist-friendly' church; they hope to erase it. The international community needs to know about these trends and developments as China continues to rise on the global stage."

The Chinese Communist Party remains focused on religious sinicization.

"Before, during, and after the opening of the Congress, China's state-run religious groups lavished compliments and praise on Xi with more extravagant words and phrases than China's state-run media, showing that religious Sinicization is evolving from supporting the CCP to worship and allegiance to Xi Jinping," the report added.

The Chinese government also implemented strict regulations against religious content on the internet, which ChinaAid contends was aimed at "removing Christianity from cyberspace." The group stresses that Christians have faced "unprecedented" online censorship since the implementation of the "Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information and Services" in 2022.

China is ranked as the 16th worst country when it comes to Christian persecution, according to the 2023 Open Doors World Watch List.

"Tightening restrictions and increasing surveillance are putting Christians in China under intensifying pressure, as the Communist Party seeks to limits all threats to its power," Open Doors, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries, states in a factsheet.
Ex-atheist Isaiah Saldivar says people need deliverance, recounts getting set free from demon

MOUNT JULIET, Tenn.  Isaiah Saldivar, a traveling preacher who reaches 8 million people on YouTube and other social media platforms each week, recently recounted being delivered from a demon of shame and now wants to see others set free as he was.

Once a staunch atheist, Saldivar, who's based in California, is among the featured ministers in the film Come Out in Jesus Name.

The film follows the journey of Pastor Greg Locke, who rallied together well-known deliverance ministers, including Saldivar, internet preacher Mike Signorelli, Alexander Pagani, Vladimir Savchuck and Daniel Adams, as they model and break down Jesus ministry of deliverance modeled in the New Testament.

You can't medicate a demon out; you can't counsel the demon out. According to Scripture, if we're going to be biblical, you must cast out demons, Saldivar said in a video interview with The Christian Post.

What breaks my heart is [that] there's an entire generation that's been labeled the fentanyl generation, the depressed generation, the ADD, ADHD generation, and I'm here to say, we're not! he declared. We're the deliverance generation. We're the revival generation. We're the Jesus revolution, the Jesus generation.

The revivalist said deliverance exposes what the devil is doing in secret.

"In Luke 13, there's a story of a woman that is in a synagogue needing deliverance. Eighteen years she's been bent over, and at the end of the story, the Pharisees are mad that Jesus is casting out demons specifically on the Sabbath, Saldivar said. Jesus responds with, 'You go and untie your donkey on the Sabbath day, but you're mad that I'm untying this daughter of Abraham from demonic bondage?'

"Then He says this: 'Doesn't she deserve to be free? Doesn't she deserve to be loose? Don't our friends and family who are in bondage deserve to be set free and delivered? Saldivar continued.

"So why do we do deliverance? Because the world deserves it! Why do we set people free? Because they deserve it! And because 1 John says the reason Jesus came was to destroy the works of darkness!

Saldivar hopes people will leave theaters more empowered to cast out demons after watching Come Out in Jesus Name because he knows how valuable freedom is.

A native of California who graduated high school at 16 and graduated college at 19, Saldivar, a self-professed type A personality, was a full-blown atheist who could never look people in the eye.

I couldn't look people in the eye ever, my whole life. At college, people would say, 'Saldviar, look me in the eye.' I didn't know why. I was an atheist, so I didn't believe in demons and none of that, he said.

The father of four girls was captivated by Jesus in 2011, and a deliverance experience with his sister delivered him from the demon of shame.

"Four or five days after my salvation experience, I get deliverance. My sister, who delivered me, called out the spirit of shame. The spirit of shame came screaming out of me, [and] from that point on, I could make contact, Saldivar testified.

Although the famous YouTuber has built his platform on teaching about deliverance ministry, he stressed that "not everything is a demon.

I always say you can't cast out the flesh. Demons are cast out and the flesh you crucify. A couple of ways to know whether it's the demon or the flesh is: Number one, you're hearing a voice. The flesh doesn't talk. The flesh doesn't say, 'People hate you' or 'Cut your arm.' The flesh doesn't talk. The flesh is who you are. It's your very nature, the sin nature.

Saldivar added, "A demon will give itself away by talking. It's very important to know every army in the world utilizes camouflage because there's power in remaining undetected. So, demons hide. That's the bottom line.

"Oftentimes, people will hear a voice, they'll have thoughts that they didn't create," he told CP. "So you either created the thought, the Holy Spirit created the thought, or a demon did. If you didn't make that crazy, perverted thought you're having, and the Holy Spirit cant give you that, it's probably a demon. So that's one way to tell.

Other ways demonization affects people is through "recurring nightmares, seeing dark images, friends and family coming to you that are dead, he added.

Come Out in Jesus Name will only be in theaters on March 13. For more information, click here.
Pastor Greg Locke turns away from political controversy to cast out demons in Jesus' name

MOUNT JULIET, Tennessee  As he gears up for the release of his new film "Come Out in Jesus Name," controversial internet preacher Greg Locke says he took his political views too far the past few years and understands that his platform was meant to highlight deliverance ministry instead.

In the movie airing in select theaters on Monday, Locke and a group of other well-known preachers break down Jesus' ministry of deliverance as modeled in the New Testament scriptures.

In a candid sit down with The Christian Post, Locke and his wife, Tai, discuss their change of ministry style. Locke also said he has been delivered from battling politicians to bring spiritual deliverance to others.

Once a Cessationist, Baptist preacher, Locke now fully embraces the gifts and move of the Holy Spirit.

"Not only did I not believe it and I was anti-deliverance, fivefold ministry, anything that had what I considered a charismaniac flair, I was completely against it! I was so Cessationist, very Baptist," Locke said in a video interview with The Christian Post.

Locke said his wife, Tai, who he married in 2018, was radically saved from a drug addiction with no prior religious background, which made it easier for her to embrace deliverance ministry and the move of the Holy Spirit.

"I had to unlearn a lot of what was taught in my head, in my heart, in seminary. But when God started doing demonstratively and definitively, right before my very eyes, the things that I was taught to preach against, it was shocking. I could not deny the reality of miracles, signs, wonders, tongues deliverance," Locke declared.

Demons fleeing at the name of Jesus was just a "token phrase" to the minister until he began to see it happening for himself.

"Once it started happening, I said, 'Look, this is a third of the ministry of Jesus, the No. 1 thing Jesus did outside of preaching Gospel.' Why are we asking people what would Jesus do and not doing what Jesus did?" he questioned.

Global Vision Bible Church was immersed in deliverance ministry "overnight" and is now bringing his revelation to the world.

Locke shot to internet fame after posting a video on Facebook in 2016 criticizing Target for its new policies on gender-neutral bathrooms. He later became very outspoken in favor of Donald Trump and then against the coronavirus restrictions.

The minister has since had a change in focus and believes he was misdirected in focusing on things that are not in the spiritual realm, as the Bible instructs.

"If they hear and read and if they Google me, they're not going to want to see the movie in a lot of ways because the media has done a good or bad, depending on how you look at it, job of painting me as this insurrectionist Christian nationalist that hates everybody," Locke shared.

"That really couldn't be further from the truth," he continued.

"This progression with CNN was interesting because I became the most controversial pastor of America, to the most hated pastor in America, to the most dangerous pastor in America. And now I would say I'm probably the most misunderstood pastor in America because they don't recognize the transition."

Locke, however, is remorseful about how intensely he fought these things in the natural when he should have been praying for America's deliverance.

"I was very political. I mean, I was on the Trump train. I was there January 6, and I was very, very political in a lot of ways. But deliverance ministry tempered me because I began to realize, 'You know what, we wrestle not against flesh and blood,'" Locke told CP.

"Yeah, I'm very conservative, and I'm very concerned about what's happening in our nation. But at the end of the day, it's not a White House problem. It's a God's house problem. And if we don't fix what's going on in the church house, we're not going to fix what's going on in the White House or anybody else's house or the movie house."

The Nashville native "transitioned from calling out politicians to calling out demons" because he believes that is the real issue at hand.

"Pastors need to understand the authority and the power that we've been given by Jesus, in His Name, and through His blood, to literally tear down strongholds," he declared.

"I had to shift my focus in a lot of ways."

In "Come Out in Jesus Name," Locke says "controversy built" his platform to millions of followers but "God used it for deliverance."

"I want people to leave the theater asking their pastors the hard questions. Why aren't we doing this? Why is it the No. 1 thing Jesus did, and our church is denominationally refusing to obey this condition, which has become nothing but an omission?" he asked.

"If you think back, every type of revival we had one except one, there's never been a revival of deliverance," he continued. "As a matter of fact, you look at Azusa Street, the birthplace of the Pentecostal movement, it stopped, historically, because when deliverance began to break out, people didn't understand it. So they shut it down. You look at the Jesus Revolution, you look at Lonnie Frisbee, they didn't want to go into deliverance, and so it shut it down. It allowed him not to be able to fight his own demons and then not be able to move into deliverance."

Locke argues that "you cannot have full-blown church revival without deliverance."

"So it's time to unpackage it," Locke said.

"Come Out in Jesus Name" features the Lockes, popular YouTube preacher Isaiah Saldivar, deliverance Alexander Pagani, along with other well-known deliverance ministers Vladimir Savchuck, Daniel Adams, Mike Signorelli and others.

Produced by Wayne Caparas and executive produced by Locke, the film will be in theaters on March 13th only. Visit the website for more information.
A cancer journey: Hearing God while suffering

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

I really hate pain. It has recently been shouting at me very loudly, and at the most inopportune times. But instead of rousing me, most days I only want to retreat to my bedroom, curl up and take a nap.

Christians believe that God communicates with us in various ways  through Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17), through the Holy Spirit (e.g., prayer and worship and music, John 16:13), and through teachers whose source is the Bible. He speaks through nature and His creation (Psalm 19:1-2), and He communicates with us through our loved ones.

He also communicates to us through our various pains and sufferings and difficulties. Hearing God this way may be the most exacting of all. I dont like trials or pain. I like my comfort.

My journey with cancer is teaching me the value of resilience. Chemo and radiation continue to ravage my body at times, often shouting at me. I am finding it fruitless trying to reclaim what once was, the way I used to be. I try to wish into existence my pre-treatment body and resist my new one. But I am learning like Eckhart Tolle noted, that What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is?

Resilience is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; it is toughness.

It means focusing on the purpose, not the pain. It is anti-fragility. It means allowing my suffering to help me become stronger  it means learning how to accept it. It calls me to mercy, it calls me to grace, and it calls me to hope. These are the three cornerstones of a strength I desperately need.

My journey is teaching me a more grounded sense of optimism, where I am learning how to rest in the conviction that there is good in my future, even if that it is only to be found in limited supply, or in Heaven. It is trying my resourcefulness, where I must lean not on my efforts, but on the unending, limitless resources I find in Jesus, the true wellspring of life.

The prophet Isaiah tells me that I am not to call to mind the former body I had or ponder the ease of my carefree past. He says God is at work right now, shaping something new in me, like a fresh spring forming out of the dry ground. The question that haunts me is will I hear it and see it and taste of it? Will I allow myself to even be aware of it? I know He can make roadways where all seems to be nothing but overgrown wilderness, and He can cause a new stream to flow in the parched desert of my spirit. But will He do this for me? Do I really believe Him?

My journey is teaching me to forget what lies behind me, and to press on to what lies ahead. It is hope found in His promises.

I am learning that acceptance is facing lifes hard circumstances with patience and humility, making peace with what is. Love is learning to say yes to what is, said Richard Rohr. My reality for now is learning to recognize my limits, what exhausts me and what fills me, as well as the exact location of every nearby restroom.

I find my most encouraging lesson has been hearing God through others, through my community of friends, family, my kids, and especially my wife. She is truly my rock when I am flailing, my courage when I am afraid, my inspiration when I feel none. I feel loved by my community, and I am overwhelmed with joy at the Holy Spirits love and power that radiates from them. It is their acts of kindness  a meal brought, and a meal shared, their words of hope, their prayers, the gift of their time, even a warm blanket to keep me warm during chemo  small tokens of their love for me that mean so very much.

Most of all, I am learning that resilience and hope would not count for much without community. In fact, it is through being so well loved by those around me that I am no longer completely deaf, finally able to hear God rousing me through the megaphone of this hard, but hope-filled journey.
I dont need you, Joe Biden, to 'rescue' me.

President You Aint Black Biden exploited a historical moment in Selma  Bloody Sunday  and turned it into histrionics. Selma is a reckoning, Biden strangely said as if it were early 1965. The right to vote ... to have your vote counted is the threshold of democracy and liberty. With it anythings possible.

With Life anything is possible. Without it, nothing matters. (Actually, to be even more precise, with God all things are possible.) Life is the right from which all other rights flow. Yet the Democratic Party is the Party of Unlimited Abortion. The ultimate form of voter suppression is killing voters before theyre born. And nowhere is this decimation more evident than in the black community where abortion rates, according to the CDC, are four times higher than the majority population. Forty percent of the nations abortions occur in black communities already ravaged by violence, fatherlessness, failing schools, higher incarceration rates, higher school dropout rates and Democratic leadership.

And its that leadership that undermines free and fair elections. Across the country, Democrats continually try to give non-citizens the right to vote. Thats one of the obvious ways liberals ensure Americans votes dont count. The Republican-led House recently voted to rescind a Washington D.C. law that would allow people here illegally to vote starting in 2024. Last June a New York state judge struck down New York Citys unconstitutional law allowing non-citizens to vote. Funny. Biden was silent about all of that because he knows theres no democracy or liberty without election integrity.

Selma was a reckoning, Mr. President. Its almost humorous the way Democrats love to live in the past, pretending that nothing has changed since 1619 or the 1960s, while never accepting responsibility for the inhumanity their Party foisted upon people of my color.

Ive been to Selma. I was blessed to be able to walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge a few years ago. I couldnt help but thank God for the incredible transformation in America. My family is the reward of those who fought for human equality. As an adoptive family of 15 with white, black, mixed, Native American, Vietnamese, able and disabled siblings, were literally the realization of Martin Luther Kings dream. My marriage and my four mixed children are a testament to a movement that fought to erase the destructive lines racism had drawn for our society.

I feel like Biden dishonored the sacrifices of black, brown and white civil rights champions who risked their very lives to stand for whats right. It was as if their fight was in vain. I mean, if nothing has really changed, were at square one, right? 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, the AP reports Biden saying.

Really? Where is this assault happening? In the crumbling Metaverse? Because its not happening in real life. The 1619 Project crockumentary on Disneys Hulu tried this same schtick, spending an inordinate amount of time lamenting voter suppression, but gave exactly zero cases of it. They scrounged up one instance where an elderly residential complex had to vote in a different precinct because of a zip-code snafu. They were disenfranchised according to fiction writer Nikole Hannah-Jones historically-challenged project. But whos to blame? Conservatives? Or the liberals who run the Fulton County Elections Commission, chaired by a Democrat who is an open lesbian politician, Cathy Woolard? Good news? Ultimately, everyone got to vote.

Lets ignore the fact that the voter integrity laws  ones that Biden and the entire DNC demonize and pretend are Jim Crow 2.0  have only led to increased voting in the black community (here, here and here). A 2022 University of Georgia poll revealed that 99% of Georgia voters reported no issues casting a ballot.

And which election deniers is Biden talking about? Stacey Abrams? Congressman Hiram Jeffries? Hillary Clinton. Himself? Its sheer lunacy that Democrats and all their news media allies now condemn the very thing in which they regularly engage. The Disinformation Police are the disinformers.

Lets talk about the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) that the Supreme Court allegedly gutted. Despite the blatant lie posted on Democrats.org for many years, the DNC was not the Party of Civil Rights. The Republican Party has that title. The DNC absurdly asserted: weve worked to pass every one of our nations Civil Rights laws. What??? They worked to prevent every one of our nations Civil Rights laws until they finally realized they had no choice but to catch up with the Republican Party. The VRA, repeatedly touted by Dems, was made possible because of far larger margins of Republicans voting for it: 94% of GOP versus 60% of the DNC. Fifty-four percent of Senate Democrats also voted against an amendment to punish those using racist poll taxes.

And what did the Supreme Court do with the VRA? Its over six decades later, and a lot has changed. They rescinded the portion that required federal approval for nine states and other jurisdictions to change their voting laws. Many people dont realize this applied to many counties and municipalities including Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx. I guess Biden thinks NYC needs pre-clearance to change its voting laws too.

But the racism industrial complex needs to keep fueling the fire. Fear is the Lefts weapon of choice. Facts are their kryptonite.

I dont need you, Joe Biden, to rescue me. I dont need you, Democrat Party, to underestimate me. I dont need you, fake news, to misinform me. I walked across that bridge in Selma and felt hope and promise. You can keep your despair and propaganda, Mr. President. Ill move forward in victory as you and fellow Democrat leaders exploit the victimhood your Party created.
The danger of using 'God's will' to answer pain and tragedies

The topic of Gods will has been thrown around the Church for many years. If we're honest, all the sermons on what is God's will or How to know God's will have been more confusing than comforting. Too many times we've used God's will as a way to answer the tragedies that surround us or to explain the pains and the hurts of circumstances.

Well say things like We do not know God's will or His ways are higher than our own. Yet, we refuse to label these circumstances as bad because we assume that would give room to question Gods perfect will. Meanwhile, Satan has for too long skewed the lines of good and evil. We have accepted a twisted narrative of lies that says, It was God who chose to take him or God gives you suffering to teach you a lesson.

Maybe you were like me when you heard of God's will. You strove for perfection. Every decision you made you questioned if you were in the will of God, as though you had the power to go in and out at any time. Your intentions were to follow God but you only found guilt, worry, and fear when you could not discern if this decision would put you on Gods right path.

When I was in my early teens I ran into my pantry and prayed a sincere prayer. I said, God when I get to Heaven I want to hear you say well done my good and faithful servant. Some might say there was nothing wrong with this prayer. However, my knowledge of God and understanding of His heart were still so small. What I had not realized then was that there was something greater beyond just getting it right in this life. I thought I needed to always strive for perfection and choose the right college and choose the right career and choose to be good. I worried if I was doing Gods will because I was taught it was a mystery, something you would never truly know or understand.

Thank God for his kindness and patience, because as I began to read the Bible for myself the Spirit of God began to reveal the truths of His Word.

Understand that I had grown up in church all my life, gone to Sunday school, and went to a private Christian school with Bible classes every day and chapel every week. I had read numerous Bible stories and heard countless sermons. Yet, I had not fully understood the truth of the Gospel. It was not until I understood what righteousness was and how Jesus lived the perfect life that I could not, and that by accepting His forgiveness I had received His righteousness in exchange (Romans 5:19).

And what does this have to do with the mysterious question of the will of God? Everything, actually. This is the foundation of the Gospel, and we must understand our position in Christ to understand the will of the Father. The younger me believed I needed to earn my righteousness. Though I knew my sin was forgiven, I believed my actions didn't line up and I needed to make sure I lived this life for Christ through striving rather than rest. I wanted Gods approval, not knowing I already had it when I accepted his Son.



The Holy Spirit began to show me that in and through Christ I already had His approval and that this was His will!

This may surprise and offend some but the truth is God's will should not be a mystery. While we certainly wont know everything that the future holds, we don't have to question God's will or His intentions. Because He tells us what his will has been all along in the new covenant. And guess what? It is good!

The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 1 that God has predestined us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

It was God's will for His people to be His children and that is pleasing to Him. Therefore, we must see ourselves as his children because we have been accepted by the beloved. He continues in that same passage that God, "having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He has purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven and which are on earth  in Him.

Jesus came to reveal the character of God to people who had yet to experience it. I began to see I was a child of God and I had His approval all along in Christ Jesus. He loved me just as He loved his Son. With this assurance, we can know that we are living from His will rather than striving towards it. We can live life with the knowledge that we are His children and can live according to someone who is unconditionally loved. We dont have to question His intentions. And when lives are transformed from striving to being, therein lies the beautiful mystery of His will.
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China accelerates modernization of industrial system

14:30, March 11, 2023 By Wang Hao, Qi Zhiming, Ge Mengchao ( People's Daily

A newly built high-end production line is tested in an industrial park in Yantai, east China's Shandong province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Photo by Tang Ke/People's Daily Online)

Over the recent years, China has thoroughly implemented an innovation-driven development strategy to promote the optimization and upgrading of its industrial structure. Accelerating the modernization of the industrial system remained one of the key focuses of the government work report this year.

China boasts the most complete industrial system in the world, and the demand in its domestic market has the greatest potential globally. Accelerating the industrial structure upgrading and building a modern industrial system that's independent, controllable, safe, reliable and highly competitive is key to future development.

Traditional industries are the foundation of the modern industrial system. At present, China is vigorously promoting the upgrading of traditional industries.

Traditional industries are moving towards higher-end, exploring new development paths.

Wang Lanyu, general manager of HBIS Group, a Chinese steelmaker, told People's Daily that the company has been making ceaseless efforts to deepen supply-side structural reform, develop high-end products, and strive for a higher stage of well-adjusted balance where demand drives supply and supply, in turn, creates demand.

"We are exploring the new arena of intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs) and have launched high-end smart electric vehicles to better meet the demand of the market," said Zhang Xinghai, vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and chairman of Seres, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer.

China has fastened its steps on a new path to industrialization as the industrial structure is optimizing and the quality of products keeps improving. High-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing accounted for 15.5 percent and 31.8 percent of the total value added of industrial enterprises above designated size, respectively. China has maintained the world's largest producer and seller of NEVs for eight consecutive years.

Traditional industries are becoming intelligent and more competitive.

Only by grasping the opportunities of digital upgrading can enterprises stand out in fierce market competition, said Zhang Zhuang, mayor of Liuzhou, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. He noted that Liuzhou supports enterprises in digital transformation and is actively building national-level pioneering zones for connected vehicles and intelligent manufacturing.

"Digital technologies enable precision workshops to respond to every abnormal situation and reduce the processing period of core parts by 20 percent, which further lowers cost and improves efficiency," said Ma Bing, an employee of Gentertec Qiqihar No.2 Machine Tool, a manufacturing enterprise for heavy-duty machine tools.

So far, China has built over 2,100 high-level digital workshops and smart factories, and industrial internet has been applied to 45 major categories of the national economy.

Ma suggested that enterprises should keep enhancing their capabilities in the application of digital technologies and software, as well as data management, saying efforts shall be made to guide enterprises to accelerate digital transformation in key links.

Traditional industries are also turning "green" and brimming with new vitality.

Aiming to build a waste-free county, Guangze county in east China's Fujian province has managed to mix organic matters such as chicken manure and rice husks and turn them into fuel.

"We should promote clean production and circular economy, so as to achieve green and low-carbon development," said Zhang Yuzhen, president of the Fujian Provincial Academy of Environmental Sciences.

Thanks to synergistic efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development, and pursue economic growth, the country is seeing accelerated development of green and low-carbon production and lifestyles. The share of clean energy in total energy consumption increased from 20.8 percent to over 25 percent over the past five years.

While consolidating the dominant place of traditional advantageous industries, China is also fostering new growth drivers and new strengths.

According to the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the country will promote the integrated and clustered development of strategic emerging industries and cultivate new growth engines such as next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment, and green industry.

The innovation-driven development strategy cultivates emerging industries. Liao Zengtai, head of Wanhua Chemical Group, told People's Daily that leading enterprises should cooperate with universities and research institutes to contribute to the development of emerging industries with strategic importance.

"We have made breakthroughs in the optimization of storage technology, which makes the operation of mobile phones smoother," said Feng Dan, dean of the School of Computer Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province. Industries, universities and research institutes should work together and turn frontier technologies into productivity, she added.

"Future industries are an opportunity that we should seize in the next round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. Efforts should be made to develop core technologies in key sectors such as artificial intelligence and big data," said Dong Jin, head of the Beijing Academy of Blockchain and Edge Computing.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
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Turkish FM announces a Russia visit on Wednesday in preparation for a forthcoming quad meeting. The focus of these discussions is the technical aspect that foreign ministers in attendance will cover.

Turkish FM Announces Quad Meeting

The announcement was stated by Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu when Moscow offered to host a meeting to discuss these technical talks. It will include Iran and Syria as additional participants, as explained by the official, Anadolu reported.

Ankara will also send its deputy foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with FM Hossein Amir Abdollahian of Iran telling the media that Tehran is part of the talks that will prepare for the meetings, noted TRT World.

He added that the Astana format is the only format left for Syrian and remarked that having Iran is no problem for the Kremlin. The last meeting was on December 22 last year, when Ankara, Moscow, and Damascus were concerned about the terrorism in Syria, which led to more tripartite meetings to deal with this problem. Even before, Ankara was for the presence of Iran.

Where the next talks will be held has yet to be announced, but this would be another important meeting from the start of the civil war in Syria in 2011, cited Daily Sabah.

For regional cooperation, despite the differences of late between Ankara and Damascus in which, Abdollahian remarked they would do their part to resolve it.

Quakes Racked Turkey

Striking Turkey last month were tremors that caused massive death and ruin, wherein Iran expressed support. Deaths totaled 46,104 people dead as a result.

Read Also: Turkey F-16 Deal Not Linked To Sweden, Finland NATO Bid

Expression of condolences globally that show support for Turkey and international efforts to rescue people was in full swing. Iran sent teams to assist the human tragedy while the west was accused of limited aid.

Cavusoglu added the quick assist of Iran's 150 team's quick moves had saved 11 people trapped in the debris. Turkey sent assistance to Syria as it suffered as well. He added that 475 trucks with aid had passed the Cilvegozu gate.

The Turkish official added that their airspace allowed passing to give humanitarian aid for Syria, allowing direct landings in Aleppo or Damascus. He reiterated that support for Syria is important despite its disasters and assured that they would aid others in need.

At the onset of the initial quake, Iran quickly assisted Ankara with orders from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi himself. Abdollahian will be at quake-hit Adiyaman with Iranians giving urgent medical assistance via the mobile hospital.

Tehran and Ankara Increase Interaction

Cavusoglu said a state visit to Iran is in the works but has no definite schedule yet. Iran's Raisi will go to Turkey to meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut short by the quake.

Topics planned to be discussed at the regional and global level concern energy, trade, economics, and transport on their agenda.

Less natural gas was transported to Turkey for two months but has been restored. The Turkish official wants their energy cooperation to improve. The Iranian FM said that Turkey's security is mutual with Iran's. Russia would host a quad meeting with Turkey and Syria, including Iran, that will be important for all participants.

Related Article: Turkish FM Welcomes Greek Support After Twin Quakes Hit Turkey

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BJP with multiple factions in the state fails to give a strong credible leader to fill the leadership vacuum

The BJP with multiple factions in the State fails to give a strong credible leader to fill the leadership vacuum in near future. The emerging leader, the former IAS officer, BJP MP, Aparajita Sadangi has control over subjects, oratorical excellence and image to change the wind for BJP. But, she cant win an election alone. She needs to win the support of the RSS workers at the grass root.

Other BJP leaders need the intellectual capacity to justify an alternate credible development vision before the people of Odisha which can out shine Naveens development vision based on infrastructure growth. The BJPs central leaders from Odisha are not popular among the common Oriya people as they are not willing to live in Odisha and experience the hit and dust of Odisha politics; most of the time they remain in Delhi and wait for the BJP wind to blow in favor of them.

Political image is built over hard work, leadership skill and charisma which brings grass root level workers together to channel the anti establishment feeling to victory. The RSS daily Sakhas in Odisha which provided cushion to BJP have dwindled out; they are visible during Dushahara and in some events, organized by their central leadership.

The RSS no longer appeals to the young generation in Odisha despite their change of uniform from short pants to trouser; dress in fact does not attract youth; the tender minds are drawn to people who have intellectual capacity, dedication, commitment to nation building and a clear sense of purpose.

The burden of the ever expanding BJP has drained RSS energy since BJP could not build its own selfless cadres in Odisha. The top RSS leader Asit Basu who had control over the entire Sangh outfits died in a road accident 10 years back.

The Congress and other parties are nowhere close to BJDs popularity; they also face a serious leadership crisis. Family politics and the shadow of Supremo in political parties has created an alarming situation not only in Odisha but in most parts of the country; it bleeds democracy and governance.

Not a single leader in Odisha is visible in the horizon who can replace Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He has ruled Odisha for nearly two and half decades. His father, Biju Patnaik, had built Odisha; he was a daring pilot who saved the life of Indonesias Prime Minister Sjahrir and President Sukarno when the Dutch army blocked their exit.Biju Patnaik was involved in many daring military missions and used to carry nationalist leaders for secret meetings during the freedom struggle. He was undoubtedly a prime ministerial material in the Congress Party after Independence.Biju Patniak had established ports, industries and educational institutions in Odisha. He never allowed his son, Naveen Pattnaik to appear in Odisha politics during his lifetime. When Janta Dal had a leadership vacuum, the leaders in Janta Dal brought Biju Patnaiks son, Naveen Patnaik, a writer with Doon School background to lead the party.People of Odisha loved and respected Biju Patnaik, and they showered their blessings on his son, Naveen Pattnaik also. The shadow of Biju Pattnaik could not hold Naveen Pattnaik longer and today Naveen has become a popular leader. His strong determination and political skill deceives his frail appearance. The State has witnessed rapid infrastructure development particularly road connectivity to remote villages. Bridges, flyovers, schools and colleges have mushroomed in Odisha.Naveen Patnaik has built his own image which has become too tall for any other Odia leader to scale. Today, he is not physically fit to carry the leadership burden for a longer time; he struggles to walk and has stress on his face though he hides it with a benign smile. He has not built another strong Odia leader with a mass appeal.He has not been tough with his own people who soil his image within his party with shadowy business deals. His government pays fat honorarium and other facilities to retired engineers and extension officers to check road projects and provide veterinary service to people when the state has many young unemployed graduates. He could not control the migration from villages to cities in Odisha which has crumbled city infrastructure.Criminals from neighbouring States have made Odisha a happy hunting ground. Naveen Patnaik desperately needs to prop up a strong and capable Odia leader who can protect the interest of the State, create jobs to prevent massive migration and generate employment in rural areas. He is still far away from Biju Patnaiks dream:It is not the responsibility of Naveen Patnaik alone to achieve the dream of Biju Patnaik; the leadership class in Odisha should rise above the narrow party politics and personal interest to save the interest of Odisha. At present, there is not a single leader in Odisha who is capable of building Odisha as per Biju Patnaiks dream.
Iran says it's the third country to have hypersonic missiles that can be used to attack an aircraft carrier. This was claimed by Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, saying that it is being tested and getting built, noted Tehran Times.

Iran Developd Hypersonic Missiles

Iran is one of three nations that have perfected the sought technology, remarked Bagheri. The ballistic missile will threaten western warships around Iranian waters up to 1,500 kilometers, reported Eurasian Times.

The new weapons will secure the seas with over 1000 kilometers enhancing protection from western attackers. It flies to outer space at about Mach 8 and can dive down to hit targets accurately. Describe the scenario wherein the aircraft carrier and its warships will be in danger even at 1,500 kilometers off. He added that noteworthy talents did it, cited Tasnim News.

In November 2022, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Aerospace Force alleged they had a hypersonic weapon capable of defeating most air defense platforms. Very agile and capable of over or under the atmosphere with high speed.

Iranian military officials verified this by verifying the speed and height it can do exo-atmospheric maneuvering. An engine that activates about 500 kilometers from the target will dazzle the defenders with minute adjustments guiding the missile to impact.

Third Country with Hypersonic Missile Technology

This is only one of many developments in military equipment, including high-tech drones. Information about the Iranian missile program has revealed that it fired about 228 ballistic missiles from the time of the 2015 nuclear deal, per FDD.

Read Also: Iran Acquires Su-35 Flanker E To Dominate Other Air Forces

Based on a report, Tehran tested 100 missiles throughout 2022, about three times more than in 2021. A paper authored by a Washington think-tank said it was part of a military exercise conducted by Tehran.

A claim by the US is that one of these missiles used in Iraq killed an American, but no verification was mentioned. Improvements in the relevant technology include underground facilities with storage areas with better missile range, accuracy, and mobility of platforms.

Necessary development for these super-fast missiles that has everything needed to make them excellent cutting-edge arms in Iran's arsenal. US pundits say it will allow Tehran to send more destructive attacks at longer ranges.

Another aspect of these advanced arms, like hyper-fast ballistic missiles, will put anyone daring to attack Tehran in the wrong position. One of them is the US cannot deploy their Carrier Strike Groups, which will be in duck shoot. Weaknesses in typical warfare will be increased with hypersonic arms, and nukes will be an option for extra defense.

Some sectors imply that Tehran will push its foreign policy with these ballistic missiles out of fear of the west as its enemies like the US and Israel will be on the back foot if Tehran gives these weapons to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

The west will be desperate to pressure the Iranians to end their missile program because these arms will impact an ability to stop it in a conflict. The government of Tehran knows that it must win over the west and sow disunity at the right time.

Iran, as the third country to have hypersonic missiles, becomes a threat to western hegemony that relies on advanced arms.

Related Article: Royal Navy Monitors Russian Frigate Admiral Gorshkov as It Steams Towards UK

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The US Trustee filed a motion today to force BlockFi to put the funds in insured accounts, but it sure looks as if the cow's out of the barn already. If the money's lost, then the question is who's going to pay for this screw up, and it's especially juicy because it's all tied up with venue competition.

You gotta feel for BlockFi customers. First, they find themselves creditors in BlockFi's bankruptcy. And now they've found out that BlockFi had a large, uninsured deposit...at Silicon Valley Bank. Yup, it seems that BlockFi had $227 million in a money market deposit account at SVB . (The UST refers to it as a "money market mutual fund," but that cannot be right, or it wouldn't be at SVB or have any insurance. [See "Another update" below regarding possibility that it was a money market mutual fund sweep account, in which case the money would in fact be protected.]) That would mean there's a $226.75 million uninsured deposit. Given what we know about SVB, part of that $226.75 million in uninsured funds is likely lost if it's still at SVB.

Let's be clear: the enormous uninsured deposit is a situation that shouldn't have happened. Section 345(b) of the Bankruptcy Code requires that the debtor's money be place in insured deposits (or other investments that bear the eagle) or that are secured by an adequate bond. (What's more, the debtor was allegedly in violation of the Cash Management Order, which required compliance with section 345(b) absent court approval for deviation.)

The US Trustee, to its credit, was urging the debtor to rectifying the situation as far back as March 6. If the debtor had complied with the US Trustee's demands on March 6 (or just complied with 345(b) from the get-go), the BlockFi estate wouldn't be looking at the unpleasant position of possibly being an unsecured creditor in the SVB receivership.

The really interesting question is what the consequences will be from this screw up. There are two issues that will need to be sorted out.

First is whether the debtor's management and counsel can continue in their roles. Screwing up on a 345(b) matter, especially one expressly required by the debtor's own cash management order, to the tune of up to $226.75 million, especially after the US Trustee's repeated demands, brings to mind words like "gross mismanagement" and "malpractice" and "willful." I don't know if that speaks to a trustee motion or a motion under 327(d) to end the retention of debtor's counsel.

Beyond the question of whether the debtor's management and counsel should continue in their roles, there's the question of who's going to pay. The estate's creditor's should NOT be left holding the bag for this sort of screw up. There's a question about whether the responsibility here rests on the debtor's management or on debtor's counsel, but typically management does what counsel says to do on cash management matters, so I think this is probably on the debtor's counsel. Does that mean a reduction in fees? A payment from the malpractice insurance carrier? Something else?

Here's what I know: if this were a two-bit small business case, debtor's counsel would get skinned alive. But this is a mega-case with K&E as co-counsel for the debtor. That it's K&E is no small matter, as K&E is the leading case placer for megacases. BlockFi is also one of the two recent mega-cases in DNJ (the other being LTL Management, which originally filed in WDNC, but was transferred to DNJ, where the debtor ended up with a very friendly judge.) Given that LTL's bankruptcy is (pending further appeals) dismissed, BlockFi is DNJ's chance to show that it's a good jurisdiction for megacases to file. Already, there's the strange intra-district assignment of the case: under the New Jersey bankruptcy court's local rules, the case should be in the Newark vicinage, not Trenton.

So here's the problem: if the bankruptcy court comes down hard on K&E, everyone knows what the result will be: K&E will simply not file cases in DNJ. Instead, K&E will take its business to a more accommodating venue, like Delaware or Houston. Trenton's brief run in the competition to attract mega-cases will be at an end. This isn't speculation--that's exactly what K&E did after Judge Sontchi (rightly) blew up at K&E for pulling a fast-one on a pro se creditor in Samson Resources. K&E didn't file a case in Delaware for months afterwards. (Query what got them to return...) We'll have to watch what happens here.

Update: It turns out that among Kirkland & Ellis's clients is ... a Silicon Valley Bank affiliate. Kirkland's conflicts disclosure in BlockFi listed SVB Leerink LLC as a client. SVB Leerink LLC is now known as SVB Securities LLC. I have no idea if this had any impact on decision-making in BlockFi, but it's not a good look.

Another update: It's possible that the "money market mutual fund" the UST referred to was part of a sweep account in which SVB would sweep all funds on deposit over some specified threshold into a money market mutual fund account in the name of BlockFi. If that were the case, then the funds in the money market mutual fund account would not be part of the FDIC receivership estate. That would be a much happier outcome for BlockFi creditors--they wouldn't have incurred a loss. There'd still be a violation of 345(b) and the cash management order, but it could be one that has not harmed the estate. We'll find out more at Monday's hearing.
Russian FM Sergey Lavrov talked with the Saudi FM in Moscow about the collaboration of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with OPEC+ as their main concern, including the ongoing Ukraine War that has been raging for a year, TASS reported.

Russian FM Lavrov Talks with Saudi FM Al Saud

The Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud went to Moscow last Thursday for the fifth occasion as more interaction with the KSA reported Almayadeen.

Al Saud mentioned the goal of the interaction of KSA and Moscow is to end the Ukraine conflict by finding a solution that is acceptable to both warring parties. Cites what he calls initiatives in the past that included an exchange of POWS. Opportunities to get both to the table is a priority, cited Urdupoint.

Foreign Minister Lavrov lauded the involvement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in arranging the significant swap of POWS. It marked a positive development during the conflict.

Mentioned in the joint statement between Lavrov and Al Saud is the controversial grain deal export deal which was implemented. Due to problems that have affected the deal with negotiations to extend it further.

The Russian FM gave his opinions about the grains deal that has been colored by prior developments. Saying that if the deal is referenced that should be a packaged deal. What can be renewed with what is in progress. Warned that it's a no-go to extend it if all the conditions are not met.

Read Also: India Lauds Saudi Arabia FM Presence, Support in G20 Meetings

As usual, the west is trying to force Moscow to accept compromises that are refused as it sees the west as a key supporter of the Ukrainian. A demand to demilitarize the Zaporzhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP) is objected to that is not part of the grains deal.

OPEC+ in Major Cooperative Effort

A major move that Moscow and Riyadh are major participants in the organization which wields influence in the oil sector.

He added that they are both ready to work together in the oil boy with its established rules and processes. The majority of the members in the platform are complying with their obligations and how the market is kept stable. Energy is crucial for everyone and should not allow shocks like now.

More Obstacles to Peace

Ukraine has not assured the safety of the Zaporozhye NPP by blocking any deal to have a buffer zone around. It has been allegedly attacked by the AFU despite the dangers to everyone.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres went to Ukraine recently and said the grains deal should include the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. This is not agreeable to the Kremlin and the UN is losing credibility.

Another is the claim of the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi that Ukraine wants to demilitarize. It has been mentioned for many months that it become a safety zone. The Russian FM said he worked with the IAEA director general but that is what's happening now.

Lavrov noted it will not work because Guiterres acting as an agent of Zelensky, not as a UN Official. Stated that nothing will happen if it allows Zelensky to dictate anything,

FM Lavrov met with the Saudi FM to discuss the OPEC+ and other concerns which are relevant to the bilateral relationship.

Related article: Saudi FM Clarifies Stand on Russia, Iran Nuclear Deal at the Munich Security Conference

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Republican Rep. George Santos pleads innocent after the U.S. Secret Service received a declaration from a Brazilian man who claims that the GOP lawmaker was in charge of a "skimming operation."

The Secret Service is now reviewing the sworn declaration in the case that allegedly led to the Brazilian man's arrest in 2017 for the installation of skimmers at a Seattle bank ATM. The Republican lawmaker was interviewed in 2017 by investigators from the Secret Service.

George Santos' Involvement in Skimming Operation

A former deputy director of the Secret Service, A.T. Smith, said that the Brazilian man's declaration is a "significant" development in the case. The now-law enforcement analyst said that the declaration could be the jumpstart needed for a new inquiry into Santos' alleged criminal activities.

Smith added that the Secret Service would probably want to interview the individual again in a more personal matter and take a sworn statement themselves. In the document, the Brazilian man, identified as Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha, claimed that it was the Republican representative who taught him how to use skimmers in the first place, as per CBS News.

The skimmers are used to steal personal information from the cards that people insert into ATM machines. The Brazilian man said that Santos taught him how to use them at the time that they were roommates near Orlando, Florida.

In his declaration, Trelha wrote that he was a coward for coming forward to declare that the person in charge of the fraud scheme at the time that he was arrested was actually Santos and Anthony Devolder. The latter was a reference to a name that the Republican lawmaker used in the past.

The Brazilian man was arrested by law enforcement personnel at Seattle's Pike Place Market in 2017 and entered a guilty plea later that year to one federal count of felony access device fraud. He was then deported to his native Brazil.

Read Also: Virginia Boy Who Shot Teacher Will Not be Charged

A Slew of Controversies

On the other hand, Santos said that he was innocent of the allegation of being the mastermind behind the fraud scheme. He added that he did not do anything of criminal activity and has no mastermind event, according to CNN.

Trelha said that he and Santos agreed to a 50-50 split of proceeds from their fraud scheme. The Republican lawmaker on Friday said that he has already provided federal authorities with information in relation to the fraud probe in Seattle.

He noted that he cooperated with the Secret Service, the FBI, and everybody that asked for his assistance regarding the controversy. He has worked on distancing himself from the Brazilian man, denying that they were ever roommates and that he only met him a couple of times during his life.

The situation comes as Santos is facing calls to resign over a slew of issues, including lying about his historical background, and is in the middle of a House Ethics Committee investigation. Several constituents, watchdog groups, and Washington D.C. leaders have chastised him for his lies regarding his previous jobs and his religion, said ABC News.

Related Article: Mount Vernon School Shooting Update

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German officials said on Friday that a shooter killed six people at a Jehovah's Witness worship hall in Hamburg before turning the pistol on himself. The incident will likely revive calls for stronger gun regulation in the country.

Officials only identified the shooter as Philipp F. The German citizen and former Jehovah's Witness opened fire via a window before entering the hall, where hundreds of people gathered.

Hamburg Church Shooting

Minutes after the shooting began, soon after 9:00 p.m. (2000 GMT), he shot himself on the ground level, according to authorities. In recent years, Germany has had a number of mass shootings and an attempt by a highly armed organization to topple the government, as per Reuters.

As a result of the past massacres, Germany has implemented stronger gun ownership regulations, and the government has announced intentions to tighten controls even further.

A video captured by an eyewitness purports to show a person discharging a firearm through a glass at a Hamburg, Germany Jehovah's Witness center. According to reports, the gunman acted alone on Thursday evening and then committed suicide. His intentions remain unknown. Per BBC, the suspect is a former religious community member who harbored "bad will."

Meanwhile, an unborn child was slain in a terrible shooting in Hamburg yesterday night, when bullets struck its pregnant mother. Andy Grote, a member of the Hamburg Bundesrat, revealed the devastating news at a press conference today: "Among the deceased is a seven-month-old unborn child whose mother was struck in the womb."

No information was available on a suspected motive for Thursday night's attack, which Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a former mayor of Hamburg, called "a horrible act of violence."

Thomas Radszuweit, a Hamburg security officer, stated that the alleged gunman was unknown to authorities and had no prior convictions. Ralf Martin Meyer, the police head of Hamburg, noted that the alleged shooter had a valid firearms license and legitimately owned a semiautomatic handgun.

Read Also: Russians Use Hypersonic Missile in Big Attack

Police Previously Receive Tip About the Suspect

According to the German publication Spiegel, the suspect was a former member of the congregation that had convened at the center for a Bible study. There is no new information on the identities of the remaining seven fatalities.

Matthias Tresp, Chief of Protective Police, noted that a "large-scale operation" was conducted in response to the attack on the Jehovah's Witnesses' religious structure. Christiane Hoffmann, a spokesman for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, referred to it as a "shooting rampage" rather than a possible terrorist strike.

Moreover, authorities in Hamburg got a warning about the shooter who went on to kill seven people and an unborn baby in a Jehovah's Witness meeting two months prior. However, he convinced them not to seize his firearm.

The arms control authority received an anonymous letter in January expressing worry about a man identified by German police as Philipp F, 35, stating that he appeared upset with his former fellow church members. Nevertheless, when investigators visited him last month, they found no cause for alarm, Guardian reported.

Related Article: Shooting in Germany Church Leaves Several People Dead

@YouTube

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Inspecting a cotton dress made at my companys factory in Derbyshire, I drew a breath of quiet satisfaction at a quality British garment.

The cotton had been printed and dyed at our factory in Alfreton, before skilled pattern-cutters and seamstresses shaped the finished product with pride, using skills handed down through generations.

Even our fashion models fly the flag for Brand Britain. Later this month, they will be photographed wearing our autumn collection in the sweeping grounds of Stapleford Park, a historic country house hotel in Leicestershire. This loyalty to local skills and suppliers has underpinned my firms success for six decades and, I believe, is the secret to British manufacturing.

Shamefully, there is no law to protect the Britishness of the products we produce.

But other countries are already doing this successfully.

Last week, Switzerlands most iconic chocolate brand, Toblerone, announced it can no longer carry images of the Matterhorn and the Swiss flag on its packaging because it has removed some of its production to Slovakia.

Toblerone can no longer carry images of the Matterhorn and the Swiss flag as production has been moved to Slovakia

It was a breach of the Swissness Act 2017, which means products can only claim they are Swiss-made if at least 80 per cent of their raw materials  or 100 per cent in the case of milk and dairy products  come from Switzerland. Thats why Toblerone packaging must now read established in Switzerland, rather than of Switzerland.

Over here, sadly, there is no such clarity. British made labels on popular meat products and pies were banned in 2012, amid confusion over what it really meant.

Investigations showed how some of Britains best-known food-makers had taken advantage of a labelling loophole in the 1968 Trades Description Act. One found that at least half the meat in Walls Lincolnshire sausages came from intensive pig farms in Denmark, Germany and Holland.

But the mis-selling continues even today, potentially leading to British farmers losing out, rip-offs, health risks and customers misled about the origin of their purchases.

Last week, for example, the food industrys fraud squad said it was investigating a major supermarket chain for selling products labelled best British beef when the meat had been imported from thousands of miles away.

If my firm shipped our clothes to be made in the Far East, sewed on the buttons in the UK and then passed them off as Made in Britain, customers would cry foul  and rightly so.

Yet  without naming and shaming my rivals  this is precisely what some of our supposedly British clothing brands are doing. They can print Union Flags and historic British landmarks all over their marketing brochures. But look inside the clothes they sell and on the label it says: Made in Vietnam. Of course, that is not made obvious when you are buying the garment. They are hoodwinking the customer into believing it is a British garment.

Now that Brexit has freed us to set our own laws, why cant we have a Britishness legislation like the Swiss  our very own Toblerone Mark?

The UK fashion industry is worth 26 billion a year to the economy, but only three per cent of the clothes we wear are made here.

It is vital that the Government protects Brand Britain by enforcing the country of origin rule in the clothes we sell. For a garment to be described as made in Britain, at least 50 per cent of its value should have been added in the UK.

The benefits to Britains flagging economy would be enormous.

Christopher Nieper OBE is managing director of the David Nieper fashion business

A Britishness law, like Switzerlands Swissness law, would boost exports, create jobs and foster a pride in our industry not seen since the Industrial Revolution.

And its what our 150,000 customers want  just like the food they eat, they want to know the provenance of the clothes they buy. What sounds more appealing  clotted cream, or Cornish clotted cream?

Legislation would help promote Brand Britain by ensuring only goods genuinely made here and authentically British are labelled as such.

My father, David Nieper, began our family business in 1961 on this site in Alfreton. He started out with just his wife, Roe, and one retired sewing machinist to help him. Over the last 62 years we have grown the business to a profitable company employing almost 300 people.

This years turnover to the end of this month will hit around 19 million, after a 15 per cent jump in sales compared to 2022. None of this success would have been possible without our reputation as a leader in British-made clothing for women.

I know this goes against modern management theory: that you should concentrate on your strengths and sub-contract everything else to cheaper sites in the Far East. Weve done the exact opposite. We have never been tempted to move offshore and all our clothes are designed and manufactured in Britain.

It has become our stock in trade as we compete with an ever more crowded clothing market peddling cheap Chinese-made clothes to UK customers. Only last week, I attended an industry conference, hosted by trade body Make UK, in Westminster in London. Although it was meant to be a manufacturing conference, it had a flavour of a party political broadcast for the Labour Party, with the keynote speech given by Tony Blairs former spin doctor Alastair Campbell. In a show of hands, nearly everybody said they wished Brexit had never happened.

I thought to myself, have they not grasped the opportunity? Our company can illustrate how we are doing better since Brexit; it hasnt held us back at all.

Since the referendum, the fall in the value of the pound has boosted exports and there has been a renewed interest in buying British products.

As supermarket shelves lie empty of salad items, more than 42,000 members of the public have backed a campaign by the National Farmers Union to protect food security.

By keeping production at home and close to our customers  two-thirds of whom are in the UK  we can eliminate supply chain problems, bottlenecks and delays, prevent overstocking and reduce waste, which is kinder on the planet.

We have previously bought fabrics offshore, but the shipment arrives six months later.

Now, once our UK sample team have designed something, our pattern-cutters sit in the same room so they can instantly tell us if it can be made in a different way.

It is a more nimble way to production, where the designers can create new tailoring or other alterations mid-season if they find a certain design isnt selling well, or is generating a high number of customer returns. We even have our own sewing school on site, to counter the challenge of finding and retaining staff with the specialist skills we need.

We also sponsor the local secondary school, the first school in Derbyshire to be funded by a private local business. Previously, it had been on Ofsted special measures for a decade and was only a third full. Now, six years on, it is one of the most over- subscribed schools in the county.

But we need jobs for those communities, too.

Introducing a Britishness law would reap the same rewards by creating manufacturing jobs in forgotten communities across Britain.

In Alfreton, the men used to work in the coalmines and the women in textiles. Bringing industry back revives local communities from within, using local people.

Brexit has handed us an opportunity to boost Brand Britain. As a once-proud manufacturing nation, we have to cut our cloth accordingly.

Christopher Nieper OBE is managing director of the David Nieper fashion business.
Each family has them - affectionate nicknames which can either be a nod to a hilarious inside joke or a sweet pet name which represents how much you adore that person.

It seems that even the Windsors take part in nicknames - if the rumours are true - and some bizarre and rather unexpected nicknames include the Queen being called 'Gary' and Prince George dubbed 'P.G Tips'.

As William and Kate's relationship has undoubtedly developed over the years with marriage and children, so have their nicknames for each other.

Here FEMAIL reveals what the family tend to call each other...

William, Prince of Wales

Nicknames started for the Prince of Wales at the age of two, as he recalls his mother, Princess Diana, calling him 'wombat' on a family trip to Australia.

In 2007, he told NBC's Matt Lauer: 'When we went to Australia with our parents, and the wombat, that's the local animal. So, I just basically got called that. Not because I look like a wombat, or maybe I do.'

According to royal sources, when William and Kate were in the first flushes of romance back in 2001, the Duke of Cambridge, 36, was nicknamed 'Big Willy' by his wife-to-be.

Kate's pet name for her husband appears to now be 'Prince Baldy' - referring to his thinning crown

But as their relationship has progressed to marriage, their nicknames for each other have gotten even more hilarious.

Kate's pet name for her husband appears to now be 'Prince Baldy' - referring to his thinning crown.

In Harry's book, Spare, it was revealed that the brothers called each other 'Willy' and 'Harold'.

Harry's nickname for William cropped up in the book just before the pair had a 'fight' and William went to get a glass of water in the kitchen. Harry said: 'Willy, I can't speak to you when you're like this.'

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales

The Princess of Wales also revealed that she nicknamed 'squeak' when she visited her old school, St Andrew's School in Berkshire.

She said: 'I was nicknamed Squeak just like my guinea pig.

'There was one called Pip and one called Squeak because my sister was called Pippa and I was Squeak.'

Apparently Kate is also called 'DoD', the 'Duchess of Do-little', as it was rumoured that the Princess of Wales was criticised by the Queen for not having a full-time career

Apparently Kate is also called 'DoD', the 'Duchess of Do-little', as it was rumoured that the Princess of Wales was criticised by the Queen for not having a full-time career.

In Katie Nicholl's 2011 book, 'The Making of a Royal Romance', she wrote that the Queen wanted her grandson to wait on the proposal to Kate until she had established a career.

Katie wrote: 'Privately she (the Queen) had grave concerns and believed that Kate needed to have a job and an identity in her own right before an engagement was announced.'

A source told The Sun: 'The royals are not very good at communicating with one another so this is one way around it. Nicknames are a way of taking the family tension out of things.'

The Queen

The Queen, 92, has perhaps the most unlikely name; with Prince William calling her 'Gary' when he couldn't pronounce grandma as a youngster. The hard-to-believe nickname has apparently stuck.

Prince George had a very sweet for his great-grandmother - he referred to her as 'gan-gan' when he struggled to pronounce the word grandma.

One of the most well-known names that people close to the Queen called her was Lilibet

Prince Philip had one of the most adorable nicknames for the late Queen. He used to regularly call her 'cabbage', which was confirmed by the Queen's biographer Robert Lacey.

The name was used in a 2006 film called 'The Queen', where a scene showed Prince Philip getting into bed and saying 'Move over, cabbage.'

But one of the most well-known names that people close to the Queen called her was Lilibet, which came about when the Queen could not pronounce her own name as a child.

The name then caught on, with even her late husband The Duke of Edinburgh calling her Lilibet, with the The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also naming their daughter Lilibet.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte

While the couple already have nicknames for Prince George too; when she was pregnant Kate referred to him as 'our little grape' while the five-year-old is now occasionally known as PG Tips or just 'Tips' after the brand of tea.

In 2019, Prince George took control of his own nickname, telling a passer-by his name was 'Archie'.

The young prince was walking with his grandmother, Carole Middleton, near her home in Berkshire, when he struck up a conversation with a stranger.

Prince George is called PG by his parents, apparently, which has evolved into PG Tips, after the tea, and is sometimes shortened to just 'Tips'

Kate revealed in 2019 that she calls her only daughter, Princess Charlotte, Lottie

The then-five-year-old started talking to the woman while stroking her dog after playing with his younger sister, Charlotte, in a stream.

Kate revealed in 2019 that she calls her only daughter, Princess Charlotte, Lottie. This was revealed when the Princess of Wales struck up a conversation with blogger Laura-Ann and she did not refer to her daughter as 'Charlotte' in the conversation, but Lottie.

King Charles and Camilla

Every couple has pet names for each other and the King and Queen Consort are no different.

Fans of the Crown may remember scenes where Charles used to call Camilla 'Gladys' and Camilla called Charles 'Fred'.

Its is thought these pet names were inspired from 'The Goon Show' on BBC radio and apparently predated Charles's relationship with Diana as the pair used them when they dated in their early twenties.

Fans of the Crown may remember scenes where Charles used to call Camilla 'Gladys' and Camilla called Charles 'Fred'

The names Fred and Gladys are thought to be inspired from 'The Goon Show' on BBC radio

Just before her wedding to Charles, Diana found a gold bracelet on Michael Colborne's desk (Charles's private secretary) which had 'G' and 'F' engraved on it, thought to stand for 'Gladys' and 'Fred'.

But there is some dispute about this as journalist Jonathan Dimbleby who wrote Prince of Wales: A Biography and also conducted the interview where Charles admitted to cheating on Diana said that the initials on the infamous bracelet stood for 'Girl Friday'.

This was another nickname that Charles had for Camilla based on the film 'His Girl Friday', which is about a man who tries to win back his ex-wife when he finds out that she is due to marry another man.

Harry and Meghan - Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Meghan Markle has been reportedly called 'Tungsten' by her father-in-law, King Charles, in reference to the strong metal. He apparently given the Duchess of Sussex the name based on her 'toughness'.

Meghan revealed on her blog, The Tig, that her mother has called her 'Flower' ever since she was a child.

Prince Harry was dubbed 'Flash' in his wilder days, thought to be a reference to fictional army lothario Harry Flashman.

Meghan Markle has been reportedly called 'Tungsten' by her father-in-law, King Charles, in reference to the strong metal

Prince Harry had his own Facebook account using the pseudonym 'Spike Wells', where he had more than 400 friends

Other, more endearing names for Harry include 'Potter', after J K Rowling's boy wizard and 'Gromit', referring to Nick Park's animated canine creation.

As mentioned before, Prince William called his brother 'Harold' during a fight the pair had that Harry wrote about in his book, Spare.

In the book, William is quoted saying 'I didn't attack you, Harold' when confronted by Harry.

Other nicknames for Prince Harry include 'Baz, Spike, Bazzarooni'.

The woman who took Harry's virginity Sasha Walpole, came forward and said that the Prince gifted her a Miss Piggy funfair toy and a birthday card signed 'Baz' - which is what some of his friends called him in his younger days.

The Mirror reports that Prince Harry had his own Facebook account using the pseudonym 'Spike Wells', where he had more than 400 friends.

It is said that this nickname came from those closest to him due to his spiky hairstyle.
It was an ordinary afternoon in 1970 when a 14-year-old Dan Harary looked through the windshield of his father's car and saw a V-shaped UFO hovering above his New Jersey neighborhood in broad daylight.

The Hollywood publicist-turned-sci-fi writer never forgot the incredible moment, but it wasn't until decades later that he became convinced his military dad, Jack, knew more about the flying saucer than he had let on.

Harary's father worked as an electronics engineer with the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1996 and never discussed his top secret projects.

It was not until Jack died in 2017, that his son remembered he had given him a knowing wink after their UFO sighting. 'I thought, "Oh my God, I wonder if my dad knew what that was,"' Harary, 66, told DailyMail.com.

The author's growing conviction that his father knew about UFOs during his 45 years in the military inspired his new alien novel, After They Came, which tells the story of a man who is beamed up by extraterrestrials after trying to drown himself on his 70th birthday.

Hollywood publicist-turned-sci-fi writer Dan Harary, 66, penned a new alien novel, After They Came, that was inspired by the first UFO sighting he had with his military father in 1970

Harary's father, Jack (pictured in New Jersey in 1957), worked as an electronics engineer with the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1996 and never discussed his top secret projects. Harary was in the car with his dad when he spotted an 'enormous V-shaped UFO'

Harary was born and raised outside Asbury Park, New Jersey, where he developed a passion for rock music  not aliens. The existence of extraterrestrial life didn't really cross his mind until his first UFO sighting as a teen.

He recalled how his father had been driving him home from Hebrew school around 4.30pm when he spotted something flying in the air. He yelled for his dad to pull over, and when they got out of the car, they saw an 'enormous silver V-shaped UFO.'

'It was maybe 200 feet in the air, completely silent, and it was just hovering. It just went very, very slowly over my neighborhood, and I could not believe what I was seeing,' he said.

'So I was jumping up and down. "Dad, a UFO! Dad, a UFO! It's so cool!" My father looked at it like he was thinking about what he had to buy at the grocery store the next day. He had no interest. Just the look on my father's face was like he'd seen it a hundred times already.'

Before they left, his father looked at him and gave him a wink, something he had never done before. When they got home, Harary called his local newspaper and was told they were 'getting a lot of phone calls about this sight,' but nothing was ever published.

The writer had asked his father what he thought about aliens and UFOs three or four times over the years, but his reaction was always the same. He would simply chuckle and say, 'Well, I don't know.'

Harary (pictured with his father and brother Bob) recalled how his dad seemed unimpressed by the sight as if it was something he had already seen before giving him a knowing wink

Harary (pictured in 1974) was more interested in rock music than aliens as a teen, but he never forgot that moment with his father. He recalled asking his dad about his thoughts on UFOs and extraterrestrial life over the years, but he would just chuckle and say, "Well, I don't know'

The sci-fi author (pictured with his mother, Joan, and brothers, Bob and Mike, in 2001) said he saw a second UFO that was a 'white light shaped like an egg' in Lancaster, California, in 1994. He saw a third at Gilliland's Ranch, an alleged UFO hotspot in Trout Lake, Washington, in 2008

He noted that his father's 'goal in life was to get his pension' and would never risk losing it by sharing top secret information with anyone, even his family.

Harary said he had a second UFO sighting while visiting his two children at his ex-wife's house in Lancaster, California, in 1994.

Harary's new book tells the story of a man who is beamed up by extraterrestrials and becomes a world hero

After tucking his kids into bed, he went outside and saw a 'white light shaped like an egg' that traveled from one end of the sky to another and suddenly stopped.

It then reversed its course and returned to its original point of origin.

'Nothing manmade can do that,' he thought to himself.

However, Harary didn't start researching UFOs and extraterrestrial life until he wandered into the paranormal section of a Los Angeles bookstore in 2007.

After buying and reading about a dozen books on the topic, he became a believer and joined the Los Angeles chapter of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), an international organization that investigates reported UFO sightings.

'The things I heard and saw absolutely blew my mind,' he said.

'I just could not believe all the history, all the evidence, all the testimony of so many people that have experienced things that I was never aware of... It just completely changed my worldview.'

In 2008, Harary saw his third UFO while spending a long weekend at Gilliland's Ranch, an alleged UFO hotspot in Trout Lake, Washington.

Harary (pictured with his mother and Mel Brooks in 2006) was a longtime Hollywood publicist and worked with dozens of celebrities. Last year, he published his memoir, Flirting with Fame: A Hollywood Publicist Recalls 50 Years of Celebrity Close Encounters

The author (pictured with Steven Spielberg in 2010) started researching UFOs and extraterrestrial life in 2008. He joined the Los Angeles chapter of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), an international organization that investigates reported UFO sightings

Harary (pictured with E.T. star Dee Wallace in 2022) told DailyMail.com that it wasn't until after his father's death that remembered how he had winked at him during their UFO sighting. He is now convinced that his father knew about UFOs through his work in the military

James Gilliland, founder of the Enlightened Contact with Extraterrestrial Intelligence (ECETI), owns the property and has been hosting stargazing events since 1986.

'At night, we could go out into the field just at the base of Mount Adams. People would sing and dance, play guitars and tambourines, and dance around,' Harary recalled. 'We did that for three nights in a row hoping to summon up a UFO. That was the goal.

'I kept thinking, "No way while I'm here that something is gonna happen. There's no chance." First night, nothing. Second night, nothing. The third night, the last night we were there, people are singing and chanting, and then suddenly out of nowhere a bright green emerald-shaped craft appeared right above us.'

Harary said the light flashed on and off a few times before it sped off. They all looked at each other with amazement, and he started to cry. Of the three UFOs he has seen, he noted that 'no two were even close to the same.'

After his father's death, he asked his mother if he had ever mentioned UFOs or aliens. She told him that the first week he worked at Fort Monmouth, a former army installation in Monmouth County, New Jersey, he was taken down into the vaults and shown 'something remarkable.'

'He came home and said, "I saw something that I can never tell you about." My mother said he looked pale and he was scared s******s,' he explained. 'He never discussed it with anyone. She even said he was never the same. We'll never know what he saw.'

Harary (pictured promoting his memoir in 2022) shared that his mother told him that his father had seen 'something remarkable' at one of the vaults at Fort Monmouth, a former army installation in Monmouth County, New Jersey, but couldn't tell her about it

Harary (pictured with his daughter Anjuli) said that he is constantly trying to prove to his friends and family that 'this stuff is real.' He is convinced that if people took the time to read the research UFOs and aliens, they would become believers too

UFOs have been making headlines in recent weeks after three were shot down over U.S. and Canadian airspace in three days. A week prior, a Chinese spy balloon was shot down over South Carolina

Harary believes the focus has been on the Chinese balloon 'because the other three were not manmade.' 'Still to this day, they don't want to reveal it to the public,' he said of the government's alleged knowledge of extraterrestrial life. 'They think there will be a panic. That's the thing'

UFOs, or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) as the U.S. government now calls them, have long been the subject of fascination and skepticism. However, Harary is convinced that if people took the time to research UFOs and aliens, they would become believers too.

He rattled off ancient cave paintings, the Nazca Lines in Peru, the Egyptian pyramids, and the deathbed confessions of military men who allegedly helped cover up the Roswell UFO crash as evidence that extraterrestrials exist.

UFOs have been making headlines in recent weeks after three were shot down over U.S. and Canadian airspace in three days. A week prior, a Chinese spy balloon was shot down over South Carolina.

'The other three objects have never been identified. They've not been recovered. They haven't been shown on television,' Harary noted, saying the focus has been on the Chinese balloon 'because the other three were not manmade.'

'Still to this day, they don't want to reveal it to the public,' he said of the government's alleged knowledge of extraterrestrial life. 'They think there will be a panic. That's the thing.'

Harary knows that some people think he is a 'lunatic,' including his own doctor, who asked if he was going to 'wear a tinfoil hat' as a costume while promoting his book at Aliencon, which took place in Pasadena, California, this month.

'I'm trying to tell my friends and relatives, "Hey, this stuff is real, and when the day comes when it's proven, don't be too surprised because it's all absolutely real,"' he said. 'And my mother goes, "Enough with the aliens!"'
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His family confirmed that Robert Blake passed away at the age of 89 following a battle with heart disease.

Robert Blake worked in Hollywood for almost six decades, appearing alongside Humphrey Bogart and John Forsythe in such classics as 'Treasure of the Sierra Madre' and 'In Cold Blood,' respectively. Using the stage name Bobby Blake, he also starred in a number of studio westerns.

Who is Robert Blake?

In the mid-1970s, he portrayed undercover New York City detective Tony Baretta in the ABC series Baretta, which ran for four seasons. In the early 2000s, he was charged with the murder of his wife Bonny Lee Bakley, solicitation of murder, conspiracy, and special circumstances of lying in wait, which wrecked his career.

Nonetheless, a jury acquitted him of asking a former stuntman he worked with on Baretta to murder Bakley, and her death remains unsolved. Robert Blake was born Michael James Gubitosi in Nutley, New Jersey on September 18, 1933.

Blake would eventually find that his real father was actually James Gubitosi's brother, Tony, who had an affair with his mother, despite his birth certificate listing James as his father. He has stated that he experienced little parental attention as a youngster and was occasionally beaten and kept in a cupboard.

Blake, together with his half-brother and half-sister, performed in parks and on sidewalks as part of a family act called The Three Hillbillies, which was founded by James. At the age of two, he was performing his own drunken song, 'Show Me the Way to Go Home.'

When he was four years old, his family relocated to Los Angeles, where he began working as an extra for MGM Studios' Our Gang movie. One day, a little actor was tasked with delivering the line "Confidentially, it smells," but he was unable to articulate the phrase "confidentially."

Per Daily Mail, Blake thus tugged on the director's pant leg to gain his attention, performed the line, and became an actor. From then, he portrayed a variety of kid parts as Bobby Blake, including Rin Tin Tin alongside Robert Woods and a relentless lottery ticket seller in The Treasure of Sierra Madre alongside Humphrey Bogart.

Nonetheless, his family problems persisted, and he began to be tormented in high school; thus, he began drinking regularly and doing drugs.

Prior to his death, Robert Blake married three times and fathered three children. Over his lifetime, Robert Blake welcomed three biological children.

During his 20-year marriage to Sondra Blake Kerr, he received a son Noah and a daughter Denilah, who is now married to author Gregg Hurwitz. During his second marriage to Bonny Lee Bakley, he then received a daughter Rose.

While nothing is known about his daughters, his son's acting career is already well-known, as per The Sun. He has starred in several television series and films throughout the years, including Red Rooms, Harry and the Hendersons, The Wonder Years, and Married with Children.

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Robert Blake Was Accused of Killing His Wife

Robert Blake's daughter stated that she did not care if the actor shot and murdered her mother Bonny Lee Bakley in 2001. Blake, who was once praised as one of the best performers of his time, is now better recognized as the defendant in a real-life murder case that is weirder than any role he ever played.

On May 4, 2001, he was tried and acquitted for the murder of his wife, Bakley, who was found dead outside a Studio City restaurant. Rose Lenore Blake talked to the media for the first time in 2019 about her upbringing and reconciling with her father following the heartbreaking loss of her mother.

At the time of the interview, Robert's 19-year-old daughter recalls being captured by the paparazzi while cheering at her high school. While she struggled with melancholy and anxiety, the incident "distanced" her from her classmates.

Rose continued to rely on her friends rather than her family despite receiving counseling. In a 2019 interview with 'Good Morning America,' she stated she felt like she had two distinct personalities.

According to Fox News, Blake was sure that he had not murdered his wife, and in March 2005, a jury ruled him not guilty of murder. A civil jury found him accountable for her death months after he was convicted and sentenced him to compensate Bakley's family $30 million for her wrongful death, a decision that drove him bankrupt.

Related Article: Madonna's Brother Antohy Ciccone Cause of Death, Revealed

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Welsby was convicted of assault and making threats to kill in 2010

A mother who was subject to a brutal hour-long attack by her violent ex-partner managed to send a distress signal with a discreet 999 call from her phone which was in her back pocket.

Rebecca A'Barrow, from Rugby, feared for her life when Paul Welsby trapped her in her home and beat her.

After emergency services managed to find her location and send help, Paul was arrested and eventually pleaded guilty to assault and making threats to kill.

Now, the mother has remarried to her earliest childhood crush and has met with senior politicians including the home secretary to discuss domestic abuse.

Looking back, she has revealed how the cracks began to show in the relationship early on as Paul's controlling behaviour reared its head.

Rebecca met Paul (pictured) when she was 20 years old and he was 28. They married in 2001 and she fell pregnant on her honeymoon

Rebecca A'Barrow (pictured) was left with injuries after a brutal hour-long attack by her violent ex in 2010 when he locked her in her home in Rugby and beat her until she managed to call for help from her mobile phone which was in her back pocket

She said: 'Paul was eight years older than me, he was a lorry driver and doorman. He was very charming and romantic, and swept me off my feet.

'He was totally different to the boys my age and seemed so much more mature and I felt he would protect me.'

After meeting when she was 20, Rebecca tied the knot with Paul in 2001 and fell pregnant on her honeymoon.

'Paul was controlling,' she recalled. 'He didn't like me having my own life and he made nasty comments to put me down and ruin my confidence. Over time, I felt increasingly dependent on him.'

To the outside world, the couple appeared happy and successful. They had two children, a large, detached home and holidays in the US. But Paul became violent when he was drinking.

Rebecca said: 'In one argument he slammed me into the cooker and put his hands round my throat in front of both the children. Another time, we were with friends at a dinner party, and he lost his temper and was arguing with me.

Rebecca (pictured after the attack) was taken to hospital with her injuries after Paul's attack in 2010

Rebecca (pictured with Paul) recalled how her relationship looked picture-perfect from the outside but Paul had a bad temper

The mother said her ex-husband was violent when he had been drinking, and added she tried to leave him several times over the years

'My friends were backing me up and he started shouting and swearing at me. Our friends were really worried and called the police.

'I tried to leave Paul several times over the years, but I had lost all my confidence and my self-belief. He said it was my fault he lost his temper, and I was brainwashed by him. I began secretly making plans to leave him.'

One night in 2010 when Paul went for a day out at the races, he had been drinking to such an extent that a friend called Rebecca to warn her he was coming home.

Preparing to avoid Paul's drunken rage, Rebecca took the children to a friend's house for a sleepover and left her husband a note to explain where they were.

'I thought it was the best way of avoiding trouble,' she explained. 'But Paul called and said he'd lost his house keys. He sounded very reasonable, so I agreed to nip back home just to let him in.'

But as Rebecca unlocked the door, Paul shoved her inside and trapped her in the kitchen. He had lured her back, having discovered her plans to leave him.

She says: 'He started punching me and he head-butted me. I knew I had my phone, an old style with punch buttons, in my back pocket. I managed to remove it from my pocket, fumble my fingers along the keys and press three 9's.

'I had no idea if the call had gone through.'

Rebecca has now remarried her childhood crush and wants to encourage other survivors of domestic abuse to know there is happiness on the horizon

'Paul was still hitting me, he was screaming he would kill me and then himself and I was pleading with him to stop, telling him how much I loved him, because I just wanted to get out of there alive.

'At one point the phone fell and I could hear the operator's voice. I managed to slide it away under my neck so Paul didn't hear.'

Rebecca lost and regained consciousness during the attack while police frantically tried to track her whereabouts. They eventually traced her through phone mast triangulation and a team of eight officers stormed the house, fifty minutes after Paul launched his vicious attack. She was taken to hospital with severe bruising and cuts.

Paul Welsby pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and assault and was jailed in April 2010 at Warwick Crown Court for three years. He was also handed a life-long restraining order.

Rebecca struggled to eat after the attack because of her facial injuries and suffered with trauma and flashbacks. But she rebuilt her life, working as a nurse, and speaking out to support survivors of domestic abuse.

She has also met the Home Secretary to discuss how best to help other women.

In 2013, she met up with an old school friend, Ian Barrow, and the pair fell in love and got married in 2017.

She says: 'I had always fancied Ian at school but never plucked up courage to tell him so it was lovely that we got together, so many years later.

'Leaving an abuser is the most risky and dangerous time. This is what sparked Paul's attack because he had discovered I was planning to leave.

'I would advise someone who is suffering from domestic abuse to seek support from friends, family and their local domestic abuse services. It is so important to formulate a safe plan.

'I have learned to trust again and to love again and I want other women to know that there is happiness out there. The first step, and the most important, is to walk away from the abuse.'

Victims of domestic violence can access support from sutda.org
Sir David Attenborough has travelled the globe to bring us the most spectacular wildlife footage ever seen, but his landmark new series Wild Isles proves that you don't have to go to the Serengeti to find amazing animal drama. It's right here, on our own doorstep.

'In my long life I've been lucky enough to travel to almost every part of the globe and gaze upon some of its most beautiful and dramatic sights,' says Sir David, 96.

'But I can assure you that in the British Isles, as well as astonishing scenery, there are extraordinary animal dramas and wildlife spectacles to match anything I've seen on my travels.'

Filmed over the course of three years in 145 locations using the very latest technology, this incredible five-part series looks at four habitats  Woodland, Grassland, Freshwater and Ocean  capturing previously unseen behaviour from 96 species, including magnificent white-tailed eagles, killer whales, blue fin tuna, puffins and, astonishingly, leeches hunting baby toads.

The British Isles' unique geographical position makes it critical for the survival of many species, especially migrating birds.

Filmed over the course of three years in 145 locations using the very latest technology, this incredible five-part series looks at four habitats

On Bass Rock off the east coast of Scotland, 75,000 pairs of gannets arrive to nest each year, while on the west coast abundant food and a mild climate attract enormous flocks of barnacle geese  but they must watch out for the white-tailed eagles keen on hunting them down.

Our geology is among the most diverse on the planet too, from the chalk formations of southern England to the limestone pavements of Yorkshire, the rugged granite of Northumberland and the volcanic basalt of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.

Another reason for the British Isles' diverse range of species is the great range in temperature, from a subtropical climate in Cornwall to the Arctic conditions of the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands.

There are extraordinary animal dramas in Britain to match anything Ive seen on my travels

'Our position on the globe is perfect for summer visitors from the south and winter visitors from the north,' says the series' co-series producer Alastair Fothergill.

'All these factors combine to create one of the richest natural histories in Europe. We've got more seabirds than the Falklands and Galapagos put together, more ancient oak trees than the whole of Europe, we are custodians to more than 50 per cent of the world's common bluebells, and we have 85 per cent of the world's chalk streams.'

But despite this rich diversity, Britain is listed as the worst country in the G7 for wildlife and wild spaces lost due to human activity.

'The UK is, I'm afraid to say, one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world,' says Sir David. 'Never has there been a more important time to invest in our wildlife to try to set an example for the rest of the world and restore our once wild isles for future generations.'

Wild Isles starts on Sunday at 7pm on BBC1 and iPlayer.

The British Isles' unique geographical position makes it critical for the survival of many species, especially migrating birds

WHO'S A CLEVER ORCA THEN?

The northern tip of the Shetland Islands is home to some of our richest marine life, including killer whales, or orcas. The Shetlands is the only place in the British Isles where these mammals  our largest marine predator, reaching almost 10 metres long and weighing up to ten tons  can breed.

Over three years the team used drones and specialist cameras to film three pods of orcas. Having spent the winter hunting herring off Iceland, the orcas return to Shetland waters each spring to prey on the thousands of seals that live there.

Using the drones, the team could follow a pod as it spreads out along the shoreline, searching for seals.

'There are plenty of gullies and channels that offer the seals safe haven most of the time, but now the orcas have developed a unique way of catching their prey,' explains Sir David. 'They turn on their sides so that their dorsal fin doesn't break the surface and reveal their presence.'

The footage shows the orcas using this new feeding strategy, and one stealthily catches a seal pup before taking it back to the pod to show younger members how to drown it. The catch is shared and nothing is wasted.

THE RABBITS NOT AFRAID OF FOXES

Thermal cameras were used to show foxes hunting rabbits in a new light. Rabbits gain extra confidence at night because they have fewer aerial predators

Thermal cameras were used to show foxes hunting rabbits in a new light.

Rabbits gain extra confidence at night because they have fewer aerial predators, and they appear to be unbothered as foxes stroll through their field.

'The rabbits were very good at spotting the foxes, but what we were really surprised to see through the thermal camera was that as soon as the fox started walking through the warren, the rabbits didn't all disappear,' says Nick Gates, producer of the Grassland episode.

'They turn around and watch the fox from just metres away. We've got shots of a fox walking through 500 rabbits and they're all just watching as he strolls through, pretending to barely notice them. They know that their burrow is the most dangerous place to be, as that's where a fox will dig them out. But overground in a head to head, a rabbit can always outrun a fox, unless it's injured.'

Also in the series an entire sequence of white-tailed eagles hunting geese has been filmed for the first time. With a 2m wingspan, they're the largest bird of prey in Britain, and around a dozen now spend winter on Islay in the Inner Hebrides.

Capturing the hunt took more than 70 days and required a co-ordinated team using long lens cameras and wildlife spotters, because the white-tailed eagles ranged over such vast areas.

SNAKES GETTING S-S-STEAMY

The extraordinary mating behaviour of adders is seen for the first time in Wild Isles. In Northumberland the team record a battle between two males as they fight to mate with a female (pictured)

The extraordinary mating behaviour of adders is seen for the first time in Wild Isles. In Northumberland the team record a battle between two males as they fight to mate with a female.

'The males rise up and try to push each other's head to the ground in a show of dominance,' explains the Grassland episode producer Nick Gates. 'Then the courtship goes on to the next stage as the winning male tries to entice the female to mate with him by coiling around her back to warm her, while gently tapping her head in a sort of snake foreplay.

'He can do this for days before she allows him to mate. But adders have an incredible sense of smell and males can detect a female on heat from 2km away, so other males will try to barge in. The male will be tied to the female for over half an hour mating, but if other males turn up he has to fight them off; you can get 'mating balls' as five males fight over one female.

'This creature has been demonised, but it's got this whole wonderful life cycle that, as far as we know, has never been filmed before.'
During the stiflingly hot summer of 1962, little attention was paid to a series of murders committed in Boston, Massachusetts, within weeks of one another. The killer struck in broad daylight.

His victims were all women who lived alone, his most macabre calling card the fact that after strangling them with everyday items such as stockings, he would leave the ligature tied around the victim's neck in an ornamental bow.

But one reporter noticed the details that seemed to connect the crimes. Loretta McLaughlin convinced her editor at the Record American newspaper to run a four-part series, sparking the hunt for one of the 20th century's most infamous criminals  the Boston Strangler.

'An editor disputed the worth of a series on the four dead women, noting that they were "nobodies",' Loretta later wrote.

'But that was it exactly, I felt. Why should anyone murder four obscure women? That was what made them so interesting sisters in anonymity, like all of us.'

Loretta McLaughlin, played by Keira Knightley, convinced her editor at the Record American newspaper to run a four-part series

How Loretta broke the story of the notorious killer is now the subject of a new film, Boston Strangler. It stars Keira Knightley as Loretta, who not only cut through sexist workplace attitudes of the time but also pursued the truth at great personal cost.

She enlisted the help of fellow reporter Jean Cole (The Gilded Age's Carrie Coon) and the film, produced by Ridley Scott, tells the story from their perspective.

'This is a horrific story of the brutality of the male psyche and how disturbed and awful it can be, told through the eyes of two women,' says Keira. 'It's a tricky story to tell, because there are many different twists and turns.'

When we first see Loretta she's testing kitchen appliances for the paper's lifestyle section.

'She wants to be doing big stories but she isn't allowed,' says Keira. 'She feels the frustration of not doing what you want to do.'

Yet after uncovering similarities between three of the murders, Loretta starts to explore whether they were perpetrated by one man.

Her investigation doesn't go smoothly. When her editor Jack Maclaine (American Beauty's Chris Cooper) is lambasted by the police commissioner for spreading fear with headlines like 'Mad Strangler Loose', Loretta is sent back to the lifestyle desk.

And to illustrate the sexism of the time, photos of Loretta and Jean are published alongside their reports to show the 'girl reporters' at work (both women were in their 30s and married with kids), which leads to them receiving death threats.

Albert DeSalvo was sent to Bridgewater State Hospital, a facility for the criminally insane, for psychiatric observation, where he made the shocking confession that he was the Boston Strangler (pictured in 1967)

It all takes a heavy toll. While her husband James (Morgan Spector) is at first supportive, as a mother of three in the early 60s Loretta is still expected to put her family before her career. The real James and Loretta divorced.

The murder count rose to 13 over two years. Police were no closer to solving the case until, in October 1964, a young woman was sexually assaulted in her home by a man posing as a detective.

From her description, police identified him as Albert DeSalvo. His photo was published, and more women accused him of assault. DeSalvo (played in the film by David Dastmalchian) would pose as a maintenance man or modelling scout and knock on doors to hunt for women.

He was sent to Bridgewater State Hospital, a facility for the criminally insane, for psychiatric observation, where he made the shocking confession that he was the Boston Strangler.

There was no physical evidence tying him to the murders, and in 1967 DeSalvo was sentenced to life in prison for other crimes.

In 1973 he was found stabbed to death in the prison infirmary. Meanwhile, inconsistencies had started to emerge.

The 13 victims were from a broad ethnic and age range, and the details differed, suggesting there may have been more than one killer.

DeSalvo had befriended convicted murderer George Nassar  a Strangler suspect  at Bridgewater, and it's speculated that the pair schemed to split the reward money if one confessed.

In 2013, DNA evidence linked DeSalvo to Mary Sullivan, thought to be the Strangler's last victim, but no one has ever been charged with the killings.

The film highlights the risks Loretta and Jean took to uncover the truth.

As director Matt Ruskin says, 'They were working to keep women informed at a time when the police department was coming up short, and juggling the rest of their lives while doing so.'

Boston Strangler is available from Friday on Disney+.
A British mother has sparked debate after revealing her concerns about her 15-year-old daughter wanting to sleep at her boyfriend's house.

The woman took to parenting forum Mumsnet to explain that it was her daughter's boyfriends birthday party on the weekend and he had invited her to stay the night.

She wrote that he was diagnosed with sepsis last year and that he is still struggling with feeling weak and tired.

The mother then said that she said no to the sleep over, because she feels that 'they're still too young', leaving her daughter 'very annoyed.'

However after she confessed she was wavering on the decision, other parents were quick to comment, with one suggesting the ban could 'drive a wedge' between them.

A British mother has sparked debate after revealing her concerns about her 15-year-old daughter wanting to sleep at her boyfriend's house (stock image)

The mother penned that her teenager had been in an on/off relationship with the boy since they were in Year 7.

She said his sepsis 'had affected' her daughter 'a lot', adding: 'She is now okay and she is supporting him.'

She continued: 'It's his birthday this weekend and he's invited DD to spend it with him and his family at a small party which I have no issue with...

'The issue is he's asked my daughter to sleep over on Friday night, which I've said no to as I feel they're still too young.'

'Darling daughter is very annoyed at this.'

The mother continued: 'She has said they aren't going to have sex (which I didn't mention) which I should "already know" as he is still not 100 per cent well, I don't care about him as it's the one thing he wants (he hasn't asked for a present, just to see her) etc.

'I'm now wondering if I'm being a bit mean by saying no.'

Others took to the comments to debate the mother's decision, with some sympathising and others disagreeing with her decision.

One user said: 'If your daughter is going to have sex, preventing her from going to this family event is not going to make any difference.

The anonymous mother took to Mumsnet to ask user what they thought about her decision and whether she was being unreasonable

'You will though drive an (in my view) unnecessary wedge between you and your daughter when there are no safety issues.

'I'm in my 40s and my late mother was the person some friends turned to for help, rather than their own mothers. Which person do you want to be?'

Another added: 'Why do people always assume they can stop a teen having sex because they ban a sleepover?

'There are other times and places it can happen. You can't ban them ever being alone together.

'Is it getting pregnant you're worried about, if so that can happen anytime, not just a sleepover.'

Some users said that they would allow their children to sleep round their partner's homes - while one said that the mother would 'drive a wedge' between her and her daughter

A third wrote: 'Presumably you know the other parents? If it was separate rooms and I trusted both the other parents and my daughter, I would probably allow.'

But others agreed with the anonymous mother, and said they would have done the same thing if it was their child.

One parent commented: 'You have to set boundaries for your 15-year-old daughter. Stand firm.

'I don't understand why you're wavering honestly.

'Your daughter is trying to manipulate you, which is normal, but you need to be the parent here, not her mate.'

Another penned: 'Firm no on the sleepover. Since it is a special occasion, I would be willing to pick up by car later than normal, even though I hate having to stay up late.'

But other parents sympathised and agreed with the mother's decision, saying they would not allow it

A third said: 'If they are merely sleeping then why is there a need for her to stay over. It isn't too far to collect her so collect her after the party.

'No you can't stop teens having sex but you can stop facilitating it especially for one under the age of consent, no matter how mature they think they are.'

One user warned: 'I had a sleepover at my boyfriend's (16) when I was 15.

'Separate rooms. He sneaked in when everyone was asleep and yes, we had sex.

'If you agree to this, know that your daughter will almost certainly be having sex.'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are 'doing their level best to stand out' and 'never coordinate their activities with other members of The Firm', royal experts have claimed.

It comes as Daily Mail's Diary Editor Richard suggested the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed that their children, Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, will be titled 'Prince' and 'Princess' for 'revenge' after being evicted from Frogmore Cottage.

Nigel Cawthorne, author of Prince Andrew, Maxwell and the Palace, told FEMAIL: 'It is clearly the case that these announcements are made with the intention of creating as much news coverage as possible.

'Doubtless Harry and Megan seen themselves in competition with the Firm and are doing their level best to stand out. They seem to be surprisingly successful in giving the very experienced Royal Family a run for their money.

Royal expert Mr Fitzwilliams added: 'The Sussexes are totally unpredictable. They never coordinate their activities with other royals. Indeed the release of a trailer for their Netflix docuseries cast a shadow over the Prince and Princess of Wales recent trip to New York.

Daily Mail's Diary Editor Richard suggested the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed that their children (pictured all together), Archie, three, and Lilibet, one, will be titled 'Prince' and 'Princess' for 'revenge' after being evicted from Frogmore Cottage

'Since their interview on Oprah and most particularly since the trailers for and the Netflix docuseries and then the publication of Harrys memoir Spare and the interviews he did to promote it, it has been clear the Sussexes are conducting a campaign against the royal family,' he claimed.

Here, FEMAIL takes a look at every time Harry and Meghan seemingly stole the limelight from the Royal Family...

LILIBET'S TITLE 'REVENGE' FOR FROGMORE

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that their children will be 'Prince' and 'Princess' through the pages of People magazine after King Charles III evicted them from their UK base, Frogmore Cottage a few weeks ago.

Speaking on the Mail Plus royal talk show Palace Confidential, Richard Eden said: 'It does strike me as revenge by Harry and Meghan.

'What we've seen is two big developments over the past week.'

He continued: 'Last week it emerged that they're being evicted from their only British home, which they described as their forever home at Frogmore Cottage, but then we also learnt that Camilla's grandchildren were going to have roles at the Coronation.'

Both things I think will have upset Harry and Meghan, he said. Theyll be thinking What can we do to have our revenge?" and thats making sure that our children can have these two titles.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams echoed this, telling FEMAIL: 'The news of Archie and Lilibet's titles, Lilibet's christening and their eviction from Frogmore which had been decided after Spare was published, were undoubtedly synchronised.'

He added: 'The news they were evicted from Frogmore and that of Lilis christening were almost simultaneous. They do nothing by accident. However we dont know what was happening behind the scenes.

'The issue of the titles was automatic. The release of the news was clearly planned to be synchronised.'

PROMOTED SPARE BEFORE KATE'S 41ST BIRTHDAY

The Duke of Sussex, 38, sat down with Tom Bradby for a primetime television interview as part of a publicity blitz for his controversial memoir Spare before joining Anderson Cooper for a shocking interview on CBS the day before the Princess of Wales' birthday

As the world was left reeling over the interviews, the official Royal Family's social media channels shared a birthday wish for Kate, posting: 'Wishing the Princess of Wales a very happy birthday,' along with the above image

The Duke of Sussex, 38, sat down with Tom Bradby for a primetime television interview as part of a publicity blitz for his controversial memoir Spare before joining Anderson Cooper for a shocking interview on CBS the day before the Princess of Wales' birthday.

MEGXIT ANNOUNCED DAY BEFORE KATE'S 38TH BIRTHDAY Promoting Spare ahead of Kate's 41st birthday wasn't the only occasion when the Sussexes seemingly upstaged the royal's special day. Royal fans were left reeling after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back from royal duties on the eve of the then Duchess of Cambridge's birthday - joking it is 'quite the present'. The couple announced they would be stepping back as 'senior royals' on the eve of Kate's 38th birthday - with royal watchers saying it would 'overshadow' the Duchess's celebrations. Others were hooked by the apparent drama, with one writing: 'THEY QUIT THE FAMILY THE NIGHT BEFORE KATE'S BIRTHDAY I AM LIVING FOR THIS.' Another tweeted: 'Anyhow, let's hope Kate's birthday isn't at all over shadowed today,' with a crying laughing emoji. A third added: 'They chose to make the announcement hit the press on Kate's birthday! Lovely present from them to her.' Advertisement

In a series of bombshells twisting the knife on his closest family members, Harry claimed royals sought to protect their own reputation 'to the detriment' of him and Meghan and that they were 'complicit' in their 'pain and suffering'.

As the world was left reeling over the interviews, the official Royal Family's social media channels shared a birthday wish for Kate, posting: 'Wishing the Princess of Wales a very happy birthday.'

Meanwhile royal fans were also quick to share their birthday messages with the Princess of Wales, posting a host of supportive tweets online.

One commented: 'I can't believe Harry is doing this to Kate on the eve of her birthday...'

Another wrote: 'Prince Harry: I love Kate! Also Harry: I'm releasing this book on your birthday darling.'

In the interviews, Harry described a fractious relationship between his wife and Kate, while also addressing the rift with his brother.

RELEASED NETFLIX TRAILER DURING PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES' US TOUR

The Sussexes were accused of trying to sink the Wales' American trip to Boston for Prince William's Earthshot Prize in November by releasing the teaser for their Netflix documentary.

Sources said at the time that William and Kate were unaware it would be released halfway through their US visit with one insider revealing it had being seen as a 'declaration of war' by the royals.

A promotional trailer, which was posted online on the second day of the Prince and Princess of Wales' high-profile visit to the US, dispelled any hopes that the Sussexes were declaring a ceasefire in their acrimonious battle with the Royal Family.

Both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment at the time.

Royal sources said the Prince and Princess of Wales were determined 'not to be distracted by other things' and their focus was on meeting communities and local people across Boston during their US trip.

The Sussexes were accused of trying to sink the Wales' American trip to Boston for Prince William's Earthshot Prize in November by releasing the teaser for their Netflix documentary. Pictured, William and Kate in Boston in December

Royal insiders reacted with disappointment that the clip had been released to coincide with William and Kate's trip to the US, their first visit to the country since 2014, during which the prince hosted his major environmental project, the Earthshot Prize.

While it is unlikely that the duke and duchess had much say on the trailer's release date, the glee with which their supporters and publicists were treating it spoke volumes.

The Sussexes' biographer, Omid Scobie, directly referred to the fact that Earthshot is so significant to William that it was billed as his 'Super Bowl moment'. He crowed on Twitter: 'If tomorrow is Prince William's Super Bowl  then here's your half-time show.'

The trailer coincided with a string of PR announcements by the Sussexes, including an appearance by Meghan at a women's dinner in Indiana and the announcement of a charity donation of handbags she has facilitated.

'One can only conclude this is a concerted publicity drive on their behalf to stoke up interest in this documentary and is designed to clash with the Wales' visit this week,' said another well-placed source at the time.

'The prince and princess's high-profile trip to the States to shine a light on community projects in Boston and the environmental crisis is being apparently used as a platform for the Sussexes to create the drama and attention they so clearly crave on a personal level, as well as content for the multi-million dollar deal they have signed since quitting as working royals.

'While the Waleses will carry on with their duties, Team Sussex appears determined to remind America of their own 'compassionate activism'  one lucrative contract at a time.'

DUCHESS OF SUSSEX ACCUSED OF STEALING LIMELIGHT FROM 'UPSET' CAMILLA

Pictures of the Duchess of Sussex at the National Theatre were released as Camilla launched the Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Centre in London

Buckingham Palace had urged royal correspondents to focus on the Duchess of Cornwall's engagement (pictured) which had been long-planned and came on a day when there were no other major Royal engagements

In March 2020, the then Duchess of Cornwall was reportedly left furious after Meghan broke a pledge not to overshadow the royal's speech on domestic violence.

Pictures of the Duchess of Sussex at the National Theatre were released as Camilla launched the Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Centre in London.

Buckingham Palace had urged royal correspondents to focus on the Duchess of Cornwall's engagement which had been long-planned and came on a day when there were no other major Royal engagements.

But after images of Meghan's secret visit to the National Theatre on Thursday were released - Camilla's speech was quickly overshadowed.

On top of this, Meghan was filmed visiting a comprehensive school in east London on her second day back in the UK following her theatre visit.

Camilla was said to be 'very upset' at the release of the images, insiders told the Mirror.

Pictures showed her visiting a virtual reality technology at the theatre's Immersive Storytelling Studio that aims to help people 'better connect and empathise with each other as people, regardless of race, age or nationality.'

Hours after they were taken Meghan joined her husband Prince Harry at the Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on their first joint royal engagement since Megxit began.

One well-placed insider said: 'Camilla's work is very important to her and her decision to highlight the scourge of domestic violence at the 10th anniversary of Women of the World was a carefully thought-out plan.

'Of course it was known Harry and Meghan would be doing engagements this week, some privately, but everyone was in agreement that Camilla's speech should take precedence. Unfortunately some people had other ideas.'

The move sparked anger within the palace after Meghan 'refused to listen' to the pleas of staff and not issue the images.

A Buckingham Palace email to new organisations had said: 'Please note that media arrangements have been designed specifically with a view to allowing royal correspondents to focus on the Duchess of Cornwall's engagement on Friday.'

Meghan's photographs, taken by the Sussex's wedding photographer Chris Allerton, were revealed in a post on the official Sussex Royal Instagram. Meghan had delayed releasing them until after her appearance with Harry at the Endeavour Fund Awards.

The Duke of Sussex launched a series of extraordinary attacks on King Charles's wife Camilla, including branding her 'dangerous' and a 'villain' during his publicity blitz for his explosive memoir Spare.

Harry - who also revealed in his book that he and William 'begged' their father not to marry Camilla - accused his stepmother of 'trading information' with the Press in an attempt to get more positive stories written about herself, before sensationally suggesting that her 'connections' with the media would end up with 'people or bodies left in the street'.

PREGNANCY ANNOUCEMENT AT PRINCESS EUGENIE'S WEDDING

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pictured with the late Queen at Princess Eugenie's wedding in October 2018. The couple announced the pregnancy at a cocktail party after the ceremony

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank pictured on the steps of St George's Chapel following their wedding ceremony on October 12, 2018

Prince Harry confirmed in his biography Spare that he and Meghan did announce the Duchess' first pregnancy at Princess Eugenie's wedding.

He revealed that him and his wife told the Prince and Princess of Wales the happy news during a cocktail party following the reception in October 2018.

Detailing Meghan's pregnancy with their first child, Archie, now three, Harry said they felt obliged to tell his family the news in person before leaving for their tour of Australia in late 2018.

They chose his cousin Eugenie's Windsor wedding to make the announcement as the wider members of the Royal Family would be in attendance.

Ahead of the drinks reception, the couple intercepted Charles in his Windsor office and Harry said he was delighted to see his father's 'wide smile' after finding out he was going to be a grandfather for the fourth time.

Following this, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex then headed over to St George's Hall where the drinks reception was being held to tell Prince William.

He echoed their father's sentiment and urged them to immediately tell Kate. The Princess of Wales was across the room speaking with her sister Pippa Middleton, who was expecting her son Arthur at the time.

Describing Kate's reaction, Harry wrote: 'She also gave a big smile and hearty congratulations. They both reacted exactly as I hoped  as Id wished.'

Although the couple didn't make the news public until days later, Princess Eugenie's mother Sarah Ferguson was said to be 'furious' that the couple 'upstaged' the bride.

In their book Royals At War, investigative journalists Dylan Howard and Andy Tillet wrote: 'This was a huge social gaffe, even if you were not a royal  stealing the limelight from Eugenie, who was furious, as was her mother, Sarah.'

HARRY'S JAMES CORDEN INTERVIEW OVERSHADOWED QUEEN'S 'RARE AND IMPORTANT' VACCINE VIDEO

Prince Harry was criticised after giving a headline-grabbing TV interview, released just as the late Queen made a rare and important public statement encouraging everyone to get the Covid-19 jab if offered it

In February 2021, Prince Harry poured his heart out to James Corden on The Late Late Show in an exclusive 17-minute interview.

The Duchess of Sussex also made a brief appearance on the show during a FaceTime call, revealing her pet name for Harry is 'Haz', while her husband calls her 'Meg' throughout and reveals that his grandmother bought their son Archie a waffle maker for Christmas.

But critics questioned the timing of his 'prancing' TV appearance, released just as the late Queen gave a rare public statement encouraging all Britons to 'think about others' and have the Covid-19 jab amid the pandemic.

Palace sources told MailOnline the timing of Harry's TV appearance was 'unhelpful, and has caused 'disquiet' at the palace. 'When the Queen speaks as she has done about the vaccine it is accepted that she has a clear field', the insider said.

Royal expert Robert Jobson, a biographer of Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh, said: 'Timing is everything isn't it. On the day that the Queen has issued a very, very important message about the whole of the nation getting the jab, that message has sort of been blurred by Harry, the man who wants a private life, talking about his private life again'.

Royal expert Phil Dampier said: 'As The Queen urges us to think of others, Prince Harry prances about in LA and makes the absurd claim that he hasn't walked away from the royals. What planet is he on? Hollywood I suppose.'

SECOND PART OF NETFLIX DOCUSERIES AIRED SAME DAY AS KATE'S CAROL SERVICE

Prince George of Wales, William, Prince of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales depart from the 'Together at Christmas' Carol Service at Westminster Abbey

Singing from the same hymn sheet: (Front row left to right) King Charles III, the Queen Consort, the Prince of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Princess of Wales and the Countess of Wessex during the 'Together at Christmas' Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on Thursday evening

The Princess of Wales' annual carol service at Westminster Abbey took place on the same day as the second instalment of Harry and Meghan's documentary (pictured) aired on Netflix

The Princess of Wales' annual carol service at Westminster Abbey took place on the same day as the second instalment of Harry and Meghan's documentary aired on Netflix.

The carol service - organised by mother-of-three Kate on Thursday, December 15, 2022 - went ahead just hours after the final part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's docuseries dropped on the streaming platform.

But the Royal Family projected 'bonding and unity' as they gathered in London for the event after Harry and Meghan's slew of attacks, body language expert Judi James said.

Footage caught the moment King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla greeted Kate and William as they walked down the nave.

Ms James said the princess's 'warm smile of pride' as she watched her children exchange kisses with the monarch 'show everything we need to know about family unity'.

She said further clues came from 'extra, add-on touches' including 'lingering smiles and eye contact'.

'Charles's cheek kiss with Kate is followed by a formal ritual of the bobbing curtesy but then we can also see Kate's hand is still on Charles's arm as her face turns towards Camilla,' Ms James told MailOnline.

'This shows extra fondness, while the ''double-bagging'' of touching one relative while turning to greet the other, suggests a desire to reinforce the idea of grouping together and unity.

'Camilla's hand on top of Kate's shoulder as they kiss is another display of more intimate affection and, like Kate did with Charles, Camilla's hand is still on Kate's torso as they turn, in another gesture of "grouping" to imply unity.'

Focusing on King Charles' body language, Ms James said: 'Charles is never a comfortable-looking grandad in public but he sweetly bends to kiss George and Charlotte and they both put their arms out for a truncated hug while Kate watches proudly.

'Charles and William's greeting looks a little more meaningful, with some words exchanged as Charles walks away that cause the King to throw a grin back at his son.

'There is another gesture from Kate to show this desire to signal family grouping, bonding and unity as Charles walks back to speak to her.

'She quickly transfers her bag from her left hand to her right so she can extend her arm in another truncated touch and hug ritual as he talks to her, lifting her arm to place it behind his.'

ITV DOCUMENTARY 'OVERSHADOWED' WILLIAM AND KATE'S TOUR OF PAKISTAN

Meghan Markle was interviewed by Tom Bradby (pictured) for the ITV documentary in October 2019 (pictured)

Harry and Meghan's emotional ITV documentary, Harry and Meghan: An African Journey (2019), 'overshadowed' William and Kate's tour in Pakistan in October 2019, a royal source claimed.

The decision to release preview clips while the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on a four-day visit overseas 'baffled and infuriated' aides, according to the Evening Standard.

'This move has certainly overshadowed the Pakistan visit and what has been achieved here during the last few days, as well as a lot of work by an awful lot of dedicated people here on the ground as well as back home for months,' said one senior figure.

Meanwhile, royal author Valentine Low told in his book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind The Crown, via The Mirror, that the timing of the Sussexes comments didn't go down well.

An emotional Meghan opened up about how royal life had been a 'struggle', adding: 'Look, any woman especially when they are pregnant youre really vulnerable and so that was made really challenging, and then when you have a newborn  you know

'And especially as a woman, its a lot. So you add this on top of just trying to be a new mom or trying to be a newlywed its, well

'And, also thank you for asking, because not many people have asked if Im OK. But its a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes.'

Mr Low wrote: 'William and Kate's team was not happy, it seems, and saw it as a deliberate attempt to knock the couple out of the headlines. Relations between the two households became quite tense.'

CHARLES' 2016 OMAN TOUR WAS 'OVERSHADOWED' BY HARRY'S 'UNPRECEDENTED' DEFENCE OF MEGHAN

The then Prince of Wales takes part in a traditional Omani 'Sword Dance' during a welcome ceremony on the second day of a Royal tour of Oman in 2016

A then Prince Charles Oman tour in November 2016 was overshadowed by Prince Harrys statement about his then girlfriend Meghan Markle.

Speaking on the BBCs two-part documentary The Princes and the Press in 2021, the Evening Standards Royal Editor Robert Jobson admitted Charles trip would have probably made the front pages of newspapers until the Dukes unprecedented statement in defence of Meghan.

Harry releases this statement about the press and their treatment of Meghan, of course that then has to be page one, Mr Jobson said, before explaining that he had to deny Charles front-page coverage.

This apparently left the then Prince of Wales going, I thought I was going to be on page one, that was the deal, according to Insider.

Sky News royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills said in the documentary that Harrys release was a big no-no in the royal family.

She explained: You do not do anything while another member of the royal family is on tour that could possibly overshadow that tour.

Prince Harry confirming he was dating Meghan Markle blew any coverage about Prince Charles completely out of the water.

In an extraordinary statement on his love life, Harry said he was 'worried about Ms Markle's safety' following the 'wave of abuse and harassment' she had faced since rumours of their relationship first surfaced.

He lashed out at media intrusion and the 'sexism and racism of social media trolls' in a statement which said 'this is not a game - it is her life and his' and that he is 'deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her'.
An eight-year-old student decided to dress as her teacher for 'Superhero Day' at school, and the heartwarming gesture has left people all over the world feeling emotional.

When students at R.E. Baker Elementary in Bentonville, Arkansas, were asked to come in wearing an outfit that resembled their favorite superheroes, second grader Caroline Carlson told mom Cortney that she wanted to choose her teacher, Jaime Deigh.

Cortney helped her daughter get her hair just right - using curlers - and reached out to the professor to see what she'd be wearing so that they could match.

And when Jaime discovered that little Caroline had picked her as her favorite hero, she was 'blown away.'

An eight-year-old student decided to dress as her teacher for 'Superhero Day' at school, and the heartwarming gesture has left people all over the world emotional

When students the Arkansas school were asked to wear an outfit that resembled their favorite superheroes, second grader Caroline Carlson (seen) chose her teacher, Jaime Deigh

When Jaime discovered that little Caroline had picked her as her favorite hero, she was 'blown away'

'You just never know the impact that you have on someone everyday just through daily interaction,' she told Fox News, while discussing the touching moment.

Cortney added: 'All week Caroline was saying, "I want to be like Miss Deigh. She is a superhero."'

The professor explained that she was especially moved because children often don't 'see other teachers that look like her'

The professor explained that she was especially moved because she's a black woman and children often don't 'see other teachers that look like her.'

'The part that melted my heart was that she had her mom curl her [hair], she wanted her hair to look like mine,' she continued.

'You have children that [are] not seeing other teachers that look like me, and for her to think that she wants to look like me, and I'm her superhero it just really touched my heart.'

Jaime explained that as soon as she saw the youngster's outfit - which included an R.E. Baker T-shirt, a denim jacket, and jeans - they 'grabbed hands and hugged.'

Ms. Deigh was so honored that she wanted to 'show everybody.'

She explained, 'We just really wanted to parade around the school. We were so excited.'

'[Caroline] doing this awesome gesture in calling me her "superhero," it was just the icing on the cake in who she is as a child. And it made me understand why I do what I do each and every day.'

Jaime added: '[Caroline] doing this awesome gesture in calling me her "superhero," it made me understand why I do what I do each and every day'

Bentonville's school district shared a sweet photo of Caroline and Jaime together to its Facebook page, and many people took to the comment section to share their thoughts

Cortney added that she has 'peace of mind' knowing 'someone like Ms. Deigh' is teaching Caroline.

'She is such an impactful role model that she gets to spend all day with,' she gushed. 'I send her off to school with such a happy feeling.'

Bentonville's school district shared a sweet photo of Caroline and Jaime together to its Facebook page, and it quickly went viral, capturing the hearts of people around the globe.

'This is the feel-good Friday moment we all need today,' it captioned the post. 'R.E. Baker Elementary School students were asked to dress like their favorite superhero to end the week.

'Second grader Caroline Carlson dressed like her teacher, Jaime Deigh. Forget the cape. Throw on a jean jacket and change the world wherever you are today, Bentonville.'

Many people took to the comment section to share their thoughts, with one writing, 'She even has the curls to match. Loving this.'

'This is excellent,' added another, while someone else said, 'This is very sweet. Not all superheroes wear capes.'

'Love everything about this,' read a fourth comment. A different user gushed, 'Well this is adorable.'
A New York City woman has revealed that she reapplied to her own job after her company listed the position online with a salary range that was $32,000 to $90,000 higher than hers.

Kimberly Nguyen, 25, a Vietnamese-American poet and UX writer, came across the job listing on LinkedIn and was stunned to find out that her employer was offering tens of thousands of dollars more than she was being paid.

'My company just listed on LinkedIn a job posting for what Im currently doing (so were hiring another UX writer) and now thanks to salary transparency laws, I see that they intend to pay this person $32k-$90k more than they currently pay me, so I applied,' she tweeted on Tuesday.

The post went viral and has been viewed more than 12.1 million times. She didn't name the company, but she made it clear pay inequity has been an issue.

Kimberly Nguyen, 25, a UX writer in New York City, went viral on Twitter after revealing she reapplied to her own job after her company listed the position with a much higher salary

The post went viral and has been viewed more than 12.1 million times. She didn't name the company, but she made it clear pay inequity has been an issue

'I dont want to hear one more peep out of them about diversity, equity, and inclusion. I dont wanna see any more of our C-suite execs recommend books for womens history month. There were tangible actions they couldve taken and they chose to perform these values. No thank you,' she wrote.

'I have also been arguing for months about the pay inequity. I have told my managers multiple times that I know Im being underpaid. I have gotten the runaround, and they know they can do this right now in a tough labor market.'

Nguyen noted that she would be 'less upset' if the pay difference was only $10,000 to $15,000, but that wasn't the case.

'Ive been asking for a raise for months and theyre out here flaunting theyre willing to pay a new person at least $32k more than me??? For the same job??' she asked.

Nguyen said she posted the link to the job listing in a group chat with the company's other UX writers, including their bosses, and asked if they could apply.

She explained that they called an emergency meeting for the next morning and the job post was taken down.

'Wait they just posted it again as a separate job posting. Who in HR is misunderstanding the assignment? Can I apply again?' she tweeted on Wednesday.

Nguyen noted that she would be 'less upset' if the pay difference was only $10,000 to $15,000, but her company was offering at least $32,000 more than she was making

Nguyen later shared that she and her co-workers were told 'nobody is getting a raise' and threatened with 'possible layoffs.' She then announced she was looking for a new job

'They're saying it was an internal posting and wasn't meant for anyone to apply to externally because public companies legally have to post jobs even if it's an internal conversion...but that doesn't solve the fact that someone internally is now still going to make $32k+ more???'

She later shared highlights from the meeting, saying the MVP award goes to her coworker, who asked, 'Wtf is this salary range? None of us make even close to the bottom end salary range.'

According to Nguyen, they were told that 'nobody is getting a raise' and were threatened with 'possible layoffs.'

'I'm officially announcing that I am looking for UX writing roles preferably remote, but I am currently located in New York City. Let me know if you have any leads,' she announced after the meeting.

Nguyen told BuzzFeed that she 'felt disrespected' by her company's listing, but thought she could use it as 'leverage' to ask for a higher salary.

However, Nguyen has found plenty of support on Twitter, where people offered her advice, sent her job leads, and even bought her debut book of poetry, Here I Am Burn Me

The Vietnamese-American poet shared her excitement on Thursday after she found out her book was number three in Asian-American poetry bestsellers on Amazon

Nguyen also thanked everyone who has taken the time to help her find a new job

She added that her employer has yet to respond to her application, saying, 'I'm actually pretty sure they're going to fire me for this whole debacle.'

However, Nguyen has found plenty of support on Twitter, where people offered her advice, sent her job leads, and even bought her debut book of poetry, Here I Am Burn Me.

She shared her excitement on Thursday after she found out her book was number three in Asian-American poetry bestsellers on Amazon.

'Thank you so much to everyone for your support and encouragement and for buying my poems!' she wrote.

Nguyen also thanked everyone who has taken the time to help her find a new job.

'I am so wildly grateful to everyone who has sent me job leads. It's so touching to know that a bunch of strangers are rooting for me to get paid my market value and more,' she added.
Father-of-two Prince Edward was officially given new title on his 59th birthday

Proud Prince Edward looked thrilled (and a little overwhelmed) to introduce his wife Sophie as a Duchess for the first time while visiting Edinburgh.

Edward, who was granted the title Duke of Edinburgh on his 59th birthday yesterday, was speaking to a rousing audience when he seemed to lose his voice with excitement as he referred to his wife, now Duchess of Edinburgh.

As the new Duke celebrated his birthday, his eldest brother King Charles granted the new title in accordance with their late father Prince Philip's wishes.

And the youngest of the late Queen Elizabeth's children looked truly honoured to accept the new title on his birthday, as the couple greeted crowds on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and visited the City Chambers to mark one year since the city's formal response to the invasion of Ukraine.

He told crowds the day had been 'very special and slightly overwhelming' for himself and his wife, 'the duchess'.

Addressing the audience, he said: 'Thank you very much indeed for welcoming us to Edinburgh today on, indeed, a very special and slightly overwhelming day for - now - my wife, the duchess.'

As he addressed Sophie, 58, with her new title, his voice raised ever so slightly with excitement.

In response, the crowd laughed at his innocent, childlike glee and applauded as he beamed.

During their visit, the royal couple were introduced to Marianna Melnyk, aged 10, from the Ukrainian who wore traditional dress and presented Sophie with a bunch of yellow and blue flowers - the colours of her nation's flag.

Prince Edward, who celebrated his 59th birthday yesterday, made his first visit to Edinburgh as the new Duke of Edinburgh, inheriting the title from his late father Prince Philip. Addressing a crowd at the City Chambers to mark the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, the Duke said the day was 'very special and slightly overwhelming'

The Duke of Edinburgh introduced his wife, Sophie, 57, as a duchess for the first time as she inherited the title Duchess of Edinburgh

The new Duchess of Edinburgh, who has been elevated from the Countess of Wessex, looked elegant in a cream coat and matching scarf for the outing, with an elegant blue dress just visible beneath the hem.

Sophie's previous rank as Countess of Wessex, meant she was of an equal rank with her husband Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex.

This raise in royal status for Sophie, 58, is a touching tribute to the late Queen's daughter-in-law who lovingly called her 'mama'.

Married to Prince Edward for 24 years, she is well known for her down-to-earth nature and was viewed by the late Queen as The Firm's safest pair of hands.

However their new titles of Duke and Duchess are of a higher rank, elevating them in status to just below the monarch.

Duchesses are also referred to as Her Royal Highness.

Meanwhile the title of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh is one of the most senior in the Royal Family.

The move is a touching and lasting connection between the late Queen and her much-loved daughter-in-law, Sophie.

She was noted as the late monarch's 'favourite' family member and closest confidante.

Experts previously noted the Countess being in the spotlight is what Prince Philip 'would have wanted' and helped to 'keep his memory alive.'
Princess Diana's older sisters, Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, were present at Princess Lilibet's christening, according to reports.

Prince Harry's two aunts on his mother's side were said to be among the 20-30 guests at the 'intimate' ceremony and following party which was held at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Montecito mansion.

Earlier this week Prince Harry, 38 and Meghan Markle, 41, confirmed in a statement that Princess Lilibet's christening had taken place the previous Friday.

While precious few details have been released about the christening ceremony, one thing that has stood out to royal fans is that senior members of the royal family had been invited but were not present. However, it has now been reported that the other side of the Duke's family were represented at the ceremony and party.

After People magazine revealed some details about the party, including that four-year-old Prince Archie danced with his sister while songs were played from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding, royal journalist and friend of the Sussexes Omid Scobie added the guest list was missing four senior royals.

Lady Sarah McCorquodale (left) and Lady Jane Fellowes (pictured with Earl Spencer) were reportedly present at Princess Lilibet Diana's christening, according to Marie Claire. The older sisters of Princess Diana were thought to be among the 20-30 guests at the 21-month-old's christening and subsequent party which was held at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Montecito mansion

He posted on Twitter: 'King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Kate were invited but didn't attend.'

Marie Claire reported that, along with Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, Harry's aunts made the attendee list as family members.

It is not clear when the Duke of Sussex last saw his aunts, although they have been present at his important life events along with Prince Harry's uncle, Earl Spencer.

Both Harry and William have remained close with their aunts and uncle on their mother's side since the death of Princess Diana in 1997.

The Duke of Sussex was last pictured alongside his aunts in 2021 when he and the Prince of Wales joined together to unveil a statue of their late mother at Kensington Palace.

Princess Lilibet Diana (pictured on her first birthday at Frogmore Cottage), was christened last Friday

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement confirming Lilibet's christening and called her 'Princess Lilibet Diana' which prompted Buckingham Palace to update her title on its website to Princess Lilibet of Sussex

Both Harry and William were pictured warmly greeting Lady Sarah and Lady Jane with kisses and hugs.

Last week, his aunts were reportedly among a guest list of around 20-30 including Princess Lilibet's godfather Tyler Perry, who loaned the Sussexes his $18million (15million) Beverly Hills mansion in 2020.

Another guest reported to have been at the party was Doria Ragland, Meghan's mother, who plays a big part in family life for the Sussexes as revealed in their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan.

Other details of the party are scant, but People magazine reported that the ceremony was hosted by Reverend John Taylor, last Friday.

They were serenaded by a gospel choir, who are believed to have performed Oh Happy Day and This Little Light of Mine  a song that was played at Meghan and Harry's wedding.

Meanwhile an insider revealed that after the ceremony, 'attendees were treated to an afternoon of food and dancing  with Archie enjoying a dance with his little sister!'

Details of the warm ceremony may be seen to reflect Prince Harry's disclosure last weekend that he 'smothers' his children with affection.

In an interview with controversial therapist Gabor Mate, the Duke said: 'It leaves me in position now, as a father to two kids of my own, making sure that I smother them with love and affection.'

He had been referring to claims he made in his bombshell memoir Spare that the Royal Family did not often physically touch one another.

It is perhaps no surprise that the couple hosted the party in their own home, as Meghan has previously discussed her attachment to the property as 'free' and full of 'joy'.

Not many details have been given about decorations at the party, although Harry and Meghan's mansion is reported to be kitted out with chic Soho House candles and the couple boast a grand piano in their sitting room, which was gifted to them by Perry.

Speaking in an interview with The Cut last year, Meghan said of her home: 'We did everything we could to get this house. Because you walk in and go... Joy. And exhale. And calm. Its healing. You feel free.'

One of the first features that Meghan and Harry saw was two palm trees, connected together at the bottom, which the Duke claimed represented the loved-up couple.

'And now every day when Archie goes by us, he says, "Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa,"' explained the Duchess.

Following the announcement of Princess Lilibet Diana's christening, questions were raised about whether or not the youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex really was titled 'princess'.

After the Sussexes released a statement claiming it was her 'birth right' to hold the title, Buckingham Palace revealed it would update both Lilibet and Archie's titles on its website.

Within hours, the titles were updated and they were named as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. The line of succession was also updated to reflect their positions as sixth and seventh in line to the throne, behind their father Prince Harry.
Dogs set to compete for glory put their best paws forward once again this morning as they arrived at the Birmingham NEC in more glamorous outerwear.

The pampered pooches, who will be competing in the penultimate day of the annual international dog contest, were pictured walking into the arena wearing brightly coloured coats once again, as this year's competition takes place in unseasonably cold temperatures.

While some contestants sported block colours, others went for patterned over-layers - with one particularly patriotic pooch sporting a Union Jack print on their coat.

The dogs, who arrived on leads with their doting owners, will compete in a series of events today before the competition draws to a close tomorrow.

Crufts, which has been running since 1891 and is currently organised by The Kennel Club, is considered the most prestigious canine competition in the world. Here, FEMAIL takes a look at some of the highlights from Day Three of the competition...

As the third day of Crufts 2023 is underway, pampered pooches have put their best paw forward in arriving at the NEC in Birmingham in extravagant coats and hats. This long-haired pooch accessorised with a knitted head garment which was complete with tassles and metallic thread

This poodle stole the show in her floral coat with blue, pink and fuchsia colours, plus a diamante collar

Seeing double! It's difficult to tell which of these pooches is which as they wear identical coats

Orange you glad to see me? This gorgeous pooch looked focused as he arrived at the NEC wearing an orange waterproof

Off you trot! As the day's events got underway, a sausage dog strutted its stuff while competing - and was caught on camera just at the moment it was licking its chops

The little sausage dog certainly seemed to enjoy its time in the limelight as it put its best foot forward and appeared to give the camera a little wink

This sweet shot captured the irresistible 'puppy dog eyes' of a pooch getting ready to compete in the Best in Show category

This shy-looking terrier preferred to take shelter in a safe space by its owners' shoes as it waited for its turn

It's tiring work to look this good! One pooch seemed to become drowsy during its hair appointment ahead of competing

Faster than lightning! This Afghan hound and its owner seemed to be moving so fast, the camera could hardly capture them

The NEC in Birmingham was buzzing as the third and penultimate day of Crufts got underway

Time for a rest: These Deerhounds were pictured having a snooze as they recovered after a busy morning of events

Making friends! Lots of dogs were pictured meeting in the preparation areas before getting onto the floor where they strutted their stuff

This little terrier looked a little more like a rabbit in headlights as it competed in the arena with its owner

Strike a pose! This well-groomed, long haired pooch looked directly into the camera and pulled a face

Why the long face? These bloodhounds looked regal as they prepared to compete on the third day of Crufts

Peek-a-boo! This greyhound was pictured peering its head out of a bag it had been carried in to see what was happening

Travelling in style! These adorable little terriers arrived side-by-side as their owner pushed them in a pram

Get my good side! This glamorous pooch was pictured arriving at the NEC in a lime green waterproof jacket with a fleece collar

There may only be two of these dalmatians compared to the well-known 101, but they certainly made an impression in their floral and checked coats and brightly-coloured harnesses

Patriotic pup! This greyhound was pictured walking into the NEC with its owner, while sporting a Union Jack coat

Quilted Queen! This dog arrived at the NEC wearing a lime green, padded and quilted coat

These well-groomed dogs wore head gear and leg warmers to protect their glossy coats from the elements outside

Another glamorous pooch demonstrated a knitted, glittery headpiece as she waited to enter the NEC

No prizes for guessing the breed of this dog! A St Bernard arrived at the NEC wearing a bib that confirmed his breed

This adorable little terrier was kept warm in a tight-fitting, almost festive looking red fleece as he strolled along

All stars! A group of greyhounds arrived wearing matching outfits representing their team and looked fabulous in blue

These Australian shepherd dogs looked picture-perfect as they sauntered alongside each other on the way in

This dog owner was pictured wheeling lots of bags into the NEC to prepare for the third day of the contest

These striking canines were led into the Birmingham NEC by their owners - and almost looked as big as the humans arriving

Leopard-print chic: This dog arrived at the NEC in leopard-pring legwarmers which protected her feet, while the fur on her hind legs was plaited

They've come prepared! These dogs arrived on Day Three of Crufts with carrier pouches attached to them, to hold their key items

Three of a kind! These sweet-looking greyhounds arrived for a day of tough competition as they wore matching yellow and navy coats

80s glamour! Ths terrier arrived at the NEC in a multi-coloured fleece which harked back to a previous era

Lovely in lavender! This pooch wore a fleece which exhibited both animal print and bright lavender as she arrived

This Schnauzer wore a drawstring blue waterproof jacket to protect against the elements on arrival

Only one of these hounds required a coat to brave the chilly temperatures as the other went without

This pooch opted for a padded bronze wrap-around cover to protect from the wind

Pooches in papooses! These little dogs managed to keep warm by being wrapped up tightly and carried by their owners

Wrapped up tightly, these two pooches walked either side of their owner and were each wearing waterproofs, one red and one blue
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and 18 other senators have reintroduced the 2018 Data Care Act to set stronger criteria for sensitive information.

This shows that lawmakers are not giving up on a plan to protect online data, forcing companies to reasonably secure identifying data, and prompt customer notifications during cyberattacks.

There Is Still No Guarantee That The Revived Act Will Succeed

A group of 19 senators led by Schatz have reintroduced the Data Care Act, a measure that would establish stricter guidelines for the protection of private data online.

According to the legislation, companies must "reasonably secure" identifiable information and tell clients right away if there is a breach.

The Data Care Act will prevent websites and apps from using user data for malicious reasons, safeguard user data from hacks, and hold businesses accountable for misuse.

Engadget writes that additionally, it forbids the harmful use of data and requires that third parties treat shared data with the same care.

The legislation enables the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to impose fines on businesses and third parties who break the law.

Hence, States may also bring their own civil lawsuits, but the FTC may intervene if it is judged appropriate.

Democratic senators who oppose big tech, like Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, as well as Independents Bernie Sanders and Angus King, are among those who favor the legislation.

It can be remembered that with the support of 15 Democrats, the original Data Care Act was submitted in December 2018 but was never put to a vote.

As the initial bill was introduced in December 2018 but never put to a vote, there is no assurance that the revived Act would pass, Global Village Space writes.

Republicans will be in charge of the House in 2023, while Democrats hold the majority in the Senate, making the likelihood that the revived proposal will pass uncertain.

It is important to note that an equivalent law will not be sent to the President's desk for approval if a vote in the House is split along partisan lines.

Read More: New Senate Bill a Potential First Step Into a Proper US Privacy Law

Legislators Claim That The Conditions Of The Bill Might Be More Favorable This Time

The circumstances might be better this time for the legislation because President Biden has stated a desire to restrain Big Tech and restrict the gathering and use of data.

Data security and privacy are becoming more important issues for Congress' two major parties, according to Engadget.

Should The Data Care Act become law, it would theoretically appease these politicians by giving businesses greater responsibility.

In conclusion, the Data Care Act's reinstatement is a step in the right direction for safeguarding private data online, Global Village Space says.

Its success is unknown, but it underscores the public's and governments' rising concern about data security and privacy.

To avoid penalties and legal action, businesses must be accountable for protecting personally identifying information and treating shared data with respect.

Related Article: California Lawmaker Urges NTC to Investigate Company Providing Police with Surveillance Tools
King Charles has been gifted a new horse by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, months after he inherited his late mother Queen Elizabeth's racehorses.

Noble, a seven-year-old black mare, is settling into life at the Royal Mews in Windsor, the Palace said in a statement.

The horse, who stands at 16.2 hands high, toured with the 'Mounties' Musical Ride in 2022, where she participated in 90 public performances at 50 different locations in Canada.

Bred and trained in the country, she received her name through the Mounties' annual Name The Foal contest.

And a sweet photo showed the King making a fuss of the prized mare, who has a black coat.

King Charles has been gifted a new mare by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (pictured meeting the horse in Windsor)

Charles was said to be 'pleased' to meet Noble at the Royal Mews earlier this week.

The move follows a long tradition of the Mounties gifting horses to the royal family.

The relationship between the royals and the force dates back to 1904 when King Edward VII bestowed the title of Royal on the North-West Mounted Police, making it the Royal North-West Mounted Police.

The Mounties gifted eight horses to Charles' mother the Queen throughout her reign, starting with Burmese in 1969. The Queen rode Burmese at Trooping the Colour for 18 years.

The King looks up proudly at Noble as she settles into life at the Royal Mews on the Windsor Estate

Last year, the King inherited his late mother Queen Elizabeth's racehorses following her death in September. However the following month he sold off 14 of the steeds amid rumours he wanted to cut down on her racing operations.

A source said at the time: 'The connection between the family and the horse racing industry will continue.

'The desire is to continue with the traditions and connections with Royal Ascot but not on the same scale as Her Majesty because she had a passion.'

However, Noble is a show horse rather than a racehorse.

The King's new gift comes amid a week of big changes for the royal family in a reshuffle of royal titles.

On Friday, as his youngest brother Prince Edward celebrated his 59th birthday, Charles granted him the title of the Duke of Edinburgh, making his wife Sophie, 57, Duchess of Edinburgh.

The King fulfilled a long-held wish of the brothers' late father Prince Philip, who had said before his death in April 2021 that he wanted Edward to inherit the title.

But it was not the only change made this week, as the Duke and Duchess's children also had their titles officially updated on the Buckingham Palace website.

Following reports that their 21-month-old daughter had been christened in Santa Barbara, California last week, the Sussexes released a statement confirming the news in which they referred to the toddler as 'Princess Lilibet Diana'.

The couple added the title was her 'birth right'.

After the statement was released, the Palace responded to say it would update the titles of the Sussex children, as well as the line of succession, on its website.

The children now read as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. They are sixth and seventh in line to the throne, behind their father Prince Harry.
Throughout the pandemic, ministers repeatedly insisted that they were 'following the science'.

Ex-Health Secretary Matt Hancock repeated this mantra as early as March 5 2020, when the UK had logged just 85 Covid cases, to defend not closing schools.

But a tranche of more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages, leaked to The Telegraph, suggest that Mr Hancock and advisers did not always adopt this approach.

He claimed that testing everyone moving into care homes from the community just 'muddies the water', despite that being advice from Sir Chris Whitty. And that's just one example that MailOnline has uncovered...

1. 'Rejected Sir Chris' call to test all residents going into care homes'

WhatsApp exchanges on April 14 2020 show that England's Chief Medical Officer recommended a wide-ranging Covid testing programme in care homes.

In a group chat with aides, Mr Hancock said: 'Chris Whitty has done an evidence review and now recommends testing of all [care home residents] going into care homes, and segregation whilst awaiting result.

'This is obviously a good positive step & we must put into the doc.'

The document referred to is the Government's 'Action Plan for Adult Social Care', which was published the following day and set out how the service should function throughout the pandemic.

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'

However, in a message to his team 10 hours later, Mr Hancock said: '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.'

The final guidance states that the Government will 'move to' a policy of testing all residents prior to care home admission but that this would begin 'with all those being discharged from hospital'.

Mr Hancock dismissed claims that he ignored advice, with his spokesperson saying they were 'flat wrong'.

He was allegedly told during a meeting that it was 'not currently possible' to carry out the tests at the time due to capacity issues.

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.

Mr Hancock's spokesman has said the WhatsApp exchanges present an 'entirely partial account' and that 'the right place to consider everything about the pandemic objectively is in the public inquiry'.

2. 'Health ministers knew there was no evidence to justify making kids abide by rule of 6 - but No10 didn't want to exempt them'

Ministers knew there was no 'robust rationale' for imposing the 'rule of six' on young children by autumn 2020.

At the time, the system meant that any gather of more than six people indoors or outdoors  unless it was for work or education  was against the law.

And a tier system saw parts of the country classified as tier one to four, depending on Covid levels.

In WhatsApp messages on October 11 2020, social care minister Helen Whately told Mr Hancock: 'Wish we could loosen on children under 12 on rule of 6 for tier 1.'

In WhatsApp messages on October 11 2020, social care minister Helen Whately told Mr Hancock: 'Wish we could loosen on children under 12 on rule of 6 for tier 1.

Ms Whately said removing it would make such a difference for families and there isn't a robust rationale for it.

'Now is a really good chance to show we have listened. (Lots of MPs were pushing on this during last weeks' debates)'.

But Mr Hancock responded that No10 'don't want to go there' and 'don't want to shift an inch'.

3. 'Admitted he broke social distancing guidance during affair'

Mr Hancock was caught having an affair with his married aide Gina Colangelo.

Footage, published by The Sun on June 25 2021, showed the pair kissing, in breach of social distancing guidance in place at the time.

The footage was taken inside the Department of Health on May 6 that year, two days after the affair began.

At the time, Government rules, which had been in place since March 2020, set out people had to stay two metres apart from anyone who was not in their household or bubble.

Mr Hancock was caught having an affair with his married aide Gina Colangelo

Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo's affair was revealed in The Sun in June 2021 after pictures of the couple kissing were handed to journalists

Legal restrictions that banned indoor meetings among people from different households were not lifted until May 17  11 days after the footage was taken.

WhatsApp messages show that Mr Hancock told his adviser that he had 'obviously' broken the one metre plus rule.

But he had to ask what the rules were at the time of his encounter with Ms Colangelo.

4. 'Dismissed advice from Sir Chris not to enforce the sex ban during the pandemic'

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 on the matter.

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'

Texts 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.'

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.

Mr Hancock added: 'There you go: make your choice and stick with it.'

5. 'Rejected Sir Chris' calls to ease isolation rules'

Mr Hancock rejected Sir Chris' recommendation that close contacts of positive cases could test for five days rather than staying at home for two weeks.

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.

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.'

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'

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.
It is a popular locker room colloquialism that was considered by many to be an urban myth.

But scientists have found that some men do in fact fall into two categories when it comes to their penis size  'growers' and 'showers'.

The terms are used to define those who have large flaccid penises - showers - versus those whose members are less impressive naturally but grow significantly larger when erect - growers.

Spanish researchers have now drawn up a scientific definition to determine which group men fall into. It comes after a study found the average penis length has grown 25 percent in recent decades.

Scientists have put exact definitions of what it a grower and what is a shower in place. They found that a man whose flaccid penis grows 56 percent of more when getting an erection is a grower. If it grows 31 percent or less, then it is a shower. Around half of men fall within the middle area in-between, though, and are neither growers nor showers

The Spanish research team found that men whose penis grows more than 56 percent from when it is flaccid to erect are 'growers', while those who gain an extra 31 percent of their length or less are 'showers'.

The average penis grows 42 percent when moving from flaccid to erect, with a majority of men falling into the gray area in-between both categories.

In total, 24 percent of men are growers while 25 percent are showers. The remaining 51 percent of men do not fall into either category.

Dr Manuel Alonso Isa, a urologist who led the research, told DailyMail.com: 'Our study tried to give explanation to different types of penis when they get harder.

'The purpose for our study is to give information to our patients for [length and growth] expectations before they choose surgery.'

He said many men are concerned about their penis size and hopes these findings will help doctors assure them they are fine.

'As a urologist, we treat many patients who are concerned about their size... they want lengthening,' he explained.

Penis enlargement surgeries have been trending upwards in recent years, with anecdotal reports of increases in demand appearing across America.

The most common type of penis enlargement is a ligamentolysis, where a ligament that connects your penis to the skeleton is cut - causing your member to hang lower.

Other procedures use fat from the stomach or even fillers to enlarge the penis.

These procedures do not come without risk, though. They can sometimes lead to erectile dysfunction or a loss in sensation on the penis.

In cases where the operation is botched, it could even lead to their being an odd bending or angling of the genitalia.

Dr Alonso Isa hopes many men that have a grower - a penis that is small while flaccid but greatly expands while erect - will see the concept now established in science and feel more comfortable with their length.

For the research, which will be presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Milan, Italy, Dr Alonso Isa's team gathered data from 225 men.

Each of them had their penis length and girth measured while flaccid and while erect.

They were given a prostaglandin injection, used to give a person an erection as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Researchers then compared penis lengths at flaccid and erect states for each participant.

The average penis in the study was 4.2inches long. When erect, it was 5.7inches. A typical man's penis will grow around 42 percent when it reaches erection.

Dr Alonso Isa added that whether a person is a grower, shower or somewhere in the middle has no impact on their overall penile health or fertility.

'We didn't see any factors that predict any health impacts,' he said.

But, there is a mental health impact to many men concerned about the size of their member, he said.

'I think for mental health, it is smart for [doctors] to advise people their penis is normal [no matter if it is a grower or shower].'

He said further research on the topic should be into whether there are genetic - or other pre-determining factors - on whether a person is a grower or shower.
Parents with seriously ill children are being left destitute and at risk of losing their homes because of callous laws that deny them paid time off from work, campaigners have warned.

The UK is one of just two European nations that offer no paid leave for parents who have to stop work when their child develops a chronic or life-threatening disease such as cancer.

Countries including Spain, Sweden, Portugal, France, Belgium, Germany, Greece and Denmark all offer at least some paid parental leave if a child is seriously unwell, according to analysis by experts at the University of California, Los Angeles. The UK, along with Cyprus, offers none.

NHS data shows that each year there are 4,300 visits to hospital by children who end up staying at least two months  often the same children return multiple times  and many parents will have little choice but to take unpaid leave. Some are even forced to resign.

Were seeing mums who have had to give up their jobs and are selling clothes to make ends meet, says Ceri Menai-Davis, founder of charity Its Never You, which supports parents of children with cancer. When youre a parent whose child has cancer or a life-limiting diagnosis, the last thing you want to be worrying about is paying the bills.

Alastair Christie, pictured with his son Gideon, stopped working completely for 18 months while the youngster underwent cancer therapy

Gideon, now eight, had an aggressive soft tissue cancer. Alistair said: I stopped work completely. I didnt know how long my son would have to live and I wanted to be with him.

Rachel Kirby-Rider, chief executive of the charity Young Lives vs Cancer, says: When a child is diagnosed with cancer, often families are rushed to hospital with just the clothes on their backs to start treatment right away. Many parents and carers have to stop work immediately to be by their childs side.

One parent who experienced this difficult situation is project manager Alastair Christie, from Coventry, who had to quit his 75,000-a-year IT job when his son Gideon, then four, was diagnosed with the aggressive soft tissue cancer rhabdomyosarcoma in 2019.

I stopped work completely, says Alastair, 43. I didnt know how long my son would have to live and I wanted to be with him.

Gideon underwent 18 months of intense treatment, while Alastair looked after him full-time. His wife Suzanne, who has an auto-immune disorder that meant she couldnt be Gideons main carer, carried on her part-time Civil Service job to help pay the bills.

Although Alastair initially got six months statutory sick pay through his work due to stress, he then had to rely on Universal Credit and Disability Living Allowance (DLA). The benefits provided an income of 800 per month (9,600 a year), which didnt cover their mortgage, let alone other bills. I went from a high-salary job to suddenly having negligible income, says Alastair. We cut back on everything but there were so many extra expenses. Travel to and from hospital and parking charges cost a fortune. And when youre in hospital, you end up buying ready meals, which cost more.

Alistair, pictured with his family, quit his 75,000-a-year IT job so he could care for his child

Friends raised money for the family and they also received a 200 charity grant. Its only thanks to their generosity that we were able to hold on to our home, says Alastair, who has recently returned to a senior position after more than three years away from work. Gideon, now eight, is also doing well.

Its Never You is campaigning for the Government to introduce a statutory child illness pay policy that would operate in a similar way to maternity pay  providing funds from date of diagnosis for up to a year and a guarantee that the parent has a job to return to once treatment is over.

Mr Menai-Davis adds: When you look at it on paper, it seems callous  why is there no support for these parents who are suffering so much already?

About 1,800 children develop cancer every year, and 6,000 children are born with or develop heart problems. Research by the University of York suggests about 87,000 children in the UK have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

According to the charity Young Lives vs Cancer, caring for a sick child also typically adds 730 a month to an average households expenditure. Extra costs include travel to and from hospital, parking charges and sterilisation equipment and cleaning materials.

Alastair has returned to work after his son's treatment. He said surviving on benefits was a struggle and the family were lucky to keep their home

Families usually also have higher energy bills, as children having chemotherapy need to be kept warm to reduce infection risk.

Spain and Sweden place no limit on paid leave when a child is seriously ill, while parents in Portugal get up to six years of leave. Latvian parents can get up to three years, and those in Italy and Ireland can get two years of financial support. In France, Belgium and Denmark, around a years leave is available.

At the other end of the spectrum, Germany offers ten days of paid leave and Greece provides up to 22, while in the US parents get none.

Amy Raub, principal researcher at UCLAs World Policy Analysis Centre, says: The UK is an outlier, not just in Europe but globally.

Childhood leukaemia specialist Dr Jack Bartram, a consultant paediatric haematologist working at a London hospital, agrees that parents need financial support. Every day I see parents who are doing their best to support their children through illness but are under immense strain due to financial worries, he says.

Teacher Kathryn Edwards has been off work since her eight-year-old son Kaiden was diagnosed with medulloblastoma  a malignant brain tumour  in June. Since then, Kaiden has spent months having surgery, chemotherapy and proton beam therapy. His treatment is due to finish in September. Kathryn says she feels lucky because her employer, a special educational needs school, allowed her to take six months of her own sick leave at full pay, due to stress. She gets another six months at half pay, but this will end before Kaidens treatment does.

I have no idea what we are going to do then, says Kathryn, 42, who lives in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, with her husband Simon, 41, an electrician, and Kaidens brothers Jacob, 14, and Elias, two.

Last year, Young Lives vs Cancer launched a crisis fund offering grants to families who are struggling to pay their bills, and has already awarded 1,000 of them totalling more than 300,000.
Most nights I wake up suffering terrible sweats. Sometimes my night clothes are damp and I have to put a towel down to protect the bedding. My doctor said it could be a sign of blood cancer and has ordered tests. Should I be worried?

It's important to see a GP if youre suffering night sweats. They are a common symptom that a lot of people struggle with from time to time, such as during the summer or when you have an infection. But if there is no clear reason for the problem, a check-up is vital.

Night sweats can be a sign of something serious  including a type of blood cancer called myeloma. But most commonly, they are caused by something non-sinister, such as menopause, an infection, the side effects of medication or heavy alcohol use.

If the sweats come with weight loss, it is a cause for concern. Together, these symptoms can point to the cancers myeloma and lymphoma, or even the bacterial infection tuberculosis.

Patients will always undergo investigations, usually beginning with blood and urine tests and a chest X-ray. It is possible that more hospital-based tests, such as an MRI scan and/or a bone biopsy, may be needed.

Today's reader is seeking advice whether her mysterious night sweats could be a result of blood cancer

Myeloma is a cancer of one of the types of blood cells that affects the immune system, bones and kidneys. It may be more common in people with a family background of the disease, but the biggest risk factors are old age, black ethnicity and, in some cases, obesity.

Thankfully, the prognosis for myeloma is often very good. Treatments have also vastly improved in the past couple of decades. More than half of patients survive for at least five years after diagnosis, according to Cancer Research UK.

I'm very interested in your articles about depression and anxiety. My GP recently recommended that I start taking antidepressants. Can you tell me which of citalopram and escitalopram is better to take? She also thinks I should start therapy. I am 72 years old.

There are many different types of antidepressant medication. The family of drugs prescribed most often are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. They also treat anxiety, eating disorders, OCD and even irritable bowel syndrome.

Citalopram and escitalopram are two of the eight SSRIs available. These medications increase levels of the hormone serotonin in the brain, which is thought to have some effect on our emotions and mood.

But they are not effective for everyone. Some people find that they get greater benefits from therapy when they are taking medication.

Citalopram is recommended for use in depression and panic. Escitalopram, however, has a wider scope of use. It can also be prescribed for OCD, panic and social anxiety. They are slightly chemically different. This means you need higher doses of citalopram than you would escitalopram to treat depression.

Effectiveness and side effects may also be different. It is impossible to say if one antidepressant is better than another. Studies show it is very difficult to predict how a person will react to an antidepressant. It is worth remembering that a proportion of the population wont find them helpful at all.

A GP should recommend you trial one type for about six weeks before considering switching to another or changing the dose.

Shortly after a Covid booster in December 2021, I developed a chesty cough that wont shift. My lungs often feel sore and irritated and I produce mucus. Doctors have tried everything  antihistamines, acid reflux medication and inhalers  but nothing works. What can I do?

It can be very difficult when there is no simple explanation for a patients problem. The uncertainty brings a level of distress which can make symptoms worse. Ongoing, wet coughs are an example of this.

It is certainly worth pursuing a referral to a respiratory-health specialist at the local hospital. This overproduction of mucus is referred to by doctors as catarrh, which can result from a number of lung conditions.

GPs have recently seen a lot of patients with this symptom, mostly as a result of a previous Covid infection. Chronic production of mucus can also be related to acid reflux and post nasal drip  when mucus from your nose or sinuses drips down the back of your throat. But both these problems would resolve quickly with treatment.

A reader is concerned about a cough they developed after receiving the Covid booster jab

Doctors may want to test a sample of mucus to see what type of infection may be present in the lungs. These symptoms are often seen in the long-term lung disease chronic bronchitis, commonly present in smokers.

Another important diagnosis to consider is bronchiectasis  a range of lung conditions which involve patients producing mucus and coughing persistently. Inflammation in the lungs causes damage to the airways, leading to a variety of problems.

In adults, bronchiectasis is often a result of a childhood infection such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, but it can also be triggered by autoimmune conditions and fungal allergies.

Bronchiectasis can also develop because of a Covid infection  respiratory experts at a hospital would be able to identify this.

Do not ignore your bowel test kit - it could save your life

Write to Dr Ellie Do you have a question for Dr Ellie Cannon? Email DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk Dr Cannon cannot enter into personal correspondence and her replies should be taken in a general context Advertisement

Please dont forget to do your bowel cancer screening test, if youve been sent one.

In England, adults aged 60 to 74 are sent a kit, pictured left, in the post every two years. Its now also sent to 56- and 58-year-olds as the programme is expanded. Im backing NHS Englands drive to get people to actually do the test, sparked by research showing that a third of those eligible dont bother.

There is no doubt that the tests are life-saving. Treatment is nine times more likely to be successful if the disease is caught early.

I saw this for myself with a patient a few weeks ago  she had no symptoms but the cancer was picked up at a very early stage, thanks to her screening test.

It couldnt be simpler to do: use the stick to take a sample of your business, put it in the pot and send it back.

An analysis can spot traces of blood you wouldnt see, which can indicate cancer.

My top tip is to put it next to the loo when it arrives  that way you cant forget about it.

There is no doubt that the tests are life-saving. Treatment is nine times more likely to be successful if the disease is caught early. I saw this for myself with a patient a few weeks ago  she had no symptoms but the cancer was picked up at a very early stage, thanks to her screening test

Minimal respect for Covid study

The impact of the pandemic on mental health was minimal, according to a study published last week.

Ill admit, I was surprised to read this, but looking into the findings, I discovered they simply backed up what GPs have been saying all along: that adults in high-income countries, such as the UK, experienced only a minor deterioration in mental health. Women, older people and minorities were worse affected, though.

You were more likely to be fine if you were well off and working, which makes sense. But the study excluded those we know were most affected by the pandemic: children, young people and anyone with existing mental health problems.

Im taking this study with a pinch of salt, as those whose policies made our childrens lives hellish still have a lot to answer for.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

C.M. writes: I have been in a lengthy battle with Scottish Power following a botched and potentially lethal installation of a smart meter to the wrong property.

In October 2021, I attempted to change a socket in my flat and received a bad electric shock, despite the power being turned off.

I discovered this was because a smart meter was installed with electrics left in what's called 'reverse polarity' or 'hot-neutral reversed'. It was a matter of luck I was not killed.

Tony Hetherington replies: You live in a block of flats where meters are in a communal cupboard, and you had refused to have a smart meter. The one that was installed was actually meant for your neighbour.

Chaos: Report by Ombudsman Services fell short over Scottish Power's botched meter installation

On the night you received the shock, you called an electrician who immediately shut off the supply, saying the wiring was dangerous and a fire risk. You were without power for 28 hours and, as you work from home, you lost two days work. You even had to fork out 120 to have your electricity reconnected.

But all Scottish Power offered was 75 and an apology, telling you that if you wanted more you would have to claim from its contractor. You then contacted Ombudsman Services  and as if things were not already bad, they got worse.

The first thing everyone should know about Ombudsman Services is that it is not a Government agency. It is a private business, based in Warrington, and paid by the companies who use it to referee complaints. For example, it runs POPLA, which considers drivers' appeals against parking penalties.

Ombudsman Services told Scottish Power to give you 100 instead of 75, saying this was a 'goodwill gesture'. But where is the goodwill in leaving you out of pocket  and electrocuted  because of mistakes for which Scottish Power was responsible?

The Ombudsman's report was appalling. It described connecting the unauthorised meter to your flat as simply 'a shortfall in service'. Electrocuting you, cutting off your power, costing you work, and landing you with an electrician's bill  all got the same label: 'a shortfall in service'.

The Ombudsman's explanation was that 'we are not a compensatory body'. It can only request its member companies to make goodwill payments, and these will not include anything to make up for actual expenses or loss of work. You were advised to sue Scottish Power's contractor, but the Ombudsman could not even say for certain who this was. Some investigation then.

Not surprisingly, you appealed and I put my own questions to Ombudsman Services. The response was, in your words, 'openly hostile'. You were told you had failed to provide evidence which, you say, you were never asked to produce.

You were asked to produce at the drop of a hat proof that Scottish Power's engineer had visited the flats and connected the meter to the wrong address. And you were told to come up with proof of the meter details incorrectly attached to your flat.

You were even told you had to provide an engineer's report and invoice from the electrician you called, and proof of your lost earnings. Both these demands  which Ombudsman Services has failed to explain to me  completely contradict the Ombudsman's previous decision that you could not claim compensation for such things. All in all, this has the hallmarks of a spiteful bid to shut you up.

Despite being allowed just seven days to produce evidence which arguably should have been found far earlier by the Ombudsman, you made the deadline. Ombudsman Services now admits it was wrong to rule that Scottish Power was not responsible for installing the meter.

It has asked Scottish Power to apologise, correct charges linked to the wrong meter, and credit your account with a total of 370. This is intended to cover the 120 bill you paid, but not loss of earnings.

What stands out is the almost complete lack of investigative ability on the part of Ombudsman Services. It did not even contact the contractor who actually installed the meter. And both the Ombudsman and Scottish Power gave the names of two completely different installation companies as being responsible, before telling me they had settled on one. I am in touch with that contractor now and will report the outcome.

Ombudsman Services told me: 'We only have a direct relationship with the energy supplier.' And Scottish Power said it had received the appeal verdict, adding: 'Mr M has yet to accept this, but we are ready to action as soon as he does.'

But what a disgraceful shambles from start to finish.

Vueling left us in the dark over refunds

C.G. writes: My 73-year-old mother and I were due to fly with Vueling from Gatwick to Barcelona. We arrived at Gatwick, only to be told the flight was cancelled.

We had to accept a flight 14 hours later. We were told to keep receipts for food and drink as costs would be refunded, but since then we have received nothing from Vueling and have been told we will get nothing.

This company needs to be stopped.

Turbulence: Vueling flight from Gatwick to Barcelona was cancelled

Tony Hetherington replies: Vueling is a budget airline owned by the Spanish company IAG, which also owns British Airways. Before contacting Vueling, I took a look at its website, which includes what seemed like a helpful page headed 'Press Room'.

But when I clicked through, a message said: 'Oh dear, this page seems to be on holiday! It looks like it found an irresistible offer and it has packed its bags.' Very droll  but very bad public relations.

BA was far more helpful, putting me in touch with its Spanish sister company, and you suddenly received a message from Vueling, requesting your bank details. Then 438 appeared in your account  presumably to cover tickets, food and drink. All Vueling has told me is that it admits 'compensation was denied by mistake.'

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Deliveroo will provide an answer to investor worries that the cost of living crisis has taken a bite out of takeaway orders.

The London-based food delivery app business is set to update shareholders next Thursday with its full-year results for 2022.

Its results will reveal if consumers reined back spending on takeaways in the face of living cost pressures after the invasion of Ukraine.

Households have been forced to grapple with soaring energy and grocery bills since the war broke out last year.

Delivery and takeaway businesses have also seen declining sales in recent months as post-pandemic behaviours go back to normal.

Businesses like Just Eat Take-away and Deliveroo saw booming sales during Covid lockdowns but have suffered a dip in demand since restaurants and offices reopened.

Investors will be hungry to hear more about bosses' laborious pursuit of making the tech firm profitable.

At a recent quarterly update, Deliveroo said it broke even and expected to turn a profit in 2023.

Founder and chief executive Will Shu explained a slew of job losses by claiming Deliveroo needed to 'go further', as it hunkered down on profitability.

Last month, the company said it would slash around 350 jobs, about 9 per cent of its workforce, with the UK set to be worst hit by the redundancies.

Deliveroo's share price has tanked 20 per cent over the past year after it floated in March 2021.
Dull, dull, dull. This is the view of the stock markets among a number of British companies that claim UK investors are tediously risk-averse.

These businesses are shunning Britain, choosing instead to have their shares listed in the US, where there is more of a taste for a gamble.

Software giant Arm and construction company CRH are among those taking the trip across the Atlantic. Others are set to follow.

You may feel somewhat insulted by this assessment of your investor profile, believing that you too know how to be audacious.

But you may also be sensing that the focus on UK markets could offer opportunities, as the Government is forced into action to re-establish the image of Britannia as cool, rather than boring and backward-looking.

In particular, this could be the time to take a bet on the FTSE 100's insurers Aviva, Legal & General and Phoenix.

Opportunity: This could be the time to take a bet on FTSE 100 insurers Aviva, Legal & General and Phoenix

These giants  who concentrate on the management of pension and other savings  offer bumper dividends, plus the prospect of growth.

One key source of this growth is set to be an overhaul of rules and regulations that promises to inject fresh dynamism into the UK markets.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Edinburgh reforms should enhance the City's allure. Meanwhile, the revisions to the Solvency II regime (an EU directive covering the capital that insurers are required to hold) are also set to bring considerable benefits.

Insurers are enthusiastic about the shake-up. Andy Briggs, boss of Phoenix Group, which owns Standard Life, is poised to commit billions to UK infrastructure.

Aviva chief executive Amanda Blanc also emphasises the company's willingness to invest billions in energy, housing and start-ups. Such projects would reinvigorate the economy. But they should also help insurers' share prices to prosper.

This optimism contrasts with the gloom that surrounded insurers in the wake of the mini-Budget, whose measures sparked a sell-off in the gilts market. This rout spread alarm among defined benefit company pension schemes which were obliged to meet margin cash calls on complex liability driven investments (LDIs). Insurers are the major players in the 1 trillion LDI sector.

Today, however, this unhappy set of circumstances is seen as a 'black swan', a once-in-a-lifetime event which may even prove another boon for insurers. As a consequence of LDI angst, more company bosses may offload defined benefit schemes to Aviva, Legal & General and Phoenix.

Investing: Aviva chief executive Amanda Blanc

Phoenix is best known as the buyer of closed life funds (where no new policies are being sold), but it has been doing more bulk-annuity business. Thanks to the potential for more such profitable transfers, analysts rate the company as a buy. The shares are trading at 617.8p. This week, Legal & General  which William Meadon, manager of the JP Morgan Claverhouse investment trust, describes as 'one of the UK's best capitalised insurers'  reported a surge in bulk annuity activities.

Job Curtis, manager of the City of London investment trust, a holder of the stock, calls a 'good company'  high praise.

The shares stand at 252p and dividend yield is 7.3 per cent. Boss Sir Nigel Wilson contends that there is 'strong headroom' for further rises in payouts, given its 'high synergy, strong capital backing and ambitious growth targets in each of its markets'.

Blanc is also ushering in a new era at Aviva. This week, the group unveiled a 300m share buyback scheme following a 35 per cent jump in operating profits.

Acquiring shares in Aviva, Legal & General and Phoenix ought to enable you to back a regulatory revolution that gives Britain a new impetus. You could also spread the bet to the whole UK market and further improve your income through 'dividend hero' trusts like City of London, JP Morgan Claverhouse and Merchants. Unloved UK shares are seen as attractively cheap. It could be the start of a beautiful adventure, with fat dividends as great company on the way.
In this series, we bust the jargon and explain a popular investing term or theme. Here it's GMV.

What is this acronym?

GMV is an easy-to-calculate metric popular in the e-commerce sector. It stands for gross merchandise value, that is, the total amount of products sold through a website over period of time, and it appears in the results of such UK and global e-commerce companies as Alibaba, Asos, Boohoo, Deliveroo and Mercado Libre, the Latin American titan.

The GMV is a measure of performance, but although it may show a company's total revenues, this is before the deduction of costs such as advertising and discounts. Goods that have been returned may also be included.

How is it used?

Online retailers who want to know how they are performing compare GMV figures on a quarterly or annual basis, or on a single day's trading in the case of a promotional event held every year, like Black Friday. Businesses also often outline their ambitions in terms of increases in GMV.

GMVs are closely monitored by analysts, because sometimes they can reveal that a business, which seems to have another mission, is actually a retailer. For example, although the Tik Tok app is full of videos of people dancing, it is China's fourth largest e-commerce business, as measured by GMV.

Performance: Although it may show a company's total revenues, this is before the deduction of costs such as advertising and discounts

Any other examples?

Klarna may be a buy-now-pay-later lender but it publishes a GMV  a figure that is the total of the sales made by retailers to customers relying on Klarna credit. This month, boss Sebastian Siemiatkowski said that a 22 per cent jump in its GMV was evidence that the company's new strategy was putting it on the path to profitability.

Why are we hearing about GMVs just now?

More attention is being paid to these figures as rivalry between e-commerce names heats up against the background of the cost of living crisis.

To some surprise, the Temu fast fashion platform, founded in September 2022, has just become the most downloaded app in the US.

The business is said to have vowed to report a single day of GMV that tops that of its chief rival Shein between now and September. Temu is owned by the Chinese giant PDD Holdings, formerly Pinduoduo. Shein, which was founded by the secretive billionaire Xu Yangtian, is the world's largest fashion retailer.

Should I be buying shares in companies with fast-rising GMVs?

Not so fast. The GMV is not a guide as to whether a business is profitable because it excludes costs. Indeed, one critic has dubbed the GMV the 'most useless metric', while others prefer the description 'slippery' or dismiss it as a 'vanity metric'.

This is largely because there is no standard definition of how the metric should be calculated. E-commerce players measure their figures in different ways.

The figure can include goods that have been returned, and perhaps those that have never been delivered.

Any other e-commerce acronyms that I need to know?

AOV (average order value), Bopis (buy online pick up in store), Boris (buy online and return in store), Serp (search engine results page) and VTP (visits to purchase), which shows how many visits a customer makes before making a purchase.
Boost: Arecor has developed pioneering new diabetes treatments

Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing health conditions in the world, affecting more than 700 million globally, almost 10 per cent of the population.

Many sufferers need to inject themselves several times a day or wear a device that pumps insulin into their body on a regular basis.

The first is unpleasant; the second, often ineffective. Arecor, a Cambridge-based drugs company, has pioneered a way to make insulin work faster and more efficiently.

The firm is testing two products, both of which would have a dramatic effect on diabetes sufferers, limiting the need to self-inject and reducing the glucose peaks and troughs commonly associated with this condition.

Arecor listed on the stock market in June 2021 at 2.26 and the shares shot up to more than 4 as the company released positive updates on its diabetes treatments. But the price has since drifted back to 2.43, hindered by market antipathy to small healthcare firms in recent months.

The stock should regain momentum this year. Arecor is expecting good news on its diabetic treatments and has several other initiatives in the pipeline, which should deliver encouraging results too. Arecor is different from most junior healthcare companies because it does not try to create new drugs. Instead, the firm focuses on existing products and works out how to make them better.

In hospital, for instance, many treatments are in powder form so they have to be mixed with saline solution before being administered to patients. This takes time and can lead to dosing errors but Arecor has developed a way to keep products stable in liquid format so they are ready to use as soon as they reach the ward.

Several types of medication are administered via intravenous drip over many hours. Arecor has worked out how to increase the concentration of these medicines so they can be delivered via injection, meaning patients could administer treatments themselves in the comfort of their own homes.

Small healthcare firms can struggle to achieve commercial success so chief executive Sarah Howell is pursuing a variety of routes to bring Arecor's products to market.

The company was founded in 2007 as a spin-out from a Unilever-backed biotech firm. Its technology has become recognised by pharmaceutical groups worldwide, so much so that several have approached Arecor for help in making their products easier to use.

A number of partnerships have been signed and more are likely to follow. These generate revenues from the start and one is expected to produce a commercially available treatment later this year, triggering potentially generous royalty payments for Arecor.

UK drugs group Hikma is a partner too. The FTSE 250 listed firm agreed in 2020 to fund the development of two products and has just licensed one of them, taking the drug in-house and paying Arecor licence fees as it moves through the development process. The other product was returned to Arecor earlier this year but brokers are optimistic that Howell will find another partner in the coming months.

Howell and her team also scour the market for drugs which could benefit from improvement using Arecor's technology, insulin being a case in point.

The company has already seen encouraging results from trials and there are high hopes that both diabetes treatments could be on the market within a few years.

Midas verdict: Arecor is focused on some of the hardest-to-treat healthcare challenges in the world. Supporters believe the shares could more than double from the current price of 2.43 and Unilever retains a near 10 per cent stake in the business. Early-stage drug firms are never risk free but this seems more secure than most. Buy.

Traded on: AIM Ticker: AREC Contact: arecor.com or 01223 426060
Android phones and iPhones are vastly different. While many agree that the iPhone is more prestigious than the two, Android users outnumber iPhone users worldwide due to an Android phone's cost.

However, both phones are smartphones at the end of the day, especially if you're upgrading from an earlier version. The only difference is the features that come with the phone.

There will always be people looking to switch between the two phone types for various reasons - phone quality, features, and even price.

However, is it worth switching from an iPhone to an Android phone? Here's what I found out when I made the switch:

An Android Phone's Charm

The first thing I noticed when deciding which phone I should buy for myself is the value of its features relative to their price. While an iPhone offers some, if not all, the best features you can find in a smartphone, it is often way above the price range my budget can handle.

Meanwhile, an Android phone is as cost-effective as it can get. It offers many advanced features that produce similar results to an iPhone's, if not better, for the price it asks. For example, a Samsung A53 5G features a Hybrid Dual SIM, meaning that I could use the extra slot to place another nano SIM or a memory card to augment the already large 256GB storage the phone has.

On the other hand, an iPhone SE features a nano-SIM slot and eSIM without any possibility of enhancing the phone's internal storage with a memory card. Since I'm looking for a phone I can play video games on and shoot photos and video clips, the Samsung A53 5G has my vote in this area.

For the price tag of a 128GB iPhone SE, I could get a 256GB Samsung Galaxy A53 5G and a few accessories to spice it up. Considering my needs back then, I took the deal and never looked back. Transferring data from my old iPhone to my new Samsung Galaxy A53 is easy, thanks to Samsung's Smart Switch app and a Lightning-to-USB-C cable.

I could transfer my data through Google Drive, but the size of my files makes that method insufficient for my needs.

Read More: Revisiting Heavy Rain - Interactive Drama at Its Best

Using an Android phone for the first time is a surreal experience, to say the least. It's like being liberated from the constraints Apple puts on its iOS devices. I didn't have to worry about storage space when I take photos, and videos, and play video games - I could enjoy it more due to the larger screen the A53 5G provided me.

I could even remove the distractions my phone offers while working using Smasung's Modes and Routines app. While I miss tapping the upper part of my phone's screen to put me back to the top of a website after scrolling so far down, the A53 5G's home and back buttons let me do the same thing - I just need to get used to it.

Last but not least, I could seamlessly transfer the files I have on my computer to my phone without using an app like iTunes.

An iPhone's Strengths

While my experience with an Android phone has been stellar, I do miss many of the features an iPhone alone provides. For instance, Android phones don't have a native feature similar to Apple's AirDrop for quick file sharing between Android devices.

The ability to check the health of my phone's battery is also a crucial feature I sorely miss from iPhones since I'd like to know if I'm taking care of my phone right and when I should replace the phone's battery.

Another thing I miss from iPhones is the ability to use different ringtones for messages and calls to let you know who texted or who's calling without even looking at the phone's screen to see who it is.

The customization level an iPhone provides may be just as good as an Android's, but it's in a "win some, lose some" situation.

Bottomline

As previously mentioned, at the end of the day, an Android phone and an iPhone are both smartphones. The only difference is the features they offer. While these two mobile operating systems have die-hard fans, for the average joe like myself who just wants to have a phone that suits my needs, it all comes down to preference.

For me, Samsung's phone won me over because of its cost-effectiveness and the sense of freedom it provides. However, others may reach a different conclusion than I did.

Who knows, maybe I could switch back to an iPhone again or stick to being an Android user for the long run. But that decision is still far down the road - until I got the most out of my purchase.

Related Article: 5 Android Features That the iOS Still Does Not Have
Jeremy Hunt has come under pressure from a high-level City taskforce to unlock hundreds of billions of pounds' worth of funds to back UK growth.

The Chancellor is being urged to help encourage more of the 4.6trillion managed by pension schemes and insurers to be invested in businesses.

The intervention, days before Hunt unveils his first Budget, comes amid soul-searching over the UK's apparently diminishing status as a place for companies to flourish or list on the stock market.

It was highlighted by the recent decision of Arm, the Cambridge-based chip designer, to opt for Wall Street as the venue for its 50billion float.

At the same time, entrepreneurs are frustrated about Britain's poor record of translating its enviable reputation for innovation and exciting start-ups into so-called 'scale-ups' that can turn into world beaters. Often they move abroad instead or are snapped up by foreign companies.

Pressure: Jeremy Hunt has come under pressure from a high-level City taskforce

Today, a letter to Hunt on behalf the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT)  set up last year in consultation with the Government to deal with the issue  highlights the 'alarming' collapse in the amount of 'risk capital' being invested in UK assets by UK pension schemes and insurers.

It notes that, in 2000, 39 per cent of all shares listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) were owned by such institutions but, by 2020, this had fallen to 4 per cent. Instead, much of the cash has been shifted into bonds and property.

'The result of this has been both poorer returns for UK pensioners and, importantly, that UK pensions are not being utilised to drive the growth of the UK economy,' said the letter, which is signed by Peter Harrison, boss of asset manager Schroders, and Andy Briggs, who leads pensions giant Phoenix, on behalf of the taskforce, which is chaired by LSE boss Julia Hoggett.

It highlights two key changes needed. One is the much-delayed Solvency II set of reforms, allowing insurance firms to deploy more risk capital. Another is the need to consolidate thousands of smaller pension schemes.

Hoggett said: 'This debate affects everyone. Every pound put to work in the UK's capital markets drives economic growth, benefiting businesses and savers alike.'
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has abandoned a trial against three former G4S executives it had accused of defrauding the Ministry of Justice over a prisoner- tagging contract.

Richard Morris, Mark Preston and James Jardine were due to face trial in 2024.

They were charged with seven offences of fraud in relation to alleged false representations made to the Ministry of Justice between 2009 and 2012.

Trial: Richard Morris, Mark Preston and James Jardine were due to go to court in 2024

But the prosecutor said the SFO was offering no evidence against them.

The three all worked in the security company's care and justice business.

They had been due to face trial next year  10 years after the SFO began its investigation.

In 2020, the SFO and G4S agreed a 44million deal to settle three fraud offences between 2011 and 2012 where G4S accepted responsibility for deceiving the Government about the true extent of profits it was earning on a prisoner-tagging contract, including for tagging offenders who had died.
Lord Lucan's British energy company racked up a 112million loss last year.

Angus Energy  run by George Bingham, the 8th Earl of Lucan, whose gambler father John, known as 'Lucky', disappeared in the 1970s under suspicion of murder  operates Saltfleetby gas field in Lincolnshire.

Losses at the AIM-listed group spiralled in the year to September 2022, according to its annual report, though this was virtually all due to an energy hedging contract.

Loss: George Bingham, the 8th Earl of Lucan, with his wife Anne-Sofie (above left); Mystery surrounds the 7th Earl, 'Lucky' Lucan

Angus Energy struck a deal to sell half the gas produced at Saltfleetby at a set price in spring 2021, before a rally began that summer which was turbocharged further by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This means that the business is in the red on paper but has not actually lost cash. 'Nobody saw gas going up that much,' Lucan told The Mail on Sunday. 'It was clearly not ideal timing, but the loss doesn't reflect any value lost to shareholders.'

Saltfleetby field began producing gas last September. Only half of the price is hedged, so Angus can sell the rest at current market prices. It is likely to post a profit in its next results.

Police launched an unsuccessful hunt for the 7th Earl of Lucan in 1974 after a night-time attack in the family's Belgravia home left the children's nanny Sandra Rivett dead and his estranged wife Veronica injured.
Money talks: A healthy stock exchange is an integral part of a prosperous economy

Nestled in the North London suburbs, a sprawling film studio has been transformed into the Land of Oz. The set, where a new adaptation of The Wizard Of Oz prequel Wicked is being filmed, is one of more than a dozen fictional worlds that can be created at Sky Studios Elstree.

Sky, now owned by US giant Comcast, has launched its 13th and final sound stage at the site, with an opening ceremony attended by Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, on Thursday. The studios will generate 3 billion of investment in the UK's flourishing creative sector in their first five years.

Comcast is just one of the big players, both domestic and foreign, to have ploughed billions of investment into Britain in recent years. But while the atmosphere is upbeat in Elstree, the City is in danger of descending into a self-fulfilling funk.

The Square Mile has suffered a series of setbacks in the past few weeks, leading to talk of an exodus from the London stock market. This was sparked by microchip company Arm's controversial decision to float its shares in New York instead of London, despite a campaign by Ministers and the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

Within days, several other firms said they were looking across the Atlantic. Those snubbing London include building materials firm CRH, the maker of Tarmac, and business lender OakNorth bank.

These recent defections come on top of a long-term trend for British pension funds to pull money out of UK shares and shift it into overseas stock markets as well as into Government bonds, known as gilts.

The figures are startling: in the 1990s, more than half of all shares listed on the LSE were owned by UK pension funds and insurance companies. In 2000, it was less than 40 per cent. Twenty years later, that had fallen to about 5 per cent.

At first glance, it might seem all of this is a problem for City slickers and remote from the daily lives of ordinary Britons. Not so. When the reputation of the UK as a good destination for investors takes a battering, it matters to us all.

A healthy stock exchange is an integral part of a prosperous real economy, providing companies with the capital to invest in growth and jobs and giving savers the opportunity to make a good return.

When companies move on to a foreign stock exchange, that shifts their centre of gravity so that jobs  along with research and development  are at a greater risk of moving overseas.

Foreign investors are also more likely to reap profits than British savers.

Part of the problem is the reluctance of British pension funds to invest in British shares. This means UK retirees are missing out on returns from firms on their own doorsteps.

'All of us will get old, and all of us will need pensions. At the moment, not enough of our own money is being invested in growing the UK,' says Mark Austin, a corporate lawyer who was asked by Rishi Sunak last year to lead a review into how to make our capital markets work better.

'Other countries do it well, and there is no reason we cannot too. At the moment, there may be more teachers in Ontario [through their giant pension fund] financing UK start-ups than teachers in Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff or Dover.'

Austin estimates that the FTSE 100 index is undervalued by 30 to 35 per cent. Companies  especially in the technology sector  have turned to New York because they believe they can command a higher valuation on that side of the pond.

But, as last week's meltdown at Silicon Valley Bank shows, the US is by no means an investment Nirvana. Of the UK companies that listed their shares in the US in the past decade, only three  Manchester United, tech firm Endava and healthcare group Immunocore  are in positive territory.

Royal approval: The Duke of Edinburgh at Elstree Studios

The rest are down more than 38 per cent on average (see table above of the least successful). Whether or not the perception of London as an unattractive market is deserved, it is in danger of becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy if it is not rapidly scotched.

Chris Morrison, at GAM Investments, says political turmoil has not helped Britain's image with investors. He says: 'Historically, the UK and London's greatest strength was that it was considered a very stable place that you could rely on. We need to get back to that.'

There are measures Government can take, such as encouraging pension funds to invest more in the UK by changing rules on capital. Reforms to boardroom governance might also make London look more attractive to entrepreneurs.

But much of the solution, say experts like Austin, comes down to a change of culture and attitude.

As Amanda Blanc, the boss of insurance powerhouse Aviva, said last week, the UK finance sector needs to 'stop talking itself down'.

Business leaders who do believe in Britain have begun to fight back. Steve Hare, head of FTSE 100 software group Sage, says: 'We back Britain 100 per cent. We have incredible skills and talent here.'

Team GB also boasts Simon Peckham, boss of engineering group Melrose, who is floating GKN's automotive arm in London, having considered and ruled out the US.

'We're a UK company; why wouldn't we float in the UK?' he says. 'I know there is a downer on the UK market at the moment, but it will come through. We've been here since 2003 and have had support for every deal we've ever done.'

Mark Mullen, boss of challenger lender Atom Bank, feels the same, saying: 'Atom is a UK business serving UK customers. It's logical we would look to list in the UK.

'I think it would be unfortunate to see businesses choose to not list in the UK when they've grown their success in this country.'
Millions of workers could miss out on thousands of pounds in retirement because their workplace pension fund is underperforming, new analysis reveals.

Around 11 million workers pay into a workplace pension, which they will rely on for a good standard of living in their later years. But they face a retirement roulette as some are in pension schemes that are producing bumper returns while others are marooned in ones that are seriously lagging behind.

Workers have no say over which provider they hold their pension in  they are chosen by employers. And most are unaware there are huge differences between the best and worst pension schemes.

Two workers could pay an identical amount into their pensions over the same period, but one could end up with thousands of pounds less in retirement because they are paying into a poorer-performing scheme.

Most employees will have at least one workplace pension fund, unless they work in the public sector or have an increasingly rare final salary pension.

Workplace pension pots rose in value by 4.8 per cent annually on average over the past five years, according to analysis of the biggest funds by leading trade magazine Corporate Adviser.

But the best performer  National Pensions Trust  produced a 9.3 per cent return a year, while the worst  Now Pensions  produced 0.5 per cent growth a year.

Gamble: Workers have no say over which provider they hold their pension in  they are chosen by employers

The figures are calculated once charges are removed and assume that a worker has 30 years to state pension age.

Investment returns on pensions are often volatile and the best and worst performers will vary considerably over time. Last year was a particularly turbulent one for investments, with nearly every workplace pension scheme losing money, according to analysis of funds by pension policy experts First Actuarial.

Nonetheless, one year of particularly poor performance can hurt workers' retirement prospects in the long term. Consistent underperformance  even of a percentage point or two  can result in a pot worth tens of thousands of pounds less in retirement.

For example, someone contributing 2,000 a year into their pension for 40 years would have a pot worth 241,600 if they enjoyed average annual returns of five per cent.

But someone paying the same amount for the same length of time would end up with 150,800 if returns averaged three per cent.

Pensions consultancy Hymans Robertson believes that the huge variation in performance of pension funds will continue even now volatility has calmed down.

Two 45-year-olds paying in the same amount could see the size of their pension pots vary by as much as 30 per cent by retirement, it predicts. For 25-year-olds, the disparity could hit 40 per cent.

Callum Stewart, head of defined contribution investment at Hymans Robertson, says workers should look into their pension provision and hold their employer to account if they are not satisfied.

He says: 'Ask your employer: what are you doing to review the value and adequacy of my pension provision?'

Why do pension funds vary so much?

All workplace pension schemes are trying to achieve the same outcome. Their aim is to grow the nest eggs of workers as much as possible by the time they hit retirement age, but without taking on too much risk.

However, how they seek to achieve this varies considerably. Some invest a greater proportion in shares  which are typically more risky, but lead to greater returns. Others opt for more bonds, which are seen as lower risk, but grow money more slowly.

Some strategies inevitably prove more successful than others over the long term.

Last year was a particularly bad one for bonds, which meant that funds that are supposedly lower risk saw some of the worst falls. Unfortunately, older workers nearing retirement will have borne the brunt as they tend to be moved into lower risk funds.

You may be in the wrong fund

Workers rarely engage with their workplace pension. Although most schemes allow you to decide which fund to save into, 97 per cent put their money into the default.

However, the default fund may not be right for you. Many pension providers automatically put young workers into the highest-risk funds where they stand the greatest chance of good returns, and gradually move them into lower-risk funds as they near retirement age.

The logic is that if a younger worker sees their pension suffer a large market fall, they have plenty of time to make up the losses, whereas for an older worker a big drop just before retirement can be devastating.

However, increasingly workers are keeping their pensions invested well into retirement. Some may not access all of their pot until they are in their 70s or even 80s. Therefore, moving their savings into lower-risk funds in their 50s or early 60s may no longer be necessary and denies them the possibility of higher returns.

Henry Tapper, chief executive of pension expert AgeWage, believes most default pension funds move savers into lower-risk investments too early in life. 'Most people will need to invest for decades after they stop working, and it is worrying that most people find themselves invested defensively from their 50s onwards,' he says.

Pension providers are not entirely to blame  they often work in the dark as they do not know when a member wants to leave the workforce or how they plan to manage their money in retirement.

If you have retirement plans in mind, it is worth sharing these with your provider so it can make sure that you are in the pension investments best placed to get you there.

Going it alone may not be better

Some workplace pensions allow savers to pick their own funds and it can be tempting to go it alone. However, all but the most experienced investors are likely to be better off picking the best default fund available.

Phil Brown, director of policy at People's Partnership, provider of The People's Pension, says: 'DIY investors often make mistakes, including failing to diversify their investments, being too cautious or not giving their funds enough attention.'

Alan Morahan, chief commercial officer of financial services firm Punter Southall Aspire, adds that if you do select your own funds, you need to stay on the ball.

'I've seen many occasions where people have selected their own funds, but then do not regularly revisit those decisions. They then end up sitting in funds that are underperforming or no longer suitable for the individual's risk profile,' he says.
A deadly conflict sits on the doorstep of the United States as drug labs hidden in plain sight remain prolific across Mexico where brutal cartel bosses hold a fierce grip on the region.

Methamphetamines and marijuana remain the highest seizures by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but overdose rates, which continue to soar in America, speak to a deadlier culprit in fentanyl as Mexico's president shirking the blame.

The low-tech multi-million dollar fentanyl operation starts with a handful of dirt to gauge the direction of the wind - an important part of the process as one gust in the wrong direction could lead to death in the delicate process.

Glimpses into the manufacturing of these deadly products have surfaced over the years but the full gravity and number of secret labs operating in the region remain a mystery as cartels wage a war on those who try to stop or interrupt their syndicates.

A deadly conflict sits on the doorstep of the United States as drug labs hidden in plain sight remain prolific across Mexico where brutal cartel bosses hold a fierce grip on the region

Mexican authorities found five properties Nov 2021 dedicated to the production of fentanyl where they seized weapons and 118 kilograms of base for the production of 70 millions of pills per month (pictured)

The secret location of labs littered across Mexico has made it increasingly difficult to control the scourge on society and the flood of deadly substances into America.

Cooks working for violent cartel bosses have revealed over the years that the production of illicit substances has evolved over time and can be found anywhere from rural properties, people's homes and even one ill-fated pinata store.

Mexico's largest drug bust to-date showed Mexican military storming what appeared to be a small rural property in Culiacan, the capital of the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa last month.

The make-shift drug labs are easy to set up and move around in stealth but do require a certain amount of planning.

A fentanyl cook, who went merely as Pedro, told PBS as part of a three-part series that 'your life is at stake' and that there 'are people who get sick' from cooking the insidious drug.

'This process starts very toxic, but the toxicity fades,' he said.

'An expert knows, towards the end, you can get close to the pot. If the toxicity was high at that point, you could not even get near to empty the pot. That is when the black goat is made.'

But the lucrative nature of the business, matched with the budget set-up and production value has made it a welcome career choice for many who are looking to make thousands with mere pounds of drugs.

Heroin, also known as black goat, typically made from raw materials such as poppy plants are replaced with synthetic powders cooked over an open flame to make fentanyl.

Labs are often hidden in plain sight on rural properties with 'cows providing the perfect cover' or heavily wooded areas.

Cooks are often self-taught chemists some even farmers in a previous life who have turned to drug-making operations after cartel bosses took a stronghold in their communities.

Fentanyl specifically can be cooked almost anywhere, with the broadcaster reporting that labs can be found almost everywhere in Mexico, some close to the border, and even inside people's homes.

A cartel chemist, who remained anonymous, told the outlet that fentanyl related deaths in the U.S. can be attributed to modifications made by local American dealers.

'It has been known that there are many problems in the U.S. People are dying. What happens is that people take our product and they put more stuff into it. Then they modify it,' he said.

'Our formula does not kill. But if you change the product, then there can be a big problem.'

A respirator and goggles are imperative to the process as many cooks die from inhaling the fumes created in the initial cooking phase.

Labs are often hidden in plain sight on rural properties with 'cows providing the perfect cover' or heavily wooded areas (pictured)

In July 2022, agents raided a fentanyl lab and warehouse in a pinata store near central Tijuana, Mexico. They estimate that hundreds of thousands of counterfeit pills passed through the building before it was raided

But the lucrative nature of the business, matched with the budget set-up and production value has made it a welcome career choice

A drug laboratory with 1000 kilograms of methamphetamines and other synthetic drugs were found by the Mexican army close to the Kiliwas town in Ensenada in May 2022

Mexico's SEMAR ( Secretaria de Marina) antidrug force is seen dismantling a synthetic drug laboratory in Culiacan, Sinaloa with 50 tons of processed drug in crystal and liquid in 2018

Pedro is one of the first links in the chain of sending supplies from Mexico to the United States and explained that 11 pounds of fentanyl could sell for up to $15,000 within the U.S. and is heroin's number one competitor.

The further out of the country the product is sold the more valuable it gets with prices for 11 pounds reaching up to $100,000 by the time it reaches the U.S.

Cooking it has proven to be a cheaper process, with a higher return for the Cartel and can also be mixed into drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine and other opiates.

'As fentanyl is stronger than anything, a little fentanyl can make 11 pounds of black goat, and it is stronger than the poppy flower,' explained Pedro.

'That's why people gave up on heroin, it's way cheaper with fentanyl.'

Biggest drug bust in Mexican history

Soldiers descended on two-drug producing laboratories in the Culiacan, the capital of the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa last month where huge buckets of blue pills and tables of blue powder lay bare the intensity of such operations.

In what has been described as the largest bust in Mexico to date, 100 kilos of methamphetamine, 128 kilos of granulated fentanyl and 649,138 fentanyl-laced pills were seized by military units in the February raid.

Large drums of thick, crusted, and brown materials lay dormant in what appeared to be a rural property hidden among a thick wooded area of the region.

Authorities also confiscated 28 reactors sitting outside the labs - often used to produce the stimulants that typically come as a powder or pill.

Inside the labs, drug producing paraphernalia and several tables with mountains of blue powder sat in dimly lit and meticulously sterile rooms.

While its unknown which criminal organization the drugs belonged to, the raid took place in the home turf of the Sinaloa Cartel, the notorious transnational drug trafficking organization founded by Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman.

Soldiers descended on two-drug producing laboratories in the Culiacan, the capital of the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa last month where huge buckets of blue pills and tables of blue powder lay bare the intensity of such operations

Large drums of thick, crusted, and brown materials lay dormant in what appeared to be a rural property hidden among a thick wooded area of the region

Inside the labs, drug producing paraphernalia and several tables with mountains of blue powder sat in dimly lit and meticulously sterile rooms

While its unknown which criminal organization the drugs belonged to, the raid took place in the home turf of the Sinaloa Cartel - a bucket of deadly pills seen inside the lab

In what has been described as the largest bust in Mexico to date, 100 kilos of methamphetamine, 128 kilos of granulated fentanyl and 649,138 fentanyl-laced pills were seized by military units in the February raid

Mexican drug cartels produce fentanyl from precursor chemicals shipped from China, and then press it into pills counterfeited to look like Xanax, Percocet, or Oxycodone. People often take the pills without knowing they contain fentanyl and can suffer deadly overdoses.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration's 2022 One Pill Can Kill awareness campaign, six out of ten fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.

The bust came on the same day that the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on the huge number of U.S. fentanyl overdoses that occur annually, currently around 70,000.

The committee's chair, Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, called on Mexico to do more.

'This means asking Mexico to do more to disrupt the criminal organizations from producing and trafficking fentanyl, although a politicized judiciary and incidents of Mexican security forces colluding with drug cartels will make that difficult,' he said at the time.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador labelled the bust a victory saying it left the cartel with at least $78 million in losses.

Mexican president blames U.S. for its fentanyl crisis

Lopez Obrador has since washed his hands of the growing fentanyl crisis in America, this week claiming that his country does not produce or consume the fatal drug despite evidence to the contrary.

'Here, we do not produce fentanyl, and we do not have consumption of fentanyl,' Lopez Obrador said.

'Why don't they [the United States] take care of their problem of social decay?'

Lopez Obrador appeared to depict the synthetic opioid epidemic largely as a U.S. problem, and said the United States should use family values to fight drug addiction.

His statement came during a visit to Mexico by Liz Sherwood-Randall, the White House homeland security adviser, to discuss the fentanyl crisis. It also comes amid calls by some U.S. Republicans to use the U.S. military to attack drug labs in Mexico.

Methamphetamines (pictured) and marijuana remain the highest seizures by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but overdose rates, which continue to soar in America, speak to a deadlier culprit in fentanyl as Mexican officials shirk the blame

On February 27, San Diego Border Patrol seized 232 pounds of fentanyl during a traffic stop in San Clemente, California, located roughly 75 miles from the US-Mexico border. It was enough fentanyl to kill 50million Americans

Fentanyl frequently smuggled over the southern border is killing around a thousand a week and is typically transported through legal ports by road

He went on to recite a list of reasons why Americans might be turning to fentanyl, including single-parent families, parents who kick grown children out of their houses and people who put elderly relatives in old-age homes 'and visit them once a year.'

His statement contrasted sharply with comments from U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar who said a meeting between Sherwood-Randall and Mexico's attorney general was meant 'to enhance security cooperation and fight against the scourge of fentanyl to better protect our two nations.'

There is little debate among U.S. and even Mexican officials that almost all the fentanyl consumed in the United States is produced and processed in Mexico.

Apart from February's bust, in 2021, the army raided a lab that it said probably made about 70 million of the blue fentanyl pills every month for the Sinaloa cartel.

'The president is lying,' said Mexican security analyst David Saucedo.

'The Mexican cartels, above all the CJNG ( Jalisco New Generation Cartel) and the Sinaloa Cartel have learned to manufacture it.'

They themselves buy the precursor chemicals, set up laboratories to produce fentanyl and distribute it to cities in the United States and sell it,' Saucedo said.

'Little by little they have begun to build a monopoly on fentanyl, because the Mexican cartels are present along the whole chain of production and sales.'

While it is true that fentanyl consumption appears to remain low in Mexico and largely confined to northern border areas, that may be because the Mexican government is so bad at detecting it.

A 2019 study in the border city of Tijuana showed that 93 percent of samples of methamphetamines and heroin there contained some fentanyl.

Saucedo said fentanyl exports to the U.S. are so lucrative for Mexican cartels that they previously had not seen a need to develop a domestic market for the drug.

Lopez Obrador has since washed his hands of the growing fentanyl crisis in America, this week claiming that his country does not produce or consume the fatal drug despite evidence to the contrary

Many bags of fentanyl were found in the February 2 bust (pictured)

Experts have commented that the Mexican president may not realize how much the issue of declaring Mexican cartels terrorist organizations could become a conservative rallying cry in the 2024 U.S. elections - just as former U.S. president Donald Trump's call for a border wall was in 2016

'It is true that fentanyl consumption in Mexico is marginal, but some mid-level cartels have begun selling it in border cities and in big cities like Leon, Mexico City and Monterrey,' Saucedo said.

What is fentanyl and why is it so dangerous? Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and non- fatal overdoses in the U.S. There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Both are considered synthetic opioids. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, especially after surgery and for advanced-stage cancer. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Even in small doses, it can be deadly. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Advertisement

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham held a news conference, saying he wanted 'to unleash the fury and might of the U.S. against these cartels.'

'The second step that we will be engaging in is give the military the authority to go after these organizations wherever they exist,' Graham said.

'Not to invade Mexico. Not to shoot Mexican airplanes down. But to destroy drug labs that are poisoning Americans.'

Lopez Obrador said Mexico would not accept such threats, calling them 'an insult to Mexico and a lack of respect for our independence and sovereignty.'

Lopez threatened to start a campaign in the United States asking Mexicans and Hispanics who live there not to vote for Republicans.

'We are going to issue a call not to vote for that party, because they are inhuman and interventionist,' Lopez Obrador said.

Experts have commented that the Mexican president may not realize how much the issue of declaring Mexican cartels terrorist organizations could become a conservative rallying cry in the 2024 U.S. elections - just as former U.S. president Donald Trump's call for a border wall was in 2016.

Mexicans, both in government and outside it, are clearly afraid of fentanyl use increasing in Mexico.

A civic group has launched a campaign of painting walls with the slogan 'Mxsinfentanilo'  'Mexico without fentanyl'  and Lopez Obrador has launched a series of anti-drug TV ads.

Still, Lopez Obrador's government appears to view fentanyl as a U.S. problem. In the ads launched in November, the government used videos of homeless people and open-air drug users in Philadelphia to try to scare young people away from drugs.

The grip of Mexico's insidious drug trade on Americans

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the vast majority of fentanyl goes into the U.S. through legal ports of entry, in vehicles.

Nobody knows how much fentanyl in both gel and pill form is successfully crossing the Southern border, however and seizure rates remain low - methamphetamines and marijuana still the highest.

The U.S. is in the midst of a catastrophic fentanyl epidemic and turning cities across the country into 'zombielands.'

The opioid being cut with virtually every street drug in the country killed a record 75,000 Americans in 2021 in the latest numbers, the equivalent of 1,500 lives lost weekly.

Fentanyl - which is 100 times more potent than morphine - started off as a cheap alternative to heroin and was only used by veteran drug addicts - who injected or smoked it.

But its cheap manufacturing costs have made it the go-to cutting agent for cartels and drug dealers in the US looking to stretch their supply - now found in everything from cocaine to molly and street benzodiazepines like Xanax.

Fentanyl has now infected almost every major city in America, turning once-thriving streets in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia into wastelands.

Scenes of zombified addicts shooting up or smoking the drug in front of children increasingly becoming a part of everyday life.

Fentanyl has now infected almost every major city in America, turning once-thriving streets in New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia into wastelands

Nobody knows how much fentanyl in both gel and pill form is successfully crossing the Southern border, however and seizure rates remain low - methamphetamines and marijuana still the highest

The fentanyl crisis took off in 2016, where annual deaths more than doubled to 19,413, up from 9,580 a year earlier. In 2017, deaths caused by the synthetic opioid reached 28,466

Many people who die of overdoses do not know they are taking fentanyl and the drug has partially been blamed for America's sharp decline in life-expectancy.

Experts have described the drop in life expectancy from 78.8 in 2019 to 76.4 in 2021 as 'dramatic' and 'substantial'.

Federal drug agents seized enough fentanyl in 2022 to kill every American US drug agents seized 379million potentially fatal does of fentanyl in 2022  enough to kill every American. The Drug Enforcement Administration said it had captured 50.6 million fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl and 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder during the year, calling it the equivalent of 'more than 379 million potentially deadly doses.' Owing to its low price and relative ease of production, fentanyl has supplanted prescription opioids and heroin in the illegal drugs market. A potentially fatal dose is just two milligrams. It was the major reason for the more than 107,000 overdose deaths across the United States from July 2021 to June 2022, according to official data. The DEA said the deadly man-made opioid, which caused only a fraction of overdose deaths a decade ago, is now the 'deadliest drug threat facing this country.' 'It is a highly addictive man-made opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose,' it said. The DEA's finds were more than double the amount they seized in 2021  enough to kill all 330 million of those living in the US. Advertisement

Officials in Washington state have said that they've run out of space in morgues and crematoriums as the drug tears through local communities.

Dr Paul Christo, a pain medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins University, told DailyMail.com in January that the fentanyl crisis likening it to 9/11 tragedy but on a fortnightly basis.

'You don't need very much of [fentanyl] in order to stop breathing... it's really the doses that make it so deadly,' Dr Christo explained.

'It gives a more intense high [than other opioids],' he continued, explaining why it is often used as a cutting agent.

He also explained that there is 'no quality control on the street', making lethal doses surprisingly common.

Fentanyl was invented in the US in 1959 as a cheaper alternative to other painkillers used in hospitals and health centers worldwide.

Three chemicals, benzylfentanyl, 4-anilinopiperidine and norfentanyl and considered to be precursors to fentanyl by the DEA - meaning they are primary ingredients to the drug's creation.

It binds to opioid receptors in a person's nervous system, which are responsible for giving the body a pleasurable feeling when activated.

While it is most often used for cancer patients, the drug is widely available to many seeking relief from pain.

Its street use began to rise in the early 2010s. It can be taken as a pill, and its powder form can be smoked.

Cartels and drug smuggling organizations are believed to purchase the raw materials from India and China, convert them into fentanyl, and then traffic the drugs into the lucrative American market.

According to most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the drug was responsible for 73,102 deaths from August 2021 to August 2022. In 2021, it killed 72,484 Americans.

The fentanyl crisis took off in 2016, where annual deaths more than doubled to 19,413, up from 9,580 a year earlier. In 2017, deaths caused by the synthetic opioid reached 28,466.

Covid accelerated the fentanyl epidemic and caused surges in deaths. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, deaths caused by fentanyl rose 52 percent to 55,516 from 36,359 in 2019.

The crisis worsened in 2021, with death figures jumping to another 30 percent to 72,484.

Cartel control and the secret drug war in Mexico

Mexican authorities have been waging a battle against cartels for more than a decade but with limited success as the criminal and drug trafficking syndicates reign with an iron fist - and enforce with extreme brutality.

Since 2006, when the government first declared its war on drugs, more than 360,000 Mexicans have died in the conflict each year.

Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), sometimes referred to as transnational criminal organizations, dominate the import and distribution of cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine in the United States.

A drug laboratory with 1000 kilograms of methamphetamines and other synthetic drugs were found by the Mexican army close to the Kiliwas town in Ensenada May 2022

Mexican suppliers are responsible for most heroin and methamphetamine production, while cocaine is largely produced in Colombia and then transported to the United States by Mexican criminal organizations.

Mexico, along with China, is also a leading source of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to fifty times more potent than heroin.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has broken down the cartels that pose the most significant threats to the country as follows.

Sinaloa Cartel (CDS): Formerly led by Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, Sinaloa is one of Mexico's oldest and most influential drug trafficking groups.

With strongholds in nearly half of Mexico's states, particularly those along the Pacific coast in the northwest and near the country's southern and northern borders, and operations in as many as fifty countries, it has a larger international footprint than any of its rivals.

In 2017, Mexican authorities extradited Guzman to the United States, where he is serving a life sentence for multiple drug-related charges.

In 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden imposed sanctions on eight members of the group.

The Mexican military arrested five alleged members of the Sinaloa Cartel on October 28 2021 in Culiacan, Sinaloa

The Mexican military confiscated 110 kilos of fentanyl paste that eventually was going to be converted into 70 million pills during the arrest

Ovidio Guzman, who along with his three brothers shares the leadership of the 'Los Chapitos' faction that controls half of the Sinaloa Cartel was arrested January 5 after Sinaloa Cartel henchmen launched an attack against Mexican security forces in the Culiacan, the capital of the northwestern state of Sinaloa.

The assault left 10 military personnel and 19 suspected cartel henchmen dead. A Culiacan police officer was killed in shootouts that also wounded 17 police officers and 35 military servicemen.

Ovidio appeared before a Mexico judge this week claiming that he is not the son of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and tried to block his extradition to the U.S.

Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG): Jalisco splintered from Sinaloa in 2010 and is among Mexico's fastest-growing cartels, with operations in more than two-thirds of the country.

According to the DEA, the 'rapid expansion of its drug trafficking activities is characterized by the group's willingness to engage in violent confrontations' with authorities and rival cartels.

U.S. officials estimate that CJNG supplies more than one-third of the U.S. drug market.

Beltran-Leyva Organization (BLO): The group formed when the Beltran-Leyva brothers split from Sinaloa in 2008 and since then all four brothers have been arrested or killed - their loyalists continue to operate throughout Mexico.

The organization's splinter groups have become more autonomous and powerful, maintaining ties to Jalisco, Juarez, and Los Zetas.

Los Zetas: Originally a paramilitary enforcement arm for the Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas was singled out by the DEA in 2007 as the country's most 'technologically advanced, sophisticated, and violent' group of its kind. It splintered from the Gulf Cartel in 2010 and held sway over swaths of eastern, central, and southern Mexico. However, it has lost power in recent years and fractured into rival wings, the most prominent being the Northeast Cartel.

The CJNG gang has become one of the most dominant cartels in the country and operates in at least 35 states across Mexico and Puerto Rico

Shocking public displays of aggression are used to threaten rival groups and show dominance, as part of an arsenal of techniques which include demonstrating new weapons and military technologies owned by the group (pictured)

Guerreros Unidos: Based in southwestern Mexico, Guerreros Unidos broke away from the BLO in 2009 and became involved in the heroin trade.

The group is known to have a partnership with the CJNG, using the same transportation networks to move drug shipments to and from the United States.

Gulf Cartel: Its base of power is in northeast Mexico, especially the states of Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.

In the past decade, the group has splintered into various factions, diluting its strength as it battles for territory with Los Zetas.

In 2021, three warring Gulf factions announced they had reached a truce, insisting that they wanted to maintain peace in Tamaulipas.

However, in the past week the group has been cast into the spotlight after four U.S. citizens were kidnapped, two of whom were murdered.

Mexican authorities said they couldn't rule out their deaths being connected to drug trafficking and said the Americans may have been targeted for encroaching on the groups turf. Investigations into the matter continue.

Juarez Cartel: A long-standing rival of Sinaloa, Juarez has its stronghold in the north-central state of Chihuahua, across the border from New Mexico and Texas.

In recent years, the group has also splintered into several factions, including La Linea, which controls street-level enforcement.

Images from the moment four U.S. citizens were kidnapped by the Gulf Cartel emerged on social media in recent weeks

24-year-old Jose 'N' was arrested in connection with the incident Mexican officials say he was in charge of monitoring the victims

La Familia Michoacana (LFM): LFM was formed in the 1980s and has its base in western Mexico's Michoacan State.

In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama designated the group's members as 'significant foreign narcotics traffickers' and imposed financial sanctions on it under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. While still active the group holds less power in the region.

Los Rojos: A splinter group of the BLO, Los Rojos operates in central and southwestern Mexico and relies largely on kidnapping and extortion.

Several of its leaders were arrested between 2019 and 2020, but the group remains active, and along with Guerreros Unidos, and has links to the 2014 disappearance and murder of forty-three students from a university in Guerrero State.

Violence and bloodshed are largely driven by the battle between CJNG and CDS though Los Zetas, Gulf Cartel and Juarez Cartel still contribute to high levels of violence.

In August 2022, saw a significant increase in cartel-related violence across Mexico including in Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Guanajuato, and Guadalajara, according to global guardian.
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It is a stunning photograph that captures a celebration of liberty: New York harbor laden with boats, gun smoke rising into the air and from the top a newly-unveiled sight - the Statue of Liberty.

The photo - taken in October 1886 - when the United States officially unveiled Lady Liberty, a gift from the French that took nine years to build before it was deconstructed, shipped across the Atlantic and then reassembled in four months.

It is one of a series of images featured in a new book compiled by filmmaker Ken Burns Our America: A Photographic History, which takes a look at the country in its truest form over the last 200 years. The book, which spotlights various photographers, captures the soul of America at moments that helped shape the nation.

The collection also features the mind-blowing first self-portrait ever taken in 1839 of Robert Cornelius, an amateur chemist who worked in his father's gas lamp-making company in Philadelphia and who revolutionized exposure times in photography. It also shows the first photo of the US Capitol building taken in 1946.

It also features America at its worst, including the historic fight between the first African American world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson and the previously undefeated champion Jim Jeffries, who is white, on Independence Day 1910 in Reno, Nevada.

The fight - dubbed the Fight of the Century - went beyond just two incredible fighters going head-to-head, but the beast of racial discrimination lay at the forefront. As Johnson was black, many white Americans did not dub him fit enough to hold the heavyweight title and they summoned Jeffries out of retirement in an attempt to reclaim the title, which he failed to do. Johnson won in the 15th round.

All the images in the book, published by Penguin Random House, are considered Burns' favorites. The 69-year-old native New Yorker has been capturing America for four decades in films and is known for never shying away from the ugliness, which is evident in his new book.

Burns is known as one of the most influential documentary makers and for his work on the documentary, Brooklyn Bridge, which put him on the map in 1981, the movie The Central Park Five, and the series Muhammad Ali, among others.

The Statue of Liberty is wrapped in a cloud of smoke after the gun salute during its unveiling in New York Harbor in October 1886. The statute was gifted to the US by the French

New York City's subway opened in 1904, which the nation called a 'slight transit improvement' at the time, not knowing it would one day be recognized as one of the best systems in the world. The City Hall station (pictured), which has since been permanently closed, has a loop behind it, allowing today's 6 trains to turn back uptown after the last stop

The first African American world heavyweight champion Jack Johnson fought the previously undefeated champion Jim Jeffries in a historic Fight of the Century match on July 4, 1910 in Reno, Nevada (pictured). It was one of the most highly anticipated matches at the time, which Jeffries coming out of retirement to take on Johnson, who won after the 15th round

Children played in the Whitman Street dump in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, in 1912 in a photograph taken by Lewis Wickes

A blind street musician was photographed playing the violin in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 1935. Burns' book strives to show America from every angle through his favorite photos

A group of KKK members carry an American flag up the steps of the Capitol Building in Washington DC in August 1925. More than 30,000 Klansman marched down Pennsylvania Avenue, walking for more than three hours after being welcomed by the segregated District's white residents

Twenty-seven African American soldiers in the 4th US Colored Infantry line up at Fort Lincoln in Washington DC in 1863. When the Civil War broke out, it was illegal for African Americans to join. However, after Abraham Lincoln's January 1, 1983, Emancipation Proclamation, it became legal for them to join. As segregation remained, they had their own units

This is the first recorded photograph of the US Capitol building. It was taken in 1946 by John Plumbe

Our America contains 251 black-and-white images (pictured: book cover)
Tracks down ruthless crime bosses and confronts them for their evil deeds

Karen arrived in Australia from South Korea believing she would make a lot of money for easy work in just a few short months.

But as soon as she landed in Melbourne, only knowing two English words - 'hi' and 'hello' - she was trapped in a nightmare that stole years of her life and still gives her harrowing flashbacks a decade later.

The young woman was trafficked by a ruthless and well-organised criminal syndicate that preys on vulnerable girls to satisfy the sexual urges of Australian men.

Her passport was confiscated and she was forced to work 17-hour shifts - once even for 25 hours straight - in sexual slavery to dozens of men, some with rotting teeth.

'I was so young back then, and naive. I had a desire to make lots of money. An older friend said it was easy, legal, and I'd make a lot of money,' she told Trafficked, a documentary screening on Stan from Sunday.

A young Korean woman, believed to have been trafficked into Australia and held in sexual slavery, seen on a hidden camera at a brothel in Melbourne linked to organised crime

Hierarchy of criminal syndicate that traffics girls into Australia from Asia and holds them in sexual servitude at otherwise legal brothels in Melbourne

'Seven days a week, every day, I worked non stop. I did everything inside the room, I couldn't leave. It's where I made the money, it's where I slept, It's where I ate.

'It was all exploitation. I had three or four years taken from me. Even my money was taken from me.'

Karen was only able to escape with the help of an Australian Federal Police taskforce that referred her to the Red Cross.

Still terrified of the gangsters who trapped her in a debt bondage scheme, she only spoke to the documentary while disguised.

She was the only victim Nick McKenzie, a reporter at The Age who leads Trafficked, was able to get on camera during the year-long investigation.

'If [the traffickers] know who you are and where your family lives and you cross [them], there's going to be a penalty,' he explained to Daily Mail Australia.

'There's also a huge taboo for these women, if they speak out in South Korea where prostitution is illegal and frowned upon, they're shamed and their family may be shamed.

'The AFP has struggled to get people to stand up in court because not only do they face the wrath of organised crime, but also a defence barrister.'

New Stan documentary Trafficked traces an investigation led by Nick McKenzie, a reporter at The Age

The documentary takes viewers through McKenzie's investigative process, starting with a couple of tip-offs and a stakeout outside a brothel in Melbourne.

He employs an undercover agent to get inside with a hidden camera and connects the brothel to crime boss Mae Ja Kim.

Kim heads a syndicate that runs at least 100 trafficked girls through brothels around Melbourne and she is well-connected to Triad gangs in Asia.

Ruthless and extremely dangerous, police were only able to get her on proceeds of crime charges, jailing her for a minimum of two-and-a-half years in 2015.

Once she got out, she went right back to it and McKenzie said she was still operating her network today, moving girls around 'like cattle' to be abused.

'What I find fascinating is that she's five-foot-nothing, small as a jockey, and yet we know of some very senior crime bosses who are terrified of her,' McKenzie said.

'She's a very ruthless and dangerous criminal, she can really hold her own with these Triad crime bosses and has prospered in this very dark industry for so many years.'

McKenzie began by looking into the 39 Tope brothel in South Melbourne, where Kim was living and running her syndicate out of.

The AFP raided the brothel in May last year after reports two Japanese women had been trafficked to there, but no one was charged.

McKenzie eventually tracked down Kim to a massage parlour in Hawthorn, where he confronted her for exploiting women.

Kim denied everything, and hurried inside once she realised she was being filmed from across the road.

Mae Ja Kim heads a syndicate that runs at least 100 trafficked girls through brothels around Melbourne and she is well-connected to Triad gangs in Asia. She was jailed for two-and-a-half years in 2015 but went right back to human trafficking after her release

McKenzie confronts syndicate boss Mae Ja Kim outside her base at a massage parlour in Hawthorn, Melbourne

McKenzie said in the documentary that Kim was such a notoriously skilled manipulator that even he felt a bit sorry for her afterwards.

'She called me many times at strange hours but always hung up and never left any messages,' he explained this week.

'I'm told she briefly panicked, but she also unfortunately loves the infamy. Tracking her down took a year, she's like a ghost, it was a lot of hard work to finally find her.

'We hope [the documentary] encourages her to be properly investigated and shut down.

'The fact that she's still running women is disgraceful given all that she's got up to she's a purveyor of human misery and exploiter of vulnerable women. She's guided by only one thing  making money.'

McKenzie enlisted the help of Korean journalist Jiyoon Kim to go undercover and expose the dodgy migration schemes human traffickers use to bring unwitting Asian girls into Australia.

Kim met with migration agent Songtao Lu pretending to be a young Korean woman interested in making fast cash in Australia - like many of the girls lured into sexual slavery.

Lu explained he could get her a tourist visa to 'study' at one of several private colleges that don't care about attendance.

This allows the criminal syndicate to pull and end around with Australia's migration system, and keep extending the visas once the girls are in the country.

After Lu was caught on hidden cameras explaining his process, Kim revealed herself to be a journalist and McKenzie appeared to confront him.

Mae Ja Kim is interviewed by police before she was jailed in 2015 for dealing with the proceeds of crime

Korean journalist Jiyoon Kim meets with migration agent Songtao Lu, whom human trafficking syndicates use to get sex workers into Australia on dodgy student visas

Lu denied knowing anything about what the girls ended up doing after they arrived, and there is no evidence to the contrary.

'How can criminals so easily game our migration system?' McKenzie told Daily Mail Australia, reflecting on what he learned in the investigation.

'We're supposed to have one of the strictest border security regimes in the world and yet we've identified known criminals either skipping the border easily to set up criminal enterprises, or importing women or other exploited foreign workers to service their needs.

'It raises some profound questions about our border security.'

Later in the documentary, McKenzie received information about another syndicate using seedy motels in Queensland, led by notorious Chinese Triad boss Binjun Xie, nicknamed 'The Hammer' for his ruthless tactics.

Xie set up his operation in Australia immediately after getting out of jail in the UK, where he was caught running a similar network.

He was sentenced to five years' jail in 2013 but released in 2014 and deported to China, from which he moved to Australia.

Xie used the same student visa trick to enter the country in 2014 as the women he later imported for sexual exploitation.

British cop Kevin Forrest, who helped arrest Xie, was shocked the known crime boss was able to enter Australia at all, let alone establish a sex trafficking ring.

Mr Forrest said the girls there were effectively slaves who were raped dozens of times a day - sometimes explicitly through a rape fantasy service.

'You never come out. You never go into town. You never socialise. You're never allowed to do anything else. You are there to perform the sex,' he said.

McKenzie's team was able to get inside the motel rooms where the women were kept, often 24 hours a day, and had sex with clients.

They also tracked down Xie and photographed him, but when McKenzie got him on the phone he claimed he had the wrong number and hung up.

'These two cases studies that we found tell us a lot about the size of the problem, the failure at our borders, the exploitation that's going on, and the demand for sex services in Australia,' he said.

'There's a huge hunger for Asian women in the sex trade in Australia and there are criminal syndicates looking to capitalise on that.'

The veteran reporter admitted that between the sometimes risky situations his team went into, and his exposition of the sex trafficking networks, he did worry about what the criminals running them could do.

'These trafficking bosses don't survive in the Triad organised crime world by being nice, pleasant, and gentle people  they will resort to violence if their business interests are threatened,' he said.

'I do worry, I look over my shoulder because they're not nice people and if you poke the bear enough, the bear's going to come back at you.'

Notorious Chinese Triad boss Binjun 'The Hammer' Xie, who set up another human trafficking syndicate in Australia after being jailed in the UK over a similar scheme

One of his operations is a network of sex slaves in seedy motels across Queensland where girls live and work in one room for months on end. The documentary crew got inside with a hidden camera attached to an undercover agent

Not mentioned in the documentary was that at least one sex trafficking syndicate was tied up in the the casino money laundering scandals involving Crown, Star in Sydney, and Sky City in Adelaide.

The syndicate would bring in private planes of high rollers from Macau with Korean sex workers on board.

'They provide a complete service  the money they use to gamble, and women to entertain, well, have sex with them. At the heart of it all is the Triad gangs,' McKenzie said.

McKenzie believed the sex trafficking industry was so rampant in Australia, and estimated to be worth billions of dollars, was because it was put in the too hard basket.

Because it happened in the shadows without affecting Australians, there was a lack of political will or public pressure to tackle it, and was not prioritised by police.

'It's easy for politicians to claim they care about human rights and [promise to] crack down on human trafficking, but actually doing so requires a money, proper legislation, support services, and dedicated, long term focus  and to look at why so many men look the other way,' he said.

'These things don't seem like they're a priority for state and federal governments.

'It's an absolute disgrace the Victorian Government has given a long-term brothel licence to one of Mae Ja Kim's business partners.

'He's an alleged triad boss and has a legal licence to print money in the brothel industry. How can that be? That says everything you need to know about how governments really aren't that serious at cracking down on this problem.

'It's out of sight, out of mind, and the victims are hidden and have no agency. Police know who these organised crime bosses are running these syndicates, they just haven't done anywhere near enough to deal with them.'

McKenzie lamented in the documentary that even after a year of work, no one might watch it, and fewer would sympathise with the exploited women.

He still feared that may be the case but hoped viewers who haven't really thought about this might not just think about it for a moment when they drive past an Asian massage parlour.

Instead, he hoped they would realise 'there's a hidden trade out there and there are people suffering'.

'We have to understand sex workers are people, they're someone's daughter, they're someone's sister and they deserve to have their rights respected,' he said.

'There's a part of our society that's happy to look the other way and justify doing so by saying it's just supply and demand, and maybe someone these women want to work in the sex industry.

'That may be so, but they should be paid a proper wage and not be living in fear.'

McKenzie believed the sex trafficking industry was so rampant in Australia, and estimated to be worth billions of dollars, was because it was put in the too hard basket

McKenzie said the lack of urgency or effort also tapped into a wider issue than trafficked women being trapped in sex work.

At it's core, the problem was about migrant worker rights and said a lot about how Australians, as a society, thought and cared about exploited foreign labour.

'We have a migrant worker underclass, be they working in brothels or massage parlours, factories, convenience stores, or picking fruit,' he said.

'How many times to we [have to] hear about them being ripped off for governments to do more? This program is a call to arms to address that problem.'

Trafficked ended with a senior policewoman asked what the existence of such a pervasive and difficult to eradicate illegal trade said about Australians.

Clearly troubled by the answer, she said she didn't think she could respond on camera.

McKenzie, when asked the same question this week, said he wasn't sure he wanted to either - but after a moment made a tentative attempt.

'We as a society don't do enough to have empathy, compassion, and understanding of this migrant worker underclass in our country,' he said.

'We like to say we're a fair go country, but the fact is, if you're from Asia and you come here and end up in a brothel or a fruit field or wherever, there is every chance your rights will be much less than if you were born here.

'And that's a disgrace, and something we should all be ashamed of. It's not spoken about enough.

'What does it say about us? Maybe we're not the fair go country, maybe we're the selfish country.'

Trafficked is available for streaming on Stan from Sunday.
Regional powerhouses Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to restore ties and reopen diplomatic missions in a surprise, Chinese-brokered announcement that could have wide-ranging implications across the Middle East.

In a trilateral statement, Shiite-majority Iran and mainly Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia said they would reopen embassies and missions within two months and implement security and economic cooperation deals signed more than 20 years ago.

Riyadh cut ties after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in 2016 following the Saudi execution of revered Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr -- just one in a series of flashpoints between the two longstanding rivals.

Friday's announcement, which follows five days of previously unannounced talks in Beijing, just after China's president Xi Jingping was elected to a another five year term, and several rounds of dialogue in Iraq and Oman, caps a broader realignment and efforts to ease tensions in the region.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, shown here, visited China in February

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shown here, has recently been open to the idea of reestablishing with other nations including Israel

The announcement of the deal came just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping was elected to another five year term in office

'Following talks, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions within two months,' said the joint statement, which was published by both countries' official media.

The detente between Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, and Iran, a pariah for Western governments over its nuclear activities, has the potential to reshape relations across a region characterized by turbulence for decades.

Iran and Saudi Arabia support rival sides in several conflict zones including Yemen, where the Huthi rebels are backed by Tehran and Riyadh leads a military coalition supporting the government. The two sides also vie for influence in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.

'It kind of sets the scene for the region's two superpowers to start to hash out their differences,' said Dina Esfandiary of the International Crisis Group.

'The potential downside of that, of course, is that if they are the ones who are divvying up the region and sorting things out amongst themselves, you start to lose sight of regional contexts and grievances, which could potentially be problematic.'

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian welcomed the rapprochement and said Tehran will 'actively prepare other regional initiatives'.

'The return to normal relations between Tehran and Riyadh offers great opportunities to the two countries, the region and the Muslim world,' he tweeted.

Iranian protesters raise their fists in front of a portrait of prominent Shiite Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr during a demonstration against his execution by Saudi authorities, on January 3, 2016

Riyadh cut ties with Tehran after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic republic in 2016 following the Saudi execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr

Iranian protesters set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran on January 2, 2016

Saudi Arabia's top diplomat Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the agreement stems from the kingdom's preference for 'political solutions and dialogue' -- an approach it wants to see become the norm in the region.

The White House welcomed the deal, but said it remains to be seen whether the Iranians will 'meet their obligations'.

France also saluted the move, saying it was in favor of dialogue, but urged Iran to 'renounce its destabilizing actions'.

UN chief Antonio Guterres welcomed the announcement and said he remains ready to 'use his good offices to further advance regional dialogue'.

'Good neighborly relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are essential for the stability of the Gulf region,' he said through his spokesman.

The U.S. also welcomed 'any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region,' White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

'Generally speaking, we welcome any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region. De-escalation and diplomacy together with deterrence are key pillars of the policy President Biden outlined during his visit to the region last year,' White House National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby said.

'"The Saudis did keep us informed about these talks that they were having, just as we keep them informed on our engagements, but we weren't directly involved.'

The head of Lebanon's Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, called the agreement a 'good development'.

'It could open new horizons in the region,' said Hassan Nasrallah, whose movement has been blacklisted as a 'terror' group by Saudi Arabia since 2016.

Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, had travelled to Beijing on Monday for 'intensive negotiations with his Saudi counterpart in China in order to finally resolve the problems between Tehran and Riyadh', Iran's official IRNA news agency said.

Videos on Iranian state media showed Shamkhani with Saudi national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban and Wang Yi, Chinas most senior diplomat.

The agency quoted Shamkhani as calling the talks 'clear, transparent, comprehensive and constructive.'

'Removing misunderstandings and the future-oriented views in relations between Tehran and Riyadh will definitely lead to improving regional stability and security, as well as increasing cooperation among Persian Gulf nations and the world of Islam for managing current challenges,' Shamkhani.

Al-Aiban thanked Iraq and Oman for mediating between Iran and the kingdom, according to his remarks carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

'While we value what we have reached, we hope that we will continue to continue the constructive dialogue,' the Saudi official said.

Sandwiched between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Iraq had hosted several rounds of talks since April 2021. Those encounters were held at a relatively low level, involving security and intelligence officials.

Amir-Abdollahian had said in July that the two countries were ready to move talks to a higher level, in the political and public spheres.

But no talks had been publicly announced since April last year.

The pledge to resume ties comes two-and-a-half years after the UAE, which also lies between Saudi Arabia and Iran, signed the Abraham Accords opening ties with Israel -- a similarly unexpected move.

It follows a broad pattern of attempts to settle regional disputes, including the Saudi-led blockade of Qatar, which lasted from June 2017 to January 2021.

Gulf Arab allies of Saudi Arabia already beat a path back to Tehran. In September, Iran welcomed an Emirati ambassador back after a six-year absence. A month earlier, Iran said Kuwait had sent its first ambassador to Tehran since 2016.

On Thursday, Amir-Abdollahian was in Damascus where he welcomed Arab outreach to Syria's internationally isolated government after an earthquake struck the war-torn country and neighboring Turkey last month.

He also said Tehran, which has backed Damascus during its 12 years of conflict, would join efforts to reconcile Syria and Turkey, which has long supported rebel groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.

There has also been a rapprochement between Riyadh and Ankara since the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pushed hard to revive ties, a move analysts describe as largely driven by economic considerations.
A restaurateur who was credited for reviving one of Sydney's busiest nightlife precincts is believed to be overseas while allegedly owing his staff money.

Ussi Moniz Da Silva, 29, is being investigated by the Fair Work Ombudsman over reports of allegedly underpaying staff at his venues in and around Kings Cross.

Mr Moniz Da Silva was once a hot-shot businessman who ran Eros Restaurant, Maali nightclub and Kings Cross Pavilion, in Potts Point, and Sinaloa, in Double Bay.

His venues were visited by celebrities and played host a few weeks ago to the premiere of the new television show about fellow Kings Cross businessman John Ibrahim, 'The Last King of the Cross'.

Ussi Moniz Da Silva, 29, is being investigated by the Fair Work Ombudsman over reports of allegedly underpaying staff at his venues in and around Kings Cross

Mr Moniz Da Silva flaunted his lavish lifestyle on social media but has since taken down his accounts.

It comes after his venues hit a series of mishaps with instances of violence, reports of alleged underpayment and allegations of breaches of licence.

The Fair Work Ombudsman said it was investigating reports of alleged underpayments to staff at one of his venues, The Daily Telegraph reported.

'The Fair Work Ombudsman is investigating Sinaloa,' a spokesperson said.

'As this matter is ongoing, it is not appropriate to comment further at this time.'

Staff alleged issues with pay began to surface as early as January and were told it had been delayed due to 'downturns in trade'.

Maali was forced to close for 58 hours in February after it was handed a temporary closure notice by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority.

The move came after a violent brawl broke out inside the club.

Eros Restaurant was hit with a similar temporary closure notice and closed for 60 hours in the same month.

Police had received a tip-off an outlaw motorcycle gang intended to visit the venue to allegedly commit an act of retribution.

Mr Moniz Da Silva did not reopen any of his other venues after receiving the temporary closure order.

Diners were left unaware of the shutdown at Eros Restaurant and continued to make bookings and pay online deposits.

They then turned up to find the venue empty.

The Potts Point venues are understood to be under new management and are set to reopen under new names sometime in the future.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman for comment.
UN expert decries "appalling" legacy of residential schools in Canada

Xinhua) 14:41, March 11, 2023

People take part in an event to mourn for victims who died of abuses by former indigenous residential schools in Toronto, Canada, on July 1, 2021. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

"Canada must address the adverse impact of colonial legacies to achieve meaningful reconciliation and accountability for past crimes," said Cali Tzay, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

OTTAWA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The testimonies of survivors of Canada's residential school system were appalling, a United Nations expert said on Friday, urging the government to fully implement recommendations of a 2015 truth commission to achieve meaningful reconciliation and accountability in the country.

"Canada must address the adverse impact of colonial legacies to achieve meaningful reconciliation and accountability for past crimes," said Cali Tzay, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, in a statement at the end of a 10-day official visit to Canada.

"I was dismayed and saddened by the stories of survivors of Indian Residential Schools," the UN expert said.

Over 150,000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit children were separated from their families and forced to attend the government-funded schools between the 1870s and 1997. In 2015, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission appointed by the Canadian government concluded that children were physically and sexually abused and died in the schools in numbers that may never be fully known.

Tzay said the Commission's Calls to Action should be fully implemented. "The full resolution of Indian Residential School claims is necessary to achieve true reconciliation, including for Catholic church-run institutions and residential schools established by provinces," the UN expert said.

Flag marks are seen at the site of unmarked graves near a former indigenous residential school in Saskatchewan, Canada, on June 27, 2021. (Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua)

"Canada has made progress towards the promotion and protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples since the visits of my predecessors," he said, while pointing to many existing challenges that remain unaddressed.

"The negative legacies of residential schools are reflected in the child welfare system today. Despite comprising 7.7% of the Canadian population, over 53% of children in care are indigenous, up to 90% in some provinces," he said.

Tzay said intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools and structural racial discrimination has led to a number of present-day human rights violations and abuses, including the current crisis concerning missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. It is estimated that Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to be murdered or go missing than other women in Canada.

"The number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to increase," the expert said. The special rapporteur noted that most of the 231 Calls for Justice of the National Inquiry for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and gender diverse people still remain to be implemented. He called on the Canadian government to prevent and combat such violence as a matter of priority, by addressing the root causes of the MMIWG "epidemic", including systemic racism and discrimination against Indigenous women and girls.

The special rapporteur also expressed concern that Indigenous Peoples have continued to be overrepresented in the criminal justice system.

"The situation of Indigenous women and gender diverse peoples is even more devastating as they represent half of the federal prison population," Tzay said. "Indigenous Peoples are often victims of racial profiling, arbitrary and discriminatory arrests, and disproportionate use of force by law enforcement personnel."

People visit a memorial at the site of the former St. Paul Indian Residential School in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Aug. 10, 2021. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

Tzay cited the Coastal GasLink pipeline and the Trans Mountain Pipeline projects to illustrate how activities of business corporations further contribute to human rights violations and abuses of Indigenous Peoples in provinces across Canada, including the criminalisation of human rights defenders.

"In many cases projects are developed without engaging in good faith consultations with Indigenous Peoples whose rights and interests are impacted, and without their consent," the UN expert said. "International human rights law entails a duty on the part of the State not only to refrain from violating human rights, but to exercise due diligence to prevent and protect individuals from abuse committed by non-State actors, such as business enterprises, including outside their territories," he said.

The special rapporteur noted that Canada has embarked on an important journey towards reconciliation that must dismantle structural and systemic racism against Indigenous Peoples and respect Indigenous Peoples' right to self-determination, lands, territories, and resources.

"Human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent, and all Indigenous Peoples should have equal rights and opportunities," the special rapporteur said.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Elon Musk has always been an outside-the-box thinker when it comes to his projects. Although, they don't always pan out smoothly, and some would argue that some of them are bad ideas. His latest scheme appears to be building his own town.

Musk's 'Texas Utopia'

The Tesla CEO is planning to build his own town called "Snailbook," which is the name of the Boring Company's mascot, a company Musk also founded. It will be built just outside Austin, Texas along the Colorado River.

The tech billionaire intends to create a "Texas Utopia" where his employees from Boring Company, SpaceX, and Tesla can live and work, as mentioned in Futurism. In this scenario, his employees would have all that they need inside the town and won't have to leave.

In fact, he even has Kanye West, who has been painted in a very bad light recently, consulting on the design of the town he plans to build, along with his ex-girlfriend Claire Boucher Grimes. It would be hard to imagine what the trio could come up with.

Boring Company executives have already been working on the town's connection with Bastrop County, which is where SpaceX and Boring Company facilities are already being built 35 miles out of Austin, reports say.

Musk's associates have already acquired land in the area which totals around 3,500 acres for the past three years. There are street names that have already been approved by Bastrop County officials such as "Boring Boulevard," "Waterjet Way," and "Cutterhead Crossing."

Computer engineer Chap Ambrose, who lives in an area overlooking the Boring and SpaceX facilities being built, said that they want the project to be a secret and that they want to do things before people would even know what's happening.

Ambosed expressed his concern about how the factories being built for Musk's company can affect the local era's water resources. Local farmer David Barrow also mentioned that he wanted to know what was being sprayed and who will hold them accountable.

Read Also: Elon Musk Apologizes for Contributing to Misinformation About the Attack on Paul Pelosi

Can Musk Actually Do It?

The possibility of the town being built cannot be easily dismissed. After all, Musk tends to go through with his ideas once he sets his mind to them. Just take Twitter for example, although he did back out before actually buying it.

However, the way he's running Twitter can also be an example of why the town could be a nightmare for his employees. The social media platform's staff have been to resign just to get away from the workplace environment set by the Twitter CEO.

Even though Musk is an advocate when it comes to "free speech," especially for Twitter, his also not known for his capacity to accept criticism. He can do something as petty as fire an employee for saying something he doesn't want to hear.

For instance, he fired one of his top engineers for simply explaining why he had low engagements on Twitter. Of course, Elon Musk said it was ridiculous, as mentioned in The Verge, and coped with disappointment by giving the engineer the boot.

Related: Elon Musk Fires Top Engineer After Explaining Why He Had Low Engagements on Twitter
Another student complained she sat next to boyfriend

A former Hillsong College student has revealed she was once threatened with a fine after having sex with her boyfriend, as the celeb-loving megachurch comes under investigation by Australia's charities watchdog.

Canadian Alyssa Harper, 22, travelled to Sydney in 2019 to join the church's college in Australia, but was shocked when another student complained to leaders that she was sitting next to her boyfriend in public.

She was then forced to write an essay on the 'dangers' of sex before marriage and told she could be fined $50 if caught in the act.

'They basically said if they're together, sitting under a blanket in public, what could they possibly be doing in private?' Ms Harper told Daily Telegraph.

Canadian Alyssa Harper, 22, travelled to Sydney in 2019 to join the church's college in Australia, but was shocked when another student complained to leaders that she was sitting next to her boyfriend in public

She explained that there was a culture of 'dobbing in your friends' as churchgoers believe it shows leadership 'you care more about Hillsong than your friends'.

The student was hauled into a leader's office and told to explain herself, where she revealed she had sex before marriage.

She was then forced to write a traumatic essay on why sex before marriage was wrong as she feared she would lose her visa if she got kicked out of college.

'We were told we had to read a book and we had to write an essay based off of that book where we basically just had to lie through our teeth and say that we thought sex before marriage was so bad,' she said.

She explained that there was a culture of 'dobbing in your friends' as people believe that it shows the leadership 'you care more about Hillsong than your friends'

It comes as claims of fraud, money laundering and tax evasion against Hillsong Church are being investigated by the charities watchdog.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie used parliamentary privilege to claim tens of thousands of leaked financial records and documents showed funds were misused to bankroll lavish habits including 'the kind of shopping that would embarrass a Kardashian'.

He alleged the information was provided to the Australian Taxation Office and Australian Securities and Investments Commission under whistleblower protections but they failed to act.

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commissioner Sue Woodward confirmed they are investigating concerns.

Hillsong disputes the claims.

Brian Houston (pictured, with wife Bobbie) is also fighting accusations he concealed his late father's child sexual abuse and has pleaded not guilty to a charge of concealing the crime until his father's death in 2004

The Tasmanian MP claimed the documents showed former Hillsong leader Brian Houston, who stepped down from the role last year, was 'treating private jets like Ubers'.

In a three-month period Houston used church money for trips costing $179,000 including $150,000 at a luxury retreat in Cancun, Mexico, Mr Willkie alleges.

It is also alleged the new head of Hillsong, Phil Dooley, spent tens of thousands of dollars on business-class flights for him and his daughter.

In response to the allegations, a Hillsong statement said they were made under parliamentary privilege and were 'in many respects wrong' and it was disappointing Mr Wilkie made no effort to contact the church first.

'If he did so we would have answered his questions and provided him with financial records to address his concerns,' the statement said.

Houston is also fighting accusations he concealed his late father's child sexual abuse and has pleaded not guilty to a charge of concealing the crime until his father's death in 2004.

The case will resume in June.

Hillsong announced in April 2022 it had accepted Houston's resignation after it was found he had breached the church's moral code due to alleged inappropriate behaviour towards two women.

The megachurch was founded in Australia but has become hugely popular in the US due to its celebrity members including Justin Bieber, Chris Pratt and Kourtney Kardashian.

It's come under fierce criticism for controversial views on many topics, including 'homosexuality is a sin' and its links to anti-abortion groups.
A woman caught using her phone while driving has received a shock after discovering the mobile phone camera took a photo of her underwear.

While admitting she was in the wrong for using her phone, Cinzie Lee stated that Service NSW must review their privacy policy as an unknown amount of people have now seen the image.

Since seeing the picture, Ms Lee wants to ensure the unfortunate experience doesn't happen to anyone else.

Female motorist Cinzia Lee (pictured), has been left shocked after her underwear was photographed by a mobile phone camera and seen by an unknown amount of people

In an interview with Ben Fordham on 2GB, Ms Lee stated that once she saw the image she felt 'shock and distress'.

'You could see up my skirt, between my legs. You could see my underwear,' she said.

'You could see the phone, and right next to the phone there was my underwear.'

She decided to approach Service NSW to try and rectify the image.

'I got a written letter back (from Service NSW) that basically ignored everything that I'd said, except to say someone in the office does look at the photos,' she said.

'I felt that wasn't an acceptable response.'

NSW Minister for Roads Natalie Ward confirmed to the broadcaster that a review will take place as a result of Ms Lee's experience.

'I understand the distress and I have asked Transport for NSW to review protocols for the handling of sensitive images,' she said.

Ms Lee got off the fine because of a stellar driving record, however was also told that ruling on the privacy of the image was not the role of the court at that time.

Ms Lee was even sent blown-up versions of the photos, increasing her distress.

'In those documents they had actually blown up the photos. They zoomed in on my crotch,' she said.

NSW Minister for Roads Natalie Ward told 2GB that a review is coming into the privacy protocols for the handling of sensitive images

'It feels a bit like David versus Goliath because you have no control over who sees those photos,' Ms Lee said.

'As I try to give a voice to this it potentially means more people are seeing it, it's just a really awful, awful feeling.

'There has to be a review for sure, my message would be: please listen, this is happening... probably happening more than we understand.'

Ms Lee is not the first to object to images captured by the high-tech cameras, primarily designed to catch drivers using mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts.

One mother caught by a traffic camera on the Princes Highway in Sydney's south said the image captured to suggest she was on her mobile phone while driving in fact showed her daughter's toy.

The toy in question was a 'Bluey' themed child's phone that features characters from the popular children's television series and let's children talk to characters Bluey and Bingo.

Transport for NSW says any member of the public who has questions about an infringement notice can request Revenue NSW to review their case.
A stepmom who described herself as 'evil' has been convicted of murdering her NYPD cop fiance's autistic eight-year-old son by 'exiling' him to a freezing garage floor.

Angela Pollina admitted in testimony earlier this week that she helped send her stepsons, Thomas and Anthony, to sleep in the garage at their Long Island home for months while she, her fiance, Michael Valva, and her daughters slept inside in the warm.

'I was evil. I exiled them, I didn't know what to do. My hands were tied,' Pollina confessed.

She claimed, however, that she didn't believe stepson Thomas was near death moments before he died of hypothermia, despite his body temperature falling to a shocking 76 degrees.

'I'm not a doctor. He didn't appear at that time to be in any danger. I didn't see that he was blue.'

Angela Pollina, a stepmom who described herself as 'evil' has been convicted of murdering her NYPD cop husband's autistic eight year-old son by 'exiling' him to a freezing garage floor

Instead of helping the boy, she returned to the kitchen to pay the family's bills as he perished on the garage floor.

Tina Licari, Pollina's daughter's former piano teacher, testified that she saw Pollina have 'vicious outbursts' toward the boys, the New York Post reported. At one point, she said she heard her mock Thomas' autism, taunting him for being unable to talk.

Authorities discovered that Valva and Pollina sent each other text messages showing their collusion and Pollina destroyed them, because 'Michael told me to,' she confessed. They were eventually seen clearly enough on security footage.

She faces 25 years to life when she's sentenced on April 11, according to CBS New York.

On January 17, 2020, Valva - convicted of murder and now himself serving 25 years to life in prison - made son Thomas Valva sleep in their freezing garage the night before he died of hypothermia.

Prosecutors revealed over the course of a month-long trial Valva and his then-fiancee forced son Thomas and his older brother, Anthony, to sleep in the garage of their Long Island home as temperatures plummeted below 20F.

They claimed in court the boys were forced to endure 16 hours inside the cold garage without blankets or access to a bathroom as punishment for urinating and defecating inside the Center Moriches home.

A medical examiner later ruled that Thomas died of hypothermia, as authorities said Michael refused to call 911 for at least an hour after he became unconscious.

Michael Valva, an ex-NYPD officer, was sentenced to 25 years to life behind bars for killing his eight year old son when he forced him to sleep on the concrete floor of a garage as temperatures dipped below freezing

Thomas Valva, 8, died after he was forced to sleep inside the garage of his father's home in Center Moriches and was told to hose himself off after he soiled himself the next morning

'I am truly sorry, I'm regretful, ashamed, heartbroken and grief-stricken as I stand here before you, having contributed to the death of my son, Thomas,' Valva said ahead of the sentencing.

'I love Thomas with all my heart, as I still love Anthony and Andrew.'

His attorneys had tried to paint Michael as a loving father who was being manipulated by his then-fiancee Angelina Pollina, with whom he shared the two-story Long Island home.

They said it was Pollina who had the idea to force the brothers to sleep in the garage, as Michael tearfully apologized for his actions in court and said Thomas' death was an accident.

At the sentencing, Newsday reports, Justice Condon told Valva that he believes he is truly sorry for what happened to his young son.

'I don't think you intended to kill Thomas, but there is no getting around that Thomas and Anthony lived their lives in constant duress,' Condon said, adding that the fact that he was a NYPD officer at the time 'makes your actions that much more unimaginable.'

The veteran judge who is planning to retire at the end of the year then got choked up as he said: 'We can never let this happen again.'

He then handed down the verdict, as Valva could be seen tearing up as his bottom lip trembled.

Valva, 43, tried to apologize for his actions before his sentencing on Thursday at the Suffolk County Supreme Court on Long Island

Valva's defense attorneys had tried to shift the blame on his former fiancee Angela Pollina, 42, (right), saying Valva was being manipulated by her and it was her idea to force Thomas and his older brother Anthony into the garage that day

Angelina Pollina allegedly participated in the abuse and spayed Thomas with cold water during the ordeal at the home in Center Moriches. Pictured: Pollina and Valva

Following the announcement, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said justice had been served in the 'heartbreaking' case.

'Thanks to the great work of my prosecutors and the SCPD there is a small measure of justice in Michael Valva receiving the maximum sentence,' he said at an ensuing news conference.

'However, no prison sentence is adequate for the cruel treatment this defendant inflicted on his own children. The torture that killed Thomas and endangered Anthony's welfare was nothing short of evil.'

'Thankfully the story of this defendant ends here, but the pursuit of justice for Thomas and Anthony continues.

'We will continue to do everything in our power to hold those responsible accountable for the torture and abuse of these children and also to ensure that Suffolk County has proper safeguards in place to prevent a case like this from ever happening again,' he added.

Authorities have said they were first dispatched to the Long Island home where the boy had lived at around 9.40am after his father said the boy had fallen in the driveway and lost consciousness while running for the school bus.

Responding officers found Valva performing CPR on Thomas in the basement. The young boy was then rushed to Long Island Community Hospital, where nurses recorded his body temperature as just 76.1 degrees.

He was later pronounced dead from complications of hypothermia.

An ensuing investigation found that cameras and microphones that had been set up in Michael Valva's home following a string of calls to Child Protective Services recorded him ordering Thomas outside to hose himself down in subfreezing temperatures after he woke up inside the garage and soiled himself.

Prosecutors have said that may have been an early sign that he was suffering from hypothermia.

After he started hosing himself down, authorities say, Thomas lost consciousness and fell face first, several times, into the backyard concrete patio.

Audio files, meanwhile, recorded the couple discussing the fact that Thomas was suffering from hypothermia, had been washed with cold water, couldn't walk, and was 'face-planting' on the concrete.

They laughed as they said 'he's hypothermic' and that he had 'face-planted' the floor.

Pollina remarked: 'You know why he's falling?'.

Valva replied: 'Because he's cold.... boo f*****g hoo'.

It took another hour, prosecutors have said, for Michael to call for help.

Following his death, Thomas' brothers were placed in the custody of their mother. while Pollina's daughters were placed in the custody of their biological fathers.

She now faces child endangerment and second-degree murder counts at a trial scheduled to begin in February, and has pleaded not guilty.

Thomas lived inside the home with his older brother, Anthony, as well as a younger brother and Pollina's three daughters

Prosecutors have described the two-story house as a 'house of horrors' as they detailed the abuse Thomas and Anthony faced

In the days that followed, investigators found repeat reports of extreme punishment and starvation that the boys endured inside the home.

Teachers have since testified that the boys came to school with bruises, and often were so hungry they ate crumbs off the floor.

They would often complain about being cold, the teachers said, and would cry about their home life at the East Moriches Elementary School.

One teacher even told how Thomas confided in her that he did not get breakfast one day because he didn't 'use my words' or verbally greet Pollina or call her 'mommy.'

East Moriches Elementary School principal Edward Schneyer said that when suspicions about the child's neglect were flagged to Michael, he rebuffed the concerns.

As a result, the school started 'flooding' CPS with calls for Thomas' welfare, Schneyer said.

Schneyer said that Thomas and his older brother Anthony appeared fine when they first started school in 2017, but they later started to come into class looking 'extremely emaciated.'

The young brothers would come into school feeling cold and hungry, and Thomas would sometimes come to lessons with bruises and cuts on his face.

Anthony, who was 10 at the time, also showed up to school soaked in urine on one occasion.

The children's conditions would temporarily improve every time the school filed a new CPS complaint, but the changes were only short-lived, Schneyer said.

Justyna Zubko-Valva, Thomas' mother, has recently been given the go-ahead to sue Child Protective Services and school officials for $200million after they refused to listen to her concerns about her ex-husband's abuse

Zubko-Valva and her son Thomas before his death. Thomas' father was awarded custody of Thomas in 2017

Justyna Zubko-Valva, Thomas' mother, said she had provided the school with evidence of alleged abuse at the hands of his father for two years. The evidence ranged from audio recordings to medical records.

She has recently been given the go-ahead to sue Child Protective Services and school officials for $200million, a judge ruled.

The father was awarded custody of his two sons - both autistic - in 2017, but Zubko-Valva claims that Thomas' school did nothing about her abuse allegations for a full year after that.

She claims she gave CPS a flash drive with 320 files of evidence of abuse, which included transcripts of Valva teaching his sons to repeat 'mommy is mean,' 'I don't want to stay with mommy,' 'I don't love mommy.'

Zubko-Valva said that Valva told CPS that she was the abusive parent, that she beat the kids and poisoned them with 'brown medicine.'

She accused CPS of lying about their findings and fabricated evidence to support the father's accusations.

Thomas' mother said that CPS found that he looked 'emaciated,' but that they closed their investigation into Valva 10 days before their son died.
Julia Fox's estranged father Thomas has been spotted outside his Manhattan apartment, two days after he was detained alongside his son on guns and drug charges.

Thomas Fox, 65, was not charged during Wednesday's raid, but his son Christopher, 30, was charged with criminal possession of controlled substance, manufacture of a machine gun and manufacture of a rapid-fire modified device.

The materials found in his apartment also led him to be charged with manufacture of a dangerous instrument, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and criminal possession of drug paraphilia.

Christopher appeared before a judge on Thursday and was arraigned. He is being held on $450,000 bond.

Thomas Fox, the 65-year-old father of Julia Fox, is seen on Friday outside his Manhattan apartment building

Christopher Fox is seen in court on Thursday, for his arraignment on a litany of guns and drug charges

The father and brother of actress Julia Fox, pictured, have been arrested after cops raided their Manhattan apartment and found a litany of disturbing items

At the hearing, assistant district attorney Cyril Heron detailed the extent of the investigation that ensnared Fox.

'Between March 2018 and December 2022, the defendant purchased at least 190 ghost gun items, totaling over $7,600,' Heron said. 'All of these items were sent to the defendants home.'

'In addition, over $8,000 in cash was recovered. Notably, the NYPD did not recover a substantial number of the items reflected in his purchase history, which indicates that he has manufactured ghost guns and sold them,' Heron added.

Fox is due back in court on March 13.

Christopher has two prior sealed arrests. But his father Thomas has no criminal history.

Ghost guns, bomb-making materials and evidence of narcotics manufacturing were uncovered in the raid early Wednesday.

Photos show a chaotic scene inside the apartment where unidentified pills, a pill press, fentanyl, pressure cookers, chloroform, heroin, propane, explosives materials and formaldehyde were also reportedly snared.

Investigators discovered 3D printers inside the property that they believe are used to make the ghost guns - firearms without traceable serial numbers. There was also a trove of illegal materials was thousands of dollars of luxury bottles of wine.

Julia Fox, who is not believed to have any knowledge of her family's alleged criminal activity, cut ties with both her brother and father years ago, a source exclusively told DailyMail.com.

Thomas Fox has not been charged, but his son Christopher was in court on Thursday following their arrest on Wednesday

Julia Fox's father, Thomas Fox, 65, was arrested along with his son, Christopher, 30, at their Upper East Side home after cops found unidentified pills, a pill press, fentanyl, pressure cookers, chloroform, heroin, propane, explosives materials and formaldehyde

Julia Fox's reclusive brother Christopher Fox, 30, was charged on Wednesday

The raid, which was carried out at 6am, reportedly came as part of a larger NYPD investigation into the proliferation of ghost guns across the Big Apple.

Neighbors, who reported seeing dozens of cops including 15 SWAT officers raid the building before arresting the pair on the street, told DailyMail.com it did not come as a shock.

'If you were going to say someone in the building was doing something weird in their apartment, you'd be like 'that makes sense, it's that guy,' a neighbor said.

Neighbors said they had not seen Christopher in years and speculated he was carrying out his operation in a padlocked room.

'I guess he always stayed inside the apartment,' they said. 'I heard they let the father go because he claimed he didnt know what the son was doing - the son was behind locked doors.

'In my apartment I cant lock them, so he must have padlocked himself away. How the father allowed his son to padlock a room away I have no idea.'

Ghost guns, bomb-making materials and evidence of narcotics manufacturing were uncovered in the raid at the Upper East Side apartment on Wednesday

Unidentified pills, a pill press, fentanyl, pressure cookers, chloroform, heroin, propane, explosives materials and formaldehyde were also reportedly snared

Investigators discovered 3D printers inside the apartment that they believe are used to make the ghost guns - firearms without traceable serial numbers

The materials found in the apartment also led Julia's brother Christopher being charged with criminal possession of controlled substance, manufacture of a machine gun, and manufacture of a rapid-fire modified device

Julia, in an interview with High Snobiety in 2019, said she does not often see her father or 'recluse' brother, who she described as a 'mad scientist'.

Following the raid, DailyMail.com was exclusively told by a source that the Uncut Gems star cut ties with both of her family members years ago.

'Julia and Christopher were raised by their unstable, abusive and unhinged father. She knew about her dad and brother's 3D printing and suspected drug usage, but has no direct knowledge about this because she has zero contact with either of them,' the source said.

'Her dad is insane and has caused her emotional trauma that she will have to deal with for the rest of her life. She knew that one day his life would catch up with him. She is glad that no one was hurt by his disgusting actions.'

Julia has not spoken to either of her family members since their arrests, the source confirmed.

Julia and her brother, who were once close, have been estranged for years after he 'turned out just like his father'.

'When Julia was young, her dad didn't give a f**k about her and her brother. She was forced into his care, and they were living on the streets and in parks due to his actions,' the source said.

'Her brother became just like him and she cut him off as well. When she became successful, her dad and brother tried to make things good with her to ride her coattails, but she didn't let this happen.'

Following the raid, DailyMail.com was exclusively told by a source that the Uncut Gems star cut ties with both of her family members years ago

Fox, best known for breaking onto the scene in 2019 hit film Uncut Gems, once described her brother as a 'mad scientist' and a 'recluse'

An NYPD spokesperson said following the raid: 'The NYPD's Ghost Gun Team seized several ghost gun parts as well as equipment for pressing narcotics pills.

'Team members also discovered materials typically used as components in explosives, including pressure cookers and various chemicals, which can also be used for manufacturing narcotics.'

While a series of troubling items, including bomb making materials, were discovered in the apartment, authorities say they do not believe there is a threat to the public.

'At this time, the matter is believed to be contained, with no apparent nexus to terrorism,' the spokesperson added.

'The NYPD will continue to fight relentlessly against illegal guns  against both the steady proliferation of traditionally-manufactured firearms and the increasingly prevalent numbers of illegal, untraceable but fully functioning weapons known as ghost guns.'

Julia Fox is not believed to have any knowledge of her relative's alleged criminal activity, and was reportedly not in New York at the time of the raid.

Julia, speaking about her relatives in the 2019 interview, described her brother as a 'recluse'.

'The older (brother) grew up with me in New York. He still lives here, but he's not really around,' she said.

'He's like a mad scientist recluse.'

Julia was lauded by fans in January when she showed off her understated NYC apartment in a TikTok.

Julia was lauded by fans in January when she showed off her understated NYC apartment

The actress, who once dated Kanye West, hilariously branded her two bedroom abode 'underwhelming' as she revealed she sleeps in the living room alongside her friend's ashes, keeps shoes in her kitchen and has a mice problem during the tour.

'I never thought in a million years I would do this, but I believe in maximum transparency, and so I'm gonna give you guys an apartment tour. I know I'm going to get roasted,' she said.

The sting operation into ghost guns comes amid a crackdown by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Last year, he called on the Biden administration to increase funding into preventing the untraceable guns from hitting the streets.

Adams condemned the spread of the guns across the city, which he said is a growing contributor to gun violence and homicides in New York.

'We must get ghost guns out of our communities, and those that manufacture them must be shut down,' he said at the time.

'The bad guys are outpacing us,' he continued. 'We are too slow to identify and correct the loopholes in violence.'
A father from New Hampshire who had been banned from setting foot on the grounds of an elementary school showed up at a board meeting dressed as Julius Caesar to argue how the school district was 'facilitating gender confusion' because the school employs an male art teacher who wears women's clothes.

Guglielmo's claims are based around allowing art teacher, Silas Allard to continue to teach as the school. The teacher, who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, typically dresses in women's clothing during the school day.

He also alleged that he Allard had been posting inappropriate material on social media.

In full Roman garb, the father announced: 'I am Caesar. Julius Caesar of Rome, the emperor. I am also a female,' Guglielmo announced in video footage of the meeting.

'Does anybody here believe that? That I am Julius Caesar? Anybody believe that? No, of course not. It's ridiculous. I'm not a woman. Engaging and facilitating gender confusion, gender dysphoria is developmentally injurious to the mental and emotional capacity of children,' Guglielmo stated.

Dad, Michael Guglielmo, showed up to a school board meeting dressed up as Julius Caesar to assert his claims that the public school district is promoting gender confusion

Guglielmo called for suspension of the superintendent and principal for allowing an art teacher who identifies with the LGBTQ+ community to teach

Guglielmo went on to call for the suspension of the Concord School District superintendent Kathleen Murphy and Christa McAuliffe Elementary Principal Kristen Galloand for their role in 'facilitating gender confusion' by allowing Allard to continue teaching there.

According to Guglielmo, the school district had been promoting a social agenda instead of focusing on teaching truth and facts.

According to a letter written by CSD sent to Guglielmo, the dad asked Allard to take a photograph, to which Allard agreed, reports Fox News.

The Concord-resident then asked Allard to pose which he then denied. CSD deemed Guglielmo's behavior as harassment.

Guglielmo, who spent spent 17  years in state prison, according to InDepthNH also has a long criminal record that began in 1985 after a violent standoff with Manchester, New Hampshire police.

In 2019, he was accused of 'grabbing a minor in a sexual manner,' reports WBUR.

His criticisms prompted an investigation by the school district and Allard was initially placed on leave, but the district ultimately decided to bring Allard back into the classroom.

Guglielmo continued to remain vocal in his opposition to the teacher's presence in the school, leading to him being banned from the school's property.

At the school board meeting, Guglielmo argued that the school board had a duty to act in the best interest of the children and to prioritize teaching truth and facts over promoting a social agenda.

At one stage Guglielmo removed his helmet to declare that was not in fact Julius Ceasar

Guglielmo claims the school are 'facilitating gender confusion' as the art teacher, Silas Allard, pictured above, wears traditionally female clothes during the school day

Guglielmo's criticisms prompted an investigation by the school district and Allard, above, was placed on leave, but the district ultimately decided to bring them back into the classroom

According to the letter CSD sent to Guglielmo, Guglielmo had asked Allard to take a photograph, to which Allard agreed

Guglielmo has called for the suspension of the Concord School District superintendent Kathleen Murphy, left, and Christa McAuliffe Elementary Principal Kristen Galloand, right, for their role in 'facilitating gender confusion' by allowing Allard to continue teaching there

He stated how as taxpayers, parents deserved to have their children taught what they paid for, and not be subjected to inappropriate material or a biased curriculum.

While many attendees at the meeting waved signs reading 'Choose Love' and 'Love is Stronger than Hate,' Guglielmo's controversial appearance as Julius Caesar garnered attention and sparked further discussion about the role of LGBTQ+ representation in public schools.

'Your duty is to act in the best interest of children. It is to teach truth, not lies. Facts, not fiction. Biology, not a social agenda.' Guglielmo said.

'As taxpayers, we deserve to have our children taught what we pay for, and it's not a social agenda, whether it be right or left,' he added.

In response to the controversy, a CSD spokesperson stated that the district 'rejects all forms of hatred and discrimination' and strives to 'rejoice' in the diversity of its community.

In schools across the nation, parents have been object to controversial topics being taught in school including critical race theory, together with certain books in public libraries showing a widening gap between those who support diversity and those who regard it as a threat.

Guglielmo featured in the news earlier in the decade when his five-year-old boy lost his battle with a rare immune disorder that saw him become the face of a worldwide campaign for bone marrow donors

Giovanni Guglielmo was born on July 24 2006 with NEMO, a debilitating disease that meant his life depended on getting a successful transplant

Michael Guglielmo and his wife Christina Poulicakos are pictured in 2007 with their thenthree children, Alex, Adrian, and Giovanni

Guglielmo featured in the news earlier in the decade when his five-year-old boy lost his battle with a rare immune disorder that saw him become the face of a worldwide campaign for bone marrow donors.

Giovanni Guglielmo was born on July 24 2006 with NEMO, a debilitating disease that meant his life depended on getting a successful transplant.

Doctors diagnosed the condition at five months and the baby's heart-wrenching story was published on the front page of a local newspaper, prompting dozens of people to call the Children's Hospital Boston with offers of help.

Doctors had told his parents the chances of finding an exact match for the desperately sick infant were about 1 in 20,000. On any given day, 6,000 people worldwide are searching for a bone-marrow match and only three in 10 find one.

Unable to find a match for the baby, doctors tried alternative treatment involving taking blood cells from an umbilical cord donor to try to build a new immune system.

A billboard was erected in Times Square with the tiny child's adorable photo on it, his wide eyes pleading for help, and the campaign for bone marrow intensified.
Lidia Thorpe has claimed a Greens MP patted her on her head leaving her feeling belittled and that she was sexually assaulted four times by Labor and Liberal figures.

The Indigenous senator made the claims on Friday as she addressed reports she made formal bullying complaints before stepping back from the Greens last month.

Ms Thorpe claimed she was bullied by two of her colleagues with one incident including a member patting her on the head in a demeaning manner.

She also alleged to have been sexually assaulted four times by Labor and Liberal figures in her first six months of becoming a member of parliament.

Lidia Thorpe has claimed a Greens MP patted her on her head leaving her feeling belittled and that she was sexually assaulted four times by Labor and Liberal figures

Ms Thorpe claimed the head patting was one of the reasons that prompted her to quit the Greens on February 6.

'I was patted on the head in the chamber by a Greens senator,' she said.

'I was completely demoralised and even thinking about that still, you know, hurts me. I've never been patted on the head by anybody and I'm nobody's little black girl.'

Ms Thorpe said she initially tried to brush aside the incident but the bullying 'got worse'.

'I kind of just took it on the chin and thought, you know, don't make too much of a noise here and just go with the flow,' she said.

Ms Thorpe said she took her complaint to Greens leader Adam Bandt and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS).

A spokesperson for Greens leader Adam Bandt's office said the party was aware of the workplace complaints but did not believe they constituted bullying.

They added the party had arranged for PWSS mediation to address the complaints before Senator Thorpe's decision to quit the party.

'After a meeting between the parties it was understood the issue was resolved,' the spokesperson said.

Ms Thorpe said she was 'undermined and bullied' and felt unsafe in the workplace, also alleging that had continued despite her shift to the crossbench.

'When the news came out about me resigning, everybody thought it was about just the (Indigenous) voice,' she said.

The Indigenous senator made the claims on Friday as she addressed reports she made formal bullying complaints before stepping back from the Greens last month

'I wanted to correct the record ... I was undermined, I was bullied and I felt unsafe, and I raised that a number of times, to no avail, so I've followed through with the parliamentary workplace support people.'

Ms Thorpe also claimed she was sexually assaulted by people connected to the Labor and Liberal parties during her first six months in parliament.

She said she reported the incidents to the same workplace support body.

Expanding on a 'very hard time for me in this place', she labelled the Parliament House culture toxic.

'People wonder why I get a little bit frustrated, but I've had to endure so much in my time in this place,' Ms Thorpe told ABC TV.

'That's why I say it is a toxic workplace ... I want people out there to know it's been the most traumatic two years in this place, due to bad behaviour of politicians.'
The airline industry has never been under more pressure to scrap its rip-off 'junk fees' after the President pledged a crackdown on the practice that squeezes $5.3 billion out of passengers every year.

Overweight luggage fines, seat selection charges and fees for printing boarding passes are all among the cynical tricks used by firms.

'We will prohibit airlines from charging up to $50 roundtrip for families just to sit together,' Biden announced during his State of the Union address last month.

It comes as Frontier Airlines was forced to reveal it gives staff $10 bonuses every time they succeed in charging customers extra if their carry-on luggage is too big.

Passengers were forced to fork out $5.3 billion in baggage fees alone last year, according to figures from the Transport Department. Meanwhile aviation firms raked in a further $700 million in cancellation and flight change charges.

Here Dailymail.com takes a look at the worst ways greedy airlines rack up the cost of your family holiday...

MISLEADING ADVERTISED PRICE

A key part of Biden's plan is to look at the ways airlines and booking site add on extra charges beyond the advertised price.

Customers are often promised a headline sum for a flight only to find the true cost is hundreds of dollars more expensive due to additional fees such as luggage.

And the costs can rise with every piece of luggage the passenger wants to take.

To make the issue even more confusing, there is little consistency between airlines with the cost of baggage varying wildly.

For example, American Airlines charges $30 for the first bag for a passenger on a domestic flight. However this rises to $200 for bag number four.

Meanwhile JetBlue charges $35 for the first bag, $45 for a second and $150 for the third.

There is little consistency between airlines with the cost of baggage varying wildly

OVERSIZED CARRY-ON FINES

Most airlines offer one free carry-on item, which some customers use as their sole luggage for a short trip.

However a decade ago many started to slap fines on passengers whose carry-on exceeds requirements and cannot be slotted into the cabin hold.

The fine covers the cost of placing the bag into storage along with the other paid-for suitcases.

But consumers have long been suspicious that staff enforce the rules too strictly and often fine passengers whose bags would easily fit in the requirements.

Reports that Frontier Airlines staff are given a bonus of $10 for every piece of overweight luggage they find and identify appeared to confirm these suspicions.

The firm said it was to ensure its policies were upheld.

Meanwhile JetBlue hit headlines for sneakily changing its luggage costs - and applying them to customers who had already booked.

And it was recently revealed that some crafty customers are resorting to having their luggage shipped after learning it was cheaper than extortionate airline fees.

Tiktok star Faith Collins saved $110 by implementing the hack.

Faith Collins went viral after revealing it was cheaper to ship her items rather than pay for airline luggage

At the end of the video, the bargain hunter revealed that it cost just $34.33 to send the box, saving herself more than $100 when compared to check-in luggage fees

PRIORITY BOARDING

Priority boarding puts customers first-in-line to get on the plane and get settled.

But it has become big business for cynical firms.

Again prices vary between firms, with Frontier Airlines charging between $6-$12 while American Airlines commands an eye-watering fee of up to $74.

Jet Blue priority boarding fares begin at $10.

SNEAKY ADMIN FEES

Booking over the phone, having your boarding pass printed out and web check-ins are among the most banal tasks that firms charge customers for.

On its website Frontier says it will charge passengers $5 just to check-in online.

And it will land customers with a $35 fee to those who book through its chat agent booking service.

Meanwhile Spirit Airlines asks its customers to pay $25 if they need their boarding pass printed during an in-person check-in. JetBlue passengers can expect to pay $25 just to make a reservation over the phone or via livechat.

The firm says this can be avoided by booking online.

Frontier says it will charge a passenger $5 just to check-in online while customers who book through its chat service are charged $35

EXPENSIVE CANCELLATIONS

One of the most contentious hidden travel fee impacts customers who wish to change the details of their trip.

Just getting a name changed on a plane ticket can attract hefty sums.

Spirit Airlines charges $40 for the inconvenience while Frontier Airlines and JetBlue both dish out $75 fees to customers.

And cancelling a trip altogether can be an even bigger financial headache.

American Airlines customers must shell out $200 for cancellations on a domestic flight and $750 for international flights.

What's more, customers often find it near-on impossible to have their flights refunded - even when they have bought extra refund policies.

During the pandemic airlines were forced to cancel flights in record numbers yet many customers struggled to obtain refunds.

The issue was so contentious the US Department of Transport was flooded with more than 90,000 complaints about airlines between March 2020 and May 2021.

'I will tell you that I have never seen a single issue generate so much consumer anger,' aviation advisor Bill McGee, aviation adviser said at the time.
President Joe Biden said Friday afternoon that he's still considering whether to sign a bill that declassifies all the information the government has about COVID-19's origins.

'I haven't made that decision yet,' he told reporters as he departed the White House for another weekend in Wilmington, Delaware.

Earlier Friday, the House voted unanimously for the Biden administration to declassify all information related to the origins of COVID - nearly three years since the Trump administration declared a national emergency due to the pandemic.

The American public is now one step closer to discovering the truth about the start of the virus that sparked widespread lockdowns and restrictions, and to the extent to which China is to blame.

President Joe Biden said Friday afternoon that he hadn't decided whether to sign a bill that declassifies all the information the government has about COVID-19's origins.

The vote passed 419-0 on Friday, with all members of Congress backing the bid to make links to the Wuhan lab and documents on the beginning of the virus public.

The bill now heads to President Biden's desk after the Senate passed it earlier this month, and Republicans have demanded he signs it to clarify what happened.

If the President does not take action for ten days while Congress is in session, it automatically becomes law. He can veto it, but Congress has enough votes - two-thirds of the House and the Senate - to override a veto.

The bipartisan vote comes two weeks after a Department of Energy report stated that COVID likely leaked from an accidental lab leak in China.

It would require the Director of National Intelligence to release all information the declassification of 'any and all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of the Coronavirus Disease.'

FBI Director Christopher Wray also said on March 1 that the bureau believes the virus most likely came from a lab accident.

The rest of the U.S. government is split on theories of the genesis of the pandemic that led to the lockdowns and restrictions.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden COVID advisor who retired from the government last year, has said he still believes it was likely a natural occurrence.

However, he has insisted he still has an 'open mind' on the theories, and the origins may not be known for years, if ever.

He has faced constant scrutiny and, earlier this week, was accused of trying to shut out experts who backed the lab leak theory because they didn't fit into his 'narrative.'

In an interview on Fox News on Thursday, Fauci denied the allegations.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden COVID advisor who retired from the government last year, has said he still believes it was likely a natural occurrence

The House voted unanimously for the Biden administration to declassify all information related to the origins of COVID - including documents on the investigation into whether it leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (above)

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would 'look' at the bill, but wouldn't confirm if he will sign it when asked at her briefing.

House votes 419-0 to fore Biden administration to declassify ALL information about COVID origins and the Wuhan lab leaks: Bill now heads to President's desk

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri introduced the bill and said the passage was the first step in finally holding China accountable.

'Today the House passed my COVID origins bill with bipartisan support, sending it to the President's desk,' said Hawley.

'This is a great first step in holding China accountable for this crisis, and I urge President Biden to sign it immediately. The American people deserve to know the truth.'

Experts say the true origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 1 million Americans, may not be known for many years  if ever.

'Transparency is a cornerstone of our democracy,' said Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, during the debate.
UK sales of cod fell behind pollock in the 12 months to January for the first time

A 300g pack of pollock fish fingers costs 1.25 less than its cod equivalent

Friday nights may never be the same again  with traditional cod and chips under threat as sales of the fish are overtaken by pollock for the first time.

Meanwhile, Alaska pollock is on course to replace salmon as the nation's favourite overall fish as the cost of living crisis bites, according to industry figures.

With a 300g pack of ten cod fish fingers costing 3, the equivalent pollock version comes in at just 1.75.

The high price of cod has been a disaster for the nation's chippies, who are also battling against big increases in other staples, including mushy peas, cooking oil and energy.

Industry figures show that UK sales of cod in the 12 months to January were some 55,400 metric tons, putting them behind Alaska pollock for the first time, which hit sales of 56,199t.

The high price of cod has been a disaster for the nation's chippies, who are also battling against big increases in other staples, including mushy peas, cooking oil and energy.

The figure for salmon was 58,200t, but based on trends, that will be surpassed by pollock by the end of next year.

Details of the shift in eating habits came from Andrew Allchurch, procurement director at Young's Seafood's parent company Sofina, who was speaking this week at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum in Bergen, Norway.

He said: 'The cost of living crisis has seen a boost for pollock products.

'Cod is certainly not the most expensive species in the UK, but we are in a cost of living crisis and shoppers are looking from better value.'

He added: 'Total whitefish has been entirely supported by the growth of Alaska Pollock. Cod, in particular, is seeing significant year-on-year volume declines.'

The former Waitrose executive said sales of frozen cod were falling sharply, with battered fillets down 19 per cent, breaded fillets down 17 per cent and cod fish fingers by 20 per cent.

Mr Allchurch told Undercurrent News the industry needs to move away from the traditional view of eating big cod fillets covered in batter or breadcrumbs, arguing that younger shoppers tended to prefer bite-sized portions.
The US Air Force and Boeing have unveiled what the new Air Force One planes will look like - with very slight tweaks made to the existing color scheme.

Both VC-25Bs - a heavily modified Boeing 747 - have the familiar duck egg blue, gold and white design commissioned by former first lady Jaqueline Kennedy-Onassis.

Officials say the blue is slightly darker than on the outgoing version. The bright silver sections which strafe the body of the existing plane have also been made smaller.

The pair of planes are set to cost $3.9billion - far higher than a regular 747-8, which used to retail for about $420million, but they'll be packed with sophisticated technology that'll effectively render them an airborne White House.

The new color scheme scraps the darker red, white, and blue livery proposed by former President Donald Trump.

A rendering provided by the U.S. Air Force shows the new livery design for the new Air Force One, selected by President Joe Biden

Biden is sticking with a blue-and-white color scheme for the exterior of the coming new version of Air Force One

In 2018, President Donald Trump came up with a 'patriotic design' using red, white and blue

A model of Trump's proposed Air Force One is seen in the Oval Office in June 2019

Trump looked at four different color schemes and preferred a red, white and blue design with blue engines. Trump said the redesign was 'stronger' and 'actually more beautiful'

Trump's preferred 'patriotic color scheme' was rejected last year because Boeing said it would require additional engineering and add to the time taken to build together with additional costs.

The dark blue paint threatened to overheat sophisticated electronic components on board and would have required additional Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing, the Air Force explained.

It was also claimed Trump's proposals could compromise the security of the plane, as the sky-blue paint on its underbelly helps camouflage it from potential enemies on the ground.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung couldn't resist a dig at Biden following the move away from Trump's patriotic color scheme.

'Sounds like Joe Biden isn't a fan of Red, White, and Blue-- the colors of the American flag.'

The existing Air Force Ones were introduced during the presidency of George H.W. Bush in 1990. And while they've been impeccably maintained and updated, airliners' air frames weaken slightly with each trip into the skies, meaning the jets were always eventually going to require a replacement.

The 'Next Air Force One,' as it is being called will largely feature the same colors as the aircraft it's replacing, with one subtle change to the shade of blue around the nose and engines of the aircraft which will be a slightly darker color.

Overall the scheme stays true to the design Air Force One has worn since President John F. Kennedy was in the White House 60 years ago and which then-First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy advised on the design.

President Joe Biden selected the new livery in order for Boeing to conduct engineering, certification preparation, and more for the VC-25B aircraft, which is a modified Boeing 747-8i.

Although the modified 747s are commonly referred to as Air Force One, the name is actually applied to any plane that the president is traveling on.

The Air Force also announced the first VC-25B is scheduled to be delivered in 2027 with second arriving in 2028.

The newly selected paint scheme will not add any further costs to the price of the plane.

Overall the scheme stays true to the design Air Force One has worn since President John F. Kennedy was in the White House 60 years ago, with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy advising

A rare color picture showing John and Jackie Kennedy in front of the Air Force One design which they oversaw. The photograph was taken when they landed in San Antonio, Texas, the day before JFK was assassinated. Air Force One at the time was a Boeing 707

Air Force One, a Boeing VC-137C in the final assembly stage at the Boeing Plant in Renton Washington in 1962

Ariel view of Air Force One in flight over Virginia, in 1977. The plane entered service in 1972, and was retired in 2001

History of Air Force One In 1943, officials became concerned about the president traveling on commercial airlines. A C-54 Skymaster was converted for presidential use, carrying Franklin D. Roosevelt to Yalta in 1945 before it was used by Harry Truman. The call sign was created in 1953 after a Lockheed Constellation, named Columbine II, was almost destroyed. Dwight Eisenhower was on board when air traffic controllers confused flight numbers of Eastern Airlines flight 8610 and the presidential craft, which at the time was called Air Force 8610. Officials thought it was wise to use the name 'Air Force One' to prevent an event like that happening in the future The first Lockheed Constellation was replaced by another, Columbine III, and then two Boeing 707s from the 1960s. Since 1990, two customized Boeing 747-200Bs have been used. Advertisement

Boeing first struck a deal for two new planes with then-President Trump.

Trump had wanted the aircraft to be ready by 2021, but the project has faced a several of delays including the pandemic, manpower shortages, and design timelines.

Last year, Boeing CEO David Calhoun said the $3.9 billion contract that Boeing signed to build the planes was a mistake for the company, as it incurred losses noting how the 2018 deal with the Air Force included 'a very unique set of risks that Boeing probably shouldn't have taken.'

Trump was very hands-on when it came to the Air Force One redesign and met with deal meeting with Boeing execs at the White House to seal the deal.

'Air Force One is going to be incredible,' Trump said at the time. 'It's going to be the top of the line, the top in the world. And it's going to be red, white and blue, which I think is appropriate.'

The presidential plane contains classified communication gear to allow the president to be in constant communication with the outside world and features special items like a surgery suite.

It has a private office and conference room for the president's use. If necessary, a president could run a nuclear war from his plane.

Unlike a normal 747, the plane has its own retractable stairways, for the rear entrance and the front entrance. And its own baggage loader so it can be entirely self serviceable if it needs to be.

It also has an in-flight refueling system that gives it the ability to stay up in the air indefinitely.

The updated planes will also have updated security features, many of which are classified.

National Geographic's experts speculated the plane would be equipped with decoy burning flares to deflect heat seeking missiles and would have high-tech lasers that could not only disable a guided missile's tracking system, but actually destroy them in flight.

New wiring was being installed for the plane to be able to withstand electromagnetic interference allowing Air Force One to keep operating even if there's a nearby nuclear blast.

The new wingshape will also allow the planes to take off and land on shorter runways.

Air Force One's new kitchen will allow staff to serve 2,000 meals on an overseas trip and prepare fresh meals while in flight.

Once all the additional elements are in place, the two planes that will serve as Air Force One will be flight-tested for two years.

Since the 1940s, seven different plane types have been specifically designed to carry the American president.

Air Force One's current livery originated in the 1960s and the two 747s currently used as Air Force One date back to the 1990s

President Joe Biden gets off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, after traveling to Virginia Beach, U.S., on his way back to the White House, last month

A welcome mat of one of the two 747s currently being used as Air Force One. These planes have been flying the president since the 1990s
The COVID-19 pandemic, otherwise known as the coronavirus pandemic, is still ongoing exactly three years after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared it as a global pandemic.

As the world marks the third anniversary of the pandemic, we look back on the official declaration made on March 11, 2020.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic got its name from the contagious disease known as the coronavirus disease 2019. This disease is caused by a strain of the coronavirus known as the severe accute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, otherwise known as SARS-CoV-2.

While the pandemic was only officially declared on March 11, 2020, the first cases were detected in 2019. According to The Guardian, the earliest case was actually detected on November 17. The Guardian's report cites the South China Morning Post (SCMP) as its source.

The Guardian notes that that SCMP "said Chinese authorities had identified at least 266 people who contracted the virus" in 2019. The November 17 case is also noted to have happened "said Chinese authorities had identified at least 266 people who contracted the virus."

Read Also: Elon Musk's Tweets about 'Lab Leak' Theory Could Affect Tesla Operations in China

WHO Officially Declares a Pandemic

The WHO officially declared the COVID-19 pandemic three months after the earliest detected case.

The opening remarks of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the media briefing on March 11, 2020, highlighted that, at that time, "the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China has increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled."

The WHO Director-General said:

There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives. Thousands more are fighting for their lives in hospitals. In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher. WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.

You can view the whole speech here. You can likewise watch media briefing below.

COVID-19 Numbers Today

Exactly three years after the COVID-19 pandemic was officially declared, the pandemic is still ongoing, and it is unclear whether the classification will change anytime soon.

As of press time, WHO numbers show that there have been nearly 759.50 million COVID-19 cases around the world. Almost 6.87 million have died of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2.

By region, Europe has recorded the most number of COVID-19 cases at almost 273.67 million. Europe is followed by Western Pacific region and the Americas at 201.52 million and 190.68 million, respectively.

By country, the top ten nations with the most number of COVID-19 cases as of writing are as follows:

United States of America

China

India

France

Germany

Brazil

Japan

South Korea

Italy

United Kingdom

Much progress has been made since March 11, 2020, as there are now vacciness available that help to prevent severe COVID-19 cases. According to the numbers of the WHO, almost 13.23 billion vaccine doses have been administered.

Related Article: Drinkable COVID Vaccines Are Being Developed, Scientists Say
It comes after several complaints were filed about the couple after the mauling

The sister of a 'neighbor from hell' whose dogs mauled an 81-year-old man to death has been arrested for threatening neighbors who witnessed the horror attack.

Residents living near Abilene Schnieder, 31, and husband Christian Alexander Moreno, also 31, in San Antonio claim that since they spoke out about their vicious dogs killing Ramon Najera on February 26, they have faced threats that have left them living in fear.

Abilene's sister, Destiny Marie Cardona, 26, was arrested on Thursday and charged with retaliation. She was released Friday after bond was set at $25,000, KSAT reported.

Belinda Rodriguez claims Cardona told her neighbor: 'You are going to pay for this. We are going to kill your son, bring him to you, find you and kill you.'

Rodriguez and others have filed multiple complaints against the pit bull owners - Cardona's sister, Abilene, and her husband Christian - since their three dogs escaped through a hole in their fence to maul and kill Najera, and leave his wife and two other men injured.

Destiny Marie Cardona, 26, told her sister Abilene's neighbor: 'You are going to pay for this. We are going to kill your son, bring him to you, find you and kill you' She was arrested for retaliation Thursday

Firefighters were forced to use pickaxes and metal poles to fight off the savage animals

Neighbors of the couple arrested after a deadly dog attack in San Antonio are speaking out after receiving threats.



One woman has already been arrested for retaliation, but people on the block tell me they refuse to be quiet about what they've witnessed. pic.twitter.com/jrmaodvgtP  Jordan Elder (@JordanElderTV) March 11, 2023

'Our department will not tolerate allegations of retaliation. We take those calls very serious,' Lt. Michelle Ramos of San Antonio police said in response to the complaints. 'We encourage the residents - please call us. We will fully investigate those cases.'

Cardona could face anywhere from two to ten years in prison if found guilty of retaliation.

Moreno was arrested and charged with criminal negligence - dangerous dog attack resulting in death and injury to elderly and remains in jail. His wife Schnieder has now also been slapped with the same charges.

Ramon Najera, 81, had been trying to protect his wife, 74, from the couple's three pit bulls after they broke free from a yard on February 26 and mauled him to death. His wife, along with two other men, were also injured in the attack.

The dogs had attacked two other people in the neighborhood on two separate occasions and fresh evidence points to the criminal couple having 'trained' them to be vicious killers.

Investigators told news4sanantonio that the pit bulls made an easy escape from their yard through a hole in the fence.

According to the arrest report, a witness video showed that the dogs were not wearing collars or harnesses - a requirement of Animal Control Services (ACS). Moreno had told investigators that he had complied with the guidelines.

Police said they'd received tips that Moreno and Schnieder 'have been breeding the dogs and training the dogs to be aggressive with meat.'

Belinda Rodriguez (pictured) said Cardona threatened her neighbor

Christian Alexander Moreno was arrested and charged with criminal negligence - dangerous dog attack resulting in death and injury to elderly and remains in jail. His wife Abilene Schnieder, 31, has now also been slapped with the same charges

The affidavit goes on to state that Schnieder also had 'recorded conversations with her husband regarding how dangerous the dogs had become. '

The three terrifying American Staffordshire Terriers were euthanized, and 'multiple reports of the dogs' violent behavior' emerged in the wake of the deadly attack.

Following the incident, and before her arrest, Schnieder claimed her husband wasn't responsible for the attack and that they'd taken care when raising the dogs.

Following the first couple of attacks, the dogs had been removed from their possession but they were quickly brought back after the couple's children begged for their return.

'We were coming back and I saw the dogs behind the gate but they were full of blood,' Schnieder told local channel KENS5.

'It's traumatizing to see my dogs that I have raised since they were puppies do that to somebody.'

Ramon Najera, 81, had been trying to protect his wife, 74, from the pit bulls after they broke free from a yard on February 26 and mauled him to death

'From the bottom of our hearts, we're sorry but my husband is not responsible,' she added, claiming they'd done everything in their power to keep the dogs - King, Snow and Legend - from escaping.

Schnieder said she was trying to raise the money to have her husband released on bail - his bond set at $125,000.

When the two arrived home they saw their dogs were out of their harnesses and were told by first responders that their dogs had attacked four people and killed one.

Schnieder described how the dogs could be a handful, and that they had escaped before. They had been involved in two attacks, one involving King and two involving Snow. Despite that, she said they had not been raised to be aggressive.

'We never hit them, neglect them, never abused them,' she said.

After the attacks last month, the dogs were temporarily confiscated by Animal Care Services.

The 31-year-old claimed neither she nor her husband wanted the dogs back, but that their children did. 'I was like, these dogs aren't for us anymore,' she said.

The grandchildren of Najera and his wife Janie shared a tribute to their grandfather and created a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral costs for their grandfather and medical bills for their grandmother's injuries.

'Ramon was a San Antonio native, a US Air Force veteran, and an adventurous, outgoing, and loving family man,' they wrote.

'He was recently put on dialysis but was determined to enjoy life to the fullest despite his health condition.'

Carlos Gomez, Ramon's stepson and Janie's son, said on Facebook that his stepfather was a 'strong man' he was getting ready to start working as a security guard, despite his age.

'He was getting ready to start back up at his security job, which is the reason they were stopping at a seamstress. My stepdad was having some work done on his uniform when they were viciously attacked by these dogs,' he wrote.

After more than one attack last months the dogs were temporarily confiscated by Animal Care Services. Schnieder claims neither she nor her husband (both pictured) wanted the dogs back, but that their children did

Firefighters can be seen holding their metal pickaxes to force the animals away

The attack occurred along 2800 block of Depla Street, on the city's west side where Najeras and his wife were visiting friends.

When they got out of their car, the couple were set upon by the two American Staffordshire Terriers.

When the San Antonio Fire Department arrived on the scene at around 1.45pm, the dogs were 'still actively attacking the couple,' police said.

Firefighters described the scene as 'horrific', as Najera was being dragged by the animals as emergency services tried to intervene.

'As they rounded the corner they could see a man being dragged by a dog. He was completely bloodied before they got out of the truck,' San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said at the scene.

They were forced to use their pickaxes to get the dogs to release their grip.

An EMS captain was bitten on the leg during the attempted rescue.

San Antonio Animal Care Services confirmed later that the dogs involved in the incident would both be put down. A third dog that was present but not involved was also euthanized.

Snow pictured with her puppies, 7 males and 2 females. Snow was involved in two attacks last month as well as the fatal attack last week

San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said his staff were most likely traumatized by the gruesome scene

Emergency services at the location of the fatal dog attack

'This is not something that is normal for us. We don't normally have to defend patients from animals or ourselves. The firefighters in this instance were very heroic fighting off these pit bulls with pickaxes and pipes to try and get to the patients,' Hood said.

'Two people were mauled, with a confirmed fatality who was treated and given blood on the scene, together with a female in critical condition. Another individual was bitten on the hand and also taken to the hospital.

'It has been a horrific scene and horrific experience for everyone involved including firefighters, which was essentially a rescue to save themselves,' Hood said.

Hood said that the entire experience had likely 'emotionally scarred' the firefighters. 'Nobody expects to go out and fight dogs in a situation like they did today,' he said.

Both women who were attacked were taken to University Hospital for treatment. One was in critical condition after the attack but her current state is not known.
Headteachers last night called for safeguarding guidance on transgender issues to be published 'as soon as possible'.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) union piled more pressure on Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to publish the advice 'sooner rather than later'.

It comes as the chief inspector of Ofsted told school and college leaders there was a need for 'clearer and more specific guidelines' on relationships and sex education (RSE) in the wake of concerns from some Tory MPs about controversial content being taught to pupils.

This week Rishi Sunak said ministers would accelerate a review of how the material is taught.

Addressing more than 1,000 school and college leaders at the ASCL's annual conference yesterday, Ofsted's Amanda Spielman said: 'I think good relationships and sex education is an important and valuable thing in schools.'

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) union piled more pressure on Education Secretary Gillian Keegan (pictured) to publish the advice 'sooner rather than later'

She told leaders it is 'doubly important' that 'the RSE in schools really is well grounded in facts, in evidence... because otherwise controversy could so engulf it that it could make schools more risk averse and jeopardise the good RSE'.

'I do think good guidelines  clearer and more specific guidelines  really could help everybody get it right,' she added.

ASCL leaders also called on the Government to publish safeguarding guidance to schools in relation to transgender issues.

Evelyn Forde, president of ASCL and headteacher of Copthall School in north London, said: 'Guidance often comes out quite late from the DfE. So I think what we would welcome would be that early guidance. We'd welcome it as soon as.'

The Prime Minister said a review of guidance for schools in England on sex education would be brought forward after Tory backbencher Miriam Cates claimed children were getting 'graphic lessons on oral sex, how to choke your partner safely and 72 genders'.

A dossier she presented to the PM of parents' concerns about what their children are being taught included primary school children learning about masturbation, 12-year-olds being asked how they felt about oral and anal sex and those aged 13 being told about gender fluidity.

Clearer and more specific guidelines

Campaigners say parents are being left in the dark about the material, with some schools blocking parents from viewing resources because of potential copyright breaches.

Mrs Keegan said on Wednesday she was 'deeply concerned by reports of inappropriate sex education lessons in schools'.

A Department for Education spokesman said: 'It is incredibly important that we take the time to get the guidance right, and the Education Secretary is working closely with the Women and Equalities Minister to produce a draft for consultation before final publication later this year.'
The Foreign Secretary has defended his opposition to Home Office proposals to build a new migrant detention centre on a former RAF base in his constituency.

The base at Wethersfield in North Essex, currently used by the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP), has been earmarked to hold 1,500 migrants in the face of significant local opposition that the facility would not be suitable.

Earlier this week James Cleverly, who is both Foreign Secretary and the local MP, backed arguments from council leaders and residents' groups that the site 'wasn't appropriate for asylum accomodation' due to its remote location and lack of surrounding infrastructure.

Yesterday the minister, who was in Paris with Rishi Sunak to push the French government to intensify their efforts to stop people crossing the Channel, said it was 'absolutely right' to make his thoughts known to the Home Office.

Mr Cleverly, the MP for Braintree, told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: 'I made the point about the practicalities of MDP Wethersfield in my constituency which is very remote from any other social infrastructure.

Earlier this week James Cleverly (pictured), who is both Foreign Secretary and the local MP, backed arguments from council leaders and residents' groups that the site 'wasn't appropriate for asylum accomodation' due to its remote location and lack of surrounding infrastructure

'We are going to be looking at a range of places and I put my thoughts forward. Ultimately no decision has been made and I will continue to support the work of my good friends in the Home Office to make sure we get a grip of the situation.

'It's absolutely right we pass comment on the practicalities of individual proposals - but the broad point is we will continue to work with the French authorities and other countries to break this most evil of business models in people smuggling.'

Braintree council leader Graham Butland said the remote location meant MDP Wethersfield should not be on the table as a migrant facility.

'That makes Wethersfield even more unsuitable because it's not linked to a town or anything like that,' he said.

Mark Ault, of the Fields Association campaign group, said: 'We should be integrating asylum seekers into the community, but there's nowhere to integrate them into here. It's totally inappropriate - it's inhumane.'

The Foreign Secretary raised eyebrows when he appeared to oppose the Home Office's wishes to house migrants at the ex-RAF base.

He said earlier this week: 'I highlighted the remote nature of the site, the limited transport infrastructure and narrow road network and that these factors would mean the site wasn't appropriate for asylum accommodation.

'Ultimately we need to dramatically reduce the numbers of people attempting to enter the country.

'The whole of Government is working to stop evil people traffickers from exploiting the vulnerable to make money and ensure our immigration system supports the people who do the right thing and play by the rules.'

The Prime Minister's official spokesman refused to comment on the row, but said: 'What we are focused on as a government is tackling this issue, tackling the fact that we have so many people housed in hotels, at a daily cost of 6 million to the taxpayer, and the Home Office is working to provide more detention capacity for those that we are looking to remove.'

'I think it's also important to reference that one of the specific core parts of the bill is to make sure that we're removing people faster once the bill is being passed, so people would be removed within weeks rather months and years, but the Home Office are taking forward work to increase the detention capacity.'

The Home Office refused to comment on individual proposals, but a spokesman said: 'We are working across government and with local authorities to look at a range of options and sites, all of which will be in line with building regulations and health and safety.'
A steak, ale and stilton pie was crowned best in Britain yesterday at an awards ceremony in the Leicestershire town famous for the cheese.

The 'Moo & Blue' pie beat off competition from 900 varieties and was made by a company based just three miles from Melton Mowbray in the village of Asfordby Hill.

The victory for the Moo & Blue showed the judge's returning to a more traditional filling, after a gluten-free vegetarian pie was crowned Supreme Champion at the annual British Pie Awards in 2022.

Pie maker and bakery Brockleby's has won over 30 accolades at the awards but until now the firm - who's creations include spicy bison and beans and wild deer pies as well as more traditional varieties - has never scooped the number one prize.

Melton Mowbray is Britain's unofficial pie capital, known worldwide for its pork pies as well as stilton.

The 'Moo & Blue' pie beat off competition from 900 varieties and was made by a company based just three miles from Melton Mowbray in the village of Asfordby Hill

Pie maker and bakery Brockleby's has won over 30 accolades at the awards but until now the firm - who's creations include spicy bison and beans and wild deer pies as well as more traditional varieties - has never scooped the number one prize

Awards host Matthew O'Callaghan said: 'We are always highly encouraged to see the nation's love of pies at these annual awards, and this year there has been a huge level of excitement and creativity.

'We had the pleasure of enjoying some spectacular pies, and Brockleby's Pies has overcome exceptionally stiff competition for not only the best Hot-Eating Savoury Pie, but has triumphed over all entries and been crowned Supreme Champion.

'These awards celebrate the skill of British piemakers across the nation, so I'd like to say a particular congratulations to Brockleby's Pies for this huge success.' The world-famous awards saw firms entering from across the UK.

Other fillings in the competition included marmite and cheese, kebab, and lasagne.
Women's rights groups clashed with LGBTQI+ activists as hundreds of protestors descended on Sydney's Victoria Park on Saturday.

UK-based activist Kellie-Jay Keen, who also goes by the name Posie Parker online, has travelled to Australia for a series of anti-trans rallies.

Her presence in Sydney is being protested by trans advocacy groups with loud chants of: 'Posie Parker you cant hide, you've got Nazis on your side' and 'TERFS go home' as she took the stage.

Ms Keen, a self-described transphobe, believes it's impossible to change gender and campaigns to exclude trans women from female-only spaces.

UK-based activist Kellie-Jay Keen, who also goes by the name Posie Parker online, has travelled to Australia for a series of anti-trans rallies

Women's rights groups clashed with LGBTQ+ activists (pictured) as hundreds of protestors descended on Sydney's Victoria Park on Saturday

She also argues that trans people should be dead named and not have the right to chose their own pronouns.

Tensions threatened to boil over towards the end of rally but a strong police presence including mounted cops stopped it.

Chants of 'bigots gone and anti-queer TERFS are not welcome here' were shouted by LGBTQI+ groups while Ms Keen spoke to crowds.

TERF is an acronym for trans-exclusionary radical feminist and describes those feminists who reject the claim that transgender women are women.

Speaking at the rally, Ms Keen, dressed in a white jumpsuit with 'WOMAN' emblazoned across it, described trans women as 'men' and said they are 'upset they can't wear dresses because they've never been told no before'.

She added that when people say they 'believe in trans rights' what they are actually saying is 'men should be in girls spaces and play girls sports'.

Mounted police kept the peace during the rally at Victoria Park, Camperdown on Saturday

Australian women's rights groups were there in support of Ms Keen, including divisive former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves (pictured) who told crowds: 'We will not be silenced. We will stand our ground. I am still fighting the fight'

The campaigner added that trans people are trying to take 'every tiny little bit of the world that women have carved for ourselves' and described trans men as 'human shields for the fetishisers'.

She also sang to crowds, saying it was a 'wonderful day to be a TERF' and said that the LGBTQI+ groups made 'even menopausal women look sane'.

The right-wing speaker added the 'pornifcation of society' is making 'AGP people breed like rabbits'.

AGP is a term used by anti-trans groups referring to autogynephilia, a concept describing a man's propensity to be sexually aroused by the thought of himself as a female.

After her speech, Ms Keen gave the microphone to other protesters, with one claiming her teenage granddaughter 'is depressed' because her 'teachers are trying to convince her she is a trans man'.

Ms Keen, a self-described transphobe, believes it's impossible to change gender and campaigns to exclude trans women from female-only spaces

Speaking at the rally, Ms Keen, dressed in a white dress with 'WOMAN' emblazoned across it, described trans women as 'men' and said they are 'upset they can't wear dresses because they've never been told no before'

Australian women's rights groups were there in support of Ms Keen, including controversial former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves who told crowds: 'We will not be silenced. We will stand our ground. I am still fighting the fight.'

She added that trans groups 'deny women and girls the right to language' and 'male free spaces'.

'We see them coming for the children. We see them coming for families. We now have state intrusion into our home and our families.

'And parents have been told they will be criminalised if I try to defend their children.

'Race in our education system that is trying to indoctrinate our children into this way of thinking.'

One protester held up a sign reading 'Trans rights are human rights'

One sign described TERFS as 'Transphobic, Entirely, Rubbish, Fascist, Scum'

There was a strong police presence dividing the two opposing groups, including a line of mounted cops - with chants of 'bigots gone and anti-queer TERFS are not welcome here' from LGBTQI+ groups while Ms Keen spoke to crowds

Protesters - one wrapped in the LGBTQI+ Progress flag - hug one another

Australian women's rights groups were there in support of Ms Keen, including divisive former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves who told crowds: 'We will not be silenced. We will stand our ground. I am still fighting the fight'

Two masked protesters stayed Covid-safe as they draped themselves in the non-binary pride flag

One protester put their middle finger up in the direction of the LGBTQI+ group

Elsewhere, LGBTQI+ protesters swore back at the women's rights group

Chants from the LGBTQI+ protestors branded Ms Keen aka Posie Parker a 'fascist'

Ms Keen has come under fierce criticism from many groups in the past, including for allegedly posing with a campaigner who celebrated Winnie Mandela's death and called the anti-apartheid fighter 'a whore' and 'white farmer murdering c***'.

She has also been slammed by a British MP for saying access to abortion and contraceptives need to be rolled back for children and teenagers.

Ms Keen raised eyebrows recently after she criticised British MP Jess Phillips for reading out the name of a teenage trans murder victim Brianna Ghey in the House of Commons during an International Women's Day speech.

She has also spoken alongside a number of figures in far-right groups, including Christopher Barcenas, a member of the Proud Boys, who was deposed by the US government due to his presence at the January 6 Capitol riots.

Pride in Protest activists as well as National Union of Students were among the counter protesters in the inner Sydney park (pictured)

Groups held up signs saying 'trans rights are human rights' and chanted against Ms Keen

Protesters signs read 'no TERFS on our TERF'

LGBTQI+ supporters held up signs to support trans people during the counter-protest

Campaigners wore T-shirts reading 'Transwomen are men'

One person wore a bizarre makeshift hat reading 'private areas are shared by sex not gender' while a woman wore a T-shirt saying she was an 'adult human female'

'You don't fool us with your right wing rubbish' was held up by one protester

Pride in Protest activists as well as National Union of Students were among the counter protesters in the inner Sydney park.

'TERFs/SWERFs in an anti-queer culture war. This far right politics needs to be stopped,' Pride in Protest said in a Facebook post ahead of the event, referring to acronyms for 'feminists' that exclude trans women and sex workers from their activism.

The National Union of Students has also called for a series of counter-protests against Ms Keen.

'We are protesting Keen's speaking events for two reasons - firstly, because these events are demanding the removal of trans rights, and we strongly support transgender people,' a spokesperson said.

'Secondly because these events are supported and attended by the political right.

There was a strong police presence at the protest keeping the two groups well apart

LGBTQI+ people came out in force with 'we love our trans brother and sisters' sign

'Allowing the right to network and grow under the pretence of supporting women, poses a threat to every progressive cause and everything unions stand for.'

Ahead of her travel to Australia, Stephen Bates, the Greens spokesperson for LGBTIQA+ issues, wrote Immigration Minister Andrew Giles asking him to revoke her visa.

Mr Bates argued that Ms Keen had a long history of 'promoting or excusing hate and violence towards trans and other marginalised communities'.

Speaking on 2GB with breakfast host Ben Fordham on Friday , Ms Keen described herself as a 'transphobe' but argued that she's 'not scary' because she's 'really small'.

She argued people had 'attempted to cancel her' and that she 'does nothing to invite controversy' but she's 'so influential, trouble follows her'.

'I'm not scary. I'm really small as well,' the British commentator told Fordham.

Groups chanted that Ms Keen 'had the support of Nazis'

Police blocked the counter-protest group from getting too close to Ms Keen's rally

Pro human rights protesters held up signs that criticised the right-wing rally as disguising 'biological essentialism' as 'feminism'

Other campaigners criticised the anti-trans feminists for 'reducing women to their genitalia'

One specific sign read 'Lesbian dykes for sex worker rights' and said they were 'hotter and smarter than the Nazi losers'

One person held the LGBTQI+ progress flag while dressed as a plague doctor with a sign that said 'fascism is a plague'

On the other side, one person said they were 'LGB without the T' while another said 'gender cult harms children'

When asked by Fordham why people were scared of her, Ms Keen said: 'It's my ability to speak directly and speak the truth.

'I think that's quite frightening for some people. We've lost the ability both in the UK and Australia and elsewhere, to just speak plainly, just just to speak the truth.'

'In today's money, because being transphobic means that you say "a woman doesn't have a penis", and probably I am a transphobic.'

When asked if she's an anti-trans activist, she replied: 'I am a woman's right activist' and that she defines a woman as an 'adult human female'.

'Because so many people are complete cowards, social media has been able to manifest into a mass silencing tool,' Ms Keen added.

'There's a weird social currency of acceptance. And I think underpinning that is really not caring at all about women.'

One protester holds up a sign reading 'No one is transing your kids'

LGBTQI+ protesters were out in force against the anti-trans group

When asked what she would say to people who who were assigned male at birth, but feel like they're trapped in the wrong body and they want to be a female, Ms Keen said: 'There's plenty of people that feel things that aren't true. We don't then say that they're a different category of person.

She said that she has 'no objection' to people 'doing what they want in lives' but that this shouldn't 'impinge on her'.

She added that she also has a problem with calling trans people by names and pronouns that don't align with ones they were born with, because it 'opens the door' for more trans rights.

LGBTQI+ rights campaigners were out in force against the women's rights group

When questioned by Fordham why she then goes by the name 'Posie' instead of her birth name 'Kelly', she added: 'If I wanted to be called John, it would be difficult.'

'I'm so influential. Trouble just comes along. I do nothing, I really do nothing to invite it,' she added.

'What's happening in a country like this, the state is gaslighting women into pretending they cannot see the truth in front of their eyes and they can't name it.'

NSW Police warned ahead of the protests must be done lawfully.

'The NSW Police respects the right of individuals and groups to protest; however, those involved must do so peacefully and in compliance with the law,' a spokesman said.
He said Government 'must declassify intelligence' to justify dismissal of theory

Intervention came after US representatives voted to declassify intelligence

Sir Iain Duncan Smith last night urged ministers to release MI6 briefings about Covid-19's origins.

The Tory former leader's intervention came after the US House of Representatives unanimously voted to declassify intelligence about China's Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Sir Iain told the Mail that the Government 'must declassify our intelligence' to justify its initial dismissal of the lab leak theory.

Referencing leaked WhatsApp messages revealed in the Press this week, he said: 'The British Government has never told us the truth about their views on this and we have only discovered it from Matt Hancock.

If they dismiss the lab leak theory then let's see their intelligence as to why they do so.'

Sir Iain Duncan Smith (pictured) last night urged ministers to release MI6 briefings about Covid-19's origins

A criticised World Health Organisation investigation carried out with China in 2021 said the lab leak theory was 'extremely unlikely'.

In the US, intelligence relating to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and information on 'potential links' between research done there and the outbreak of Covid-19 is set to be declassified.

US intelligence agencies are divided over whether a lab leak or a spillover from animals is the probable source of the virus.

Representative Michael Turner, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the American public deserves to know 'how this virus was created and, specifically, whether it was a natural occurrence or was the result of a lab-related event'.
A Russian state TV channel claimed this week Britons are being forced to eat squirrels because of money going towards Ukraine.

Olga Skabeyeva, host of talk show 60 minutes, said restaurants in Britain were 'serving squirrels' because of a 'food shortage'.

She also claimed Britons were happy to eat squirrels despite still supplying 'howitzers' to Ukraine.

It comes after woodland management company Three Atop recommended eating grey squirrels as a way of controlling their population.

But the company's head of conservation Kerry Hosegood struck back at the claims and told the Times 'it's not controversial to eat them'.

Olga Skabeyeva, host of talk show 60 minutes, said restaurants in Britain were 'serving squirrels' because of a 'national food shortage'

Miss Skabeyeva said: 'Today it was revealed that some restaurants in once-Great Britain will be serving squirrels.

'In view of the fact that there are plenty of animals in the parks, so why not eat them, bearing in mind the food shortage.

'They are not backing down from the decision to help Zelenskyy, to supply weapons. That is, they will eat squirrels, but still supply howitzers.'

Skabayeva is one of Russia's most prominent propagandists and frequently advocates for extreme positions on the war in Ukraine.

The UK has been one of Ukraine's earliest and most vocal supporters since Russia invaded the country in February 2022.

It has committed 2.2billion worth of military aid as of February 2022, as well as training and humanitarian support.
Killer pilot Robert Brown asked to move to a Scottish prison after the Justice Secretary pledged to review his release, it emerged last night.

Brown, 59, is due for automatic release this year after serving half his 26-year sentence for killing his estranged wife, but Dominic Raab has promised a full review of the release, which could keep the killer behind bars.

The former British Airways pilot applied for a move to a Scottish jail following public anger that he could be freed after serving just 13 years for manslaughter.

The move would have meant his case would be transferred to the Scottish Justice system, meaning Mr Raab would be unable to use his powers to order a review of the release.

But the Justice Secretary blocked Brown's request yesterday, Friday, March 10, keeping him within the English system.

Brown (pictured), 59, is due for automatic release this year after serving half his 26-year sentence for killing his estranged wife, but Dominic Raab has promised a full review of the release, which could keep the killer behind bars

British Airways pilot Brown battered his estranged wife Joanna Simpson (pictured) to death with a claw hammer within earshot of their two young children in 2010

The Deputy Prime Minister said: 'Public protection is my number one priority and I will not permit any arrangement that could compromise our ability to manage a dangerous offender.'

British Airways pilot Brown battered his estranged wife Joanna Simpson to death with a claw hammer within earshot of their two young children in 2010.

He buried her body in a grave he had previously dug in woodland in Windsor Great Park.

At his trial, he was acquitted of murder but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and said he was suffering from stress-related 'adjustment disorder'.

The court heard the estranged couple were locked in a legal fight over finances after Joanna, 46, filed for divorce.

She had endured years of abuse, harrasssment and intimidation during their marriage.

Her mother Diana Parkes, 84, has led a high-profile campaign for Brown to remain behind bars, and met with Mr Raab earlier this week.

The family has been told about Brown's request to move to a Scottish prison, and Mr Raab's decision to block the move.

The Joanna Simpson Foundation, which was started by Mrs Parkes and Joanna's best friend, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, welcomed Mr Raab's decision.

A spokesman said: 'The Joanna Simpson Foundation welcomes Dominic Raab blocking Robert Brown's application to move to a Scottish prison under the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997.

'The impending early automatic release of Robert Brown is a worrying time for many individuals but there has been fresh hope by progress made over the last week.

'We appreciate the attention and rigour being applied by the Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP and his team. We must ensure there is not another Jo.'

Under new legislation introduced last year, the Justice Secretary can order a review of automatic releases of prisoners if he believes there is strong evidence they could pose a risk to the public.

Her mother Diana Parkes, 84, has led a high-profile campaign for Brown to remain behind bars, and met with Mr Raab (pictured) earlier this week. The family has been told about Brown's request to move to a Scottish prison, and Mr Raab's decision to block the move

He can refer their cases to the Parole Board, even if the prisoner has served half their sentence and is due for automatic release.

Mrs Parkes' campaign, launched in The Daily Mail earlier this month, has won support from Carrie Johnson, the wife of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and former Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Yesterday Rishi Sunak expressed his sympathies to Joanna's family.

Downing Street described her killing as an 'appalling crime' and said the Prime Minister's thoughts were with her loved ones.

However, the Prime Minister's spokesman declined to give his view on the growing pressure to ensure the British Airways pilot is not freed.

Asked if Mr Sunak thought Joanna's killer should stay locked up, the PM's spokesman replied: 'I think the Deputy Prime Minister has confirmed he's reviewing that case. It's important not to prejudice that process so I can't comment any further.

'But this was obviously an appalling crime and our thoughts remain with Joanna's family and friends.'

The No 10 spokesman went on: 'You've heard what the Government has said before about our ambition to ensure that there are tough sentences for the most dangerous offenders.

'You'll remember last year we set out reforms to restore public confidence in the parole system but I can't comment any further on this specific case.'
Dozens of customers were seen lining up to withdraw whatever cash they had with Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after its sudden collapse.

In footage posted to Twitter, customers could be seen lining up from the entrance of one Bay Area branch in Menlo Park, California, all the way around the block, in the pouring rain.

There were similar scenes at other branches of the bank including in Manhattan where panic reached such an extent that building managers at SVB's office called the police after a group of disgruntled tech founders turned up on the doorstep in an attempt to withdraw their funds.

Founded in 1982, SVB was the biggest bank in Silicon Valley and specialized in lending to start-up technology companies, providing funds for tens of thousands of fledging businesses.

But the company's shares plunged by more than 80 per cent after it stunned the market on Wednesday night by warning it had suffered a $1.8billion loss following a fire sale in its asset portfolio, which was comprised mostly of US government debt.

Customers could be seen been lining up to withdraw their funds from Silicon Valley Bank after the bank's sudden collapse. Pictured here, customers outside the Menlo Park branch

Dozens of customers could be seen lining up outside its Menlo Park, California branch

A bank worker is seen telling customers that the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) headquarters is closed on Friday in Santa Clara, California

The lender's troubles prompted a rush of customer withdrawals and forced Californian regulators to step in after a record plunge in its stock price sparked concerns about its stability.

SVB's failure is the biggest since the collapse of Washington Mutual, which imploded during the 2008 financial crisis and at the time was the US's largest savings and loan association.

Trading in the shares was halted on Friday as the crisis escalated. The company was reported to have been in discussions to sell itself, but any chance of a deal quickly faded as its customers rushed to pull out their cash.

The rout in SVB shares spread to major US banks, with shares in JP Morgan down 7 per cent this week, Citigroup fell 7.1 per cent, Morgan Stanley slipped 7.2 per cent, Goldman Sachs sank 7 per cent and Bank of America dropped 11 per cent.

Shares in SVB fell by 67 percent from $267 to $106 on Thursday before trading was halted

The NYPD were called after 'about a dozen' financiers, including former Lyft executive Dor Levi, showed up outside a branch of SVB on Park Avenue as a run on the bank Friday morning forced the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to seize its assets

At the Park Avenue branch, the doors were locked with only employees allowed into the building with a key card

Two cop cars rolled up to the bank branch of Park Avenue in Manhattan on Friday after investors arrived frantically trying to pull their cash out

People line up outside of the shuttered Silicon Valley Bank in Santa Clara on Friday

A sign posted at entrance to Silicon Valley Bank is shown. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation seized the assets of the bank on Friday, marking the largest bank failure since Washington Mutual during the height of the 2008 financial crisis

European banks were also hit, with shares in Deutsche Bank down 7.4 per cent, and France's Societe Generale and BNP Paribas fell 4.5 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.

SVB, the nation's 16th-largest bank, had been a crucial lender for start-up tech, healthcare companies and venture capital-backed companies, including some of the industry's best-known brands.

'This is an extinction-level event for startups,' said Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, a startup incubator that launched Airbnb, DoorDash and Dropbox and has referred hundreds of entrepreneurs to the bank.

'I literally have been hearing from hundreds of our founders asking for help on how they can get through this. They are asking, `Do I have to furlough my workers?'

Nearly half of the U.S. technology and health care companies that went public last year after getting early funding from venture capital firms were Silicon Valley Bank customers, according to the bank's website.

The bank also boasted of its connections to leading tech companies such as Shopify, ZipRecruiter and one of the top venture capital firms, Andreesson Horowitz.

Tan estimated that nearly one-third of Y Combinator's startups will not be able to make payroll at some point in the next month if they cannot access their money.

Internet TV provider Roku was among casualties of the bank collapse. It said in a regulatory filing Friday that about 26% of its cash - $487 million - was deposited at Silicon Valley Bank.

Roku said its deposits with SVB were largely uninsured and it didn't know 'to what extent' it would be able to recover them.

As part of the seizure, California bank regulators and the FDIC transferred the bank's assets to a newly created institution - the Deposit Insurance Bank of Santa Clara. The new bank will start paying out insured deposits on Monday.

Then the FDIC and California regulators plan to sell off the rest of the assets to make other depositors whole.

The failure arrived with incredible speed. Some industry analysts suggested Friday that the bank was still a good company and a wise investment. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley Bank executives were trying to raise capital and find additional investors. However, trading in the banks shares was halted before stock market's opening bell due to extreme volatility.

Shortly before noon, the FDIC moved to shutter the bank. Notably, the agency did not wait until the close of business, which is the typical approach. The FDIC could not immediately find a buyer for the bank's assets, signaling how fast depositors cashed out.

Founded in 1982 and based in the Californian city of Santa Clara, the financier was one of the oldest and largest banks in Silicon Valley managing most of the area's local deposits. Its collapse marks a swift fall from grace for a lender that was valued at more than $44billion a year ago.

At the time of its failure the bank held around $209 billion in total assets, the FDIC said. It was unclear how many of its deposits were above the $250,000 insurance limit, but previous regulatory reports showed that lots of accounts exceeded that amount.

It mainly focused on lending cash to technology firms and offering services to private equity and venture capital groups to invest in the sector.

Boss Greg Becker found himself scrambling to shore up confidence in the bank as the rapidly escalating crisis caused many of its backers to pull out their money, leaving it facing a cash crunch.

In a hastily organized call on Thursday, Becker, 52, advised SVB's beleaguered backers and founders to 'stay calm', saying 'the last thing we need you to do is panic.'
New VB variation will not be sold in the NT

A high-strength variation of one of Australia's most famous beers will not be sold in one part of the country over fears of increased levels of alcohol-fuelled violence.

The Victoria Bitter Xtra beer, brewed by Carlton and United Breweries, has an alcohol percentage of 6 per cent, 1.1 per cent more than the classic Victoria Bitter that is sold nation-wide.

Carlton and United Breweries announced that the new beer will not be available in the Northern Territory during its launch this week.

The decision comes in the midst of skyrocketing incidences of alcohol-related violence in the Territory and alcohol bans in communities surrounding Alice Springs.

It has also sparked calls for other breweries to follow suit and limit the amount of extra-strength alcohol sold in the Territory.

The new high-strength VB variation, VX (pictured), will not be sold in the Northern Territory after skyrocketing rates of alcohol-related crimes

The Northern Territory has seen a spike in alcohol related violence after Howard-era liquor bans in remote communities were repealed last year.

Statistics from Northern Territory Police show that domestic violence assaults increased by 65 per cent and alcohol-related assault were up by 68 per cent between 2021 and 2022.

According to a report from the Northern Territory Government, 'as of September 2022, 1 in 27 people in Alice Springs experienced alcohol related assault, compared to 1 in 154 people in Darwin'.

Darren Clarke, who started the campaign to spotlight the violence in Alice Springs, told Daily Mail Australia that he believed Indigenous kids were coming into town and committing crimes acts of violence to get away from alcohol-fuelled violence at home.

Liquor bans were re-implemented in communities surrounding Alice Springs in February after a crime wave swept over the central Australian city (pictured, a shop window broken during the crime wave)

The new VX was created to satisfy the growing market for higher percentage beers, made popular by craft beer breweries

VB Brand Director Sarah Wilcox said that while almost 30 per cent of Carlton & United Breweries beer sales are to light or moderate strength beers, higher percentage beers are becoming more popular in the craft beer scene.

'Higher-alcohol beers are increasingly popular in the craft segment, and we think there's a market among traditional beer lovers who also want bolder and more intense flavours. It's all about choice,' Ms Wilcox said.

'Weve launched VX to give beer lovers a slightly bolder and more intense version of the great VB taste theyve enjoyed for generations.

'It is brewed to be enjoyed with mates and to offer more choices of great-tasting beer for various occasions.'

The new VX beer will cost $16 for a four pack and $60 for a slab outside of the Northern Territory.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, speaks at a rally March 11 protesting against the government's compensation plan for victims of Japan's wartime forced labor in central Seoul. Yonhap



Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung again denounced the government's compensation plan for victims of wartime forced labor Saturday, claiming that the solution may result in Japan's Self-Defense Forces entering the Korean Peninsula.



Lee, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, made the remarks in a rally protesting against the government's plan to compensate the Korean victims of Japan's forced labor through a foundation supported by donations from Korean businesses, not the Japanese companies accused of forced labor during World War II.



Opposition parties, victims and activists have strongly denounced the decision, saying that it makes no sense to compensate forced labor victims with public donations, rather than money from Japanese companies that exploited forced labor victims.



"There is the possibility of the military boots of the Self-Defense Forces again disgracing the Korean Peninsula under the excuse of joint drills between Korea, the United States and Japan," Lee said in the rally held in central Seoul.



"What awaits after the enforcement of the humiliating compensation plan are a munitions support agreement between Korea and Japan and a joint military alliance between Korea, the U.S. and Japan," he said.



His remarks were seen as expressing concerns that Korea could fall victim to Japan's renewed militarism and face a fate similar to the 1910-45 colonial rule if the government pushes ahead with the third-party compensation plan.



Lee also lashed out at President Yoon Suk Yeol, saying Yoon has further slashed the wounds of the victims and trampled on the people's pride with the decision.



Mentioning Yoon's upcoming trip to Japan, the opposition leader claimed that Japan has not compromised over any of the thorny issues in Korea-Japan ties except sending an invitation for the visit.



Yoon is set to visit Tokyo next week for a summit with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. It marks the first bilateral presidential trip to Japan in 12 years made possible after Seoul announced a solution to the forced labor row. (Yonhap)




A real estate agent could be jailed and fined $20,000 after allegedly breaching Aboriginal heritage law and upgrading the creek crossing at his property.

Tony Maddox is risking nine months behind bars and losing his real estate licence for upgrading the gravel creek at his property at Toodyay, 85km north-east of Perth.

The gravel crossing became washed out during wet weather and made his property inaccessible prompting Mr Maddox to lay concrete over it.

His neighbour made a complaint before the WA Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to launch an investigation before charging him in February.

Tony Maddox is risking nine months behind bars and losing his real estate licence for upgrading the gravel creek at his property at Toodyay, 85km north-east of Perth

The upgrade is allegedly in breach of the state's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.

'I can't believe I'm charged with a criminal offence for [an Act] that I know nothing about,' Mr Maddox told ABC.

The new driveway was built across Boyagerring Brooke, a creek that is part of the Avon River catchment.

The prosecution's statement of facts claim the creek holds significant value for the traditional owners of the region and Noongar mythology.

The statement of facts claim the rainbow serpent Waugul lives in the creek and that any work on it could cause the creature to leave and the water to dry up.

The prosecution alleges the site has been 'significantly altered and damaged' after silt was removed, bore water pumped into the brook and a lake and fountain built.

Mr Maddox also did not seek approval from Aboriginal Affairs Minister Tony Buti or the Registrar of Aboriginal Sites, according to the prosecution.

The farmer said he was taken aback by the charge and had no idea about the Aboriginal Heritage Act.

'If this goes through it will affect every single farmer in Western Australia,' Mr Maddox said.

The gravel crossing became washed out during wet weather and made his property inaccessible prompting Mr Maddox to lay concrete over it

'Every farmer crosses creeks in their daily activities. There's going to be an awful lot of permission-seeking going on.'

He told 6PR that a gravel bridge had already been installed at the property before he moved in nine years ago.

Mr Maddox claimed the construction work simply 'beautified' the crossing and that it had been upgraded a year before the neighbour made a complaint.

The real estate agent has been running his own business for the last 33 years and could lose his licence if he is convicted.

He said he would be forced to lay off seven people and that the whole ordeal had taken a toll on his mental health.

'It just wrecked me,' he said. 'I'm broken'.
The devastating 'Pineapple Express' storm continues to batter California, with as much as 13 inches of rain falling in one county Friday, destroying roads and killing a warehouse worker.

The huge storm first hit the West Coast on Thursday evening, placing 21 counties under a state of emergency while evacuation orders were issued in several coastal counties.

More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday, California Office of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward confirmed. There are also 15 shelters open throughout the state.

Ward also stated that two other deaths from previous weeks were confirmed to be caused by this disastrous weather, bringing the confirmed death toll from the storms to 16.

Recent weeks have seen some of the most destructive weather on the West Coast in decades, with snowpack levels across the state currently 215 percent higher than normal, according to forecaster Snoflo.

In Lake Tahoe, where the storm was preceded by the historic blizzard, residents are being quoted $20,000 just to get the snow off their roofs, which would likely be against the state's price gouging laws, according to the New York Times.

The overflowed Kern River is shown in this screengrab from a video obtained from social media, in Kernville, California

Monterey County was the worst-hit area in the state as it was pummeled with as much as 13 inches of rain on Friday.

Rain topped the 10 inch mark in Santa Cruz County, where a creek bloated by rain destroyed a portion of Main Street in Soquel - a town of 10,000 people - isolating several neighborhoods.

Crews were working to remove trees and other debris and find a way for people to cross the creek, county officials said.

There were also flash floods in Kernville, another foothill town in Kern County. Officials said there were no injuries reported or calls for rescue by Friday afternoon but that the river, known to locals as 'Killer Kern,' continued to rise.

The flood was captured on a stunning video that showed it overtaking homes, as officials warned people in Springville that they were facing 'catastrophic life threatening' floods.

Evacuations were ordered in nearby Watsonville where creek water spilled over and filled roadways with several feet of water, threatening dozens of homes with flooding. At one home, chickens inside a backyard coop perched on a bar near the roof to avoid the water.

Morgan Lynn Searcy, 24, lives near the river and said her neighborhood is under an evacuation warning. She has been keeping an eye on the rising waters in case she and her boyfriend need to leave.

'It was double in size if not triple overnight,' she said.

The devastating 'Pineapple Express' storm continues to batter California, with as much as 13 inches of rain falling in one county Friday, destroying roads and killing two people, bringing the total dead from the storm to 16

Floodwaters stand inside Jose Garcia's home on College Road in Watsonville

State Parks swift water technicians Jeremy Paiss and Bryan Kine transport Lizbeth Hernandez to safety after her truck was swept away by flood waters along Paulsen Road in Watsonville

The swollen Alameda Creek flows rapidly in Fremont, California, as the latest storm system moves through on Friday

Sonoma County Fire's Eric Gromala guides a woman to safety after her vehicle stalled out in deep floodwater on Eastside Road just south of Riverfront Regional Park near Forestville

A road washed away on North Main Street of Santa Cruz during atmospheric river in California

A car sits under several inches of water in Watsonville earlier Friday

County authorities asked the town's residents to stay indoors. Heather Wingfield, a teacher who runs a small urban farm with her husband in Soquel, said she and her neighbors were, for the time being, trapped in their homes as Bates Creek rushed through what was once Main Street.

In central California, the Tule River overflowed its banks and flooded several homes. Videos posted on social media showed a handful of homes and cars under a few feet of water and at least one road washed out by the rushing river in Springville, a Tulare County town of about 1,000 people in the foothills of the southern Sierra Nevada.

Evacuation orders were ordered for other areas of the county, including parts of the small community of Cutler because of a levee break and areas of Exeter because a creek overflowed its banks.

Several public parks nearby, including the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, were closed to visitors due to the ongoing heavy rain.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, flooding blocked portions of several major highways, including Interstate 580 in Oakland, disrupting travel.

The wet and wild weather comes after California has seen historic snowfall in recent months, with mountainous regions remaining under deep snowpack

A homeless person with a blanket soaked in rain walks past a mural depicting Hollywood legends in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles

A snowplow clears a hotel parking lot of new snow at dawn, near snowbanks piled up from previous storms, during another winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains

Evacuations were ordered in nearby Watsonville where creek water spilled over and filled roadways with several feet of water, threatening dozens of homes with flooding

A worker makes emergency repairs to a road that was washed out amid heavy rains. Part of Main Street in Soquel

There were also flash floods in Kernville, another foothill town in Kern County. Officials said there were no injuries reported or calls for rescue by Friday afternoon but that the river, known to locals as 'Killer Kern,' continued to rise

A homeless tent encampment, right, is set next to a large Eucalyptus tree that fell with the storms at Elysian Park in Los Angeles

One Twitter user wrote to the San Bernadino County Sheriff: 'My friend in Twin Peaks was trapped inside her cabin for almost two weeks'

The snow comes all the way up to the top of this resident's door

Peet's Coffee, a California-based chain, reported that after a heavy storm, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of a roof collapse that killed a worker - Martin Gonzalez, 57, who had worked there for 17 years - at a distribution center leased by the company in Oakland at around 3:15 a.m. local time Friday.

Gonzalez had likely just begun shift only minutes earlier. A female worker received minor injuries, the company said.

'We don't know absolutely what happened,' said spokeswoman Mary O'Connell. 'Clearly structural failure, but caused by what?'

The storm marked the state's 10th atmospheric river of the winter, storms that have brought enormous amounts of rain and snow to the state and helped lessen the drought conditions that had dragged on for three years.

State reservoirs that had dipped to strikingly low levels are now well above the average for this time of year, prompting state officials to release water from dams to assist with flood control and make room for even more rain.

State transportation officials said Friday they removed so much snow from the roadways in February that it would be enough to fill the iconic Rose Bowl 100 times.

A person walks as snow falls above snowbanks piled up from previous storms during another winter storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains on March 10, 2023 in Mammoth Lakes

Nayana Stokes assesses flood damage inside her garage on College Road in Watsonville

People lay out sandbags to help alleviate the flooding in Watsonville Friday

Jose Garcia walks outside of his flooded home on College Road

The storm marked the state's 10th atmospheric river of the winter, storms that have brought enormous amounts of rain and snow to the state and helped lessen the drought conditions that had dragged on for three years

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared emergencies in 34 counties in recent weeks, and the Biden administration approved a presidential disaster declaration for some on Friday morning, a move that will bring more federal assistance into the state

#BREAKING: Life threatening flash flood emergency has been declared with evacuations ordered

#Springville | #California



A flash flood emergency has been declared early today and still continuing for Springville and Porterville CA as they are calling this a catastrophic https://t.co/BS6HVloA2U pic.twitter.com/hdWDGKLaVe  R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 11, 2023

Corky Beall surveys floodwaters on College Road in Watsonville

Teresa Fuentes becomes emotional after seeing flood damage to belongings at her home

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared emergencies in 34 counties in recent weeks, and the Biden administration approved a presidential disaster declaration for some on Friday morning, a move that will bring more federal assistance into the state.

Emergency officials have warned people to stay off the roads if they can and to carefully heed flash flood warnings.

The atmospheric river, known as a 'Pineapple Express' because it brought warm subtropical moisture across the Pacific from near Hawaii, was melting lower parts of the huge snowpack built in California's mountains.

Snow levels in the Sierra Nevada, which provides about a third of the states water supply, are more than 180 percent of the April 1 average, when it is historically at its peak.

The snowpack at high elevations is so massive it was expected to be able to absorb the rain, but snow below 4,000 feet could start to melt, potentially contributing to flooding, forecasters said.

In an aerial view, workers make emergency repairs to a road that was washed out heavy rains

Peet's Coffee, a California-based chain, reported that after a heavy storm, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of a roof collapse (pictured) that killed a worker - Martin Gonzalez, 57, who had worked there for 17 years - at a distribution center leased by the company in Oakland at around 3:15 a.m. local time Friday

A pedestrian walks with an umbrella as motorists drive through rain along the 110 Freeway in Hollywood

A woman stands on the roof of her fully submerged truck in a pond of water from the Casserly Creek as she awaits the fire department to rescue her in Corralitos

State reservoirs that had dipped to strikingly low levels are now well above the average for this time of year, prompting state officials to release water from dams to assist with flood control and make room for even more rain

Emergency officials have warned people to stay off the roads if they can and to carefully heed flash flood warnings

Lizbeth Hernandez is rescued from Casserly Creek after flood waters carried her truck off of Paulsen Road in Watsonville

Lake Oroville - one of the most important reservoirs in the state and home to the nation's tallest dam - has so much water that officials on Friday planned to open the dam's spillways for the first time since April 2019. The reservoir's water has risen 180 feet since December 1.

Of the states 17 major reservoirs, seven are still below their historical averages this year.

Despite record rainfall in January, Newsom worried it would stop raining and asked state water regulators to temporarily suspend some environmental rules to let the state take more water out of rivers and streams to store for later.

But it has rained so much since then that on Thursday regulators rescinded their previous order to allow more water to stay in the rivers.

State water managers were also grappling with the best way to use the storms to help emerge from a severe drought.

Gonzalez had likely just begun shift at the Peet's Coffee building (pictured) only minutes earlier. A female worker received minor injuries, the company said

A man rides his bicycle through floodwaters on College Road in Watsonville

A resident crosses a pedestrian bridge over swollen Mission Creek across from the Santa Barbara Train Station

Teresa Fuentes moves her belongings out of floodwaters at her home

On Friday, Newsom signed an executive order making it easier for farmers and water agencies to use floodwater to refill underground aquifers.

Groundwater provides on average about 41 percent of the state's supply each year. But many of these underground basins have been overdrawn in recent years.

Forecasters warned that mountain travel could be difficult to impossible during the latest storm.

At high elevations, the storm was predicted to dump heavy snow, as much as 8 feet over several days.

Yet another atmospheric river is already in the forecast for early next week. State climatologist Michael Anderson said a third appeared to be taking shape over the Pacific and possibly a fourth.

California appeared to be 'well on its way to a fourth year of drought' before the early winter series of storms, Anderson said. 'Were in a very different condition now,' he added.

State Parks swift water technicians Jeremy Paiss and Bryan Kine swim to rescue Lizbeth Hernandez, 18, as shivers from the cold standing on the top of her submerged truck in Casserly Creek

The Kern river was one of several that have overflowed from the recent storms

California appeared to be 'well on its way to a fourth year of drought' before the early winter series of storms, Anderson said. 'Were in a very different condition now,' he added
A federal appeals judge appointed by Donald Trump has demanded an apology from Stanford Law School after he was invited to speak, only to be berated by a pious dean while woke students shouted abuse at him.

Judge Kyle Duncan, from the fifth circuit of appeals, was ambushed by associate dean of equity, diversity and inclusion Tirien Steinbach during a discussion Thursday night.

Steinbach - a former ACLU lawyer who previously defended free speech - initially claimed Duncan had a right to express his views.

But she then launched into an impassioned six minute speech - which she had written down - condemning his life's work.

Duncan looked on bemused as Steinbach stood at the lectern and told the law students she 'had to write something down because I am so uncomfortable up here.'

She continued: 'For many people at the law school who work here, who study here, and who live here, your advocacy - your opinions from the bench - land as absolute disenfranchisement of their rights.'

Judge Kyle Duncan looks on in baffled, barely-disguised anger as Tirien Steinbach, the associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, berates him in front of the class

Duncan said he was unable to deliver his prepared remarks because he was immediately ambushed by students, and then the dean

Judge Kyle Duncan (left) was challenged by the associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion at Stanford Law School, Tirien Steinbach (right)

Woke students clicked their fingers in support - after progressive colleges warned handclapping can cause offense - and cried 'Yes' in agreement.

'They feel harmed not just by your speech - because if it was just words that would be one thing. You have authority and power to make decisions that impact the lives of millions,' Steinbach continued.

Her voice could be heard trembling at certain points, although it's unclear whether she was upset at Duncan, or just excited at having the chance to perform.

She said she hoped Duncan could 'listen through your partisan lens.'

Steinbach added: 'It's uncomfortable to say this to you as a person. It's uncomfortable to say that for many people here, your work has caused harm  and I know that must be uncomfortable to hear. It must be.

'I'm also uncomfortable because many of the people in the room here I have come to care for.'

Duncan stood and shook his head in amazement. Steinbach also voiced her support for free speech.

But she did an apparent volte face just seconds later, when she suggested hate speech should be banned, and that her students could advocate for those very laws after graduating.

Duncan, a 51-year-old Louisiana-born lawyer, known for challenging LGBTQ+ rights, was appointed a federal judge in 2018 by then-President Trump.

Prior to that he represented Christian company Hobby Lobby in their case against providing contraception on health insurance plans to their staff - a case that Duncan successfully argued before the Supreme Court.

The LGBTQ+ advocacy group Lambda Legal said Duncan had 'spent his whole career working to annihilate civil rights progress.'

Duncan was invited to Thursday's on-campus event by the Stanford chapter of conservative group The Federalist Society.

He was tasked with discussing laws related to guns, COVID mandates, guns and Twitter.

'So, you've invited me to speak here, and I've been heckled non-stop,' said Duncan.

Steinbach then took the lectern, and, her voice quavering, said Duncan's remarks were 'tearing at the fabric of this community that I am here to support.'

Duncan was invited by the Stanford chapter of the Federalist Society to speak at the university

The 51-year-old Louisiana-born lawyer found himself laughing at the absurdity of the situation

She asked him: 'Is the juice worth the squeeze?'

When Duncan tried to reply, students screamed: 'Let her finish!' They remained hushed and polite while the woke dean espoused her beliefs, but offered Duncan no such courtesy.

'For many people here, your work has caused harm,' Steinbach told Duncan.

'In my role at this university, my job is to create a sense of belonging for all students.

'And that is hard and messy and not easy, and the answers are not black or white, or right or wrong. This is part of the creation of belonging.

'And it doesn't feel comfortable and it doesn't always feel safe, but there are always places of safety and there is always an intention to make sure you all feel in a space where you can feel fully.'

Steinbach said that Duncan was 'absolutely welcome' - leading him to raise an eyebrow.

She said she wanted 'more speech, not less' - but appeared happy to let students heckle someone whose views were different to hers.

She accused Duncan of fostering 'division' that upset the students.

'I hope you can look through the spectacle and noise, to the people holding these signs,' she said, pointing out one person holding aloft a 'Trans Lives Matter' placard.

She then invited any students who felt threatened to leave, telling them 'many who go before Judge Duncan do not have a choice. You have a choice.'

Dozens stood and filed out, as Duncan looked on in shock and distain.

Steinbach, who worked as an attorney for the NAACP before joining Stanford, condemned Duncan for his work

Duncan on Friday told Reuters he felt ambushed.

'In my view, this was a setup, she was working with students on this,' he said.

Prior to the event, Steinbach sent out an email parroting the same woke points, sparking speculation she'd been circling the wagons prior to the ambush.

He said he was 'offended' and 'disturbed' by the 'deeply uncivil behavior' of the students and Steinbach.

'It would be nice if they reached out to me and said, 'Gee, we're sorry,' he said.

In an message to students on Friday, Stanford Law dean Jenny Martinez said preventing a speaker from presenting through heckling or other means violates the school's policies.

'However well-intentioned, attempts at managing the room in this instance went awry,' she wrote.

'The way this event unfolded was not aligned with our institutional commitment to freedom of speech.'

Duncan compared the protest to incidents at other law schools, including Yale and Georgetown, where student-led protests of conservative speakers prompted discussion about whether law schools are living up to their ideals as bastions of open debate and free speech.

Some federal court judges have said they'll no longer hire clerks from Yale, over fears they'll end up with a woke social justice warrior unable to represent someone whose views they find offensive.

Stanford law students could now find themselves shunned too. The school is one of the wokest and most prestigious colleges in the United States.

Last year, it sparked uproar after publishing a 'harmful language guide,' which claimed words including 'American' and 'brave' were offensive - and that the phrase 'give it a go' glorified violent imagery.

'I told [students] this is not going to work in a courtroom, this way of disagreement,' Duncan said of the tussle.

'Maybe that's where we are going as a society, but that doesn't work in my courtroom.'

Law student Tessa Silverman, who attended the protest, told Reuters that Duncan himself appeared angry and called some students 'idiots.'

Duncan confirmed it.

'They are idiots,' he said. 'They are hypocrites and they are bullies.'
A teenager is among five people who have been rushed to hospital following a two car crash.

A Volkswagen Passat was seen 'driving erratically' before it crashed into an Alfa Romeo on Lygon Street at Carlton, in Melbourne's north, on Saturday.

The Alfa Romeo then spun out of control and struck a pedestrian.

Bystanders rushed to the scene and stopped the 40-year-old driver of the Volkswagen from leaving until police arrived.

A teenager is among five people who have been rushed to hospital following a two car crash

A Volkswagen Passat was seen 'driving erratically' before it crashed into an Alfa Romeo on Lygon Street at Carlton, in Melbourne's north, on Saturday

The male pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries and has been taken to hospital.

A female teenager in the Alfa Romeo has been left with life-threatening head injuries and she was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The 61-year-old driver and his wife, who was another passenger, were also taken to hospital to be treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Victoria Police said the driver of the Volkswagen had been taken to hospital under police guard.

'The driver of the Volkswagen was detained by bystanders until police arrived and has been taken to hospital under police guard with non-life-threatening injuries,' a spokesperson said.

One local recalled hearing a loud bang and the 'crunching of metal' at the time of the crash.
A Seattle podcaster and her ex-Google engineer husband who were shot dead by a crazed stalker have been pictured hours after being slain at their $1.6m home.

Zohreh Sadeghi, 33, a self-styled 'techie', was shot and killed by Texas trucker Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38, with a handgun on Thursday night at her $1.6m home in Redmond, Washington.

Khodakaramrezaei climbed through a window at 2am and shot Sadeghi and her husband, Mohammed Naseri, 35, then himself. Sadeghi's mother was inside the home at the time and was able to escape to a neighbor's house and call 911.

Police say Khodakaramrezaei first found Sadeghi through a podcast about finding work in tech and became so obsessed with her that she filed the restraining order against him.

They told the Seattle Times that Khodakaramrezaei's work as a trucker made him hard to nail down.

On February 22, just weeks before the killing, records show Khodakaramrezaei sent Naseri 82 texts on Telegram and she told police he had once called her more than 100 times in a day.

Zohreh Sadeghi, 33, an self-styled 'techie', was shot and killed by trucker Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38, on Thursday night in her home in Redmond, Washington

Sadeghi's husband, Mohammed Naseri, 35, who worked as Amazon software engineer, was also killed

Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe said that Sadeghi contacted them in December 2022, saying Khodakaramrezaei interest 'intensified.'

This led to a temporary order of protection being signed against Khodakaramrezaei on March 3, with a hearing scheduled for two weeks later.

Khodakaramrezaei had also been charged with two counts of telephone harassment and one count of stalking. A bench warrant was issued with bail set at $100,000.

Both husband and wife were software engineers, with Sadeghi having worked at Promontory MortgagePath, according to her LinkedIn page. The couple were married around 2011 and bought the Redmond home in 2021.

According to his LinkedIn page, Naseri had joined Amazon as a lead software engineer in January 2022 after working for Google.

Naseri wrote in the petition for the no contact order that Sadeghi first told him about Khodakaramrezaei in late 2021, describing him as the member of a new friend group.

Khodakaramrezaei was divorced with a child but had no prior criminal record.

Court records obtained by DailyMail.com describe how the pair met in person in 2022, and how Sadeghi hid some of their interactions from her husband.

The 'friendship' turned sinister and resulted in her begging him to leave her alone.

Hauntingly, in a petition filed just last month she, she pleaded: 'He has bursts of anger and is completely delusional.

'These delusions make me fear for my life and the lives of my loved ones.'

Stalker Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38, shot himself after killing the woman and her husband at 2am Thursday night. He broke into the home through a window

Sadeghi worked at Promontory MortgagePath as a software engineer, according to her LinkedIn page

Court records obtained by DailyMail.com describe how the pair met in person in 2022, and how Sadeghi hid some of their interactions from her husband (pictured)

Sadeghi and her husband were married around 2011 and bought the Redmond home in 2021

She told police how he'd shown up at their home uninvited, delivering flowers and even once promising to send a musical band to play outside.

'He contacted my husband and continues to do so. He has come to my neighborhood several times, staying at inns around my neighborhood, he has parked down my street in hopes of seeing me.

At one point, he threatened to end her marriage.

'I am suffering a deep-seated fear for my safety,' she said.

She included call logs which demonstrate how frequently he phoned her and left messages, and told police that he would sometimes park down the street in the hope of catching a glimpse of her.

Sadeghi blocked him on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and on her phone's call application but he began to start contacting Naseri, as recently as February 2023.

On February 22, just weeks before the killing, records show Khodakaramrezaei sent Naseri 82 texts on Telegram.

The suburban home of Zohreh Sadeghi, 33, and Mohammed Naseri, 35, who were killed Thursday night by stalker Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38

The interior of the home where a stalker broke in through a window Thursday night and killed the husband and wife living inside

Court records obtained by DailyMail.com show that a criminal complaint was filed against him a week ago

The stalker's relentless calls and voicemails to the victim in February, before she called police

The restraining order petition reveals how he sent her gifts like a neck scarf

It's unclear whether Khodakaramrezaei was in the area or if he drove from Texas to Washington to attack her. She had recently reported him to police.

Redmond Police could not confirm whether the stalker had a criminal background, or whether he legally obtained his weapon.

They say the man started tuning in to her podcast several months ago, but started barraging her with messages.

She had contacted police and authorities were preparing to serve him with the restraining order, but were having trouble pinning him down.

A truck believed to be that of the stalker was removed from the street today. The victim told police how he would park down the street in the hopes of catching a glimpse of her

Police at the scene of the crime on Friday morning. The once-quiet, suburban street is now overrun with investigators

Police at the crime scene on Friday morning. Both Zohreh and her husband were shot dead. The stalker then shot himself in the chest using his handgun

Police at the scene of the murders Thursday night in Redmond

Jamie Lynn Burns, a woman who was set to move into the house across the street from Sadeghi and Naseri, was stunned by the murders.

She said she'd visited the house just a week and a half ago and saw Sadeghi's mother watching 'diligently' out a window.

'I wonder ... now if she was maybe, you know, like on a high alert,' Burns told The Daily Beast.

Burns called it 'shocking' that something like this would happen in Redmond and said the couple had welcomed her to the neighborhood with open arms.

'They were just so friendly and inviting,' Burns said. 'We were like, 'Oh my gosh, we couldn't have found better neighbors.'
A brave young boy has given his first television interview two months after he miraculously survived the horrific Sea World helicopter crash that tragically claimed his mum's life.

Nicholas Tadros, 10, says he's well enough to eat McDonald's again now that his kidneys have 'woken up'.

The western Sydney boy has been in the fight of his life after the Sea World helicopter he was in collided with another chopper mid-air before plummeting onto a sandbank in the Gold Coast on January 2.

The tragic incident claimed four lives, including Nicholas's mother Vanessa Tadros, 36, UK newlyweds Ron and Diane Hughes and pilot Ash Jenkinson, 40.

Nicholas has spent the last two months in hospital where he has undergone at least 30 operations, including one to amputate his right leg.

Nicholas Tadros (pictured), 10, said he was well enough to have McDonald's now that his kidneys had 'woken up' in a segment set to broadcast across the country next week

Nicholas told A Current Affair host Allison Langdon he was looking forward to a McDonald's meal as his body slowly gets back on track.

The segment scheduled to air next week shows Nicholas sitting in a wheelchair high-fiving Langdon as she interviewed him after his remarkable recovery.

'My kidney has woken up, yeah I'm having Maccas for lunch,' he said.

''Mate, that is awesome ... everybody wants you to get better,' Langdon said.

'I want to get better too,' Nicholas replied.

He waved at the cameras and gave them a brave smile and thumbs up as he thanked everyone for their overwhelming support and prayers.

'Thanks Australia, I'm getting better now,' he said.

Nicholas was supported during the interview by his dad Simon, who has been by his son's bedside every day since the devastating crash.

Mr Tadros told Langdon it was 'priceless' to see his son smiling and asked Nicholas if the boy would always be his right hand man.

The grieving husband shared last month about the last moment he had with his wife Vanessa and Nicholas (pictured) before the doomed aircraft took off

Nicholas' dad Simon Tadros, who has been by his son's bedside every day since the devastating crash held his son's hand during the emotional interview

Mr Tadros revealed last month it had been a 'daily struggle' grieving for his wife while being by his son's bedside in hospital but said the least he could do was be there for Nicholas.

The grieving husband shared last month about the last moment he had with his wife Vanessa and Nicholas before the doomed aircraft took off.

The family had been on the Gold Coast for a well deserved holiday.

'I just gave them both a hug and a kiss and I said, 'Enjoy ithave fun,' he recalled.

'I'll see you when you get back down'.'

The doting father said he didn't join the pair because of his fear of heights.

Minutes later, Mr Tadros recalled hearing a 'big bang' and could only watch on in horror as the aircraft collided with another helicopter in mid-air.

Mr Tadros recalled the moment detectives informed him of the horror news.

'Those were the worst words I've ever heard in my life,' he said.

'I was terrified. I lost my wife. To lose my son as well, that's my whole life ripped apart, that's everyone gone.'

SeaWorld crash survivor Nicholas Tadros (pictured left with his father Simon), 10, has has undergone 30 operations including one last month where his right leg was amputated

Mr Tadros said his son was 'keeping his spirits' despite 'still struggling on a day-to-day basis'.

'He's trying to comprehend still what really happened to him,' he said.

Mr Tadros had previously revealed the full extent of his boy's injuries.

'He broke nearly everything from top to bottom, you know, his arms, his legs, his sternum, his hips, his thighs, his legs, his arms, ribs, lungs collapsing,' Mr Tadros said.

'The only thing I think he didn't really break was his right arm. How he survived is a miracle.'
Two pet cats were injured after being caught in 'barbaric' steel traps in Perth this week, sparking an urgent warning.

The RSPCA has issued a 'stern' warning against the use of illegal traps after rescuing one cat in Nedlands, in the city's west, on Tuesday and another in Greenmount, in Perth's east.

One cat managed to walk home with the trap still around its leg while the other was found trapped in the backyard of a suburban home.

Thankfully, both cats are on the mend following veterinary care from the RSPCA.

But Western Australia inspector manager Kylie Green warned many pets aren't so lucky.

Two cats had to be rescued from steel jaw traps in Perth this week (pictured, one of the cats undergoing treatment at the RSPCA after its paw was caught in a steel jaw trap)

'We want to remind the community in the strongest terms possible that steel-jaw traps are illegal to set in WA, as they cause terrible injuries and immense suffering to pets and wildlife,' she said.

'Trapped animals are frequently found in such terrible condition that they cannot be saved.

'There is no doubt many more aren't being found, meaning they are dying in extreme pain.'

The WA RSPCA receives around 5-10 callouts related to illegal traps every year.

People caught with the traps - which are often used as decoration despite being defined as a 'prescribed inhumane device' - face up to $50,000 in fines and five years in prison.

RSPCA inspector manager Kylie Green (above) has issued a stern warning about 'barbaric' steel traps

Anyone with a trap to drop it off at their nearest RSPCA shelter.

'We will destroy it for you, no questions asked,' Ms Green said.

Steel-jaw traps are classified as a 'prescribed inhumane device' under the Animal Welfare Act 2002.

A man, 78, was fined $6,000 after his steel jaw trap caught a domestic cat named Nige.

Nige's rear-right leg was severely injured and had to be amputated.

The RSPCA runs a 24/7 cruelty hotline on 1300 CRUELTY (1300 278 358).
It may have been freezing cold outside, but a New Hampshire state representative was boiling with rage after a snow plow driver blocked his driveway.

Jeffrey Greeson, 51, of Wentworth, was apoplectic and saw nothing but red on a day when the road beyond his driveway was blanketed with deep snow.

He was angered when Paul Manson trundled past on his snow plow to clear the roads for drivers and make them safer to use. Manson's plow blocked the end of Greeson's drive with snow, prompting an unseemly outburst.

In video footage shot by the driver from the Wentworth Highway Department, Greeson can be seen shaking his fists in a cartoonish manner as he let off steam into the sub zero air.

'Now, get in your truck and do your job! And you don't put it in my driveway!' Greeson yelled. 'Push it over there, out of the road, over there!' he said referring to a pile of snow the driver had been dealing with.

Criminal charges have been brought against New Hampshire state rep. Jeffrey Greeson, after he was caught on video verbally abusing a plow driver

The incident occurred last Saturday when Greeson, could be seen angrily stomping around in a loud and aggressive tirade, and confronted plow driver, Paul Manson, who was clearing snow

'It is mind-blowing to me. It took me a few days to actually settle down and figure out exactly what had happened,' Manson said on Friday. 'I was trying to do my job. I was mortified and just having somebody treat somebody like that.'

Greeson was arrested by state police on Friday and charged with disorderly conduct, criminal threatening, and simple assault

The tirade appear to last for several minutes as he seemed to follow the plow driver around his driveway, angrily stomping through several feet of snow as he barked instructions while shouting and swearing as to where he should place the snow.

'Heres where my driveway ends, right here. Push it out of the road!' shouted Greeson, who also used rude hand gestures and expletives.

'Your job is to clear the road. Clear the road! Now, get in your truck and do your job!'

The storm dropped nearly a foot of snow before winding down later in the day.

At one point Greeson seemed to lose his balance with the thick snow making it hard for him to chase after Manson. He then appeared to lose all perspective and stood directly in front of the snow plow, refusing to move and attempted to block Manson from filming him.

Greeson, a retired Navy officer and pastor serving his second term in the House was arrested by state police on Friday and charged with disorderly conduct, criminal threatening, and simple assault.

It appeared he was still seething with rage after he was confronted by reporters asking for a comment on his hot-headed actions.

On Thursday, Greeson, wearing a blue tie emblazoned with white doves was still stomping around, but perhaps uncharacteristically decided to freeze the press out, refusing to make any comments on camera about his icy rant.

Greeson went up to the snow plow driver and began yelling at him to move the snow from blocking his driveway

Greeson, wearing a blue tie emblazoned with white doves refused to make any comments on camera about his icy rant

Greeson was seen stomping around on Thursday but had no comment on the incident

Greeson issued a written statement acknowledging the incident and claimed that he had apologized to Manson and that the two had moved on from it.

'I apologized to the man. He accepted my apology. That was several days ago, and we have both moved on,' Greeson wrote.

Manson said he had already been plowing for about six hours on Saturday when he encountered Greeson standing in the middle of the road at around 8am.

'He just started giving me hell, and I didnt know what was going on,' he said on Thursday. 'When I got out of the truck, he started screaming in my face. So I got back in the truck and got my phone.

'He was upset because I wasn't pushing the snow off the road far enough, and I was putting it all in his driveway, which I'm going to be honest with you, that's what I do,' Manson said.

'My job is to get the snow off the road. And I feel bad most of the time because I do put snow back in people's driveway, and I really can't help it.'

Manson said he realizes it's no fun to shovel out after a snowplow passes but said public servants don't deserve to be attacked.

'I get to go home when Im done with my 15-, 16-, 18-hour shifts and do the same thing,' Manson said.

Manson first reported the incident to the State Police on the day it happened, expressed his relief and happiness upon hearing about Greeson's arrest, stating that the representative should be held accountable for his actions just like any other citizen.

Driver, Manson, pictured, who first reported the incident to the State Police on the day it happened, expressed his relief and happiness upon hearing about Greeson's arrest, stating that the representative should be held accountable for his actions just like any other citizen

'It is mind-blowing to me. It took me a few days to actually settle down and figure out exactly what had happened,' Manson said on Friday to WMUR. 'I was trying to do my job. I was mortified and just having somebody treat somebody like that.'

Democratic House Matt Leader Wilhelm released a statement in which he referred to the charges against Greeson as 'serious and deeply troubling'.

'The relationship between an elected official and their constituents is a sacred trust. I hope Rep. Greeson will do some soul-searching over the weekend as he considers next steps for himself and the community he serves,' Wilhelm wrote.

Greeson was released on personal recognizance and was ordered back to Plymouth District Court in May to answer to the charges against him by which time the snow will have melted away and hopefully cooler heads will prevail.
Britain's High Streets are set to be hit by more closures today as Argos, Boots and B&Q shut branches.

Argos in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland, will shut its doors as part of Sainsbury's plans to get rid of 50 standalone branches by the end of this month, according to reports.

Boots will also get rid of two of its shops today: in Church Street, Malvern, near Worcester, and in Port Arcades Shopping Centre, Ellesmere Port, near Chester.

These closures come on the same day B&Q says goodbye to eight of its mini branches seen inside Asda supermarkets, according to the Sun.

Instead, B&Q aims to launch small stores on the High Street.

Our map shows where B&Q, Argos and Boots stores are closing across the country

B&Q will close its concession today in the following locations: Sheffield Drakehouse, Dagenham, Roehampton, Edmonton, Thurmaston, Great Bridge, Lancaster and Hartlepool.

A B&Q spokesman told MailOnline: 'To adapt to changing consumer demand for speed and convenience, B&Q has been testing smaller store formats on high streets, on retail parks and in concession formats within Asda stores.

'Thanks to our "test and learn" approach, we're continually gathering feedback from customers and colleagues, helping us evolve the shopping experience in these smaller stores.

'We have decided to focus on developing our blueprint for smaller high street formats. We recently launched our new brand of small format stores, B&Q Local, with a view to expanding into more locations and, as a result, we will be closing eight small concessions within Asda stores.

'All employees have been offered alternative employment at nearby stores.'

A spokesman for Boots told MailOnline: 'Boots has over 2,200 stores across the UK.

'We continually review locations to make sure they are where our customers need us most and it is never a decision we take lightly when looking to close a store.'

The statement continued: 'Two stores  Port Arcade store in Ellesmere and Church Street store in Malvern  will close tomorrow as part of previously announced store closures.

'In all cases there is an alternative Boots store less than three miles away.

'Affected team members have been offered opportunities in other stores in the local area.

'Boots stores nearby will continue to offer pharmacy services and customers can find their nearest store at Store Locator (boots.com).'

MailOnline has contacted Argos owner Sainsbury's for comment.

The B&Q branch inside Sheffield Drakehouse's Asda supermarket is one of the branches to get the cut

The Argos in Coatbridge is also shutting its doors in fresh blow to the local economy

Boot's Church Street store in Malvern will also close  one of two that are shutting

Marks and Spencer is another name closing stores across the country as it battles soaring costs in yet another blow to the ailing British High Street.

The department store announced last year it would be closing 67 larger stores as it looks to open more of its popular Foodhalls in a push to save 300million  including reducing a 100million energy bill.

M&S chief executive Stuart Machin said the retailer aims to have 180 'full-line' shops selling food, clothing and homeware products by early 2028  down from 247.

The first of the stores to shut, in East Kilbride Shopping Centre, closed its doors on February 25, with other closures over the spring, some of which are still undergoing consultation.

Seven 'lower productivity, full line stores' are having the shutters pulled down for good  but the closures are still undergoing consultation

Meanwhile, 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 next month.

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 across the High Street, shopping centres and retail parks.

The budget retailer is set to open 12 shops across the UK over this and next month  here is where they will all be

Last month, Sainsbury's announced plans to close two Argos depots over the next three years in a move that will impact 1,400 jobs.

The supermarket giant confirmed it is aiming to shut its Argos warehouse in Basildon, Essex, and a depot in Heywood, Greater Manchester, by 2026.

Bosses said staff losing their jobs would have the 'opportunity to find alternative roles' elsewhere in the business.

The retailer is closing 50 larger Argos stores before the end of the financial year in favour of investing in more small branches inside Sainsbury's supermarkets.
Rogue agents from a UK-funded Albanian secret service unit that fights organised crime have been selling intelligence to gangsters.

Information from wiretaps leaked by a corrupt operative from the covert team  codenamed Merlin - led to the murder of a man as part of a feud between rival drug lords in the Balkan country, a Mail investigation has found.

And a whistleblower said at least two other Merlin agents have sold classified information to the crime networks they were meant to be crushing.

The shocking revelations come after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last month pledged to spend more to combat illegal migration and organized crime from Albania.

Merlin was set up within Albanias secret service, known as Shish, in 2000 when gangs from the country first began operating in the UK.

From the start it received most of its funding from British taxpayers.

Gunned down: Kastrati clan crime family member Denis Kasaj was killed in hail of bullets blasted at his Mercedes from a Czech Skorpion machine gun

The burnt out getaway car following the murder of Kastrati clan member Denis Kasaj

The Czech Skorpion machine gun used in the brutal murder of Denis Kasaj

Its agents received training by the UK and the departments activity is monitored by a contact officer based in the British embassy in Tirana with intelligence passed back to London.

Merlin was so secret that even its existence remained unreported for 16 years until the murder of Denis Kasaj, a member of the Kastrati clan crime family, who was gunned down in a Mercedes in hail of bullets from a Czech Skorpion machine gun.

Paid hitman Ilir Memushaj was jailed for 14 years in 2017 for the killing which detectives discovered was carried out the request of a rival crime clan, the Binjaku, as part of a long-running feud between the families.

Both clans have established vast drug networks across Europe, including the UK.

The gunmans Blackberry had 12 photographs of transcribed phone calls marked secret obtained by a Merlin agent through wiretapping operations.

Hitman Ilir Memushaj at court during his 2017 trial before he was jailed for 14 years for murder

During these calls gangsters disclosed details of the Mercedes, its occupants, and precisely where it would be at the time of the shooting.

A Merlin field agent later stood trial accused of being a double agent and selling state secrets to the criminals.

He was cleared after the judge ruled it could not be proved beyond doubt that he had leaked the intelligence as other Merlin agents had access to the same information.

But the judge found that the information obtained by the Binjkau clan had come from a serving Merlin agent.

The judgement said: The fact was proven that the data obtained from the Blackberry device are the same as those compiled by criminal prosecution bodies for the transcription of telephone conversations resulting from wiretapping.

The whistelblower, who works for Shish, named two other agents who worked for Merlin but have since been moved or dismissed due to suspicions they were leaking intelligence.

Information from their department was sold to criminals, illegal phone interceptions were made without the approval of prosecutors, with the information taken on USB flash drives or as photos, the whistleblower said.

I think information still gets leaked. If that did not happen we could see more criminal organisations dismantled and more assets seized.

Despite this, funding from British taxpayers continues and without that support Merlin could not exist today, the whistleblower said.

He said working for Merlin is a dream job for Albanian agents due to its unrivalled access to information and the extensive funding and support offered by UK

Theres a good salary compared to other departments and brand new cars including Audis were chosen by the head of Merlin, with the bills paid by the British embassy.

The agency has a director and four inspectors who work with other Shish agents when they need support on an investigation.

Another former Shish officer said: The Merlin directorate has been under constant care of the UK Embassy in Tirana.

On one occasion when the director of Shish wanted to replace the Merlin director, the UK ambassador came several times to the Shish headquarters opposing the decision. He was not replaced.

He stressed that other Merlin officers were hard-working and honest and had run successful operations especially against drug trafficking.

The Foreign Office said it did not comment on intelligence.

A Shish spokesman said the agency was considering a response and then did not provide further comment.


By Kim Jae-heun



Korean cosmetics companies are stepping up efforts to expand their presence in North America, where a growing number of young consumers have become fans of Korean music, movies and other cultural contents, while reducing their dependence on China, according to company officials.



Over the past decade, the cosmetics firms saw their sales grow at an explosive rate thanks to Chinese consumers who used to be big buyers of made-in-Korea beauty products. But this has become a thing of the past as more and more Chinese now prefer either high-priced European brands or affordable local ones.



Now, AMOREPACIFIC, LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H) and other domestic beauty product manufacturers have hired new models or rebranded their products to appeal to millennials and Gen Z consumers in the United States, Canada and Mexico.



AMOREPACIFIC, Korea's largest cosmetics company, recently changed the brand logo of its premium product line, "Sulwhasoo," from Chinese characters to English. This is the first time that AMOREPACIFIC dumped the Chinese characters that the company had been using since 1997.



"We can say that AMOREPACIFIC has completely changed the basic identity of Sulwhasoo that it had been promoting since the beginning of the brand's establishment," a local cosmetics firm official said."



The company hired K-pop musician Rose as its global ambassador in January and also featured models from diverse ethnic groups in its new Sulwhasoo advertisement.



"This is a symbolic moment demonstrating that the main target market for K-beauty is shifting to North America," the official added.



However, AMOREPACIFIC said the Chinese market is still important and its renewal efforts only aim to diversify global customer demographics.



"The reason why we changed our brand logo in English is to focus on the heritage of Sulwhasoo in the global market. We wanted to show the history and philosophy of the brand," an AMOREPACIFIC official said. "We hired Rose as a global ambassador to utilize her fame in North America."



LG H&H also refreshed its leading cosmetics brand, "The history of Whoo." It ditched the gold package design and herbal scents that suited Chinese customers' tastes.



The company shifted its sales and marketing strategies focusing on China to North America. In January, it appointed new CEO Moon Hye-young to lead LG H&H Americas, who built her career at Starbucks and Amazon in the United States.



Declining sales in China have prompted the two companies to shift their focus to the North American market.



After the outbreak of COVID-19, China locked down a number of its major cities to contain the spread of infections. As a result, many Korean cosmetic brands had to shut down their shops in China.



China also banned its people from traveling abroad and the sales of Korean cosmetics products at duty-free shops plunged as a result.



Sales of LG H&H's "The History of Whoo" and "Sum 37" decreased 38 percent and 16 percent, respectively, year-on-year in 2022.



AMOREPACIFIC's revenues in Asia fell 24 percent amid a 17 percent drop in overseas sales during the same period.



Their revenues from the Chinese market account for more than half of total overseas sales.



The rapid growth of local cosmetics brands in China is another big threat that is hurting Korean cosmetics firms. According to a survey by global consulting firm PWC in June of last year, 45 percent of Chinese respondents preferred homegrown brands.



AmoreaPacific and LG H&H are also striving to make their cosmetics brands appeal to younger consumers.



Sulwhasoo is often referred as a premium beauty brand for middle-age customers here. However, the company recently came up with a "young anti-aging" concept for its products to not only target consumers in their 40s, but also young customers in their 20s and 30s.



AMOREPACIFIC's low-cost brand Innisfree has deviated from its "Jeju Island" concept. Innisfree has strongly advocated Jeju Island's nature-friendly image in its products until now, using Jeju green tea and volcanic ash as raw materials in its products.



However, the brand has created a new virtual island called "New Isle" as a marketing strategy targeting Gen Z consumers.



"We broke the stereotype of cosmetics brand advertising by adopting a new virtual island in our marketing concept and we aim to capture the attention of young consumers," an Innisfree official said.



LG H&H's "O HUI" brand hired actor Son Suk-ku as its new main model, replacing Kim Tae-hee and Shin Min-ah.



"We hired Son to appeal to young customers and make O HUI a younger brand," an LG H&H official said. "Gen Z is our future consumer group and targeting them now will help us to establish a new paradigm in the K-beauty industry."



Kolmar Korea is also focusing on its research and development and production capabilities in North America. It aims to become a global cosmetics original design manufacturing (ODM) firm by lowering its dependence on China and expanding its business scope to the United States and Canada.



The company acquired the "Kolmar" trademark rights from Kolmar USA in May of last year and secured exclusive rights to the brand in the global market.



It is currently constructing North American technology and sales center in New Jersey. The facility will be responsible for adjusting technologies developed in Korea to local policies and serve as a base to expand sales networks in the U.S. market.



"We will expand our business in the North American market with our acquisition of global trademark rights for 'Kolmar' and opening the technology sales center," a company official said.



The firm is also considering building its second production facility in Olyphant, Pennsylvania.


Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin joined mourners grieving for Ukraine's youngest hero, a 27-year-old commander dubbed Da Vinci, at the cathedral of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv.

Thousands knelt on the city's main square on Friday at the service for Dmytro Kotsiubailo, who led a feared battalion called the Da Vinci Wolves and was killed by Russians in the battle for Bakhmut days earlier.

Kotsiubailo took up arms after joining Right Sector ultra-nationalists in 2014 and began fighting Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky announced his death in a video address on Tuesday.

Zelensky awarded Kotsiubailo the Hero of Ukraine decoration, the country's highest honour, in December 2021.

On Friday, Zelensky and Marin also laid flowers at a nearby memorial to fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin attend the funeral of Ukrainian serviceman Dmytro Kotsiubailo, at the Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv on March 10, 2023

People pay their respects around the coffin holding the body of Ukrainian soldier Dmytro Kotsiubailo, known as Da Vinci

Dmytro Kotsiubailo was a 27-year-old volunteer fighter who led a battalion called the Da Vinci Wolves

Marin echoed other Western leaders who have accused Moscow of war crimes in Ukraine and said Russian soldiers and leaders would be held accountable in a courtroom.

'Putin knows he will have to answer for his crime of aggression,' the Finnish leader said during a news conference. 'The future tribunal must bring justice efficiently and answer Ukrainians' rightful demands.'

In a rare public sighting, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny, came to kneel beside the coffin on the central square.

'The path to our victory is very hard. And the price for this victory is the lives of our warriors, the best citizens of Ukraine, who have stood in the defence of the country with weapons in their hands,' Zaluzhny said in a speech.

Flags with the emblem of Kotsiubailo's battalion - three snarling wolves - fluttered around the coffin.

Pictured: Finnish MP Sanna Marin (file photo). 'Putin knows he will have to answer for his crime of aggression,' the Finnish leader said during a news conference. 'The future tribunal must bring justice efficiently and answer Ukrainians' rightful demands'

Zelensky and Marin made a surprise appearance at the ceremony. Thousands of mourners marched through central Kyiv to pay final respects on Independence Square, known as the Maidan

Zelensky and Marin paid their respects at the ceremony at the St Michael's Church on March 10, 2023 in Kyiv

Marin comforts one of the mourners at the funeral in the cathedral of Kyiv's St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery

Soldiers in parade uniform carried the coffin out to a khaki truck loaded with flowers.

Mourners carrying flowers and Ukrainian flags marched down the hill to Maidan through closed streets. Many were weeping as they filed past the open coffin.

The funeral underscored the heavy impact of the Russian invasion and the long-running battle for the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut.

The centre of Bakhmut has become a 'killing zone' as Ukraine's forces stave off the Wagner Group's efforts to cross the front line, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) posted today in its latest Defence Intelligence update.

It said: 'Over the last four days, Wagner Group forces have taken control of most of eastern part of the Donbas town of Bakhmut. In the town centre, the Bakhmutka River now marks the front line.'

The MoD said Ukrainian forces hold the west of the town and have demolished key bridges over the river, which runs through north-south through a strip of open ground 200m to 800m wide, between built-up areas.

Zelensky and Marin pay homage to Ukrainian soldiers who lost their lives in the war in Kyiv, on March 10, 2023

A Ukrainian soldier touches a coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Oleh Khomiuk during the funeral

People mourn beside the coffin of killed Ukrainian serviceman Dmytro Kotsiubailo on March 10, 2023

Orthodox priests lead the funeral service at Saint Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, on March 10, 2023, in Kyiv

Relatives and friends attend a funeral service of Oleh Khomiuk and his son Mykyta Khomiuk, who were killed in Bakhmut, at Independence Square on March 10, 2023, in Kyiv

A funeral ceremony was held for five civilians who died as a result of Russian missile attack in the village of Velyka Vilshanytsia, Lviv Region on March 11, 2023

The post continued: 'With Ukrainian units able to fire from fortified buildings to the west, this area has become a killing zone, likely making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westwards.

'However, the Ukrainian force and their supply lines to the west remain vulnerable to the continued Russian attempts to outflank the defenders from the north and south.'

On the battlefield on Friday, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said the fighting in Bakhmut had 'escalated,' with another push by Russian forces to break through Ukrainian defense lines that have largely held firm for the past six months.

Just west of Bakhmut, shelling and missile strikes hit the Ukrainian-held city of Kostiantynivka, damaging multiple homes.

Thursday's Russian onslaught, much of which took place before dawn, was the largest such attack in three weeks, deploying more than 80 Russian missiles and exploding drones.

The barrage, which also damaged residential buildings, killed six people and left hundreds of thousands without heat or running water.

The salvo was noteworthy for the range of munitions the Kremlin's forces used, including hypersonic Kinzhal cruise missiles that are among the most sophisticated weapons in Russian's arsenal.

Zelensky attends the funeral ceremony at the St Michael's Church on March 10, 2023, in Kyiv

Ukrainian soldiers carry coffins of Ukrainian servicemen Oleh Khomiuk and his son Mykyta Khomiuk

A group of people attend the funeral ceremony for five civilians who died as a result of Russian missile attack in the village of Velyka Vilshanytsia, Lviv Region

Flowers have been placed on top of the coffins at a ceremony for five civilians who died during a Russian missile strike in Velyka Vilshanytsia, Lviv Region

A farewell ceremony to volunteer soldiers Oleg Khomyuk and his son Mykyta, killed in a battle near Bakhmut of the Donetsk region, in Kyiv

Ukrainian flags and flowers in the nation's colours are seen at farewell ceremony to Oleg Khomyuk and his son Mykyta

The bombardments on energy infrastructure that gathered pace last autumn have become less frequent.

'The interval between waves of strikes is probably growing, because Russia now needs to stockpile a critical mass of newly produced missiles directly from industry,' the MoD said in an assessment on Friday.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the strikes were in retaliation for a recent incursion into the Bryansk region of western Russia by what Moscow claimed were Ukrainian saboteurs. Ukraine denied the claim and warned that Moscow could use the allegations to justify stepping up its own assaults.

Ukraine has decided to fight on in Bakhmut because the battle there is pinning down Russia's best units and degrading them ahead of a planned Ukrainian spring counter-offensive, an aide to Zelensky said.

The comments, by Mykhailo Podolyak, were the latest signal of a shift by Kyiv this week to continue the defence of the small eastern city, the site of the war's bloodiest battle, as Moscow tries to secure its first victory in more than half a year.

'Russia has changed tactics,' Podolyak said in an interview published by Italy's La Stampa newspaper. 'It has converged on Bakhmut with a large part of its trained military personnel, the remnants of its professional army, as well as the private companies.'

Podolyak added: 'We, therefore, have two objectives: to reduce their capable personnel as much as possible, and to fix them in a few key wearisome battles, to disrupt their offensive and concentrate our resources elsewhere, for the spring counter-offensive. So, today Bakhmut is completely effective, even exceeding its key tasks.'

Ukrainian servicemen from 24th brigade are seen along the frontline south of Bakhmut near New York, Ukraine, on March 10, 2023

Ukrainian servicemen of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army patrol around the town of Velyka Novosilka, Ukraine, on March 7, 2023

Ukrainian servicemen light a fire with gun powder to warm up near the city of Bakhmut in the Donbas region on March 5, 2023

Russia has made Bakhmut the main target of a winter offensive involving hundreds of thousands of reservists and mercenaries. It has succeeded in capturing the eastern part of the city and the outskirts to the north and south, but has so far failed to close a ring around Ukrainian defenders there.

Kyiv, which had seemed at the start of March to be planning to withdraw to positions west of the city, announced at the start of this week that its generals had decided to reinforce its troops in Bakhmut and fight on.

In a morning update on Friday, the Ukrainian general staff reported a large number of attacks along the front and said 'the enemy is not halting its attacks on Bakhmut'.

Moscow said capturing Bakhmut would be a step towards taking all of Ukraine's Donbas industrial region, a major objective.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday that seizing the city would punch a hole in Ukrainian defences and let Moscow advance deeper.

The intense trench warfare has been described by both sides as a meat grinder. Kyiv's decision to stay and fight rather than withdraw has been interpreted as a sign it believes Russia's losses are far worse than its own.

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Friday his Wagner private army had opened recruitment centres in 42 cities as he seeks to replenish its ranks after heavy losses in the battle for Bakhmut.

In an upbeat audio message, Prigozhin said new fighters were coming forward but gave no indication of the numbers involved. He also said ammunition supplies had improved, but remained a concern.

Wagner has led some of the fiercest fighting in Russia's attempt to take Bakhmut, where the Ukrainian army is still holding out after more than seven months of attritional warfare.

Buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in the front line city of Bakhmut on March 3, 2023

An empty street and buildings damaged by a Russian military strike in Bakhmut on March 3, 2023

Ukrainian servicemen ride in a tank near Bakhmut on March 10, 2023

In a separate post on social media on Friday, Prigozhin said Ukraine was preparing a counteroffensive near Bakhmut, adding: 'Of course we are doing everything we can to prevent this from happening.'

Prigozhin at one point posted a gruesome photo of lines of Wagner corpses and he has waged a public feud with Russian military bosses over shortages of ammunition.

In January, the United States assessed that Wagner had about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, including 40,000 convicts Prigozhin had recruited from Russian prisons with a promise of a free pardon if they survived six months. In February, however, he said he was no longer being allowed to hire convicts.

Ukrainian officials have claimed that nearly 30,000 of Wagner's fighters have deserted or been killed or wounded, a figure that has not been independently verified.

In another audio message on Friday, Prigozhin said he had thanked the government for a 'heroic' increase in production of ammunition but said he was still worried about shortages for his fighters and the Russian army as a whole.

Prigozhin said his men had been 'blown away' by the fact they had started to receive ammunition deliveries labelled as produced in 2023. He said ammunition was now being produced 'in huge quantities, which cover all the necessary needs'.

But he then appeared to contradict himself, saying: 'I am worried about ammunition and shell shortages not only for the Wagner private military company but for all units of the Russian army.'

Repair work continued on Saturday across Ukraine following the massive Russian missile and drone strike two days earlier.

Ukraine's state grid operator said power supply issues persisted across four provinces following the barrage.

In what has become a familiar Russian tactic since early October, the Kremlin's forces struck Ukraine from afar on Thursday.

The apparent aim of attacking power stations and other infrastructure is to weaken Ukraine's resolve and compel its government to negotiate peace on Moscow's terms.

Ukrainian soldiers fire a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on March 5, 2023

The wreckage from a Russian military strike in the front line city of Bakhmut is shown on a desolate street on March 3, 2023

A Ukrainian a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle near the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk region, on March 3, 2023

Ukrainian authorities scrambled to counter the consequences of the latest bombardment, part of a recurring cycle of urban smash-and-repair that has brought little change in the course of the war, which recently entered its second year.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said in an assessment that 'these missile strikes will not undermine Ukraine's will or improve Russia's positions on the front lines'.

Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said the Russians are striking civilian infrastructure because they can't efficiently target Ukrainian military assets.

'The Russians lack data about the location of Ukrainian troops and weapons, so they are targeting civilian infrastructure and using the same old methods of attacking civilians to sow fear and panic in the society,' he said. 'Ukraine has survived the winter and Russia's strikes on the energy system in the spring hardly make any sense.'

Ukraine's capital had most of its power supply restored Friday, officials said.

Power and water were restored in Kyiv, said Serhii Popko, the head of the city's military administration. Popko said, however, that about 30 per cent of consumers in the capital remained without heating and that repair work was ongoing.

Power supplies were fully restored in Ukraine's southern Odesa region, private provider DTEK said Friday afternoon.

Around 60 per cent of households in the city of Kharkiv that were knocked off grid by Russia's missile strikes on Thursday were also back online, authorities said, though significant damage remained in the Zhytomyr and Kharkiv regions in Ukraine's northwest and northeast.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated that Ukraine will eventually have to seek a peace deal with Putin.

The Prime Minister suggested negotiations with the Kremlin  which could lead to the portioning of Ukraine  were inevitable.

His remarks saw him accused of giving 'succour' to Putin, by suggesting the conflict could end without the outright military defeat of Russian forces.

Addressing reporters ahead of a summit with French President Emmanuel Macron, Sunak said: 'Of course, this will end as all conflicts do at the negotiating table, but that is a decision for Ukraine to make.

'What we need to do is put them in the best possible place to have those talks, at an appropriate moment that makes sense for them.

'At the moment the priority is giving them the resources, the training and the support they need to push forward and create an advantage on the battlefield.'
Revellers could be seen hitting the town in Leeds and Newcastle last night despite freezing temperatures.

Many were dressed to impress as hundreds went out across the UK, wearing skirts, dresses, and bare-armed tops.

Not even the forecasted snow which is to sweep across the UK yet again this weekend was going to stop the fun on Friday night.

The lowest temperature of minus 4C was recorded in Leeds at 3am, and minus 2C in Newcastle at the same time.

Following the eventful night, yellow weather warnings have been issued for large swathes of the country just as Storm Larisa battered parts of the UK.

The partygoers braved the cold and the rain in Leeds and Newcastle as they hit the cities' bars and clubs.

A reveller poses with a peace sign proudly in Newcastle's city centre despite temperatures as low as minus 2C

Two glamorously dressed women in short dresses and boots take to the street of Leeds

A group pose for a photo as they enjoy their Friday night out in Leeds yesterday evening

A pair enjoy the night out in Newcastle on Friday night, with one dressed in a sparkly black two-piece ensemble and her companion in a form-fitted jumpsuit

A group of friends cheer as they pose for a photo in Newcastle city centre despite the weather

A pair enjoy the night out in Newcastle on Friday night as they layer up in blazers in an effort to combat the chilling cold

A group of friends all wearing long dresses stand outside as they wait to get the party started

One woman bends down to help her friend out, adjusting the straps on her white high heels

A trio of cheerful men pose for a photo with their hands in the air showing peace signs

Let it snow! Nothing can stop this merry bunch of friends as they kick about in the snow

These two won't let the cold ruin their night as they stroll happily down the streets of Leeds arm in arm

A duo dressed in silver and black take to the streets of Leeds for a drink despite the cold weather

A man clings onto a pole as he is surrounded by a group of friends in Newcastle

Pose for the camera! A group are all smiles as they enjoy a festive evening out in the snow

Two friends enjoy their Friday night as one even bares the harsh cold to pose for a photo
Disgraced Prince Andrew is allegedly warming to the idea of another TV interview despite his disastrous Newsnight grilling in 2019 and sex scandal allegations.

A second tell-all chat with the Duke of York could be on the cards, as sources claim that 'nothing is off the table' amid fears that Andrew could soon lose his royal home.

The Duke reportedly told friends that he may have a chance of redemption and desires to tell 'his side' of the events that cost him a royal title.

'He feels there is little else to lose when he has already paid an awfully high price,' a source close to him told The Mirror.

It was also added that the interviews surrounding Prince Harry's explosive memoir Spare have encouraged the Duke to favour a US broadcaster for this.

Prince Andrew spoke with Emily Maitlis on BBC Newsnight in 2019 about his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein

Emily Maitlis spoke with Prince Andrew during a televised interview in 2019 which focused on his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The Duke profusely denied claims he had sex with then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre who alleged she was forced to have sex with him three times when under Epstein's orders.

Numerous other claims were made during the interview, with the Prince adding that he could not have been with Ms Giuffre at the time of an incident given that he was dining at Pizza Express in Woking.

The Duke also added that he had medical condition which left him unable to sweat, following allegations that he heavily sweated while dancing with Ms Giuffre at a nightclub.

Despite being widely regarded as a car crash, Emily Maitlis previously claimed that the Duke of York seemed 'happy' after filming the Newsnight programme.

'It wasn't an attempt to bring down the royals, just a chance to understand the story,' she told Radio Times.

Although Prince Andrew denied allegations, last year he paid Ms Giuffre a reported 12million in an out-of-court settlement.

Emily Maitlis slammed the settlement, citing the answers given during his infamous Newsnight interview.

During the interview, the Duke profusely denied claims he had sex with then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre who alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times when under Epstein's orders

Virginia Roberts claimed to have had sex with Andrew 'three times, including one orgy', with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Ms Maxwell's London townhouse after they met at the Tramp nightclub on March 10. Recalling the alleged meeting, Andrew was said to be 'sweating profusely'

Writing for the BBC, she said: 'At the heart of the settlement is the biggest question of all: why is a Prince who told me he had "no recollection of ever meeting this lady" now paying her what we understand to be upwards of 10m?

'I distinctly remember putting Virginia Giuffre's accusations to him directly: "She says she met you in 2001, she dined with you, danced with you, you bought her drinks in Tramp nightclub and she went on to have sex with you in a house in Belgravia."

'And I have the Prince's reply in front of me now. Three words only: 'It didn't happen.'

'There are only three possible explanations then for the settlement: either he was lying in that response - and remembered her well; or he genuinely had no recollection - and was adamant they hadn't met - only for his memory subsequently to be jogged; or that he maintains his innocence, but feels the weight of legal and public opinion against him now make settling the easier option, albeit without accepting any liability.'

Now it is claimed that the Duke of York is set to lose 250,000-a-year in funding from the King as part of a shake-up of private royal finances, with his 30-room Royal Lodge on the line.

He has also had to sell off assets including a 19million ski chalet to reportedly cover the costs of settling the sex scandal case with Ms Giuffre.

It is understood that Prince Andrew has since been offered Harry and Meghan's Frogmore Cottage as an alternative home but is reluctant to take it.

Buckingham Palace have declined to comment.
Sadiq Khan has blamed his predecessor Boris Johnson for his controversial Ultra-low emission zone plans to expand car charging zone across all of Greater London.

The expansion of the scheme to Outer London, set to take place to cover the whole of the capital from August 29, is aimed at reducing the amount of air pollution in London.

The London Mayor has faced a backlash over the expansion, which will drag millions more into the orbit of paying 12.50 a day for polluting.

However, despite the uproar he has stirred, Mr Khan told The Telegraph that people do not tend to pay notice to him during his day-to-day travels. He said: 'It's that very British thing, people just get on with reading their newspaper or their phone.

'Sometimes someone will ask for a selfie or there's a thumbs up, or 'keep it going'.'

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has planned to include all of London's 32 boroughs in the ULEZ, with drivers having to pay 12.50 per day if their vehicles do not meet emissions criteria

The ultra-low emission zone is to be expanded in August to cover the whole of Greater London

What is surprising is that no one has approached him to speak about the ultra low emission zone, he added: 'No, I can't think of an occasion when that's happened.'

The plans to extend the ULEZ sparked questions from the public who argue that the policy is putting even more pressure on those grappling with the cost of living crisis.

During a public meeting last week in Ealing town hall, the Mayor was met by enraged protestors, some of which depicted him with a swastika and a hammer and sickle.

He said at the meeting: 'Some of those outside are part of the far-Right,

'Some are Covid deniers. Some are vaccine deniers. And some are Tories.'

Angered members of the public reportedly shouted back: 'We are not far-Right - normal people are not far-Right.'

In response to the comments made last week, Mr Khan said: 'My point was that there were decent people, including Tory members, who've got legitimate objections, and I'm not sure these decent people realised that standing with them were conspiracy theorists and people holding swastikas.'

However, Mr Khan has claimed that he is not to blame for the policy as he 'stole' the idea from Boris Johnson.

Protestors took to the streets of London calling for the proposed 'Khanage' to be halted

Mr Khan has claimed that he is not to blame for the policy as he 'stole' the idea from Boris Johnson

He said: 'In 2013, Johnson announced he would be doing a Ulez. But he did that classic thing that politicians do; he announced something that he left for other politicians to do. I'm going to see it through.'

Read More: Newly installed ULEZ cameras are vandalised with wires cut and lenses painted black amid growing backlash at Sadiq Khan's planned expansion of the zone Advertisement

Since its introduction in 2019, the low emission zones have reduced harmful pollution levels in central London by almost half - and nitrogen dioxide levels in central London by 46 per cent in the past 12 months.

According to a study by Imperial College, every year 4,000 people die prematurely because of poor air quality.

It reads: 'It's an invisible killer. And when you look at those 4,000 deaths, the largest number are in outer London, where you have a greater number of old people for whom bad air quality makes them more susceptible to heart disease and other factors. In London, 500,000 people suffer from asthma and respiratory issues.'

The acts committed by the Mayor will reduce the number of air quality-related hospital admissions by one million by 2050, helping save the NHS and social care system 5 billion.

He continued to add how the policy will save the NHS 10.5billion as it will not be treating people with asthma and respiratory issues.

Mr Khan added: 'The CBI says it will save businesses 1.6billion a year because staff won't be off sick with respiratory issues.'
The Pennsylvania Democratic checked himself into Walter Reed in Maryland last month after his clinical depression became more 'severe'

His children left sticky notes in his room of family drawings and encouraging notes, such as 'best dad ever' and 'you will get better'

John Fetterman's wife shared sweet photos of the senator smiling while eating dinner with his family at Wendy's as he takes a break from depression treatment from Walter Reed.

The Pennsylvania Democratic, 53, checked himself into Walter Reed in Maryland last month after his clinical depression became more 'severe.'

Fetterman also suffered a stroke in May and his sensory problems and issues with communication have been well-documented since he was sworn in as a senator in January.

His wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, posted a sweet snap of the family surrounded by empty Wendy's cups and fry boxes at the hospital on Friday.

'We can do hard things when we do them together,' she wrote on Twitter. 'So proud of Joao, the kids, and everyone whos shared their own struggles with us in the past few weeks. It gets better.'

Senator John Fetterman, 53, cozied up to his wife Gisele at a Wendy's near Walter Reed after checking himself in for clinical depression treatment last month

Gisele Barreto Fetterman (pictured with her family) posted a sweet snap of the family surrounded by empty Wendy's cups and fry boxes at the hospital on Friday

The mother of three also posted sticky notes attached to what appears to be a bookshelf frame showing drawings of the family and their dogs as well as precious notes from their children to their dad. Some read 'you will get better', 'we love you so much', 'your [sic] in my heart, dad' and 'best dad ever'.

The mother of three also posted pictures of sticky notes attached to what appears to be a bookshelf frame, which show adorable drawings of the family and their dogs.

Encouraging notes from his children also adorn the shelf saying 'you will get better', 'we love you so much', 'your [sic] in my heart, dad' and 'best dad ever'.

'Hey!! Dad, just to let you know I am always in your heart. Love, August,' another read.

In early February, the Pennsylvania senator was treated at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C., for lightheadedness. Doctors ruled out another stroke at the time - after he'd had one in May 2022 - and he was discharged.

His Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson said he 'has experienced depression off and on throughout his life', but ultimately decided to seek treatment when he was examined by Dr. Brian Monahan, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress.

'John is getting the care he needs, and will soon be back to himself,' Jentleson added, brushing off concerns his health could impact his political future.

Last month, Fetterman was hospitalized at George Washington University Hospital after feeling light-headed at a Democratic retreat and was held for two nights for observation. Doctors said he didn't suffer a second stroke.

After returning to Congress, Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician of Congress, examined Fetterman and encouraged him to seek inpatient treatment for depression that became 'severe in recent weeks' according to Adam Jentleson, Fetterman's chief of staff.

Senator John Fetterman poses for his official picture with his wife, Gisele, and his three children, after being sworn into office by Vice President Kama Harris (second from the right)

Shortly after her husband checked himself in, she took her kids on a trip to Canada to avoid the 'media circus'

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.'

He voluntarily admitted himself to Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland on February 16.

'We understand the intense interest in John's status and especially appreciate the flood of well-wishes,' Calvello said. 'However, as we have said, this will be a weeks-long process and while we will be sure to keep folks updated as it progresses, this is all there is to give by way of an update.'

On February 24, the senator's wife posted on social media that she drove to Niagara Falls via Buffalo, New York with their children, Karl, Grace, and August because of the media presence outside their Braddock home, following news of her husband's treatment.

'I am not really sure how to navigate this journey but am figuring it out slowly. 1 week ago today when the news dropped, the kids were off from school and media trucks circled our home,' she tweeted.

'I did the first thing I could think of  pack them in the car and drive,' she wrote after it was reported her husband could spend weeks in the hospital while doctors work on treatment and medication.

'We talked about lots of hard things and how we will all have to face hard things. About the need to be gentle  with all and with ourselves,' Gisele Fetterman continued.

She also posted a video where she calmly discussed how their son August got stuck zip lining  recording the post while a 'rescue' was underway.

'We did some scary things but we did them together. We ziplined over Niagara Falls and August got stuck. We talked about flexibility and the need to always have an open heart and an open mind,' she added.
A graphic designer hanged herself when she was let out for one night from a psychiatric unit after her partner who did not want a baby left her and embarked on a hurtful custody battle over their pet dog.

An inquest jury was told that Caroline Forte, 35, from Brighton hanged herself at her elderly parents' home on February 20 last year.

She had initially been sectioned under the Mental Health Act at a hospital psychiatric unit but, against the wishes of her family, had been allowed to go home for a night - a decision which ended in her tragic death the same day.

Caroline, who was privately educated at Brighton Girls School, was 'hit hard' when her relationship with her partner, Barry Wickens, broke down during lockdown in 2020.

The couple had bought and renovated their first home together but difficulties arose when they disagreed over having a baby.

An inquest jury was told that Caroline Forte, 35, from Brighton hanged herself at her elderly parents' home after she had been allowed to go home for a night

A five-day inquest into Caroline's death in Brighton heard how Caroline struggled with her mental health following the end of the relationship, before being admitted to a psychiatric ward in Eastbourne District General Hospital.

Despite family insisting it was 'unsafe' for her to come home for an overnight stay, the hospital allowed her release and she was found dead shortly afterwards.

Penelope Schofield, the acting senior coroner for Brighton and Hove, told the inquest jury that 'facts needed to be established' around Caroline's death and that the family had waited over a year for answers.

She said: 'The family have indicated that they weren't given any advice on how best to support Caroline.'

Attending the inquest were Caroline's parents, Gillian and Anthony Forte, her older sisters, Liz and Sandra and her older brother, Chris.

In her witness statement, her sister Liz said: 'We have lost a vibrant, clever, kind, loving and much-adored member of our family whose 35 years are certainly not defined by this relatively short illness.

'Caro - as she was known to us - was a happy, fun-loving person, the baby of the family. She was an extremely talented and very successful graphic designer with an infectious giggle and strong family values.

'She had been with her partner, Barry, for a few years and they had bought a house together which they did up. It was a planned family home because Caro was very keen to start a family. Barry then decided he was unsure whether he wanted to try for a baby and so they had couples counselling.

Caroline struggled with her mental health following the end of her relationship, before being admitted to a psychiatric ward in Eastbourne District General Hospital

'However, the relationship continued to deteriorate and Barry eventually left in May 2020.'

The inquest heard how Caroline - the youngest of four children - was 'hit hard' by his departure and was very up and down during the months following.

Liz recalled how her sister had turned up at her house late one night, very upset.

'Barry wanted shared custody of their dog, Doris, and there had been aggression and harassment with the police being involved,' she told the jury.

'She asked if she could come and stay with me because she 'didn't feel right'.'

The coroner heard how Caroline began to show signs of psychosis in November 2021, believing that her phone had been tapped and she was becoming paranoid about her devices. The family sought medical help and Caroline's condition stabilised enough for her to go on a planned holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas.

Her sister Liz described Caroline (pictured) as 'a happy, fun-loving person'

However, on her return in January 2022, things took a turn for the worse, the jury was told.

The sister's statement continued: 'She wasn't okay. She kept asking for help in changing passwords on all her accounts and she talked continuously about being hacked.'

The family agreed that Caroline should stay in Leeds with her other sister, Sandra, who was on maternity leave and who would therefore be able to look after her and keep her company.

The coroner heard that while in Leeds Caroline attempted, twice, to kill herself with an overdose, on one occasion managing to obtain and swallow a large amount of paracetamol tablets.

She received emergency psychiatric care under the Leeds and Yorkshire NHS Partnership Trust and was then transferred back down to Sussex where she was admitted under the Mental Health Act to the psychiatric ward of Eastbourne District General Hospital. She hanged herself less than a month later.

The inquest heard that her family believed there have been serious failures by both the Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust and Leeds and Yorkshire NHS Partnership Trust resulting in Caroline's death.

Liz said: 'They didn't care for her. They released her when she wasn't safe and under a mental health section and they released her to the home of my parents who are in their 70s. It is absolutely shocking,' she claimed.

The inquest, which will conclude next week, continues.
A Texas man is suing his ex-wife's three friends for $1 million after they helped her get an abortion as a text exchange reveals she was scared he'd 'use it against her' to keep her in the relationship.

Marcus Silva filed the lawsuit in Galveston and argues that a self-managed abortion is equivalent to murder under Texas law.

The lawsuit appears to break new ground in Texas with Silva alleging that he only recently learnt about the termination July last year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade  which allowed state abortion laws to take effect.

The lawsuit accuses three women with helping obtain abortion pills and convincing Silva's then-wife to conceal their 'murderous actions.'

It comes just days after five women sued the state of Texas after they were denied abortions despite the risk to their lives and their unborn children.

A Texas man is suing his ex-wife's three friends for $1 million after they helped her get an abortion as a text exchange reveals she was scared he'd 'use it against her' to keep her in the relationship

Jonathan Mitchell (pictured), a former state solicitor general who also helped create one of the state's abortion bans, is representing Silva who is suing for wrongful death and conspiracy

Jonathan Mitchell, a former state solicitor general who also helped create one of the state's abortion bans, is representing Silva who is suing for wrongful death and conspiracy as well as state Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Deer Park Republican.

'Anyone involved in distributing or manufacturing abortion pills will be sued into oblivion,' Cain told the Houston Chronicle.

'That includes CVS and Walgreens if their abortion pills find their way into our state.'

Wendy Davis a senior advisor to Planned Parenthood Texas Votes said she was 'outraged' but 'not surprised' by the litigation.

'This lawsuit is a direct result of the dangerous policies championed by Gov. Greg Abbott and his supporters. It is state-sanctioned harassment, and we will not stand for it.'

Silva, who divorced his wife in February 2022 and has two other children with her, is not pursuing legal action against her.

The lawsuit cites a text exchange between the women and Silva's ex-wife about Aid Access  an organization which send abortion pills through the mail.

According to the lawsuit the women said getting pills in the mail might be 'murky' and instead opted to find them in Houston - two of the friends offering their homes for the abortion.

The lawsuit includes screenshots of the text exchanges that also show the ex-wife worrying about Silva's response to the abortion.

'I know either way he will use it against me,' she wrote, adding that he might use it as a reason to stay together or 'to act like he has some right to the decision.'

The women also expressed concern about Silva in the text messages.

'I just worry about your emotional state, and he'll be able to snake his way into your head,' one said.

'Delete all conversations from today,' another wrote. 'You don't want him looking through it.'

It comes within days of a landmark lawsuit from five women who are suing the state of Texas after being denied abortions despite risks to their lives and their unborn children, as doctors claim they fear repercussions even in the rare circumstances they are legally allowed to terminate pregnancies.

Texas, like most states since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allows exceptions when a physician determines there is a risk of 'substantial' harm to the mother or in cases of rape, incest or if the fetus has a fatal diagnosis

Two of the women recently impacted plan to tell their stories on the steps of the Texas Capitol hoping their harrowing experiences will strengthen the 'catastrophic harms' they faced, the New York Times reported.

Of the women bringing the suit, some are married, already with children, and all made the difficult choice to terminate because of risks to their lives.

The suit claims that the women risked hemorrhage or life-threatening infection and some doctors refused to suggest options or forward medical records to other providers.

Five women have sued the state of Texas after being denied abortions despite risks to their lives and their unborn children. Amanda Zurawski is one plaintiff (pictured)

The suit does not intend to overturn the abortion laws but instead confirm that Texas law allows physicians to offer abortions when necessary and 'where the pregnancy is unlikely to result in the birth of a living child with sustained life'

Amanda Zurawski was told she was not 'sick enough' to receive an abortion, became septic twice, and was left with one fallopian tube that has permanently closed when denied medical intervention.

'You don't think you're somebody who's going to need an abortion, let alone an abortion to save my life,' Zurawski, 35, said to the outlet.

'If anybody reads my story, I don't care where they are on the political spectrum, very few people would agree there is anything pro-life about this.'

Zurawski became pregnant in early 2022 after 18 months of fertility treatments.

In her 17th week of pregnancy a scan found that her cervical membranes had begun to prolapse, with specialists telling her that her fetus would not survive.

Doctors said they could only perform an abortion if she became 'acutely ill' or the heartbeat of her unborn child stopped.

Zurawski's waters broke but she did not go into labor. Without amniotic fluid, the fetus would die but it still had a heartbeat, so she was sent home.

She and her husband considered driving to Mexico but were told to stay within 20-minutes of the hospital in case she went into labor, and she feared prosecution.

Zurawski's health quickly deteriorated but it wasn't until she had to be rushed to emergency room with a blood infection that doctors finally induced delivery.

She developed a secondary infection and was given a blood transfusion to stabilize her.

'Every ultrasound is going to be terrifying, not just scary, but traumatic,' she said.

'Last time I heard a heartbeat inside of me, I was wishing for it to stop.'

Lauren Miller, 35, another plaintiff, had to sneak out of the state to Colorado for an abortion.

Miller was taken to hospital with severe nausea and vomiting and discovered she'd been carrying twins at six weeks.

At 12 weeks the expecting mother found out that one of her unborn children had a genetic defect called Trisomy 18 including a malformed brain and incomplete abdominal wall and heart.

A specialist told her that she needed to seek an abortion out of state to save her own life and the life of the other twin.

Zurawski became pregnant in early 2022 after 18 months of fertility treatments. Her health quickly deteriorated but it wasn't until she had to be rushed to emergency room with a blood infection that doctors finally induced delivery

Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, is a defendant in the lawsuit along with the state medical board and its director  last year they sued the Biden administration over guidance to provide abortions if necessary

'The feeling of packing was almost like we were fleeing Texas, which was such a strange feeling,' she said.

'I'm from Texas, I have generations of Texans, here we're fleeing Texas.'

Laruen Hall was 18 weeks pregnant when it was revealed her fetus had no skull and an undeveloped brain. She was also urged to leave the state to seek an abortion.

Hall, 28, said many of her relatives and neighbors considered themselves 'pro-life' and that if a fetus had a fatal condition, it was a 'loophole' for people seeking an abortion.

'A lot of them are in support of this ban, but they don't understand the scale of it,' she said.

'They had this very narrow idea of what somebody who seeks an abortion looks like. They think it's somebody who's loose, who doesn't want to take birth control.'

Anti-abortion groups have argued that restrictions on abortions should not harm women's health and the laws prevent only what these groups call 'elective' abortions which are intended to end unwanted pregnancy.

Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, is a defendant in the lawsuit along with the state medical board and its director  last year they sued the Biden administration over guidance to provide abortions if necessary.

'We're not going to allow left-wing bureaucrats in Washington to transform our hospitals and emergency rooms into walk-in abortion clinics,' Paxton said at the time.

A memo sent to the outlet from Paxton's office said that abortions will not be performed unless there is a 'life threatening physical condition aggravated by, caused by, or arising from a pregnancy.'

'Now that the Supreme Court has finally overturned Roe, I will do everything in my power to protect mothers, families, and unborn children, and to uphold the state laws duly enacted by the Texas Legislature.'

The suit does not intend to overturn the abortion laws but instead confirm that Texas law allows physicians to offer abortions when necessary and 'where the pregnancy is unlikely to result in the birth of a living child with sustained life.'

The women have not sued the medical practitioners that denied them medical intervention as they say many were doing the best they could under the circumstances.

Medication-induced abortion has been a lifeline for women in blue states and even red states since the Supreme Court eliminated the federal guarantee to an abortion

The Texas Medical Association has also asked for more clarity and the lawsuit claims that the five women 'represent only the tip of the iceberg' and 'millions' from across the country have been denied 'dignified treatment as equal human beings.'

Most abortions are now banned in 13 states as laws restricting the procedure take effect following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Georgia also bans abortion at about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.

In many states, the fight over abortion access is still taking place in courtrooms, where advocates have sued to block enforcement of laws that restrict the procedure. Other states have moved to expand access to abortion by adding legal protections.

The nation's second-largest retail pharmacy just last week will not sell the abortion-inducing medication mifepristone - even in states where abortion is still legal.

It comes amid growing pressure from anti-abortion policy-makers and activists not to carry the drug. Mifepristone makes up half of the combination used to induce a medication abortion.

Walgreens responded to a letter sent last month by nearly two dozen Republican state attorneys general threatening legal action against the company if it stocked the medications.

The chain said it would not dispense abortion pills either by mail or at brick-and-mortar stores in those states. In some of the affected states, such as Alaska, Iowa, Kansas and Montana, using the pills for abortion is still legal.
An 18-year-old woman was stranded for an hour on top of her submerged vehicle as California continues to be drenched in heavy rain.

Lizbeth Hernandez had to be rescued at Casserly Creek after flood waters carried her truck off Paulsen Road in Watsonville, submerging the vehicle eight feet down. The young woman, who cannot swim, stood on top of her vehicle shivering as she waited for rescued.

She was transported back to solid ground on a surfboard-like device and she was seen crying as rescuers walked her up a roadway to higher ground.

Two men were notified of her distress by a local who heard her screaming for help. They rushed to her aide and moments later law enforcement arrived.

'We saw her weeping and crying and asking for help,' Justin O'Brien told the Santa Cruz Sentinel. 'Then the [Sheriffs Office] came straight into action.'

Hernandez told officers that had been standing in the freezing water for an hour before they arrived to rescue her.

Lizbeth Hernandez (pictured) had to be rescued at Casserly Creek after flood waters carried her truck off of Paulsen Road in Watsonville, submerging the vehicle eight feet down

The young woman stood on top of her submerged vehicle shivering as she waited for rescue as she can't swim. She was transported back to solid ground on a surfboard-like device and she was seen crying as rescuers walked her up a roadway to higher ground

Hernandez told officers that she had been standing in the water for an hour before they arrived to rescue her

'She was experiencing numbness in her lower extremities so we just kept talking to her and keeping her informed that help is coming and just trying to do our best to keep her focused,' Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office Lieutenant Shon Leonetti told the outlet.

Hernandez was brought to shore two hours after sliding off the road, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

'If it would have been much longer, she would have probably gone in and she doesnt swim so it would have been a bad result,' Leonetti said. 'When you see a flooded road, this is a very good reason not to take a chance and drive through it.'

Authorities have also confirmed that two people have died from the storms, but no other information has been released.

The storm continues to drench Central and Northern California with excessive rainfall, as it dumps more than 25 times the volume of water than the Mississippi River holds. Some areas have received more than a foot of rain.

Two men walk across a flooded road in Porterville, California on Friday. The storm continues to drench Central and Northern California with excessive rainfall, as it dumps more than 25 times the volume of water than the Mississippi River holds

Some areas have received more than a foot of rain (pictured: Porterville)

Rushing floodwater can be seen running down the Carmel River on Friday

People watched the rapid waters in Carmel. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Thursday evening as 15million are under a flood warning

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Thursday evening as 15million are under a flood warning and nearly 30,000 are currently without power. Ten thousand are under evacuation, as well.

Meanwhile, California's mountain communities have been left stranded as feet of dense snow are making it nearly impossible for some to leave their homes.

Due to intense flooding, the Oroville Dam's main spillway has been opened to help offset the influx. It's the first time the drought-ridden state has opened the dam since April 2019.

Shelters in nine counties have also opened up to allow those who have been evacuated to have a place to stay, according to CNN.

The state's transportation department, CalTran, has also upped the number of employees working throughout the storm to help remove debris and rescue stranded drivers. They've also deployed 36 high-water vehicles to help with rescues.

A home was damaged in Springville from the storm. Currently 30,000 Californians are without power

Debris lays in the street in Springville after the rainstorm

A large tree fell down in the roadway in Carmel along Highway 1 on Friday

A truck drove through a marked flooded area in Salinas on Friday. Shelters in nine counties have also opened up to allow those who have been evacuated to have a place to stay

A 104-year-old woman had to be rescued from her house in Fresno after being stranded in her home.

In Tulare County, authorities are rapidly evacuating residents as rushing floodwater destroys homes, bridges collapsed, and trees have fallen.

Around 700 people were trapped in Soquel, California, after a pipe burst, which led to massive flooding and a collapsed roadway. The roadway led into town, leaving the town's residents completely isolated.

'We are now an island,' Soquel resident Molly Watson told CNN.

'It's horrible. Hopefully no one has a medical emergency,' Heather Wingfield told CBS News.

It could take days before the roadway is prepared, leaving residents unable to leave, according to the outlet.

A main road collapsed in Santa Cruz County, leaving residents stranded

The road led to town and residents won't be able to access it until it is repaired, which could take days

The huge storm first hit the West Coast on Thursday evening, placing 21 counties under a state of emergency while evacuation orders were issued in several coastal counties.

More than 9,000 California residents were under evacuation orders Friday, California Office of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward confirmed. There are also 15 shelters open throughout the state.

Recent weeks have seen some of the most destructive weather on the West Coast in decades, with snowpack levels across the state currently 215 percent higher than normal, according to forecaster Snoflo.

In Lake Tahoe, where the storm was preceded by the historic blizzard, residents are being quoted $20,000 just to get the snow off their roofs, which would likely be against the state's price gouging laws, according to The New York Times.

Snow levels in the Sierra Nevada, which provides about a third of the state's water supply, are more than 180 percent of the April 1 average, when it is historically at its peak.

The snowpack at high elevations is so massive it was expected to be able to absorb the rain, but snow below 4,000 feet could start to melt, potentially contributing to flooding, forecasters said.

California's mountain communities have stranded as feet of dense snow makes it nearly impossible for some to leave their home (pictured: Mammoth Lakes)

Snow levels in the Sierra Nevada, which provides about a third of the state's water supply, are more than 180 percent of the April 1 average, when it is historically at its peak
It comes after SVB collapsed on Friday, the biggest bank to fail since the 2008 financial crisis

Moms who bank on earnings from the online marketplace are panicked about how they will 'feed their family' and pay the mortgage

Etsy sellers say they cannot pay their bills after transactions were delayed following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank

Etsy sellers fear they will be unable to pay their bills after the online marketplace was forced to delay payments following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.

SVB became the largest bank to fail since the 2008 financial crisis on Friday, leaving investors scrambling to recuperate their funds.

But the collapse has not just affected wealthy tech entrepreneurs, with a wave of small business owners also caught in the crossfire.

Scores of mompreneurs were stunned to discover they would not be getting paid yesterday after marketplace Etsy announced it was unable to process some sales payments because it uses Silicon Valley Bank to distribute funds.

Furious sellers took to social media to complain, with one panicked mother-of-three saying she needs 'those funds feed my family and pay my bills. Another revealed she would be unable to pay her mortgage next week if the issue wasn't resolved quickly.

One small business owner said she could not afford to pay her mortgage in a few days time due to the freeze on her payments

'I've been an Etsy shop owner since 2015, I do very well on Etsy,' the woman said on TikTok.

'I noticed today my money that was supposed to be deposited to be available tomorrow was never sent to my checking account.

'Then I get an email saying because of the Silicon Valley Bank they cannot issue my deposit. My money, that I worked hard for, they can't send to my bank account.

'The money I was expecting to have in my bank account tomorrow they can't send to me. Why is that my problem?'

She added: 'I have to pay my mortgage in a few days and I can't because they have my money on hold.'

Entrepreneur Amber, who runs personalized gift company Little Miss Lovely Creations, said she was 'freaking out' over the news.

'I'm a mom-of-three, I run a small business, I do this from my home,' she said in a TikTok video.

'Those funds feed my family and pay my bills.'

She said she hoped customers would use her own online shop instead, adding 'fingers crossed that we get our funds on Monday.'

Panic rocked the financial sector Friday after the sudden collapse of SVB.

Deposits up to $250,000 are protected by federal law - but anyone with larger sums tied up now faces loses their money.

Dozens of customers were yesterday filmed lining up outside a branch to withdraw whatever cash they had to get out ahead of the fall-out.

Meanwhile police were called to the bank's headquarters after a group of disgruntled tech founders turned up on the doorstep.

On Friday Etsy was forced to email its sellers to inform them their payments were delayed because the firm relied on the bank for some of its accounts.

'We wanted to let you know there is a delay with your deposit that was scheduled for today,' an email to sellers read.

Ohio entrepreneur Amanda Nielson told Dailymail.com she might be forced to close her Etsy account - where most of her sales come from - if the issue isn't resolved quickly

Nielson runs the business with her husband Sean, 54. She said hearing the news on a Friday evening made her feel 'helpless' as there's nothing she can do at the weekend

'This delay was caused by the recent developments regarding Silicon Valley Bank, who uses Etsy to facilitate disbursements to some sellers.

'We are working with our other payment partners to issue your deposit as soon as possible.'

Etsy's share price was sitting at $105.98 yesterday, having tumbled by 12.52 percent in the last week.

It is not known how many customers were affected.

Ohio-native Amanda Nielson, 45, who runs her soap store Flower and Earth mostly through Etsy, said she was particularly frustrated that the email came through on a Friday night.

'It's the worst time to get that kind of email because you can't do anything for two days. You feel helpless,' she told Dailymail.com

'I'm still getting orders through now and I don't know when they're going to be paid.'

Nielson runs the business with her husband Sean, 54.

She said they can survive for the short-term without the funds but she is worried she will have to shut her shop down.

'Pretty much all of my sales are through Etsy. I have another site but I had been thinking of deleting it because pretty much everything comes through Etsy,' she said.

'If this doesn't get resolved soon I will have to shut down by Etsy account because I just can't afford to take the risk of processing orders without knowing when I'll be paid.

A spokesman for Etsy told dailymail.com: 'Supporting our sellers is our highest priority, and we understand how important it is for these small businesses to be able to receive their funds when they need them.

'We recently experienced a delay in issuing payments to some sellers related to the unexpected collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.

'Our teams have been working around the clock to implement a solution, and we expect to pay sellers via our other payment partners within the next several business days.'

It later added only 0.5 percent of its sellers were affected.

It comes after it emerged that the beleaguered bank's CEO successfully lobbied Congress in 2015 to lessen the scrutiny on businesses such as his.

Greg Becker insisted at the time that 'enhanced prudential standards' should be lifted 'given the low risk profile of our activities'.

It was also revealed Becker had sold $3.57m of stock in a pre-planned, automated sell-off two weeks before the bank collapsed - and the CFO ditched $575,000 the same day.

Becker sold 12,451 shares at an average price of $287.42 each on February 27.

Greg Becker, president of SVB, lobbied Congress in 2015 to lessen the oversight on his bank

Greg Becker (left) sold 12,451 shares at an average price of $287.42 each on February 27. SVB's CFO Daniel Beck (right) sold 2,000 shares at $287.59 per share on the same day as his boss. The price plunged to just $39.49 in premarket Friday before the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) seized its assets.

The price plunged to just $39.49 in premarket on Friday before the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) seized the bank's assets. It closed at $15.

Federal records obtained by The Lever showed that Becker had spent more than half a million dollars on federal lobbying in 2015-18.

The money was well spent: SVB obtained the light-touch regulation it wanted.

Becker told Congress about 'SVB's deep understanding of the markets it serves, our strong risk management practices.'
Tearful homeowners were forced to look on as a digger moved in to destroy their clifftop houses that are inches away from toppling into the sea due to coastal erosion.

Three residents from The Marrams in Hemsby, Norfolk, were forced to leave their wooden homes after high tides cut into the cliffs.

The first of the demolished houses belonged to Sue, who did not wish to give her surname.

Sue claimed that despite living within 1 metre of the cliff's edge, she did not expect to leave her home so soon and hoped more could have been done to save her home for the past three years.

Along with other neighbours who spent the morning packing their belongings, Sue was previously told she would need to get planning permission for her home to be moved back from the cliff edge.

Homeowners were forced to look on as a digger moved in to destroy their clifftop houses that are inches away from toppling into the sea

Three residents from The Marrams in Hemsby, Norfolk, were forced to leave their wooden homes

The first of the demolished houses belonged to Sue (pictured), who hoped more could have been done to save her home for the past three years

However, there was not enough time and residents watched on as their neighbour's house was destroyed.

She told the BBC: 'It's really annoying, it's all your hopes and dreams collapsed into nothingness'.

Mary Withey, another resident whose home is being demolished, also said: 'I'm not OK with it, it's been my home, I don't want to move... it's very sad,

'When I first heard I was in shock and today I've just been tearful, it's horrible.'

She and her partner had lived in their home for four years before hearing the terrible news.

The head of property and asset management at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Jane Beck, claimed the plans were to demolish all three properties within the day, before the next high tide at 9.38pm.

'It's extremely sad for those people and we're trying to do everything we possibly can to help them through that process,' she said.

Fire crews were reported to have knocked on doors on Friday, urging those still in the affected properties to leave.

The head of property and asset management at Great Yarmouth Borough Council claimed the plans were to demolish all three properties within the day

Fire crews were reported to have knocked on doors on Friday, urging those still in the affected properties to leave

Noel Galer, Great Yarmouth Borough councillor for East Flegg ward, containing Hemsby, said: 'I think that the decline when you start to lose parts of it would be quite dramatic. I have a feeling that Hemsby would lose its prominence quite quickly'

Hemsby resident Sue looks out from her home on the cliff edge

Several other wooden properties, built on sand dunes in The Marrams, Hemsby, are also currently at risk of collapsing into the sea.

Noel Galer, Great Yarmouth Borough councillor for East Flegg ward, containing Hemsby, said the village plays an important role in the local tourism industry.

Tearful Mary Withey was forced to remove belongings from her home on the cliff edge

He said: 'It's the place where everybody's children tend to go to get a holiday job when they are 16 in the summer holidays and when they're at university when they come back.'

The councillor said there are 'loads' of 'little companies' there.

He continued: 'You can just imagine with virtually no other industry or commerce in Hemsby, I feel that about 90 per cent of Hemsby's economy is dependent on their tourism and if you were to lose the next bit of Hemsby.

'It's going to be very difficult to see how that holiday industry is going to continue to operate if you start chiselling little bits away from it.

'I think that the decline when you start to lose parts of it would be quite dramatic. I have a feeling that Hemsby would lose its prominence quite quickly.'

He added that there are 'precious little other employment opportunities' in the area.

Residents react as they watch a neighbours house get demolished

Sue and other neighbours who spent the morning packing their belongings before the demolition

Several other wooden properties, built on sand dunes in The Marrams, Hemsby, are also currently at risk of collapsing into the sea

Referencing tourism data collected by the council, Mr Galer insisted Hemsby has 'tremendous value' in the region.

'It's so important,' he said. 'It's difficult to stress how it would be if Hemsby lost 50 metres in a huge storm or a succession of storms over a week or so. It would be horrendous.'

'Can you imagine that with a large number, a majority, of the bookings for Hemsby holidays coming from home grown areas in the UK, the incredible effect that might have on people thinking: 'Oh crumbs, we were thinking of going to Hemsby, we better cancel our holiday - looks like it's going to be closed forever'?'

Mr Galer added: 'We could have a really bad year now as a result of bad news and people making assumptions over a few days when this sort of terrible thing is happening and lose a lot of business.'

 Slide me  Hemsby is largely built on sand which provides little protection against the raging sea, as pictured here in January 2007, but sixteen years later, on March 1, 2023, any remaining grass was long gone and some of the homes had sand up to their front door

The only access road to properties on the Marrams has been cordoned off and is expected to collapse

The shoreline has shrunk significantly in last 50 years and coastal communities risk falling into the ocean

On evacuated residents, the councillor said people will be 'trying very hard' to ensure they are looked after.

'Some people literally have a second home which happens to be very close to the beach,' he went on. 'Perhaps they knew the risks and understood the risks, accepted the risks.

'Others for various reasons may have found this is the only place they can find to live because of the cost and their circumstances and may not be so aware of what's going on.

'They may have felt there's no way this is ever going to be washed away.'

He said that there used to be two further rows of dunes and that there is a footpath on the local map which goes out to sea.

'You look at the map and think: why on earth is there a footpath going out into the ocean? Well, of course, that's simply because of what's disappeared over the last 50 years.'

Hemsby resident Sue removed the last of her belongings from her home on the cliff edge this morning

Properties in Hemsby have been very much at risk in recent years with many properties abandoned as the cliffs continue to slip away

The properties were on the verge of going into the sea as some were as close as one metre

Homes sit close to the cliff edge at Hemsby in Norfolk, where the beach has been closed off because of significant erosion

Hemsby Parish Council is supporting residents who have had to leave their homes

He added: 'Unless we have some kind of sea defence protection that presumably will continue, especially with the increased energy and the climate weather system that's hitting our shores.'

Staff from the local authority have been on site alongside crews from Hemsby Independent Lifeboat Crew and Norfolk Police.

Hemsby Parish Council is also supporting residents who have had to leave their homes.

The Environment Agency estimates that 7,000 properties in Britain will be lost to the sea over the next century.

Coastal erosion typically results in a landward retreat of the coastline. This can increase the risk of coastal flooding and result in loss of land

Officials warned that the beach and surrounding area at Hemsby should be avoided

The beach road is closed at the Norfolk village where a number of residents have left their homes

Sudden coastal erosion events, particularly those in the vicinity of coastal cliffs, may directly endanger the lives of people
China's newly-elected Premier Li Qiang takes an oath after being elected during the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 11. Reuters-Yonhap



Li Qiang, the former Communist Party chief of Shanghai, took office on Saturday as China's premier, the country's No.2 post, putting the close ally of President Xi Jinping in charge of reviving an economy battered by three years of COVID-19 curbs.



Widely perceived to be pragmatic and business-friendly, the 63-year-old Li faces the daunting task of shoring up China's uneven recovery in the faces of global headwinds and weak confidence among consumers and the private sector.



Li takes office as tensions rise with the West over a host of issues including U.S. moves to block China's access to key technologies and as many global companies diversify supply chains to hedge their China exposure due to political risks and the disruptions of the COVID era.



The career bureaucrat replaces Li Keqiang, who is retiring after two five-year terms during which his role was seen to be steadily diminished as Xi tightened his grip on power and steered the world's second-largest economy in a more statist direction.



Li Qiang is the first premier since the founding of the People's Republic never to have served previously in the central government, meaning he may face a steep learning curve in the initial months on the job, analysts said.



Still, Li's close ties with Xi  Li was Xi's chief of staff between 2004 and 2007, when the latter was provincial party secretary of Zhejiang province  will empower him to get things done, leadership-watchers said.



"My reading of the situation is that Li Qiang will have a lot more leeway and authority within the system," said Trey McArver, co-founder of consultancy Trivium China.



Slate of loyalists



Xi, 69, is installing a slate of loyalists in key posts in the biggest government reshuffle in a decade as a generation of more reform-minded officials retires and he further consolidates power after being unanimously elected president, a largely ceremonial role, for an unprecedented third term on Friday.



On Saturday, Li received 2,936 votes, with three votes against and eight abstentions, according to totals projected on a screen inside the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.



He will make his closely watched debut on the international stage on Monday during the premier's traditional media question-and-answer session after the parliamentary session ends.



Li was put on track to become premier in October, when he was appointed to the number-two role on the Politburo Standing Committee during the twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress.



Numerous other Xi-approved officials are due to be confirmed on Sunday including vice premiers, a central bank governor and other ministers and department heads.





Chinese President Xi Jinping and Li Qiang arrive for a session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 11. AP-Yonhap
More than 100 people queued outside the Swansea headquarters of Au Vodka after the company promised to tattoo them with bottles of their branded drink in exchange for 250 despite them previously paying Jake Paul 207,000.

On Saturday morning, around 150 people queued outside the company's headquarters in Swansea.

Some vodka fans had waited there since the early hours of the morning and overnight.

The brand recently made headlines for the fake tattoo it applied to social media star Jake Paul's arm just days before his big fight with Tommy Fury, which he lost by split decision.

It was said that he had been paid 207,000 for the privilege and many responded by saying they would have done it for free.

More than 100 vodka fans had queued outside the Swansea headquarters of Au Vodka since early hours of the morning and over night

The company promised to tattoo them with bottles of their branded drink in exchange for 250 despite them previously paying Jake Paul 207,000 for a challenge

This challenge, which later turned out to be a fake, was done just 11 days before his fight with Tommy Fury where he lost on a split decision

Many noticed that the tattoo had mysteriously disappeared by the time the fight aired despite him getting it done just 11 days before.

Paul was visited by British DJ Charlie Sloth after completing his pre-fight training camp in Dubai.

Sloth, who co-owns the company Au Vodka alongside Charlie Morgan challenged the YouTuber-turned-boxer to get a tattoo of the blue raspberry bottle on his right arm in exchange for 207,000.

Paul duly accepted the challenge and a video was posted to YouTube last week showing the two men on a rooftop in Dubai, sipping at the drink in question while a tattoo artist Paul's right-arm.

Having gained a fair amount of traction in the days leading up to the fight, fans were expecting to see Paul emerge into the ring with the tattoo displayed proudly.

However, eagle-eyed viewers noted the lack of ink on his right arm, leading many to speculate as to where it had gone - or whether it had been real in the first place.

The Problem Child and hype man Dj later took to TikTok to reveal the artwork was in fact a fake.

The tattoo which had been filmed being inked onto Paul's arm was not there during the fight

Sloth together with Jackson Quinn and Charlie Morgan were prompted to challenge people to 'put their money where their mouth is' and said they'd pay people 'up to 250' to have a similar tattoo.

Dozens of people have now left the company's headquarters with a new piece of ink and a cash bundle in their pockets.

The company said it would donate a further 250 per tattoo to charity Maggie's.

AU Vodka has said that tattoos will be subject to 'first come first serve' basis, with the event set to take place until 4pm today.

According to the organisers, customers are limited to one tattoo per person, with cash offerings between 75 to 250 which depends on the size of the tattoo selected.

Customers can choose between three designs that can be allocated on the arms or legs.

On their Facebook page, AU Vodka has thanked fans that have turned up to today's event. They added that they have raised 7,500 for charity.

In a post, they said: 'The Gold Gang are Crazy! Thanks to everyone who's turned up!

'Already raised over 7500 for Charity'.
Terrified passengers reeling from a 1,000 feet drop and extreme turbulence on a Lufthansa flight between Austin and Frankfurt were asked to delete all photographic and video evidence of the incident by staff.

Two passengers, one of whom was injured during the unexpected drop, revealed to Insider that a flight attendant made two attempts to ensure passengers removed evidence - the second time implying it was for the protection of people's privacy.

Many passengers were not wearing seatbelts because the sign had not been triggered and seven people were hospitalized after the horror flight made an emergency landing.

Footage and pictures surfacing on social media following the flight showed the aftermath of the drop with food and personal items strewn across the cabin.

Terrified passengers reeling from a 1,000 feet drop and extreme turbulence on a Lufthansa flight between Austin and Frankfurt were asked to delete all photographic and video evidence of the incident by staff

The flight landed at Washington-Dulles International Airport around 9pm, just three hours into 10.5-hour flight from Austin to Germany. Seven passengers were taken to the hospital

Rolanda Schmidt was one of seven injured during the flight and told the outlet that she hit her head on a plastic tray table case on the seat in front.

She later flew out of her seat as the plane quickly ascended hitting her head for a second time.

'It was one of those moments where within five-to-ten minutes of processing, you knew you were going to die and we didn't know if we were going to make it safely anywhere,' Schmidt said.

'It felt like the insides of your body were being shaken out.'

Schmidt said she sustained a concussion, badly bruised arm and potentially fractured her hip in contrast to the 'minor injuries' cited by Lufthansa.

As the plane made an emergency landing at Dulles International Airport a flight attendant said over the loudspeaker: 'delete all your pictures and videos.'

'I think we were all just like, 'What?!'' Schmidt said shocked by the request.

Five minutes later Schmidt claimed the attendant made another announcement demanding photos and videos be deleted, this time softening the request by saying it was for the privacy of passenger's.

'That's not the way that it came across, saying 'delete all of your pictures' and all of that,' Schmidt said.

Another passenger, who remained nameless, also backed Schmidt's claims saying that the German flag carrier staff had in fact made the request.

Lufthansa have not indicated what may have cause the turbulence and DailyMail.com have approached them for comment citing Schmidt's claims.

In the wake of the incident, passengers recounted the terrifying moment their Lufthansa flight from Austin to Frankfurt plummeted 1,000 feet after being hit by lightning saying everything went into 'slow motion' and 'it was like being in a movie.'

Seven people were hospitalized after the horrifying experience which prompted an emergency landing in Washington DC.

Susan Zimmerman, who was on the flight, told Good Morning America that she was 'shocked' adding that it was the first time many, including staff, had experienced something of this magnitude.

'I don't think even the people that were on board, even the cabin crew, I don't even think any of them have experienced that,' she told the broadcaster.

'This was shocking. It was kind of like you're in slow motion.

Passengers recounted the terrifying moment their Lufthansa flight from Austin to Frankfurt plummeted 1,000 feet after being hit by lightning. Susan Zimmerman said she was 'shocked'

'You just see everything - like in a movie where you see everything lift and all of a sudden it just comes right back down - it felt like five seconds of falling and then there was shaking.'

Broken glass and debris lay scattered among the cabins as passengers came to grips with the traumatic wave of turbulence they experienced at 37,000 feet while flying over Tennessee.

The flight landed at Washington-Dulles International Airport around 9pm, just three hours into the 10.5-hour flight to Germany. Seven passengers were taken to the hospital with unknown injuries.

One man, who claimed his wife was on the flight, said 'people who didn't have their seat belts fastened got hurt mostly cause it came as surprise.'

A photo the man's wife sent him shows food trays, and containers, silverware, and pamphlets scattered through the vestibule.

A passenger, who spoke anonymously with the Washington Post, said food 'went flying into the air, hitting and even damaging the ceiling of the plane.'

Passengers sitting in the row in front were heavily bleeding and wheeled off the plane following the chaos.

Another person whose sister and brother-in-law were on the flight said it was 'exceptionally scary, [with] lots of broken glass and screaming and multiple injuries,' according to The Sun.

The airline offered passengers a link to request a refund after angry passengers took to social media to express their distress: 'Many of our plans have been affected, our clothes are ruined, and we definitely expect far more than just a hotel tonight.'

The flight landed at DC airport three hours into its journey - the airline providing hotel accommodation to passengers

BREAKING OVERNIGHT: Several people were hospitalized after a Lufthansa flight from Texas to to Germany was forced to land in Washington D.C. after extreme turbulence. @GioBenitez has the details.https://t.co/VDuCPeZ9Gg pic.twitter.com/GnoiDeiwpN  Good Morning America (@GMA) March 2, 2023

'We would like to get immediate help and compensation for the catastrophic forced landing incident involving LH469,' one passenger wrote.

The airline also provided hotel accommodation for displaced passengers.

Another passenger, however, thanked the crew: '@lufthansa thank you so much for your incredible care of Flt 469 tonight! My family will be eternally grateful for the skill of the pilot and co-pilot and care from the crew.'

The FAA is investigating the incident.
As a triathlon champion, Lesley Paterson, until recently, has been more used to wearing leggings and trainers than an evening gown.

But tonight, the screenwriter will celebrate her astonishing nine Oscar nominations, for movie All Quiet on the Western Front, by wearing a 20,000 multi-coloured dress by a Bulgarian designer who heard her being interviewed on Radio 4s Womens Hour following her BAFTA nominations earlier this year.

Ms Paterson, who is originally from Stirling but now lives in Los Angeles, California, will wear the flesh-revealing yellow, pink and red frock which has been custom-made for her by fashion label, KolchagovBarba - who also made her show-stealing gown for the BAFTA awards.

The dress even boasts a real 18ct gold clasp which alone cost 1,000.

Work on the gown, which was flown to Los Angeles last week by designers Svetoslav Kolchago and Emilio Barba, took a total of 80 hours to make and was handstitched to fit her body last Friday.

As a triathlon champion, Lesley Paterson, until recently, has been more used to wearing leggings and trainers than an evening gown

But tonight, the screenwriter will celebrate her astonishing nine Oscar nominations, for movie All Quiet on the Western Front, by wearing a 20,000 multi-coloured dress by a Bulgarian designer who heard her being interviewed on Radio 4s Womens Hour following her BAFTA nominations earlier this year

Mr Barba told The Mail on Sunday: A friend of mine was listening to Womens Hour when Lesley was being interviewed. She said that she was very excited about going to the Oscars.

They asked who is going to dress you? And she said I dont have anyone yet... my friend suggested that we get in touch with her as shes so amazing, and jokingly I was like, okay Ill give her a call.

We arranged a zoom call and showed her what we do and she loved it. We then planned to meet in London the following week and she said Oh by the way I dont have a dress for the BAFTA either. We were like the BAFTAs are next week! We told her not to worry and that wed look after her for the BAFTAS as well.

Ms Paterson, who is originally from Stirling but now lives in Los Angeles, California, will wear the flesh-revealing yellow, pink and red frock which has been custom-made for her by fashion label, KolchagovBarba - who also made her show-stealing gown for the BAFTA awards

Lesley Patterson in the in the triathlon outfit shes more used to

She came to our studios in London, she tried a few options on, from the very beginning you have to get to know what the person is like, thats why we have fittings with the client, its so important to see how they move, what they feel comfortable in. She loved what we tried.

Mr Barba also revealed that teetotal Ms Paterson - who ten years ago worked as a waitress at the Oscars ceremony in Hollywood - celebrated her BAFTA win last month with a hot chocolate.

He said: Lesley has a bubbly personality, shes so gorgeous and down to earth. After the BAFTAS we went for a hot chocolate and she brought her BAFTA with her. We were there in Soho with her award drinking hot chocolate.
A New York-based Toy Store has slashed its prices in a desperate bid to stay afloat following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.

Camp toy store fired off an email to customers on Friday telling them to use the tongue-in-cheek discount code 'BANKRUN' to save 40 percent on their merchandise.

The firm - which has collaborated with multiple high-profile celebrities including Drew Barrymore and Neil Patrick Harris - said much of its cash was tied up in SVB, which became the largest bank to fail in the U.S since the 2008 financial crisis.

On Friday it urged customers to make purchases which it said would be processed via rival bank Chase.

'Unfortunately, we had most of our companys cash assets at a bank which just collapsed. Im sure youve heard the news,' co-founder Ben Kaufman said in an email.

New York toy store Camp, pictured, has slashed its prices by 40 percent to cope with the fallout of its bank Silicon Valley Bank

An advert on the store's Instagram account urges customers to use the tongue-in-cheek discount code 'bankrun'

Co-founder Ben Kaufman also emailed customers urging them to take advantage of the sale

'All sales from this point forward will deposit into Chase and allow us to generate the a cash needed to continue operations so we can continue to deliver unforgettable family memories.'

Customers were told they could either take advantage of the discount or pay full price to give the business a further boost.

Kaufman, who was previously chief marketing officer at Buzzfeed, added it would be 'appreciated' if they chose the latter option.

He signed off the post: 'Load up on cheap toys, birthday gifts etc - all while helping CAMP. Everybody wins?'

The discount proved so popular the website crashed temporarily on Friday night due to high demand.

'Our site has crashed from all the support, thank you all,' read a post on its Instagram page.

On Friday it urged customers to make purchases which it said would be processed via rival bank Chase

Camp is a venture capital-backed firm and opened its first store in 2018. It is an experiential toy shop that offers a range of children's birthday parties, scavenger hunts and other events.

It has also collaborated with a range of celebrities on events including LeBron James, Drew Barrymore and Neil Patrick Harris.

In 2020 Barrymore ran a make-up challenge blindfolded for an event run by the toy store and Walmart.

Its popularity rocketed in the pandemic when it hosted over 50,000 virtual birthday parties and sold more than 500,000 activity books.

Concerned customers questioned whether the panicked sale marked the death-knell for the beloved toy store - but employees were quick to reassure them they will 'ride the wave' of the SVB collapse.

Replying to one comment, the firm said: 'Camp expects to be around for the long haul.

'We are confident we will ride this wave and our hopeful that we will be running at regular speed again by next week.'

Police attended the bank's California headquarters on Friday after furious tech entrepreneurs showed up to its door step

SVP CEO Greg Becker successfully lobbied congress in 2015 to lessen the scrutiny on his business

It comes after panic rocked the financial sector Friday after the sudden collapse of SVB.

The bank was sensationally shut down by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation which placed its remaining assets under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's control.

The crisis was sparked after it disclosed a $1.8 billion loss on its bold holdings this week.

CEO Greg Becker had urged investors on a Thursday conference call to 'stay calm' and not 'panic.'

But it caused jittery clients to withdraw large balances to avoid any losses.

Deposits up to $250,000 are protected by federal law - but anyone with larger sums tied up now faces loses their money.

Dozens of customers were yesterday filmed lining up outside a branch to withdraw whatever cash they had to get out ahead of the fall-out.

Meanwhile police were called to the bank's headquarters after a group of disgruntled tech founders turned up on the doorstep.

But it is ordinary families that will suffer the most from the crisis, with lots of small business start-ups and online sellers left in limbo over the collapse.

Online marketplace Etsy was forced to freeze some transactions on its site, leaving sellers struggling to pay their bills.

On Friday Etsy was forced to email its sellers to inform them their payments were being frozen because the firm relied on the bank for some of its accounts.

Sellers said the freeze meant they were unable to pay their mortgages and left him worried about how to feed their families.

Becker has also come under fire after it emerged he successfully lobbied congress in 2015 to lessen the scrutiny on businesses like his.

He insisted at the time that 'enhanced prudential standards' should be lifted 'given the low risk profile of our activities'.

It was also revealed Becker had sold $3.57m of stock in a pre-planned, automated sell-off two weeks before the bank collapsed - and the CFO ditched $575,000 the same day.

Becker sold 12,451 shares at an average price of $287.42 each on February 27.

The price plunged to just $39.49 in premarket on Friday before the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) seized the bank's assets. It closed at $15.

Federal records obtained by The Lever showed that Becker had spent more than half a million dollars on federal lobbying in 2015-18.

The money was well spent: SVB obtained the light-touch regulation it wanted.

Becker told Congress about 'SVB's deep understanding of the markets it serves, our strong risk management practices.
The scandalous exchanges emerged during legal discovery after she became embroiled in a race row over the teaching of black history

Mercedes Liriano was caught soliciting seedy hookups and threesomes on Craigslist using her school email

A Bronx teacher was caught soliciting hookups and threesomes on Craigslist after she used her school email for seedy exchanges, an investigation found.

Mercedes 'Mercy' Liriano sent strangers lewd photographs as she sought out sex via the school system while teaching at MS 224 in Mott Haven, New York.

Liriano, 50, who was married at the time, sent at least eight racy emails between December 2016 and September 2017, according to a probe launched by the Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools.

'Voluptuous sexy AA female looking for dominant cpl  w4mw,' she titled one of the messages.

Liriano previously drew attention to herself after orchestrating the removal of a white school principal in a race row over the teaching of black history to her students.

After an ensuing legal battle was launched by the principal, the discovery process unearthed the sleazy emails, leading Liriano to resign from her role as an English teacher.

Mercedes Liriano, pictured, was caught sending racy emails on Craigslist using her school email

The 50-year-old English Teacher previously made a name for herself after orchestrating the removal of a white principal at her school in a race row

The 50-year-old educator's scandalous past saw her send racy pictures of herself, including bikini-clad holiday snaps, in open ended messages looking for a match.

The mom added in one of her seductive emails that she was seeking a threesome, unaware her school email could later track her conversations.

'So what are you willing to do n not do?? I ask bc for us we both need to be pleased n would want to please you too. Have u done 3somes before??' one of the messages read.

'Hello my name is Mercedes aka Mercy. Here are some pictures of me. Hope to hear from you soon,' she said in further email threads.

'Indecent photographs were exchanged, and one of the emails contained pictures of a womans vagina and a womans buttocks,' the investigation added.

The emails began at roughly the same time school principal Patricia Catania took over at the Bronx elementary.

Around two years later, Liriano became embroiled in a controversial race row with the education chief, claiming Catania had told her she wasn't allowed to teach black history to her young students.

After being asked why her students were working on a project for Black History Month, Liriano alleges that she was told by the principal: 'You're an ELA teacher, you don't teach social studies.'

According to a deposition that was filed following the spat, the principal said Liriano flew off the handle after being ordered to avoid the subject.

'Ms. Liriano immediately went on a loud tirade throughout the hallway and main office of the school, screaming words to the effect that I could not tell her she could not teach Black History,' Catania claimed in the deposition.

The former principal also contended that she never made the order, and merely told the teacher she had to have a lesson plan to go ahead with the class.

Liriana alleged that former school principal Patricia Catania, pictured, ordered her not to teach black history to her students

Liriana resigned from her role as an English teacher following an investigation into her racy emails

After being fired over the contentious allegation, Catania said she was the victim of a 'smear' campaign orchestrated by Liriano.

The duo launched dueling lawsuits against each other over the race row, leading to the discovery of Liriano's raunchy hookup requests as their legal teams investigated the educators during the discovery process, according to the SCI report.

Her sordid exchanges led her to resign in September 2021, and the SCI recommended the Department of Education place a 'problem code' in her file that could stop her from landing a role as a teacher in the future.

Liriana's lawyer has denied the allegations in the report, according to the New York Post.

Just five months after she lost her job in the Bronx school, her husband of 15-years died and was discovered in bed by Liriano's twin daughters, according to a GoFundMe page she launched at the time.

The Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com, and it is unclear what action was taken as a result of the SCI investigation.
Officer was nearly hit in the face in Chorley and dispersal order now issued

A child was arrested after a gang of youths ambushed police officers with a snowball fight.

Officers on patrol spotted youths throwing the icy projectiles towards McDonalds in Chorley, Lancashire which came 'very close to hitting officers and members of public in the face'.

A furious police sergeant posted on social media that officers 'DO NOT consent to a snowball fight' as it was revealed a child was arrested for alleged public order offences.

Following the incident last night, Lancashire Police put a dispersal order in place.

Sgt Harrison, from the Chorley & South Ribble Task Force, said yesterday: 'This evening Officers from Chorley Neighbourhood and Task force are out and about tackling ASB and crime.

A child was arrested after a gang of youths ambushed police officers with a snowball fight

Snow covered Preston Tower in Northumberland on Tuesday night

Officers on patrol spotted youths throwing the icy projectiles towards McDonalds (pictured) in Chorley, Lancashire which came 'very close to hitting officers and members of public in the face'

'Whilst going about our business Youths have begun throwing snow balls towards McDonalds which have been very close to hitting officers and members of public in the face.

'We DO NOT consent to a snowball fight and we will take positive action against any people who have been identified attempting to assault officers.

'Officers will be on duty all weekend and behaviour of this nature will NOT be tolerated.'

The dispersal order means anyone suspected of causing anti social behaviour will be directed to leave a specified area. Failing to comply with police directions comes with the risk of arrest.

The order was put in place from 3am this morning and will be reviewed with a possibility of it continuing through the weekend, police said.

And heavy snow is to sweep across the UK again this weekend after temperatures plunged to as low as minus 15.2C last night.

Pictured: Today's snow in the North Yorkshire village of Great Ayton

The flurry of heavy snow did not stop revellers from hitting the bars in Leeds last night

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for large swathes of the country just as Storm Larisa battered parts of the UK with 50mph gales and blizzards.

Delays and cancellations could be expected as a result, with the Met Office anticipating that buses, trains and flights may take a hit.

Drivers have also been urged to avoid getting behind the wheel, with the chance that more vehicles could be left stranded in the treacherous conditions.

A yellow snow and ice warning covers much of northern England and southern Scotland until 6am on Sunday.
Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47, Marina Perez Rios, 48, both of Penitas, and their friend, Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53, vanished in Mexico on February 24

Lieutenant Chris Olivarez is urging anyone traveling to Mexico, especially spring breakers, to think twice about certain areas because it is 'too dangerous'

A Texas trooper is warning Americans to rethink traveling to Mexico after three women vanished when crossing the border to sell clothes at a flea market - joining the more than 500 US citizens currently missing in the country.

Lieutenant Chris Olivarez, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told travelers gearing up for Spring Break to be careful when planning vacations to the popular travel destination.

'Our department is urging anyone traveling to Mexico, especially spring breakers, to avoid those areas, because right now it is too dangerous with the increase in violence and kidnappings in Mexico,' Lieutenant Olivarez told Fox News. 'I can't express enough to those thinking about traveling to Mexico, especially to spring breakers...to avoid those areas as much as possible.'

The warning comes after two sisters Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47, Marina Perez Rios, 48, both of Penitas, and their friend, Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53, went missing on February 24.

Officials said they were traveling in a green mid-1990s Chevy Silverado to a flea market in the city of Montemorelos, in Nuevo Leon state - around three hours from the border - and never returned. Penitas is just a few hundred feet from the Rio Grande River.

It comes after the highly publicized case where four Americans were abducted by a cartel after traveling into the country for a tummy tuck. Their abduction was caught on video last week and received an avalanche of attention. But the fate of the three women, who haven't been heard from in about two weeks, remains a mystery.

Lieutenant Chris Olivarez (pictured) is 'urging anyone traveling to Mexico, especially spring breakers, to avoid those areas, because right now it is too dangerous with the increase in violence and kidnappings'

Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47, Marina Perez Rios, 48; both of Penitas, and their friend, Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53, (pictured) went missing on February 24

They crossed into Mexico to sell clothes at flea market three hours away from the border (pictured: Maritza and Marina)

The sisters' cousin Ludy Arredondo wrote on Facebook that they 'do not have a single piece of news [and] the authorities do not say anything,' as she and others continue to pray for their safe return.

'They do not have clues,' she wrote. 'PLEASE do not leave us alone.

'My cousins and their friend are women, workers, responsible, mothers of their children, noble, simple women, they are WOMEN WHO WENT TO WORK. PLEASE friends post [and] share,' she begged.

The last to hear from the women was one of their husbands who spoke to her by phone while she was traveling in Mexico. He later reported them missing after growing concerned when he couldn't reach her afterwards, the Penitas Police Chief Roel Bermea said.

'Since he couldn't make contact over that weekend, he came in that Monday and reported it to us,' Bermea said.

Officials at the state prosecutor's office said they have been investigating the women's disappearance since Monday. Beyond that, officials in the US and Mexico haven't said much about their pursuit of the three.

The FBI said Friday it is aware that two sisters from Penitas, a small border city in Texas near McAllen, and their friend have gone missing. Bermea said their families have been in touch with Mexican authorities, who are investigating their disappearance.

The three women are among a startling 550 Americans who have been reported missing in Mexico, according to public records. This is a small part of the total 112,000 people missing in the country - and is a tiny percentage of the millions of US citizens who travel to Mexico every year for vacations and work.

But many relatives of the Americans still missing are asking why their loved ones havent been given a higher priority by Washington like the recent kidnapping.

Bermea said the women were traveling in a green mid-1990s Chevy Silverado to a flea market in the city of Montemorelos, in Nuevo Leon state (pictured Maritza)

Officials at the state prosecutor's office said they have been investigating the women's disappearance since Monday

The three women are just one of hundreds who have been reported missing in the country that are still missing. There are 550 Americans reported missing (pictured: Marina Rios)

The husband of one of the women spoke to her by phone while she was traveling in Mexico, but grew concerned when he couldn't reach her afterward (pictured: US-Mexico border)

Lisa Torres, whose son Robert disappeared at 21, grew angry as she watched the coverage of the four friends.

'Im so angry I couldnt sleep, thinking about how my US government acted in Matamoros with the kidnappings,' she wrote on Twitter. 'This only confirms that my US government can help, and they didnt, in the case of my son. WHY?'

A lawyer, Geovanni Barrios, whose son was abducted in Reynosa at 17, told the Washington Post: 'We see that when the US government makes strong statements, there are results. But there arent only four Americans disappeared in Mexico. We dont see [the US government] making these statements about the hundreds of other missing Americans.'

While many families are still holding onto hope their loved ones will reappear, they are resentful that they haven't been afforded the massive search and government attention like the four Americans did. For most of the 112,000 missing in the country, the only ones looking for them are their desperate relatives.

Latavia 'Tay' McGee and Eric James Williams both survived the experience. Shaeed Hakim Woodard and Zindell Zaquille Mckinley Brown were killed by the cartel

Members (pictured) of the Gulf Cartel's Scorpions Group were abandoned on a Matamoros street and accused by the criminal organization of being behind the kidnapping of four Americans who traveled to the country for surgery

Authorities lack manpower, equipment and training - and things are so bad that they aren't even able to identify tens of thousands of bodies that have been found.

The four kidnapped Americans were caught in a drug cartel shootout in the border city of Matamoros, and video footage showed them being hauled off in a pickup truck. The two survivors were found Tuesday in a wooden shack near the Gulf Coast.

This week's massive search for the four kidnapped Americans involved squads of Mexican soldiers and National Guard troops.
Lloyd Gunton was not a typical Islamist terrorist. The 17-year-old farmer's son lived in the Welsh valleys with his Christian parents.

His sole knowledge of fighting jihad  a holy war  had been gleaned from his computer.

Yet the freckle-faced teenager had a butcher's knife and a heavy claw hammer in his school rucksack, alongside a handwritten martyrdom letter proclaiming: 'I am a soldier of the Islamic State.'

Inspired by Isis terrorists, his motivation for violence was to wreak revenge for British air-strikes on the Middle East.

From the confines of his bedroom, Gunton had planned to launch a deadly attack on a Justin Bieber concert in Cardiff on a balmy June evening six years ago. But his plot was foiled in the nick of time.

The freckle-faced teenager Lloyd Gunton had a butcher's knife and a heavy claw hammer in his school rucksack

Lloyd Gunton was convicted of preparing for terrorist acts after a nine-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court

Just hours before 40,000 Bieber fans arrived at Cardiff's Principality Stadium, armed police  acting on information from the security services  burst into Gunton's farmhouse near Llantrisant, South Wales, and arrested the would-be killer.

Gunton came to the attention of security services after boasting of his plan on Instagram.

Using the name 'Alqaeds', he wrote: 'Cardiff, are you ready for our terror May Allah bring terrorism to Cardiff.'

Posts also included a picture of the Welsh capital's castle, an image of a Jeep, a knife, a bomb and a fluttering Isis flag.

He had even posted instructions on launching vehicle attacks, copied from Isis's translated propaganda magazine.

The security services had already been working to counter the threat from around 900 British jihadis who had joined Isis in Syria and Iraq.

But in Gunton, who had not converted to Islam, they had found a different sort of threat: a home-grown terrorist with no links to known extremists.

Evidence presented at his trial suggested he had radicalised himself by reading internet posts about Jihadi John, who featured in beheading videos by Islamic State, and the two Muslim converts who murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby.

The conversion from innocent schoolboy to terrorist took little over a year.

Gunton is far from the only one. Some 43,000 people have been logged by MI5 for posing a potential threat to the UK, of whom 3,000 are deemed 'subjects of interest'.

Thanks to an estimated 800 priority investigations by intelligence services, around 40 terror attacks on British soil have been foiled in the past six years.

These would-be terrorists do not get the chance, as they see it, to die in a blaze of glory. Instead, like Gunton, they are arrested, their homes searched, their phones and laptops seized, and their friends and families interviewed.

When Gunton was sentenced this month, he was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 11 years.

These thwarted plots reveal far more of the true picture of terrorism in the UK than the deadly attacks by terrorists whose secrets often die with them.

A policeman pointing a gun at Khalid Masood on the floor as emergency services attend the scene outside the Palace of Westminster, London, in March 2017

The first sign of this new threat came in March 2017, when a car was repeatedly driven into the crowds of pedestrians on the pavement on London's Westminster Bridge, killing four people and injuring many more.

The driver, Khalid Masood, then smashed the vehicle into the railings around the Houses of Parliament before jumping out and stabbing an unarmed police officer to death.

Within minutes, Masood was shot dead by a Government Minister's bodyguard.

Khalid Masood who was shot dead by police after using a rented Hyundai 4x4 to mow down and kill and seriously injure innocent people on Wednesday in a terror attack on Westminster Bridge

Security services had long feared a bloody 'spectacular' by militants who fought for Isis in Syria and Iraq before returning to the UK.

Masood's attack showed there was a seething pool of disaffected extremists already here.

The Westminster attack was the first of a chain of 15 terrorist atrocities in the UK in the next five years, which have killed 42 and injured hundreds more  across London and Manchester and spreading out into smaller towns such as Reading and Leigh-on-Sea.

Masood, who had been born with the name Adrian Elms in Kent, had previously attracted MI5's interest but was deemed low-risk and his case had been closed.

So had the file on Salman Abedi, who murdered 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in May 2017.

Khuram Butt, the ringleader of the 2017 terror attack on London Bridge that killed eight people, had been under live investigation  but his plot was still missed.

Intelligence services had failed to move with the times  and were heavily criticised in the report into the Manchester Arena bombing, published earlier this month. Making the job of the security services harder was that the profile of a typical plotter had changed.

The first unmasked pictures of Jihadi John wearing combat gear and wielding an AK-47 in the Middle East were published a week after his death was confirmed

Many were lone actors who 'self-radicalised' online and kept their plans to themselves  a phenomenon amplified by the forced isolation during the Covid pandemic (Jihadi John)

No longer were they part of terrorist networks. Instead, many were lone actors who 'self-radicalised' online and kept their plans to themselves  a phenomenon amplified by the forced isolation during the Covid pandemic.

The intelligence services also failed to predict that terrorists were getting younger. Lloyd Gunton was one of 27 under-18s arrested for terror offences in 2017, of whom 13 were charged and ten convicted.

In the year to June 2022 the number of under-18s arrested in Britain for terror offences soared to 33  meaning one in six people held for that reason was a child.

Haroon Syed, from Hounslow, was 16 when he was reported to the Prevent anti-radicalisation programme in 2014. Teachers had noticed a change in his behaviour when his brother was jailed for plotting a Remembrance Day terror attack.

Undercover officers from MI5 secretly engaged with Syed online and teased out his plan to obtain a machine gun and bomb to attack an Elton John concert in London's Hyde Park. He was 19 when convicted in court.

In another shifting trend, white people have made up the largest single ethnic group arrested for terror offences for four consecutive years. In the year to last June, three-quarters of suspects considered themselves to be British nationals, compared to a third in the year following the 9/11 attacks.

By the beginning of this decade, when MI5 took over prime responsibility for tackling extreme Right-wing terrorism from the police, the far Right had become the fastest-growing threat in the UK.

Some claimed to act out of revenge at jihadist attacks, but there was also an increase in support for white nationalist groups.

This led to the emergence of the neo-Nazi terrorist organisation National Action, whose members hailed the killer of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016 as a 'hero'.

The Government responded that December by banning National Action  the first far-Right group sanctioned as a terrorist organisation.

Membership was made a criminal offence as Ministers pledged to combat its 'racist, antisemitic and homophobic' propaganda.

Jack Renshaw joined National Action after becoming a neo-Nazi at 14, obsessed with conspiracy theories about a supposed Jewish plot to eradicate white people.

Jack Renshaw joined National Action after becoming a neo-Nazi at 14 and was jailed for a plot to kill a Labour MP

National Action was declared a proscribed group by then-Home Secretary Amber Rudd on 16 December 2016 following the group's support of the murder of Jo Cox, the MP for Batley (a knife confiscated from Christopher Lythgoe, a National Action ringleader)

Thanks to a National Action member who had turned informant for anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate, Renshaw was arrested before he could act to kill Rosie Cooper (pictured)

In 2017, in his early 20s, Renshaw attended a meeting with six other National Action members at a Wetherspoon's pub in Warrington, Cheshire. He announced he was going to murder his local Labour MP, Rosie Cooper, with a machete.

Renshaw planned to wear a fake suicide vest to ensure police would shoot him dead, in the same way Isis-inspired terrorists had during an attack in London's Borough Market a few weeks earlier.

Some suggested alternative targets, such as a synagogue, but Renshaw's preparations were already advanced. He had researched Ms Cooper and knew her constituency surgeries were not guarded.

Despite being the subject of a police investigation over evidence that suggested he had been grooming under-age boys for sex, Renshaw was not considered a terror threat. Neither was he on MI5's radar or under surveillance.

Thanks to a National Action member who had turned informant for anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate, Renshaw was arrested before he could act, and jailed for 20 years.

But his plot exposed a hole in Britain's counter-terrorism machinery. The extreme Right wing now makes up a fifth of counter-terror policing's workload and a quarter of MI5's terrorism caseload.

Extremists' activities in prison was another intelligence blind spot.

Naweed Ali and Khobaib Hussain had been jailed in 2011 for attempting to travel to an Al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan. Their ally, Mohibur Rahman, had been imprisoned in 2012 for possessing copies of Al Qaeda's Inspire magazine.

The trio, calling themselves the Three Musketeers, were jailed in London's high-security Belmarsh Prison but plotted a fresh terror attack on their release. They were foiled by MI5 in the nick of time, before a wave of successful attacks by other freed inmates.

An official report published at the time of the Three Musketeers' arrest in August 2016 had warned that prisoners were openly voicing support for Isis and threatening prison staff. Charismatic inmates were acting as self-styled 'emirs', exerting a controlling influence and forcing conversions to Islam.

As of last June, there were 238 terrorist prisoners in British jails. Of these, 66 per cent were categorised as Islamist extremists, 27 per cent as extreme Right-wing, with seven per cent as holding other ideologies.

The figures do not account for those such as Sahayb Abu, who was jailed for burglary in 2018, but who was released two years later more radicalised than when he went in.

He then told his brother: 'I'm changing in many ways. I want to worship Allah and be pure. I'm done with everything, I care about the bigger picture I don't want to go back to no clown bulls***.'

Sahayb Abu is one of at least 20 people with previous criminal convictions who have planned or carried out a terror attack in the UK in recent years

Within days of Abu's release, MI5 and counter-terror police discovered that he had begun to plan an Isis-inspired terror attack. He had already ordered an 18in 'warrior sword' and a combat vest.

Abu is one of at least 20 people with previous criminal convictions who have planned or carried out a terror attack in the UK in recent years, including those who struck in London Bridge and Westminster.

After his arrest, police revealed he had an 'extraordinary' number of family members involved in Islamist extremism, including two who had died for Isis in Syria.

Counter-terror police and MI5 have had to change their tactics in light of the 2017 attacks and were forced to adapt again during the Covid pandemic, when there was little conventional surveillance and people were spending more and more time online.

There was also little chance of mental health services, schools, probation workers or other agencies noticing these individuals were becoming a threat.

The pandemic offered fewer opportunities to attack and so security services feared the threat was being 'stored up'. This was proved correct in October 2021, when an Isis supporter stabbed Tory MP Sir David Amess to death at his constituency surgery in Essex.

Ali Harbi Ali was found guilty of the murder of Sir David Ames. He said his attack had been delayed by coronavirus

In October 2021, when an Isis supporter stabbed Tory MP Sir David Amess to death at his constituency surgery in Essex

Ali Harbi Ali planned the attack for more than two years, but told police when arrested that his action was delayed because of 'corona y'know that was a write-off year'.

Sir Mark Rowley, head of UK counter-terrorism policing between 2014 and 2018, pointed out that none of the seven fatal terror attacks in England since 2017 has been launched by 'priority one' subjects of interest  those regarded as having the highest level of risk.

This shows, he said, that the top end of the detection system is working, but that the successful attacks are coming from different groups.

Every month, MI5 receives hundreds of new leads from sources that include informants, undercover agents, calls to the UK's anti-terrorist hotline and even emails directly to the security services.

Sir Mark said: 'How do you spot something coming at you? You want multiple different radars.

'You've got all the informants that police and MI5 run: intelligence coming from existing operations, you've got international intelligence from GCHQ and MI6 and partners that tell you 'so and so in Raqqa is directing someone in Birmingham', and then you've got the nosy neighbour who says something weird is going on.

'Putting GCHQ and neighbours on the same list looks odd. But the more different radar systems you have, the better chance that fewer will slip through the cracks.'

Plotters: The UK Terrorists Who Failed, by Lizzie Dearden, is published by Hurst on March 23 at 25.
Before sitting down in his Downing Street office to preview his first budget, Jeremy Hunt has somehow managed to squeeze in a 19-mile morning run.

The symbolism of a healthy-looking, 56-year-old workaholic galloping through the park with his labrador, Poppy, is unlikely to be accidental, as next week the Chancellor will confront the 'economic inactivity' of the middle-aged.

Pension reforms will reduce incentives for people to take early retirement, as part of a 'back-to-work' package which will also include a crackdown on benefit claimants and greater childcare support for the low paid  an attempt to tackle the dead weight of more than five million working-age adults who are not in employment.

'We need to say that when you turn 50, this shouldn't be a time when you are looking ahead and thinking, 'Sooner or later I am going to face the cliff edge of retirement,' ' he says.

'This should be a time when you are thinking, 'I've got another 20 years of working life ahead of me.' '

Jeremy Hunt: 'We need to say that when you turn 50, this shouldn't be a time when you are looking ahead and thinking, 'Sooner or later I am going to face the cliff edge of retirement''

The Chancellor is hoping that the labour-force reforms will deflect attention from the ongoing row over his decision to hike corporation tax from 19 to 25 per cent

The Chancellor is hoping that the labour-force reforms will deflect attention from the ongoing row over his decision to hike corporation tax from 19 to 25 per cent next month, which has united business leaders, backbench MPs and Tory donors in their opposition.

He is expected to try to take some of the sting out of the criticism by dipping into a 100 billion tax-revenue windfall to introduce investment- tax breaks for businesses, which he says will cut the 'effective'  rather than headline  rate of corporation tax.

Citing the example of the tax breaks applied by other countries, he says: 'You can lower the amount of corporation tax you pay as a company because of the incentives that they're given to invest in capital  you get your money back the following year off your tax bill.'

The symbolism of a healthy-looking, 56-year-old workaholic galloping through the park with his labrador, Poppy, is unlikely to be accidental, as next week the Chancellor will confront the 'economic inactivity' of the middle-aged

The move is likely to be one of the few talking points in a Budget which even its architects admit is 'a bit boring', a tinkering exercise also involving extensions to the energy price scheme, a freeze in fuel duty and a modest 5 billion increase in the defence budget. Money is clearly being saved up for Election year.

Mr Hunt, whose cumulative Cabinet experience as Culture Secretary, Health Secretary, Foreign Secretary and now Chancellor runs to nearly a decade, urges his critics to be patient over the Government's tax plans.

'We need to go on a journey to bring down business taxation but it's not something we can do overnight,' he says.

'Even after the corporation tax rise, we will still have a lower headline rate of corporation tax than any G7 country.

'If I think about the tax cut of which I am most proud as a Conservative, it is the fact that for the past year for the first time in our history you have been able to earn 1,000 a month without paying a penny of tax or National Insurance.'

Last year's Government turmoil means that Mr Hunt is the fourth Chancellor since July.

His predecessor, Kwasi Kwarteng, delivered a tax-cutting 'growth' Budget in September which instead crashed the markets and helped to bring down Liz Truss's Government.

Mr Hunt, whose cumulative Cabinet experience as Culture Secretary, Health Secretary, Foreign Secretary and now Chancellor runs to nearly a decade, urges his critics to be patient over the Government's tax plans

Mr Hunt's critics argue that he has 'over-corrected' by prioritising stability over growth; however, he insists he is working to a plan that will release the benefits of an economic resurgence in time for polling day.

Part of that, says the Remain-supporting Hunt, involves finally harnessing the benefits of Brexit.

'That was a decision by the country to adopt a new social contract where we grow an economy not dependent on unlimited high-skill migration, which is what you had with the single market,' he says.

'That means we have to remove the barriers that prevent those five million people engaging in work and that is a fundamental Conservative value.'

His plan involves the greater use of post-Covid flexible working, a crackdown on benefits claimants who turn down job offers, and help for the 700,000 parents with children under the age of 12 'by being more generous about when childcare is paid. At the moment it's paid in arrears and that puts people off'.

Mr Hunt says he now thinks that 'Brexit is starting to be a success in the end, Brexit is about freedom, autonomy that we didn't have before and it's about us using that autonomy to make the British economy more competitive'.

He adds: 'You'll hear more in the Budget, but I think we've got a big moment where we can forge our own path and make a tremendous success of Brexit.'

The Chancellor, whose wife Lucia is Chinese, defends Rishi Sunak's decision to try to 'disapply' human rights laws which allow small-boat migrants to claim asylum.

'We believe that what we want to do is consistent with being in the ECHR. We're fully expecting that to be challenged in the courts. The PM has said we're up for the fight. I think one of the things that makes me most proud, I'm married to an immigrant.

'We're one of the most tolerant countries in the world when it comes to migration and we have a very strong track record, second to none, in the welcome we give to people from countries in difficulty.'

The Chancellor, whose wife Lucia is Chinese, defends Rishi Sunak's decision to try to 'disapply' human rights laws which allow small-boat migrants to claim asylum

He is trenchant on Gary Lineker's inflammatory comparison of the Government's asylum policy with '1930s Germany', saying: 'I don't think he should have said that. They were very offensive comments and I think it's deeply regrettable that he has yet to apologise for them.'

With immaculate comedy timing, a disembodied voice coming from his Apple watch says: 'I'm not sure I understand.'

Before the interview concludes, I want to clear up a 'fact' which appears in most profiles of the father-of-three: that he is such a fan of the lambada that he has a 'sprung' dancefloor in his home to practise. He says the story arose from an embellishment by Michael Gove.

'When the BBC were doing a profile of me, [Gove] gave an interview in which he informed them that I'd put a sprung dancefloor in my house,' he says.

'As it happened, I used to be a very keen Latin dancer and I'd bought a house which happened to have a very good wooden floor. But I didn't put it in.'

He and Mr Sunak will have to be nimble-footed to turn around the economy in time to stop Sir Keir Starmer getting his hands on the levers of power in 2024.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt signals new tax breaks for firms in bid to see off Tory rebellion over corporation tax in Wednesday's Budget

Amid mounting anger over the rise in the levy from 19 per cent to 25 per cent next month  which has angered Tory MPs and led party donors to warn privately that they will cut their funding  Mr Hunt used an interview with The Mail on Sunday to signal new tax breaks for business.

He said: 'The most important measure we should be looking at is not the headline rate of corporation tax but the effective rate of corporation tax.'

Mr Hunt added that he was examining the way that in other countries, 'you can lower the amount of corporation tax you pay as a company because of the incentives they're given to invest in capital  you get your money back the following year off your tax bill'.

The Budget is expected to include a 'back to work' package to tackle the fact there are five million adults of working age who are not in employment

Mr Hunt's Cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch has highlighted criticisms of the measure, telling today's Mail on Sunday that companies were calling for the planned rise to be axed

Even Mr Hunt's Cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch has highlighted criticisms of the measure, telling today's Mail on Sunday that companies were calling for the planned rise to be axed.

The Business Secretary said: 'I would be lying if I said they weren't telling me that they wanted lower corporation tax.'

Ms Badenoch  one of the unsuccessful Tory leadership candidates who lost out to Liz Truss and is the third person to take on the business brief since September  caveated her remarks by adding: 'We also saw what happened when we tried to lower taxes in a way that the markets didn't find acceptable last September.

'What this Government is about is sound money and we need to make sure that we are balancing the books.'

The Budget is expected to include a 'back to work' package to tackle the fact there are five million adults of working age who are not in employment.

This is likely to centre on pension reforms to reduce the incentives for people to take early retirement, raising the retirement age earlier, a crackdown on benefit claimants and greater childcare support for the low paid.

Changes to Universal Credit will include paying childcare support upfront, rather than in arrears  and increasing the maximum amount people can receive in childcare support from 646 to 950 for one child, and from 1,108 to 1,629 for two or more children.

More than 700,000 parents and guardians on Universal Credit who currently have no, or limited, requirements to find a job will be asked to look for work or increase their hours.

The over-50s will be offered 'returnerships' which offer skills training that takes previous experience into account, as well as an expansion of skills bootcamps and an enlargement of the 'Midlife MOT' initiative aimed at helping people 'make informed decisions about their finances and retirement'.

Mr Hunt said: 'We have a historic problem in this country of being under-capitalised. We have less machinery per hour worked, less capital per hour worked and that has meant our productivity is not as good as countries like Germany or Singapore. And so, yes, we do need to look at the effective corporation tax level.'

He added: 'Even after the corporation tax rise, we will still have a lower headline rate of corporation tax than any G7 country. We need to go on a journey to bring down business taxation but it's not something we can do overnight.'

Other measures are expected to include a freeze in fuel duty and a modest 5 billion increase in the defence budget.

Jeremy Hunt says the government should have an 'open mind' about Covid-19 Wuhan lab leak theory

Jeremy Hunt has said that the Government should have a 'completely open mind' about whether the Covid-19 pandemic started as a result of a leak from a Chinese laboratory.

The Chancellor's comments, in his interview with The Mail on Sunday, add to growing pressure on the Cabinet Office to review its assertion that it was 'entirely coincidental' that Covid was discovered close to a Chinese government laboratory.

It was revealed last week that former Health Secretary Matt Hancock was censored by the department over his concern that the virus was the result of a lab leak in Wuhan.

Mr Hancock was asked to remove passages from his book, Pandemic Diaries, in which he questioned China's version of events because of concerns they would 'cause problems' and could 'damage national security'  Civil Service code for not wanting to upset Beijing.

Mr Hancock was asked to remove passages from his book where he questioned China's version of events because of concerns they would 'cause problems'

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case oversaw the process by which Mr Hancock (pictured at his book launch) was told to delete references to a lab leak

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith urged Ministers to release MI6 briefings about Covid's origins to justify its initial dismissal of the lab theory.

His intervention came after the US House of Representatives unanimously voted to declassify intelligence about China's Wuhan Institute of Virology. This newspaper has led the way globally in revealing a growing body of scientific evidence pointing to an accidental leak of the virus from the institute.

In the lab, scientists were carrying out experiments on coronaviruses sampled from bats more than 1,000 miles away.

Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, announced earlier this month that the origin of coronavirus was 'most likely a potential lab incident'.

In his comments to the MoS, Mr Hunt said: 'I think we should have a completely open mind about how it started and be very rigorous in following the evidence where it leads. And I don't think we should discount the possibility of it happening in China because of a lab leak.'

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case oversaw the process by which Mr Hancock was told to delete references to a lab leak, with officials informing him that the Government believed the location of the first outbreak was 'entirely coincidental'.

Last week, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said there are 'still questions that need to be answered about the origin and spread of Covid-19'. He added: 'The UK wants to see a transparent, science-led review and believes all possibilities remain on the table until that is concluded.'
Her parents have since launched a lawsuit alleging Marissa's First Amendment and civil rights were violated

The ninth grader claims she was quietly walking to class when the teacher 'slammed her against the wall and yelled at her'

Marissa Barnwell, 15, alleges that she was 'assaulted' on her birthday by a teacher after she refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance

Shocking footage has revealed the moment a South Carolina student was 'slammed against a wall' and screamed at by her teacher for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The parents of Marissa Barnwell, 15, have launched a lawsuit following the episode, which erupted on the ninth-grader's birthday last November.

The incident occurred at River Bluff High School in Lexington, where honor roll student Barnwell claims she was accosted while quietly walking to class.

She says her teacher, named Nicole Livingstone, became enraged after seeing the 15-year-old had not stood still as the pledge rang out across the campus' intercom system.

'I was just in disbelief,' said Barnwell at a news conference on Thursday, recalling that she told the teacher 'Get your hands off of me.'

Marissa Barnwell, 15, claims she was physically accosted on her birthday when a teacher took offense to her not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance

Shocking footage has revealed the moment the teacher Nicole Livingstone approached the student in the hallway

Surveillance video of the child being accosted shows her walking by the teacher as she headed for class. Barnwell says she initially believed Livingston was talking to someone else.

While other students and faculty continue to walk around, Livingston begins following Barnwell down the hall, before 'snatching at her, pushing her to the wall, and berating her' for not standing to attention for the Pledge of Allegiance.

'She pushes me into a wall then she snatches my ID and says she's going to report me to the office,' Barnwell explained.

'I'm just confused and like "get your hands off of me, get your hands off of me", you can hear me say that in the video. I was just in disbelief, I had never expected something like that to happen to me.'

Marissa's parents have now launched a lawsuit, claiming the special education teacher violated her 'constitutional rights', according to the federal complaint.

They are demanding a trial by jury and an unspecified amount in damages, filing the lawsuit against the River Bluff High School teacher, principal, Lexington School District 1, as well as the South Carolina Education Department.

They allege the teacher violated the student's First Amendment and civil rights because she 'elected to continue walking to her class and refrain from' reciting the pledge.

'I was completely and utterly disrespected,' Barnwell said.

'I had never seen this lady a day in my life, so when she approached me so angry and so upset, I hadn't known how to react.

'She approached me then grabbed me, and pushed me up against the wall. I was just not prepared for that, and no student should ever have to go through such dramatic things.'

Special education teacher Nicole Livingston, pictured, is facing a lawsuit after she allegedly pushed the child against a wall and berated her

She was sent to the principal's office following the incident, an ordeal she said was humiliating as she didn't understand why she was in trouble.

Barnwell also claims that after complaining to her principal about the incident, he told her: 'Well, shouldn't you be proud of your country?'

'No one has apologized, no one has acknowledged my hurt,' she continued. 'The fact that the school is defending that kind of behavior is unimaginable.'

Lexington School District One could not be reached for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.

However, Livingstone remains on the school district's list of faculty members on its website, suggesting she has not been fired following the November incident.

The student's school recites the Pledge of Allegiance at the same time every day, due to a law passed over 30 years ago by the South Carolina legislature requiring them to do so.

But her silent protest is also protected under the same law, which prohibits punishment for students who refuse to recite the pledge as long as they are not disruptive.

'What happened to me shouldn't ever happen to any other student in America or in South Carolina, period,' she added.

'I was completely and utterly disrespected, and my constitutional right to protest and to not say the pledge of allegiance was disrespected.

'That is my First Amendment right.'

According to a lawsuit filed last month, the school policy states that students do not have to stand still for the Pledge of Allegiance.

But Marissa's parents said when they tried to raise the issue with the school's principal, an assistant principal shockingly asked: 'Are you sure you didnt curse at her to provoke her to do this? Or, are you sure you didnt say anything or hit her first?'

The Barnwell's subsequently tried to raise their concerns at a school board meeting, but when they didn't get any answers, they hired an attorney.

'There is no reason why the kids that are African American, or black kids, should feel like they're not treated the same and equal. It's 2023, and its time for change,' said Fynale Barnwell, Marissa's mother.

Her father, Shavell Barnwell, added: 'I just can't believe this has happened.

'Why would a teacher, you can see it in the video, why would the teacher single out my daughter when you could clearly see that other students are walking in this video.'

The family's attorney Tyler Bailey, right, argued that all students should be able to exercise their constitutional right to refuse the Pledge of Allegiance

The incident occurred on November 29 at River Bluff High School in Lexington

The family's attorney Tyler Bailey added during the statement that the case cuts to the core of civil rights in the United States.

'The thing that's beautiful about America is we have freedoms,' he said.

'Students in our schools should feel safe, they should not feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights.

'Nobody has sent anything in writing to the Barnwell's, saying we apologize about what happened, or your daughter has constitutional rights that can be exercised, and they should not be violated.'

Livingston was not arrested or charged with any offenses by the Town of Lexington Police Department, according to WLTX.

The Lexington County Sheriff's Office and the Lexington Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.
A visitor takes a picture with his mobile phone of an image designed with artificial intelligence by Berlin-based digital creator Julian van Dieken, inspired by Johannes Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" at the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, March 9. AFP-Yonhap



At first glance it seems to be just a modern take on Johannes Vermeer's masterpiece "Girl with a Pearl Earring".



But look more closely and things get a little strange.



Firstly, there are two glowing earrings in the image hanging in the Mauritshuis Museum in the Dutch city of The Hague. And aren't those freckles on her face actually... a slightly inhuman shade of red?



That's because the work  one of several fan recreations replacing the 1665 original while it's on loan for a huge Vermeer show at Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum  was made using artificial intelligence (AI).



Its presence has sparked a fierce debate, with questions over whether it belongs in the hallowed halls of the Mauritshuis  and whether it should be classed as art at all.



"It's controversial, so people are for it or against it," Mauritshuis press officer Boris de Munnick told AFP.



"The people who selected this, they liked it, they knew that it was AI, but we liked the creation. So we chose it, and we hung it."



'Frankensteinish'



Berlin-based digital creator Julian van Dieken submitted the image after the Mauritshuis asked people to send in their versions of the famous painting for an installation called "My Girl with a Pearl."



Van Dieken said he had used the AI tool Midjourney  which can generate complex pictures on the basis of a prompt, using millions of images from the internet  and Photoshop.



The Mauritshuis then chose it as one of five images out of 3,482 submitted by fans that would be printed and physically hung in the room where "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is normally housed.



"It's surreal to see it in a museum," van Dieken wrote on Instagram.



The budding artists ranged in age from three to 94, depicting the "Girl" in diverse styles ranging from a puppet to a dinosaur and a piece of fruit.



But the decision to choose an AI-generated image sparked a backlash.



Dutch artist Iris Compiet said on the Instagram feed for the Mauritshuis exhibition that it was a "shame and an incredible insult," and dozens of others piled in.



"It's an insult to the legacy of Vermeer and also to any working artist. Coming from a museum, it's a real slap in the face," Compiet told AFP.



She said AI tools breach the copyright of other artists by using their works as the base for artificially generated images, as well as scraping the data of internet users in general.



The image itself she described as "almost Frankensteinish."



Artist Eva Toorenent, of the European Guild for Artificial Intelligence Regulation, criticized what she called the "unethical technology."



"Without the work of human artists, this program could not generate works at all," she was quoted as saying by the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant.





Visitors walk past an advertisement for Johannes Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" at the entrance of the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague on March 9. AFP-Yonhap
Animal rights activists from Animal Rising, formerly named Animal Rebellion, attempted to storm the course at Aintree but were largely halted by police, security and racing fans. There are fears among racing-lovers that the Epsom Derby could be the next target of animal rights activists who tried to disrupt the Grand National on Saturday, as courts are told to 'throw the book' at the 118 people arrested this weekend. The group says it will announce further action imminently as it plans to start a 'national conversation' around animal welfare concerns - three horses are known to have died as a result of injuries sustained while racing at Aintree this weekend. Possible targets include the Derby on June 3, the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6 and the Royal Ascot from June 20 to June 24. Merseyside Police said last night that of those arrested on Saturday, 65 people were taken into custody who are 'being processed and will be bailed pending further enquiries'. Animal Rising later said on social media that 42 of its activists had been 'de-arrested'.
The son of one of the victims of a grisly murder-suicide in which five bodies were found gunned down in a Miami-Dade home has been identified as the shooter by neighbors and loved ones.

Five body bags were seen being removed from a home on Northwest 87th Court, near 148th Terrace on Friday after police made the horrific discovery.

Authorities were alerted by concerned relatives of the deceased and called into Miami-Dade police department at 9:52am, according to Local 10 News.

Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said during a news conference at the scene that the bodies of two men and three women were found inside the house.

Loved one's have identified the shooter, who gunned down four people and then himself, as Dhani. One of the victims has been identified by relative as his mother Joanka Aguilar

Authorities were alerted by concerned relatives of the deceased and called into Miami-Dade police department at 9:52am, according to Local 10 News

The suburban Miami neighborhood where the killings took place, Northwest 87th Court, near 148th Terrace

Relatives and shocked members of the community revealed to the broadcaster that two of the people found dead were mother and son, the relationship with the other three remains unclear.

Police have not publicly identified the suspect or victims however family member Rolando Aguilar said his ex-wife Joanka Aguilar and son Dhani were among those found dead.

He said he was 'heartbroken' and couldn't put the loss into words.

Neighbors in the community said they were shocked and left questioning the shooters motive.

'I don't know why he killed five people, four and himself,' said one man. 'I mean I know that mental illness is a problem in our country.'

Zabaleta said officers entered the home through an unlocked window and found one body before finding the additional bodies.

Five body bags were seen being removed from a home on Northwest 87th Court, near 148th Terrace on Friday after police made the horrific discovery

Footage from the neighborhood showed several police cruisers at the scene and police tape surrounding grisly murder

Evidence at the scene near the body of a man found inside appeared to indicate that he had been the shooter before taking his own life.

Footage from the neighborhood showed several police cruisers at the scene and police tape surrounding grisly murder.

Police are still investigating, and a motive has not been made clear at this time.

DailyMail.com has reached out to family members and Miami-Dade Police Department.
Members of the Royal Family are hoping that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be seated in Iceland if they attend the Coronation service as expected.

Harry and Meghan have been invited and are expected to be at the event on May 6, but many family members are privately telling friends that they will give them the cold shoulder.

The Sussexes children are considered by palace officials to be too young to attend the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, but the couple are likely to spend part of the day with Archie, who turns four on May 6, and Lilibet, now styled Prince and Princess, as they celebrate their sons birthday.

Harry and Meghan will not be invited to take part in the official balcony appearance and many members of the family have no wish to socialise with the couple.

A friend of the family said: They will be given the cold shoulder by very many relatives. One said to me, I hope theyll be seated in Iceland.

Harry and Meghan have been invited and are expected to be at the King's Coronation on May 6

Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge pictured with the King and Queen Consort at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey last year

Many of the family just want nothing more to do with them. If they have to see them at the Coronation then so be it, but they do not want to socialise with them.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have waged a campaign against their own family in a series of media interviews since quitting their Royal duties three years ago.

Last week, Prince Harry appeared in a televised interview with controversial trauma therapist Gabor Mate in which he said he had learned a new language of therapy but found that my family didnt speak that language.

Many in the Royal Family are now bracing themselves for the arrival of the Sussexes in less than two months as the countdown to the Coronation continues.

The couple are expected to stay at Frogmore Cottage during their visit.

The lease on their home on the Windsor estate runs out at the end of March but they have been allowed to keep it going for a few months while they sort out their belongings and arrange for them to be shipped to California.

Members of the Royal Family with the late Queen Elizabeth at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant last year

Last week Harry and Meghan revealed that their children would use the Prince and Princess titles when they announced that their daughter Lilibet had been baptised in Montecito. As the grandchildren of a reigning monarch, the young Sussexes are entitled to the rank. After hearing that this was the Sussexes wish, the official Royal website updated their titles accordingly. It is thought that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will also be able to use their HRH status in future.

While Harry has agreed not to use his HRH title on account of leaving Royal duties, his children could still adopt theirs. Similarly, Prince Andrew has said he will not use HRH but his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, are entitled to.

Palace sources say that while the Sussexes will not appear on the balcony as part of the Coronation there was a discussion as to whether they would take part in other events surrounding the celebrations.
Kohberger is accused of killing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, on November 13 in Moscow, Idaho

Police have issued more than 60 warrants to companies including Doordash, Verizon, Tinder, and Reddit while investigating Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger - but the findings remain under lock and key.

Shortly after the alleged murderer, 28, was extradited to Idaho for the November 13 murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, a gag order was put in place, barring attorneys, law enforcement agencies and others associated with the case from talking or writing about it.

Among the 750 pages of documents are warrants to more than 60 companies, including Doordash, Verizon, Reddit, Amazon, Match Group - which owns Tinder - and Meta, among many others.

Early on in the case, internet sleuths claimed they found a Reddit account that made accurate predictions about the case reportedly before the information was released publicly. He also allegedly used as student to conduct a study of criminals' decision-making.

The documents under the gag order 'contain highly intimate facts or statementswhich would be highly objectionable to a reasonable person,' the judge said. The documents are also sealed due to the fact that it 'might threaten the safety of or endanger the life or safety of individuals.'

More than 60 warrants were issued to companies like Doordash, Verizon, Tinder, and Reddit while police investigated Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger, but what was found in the reports remains under lock and key due to the gag order

Shortly after the alleged murderer, 28, was extradited to Idaho for the November 13 murders of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Maddie Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20, a gag order was put in place , barring attorneys, law enforcement agencies and others associated with the case from talking or writing about it

Goncalves' family's attorney Shanon Gray filed an appeal against the gag order earlier last month, calling it 'facially overbroad and vague' and unconstitutional, claiming it violated their right to free speech.

'As [an] attorney for one of the Victim's families, I am allowed to relay to the media any of the opinions, views, or statements of those family members regarding any part of the case,' Gray said.

Kohberger's lawyer, public defender Anne Taylor, filed an objection to the appeal, saying it doesn't violate First Amendment rights and is not 'facially vague.'

'If Mr. Gray truly intends only to voice his clients' thoughts and opinions, then the Court's previous exemption has already cured the supposed First Amendment infirmity  Mr. Gray's clients may voice these thoughts and opinions themselves  as they have clearly been doing,' wrote Jay Weston Logsdon, an attorney with Taylor's office.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson noted that the victims' families, particularly the Goncalveses, could take the stand.

'The members of the Goncalves family, who are represented by Gray, are potential witnesses in this case, including at trial and/or sentencing,' he wrote in an affidavit Wednesday.

Thirty news organizations have also asked the Idaho Supreme Court to overturn the gag order.

The coalition of news organizations contends that it violates the right to free speech by prohibiting it from happening in the first place.

'Justice cannot survive behind walls of silence. For that reason, "a responsible press has always been regarded as the handmaiden of effective judicial administration, especially in the criminal field,"' coalition attorney Wendy Olson wrote in the court filing, quoting historic court rulings about prior restraints on free speech.

Internet sleuths found an account on Reddit that appeared to know information about the case before it was released, which many believed was Kohberger

Despite the public interest in the case, there have not been any notable leaks of information that would prejudice Kohberger's right to a fair trial, Olson said.

The news organizations in the coalition would have published additional information about the slayings if the gag order wasn't in place, she wrote.

For instance, police in Pennsylvania told one reporter they can't say whether they are reviewing unsolved cases that could be linked to Kohberger because of the gag order, and the mayor of Moscow told another reporter he can't talk about overall community healing.

Several journalists have had public record requests rejected or left unfilled because agencies in Idaho and Washington fear they would run afoul of the order.

'Petitioners do not make the news; they report the news. They cannot report what they cannot gather,' Olson wrote.

Kohberger was arrested on December 30 by a SWAT team at his parents' home in Pennsylvania as they moved to search his apartment at Washington State University.

He has previously indicated that he believes he will 'be exonerated', though his family is unable to pay for him to have private representation.

Kohberger is yet to enter a plea for the murders of Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

Authorities released the probable cause affidavit against Kohberger just before his first hearing in Moscow, Idaho, on January 5.

It reveals how he turned his phone off on the night of the murders in an alleged attempt to cover his tracks.

He is even alleged to have returned to the scene of the crime at 9am on November 13 - just hours after police believe he committed the quadruple murder.

The documents say that the criminal justice graduate stalked the property at least 12 times.

Among the 750 pages that are under lock and key are warrants to more than 60 companies, including Doordash, Verizon, Reddit, Amazon, Match Group - which owns Tinder - and Meta, among many others

Kohberger has yet to enter a plea for the murders of Maddie Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin

The group of four were killed in their off-campus home on November 13

Officials have not revealed the exact dates they believe he canvassed the three-story property but confirmed that, in August, he was pulled over just two minutes after leaving the area covered by the cell phone tower closest to the home.

A Latah County Sheriff's deputy pulled him over on August 21 at 11.37pm as part of a traffic stop  in which he provided his number.

During the stop, which was recorded on the officer's body cam, Kohberger was driving his white Hyundai Elantra.

The papers also included details on how Kohberger's DNA was found on a knife sheath close to the bodies of Maddie Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves.

Authorities are still hunting for the murder weapon.
Jeremy Hunt has said that the Government should have a completely open mind about whether the Covid-19 pandemic started as a result of a leak from a Chinese laboratory.

The Chancellors comments, in his interview with The Mail on Sunday, add to growing pressure on the Cabinet Office to review its assertion that it was entirely coincidental that Covid was discovered close to a Chinese government laboratory.

It was revealed last week that former Health Secretary Matt Hancock was censored by the department over his concern that the virus was the result of a lab leak in Wuhan.

Mr Hancock was asked to remove passages from his book, Pandemic Diaries, in which he questioned Chinas version of events because of concerns they would cause problems and could damage national security  Civil Service code for not wanting to upset Beijing.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith urged Ministers to release MI6 briefings about Covids origins to justify its initial dismissal of the lab theory.

The Chancellors comments, in his interview with The Mail on Sunday, add to growing pressure on the Cabinet Office to review its assertion that Covid was entirely coincidental

Mr Hancock was asked to remove passages from his book, Pandemic Diaries, in which he questioned Chinas version of events

His intervention came after the US House of Representatives unanimously voted to declassify intelligence about Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology. This newspaper has led the way globally in revealing a growing body of scientific evidence pointing to an accidental leak of the virus from the institute.

In the lab, scientists were carrying out experiments on coronaviruses sampled from bats more than 1,000 miles away.

Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, announced earlier this month that the origin of coronavirus was most likely a potential lab incident.

In his comments to the MoS, Mr Hunt said: I think we should have a completely open mind about how it started and be very rigorous in following the evidence where it leads. And I dont think we should discount the possibility of it happening in China because of a lab leak.

Cabinet Secretary Simon Case oversaw the process by which Mr Hancock was told to delete references to a lab leak, with officials informing him that the Government believed the location of the first outbreak was entirely coincidental.

Last week, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said there are still questions that need to be answered about the origin and spread of Covid-19. He added: The UK wants to see a transparent, science-led review and believes all possibilities remain on the table until that is concluded.
Wealthy overseas shoppers are shunning Britain as a result of a tourist tax imposed by Rishi Sunak when he was Chancellor, latest figures have revealed.

Following the now Prime Ministers decision in 2020 to scrap VAT-free purchases for tourists  which allows them to claim back 20 per cent of the price of goods  they are instead flocking to other European cities.

It means that tourist spending in Britain has reached only two-thirds of its pre-pandemic level, according to research by Global Blue, a company that specialises in providing VAT refunds.

Italy and Spain are much closer to seeing a return to 2019 levels of tourist spending, while in France they are already spending more.

Paul Barnes, head of the Association of International Retail (AIR), said other cities would be rubbing their hands with glee over the figures. American and Middle Eastern tourists in particular have returned to rival cities  more than doubling the amount they spend in Paris. But in the UK, spending by US visitors has only recently reached pre-Covid levels.

Tourists can buy VAT-free goods in the UK but only if they have them delivered to an address overseas

Travellers from countries such as the United Arab Emirates are spending a third less here than they were before the pandemic.

Tourists can buy VAT-free goods in the UK but only if they have them delivered to an address overseas.

Mr Barnes said: People who used to come to the UK from the US and the Gulf are shunning Britain. Maybe they are coming to look around, but they are not spending their money here. So, the Treasury is damaging our productivity.

A Global Blue survey of 10,000 Chinese people who had visited Europe for tax-free shopping in 2019 revealed that the UK is now the least popular major European destination.

A spokesman for Value Retail, the owner of designer outlet shopping centre Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, which is popular with Chinese tourists, said: Other countries with a more competitive tax system have been benefiting from increased tourist spending at this countrys expense.

Harrods boss Michael Ward said the UKs hotels and restaurants are also missing out on tourists cash.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt claimed the decision to scrap VAT-free purchases will be worth 2 billion a year. A Treasury spokesman said: Tax- free shopping is still available for all non-UK visitors who purchase items in store and have them sent directly to their overseas address.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is planning to cut the effective rate of corporation tax in Wednesdays Budget as he tries to defuse the row over next months planned hike.

Amid mounting anger over the rise in the levy from 19 per cent to 25 per cent next month  which has angered Tory MPs and led party donors to warn privately that they will cut their funding  Mr Hunt used an interview with The Mail on Sunday to signal new tax breaks for business.

He said: The most important measure we should be looking at is not the headline rate of corporation tax but the effective rate of corporation tax.

Mr Hunt added that he was examining the way that in other countries, you can lower the amount of corporation tax you pay as a company because of the incentives theyre given to invest in capital  you get your money back the following year off your tax bill.

Even Mr Hunts Cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch has highlighted criticisms of the measure, telling todays Mail on Sunday that companies were calling for the planned rise to be axed.

Mr Hunt, whose cumulative Cabinet experience as Culture Secretary, Health Secretary, Foreign Secretary and now Chancellor runs to nearly a decade, urges his critics to be patient over the Governments tax plans

Mr Hunts Cabinet colleague Kemi Badenoch has highlighted criticisms of the measure, telling todays Mail on Sunday that companies were calling for the planned rise to be axed

The Business Secretary said: I would be lying if I said they werent telling me that they wanted lower corporation tax.

Ms Badenoch  one of the unsuccessful Tory leadership candidates who lost out to Liz Truss and is the third person to take on the business brief since September  caveated her remarks by adding: We also saw what happened when we tried to lower taxes in a way that the markets didnt find acceptable last September.

What this Government is about is sound money and we need to make sure that we are balancing the books.

The Budget is expected to include a back to work package to tackle the fact there are five million adults of working age who are not in employment.

This is likely to centre on pension reforms to reduce the incentives for people to take early retirement, raising the retirement age earlier, a crackdown on benefit claimants and greater childcare support for the low paid.

Changes to Universal Credit will include paying childcare support upfront, rather than in arrears  and increasing the maximum amount people can receive in childcare support from 646 to 950 for one child, and from 1,108 to 1,629 for two or more children.

More than 700,000 parents and guardians on Universal Credit who currently have no, or limited, requirements to find a job will be asked to look for work or increase their hours.

The over-50s will be offered returnerships which offer skills training that takes previous experience into account, as well as an expansion of skills bootcamps and an enlargement of the Midlife MOT initiative aimed at helping people make informed decisions about their finances and retirement.

Mr Hunt said: We have a historic problem in this country of being under-capitalised. We have less machinery per hour worked, less capital per hour worked and that has meant our productivity is not as good as countries like Germany or Singapore. And so, yes, we do need to look at the effective corporation tax level.

He added: Even after the corporation tax rise, we will still have a lower headline rate of corporation tax than any G7 country. We need to go on a journey to bring down business taxation but its not something we can do overnight.

Other measures are expected to include a freeze in fuel duty and a modest 5 billion increase in the defence budget.
A Minnesota father slaughtered a 77-year-old convicted sex offender using a moose antler and shovel after he accused the victim of stalking his young daughter.

Levi Axtell, 27, walked into at the sheriff's office covered in blood and with his head in his hands as he admitted killing Lawrence Scully - who was jailed for molesting a six-year-old girl in 1979.

Axtell, from Cook County, Minnesota, had long been suspicious of Scully parking his vehicle at locations where children were present.

In 2018 Axtell filed an order of protection against the elderly man which was initially granted but later dropped.

Court records also show Scully was committed to a mental institution in 2020 but was later released and prescribed anti-psychotic drugs.

Levi Axtell murdered 77-year-old convicted sex offender Lawrence Scully using a moose antler and shovel after he accused the victim of stalking his daughter

Axtell is pictured with Katrina Axtell, who is believed to be his sister in a Facebook shot

A criminal complaint filed on Friday said Axtell repeatedly struck Scully with a shovel in his own apartment before 'finishing him off' with a large moose antler. At some point he is also believed to have smashed Scully's vehicle.

A criminal complaint states Axtell entered Scully's home at around 4.45pm and struck him 15-20 times with a shovel he had found on the victim's deck.

Axtell told officers he finished the job with a large moose antler, according to the complaint.

'Defendant said he had known (Scully) for a long time, and believed him to have sexually offended against children in the past,' it states.

'Defendant said he had observed (Scully) parked in his vehicle at locations where children were present and believed he would re-offend.'

A Cook County sheriff's deputy entered the property around 5pm on Wednesday and found Scully with 'major head trauma and surrounded by blood,' adding he was 'obviously dead.'

The father had walked into the police station covered in blood and with his head in his hands as he confessed to the killing.

A medical examiner noted that Scully had defensive wounds to his arms.

A neighbor called 911 to also report the incident after watching a van pull up at Scully's residence and smash a vehicle before running home.

The witness added he heard screaming.

Scully was 33 when he was jailed for molesting a six-year-old girl, also in Minnesota.

He entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to between zero and five years to State Prison at Bayport, Minnesota.

He remained in prison until December 31, 1981 when he petitioned for post conviction relief.

A document from the hearing declared the state had not served any evidence he would present a danger to the public.

In 2014 he filed as a candidate for mayor of Grand Marais, Minnesota.

But by 2018 he was once again facing allegations of sexual misconduct with minors.

Family members revealed they had received a lot of support from the local community following the incident

Scully was killed in his home in Grand Marquis, Minnesota. A witness said he heard screaming from the apartment

That year Axtell sought an order of protection, alleging the stalking of his child.

'They do not know each other,' he wrote in the petition.

'The respondent waits for victim to go on walks from daycare and tries to talk to her. ... He has been there many times stalking children in his van.

'I have seen him parked right next to the school. ... He is a convicted pedophile and him stalking and attempting to groom my daughter is completely inappropriate and needs to stop.'

The request was temporarily granted by Judge Michael Cuzzo which forbade Scully from going within six blocks of Axtell's home.

But a permanent order was later denied as Cuzzo said 'the allegations are not proven true.'

Axtell had one criminal record to his name involving felony damage to a property case.

Sheriff Pat Eliasen said they had been made aware of allegations against Scully but an investigation 'didn't reveal anything.'

On Saturday a woman believed to be Axtell's sister said she had received lots of support from the local community and the family were planning to set up an online fundraiser to help with the case.

'I am overwhelmed by the amount of support I am seeing online right now in light of Wednesday's tragedy,' Katrina Axtell wrote on Facebook.

'When a community member is in crisis we often feel at a loss for how to support them. When words don't feel like enough, it can be easy to err on the side of silence out of a desire to respect the privacy of the family involved.

'I would like to welcome you to share your words in support of Levi and our family.'

We also have an online fundraiser in the works and will share it shortly.

She added: 'My hope is that both families involved and the Cook County community as a whole can come together to support one another, hear one another, and heal together.'

Minnesota court records show that in July 2020 Scully was committed to a mental asylum but released the following year.

In June 2021 the court authorized the use of antipsychotic drugs.
Prince Andrew has told friends he is bewildered and in despair over the Kings failure so far to share their mothers fortune.

The King was the sole beneficiary of the Queens estate, estimated to be worth more than 650million.

There is said to be some resentment, particularly from the Duke of York, that he and his siblings have not yet been given what they feel they are owed.

A palace source said the Queens fortune had passed directly from monarch to monarch because that was the most tax efficient way to transfer it. A decision made in 1993 means no inheritance tax is paid on assets moving from one sovereign to another.

But that means none of the Queens other children, including Anne and Edward, have received money.

Prince Andrew has told friends he is bewildered and in despair over the Kings failure so far to share their mothers fortune

There is said to be some resentment, particularly from the Duke of York, that he and his siblings have not yet been given what they feel they are owed

A friend of the Yorks said: Andrew is in despair. Hes been left completely in the dark. Andrews a member of the family, for Gods sake, yet he had no idea this was coming. I gather hes checked it out and its true. Its all gone monarch to monarch.

Whats he meant to do? Go cap in hand to his older brother to keep a roof over his head? Things are going from bad to worse. Its a disaster.

The news comes after it emerged yesterday that the King is refusing to pay a 32,000 bill for Andrews Indian healer, a yogi who comes to live at Royal Lodge, Windsor, for up to a month at a time.

In need of his own income, speculation is mounting that Andrew might do a Harry, as one source said, by taking part in a prime time interview.

A palace source said: Andrew hasnt been uniquely targeted for ill-treatment. Her late Majesty supported her children during her lifetime and had made provision for them already.

As working Royals, Edward and Anne receive a stipend from the Sovereign Grant to cover costs.

Andrew, however, stepped down from royal duties more than three years ago when he faced accusations of sexual assault, which he continues to deny vehemently.

He paid a multi-million pound fee to settle the civil case against him in America. It is thought he was helped with money from family.

Now, with no official duties and no job, Andrew is reliant on his brothers generosity.

He has finally moved out of his offices at Buckingham Palace and, as The Mail on Sunday revealed, will almost certainly be forced to quit his 30-room mansion at Royal Lodge and move into Harry and Meghans Frogmore Cottage when they vacate later this year.

The King was the sole beneficiary of the Queens estate, estimated to be worth more than 650million

A well-placed source said it was the Queen who originally proposed that Andrew move to Frogmore and it was not, as some suggested, a vindictive move from the King.

It is also understood that the Queen had thought it appropriate for William and Kate to move into Royal Lodge in due course.

The King has vowed to Andrew that he will leave him with a home and will continue to pay for his private security after he lost the right to be protected by Scotland Yard.

Royal expert Hugo Vickers said: The Royal Family have done this sort of thing before. The Queen Mother left everything to her daughter, the Queen, in 2002.

As the monarch pays no tax, its a way of avoiding death duties  keeping the wealth intact. The Queen Mother gave instructions for which of her relatives should receive what gift, but her daughter was left in control. I feel a little sorry for Andrew. I dont condone what hes done. Consorting with Jeffrey Epstein was beyond unwise. But hes not a criminal and hes been left in a very difficult situation.

The King does not pay tax on the Queens estate thanks to the 1993 decision. The then Prime Minister John Major said this was to prevent the monarchys assets being salami-sliced away though capital taxation over several generations.He told the Commons that it was necessary to protect the independence of the monarchy.

Daphne Barak Daphne Barak is a renowned interviewer and documentary film maker, whose subjects have included Nelson Mandela, Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton, Johnny Depp and Michael Jackson among many others. Daphne's best-selling book Saving Amy, based on her months' filming with Amy Winehouse and her family, is being adapted into a scripted eight part TV series by Halcyon Studios. Advertisement

Should the King wish to make a cash gift to his siblings  or any friends and family apart from his heir William  this would only be exempt from tax providing the King lives for seven more years.

Mike Warburton, a leading accountant and tax expert, said the King would most likely be careful not to be perceived as avoiding tax. When Princess Diana died in 1997, her estate was reportedly worth around 21million but around 8million was paid out in tax. The rest was split between her sons, William and Harry.

Mr Warburton said: The King, then Prince of Wales, was keen to be paying the right tax due.

As monarch, he will not incur any death duties on the Queens estate as it passes from sovereign to sovereign. He is entitled to make lifetime gifts to family members but if the King were to die within the seven year period, then it would be treated as if it were still part of the estate.

Daphne's latest book, Struggling for One America, written with Erbil Gunasti, is published by Skyhorse Publishing and is available to buy here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Struggling-for-One-America/Daphne-Barak/9781510768086
Parents at a large nursery group told not to call their little girls 'pretty' or 'bossy'

Parents have been told to stop telling their daughters they look pretty or calling them princess or a tomboy by one of Britains largest nursery school groups.

The woke handbook  sent to parents whose children attend Bright Horizons nurseries across the UK  also cautions mums and dads against praising good behaviour, and takes pains to define girls as children who identify as female.

Urging parents to reflect on how they raise their daughters, the advice says: It is so easy to fall into a pattern of praising a girls appearance (You look so pretty!), labelling her behaviour as good, or congratulating her when she does something perfectly.

Mothers and fathers are also warned against falling into the trap of calling an opinionated girl bossy with a tone of disdain and told to avoid using gendered terms.

The guide, which was emailed to parents, adds: Become aware of gender stereotypes presented in the media your family consumes.

A mother of a child at a nursery in Kent accused Bright Horizons which runs more than 300 community and workplace nurseries in Britain  of having a Left-wing campaigning agenda

Mothers and fathers are also warned against falling into the trap of calling an opinionated girl bossy with a tone of disdain by the handbook from Bright Horizons

Fill your home with books, toys, and decor that do not conform to specific gender roles (eg, buy books about female construction workers and encourage girls to engage in maths and science activities).

'Try to eliminate gender-based references to your child, such as princess or tomboy or phrases such as, Young ladies dont behave that way.

A mother of a child at a nursery in Kent accused Bright Horizons which runs more than 300 community and workplace nurseries in Britain  of having a Left-wing campaigning agenda.

She said: Bright Horizons is dictating to parents their own political views on how to raise their children. They obviously have very Left-wing views in terms of gender politics and think they are entitled to tell parents how to address their daughters and what to teach them about their bodies.

Last night, former Tory Education Minister Sir John Hayes said: This daft advice from Bright Horizons will darken the horizons of little girls who cannot be called pretty or dress up as princesses, and simply enjoy their childhood the way girls have for generations.

Former Tory Education Minister Sir John Hayes said: 'This daft advice from Bright Horizons will darken the horizons of little girls'

Weve got to let children be children and treasure their innocence, and stop preaching to them.

A Bright Horizons spokesman said: It is every parents personal choice about when, where and from whom to seek guidance. For those who are seeking ideas for empowering their daughters to grow into strong, confident leaders, free from potentially harmful gender stereotypes, we offer advice that encourages a focus on a girls attributes other than her physical appearance.

Bright Horizons is a 4.7 billion US company which runs 1,000 facilities around the world. In the UK, fees are typically about 300 a week.

Last year, one of its nurseries in Edinburgh was fined 800,000 after ten-month-old Fox Goulding choked to death on a piece of mango while left unsupervised. Bright Horizons pleaded guilty to health and safety failings. The firm reviewed its operations and boss Ros Marshall admitted: The procedures we had in place were not properly observed.
Snow expected tomorrow in north England and Midlands on Tues and Wed

After milder temperatures this morning Britain is set to be hit by a fresh Arctic blast from Monday night which threatens a white Easter that stretches into April's school holidays.

But a short-lived rise in temperature will today melt snow and  combined with heavy rain  will lead to floods in some areas after Storm Larisa battered parts of the UK with 50mph gales and blizzards.

The Met Office have said that a flow of cold air will feed into the north of the UK from Monday and it will extend south bringing much of the UK under a chilly spell overnight into Tuesday - and snow is forecast to hit throughout this week.

Today's warmer weather  up to 14C in the South and 10C in the North  comes after Friday's snow dump that brought dangerous conditions across parts of the country and lows of -15C in Scotland.

Heavy snow is now expected to fall in northern Scotland tomorrow morning and it will work its way down south throughout the day before hitting northern England late Monday afternoon, according the Met Office forecast.

After milder temperatures this morning Britain is set to be hit by a fresh Arctic blast from Monday night which threatens a white Easter. Pictured: Snow in London

Today's warmer weather  up to 14C in the South and 10C in the North  comes after Friday's snow dump that brought dangerous conditions across parts of the country. Pictured: A snow covered street in Bradford on Friday

Drivers stuck on the M62 between Manchester and Yorkshire on Friday as drivers took eight hours to travel 15 miles due to snowy conditions

Preston Tower in Northumberland covered in snow on Thursday, March 9

Snow is expected Monday night in northern England and threatening the Midlands on Tuesday and Wednesday. The South is more likely to see rain as highs will drop to between 4C and 7C in midweek.

Temperatures overnight from Monday into Tuesday will see temperatures fall as low as -5C in northern Scotland, hovering at around freezing in the North of England around 3C in the Midlands and 5C in the South.

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Daniel Rudman said: 'There is an increasingly strong signal for colder air to once again feed into the north of the UK during Monday.

'This flow is likely to extend southwards with much of the UK likely to be under the influence of colder conditions overnight into Tuesday.

'Tuesday is set to remain a cold day, but it is not expected to be as cold as conditions have been this week, and there will be brighter periods for most. There are likely to be some showers too, although any snow fall is expected be over higher elevations.'

And 50mph gusts may once again batter Britain from Monday, with the high speeds expected in the South, Midlands and in Wales from Monday afternoon, according to Met Office forecasts.

Weathermen warned of snow near Easter Sunday on April 9, leading bookmakers Coral to slash white Easter odds from 3/1 to 4/5.

Coral spokesman John Hill said: 'There's no danger of Easter eggs melting this year.'

A yellow snow and ice warning covers much of northern England and southern Scotland until 6am on Sunday

Pictured: Saturday's snow in the North Yorkshire village of Great Ayton

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for large swathes of the country this weekend. Pictured: Great Ayton, North Yorkshire covered in a layer of snow on Friday morning

Dunsden in Oxfordshire was blanketed in frost yesterday as UK temperatures plunged

A woman struggled against the elements on a windy day at Dollymount strand in Dublin

Leeds was hit by snow following Storm Larissa which brought gales and blizzards to the UK

But the flurry of heavy snow did not stop revellers from hitting the bars in Leeds

Forecaster the Met Office issued weather warnings weather warnings across large swathes of the country for Saturday and Sunday.

A yellow snow and ice warning covers much of northern England - as fair south as Stoke-on-Trent and southern Scotland lasting from 6pm on Saturday until 6am on Sunday morning.

The Met Office warned that snowfall could cause travel disruption in the affected areas, with delays on roads stranding some vehicles and passengers.

Buses, train services and flights may also be delayed or cancelled, while untreated pavements and cycle paths could lead to risk of fall injuries.

They added that there is a small chance of power outages in some affected areas.

Met Office records show the last widespread white Easter was in 2008. However, in 2013, the mercury dropped to then-record -12.5C lows. But more recently, 2019 sprang to a record-nudging 24.6C.

Ex-BBC and Met Office forecaster John Hammond said: 'Frosts and snow may linger in forecasts into early April.'

A Met Office forecaster added: 'Strong winds will draw colder air across much of the UK. The theme of snow is likely to continue.'

Thawing snow mixed with a month's worth of rain in two days will threaten floods from today.

The Environment Agency said: 'River- and surface-water flooding is possible from late Sunday into Monday for mainly high ground in the North and parts of the South West and South East. There may be travel disruption.'

March could be colder than winter for the first time in a decade. The temperature so far this month averages just 3.6C  some 2.1C below normal  Met Office figures for central England show.

Winter  from December to February  averaged 5C.

The UK Health Security Agency has in place a Level 3 Cold Weather Alert for the whole of England which is expected to remain in place until 9am on Monday.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency, 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.

'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.'
Ministers are planning to ban TikTok from Government devices after the intelligence services raised fears that the Chinese-owned platform could be used by hostile foreign powers for spying purposes.

Government sources say experts at GCHQs National Cyber Security Centre identified risks around the safety of sensitive information.

It comes as a major review of defence, security and foreign policy  expected to be announced tomorrow  is understood to be planning to describe the threat posed by China as the UKs primary security concern.

Security experts have grown increasingly concerned about the data-mining algorithms used by TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance.

Under the British plans, Government employees will be allowed to keep the video-sharing app on their personal phones, but discouraged from doing so. The move comes after similar bans were introduced by America and the EU.

Security experts have grown increasingly concerned about the data-mining algorithms used by TikTok, which is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance

Last year, ByteDance admitted some staff in China can access the data of European users. But it has reacted to the bans by describing them as political theatre and said it was disappointing to see that Government bodies and institutions are banning TikTok on employee devices with no deliberation or evidence.

It added: These bans are based on basic misinformation about our company, and we are readily available to meet with officials to set the record straight about our ownership structure and our commitment to privacy and data security.

We share a common goal with Governments that are concerned about user privacy, but these bans are misguided and do nothing to further privacy or security.

US officials have raised concerns that the Chinese government could pressure ByteDance to hand over users personal information, which could then be exploited for intelligence or disinformation purposes.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has accused Washington of generalising the concept of national security and unreasonably suppressing enterprises of other countries.

In 2020, Ministers announced that Chinese technology company Huawei would be removed from the UKs 5G networks by 2027.

Last week, The Mail on Sunday revealed how Chinese Hikvision surveillance cameras were being used at Sandringham and at least five Government departments, months after Ministers ordered their removal from sensitive sites on national security grounds.

Hikvision, a company controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, denies handing any footage to the Chinese Government and says it complies with UK laws.
Almost 1,900 primary schools across England have been rated as Outstanding, according to figures released by Ofsted.

MailOnline's interactive map shows large concentrations of successful schools in major urban areas such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.

Smaller cities like Bristol, Southampton and Portsmouth also show a large number of schools with the top rating.

Last month, MailOnline mapped 120 failing primary schools who have either serious weaknesses, were deemed inadequate or were placed in special measures by the regulator.

Next month, parents and guardians will discover if their children, who are about to enter the education system, will receive a place at their first-choice primary school ahead of the new school year in September.

How to use the map: Click on the green circle to begin scrolling around the map. The plus and minus symbols in the top-right corner allow you to zoom in and out. A sidebar to the right also allows you to search for schools by name.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Nine out of ten primary schools in England have been rated either Good or Outstanding such as The Cathedral School of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, which received the top mark following an inspection on December 8, 2022

Of the 16,784 primary schools across England, 15 per cent - or 2,415 - of those were rated Outstanding. A further 12,541 received a Good Osted report.

Just eight per cent required improvement, while just two percent were deemed inadequate.

OFSTED RATINGS Grade 1: Outstanding Grade 2: Good Grade 3: Requires improvement Grade 4: inadequate Advertisement

Almost a quarter of all primary schools were rated as Outstanding, according to new Ofsted figures.

The top-rated schools have maintained their high standard despite the chaos caused by the pandemic, with headteachers battling staff abscence, closures and periods of remote teaching.

Inspectors grade each school on quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

Overall grades range from Grade One, meaning the school is outstanding, to Grade Four, meaning it is inadequate.

Grade Two means the school is good while Grade Three means the school needs improvement.

Education watchdog Ofsted carries out weekly inspections across the country to maintain standards.

A recent report on art teaching in the primary sector expressed concern that schools have been forced to slash their budgets.

According to Ofsted: 'It is important for children to engage with the arts regularly and to explore a range of materials and media.

'This helps them to work towards the early learning goals, such as safely using and exploring a variety of materials, tools and techniques. High-quality practice in the early years stimulates childrens interest and imagination in the materials and media they encounter, and provides the necessary foundations for future learning.'

The Lea Forest Primary Academy in Birmingham was also rated Outstanding by Ofsted inspectors on December 8, 2022

Inspectors have charted a decline in both 'the quality and quantity of art education in primary schools'.

The document attributes the problem to 'a decline in real-terms funding, so pupils have less access to specialist resources and support'.

Researchers found that schools are focused on core subjects and that 'primary teachers lack the skills, training and experience to teach a high-quality art curriculum'.

Last week, Ofsted's chief inspector Amanda Spielman had to address the issue of sex education in schools, which she said must be 'grounded in facts' in order to prevent controversy.

Conservative MP Miriam Cates suggested pupils were receiving lessons which were 'age inappropriate, extreme, sexualising and inacurate'.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday said he asked the Department for Education to conduct a review 'to ensure schools are not teaching inappropriate content'.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said on Twitter on Wednesday evening: 'I am deeply concerned by reports of inappropriate sex education lessons in schools.

'We are reviewing sex education guidance to make sure schools are not teaching content that is inappropriate, and schools should ensure theyre making content available to parents if requested.'
Cybercriminals are turning to ChatGPT to generate extremely convincing phishing emails, researchers have warned - so how can internet users spot the scams?

Cybersecurity company Norton warned that criminals are turning to AI tools such as ChatGPT to create lures to rob victims.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THE GUIDE

AI tools such as ChatGPT make it far harder to spot scams (Alamy)

A report in New Scientist suggested that using ChatGPT to generate emails could cut costs for cybercrime gangs by up to 96 percent.

ChatGPT also completely removes the language barrier for cybercriminal gangs around the world, warns Julia OToole, CEO of MyCena Security Solutions.

OToole said there are still ways to spot scam emails generated by AI tools, but the technology makes it far more difficult to spot scam emails.

She saID: Phishing has come on significantly since email scams first hit inboxes, but a lack of proficiency in language and culture has still been a major barrier for scammers, who have struggled to make their emails realistic.

While they still duped innocent people, many internet users were able to spot the spoof and delete them.

But those days are gone, she said.

ChatGPT is the hottest topic on the dark web at present, according to O'Toole, as cybercriminals work out how to use it to defraud victims.

There are protections built into ChatGPT which are meant to stop it from being used in scams - but criminals are working out how to circumvent these.

She said: The quality and speed of execution of ChatGPT makes it a powerful productivity hack.

'With it, criminals can now multiply complex phishing campaigns, generating emails faster with higher chances of success.

OToole warns that ChatGPTs ability to generate accurate content means it can effectively impersonate anyone - and warns that AI tools that can access internet content are potentially a weapon of cyber mass destruction.

She said: Hackers can use ChatGPT to trick people into giving up their usernames and passwords for their online accounts, or it can trick people into sending money or divulging personal information to criminals while deceiving them into thinking it is for legitimate purposes.

Cybercriminals can use complex prompts to gather the information needed to craft a bespoke cyber attack, she warned.

When criminals use ChatGPT, there are no cultural barriers. When the target receives an email from their "apparent" bank or CEO, there are no language tell-tale signs the email is bogus.

'The tone, context and reason to carry out the bank transfer give no evidence to suggest the email is a scam.

Ever since it launched in November 2022, ChatGPT has fascinated the cybercriminal community.

Posters on notorious cybercrime forums have discussed using the bot to create malware and even create new dark web marketplaces for the sale of stolen credit cards and other illegal goods.

There are multiple fake ChatGPT apps which harvest user data - and cybersecurity vendor BitDefender spotted a phishing scam where users were directed to a fake ChatGPT to harvest bank details.

Cybersecurity vendor Norton warned that phishing emails are the tip of the iceberg - and that cybercriminals could use ChatGPT or similar software to create entirely fake chatbots to con internet users out of their money.

According to analytics firm SimilarWeb, ChatGPT averaged 13 million users per day in January, making it the fastest-growing internet app of all time.

It took TikTok about nine months after its global launch to reach 100 million users, and Instagram more than two years.

OpenAI, a private company backed by Microsoft Corp, made ChatGPT available to the public for free in late November.

The five ways to spot phishing emails generated by AI

Spotting phishing emails generated by ChatGPT is far harder than spotting than spotting those generated by human beings, says Julia OToole, CEO of MyCena Security Solutions.

Here are five ways to spot that an email is a scam:

Hover over the email address to check it

Julia OToole, CEO of MyCena Security Solutions

On a PC, you can hover your mouse over a Contact Us link to see where your email is really going, OToole says.

With any suspicious email, hover over the email address and check that its really from the domain (ie website address) youd expect.

OToole says, Even despite the sophistication of ChatGPT, the email addresses used by phishers remain the same, so if it looks suspicious, it probably is.

Keep context in mind

If your bank or any other institution contacts you asking for information urgently, you should immediately be on alert.

Think about the context - why do they need this information? Why now?

OToole says, Banks and security-savvy institutions avoid putting their customers in positions where confidential information is asked for instantly.

Avoid hyperlinks

Hyperlinks to bank websites embedded in an email might seem like an easy way of doing things - but a legitimate bank will also allow you to phone up.

OToole says, If an email arrives asking for personal information, never click on the link. Verify its authenticity first.

For example, if your bank contacts you via email asking for personal information, hang up and call back the bank via the phone number found on their website.

Pay attention to the artwork

ChatGPT might be able to generate clear copy, but criminal gangs wont have access to the correct digital assets.

That means that everything from page headers to the links you are asked to click may well look wrong.

OToole says, Attackers will often cut and paste images of a company directly from the internet, but this will distort the image and make it look faded or out of focus. If any images or artwork in an email look poor quality, this could also suggest its a phish.

Check any email against the legitimate website

While ChatGPT is great at generating text, it isnt great at finer details, which could indicate an email is malicious, OToole warns.

She says, When you receive an email that you are concerned about, visit the apparent senders website directly. Are there phrases or branding that they tend to use in communications? Are these details included in the email?

If anything looks suspicious, it probably is.
It's the go-to navigational app for millions of people around the world.

But despite many of us using Google Maps on a daily basis, there are a number of sneaky features you might not be making use of.

TikTok user @jessicawantsanap has shared a video explaining the genius trick she uses to save both time and data while using Google Maps abroad.

In response to her video, one TikToker joked: 'Ma'am please kiss me because this is legit the best most practical travel advice I have come across on this app.'

TikTok user @jessicawantsanap has shared a video explaining the genius trick she uses to save both time and data while using Google Maps abroad

While your first thought when visiting a new city might be to search for accomodation, Jessica recommends turning to Google Maps first.

Google Maps challenges Apple's 3D mode with 'immersive view' that lets you virtually explore neighbourhoods Google has launched a new 'immersive view' tool that combines Street View and aerial images to allow you to virtually explore neighbourhoods Advertisement

'Don't book an Airbnb or hotel yet,' she explained. 'You are going to make a Google Map first.'

To do this, open Google Search on your computer and search for Google My Maps, before clicking on the first link.

Next, click the red button titled 'Create New Map.'

Using the search bar, look up any attractions you want to explore while you're in the city, whether it's tourist hotspots, restaurants or bars.

These will appear in the list on the left of the screen - simply click the + next to them to pin them to your map.

'Definitely pin your transportation too, because sometimes you really do want to be next to the train station or airport,' Jessica advised.

Once all the key sites are pinned, Jessica suggests doing a quick Google Search for the best areas to stay in the city, before comparing that to your map.

'Now you know where the best place for you to stay is based on what you want to do,' she said.

To access the map on your smartphone, simply open the Google Maps app, tap the Saved tab and then Maps at the bottom.

Your bespoke map will make it easier to plan your trip, revealing which of your sites are closest to one another without having to search for them individually.

To access the map on your smartphone, simply open the Google Maps app, tap the Saved tab and then Maps at the bottom

'Sometimes you just want to wander and deviate from the itinerary, but you can always pull this map up at any time just to see what you're close to,' she added.

Best of all, you can download the map while you've got WiFi, meaning you don't have to waste precious data to use it abroad.

Several impressed users commented on Jessica's TikTok to praise her trick.

'I feel like my life has just been SAVED, when I went to Japan I literally had 2 sheets full of things to do in areas organised,' one user wrote.

'The way I've spent hours googling every address to see how close/far they were away from the hotel or attractions...THANK YOU,' another added.

And one joked: 'Let me just say, this is the first video I have ever added to my favourites lol.'
'I'll come back when it's less busy,' says the lady, and marches out, vibrating with rage.

I sympathise, to be honest. There she was, enjoying Inverie's village shop, browsing at her leisure. Then my party arrives  two sets of parents and three daughters aged five, six and seven who when they see the sweets for sale become as excited as, well, kids in a sweet shop.

Fortunately, for the enraged customer, she won't have to wait very long for the shop to be 'less busy'. That's because Inverie is Britain's most remote mainland community  population 111, no roads in or out, accessible either by a 40km (24-mile) hike over wild mountainous terrain or a six-mile journey by ferry from Mallaig.

And the ferry timetable is at the mercy, as we discover, of fearsomely tempestuous winds.

Why are we here? A forfeit from a stick-the-pin-on-the-map game, I hear you ask?

Inverie (above) is Britain's most remote mainland community  population 111, no roads in or out, accessible either by a 40km (24-mile) hike over wild mountainous terrain or a six-mile journey by ferry from Mallaig. Ted Thornhill opts for the ferry and reports back

This stunning picture was posted to the Knoydart Brewery Instagram page. It shows Loch Bhraomisaig in the foreground, which feeds the turbine for the Knoydart power supply, with Inverie on the shoreline beyond. Some of its white houses are just visible. In the far distance - the Isle of Skye

No, we just wanted an adventurous February half-term escape from London, and have ended up in a wilderness.

And it's absolutely magical, with a journey from the capital that is an adventure in its own right.

We travel up on the Caledonian Sleeper from Euston  full review here  journeying along the epic West Highland Line, which meanders through breathtaking glens, passes over Rannoch Moor and includes Britain's highest and most remote railway station, Corrour, 408 metres (1,338ft) above sea level.

The sleeper terminates in Fort William, 'the outdoor capital of the UK'. There we stay in the very inviting Lime Tree An Ealdhain hotel and enjoy fish and chips and Cullen skink in the inimitable Ben Nevis Inn, which lies just outside Fort William and at the foot of Ben Nevis, a 410million-year-old volcano that is now, at 4,412ft (1,345m) in height, Britain's highest mountain.

There we have a wander around over the nearby peat bogs where with some relief I discover that my new 265 Lowa Ranger III GTX hiking boots are, as advertised, waterproof.

The following day, we jump on a Sprinter train and travel along the final stretch of the West Highland Line to Mallaig, past the highest staircase lock in Scotland, over the Glenfinnan Viaduct (aka the 'Harry Potter viaduct'), and along the shores of jaw-dropping Loch Eilt, which makes an appearance in two Harry Potter movies - the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

We are booked on a Western Isles Cruises ferry from Mallaig to Inverie, which lies on the Knoydart peninsula, which we quickly learn has a strong community spirit.

Inverie, above, has a hydro-electric system, Wi-Fi, a school with a handful of children, a community-owned pub called The Old Forge - the most remote mainland pub in Britain  and a bunkhouse with accommodation for 26 people and an electric mountain bike hire scheme

Above is Inverie's 'main drag'. When this picture was taken it was, for Inverie, a hive of activity

The nearest village to Inverie is Glenfinnan, a two-day walk away

Ted at Loch an Dubh-Lochain, the 'black loch', which lies to the east of Inverie

As we wait on the dock to board a fellow passenger, a Knoydart local we later learn, points to our piles of luggage and asks if they belong to us. When we tell him they do, without any fuss he picks up two suitcases and carries them down the ramp and onto the boat, a small but powerful catamaran called the Larven.

Forty minutes later we dock at Inverie's sturdy harbour  and step into a land before time. Literally. The rocks that form the surrounding mountains here pre-date the dinosaurs. You'll find no fossils.

We learn this from the affable man who helped us with our luggage, who turns out to be Craig Dunn, the operations manager of the Knoydart Foundation, which provides housing and energy for Inverie's residents and has guardianship of the land.

We had booked a short walking tour of Inverie beforehand, and when we arrive at the rendezvous point in the village, Craig is waiting for us  and wastes no time dispensing fascinating facts about the history of the community and the surrounding landscape.

HQ for Ted and his companions in Inverie is 'a beguiling self-catered four-bedroom holiday home called Creag Eiridh', pictured above

The Knoydart Foundation took control of 17,200 acres of Knoydart peninsular land in 1999

WHAT HAPPENS IF THOSE STAYING IN INVERIE NEED AN AMBULANCE? Paramedics from Mallaig can reach Inverie in just 20 minutes, courtesy of an RNLI lifeboat. And if need be, patients can be airlifted by helicopter to hospital in Fort William. Advertisement

We learn that the land used to be in the hands of wealthy landowners, with around 1,000 inhabitants farming the peninsula in the 18th and 19th centuries.

But in the mid 19th century, says Craig, the landowners realised they could make more money with sheep and had hundreds evicted, with many shipped off to Canada as part of the infamous 'Highland Clearances'.

Some refused to yield, including the heralded 'Seven Men of Knoydart', war veterans who in 1948 tenaciously staked a parcel of land to settle on.

The landowner, Nazi sympathiser Lord Brocket, obtained a court order to have them removed. But while the Seven Men of Knoydart lost this battle, their land raid became the inspiration for a community Knoydart Foundation buyout of 17,200 acres of peninsular land in 1999.

Wonderfully, one of the 'Seven' lived long enough to see the handover.

Today, it's an impressive operation. There's a hydro-electric system, Wi-Fi, a school with a handful of children, a community-owned pub called The Old Forge (the most remote mainland pub in Britain and heartbreakingly closed for refurbishment during our visit) and a bunkhouse with accommodation for 26 people and an electric mountain bike hire scheme.

Wilderness: Ted snaps this picture during his walk east to the 'black loch'

Swathes of land on the Knoydart peninsula are classed as temperate rainforest (above)

There are Amazon deliveries, too  carried out by local postal workers. Plus, the ferry will deliver food ordered from Mallaig's Co-op supermarket.

There's also the (normally not busy) community shop which, as well as our children's favourite sweets, sells venison from culled local deer.

Craig explains that the deer population needs to be controlled, otherwise the animals would destroy the surrounding vegetation and woodland, much of which is temperate rainforest.

Our walk takes in a slice of it  a breathtaking world of beautiful moss-covered trees that's easy on the eye and useful, too. Craig points to a variety of moss by the path that was used as toilet paper in bygone times.

The Inverie village shop, which sells a fairly wide range of food, including venison from the local deer herds

The Inverie village shop's gift section, with postcards, books and bags for sale

THE FRIENDLIEST CORNER OF BRITAIN? Local Craig Dunn helps us with our luggage at Mallaig harbour, a lovely lady at Mallaig Pool & Leisure Centre transports some of our hire bikes down to the ferry in her car, and ferry captain Jayne Eddie transports them back to the Leisure Centre in her van on the way back. Advertisement

We ask Craig what the crime rate on Knoydart is.

More or less zero, he says, revealing that in the past 30 or 40 years the police have only been called to the peninsula about three times.

Shaking our heads in disbelief we stroll out of the wood and onto a beach at the eastern end of the village. Craig points out a nearby wood further along where sea eagles nest  and points to a dramatic triangular peak behind us, Sgurr na Ciche. One of the local Munros, which by definition are mountains over 3,000ft tall.

It's part of a fossil-less landscape, Craig explains, that is hundreds of millions of years old, and that's challenging to negotiate, because there's almost no cover  no overhangs to shelter under, no trees. If the weather turns, he says, brace yourself.

That makes the walk to Knoydart from the nearest village, Glenfinnan, one that needs to be planned, with a kit list that includes a tent.

Our base is a beguiling self-catered four-bedroom holiday home called Creag Eiridh, which is like a grand abode from an Agatha Christie novel.

From our HQ we make further forays throughout the week into the amazing surroundings, aided by hire bikes we ferry over from Mallaig leisure centre and two superb Bunkhouse mountain bikes.

Traffic encounters are few and far between (and the cars we do see are in surprisingly good shape considering you don't need an MOT here).

The Ben Nevis Inn, a pitstop for Ted and his companions in Fort William

The Western Isles Cruises ferries at Mallaig harbour - the MV Western Isles (left) and the Larven (right)

The Larven (above) can reach Inverie from Mallaig in around 30 minutes. Ted snaps this picture on the initial journey over to the village

The best way of reaching Mallaig is along the breathtakingly scenic railway line from Fort William

An aerial view showing Mallaig in the foreground, with the Knoydart peninsula beyond to the right

Ferrying bikes over to Inverie, hired from Mallaig Leisure Centre

We venture on one day along a surprisingly smoothly surfaced road into the hills behind Inverie and take in jaw-dropping views of the isles of Skye and Eigg.

On another day we hike 20km (12 miles) to the east with a chatty professional guide we hire called Lizzie Buchanan, strolling amid countless waterfalls and cloud-garlanded peaks to Loch an Dubh-Lochain, the 'black loch'.

There's much beachcombing too, with the kids delighting in collecting huge scallop shells. And we pop into the amazing Knoydart Brewery, run by husband-and-wife team Matt and Sam and which occupies a former Roman Catholic chapel.

The rocks that form the mountains on the Knoydart peninsula (above) pre-date the dinosaurs. You'll find no fossils

The Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston calls at Corrour, above, which claims the record for highest UK railway station thanks to being 1,338ft (408m) above sea level

Ted journeys on the Caledonian Sleeper in a Classic room (above), with an interconnecting door opening to form a dinky family suite

The Caledonian Sleeper is an absolute whopper  16 carriages in total, the same as a Eurostar

In the evenings we stargaze, quaff Co-op wine and Knoydart Brewery ale and, on the final two days, study the wind forecasts.

On the day we're due to sail back the winds are predicted to hit ferry-cancelling velocities.

Taking no chances we leave a day early before the storm arrives having booked a night in Mallaig at the West Highland Hotel to ensure we make our connection to the southbound Caledonian Sleeper from Fort William the following morning.

On the ferry to Mallaig the captain, Jayne Eddie, turns out the lights so we can see the Milky Way.

What's written in the stars? A return trip during the October half-term...
Ashley James has welcomed her second child with boyfriend Tommy Andrews.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 35, announced she gave birth to the baby girl in a sweet Instagram post she shared on Saturday.

The media personality shared a heartwarming photo of herself and Tommy cradling their newborn's hand.

Alongside the post, she wrote: 'Just wanted to let you know that our baby girl is here. We are both happy and healthy and we're all so in love.

'We're taking some time to enjoy this newborn bubble and connect as a family of 4.  But I can't wait for you to meet her.'

Congrats: Ashley James has welcomed her second child with boyfriend Tommy Andrews

Ashley wrote: 'We're taking some time to enjoy this newborn bubble and connect as a family of 4.  But I can't wait for you to meet her'

Her celebrity pals were quick to flock to the comments section to share their heartfelt congratulations with the star.

Jess Wright commented: 'Congratulations,' while Ollie Locke wrote: 'Such massive congratulations angel! Cant wait to meet her! Sending you all loads of love Xx'

Rini Frey penned: 'Congrats mama,' and Emily Clarkson said: 'Cannot wait to meet her, well done you ash.'

Sarah-Jayne Dunn and Made In Chelsea's Louise Thompson also took to the comments section to send their well wishes to Ashley.

Ashley announced she was pregnant in a sweet Instagram video as she posed in underwear and proudly showed off their ultrasound scans and positive pregnancy test.

The reality star welcomed her first child, a son named Alfie, in January 2021, just a year after she and tech professional Tommy began dating.

Ashley captioned the video: 'We have some news...! I'm excited and nervous to share in equal measure... Baby number 2 coming in 2023.

She noted: 'This audio makes me cry every single time!' before adding: 'A little update will be coming on my podcast which will be relaunched tomorrow!'

Made In Chelsea's Ashley spent six years single before settling down with Tommy in December 2019, after having first met ten years earlier.

Six months later, the couple discovered they were having their first baby, after Tommy moved into Ashley's London home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Support: Her celebrity pals were quick to flock to the comments section to share their heartfelt congratulations with the star

Family: The reality star welcomed her first child, a son named Alfie, in January 2021 , just a year after she and tech professional Tommy began dating

Congrats! Ashley revealed her second pregnancy on social media in September

In July 2020, Ashley announced she and her boyfriend Tom were expecting their first child together.

After announcing her second pregnancy, Ashley documented her journey on social media and even revealed she was struggling with 'traumatic' Braxton Hicks and 'really bad' cramps during the latter stages.

She recently shared on her Instagram story that while she wanted to work until her due date, she had to slow down because of the pain she has experienced.

She explained that Braxton Hicks - where the womb contracts and relaxes towards the end of pregnancy - was 'taking her back' to her first birth.

She said at the time: 'Even with my anterior placenta- baby girl is making herself known now.

'I keep getting Braxton Hicks (I find them a bit traumatic as the feeling takes me back to my first birth so I have to really breathe through it and remind myself its a beautiful part of the process and my body doing what it's meant to do).

'I had a really bad night - lots of cramp and even sneezing was painful because my back and hips are so sore. It's definitely a lesson to slow down a bit.

She continued: 'Last night I even felt like my prolapse was back after a day on my feet. I still plan to work to the end but I just need to take it a bit easier.'

It's a GIRL! Ashley posted a video of her gender reveal at the end of last year on Instagram

Family: In a sweet scene, Ashley's partner Tom let off a cannon which released an explosion of pink smoke and confetti, confirming the gender of their unborn child

Ashley posted a video of her gender reveal at the end of last year on Instagram.

In a sweet scene, Ashley's partner Tom let off a cannon which released an explosion of pink smoke and confetti, confirming the gender of their unborn child.

Ashley was dressed in a chic white dress with a slit up the leg and a pair of biker boots, while she wore her blonde hair in loose curls.

She held her little boy on her hip while Tom took control of the cannon.

Ashley enjoyed a lavish Maldives babymoon in January with her partner Tommy and their son Alfie.

She displayed her ever-growing baby bump in an orange bikini after sharing a sweet video of the incredible trip.

Keeping fans updated while on holiday celebrating her sons second birthday she shared a number of beach snaps while soaking up the sun in a bikini.

The TV personality celebrated with friends and family at her baby shower in February in London as she cradled her baby bump in a slinky pink dress.

She gave followers an insight into her heartwarming day as she shared a flurry of photos to Instagram.

Babymoon! Ashley enjoyed a lavish Maldives babymoon in January with her partner Tommy and their son Alfie

Give us a kiss: She displayed her ever-growing baby bump in a black bikini after sharing a sweet video of the incredible trip

Ashley wore a floral 'mummy-to-be' sash and enjoyed a lavish meal with the pals, who had organised the party for her.

The reality TV personality topped off her outfit with an oversized teddy coat and a stylish pair of knee high boots.

She styled her blonde hair into soft waves and wore a glamorous smokey eye with a matte nude lipstick.

Ashley gushed that she had 'the best afternoon' and her friends 'organised everything' which was 'perfect'.

She said: 'A nice chance to dress up, be baby-free, and see everyone before the baby is here. And my friends have always and will always be my happy place and family.

'And I think we should celebrate every damn chapter of our lives, whatever that might be.

'It feels really nice to experience pregnancy again out of lockdown, and I'm excited to experience that with the baby stage with baby girl too. Mainly just love my bloody friends and baby girl is so lucky to be surrounded by so many legends.'

Beaming: The TV personality celebrated with friends and family at her baby shower in February in London as she cradled her baby bump in a slinky pink dress
Ami James rose to stardom in 2005 when he was cast for one of the first reality shows on the TLC network, Miami Ink.

The tattoo artist, who is Jewish and served in the Israeli military, starred alongside Kat Von D, who became a prominent beauty vlogger in the years following and created her own very successful self-titled cosmetics company, which has now been sold.

However, Kat, who has nine million followers on Instagram, has been the centre of many controversies and left the show after three seasons to do her own spin-off in Los Angeles called LA Ink.

It was alleged at the time that Kat made anti-Semitic comments about Ami, and TMZ obtained a headshot that Kat had allegedly signed and written, 'Burn in hell Jewbag', along with a handdrawn swastika and a flaming Star of David.

TMZ reported that TLC went to a handwriting analysis who concluded that there was a ninety-nine percent probability that it was Kat who wrote these comments on her headshot, however, she vehemently denied the allegations.

Ami James (pictured) starred on Miami Ink alongside Kat Von D, where it was alleged that she made anti-Semitic comments about him

Kat Von D (pictured), appeared to be suddenly fired from the tattoo parlour on Miami Ink

Because it couldn't one hundred percent be proved it was Kat, no further action was taken by TLC and a month later, her spin-off show LA Ink aired.

Asked by Daily Mail Australia if it's true that Kat made anti-Semitic comments about him, Ami said: 'Many people do [make anti-Semitic comments], just leave it at that.'

However, the tattoo artist said that he and Kat 'never really had a friendship.'

He added: 'She was brought in through production and we never really had anything past that and moving forward is just, whatever happens, stays there.'

The 50-year-old spoke to Daily Mail Australia at the Australian Tattoo Expo - which runs from March 10-12 - at Sydney's International Convention Centre (ICC).

He said he always loved drawing and got his first tattoo in his young teens, and by the early 90s, when Ami would've been in his early 20s, he was almost fully tattooed.

At this time in the world, tattoos were still extremely stigmatised - and the former reality TV star said it's through things like conventions and social media that they have become more normal, and people have broadened their minds.

'I've been detained so many times because of tattoos,' he said.

'If you travelled showing tattoos, you were pushed into a genre, whether you're a convict, a gang member... you did not want to be walking around through an airport going through immigration with a neck tattoo.

'And even my hands, I would literally put Band-Aids on my fingers because they would just look at me and be like, "come with us to the back room.'"

Asked by Daily Mail Australia if it's true that Kat made anti-Semitic comments about him, Ami said: 'Many people do [make anti-Semitic comments], just leave it at that'

The tattoo artist met fans and artists at the Australian Tattoo Expo - which runs from March 10-12 - at Sydney's International Convention Centre (ICC)

This was in the early 90s, so Ami said he can't imagine what it would've been like for tattooed people in the 80s.

'When I got my neck tattooed, it was probably the most regrettable thing I've done, even though I loved the neck tattoo at the time, cause oh my god, you get pulled over in your car,' he explained.

'And it was like, the neck side of the window, but it kind of just became easier and easier. And you just forget that you have your neck tattooed now, like now, people's faces are tattooed.

'So the assumption was just you're a gang member, or they would just automatically jump to you are either a gang member that belongs to a fight club or belongs to some street gangs, or whatever it was, you were not invited to countries looking like that.

'And I've talked to old timers who had to deal with it over the years.

'But, you know, I felt it first-hand, and it kind of sucked. And now you see everybody, like I walk into the immigration and the f**king guy wants to get tattooed by me.'

For Ami - who owns four parlours in New York, Miami, London and Cork, Ireland - becoming a tattoo artist kept him out of the wrong side of the law.

His brothers friend gave him the first step to starting his dream by letting him live in his house, and by also gifting him his first tattoo gun.

Sadly, he died by suicide just a year later.

'Yeah, I got into trouble, and then when I got out of trouble my brother kicked me out of the house, so I went to stay with his best friend,' he said.

'And for my birthday, they had bought me a tattoo machine. And it was exactly 31 years ago.

'I did my first tattoo then when I was 18 and I was in service. I was getting tattooed by an artist that became a friend of mine and one day, he walked out and left the tattoo machine.

'So while he was arguing with his girlfriend outside I just picked up the tattoo machine and put a glove on and just started tattooing myself.

'And at that point, I knew that that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. But I still had two and a half years left in the army.'

After flying back to the US after his time in the Israeli army, Ami wanted to get into tattooing, but he found himself a bit lost.

For Ami - who owns four parlours in New York, Miami, London and Cork, Ireland - becoming a tattoo artist kept him out of the wrong side of the law

Artists showcased their work and offered flash pieces for attendees throughout the weekend

Ami said his favourite part of the Expo is meeting the artists and people who love tattoos

'Through that search kind of being lost and getting in trouble and not finding something good, eventually somebody lent a hand.

'I was really lucky to have my brother's friend there, but he ended up hanging himself a year later.

'It was like through the hard times there's a little light at the end of the tunnel. And that was it.

'And, and as soon as they gave me that machine, I knew that that was everything that I wanted to do.'
A new selection of celebrities will be vying for the mirrorball trophy when Dancing with the Stars returns to Australian television screens this year.

Channel Seven announced on Friday that it would resurrect the popular reality TV program for its 20th season, reports TV Tonight.

Although the show wasn't mentioned alongside other returning programs at last year's Upfronts, the network has revealed casting is currently underway.

Dancing with the Stars is expected to be screened in the second quarter of the year.

Audiences are yet to hear which hosts, judges and cast will be chosen for this year's season, which will be produced by BBC Studios Australia.

Dancing With The Stars is returning to Channel Seven this year. Pictured are hosts Daryl Somers and Sonia Kruger

But it has been confirmed that the program will not be an All-Stars format this time around after the network had done so for the past two seasons.

BBC Studios' Managing Director of International Production and Formats, Matt Forde, said it was a change from their previous collaboration with Warner Bros., who also co-produced the show.

'When we started four years ago, that was the preferred road for local broadcasters... but on this series of the show, it will be wholly produced by BBC Studios ANZ,' he said.

Audiences are yet to hear which hosts, judges and cast will be chosen for this year's season, which will be produced by BBC Studios Australia

He said their office was now 'full of sequins and various other things' in anticipation of the start of a new dancing extravaganza.

'I used to look after it in Los Angeles, and it just gives your a whole production entity a buzz and excitement,' he added.

Former Dancing with the Stars host Grant Denyer and dancer Lily Cornish won last year's contest.

It's unclear whether Sonia Kruger or Daryl Somers will host the upcoming season.
Selena Gomez has showered praise on her 'best friend' Francia Raisa for donating a life-saving kidney to her in 2017.

Their bond has had its ups and downs, including a vicious feud last year after Selena named Taylor Swift as her 'only friend in the industry.'

But in a possible signal that they have mended fences, Selena, 30, waxed rhapsodic about Francia on a new episode of the Apple TV+ series Dear....

'I will never, ever, ever be more in debt to a person than Francia,' said Selena, who needed the transplant because of her battle with lupus. 'The idea of someone not even second-guessing to be a donor was unbelievably overwhelming.'

She announced the transplant on Instagram in 2017 with a heartwarming snap of her and Francia holding hands as they lay in side-by-side hospital beds.

Side by side: Selena Gomez has showered praise on her 'best friend' Francia Raisa for donating a life-saving kidney to her in 2017; they are pictured later that year

'Overwhelming': 'I will never, ever, ever be more in debt to a person than Francia,' said Selena, who needed the transplant because of her battle with lupus

During the new episode of Dear..., Selena revealed that Francia herself insisted on getting tested to see if she was able to donate her kidney.

'So within three days she went to go do it and she was a match, and it was one of those moments where I felt watched over,' Selena recalled.

'I know I was so, so, so lucky,' she acknowledged. 'I understand that that doesnt happen for a lot of people and I know the outcome of some of those situations and how serious they are. So I do not take it lightly that its happened to me that way.'

The two women then procured matching tattoos of the date the transplant occurred, cementing their connection as lifelong friends.

Francia, an actress, first became acquainted with Selena in 2007 when they were teenagers and they instantly developed a tight rapport.

When Selena's life was in danger amid her battle with lupus, Francia unhesitatingly came to her rescue and relinquished one of her kidneys.

Francia later revealed on Harry Connick Jr's talk-show that she had a brutal recovery, to the point she 'couldn't do anything active' for two months besides 'walk.'

A year after the transplant, Selena was spotted partying with friends at the Four Seasons in New York and indulging in alcohol.

Remember when: She announced the transplant on Instagram in 2017 with a heartwarming snap of her and Francia holding hands as they lay in side-by-side hospital beds

Longtime pals: During the new episode of Dear..., Selena revealed that Francia herself insisted on getting tested to see if she was able to donate her kidney

Rumors flew that Francia was incensed by Selena's 'unhealthy choices,' resulting in an explosive confrontation between the two women.

Then in October 2018, one month after Selena's ex Justin Bieber got married to Hailey Baldwin, Selena allegedly suffered a breakdown connected to her lupus.

She promptly entered treatment for her mental health, whereupon she and Francia reportedly repaired their friendship.

However tension flared up between them again last year when Selena released an Apple TV+ documentary called My Mind And Me in which she extensively discussed her health problems but neglected to mention Francia even once.

Adding insult to injury, she gave an interview to Rolling Stone where she said her 'only friend in the industry really' was Taylor Swift.

Francia remarked: 'Interesting,' on Instagram and made her feelings clear by unfollowing Selena on the social media platform.

When a TikTok account posted a video about the bust-up between the old pals, Selena snidely commented: 'Sorry I didnt mention every person I know.'

In a TikTok comment that went instantly viral last month, Selena notably referred to Taylor rather than Francia as her 'best friend.'
Swimwear giant Seafolly have claified who their official female brand ambassador is amid widespread criticism for allowing a non-binary activist to promote their brand.

British-born, New York-based model Joanna Halpin, 31, has been the official face of the celebrated swimwear brand's latest campaign, Summer Somewhere, since early February.

The stunning model's role was overshadowed this week when non-binary influencer Deni Todorovic, who uses they/them pronouns, claimed on social media that they were Seafolly's 'ambassador and brand partner'.

Seafolly also issued a statement on Friday, insisting that they are 'supportive of all women' and that Halpin is their official ambassador, not non-binary transgender activist Deni.

Halpin spoke out on Saturday in an interview with News Corp's Stellar magazine, where she appeared to subtly reference the recent furore surrounding Deni's association with Seafolly.

Seafolly named British-born supermodel Joanna Halpin (pictured), 31, as the face of their brand in February. It comes after the brand received widespread backlash for hiring a non-binary activist to promote their swimwear during WorldPride

Seafolly also issued a statement on Friday, insisting that they are 'supportive of all women' and that Halpin is their official ambassador, not non-binary transgender influencer Deni Todorovic (pictured)

'Brands now work with people who are not necessarily a model, more a personality,' she said.

'It's not just limited to models in the way it was in the '90s, with traditionally beautiful women.'

After days of criticism, Seafolly Australia finally issued a statement on Friday regarding their latest campaign, saying they continue to support and uplift women.

Writer Alexandra Marshall was one of those who had spoken out against brand's partnership with Todorovic, saying the swimwear brand was 'mocking women' and said she would boycott Seafolly.

'Bye @seafolly. Never again. Been buying swimsuits from you for many years. Never again,' she posted on Twitter.

However, Seafolly denied Todorovic was an ambassador for the brand, and said they were a 'special guest' to the brand's World Pride event in Sydney.

Halpin stuns in a series of sizzling photos for Seafolly's new summer campaign

'Brands now work with people who are not necessarily a model, more a personality,' the stunning model told Stellar magazine

'We would like to address the recent coverage of Seafolly's involvement with Sydney World Pride in which Deni Todorovic was invited as a special guest, and wore a custom, not-for-sale Seafolly design,' the statement reads.

'On Saturday 4th March, Deni attended our in-store Sydney World Pride event as out special guest. We chose to host this event to inspire everyone to feel seen, included, and confident to be themselves at the beach.

'This season our Global Ambassador and Face of the Brand is Joanna Halpin, a trail-blazing model and photographer.

'We are passionate about supporting and uplifting women, and to broadening our representation of women living the Australian beach lifestyle.'

The statement concludes: 'We stand proud that our brand is inclusive and supportive of all women, including the LGBTQIA+ community and beyond.'

The British-born beauty shows off her sun-kissed physique in a patterned Seafolly bikini

Last week, Todorovic gushed about making 'history' in a lengthy Instagram post over the weekend.

'This marks the first time iconic Aussie swim giants @seafollyaustralia have worked with a trans ambassador/brand partner,' they said.

They have since edited their caption to read: 'Today we made history. This marks the first time iconic Aussie swim giants @seafollyaustralia have worked with a Trans person.'

Seafolly's move to work with Todorovic sparked calls for a boycott of the brand, which is known for its glamorous advertisements featuring some of the world's most famous female models including Miranda Kerr, Gigi Hadid, and Shanina Shaik.

Since the launch of the advertising campaign - which features a bearded Todorovic posing in lime green Seafolly bikini bottoms and a matching cover-up - the activist has been relentlessly trolled.

Speaking exclusively with Daily Mail Australia this week, the non-binary model claims they warned Seafolly that the company would be bombarded with threats and abuse.

'I told Seafolly "I will have people say it's iconic. But I will also have people tell me to kill myself, to burn in hell, that I'm a groomer, and that my mum should be ashamed,"' Todorovic said.

'I absolutely expected that, when I sat down with Seafolly, I prepped them for this,' the socialite continued.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, Todorovic said he'd been flooded with hateful and abusive comments since working with Seafolly

Other trolls also targeted Deni on Instagram, with one saying: 'Since when do women have penises in their bikini bottoms. This is beyond disgusting and Deni you are trying to eradicate biological women. Deplorable'

'I told them, people will say "you're trying to be woke, it's tokenistic". I told them to have a statement ready to go.

'I've done it before with Bonds and David Jones. I feel very supportive and very prepared,' they explained.

'It all part and parcel of being a trans creator, and just being a trans person in Australia.'

Todorovic said the slurs directed at transgender people - such as 'groomer' and 'paedo' - echoed the attacks gay men faced in the past.

Australian models Jesinta Franklin and Lara Worthington have represented the brand before

Supermodel Gigi Hadid (pictured) is one of the best known former faces of Seafolly

Others targeted Todorovic on Instagram, with one saying: 'Since when do women have penises in their bikini bottoms. This is beyond disgusting and Deni you are trying to eradicate biological women. Deplorable.'

Hitting back at the comment in a video on their story, Todorovic said that some women 'do have penises' because not all want - or can afford - genital surgery.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Todorovic said the criticism still 'deeply hurt' despite its predictability.

'The proud moment comes when I think about why campaigns like this are so necessary,' they said.

'We need queer people on TV, in parliament and in power. And not just queer people but trans people - in many parts of the world being a lesbian or gay is seen as okay, but being trans isn't.'

Deni is also one of the national ambassadors for Bonds underwear

Author and artist Alexandra Marshall (pictured) said it felt like the fashion brand was 'mocking women'

While celebrating the novel use of a transgender model in a swimwear campaign, Todorovic said seeing the outline of a penis beneath swimmers was hardly new.

'I'm wearing bikini bottoms which are basically Speedos, which, last time I checked, people with penises wear Speedos.

'So maybe you just need to investigate and dig a little deeper as to why me, in a Speedo essentially, feels like an attack on your gender identity, because that's not what I'm trying to do.'

Todorovic's role as a model for Seafolly was celebrated by a number of celebrities, including the brand's former ambassador Jesinta Franklin.

Many shoppers also left positive comments on Seafolly's official Instagram account to celebrate the campaign.

'As some one who hasn't shopped at Seafolly for years I'll be back now! Love seeing brands be inclusive and that is where I want my money to go,' one woman wrote.

'So amazing to see this, Seafolly. I love to see brands pioneering the celebration of pride and inclusion,' another added.

In 2021, Deni was criticised for turning Melbourne Fashion Week into a 'pride parade' by storming the runway with an LGBT flag and a T-shirt with 'they/them' on the front

Deni has become an increasingly formidable name in Australian fashion over the last few years

However, while some praised the brand for presenting a diverse campaign, many more said they would boycott the company.

'This is a joke. We support diversity and individuals' decisions, but we don't want to see women's clothing that we want to purchase on a male body...' commented one.

'There are other ways to support pride and individuals' choices, but not this way. Sincerely, one of your long-time loyal customers.'

Another wrote: 'As a woman, this is not what I want to look like in a bikini.

'I won't be buying this product. People need to get back to reality. Stop making our world into a circus.'

Due to the negative comments, Seafolly put out a statement condemning the 'hateful language'.

'We are here to celebrate the Australian beach lifestyle and inspire one another to feel confident at the beach,' the brand said.

'In this community, we do not tolerate abusive, offensive, hateful language, trolling, deliberate disruption of discussion, or spam. Please be respectful of each other's differences and remember to always be kind.'

Many women agreed with Seafolly's stance, with one writing: 'I'm so embarrassed for the bigots in this comment section. Imagine writing awful things because a person wearing a swimsuit upsets you.'

On Friday, Seafolly Australia issued a statement in regards to their latest campaign, saying they continue to support and uplift women. The statement also noted that Todorovic was not the brand's new ambassador, but rather a 'special guest' to their World Pride event in Sydney
Rumer Willis showed off her growing baby bump while out and about in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 34-year-old actress bundled up in a colorful sweater and brown wide-leg pants as she stepped out just a day after attending the Versace fashion show with her mother Demi Moore, 60.

The eldest daughter of Bruce Willis tied up her now blonde tresses in a messy topknot at the crown of her head.

She donned a pair of black suede clogs and carried multiple drinks as well as a black shoulder bag.

Last December, the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood alum and her boyfriend - musician Derek Richard Thomas, 28 - announced they were expecting their first child together.

Bumping along! Rumer Willis, 34, showed off her growing baby bump while out and about in Los Angeles on Friday

Out and about: The actress bundled up in a colorful sweater and brown wide-leg pants as she stepped out

For the casual outing, Willis opted for a makeup-free look to showcase her natural beauty.

The soon-to-be mother also sported a pair of tortoiseshell glasses and otherwise forewent any additional accessories.

Willis and her boyfriend officially announced they were dating.

Just one month later, they revealed they would soon be welcoming their first child together.

The pair had been romantically linked since earlier in the year.

On December 20, Willis and Thomas shared a carousel of baby bump photos with a joint Instagram post.

The couple posted a series of black-and-white snaps showing off her baby bump.

The big news was met with a flurry of congratulations and excitement, including from her mother.

Soon-to-be mom: Last December, the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood alum and her boyfriend - musician Derek Richard Thomas, 28 - announced they were expecting their first child together

Mother-daughter duo: The day before, Willis attended the Versace Fall/Winter 2023 fashion show with her mother Demi Moore, 60

Moore shared the snaps to her own Instagram and wrote: 'Entering my hot kooky unhinged grandma era.'

The day before, Willis attended the Versace Fall/Winter 2023 fashion show with her mother.

The mother-daughter duo donned matching black ensembles as they posed together on the red carpet and made their appearance.

A month earlier, Willis spoke about her excitement about becoming a mother on Bathroom Chronicles podcast.

'I was talking to my partner the other day and saying, "You know, when I go to the farmer's market, I call it church because I leave and I feel so excited",' she told the podcast hosts Peggy Rometo and Kimberly Van Der Beek.

'The idea of being able to bring my kids in like a little cart or something brings me so much delight, I can't even ... I can't wait,' she continued.

'It was never a question for me that I wanted to be a mom,' she added.

'And that just felt like such a divine purpose and something that - when I started thinking about It - felt like such joy,' Willis said.
Hailey Bieber marked the one-year milestone of surviving her mini stroke on Friday by reposting a video from last year that detailed her 'life-changing event.'

The supermodel, 26  who was recently blasted by hecklers when her husband Justin Bieber made a surprise appearance at Rolling Loud  wrote on her Instagram about the terrifying incident and being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.

Hailey went on to share some information about the condition called patent foramen ovale (PFO), which 'is a hole in the heart that didn't close after birth,' according to the Mayo Clinic.

'Can't believe it's been 1 year since I suffered a mini stroke that led to my PFO diagnosis,' wrote the Rhode Skin founder.

She continued: 'Given that it's the 1 year mark from such a life changing event, I wanted to share all the information I've learned about PFO and share resources to donate.'

Major milestone: Hailey Bieber, 26, marked the one-year milestone of surviving her mini stroke on Friday, reposting a video from last year that detailed her 'life-changing event.' She went on to share some information about her condition called patent foramen ovale, which 'is a hole in the heart that didn't close after birth,' according to the Mayo Clinic

Her health scare: The supermodel was rushed to hospital last year where doctors confirmed that she suffered a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), more commonly referred to as a mini-stroke

In her candid video, Haley recalled feeling a 'weird sensation' in her right arm and numbness in her fingertips before she was admitted to hospital.

The Vogue cover girl went on to describe how her superstar husband noticed that something was off and repeatedly asked if she was okay.

When she tried to respond, Hailey revealed that she 'couldn't speak' but was thinking she must be 'having a stroke.'

'The right side of my face started drooping, I couldn't get a sentence out,' she said.

Quickly, Justin had someone call 911 and a medic nearby came to examine her as she struggled to formulate words when he asked if she knew her name and other basic questions.

The runway sensation also noted that her anxiety made 'everything worse,' but by the time she made it to the emergency room she 'was pretty much back to normal.'

Ultimately, she was kept overnight at the hospital to be tested for the cause of her blood clot in her brain.

Thankfully, she scored a 0 on the stroke checklist in the ER and her scary symptoms stopped.

Life-changing: 'Can't believe it's been 1 year since I suffered a mini stroke that led to my PFO diagnosis,' wrote the Rhode Skin founder on her Instagram Story. 'Given that it's the 1 year mark from such a life changing event, I wanted to share all the information I've learned about PFO and share resources to donate'

The causes: Hailey, who has a history of migraines, says she was told by doctors that the combination of her new birth control, a recent battle with COVID, and traveling 'from Paris and back in a really short amount of time' likely caused the blood clot

Frightening: The catwalk star referred to the ordeal as definitely one of the scariest moments Ive ever been through when she originally posted about it on her Instagram Story. Hailey explained that the small blood clot passed on its own, allowing her to fully recover within a few hours (she shared a few candid pictures of her X-ray and heart monitor last year on Instagram)

The signs: In her reposted video, the Vogue cover girl went on to describe how her superstar husband Justin Bieber, 29, noticed that something was off and repeatedly asked if she was okay. When she tried to respond, Hailey revealed that she 'couldn't speak' but was thinking she must be 'having a stroke' (the couple pictured this year at OBB Studios)

The hospital confirmed that she suffered a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), more commonly referred to as a mini-stroke.

Hailey, who has a history of migraines, says she was told by doctors that the combination of her new birth control, a recent battle with COVID, and traveling 'from Paris and back in a really short amount of time' likely caused the blood clot.

While medical professionals were unable to determine how the blood clot had traveled to her brain, they came to discover the hole in her heart, which measured between 12 and 13 millimeters and was categorized as a 'Grade 5'  the 'highest grade' possible.

Upon her doctor's recommendation, she had to PFO closed and has since fully recovered: 'The biggest thing I feel is I just feel really relieved that we were able to figure everything out, that we were able to get it closed, that I will be able to move on from this really scary situation and just live my life.'
Katie Holmes battled the elements as she was spotted doing some shopping in New York City on Friday.

The 44-year-old actress got bundled up to brave windy weather in a black peacoat as her brunette hair flew around her makeup-free face while she walked.

The star has recently been busy starring in her off-Broadway play The Wanderers and promoting her new film Rare Objects, which is set to release on April 14.

She paired her buttoned-up coat with peach-colored linen pants that flowed around her legs and white sneakers.

For part of her walk, she carried a large orange Ulta Beauty bag along with a black purse and her phone, which was in a red case.

Bundled up: Katie Holmes battled the elements as she was spotted doing some shopping in New York City on Friday

The Batman Begins star only has a few weeks left in her play, which is due to close on April 2.

The play is an original by Anna Ziegler and tells the story of two couples from two different worlds.

According to the synopsis on Ziegler's page, 'Esther and Schmuli are Orthodox Jews embarking on an arranged marriage, despite barely knowing each other'.

The plot continued: 'Abe and Julia [played by Holmes] are high-profile celebrities embarking on a dangerously flirtatious correspondence, despite being married to other people.'

'On the surface, the lives of these two couples couldn't be more different,' it read.

After the show closes, her new film is set to premiere, which she stars in, wrote the script for, and directed. It is based on the novel by the same name by Kathleen Tessaro.

IMDB describes the film as a '...story of a young woman who seeks to rebuild her life when she takes work at an antique store. She regains her confidence from the kind souls who own the shop until those from her traumatic past begin to resurface.'

The Alone Together star revealed back in January that she almost quit acting at age 17 after a dry spell following her debut film The Ice Storm.

Extra windy: The 44-year-old got caught in the gusty wind as her brunette hair flew around her makeup-free face

Gotta save the hair: The actress stayed warm in a black peacoat and a pair of linen pants

While on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, she explained: 'Well, I was 17, and I remember we came to New York, my mom and I, and we shot it, and I thought, "Oh, this is what I want to do." Great.

'And then I went home, and I was putting myself on tape for different auditions, and I wasn't really getting anything, and I thought, "Oh, well, that might be it. You know. That might be all there is."'

She continued: 'But it was okay, 'cause I was like, "You know what, that's okay. Like, that was an amazing experience. And I can, like, tell my grandkids, and I'll be fine."'

New ventures: She has also been busy promoting her new film Rare Objects, which is set to release on April 14

Fallon then asked: 'You were happy with that?'

Katie replied: 'Well, I mean, I wanted more jobs, but I was like, "Don't be, you know, greedy."'

She recalled that she had 'got lucky' landing the film role in The Ice Storm because she went to Los Angeles to take part in the auditions for pilot season and got the job on her second day.

The mother-of-one mentioned: 'It was my second day in Los Angeles and my first audition. I got lucky.'
Pregnant Nikki Reed showed off her blossoming baby bump in a flowing red gown while attending the RCGD Global Pre-Oscars annual celebration in West Hollywood.

As she arrived to the red carpet ahead of the star-studded event on Thursday night ahead of the 95th Academy Awards this weekend, the 34-year-old actress, who is expecting her second child with husband Ian Somerhalder, was simply glowing.

While standing by her spouse's side, the expectant star, best known for her role as Rosalie Hale in the widely popular Twilight franchise, radiated beauty as she smiled for photographers.

She accessorized her stunning floor-length dress, featuring intricate silver beading across the chest, with multiple rings on nearly every finger and delicate earrings.

For the occasion, Reed wore her dark brunette locks in loose curls and glamorous makeup look, consisting of a glossy nude lipstick and bronzer for a sun-kissed glow.

Baby on board: Pregnant Nikki Reed showed off her blossoming baby bump in a flowing red gown while attending the RCGD Global Pre-Oscars annual celebration in West Hollywood

The Los Angeles native's longtime love, who she wed in 2015, cut a dapper figure in a charcoal grey suit, slightly open white dress shirt and gold loafers.

Their latest sighting comes after announcing they were expecting their second child in January over Instagram.

The overjoyed parents-to-be posted a snap of Nikki displaying her baby bump as she held their daughter Bodhi Soleil, age five, in her arms.

In the tender photograph, Nikki rested a hand on her growing midsection as she cuddled her youngster.

The Thirteen actress wore a fitted brown dress and wide-brim white hat as she wandered through a tranquil hillside setting.

'2023 celebrating life,' she began in the post. 'Years of dreaming, manifesting and praying over this very moment. So much love. What a gift.

'As all of you know, I have very strong boundaries with social media, especially when it comes to children and what I choose to put out into the world. Thank you so much for honoring that, and for sending positivity and kindness and LOVE. Some things are too good not to share :).

She ended the post by giving photography and 'baby cred' to her husband.

Expecting: As she arrived to the red carpet ahead of the star-studded event on Thursday night ahead of the 95th Academy Awards this weekend, the 34-year-old actress, who is expecting her second child with husband Ian Somerhalder , was simply glowing

Beaming: While standing by her spouse's side, the expectant star, best known for her role as Rosalie Hale in the widely popular Twilight franchise, radiated beauty as she smiled for photographers

Ian thanked Nikki for giving him the 'gift' of a large family as he announced their expanding family.

'All Ive ever wanted from the time I was a young boy was to have a big family. Thank you Nik for giving me that gift. ROUND TWO HERE WE GO!!!!! Thank you thank you to this incredible human for the gift of life and love, for being the most incredible mom and working so hard to make dreams come true!!! When I was taking this photo, I could not believe what I was seeing through that viewfinder. Theres nothing more beautiful

'All I ask is that everyone sends positivity to Nik & I during this time. The social space can be a strange one, but we can also make it a great one.'

Nikki and Ian have been married for the past eight years.

The happy couple was initially introduced by a mutual acquaintance and remained friends for several years before they began their relationship.

Baby makes four! Their latest sighting comes after announcing they were expecting their second child in January over Instagram

Reed was previously married to American Idol contestant Paul McDonald, with whom she tied the knot in 2011.

The pair remained together for three more years before they separated and divorced in 2015.

Somerhalder was also romantically involved with his costar from The Vampire Diaries, Nina Dobrev, from 2010 until 2013.

The pair moved very quickly with their relationship and moved in with each other after only three weeks of dating.

The couple announced that they were engaged in February of 2015, and they went on to tie the knot that April.

Reed later revealed that she was pregnant in May of 2017, and she gave birth to Bodhi Soleil that July.

'2023 celebrating life,' she began in the post. 'Years of dreaming, manifesting and praying over this very moment. So much love. What a gift' (seen in January)
It's a case of lights, camera, action for Australian influencer Suzan Mutesi, who has landed a role in an upcoming Hollywood rom-com.

The Ugandan-Australian actress, whose large Instagram following has been the subject of controversy, is set to sizzle on the silver screen alongside Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell.

Mutesi, 37, was spotted filming scenes alongside the American movie stars at The Soda Factory in Sydney's CBD this week.

Photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia show Suzan hugging A-lister Glen as she said goodbye to him after filming wrapped.

Bryan Brown, Rachel Griffiths, Michelle Hurd and Darren Barnet will also appear in the movie.

It's a case of lights, camera, action for Australian influencer Suzan Mutesi (pictured), who has landed a role in an upcoming Hollywood rom-com

The Ugandan-Australian actress is set to sizzle on the silver screen alongside Sydney Sweeney (left) and Glen Powell (right)

The R-rated film will be directed by the genius behind Friends with Benefits, Will Gluck.

Originally from Uganda, Suzan moved to Australia for high school before receiving a Bachelor of Design with a major in fashion.

And it's clear that her flair for fashion has helped her snag this career-defining role, alongside her impressive acting chops.

Photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia show Suzan (left) hugging Glen as she said goodbye to him after filming wrapped

Suzan has already had background roles in some of the biggest blockbusters in recent years, including the Marvel epic 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.'

But this new role is set to take her to even greater heights.

And with her effortless beauty and effortless charm, it's no wonder that Suzan is also a published author and a fixture on Sydney's social scene.

Suzan boasts a whopping one million followers on Instagram, making her one of Australia's most followed social media stars.

She recently appeared on the reality TV competition series The Challenge, where she was eliminated on the first episode.
James Norton has shared he will go completely naked on stage for a new play and admitted he felt 'exposed' preparing for the hard-hitting scene.

The actor, 37, is about to star in the stage adaptation of the 2015 novel A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and said the role involves appearing nude live on stage.

James described the scene as 'shaming' and 'degrading' for his character Jude and explained that it sees him lying on the floor naked while he is kicked and spat on.

He said he felt the nudity was justified and necessary to show the 'shame' Jude is put through, describing the moment as 'embarrassing and horrible'.

The Happy Valley star also confessed to feeling 'massively exposed' when preparing for the role, saying he had only ever appeared naked on stage before 'briefly'.

Baring all: James Norton has shared that he will go completely naked on stage for a new play and admitted he felt 'exposed' preparing for the scene

On stage: The actor, 37, is about to star in the stage adaptation of the 2015 novel A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara and said the role involves appearing nude live on stage

He told The Telegraph: 'What makes it harder right now is that we're rehearsing, so you're in a very light room  it's like being in your workplace and just getting naked, which is very weird.'

James went on to speak more broadly about male nudity in scenes, admitting he believes society is still wary about it.

He explained: 'There's still a block when it comes to male nudity, about the penis, and what it looks like, and its size and its shape  and all these things of which we as a culture are still very wary. 'We're scared of the penis.'

It is not the first time that James has gone naked for a role as he previously bared all in 2014 comedy-drama film Bonobo.

A Little Life follows four friends who have moved from a small college town to New York City and includes scenes of violence, sexual abuse and self-harm.

The Ivo van Hove production has been described by some critics as 'trauma porn' but James assured theatre-goers that no depictions in the play are gratuitous.

The play has been shown in New York and has drawn criticism, with reports of audience members leaving during the interval.

James said he had heard of people leaving the show as an act of protest because they find the book 'objectionable' but he urged people to instead consider the play as a whole.

Rehearsals: The Happy Valley star confessed to feeling 'massively exposed' when preparing for the role, saying he had only ever appeared naked on stage before 'briefly'

Cast: The production, which will open at the Harold Pinter Theatre later this month, also stars the likes of Bridgerton's Luke Thompson and It's A Sin actor Omari Douglas (pictured)

The production, which will open at the Harold Pinter Theatre later this month, also stars the likes of Bridgerton's Luke Thompson, It's A Sin actor Omari Douglas and Zach Wyatt.

His latest stage role comes after huge success for James, who blew fans away with his final performance as notorious villain Tommy-Lee Royce in Happy Valley.

The final episode aired in February, concluding the three series, nine-year cat and mouse game between Sgt Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) and Tommy Lee Royce.

And on Thursday, James shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the climatic final episode of the BBC drama.

Warning fans who hadn't yet finished the series that it would spoil the ending, he showed exactly how the crew made his character go up into flames.

The filming was done with the help of stunt double Leo Woodruff on set, who was actually the one playing criminal Tommy Lee Royce as he caught fire in the scene.

Recording from the side of the set, James captured the moment that his brave stunt double was set on fire - with crew on hand to coat him in a specially prepared flammable gel beforehand, then extinguishing him straight away.

Fans of the drama were shocked to see that the stunt had actually taken place, with many rushing to the comment section to admit that they thought it was the work of CGI.

The dramatic scene shows villain of the show Tommy (James) finally give in after running from his crimes for three seasons.

Defeated, he finds himself face to face with enemy Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) and admits he 'doesn't hate her anymore'.

Dousing himself in gasoline, the criminal decides that he'd rather not be alive than go back to prison - pulling out his lighter to set himself on fire.

As viewers had to excruciatingly watch the character go up into flames, many assumed it was the handy work of computer generated imagery.

But this week, James shared exactly how the scene was organically carried out as he posted a video which captured the moment on set.

James and Sarah had both been swapped out for their stunt doubles, with Leo - who looks incredibly similar to James - taking seat as Tommy.

He is thought to be wearing several layers of protective clothing, including fire-resistant materials like asbestos - while crew could then be seen rubbing specially prepared flammable gel over Leo.

As he gets lit up into flames, the stunt double stands up before falling down to the ground, where Sarah's stand-in comes to cover him with a crochet blanket, scenes which viewers will recognise.

But what couldn't be seen on screen is the two crew members who put the fire out just seconds later with extinguishers.

Impressively, Leo then jumps to his feet and flashes a thumbs up towards the crew, assuring that he's fine after being set into flames.

James then panned the camera to the rest of the set where a large crew were gathered with equipment, while Sarah also sat nearby watching on.

Directors could be seen watching the scene back on cameras to ensure that they got the correct angle.

Incredible: His latest stage role comes after huge success for James, who blew fans away with his final performance as notorious villain Tommy-Lee Royce in Happy Valley

Stunt: And on Thursday, James shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the climatic final episode of the BBC drama

Tense scenes: Warning fans who hadn't yet finished the series that it would spoil the ending, he showed exactly how the crew made his character go up into flames

The actor also added in a snap of himself and stunt double Leo both dressed as Tommy - with the duo looking strikingly similar.

'SPOILER ALERT, waited a beat before posting in case people hadn't caught up,' wrote James over the video.

While he captioned: 'HAPPY VALLEY BTS  final scene  Huge respect to @leonardstunts, my stunt double. The man literally goes up in flames #happyvalley #bts'.

If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
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Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez the premiere of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which took place at the Paramount Theater in Austin on Friday.

The performers were also joined by several of their costars, including Sophia Lillis and Rege-Jean Page, during the event.

The movie, which had its trailer debut in January, is currently scheduled to be released to the public later this month.

Pine opted for an eye-catching green jacket and a matching pair of pants during the event.

The Star Trek franchise star also wore a darker button-up shirt and a pair of leather shoes that contrasted with the brighter tones of his look.

Red carpet: Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez the premiere of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, which took place at the Paramount Theater in Austin on Friday. The performers were also joined by several of their costars, including Sophia Lillis and Rege-Jean Page, during the event

Coming soon: The movie, which had its trailer debut in January, is currently scheduled to be released to the public later this month

The performer finished off his outfit with a single necklace and jet-black sunglasses.

Rodriguez wore an all-white outfit that included a button-up jacket worn on top of a low-cut top.

The Fast & Furious franchise star also donned a slim-fitting pair of leggings and a pair of shining silver shoes.

The performer's dark brunette hair fell onto her shoulders.

Page opted for a white undershirt worn underneath a light beige zip-up jacket.

The Bridgerton star also wore a slightly loose-fitting pair of dark brown pants and leather shoes.

Lillis donned a flowing button-up dress that featured a pair of studded leather portions at the premiere.

Daisy Head stood out while wearing a light yellow jacket and matching pants, both of which were offset by a navy blue button-up shirt.

Keeping it consistent: Pine opted for an eye-catching green jacket and a matching pair of pants during the event

Well-dressed man: The Star Trek franchise star also wore a darker button-up shirt and a pair of leather shoes that contrasted with the brighter tones of his look

Accessorizing well: The performer finished off his outfit with a single necklace and jet-black sunglasses

Lady in white: Rodriguez wore an all-white outfit that included a button-up jacket worn on top of a low-cut top

Gorgeous locks: The performer's dark brunette hair fell onto her shoulders and added a bit of darkness to her light outfit

Looking sharp: Page opted for a white undershirt worn underneath a light beige zip-up jacket. The Bridgerton star also wore a slightly loose-fitting pair of dark brown pants and leather shoes

At one point, the actors all posed together for a photo, during which they were joined by cast member Justice Smith, as well as South By Southwest's Film & TV Festival Director Claudette Godfrey.

The group later made their way into the premiere's main area, during which the film was introduced by its directors, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.

Development on Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves began in 2013, when a project centered on the long-running role playing game was greenlit by Warner Bros. Pictures executives.

The feature experienced a lengthy development process, during which figures such as Joe Manganiello and Dwayne Johnson were attached to the project.

Goldstein and Daley were reported to have been in talks to headline the feature in 2019, and it was revealed that they had written a new script for the movie the following year.

Pine signed on to appear in the film in 2020, and the rest of its cast was added over the next two years.

Other figures set to be featured in the movie include Jason Wong and Hugh Grant.

Physical production on the movie began in April of 2021 with filming taking place in both Iceland and Ireland.

Turning heads: Lillis donned a flowing button-up dress that featured a pair of studded leather portions at the premiere

Fashionable: Daisy Head stood out while wearing a light yellow jacket and matching pants. The actress offset the dominant tone of her clothing with a navy blue shirt

In the past: Development on Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves began in 2013, when a project centered on the long-running role playing game was greenlit by Warner Bros. Pictures executives

In attendance: The group later made their way into the premiere's main area, during which the film was introduced by its directors, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley

All over the place: The feature experienced a lengthy development process, during which figures such as Joe Manganiello and Dwayne Johnson were attached to the project

Almost here: The fantasy-adventure feature is now scheduled to be released to the public on March 31

Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, RegA-Jean Page on stage during a Q&A with attendees

Chris spent time on the mic delivering some key film details to fans

Wow! Chloe Bailey stunned in a chic all-black look for the premiere of Swarm

The singer posed with co-star Dominique Fishback, who put on a busty display in a plunging dress

Strike a pose: Chloe Bailey and Dominique Fishback posed for magazine-worthy shots ahead of the screening

Ravishing in red: Karen Gillan wowed the crowd in a red dress that she let slip off one shoulder to expose her tiny pink bra at the premiere of Late Bloomers

Smile! Lisa Steen, Taylor Feltner, Anna Greenfield, David Bernon, Karen Gillan, Alexandra Barreto, and Sam Bisbee of 'Late Bloomers' pose for a portrait during the festival

Joan Baez posed up in a chic pinstripe blazer and bright pink socks at a screening of Joan Baez I Am A Noise

After several months of work, the project's crew wrapped in August of that year.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was initially supposed to be released in 2021, although its premiere date was pushed back several times.

The fantasy-adventure feature is now scheduled to be released to the public on March 31.

A television program centered on the role-playing game is currently in development.
Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham made quite the dapper duo on Friday night when they attended the Women in Film Oscar party in classic black suits.

Peltz, 28, looked chic in her tailored look, sporting a black tie and wearing her dark hair pulled back in a bun.

Beckham, 24  who recently penned a sweet tribute to his wife on Instagram for International Women's Day  went without a tie and wore his thick black hair in stylish waves.

The pair were attached at the hip on the red carpet, looking very much in love as their one-year wedding anniversary approaches on April 9.

The socialites recently returned from Paris, where they attended numerous A-list shows during fashion week and went on a lavish shopping spree.

Beckhams in Black: Nicola Peltz, 28, and Brooklyn Beckham, 24, made quite the dapper duo on Friday night when they attended the Women in Film Oscar party in classic black suits

Classic and coordinated: The heiress looked chic in her tailored look, sporting a black tie and wearing her dark hair pulled back in a bun. Beckham went without a tie and wore his thick black hair in stylish waves

Whirlwind week: The socialites recently returned from Paris, where they attended numerous A-list shows during fashion week and went on a lavish shopping spree

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, Brooklyn shared a collection of pictures celebrating the women in his life for International Women's Day.

The son of David and Victoria Beckham gushed about his wife Nicola, thanking the heiress for being his 'best friend.'

Captioning the sweet snaps, Brooklyn wrote: 'Happy international womans day to all the gorgeous women out there. You're far better than any man can ever be x

'Nicola thank you for always being there right by my side and for being the best wife and best friend x couldnt live without you.

'I am so excited to stay young with you and have the most amazing life with you x heres to many more baby days honoring you.'

The Cookin' with Brooklyn star posted his tribute to Nicola as her alleged feud with his mother Victoria has reportedly cooled.

Peltz was rumored to be in a war with the pop star-turned-fashion designer after she opted for a Valentino wedding dress instead of a gown from the Spice Girl's own label.

Nicola, who is the daughter of billionaire corporate raider Nelson Peltz, fiercely denied the feud in an interview with The Times last year: '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?'

Looking good: The couple showed off their stellar sense of style at the event

Stunner: Nicola's radiant complexion was accented by dark eyeliner and elegant earrings

Dapper: Brooklyn went without a tie and wore his thick black hair in stylish waves

Jet set: The socialites recently returned from Paris, where they attended numerous A-list shows during fashion week

Loved-up: In an International Women's Day post, Brooklyn called Nicola his 'best friend'

One year of marriage: The pair will soon be celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary on April 9

The Bates Motel actress went on to tell The Times, '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.

'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.'

But as Nicola puts her feud with Posh Spice to bed, a different cold war has allegedly emerged between her and the model girlfriend of Brooklyn's younger brother Romeo Beckham, 20.

Peltz and Mia Regan, 20, are rumored to be at odds with each other, recently attending Victoria's fashion show in Paris, but not sitting together.
Sofia Vergara was spotted stepping out for lunch during a rainy day in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 50-year-old actress donned a tight-fitting, leopard-print dress and held a coat over her head to shield herself from the downpour as she braved the weather.

The Modern Family alum put on a glamorous display in the eye-catching dress and a pair of platform booties for the outing.

The America's Got Talent judge - who attended the taping of TV special Carol Burnett: 90 Years Of Laughter + Love last week - carried a black quilted leather crossbody bag.

The brunette bombshell looked stunning in radiant makeup featuring rosy cheeks and a mauve pink statement lip.

Braving the weather: Sofia Vergara, 50, was spotted stepping out for lunch during a rainy day in Los Angeles on Friday in a tight-fitting, leopard-print dress and held a coat over her head to shield herself from the downpour as she braved the weather

Dazzling: The brunette bombshell looked stunning in radiant makeup featuring rosy cheeks and a mauve pink statement lip

The model styled her tresses in a voluminous and straight look to grab lunch at Avra Beverly Hills.

Recently, the Colombia native revealed that she would be returning for season 18 of America's Got Talent.

Previously, the entrepreneur was noticeably absent from the America's Got Talent: All-Stars spinoff series.

On February 20, she shared a photo of herself posing at the judge's panel and wrote in her caption: 'So excited for another summer of [America's Got Talent]!'

She then invited fans to audition for an opportunity to make their big break.

The Hot Pursuit star also shared a post about her latest project - a spring clothing collection in collaboration with Walmart retailers.

She originally launched her clothing line Sofia Jeans by Sofia Vergara in February of 2019.

Last November, she celebrated her seventh wedding anniversary to Magic Mike actor Joe Manganiello, 46.

Lovebirds: Last November, she celebrated her seventh wedding anniversary to Magic Mike actor Joe Manganiello, 46

The pair met in 2014 at the White House Correspondents Association dinner and got engaged seven months later.

The lovebirds tied the knot a year later at a resort wedding in Palm Beach, Florida.

In 2017, Vergara and the True Blood vet starred opposite each other in drama film Bottom of the 9th.

The couple do not currently share any children together, but Vergara has one son - Manolo, 31 - from her previous marriage to businessman Joe Gonzalez, 52.

The beauty married her high school sweetheart in 1991 when she was just 18 years old.

Vergara and Gonzalez welcomed Manolo in 1992.

They then divorced a year later when she was 20 years old.

Their son Manolo is an actor himself and has worked in a number of films in Vergara's 2015 comedy action titled Hot Pursuit.
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Jordana Brewster and Lake Bell made their presence known as they led stars at the Women in Film Oscar party in Los Angeles on Friday.

The 42-year-old Fast & Furious actress and 43-year-old Black Panther star each made statements in dark-colored looks that bared their midriffs.

For the event, which was held at Hollywood's buzzy NeueHouse, Jordana donned a cropped, short-sleeved black turtleneck.

And for her part, Lake sizzled in a shimmery black two-piece co-ord that consisted of a slightly oversized blazer and mini skirt.

The 16th annual event, also known as WIF, celebrated all the women nominated for the upcoming Academy Awards.

Showstoppers: Jordana Brewster and Lake Bell made their presence known as they led stars at the Women in Film Oscar party in Los Angeles on Friday

Looking great: For the event, which was held at Hollywood's buzzy NeueHouse, Jordana donned a cropped, short-sleeved black turtleneck

Jordana teamed her top with a pair of navy blue high-waisted trousers that were designed with a flared leg, giving her a cool edge.

The silver-screen siren wowed with her lustrous dark hair styled in a center part and cascading layers that were loosely feathered around her face.

She was a sight to see as she posed confidently on the event's red carpet as she carried her belongings in an understated black clutch.

She wore a silver-toned cuff on her right arm as she posed up for snapshots at the yearly celebrity-packed affair.

The beauty's face glowed in carefully applied makeup that amplified her brown eyes, chiseled cheekbones and killer smile.

At one point she was joined by fellow entertainer Frankie Shaw, 36, who stunned in a figure-hugging ribbed black dress with side cutouts.

Shaw arrived in a pair of black open-toe heels that exposed a peach pedicure and she wore her light brown hair in a flirty low-positioned ponytail.

She added a pair of silver hoop earrings, which matched her flashy ring as she walked Friday's red carpet in style.

Gorgeous: The silver-screen siren wowed with her lustrous dark hair styled in a center part and cascading layers that were loosely feathered around her face

Dynamic duo: At one point Jordana was joined by fellow entertainer Frankie Shaw, 36, who stunned in a figure-hugging ribbed black dress with side cutouts

Wow! Lake sizzled in a shimmery black two-piece co-ord that consisted of a slightly oversized blazer and mini skirt

Lake exposed much of her toned abdomen in her look, which she joined with an understated, black crew neck shirt.

Her dark-to-light ombre hair was arranged in a center part and loose waves that fell over her chest and around her visage.

The entertainer put on a leggy display in her getup, which she punctuated with a pair of beige, suede slingback heels with a pointy toe.

Her green eyes popped with the application of elongating mascara and she highlighted her cheeks with soft pink blush before finishing with a subtle lip stain.

Hot stuff: Lake exposed much of her toned abdomen in her look, which she joined with an understated, black crew neck shirt

Lovebirds:Also in attendance at the MaxMara and Mercedes sponsored event were it-couple Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz

Also in attendance at the MaxMara and Mercedes sponsored event were it-couple Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz.

The husband and wife duo turned heads as they donned matching his and hers black pantsuits with crisp white shirts underneath.

Brooklyn, the son of Victoria and David Beckham, made use of his suit jacket's on button as he kept things casual by skipping a tie.

He was clean shaven for the occasion, showing off his signature eyebrow slash above his right eye as he posed with his lady.

The fashion-forward chef and photographer finished off the ensemble with a sleek pair of shiny black dress shoes.

And Nicola complemented her spouse as she elevated her outfit with a black satin tie, which coordinated with her suit's collar.

Her long slacks also boasted satin trim along the sides of the pant legs and waistline and she walked in a pair of towering black platform shoes.

The beautiful socialite pulled her long, dirty blonde locks into a sleek updo that was arranged with a center part and wispy bun.

Fantastic: Nicola complemented her spouse as she elevated her outfit with a black satin tie, which coordinated with her suit's collar

Nicky Hilton, 39, made a statement in a dazzling champagne-colored getup that showed off her trim and slim figure.

Paris Hilton's younger sibling, who's married to investor James Rothschild, wore her bright blonde hair in an off-center part.

The lustrous locks were glossy as they fell over her chest and down her back in a low-key wave pattern with one side tucked behind her ear.

She looked typically gorgeous with large diamond stud earrings, which nicely played up the sparkle of her knee-length frock.

Beauty! Nicky Hilton, 39, made a statement in a dazzling champagne-colored getup that showed off her trim and slim figure

Sizzling: Euphoria sensation Barbie Ferreira smoldered in a long red dress with a halter neck design with a silver-toned hardware collar

Meanwhile, Euphoria sensation Barbie Ferreira smoldered in a long red dress with a halter neck design with a silver-toned hardware collar.

The 26-year-old actress accentuated her voluptuous shape in the look, which pulled in slightly at her waist, creating a flattering silhouette.

Her arms were bared in the presentation, as well as her chest in the low-cut number that complemented her clear complexion.

She carried a coordinating small red clutch and rounded out the look with a pair of shiny black Mary Jane-style heels.

Ferreira's rich, raven locks were slicked into place as she wore them in a deep side part and low-set updo that allowed her to flaunt her small silver hoops.

New mother Ashley Green, 36, was also at the Women in Film party, commanding attention in a classy black ensemble.

The Twilight actress tucked a sleeveless black sweater into trendy black puddle-style trousers that were slightly baggy with an extra wide effect.

She made a statement with her glossy brunette locks arranged in a middle part and low chignon with long pieces left out at the front.

Night out: New mom Ashley Green, 36, was also at the Women in Film party, commanding attention in a classy black ensemble

Fashionista: Yvonne Orji created a striking contrast in her getup, which included a black shirt jacket with extra long sleeves and studded trim

Yvonne Orji created a striking contrast in her getup, which included a black shirt jacket with extra long sleeves and studded trim.

The 39-year-old Nigerian-born entertainer joined the top with wide-leg white slacks that were cuffed and pleated down the center.

Her collared shirt had to front pockets and fastened at the top before spreading into a triangle split from her waist to her thighs.

The Insecure actress wore her dark hair in a perfectly straight bob with soft bangs that cropped near her chin.

She drew attention to her brown eyes with fluffy, long eyelashes and dusted her cheeks with a warm-toned blush before finishing with a matte red lip stain.

Angelic: Model Sara Sampaio and actress Rhea Seehorn both had the same idea as they arrived in crisp white outfits

Well-dressed: Actress Lana Condo wore a textured camel-colored coat over her beige two-piece look and carried a large brown clutch

More arrivals: Danny Ramirez, Carrie Brownstein, and Katie Aselton dressed to the nines for the swanky affair

Zoe Lister-Jones showed off her trim figure in a short-sleeved oatmeal-colored turtleneck crop top and matching plaid mini skirt.

The 40-year-old actress bared her taut abs in the look, which she donned with sheer, knee-high black socks and golden brown velvet peep-toe heels.

Her short and edgy blonde haircut was slightly tousled and styled in an undefined side part as she tucked piece behind her ears.

She rimmed her bright blue eyes with sleek black liner and her dark eyebrows provided a frame for her visage.

Fun look: Zoe Lister-Jones showed off her trim figure in a short-sleeved oatmeal-colored turtleneck crop top and matching plaid mini skirt

Icon: Legendary songwriter Diane Warren showed off her style as she arrived in a thigh-grazing black blazer adorned with a flower and brooch

Legendary songwriter Diane Warren showed off her style as she arrived in a thigh-grazing black blazer adorned with a flower and brooch.

She rocked her signature jet black pixie haircut as she wore a dark turtleneck sweater underneath her outer layer.

The musician's straight-leg black pants were elevated with patchwork cartoon strips that featured bright red and blue colors.

Finally, she finished with a sleek pair of black lace-up combat boots that were adorned with gold hardware accents.

Cute: Rosemarie DeWitt looked great in a long white dress with a textured square block pattern and short, puffy sleeves

Spouses: Raven-Symone and wife Miranda Maday kept close as they affectionately walked the red carpet side by side

Raven-Symone and wife Miranda Maday kept close as they affectionately walked the red carpet side by side.

The former child actress showed off a buzzed haircut that she drew attention to with red and golden yellow hair dye.

The Cosby Show alum rocked a slit in her right eyebrow and wore narrow, oval-shaped sunglasses set on the bridge of her nose.

Raven wore a royal blue button-up shirt tucked into matching blue trousers with crisp pleats going down the front.

The longtime entertainer layered a pale blue blazer over it and she walked the carpet in a pair of metallic silver boots with a heel.

She was pictured sharing a romantic smooch with her spouse, who bared her taut tummy in a cropped off-the-shoulder white blouse.

Miranda added a pair of slouchy, dark, pinstriped pants to the look and matched her wife with multiple baby blue bows situated in her blonde hair.

Sweet: Raven was pictured sharing a romantic smooch with her spouse, who bared her taut tummy in a cropped off-the-shoulder white blouse

Phenomenal: Sharon Lawrence, Marlee Matlin, and Anika Noni Rose each made statements in respective aring looks

Excellent: Sex/Life star Wallis Day put on a fashion-forward display in a sharp and structured black pantsuit with a floral pattern throughout

Style savvy: Holland Roden wowed in a tan, plaid co-ord with cuffed slacks and a double-breasted blazer that she wore unbuttoned

Looking good: Sian Heder and Ruth E. Carter were showstopping in statement-making looks at Friday night's Hollywood event

Maverick: DeWanda Wise covered up in a green cloak-like ensemble that was accented with dramatic fringe trim

Awesome: AnnaSophia Robb and Kate Micucci commanded attention in looks that showed off their unique fashion sense

Leggy: Garcelle Beauvais wowed in an orange, ruched mini dress with sky-high heels

The RHOBH favorite beamed for shutterbugs with her maroon toned tresses long and sleek

Bombshell: Mad Men bombshell Christina Hendricks looked ultra chic in a blue mockneck top and a black coat

Gorgeous: The actress slipped into flared pants and kitten heels to complete the look

Prep: Preparations are currently underway for the Oscars, which air Sunday

People were hard at work laying out the event's first-ever champagne carpet

Dramatic red curtains hung over the red carpet step-and-repeat as event coordinators surveyed the job

Life size! Four life size Oscar statues stood out on Hollywood Boulevard ahead of Sunday's highly-anticipated annual event

Sex/Life star Wallis Day put on a fashion-forward display in a sharp and structured black pantsuit with a floral pattern throughout.

The 28-year-old London-born actress wore a black camisole underneath her suit jacket, which she cinched with a single button.

Her short blonde haircut with dark roots was tucked behind her ears and styled with a modest combover pompadour.

She rimmed her piercing eyes with smokey eyeliner and added a shimmery eyeshadow to her lids before finishing with a glossy pink lip. Finally, she rounded out the stellar presentation with transparent pointy-toe red heels, which matched the red tones in her suit's pattern.
Barbie Ferreira put on a show-stopping display while wearing a fitted red dress as she attended the 16th Annual Women In Film Oscars Party in Hollywood on Friday.

The Euphoria actress, 26, opted for a bold makeup look to pair with the eye-catching gown as she joined other celebrities and Academy Award nominees at the glitzy affair.

The star, who was ethereal at the Vogue Ball earlier last month, announced her departure from the hit HBO Max series last year in August due to alleged conflicts with creator, Sam Levinson.

The WIF party is held to help honor and recognize the 65 women who have been nominated for an Oscar, and this year's event is hosted by CODA actress, Marlee Matlin and filmmaker, Sian Heder.

As she stepped onto the star-studded red carpet, Barbie showed off her stunning ensemble that consisted of a red, patent leather dress with an asymmetrical hem that fell down towards her feet.

Wow! Barbie Ferreira, 26, put on a show-stopping display while wearing a fitted red dress as she attended the 16th Annual Women In Film Oscars Party in Hollywood on Friday

The gown contained a halter-styled top that was made of a thick, gold band that wrapped around the base of her neck.

The actress turned around to flaunt the backless portion of the ensemble as she posed for an assortment of snaps at the event that took place at NeueHouse in Hollywood.

She slipped into a pair of closed-toed, black heels that were secured with a thin strap around her ankles.

Her dark locks were parted to the side and slicked back, allowing the long strands to effortlessly flow down behind her in natural waves.

To accessorize her look for the evening, the Nope actress added a pair of classy, silver-hooped earrings along with thin, silver bracelets on her left wrist. Barbie also chose to add a variety of silver-colored rings on her hands for a final touch to her jewelry.

While posing for a brief photo session, the star held a rectangular-shaped, red clutch to coincide with the color scheme of her dress.

She opted for a bold makeup look which comprised of a heavy layer of black mascara and eyeliner, as well as a dark, smoky shadow around her eyes.

A peach-colored blush along with contour was added to better accentuate her cheekbones, while a nude-colored tint was worn on her lips.

Radiant: The Euphoria actress donned a red, patent leather dress with an asymmetrical hem that fell down towards her feet and also contained a halter-styled top that was made of a thick, gold band that wrapped around the base of her neck

Stunning: The actress turned around to flaunt the backless portion of the ensemble as she posed for an assortment of snaps at the event to kick off Oscars weekend

During an interview with InStyle last year, the beauty opened up about her fashion choices and explained to the outlet that, 'I love playing around with different decades and vintage stuff.'

The actress added, 'I like to mix and match because I know everything comes and goes into fashion, so you kind of have to make your [own] trends and aesthetics.'

The star, who portrayed the character of Kat Hernandez on Euphoria, also told the publication, 'I don't want everyone to just focus on the fact that I'm confident, because I'm not.'

'If you're not the norm, in Hollywood or fashion, you're automatically seen as a brave person, which I think is very offensive, and I think it's hard to always be put in that box and have this pressure to be happy with yourself at a young age.'

A number of celebrities were in attendance at the Women In Film Oscars party on Friday, including AnnaSophia Robb, Lake Bell, Jordana Brewster, Sara Sampaio, and also Nicola Peltz and husband Brooklyn Beckham.

Hosted by Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin and director Sian Heder, the annual event, 'has celebrated the belief that collaboration between women, behind and in front of the camera, is the best way to ensure more films are made by and for women,' according to a press release.

The 95th Oscars is set to be held on Sunday, March 12, and will be hosted for the third time by Jimmy Kimmel.

Earlier last year in August, Barbie revealed that she would not be returning to HBO Max's Euphoria for the show's third season.

On Instagram, the beauty announced to her fans and followers, 'After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, Im having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye,' she wrote, per Variety.

She continued, 'I hope many of you could see yourself in her like I did and that she brought you joy to see her journey into the character she is today. I put all my care and love into her and I hope you guys could feel it. Love you Katherine Hernandez.'

Edgy: She opted for a bold makeup look which comprised of a heavy layer of black mascara and eyeliner, as well as a dark, smoky shadow around her eyes

Sense of fashion: During an interview with InStyle last year, the beauty opened up about her fashion choices and explained to the outlet that, 'I love playing around with different decades and vintage stuff'; seen earlier this month in Paris

Emotional farewell: On Instagram, the beauty announced to her fans and followers, 'After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character Kat, Im having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye,' she wrote, per Variety

Upcoming work: Although she said goodbye to her character of Kat, the actress will still appear on the screen in the upcoming project titled, House Of Spoils; seen in September 2022

According to Page Six, an unnamed source explained during an interview with Zach Sang, 'Allegedly, she was having a lot of problems with Sam. Sam is a very specific type of director, and Barbie was just not able to handle it...'

Although she said goodbye to her character of Kat, the actress will still appear on the screen in the upcoming project titled, House Of Spoils.

The film also stars West Side Story actress, Ariana DeBose, and Lord Of The Rings alum, Marton Csokas.

A set release date has yet to be announced, but the premise follows, 'a chef who opens her first restaurant where she battles kitchen chaos, a dubious investor and self doubt, but the pressure heats up thanks to the spirit of the estate's previous owner who threatens to sabotage her,' according to an IMDB synopsis.
Jesinta Franklin is a big fan of Deni Todorovic, the non-binary activist who has made headlines after claiming to be an 'ambassador 'for the swimwear brand Seafolly.

The model insisted that 'fashion is about inclusivity' and 'being authentic' adding that 'the more brands that promote that the better'.

'I find what they do so inspirational, especially as a parent, because it provides visibility to a group of people who have been silenced and pushed away for so long,' Franklin told The Herald Sun on Saturday.

'As a mother I want to see more of it because I want both of my children to grow up knowing that they can be 100 per cent who they are without any fear of judgment or oppression' the 31-year-old added.

Jesinta Franklin (pictured) is a big fan of Deni Todorovic, the non-binary activist who has made headlines after claiming to be an 'ambassador 'for the swimwear brand Seafolly

On Friday, Seafolly denied Todorovic (pictured) was an ambassador for the brand, and said they were a 'special guest' to the brand's World Pride event in Sydney

On Friday, Seafolly denied Todorovic was an ambassador for the brand, and said they were a 'special guest' to the brand's World Pride event in Sydney.

The swimwear giant clarified who their official female brand ambassador is amid widespread criticism for allowing a non-binary activist to promote their brand.

British-born, New York-based model Joanna Halpin, 31, has been the official face of the celebrated swimwear brand's latest campaign, Summer Somewhere, since early February.

The stunning model's role was overshadowed this week when non-binary influencer Deni Todorovic, who uses they/them pronouns, claimed on social media that they were Seafolly's 'ambassador and brand partner'.

'I find what they do so inspirational, especially as a parent, because it provides visibility to a group of people who have been silenced and pushed away for so long,' Franklin told The Herald Sun on Saturday

Seafolly also issued a statement on Friday, insisting that they are 'supportive of all women' and that Halpin is their official ambassador, not non-binary transgender activist Deni.

Halpin spoke out on Saturday in an interview with News Corp's Stellar magazine, where she appeared to subtly reference the recent furore surrounding Deni's association with Seafolly.

'Brands now work with people who are not necessarily a model, more a personality,' she said.

'It's not just limited to models in the way it was in the '90s, with traditionally beautiful women.'

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Todorovic said the criticism still 'deeply hurt' despite its predictability and they'd been flooded with hateful and abusive comments since working with Seafolly.

'As a mother I want to see more of it because I want both of my children to grow up knowing that they can be 100 per cent who they are without any fear of judgment or oppression' the 31-year-old added

'The proud moment comes when I think about why campaigns like this are so necessary,' they said.

'We need queer people on TV, in parliament and in power. And not just queer people but trans people - in many parts of the world being a lesbian or gay is seen as okay, but being trans isn't.'

While celebrating the novel use of a transgender model in a swimwear campaign, Todorovic said seeing the outline of a penis beneath swimmers was hardly new.

'I'm wearing bikini bottoms which are basically Speedos, which, last time I checked, people with penises wear Speedos.

'So maybe you just need to investigate and dig a little deeper as to why me, in a Speedo essentially, feels like an attack on your gender identity, because that's not what I'm trying to do.'
Rose Byrne was feeling retro as she attended an event for the new season of her TV series on Thursday.

The Australian actress looked chic in a brown leather jacket at the Emmy FYC screening and Q&A of the Apple TV+ dark comedy Physical in Los Angeles.

The 43-year-old donned the oversized, 1970s jacket along with a pair of classic blue jeans.

Rose went light on the accessories, adding a pair of dangling earrings and a dainty ring.

She completed the look with a pair of strappy heels with gold chain detailing across her feet.

Rose Byrne (pictured) was feeling retro as she attended an event for her TV series on Thursday. The Australian actress looked chic in a brown leather jacket at the Emmy FYC screening and Q&A of the Apple TV+ dark comedy Physical in Los Angeles

Rose posed alongside producer Annie Weisman on the red carpet, before sitting down for a question and answer session with the audience

For makeup, the actress chose a warm look with a peachy blush and a nude pink lipstick, while wearing her brunette bob down in waves.

Rose posed alongside producer Annie Weisman on the red carpet, before sitting down for a question and answer session with the audience.

Physical, which debuted on Apple TV+ in 2021, stars Rose as a housewife called Sheila who throws herself into the aerobics craze of the 1980s.

Sheila becomes an exercise instructor while grappling with her own anger and insecurities, including body image issues that snowball into bulimia.

Physical, which debuted on Apple TV+ in 2021, stars Rose as a housewife called Sheila who throws herself into the aerobics craze of the 1980s

Sheila becomes an exercise instructor while grappling with her own anger and insecurities, including body image issues that snowball into bulimia

The actress was spotted hard at work filming the third season of her dark sitcom in February.

She was in full costume and sporting a perm, when she was treated to the sight of her longtime love Bobby Cannavale, 52, arriving on set.

Rose and Bobby have been together since 2012 and have welcomed two sons into the world together - Rocco, seven, and Rafa, five.

As far as her personal circumstances are concerned, Rose and Bobby keep intending to get married only for life events to get in the way.

'I keep going: "Lets get around to it, lets do it." And then, you know, you have a baby, and then, oh, theres another baby. It was kind of like that for us' she remarked.
Stephen Moffatt is reportedly set to return to Doctor Who to write episodes for the new series.

The screenwriter, 67, previously served as showrunner for the sci-fi series from 2010 to 2017 and was also a writer on the show.

Russell T Davies has taken over as showrunner once again and has recruited Steven to write episodes for the 2024 series, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor.

A source told The Mirror: 'Russell's on a mission to make Doctor Who great again, event television not to be missed, which is what it was for many years during his and Steven's tenures in charge of the show.

'He has nothing but respect for what Steven achieved with the show and was a fan of his vision as showrunner. He approached him about returning in just a writing capacity because he knows Doctor Who inside out and has a brilliant imagination for adventures in space and time.

Return: Stephen Moffatt is reportedly set to return to Doctor Who to write episodes for the new series

Show: Russell T Davies has taken over as showrunner once again and has recruited Steven to write episodes for the 2024 series, starring Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor

'He took some convincing but the chance to contribute to a show he has loved since childhood and see it blossom in a new era with a new Doctor was just too much to resist.'

Steven was responsible for introducing Doctor Who fans to Matt Smith as the eleventh doctor and Peter Capaldi as the twelfth.

He served as writer for some of the show's most memorable episodes including The Girl In The Fireplace, The Empty Child and Blink - which introduced the Wheeping Angels, among the programme's most memorable villains.

Steven previously said he hopes Doctor Who goes on forever like other English heroes such as Sherlock Holmes and Robin Hood.

He said: 'I just want it to go on. I want it to not stop. I want it to, and I know Russell's going to make use of its infinite adaptability to always be the number one predator in the environment.

'That's what I want. I want it to go on forever. I believe it can. Like the stories of Robin Hood and King Arthur and Sherlock Holmes. Some things always go on.'

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.

Ncuti Gatwa previously admitted he was 'deeply honoured' and 'beyond excited' to be playing the Doctor, but admitted that he was also a 'little bit scared' to join the franchise.

History: Steven previously served as showrunner for the sci-fi series from 2010 to 2017 and was also a writer on the show (David Tennant pictured as the D

A source said: 'Russell's on a mission to make Doctor Who great again, event television not to be missed' (Russell T Davies pictured)

He told the BBC: 'This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care.

'I will endeavour my upmost to do the same.'

He added: 'The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it's daunting, I'm aware I'm joining a really supportive family.
Kim Kardashian appeared to have a blast with her family and friends while attending a birthday bash at The Nice Guy in West Hollywood.

The reality TV star, 42, shared a number of clips to her Instagram as she helped twin sisters Malika and Khadijah Haqq ring in their 40th birthday.

The mom-of-four looked glamorous as ever wearing a chunky double layer gold necklace and a strapless black top.

In one clip she was joined by younger sister Kylie Jenner, 25, and mom Kris Jenner, 67, as they goofed off together and pulled faces at the camera.

She was also pictured having a blast with her pal Tracy Romulus in another clip.

Having a blast! Kim Kardashian appeared to have a blast with her family and friends while attending a birthday bash at The Nice Guy in West Hollywood

Family: The reality TV star, 42, shared a number of clips to her Instagram with sister Kylie Jenner and mom Kris, as they helped friends Malika and Khadijah ring in their 40th birthday

Kim looked picture-perfect with pink gloss on her lips and delicate bronze eyeshadow on her lids.

The beauty wore her black tresses in a straight style, cascading down her back.

In one clip her and Kylie sat side-by-side while lip-synching to the music at the bash.

Another clip saw Kim hanging out with Kylie and Kris. Kylie was heard explaining to the momager: 'It's a video!'

The fun continued with more clips of Kim and Kylie. Kim later joined gal pal Tracy for more singing fun.

She also poked fun of Tracy, after she caught her intently staring at her phone, and wrote: 'never not working' along with a laughing out crying emoji.

Yet another video showed her enjoying the night with her gal pal Racquel Joseph Smith.

Also present at the bash was sister Khloe Kardashian who has been friends with Malika for over two decades, after they met each other as teenagers in 1999. Khloe showed off her toned legs in a shimmery silver dress.

She was joined by ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson, 31, who coordinated with Khloe's dress in a pair of shimmery silver sneakers.

Glam gals: The mom-of-four looked glamorous as ever wearing a chunky double layer gold necklace and a strapless black top

In one clip she was joined by Kylie, 25, and Kris, 67, as they goofed off together and pulled faces at the camera

Social media savvy: Kylie was heard explaining to the momager: 'It's a video!'

A blast: She was also pictured having a blast with her pal Tracy Romulus in another clip

A night to remember: Another video showed her enjoying the night with her gal pal Racquel Joseph Smith

Va va voom! Kylie shared a number of snaps of her outfit to her Instagram

Sultry: She showed off her taut midriff in a racy black dress with a transparent midriff

Caught! Kim also captured Tracy intently staring at her phone, and wrote: 'never not working' along with a laughing out crying emoji

Big 40! The reality star posted a snap from inside the bash featuring pillows with Malika and Khadijah's faces

Capturing the night: There were also plenty of disposable cameras to capture the magical night

Others in attendance included Lauren London, Evan Ross, Nicole Williams English, and Yris Palmer.

Kylie was seen arriving earlier to the event, and showed off her taut midriff in a racy black dress with a transparent midriff, which she paired with a black Matrix-style leather coat.

The lipkit mogul added extra height to her look with a pair of black heels. Kylie wore transparent black stockings to keep her warm in the rainy nighttime weather.

Kylie's makeup was picture perfect as ever, with the beauty opting for matte lipstick and delicate bronze eyeshadow.

Kim's outing comes after it was reported that she is 'glad' her ex Kanye West, 45, is happy with his new wife Bianca Censori, 28, nearly two months after their supposed marriage.

'Kim is actually glad that Kanye has found someone that makes him so happy,' a source told Us Weekly on Friday.

'She knows they have both completely moved on from their relationship and she wants nothing but the best for him.'

The pair were recently picture spending time with his oldest daughter North, nine, at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday, and the source told Us Weekly that Kim understood North 'was bound to spend time' with Censori.

Happy: Kim's outing comes after it was reported that she is 'glad' her ex Kanye West is happy with his new wife Bianca Censori; Kim and Kanye pictured in 2020

'As long as North is happy with it and Bianca treats her well, then Kim is totally fine with it. Kim thinks its great that Kanye has somebody that cares about him because in the end, thats truly all she wants for him.'

West and Censori were informally 'married' in Beverly Hills in mid-January. Just days after their surprising wedding ceremony, West took North to dinner with Censori at Nobu in Malibu in January.

West has already headed across the pond to Censori's home country of Australia to meet her family.

It isn't clear quite yet if West has introduced Censori to his other three children he shares with ex Kim Kardashian - Saint, 7, Chicago, 5, and Psalm, 3.

Kim was married to the Stronger rapper from 2014 until 2021.
Jackson Hodge returned to the cobbles of Coronation Street this week as he reunited former teen mum Faye Windass with her daughter.

And as fans watched the scenes play out, they couldn't help but notice one problem with the recasting of the character, who was last seen in 2017.

Claiming Jackson, now played by Joseph William Evans, looks much older than he is meant to be - many took to Twitter to share that it didn't quite add up.

'Why does Jackson look 35? Isn't he meant to be the same age as Faye?' questioned one viewer.

Faye gave birth to daughter Miley, now seven, when she was just 13, after a sleeping with classmate Jackson - who later took their daughter to Canada with his family.

'He's at least 30!': Coronation Street fans were left confused this week as an actor recast left Jackson Hodge, now played by Joseph William Evans (left), looking beyond his years

Reunion: Jackson returned to the cobbles of Coronation Street this week as he reunited former teen mum Faye Windass with her daughter Miley (pictured)

Previously, Jackson was portrayed by actor Rhys Cadman, who is now 24 in real life. While Ellie Leach, who plays Faye, is actually 21, just like her character.

While the role has been taken over by Joseph, whose specific age is not known - but acting profile says he plays characters within the age range of 20-30.

Taking to Twitter after doing the maths, one viewer penned: 'Jackson goes away as a kid and comes back as a middle aged man?'

'Why did Jackson come back in his late 30s? Isn't he supposed to be 20?' echoed another.

A third added: 'Bad recast... why does Jackson look so old compared to Faye?'

'Good grief! Jackson must've been living in a bag of miracle-gro,' jested one viewer.

In recent episodes, Jackson returned to Weatherfield in the hopes of reconnecting daughter Miley and Faye, after the latter had been ignoring his calls and wasn't up for a reunion.

But keen to reunite with his granddaughter, Tim (Joe Duttine) secretly invited Jackson and Miley to visit him and Sally (Sally Dynevor), while Faye and Craig (Colson Smith) were out for the day.

Short and sweet: Jackson briefly returned to the show with Miley in 2017, before departing again

Behind the character: Joseph's (left, pictured in January) real age is not known, while Rhys (right, pictured in 2022) is 24 now

Confused: Many fans took to Twitter to share that it didn't quite add up

Sally warned Tim that he's playing a dangerous game as he welcomes Jackson and Miley into his home.

All goes well until Miley and Eliza recognise each other on the street and stop to chat... and as Craig and Faye pull up in a cab, Tim's heart sinks.

Later, Tim points out to Faye that if she passes up the opportunity to get to know her daughter, she'll regret it for the rest of her life, giving his daughter plenty of food for thought.

Eventually she agreed to reconnect with Miley, and is a nervous wreck as Tim ushers Jackson and Miley into the house.

Faye gave up her daughter Miley when she fell pregnant at the age of just 13, feeling she wasn't ready to look after her.

While she refused to have anymore contact with her since then, she was given a stark reminder last year when she fell pregnant again, but sadly miscarried.

Faye then learned that she was going through early menopause, meaning she would never be able to carry a child.
It may be too early for Halloween, but thriller fans can rejoice all the same.

Jessica Raine, 40 has been spotted shooting scenes for series two of the Prime Video original, The Devil's Hour.

Wrapped in a green coat, purple t-shirt and blue jeans, the former Call The Midwife actress can be seen in dramatic shots shouting and running over a bridge.

The gripping drama comes from the creative team behind Sherlock and stars Jessica and Doctor Who alumni, Peter Capaldi, 64.

It follows the story of a frazzled mother, Lucy Chambers (played by Jessica), who is woken at exactly 3.33am - the so-called 'devil's hour' - every night by terrifying visions.

Screen queen: Jessica Raine, 40 has been spotted shooting scenes for series two of the Prime Video original The Devil's Hour in Hampshire on Friday

Top telly: The actress plays frazzled mother, Lucy Chambers in the thriller, who is woken at exactly 3.33am every morning - the so-called 'devil's hour'

Looking good: Hair and makeup were on hand throughout the day to make sure the scenes were good and a second coat was on standby to keep away the chill from filming outdoors

On top of juggling a demanding job in social services, bringing up her strangely emotionless eight-year-old son Isaac (Benjamin Chivers) and coping with her mother's apparent dementia, Lucy's is also connected to a string of brutal murders in the area.

Writer Tom Moran said the concept of the Devil's Hour dates back to the 16th century, when the church prohibited activities between 3am and 4am, due to fears of witchcraft.

He said: 'The time of 3.33am is associated with the number of the beast, 666, and it's also been suggested that Jesus died at 3pm at the age of 33.'

'So at 3.33, the threshold between the domains of the living and the dead was said to be at its thinnest.'

Talking about the show at Prime Video Presents 2022, Jessica said: 'Lucy wakes up every night at 3.33am and has done for her whole life but she doesn't know why.

'She has an eight-year-old son who is completely blank and is trying to get to the bottom of why her son is so emotionless.

'On top of this, there is a series of dark happenings going on around her and she might be the connection. She's on the brink of insanity.'

Peter, best known for playing the twelfth Doctor in the hit BBC show, describes playing his dark and dangerous character as 'enjoyable'.

Out loud: The former Call The Midwife actress was seen filming dramatic shots shouting and running over a bridge. Her character is connected to a string of brutal murders in the area

Worried mum: In the scenes for the hit Amazon series, Jessica could be seen exiting her car and running towards the bridge, whilst screaming her fictional sons name who was being held with his grandmother (played by Barbara Marten) underneath the bridge

Big hit: The six part super natural, psychological thriller has been renewed by Prime for a second and third series. Each episode lasts around 60 minutes. No release date as yet, but series two looks likely to be towards the end of the year

Cool cast: British actress Barbara Marten (pictured left) plays Sylvia Chambers in the hit thriller show and Benjamin Chivers plays the strangely emotionless eight-year-old son Isaac

Fan favourite: Jessica has appeared on many high profile shows including Call The Midwife, Wolf Hall, Patrick Melrose, Adventure in Space and Time and the gripping drama Baptiste

Totally twisty: The Amazon drama unfolds mostly in flashback, but in the present day Lucy is seen bruised and battered, locked in a windowless room

Hold on tight: Lucy's name is inexplicably connected to a string of brutal murders in the areas. There are a series of dark happenings going on around her and she is starting to lose the plot

Top doc: Peter Capaldi 64 also appears in the thriller. He is best known for playing the twelfth Doctor in the hit BBC show. He says playing the dark and dangerous character Gideon is 'enjoyable'

Since appearing in Call The Midwife ten years ago, Jessica has landed numerous high profile jobs, from Wolf Hall to Patrick Melrose and an Adventure in Space and Time.

But in 2019 she put the brakes on her career, as she welcomed her first child into the world.

The Baptiste star, and her actor husband Tom Goodman-Hill, 54, first started dating in 2010 and went onto marry five years later.

Jessica wore a vintage-style short ivory dress for her big day, whilst her husband looked dapper in a charcoal suit and a red tie.

A small number of guests attended the secret ceremony including a few famous faces like David Walliams, Amanda Abbington and Martin Freeman.

Stop the clock: Writer Tom Moran explained that the time of 3.33am is associated with the number of the beast, 666, and that is has been suggested Jesus died at 3pm at the age of 33, hence the name The Devil's Hour

Streaming service: The Prime Video description for the series reveals: 'When Lucy's name is inexplicably connected to a string of brutal murders in the area, the answers that have evaded her all these years will finally come into focus

Happily married: The Baptiste star is married to her actor husband Tom Goodman-Hill, 54. The pair first started dating in 2010 and went onto marry five years later

Dressed to impress: Jessica wore a vintage-style short ivory dress for her big day, whilst her husband looked dapper in a charcoal suit and a red tie

Taking a break: In 2019, Jessica slowed down her career, as she welcomed her first child into the world

Starring role: The actress is best known for playing midwife Jenny Lee in the first three series of BBC One drama Call the Midwife

Awesome actress: Since appearing in Call The Midwife ten years ago, Jessica has landed numerous high profile jobs, from Wolf Hall to Patrick Melrose and an Adventure in Space and Time

Setting the scene: Jessica's three-year-old helps to get her into the mindset of her character Lucy, by stroking her face and whispering in her ear

Raine previously said she had no interest in getting married, but just two weeks after announcing their engagement, the pair got hitched.

The pair share a three year old who helps Jessica get into the mindset of being spooked in the middle of the night to get into character.

'I have a three-year-old who'll pad into my room, gently stroke my face and in a very sinister way whisper, ''It's only me,'' she told Femail.

You can watch the first series of The Devil's Hour exclusively on Prime Video.
Christian Wilkins pushed fashion to its limits yet again when he stepped out at the Closing Runway of Melbourne Fashion Festival on Saturday.

The 27-year-old model arrived at the Royal Exhibition Building for Fashion Illuminated wearing a beautifully bizarre floral ensemble.

Looking every inch the stunning fashionista, he donned a colourful button-up top tucked into a pleated skirt with daring splits.

He then slipped into a long overcoat with the same gorgeous floral pattern striped with black before finishing the look with matching, quilted boots.

His golden locks fell in soft waves around his shoulders with one side tucked behind his ear to show off his iconic angular features.

Christian Wilkins, 27, (pictured) pushed fashion to its limits yet again when he stepped out at the Closing Runway of Melbourne Fashion Festival on Saturday

The model arrived at the Royal Exhibition Building for Fashion Illuminated wearing a bizarre floral ensemble

Looking every inch the stunning fashionista, he donned a colourful button-up top tucked into a pleated skirt with daring splits

Jesinta Franklin, wife to AFL player Buddy, made an appearance on the carpet before walking the runway herself.

The former Miss Universe Australia, 31, showed off her toned stomach in a black crop top covered up with a cropped black jacket.

Flashing a long line of leg, she paired the garments with an asymmetrical skirt before slipping into a pair of sky-high chunky black heels.

Christian also strutted his stuff on the runway in an eclectic ensemble

Jesinta Franklin, 31, (pictured) wife to AFL player Buddy, made an appearance on the carpet before walking the runway herself

The former Miss Universe Australia showed off her toned stomach in a black crop top covered up with a cropped black jacket

The Block's Sharon Johal (pictured) was a vision in blue and leather, wearing industrial boots

The mum-of-two opted for minimal makeup and let her dark locks naturally fall around her shoulders as she planned to hop back in the makeup chair backstage.

Finally, Tayla Damir chose a very conservative look for her evening out as she tucked a simple white shirt into a beige jean skirt which fell all the way to her ankles.

The former Love Island winner, 26, then threw a matching beige jean jacket over the top before accessorising with a simple brown leather clutch and flat sandals.

She let her natural beauty shine through with a barely-there makeup look and bold brows as she softly curled her dark locks.

Finally, Tayla Damir, 26, chose a very conservative look for her evening out as she tucked a simple white shirt into a beige jean skirt which fell all the way to her ankles
Paris Hilton has revealed that she didn't enjoy sex as a young woman and would fake orgasms to end her encounters.

The heiress discusses her past in her upcoming book Paris: The Memoir, (out March 14) with an extract published by Stellar Magazine on Saturday.

The 42-year-old wondered if she was 'asexual' in her 20s, as despite her reputation of 'sleeping around with a hundred gorgeous guys' she preferred kissing and found sex a chore.

'I could fake it, and I was good at faking it, but it felt like getting run over by a minibike a hundred times' she writes.

'I thought orgasm was something faked so that sex could be over. I kept trying to make it work.'

Paris Hilton (pictured) has revealed that she didn't enjoy sex as a young woman and would fake orgasms to end her encounters

Paris would keep her partners waiting for long stretches of time before going all the way.

'It was pretty rare for a guy to get past the make-out stage. Some of them waited for months or even a year' she said.

Despite being, 'known as a sex symbol' Paris confessed that 'anything sexual terrified me'.

That led the Simple Life veteran to believe she may have been asexual.

The 42-year-old wondered if she was 'asexual' in her 20s, as despite her reputation of 'sleeping around with a hundred gorgeous guys' she preferred kissing and found sex a chore that she compared to 'getting run over by a minibike a hundred times'. Pictured in 2002

Paris told Harper's Bazaar magazine this month that she did not have strong sexual urges before she met her husband Carter Reum (right)

'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' she said.

Paris told Harper's Bazaar magazine this month that she did not have strong sexual urges before she met her husband Carter Reum.

Now that she met Carter, she is satisfied, the star made very clear to Harper's Bazaar: 'I enjoy hooking up with my husband.'

The model also 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.

The heiress discusses her past in her upcoming book Paris: The Memoir, (out March 14) with an extract published by Stellar Magazine on Saturday

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.

Saying she believed her 'life was over,' Paris said she felt as though her 'self-worth' was in ruins.

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.
Amber Turner wowed in a black strapless midi dress as she joined glam pals Chloe Meadows and Courtney Green at Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell's star-studded leaving bash.

The reality star showcased her figure in the figure-hugging number as she posed with her co-stars outside the Aura Grill and Bar in Loughton, Essex on Friday night.

She added a pop of colour to her sleek black outfit with a lime green handbag and matching mesh heels.

Meanwhile, Chloe put on a leggy display in a thigh-skimming black blazer dress which she paired with black cowboy boots.

While Courtney flashed a hint of midriff in a green crop top which she teamed with a matching mini skirt, black leather jacket and black boots.

Fabulous: Amber Turner wowed in a black strapless midi dress as she joined glam pals Chloe Meadows and Courtney Green at Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell's star-studded leaving bash

Man of the moment: Party host Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell dressed to impress in a cream suit at his leaving party, ahead of starting a new life in Los Angeles

They weren't the only ones to dress to impress for Liam's big night, with Chloe Brockett and Elma Pazar bringing the glamour.

Chloe put on a racy display as she flashed her black lace bra beneath a cream satin skirt suit.

The TV personality didn't let the cool weather deter her as she wore her jacket wide open on the night, while boosting her height with barely-there strappy heels.

Elma meanwhile slipped into a busty black mini dress, but was sure to keep warm by adding a fluffy black coat.

Elsewhere, TOWIE alumni Lydia Bright looked lovely in a floral dress as she headed inside with pal Lucy Burgess.

Lydia, who was also in attendance with sister Georgia, teamed her bold dress with a black wrap coat and black boots.

She appeared in great spirits as she greeted her long-time pal Liam as he prepared to start his new life in America.

The TOWIE hunks were also out in force, with James Lock and Dan Edgar in attendance.

Here come the girls: They weren't the only ones to dress to impress for Liam's big night, with Chloe Brockett and Elma Pazar bringing the glamour

Ooh I say: Chloe put on a racy display as she flashed her black lace bra beneath a cream satin skirt suit, while Elma slipped into a busty black mini dress

Glam: Elsewhere, TOWIE alumni Lydia Bright looked lovely in a floral dress as she headed inside with pal Lucy Burgess

Style: Lydia, who was also in attendance with sister Georgia, teamed her bold dress with a black wrap coat and black boots

Pals: She appeared in great spirits as she greeted her long-time pal Liam as he prepared to start his new life in America

Here they come: The TOWIE hunks were also out in force, with James Lock and Dan Edgar in attendance

Turning heads: While James stood out in a colourful striped skirt, Dan cut an edgy figure in a black leather jacket and jeans

While James stood out in a colourful striped skirt, Dan cut an edgy figure in a black leather jacket and jeans.

Former TOWIE stars Harry Lee and Tom McDonnell also arrived to show their support for Liam.

While fellow ex show favourite Dan Osborne also came out to give his pal a warm send off.

Elsewhere, Geordie Shore's Sophie Kasei dressed up for the night out, teaming a black lace top with black leather trousers and towering heels.

She was joined by her TOWIE star beau Jordan Brooks, with the pair holding hands as they rocked up to the swanky venue.

Meanwhile, the man man himself Liam was dressed up to the nines in a cream linen suit as he greeted his guests at the bash.

Here for you: Former TOWIE stars Harry Lee and Tom McDonnell also arrived to show their support for Liam

Blast from the past: While fellow ex show favourite Dan Osborne also came out to give his pal a warm send off

Glam: Elsewhere, Geordie Shore's Sophie Kasei dressed up for the night out, teaming a black lace top with black leather trousers and towering heels

Couple: She was joined by her TOWIE star beau Jordan Brooks, with the pair holding hands as they rocked up to the swanky venue

Trio: The couple posed on the red carpet alongside party host Liam

Looking good: Meanwhile, the man man himself Liam was dressed up to the nines in a cream linen suit as he greeted his guests at the bash

Look who it is: He was seen giving Dan a hug as well as former EastEnders star Dean Gaffney

Party time: While Love Island's Chris Hughes was also in attendance

He was seen giving Dan a hug as well as former EastEnders star Dean Gaffney.

While Love Island's Chris Hughes was also in attendance.

Liam quit the ITVBe show back in November as he planned for a new life in real estate in the USA.

Last month he was seen moving out of his Brentwood home as he relocated to a house in the country before eventually making the move to LA.
Joanna Halpin is the new face of swimwear brand Seafolly.

And the British-born model Joanna Halpin, 31, has found herself unwittingly dragged into the furore around non-binary influencer Deni Todorovic, who has claimed on social media that they were Seafolly's 'ambassador and brand partner'.

Seafolly issued a statement on Friday, insisting that they are 'supportive of all women' and that Halpin is their official ambassador, not non-binary transgender activist Deni.

Joanna however appeared open to the idea of non-traditional models in her interview with this week's issue of Stellar Magazine.

'Brands now work with people who are not necessarily a model, more a personality,' she said.

Joanna Halpin (pictured) is the new face of swimwear brand Seafolly

'It's not just limited to models in the way it was in the '90s, with traditionally beautiful women.'

Elsewhere in the interview, Joanna insisted that she'd 'never had something happen thats made me feel uncomfortable when Im on set in all the years Ive been modelling'.

'Ive never felt compromised in any way and people are more respectful if youre getting changed. They ask you if youre comfortable wearing that type of swimsuit or taking your top off if its from behind in that shot' she said.

After days of criticism, Seafolly Australia finally issued a statement on Friday regarding their latest campaign, saying they continue to support and uplift women.

Seafolly denied Todorovic was an ambassador for the brand, and said they were a 'special guest' to the brand's World Pride event in Sydney.

And the British-born model Joanna Halpin, 31, has found herself unwittingly dragged into the furore around non-binary influencer Deni Todorovic (pictured), who has claimed on social media that they were Seafolly's 'ambassador and brand partner'

The swimwear giant clarified who their official female brand ambassador is amid widespread criticism for allowing a non-binary activist to promote their brand.

New York-based Joanna has been the official face of the celebrated swimwear brand's latest campaign, Summer Somewhere, since early February.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Todorovic, who uses they/them pronouns, said the criticism still 'deeply hurt' despite its predictability and they'd been flooded with hateful and abusive comments since working with Seafolly.

'The proud moment comes when I think about why campaigns like this are so necessary,' they said.

Joanna appeared open to the idea of non-traditional models in her interview with this week's issue of Stellar Magazine. 'Brands now work with people who are not necessarily a model, more a personality,' she said

'We need queer people on TV, in parliament and in power. And not just queer people but trans people - in many parts of the world being a lesbian or gay is seen as okay, but being trans isn't.'

While celebrating the novel use of a transgender model in a swimwear campaign, Todorovic said seeing the outline of a penis beneath swimmers was hardly new.

'I'm wearing bikini bottoms which are basically Speedos, which, last time I checked, people with penises wear Speedos.

'So maybe you just need to investigate and dig a little deeper as to why me, in a Speedo essentially, feels like an attack on your gender identity, because that's not what I'm trying to do.'
Sophie Kasaei put on a loved-up display with her boyfriend Jordan Brook on Saturday as she prepared to move in with him after a whirlwind romance.

The Geordie Shore star, 33, was seen clutching a box to put in his car while TOWIE cast member Jordan took an empty one out.

Sophie and Jordan grinned at each other, puckering up for a kiss as they got their items together at his family house.

The beauty looked casual for the day of packing, wearing a bomber jacket and burgundy hoodie paired with light leggings.

Meanwhile, Jordan donned a black puffy coat with grey jogging bottoms.

Pucker up: Sophie Kasaei put on a loved-up display with her beau Jordan Brook on Saturday as she prepared to move house with him

Packing up: The Geordie Shore star, 33, was seen clutching a box to put in his car while TOWIE cast member Jordan took an empty one out

Jordan's mother also helped them out and was seen carrying boxes to the car.

It comes after Sophie revealed on Instagram that she had been busy packing up her house and hanging out with Jordan.

She wrote: 'Haven't posted in a while because all I do is hang out with my boyfriend pack my house up and cook food.

'Which u see on my stories but here's a post on my grid of me looking half decent.'

In January it was revealed that Sophie is joining TOWIE, in the first ever crossover between the reality shows.

The TV personality is starring alongside her boyfriend in the show's upcoming series, which is being filmed overseas.

An Essex insider told MailOnline that ITVBe producers are hoping Sophie, who was in the original cast of Geordie Shore and has over two million Instagram followers, will help to resurrect the series, which has lost its popularity in recent years.

A source revealed: 'Sophie has been on reality TV for over 12 years, she knows what makes a good show.

Happy couple: Sophie and Jordan grinned at each other, puckering up for a kiss as they got their items together at his mother's house

Casual cool: Sophie looked casual for the day of packing, wearing a bomber jacket and burgundy hoodie paired with light leggings

Happy: The couple looked close as they strolled to Jordan's car with their items from his mother's house

Grins: Sophie and Jordan were all smiles during their day of errands together as they prepared to move house

Wrapping up: The loved-up stars wrapped up warm against the cold weather as they did their packing

Getting there: The duo gradually made progress on the house as they packed it up together with his mother

Preparing together: Meanwhile, Jordan donned a black puffy coat with grey jogging bottoms for the day

'Producers are really excited that she's joining TOWIE and hopes she will bring some of her fiery Geordie energy to the cast.

'TOWIE is still in talks about Sophie's potential involvement but she can't wait to officially sign on the dotted line and join boyfriend Jordan on the show.

'There's sure to be some drama brewing between Sophie, Ella Rae Wise, and Chloe Brockett, too, who both dated Jordan last year.'

Sophie was an original Geordie Shore cast member when the show first launched in 2011 alongside the likes of Charlotte Crosby, Vicky Pattison, Gary Beadle, and Holly Hagan.

While former Love Island contestants including Olivia Attwood, Georgia Harrison, and Cara De La Hyde and Nathan Massey have all joined TOWIE in the past, no one from Geordie Shore or Made In Chelsea has appeared on the ITVBe show.

She left the MTV series for good in 2019 and has been in a relationship with TOWIE's Jordan since November.

Sophie, who previously dated DJ Joel Corry and stripper Jay Bigz, has called Jordan the 'love of her life' on Instagram and dedicated a heartfelt post to their new romance.

In January, Sophie shared some saucy pictures from her trip to Antigua with Jordan.

The star took to her Instagram stories to share a slew of images as they arrived in 'paradise' together.

She sported a plunging cream bikini as she and Jordan posed for a mirror selfie and prepared to hit the beach, writing: 'We ready baby.'

She tied a sarong around her waist while her boyfriend went shirtless, sporting a pair of blue swimming shorts.

Sophie kept her raven tresses loose, donning a large pair of brown sunglasses.

The reality star also shared videos and photos from the first night of their holiday, including the couple downing shots.

She also took photographs of their stunning surroundings and luxury breakfast, also posting a video of a turtle.

Sophie documented their couple's trip to the gym with another mirror selfie.

Afterwards, she took to her Instagram story to put up a picture of herself in a black bandeau bikini.

She complemented the beachy look with white sunglasses, sweeping her hair into a low ponytail.

Kisses: Jordan grinned as Sophie pouted at him, mimicking giving him a sweet kiss during the errand day

Looking good: The pair were all smiles as they continued their move day preparations together

Shelter: Jordan sweetly sheltered Sophie from the bad weather with a cardboard box over their heads

Crammed: The stars laughed as Jordan made space for even more boxes in his car as they prepared to move

Love: The couple gave each other a tender look as they clutched boxes for their errands together

Time out: It comes after the happy couple enjoyed a relaxing trip to Antigua in January together

In December, Sophie said: 'Just when I was about to give up on love you came into my life and showed me what a true gent and real love is.

'Thank you for making me the happiest girl in the world. My forever JB, I love you.'

Last year, in scenes filmed for TOWIE, Jordan attempted to woo Ella and the couple went on several dates but ultimately, she wasn't interested.

He also romanced Ella's ex-best friend Chloe, who accused him of only being interested in her during filming to increase his popularity.
India Amarteifio put on a chic display in a stylish red outfit at the 2023 Hollywood House event by Essence Magazine on Friday.

The actress, 21, wore a poppy cashmere halterneck bodysuit with gabardine palazzo pants, both from the Spring/Summer 2023 Michael Kors Collection.

The Line of Duty star accessorised her look with a thin matching red belt and golden platform sandals.

She completed her look with long braids, effortless bronzed makeup and white nails.

At the event, the young beauty spoke onstage about her latest gig, as she landed her first starring role in Netflix's new Bridgerton spin off series Queen Charlotte.

Lady in red: India Amarteifio, 21, put on a chic display in a stylish red outfit at the 2023 Hollywood House event by Essence Magazine on Friday

Chic: The actress wore a poppy cashmere halterneck bodysuit with gabardine palazzo pants, both from the Spring/Summer 2023 Michael Kors Collection

Smiles: The young beauty spoke onstage about her latest gig in Netflix's Bridgerton spin off series Queen Charlotte

The actress has accepted her first leading roll after playing supporting characters in shows including Line Of Duty, Sex Education and Doctor Who.

A TV insider told The Sun: 'This will unquestionably be India's breakthrough role.

'It's quite a responsibility given the attention Bridgerton attracts. Plus she's following in the well-heeled footsteps of Golda Rosheuvel, who plays the adult queen in the main show and in this spin-off.'

India could potentially be Britain's first mixed-heritage queen playing the role as she's believed to have had German and African ancestry.

The prequel, first announced almost a year ago, looks at the life of the young Charlotte (played by India) years before the period in which Bridgerton's first two seasons are set.

A source revealed that producers might have taken note for the spin off series, after Brigerton's second season didn't live up to the raunchy heights of the first.

For one scene, a source says, a wall was reinforced. In another scene viewers will see banging headboards.

According to a source, there were fears that one energetic love-making scene featuring the young monarch, played by India, might be so energetic that it could literally bring the house down.

Co-stars: India was seen posing for snaps with fellow Queen Charlotte star Arsema Thomas, who plays young Agatha Danbury

Stylish: Both Queen Charlotte stars displayed fun outfits on the red carpet

Stars: The actresses attended the Essence Magazine event to talk about their upcoming roles in the Bridgerton spin off

'There is a young cast for the prequel and the sex scenes feature them,' said the insider. 'It is definitely going to satisfy those Bridgerton fans who are complaining that there are no sex scenes in the second series.

'In one storyline there will be a headboard banging hard against a wall. It will be more racy than anything from the first series.'

At the Los Angeles event, India was joined by co-star Arsema Thomas, who plays young Agatha Danbury in the Netflix series.

Arsema, 28, went for an oversized baby blue shirt, paired with black leather loafers and white socks, as well as dark silver chain necklaces.
Two former Gogglebox stars were reunited on Saturday morning as they appeared on BBC Breakfast to discuss their time on the show.

Sandi Bogle, 57, and Sandra Martin, 61, originally appeared on the show between 2013 and 2017, and were on the programme as the show celebrated its 10th anniversary

But in 2017, Sandi left the show to pursue her singing career and was replaced by Sandra's daughter Chanchez - sparking rumours of a feud.

As they spoke on Saturday, Sandra, who was a fan of eye-catching hair looks while on the show, revealed her new electric blue locks, complete with a fringe.

Sandra also opted for a striking blue dress- matching her hair to her outfit.

Pals: Two former Gogglebox stars were reunited on Saturday morning as they appeared on BBC Breakfast to discuss their time on the show (pictured: Sandra Martin)

Feud? The popular Channel 4 series, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, once featured best friends Sandi Bogle, 57, and Sandra Martin, 61, between 2013 and 2017

Speaking to Naga Munchetty and her co-host, Sandi and Sandra also opened up about their Gogglebox experience.

Sandra, who was wearing an 'I love Gogglebox', necklace, revealed that she was asked to appear on the show when she was at a pub in Brixton on her 50th birthday.

Earlier this week, in a separate interview, Sandra revealed she was back on benefits and spoke about her pay while she was on the show.

She claimed Channel 4 were paying her more than any other cast member, allowing her to enjoy a 'luxury lifestyle' before Sandi left the show.

Sandra told The Sun: 'It was hard. I had a panic attack, thinking I was going to go back on benefits.'

She added: 'I could've stayed, they offered me real money, but s*** happens.'

Sandra won the British public over with her infectious cackle and love of Pot Noodles during her time on the show but by 2018 she had fallen on hard times and ended up homeless.

The fan favourite said she had blown her earnings from the show - thought to be around 1,500-a-month - on takeaways and getting her hair done.

Opening up: Speaking to Naga Munchetty and her co-host, Sandi and Sandra also opened up about their Gogglebox experience

Feud: Sandra and Sandi became one of the most popular duos on the show when it began in 2013

Despite the setback, Sandra revealed that after 50 years they remain friends: 'No matter what we go through, she's always got a room here for her, and she's always got a room for me.

'We're besties. We've been through, ups, downs, thick and thin, the worst, the wears, the tears, the bumps, the laughs.'

Explaining how she quickly burned through her pay, Sandra previously told Loose Women: 'The money was coming in. The bank account was big, being in the community, all my friends on the social.'

'I never got help, but the money was squandering. The money went, taxis, hair, take away, friends that wanted money. The money just went. It was natural to help, I dont regret it.'

Sandra added that at some points she wished she had never found fame, explaining: 'I wanted to burn it all and go back to it. I'm not the celebrity person. I do lots of charity work, they dont pay me, Sandi likes doing the red carpet.'

Last year, Sandra left her followers in shock as she posed for a series of fun photographs next to her friend being rushed to hospital.

The reality star revealed she had been forced to call 999 after her 82-year-old friend was struggling to breathe, prompting an emergency ambulance and fire brigade response.

Yet despite the shocking scenes taking place around her, Sandra found the time to pose for selfies with the fire crew, flashing a thumbs up while leaning over her friend who was on a stretcher.

Sandra tweeted: 'Yes EVERYONE i left derby to move in my BEST FRIEND ANN MARIE of 40YEARS to look AFTER her...TODAY she couldn't breath so i calll 999 but the fire CREW HAD TO come.

'THANKS TO NHS FIRE SERVICES FOR TAKIN MY BEST FRIEND ANN MARIE TO HOSPITAL AND TING XXX.'

She later updated fans: '.. MY BEST FRIEND WAS OK SHE WAS IN GOOD HANDS...THANKS AGAIN NHS.

'CAN I GET A GOD MORNING EVERYONE X SANDRAGOGGLEBOX INDAOUSE AND TING XXX THANKS FOR ALL SPEEDY RECOVERY TO MY FRIEND ANN MARIE OF 40YEARS. SHE IS BACK EVERYONE X'

Yet her followers were shocked that the moment had been turned into a photo opportunity, tweeting: 'Friends fighting for her life and she's having a photoshoot with the firemen'

Sandra later hit back: 'THANKS FOR ALL SPEEDY RECOVERY FOR MY FREIND ANN MARIE. NEGATIVE COMMENTS GET BLOCKED.

'YES SHE IS BACK AND OK... I COULDN'T HELP IT IF THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AND FIRE SERVICES WAS TOTALLY SHOCK WEN I OPEN THE DOOR .OBVIOUSLY THEY WAS 1 MILLION FANS OF ME #SANDRAGOGGLEBOX
Idris Elba has quipped that his 'hardest role ever' was being People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive back in 2018.

He set pulses racing with his People cover, flashing his winning smile while modeling a white t-shirt that hinted at his toned physique.

'I said to the photographer: "I dont always photograph great in pictures, this picture needs to be great,"' the 50-year-old told ET Canada.

The crew however replied: 'No, no, no. Weve done this a million times, we know how to do it,' so Idris decided: 'Ok, Ill just be me.'

Looking back at the experience, he shared: 'Then they do this sort of thing where they make your favorite camera angle work for the cover.'

Sizzling sensation: Idris Elba has quipped that his 'hardest role ever' was being People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive back in 2018; pictured last week

Hello, gorgeous: He set pulses racing with his People cover, flashing his winning smile while modeling a white t-shirt that hinted at his toned physique

By 2018, Idris was a global sex symbol, with fans constantly floating him as a possible choice to succeed Daniel Craig as James Bond.

'I dont presume that everyone knows who I am, even though Ive been acting for a long time,' he said modestly in his new interview.

'When I look in the mirror, its just a guy that was trying to be an actor. So if I walk into a restaurant in the middle of Belgium, Im not expecting everyone to recognize me.'

At the moment he is in the middle of a publicity blitz for a movie spin-off of his BBC show Luther, which helped elevate him to the stardom he enjoys today.

As he went about his media rounds he found himself facing a deluge of backlash for saying he no longer uses the tag 'black actor.'

'I stopped describing myself as a black actor when I realized it put me in a box,' the Beasts Of No Nation actor explained to Esquire.

'If we spent half the time not talking about the differences but the similarities between us, the entire planet would have a shift in the way we deal with each other.'

Idris argued: 'As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder peoples aspirations, hinder peoples growth.'

He went on: 'Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real. But from my perspective, its only as powerful as you allow it to be. Weve got to grow. Weve got to. Our skin is no more than that: Its just skin. Rant over.'

Despite being raked over the coals online, he refused to back down, rolling his eyes at being 'thrown into some sort of bulls***, zeitgeisty social media argument.'

In an interview with the Guardian, he maintained: 'Me saying I dont like to call myself a black actor is my prerogative. Thats me, not you. So for you to turn around and say to me, Im "denying my blackness." On what grounds? Did you hear that? Where am I denying it? And what for? Its just stupid. Whatever.'

'There isnt a soul on this earth that can question whether I consider myself a BLACK MAN or not,' he wrote on Twitter in a further defense of his beliefs.

On the town: Idris is pictured this Friday with his wife Sabrina watching the Los Angeles Lakers play the Toronto Raptors at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles

Dashing as ever: At the moment he is in the middle of a publicity blitz for a movie spin-off (pictured) of his BBC show Luther, which helped elevate him to the stardom he enjoys today

'Being an "actor" is a profession, like being an "architect" ,they are not defined by race. However, If YOU define your work by your race, that is your Perogative. Ah lie?'

In 2018 he was part of the string of celebrity guests at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, even showing off his DJ skills at the reception.

Idris dished to ET Canada that the best dancer at the party, 'the one that was really letting it go,' was the bride herself.

The Hollywood hunk, who said he was 'good friends' with the couple, remembered that 'she just had a lot of fun. It was her wedding. So she had the greatest time.'
Billie Piper was snapped on set of new Netflix film Scoop this weekend as she began filming for the upcoming release - which will depict the famous 2019 BBC Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew.

The actress, 40, got into character as Sam McAllister, the BBC producer who secured the interview, as she filmed romantic scenes with a co-star.

She was dressed from head-to-toe in designer gear for the scenes, which were being filmed with a backdrop of the broadcaster's offices.

Billie sat at outdoor with the unknown male actor and they chatted away before embracing for a cheeky kiss.

The prominent interview was carried out over a 58-minute programme, with Prince Andrew, Duke of York interviewed by journalist Emily Maitlis about his relationship with the American convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Scoop FIRST LOOK: Billie Piper gets into character as BBC producer Sam McAllister while taking to the set of new Netflix film - depicting the famous Prince Andrew interview

Kiss: The actress, 40, got into character as Sam McAllister, the BBC producer who secured the interview, as she filmed romantic scenes with a co-star

Pucker up: Billie sat at outdoor with the unknown male actor and they chatted away before embracing for a cheeky kiss

Starring Gillian Anderson as Emily, who carried out the interview, the film will also feature Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew.

Surrounded by camera crew as she took to the set, Billie sported a pair of fitted leather-look leggings with a Louis Vuitton buckle belt and leather shirt.

She layered a faux fur collared coat on top with a gold Chanel broch, adding a pair of leopard print heeled boots.

Carrying a large Louis Vuitton handbag, the actress looked the spitting image of Sam while rocking her hair in a similar curly style as the blonde producer.

Shielding her eyes with a pair of brown-tinted metal sunglasses, Billie was kitted out with a collection of gold jewellery while filming the scenes.

She was snapped walking outside of a set-up BBC Studios building - which was surrounded by fellow cast and crew.

Sam was also pictured on set as she watched Billie fill her shoes, with the pair looking extremely similar.

BAFTA nominated interviews producer Sam has negotiated with contacts from Buckingham Palace to The White House - securing and negotiating the bombshell interview with Prince Andrew.

Scoop is based on Sam's memoir, Scoops: Behind The Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews.

Transformed: The actress, 40, got into character as Sam McAllister, the BBC producer who secured the interview, while taking to the set

Resemblance: Looking strikingly similar, the real life Sam (right) was also on set as she watched Billie (left) fill her shoes

Twins: Sam (left) was just feet away from Billie (right) as she filmed her scenes

Bombshell: The prominent interview was carried out over a 58-minute programme, with Prince Andrew, Duke of York (pictured) interviewed about his relationship with the American convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein

Designer-clad: Surrounded by camera crew as she took to the set, Billie sported a pair of fitted leather-look leggings with a Louis Vuitton buckle belt and leather shirt

Ensemble: She layered a faux fur collared coat on top with a gold Chanel broch, adding a pair of leopard print heeled boots

Laidback look: Shielding her eyes with a pair of brown-tinted metal sunglasses, Billie was kitted out with a collection of gold jewellery while filming the scenes

Chilly: Billie was seen clutching a pink hot water bottle as she kept warm in-between takes

Keeping warm: She was snapped walking outside of a set-up BBC Studios building - which was surrounded by fellow cast and crew

In the film, Netflix is going to detail the behind-the-scenes account of what has been dubbed the 'news interview of the decade'.

While Keeley Hawes will also star in the release, portraying Amanda Thirsk, the former Private Secretary to Prince Andrew.

Not long after the interview, the royal stood down from public duties.

While in 2022, The Queen announced that he would be stripped of his royal titles, patronages and military affiliations  as he faced a US civil action lawsuit over sexual assault allegations from Virginia Giuffre - which he strongly denied.

When the news of the Netflix film was revealed, a pleased Sam tweeted out: 'Thrilled that my book #Scoops is becoming a Netflix film, with an extraordinary cast. Being played by @billiepiper is beyond my wildest dreams.'

The film's synopsis reads: 'The inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade that led to the catastrophic fall from grace of The Queens favourite son.

'From navigating Palace vetoes, to breaking through to Prince Andrews inner circle, the high stakes negotiations and intensity of rehearsal  to the jaw dropping interview itself.'

Directed by Philip Martin, Scoop has no official air date yet.

Journalist Emily Maitlis (left) and producer Sam McAllister (right) pictured in 2021

Studios: She was snapped walking outside of a set-up BBC Studios building - which was surrounded by fellow cast and crew

Stars: Rufus Sewell (left in 2021) will portray Prince Andrew in the new release, while Gillian Anderson (right in 2022) while take on the role of journalist Emily
Kristen Doute has been doing her part to shed light on the cheating scandal going on within the Vanderpump Rules cast.

The TV personality, 40  was fired from the series with Stassie Schroeder back in 2020 along amid a racism controversy involving former costar Faith Stower  has reportedly been 'Team Ariana' from the start and is officially returning the to show, per Bravo's Instagram account.

On her Sex, Love and What Else Matters podcast, Kristen shared what she could about the details behind the split, claiming she was with Ariana Madix, 37, the night she found out Tom Sandoval, 39, was cheating with fellow castmate Raquel Leviss, 28.

'I was actually with Ariana and Tom that night. We were watching the band play at TomTom,' she said.

'He's done playing and we'd all gotten up to just kind of chatter and grab a drink. And all of the sudden I realize Ariana's gone for like, it had to be like 20 minutes or something, because she left her coat and her purse on the chair.'

Speaking up: Kristen Doute shed light on the cheating scandal going on Vanderpump Rules . 'I was actually with Ariana and Tom that night. We were watching the band play at TomTom,' she said on her Sex, Love and What Else Matters podcast; seen in January 2020

Phone: Kristen revealed that Ariana's gut told her to check out Tom's phone and that's when she reportedly discovered photos from an intimate FaceTime call between Tom and Raquel; Seen in Los Angeles in December 2019

She's back! Kristen, 40, is officially making a grand return to Vanderpump Rules as Bravo confirmed the news on its main Instagram page on Friday

Neither Kristen nor the friend could find Ariana, who later, according to Kristen, filled her in on what happened.

'So what had happened was during Tom's performance his phone fell out of his pocket or something and a mutual friend of theirs picks up the phone, hands it to Ariana.'

'So the real truth is that Ariana had his phone and she told me that she just had this gut intuition to look at it.

'They are a trusting couple... and she just felt like she had to look,' she explained, claiming that when she did, Ariana found photos from a screen recording of an intimate FaceTime with Raquel.

'They (Tom and Ariana) left the show pretty quickly, got in a car, gone. She called Raquel and Raquel and Scheana were together at some bar after 'Watch What Happens Live.' The truth of what happened was, Raquel was f---ing dumb,' Kristen continued. 'Scheana's like, "Who are you on the phone with?" and she too casually says, "I'm talking to Ariana. Sandoval and I had a seven month affair."'

'You're telling this to Ariana's best friend. And Raquel's saying they're in love and they're gonna be together,' contended Kristen. 'I don't know on his behalf what he's thinking, I don't know if he's saying those same things, but I know that's what she is saying.'

Raquel has reportedly had her legal team send a letters to the cast, warning them not to share the reputed FaceTime session she had with Sandoval, which her team claim was recorded without her permission, according to TMZ.

The podcast host said the rest of the Vanderpump cast has been rallying behind Kristen.

Previously was let go: The TV personality was fired from the series back in 2020, along with Stassie Schroeder, amid a racism controversy involving former costar Faith Stowers; seen in 2021 in Los Angeles

Legal moves: Ariana's legal team has reportedly issued letters to the cast, warning them not to share the reputed FaceTime session she had with Sandoval, which her team claim was recorded without her permission

In the past: Doute notably was in a relationship with Tom, and after joining Vanderpump Rules, was involved in cheating rumors that she was having an affair with co-star, Jax Taylor

'The thing that broke my heart almost the most... she was just done filming interview bites for the show and I walked in, she hugged me, we both started crying.'

Ariana, who had kissed Tom before he and Kristen broke up, apologized for her behavior at the time.

'I was like, "are you out of your damn mind?" This is not the same thing. Tom and I, for the record everybody, we should have broken up after year two. We cheated on each other, we were very toxic, we were broke, we were young, we were idiots. They were in a decade-long partnership.'

Kristen went on to explain that Ariana doesn't want to hear about all the rumors circling around their highly publicized split, because it only makes her feel worse.

Kristen also claimed Tom was making matters worse.

'He wasn't even apologetic and that shocked me,' she claimed.

'He was blaming her, gaslighting her,' explaining that Tom alleged they couple hadn't been happy and that Ariana wasn't supportive of his endeavors.

At one point, Tom returned home to find Ariana surrounded by members of the cast offering her solace.

'And he was like, "Yeah, I know everyone hates me."'

When Kristen said she suggested Tom give Ariana some space, he allegedly said, '"She can leave if she's not comfortable."' adding, 'The ego of it all!'

Support: Kristen said Ariana has been receiving a lot of support from the cast, but that she doesn't want to be kept up to date on the rumors surrounding the scandal because that make her feel worse

Gaslighting: The podcast host claimed Tom was not apologetic about the scandal. 'He was blaming her, gaslighting her,' she asserted in the episode

Space: Kristen said when she suggested Tom give Ariana some space, her reportedly retorted, 'She can leave if she's not comfortable' Seen: in Santa Monica in June 2022

The Ex-Housewife actress also claimed that Tom's business partner, Tom Schwartz, was not happy about the way the new allegations were affecting their business together.

'I guess Schwartz only found out about it a month ago. Sandoval told him,' she asserted.

'Schwartz and I were texting yesterday and he said he told him he needed to tell Ariana before it blew up in his face and humiliated the hell out of her.'

Prior to that revelation, Ariana had been highly critical of the restaurateur on an episode of Dear Media's Shenanigans podcast .

'Tom Schwartz is a f*****g p***y, and he needs to man up,' Doute said as she was joined by host Scheana Shay and Lala Kent.

'Enough is enough. He's just burying his head in the sand and thinks that things will just go away and things will happen.'

Schwartz has been close friends and business partners with Sandoval for several years and recently the pair opened a restaurant together in Los Angeles called Schwartz and Sandy.

Doute, who previously dated Sandoval, went on to say: 'It's like he can be honest with us in real-time and texting, 'I don't stand for this' or 'I really feel this way,' but he doesn't do anything about it.

The star has been by Ariana's side since news of the affair came to light, appears to be the reason Vanderpump Rules producers approached Kristen about coming back on the show.

An insider told People, 'She's had her fair share of ups and downs with Sandoval over the years, but right now she's completely supporting Ariana.'

'It's a conversation she and Ariana are having right now. The girls have all been spending time with Ariana.'

Business: Kristen claimed Tom Schwartz, who is close friends and partners with Tom Sandoval, was upset for the way the scandal was affecting their business. She previously slammed him for remaining silent during the drama

Calling out: 'Tom Schwartz is a f*****g p***y, and he needs to man up,' Doute said as she was joined by host Scheana Shay and Lala Kent on the Dear Media's Shenanigans podcast; Schwartz and Sandoval seen in July 2022

Support: The star has been by Ariana's side since news of the affair came to light, and it appears to be the reason Vanderpump Rules producers approached Kristen about coming back on the show

Not 'doing' anything: Doute, who previously dated Sandoval, went on to say: 'It's like he can be honest with us in real-time and texting, 'I don't stand for this' or 'I really feel this way,' but he doesn't do anything about it'; the two pals seen in October 2022

Lala, who also stars on Vanderpump Rules, chimed in with: 'Words don't mean s***. Actions are everything.' It hasn't been confirmed whether or not Schwartz specifically knew about the affair, but Lisa Vanderpump recently added her thoughts on the situation.

The Vanderpump Rules matriarch, 62, appeared on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen days after Shay and Leviss made their appearance and suggested Schwartz must have been aware.

Given Schwartz's close friendship with his business partner and co-star, those close to him have speculated that he had to have known.

'I think they are so close he knew something, but we'll find out,' Lisa said of the forthcoming 10th season of her show. Sandoval, who issued a public apology on Tuesday, denied Schwartz had any knowledge of the affair in his apologies.
Lisa Hochstein said she believes that her lavish spending habits and social life contributed to her plastic surgeon husband, Dr. Lenny Hochstein, filing for divorce.

While filming the Real Housewives of Miami Season 5 reunion, moderator Andy Cohen, 54, asked Lisa, 'Were there issues about how much money you spent on your lifestyle?'

Lisa said, 'You know what? Yeah,' before adding that she would 'work for free' at the Hochstein Med Spa.

She also insisted that she was not a 'do-nothing b****.'

The 40-year-old blonde bombshell also admitted that her social life was an issue for the straitlaced doctor, known as 'the boob god.'

Owning up: Lisa Hochstein, 40, revealed that her lavish spending habits and social life were contributing factors behind her plastic surgeon husband, Dr. Lenny Hochstein, 56, filing for divorce

Happier times: While filming RHOM Season 5 reunion, moderator Andy Cohen, 54, asked Lisa, 'Were there issues about how much money you spent on your lifestyle?' Lisa responded, 'Yeah,' and admitted she was hungover after a late night of drinking when he asked for a divorce

Lisa explained that she was still hungover after a late night of drinking with friends when Dr. Hochstein told her he wanted a divorce.

However, Lisa claims that she tried to limit her late nights and said Lenny 'went out also.'

Kiki Barth spoke up and blamed the plastic surgeon, claiming he was unfaithful during their marriage, although there has been no evidence.

'I've heard Lenny, he's been a cheater for a long time,' Kiki said. 'Like I know models that he cheat with.'

The camera cut to Lisa, who slowly shook her head with an icy countenance on her face.

Alexia Nepola went a little too far during a squabble with Lisa, where she also placed the blame on the respected surgeon.

'If you believe that, you would not let Lenny do all the things he's done to you,' she said.

'What!?' Lisa reacted in disbelief as Andy grimaced.

Lisa has repeatedly claimed that Lenny may have cheated on her with the 27-year-old model he is currently dating, Katharina Mazepa.

Blaming him: 'If you believe that, you would not let Lenny do all the things he's done to you': Alexia Nepola went a little too far when she raised Lenny during a squabble with Lisa

Chatty Cathies! The women talking over each other prompt Andy to explode

'We're all talking at the same f**king time!': Andy Cohen could not contain his frustration with the leading ladies of The Real Housewives of Miami in the upcoming, three-part reunion looking back on season five

The allegation stemmed from a hot mic moment when her ex-husband was overheard talking with a friend about how he planned to be 'single' soon.

The incident took place before he had asked for a divorce.

After the footage aired, Lisa was reportedly 'shocked' and 'devastated.'

Citing his hot mic moment, Lisa stated, 'I always thought something might have been going on.'

Lisa's costars did not believe that her late-night drinking or lavish spending warranted Lenny leaving her and their two children and began disagreeing and talking over each other.

Cohen's patience was tested as the host of the rowdy drama-filled reunion.

Andy could not contain his frustration with the leading ladies as they were all talking simultaneously and attempted to get the conversation back on track, saying, 'OK, OK! 'We're all talking at the same f**king time!'

The Austrian native surgeon, who has denied rumors of an affair, was pictured smiling from ear-to-ear alongside his girlfriend on a ski trip in Aspen last week.

Couple's trip: Leonard 'Lenny' Hochstein's girlfriend Katharina Mazepa, 27, shared snaps from their picturesque ski trip last week

Scenic views: The former Miss Vienna 2014 also shared a snap of the two bundled up in ski gear while hitting the slopes together and posing in front of a scenic mountain view

With his estranged wife and children: Lenny and Lisa were together since 2007 and share two children  seven-year-old son Logan and two-year-old daughter Elle  both of whom they welcomed via surrogacy in 2015 and 2020

The former couple met in 2007 and dated for two years before tying the knot in 2009. Their divorce has not yet been finalized as of now.

They share two children  seven-year-old son Logan and two-year-old daughter Elle  both of whom they welcomed via surrogacy in 2015 and 2020.

Before announcing their split, Lenny denied rumors of an inevitable divorce but later said they had been 'contemplating divorce for the last several years.

Around the same time, Lenny announced his relationship with the model, who is 30 years his junior.
Chloe Burrows wore a plunging dress as she joined Millie Court for a wine tour in South Africa ahead of the Love Island series finale on Saturday.

The series seven contestants shared a series of photos to their Instagram while they sipped on wine at Rickety Bridge Winery in Franschhoek.

Chloe, 26, slipped into the busty number that featured an ab-baring cut-out and a thigh-high split skirt.

She teamed her look with a Louis Vuitton handbag and styled her long blonde hair in soft waves.

Millie opted for a figure hugging cream ribbed midi-dress that she paired with a gold sequin shoulder bag.

Sun-soaked: Chloe Burrows (pictured), 26, wore a plunging crop top as she joined Millie Court for a wine tour in South Africa ahead of the Love Island series finale on Saturday

Holiday: The series seven contestants shared a series of photos to their Instagram while they sipped on wine at Rickety Bridge Winery in Franschhoek

She pulled her blonde hair back into a sleek bun and shielded her eyes with some sunglasses.

The duo were later joined on the tour by presenter AJ Odudu, 35, as they giggled in the back of the bus.

It comes after Maya Jama revealed she was jetting off to South Africa for the Love Island final on Friday afternoon.

Taking to her Instagram stories, she shared her mother Sadie was coming with her, writing: 'Mums rolling' and an aeroplane emoji.

She looked casual for the clip, opting for a sweatshirt as her long raven tresses flowed down her shoulders in loose curls.

Later, Maya donned a pair of dark sunglasses as she sat in the cockpit of the plane before it left.

The television star said: 'I'm reunited with my mates again' and joked: 'I'm flying us all to South Africa' as she panned around the cabin.

On Thursday, Aftersun hosts Sam Thompson, 30, and Indiyah Polack, 24, jetted out to South Africa ahead of the big episode.

Stunning: Chloe, 26, slipped into the busty number that featured an ab-baring cut-out and a thigh-high split skirt

Stylish: She teamed her look with a Louis Vuitton handbag and styled her long blonde hair in soft waves

Glam: Millie opted for a figure hugging cream ribbed midi-dress that she paired with a gold sequin shoulder bag

Girls trip: The duo were later joined on the tour by presenter AJ Odudu, 35, as they giggled in the back of the bus

The Made In Chelsea star shared a clip as he sipped on some fizz in the airport lounge ahead of boarding the plane with the influencer.

Looking buzzing he penned: 'This is amazing!! We're off to South Africa baby!!! Living my dream!'

Posing with Indiyah he then joked: 'I don't sleep on flights... she's in for a tough ride!'

The pair were joined by Love Island alum and best pals Millie Court and Chloe Burrows who also shared their excitement for the trip.

Based on the public vote, one lucky couple will be crowned the winners of Winter Love Island during Monday's live final, and awarded a cushty 50K to share.

Family: It comes after Maya Jama revealed she was jetting off to South Africa for the Love Island final on Friday afternoon with her mum

Crew! On Thursday, Aftersun hosts Sam Thompson, 30, and Indiyah Polack, 24, jetted out to South Africa with Millie and Chloe

While the show previously included a 'share or steal' segment to the final, this is likely not to feature this year.

Most winners of the show have been handed an envelope each, one with 0 and one with 50K written on it - with the contestant holding the letter being given the decision to keep it all for themselves, or split it with their partner.

But during the 2022 summer edition of the show, winners Ekin-Su and Davide weren't given this option, with the money automatically being split.

While it hasn't been confirmed that the segment is scrapped, it is likely that ITV have decided that it is no longer relevant - as every winner before has split the cash.
She recently jetted off to Mexico with her boyfriend Callum Jones for a relaxing holiday.

And Molly Smith continued to document their sun-soaked trip as she shared a slew of very glamorous snaps to Instagram on Saturday.

The former Love Island star, 28, showed off her incredible figure in a racy black halterneck gown with bold cut-outs that gave a flash of underboob.

She put on a very leggy display as her figure-hugging dress featured a daring side split which ran all the way up to her waist.

Molly gave herself a few extra inches with a pair of silver strapped heels and kept her essentials in a small metallic handbag.

Gorgeous: Molly Smith continued to document their sun-soaked trip as she shared a slew of very glamorous snaps to Instagram on Saturday

Sun-kissed: The former Love Island star, 28, showed off her incredible figure in a racy black halterneck gown with bold cut-outs that gave a flash of underboob

Glamorous: She put on a very leggy display as her figure-hugging dress featured a daring side split which ran all the way up to her waist

The reality TV star accessorised her gorgeous look with a statement pair of gold droplet earrings as she posed up a storm for the sun-kissed pictures.

She accentuated her natural beauty with a high-glamour bronzed make-up palette and swept her golden locks back into a sleek up-do.

Alongside the eye-popping snaps, she penned: 'Golden Glow.'

Molly has not shied away from sharing glimpses at her lavish holiday with Callum, and the pair appear to be as loved-up as ever.

Earlier this week, Molly took to Instagram to share an array of bikini snaps as she slipped into a hot pink two-piece during the trip.

She put her ample assets and toned abs on display in the eye-catching beachwear as she posed up a storm on the beach.

Molly went make-up free during the outing, showcasing her natural beauty, while her blonde locks were styled in loose waves.

Molly and Callum are one of Love Island's major success stories, meeting on the first-ever winter edition of the ITV dating show in 2020, where they left before the finale.

The couple moved into a lavish four-bedroom house in Manchester that November after meeting on the show.

Despite their rushed start, the lovebirds seem to be going from strength to strength, and recently celebrated their second anniversary together.

Elegant: Molly gave herself a few extra inches with a pair of silver strapped heels and kept her essentials in a small metallic handbag

Sensational: The reality TV star accessorised her gorgeous look with a statement pair of gold droplet earrings as she posed up a storm for the sun-kissed pictures

Eye-popping: She accentuated her natural beauty with a high-glamour bronzed make-up palette and swept her golden locks back into a sleek up-do

Beauty: Molly looked as glamorous as ever in her statement ensemble as she enjoyed a lavish evening out in Mexico

Smitten: Molly has not shied away from sharing glimpses at her lavish holiday with Callum, and the pair appear to be as loved-up as ever

Wow! Earlier this week, Molly took to Instagram to share an array of bikini snaps as she slipped into a hot pink two-piece during the trip

It hasn't always been smooth sailing for the couple, however, as their get-together caused a stir on the ITV2 show.

Callum entered the show as one of the original contestants and connected with Shaughna Phillips at the beginning.

The couple's relationship continued to blossom until the infamous Casa Amor came along - which saw Molly's arrival to the show.

Molly and Callum hit it off upon meeting, and he decided to return to the villa with her - leaving Shaughna devastated as she was left to fly solo.
Kerry Washington rocked a very leggy look in Texas on Saturday when she brought 'main b****' energy to South by Southwest (SXSW)

The Emmy winner, 46  who recently wore two stunning outfits for the Today show this week  commanded attention in her olive green stiletto boots, short shorts and an oversized suede shirt.

Washington was in the Lone Star State to promote her new Hulu show UnPrisoned, attending a SXSW symposium on the series, in which she stars as the daughter of a man who has been released from prison following his latest 17-year sentence.

It was a busy day at the festival, as stars including her costar Delroy Lindo, Elizabeth Olsen, Jesse Plemons and Lily Rabe also walked the red carpet.

In an Instagram video of her modeling the show-stopping outfit, Kerry vamped in front of the camera and told her seven millions followers that she was, 'a f***ing main b****.'

Sultry confidence: Kerry Washington, 46, rocked a very leggy look in Texas on Saturday when she brought 'main b**ch' energy to South by Southwest

Leggy: The Emmy winner commanded attention in her olive green stiletto boots, short shorts and an oversized suede shirt

'We're here for this energy,' wrote Hulu's official instagram handle, while the account for UnPrisoned commented, 'Everything's bigger in Texas! Especially the main b**** energy.'

Washington's chic and sexy look was from the luxury Swiss fashion house Bally, and she accessorized with simple gold hoop earrings.

The fashionable actress wore her lustrous hair back in a sleek ponytail and flaunted an edgy manicure.

Kerry was joined at the symposium by her costar Delroy Lindo, 70, who plays her newly released father in UnPrisoned.

Other core cast members accompanied the pair, including Tracy McMillan, Faly Rakotohavana, Jordyn McIntosh and Marque Richardson.

In addition to the discussion for UnPrisoned, which dropped Friday on Hulu, SXSW also featured a screening for the upcoming true-crime series Love & Death.

Elizabeth Olsen, 34, attended in a flattering red dress, while her costar Lily Rabe stunned in a sheer top and white satin pants.

The limited HBO show will recount the gruesome murder of small-town Texas housewife Betty Gore (Rabe), whose husband was having an affair with her killer  friend and neighbor, Candy Montgomery (Olsen).

Gore's cheating husband is played by Jesse Plemons, 34, who showed up at the screening looking cool and casual in blue jeans and a light brown leather jacket.

Fierce and fashionable: In an Instagram video of her modeling the show-stopping outfit, Kerry vamped in front of the camera and told her seven millions followers that she was, 'a f**king main b**ch'

Stunning: Washington's chic and sexy look was from the luxury Swiss fashion house Bally

Bringing her A game: The fashionable actress wore her lustrous hair back in a sleek ponytail, accessorized with simple gold hoops, and flaunted an edgy manicure

Latest hit: Washington was in the Lone Star State to promote her new Hulu show UnPrisoned, attending a SXSW symposium on the series, in which she stars as the daughter of a man who has been released from prison following his latest 17-year sentence

Her co-star: Kerry was joined at the symposium by her co-star Delroy Lindo, 70, who plays her newly released father in UnPrisoned

Dapper: Lindo looked cool and casual in a beige jacket, white T-shirt and belted blue jeans

The cast: Other core cast members accompanied the Washington and Lindo, including Tracy McMillan (far left), Faly Rakotohavana (black coat), Jordyn McIntosh (orange dress) and Marque Richardson (pink sweater)

Commanding attention: Kerry and her co-star Marque Richardson onstage at the UnPrisoned symposium during SXSW

Having some fun: Kerry appeared to be having a great time with her cast up onstage

On wheels: Kerry Washington rides on a pedi-cab around the Austin Convention Center

Scarlet queen: SXSW also featured a screening for the upcoming true-crime series Love & Death. Elizabeth Olsen, 34, attended in a flattering red dress, channeling the vibes of her famous Scarlet Witch

Effortless beauty: Olsen looked fresh and edgy as she paired black boots with her red dress and wore her dark blonde locks in effortless waves

Future acclaim? The Marvel star will be playing Candy Montgomery in the limited HBO show, which will recount the gruesome tale of how the small-town Texas housewife killed her friend and neighbor Betty Gore in 1980

Gorgeous: Olsen's co-star Lily Rabe, 40, stunned in a sheer top and white satin pants

Her role: Rabe is playing the doomed character of Bette Gore in Love & Death

Handsome: Gore's cheating husband is played by Jesse Plemons, 34, who showed up at the screening looking handsome in blue jeans and a light brown leather jacket

Prestigious project: Plemons chatted with producer Matthew Tinker (right) and writer David E. Kelley (center) at the screening

Wowing in white: Kaia Gerber wowed in a striking white dress at the premiere of her film Bottoms

Kaia's co-stars Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri were also in attendance in eye-catching red looks

Pretty: Anna Kendrick rocked a chic LBD and a tiny red purse as she attended a screening of her film Self Reliance

Her Self Reliance co-star Emily Hampshire delivered 90s nostalgia in bootcut jeans and chunky shoes

Jake Johnson, who also stars in the film, cut a casual-cool figure for the festival

In the family: Ewan McGregor and his daughter Clara put on a united front at the premiere of their feature You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder

The Moulin Rouge star sported a handlebar mustache

Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk celebrated the first screening of his film Lucky Hank

His Lucky Hank co-star Alan Ruck looked handsome beside his gorgeous wife Mireille Enos

Ewan McGregor, Jake Weary, Clara McGregor, Vera Bulder, Emma Westenberg and Mark Amin posed together for a snap ahead of the screening

Dapper: Anthony Mackie and Zoe Chao were dressed to impress for their film If You Were the Last

Comedian Eric Andre attended the Featured Session: 'Have a Good Trip: Psychedelics in Film and TV'

He spent time on the mic during the session

The first trailer for Love & Death was released last month, showing Olsen fully inhabiting the role of a churchgoing mother who would eventually pickup an ax and murder her friend in 1980.

'Something has been bothering me a little,' Olsen says in the trailer. 'I have done all the things a wife is supposed to do. The house, the meals Where is the payback?'

Written by David E. Kelley and premiering on April 27, the show is another chilling adaptation of Candy Montgomery's disturbing tale, who was portrayed by Jessica Biel last year in the titular Hulu series Candy.

'We cannot imagine a more perfect artist to play the leading role of Candy than Elizabeth Olsen,' said Kevin Beggs, Chairman of Lionsgate Television Group. 'Her talent, charisma and energy can bewitch audiences like no other.'
Denise Richards was spotted shopping at the Cross Creek Mall in Malibu on Saturday.

The 52-year-old former Bond girl was dressed casually in a neon-yellow sweatsuit under an Aviator Nation puffy jacket.

The blonde bombshell carried a large black bag, hid her eyes behind dark glasses, and finished off her look with a pair of black and red sneakers.

The Wild Things star styled her hair in a messy top-knot and chatted on her cell phone as she enjoyed her solo day out.

Richards has been busy working on two new films that are currently in the post-production phase: the action-fantasy Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace and the drama A Walking Miracle.

Retail therapy: Denise Richards, 52, chatted on her cell phone while walking back to her car after shopping at Cross Creek Mall in Malibu on Saturday

Cali casual: The Wild Things star wore a neon-yellow sweatsuit under an Aviator Nation puffy jacket as she chatted on her phone while enjoying her solo day out

The mother-of-three is often spotted out and about with her husband Aaron Phypers in Malibu.

Richards is the proud mother to her daughters Sami Sheen, 18, Lola Rose Sheen, 17, and Eloise Jone Richards, 11.

A few years ago Denise revealed that her youngest child was suffering from a rare chromosomal disorder that 'has caused a lot of developmental delays for her.'

Denise told People that Eloise 'wasn't able to sit up on her own for a very long time, and she didn't start walking until she was two, and that was with physical therapy.'

Eloise specifically has Chromosome 8, Monosomy 8p, a disorder that means part of her eighth chromosome is missing.

Denise shares her two oldest daughters with her first husband Charlie Sheen, and adopted Eloise in 2011 when she was single.

Denise currently has an amicable co-parenting relationship with Charlie, in sharp contrast to the period just after their breakup.

After turning 18 this year, Denise's oldest daughter, Sami started an OnlyFans account, and although her father Charlie does not support her decision.

In love: Richards and Aaron Phypers found happiness with each other after their respective divorces; the couple seen in 2020

Split: Richards left her first husband Charlie Sheen while six months pregnant with their younger daughter Lola; the couple are pictured weeks before the divorce filing

Wow: After turning 18 this year, Sami started an OnlyFans account, and although her father Charlie does not support her decision, Denise has defended her

Not judgemental: 'I did Wild Things & Playboy,' Denise declared, adding that she 'can't be judgmental of her choices'

'I have to say, I wish I had the confidence my 18 yr old daughter has. And I also can't be judgmental of her choices,' Denise wrote on Instagram. 'I did Wild Things & Playboy, quite frankly her father shouldn't be either.'

In fact Denise approved so enthusiastically of Sami's decision to join OnlyFans that she has followed in her daughter's footsteps and launched a page there herself.

Sami told TMZ she was 'happy for' her mother, adding: 'I don't mind at all.... I'm super happy, she's doing really well.'

In January, Denise's friend Tori Spelling admitted to signing on to her OnlyFans account, an adult content subscription service, with a fake name and spending $400 in just two days.
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Swapna Suresh ANI

Kochi (Kerala): A day after the prime accused in the Kerala gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh levelled allegations of facing "death threats", alleged middleman Vijay Pillai refuted all the allegations.

This comes a day after Swapna Suresh had alleged that Vijay Pillai, the alleged middleman threatened her to leave the country.

Talking to the media on Friday, Pillai said, "Swapna Suresh's allegations are false. I don't know CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan directly, and have only seen him in the media. There was no mention of the Chief Minister in our meeting. Swapna has to prove the allegation that I threatened her."

"The evidence in Swapna's possession has not been demanded to be released. Swapna was twisting what was said to be authentic. I have not introduced myself as a lawyer," he added.

Pillai said that he had only met Suresh regarding the talks of an OTT web series.

"The Enforcement Directorate called me on Thursday for questioning. Swapna has said things that have no reality. I have met her for a web series. They had primarily said ok and were looking to negotiate. It was a discussion of the web series, not the shoot or things. The meeting was held after she said about being interested in the content. I don't know how she manipulated the incidents," he said.

He added saying, "Let her show if she has any proof that I threatened her, that I am coming with political party connections and promised Rs 30 crore."

Vijesh Pillai further said that he has summoned by ED and he said whatever he knew.

"I don't know people like Govindan, nor do they know me, other than seeing them in newspapers and on TV. In this case ED had issued summons to me. I went to their office yesterday and told them details about what I know," Pillai added.

Swapna Suresh, on Thursday, made explosive claims that she was receiving death threats from CPM secretary Govindan Master who threatened her with dire consequences if she did not stop speaking about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

She further alleged that Master offered her a hefty amount of Rs 30 crore to leave the country and settle anywhere else.

Swapna said that she has no "personal agenda" against the Kerala Chief Minister, however, Master threatened to "finish" her life and gave her 2 days to take a decision.

In a stern message, Swapna said that she will fight and warned the Chief Minister against "threatening" her.

She said, "I want to tell the CM on his face, I am going to fight till the end. I have people who trust me. If I am alive, I will expose your entire business empire and don't ever think or dare to threaten me. I'll expose to the world your real face".

"I am not ready for any compromise and I am going to fight till the last breath. He (Vijay Pillai) clearly told me that Govindan Master will finish my life. I will give the full details such as photographs of the person to the media. I am not going to run away from Bangalore. I am here itself. Please pray for my life," Swapna added.

She further alleged, "Vijay Pillai threatened me and asked me to leave the country. I have no personal agenda with CM Pinarayi Vijayan or his family, nor want to destroy his political career. I was clearly told that CPM secretary Govindan Master will finish my life. This person told me that he will give me 2 days to take a decision. I have sent details of his phone numbers and email address to my advocate."

Earlier in October last year, Swapna Suresh alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan is making projects in the state for his daughter Veena Vijayan and for the future generations of his family in the guise of development.

"Chief Minister's projects making undue commissions and for building an empire for his daughter or for his family or for the future generations of his family in the disguise of development. It should not be Kerala's FON, it shouldn't be Kerala Fibre Optical Network, it should be Veena or Vijayan Fibre Optical Network," she had told ANI.
ADG (APS) Gyanender Singh Malik, ADG (North) Piyush Anand, ADG (South) jagbir Singh, NISA director.K. Sunil Emmanuel address the annual press conference curtain raiser on the occasion of 54th CISF Raising day Parade at CISF National Industrial Security Academy Hakimpet on Friday. (DC)

Hyderabad: For the first time in its history, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will be holding the Raising Day celebrations outside the National Capital Region (NCR) in the city at the National Industrial Security Academy (NISA), an elite training facility of the CISF, at Hakimpet on March 12.

Union home minister Amit Shah will take part in the 54th Raising Day parade, which will feature demonstrations by specialised wings of the CISF from all units across the country and contingencies.

The Special Tactics and Training Wing (STTW) of the CISF will simulate how its soldiers would respond in the event of a Maoist attack. Further, 172 women commandos of the CISF will perform kalaripayattu, a combative martial art from Kerala, as well as other impressive demonstrations of their firefighting skills.

Speaking to the media at the curtain raiser on Friday, CISF additional director general (North) Piyush Anand stated that because the CISF is a pan-India force, the government of India required that the Raising Day parade be held across the country on a rotational basis so that people from all over the country could witness the celebrations.

It was decided that the Raising Day Parade will be held at NISA because it is the centre of excellence for CISF. Additional DG (South) Jagbir Singh, Additional DG (Airport Security) Gyanender Singh Malik, NISA director K. Sunil Emmanuel, Dr. Anil Pandey, DIG and PRO were among those who addressed the media.

According to CISF authorities, their unit was involved in various fire-fighting situations, and the top objective was to avert fire disasters. From April 2022 to January 2023, the CISF saved 18 lives in fires and secured property worth `137.88 crore. In addition to keeping up with the latest technologies, the CISF is working to improve the force's professional competence, they stated.

About the CISF's fire-fighting modules, they stated that they work with local fire response and disaster response teams to prevent and battle fires in CISF-secured installations. "We are also working with various states to share our knowledge in fire-fighting and hold drills on a regular basis," they stated.

Further, in light of recent episodes of nuisance on flights, officials said they have identified them as a matter of serious concern during regular airport meetings and have requested airlines managements and other stakeholders to prioritise the issue.

"As a first responder, we address the issue immediately, detain the passenger(s) indulged in such activities and hand them over to local police. The flight captain and the airline staff are in charge of passenger safety, and there are also marshals in plain clothes," they said.

Security at Ram Janmabhoomi temple

The Central Industrial Security Force officials on Friday stated that they have been providing security cover to 354 critical installations around the country, including 66 airports, seaports, nuclear and space installations, PSUs, the Delhi Metro, steel and power plants as well as private enterprises.

The CISF's technical consultancy services have been providing security and fire protection to the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya. Since its inception in 1999, it has provided security and fire protection services to 218 government, semi-government, and commercial establishments.

CISF's clients include IIM Indore, Bajaj Auto Ltd., Aditya Birla Group, Infosys Ltd., Lucknow Bench & Allahabad High Court, SVP-NPA Hyderabad, IITM Pune, AIIMS New Delhi, IIT Delhi, Science City Kolkata, RBI Central Office Mumbai, Central Jail Bhopal, Mahalekha Niyantrak Bhawan, INA New Delhi, among others.

CISF also provides services to Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, Shri Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, Mahabodhi Mandir in Bodhgaya, the New Delhi police headquarters complex, and IIM Ranchi, among others. The wing has generated Rs 14.75 crore in revenue until January 2023.

XBIS scanners to prevent gold smuggling

The CISF officials stated on Friday that they have installed high-end XBIS scanners to prevent gold smuggling, and that they will be shortly installing full body scanners at various airports across the country. Trial runs of body scanners have been conducted at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai airports, they stated.

"During the trial run, some shortcomings were observed. Now, BCAS has constituted a technical sub- committee to examine, evaluate, and recommend trial directives and testing

protocols of full body scanners," officials said. The trial run of body worn cameras was conducted at Delhi and Mumbai airports, and these were being used in Security Hold Areas (SHAs) by the CISF personnel.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (Twitter/@pinarayivijayan)

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the attack on the fact-finding teams of opposition MPs and MLAs in Tripura and alleged that "sangh parivar goons" were behind the "heinous" act.

In a tweet last night, the Marxist veteran said the incident highlights the need for law and order situation to be restored in the north-eastern state.

He also urged democratic forces to unite to defeat this reign of terror in Tripura.

"The heinous attack by Sangh Parivar goons on the fact-finding team of opposition MPs visiting Tripura is highly condemnable. It highlights the need for law and order to be restored in the State. Democratic forces should unite to defeat this reign of terror in Tripura," Vijayan said.

A fact-finding team of MPs and MLAs from the Left parties and the Congress, which arrived to look into the post-poll violence in Tripura, was attacked in Sepahijala district on Friday.

None of the eight-member team was injured in the attack, police said.

During their visit, sloganeering was reported and their vehicles were attacked by some miscreants.

The police escort team responded quickly and rescued members of the delegation safely, Tripura police added.
R. Dhruvanarayan (Twitter)

BENGALURU: Working president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and former Lok Sabha member R. Dhruvanarayan (62) died after he suffered a massive cardiac arrest at his residence in Vijayanagar of Mysuru city on Saturday.

Around 6.30 am, Dhruvanarayan is said to have made a call to his car driver and complained of pain in chest area. He was rushed to a private hospital and doctors declared him brought dead.

Doctor Manjunath, his neighbor who attended him, told reporters that "He was not responding when he was brought to the hospital."

Dhruvanarayan made news after he won 2004 Santhemarahalli Assembly poll, a reserved seat for Scheduled Castes, in Chamarajanagar district after he defeated his nearest rival JDS nominee A.R. Krishnamurthy by a margin of one vote. He had lost the 1999 election from Santhemarahalli Assembly seat.

He next contested from Kollegal Assembly seat in Chamarajnagar and won. Dhruvanarayan won the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha seat twice. He was defeated by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee and former minister V. Srinivas Prasad in 2019 Lok Sabha poll from Chamarjanagar.

Dhruvanarayan entered politics through National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and joined Congress party in 1983. It is said that Dhruvanarayan was an aspirant to contest from Nanjangud Assembly seat in Mysuru district in the ensuing Assembly election.

Congress leaders including MLAs H.P. Manjunath, Yathindra Siddaramaiah were among others who visited the hospital in Vani Vilas Mohalla of Mysuru city. His supporters grieved the demise of their leader.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai condoled the death of Dhurvanarayan and stated that final rites of the ex-MP would be performed with full State honours. Janata Dal Secular leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said he was pained by the death of Dhuravanarayan. President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee D.K. Shivakumar said he lost a brother.

The mortal remains of Dhruvanarayan was kept for public viewing at his residence and people paid their condolences to the departed leader.
The Central investigation agencies have alleged that Kavitha benefited from the kickbacks in the now withdrawn liquor policy of Delhi, in which Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia has been arrested. DC Image

New Delhi: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha, who has been called for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged liquor scam on March 11, assured of cooperating fully with the agency and said she will answer all the questions, adding that "if things go out of hand, then the courts shall be approached".

While talking to ANI, Kavitha said, "I am ready to give all answers. The truth shall remain the truth. I am not related to this liquor policy. A lot of businessmen from Hyderabad have come here and invested. So they want that somehow my name is dragged into it."

The Central investigation agencies have alleged that Kavitha benefited from the kickbacks in the now withdrawn liquor policy of Delhi, in which Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia has been arrested.

Reiterating her stance on the agencies functioning in the country, she said, "I will cooperate with all institutions, but there is no legitimacy and transparency in these agencies, be it CBI, ED or others. They are no more independent. In the last 10 years, the attacks on the opposition have proved it. The agencies are biased."

"I will cooperate fully and answer all the questions but if things go out of hand, then the courts shall be approached," she added.

Kavitha launched a scathing attack on Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and said that the opposition in the country is "oppressed" and "harassed" by the BJP for raising their voices.

Addressing a press conference ahead of her protest and ED visit, she said, "The double engine sarkar which actually stands for "Pradhani and Adani Sarkar," works in the interests of only a few, and therefore the opposition is oppressed and harassed for raising their voices."

In a statement, she said she will appear before the agency on March 11. "You can be assured of my full cooperation in the matter," she said.

DK Aruna, BJP National vice President said, "Wherever there is corruption ED goes not PM Modi, they are scared of Modi as he said in 2014 before forming the government itself that they will not spare corruption. The investigation agencies are doing their job, wherever there is a complaint. What is the role of the BJP in this? "

Condemning Manish Sisodia's arrest, the BRS MLC said, "I do not wish to comment on this. The behaviour of the agencies is absolutely unconstitutional. There was manhandling and we condemn the arrest. The arrest has been condemned by our party as well."

"People should have faith that if a white colour crime is committed then the ED can be trusted. However, the people have lost faith after the actions of the ED. It is unfortunate that Mr Sisodia is arrested."

The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the 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 per the allegations, 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.

This 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.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in an ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).

The Special Judge MK Nagpal on March 6 remanded Sisodia to 14 days in judicial custody after noting that expiry of CBI custody in the case noting that the probe didn't demand further custody of him at this time, but it may be sought later if required.

Meanwhile, Kavitha said that a hunger strike will be held in the national capital on March 10 and that 18 political parties have said that they will participate in the protest launched to seek introduction of the Women's Reservation Bill in the current session of Parliament.

Elaborating about the strike, Kavitha said, "The strike will start from 10 am and go on till 4 pm. Approximately 18 parties will join tomorrow. We expect the parties to keep their viewpoints. We will try and build up pressure on the government. We have also invited the Congress."

"We have the complete list of the parties coming. I can share it. Yechury ji will start the fast. Priyanka Chaturvedi from Shiv Sena shall also join us. Apart from this, there will be several women's organisations that have worked on this bill," she added.

Urging that the larger political interest should be kept aside in the matter, she said, "Women make up 50 per cent of the country's population and I have picked up their issue. The views of different parties on the matter are important."

"This is an important and historical opportunity. The BJP has the majority, they can easily pass the bill," she added.

MLC Kavitha requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Murmu to make the Women's Reservation Bill a reality with 33 per cent reservation since the BJP still has sessions left before the completion of its term.
TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy interacts with sugarcane farmers during his Haath se Haath Jodo' padayatra after inspecting the sugar factory at Muthyampet in Korutla on Saturday. DC

WARANGAL: TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy lashed out at Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for shutting down industries and for not reopening the Muthyampet sugar factory, despite making tall claims of Ab ki baar kisan sarkar.

The Congress leader urged the farmers to take inspiration from the defiance shown by Haryana farmers, who opposed implementation of newly proposed agricultural Bills, and cultivate crops that yield higher profits and provide employment to several others.

Reddy was speaking after inspecting the poor state of affairs at the sugar factory at Muthyampet in Korutla and the turmeric market in Metpally, Jagtial district, which he visited as part of his Haath se Haath Jodo Abhiyan padayatra.

The sugar factory was functioning very well in undivided Andhra Pradesh, but as soon as Rao became the Chief Minister, he shut it down. Without a sugar factory and a turmeric board and telling the farmers that cultivating paddy would be suicidal is nothing but mounting pressure on farmers to dance to his tunes, Reddy said.

BRS MLC K. Kavitha had promised the farmers that she would reopen the sugar factory within 100 days only to deceive them.

Korutla BRS legislator K. Vidhyasagar Rao, who grabbed votes of farmers promising them that he would hang himself at the sugar factory gate if he fails to open it, went back on his promise after winning the seat. The Congress leader said that BJP Lok Sabha member D. Arvind betrayed the turmeric farmers after reassuring them of bringing a turmeric board to the state.

On forming the government, the Congress will open the sugar factory within six months, Reddy said.

Urging the farmers to stop running around political parties and put up a united fight like that by Haryana farmers to achieve their goals. The Congress party will join with them in their fight, he said.



ED delaying arrest of Kavitha is part of BJP-BRS drama: Revanth

TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday said that if officials of Enforcement Directorate (ED) were really keen on arresting MLC K. Kavitha for her role in the Delhi liquor scam, they can do so within an hour. The delay is a clear indication of the drama being played out by the BJP and the BRS.

This is a strategy of political analyst Prashant Kishor, he alleged. If Kavitha is arrested, BRS leaders will come on to the streets and the BJP, as a counter, will start dharnas against the BRS leadership, he said.
BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar. (Photo: Twitter)

HYDERABAD: "Women in Telangana are apprehensive and fearful of the BRS and AIMIM which protect those who indulge in crimes against women. Just as women in movies run away from villains, Telangana women the moment they see flags of these two parties get ready to get back into their homes and lock their doors."

Saying this, BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Friday launched the partys Mahila Gosa-BJP Bharosa programme at the party headquarters in the city, with an assurance that it was only the BJP that could ensure safety, security and welfare of women.

Sanjay was joined by party vice-president D.K. Aruna who too castigated the BRS government, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and BRS MLC K. Kavitha who is alleged to be involved in the Delhi liquor scam.

He said it was surprising that the BRS joined hands with Samajwadi Party, RJD, and AIMIM which tore copies of the Womens Reservation Bill when it was introduced in Parliament by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. There were several attempts to introduce the Bill and each time it was opposed by non-BJP parties, he said.

"If Kavitha is serious about reservations, she should first demand 33% reservation for women in Telangana, starting with posts in the BRS party," Sanjay said.

Addressing a large gathering of women, Sanjay said, "you all know how women are facing atrocities in Telangana. Minor girls were raped in Hyderabad, Vikarabad, Nirmal, Kodad. Kavitha never talks about these things. She should have questioned her father and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao why in yesterdays Telangana Cabinet meeting, there was no mention of 33% reservations for women in the state."

Aruna said, "Ever since the BRS came to power, attacks against women, atrocities, and murders are on the rise. There are regular cases of women of all ages being raped. KCR has not taken a single step to control this rot. This is a matter of shame for the state."

Dismissing the attempt by Kavitha and BRS to equate her with the pride of Telangana women, Aruna said what Kavitha was facing was of her own making. "If the BJP really went after her as she is alleging, she would have been behind bars long back. But BJP respects law and law enforcement agencies which do their job. All we said was that the BJP does not tolerate corruption and will weed it out," she said.

Declaring that "Kavithas tactics will fail," Aruna said the BRS MLCs fight was for herself and not for the people. She demanded that the government put an immediate end to uncontrolled liquor sales and the shutting down of belt shops. "What is the future of women and children? Kids are getting addicted to alcohol. KCR must protect women, children and their health and future," she said.

The meeting was attended by senior party leaders including Dr K. Laxman, G. Premender Reddy, Chintala Ramachandra Reddy, Ravindra Naik, BJP Mahila Morcha national executive member Akula Vijaya, state Mahila Morcha general secretary Sulochana, former mayor Karthika Reddy.
China's President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with newly-elected Premier Li Qiang (L) during the fourth plenary session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (GREG BAKER / POOL / AFP)

Beijing: China's parliament on Saturday confirmed President Xi Jinping's trusted ally Li Qiang as the new Premier to revive the world's second-largest economy hit by three years of 'zero-Covid' restrictions and worsening relations with the West.

Li Qiang, 63, succeeds Li Keqiang, 67, who held the post for the last 10 years.

The annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), a largely ceremonial body which routinely passes the proposals of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), approved Li Qiang's candidature after his name was proposed by Xi himself.

However, his election unlike that of Xi was not unanimous.

He was endorsed by 2,936 of the 2,947 NPC members who attended Saturday's meeting, with three voting against and eight abstaining, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

After the voting, Xi signed a Presidential decree appointing Li Qiang as Premier following which he took a pledge of allegiance to the Constitution.

Later Xi shook hands with Li Qiang in brief video clips shown on national television.

After that Li Keqiang too shook hands with Li Qiang in what appears to be a smooth transfer of power considering that the outgoing Premier maintained a low profile in recent years apparently unhappy over the erosion of his power following the dramatic rise of Xi's stature in the last ten years equating himself with party founder Mao Zedong.

Later Xi shook hands with Li Keqiang and exchanged pleasantries apparently bidding goodbye as he headed to his retirement from politics.

Li Keqiang, a contender along with Xi in the race for the Presidency in 2012, opted to retire last year apparently unhappy over the President's big push to consolidate his power deftly using the massive crackdown against corruption and hold on the military.

He was regarded as a less powerful Premier in comparison to his predecessors.

Li Qiang, stated to be a pro-business politician in Xi's inner circle, will be the number two ranked official of the CPC and the government after Xi, who on Friday was confirmed as President and the head of the military for an unprecedented third five-year term.

Xi, 69, is the only leader after the party founder Mao Zedong to have more than two five-year tenures and he is widely expected to be in power for lifelong.

Bilateral ties between China and some of the major western nations, especially with the US, are at their lowest point in decades, leading to escalating tensions in technology and investment.

Li Qiang worked with Xi in his early years during his provincial stints before he shifted to the central government as Vice President. He headed the party in Shanghai, China's largest modern business hub.

However, his handling of the last year's COVID outbreak, keeping the city of over 26 million under lockdown for about two months, drew sharp criticism at home and abroad as it resulted in heavy hardships for the population.

Li Qiang, who remained a close ally of Xi, is expected to galvanise the private sector as well as foreign investments into the world's second-largest economy, dispelling the impression that the government, which resorted to crackdown against top business houses like Alibaba in the last few years, is reverting to the state-owned enterprises.

In his annual work report, Li Keqiang on March 5 proposed about five per cent growth rate target for the economy, the lowest in decades.

Considering the Chinese economy registered a three per cent GDP last year its lowest in decades, Li Qiang's focus will be to shoulder the responsibility of shoring up the economy to previous levels of growth, defusing immediate risks, tapping into long-term growth potential and elevating China into a high-income economy during his tenure.

Li Qiang is scheduled to hold his first annual press conference on March 13 on the last day of the NPC session, which will be watched at home and abroad during which he was expected to outline his plan to revitalise the Chinese economy and tackle other challenges like a demographic crisis, technological bottlenecks and the US crackdown on China's high-tech.

Li Qiang's biggest challenge will be reviving the Chinese economy this year, said Ava Shen, China and Northeast Asia associate at Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy.

It's still uncertain if consumer demand can meaningfully bounce back this year to drive growth, and financial risks in the property sector and local government debt still linger.

He needs to devise policies to further boost demand while keeping financial risks at bay, Shen told the Post.

But analysts are debating how much policy leeway the 63-year-old former Shanghai Communist Party boss will enjoy as he embarks on his five-year term, given the authority of the position has diminished over the past decade as Xi consolidated power.

Considering the tight corner China faced and Li Qiang being his close confidant, some observers say Xi may give more room for the new Premier to revive the economy in his five-year term.

Besides Li Qiang, the NPC also endorsed Zhang Youxia and He Weidong as Vice Chairmen of the Central Military Commission (CMC) -- the high command of the Chinese military headed by Xi -- and Li Shangfu, Liu Zhenli, Miao Hua and Zhang Shengmin as CMC members.

The parliament also endorses a host of other appointments including the President of the Supreme Court nominated by the CPC.
Nearly six months after they were brought from Namibia, the first two African cheetahs were released into the wild at the Kuno National Park on Saturday.

Big day for the cheetah reintroduction programme. Two cheetahs (one male and one female) have been released into the wild in Kuno National Park from their enclosures. Both cheetahs are doing good, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav tweeted along with videos showing the release.

Big day for the cheetah  reintroduction programme undertaken because of the decisive leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi ji! Two cheetahs (one male and one female) have been released into the wild in Kuno National Park from their enclosures. Both cheetahs are doing good. pic.twitter.com/EoQNQNXu7L  Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) March 11, 2023

The Madhya Pradesh forest department has plans to release five of the eight Namibian cheetahs into the wild as the remaining three are yet to adjust to the wild. All the cheetahs were in a large enclosure where they could hunt.

Also Read | Supreme Court seeks Centre's reply on reported deaths of tigers

However, the release occurs a few months after the time-frame set in the cheetah action plan prepared by the ministry. As per the action plan, the males were to be released one-two months after reaching Kuno while the females were to be set free 1-4 weeks after releasing the males.

The ministry did not offer any explanation as to why the time schedule mentioned in the action plan was not followed and why it took six months to make the first release.

Last month 12 more cheetahs from South Africa were brought to Kuno as a part of the Indian experiment to re-establish a cheetah population in the central Indian landscape. However, these are all African cheetahs and not the Asiatic cheetahs that went extinct from the subcontinent.

The Kuno National Park was originally designated as a second home for Asiatic lions to protect them against any infection. But despite a 2013 Supreme Court order, no lion translocation has taken place.
A 42-year-old supporter of ousted AIADMK leader V K Sasikala was allegedly roughed up by party men for shouting slogans at former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, calling him a betrayer inside the bus they were travelling in from the tarmac to the terminal building of the Madurai Airport.

Rajeshwaran began a live broadcast on his Facebook account when he saw Palaniswami on the airline bus by calling him a traitor.

I am here with Edappadiyar. The Leader of Opposition who is a betrayer. He betrayed Chinnamma (Sasikala). He betrayed the people of south Tamil Nadu by providing 10.5 per cent reservation (to Vanniyars), Rajeshwaran says in the video being overpowered by the Personal Security Officer (PSO) of the former chief minister who snatched his mobile phone.

Also Read  EPS to get elected as AIADMK general secretary soon

Another video shared widely on social media showed AIADMK men, who were waiting at the terminal building to welcome Palaniswami, roughing up Rajeshwaran who is seen telling them, I just spoke the truth.

It is learnt that Rajeshwaran was returning to Madurai from Singapore via Chennai on the flight in which Palaniswami also travelled. He shouted slogans after he found that the AIADMK interim general secretary was also travelling on the same bus.

In a complaint to the Avaniyapuram police, Rajeshwaran alleged that Palaniswamis PSO snatched his expensive phone while he was on Facebook Live. As Rajeshwaran didnt come out of the airport till 4 pm, cadres of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam run by Sasikalas nephew T T V Dhinakaran held a protest.

He was allowed to leave the airport with a condition that he should appear for an inquiry if any complaint is filed against him by AIADMK. Palaniswami was elected as leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party on February 14, 2017, in the presence of Sasikala after she was convicted by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets (DA) case.

However, he refused to entertain Sasikala after she came out of the prison in 2021.
The U.S. government is the largest customer for many defense companies, providing a significant portion of their revenue. This stability and predictability can be beneficial for both the companies and investors. However, the revenue... More of this article 
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Derry international development charity Children in Crossfire will hold a fundraising Pier Jump at Creggan Country Park in the city on Sunday, 26th March.

Launching the cold-water event, Fundraising Co-ordinator Aishling Cunningham said: Children in Crossfire provide safe, clean water to vulnerable communities in Ethiopia, so we wanted to mark World Water Day by holding a fundraising event to support this life-changing work.

The theme for this years World Water Day is Accelerating Change, with the goal of ensuring the promise made that everyone would have access to water and sanitation by 2030 is kept.

Children in Crossfire are playing our part in this effort with plans to build up to six new wells in the Wolisso region over the next three years.

This follows on from eleven community wells we have installed there since 2014 and a deep water well we built at St Lukes Hospital which now gives the medical team there a year-round water supply.

Anyone taking part in our Pier Jump, which will be held in Creggan Country Park on Sunday 26th March, will be helping us to build more wells and ensure more children, families and communities have access to safe, clean water.

Providing details of the event, Aishling Cunningham continued: We are delighted that Creggan Country Park are hosting us for our Pier Jump event. Their highly professional team will ensure this event will be totally safe as well as great fun

Participants will be jumping off the pier into the cold water below, which will be no mean feat, but those first few freezing seconds will quickly give way to an enduring sense of achievement.

We are encouraging people from throughout the northwest to come along with family and friends, join the fun and make the jump.

Anyone wishing to sign up or find out more should: go to www.childrenincrossfire.org/event/pier-jump/, call me on 028 7126 9898 or email me at aishling.cunningham@childrenincrossfire.org.

I urge anyone interested to get in touch quickly as were expecting a lot of interest in this popular chilly challenge for a very worthwhile cause.
Catalyst is urging aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators from Derry to apply for INVENT 2023, with a top prize of 25,000 for the overall winner.

Hosted by technology hub Catalyst with headline partner Bank of Ireland, the annual INVENT competition provides the opportunity for early-stage start-ups and entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations and proof-of-concept ideas to a panel of expert judges.

INVENT builds up to an awards event held in the ICC Belfast on 21st September which rewards the brightest ideas from across the region that the judges deem to have the greatest potential for impact.

The competition has five categories which seek to address major global matters such as climate change. The categories are:

Greentech  Products, solutions and tech that enable a sustainable future.

Health and Wellbeing  Improving the quality of life through pushing the boundaries in life sciences, med tech and health promotion.

Product  A physical product designed and fabricated to offer the consumer or business a novel innovative solution.

Business Software  Computer software products or solutions used to satisfy the needs of an organisation rather than individual users, including innovations in sectors such as Fintech, Insurtech and cyber security.

Consumer Software  Consumer software is a class of commercial software that is sold directly to end-users as opposed to businesses.

The awards have a total 50,000 prize fund available, with each category winner taking home 5,000 and the overall winner walking away with an additional 20,000, totalling a 25,000 top prize.

Recognising the increased importance placed on diversity and inclusion, Bank of Ireland is supporting a new award, Inclusive Innovation. Additional prizes for best elevator pitch and Student INVENT will also be presented on the awards night.

The overall winner of INVENT 2022 was Vikela Armour, set up by Belfast-based engineering graduate Peter Gilleece. The company is developing a new type of body armour that provides better protection and comfort than conventional flak jackets.

Meg Magill, INVENT Programme Manager at Catalyst, said: INVENT provides a unique opportunity for local entrepreneurs and start-ups to showcase their innovations and set the spotlight on their ideas.

Over the decade, weve seen some incredible inventions and were excited to see what this years entrants have to offer.

There are talented individuals who are bursting with great ideas and the companies that go furthest in our competition are the ones who create new and innovative ways to address real world problems.

Diversity and inclusivity are hot topics across the globe currently, so we are particularly interested in the products and solutions that entrepreneurs come up with to meet the brief.

Niall Devlin, Head of Business Banking NI at Bank of Ireland, headline partner for the INVENT Awards, said: Bank of Ireland is delighted to continue its long-standing partnership with Catalyst and INVENT.

Our purpose is to enable our communities to thrive, and this is clearly demonstrated in our partnership with Catalyst, helping to develop innovation and entrepreneurship through the INVENT programme.

We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the inspirational innovators that will take part in the competition and to help support and develop their Business Financial Wellbeing.

During the many years we have supported INVENT, the relevance of this innovation focused programme has continued to grow and provide an important platform on which to showcase the great innovation and entrepreneurship that exists locally.

For more information and to apply for the competition, visit invent23.co. The deadline for applications is 23 March.
The team behind Oscar-nominated short film An Irish Goodbye say they hope Irish success at this years awards season will provide an opportunity to redefine the national narrative.

Director Ross White said that Northern Ireland was at a crossroads moment and that he was pining to move on and present the country in a different way on the global stage.

Helmed by White and Tom Berkeley, the Northern Irish black comedy follows two estranged brothers who come together after their mothers death to fulfil her bucket list.

It stars actors Seamus OHara and James Martin.

An Irish Goodbye is nominated for best live action short film at the 95th Academy awards, having already scooped the equivalent gong at the Baftas last month.

Speaking to the PA news agency about whether Irish success would have a political impact on the island, White said: Its got to.

Thats how changes tend to happen, isnt it? Artists leading from the front and ideas really change things.

He continued: Were at this kind of crossroads moment, especially in Northern Ireland right now.

With whats been going on in the news, in recent weeks, weve got this kind of opportunity, it seems to have become a global kind of place.

Youve got some people trying to drag the country back, (but) whats been really refreshing to see is that most people, regardless of their creed or religion, have got no interest in that, and are finally saying, no, we just wont have that.

We are absolutely delighted to be one of 15 films shortlisted for Best Live Action Short Film at #Oscars95@TheAcademy https://t.co/Msfb41lXua  An Irish Goodbye (@AnIrishGoodbye_) December 21, 2022

Were ready and were pining to move on, create new narratives and show ourselves on the global stage in a different way.

OHara added: I think the island of Ireland as a whole is in a very unique position at the moment in terms of converging its past, and its history and its memories and trying to redefine the national narrative in terms of how we present ourselves both north and south on the island.

So were in a very unique time where theres been a lot of work, a lot of great work that, you know, as the foundation that has allowed us to be here, really.

Irish talent has been well represented in recent months, with nominations across all major awards ceremonies coming for actor Paul Mescal and The Banshees Of Inisherin.

Martin McDonaghs film has picked up nine total nods at the Oscars, and Mescal joins its star Colin Farrell in the coveted best actor category.

White said the Irish screen industry had been thriving for the past few years, due in part to the success of HBOs hit fantasy series Game Of Thrones, but that the country had always harboured a tradition of storytelling and literary getaways.

He said he hoped the success of An Irish Goodbye would inspire others, having seen somebody a bit like them doing the thing.

Game of Thrones came about 20 years back and really started something for our wee country, he told PA.

And, you know, in a tumultuous past, its been an exciting new chapter for us to be telling the stories.

Weve always had that tradition of storytelling and literary getaways, on the stage, but now its finding its way onto the screen as well, which is really exciting and given Northern Irish filmmakers a chance to get their work on the screen.

He continued: I think its really important for anybody in any walk of life to see somebody a bit like them doing the thing.

I think it really gives people a sense that well, if you can do it maybe, maybe one day, I can give it a go.

Asked how it felt to be joining acting greats such as Farrell and Brendan Gleeson on the world stage, OHara said he and co star Martin feel the weight of that, in a good way.

Its a nice feeling to be among a company and feel confident and capable, because the work is so strong, he said.

Were so proud of it. It is a great privilege to be among that company and to be representing our countries.

And we definitely, I think, feel the weight of that in a good way. Because it gives the movie and us a great sense of purpose for what were doing and keeps everything in perspective for us.

Its a tremendous privilege.
The Delegation of the European Union has invited participants from the media, civil society and national authorities to participate in a round table on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) including disinformation. On this occasion, two European experts made a presentation on the current information environment and the spread of information disorder. They also spoke about how to build a countrys resilience to this new challenge. Their presentation was followed by a plenary discussion.

H.E.Mr Vincent Degert, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Seychelles stated :



 Disinformation is false or misleading content that is spread with an intention to deceive or secure economic or political gain, and which may cause public harm. Disinformation is constantly evolving and becoming more complex. It is present across different realms of the society including migration, health and politics. If lying is a problem, the bigger problem is that we believe in those lies. Disinformation is hence a whole-of-society problem. Therefore, the response has to be based on a whole-of-society approach aimed at raising awareness of the media, civil society and individuals on how disinformation works, including through education and media literacy. Therefore, I am really glad that we have managed to organise a round table on this increasingly topical subject with two European experts, namely Mr Siim Kumpas from the East Stratcomm Task Force set up within the European External Action Service to address Russias ongoing disinformation campaigns and Mr Hannes Krause, Indian Ocean Coordinator of the EU-funded Cyber4Dev programme.

The Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Mauritius has organised a round table on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) including disinformation. The round table, which gathered 15 participants including national authorities, media outlets, academics and members of the EU-Mauritius Youth Forum, was facilitated by two European experts, who were in Mauritius this week for a training on disinformation that took place on 7-8 March.

They made a presentation on:

 Conceptual introduction to the current information environment and information disorder

 The role of social media platforms and digital service providers in information disorder and countering disinformation

 Building resilience against disinformation using a whole-of-society approach  The case of Estonia.

Their presentation was followed by a plenary discussion.

The experts were :

 Mr Siim KUMPAS, Policy Officer at the East StratCom Task Force, a Task Force that was set up to address Russias ongoing disinformation campaigns. The East Task Force is one of the three task forces created under the European External Action Service (EEAS) Strategic Communications and Information Analysis Division. The Division is leading the work on addressing foreign disinformation, information manipulation and interference and has a mandate to analyse the information environment in order to enable EU foreign policy implementation and protect its values and interests. Before that, Siim KUMPAS was an adviser in the Strategic Communication Department of the Estonian Government Office being responsible for designing and implementing proactive measures and building resilience against disinformation in Estonia.

 Mr Hannes KRAUSE, Indian Ocean Region Coordinator for the Cyber4Dev programme. Cyber Resilience for Development (Cyber4Dev) is a European Union project designed to promote cyber-resilience and cybersecurity in order to protect public and private enterprises across the globe. Before that, Hannes KRAUSE has worked as the Head of Strategic Communication in the Estonian Government Office being responsible for building resilience against disinformation in Estonia and advising the government on issues relating to strategic communication. Earlier, he has worked as Head of Policy and Analysis for the Estonian Information System Authority.

The EU and disinformation

The spread of both disinformation and misinformation can have a range of harmful consequences, such as threatening democracies, polarising debates, and putting the health, security and environment of EU citizens at risk.

Large-scale disinformation campaigns are a major challenge for Europe and require a coordinated response from EU countries, EU institutions, online platforms, news media and EU citizens. The EU has developed a number of initiatives to tackle disinformation. The European External Action Service (EEAS) has created a specific unit  the Strategic Communication, Task Forces and Information Analysis Division (StratComm Division) to address foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation. The EEAS has recently published the first report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference threats. This first edition is informed by the work of the EEAS StratCom division in 2022. Based on a first sample of specific Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference cases, it outlines how building on shared taxonomies and standards can fuel our collective understanding of the threat and help inform appropriate countermeasures in the short to the long term.

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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.

Climate activists hold a demonstration to urge President Biden to reject the Willow Project at the U.S. Department of Interior in Washington, DC on Nov. 17, 2022. Jemal Countess / Getty Images for Sunrise AU

With 161.5 million views and counting on TikTok alone, the #StopWillow social media campaign has left no question of the groundswell of opposition to the proposed oil development project Willow on Alaskas remote North Slope.

Social media users have been using the hashtag to voice their resistance to President Joe Bidens failure to keep his campaign pledges to reduce oil drilling.

With all of the progress that the U.S. government has made on climate change, it now feels like theyre turning their backs by allowing Willow to go through, said climate activist Hazel Thayer, who posted TikTok videos using the #StopWillow hashtag, as The Associated Press reported. I think a lot of young people are feeling a little bit betrayed by that.

Final approval of the Willow project lies with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, who opposed the Willow project and fought against it as a member of Congress. There is likely to be input on the final decision from top White House climate officials, as well as President Biden himself.

Climate activists have called the Willow project a carbon bomb, and a change.org petition had more than 3.1 million signatures, with a goal of 4.5 million.

According to ConocoPhillips Alaska, the Willow project  which would be located on the Indiana-sized National Petroleum Reserve  could produce about 1.5 percent of the total oil production in the U.S., or as much as 180,000 barrels of oil per day, reported The Associated Press.

Willow would emit more climate pollution annually than more than 99.7% of all single point sources in the country. Its estimated that the oil from Willow, when burned, would add more than 280 million metric tons of climate pollution to the atmosphere over the next 30 years  equivalent to the annual emissions from 76 coal-fired power plants, the Stop Willow website says.

According to Audubon Alaska, the Willow project would be located near the Teshekpuk Lake wetlands, an important safe haven for nesting yellow-billed loons and molting geese.

The Willow project raises a number of serious issues, including impacts to migrating caribou, anadromous fish, nesting Yellow-billed Loons, and the Indigenous Peoples who call this area home, reported Audubon Alaska.

Quannah Chasinghorse, who is a climate activist, Han Gwichin and Sicangu/Oglala Lakota land protector and fashion model from Eagle Village, Alaska, and the Tribes of South Dakota, voiced her opposition of the Willow project in an opinion piece in CNN.

As someone whose homelands are in Alaska and who has experienced firsthand the impacts of climate change, the threat this massive and destructive project creates hits close to home for me. I have been inspired by the bravery of the community of Nuiqsut, Alaska, who are speaking out against the project, which is just miles from their homelands, threatening their way of life, food security and wellness, Chasinghorse wrote.

Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, who is mayor of Nuiqsut, the closest community to the area of the proposed Willow project, voiced the communitys opposition to the project because of how it could affect their subsistence lifestyle, The Associated Press reported.

And while this project may be across the Brooks Range from my people, the ecosystems and wildlife of these landscapes do not know western boundaries. Pollution and contamination do not know western boundaries. This project could destroy vital habitat for native species, like the caribou. Nuiqsut is fighting for these lands because they are also fighting on behalf of the caribou, the same food source I grew up eating, Chasinghorse wrote in CNN.
A Hwange man who allegedly gruesomely killed his 62-year-old uncle, dismembered his body, cooked and ate the remains while hanging the intestines and some of the body parts on a tree to dry, has been committed to a mental institution.

Wished Mumpande (39) of Mubhora Village, Chief Nekatambe in Hwange made headlines in the local Press after he butchered his uncle, Fida Stephen Mumpande who was aged 62 of Bhale Village, Chief Nekatambe, and ate part of the remains.

Mumpande was found in the Gandwe Hills with a pot of cooked meat, by a search team of three that was looking for Fida who had left his homestead three days prior to go and prepare his fields along Gwayi River. The search team was following Fidas shoeprints.

On discovering the pot with cooked meat on top of the hill, the three suspected that the meat could be the remains of Fida and after a further search close to where the pot was, they found dismembered body parts scattered around.

Post-mortem results showed that some body parts such as intestines, liver, tongue, pancreas, bladder, and kidneys were missing.

When Mumpande was arrested he was referred to a psychiatrist, Dr Elena Paskotchinova who is registered with Ingutsheni Central Hospital in Bulawayo, who examined him at Mlondolozi Prison Hospital.

Presenting the results of the examination at the High Court which was in circuit in Hwange before Justice Maxwell Takuva, the acting prosecutor-general, Mr Nelson Mutsonziwa said Mumpande was mentally challenged and not fit for trial leading to his reference to a mental institution.

In a similar case, Gilbert Ndlovu from Deka Village in Lupane who killed his neighbour for unknown reasons in 2021 was also referred by the High Court to a mental institution.

According to the State on 21 October 2021, at around 6am, Ndlovu went to his neighbours place armed with two axes. On arrival, he forcibly unlocked the door and struck the now-deceased on the head before proceeding to assault the nephew of the deceased.

The court heard from the evidence presented by Dr Paskotchinova was that Ndlovu was once admitted to Ingutsheni Central Hospital in 2019 following somatic hallucinations where he complained of a certain object moving and burning his body.

In 2020, Ndlovu was once again admitted to the same institution due to auditory hallucinations, physical and verbal aggression whereby he threatened to kill other residents with either an axe or a knife.

The accused person showed no remorse for the death of his neighbour as he claimed his neighbour had bewitched him with his five goblins and made him mentally ill.

According to the State on 21 October 2021, at around 6am, Ndlovu went to his neighbours place armed with two axes. On arrival, he forcibly unlocked the door and struck the now-deceased on the head before proceeding to assault the nephew of the deceased.

He further explained how a demon possessed him from his feet to his head before coming out of him as the sun. He also stated that he began drinking alcohol at 16 years and smoked about five cannabis twists daily, said Dr Paskotchinova, as part of his findings.

The court also decided that the accused person was not fit for trial and was referred back to a mental institution where he is to remain until he is of no harm to society. Another alleged murderer, Irvine Sibanda was also deemed not fit to stand trial and was committed to a mental institution. Sibanda, who is from Nkayi also appeared at the same court last Tuesday. He is accused of having fatally assaulted his father with a metal rod for no reason. Sunday News
The recent decision of the Seattle City Council in the United States (US) to enact a law banning caste discrimination makes Seattle the first American city as well as the first city outside of South Asia to recognise discrimination on the basis of caste and undertake legislative efforts for its removal. The decision was approved by a six-to-one vote in the Seattle City Council and was spearheaded by the socialist council member Kshama Sawant, who is also the only Indian-American representative in the Seattle City Council.

The decision of the Seattle City Council to outlaw caste discrimination is historic mainly because it recognises one of the most fundamental determinants of the material conditions that enable the international migration of Indians, especially to first-world countries like the US, United Kingdom, and Canada. According to the International Migration 2020 Highlights, a report prepared by the Population Division of the United Nations, India has the largest transnational population in the world. In just 20 years, India went past Russia and Mexico, which provided for the highest number of international migrants till 2000. With around 18 million Indians living abroad, the report also states that after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (3.5 million), the US (2.7 million) hosts the largest number of migrants from India. However, the socio-economic profile of Indians in the US is starkly different from that of the UAE, since the former hosts a majority of highly paid white-collar workers from India. Another important fact, noted by the 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey prepared by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, is that while the overwhelming majority of Indian migrants in the US is Hindu, more than eight in 10 people from this population group self-identify as belonging to the category of general or upper caste.
The assembly election results of Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura are being projected in the mainstream media and by the spokespersons of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a great triumph of the party and its supreme leadership at the helm of the union government. Such a projection is acceptable only in comparison with the electoral performance of the other major party with a nationwide presencethe Congresswhich has fared rather abysmally in the recent assembly elections. Putting such a national gloss over regional specificities may give the ruling party an inflated sense of electoral confidence; however, it cannot mask the reality that lies in the dynamics of details. Out of the three states that went to polls, the BJP could manage to get a simple majority only in Tripura, and that too with a significantly reduced vote-share and a major loss of seats for its alliance partnerthe Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT). It could sneak ahead of the majority mark only due to the division of the oppositional votes, and had the alliance between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI[M])Congress and the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha party been realised, in all likelihood, the BJP would have been staring at a major defeat. Whether the enforcers of the union government played any role in preventing such an alliance is anybodys guess, and the post-election dialogue between the BJP and the TIPRA Motha only adds grist to this speculative mill. Furthermore, the violence unleashed against the activists and supporters of the CPI(M) after the elections, that is, after the writ of the Election Commission over the state police is over, indicates the dual approach adopted by the BJP towards opposition forces as TIPRA Motha is sought to be co-opted while other parties are being coerced.

In Nagaland, the BJP has been a junior partner of the regional partythe Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)which leads the ruling alliance. While the NDPP has won double the number of seats than the BJP, the mainstream media kept reporting it as a historic victory for the BJP-led alliance in Nagaland. With its peculiar socialhistorical situation, Nagaland has nonetheless achieved the cherished dream of the ruling duo at the union, namely an opposition-mukt polity as all parties with representation in the assembly have expressed support to the government. This trend was emerging during the later phase of the last government itself, as the principal opposition party had merged with the NDPP, and again, the role of the union government in arriving at such a situation cannot be ruled out. Whether it is justified on the grounds of national security or development, absolute consensus that papers over political competition is inimical to a parliamentary democracy.
The Hathras judgment arguably has two opposite sides to it. From a legal point of view, the judgment is claimed to be adequate to the crime committed against the victim, even though it may be considered to be adequate by those who side with caste pride rather than human dignity. On the other side of the spectrum, some may find that the judgment may not account for the loss to humanity. Put differently, legal loss has to be understood outside the legal framework. This is because the legally settled case has an afterlifea life that continues to occur, particularly in the affective realm of an ethically sensitive being. What is seen as adequate in this case may be viewed as not only a legal but also an emotional loss.

A legalistic and hence cognitive approach to the courts judgment is what is procedurally assisted by the so-called rational procedure adopted by the investigative agencies, and it seems to put a closure on the settled court case. It does not account for the affective force that has an impact on the emotional shaping of the public, if not politicians, feelings towards the value of human dignity. Thus, one may ask: Does the affective response resulting from the inadequacy of justice not depend on the peoples capacity to feel sorry, if not enraged, by the socially produced tragedy such as the Hathras case of the killing of a Dalit woman?
Despite recent increases in facility births, maternal and newborn health outcomes in Uttar Pradesh (UP) remain exceptionally poor. The states overall neonatal mortality rate (NNM) was 48 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2005 and 36 per 1,000 in 2019, making it the state with the highest NNM in both years. The rural NNM was even higher, at 49 in 2005 and 38 in 2019. The 201618 SRS Bulletin on Maternal Mortality reported that UP had the second highest maternal mortality ratio (MMR; maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births) of any state after Assam, at 197 (ORG 2020). These high mortality rates mean that the state contributes a disproportionate share of Indias maternal and newborn deaths: 27% of Indias neonatal deaths and more than 35% of maternal deaths occur in UP, compared to only 18% of births.1 Considering that UP accounts for a disproportionately large share of Indias maternal and neonatal mortality, understanding its maternal and newborn health services is critical to improving health in the country as a whole.2

Health researchers have noted that the private sector plays a major role in healthcare in UP. Indeed, Jain et al (2015) analyse the 71st round of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and find that 85% of outpatient care and about 70% of inpatient care in UP was provided by the private sector. Maternal and newborn health services are an exception: more births occur in public facilities than in private facilities.
March 24 Timeline Flowchart can be found on the Without Redemption website at http://bit.ly/3ZDDKPG

Los Angeles, CADuring the course of writing Without Redemption: Creation & Deeds of Freeway Killer Bill Bonin, His Five Accomplices & How One Who Escaped Justice, the authors discovered how one day during Bonin's ten-months Freeway Killer murder spree was vitally important. Unknown till Without Redemption was published, authors Vonda Pelto, Ph.D. and Michael B. Butler uncovered the truth by having access to Bonin's jailhouse diaries and murder confession stories. Ironically, the authors didn't fully realize the true importance of the date until the book was completely finished.

During the events themselves, it took many months for the full implications of that day to work through after Bonin and all his accomplices were arrested in mid-to-late 1980. Unlocking the complex story of why March 24, 1980 is so important was a tedious aspect of the complicated task of creating an amazingly detailed serial killer historical biography.

The March 24 Timeline Flowchart can be found on the Without Redemption website at http://bit.ly/3ZDDKPG. This constitutes a basic road map of a story with an infinite number of twists and turns. What is clear, which is explained carefully in the book, is that the events of those days saved innocent lives and caused massive confusion in the final disposition of the Freeway Killer suspects.

Without Redemption Kindle on Sale for 99 cents till March 31

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





What is Without Redemption:



The book was written on a number of parallel tracks that constantly intersect:

First, it is the most detailed historical biography ever written about Bill Bonin, the notorious Freeway Killer responsible for murdering 22 teenage boys over ten-months in 1979-80.



Second, it is a psychological roadmap which charts the evolution of Bonin's personality from abused child to sexual predator to serial killer. This is accomplished using documents from his childhood, war service, multiple California government mental health and penal institutions, witness testimony and the expertise of Clinical Psychologist Vonda Pelto, Ph.D., who had many sessions with Bonin and two of his accomplices while working in Los Angeles Men's Central Jail.



Third, it is a narrative which, using long hidden documents, reveals the inner workings of Bonin's mind, showing how he thought, felt, planned and viewed the world. The narrative displays Bonin, an abused high school dropout, cleverly manipulating lawyers, judges, doctors, social workers, friends, family, probation officers, government bureaucrats, detectives, journalists and, most tragically, the innocent victims of his rage.



Fourth, Without Redemption reveals the complex story of what happened after Bonin's final arrest, when so much was in flux and so many moving parts were swirling about. Archived investigative documents, collected from a variety of sources, brings to light a number of surprising, shocking, sad and even funny events from those ten tumultuous months from June 1980 to March 1981.



Finally, it is a book which solves two 40-year-old murder mysteries and unlocks how one day of crossroads and coincidences, in the midst of the murder spree, profoundly impacted many lives and future events.

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 319-504-3788 or flotsampr@pm.me.
Rep. George Nikolakakos, R- Great Falls, speaks on the House floor in support of House Bill 380 on Friday, March 10, 2023. (Photo by Nicole Girten/Daily Montanan)

Heavy snowfall could be seen outside the windows of the House floor as Montana representatives debated providing funding for shelters for the unhoused around the state.

Rep. Neil Duram, R-Eureka, said Friday as he looked outside it was inconvenient to be homeless in Montana. Duram spoke in opposition to House Bill 380, which would allocate $2 million in matching funds to nonprofits working with the unhoused population in the state.

Duram quoted the 1989 film Field of Dreams saying, If you build it, they will come.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Gregory Frazer, R- Deer Lodge, was amended on the floor to add financial reporting requirements for additional accountability. Frazer also amended the bill in committee to add a sunset date for the funds in 2025.

The bill passed as amended 57-43 but not before some legislators questioned it.

Rep. Tanner Smith, R-Lakeside, said he would like to see the million dollars spent on bus tickets, because theyre not the ones we want to help.

In the Flathead Valley, youre going to be hard pressed to find families that are homeless because we take care of our own. Theres more churches in the Flathead than any place, Smith said.

The remark came after Flathead County Commissioners penned an open letter saying they were unified in rejecting all things that empower the homeless lifestyle, in response to rising numbers of unhoused people in Kalispell. The letter was cited by Rep. Jodee Etchart, R-Billings, in opposition to the bill in the House Human Services Committee.

Frazers bill received bipartisan support on the floor, with Rep. George Nikolakakos, R-Great Falls, saying its a good bill addressing a great need right now.

These are shelters like the one in Great Falls, the Rescue Mission, that supports this bill, and all around the state, who are providing services to families, to single moms, and getting them some help. Theyre overwhelmed right now, Nikolakakos said. Ill be smashing this green light.

He said he understood the frustration with spending, citing what he saw as dysfunction at the federal level, but said Montana is doing things right. He spent a day voting on tax cuts for guys like me, saying that was fine with making a smaller government.

Rep. Jane Gillette, R-Bozeman, said the state already allocates plenty of funds toward the unhoused in the state.

When the bill was heard in committee, Jessie Counts with the Department of Public Health and Human Services told lawmakers the department currently has four programs, including rental assistance, that help with housing stability or homelessness prevention.

Rep. Jennifer Carlson, R-Manhattan, said it sounded like the programs were for housed people and asked if there were programs for the homeless, to which Counts said these programs can also help those who are homeless.

Theres an income limit. Thats the primary criteria for most of them, as well as either being homeless or being at risk of being homeless, she said.

Frazer said on the floor that the legislature has dedicated funds to other aspects of the housing crisis. He said this was a modest amount to help get people back on their feet.

The bill would provide funds for nonprofit organizations to provide:

In-house treatment and case management services to address mental health and substance use disorders;

Family care and other services that will allow families to remain together; and

Programs serving elderly populations who are currently unhoused or at risk of becoming homeless

Frazer said mental health services help keep people out of the prison in Deer Lodge, where he works.

So they dont go out there and become an even bigger burden on our taxpayers, he said.

The bill will go on to third reading in the House.

The post After debate on the floor, grant for the unhoused passes first hurdle in the House appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Light rain early. Clearing overnight. Low near 35F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Light rain early. Clearing overnight. Low near 35F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Booths has been named the retailer which has been ordered by the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) to remove pre-packed beef mislabelled British.

The unit, a dedicated law enforcement function of the Food Standards Agency, is investigating the potential case of food fraud involving pre-packed sliced beef which came from South America and Europe.

Booths confirmed that it has removed the mislabelled products and halted trading with the supplier as soon as it was alerted.

The northern-based retailer said it was "working closely and cooperatively" with the NFCU, and insisted it was "categorically" not under investigation.

The NFCU has stated that while Boots is not under investigation, the food business which supplied the beef products is.

Andrew Quinn, deputy head of the NFCU, said the investigation was "not a food safety issue, but a matter of food fraud".

"The retailer was notified on the same day that we took action against the food business suspected of the fraud and immediately removed all affected products from their shelves.

"The retailer continues to work closely and co-operatively with the NFCU investigation to progress the case against the supplier."

He added: "Any fraud investigations of this nature take time to go through evidence and bring to any outcome, including any potential prosecution.

"We take food fraud very seriously and are acting urgently to protect the consumer."

The potential case of food fraud comes ten years on from the horse meat scandal, when horsemeat entered the UK's food supply chain.

The meat was found in a series of beef products that reached the supermarket shelves  resulting in millions of products being withdrawn.

At the recent NFU Conference, the union's president Minette Batters warned against the possibility of another food scandal rocking the industry.

She said: Ten years on from the horsegate scandal, we cannot afford to be so complacent about the risks that continue to exist.

Although the food industry has since taken steps to make food safer, John Pallagi, founder of online butcher Farmison & Co, recently warned that the supply chain remains vulnerable.

He said that more than ever consumers were demanding  and deserved to see  full traceability of produce.

The horse meat scandal undoubtedly inspired a great deal of scrutiny from retailers into their supply chains at the time, but I wonder what reforms have been introduced.

I fear the answer isnt enough  and that meat food supply chains remain as opaque and difficult to trace as ever.

"Reputation management  I would venture  has been more important than addressing the fundamental wrongs of these systems.
Salhoutonou Kruse won the election in Nagaland, thereby creating history of the first-even woman being elected to the state assembly. Winning by a margin of seven votes, Salhoutonou will be the first woman minister to hold position in the state cabinet. Hekani Jakhalu was also elected as as Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) alongwith Salhoutonou. With this victory, they made history as the first two female lawmakers in Nagaland's 60 years as a state.Salhoutuonuo, 56, took the oath of office on Tuesday, in the presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She won the Nagaland Assembly election in 2023 while running for the National Democratic Progressive Party from the Western Angami seat (NDPP). Salhoutuonuo expressed her gratitude to God and happiness after the ceremony. "I hope to serve our people to the best of my abilities," she said. Salhoutuonuo told the media after that she was grateful for the opportunity.In a message to the women of the country, she said she will encourage women to be brave, sincere and hardworking to gain what we have not gained yet. I thank my supporters. Thanks for the opportunity. I shall be meeting the supporters after collecting the election certificate and we will be praying together," she added.
Vietnam's textile and garment exports decreased by 19.6 per cent in January and February 2023 to reach $4.548 billion, according to preliminary data from customs IT and statistics department, general department of customs, Vietnams ministry of finance. However, exports grew by 1.9 per cent in February 2023 compared to the previous month.

The US accounted for a major share of 42.98 per cent of Vietnam's textile and garment exports during this period, amounting to $1.955 billion. Japan and South Korea were the other major destinations, with exports of $536.636 million and $505.085 million, respectively.

Vietnam's yarn exports decreased by 38.4 per cent to $564.552 million compared to the same period of last year, with China importing 31.20 per cent of yarn amounting to $176.580 million, followed by India at $8.949 million. Vietnam exported 196,593 tons of yarn, which was 28.8 per cent lower than the exports during the same period last year.

Vietnam's textile and garment exports decreased by 19.6 per cent in January and February 2023 to reach $4.548 billion, according to preliminary data from customs IT and statistics department, general department of customs, Vietnam's ministry of finance. However, exports grew by 1.9 per cent in February 2023 compared to the previous month.

In 2022, Vietnam's textile and garment exports grew by 14.7 per cent year-on-year to $37.5 billion, against a target of $43 billion. In 2021, Vietnam's textile and garment exports earned $32.750 billion, a growth of 9.9 per cent over the exports of $29.809 billion in the previous year, while yarn exports increased by 50.1 per cent to $5.609 billion from $3.736 billion in 2020.

For 2023, Vietnam's export target for textiles, garments, and yarn is $48 billion in case of a positive market scenario, according to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS).

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2023) - Founders Metals Inc. (TSXV: FDR) (the "Company") The Company is pleased to announce that further to its news releases dated October 24, 2022, November 10, 2022, and January 24, 2023, the Company is scheduled on March 16, 2023 to complete the acquisition (the "Acquisition") by the Company from Orea Mining Corp. ("Orea") of the option (the "Option") to acquire up to 75% of the Antino Gold Project in Suriname from Nana Resources N.V. ("Nana"), which has been conditionally approved by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").

The Company is also pleased to announce the increase of its previously announced concurrent equity private placement financing to raise gross proceeds of up to $3,200,000 (the "Concurrent Financing"), which will close concurrently with the Acquisition as previously described in the Company's November 10, 2022 news release. As previously announced, the Concurrent Financing will consist of units (the "Units") at a price of $0.20 per Unit, which may result in the issuance of up to 16,000,000 with gross proceeds of up to $3,200,000. Each Unit will be comprised of one (1) common share (a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"). Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one (1) additional common share (each a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.35 per Warrant Share and will be exercisable for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Concurrent Financing for exploration and development of the Company's Antino Gold Project in southeast Suriname, including technical studies, geophysical surveys, sampling, drilling, and assays, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. The Company may pay a finder's fee in connection with the Concurrent Financing to eligible finders in accordance with the policies of the Exchange and applicable securities laws consisting of: (i) a cash commission of up to 7% of the gross proceeds of the Concurrent Financing; and (ii) a number of common share purchase warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") equal to up to 7% of the number of Units sold pursuant to the Concurrent Financing. Each Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Share at a price of $0.20 per Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

All Units and securities of the Company issued pursuant to the Concurrent Financing will be subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance. The Concurrent Financing will not result in the creation of a new control person of the Company.

In addition, the Company also wishes to announce that effective February 25, 2023, it has extended the expiry date of 7,177,000 common share purchase warrants issued on February 26, 2021 having an exercise price of $0.75 per common share, extending the expiry date from February 26, 2023 to February 26, 2025.

About Founders Metals Inc.

Founders Metals is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing gold projects in the Guiana Shield. Its flagship project is the 23,800 ha Antino Gold Project in South America's underexplored and mining-friendly country of Suriname. Historical surface/alluvial gold mining on the property has produced over 500,000 gold ounces to-date1. Historical exploration work at Antino includes, over 30,000 m of historical drilling, >35,000 auger gold-in-soil samples, property-wide aeromagnetic survey data, and a 2022 LiDAR survey, providing numerous opportunities to expand known high-grade greenstone gold mineralization, and delineate new targets.

12022 Technical Report - Antino Project; Suriname, South America. K. Raffle, BSc, P.Geo & Rock Lefrancois, BSc, P.Geo.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Per: "Colin Padget"

Colin Padget

President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director

For further information, please contact:

Nick Stajduhar, Director

Telephone: +1 (780) 701-3216

Email: nicks@fdrmetals.com

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date of this news release. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether because of new information or future events, or results or otherwise.

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.

Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/158125
West Palm Beach, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2023) - The alternative investment fund WS Capital Series Fund LLC (WS Capital) has committed to placing institutional capital into an international water treatment company. Tom Signorelli, owner of WS Capital Fund, says that the company provides resin services, deionized tanks, and reverse osmosis units. The water treatment company will use the new capital to increase its inventory and enhance its sales platform.

"We are especially excited about this opportunity because while the company had been struggling and was nearing bankruptcy, it has done a great job of resolving its problems. This is due in no small part to the acumen and perseverance of the owner, who is committed to growing the business with a clean state," he states. "We are always looking for ways to support companies and are pleased to place this capital to help them on their path."

Throughout 2023, WS Capital will continue to come alongside businesses across the United States and seek to provide capital for their needs and programs.

WS Capital Series Fund, LLC's mission is to ensure that its clients are able to not only operate but flourish amidst the uncertainties and fluctuations of the financial space. WS Capital is known for the dedication and support it gives its clients through its team of vetted, highly experienced financial experts. WS Capital provides funding products that are efficient, creative, approachable, and flexible, and its commitment to speed and detail means it serves a broad client base with equal attention and diligence. WS Capital remains committed to efficiently addressing the commercial credit needs of middle-market borrowers and investors.

For more information about WS Capital Series Fund, LLC, please see its website or contact:

Craig Kaminski, WS Capital Series Fund

socialmedia@wscapfund.com

www.wscapitalfund.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/158123
On March 8, Abrasivestocks.com participated in the "German Equipment Manufacturing Industry Cooperation Matchmaking Conference" held in Leipzig, Germany. During the conference, the general manager of Abrasivestocks Germany introduced the company's overseas industrial warehouses and Hardware Tools Grinding Expo in Brisbane Australia.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230310005423/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

Over 160 representatives from various organizations attended the conference, including the Henan Provincial Department of Commerce, Leipzig Bureau of Commerce, and German and Chinese enterprises participating in German Grinding Exhibition. The conference aimed to discuss the future of cooperation and exchange between Henan Province and German equipment manufacturing industry.

During the conference, the director of Industry Development Promotion Division of Henan Provincial Department of Commerce discussed the remarkable achievements in the cooperation between Henan and Germany in the field of equipment manufacturing.

Mr. Xu Daqun, director of Industry Development Promotion Division of Henan Provincial Department of Commerce, said that Henan and Germany has always maintained close economic and trade relation, and the two sides have cooperated in the field of equipment manufacturing for many years with remarkable achievements. Today's (March 8) gathering is to discuss the prospect and future of cooperation and exchange between Henan Province and German equipment manufacturing industry.

The president of the IHK Leipzig talked about the important issue of vocational training, while the president of German-Chinese Economic Federation emphasized the potential for cooperation between Germany and Henan through knowledge and experience exchange and joint projects.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230310005423/en/

Contacts:

Abrasivestocks

www.abrasive-stocks.com

Bai Ning

info@abrasivestocks.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 10, 2023) - York Harbour Metals Inc. (TSXV: YORK) (OTC Pink: YORKF) (FSE: 5DE0) (the "Company" or "York") announces that it has chosen Native Ads Inc. ("Native Ads") to execute a comprehensive digital media marketing campaign for the Company, supporting its ongoing efforts to increase awareness in North America. This comprehensive advertising program is designed to build brand familiarity, general recognition, and raise awareness within online investor content platforms. Native Ads will employ state-of-the-art digital advertising, paid distribution, media buying and content creation to execute this important initiative.

This programmatic digital advertising campaign will run for up to 6 months, or until budget exhaustion, at the cost of approximately $150,000 USD (approx. $201,000 CAD), which will be paid at commencement of the program from the Company's existing working capital. Services provided pursuant to the agreement will include North American media placements and distribution and strategic services, including content creation, web development, advertising creative development, search engine optimization and strategic digital advertising consulting. The campaign will commence in March of 2023, with exact timelines to be agreed upon by York and Native Ads. The Company and Native Ads act at arm's length, and Native Ads has no present interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company or its securities. The appointment of Native Ads is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Native Ads Inc.

Native Ads is a full-service ad agency in business since 2014 that owns and operates a proprietary ad exchange with over 80 integrated SSPs (supply-side platforms) resulting in daily access to three to seven billion North American ad impressions. It is only digital agency serving public companies that owns both its own ad network, as well as a financial publisher network. Native Ads has offices in Vancouver and New York and is led by its CEO Jon Malach who is its authorized representative for its investor relations services. For more than 8 years, Jon has been facilitating the strategic pairing by Native Ads of premium publishers with premium advertisers, by providing elegant native ad units.

About the Company

York Harbour Metals Inc. (TSXV: YORK) (OTC Pink: YORKF) (FSE: 5DE0) is an exploration and development company with a focus on two high-grade projects in Newfoundland. The York Harbour Copper-Zinc-Silver Project is located approximately 27 km from Corner Brook in Newfoundland. The Company intends to continue drilling the 11 known mineralized zones and explore new massive sulphide targets.

Recently, the Company announced the acquisition of a high-grade Rare Earth Elements ("REE") project also located in Newfoundland. The Bottom Brook Critical Metals Project, covering 13,025 hectares, is located next to the Trans Canada Highway and is just 27 km from the deep-water port at Turf Point. York Harbour intends to actively identify diamond drill targets by property-wide prospecting and focused soil sampling and geological mapping. A substantial drill program scheduled for this year.

For further details on York Harbour Metals, please reach out to info@yorkharbourmetals.com or call +1-778-302-2257. You may also visit the Company's website at www.yorkharbourmetals.com for past news releases, media interviews and opinion-editorial pieces by management.

On Behalf of The Board of Directors,

Andrew Lee

Managing Director

Telephone: 778-302-2257 | Email: andrew@yorkharbourmetals.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 press 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/158129
Historic AlUla Old Town was among villages included by UNWTO on its 2022 list of Best Tourism Villages

Delegates from around the world will share their insights on sustainable, innovative rural tourism

ALULA, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AlUla, the ancient crossroads of civilisations in north-west Arabia that is now emerging as a global destination for cultural and natural heritage, will be the site of the first-ever in-person meeting of representatives of the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO.





The villages, including AlUla Old Town District were recognised in December as part of UNWTO's Best Tourism Villages (BTV) initiative, "recognises villages that are an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with accredited cultural and natural assets, that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, products, and lifestyle and have a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects - economic, social, and environmental."

UNWTO have organised the first iteration of the Best Tourism Villages Award Ceremony and meeting of the BTV Network in AlUla on March 12-13. The event will be a forum for knowledge-sharing on topics such as best practices, community empowerment, and public-private partnerships. It will also review the programme's 2022 activities and 2023 work plan.

Delegates originating from Switzerland to Vietnam will gather at AlUla's Maraya multi-purpose venue, which holds the Guinness record as the world's largest mirror-clad building, with mirrors covering its 9,740 sqm surface. The UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, is expected to attend.

The BTV programme aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to triple tourism's share of the national economy to 10%. In 2019 Saudi Arabia introduced eVisas for citizens of 49 countries, and this February the Kingdom introduced a 96-hour stopover visa.

For the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) the gathering affirms AlUla's legacy as a cultural crossroads. A place of collaboration and cultural exchange for a millennia, there is a natural synergy between the destination and the UNWTO's BTV programme. The inclusion of AlUla on the 2022 list is an accolade in support of RCU's careful regeneration, cultural rejuvenation, and curated redevelopment of heritage destinations. RCU is honoured not only by AlUla's inclusion as a BTV but by its selection as host of this inaugural BTV global gathering.

HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, said: "The Ministry is proud to partner with UNWTO to host the Best Tourism Villages 2022 Awards Ceremony and jointly convene the first meeting of the BTV Network in the historic destination of AlUla, one of the villages across the globe recognised for its innovative approach to transforming the tourism sector."

Mr. Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UNWTO, said: "For rural communities everywhere, tourism can be a true gamechanger in providing jobs, supporting local businesses and keeping traditions alive. The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO showcase the power of the sector to drive economic diversification and create opportunities for all outside of big cities."

Eng. Amr AlMadani, CEO of RCU, said: "This gathering of the world's best tourism villages serves several purposes for RCU: it allows us to share insights with destinations that share our commitment to sustainable regeneration, it showcases Maraya as a leading venue for conferences. It also provides our guests with the opportunity to visit AlUla, including the remarkable site of Hegra, which in 2008 was inscribed as Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site."

The complete list of Best Tourism Villages 2022 can be read here: www.unwto.org/news/best-tourism-villages-of-2022-named-by-unwto

Tune into the event through the official livestream here: https://youtube.com/live/32ecVh7kzkE

Noted for editors:

It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula

About the Royal Commission for AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education, and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.





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NEW YORK, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Huion, a leading innovator and manufacturer of digital drawing devices, is celebrating its 12th anniversary across all the platforms, including social networking sites and the official community.

Founded in 2011, Huion has grown from a startup to an industry leader in the last decade. When asked what the secret to its success is, Huion will say it is Innovation. Huion acted to provide its customers with the best products and cutting-edge technology. As a result, it rapidly developed as a global brand with a good reputation. For the time being, Huion has become a baseline of comparison in the industry, frequently recommended by communities and creatives for its great value.





Huion sticks to "Technology + Innovation" strategy

In recent years, Huion strives for a "Technology + Innovation" strategy as it expands its product line ranging from entry-level to high-end workflow, catering to a diverse range of creators and professionals.

From 2022 to 2023, Huion has introduced the industry's largest pen tablet, Inspiroy Giano; the industry's first pen tablet with dual dial controllers, Inspiroy Dial 2; in addition, it rolled out its first smart digital notebook, Huion Note; the intuitive Inspiroy 2 series of tablets; and the new pen computers Kamvas Studio 16 & 24, which drew much attention.





As for technological achievement, Huion introduced the latest PenTech 3.0+ to give artists a more natural writing experience. PenTech 3.0+ technology is first used on PW550 and PW550S. With the linear pressure sensitivity, the new pens will react smoothly and take the user experience to the next level.

During that time, Huion also won design awards, such as GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARD 2022 and Red Dot Design Award 2022. It is undeniably a form of recognition and encouragement for Huion, propelling it to greater heights.

Huion's prospects in the near future

Huion's mission is to bring digital ink solutions to more people around the world, allowing them to express their ideas and values with boundless imagination and creativity, regardless of their background and status. Today, Huion users come from all over the world, including Europe, Southeast Asia, North America, and Australia.

We've seen the power of innovation, and we still believe it's the key to the longevity of an enterprise. In the foreseeable future, Huion will continue to innovate and lead the way in the industry.





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editor's pick centerpiece featured

Judge orders new evaluator for accused Santa Fe shooter

jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Jeth Jones jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Nicholas Poehl jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Judge Jeth Jones of the 122nd District Court addresses attorney Nicholas Poehl, head of Dimitrios Pagourtzis defense team, and Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady, right, during a hearing Friday to appoint an independent mental health expert to evaluate Pagourtzis, the student accused of killing 10 people in a 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School. jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Judge Jeth Jones of the 122nd District Court listens to defense attorney Nicholas Poehl on Friday, March 10, 2023, during a hearing where Jones appointed an independent mental health expert to evaluate Dimitrios Pagourtzis, the student accused of killing 10 people in a 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School.

GALVESTON

A judge who recently inherited the case for accused Santa Fe school shooter Dimitrios Pagourtzis Friday ordered a new court-appointed expert to evaluate whether the now-22-year-old man is competent enough to proceed to trial.

In a room filled with the victims parents and reporters, Judge Jeth Jones appointed an independent expert to assess the competency of Pagourtzis, who is charged with capital murder. Pagourtzis is accused of killing 10 people and wounding 13 others in a shooting at Santa Fe High School in May 2018. He was 17 at the time of the shooting.

I like what I heard, Rosie Y. Stone, whose son Chris Stone died in the shooting, said of the hearing.

Its the first time weve ever had a judge who asked questions and didnt back down, she said. Were trying to get some answers almost five years later, and thats whats been happening this whole time.

Jones decision replaces Houston psychologist Dr. Karen Gollaher, who ruled Pagourtzis incompetent four years ago, as an independent mental health evaluator, Nicholas Poehl, head of Pagourtzis defense team said.

Jones appointed Dr. Joseph Penn of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston to conduct an evaluation of Pagourtzis competency. The judge granted him at least two days in May at the facility to decide whether the defendant is competent to confer with his defense attorneys about his case.

In the aftermath of the shooting, an evaluator found Pagourtzis not competent to stand trial by medical experts for the court, the state and the defense, Jones said. Pagourtzis has been in North Texas State Hospital for treatment, but annual reviews have concluded that he is not competent to stand trial, he said.

The courts order means an independent medical expert will assess Pagourtzis and report whether he is competent to stand trial, Jones said. The report is expected in approximately one month.

The victims and their families have long waited for justice, and Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady, who is prosecuting the case, is encouraged by the possibility that the prosecution might move forward.

My office will zealously pursue every available means to bring this defendant to justice, Roady said.

Pagourtzis also is under indictment for aggravated assault against a public servant for the shooting of Santa Fe ISD Officer John Barnes, who was gravely injured when he responded to the scene of the shooting, Roady said.

Pagourtzis defense attorneys said they didnt have an opportunity to discuss whether the defendant could be available by video, calling into question the swiftness with which the hearing was planned.

Rhonda Hart, mother of shooting victim Kimberly Vaughan, however, thinks its about time some action was taken.

Its a big coincidence that as soon as we start lobbying in Austin for Senate Bill 435, as soon as we start getting really vocal in Austin about wanting our autopsy reports basically talking to the management  thats when we see some action, she said.

Well go Karen on them if we have to  just to have a sense of humor on this, she said.

Roady threw his support behind Senate Bill 435 in a statement to The Daily News Friday.

(It) would allow prosecutors to share certain information about a crime with crime victims and their families, while not having to make that information available to the general public, he said.

Under the current law, crime victims and their families dont have the ability to access this information prior to trial, he said.

This has been especially heartbreaking for the victims families in the Santa Fe High School shooting, since the trial in that case has been delayed while we wait for the defendant to be restored to competency, Roady said.

This bill would address that issue and, hopefully, allow us to provide some of the information these families have been waiting for, he said.

Victims parents praised Jones aggressive stance on the issue Friday. Jones is new to this case, taking over this year after winning election to the 122nd District Court.

And what I understand is that the defendant is currently at the North Texas State Hospital, and hes there only on competency restoration at this time, Jones said.

Jones worries that a court-appointed expert hasnt evaluated Pagourtzis since 2019.

All of the competency evaluations that have been done and reported are from the North Texas State Hospital during the course of his commitment, Roady said. Additional evaluations are done when that annual date comes up.

Now, the judge is asking about an outside expert going in and doing an evaluation  I dont know of any other that has been done, other than the physicians in North Texas State Hospital.

It is the courts belief that Pagourtzis is at North Texas State Hospital to receive competency restoration  he is only there for that purpose, Jones said.

He is there only to seek competency-restoration treatment so that he can consult with a reasonable degree and have a factual understanding about proceedings against him, he said.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blender Bites Limited. (the Company, Blender Bites or Blender), (CSE: BITE, FWB: JL4, WKN: A3DMEJ), a two time award-winning Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium, organic and plant-based pre-portioned frozen functional foods, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Steve Pear, former CEO of Odwalla, a subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Company (Coca-Cola"), as the Companys Chief Operating Officer (COO).



Mr. Pear has extensive experience in the beverage and consumer packaged goods (CPGs) space, bringing over three decades of executive level expertise to his new role with Blender Bites.

Mr. Pears impressive career includes 22 years with industry giant Coca-Cola where he held executive level roles under subsidiaries of the multibillion-dollar beverage corporation, including Senior Vice President National Sales for Miller Coors LLC (now Coors Brewing Company) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Odwalla Inc., Coca-Colas then natural health foods and beverage subsidiary, where he witnessed Odwalla reach $300,000,000 in top line revenues.

In addition to an impressive career with various Coca-Cola subsidiaries, Mr. Pear has seen much success in leading start-up companies. Steve is the former CEO of Cheribundi, a functional beverage start-up company, where in a short 4-year period he led the company from $3,000,000 to approximately $44,000,000 in annual sales.

Mr. Pears breadth of industry knowledge, along with his expertise in sales, marketing, operations and working with high growth brands, are invaluable assets, and will lend well to the bolstering of Blender Bites impressive and growing executive management team.

Blender Bites is at a stage now where the company needs top talent to scale aggressively into the US market. Steve brings a level of expertise that will elevate the brand to an exciting new level. He will compliment my skill set as CEO perfectly and allow me to focus on selling our products into US retailers and working to develop more first to market innovations. The fact that Steve decided to join the Blender Bites team is another testament to the potential of this brand. I am incredibly grateful and honored to have him by side as we scale the company in 2023 and beyond, commented Chelsie Hodge, the Companys CEO and Founder.

ABOUT BLENDER BITES

Blender Bites is an award-winning Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium frozen food products with a focus on functionality. Blender Bites was founded in 2016 and was first to market in Western Canada with a pre-portioned easy smoothie product that is free of any unnecessary inner plastic packaging. Blender Bites products are certified organic, vegan, non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free and soy free. They contain no added sugars and are made in Canada. Blender Bites products are distributed internationally across Canada and the US, and are currently sold in over 900 stores, including Sobeys, Loblaws, Safeway, Save on Foods, Real Canadian Superstore, Whole Foods Market, Buy-Low/Nesters, IGA, Thrifty and Fresh Street.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Blender Bites Limited

Chelsie Hodge, Chief Executive Officer

Email  chelsie@blenderbites.com

Telephone  236-521-0626

For further information, contact Blender IR Team at:

Email  investors@blenderbites.com

Telephone  1-888-997-2055

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties, and uncertain capital markets. Readers are cautioned that 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. (the Company) (TSXV:RKV) announces that it may apply to the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) to extend the expiry date of 11,414,750 common share purchase warrants (the Warrants) issued by the Company. The original term of the Warrants was two years and they currently expire on March 25, 2023. The Company proposes to extend the expiry date by up to 12 months (the Warrant Extension). No other terms of the Warrants are to be amended and the exercise price of each Warrant will remain at $0.40. The proposed amendment of the Warrants is subject to TSXV approval. The extension of the Warrants, if any, would only be effective upon TSXV approval and receipt of the requisite confirmation from the holders of the Warrants.



Additional Information

The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the content of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice regarding forward-looking statements:

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding the Company and its respective business, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the proposed business plan of the Company and other statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, is expected, expects, scheduled, intends, contemplates, anticipates, believes, proposes or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events, or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of the Company. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company, including risks regarding the medical device industry, economic factors, regulatory factors, the equity markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition. 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 to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. The reader is referred to the Companys most recent filings on SEDAR for a more complete discussion of all applicable risk factors and their potential effects, copies of which may be accessed through the Companys profile page at www.sedar.com .

Contact:
Hyderabad, March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market research report titled Pharmaceutical CDMO Market Size - 2023-2028," the market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.29%. The contract development and manufacturing organization outsourcing market may expand due to the expanding pharmaceutical sector. The CRO industry is currently experiencing rapid growth due to a variety of factors. Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly tapping CROs for clinical and commercial-stage manufacturing as they understand the potential financial benefits. In addition, changing consumer demand has led to heightened expectations of product performance, with more affordable medications and higher levels of productivity being sought. New technologies like artificial intelligence and digitization are also playing a major role in driving the rise of the CRO industry, along with emerging biopharma companies and the growing use of personalized medicine.

CDMO Market Share - What is driving the growth of the Pharmaceutical CDMO Market?

According to a survey conducted by EY in July 2022, the number of CDMOs has increased over the past decade, with mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and consolidations being the main growth drivers. The EY team analyzed multiple deals and reviewed 92 publicly disclosed internal investments from 15 select global CDMO companies to provide a consolidated view of the CDMO's M&A landscape.

The United States is one of the largest pharmaceutical markets, accounting for about half of the R&D spending in the pharmaceutical and biotech markets.

CDMOs play a vital role in this market, investing in new facilities and technologies to serve a wide range of outsourcing entities.

In June 2021, Bengaluru-based Kemwell Biopharma acquired two new clients from the United States for end-to-end novel biologics projects, including development and clinical manufacturing.

It continued supporting commercial drug product manufacturing for the two clients despite the COVID-19 lockdowns to ensure uninterrupted supplies.

It successfully manufactured over 20 batches of a commercially approved drug substance at a 2,000-l scale.

In January 2022, Aragen Life Sciences (formerly GVK Biosciences) stated that the demand for outsourced research, development, and manufacturing services may continue to gain momentum.

With the increasing demand for end-to-end integrated services, the CRO and CDMO industries are likely to consolidate globally and in India.

The need for proper infrastructure for the safe handling and containment of high-potency drugs, especially the appropriate analytical skills for high-potency drugs and adequate project management (including proper launch, execution, and completion), may help the market for R&D stand out in the future.

How is the growth being addressed?

The Asia-Pacific region is poised to experience the highest levels of growth in the CRO market during the forecast period owing to its cost advantage over other regions. Furthermore, increasing incidences of chronic and lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, access to patient recruitment, and availability of experts for clinical trials have all contributed to heightened growth prospects in this part of the world.

For instance, China has over 180 million elderly citizens suffering from chronic diseases, with 75% having more than one disease, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). By 2030, the treatment of cardiovascular diseases may cost the Chinese government around USD 1,044 billion.

In April 2021, dMedGlobal, a full-service clinical CRO based in Shanghai, China, and Clinipace Incorporated, also a full-service clinical CRO, announced a merger, which is expected to meet the needs of fast-moving biotech, pharma, and medical device companies and accelerate the delivery of innovative solutions to patients in the region and worldwide.

Who are the key players in the Pharmaceutical CDMO Market?

The pharmaceutical CDMO market is fragmented, with several vendors holding significant market share. Some of the key market players are:

Catalent Inc.

Recipharm AB

Jubilant Pharmova Ltd

Patheon Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.)

Boehringer Ingelheim Group

Pfizer CentreSource

Aenova Holding GmbH

Famar SA

Baxter Biopharma Solutions

Lonza Group

Tesa Labtec GmbH

Tapemark

ARX LLC

CMIC Holdings Co. Ltd

Recent Developments in the Pharmaceutical CDMO Market:

October 2022 - BiohavenPharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd was acquired by Pfizer Inc. in a transaction amounting to USD 11.6 billion. BiohavenPharmaceutical is the manufacturer of NURTEC ODT (rimegepant), a new migraine medicine licensed for both acute treatment and prevention of episodic migraine in adults.

September 2022 - Lonza collaborated with Touchlight, a biotechnology start-up that developed enzymatic DNA manufacturing, to fuel the genetic medicine revolution.

August 2022 - Aenova announced its plans to diversify its product development and production capabilities, especially in active medicinal components' bioavailability.

In a nutshell, the Mordor Intelligence Market Research Report is a must-read for start-ups, industry players, investors, researchers, consultants, business strategists, and all those who are looking to understand this industry. Get a glance of the report at https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/pharmaceutical-contract-development-and-manufacturing-organization-cdmo-market

About Mordor Intelligence

Mordor Intelligence is a market intelligence and advisory firm. At Mordor Intelligence, we believe in predicting butterfly effects that have the potential to change or significantly impact market dynamics.

Our market research reports are comprehensive and provide exclusive data, facts and figures, trends, and the competitive landscape of the industry.

Other Trending Reports you may like:

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Hyderabad, March 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market research report titled Saudi Arabia Foodservice Market-2023-2028", the Saudi Arabian food market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.71%. Saudi Arabia's youth-driven population is a significant driver of fast-food growth. Approximately 70% of the countrys population is under 30 years, causing an increase in mobile food preferences. These changes are broadly influenced by Western cultural trends in the Saudi market. This high demand for food services has created a favorable environment for industry growth.



Over the medium term, the growing demand for home delivery and foodservice providers is expected to drive the markets growth. Increasing health consciousness and the growing rate of obesity among the Saudi Arabian population are some challenges that can hinder market growth.

Foodservice Market Research - What is driving the growth of the Saudi Arabian foodservice market?

Over the past decade, Saudi Arabia witnessed more immigrants from Asia than from any other region, making Asians the fastest-growing immigrant population in the country.

Some major market trends shaping the Saudi Arabian foodservice market, according to our research experts:

Growing demand for Southeast Asian cuisine in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has a huge number of immigrants from Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Opportunity to capitalize on the trend of trying different cuisines.

The diverse population of ex-pats in the country.

Catering to the growing millennial population in Saudi Arabia.

Diverse and unique Southeast Asian cuisine

Some famous dining services offering authentic Southeast Asian cuisine in the country are Toki, Ginza I Chome, Bamboo Kitchen, Yauatcha Riyadh, and Hualan.

What has been the impact of this growth?

The market has been experiencing rapid socio-cultural changes over the past few years, mainly due to the rapid economy growth, which allowed people from the country to travel to Western countries for tourism and education, thus exposing them to Western food and culture.

The market also unveiled a series of significant tourism initiatives in Saudi Arabia, proving that the country is moving toward becoming a world-class global tourism hub, backed by competitive advantages that attract international travelers looking for new experiences in the country. Thus, this trend is creating a huge opportunity for restaurants offering Western cuisine, such as burgers and pizza, as they are a convenient go-to option.

This trend is further augmenting the demand for global cuisines, thus boosting the number of foodservice outlets. In 2022, Saudi Arabia became the largest market due to the high penetration of international cuisines, accounting for more than half of the GCC foodservice market.

Who are the key players in the Saudi Arabian foodservice market?

The Saudi Arabian foodservice market is a fragmented and competitive market with the presence of several players. Key players in the market include:

McDonald's Corporation

Yum! Brands Inc.

Herfy Food Services Co.

Albaik Food Systems Co. SA

Domino's Pizza Inc.

Starbucks Corporation

Al Tazaj

Americana Group Inc.

Shawaya House

Recent Developments in the Saudi Arabian Foodservice Market:

December 2021: Riyadh International Catering Service, the franchisee of McDonald's restaurants in the Kingdom's Central, Eastern, and Northern regions, opened its 200th branch on Riyadh Boulevard.

November 2021: Dominos launched a new side item, Dominos Oven-Baked Dips, in three unique flavors: Cheesy Marinara, Five Cheese, and Baked Apple, to pair with Dominos Bread Twists.

May 2021: Kudu and Easternpak collaborated to develop a new sustainable product, the Kudu Breakfast Box. This one-of-a-kind packaging was created in response to the demand for a unique breakfast box. The box is designed to store meals while adding two slots for coffee cups, thus making it more practical.

In a nutshell, the Mordor Intelligence Market Research Report is a must-read for start-ups, industry players, investors, researchers, consultants, business strategists, and all those who are looking to understand the industry. Get a glance at the https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/saudi-arabia-foodservice-market

About Mordor Intelligence

Mordor Intelligence is a market intelligence and advisory firm. At Mordor Intelligence, we believe in predicting butterfly effects that have the potential to change or significantly impact market dynamics.

Our market research reports are comprehensive and provide exclusive data, facts and figures, trends, and the competitive landscape of the industry.

Other Trending Reports you may like:

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Chris Caldwell, CEO of United Renewables, Engages in Dialogue with Professor Kathleen O'Connor from London Business School

DOUGLAS, Isle of Man, March 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Negotiation is often viewed as a means of winning or getting one's way, but according to Professor Kathleen O'Connor, Clinical Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School, the key to successful negotiation is collaboration and empathy.

In a recent interview with green entrepreneur Chris Caldwell of United Renewables, O'Connor urged individuals to shift their mindset from negotiating to win, to negotiating to better understand others.

"Negotiation is not just about reaching an agreement, but also about learning and discovering new information," says O'Connor. "It's important to recognise that the other party may have different priorities and values than you do. By seeking to understand their perspective, you can find common ground and reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

O'Connor emphasised the importance of active listening and seeking to understand the other party's underlying interests and motivations. By doing so, individuals can build stronger relationships and achieve more successful outcomes in both personal and professional settings.

Caldwell, a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the cleantech industry, echoed O'Connor's sentiments in a follow-up thought piece. He believes that negotiation is not adversarial, but collaborative, and that it is not about beating someone else, but creatively discovering shared solution space.

As the CEO of United Renewables, Caldwell has built his company on a whole-of-business climate strategy, constructing and operating renewable energy infrastructure across wind, tidal, solar, and anaerobic technologies. He is also a leading voice in the sustainable business community, hosting the fast-growing podcast Conversations on Climate.

As businesses and individuals increasingly prioritise sustainable, ethical decision-making, O'Connor and Caldwell's approach to negotiation could have far-reaching effects on the business landscape.

About Kathleen O'Connor:

Kathleen O'Connor is a Clinical Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business School. With extensive experience in organisational change and leadership development, O'Connor is a leading voice in the business community.

About Chris Caldwell:

Chris Caldwell is the CEO of United Renewables, a global constructor and operator of renewable energy infrastructure. With over 20 years of experience in the cleantech industry, Caldwell is a respected leader in the sustainable business community.

Conversations on Climate brings world-leading thinkers from business and academia together to share their expertise on the subject of climate change. Previous guests include Sir Andrew Likierman , Julio Dal Poz , Professor Jean-Pierre Benoit , Professor Ioannou , Tara Schmidt , Professor Dan Cable , Professor Zoe Chance , treeapp founders , and Professor Kathleen OConnor .

All previous episodes can be found here . Related articles can be found here.

CONTACT Isabella Hawke  Sales and Marketing Consultant

COMPANY United Renewables

PHONE +447624457139

EMAIL IIhawke@unitedrenewables.co.uk

WEB unitedrenewables.co.uk/resources

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5f1569b8-e109-48ee-aef7-fc1438efc3f3

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ab0b2392-8f14-4782-b6a9-94e4d63cd39c
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Through his FY 2024 budget proposal, President Biden and his administration have once again shown their commitment to investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their students.

The Presidents FY24 recommended budget proposes a $820 increase in the maximum Pell award to $8,215, setting it on a path to meet the Presidents goal of doubling Pell by 2029; significant increases Title III funding for HBCUs, Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs); and includes $350 million for four-year HBCUs, PBIs and MSIs to expand their research and development infrastructure.

Increasing research capacity and opportunity at our schools is of critical importance to the long-term sustainability and growth of our institutions, and to our nations global competitiveness. A $350 million investment in the research capacity and infrastructure at our schools is a material enhancement of the $50 million commitment made in the FY23 budget which was funded through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE).

Additionally, the Presidents FY24 budget includes a consequential proposal first introduced in the Presidents Build Back Better plan that would subsidize tuition for students during their first two years of attendance at an HBCU or MSI who come from families earning less than $125,000 a year.

TMCF looks forward to working with Congressional leadership on both sides of the aisle, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus to ensure that the Presidents proposed investments in our students and institutions are prioritized during the FY24 budgeting process.
Toronto, March 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

What

OECTA Annual General Meeting

Saturday, March 11  Monday, March 13, 2023

Media are invited to hear the address of the President, who will be available for questions afterwards

Where

Westin Harbour Castle Hotel

Metro Ballroom

1 Harbour Square, Toronto, ON

When

Saturday, March 11

9:30  10:30 a.m. Address of the President, Barb Dobrowolski

More than 800 participants will attend the Annual General Meeting as representatives of OECTAs 45,000 members. Over the course of the three-day meeting, delegates will elect Provincial Executive members for the 2023-24 year and attend to the business of the Association.

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OECTA represents the almost 45,000 professionals who teach all grades in publicly funded English Catholic schools in Ontario.
Washington, March 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice (PCSJ) and the National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Alumni Associations Foundation (NHBCUAAF) continue their partnership to promote civic engagement and voter registration at the nations HBCUs.

This partnership aims to promote a more equitable and inclusive society, engage students in federal, state, and local elections, and give them the tools to facilitate access to the ballot. At a time when students are working through the COVID-19 pandemic, social injustice, and challenges to American democracy, HBCUs must find new and more effective ways to educate, engage, and invest in the electoral process.

In 2020, the American Association of Colleges & Universities reported that young adults had been the least engaged members of the US electorate for more than four decades. However, in 2016, the political dynamic changed with students driving GOTV (Get Out the Vote) nationwide campaigns. Notably, between 2016 and 2020, young men and women increased their participation in the presidential elections by 5-10%.

This civic engagement program collaborates with a select group of HBCUs in North Carolina with the goal of achieving 100% voter registration of its students and securing the designation of Voter Friendly Campus (VFC) by mobilizing students on each campus to serve as student ambassadors for the Voter Registration, Education, Mobilization and Get Out the Vote (VREM GOTV). Participating universities include Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, Livingstone College, North Carolina Central University. Pitt Community College, Shaw University, and Winston Salem State University. Integrated programming and activities are conducted at each institution, including creating and disseminating information on the importance of civic engagement and voting. We use all forms of social media to educate, empower and encourage students to register to vote. Through dedicated programming to help students deepen their electoral engagement, PCSJ and NHBCUAAF are addressing some of the nations most difficult issues while creating both immediate and long-term impacts in communities of color. Tufts Universitys Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement report found that the American electorate is growing younger and more diverse. This positive change demands that HBCUs be better prepared to support a younger and more diverse electorate.

We are extremely excited to continue working with the NHBCUAAF in bringing progressive voices together to promote and affirm the power of civic engagement, said Dr. Christopher C. Brown, II, Executive Director, Payne Center for Social Justice.

Tyrone Couey, NHBCUAAF President, added, This partnership will continue to have an enormous impact on the lives of thousands of young men and women at HBCUs who too often face nearly insurmountable barriers to exercising their right to vote.

About the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice

Established in 1987, the TMCF is the nations largest organization, exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member schools include the publicly supported HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions, enrolling 80% of all students attending Black colleges and universities. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also the source of top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.

The N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice (PCSJ) was established in 2020 to promote Justice Marshall's legacy of social justice at all levels of society. The TMCF created the Dr. N. Joyce Payne Center for Social Justice (PCSJ) to serve as a nexus in advancing social justice for Black Americans. It is a national think tank and research center rooted in the African American community and drawing together top HBCU scholars, national thought leaders, community advocates, and on-the-ground solution-makers to identify, evaluate and scale new evidenced-based programs and policies designed to create sustainable change in the life of Black Americans.

TMCF is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. For more information about TMCF, visit www.tmcf.org and https://paynecenter.org.

About the National Historically Black Colleges & Universities Alumni Associations Foundation

Established in 2016, the NHBCUAAF is a premier organization comprised of alumni leaders and associates from HBCUs. We are experienced professionals with the knowledge, skills, and expertise to provide technical assistance to HBCUs and other institutions on a wide range of topics. We deliver our products, consultation, and services with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity.

NHBCUAAF is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization. For more information about NHBCUAAF, visit www.nhbcuaa.org.
Key suspects in Ashaiman soldiers death arrested by police

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Mar - 10 - 2023 , 21:17

The key suspects in the killing of Sherrif Imoro, the soldier at Ashaiman Taifa have been arrested by the police.

The police in a brief on Friday night said it was an intelligence-led one week operation that led to the arrest of the key suspects.

The police are yet to name the suspects.

The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, the soldier who was found dead at Taifa Ashaiman on 4th March, 2023 the terse brief from the police said.

Private Sherrif Imoro was stationed at Sunyani in the Bono Region.

He was attending a military course in Accra.

The 21-year-old soldier grew up at Ashaiman in Greater Accra.

On Friday March 3, 2023, he sought permission from his commanders to go home and visit his parents at Ashaiman.

He was later found dead in a pool of blood at dawn Saturday.

His death resulted in a military invasion in the Ashaiman area on Tuesday where many people were brutalised in a Military High Command sanctioned operation to storm the area and fish out the perpetrators.

A total of 184 suspects were picked up and detained in military custody. 150 were released the following day (Wednesday).

On Thursday the remaining 34 suspects were reportedly released from military custody, according to the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey.

Many people and institutions including the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Amnesty International and others have expressed concern and condemned the Military operation which came along with excesses and led to the abuse of human rights as innocent victims were beaten by soldiers last Tuesday.

Some have said the military should have complied with the law and allow the police to handle the investigations.

On Friday night (March 10, 2023), the police announced that the key suspects have been arrested and said full details will follow later.

Private Sherrif Imoro has since been laid to rest in line with Islamic religion.

Full details later..

Writer's email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow @enochfrimpong Follow @Graphicgh
Emission reduction programme dividends: cocoa farmers tell success stories

Timothy Ngnenbe Mar - 11 - 2023 , 09:38

Cocoa farmers in some parts of the country have started recording higher yields after adopting to sound agronomic practices that helped to minimise the impact of climate change.

After recording declining yields, partly because of climate change impacts, driven largely by illegal mining-induced deforestation and illegal logging, the farmers are now turning to the use of farming approaches that have a minimal impact on forests.

Their newly embraced farm management practices include regular pruning, routine sanitary harvesting (prompt removal of diseased pods and branches) and minimising the use of pesticides.

Again, the cocoa farmers have intensified the planting of economic shade trees on their cocoa farms, a practice cocoa agronomists say helps to provide shade for the cocoa trees to enhance budding and fruiting.

The sustainable cocoa production approaches and forest conservation measures are linked to the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP).

The first phase of the programme was signed with the World Bank and launched in 2019.

A visit by the Daily Graphic to some of the cocoa farms in the Assin-Kruwa and Assin-Amoabeng Operational Areas in the Jukwa District of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), revealed that apart from the sound agronomic practices, the local communities have also instituted measures to prevent illegal loggers and illegal miners from destroying the forest in those areas.

In collaboration with the chiefs, opinion leaders and some civil society organisations (CSOs), the local communities have set up volunteer groups to monitor activities in the forests.

A 67-year-old farmer, Peter Otu, said the yield from his farm, which is located in the Assin-Jakai community in the Assin Amoabeng Operational Area, doubled after he adopted best agronomic practices.

"I have been doing cocoa farming for over 30 years now. It is what has put food on my table and kept my children in school up to the university. Unfortunately, the yields from cocoa farms started declining rapidly. However, for the past four years, the yields have picked up again.

We received training on best farming practices and now, I do proper pruning, weed control, pest control, planting of economic trees, removal of diseased pods, so the yields are improving. I am able to get 17 bags of cocoa per hectare unlike the previous years when I would have made barely half of that," he said.

Mr Otu is just one of the hundreds of cocoa farmers who are counting their blessings.

The Community Extension Agent (CEA) for the area, Evans Adu, said there were 1,028 farmers in the 16 communities in that operational area who owned 1,720 farms that translated into about 2,116 hectares.

The farmers are adhering to all the agronomic practices we taught them, including weeding, fertiliser application, pruning, sanitary harvest and planting of economic shade trees, and they are recording higher yields, he added.

GCFRP

The implementation of the GCFRP started in 2019 as part of measures to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation.

The programme was rolled out against the backdrop of increasing depletion of the forests and the ripple effects on cocoa production, the countrys leading foreign exchange earner.

The programme is on three key objectives  reducing expansionist cocoa production activities in forest areas; cutting down emissions by about 40 per cent within the 20-year lifespan of the strategy (2016-2035); and improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.

Design

The reward-based programme offers carbon credit payments from the global carbon fund when the hotspot intervention areas yield results.

Per the agreement signed with the World Banks Carbon Fund, the hotspot intervention areas are to reduce emissions by 10 million tonnes of by 2024 (2019-2024) with a unit yield of $5, translating into $50 million.

Hotspot intervention areas

To ensure effective implementation of the programme, the National REDD+ Secretariat of the Forestry Commission and COCOBOD, with support from the chocolate industry and companies along the value chain, identified what is called hotspot intervention areas (HIA).

The six intervention areas are selected on the basis of the intensity of the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, existing projects and interventions being implemented by private sector and state actors, adequate capacity and implementation structures at the field level.

Those selected under the GCFRP are the Sefwi Wiawso/ Bibiani HIA, located in the Western North Region of Ghana; the Juaboso-Bia HIA, located in Western North Region in the Juaboso and Bia districts; and the Kakum HIA, located in the Central Region of Ghana.

The rest are Asutifi/Asunafo HIA, located in the Asunafo and Asutifi districts in the Ahafo Region, Atewa in the Eastern Region, which lies within the Atewa, Denkyembour and East Akim districts, and the Ahafo-Ano intervention area, located in the Ahafo-Ano South, Atwima Mponua and Atwima Nwabiagya districts in the Ashanti Region.

The intervention areas have a consortium of partners, comprising Forestry Commission, COCOBOD, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), the private sector, civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and a landscape management board, consisting of representatives from the communities.

Grateful community members

During the field visit, the farmer groups and local communities told the Daily Graphic that they had been officially notified about the payments they would receive.

Across the intervention areas, many of the community members said the money should be channelled into education, capacity-building programmes, procurement of inputs, including protective clothing and fertiliser.

In consultation with the farmers, we are going to continue to do emission reduction programmes, especially tree planting. We will use part of this money to nurse economic trees and distribute to the people so that they can plant it in their cocoa farms, the Chairman of Asunafo-Asuti Hotspot Intervention Management Board, Daniel Amposah Gyinayeh, said.

Direct benefits

Apart from the monetary benefits from the World Bank in carbon payments, the local communities expressed excitement about the direct impact the GCFRP had on their lives.

Irene Appiah cultivates a young cocoa farm on a nine-hectare land at Ohia Ma Adwen, a farming community in the Jukwa District.

On her farm, each of the cocoa trees has been planted beside a plantain tree in a linear form and intercropped with cassava, cocoyam and economic trees.

"This is a perfect example of how every newly established cocoa farm is supposed to look like. The cocoa seedlings have been planted by plantain trees because in times of drought, the roots of the cocoa will tap moisture from the plantain tree to survive," the CEA at Assin Kruwa, Emmanuel Gyansah, explained.

He stated that just like Ms Appiah, most of the 488 farmers who owned 785 farms, about 516 hectares within the Assin Kruwa operational area, adhered to strict agronomic practices.

Endorsements

The Chairman of Kakum Landscape HIA Management Board, Joseph Nicholas Nkrumah, said the GCFRP had helped to erase the negative perception farmers had about officials of COCOBOD, especially the CEAs.

Initially, we thought agriculture extension officers were our enemies, but now, we even invite them to come for monitoring. Now, all rivers within the HIA are being protected by the community.

We have seen the light and will not go back to the dark days when our activities destroyed the environment. We have formed a task force to help in protecting the forest, he said.

For Mr Amposah Gyinayeh, the GCFRP was a timely intervention as it came to save cocoa farmers from the adverse effects of climate change on the farms.

Because our productivity is increasing and our economic conditions are improving, our children are also developing interest in cocoa farming.

We have many university graduates who are now coming back to help their parents on the cocoa farm because they now know that cocoa farming is now a big business, Mr Gyinayeh indicated.

The Krontihene (chief) of Assin-Jakai and Assin-Praso, Nana Baffour Adjei X, also said GCFRP had helped members of the community to preserve their forests.

He gave the assurance that the traditional authorities in the area would continue to collaborate with other stakeholders to protect the forest from destruction.

World Bank payments

After almost four years of implementing the GCFRP, the intervention areas recorded some emission reductions, attracting some carbon payments from the World Bank.

On January 24, 2023, the World Bank announced that through its Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), it had paid $4.86 million to Ghana for reducing 972,456 tonnes of carbon emissions for the first monitoring period under the programme spanning June to December, 2019.

This payment is the first of four under the countrys Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) with the World Bank to demonstrate potential for leveraging results-based payments for carbon credits, the World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, Pierre Laporte, indicated.

With that payment, Ghana became the second country in Africa after Mozambique, to receive payments from a World Bank Trust Fund for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, commonly known as REDD+.

Benefit sharing

The Director of Climate Change at the Forestry Commission, Roselyn Fosu Adjei, explained that there was a benefit sharing plan for the payments that had been tied to performance and level of responsibility.

The plan describes the type of benefits to be transferred to the beneficiaries, the timing of the distribution, and the condition precedents for the payment of the benefits.

It also contains the appropriate indicators for monitoring, measuring and verifying compliance with modalities for distributing benefits.

Per the benefit sharing plan, 69 per cent of the payments goes to the local communities whose interventions and practices yielded the carbon credit, 27 per cent goes to the relevant government institutions, and four per cent for administrative work by the REDD+ Secretariat.

We have indicators on performance, both on the social and environmental sides. Once it is performance, we must justify why you should receive a particular amount, she said.

The plan describes the various beneficiaries, their eligibility, roles and responsibilities while specifying the scale and modalities for distribution.

Ms Adjei said the REDD+ Secretariat was following processes to ensure that due diligence was done before the carbon payments were disbursed to the beneficiaries.

According to the REDD+ Secretariat, beneficiary intervention areas would receive payments ranging from $164,272 to $739,224, based on their performance.

The secretariat also indicated that the traditional authorities in the six intervention areas would together receive $91,450, while MMDAs and COCOBOD would receive $89,462 each, with the Forestry Commission receiving $180,336.
Media must be circumspect on reporting suicide  Prof. Akotia

Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson Mar - 11 - 2023 , 09:32

A renowned social and community psychologist, Professor Charity Sylvia Akotia, has urged the media to be circumspect on how they report on suicide cases.

She said research had shown that the media had a penchant for reporting on suicide, especially involving celebrities, in a manner that could trigger suicide in vulnerable groups such as young people.

Delivering a lecture at the University of Ghanas 75th Anniversary Inaugural Lecture last Thursday, Prof. Akotia, who is a former Dean of the School of Social Sciences of the University of Ghana (UG), said media reportage on suicide was mostly not in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on reporting on suicide.

Lecture

The lecture was on the topic: When Life Becomes Unbearable: Dynamics and Complexities of Suicidal Behaviour and Prevention in a Cultural Context.

The UG 75th Anniversary Inaugural Lecture is a series that hosts notable persons who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields, as part of activities to commemorate the universitys 75th anniversary.

Prof. Akotias lecture focused on what constituted suicide (cultural and legal), attitudes towards suicide, motivations for suicidal behaviour, suicide and the law, experiences of survivors and their families, and media perspective on suicide.

The lecture was attended by notable personalities, including a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Prof. Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, and the Vice-Chancellor of UG, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, who chaired the function.

Prof. Akotia said the media were a powerful force in society, and as such they had a responsibility to promote education on suicide prevention.

Clinical and research experiences on working on suicidality in Ghana for close to a decade have shown that most media reports on suicide in Ghana are not guided by any specific guidelines, and if they are, it is possible they are not compliant, she said.

Per the WHO responsible reporting guidelines on suicide, a media reportage on suicide should include accurate information on where to seek help for someone contemplating suicide and educate the public on the facts of suicide and suicide prevention, without spreading myths.

The guidelines also encourage the media to report on how to cope with life stressors or suicidal thoughts and how to get help.

Again, the WHO encourages the media not to give prominence to suicide stories, not to repeat such stories, not to provide details about the location of the incident and not to use sensational headlines or photographs or video footage.

Prevention

Prof. Akotia said although many cases went unreported, about 1,900 suicide cases were said to occur annually in the country.

She said suicide and suicidal behaviour had a negative toll on families, communities and the nation at large as it did not only lead to loss of lives but also left scars on people.

Suicidal behaviour may also affect the health and well-being of the suicidal person, as well as significant others, including families and loved ones, friends, co-workers and the community at large, she said.

On how to improve suicide prevention in the country, Prof. Akotia said there was the need to decriminalise attempted suicide, adding that the attempt to commit suicide was a mental health issue and not a criminal issue.

This is important as criminalising suicide prevents persons in distress from seeking help, and makes suicidal persons aim to complete the behaviour, the social and community psychologist said.

Prof. Akotia also called for the establishment of a national suicide prevention centre to help collate information on statistics on suicide, lead awareness on the need not to opt for suicide and also as a reference point for people seeking help.

Prof. Amfo said suicide should never be an option, no matter the situation, adding that suicide is preventable and should never be an option.
Roads Ministry reacts to Agbodza's claim on roads constructed

Zadok Kwame Gyesi Mar - 11 - 2023 , 15:53

The Ministry of Roads and Highways has described as inaccurate claims by the Minority Chief Whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza, that the Akufo-Addo government is expropriating projects churned out by the erstwhile Mahama administration.

The Ministry in a statement reacting to Mr Agbodza's claim provided the public with information on road projects being constructed in the country.

The move according to the minister was part of measures to ensure transparency and accountability to the people of Ghana.

The public is assured that in the spirit of transparency and accountability, the Ministry will continue to provide accurate information on road projects to the good people of Ghana, a statement the Ministry issued on March 10, 2023 stated.

Click here for a copy of the Ministrys statement
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) unveiled its next Mid-Term Business Plan (MTP). This three-year plan, dubbed Challenge 2025, sets out MMCs corporate direction in reinforcing the companys environmental commitment toward a carbon-neutral future, laying the foundation for how MMC will work within the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and other global alliances, and discussing future plans for various global markets.

Under Challenge 2025, the next three-year mid-term plan (MTP), Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will accelerate efforts toward a sustainable carbon neutral future, made possible through a reduction of vehicle CO 2 emissions by 40% and a reduction in operational CO 2 by 50% by 2030.

Additionally, MMC will move to make 50% of global sales an EV by 2030, and then 100% of the fleet electrified by 2035 (EV specifically refers to a blend of plug-in hybrids (PHEV), hybrids (HEV) and pure electrics (BEV)).

This goal is made possible through more investment in R&D and CAPEX, particularly in areas of electrification, IT, and new business. MMC also envisages a 210 billion Yen (US$1.5 billion) investment in battery sourcing to achieve its EV sales target in 2030.

During the three years that comprise Challenge 2025, MMC will:

Accelerate EV development toward the companys goal of carbon neutrality, and enhance collaboration with Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance partners; and

Continue technology innovation and digitalization already begun, as well as expand into new areas of business growth.

Specifically as it relates to North America, the next three years of business will see an enhanced and electrified product lineup in the market, closer cooperation with Alliance member Nissan, and growing the companys local leadership position in digital tools for sales and marketing areas across other global markets.
Oppo is expected to unveil the Find X6 series this month, consisting of the Find X6 and Find X6 Pro. Renders of the Find X6 Pro leaked online in January, showing the smartphone in white and green colors. Now we are looking at the live image of the green model, which shows the phone with a different camera island on the rear.

The new image shows the Oppo Find X6 Pro's circular camera island with a dual-tone design. Its upper portion is probably made of glass, has a glossy finish, and houses two cameras and an LED flash. It also has the Hasselblad branding. The bottom portion features a single camera and has the "Powered by MariSilicon" text.

Oppo hasn't detailed the Find X6 lineup's specs sheet yet, but you can check its leaked specs here. And while we know the brand will unveil the X6 series in China this month, the company hasn't divulged its plans to launch these smartphones in other markets. However, if reliable tipster Ice universe is to be believed, the Find X6 Pro will remain exclusive to China, unlike its predecessor Find X5 Pro, which was also sold in some international markets.



Previously leaked Oppo Find X6 Pro's renders

The tipster also claims that the Xiaomi 13 Ultra will be sold globally, which wasn't the case with last year's Xiaomi 12S Ultra.

Source 1, Source 2
After dropping the case against a Guam Police Department officer involved in a fatal 2022 shooting, the attorney general said the procedure for investigating shootings by officers will remain the same.

There is already a protocol in place regarding any shootings that involve a GPD officer. At this point until I review it separately, we are going to continue with the current procedure which is essentially an independent investigation by the attorney generals office, said Attorney General Douglas Moylan on Saturday.

His comments came after the case against GPD Officer Justin Quenga, who fatally shot a man last year, was dropped on Friday.

The review process involves the Independent Investigation Team created by former Attorney General Leevin Camacho.

The team was formed and first activated to help build public confidence in how these cases are investigated after an off-duty police officer shot and killed a man in Tamuning by Hemlanis Commercial Building back in June 2021.

Before then, law enforcement officers were investigated by their own colleagues.

The attorney generals office discovered no comprehensive written guidance for investigating officer-involved shootings.

In November 2021, the Independent Investigation Team was formalized through a memorandum of understanding between the Office of the Attorney General and GPD to investigate all future deadly shootings by law enforcement.

In the MOU, policies and procedures were adopted for the team. This includes immediate notification of the Attorney Generals Office and GPD when a shooting has occurred, and securing of the scene and evidence by the team.

The team is made up of the chief prosecutor, the chief investigator and officers of GPDs Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science Divisions. Other personnel from the attorney generals office and GPD would join or support the team as needed.

The Quenga case was dismissed after Moylan stated in a letter it was determined the officer acted in self-defense when he shot a man with a slingshot, throwing pieces of rebar at a gas station employee.
Attorney General Doug Moylan has dropped the case against a Guam Police Department officer who fatally shot a man wielding a slingshot at a gas station last year.

In July 2022, a grand jury indicted Officer Justin A.L. Quenga on manslaughter and negligent homicide charges. Quenga was responding to a complaint of a man with a slingshot at the Shell gas station in Dededo.

During the encounter, Quenga fired his weapon, killing the man. The Independent Investigative Team convened by former Attorney General Leevin Camacho found Quengas actions were not clearly justified.

In a letter sent to news outlets Friday night, Moylan stated that "after careful review we decided to dismiss this case without prejudice in the interest of justice. This case was charged by AG Leevin Camacho against a Guam Police Officer who shot Mr. Iopy Rudolph whilst in the performance of his duty."

In his letter, Moylan said Rudolph, who had been witnessed drinking alcohol, had been shooting rebar at an employee of Shell gas station with a slingshot.

When police responded, Rudolph refused to get out of his vehicle.

"In fact Mr. Iopy Rudolph began to rev his engine and struck the officer twice and was shot in response," Moylan wrote. "The Shell gas station manager who witnessed the shooting even stated and would have testified that Officer Justin Quenga acted in self-defense."

"This AG stands behind all law enforcement officers who risk their lives in the field to protect us from harm. This case should never have been charged and I directed the charges brought by the former AG to be dismissed after my, and my team's, careful review," Moylan wrote. "My job is not only to root out bad law enforcement officers, but also to protect those officers who act within their authority in protection of others in situations that many of us would never want to face."
By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2023/03/10

The Korean indie film industry, with the exception of Hong Sang-soo, is definitely not on the same level as the mainstream one, with the productions of the like struggling to find a place within the local cinematic landscape. A way out however, is offered to a number of these titles, and most frequently family dramas, through (European) film festivals. "A Letter from Kyoto' is one of those films.

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Hwa-ja has raised her three daughters by herself after her husband died, but now finds herself on the doorstep of elderly senility. One day, Hye-yeong, the middle daughter and the one Hwa-ja seems to be more proud of, returns to Yeong-do in Busan, after some issues in Seoul, without, however, having the courage to reveal to her family what has happened. Meanwhile, Hye-jin works in retail to support her family, while an Ukrainian worker seems to be interested in her. The youngest, Hye-joo dreams of going to Seoul and becoming a dancer after she graduates from high school. As Hwa-ja's situation deteriorates, the three sisters are forced to take a hard look at their lives and their relationship, while a letter written in Japanese Hye-yeong stumbles upon her mother's belongings, sheds light to a past of hers no one knew about.

Kim Min-ju-I directs a genuine indie drama, with the focus being on the characters and their interactions, through a relatively slow-burning approach that also ends up in a number of social comments. Probably the most interesting one is how much the four women, despite their differences, are alike, particularly in the way they hide a number of aspects of their life from each other. In that fashion, Hye-young keeps the events that forced her to come back to herself, Hye-jin does not mention the Ukrainian guy to anyone, as does Hye-joo about dancing, while the mother puts the cherry on top with her whole secretiveness regarding her connection with Japan. Of course, in this setting, talking about their thoughts and feelings to each other is completely out of the conversation, something that inevitably leads to a clash, in probably the most impactful scene in the movie.

At the same time, this scene and the type of catharsis it offers to the protagonists also works very well as a relief to the audience, considering that the secretive nature of all the women in the film and the mystery regarding the letter are essentially dispersed after that scene. Through this concept, Kim also comments on the issues caused by lack of communication, which seems to be an issue most Korean families face. On another note, this mystery regarding the mother's past adds a very appealing element to a narrative that would have been almost cliched otherwise.

Considering that the focus is more on people and their relationships and not events, the acting here emerges as a significant aspect, and Kim has managed to draw a series of very convincing performances from her actors. Han Sunhwa as Hye-yeong anchors the film as the protagonist, and is quite convincing in the way she tries to hide her inner turmoil, although particularly her older sister is obviously on to her. Cha Mi-kyung is excellent in the role of the deteriorating mother, with the moments she actually realizes that her mind is not working properly being the apogee of her performance. Han Chae-ah is also convincing in the role of the big sister who has taken up the weight of the world on her shoulders, with the moments she appears relaxed being quite amusing.

Kim Seon-hyeong's cinematography focuses on the realistic presentation of the settings the story takes place in, with the apartment in particular being portrayed as a suffocating place, at least for the most part. A number of more idyllic images later in the movie add some artistry in an overall work that is without particularly exaltations. Kim Min-ju-I's own editing results in a slow pace, on par with the indie dramas, in a fashion, though, that does not allow the movie to feel overlong.

In the end, one would find it difficult to say something negative about "A Letter from Kyoto", but at the same time, there is not exactly something particularly special about it. Fans of indie dramas (also of Japanese ones) will enjoy the movie in the festival they will watch it, but soon after another similar movie will take its place. On the other hand, Kim Min-ju-I seems to have some interesting ideas and an eye for composition, so watching what she will accomplish in the future is definitely intriguing.

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

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"A Letter from Kyoto" is directed by Kim Min-ju-I, and features Han Sunhwa, Cha Mi-kyung, Han Chae-ah, Ko Jae-hyun. No release date in Korea yet.
Published on 2023/03/10 | Source

Actress Song Hye-kyo certified Netflix's flower gift.

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On March 8th, Song Hye-kyo tagged the Netflix account through her personal Instagram and posted a photo with the message "Thank You".

The picture was filled with red flowers. Expectations for the drama are growing with Netflix gifts.

Meanwhile, Song Hye-kyo is receiving enthusiastic responses from domestic and foreign fans by playing the role of Moon Dong-eun, a victim of school violence, in the Netflix original series "The Glory", which was released on December 30th last year.

Viewers are paying keen attention with the Part 2 which was released on the 10th of this month.
Finnish Member of Parliament Jari Ronkainen from the Finns Party, criticized Prime Minister Sanna Marin's announcement on Hornet fighter jets during her recent visit to Ukraine.

In her second visit to Kyiv , which her critics see as a photo opportunity before Finnish elections, prime minister Sanna Marin has raised some eyebrows and received criticism for offering Finnish fighter jets to Ukraine.

Ronkainen, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Defense Committee, expressed his surprise at Marin's comments on the donation of Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine during a press conference. Finland currently has 62 F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets, which are set to be retired by 2025.

"It has been reported that the Prime Minister's statement during her trip came as a surprise not only to the President of the Republic but also to the Minister of Defense. In addition, she has hardly discussed the matter beforehand with the Commander of the Defense Forces. Bypassing foreign and security policy bodies and expressing personal opinions, which can be easily interpreted abroad as Finland's position, was thoughtless on the part of the Prime Minister," Ronkainen explained.

Finland's Hornet fighter jets are being replaced by American F-35 fighter jets under the HX program, a historic and large-scale aircraft deal that has been in progress since 2019. The Hornet jets, which were put into service between 1995 and 2000, have a life span of 30 years, and the last of them will be retired by 2030.

"The Hornets are a significant part of Finland's defense capabilities until the end of their life cycle. We cannot promise them to anyone without considering Finland's own defense capabilities or even the operational capability of the Hornets at the end of their life cycle. The Prime Minister cannot make such a decision without consulting experts first," Ronkainen said.

According to the Finnish Constitution, the President of the Republic leads Finland's foreign policy in cooperation with the Government. In practice, foreign and security policy decisions are made by the Government's Foreign and Security Policy Committee, which meets with the President.

"The Prime Minister's unilateral statement on arms donations is worrying, especially given the planned appointment of a separate security policy advisor to the Prime Minister earlier this year. Foreign and security policy must be made together, and there is no room for solo performances, especially in this global climate," Ronkainen said.

Meanwhile, Finnish Member of Parliament Mikko Karna demanded that Prime Minister Marin apologize to Ukraine for her comments during her visit to Kyiv. Karna, a member of the Center Party, expressed his disappointment at Marin's promise to donate Finland's Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine without consulting with other members of the government or the Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defense Forces.

"Hornets, on the other hand, would be a bad idea for many reasons. Firstly, we need them until 2026 to secure our own air defense, and secondly, they would be worn-out equipment by then. Thirdly, I sincerely hope that the war will be over by then, with Ukraine victorious over the Russians. Marin's statement was a brazen and thoughtless election stunt," Karna said.

Karna expressed his sympathy for Ukrainians, but demanded that Prime Minister Marin apologize to Ukraine and make it clear that Finland cannot donate its Hornets to them.

It is not clear why Prime Minister Marin made the announcement about donating Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine without consulting with other members of the government or defense experts. Some have speculated that her lack of experience in foreign and security policy may have played a role in her decision-making process. Marin became Finland's Prime Minister in 2019, making her the youngest serving Prime Minister in the world at the time.

Sanna Marin was first elected to the Finnish Parliament in 2015, representing the Social Democratic Party. Before becoming Prime Minister in 2019, she served as Minister of Transport and Communications for 6 months. Prior to her political career, she worked in various roles, including as a salesperson, cashier, and in the hospitality industry. She graduated with a master's degree in Administrative Sciences from the University of Tampere in 2017.

HT
Early College teacher receives $175,000 STEM Career Award

Innovative High School principal Shannon Auten congratulates Early College teacher Thomas Savage for winning a STEM Career Award worth $175,000

An Early College teacher has been selected as a Burroughs Wellcome Fund recipient of the 2023 Career Award for STEM Teachers (CAST).

Thomas Savage was one of four teachers in North Carolina to receive the award this year, after a rigorous selection process.

CAST recognizes outstanding STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) teachers in North Carolina who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in their classrooms, schools, and communities. The award provides $175,000 over five years and presents opportunities for professional development and collaboration with other teachers.

Savage plans to use the grant to develop young scientists across Henderson County. The award will enhance the existing STEM curriculum at elementary schools to include new science equipment and opportunities for HCPS elementary teachers to attend science conferences. Each year of this five year grant, Savage will work with two different elementary schools beginning with Bruce Drysdale Elementary and Hillandale Elementary.

"Mr. Savage's Young Scientists proposal spoke to me from the very first time we sat down to discuss his idea, and I appreciate his leadership and willingness to expand his passion for science beyond his classroom walls," Superintendent Mark R. Garrett said. "Not only does it expand hands-on, experiential science to multiple elementary schools, it also utilizes high school students to help present the material. This collaboration will be beneficial to all ages, making Young Scientists a force multiplier. I am excited to see this grow over the next five years."

A focus on the grant is developing a mentorship program between Early College chemistry students and elementary students. The Early College students will serve as science ambassadors, along with elementary school science teachers.

This truly is not about me but about you guys and the impact we will be able to make in elementary schools, Savage told Early College students after receiving the award. I am thrilled to see the effect this will have on young students and everyone at Early College.

A National Board Certified Teacher, Savage has been with Henderson County Early College since it opened in 2009. He received a bachelor's degree in Geography/Natural Science from Worcester State University and a Masters in Geosciences from Mississippi State University. He teaches Foundations of Science; Physical Science, Earth Science, and Chemistry. A leader in the school community, Savage also leads Science Olympiad and Summer STEM Programs.

Mr. Savage is someone that I never want to lose," Innovative High School principal Shannon Auten said. "He is a teacher that inspires other teachers. How many schools can say that they received the Burroughs Wellcome Fund grant? We are going to have numerous STEM resources for not only Early College but for hundreds of students in Henderson County. 




A TURKISH barber in Henley has received a surprise 1,000 donation from the Freemasons towards the Turkey-Syria earthquake relief effort.

Dino Gezen, who owns the Best Turkish Barbers in Duke Street, has been helping to send supplies to the two countries, where more than 50,000 people died in the disaster on February 6.

There is widespread damage in an area of about 350,000 square kilometres and about 1.5 million people have been left homeless.

Mr Gezen was presented with a cheque by Geoff Walsh, who is a member of the Freemasons Thames Lodge, which meets in Henley, and a an old friend.

The 42-year-old, who lives in Reading with his wife and three children, has sent money and arranged for vans to take clothes, food and baby products to survivors of the quake via the Kurdish Community Centre in the town.

Mr Gezen said: People over there have no house, no food, no clothes and theyre cold in -10C and -11C temperatures. Loads of people are sleeping outside.

Within the first week of the earthquakes we sent supplies three times through Turkish Airlines.

He said his uncle and aunt, brother and sister-in-law, who live in southern Turkey, which was worst hit, had all lost their homes, as had his wifes family.

They are now in temporary accommodation provided by the Turkish government.

Mr Gezen said he was delighted to receive the money from Mr Walsh, who had been to see him to ask about his family and to get a better understanding of the relief efforts.

He said: I have known Mr Geoff for a long time and I know he is a very nice person.

Mr Walsh said: Speaking to him gave me a better perspective. Although we see it on the news, its hard to keep dry eyes when family members tell you their relatives back home have been affected.

Fortunately, they are alive but their homes have been destroyed.

Mr Walshs cousin is married to a Turkish man in Lancashire and he got in touch with them soon after the earthquakes struck.

Nationally, the Freemasons donated 10,000 to UK-Med, a charity which is based at Manchester University and sent an assessment team to Turkey made up of surgeons, paramedics, emergency medical staff and operations and logistics staff.

On February 11, they dispatched a field hospital to get vital medical aid to the tens of thousands of people in need of help.

The Freemasons also gave 60,000 to the British Red Cross, UNHCR and UNICEF.

Mr Walsh said: Its a great thing at my time in life to make a difference and make it quite quickly.

In the last year, we were quick to help when the Russians invaded Ukraine and the Freemasons gave nearly 1 million to the main charities helping on the ground.

I presented 300 to Gemma Birch, of MotherSisterDaughter, to help with food at Christmas time. We see the impact locally.

To make a donation, visit www.dec.org.uk/appeal/turkey-syria-

earthquake-appeal or www.redcross.

org.uk/get-involved/donate
With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Gauthier was most recently the Director of Operations for W Boston Hotel, and previously held other notable positions including Director of Food & Beverage for The Westin Montreal, The Westin Boston Waterfront and Marriott Boston Long Wharf.

As Vice President of Food & Beverage at Atlantis Paradise Island, Gauthier will oversee the resort's extensive bar, lounge and nightclub experiences, including the beverage programs for Paranza by Michelin-starred chef Michael White, Cafe Martinique helmed by globally acclaimed chef Adrian Delcourt, Frezca and SeaGlass at The Cove, the Atlantis Casino's Moon Bar and the soon to debut, Bar Sol. He will also manage the training, development and growth of the department's team members.

Gauthier's decades-long career has taken him around the world, gaining experience in management, training and full-service hospitality operations. He holds a Bachelor's in Hospitality Management from University of Montreal and has been certified by eCornell University for Hotel Revenue Management. A hands-on leader equipped with an analytical and contextual approach to problem solving, Gauthier has also held positions as Director of Beverage and Bars for Delta Hotels by Marriott Montreal, and Director of Event Operations at The Westin Montreal.
The Sustainable Markets Initiatives Hospitality and Tourism Task Force announced today its founding members and new partnerships, which includes 14 global hospitality companies and three leading sustainability and inter-governmental development organisations. The Task Force will drive more sustainable actions in the sector.

Founding members include:

Glenn Mandziuk, CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Co-chair of Sustainable Markets Initiative Hospitality and Tourism Task Force

Xenia zu Hohenlohe, Co-founding Partner of the Considerate Group and Co-chair of Sustainable Markets Initiative Hospitality and Tourism

Keith Barr, CEO of IHG Hotels & Resorts

Sebastien Bazin, CEO of Accor

Jorg Bockler, CEO of Dorint Hotels & Resorts

Anthony Capuano, President and CEO of Marriott International, Inc.

Katerina Giannouka, CEO of Jumeirah Group

Federico J. Gonzalez, CEO of Radisson Hotel Group

Marloes Knippenberg, CEO of Kerten Hospitality

Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton

Karl-Heinz Pawlizki, CEO of Arabella Hospitality

Tim Rumney, CEO of BWH Hotel Group GB

Sonu Shivdasani, Founder, CEO and Joint Creative Director of Soneva

Gloria Fluxa Thienemann, Vice-Chairman & Chief Sustainability Officer at Iberostar Group

Sustainability partners and inter-governmental development organisations include:

Suzanne Neufang, CEO of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)

Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)

The Task Force, announced last year at COP15 in Montreal, Canada, is aligned with the Sustainable Market Initiatives Terra Carta which provides a roadmap for the private sector to accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. One that harnesses the power of Nature combined with the transformative power, innovation, and resources of the private sector.

It is co-chaired by the Sustainable Hospitality Alliances Chief Executive Officer, Glenn Mandziuk, and the Considerate Groups Co-founding Partner, Xenia zu Hohenlohe. The Task Force will support efforts that create leadership and collaboration in the hospitality and tourism industry, in the pursuit of tangible, scalable and practical sustainable solutions. This may include building momentum for more transformative solutions in the sectors value and supply chain.

The Task Force aims to leverage existing infrastructure to discover and learn how the industry can accelerate pathways to sustainability making a greater impact. The Task Force members will work collectively to identify and pursue delivery of opportunities to reduce carbon and environmental footprint. The aim is to deliver standardised measurement tools to enable hotels to understand impact and prioritise action on carbon emissions, water, waste and biodiversity and natural capital.

A focus of the Task Force includes research and other sustainable solutions for industry leads, staff, and supply chains to support innovation through system and design thinking. It will support roadmaps for industry-level transition supporting sector focus on achieving net zero before 2050. It aims for the industry to embed water stewardship into decision-making, embed circularity and support zero waste to landfill, including addressing single-use plastics, food waste, and support for biodiversity efforts and regeneration on land and below water. The Task Force also recognises the need to improve access to clean technologies and renewable energy across the sector and in company member operations.

By utilising the Sustainable Hospitality Alliances existing committees and research, alongside the expertise of sustainability and hospitality partners, this collaboration will maximise the collective experience and thought leadership of these networks and enhance alignment.

I welcome our founding members who bring their expertise and knowledge to help build a more sustainable future for the hospitality and tourism industry. By galvanising the conversation around sustainability, we can drive practical and tangible solutions, to push innovation and address the challenges the industry faces. The Task Force aims to collaborate not only with each other, but other Task Forces. With far-reaching value and supply chains, the hospitality and tourism industry are in a unique position to engage and have cross-sector influence. I look forward to working with our members and hope to welcome more leaders to the Hospitality and Tourism Task Force as the industry focuses on pathways to accelerate sustainability. Glenn Mandziuk, CEO, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and Co-chair of the Sustainable Markets Initiative Hospitality and Tourism Task Force



I am very encouraged by the level of commitment and leadership of the founding members, to our purpose of bringing this industry together with other sectors, already active as part of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, to build a more sustainable future. The hospitality and tourism industry can play a pivotal role, given its crossover with so many other sectors, such as aviation, asset management, shipping, buildings, to mention but a few, in this process. Hence this task force is also key to ensuring maximum alignment in our efforts to overcoming the common challenges our societies and companies face when it comes to climate change. I am honoured to co-chair this group of highly professional and dedicated CEOs and partners. Xenia zu Hohenlohe, Co-founding Partner, the Considerate Group and Co-chair of the Sustainable Markets Initiative Hospitality and Tourism Task Force

Sustainable Markets Initiative

In his former role as The Prince of Wales, His Majesty King Charles III launched the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) at Davos in January 2020. The SMI is a network of global CEOs across industries working together to build prosperous and sustainable economies that generate long-term value through the balanced integration of natural, social, human, and financial capital. These global CEOs see themselves as the Coalition of the Willing helping to lead their industries onto a more ambitious, accelerated, and sustainable trajectory. Read more: www.sustainable-markets.org

Terra Carta

In his former role as The Prince of Wales, His Majesty King Charles III, launched the Terra Carta at the One Planet Summit in January 2021. The Terra Carta serves as the mandate for the SMI and provides a practical roadmap for acceleration towards an ambitious and sustainable future; one that will harness the power of Nature combined with the transformative power, innovation, and resources of the private sector. Currently there are over 500 CEO-level supporters, including the first C40 city of Athens, Greece. The Terra Carta has served as the inspiration for the Terra Carta Design Lab. The Terra Carta is a roadmap for public, private, and philanthropic collaboration and open to all countries, cities, companies, organizations, and schools who wish to support it. Read more: www.sustainable-markets.org/terra-carta.

About the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance brings together the hospitality industry and strategic partners to address key challenges affecting the planet and its people, local destinations and communities. They develop practical free resources and programmes to create a prosperous and responsible hospitality sector that gives back more than it takes. Their members represent over 50,000 hotels  totalling 7 million rooms  and include world-leading companies including Choice Hotels International, Marriott International, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, BWH Hotel Group and Radisson Hotel Group, as well as regional brands. Their network also includes other parts of the hospitality value chain, including owners, investors and suppliers, to further drive joined up action on sustainability, and accelerate the industry on the path to net positive hospitality. For more information, please visit: www.sustainablehospitalityalliance.org.
What is FieldView?

By Lacey Vilhauer

Big data in agriculture is the tracking and recording of farm analytics for weather, yield, and inputs. However, not all technology makes that information easy to understand and apply to decision-making on the farm. Climate, the digital arm of Bayer Crop Science, came out with ag software in 2015, called FieldView, which allows farmers to collect data and understand what is happening in their fields in an easy-to-use format that can give them a full-picture perspective.

Theres been a lot of collection of data over the years and now farmers are at this point of wondering whats the next step, and I think as we look through analysis and opportunities to start making more confident decisions, thats where FieldView is honing in on that ability to help a farmer uncover those insights that are in a field, said Scott Speck, U.S. product marketing manager for FieldView.

FieldView has been used most for corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum, and cotton, but can even be used for sugar cane or potatoes and has compatibility for a variety of equipment.

Speck said one of the capabilities FieldView is most known for is the FieldView Drive, a piece of hardware that growers plug into the diagnostic port on their equipment, and it allows them to visualize that data on an iPad through an app called FieldView Cab, when they are active in the field.

As theyre visualizing it in real-time, theyre also collecting that data to analyze it later, he said.

Speck said FieldView can be tailored to the specific goals or needs of an operation and works on all brands and types of equipment.

Maybe Im a farmer and I have differences in my field and I want to create a prescription to change the different fertilizer or seeding rates or I want to analyze my two seed products that I planted side by side across the farm, he said. FieldView gives that grower the tools to be able to jump in there and see exactly whats happening, but also plan out what they want to do for the next season.

There are plenty of weather apps available to predict rainfall and weather conditions in a given area, but FieldView gives users a play-by-play of past, present and future rainfall for specific fields. Speck said users can even set up rainfall alerts.

Another key part of FieldView is satellite imagery, Speck said. This gives farmers a glimpse from above of whats happening with variability in their fields to compare to other areas or see if there are changes happening though out the season as that crop matures.

Speck said many producers use this as a scouting tool. If they notice an area of concern on the satellite imagery, the app will take them right to that spot to investigate in person, take a picture, save some notes and even share with others.

Yield Analysis is a feature that shows the overall picture of what has happened on the farm.

You can see which fields were the highest or lowest yielding, what products were on those fields, soil types, seeding rate and different agronomic practices implemented throughout the year, Speck explained. Then you can take that a step further with Field Region Reports, which highlights by the acre. Instead of just looking at an overview, if you see a spot where the yield map is red, and you wonder what was going on there. You can highlight that area and see that its a different soil type or that it was an area that missed an application.

Speck said FieldView also offers many options for growers with irrigated acres. It allows them to write custom prescription for fields.

Say I want to be able to plant straight through the field, but I want to change my population as I go from dryland to irrigated. A lot of customers will go in and use our manual scripting tool inside FieldView so they can build a prescription, export that into the planter and actually plant directly through from dryland to irrigated. When they go through the season, a lot of people are also looking at things like imagery, weather, and rainfall data to see if theres any potential problems with irrigation such as a plugged nozzle or areas not getting enough water.

Field Region Reports often comes in handy after harvest, because it can be used to compare irrigated yield to dryland yield.

I think thats a really nice opportunity for growers to delineate between the two, other than just take the yield across the entire field that may be a mix of dryland and irrigation, he said. It gives the grower the opportunity to keep track of irrigation, not only when, but how much and be able to tie that story back to yield.

Speck said he is looking forward to a new FieldView feature that will be released in 2023, called Data Manager.

Whats really neat about it is it gives our customers a way to start to add data manually so they can keep track of all of their operational data, and also all their field level practices, he said. What that really means is a grower not only can see all the data theyve streamed through their account with their FieldView Drive, they can also see anything theyve uploaded historically. Its really exciting because its going to give us a chance to add manual layers for planting, applications and harvest, and also adding two new layers: tillage and irrigation data. When you have all the data in one spot, you can really start to see the correlations versus causations on the farm, and make sure youve got all those records for decisions the next year.

The best place to start is by visiting the website at www.climate.com to learn more about this technology and to set up a visit with a sales representative.

Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or lvilhauer@hpj.com.
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FEMA Awards Nearly $1.4 Million to Mass for COVID-19 Supplies

BOSTON  The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $1.4 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of purchasing emergency supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $1,377,794 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies purchased to address COVID-19.

The PPE and supplies purchased between June 2020 and June 2021 included gloves, masks, gowns, face shields, storage carts and containers, respirator supplies, syringes, bandages, breathing tubes, thermometers and sanitizing supplies.

"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Massachusetts Department of Public Health with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and to our success as a nation."

FEMA's Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $1.5 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.
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HSINCHU, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ICP DAS - BMP (Biomedical Polymers), a Taiwan medical TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) supplier, will have its first showcase in KIMES 2023, Korea. Exhibit highlights include TPU pellets with radiopacifiers of 50% tungsten (W50) and 40% Barium Sulfate (B40), respectively. The Medical & Hospital Equipment Show takes place in Seoul from 23 to 26 March. ICP DAS - BMP will display three series of highly stable medical-grade TPU pellets, namely, Alithane (ALP series), Durathane (ALC series), and Arothane (ARP series). All TPU pellets are 100% made in Taiwan and have passed USP Class VI test and/or ISO 10993 biocompatibility test. To differentiate itself from the compounding process, ICP DAS  BMP developed a unique one-step polymerization process to produce TPU pellets containing color masterbatch and radiopaque fillers to elevate the performance properties of our materials for various medical applications, including medical catheters, cancer treatment devices, and guidewire coatings. We also perform thorough quality inspections for each batch produced to guarantee lot-to-lot consistency of our medical TPU pellets, fulfilling clients' requirements, i.e., mechanical & physical properties and processability. Expert team, rigorous testing, superior properties, shorter lead times - all these have earned the trust and confidence of worldwide manufacturers. We expect a boost to our TPU sales in China, India, Europe, and the USA this year, and we are poised to stand out in this field globally. Come & meet our professionals at Hall D, Booth DL130, from 23 to 26 March @ COEX Exhibition Venue. About ICP DAS - BMP Amid soaring worldwide demand for TPU from the medical industry, ICP DAS established a new business unit ICP DAS - BMP in 2018 to develop and produce medical-grade TPU. We have obtained ISO 13485 manufacturing certification for our TPU to ensure product safety and quality. ICP DAS - BMP has its own laboratories for polymerization, physical & chemical properties analysis, mechanical testing, and cytotoxicity testing. In addition, TPUs that we manufacture are USP Class VI and ISO 10993 certified: ISO 10993-4 for hemocompatibility testing, ISO 10993-5 for cytotoxicity testing, ISO 10993-10 for irritation and skin sensitization testing, ISO 10993-11 for systemic toxicity testing, and ISO 10993-23 for irritation testing. Our product series also comply with REACH and RoHS. For more details, please visit our website: https://bmp.icpdas.com/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2017313/ICP_DAS___BMP_to_partake_in_KIMES_2023.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1934616/icpdas_bmp_Logo_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/icp-das---bmp-to-show-kimes-2023-visitors-high-performance-medical-tpu-pellets-in-seoul-korea-301764425.html
India has recently witnessed a rise in influenza cases, where the symptoms have lasted more than a week. This fresh surge in cases is from the influenza virus known as the H3N2 virus. Every year, the influenza virus comes with seasonal flu.

Among its two subtypes, influenza A and B, the H3N2 virus comes from the influenza A subtype. This virus can infect mammals and birds and can be mutated into several strains, H3N2 being the predominant one.



Unsplash/Representational image

The symptoms are somewhat similar to that of the covid-19. Many have complained of fever lasting two to three days and even acute respiratory illness. Some common symptoms are body aches, fatigue, throat irritation making it very difficult to swallow food, and persistent of cough even after the fever.



Why is there a sudden surge?

Though every year, from October to February, such cases are common, this year, however, there are more cases than usual. This has led the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to release a statement and advisory.

Unsplash/Representational image

Experts view that the sudden fluctuation in the temperature and the increase in heat has rapidly pushed up the allergen count in the atmosphere, which has led to the activation of these viruses. Another factor might be the covid-19 virus itself. Due to the covid-19 virus, our bodies have developed immunity against that. However, it was not exposed to the common circulating viruses in the atmosphere for the longest time. As a result, our bodies no longer have immunity against such viruses, and thus cases are on the rise.



Most people with covid-19 symptoms and negative cases are being re-tested for H3N2.

How to take care?

The advisory has suggested hydrating and consuming paracetamol in case of fever. It also mentions that people should not consume antibiotics as they do not work against H3N2, rather would lead to antibiotic resistance and will not work when needed. Antibiotics are only to be taken on the prescription of the doctor, and self-medication is not recommended. people start taking antibiotics like Azithromycin and Amoxiclav etc, that too without caring for dose & frequency and stop it once start feeling better. This need to be stopped as it leads to antibiotic resistance. Whenever there will a real use of antibiotics they will not work due to the resistance, reads the IMA statement.

Unsplash/Representational image

It is also advisable to get a flu shot, especially for those with diabetes, hypertension, and any other respiratory illness. If the fever does not go away within two to three days, a complete blood count (CBC) test is suggested.



The best way to prevent themselves from H3N2 is similar to the prevention techniques of covid-19. Wearing masks, practicing social distancing, hand hygiene and drinking enough fluid are common prevention techniques.

H3N2 cases have been mostly reported from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Cases with similar symptoms have been seen in West Bengal, however, they are the cases from the adenovirus. While in Punjab, the cases of H1N1 virus or the swine flu have also been reported.
In a bizarre incident, a 26-year-old man in Nepal had to undergo surgery to extract a Vodka bottle from his stomach, thereby leading to the arrest of a person.

The Vodka bottle was discovered during a medical check-up after Nursad Mansuri of Gujara Municipality in Rautahat district complained of severe abdominal pain, media reports said on Friday.

Representational Image

Two-and-a-half hour-long surgery

He was admitted to a hospital five days ago and underwent a two-and-a-half hour-long surgery to extract the bottle successfully.



"The bottle had ripped apart his intestine, causing leakage of faeces and swelling of his intestines, but now, he is out of danger," a doctor said.



Representational Image

According to police, Nursad's friends might have got him drunk and forced a bottle into his stomach through his rectum.



Bottle forced through rectum

It is suspected that the bottle was forced into Nursad's stomach through his rectum, which was luckily not harmed.



Rautahat Police have arrested one Shekh Samim in connection with the incident and have also interrogated a few of Nursad's friends.



"As we suspect Samim, we kept him in custody and are investigating," the Area Police Office of Chandrapur said.



Pexels

"A few of Nursad's other friends are at large and we are searching for them," said the Superintendent of Police, Bir Bahadur Budha Magar of Rautahat.



Further investigation is reportedly underway.



Similar incident in 2022

A similar case, where a group of friends allegedly inserted a steel glass in a man's rectum, was reported from Gujarat's Surat in August last year.



The glass, which was 8 cm in diameter and 15 cm long, was removed through a surgery performed by doctors of a government-run hospital in Odisha's Ganjam district.



It was inserted in the anus of Krushna Chandra Rout around 10 days ago while he was attending a party in Surat when his drunken friends decided to subject him to this horror.



(With inputs from PTI)

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Microsoft is making the ChatGPT AI large language model available in preview as a component for applications designed for the companys Azure OpenAI Service, paving the way for developers to integrate the large language model into a host of different enterprise development and end-user applications.

Microsoft appears to have had several users working with this integration already, listing ODP Corporation (the parent company of Office Depot and OfficeMax), Singapores Smart Nation Digital Government Office, and contract management software provider Icertis as reference customers.

Developers using the Azure OpenAI Service can use ChatGPT to add a variety of features to applications, like recapping call center conversations, automating claims processing, and even creating new advertisements with personalized content, among other things.

Generative AI like ChatGPT is already being used to enhance Microsofts product offerings, as well. For instance, according to the company, the premium version of Teams can use AI to create chapters in conversations and automatically generated recaps, while Viva Sales can offer data-driven guidance and suggest email content to help teams reach their customers.

Enterprise use cases for Azure OpenAI ChatGPT

Ritu Jyoti, IDC group vice president for worldwide AI and automation research, said that the proposed use cases make a lot of sense, and that she expects much of the initial usage of Microsofts new ChatGPT-powered offering to be internally focused within enterprises.

For [example], helping HR put together job descriptions, helping employees with internal knowledge management and discovery  in other words, augmenting employees with internal search, she said.

The pricing of the service works by tokens - one token covers about four characters worth of a given query in written English, with the average paragraph clocking in at 100 tokens, and a 1,500 word essay at about 2,048. According to Jyoti, one reason GPT-3-based applications became more popular just before ChatGPT went viral is that the pricing from the OpenAI foundation dropped to about $0.02 for 1,000 tokens.

ChatGPT via Azure costs even less, at $0.002 per 1,000 tokens, making the service potentially more economical than using an in-house large language model, she added.

I think the pricing is great, Jyoti said.

Microsoft appears to be operating the service with an emphasis on responsible AI practices, according to Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst Bern Elliot - perhaps having learned lessons from incidents where a chatbot front end to Bing displayed strange behavior, including a conversation with a New York Times reporter in which the chatbot declared its love and treid to convince him to leave his spouse.

I think Microsoft, historically, has taken responsible AI very seriously, and thats to their credit, he said. Having a strong track record for ethical use and for delivering enterprise-grade privacy is positive, so I think thats in their favor.

Thats a key consideration, he said, given the concerns raised by AI use in the enterprise  data protection and contextualization of data sets, more specifically. The latter issue generally centers on making sure that enterprise AI are pulling answers from the right base of information, which ensures that those answers are correct and eliminates the hallucinations seen in more general-use AI.
TOKYO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Radioactive substances in nuclear-contaminated water should not be released into the environment and Japan's discharge plan is inappropriate, a Japanese environmental economist said.

Unlike ordinary hazardous chemicals, radioactive substances do not disappear without chemical treatment as nature's self-purification does not work on it, Kenichi Oshima, a professor at Ryukoku University, told Xinhua in an interview.

Regarding the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) proposed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the scholar questioned its effectiveness, as many researchers believe that the system can not remove nuclides from the contaminated water.

Citing malfunctions in the multi-nuclide removal system of ALPS, Oshima said nuclides other than tritium have not been removed in about two-thirds of the total 1.3 million tons of the nuclear wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

"TEPCO insists that it will and can handle the issue, but the credibility of such statements needs further observation given there was no precedent," he noted.

Oshima stressed the worrying fact that whether the treated one-third of nuclear wastewater meets standard also lacks review by a third-party organization.

TEPCO has only selected a small number of more than 1,000 nuclear wastewater storage tanks for testing, and all the tests were done by the company itself without third-party verification, he said, citing an article in the Jan. 27 issue of Science magazine this year which criticized TEPCO for releasing not enough data.

TEPCO has acknowledged that even if the ALPS could achieve its expected results, there would still be traces of radioactive substances other than tritium in the treated water, said Oshima, adding that this was also pointed out by the chairman of Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority.

The scholar stated that it is an "indisputable fact" that these radioactive substances would not have been produced if not for the nuclear accident. "I don't think it is appropriate to discharge these additional radioactive substances, and I understand the widespread opposition to such a plan," he said.

He believed the proper and uncostly treatment is to continue storing treated nuclear wastewater in tanks, and wait for tritium, with a half-life of 12.3 years, to decay to less than one-thousandth of its current level in more than 120 years. Another method is to seal it underground upon mortar solidification and wait for more than 100 years, at which point further treatment methods can be considered.

Since TEPCO holds responsibility for the accident in the first place, it is not in a position to choose how to dispose the water based on cost calculations, but rather has an obligation to minimize the impact on the environment and people, Oshima noted.

The environmental economist also stressed that the possible approval of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) does not justify Japan's discharge plan as the agency is assessing the plan proposed by TEPCO rather than its long-term impact on the marine ecosystem.

Noting that "the ocean is borderless," Oshima said "there is no corresponding assessment of the long-term impact of radioactive materials on the marine ecosystem and our lives."

"Therefore I don't think IAEA's approval means there is no problem," he noted. 
Not enough has changed since yesterday

During her speech, Soetman-Reijnen reflected on the changes she has seen in the industry over time. But she also lamented that insurance was not keeping up fast enough to deliver what consumers want, the way tech giants such as Amazon and Google can.
The startup world was thrown into chaos this week when a lender little-known outside of Silicon Valley sparked a wave of panic in tech circles that dragged down banking shares around the world.

Events snowballed after Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) announced a share sale to shore up its finances, following a significant loss on its portfolio. So what does SVB bank do and why has it sparked panic?

Whats happening at SVB?

Santa Clara-based SVBs ordeal began after its parent company, SVB Financial Group, announced that it sold $21 billion of securities from its portfolio and said it was holding a $2.25bn (2.12bn) share sale to shore up finances. The move was prompted by high deposit outflows at the bank due to a broader downturn in the startup industry, analysts say. SVB also forecast a sharper decline in net interest income.

All of that spooked a number of prominent venture capitalists, including Peter Thiels Founders Fund, Coatue Management and Union Square Ventures, who, according to sources, instructed portfolio businesses to limit exposure and pull their cash from the bank.

What effect has it had on SVB?

SVB's stock plunged 60% on Thursday and its bonds posted record declines. SVB Chief Executive Officer Greg Becker held a conference call with the banks clients, including venture capital investors, urging them to stay calm in a bid to avoid a run on the bank.

How did SVBs woes spread?

SVB's problems coincided with the abrupt shutdown of Silvergate Capital Corp., with the twin shocks sending ripples through the banking industry and pushing stocks lower. The KBW Bank Index  a benchmark of banking stocks  sank 7.7%, the most in nearly three years.

Major US banks including Bank of America, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase all slid at least 5%.

Who are the SVBs clients?

SVB is deeply embedded in the US startup scene, as the only publicly-traded bank focused on Silicon Valley and tech startups. It lists Pinterest, Shopify and cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings among the bigger household names it has served.

What could happen next?

Startups withdrawing funds are on the lookout for other lenders where they can park their cash, while investors in financial firms are closely watching other banks that may also be affected by malaise. Its unclear what will happen when US markets reopen. Pershing Square Holdings founder Bill Ackman has proposed a US government bailout to save SVB.

What's the worst-case scenario?

The worst-case scenario for any bank is that it ends up with too little cash to operate or suffers enough losses to erode its capital, prompting regulators to sell the bank to a stronger rival or wind it down. But SVB's stock sale should help to prevent that. Time will tell.

Bloomberg
In both the farmer's and farm vets calendars, St Patrick's day is always a milestone date to reach every spring.

It either signals to pass the halfway mark in calving or perhaps the beginning of lambing, but for us vets, it signifies that the end of spring madness is in sight.

It was always a fun challenge to work calls around the local St Patrick's day parade in order for the farmers children to enjoy the festivities along with their parents.

One year mid cow section, the farmers children improvised to make their own parade through the shed using their ride-on tractors, a dog-shaped leprechaun in tow, Irish dancing and all to the Riverdance theme tune.

As you can imagine, it was one of the most memorable sections I ever did.

St Patrick's day is traditionally associated with Lepto booster time in cows ahead of the breeding season. In recent years, Lepto vaccination has shifted to around the dry period to reduce the workload during spring, so many of you may have already been vaccinated. However, I am quite a traditionalist at heart, so we keep St. Patrick's day as a key date for vaccination on our farm.

We also vaccinate for BVD on the same day as we use vaccines that are licensed to be applied simultaneously in separate sites once the animal is over eight months of age.

All heifers getting the vaccine as part of their primary course need two injections under the skin four weeks apart.

Ideally, this would usually have been given around St Valentine's day, but it's not too late to start now. Always ask your vets advice on what the best option for a Lepto vaccine programme is on your own specific farm.

Leptospirosis is a bacteria that affects a multitude of species including ourselves so it is classed as a zoonotic disease.

It is most commonly spread via infected cows urine, so when you think of a typical dairy parlour splashing situation it wouldnt be very difficult to infect farmers.

The most common species of Leptospirosis that affects cattle is L. Hardjo, which can be carried by sheep, recovered cows can remain shedder and can live in contaminated waterways.

A closed herd may not stop Leptospirosis from entering your farm due to these risk factors and also wildlife can carry other variants. The grazing period is the high-risk period of infection hence the importance of timing the vaccine.

Clinical Signs

Most of the time cows will show very few signs of infection and may go unnoticed in the daily routine.

Some individual cows can present with a sudden milk drop, high temperature, loss of appetite, Jaundice and exhibit jaundice. An atypical type of mastitis can also be present, where all four quarters are affected with what I only can only describe as colostrum consistency milk.

Typically, my experience of Leptospirosis in practice is mainly seen as infertility and abortion cases. Abortions can take place up to 12 weeks post-initial infection, so they can appear from nowhere, as the initial infection may have gone under the radar.

Abortion storms have been reported on naive farms with a rate of up to 30% affected, which would be devasting to any herd.

Diagnosis

I remember a farm where I scanned 80 cows for pregnancy in early September, and they had an out-of-character 25% empty rate with no evidence of abortions.

Upon blood testing the empty cows in this herd for serology, a diagnosis of leptospirosis was confirmed.

Blood tests looking at antibody levels can be useful to rule out other causes of infertility, such as Neospora and IBR also. We have wonderful regional veterinary Laboratories across the country where farmers can send aborted material via their vets referral which is an invaluable resource to have on hand and allow answers to be reached quickly and efficiently.

It is important to submit the samples as fresh as reasonably possible to be able to isolate the pathogen in the lab.

For dairy farmers, trusty bulk milk screening is an invaluable source of information to have as it can be an early indicator of disease on the farm.

If a farm is vaccinating, remember that the leptospirosis reading will be positive due to the vaccine-induced antibody response, however, if you are not vaccinating it is a warning sign if the reading is positive.

We are lucky to have two very effective vaccines available to us in Ireland as the potential impact of this disease would be huge, not just for animal health but also for human health implications. This would encompass the term 'One Health', which is used to describe the crossover between animal and human health, a vital aspect of veterinary medicine.

Meanwhile, on the farm, calving has slowed down, which is nice to allow us to catch our breath a little.

You'll be happy to hear that 'Hyacinth', the little hypoxic calf, is doing well; she drinks as well as the others, but I feel shes not eating as many concentrates. Considering she could barely stand a month ago, though I will take the little wins where I can.

I hope to make the Cork City parade on Friday, as it has been years since I could attend due to being on call.

Whether it's lambing or calving, I hope everyone takes a little time to enjoy the festivities and celebrate all the good things about being Irish and let's hope the sun shines.
With nine Oscar nominations for his movie, The Banshees of Inisherin among a record-breaking 14 Irish nominees at this years Academy Awards, writer-director Martin McDonagh is the movie man of the moment.

But McDonaghs extraordinary success was honed and cultivated through his award-winning plays and now a Cork actor is about to perform the storytellers work live on stage.

Stephen OLeary is preparing to tread the boards for the Irish premiere of Hangmen, McDonaghs period tale of the second-best hangman in England, who finds himself at a crossroads when hanging is abolished under English law.

For Stephen, its the latest step up in a professional career that he first began to dream of when performing a McDonagh play in Fermoy as a young man.

When I was younger, there was a production of The Cripple of Inishmaan at home in Fermoy, said the 28-year-old of performing McDonagh in his teens. I got the part of Billy and that was my first introduction to actual scene work and play work. I had been doing drama classes previous to that, but that was the first time I got to sit down with a play and study a character. The first time where I said to myself: Maybe this is something that I could pursue.

From that first big amateur on-stage experience, the Rathcormac man has loved the mischievous allure of McDonaghs work and feels fortunate to perform Hangmen on Dublins Gaiety stage for the next month, where Stephen plays a Londoner accused of murder in the pitch-black comedy.

Its set in the 1960s. Its predominantly set in Oldham just outside Manchester in 1965, explains Stephen. Its the day that hanging has just been abolished in the UK as a capital punishment. We see the character, Harry Wade, who was working as a hangman his whole life. I play a character called Hennessy who has been accused of murder at the beginning of the play. Theres a great fast-paced spark to the play. Harry, whos being played by Denis Conway, goes through an identity crisis after hanging is abolished as thats who he was known as.

Stephen O'Leary: "Even after I did my Leaving Cert ... I dont know if it was a confidence thing back then, or did I really believe I could make a career out of it."

As an actor and a fan of McDonaghs work, what does he feel is it about the playwright and filmmaker that makes him stand out on stage and screen?

Youre torn in different ways. Youre torn towards what you should be thinking from one scene to the next. There are loads of other themes he studies beautifully, like loneliness and people that are living in areas that dont have much going for them. Identity and sense of place and all these kinds of themes that he just does wonderfully. The one thing about McDonagh is I feel theres so much truth coming off the page in terms of what you see and what you feel, but he just mixes it with such heightened characters.

MAKING A GO OF IT

As a boy growing up in North Cork, Stephens passion for drama was fostered by his mother, Valerie, whose work as a drama teacher spans decades.

She has been teaching with Monfort College of Performing Arts for more than three decades, first in Cork City and in more recent years, bringing classes to Fermoy. It was here where Stephen first discovered his passion for drama as did his siblings Sally and Claire, both of whom also work as professional actors.

My younger sister, Claire, left school in transition year to go to London, said Stephen. She got into musical theatre college and studied maths and English while she was studying musical theatre.

Claire just came off a run of Les Miserables after two years. Sally was recently cast in a BBC series called Breeders with Martin Freeman. Sally is a writer too.

Yet despite his love for drama, he was initially reluctant to pursue it as a career and it was Sally who encouraged him to go for it.

I dont think it ever occurred to me back then, even though I was really enjoying it, that I was going to carry on doing it after school. I suppose it was the performance of The Cripple that I first went to myself: Jesus, Ive loved working on that character and working on these scenes. Even after I did my Leaving Cert ... I dont know if it was a confidence thing back then, or did I really believe I could make a career out of it. It was my older sister, Sally, who was training in London at the time, who said to me: Why dont you audition for a couple of schools? Sally got the train with me from Cork to Dublin. We auditioned for the Gaiety and Patrick Sutton [the Gaiety School of Actings director] actually gave me a call that day to say theyd love to offer me a place.

In recent years his career has gathered momentum, with a leading role onstage in Copper Face Jacks: The Musical. But of course its his role as the mischievous Zak Dillon in Fair City, for whom trouble is never far away, that he has become best known.

Ive been in it for a year now and the training that Ive got being on set every day ... I really do think it was the right thing for me at the right time. The confidence I got from being on set everyday on Fair City ... the physicality I got from the musicals that Ive done ... Ive been in the pantomime a few years in the Gaiety. Timing is everything, but I feel like its all led to this point where I can say Im in a Martin McDonagh play.

Stephen O'Leary, actor: "There is a great buzz on the ground at the moment. Its amazing to see actors and young actors, like Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan, get nominated for all these awards."

Zak has, typically, been up to no good of late and, because hes in their homes and on their TVs so regularly, viewers tend to playfully equate the bad boy with the actor who plays him.

Everyone asks me when they meet me on the street: Will you ever come good? He laughs. Its been a bit of a shock the last year to be honest with you! Especially down home in Cork, because they really relate with the character and they see you as the character. Its hilarious. Whenever Im not working in Dublin, I come home. My father has a haulage company in Cork. Whenever Im not working up here or acting, Id go down and Id hop into a van for him and Id do a few deliveries for him around Cork. People who watch Fair City just dont understand how I could be driving a van after being on telly the night before!

He will soon be seen on the big screen in The Promised Land, acclaimed British filmmaker Michael Winterbottoms tale of the partition of Palestine and creation of the state of Israel.

Just like Hangmen, it gave him the opportunity to delve into the history of that time as research.

Its one of my favourite parts of the job really, getting a chance to learn about these time periods.

THE BROADER PICTURE

Like many Irish people, he will be rooting for The Banshees of Inisherin as they compete for nine Oscars including Best Picture, Director and acting nods for Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan.

I had a day off and I went to the cinema on my own. I absolutely adored it. I thought the performances were amazing. A very McDonagh-esque feel to it, just these characters going through that world and in those situations. You feel for all of them. Its a gorgeous story, and so simple as well. That scene with Barry Keoghan at the end is heartbreaking, youre so with the characters. Colin Farrell is a great actor to watch, the character and the charisma he brings to all his roles. Banshees, I thought, was a very different role for him.

To work as an actor at the heart of the industry in such a ground-breaking time must be very exciting right now.

There is a great buzz on the ground at the moment. Its amazing to see actors and young actors, like Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan, get nominated for all these awards. I do feel quite proud to be in the industry in this country because there is a lot of amazing stuff happening. Its great to see everyone do so well.
Spencer Matthews was just 10 when he lost his older brother Michael.

An experienced climber who had already scaled the Swiss Alps, the Pyrenees and Kilimanjaro, Michael became the youngest British person to summit Mount Everest in May 1999.

But his elation was short-lived.

Hours later, upon his descent, the 22-year-old disappeared into blinding snow.

His body has never been found.

More than two decades later, only now is his tragic death really sinking in, says a visibly moved Matthews, who attempts to recover his brothers body in new documentary film, Finding Michael.

I never really accepted it as a kid, admits the entrepreneur and broadcaster, 34. I was fortunate to be the age that I was when we lost him because I didnt really believe it.

We never, as a family, had a body to grieve so we had a memorial service instead of a funeral, he goes on to explain.

I remember reading at that and, even then, part of me in a youthful way always thought that I would see him again. I didnt quite process the loss ever, really.

Michael and Spencer Matthews. See PA Feature LIFE Matthews. Picture: PA Photo//2022 Disney+, Inc

However, Matthews, who shot to fame on constructed reality show Made In Chelsea, has vivid memories of Michael, recalling: We had an awful lot in common and were described as twins separated by time.

We looked very similar and we had similar tastes, so he was who I naturally gravitated towards as a kid, he says fondly. I just remember really looking forward to growing up with him in particular.

Were a very close family; I love my parents (Jane and David) and my other brother James and sister Nina. But Mike and I had a special bond.

It led to a lot of resentment in his teens and early 20s  particularly surrounding the circumstances in which Mike died, Matthews clarifies. But when I went sober at 30, I began to think about things differently.

The aforementioned feature-length original, then, was inspired by a photograph the Matthews family got a few years ago, depicting a body on Everest which could be Michael.

What is Finding Michael about?

Exclusive to Disney+, the emotionally driven piece sees Matthews set out on a personal journey to Nepal, where he recruits Nirmal Nims Purja MBE  the 14 peaks world-record holder  to lead a team to try and find Michael.

Armed with drones and the skillset to go off the summit lines, the 10-man crew (many highly trained Sherpas) tackle the mountains Death Zone at an altitude of more than 8,000 metres to try to pinpoint the body. But with intense time pressures and violent swings in the weather, its a given they will face unexpected challenges.

This is something that I wanted to do anyway, regardless of turning it into a film or documentary, in the hope that it would give my brother the legacy that I feel he deserves, Matthews says, with the trip taking place in 2022, just weeks after his third child with wife Vogue Williams was born.

Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews attending the premiere of the documentary, Finding Michael,. Picture: Belinda Jiao/PA Photos

I think the story of his passing at that age, being the youngest Brit to reach the summit, was an interesting one  and its a tale thats not told, he follows.

But there were mixed feelings. Michaels been dead for 23 years, so whether or not recovering the body made sense did completely fall under whether or not the risk was acceptable. But with advances in technology, better kits, better oxygen systems, the team led by Nims, we were led to believe that it was.

The journey in detail

The trip begins in Nepal, where Matthews and company hike the Himalayan route to Everest Base Camp.

Using footage shot decades earlier, they follow in Michaels footsteps, staying at the same hostels he did, playing pool where he did and being blessed by the local monks in the same way he was.

Once they reached Base Camp, it was a case of setting up and planning for their four-week mission.

Spencer Matthews trekking to Everest Base Camp. Picture: PA Photo//2022 Disney+, Inc

Not only had longtime friend Bear Grylls  Matthews met him whilst studying at Eton College, when he came in to discuss his own Everest summit some 20 years ago  advised against going any higher, Matthews had already set his limits due to his respect for his mother Jane.

Putting my mum through that for a second time was completely unreasonable for some kind of thrill for myself, he reasons.

I mean, I didnt really see that this trip was being for me. I was acting on behalf of the family to try and bring my brother home.

Climbing Everest and thrill seeking is something that turns me on a bit  I love that kind of stuff  but not at the detriment of my familys mental wellbeing.

Waiting at Base Camp

Remaining at that height did make for painful waits once the searches began, he remembers.

Its when I felt the most helpless; youre apprehensive, youre nervous, you dont really know what to expect, and the days are just incredibly long because youre just waiting for news.

Spencer Matthews. Picture: PA Photo//2022 Disney+, Inc

He follows: For me, it was a particularly memorable time in my life, being at that altitude for that period.

During the day, its fine, but the nights are very long and very uncomfortable. Youre on a glacier, so its constantly moving, it was -15/-20 at night and youre alone with your thoughts, he explains, saying he video-called his wife and children up to eight times a day.

So for the first time in my life, really, I got to think in a very focused way about Mike and what he went through, instead of just what you read about.

Did he leave the experience feeling clearer about his passing?

Making the film, but certainly the journey of trying to find him, helped me with processing his final days and just how he was lost on the mountain and who, if anyone, was really at fault, he responds candidly.

But its something Ive learned to let go of. There was plenty of blame and resentment that I was carrying around for particular people that I felt could have done more, but it just felt like the correct time to let go of that and accept his fate as such.

I also understand that it probably isnt the easiest thing in the world to help someone at that altitude, he concludes.

So, having spent time there, although I still believe his death could have been avoided, Im more at peace with it.

Ensuring Michaels name continues to be a force for good, the Matthews family set up the Michael Matthews Foundation, which manages donations for education projects in Africa and Asia.
Picture the scene. You are new to an area, a recent arrival, and you are experiencing some physical pain that you believe to be serious. You go in search of a doctor and find one down the road, his GP practice advertised on the door.

The doctor examines you and diagnoses your illness. Much later it turns out the diagnosis was all wrong and, in fact, the individual was not a qualified GP at all, but some chancer.

The wrongful diagnosis led to your condition worsening and now you have a very serious health problem.

The fake GP would be investigated, quite possibly arrested, and prosecuted. Not that this helps your current condition but at least he could not do further harm to others.

Now substitute the physical ailment for a psychological one.

Wild west of regulation

The fake psychologist can diagnose and treat until your money and patience run out and you realise that you are not getting any better. There is no consequence for this chancer because he is operating in an area that is a wild west of regulation.

Last Monday, RTE reporter Barry Kelly demonstrated on RTE Investigates how he was able to set himself up as psychologist, obtain fake qualifications, and put the brass plate on the door of his fake practice.

The programme transmitted was a fine example of public service broadcasting. It showed how the whole area of psychologists is totally unregulated.

While the report was very well executed, the bones of the story is not new. Others, including the Irish Examiner, have over the years highlighted this shocking lacuna.

In 2017 I wrote how regulations protecting the term "psychologist" were three years away. Now it's 2023 and still nothing.



Conditions are ripe for exploitation - anxious parents facing long HSE waiting lists, no regulation, and draconian defamation laws.https://t.co/dz3n4fp8q2  Joe Leogue (@JoeLeogue) March 5, 2023

Anybody can set up as a psychologist and do a hell of a lot of harm. There is a grift involved in taking money from vulnerable people under false pretences, but the bigger issue is the damage that can be done, and is done, by this dereliction of duty on the part of the State.

Prioritising mental health

Today, mental health is a buzz phrase right across society, from employment to the rearing of children.

On one level, this is highly progressive in that it represents a belated recognition of the impact that psychological disorders or illnesses can have on a persons ability to function.

The word trauma is now frequently invoked in all sorts of situations.

Some would say that it is overused, but at least now there is an awareness of the damage, often hidden from a persons public demeanour, that can be done to mental health by events, experiences, and upbringing.

Yet one of the main disciplines designed to address psychological conditions has the potential to do much further harm.

There are many fine psychologists at work today, who are fully qualified and imbued with proper ethics and standards.

The problem is that accessing one is, to the greatest extent, down to word of mouth. One can check organisations such as the Psychological Society of Ireland and research whether the individual is accredited to any professional bodies, but, understandably, this tends to be done in a small minority of cases.

Assessment of needs logjam

Take one area where damage can and is done thought lack of proper regulation. In recent years, the plight of families which include one or more children with autism has been highlighted repeatedly.

The first step on the journey that a parent or family takes in addressing such a condition is to get an assessment of the childs needs.

The urgency is acquiring an assessment of needs for a child in order to begin treatment as fast as possible is recognised in legislation.

The 2005 Disability Act stipulates that an assessment of needs must be completed within 90 days of applying to the HSE and treatment is to begin within another 90 days.

Read More 'Gridlocked' assessment of need system received record number of applications

This has never been properly observed by the HSE, mainly due to a dearth of resources. As such, any parent who can afford it goes to the private sector in order to get the assessment.

Enter the psychologist.

For sure, many deal with their clients with the utmost professionalism, but there is also the reality that most who do an assessment of needs are aware that the applicants want an outcome that will provide them with a result that can be furnished to the HSE in order to begin treatment.

In such a milieu, there is undoubtedly pressure on the psychologist to come up with the preferred result.

Box-ticking culture

What can, and certainly does, occur in some circumstances then becomes a box-ticking exercise. Guarding against such a culture is not easy and would be a challenge even in a scenario where psychologists were properly regulated.

In an environment where they are not, there is a far greater chance of an assessment being conducted for a pre-determined outcome that ill serves the child and the health authorities. All of this is well known to anybody with any knowledge of this area. Despite that, there is still no regulation.

Proper psychologists deal with their clients with the utmost professionalism, but the logjam in the HSE assessment of needs system creates circumstances that could be exploited by unscrupulous individuals. Stock picture

The Governments response to this has been much the same as it has been to the disability sector. Just as the Disability Act came into being in 2005, so also in the same year did legislation to regulate psychologists, the Health and Social Care Professionals Act.

Its as if the government of the day simply makes the law and walks away, leaving other arms of the State to sort out how exactly they will comply with the law.

The Disability Act, 18 years on

In 2016, nine years after the act came into being, Coru  the regulator of health and social care professionals  was due to begin the establishment of a Psychologists Registration Board. The following year it had still not happened and the Irish Examiner reported that the department had confirmed that it would be established in the coming months.

This would only be the start of the process of full registration, the report stated, but added that the departments position was the worst case scenario would effectively mean that anyone could call themselves a psychologist until 2021, regardless of their level of training or qualification.

The board was established in 2017 but is still not ready to impose full regulation. A spokesperson for Coru told this column that no date has yet been set for the opening of the psychology register.

Barry Kelly's demonstration of how easy it is to pretend to be a qualified psychologist echoes the work six years ago of then 'Irish Examiner' reporter Joe Leogue. Picture: RTE

This cannot happen until all the standards and requirements of a statutorily-regulated body have been established. However, Coru and the board are fully committed to delivering regulation to this very important profession, they said.

The process of doing so is not easy and full of complications. But 18 years after the law was passed and six after a board was established, there is still no sign of a proper register to protect the public.

For decades, until recently, mental health was described as the Cinderella of the health sector.

Today, with the awareness, the rhetoric, the apparent empathy with children in particular who require treatment, mental health is constantly referenced as a high priority for the general wellbeing of society.

And yet, when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of providing a service to match the rhetoric, the State, in some respects, is as primitive and negligent as ever.
Burma Prominent Myanmar Monk Disappears After Being Detained by Regime Forces

Pyigyitagon Sayadaw

Six days after a notorious Myanmar junta task force detained senior monk Sayadaw Agga Wuntha, the leader of the Pyigyitagon anti-dictatorship strike group, and five other men in a Sagaing Region raid, their fate remains unknown.

All six were seized in the early hours of last Sunday morning when around 100 regime soldiers previously responsible for a massacre of villagers raided Lak Ka Pin Village in Sagaings Myinmu Township.

Three civilians were killed in the raid and over 100 villagers were also detained. Junta soldiers looted the village, before releasing the villagers the next day, according to the Myinmu Peoples Defense Force (PDF). The corpse of one of the victims was found in the Ayeyarwady River on March 9.

Sayadaw Agga Wuntha is a prominent Mandalay monk and has been charged with incitement by the military regime for protesting the 2021 coup.

Junta forces previously raided Mandalays Seittathukha Ruby Monastery three times in search of Sayadaw Agga Wuntha, arresting at least five people in their raids.

However, the monk had already departed Mandalay for Sagaing, where he has been helping people displaced by fighting between regime forces and the resistance.

The junta task force which carried out last Sundays raid is the same one that committed a massacre in early March in Tar Taing Village, Myinmu Township. The task forces terror tactics has resulted in it becoming known as the Ogre Column among locals.

In a series of raids from February 23 to March 5 in Ayadaw, Myinmu and Sagaing townships in Sagaing, the task force under the Myanmar militarys Division 99 killed and beheaded 20 resistance members and massacred 16 civilian detainees, including three women who were raped before being killed.

It is a very worrying situation for those who have been arrested. This column committed a very inhumane act in the region, a Myinmu-PDF spokesperson told The Irrawaddy.

A Mandalay protest leader said that the whereabouts of Sayadaw Agga Wuntha and the other five detainees is still unknown.

The task force departed from Lak Ka Pin Village on the evening of March 7 and the monk and other detainees were seen the following day in Phoe Ma Kyi Kin Village. The task force then traveled to Alakapa Village, but its current location is unknown. All three villages are on the Monywa-Mandalay Road.

The Myinmu-PDF spokesperson said: The junta troops left Alakapa Village on the way to Win Pyae Village but havent arrived there. They are hidden somewhere between the two villages.
Burma Thousands Flee Fighting in Southeast Myanmar

A displaced family in Demoso Township, Kayah State set up a temporary tarpaulin shelter under a tree. (Photo: KnHRG)

Fighting between the Myanmar military and Karenni resistance groups has forced around 3,000 villagers and 500 people already displaced to flee their homes and temporary shelters in southeast Myanmars Kayah State.

On Thursday, residents of three villages in the Daw Ta Ma Gyi village tract in the east of Kayahs Demoso Township fled their homes as clashes continued between junta troops and a combined force of Karenni Army and Karenni Nationalities Defense Force fighters, according to the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG).

Regime troops set up an outpost on a hilltop near Daw Ngay Khu Village. Clashes also occurred near Daw Ta Ma Gyi village tract yesterday. Residents and displaced persons sheltering in Daw Ta Ma Gyi, Daw Ngay Khu and Daw So Hpya villages fled their homes, said Ko Banya, a KnHRG spokesperson.

Clashes also reportedly took place on Thursday and Friday near San Pya 6 Mile, Nang Hu Htway and Daw Hse villages in Demoso township, with military regime soldiers launching artillery strikes, said locals.

Fighting was ongoing for two days and they [regime troops] have been firing artillery continuously. It was almost impossible to count how many times they fired, a displaced person said.

KnHRG spokesperson Ko Banya said that the refugees from the three villages in Demoso are currently sheltering under plastic sheets and tarpaulins.

I saw that some displaced people have brought as much food and water as they can carry with them. My concern is about the shelters and supply of medicine. Some people dont have proper shelters and are just camping under trees. Rain is forecast for the coming days and I am worried for them, said Ko Banya.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Kayah State have fled their homes since fighting broke out in May 2021. Many are living in makeshift refugee camps.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that there were at least 86,600 internally displaced persons (IDP) in Kayah as of February 13, 2023.

However, KnHRG said that the total number of refugees is likely much higher, as over 200,000 people have fled their homes since May 2021.

There are now around 225 IDP camps, with nearly 100,000 refugees in Demoso Township alone. Other Kayah residents have fled to southern Shan State, Karen State and Bago Region.
News Myanmars Civilian President Holds Talks With European Union Envoy

A candlelight vigil in Yangon in February 2021 for anti-coup protesters killed during the military regimes crackdowns.

The European Union (EU) is ready and willing to expand humanitarian assistance for Myanmar people in need and to support the countrys struggle for democracy, the EUs Special Envoy for Myanmar told the civilian National Unity Government (NUG).

Igor Driesmans, the EU Special Envoy for Myanmar, held virtual talks with NUG Acting President Duwa Lashi La on Thursday. The pair discussed a wide range of issues related to Myanmar.

NUG Presidents Office spokesperson U Kyaw Zaw, who also joined the meeting, told The Irrawaddy that the two sides focused on the humanitarian and political crisis in Myanmar caused by the terrorist military regime, as well as the Spring Revolution and the need to build a genuine federal democratic union in Myanmar.

Over two years after the Myanmar military staged a coup, toppling the elected government and aborting the countrys fragile and long-hoped for political transformation to democracy, Myanmar has rapidly descended into chaos.

At least 3,120 people have died at the hands of the junta, while over 20,000 have been arrested by the regime, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Despite Myanmar being one of Southeast Asias most resource-rich countries, the economy has tanked, driving the country towards failed-state status.

The EU is standing together with the people of Myanmar and is looking to expand humanitarian assistance, as well as offering help and support for the democratic movement, said U Kyaw Zaw.

At the same time, we do have challenges in delivering assistance so we discussed coordination with the NUG, ethnic armed organizations and local CSOs on the ground to provide direct humanitarian assistance to people inside Myanmar and refugees, he added.

The EU also expressed serious concern about atrocities committed by the military, especially the recent brutal mass killings committed by junta forces in Sagaing Region.

The EU special envoy said that the bloc is finding ways to take more action against the regime, the generals and their associates, while at the same holding them accountable.

Overall, it was a very good meeting. We had a very friendly discussion and it was very productive as well, said U Kyaw Zaw. He added that both sides will engage further in the future.

Last month, the EU imposed its latest round of sanctions targeting members of the junta, its arms brokers and jet fuel suppliers.
Junta Watch Junta Watch: Regime Finds a Friend on Global Stage; Min Aung Hlaing Goes Bananas (Again); and More

Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing views bananas and dairy products produced at Thilawa agricultural zone in Yangon, in October 2022.

Bad company is better than none

Faced with growing diplomatic isolation since the coup, the military regime is desperate to show people both inside and outside Myanmar that it is not a pariah. On Monday, it resorted to establishing diplomatic relations with Africas Guinea-Bissau, one of the poorest countries in the world and notorious for coups and drug trafficking.

Myanmar Ambassador to China U Tin Maung Swe inked a joint statement with his Guinea-Bissau counterpart Antonio Serifo Embalo to seal the diplomatic friendship with the tiny former Portuguese colony of around two million people.

The junta boasted that Guinea-Bissau is the 126th country with which Myanmar has established diplomatic ties. The move will come as no surprise to Myanmars people, who are well aware of the condemnation and sanctions piled on the regime by governments around the world.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is the only government leader to visit Myanmar since the coup. And his was clearly not a goodwill visit to meet the junta chief.

No surprise, then, that Min Aung Hlaing was all too happy to receive Rustam Minnikhanov, the head of Tatarstan, when he visited Myanmar in April last year. Junta media referred to Minnikhanov as the President of Tatarstan  an obscure autonomous region of Russia with fewer than 4 million people  in their reports and newscasts.

Bananas for soldiers

Since his putsch, Min Aung Hlaing has from time to time preached the nutritional benefits of bananas. When he met officers and other soldiers from local battalions in Shan States Kalaw earlier this week, he did so again, saying the regime is mass-producing tissue-culture bananas to boost the health and nutrition of military personnel and their families.

On Min Aung Hlaings orders, the military launched an ambitious banana plantation project a few months after the coup.

In September 2021, junta spokesman Maj-General Zaw Min Tun announced the entire military had adopted the tissue-culture method to grow pgee gyan bananas thanks to a breakthrough by its lab and research unit. The military could now grow tens of thousands of saplings of the same size, the spokesman added.

An economist pointed out that the banana project contradicts plans to create a market economy and would lead to monopolization and corruption seen in other military-run businesses.

But Min Aung Hlaing is interested in feeding his military as cheaply as possible as it fights what the UN rights office calls a war against its own people on multiple fronts across the country. With agriculture also devastated by the juntas campaign of artillery, air and arson attacks on villages and towns, Min Aung Hlaing has generously offered to provide banana saplings at reasonable prices for cultivation by departments at regional, state, district and township levels.

Lessons on morality from murderer generals

Junta boss Min Aung Hlaing called for the opening of summer schools for children of military personnel when he met troops in Kalaw on Monday.

Two days later, home affairs minister Lieutenant-General Soe Htut and his deputy, Major-General Zin Min Htet, opened a summer school at police headquarters in Naypyitaw.

Officially referred to as training (for children) to become polite and well-behaved, such schools teach children basic Buddhist principles and civics during the summer holidays.

The hypocrisy of these two generals and others is as perverse as it is brazen. Both preside over a brutal campaign targeting innocent civilians  who are being beheaded in villages and tortured to death in detention centers  while at the same time overseeing the teaching of morals and scruples to children.

The horrors have not gone unnoticed by the wider world. The European Union recently targeted Maj-General Zin Min Htet, who doubles as police chief, with sanctions for leading a campaign of sexual assault against women and girls.
03/10/2023



Kaylee Rawlins working in Dr. Lori Hensley's biology research lab as a sophomore in 2019. She's now in medical school at UAB.

by Brett Buckner

At the end of her freshman year, Morgan Brown decided that JSU was too small and transferred to a big-time university. It didnt take long for her to realize her mistake.

The school was huge, she said. I lost the close-knit connection that I need to perform well as a student. I didnt know the professors, and they didnt know me, or really seem to care.

Morgan lasted one academic year before transferring back to JSU  breathing a huge sigh of relief. She received her undergraduate degree from JSU in 2018 and completed her masters degree in biology in May 2022. She is currently employed by the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

Stories like Morgans are common at JSU, the Friendliest Campus in the South, where faculty know their students by name. With a student/faculty ratio of 19:1, students get personal mentoring from their professors  which can make a huge difference in the lives of future scientists. In addition to its supportive faculty, the Department of Biology has built its reputation for academic excellence based on a core curriculum, lab work and research that challenges students to think like scientists.

They are innovating science education across the curriculum by providing undergrad research experiences in almost every course, said Dr. Tim Lindblom, dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. Instead of students doing cookbook lab work exercises, and coming up with an expected answer, theyre coming up with their own research questions and doing real science in every class.

The term cookbook echoes through the halls of the department. It stands as the antithesis of what JSU faculty want to give their students, explains Dr. Lori Hensley, department head and biology professor.

Traditionally, students go to a lab and are given a lab manual or a handout, and they follow step-by-step what they should do, Hensley said. They know what the conclusion should be and then they answer some questions at the end about what they did. I call those cookbook labs because it teaches students to bake really nice cakes, but it doesnt necessarily teach them to think like a scientist.

One of the innovative teaching methods JSUs faculty employs to prepare students for a career in the sciences is the course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). This has transformed the way science is taught in that it essentially replaces all course-based labs with labs that provide authentic research experiences.

Its critical, Hensley said of the impact the CURES program has on science majors. Theyre going to be hired by doctors or lab technicians  people who are making decisions based on scientific data. So, if theyve never had to design a research question, or figure out which experiments would be appropriate to answer that research question, or how to analyze data once they have it in their hand or how to communicate the value of that data once they have it, they simply arent going to be very effective in a position in science.

Growing up with a mother who worked in healthcare, Kaylee Rawlins cant remember a time when she wasnt interested in science. She enrolled in JSUs pre-health biology program because it offered a quality education at an affordable cost. She said JSUs spirit of cooperation makes it special.

Unlike some of the larger schools where competition between students is rampant and one-on-one help from instructors is nearly impossible to acquire, there seems to be a common goal of helping students succeed from both peers in your classes and your instructors, said Rawlins. I've forged extremely close friendships with my classmates, typically starting by one of us asking a clarifying question to each other about an assignment or lecture topic.

Rawlins graduated with a bachelors in pre-health biology in 2022 and has been accepted into medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham for Fall 2023. In 2019, she, along with Caitlyn Yongue were the first JSU sophomores to perform cancer research as part of a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.

JSU has given me many unique opportunities that I believe will make me stand out amongst other medical school applicants, she said. The recent push towards CURE-based labs have enabled me to have authentic research experiences that I believe will increase my likelihood of success in medical school and after.

The CURE-based approach allowed JSU to join the Small World Initiative, which encourages students to pursue careers in science while addressing a worldwide health threat  superbugs and the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics. More than 330 undergraduate institutions and high schools are involved worldwide.

Its a great opportunity for our students, Hensley said. Theyre really making a difference in the world.

Asley Adamson wanted to make a difference in the world. When her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, she realized just how much scientific research could directly impact the lives of those she loved. It wasnt until her senior year in high school that the Haleyville native learned about JSU and its available scholarships

Being able to afford college was a struggle for me and most other kids in my hometown, so being awarded a full ride to JSU was kind of an answered prayer, she said. I ended up getting very, very lucky that the professors in the biology department were so invested in their students learning and success because I didn't even know what to look for at the time.

Adamson graduated from JSU in 2019 with a bachelor's in cellular and molecular biology and a minor in chemistry. She is currently pursuing at Ph.D. in neuroscience at UAB. Like Brown, Adamson found that JSUs smaller classes were a benefit rather than a hindrance.

Another fantastic thing about JSU, Adamson said, is that because there weren't hundreds of students in my classes, I was able to get my hands dirty - so to speak - in actual lab techniques that made me a talented and experienced candidate after I left.
Needles are seen filled with the vaccination for COVID-19 are shown in North in Delta, B.C., Wednesday, June 16, 2021. British Columbia is rescinding its policy that required provincial public servants to be vaccinated against COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
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My mother passed away in early December. She had been battling Alzheimers disease for several years. Her communication was poor due to the disease. The caregivers in the memory care unit where she was located stated that she had been vomiting the night before her death. The next morning, she was moaning, and they believed she was in pain. An ambulance was called, and she was taken to the local hospital. A CT scan of her abdomen was performed, and she was diagnosed with a perforated bowel due to a ruptured diverticulum with a belly full of fecal material, per the surgeon who called me. We declined intervention based on her advanced medical directive. She was dead less than 12 hours later.

Some may say this was a blessing. No one, especially someone as vibrant and brilliant as my mother, would want to live the way she was living. I dont disagree, but there is a lot more to this story.

My sister had taken my mom to see her primary care doctor not even one month earlier. He is an experienced physician who, a few years earlier, sold his private practice to corporate medicine, which now controlled how many patients he needed to see in a day.

Although the doctor did listen to moms heart and lungs, he did not touch her abdomen. (This is certainly not to say that he would have been able to find anything at that time, although we will never know that answer.)

Days before my mother passed away, my sister took my father to this same doctor for back pain, a 20-pound weight loss, and weakness. The doctor ordered a CT scan of his lungs and abdomen, but he never laid his hands on my dads belly again.

Long story short, my dad barely made it to my moms funeral. He was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with a large abdominal mass (discovered by the provider who did his admitting history and physical exam) that turned out to be Hodgkins lymphoma. He passed away on December 29. Corporate medicine has not only taken over the physician-patient relationship but has impacted patient safety so negatively that potentially deadly outcomes are more common.

Of course, Im angry and heartbroken, but Im also flabbergasted that physicians dont put their hands on patients any longer, especially impaired patients. Full disclosure here: Im a practicing OB/GYN physician and have been out of residency since 2002. I know exactly why physicians think other physicians dont touch patients any longer because I hear it from my frustrated peers.

Their schedules are packed so tightly that there isnt enough time to lay hands on every patient. Nor is there enough time to think critically, talk about illness in-depth, avoid antibiotic use (by thoroughly explaining why antibiotics might not be the best choice), or to complete the electronic medical record, among other things. In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine showed that there would need to be 27 hours in a day for a primary care physician to do all of the above appropriately for that docs patient load.

Technological advances have made ordering a test like a CT scan or an MRI easy, but who makes money on the test? Certainly not the physician. And wouldnt it just be cheaper to put hands on the patient? Medicine is never this black and white, but how can we possibly think that not touching our patients is the answer?

Another reason docs dont lay hands on patients is because their individual specialty medical societies are telling them not to. Just Google are physical exams necessary, and you will see a large amount of debate on the issue. The pandemic did nothing to aid in this, as telehealth surged due to fear of contact.

Some outside-the-box thinkers in medicine have come up with ways to protect the doctor-patient relationship. One of my favorites is direct primary care (DPC). In this scenario, the patient has a membership with the DPCs practice. This gives the patient access to the doctor. The doc decides their own goal of how many patients they can handle to give the best care. Then the panel is capped. Not everyone can afford a monthly membership fee to retain a physician, though prices vary considerably, so I wouldnt count it out with investigating. Even so, if enough people did it, it could lighten the load for the physicians who dont offer DPC.

As physicians, we talk so much about our broken system among ourselves, but the lay public needs to hear more. I know our country is struggling right now. There is a lot that needs to be fixed. The physical exam, however, was never broken.

Deborah Herchelroath is an obstetrician-gynecologist.
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As the internet has become increasingly accessible, many individuals have turned to online platforms, such as ChatGPT and Doctor Google, to search for information about their symptoms and health concerns. While these resources can help provide individuals with a general understanding of their symptoms, there are risks associated with self-diagnosis and relying on online resources for medical advice. Another trend is patients inadvertently putting their personal medical information at risk by consenting to use unsecured text messages with their physicians.

Text messages are often sent over unencrypted channels, meaning anyone with the right tools can intercept them. This can include hackers or even government agencies that are monitoring internet traffic. In addition, text messages can be easily forwarded or copied, which means they can end up in the wrong hands. Another way that patients are allowing their privacy to be compromised is by sharing personal information on social media. Many people are unaware of the risks of sharing personal information online. They may post updates about their health or share pictures of themselves in the hospital, which criminals can use for identity theft.

One of the main risks of self-diagnosis is the potential for misdiagnosis or medical errors. Online resources may not consider a persons unique medical history, lifestyle factors, or other vital information that could affect a diagnosis. In addition, some symptoms can indicate multiple conditions, making it difficult for individuals to diagnose themselves accurately.

Furthermore, individuals may experience heightened anxiety and fear when searching for information online. A simple search for a common symptom may lead to articles that suggest more serious or rare conditions, causing unnecessary worry and stress. This can also lead to a phenomenon known as cyberchondria, where individuals become preoccupied with searching for health information online, even if they are not experiencing any significant symptoms.

Another risk of self-diagnosis is that individuals may delay seeking professional medical help. This can be particularly dangerous for conditions that require urgent medical attention, such as heart attacks or strokes. Individuals may increase their risk of complications or even death by delaying treatment.

In addition to self-diagnosis risks, relying on online resources for medical advice can also negatively impact the doctor-patient relationship. Individuals who self-diagnose may come to appointments with preconceived ideas about their condition, making it difficult for doctors to provide accurate diagnoses and treatment plans. This can lead to frustration for both the patient and the doctor and may result in suboptimal health outcomes.

To avoid these risks, individuals need to use online resources as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, professional medical care. If you are experiencing symptoms, it is essential to consult with a health care professional who can provide an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment plan. Additionally, individuals should be cautious when searching for health information online and use reputable sources, such as government health websites or professional medical organizations.

Patients will use these resources regardless of warnings from health care providers. I created this algorithm to help patients navigate technologies like ChatGPT. See diagram:

In conclusion, patients must be aware of the risks associated with using technology to manage their health. While it can be convenient, it can also put their personal information at risk. Patients can ensure that their personal information remains secure by protecting their privacy. While online resources such as ChatGPT and Doctor Google can help provide individuals with information about their symptoms and health concerns, there are risks associated with self-diagnosis and relying on online resources for medical advice. To avoid these risks, seeking professional medical care and using online resources as a supplement to, rather than a replacement for, professional medical advice is essential.

Harvey Castro is a physician, health care consultant, and serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in the health care industry. He can be reached on his website, harveycastromd.info, Twitter @HarveycastroMD, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. He is the author of ChatGPT and Healthcare: The Key To The New Future of Medicine, ChatGPT and Healthcare: Unlocking The Potential Of Patient Empowerment, Revolutionize Your Health and Fitness with ChatGPTs Modern Weight Loss Hacks, and Success Reinvention.
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Mainly clear skies. Scattered frost possible. Low 32F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Scattered frost possible. Low 32F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.
Poster for 11th Nordic Talks Korea, themed "Bridging the Gender Divide in Entrepreneurship" / Courtesy of Nordic Talks





By Kwon Mee-yoo







Korea has made rapid progress in economic development, but it still has a long way to go in achieving gender equality in the workplace.







On the occasion of International Women's Day, which fell on March 8, the four Scandinavian embassies in Seoul  Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden  hosted the 11th Nordic Talks at Seoul Startup Hub to discuss the gender gap in entrepreneurship from Korean and European perspectives.







Two male ambassadors from the Nordic countries took part as panelists to share their thoughts on gender equality, especially in the field of economy.







Swedish Ambassador to Korea Daniel Wolven noted that the lack of gender diversity in entrepreneurship is not just an issue of fairness and equality, but also a question of economic growth.







"Women make up half the population, half of the workforce, half our creativity  maybe more than half to be honest. There was a former Swedish prime minister who used the expression that gender equality is not only morally right, but it's also economically smart," Wolven said.







Finnish Ambassador to Korea Pekka Metso agreed that promoting women is not just about gender equality, but it is also necessary for economic growth and sustainable development.







"It's all about innovations, because without gender equality, we can't have the great innovations and creativity in the future. Nevertheless, the statistics show that women are largely underrepresented in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, especially in the high growth industry, such as ICT and technology," Metso said.







"I'm really happy to see that we have representatives from that field, joining the panel discussion, because especially in Korea that needs to be changed. And this goes also for Nordic countries, there are lots of changes we have to do among ourselves," Metso added.







Finnish Ambassador to Korea Pekka Metso speaks during the panel discussion of the 11th Nordic Talks "Bridging the Gender Divide in Entrepreneurship" at Seoul Startup Hub, March 8. Left is moderator Liz Lee, COO and co-founder of TELEPASEE and co-managing director of Girls in Tech Korea, and right is Sara Shafiee, CEO and founder of DivERS from Denmark. Courtesy of Embassy of Sweden in Seoul





Sara Shafiee, CEO and founder at DivERS and assistant professor at Technical University of Denmark, shared her experiences as a female entrepreneur who faced challenges due to unconscious biases during recruitment processes. To reduce the influence of bias in hiring, Shafiee developed DiveERS, a data-driven technology which removes prejudices in the recruitment process.







She also noted that biases can affect the chances of women's success in entrepreneurship beyond just the hiring process. While she understands the frustration of being judged based on their background rather than their potential as an entrepreneur, Shafiee emphasizes the importance of resilience for entrepreneurs, seeing failures and threats as catalysts for growth.







"I try to answer them by talking about my future plans, my visions about the future and backup plans. But I have to confess that I was only comfortable with these discussions, because I have the support of the Danish government and the regulations regarding maternity that we have in Denmark. Otherwise, I couldn't have discussed that," she said.







"The point is that it is not enough to expect women to build resilience. That's part of the story. The other part is about how the government thinks and acts regarding solutions, policies and guidelines that can ensure equal opportunities for men and women. It is a partnership between female founders and their resilience and the governments and politicians altogether can help us disrupt the biases in society," Shafiee added.







Yunice Kim, executive director of D3 Jubilee Partners, gave a presentation on the gender divide in entrepreneurship in Korea, where women face challenges and barriers that limit their ability to start and grow businesses compared to men.







"One of the major barriers for women entrepreneurs in Korea are culture and social norms that prioritize men's roles as breadwinners, and women's roles as caregivers. This cultural stereotype makes it harder for women to access funding, gain support from their family members and access networks that are crucial for business success," Kim said.







Yunice Kim, executive director of D3 Jubilee Partners, speaks during the panel discussion of the 11th Nordic Talks "Bridging the Gender Divide in Entrepreneurship" at Seoul Startup Hub, March 8. From right are Swedish Ambassador to Korea Daniel Wolven, Hana Kim, founder and CEO of WiseUp and Benja Stig Fagerland, founder and author of SHEconomy from Norway. Courtesy of Embassy of Sweden in Seoul





Benja Stig Fagerland, associate professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway School of Business, is also the founder and author of SHEconomy. She said the world is changing and recognizing the potential of women in various roles within business, including as leaders, entrepreneurs, board members, investors and employers.







Fagerland said it is important to fix the system and the culture, not women, which is a core value of corporate diversity responsibility (CDR).







"CDR is not only a diverse workforce that gives the company even better value and innovation, but also means business. And the concept helps to stimulate healthy economic and sustainable growth of companies," she said.







"CDR is not only about counting the number of women leaders or entrepreneurs, but rather how the system and culture encourage more female entrepreneurs to take the position and all kinds of diversity. Having greater diversity is a business advantage, which can both strengthen corporate culture and improve a leader's decision-making. It can also produce more and wider innovation, better resilience and deeper trust within the business and among the customers in the market," Fagerland added.







Hana Kim founded WiseUp, which provides virtual reality video conferencing studio services. She shared her entrepreneurial journey, including being raised in a family that told her she can become whatever she aims to be.







Although she faced gender bias as a young female CEO in the IT industry, Kim believes that more women can succeed as entrepreneurs and bring fresh perspectives and ideas.







"I'd like to say (to girls) that please trust yourself. You have higher potential than you expect. I see some female entrepreneurs behave like a male because they underestimate themselves. But I think, personally, being yourself is better than pretending who you want to be. You have potential power and your own strengths," Kim said, encouraging young women who aspire to be entrepreneurs to actively engage in networking.


Angola, IN (46703)

Today

A few rain showers this evening mixing with snow showers overnight. Low 33F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 60%..

Tonight

A few rain showers this evening mixing with snow showers overnight. Low 33F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 60%.
CROWN POINT A federal jury awarded a Crown Point woman $5.5 million on Thursday in a pregnancy discrimination suit against Illinois and Indiana hospital system Franciscan Alliance.

Court records show that Taryn Duis was a registered nurse and change nurse at Franciscan Hospital in Crown Point in the Progressive Care Unit.

Duis had worked at Franciscan since 2015. In March 2019, Linda Steinhilber was hired as supervisor for the PCU, making her Duiss direct supervisor. Records show that Duis was pregnant when Steinhilber was made her boss. Duis was terminated in May 2019, which she claimed was a result of her pregnancy.

Franciscan said in court records that Duis was fired over a lousy attitude and (an instance where she) was overheard swearing and refusing to give a patient pain medication.

Records show one occasion where Duis and a co-worker were arguing during a night shift and she was called into Steinhilbers office to discuss it days later. She said that during the meeting, Steinhilber mocked her and said oh, I have to call the doctor for myself to the floor. I can't handle my job, because I am pregnant, according to court documents.

Steinhilber said in her affidavit that though she didnt recall the meeting entirely, she was certain that at no point during the discussion was there any mention or mocking of Duis' pregnancy, according to records.

About a month later, in the days leading up to Duis' termination, a patient requested pain medication during her night shift. Another nurse reported to Steinhilber that in response to the patients request, Duis said, I don't give a (expletive) if that patient wants pain meds. He can wait. He should have taken it before, according to records.

Duis described that night differently and denied ever making the statement. Her co-worker Kim Buchanan backed up her recollection of the incident. Buchanan said, per court records, that the patient requested pain medication and Duis explained that theyd have to wait for the doctors approval before administering it.

Buchanan said Duis came into the patients room and apologized to them for the wait and the patient received the medication in approximately 10 minutes.

Duis was fired from six days after the pain medication incident. She was never disciplined or put on a disciplinary progress plan prior to her termination, court documents stated.

Court records show that when Duis was terminated she asked if it was because of her pregnancy and she was told by a higher up that it was not. Someone from Human Resources told her she wasn't being fired because she was pregnant, but because she was taking FMLA leave, according to court documents.

Records show that in Steinhilbers termination form for Duis, she wrote, Taryn stated she said she couldn't wait until October to be on maternity leave.

Jurors deliberated for about five and a half hours before returning with the verdict in favor of Duis.

Taryn Duis has been, and continues to be, an exemplary nurse that never deserved to be treated this way, Ryan Sink, one of the attorneys who represented Duis, said in an email.

Franciscan maintains that Duis was not terminated due to her pregnancy.

We respectfully disagree with the jurys decision, a Franciscan Alliance spokeswoman said in an email. We are in the process of consulting with our legal team regarding all of our legal options, including post-verdict motions to substantially reduce the jurys award of damages and a potential appeal of the jurys decision.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail
Auburn, IN (46706)

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Texas DPS urges residents to avoid traveling to Mexico on spring break

DPS issued the warning after four Americans were kidnapped in Matamoros and two were killed.
New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Australia's national science agency -- the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), India's initiative for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and think tank NITI Aayog have signed a letter of intent to encourage joint cooperation to drive innovation activities in areas of national challenges and shared priorities of both countries.

The move comes during the India visit of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as he met the Indian Prime Minister Narendra on 10 March 2023 in New Delhi, according to a statement of NITI Aayog. The meeting between the Prime Ministers spanned areas of mutual interest and explored avenues of strengthening bilateral engagement in a range of key areas with innovation as one key item.

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The LoI between AIM and CSIRO calls for a greater collaboration in areas of mutual interest and strategic priorities and serves as a general framework for cooperation intended to facilitate the development of more programme-specific interventions, informed the government through a release.

The core of the bilateral engagement is the India-Australia Innovation and Technology Challenge (IA-ITC) -- a programme envisioned to bring together the innovation ecosystems of India and Australia.

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According to the NITI Aayog statement, this will address our shared environmental and economic challenges by supporting cohorts of start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on their commercialisation pathways and bring to market innovative tech-based solutions spanning across circular economy, energy transition and food system resilience etc.

The programme intends to leverage the complementary capabilities and resources of the innovation ecosystem of both countries.

A circular economy entails markets that give incentives to reusing products, rather than scrapping them and then extracting new resources.

The IA-ITC builds on the success of the India Australia Circular Economy (IACE) Hackathon 2021, which witnessed university students, startups, and SMEs from both India and Australia develop innovative tech-based solutions for circularity in food-system value chain.

"We are thrilled to partner with CSIRO on fostering innovation and co-developing the India Australia Innovation and Technology Challenge," said Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director - AIM, NITI Aayog. "This partnership and the IA-ITC programme in particular is an exciting opportunity for India and Australia to collaborate at different levels of the ecosystem involving startups, SMEs, business incubators and accelerators, VCs and the industry. This will open new horizons in knowledge sharing and co-creation given CSIRO's vast experience with Science and Technology programmes."

"CSIRO is excited to partner with AIM and work towards solving shared global challenges. AIM has an impressive track record of fostering and leveraging world-class innovations and entrepreneurs. We look forward to combining our strengths and expertise to create scientific breakthroughs that make real-world social, economic and environmental impact," said Jonathan Law, Executive Director for Growth, CSIRO.

According to the statement, AIM and CSIRO are currently working on the design and development of the IA-ITC programme delivery model to ensure the IA-ITC is sustainable, innovative, impactful and aligns with the strategic interests of both India and Australia. The official launch of the programme is expected to be in July 2023. (ANI)

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Los Angeles [US], March 11 (ANI): Short-term menopause symptoms like hot flashes, which are brought on by variations in reproductive hormones, are well-known to many people. They might not be aware, however, that over time, menopause may compromise the health of the heart and the brain.

In the United States, atherosclerosis, or the formation of plaque in arteries, is the main cause of death, and it almost always affects women after menopause. Postmenopausal women are much more likely than premenopausal women to suffer from memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease.

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Now, Keck Medicine of USC has launched a clinical trial to study the effect of a novel hormone replacement therapy on postmenopausal cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline.

"Data supports the concept that estrogen, a hormone that the ovaries stop producing after menopause, protects both the heart and brain from damage," said Howard N Hodis, MD, director of the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit, internal medicine specialist with Keck Medicine and lead researcher of the study. "Our study seeks to determine whether estrogen-containing hormone therapy can prevent or slow atherosclerosis progression and cognitive impairment in women after menopause."

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A key aspect of the study is that it is designed for women who are postmenopausal for six years or less."We have studied previous data and conducted clinical trials showing that timing of when a woman starts hormone therapy is crucial," said Hodis, who is also a professor of medicine and population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. "There appears to be a limited window of time wherein women benefit from hormone replacement therapy. Beyond six years of menopause, prevention appears to be too late."

Improving standard hormone replacement therapies

The hormone therapy being studied has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration since 2013 and consists of estrogen paired with a non-hormone drug known as bazedoxifene.

Traditional hormone replacement therapy combines estrogen with progesterone, or more commonly with progestin, a synthetic progesterone. Estrogen alone can cause the lining of the uterus to thicken, causing bleeding and other health issues, which progesterone or progestin prevents.

However, progestin/progesterone combined with estrogen has been associated with cancer risks. Bazedoxifene prevents the uterine lining from thickening while appearing not to present the same risks, said Hodis.

Trial eligibility and protocols

The clinical trial, titled Advancing Postmenopausal Preventive Therapy, is open to healthy women six years or less menopause">post-menopause, who have a uterus, are 45-59 years of age and do not have cardiovascular disease.

Upon enrollment, trial participants:

Receive an ultrasound of their neck artery that is used as a non-invasive baseline measure of atherosclerosis.

Undergo several tests to gauge their baseline cognitive function and memory.

Every six months, participants have an ultrasound of the neck artery to monitor any progression of atherosclerosis. They also have electrocardiograms to check for different heart conditions, which are done yearly.

At the end of the study, which lasts approximately three years, women retake the cognitive and memory tests so researchers can determine whether there has been any change since enrollment.

The clinical trial is a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, meaning neither participants nor the researchers know who is receiving hormone replacement or a placebo. When the clinical trial is completed, researchers will compare results between the therapy and placebo recipients, and participants will be informed which option they received.

So far, some 260 women are participating in the trial; researchers are looking for 100 more women to enroll. Those interested in participating should contact the USC Atherosclerosis Research Unit at (323) 442-2257 or visit aru.usc.edu.

"Our ultimate goal is to help women and their physicians make informed decisions to promote good health menopause">post-menopause," said Hodis. (ANI)

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Chandigarh, Mar 11 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday launched a mega membership drive in Haryana, under which it plans to enroll 10 lakh members over the next one month.

Senior AAP leader and party's Haryana affairs in-charge Sushil Gupta said party workers will cover every nook and corner of the state during the month-long membership drive.

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"Our aim is to enroll 10 lakh new members within a month," Gupta told reporters here.

AAP leaders Anurag Dhanda, who was present at the launch, said while party volunteers will be going to every town and village, people can also become a member by giving a missed call on a mobile number, which has been launched for the purpose.

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"Every worker of the party will go to every village and every ward. In the next one month, the policies of Aam Aadmi Party will be disseminated to every person of the state. All 90 assembly constituencies will be covered by party workers.

"People can also give a missed call on mobile number 76500-88000 and can become active member," he said.

The party is aiming to build a strong organisational structure in Haryana, where it will be fighting next year's assembly polls, Dhanda said.

Sushil Gupta said that AAP is the only viable alternative in the political scene of Haryana, where people want good education, better health facilities, a corruption-free governance, and good job opportunities.

He hit out at the BJP-JJP government in the state, saying crime, drug addiction, and unemployment has increased in the state under its rule.

Party leaders Ashok Tanwar and Nirmal Singh were also present at the launch.

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New Delhi/ Mumbai, Mar 11 (PTI) Aviation regulator DGCA has approved Air India's long-pending request to allow the same pilots to operate two types of Boeing wide-body aircraft, according to officials.

Initially, Air India can train a total of eight designated examiners for operating Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft. Four designated examiners will be trained for operating 777s and another four for flying 787s, a senior official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

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Cross-utilisation of existing pilots wherein they will be able to fly two different aircraft will be helpful for the carrier as it embarks on ambitious international expansion plans.

Generally, a designated examiner is an experienced pilot who has been authorised by the regulator to carry out various tests and checks as per civil aviation requirements. The examiner is an employee of the airline concerned.

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Under the plan approved by the DGCA, each of the eight designated examiners should have 150 hours of flying with at least 10 landings in terms of operating Boeing 777 and 787 separately, the official said.

Air India's proposal was approved by the watchdog on March 3.

An Air India official said the airline has received the regulatory approval for Multi-Seat Flying (MSF), which broadly means that the same pilot can fly two types of aircraft and there will be a heavy training process.

The DGCA official said that cross utilisation of pilots is being followed by airlines in around 16 countries. Currently, there are around 700 wide-body pilots at Air India.

There was no immediate comment from Air India on queries regarding the DGCA approval.

Air India, which was acquired by Tata Group in January last year, has around 1,825 pilots and is also hiring more pilots as the airline expands its operations.

Last month, Air India placed orders for 470 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing, including 70 wide-body planes.

(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 11 (ANI): A man has been arrested for assaulting two police personnel in Sector-10, Dwarka on Holi this year, the police said.

The accused man has been identified as Nitin Godara (29), a resident of Dhulsiras Village Dwarka.

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According to police, on March 8, two personnel of Police Station Dwarka South were patrolling in Sector-10, Dwarka market. At around 8:30 pm, a few people in a car were playing loud music and they were asked to turn the volume down.

The car was then leaving and it came towards head constable Jagdish who managed to avoid it. The head constable received minor injuries and did not require any hospitalisation, the police said.

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Both the head constables then followed the offending vehicle and held the driver, Nitin Godara.

The driver was found to be in an inebriated state and his medical examination was conducted, the police said.

A case under stringent sections of law has been registered, police added. (ANI)

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Delhi Police on Saturday after receiving the post mortem report of Satish Kaushik again visited the farmhouse where the veteran actor had partied on Holi before he passed away earlier this week. After they received the late actor's postmortem report, Delhi Police reached the farmhouse again and analysed CCTV footage, according to police sources According to sources the probe into the 66-year-old actor death will be based on the postmortem report. According to sources, the doctors, present during the autopsy have not found anything suspicious over the death of the actor. "The reports of blood samples and heart of the deceased actor are still awaited and will be in within a fortnight," Delhi Police said. Actor-Director Satish Kaushik Dies: Anupam Kher Confirms The Sad News, Bollywood In Shock.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police sources said that a crime team of Delhi's South-West district police visited the farmhouse, where the deceased actor was staying. As per sources, the probe team recovered some medicines, from the farmhouse, where a party was organized by an industrialist. "The medicines are being examined," Delhi Police sources said. "A party was organized in the farmhouse, which belonged to an industrialist," Delhi Police sources said, adding that the industrialist is wanted in another case. "Police are going through the guest list to ascertain those who were present at the farmhouse," they added. Satish Kaushik passed away in Gurugram on March 8. A day ago, on March 7, the actor-filmmaker had attended the Holi bash of Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar in Mumbai. Photos and videos from the party went viral after news of his sudden demise broke. Kaushik was in Delhi to attend the Holi party of a close friend when he reportedly fell sick, sources said. Anupam Kher was the first to share the news of his close friend's demise on social media. "Actor Satish Kaushik passes away," Kher tweeted along with a picture of both actors. Satish Kaushik Dies at 66: Actor-Director's Last Insta Post Was Pics of Him Celebrating Holi 2023 at Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi's House With Ali Fazal, Richa Chadha and Mahima Chaudhry.

In a tweet in Hindi, Kher wrote, "I know "death is the ultimate truth of this world!" But I never thought in my dreams that I would write this thing about my best friend #SatishKaushik while alive. Such a sudden full stop on a friendship of 45 years!! Life will NEVER be the same without you SATISH! Om Shanti!"

A versatile actor, writer, director and producer, Kaushik made his mark in the Indian film industry with his captivating performances and unique sense of humour. He gained recognition in the 1980s and 1990s for his work in popular films such as Mr India, Saajan Chale Sasural, and Judaai. Over the years, Satish established himself as one of the most sought-after character actors in Bollywood, often playing supporting roles that were integral to the plot. He was also known for his work as a writer and director, having directed films such as Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain.
New Delhi, Mar 11 (PTI) Advocate Nitesh Rana on Saturday resigned as the special public prosecutor of the Enforcement Directorate, citing personal reasons.

As a special public prosecutor since 2015, Rana represented the federal agency in several high-profile cases, including those against former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, Congress leader D K Shivakumar, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his family, TMC leader Abhishek Banarjee, and Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

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Rana said his office will inform the court about the situation till the time some arrangements are made by the Enforcement Directorate.

He represented the agency in matters such as the Jammu and Kashmir terror finding case against the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and in cases against terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin.

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He also represented the agency in high-profile matters such as the Air India "scam", money laundering cases against Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Bhushan Power and Steel, Ranbaxy-Religare fraud, Sterling Biotech scam and the West Bengal cattle smuggling case.

The Forbes Magazine selected Rana in its "Legal Powerlist of 2020".

Rana, 44, also represented the ED in court in the United Kingdom in money laundering probe-related proceedings.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Pune, Mar 11 (PTI) Pune is the ideal location for the fourth 'Y20' consultation meeting as the city has been a beacon of knowledge and culture for generations, in the process attracting students and scholars from across the world, Union Minister for Youth Affairs Anurag Thakur said on Saturday.

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'Youth 20' is an official consultation forum for youth from G20 nations to have a dialogue with each other. The theme of the fourth Y20 consultation meet is 'Peace building and Reconciliation: Ushering in an era of no war- the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the future of work'.

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Thakur, who was the chief guest at the meet being held in Symbiosis International University (SIU) here, said, "Young people are equal stakeholders in the present. Their role is today, now and here. Look around, India is making headlines as it is the world's fastest growing large economy. From being among fragile five economies in 2014, we are now among the top five economies of the world."

"In a span of eight years, we have become third globally among startups with over 77000 startups and more than 107 unicorns. Whether it is social media led causes or billion dollar startups, our youth are leading from the front. The pathbreaking stories of our youth serve as inspiration for people all over the world to follow their passion and make positive impact in their respective fields," he added.

He heaped praise on Pune for being an education hub as well as a major manufacturing centre of the nation, with some of the world's largest automobile engineering and electronics firms having a presence here.

"I am delighted to be in Pune. Its reputation as the cultural capital of Maharashtra and a leading education hub cannot be overstated. With more than 10 universities and 100 institutes, the city has been a beacon of knowledge and culture for generations, attracting students and scholars from across the world. There could not be a better place to organize this Y20 event," he said.

Institutions like Symbiosis provide quality education to thousands of students from across the globe, thus sowing and nurturing the seeds of change, he added.

He also hailed the role of India role in promoting peace and reconciliation on the global stage.

"We have been a strong advocate for disarmament, non proliferation and have contributed to United Nations' peacekeeping efforts," Thakur said.

India assumed the presidency of the G20, an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union, in December last year.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Guwahati, March 11: The Gauhati High Court has convicted a lawyer for criminal contempt for his comments on the jewellery of a judicial officer and for demeaning her by comparing her to a "mythical character" of a demon called Bhasmasur.

Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Devashis Baruah in the suo motu case granted bail to lawyer Utpal Goswami on March 9 on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and the court will conduct the sentence hearing on March 20. Gauhati High Court Convicts Lawyer in Criminal Contempt Case For Calling Woman Judge 'Bhasmasur'.

The court in its order said that "Utpal Goswami, who is an Advocate by profession, and charged with criminal contempt referred to in section 14 of the Contempt of Courts Act,1971 has filed his affidavit in support of his defence on January 17 and in paragraph 5 and 6 thereof, the respondent/contemnor has pleaded guilty to the charge." Hyderabad: DRI Recovers 2.3 kg of Smuggled Gold Worth Rs 1.32 Crore At Secunderabad Railway Station (See Pics).

He has specifically admitted that he had come to realize that respect of the Judges and Magistrates of any Court should be preserved and protected by the establishment of peace, order, harmony and tranquillity of human society, the order reads.

"Further he has admitted that he committed the crime due to insufficient knowledge of Law and its practice and hence he tendered his unconditional apology as this is his first crime and he assured the Court that he shall never repeat this type of crime in future," the order reads.

"It is noted that by filing a petition under section 24 CPC, in connection with TA No.6/2018, which was pending before the Court of learned Additional District Judge, Jorhat the petitioner has made a scathing that the presiding officer has been presiding the Court by wearing jewellery like a model in the ramp and that each and every occasion she tried to overpower/depress the advocates by citing unnecessary case laws and sections of statues without hearing the advocates and tries to control the Courtroom behaving like a Gangue (sic)," said in the order.

"He has also alleged that she treats her typist as something special to her. The respondent has also alleged that the concerned judicial officer collects eatables from Majuli district through her office assistant and also uses an official driver and car for personal work," said in the order.The lawyer had compared her to Bhasmasur, a mythical demonic character mentioned in the Puranas and the Mahabharata.

"Several other allegations have been made to portray the concerned judicial officer in a demeaning manner and have attacked her understanding of law as well as derogated her personality in many ways by even comparing her to a mythical character in Purana/ Mahabharat, known as bhasmasur," said in the order.

The order further stated that "In view of the plea of guilty taken by the respondent/contemnor, we hereby convict the respondent contemnor on his plea of guilty being taken, as per the provision of Section 14 of the Courts Act, 1971."

"Accordingly, the respondent/contemnor shall submit a personal bond for a sum of Rs.10,000/- (Rupees ten thousand only) for being released on bail. In respect of the sentencing hearing, we direct the registry to list the matter on March 20, the order stated.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Panaji (Goa) [India], March 11 (ANI): With forest fires continuing to rage in Goa, the Union environment ministry on Saturday established a 24x7 control room to monitor in real time alerts generated by Forest Survey of India (FSI).

The ministry also said that no major damage to flora and fauna has been observed till now.

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The impacted areas have been divided into sectors and duties have been assigned to DCF and ACF level officers to immediately attend to the fires, for intensive management of forest fires in close coordination with line departments. More than 750 people are on the field to attend to the fire incidences on war-footing, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, to check and prevent unauthorised entries into the forest areas, specific directions have been also given to the DCFs to ensure and strictly enforce the forest laws, as applicable and that matter be flagged to Police Department for investigation at their levels as well.

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The ministry further said that "Joint teams, in co-ordination with District Collector (North)/(South), Police Department, District Disaster Management Authority, Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, local community, including PRI are deployed on field for immediate management of the fire incidences on war-footing."

The field executives and the teams are attending to the fire by cutting off the fuel to fire through creation of fire-lines and fire breaks, beating of bushes, counter firing, clearing the leaf litter, ministry stated.

"Long dry-spell (almost no rains since mid-October, 2022), coupled with unprecedented high summer temperature with low humidity has resulted in a conducive atmosphere for fire, which has been aggravated by high winds observed in the past couple of weeks, particularly after sundown," said the ministry.

Earlier on March 9, the Indian Air Force deployed one Mi-17 helicopter for fighting raging forest fires in Goa, using Bambi Buckets, stated an official release.

Further, as per the official release, the Indian Air Force is coordinating with the Indian Navy and the civil administration in combating forest fires in the affected areas of the coastal state.

"Operations shall continue till March 10. Bambi Bucket operations involve the helicopter carrying water underslung and releasing it over the affected area to douse the fire," the release read further.

In the recent past, the IAF had also undertaken similar operations in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Manipur.

Goa Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday, said a detailed inquiry has been ordered into the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary fire.

"An inquiry was ordered after a discussion with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant," Rane informed.

Taking to Facebook and Twitter, Rane said, "Strict instructions are being given to the DCF, and orders are being issued to the deputy conservators of forests (DCFs) in various ranges in all the affected areas. Entry into the wildlife sanctuaries will be prohibited and people will also not be allowed to light wildfires."

As per the reports received from the field, since March 5 and till of March 11, 48 fire-spots have been detected in which 41 number of fires have already been doused and seven are reported to be active. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], March 11 (ANI): Amid a sharp surge in H3N2 virus cases in the country, the Gujarat health minister Rushikesh Patel on Saturday said that the state has reported one death due to H1N1, adding that no death has been reported due to H3N2 till March 10 in the state.

"There are three H3N2 cases in the state till March 10. There has been one death in the state till now which is due to H1N1," Patel said while addressing a press conference here on the situation of seasonal influenza in the state.

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He further said that 77 cases of H1N1 have been reported so far in Gujarat.

"There is no need to panic as the government is working round the clock to ensure people's safety. We are monitoring it," he added.

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According to the Union Health Ministry Karnataka and Haryana have confirmed one death each from H3N2 influenza so far.

H3N2 has been the dominant subtype followed by H1N1. Both these subtypes belong to Influenza 'A' type.

However, the Union Ministry of Health on Friday said that the cases arising from seasonal influenza including H3N2 which has claimed one death each in Haryana and Karnataka are expected to decline from March end.

"India every year witnesses two peaks of seasonal influenza: one from January to March and the other in the post-monsoon season. The cases arising from seasonal influenza are expected to decline from March end," the Union Health Ministry said in a press release.

Seasonal influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses that circulate in all parts of the world, and the cases are seen to increase during certain months globally.

It further said that real-time surveillance of cases of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI) presenting in OPDs and IPDs of health facilities is undertaken by Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

According to the latest data available on IDSP-IHIP (integrated health Information Platform), a total of 3038 laboratory-confirmed cases of various subtypes of Influenza including H3N2 have been reported till March 9 by the States. This includes 1245 cases in January 1307 in February and 486 cases till March 9.

Further, the IDSP-IHIP data from health facilities indicate that during the month of January 2023, a total of 397,814 cases of Acute Respiratory Illness/Influenza Like Illness (ARI/ILI) were reported from the country which increased slightly to 436,523 during February 2023. In the first 9 days of March 2023, this number stands at 133,412 cases.

The corresponding data for admitted cases of severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) is 7041 cases in January 2023, 6919 during February 2023, and 1866 during the first 9 days of March 2023.

Till February 28, a total of 955 H1N1 cases have been reported. The majority of the H1N1 cases are reported from Tamil Nadu (545) following Maharashtra (170), Gujarat (74), Kerala (42), and Punjab (28).

The Ministry is also tracking and keeping a close watch on morbidity and mortality due to the H3N2 subtype of seasonal influenza.

Young children and old age persons with co-morbidities are the most vulnerable groups in the context of seasonal influenza.

It has also advised the state governments to vaccinate healthcare workers dealing with H1N1 cases.

However, according to the ministry, Oseltamivir is the drug recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for curing the infection.

"The drug is made available through the Public Health System free of cost. The government has allowed the sale of Oseltamivir under Schedule H1 of the Drug and Cosmetic Act in February 2017 for wider accessibility and availability," it said. (ANI)

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Roorkee (Uttarakhand) [India], March 11 (ANI): Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) discovered a new antibacterial small molecule (IITR00693) that could help the fight against drug-resistant infections.

The research was led by Prof Ranjana Pathania, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Roorkee, along with Mahak Saini, IIT Roorkee; Amit Gaurav, IIT Roorkee; Ashish Kothari, AIIMS, Rishikesh; Balram Ji Omar, AIIMS, Rishikesh; Varsha Gupta, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh; Amitabha Bhattacharjee, Assam University.

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According to the IIT Roorkee statement, the molecule, discovered after a rigorous screening process, has shown potent antibacterial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including some of the most problematic drug-resistant strains.

With many bacterial infections becoming resistant to existing treatments, the discovery of this new molecule offers the potential for more effective and targeted therapies. IITR00693 acts like a dual sword; it not only strikes down the most stubborn bacteria but also prevents the emergence of resistance, ensuring that it remains effective for generations to come, said the statement.

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The rise of antibiotic resistance among skin-infecting pathogens poses an urgent threat to public health and has fueled the search for new therapies. Enhancing the potency of currently used antibiotics is an alternative for the treatment of infections caused by drug-resistant pathogens. IITR00693 potentiates the activity of polymyxins against two notorious multidrug-resistant skin-infecting pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, providing a crucial leg up in the ongoing battle against deadly superbugs.

The statement further said the combination has a novel dual mode of action that de-energizes the bacterial cells and obliterates their membrane. The combination shows a very low propensity for resistance development, which is a major concern with many antibiotics on the market today.

Talking about the discovery, IIT Roorkee Director Prof KK Pant said, "We are now working to further develop the molecule into a viable therapeutic agent that can be tested in clinical trials. This is an important step in the development of new antibiotics, as it will allow for the evaluation of the molecule's safety, efficacy, and potential side effects in soft and skin tissue infections."

The findings are published in the American Chemical Society Journal - ACS Infectious Diseases and are featured on the cover page of the journal. This could open new research avenues on treatment options for soft and skin tissue infections.

Prof Ranjana Pathania, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Roorkee, said, "We aimed to identify a small molecule that can potentiate currently used antibiotics. IITR00693, a novel antibacterial small molecule, potentiates the antibacterial activity of polymyxin B against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Herein, we investigated in detail the mode of action of this interaction and the molecule's capability to combat soft-tissue infections caused by S aureus and P aeruginosa."

Mahak Saini, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Roorkee, who is among the research paper's authors, highlighted, "The results indicate that IITR00693 has the highest safety index and efficacy. The synergy between IITR00693 and polymyxin B against Gram-positive S. aureus was intriguing, as polymyxin B is specifically active against Gram-negative bacteria; hence we selected this combination for further detailed investigations." (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Indian Army's Chetak Corps on Saturday conducted 'Exercise Chetak Chaukas' with all stakeholders to strengthen Rear Area Security, officials said.

"Indian Army's Chetak Corps conducted Exercise Chetak Chaukas focusing on planning, preparation, familiarisation & updation of the database with all stakeholders to strengthen Rear Area Security," Indian Army's South Western Command officials said.

Also Read | Chardham Yatra 2023: Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council To Issue Tokens for Darshan During the Yatra.

Earlier in the day, the Indian Army's Desert Corps carried out tactical floatation to validate operational parameters under an all-arms combat simulation.

This was carried out besides coordinating & refining numerous Battle Drills, said officials. (ANI)

Also Read | AAP Leader Manish Sisodia Attacks BJP, Says 'Can Put Me in Jail but Can't Break My Spirits'.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kochi (Kerala) [India], March 11 (ANI): Opposition Leader in the Kerala State Assembly and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Friday sought a reply from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M's state secretary MV Govindan on fresh allegations levelled by Swapna Suresh.

Opposition leader Satheesan said if the allegations against the duo are false they should take legal action against her.

Also Read | Kerala Shocker: Crime Branch Inspector Removed From Service on 'Sexual Assault' Charges.

"Government also sent a middleman to influence Swapna Suresh earlier. In the present case, there is no need to disbelieve Swapna primarily. The government is afraid that Swapna will reveal more. The Principal Secretary (M Sivasankar), who had excessive powers in the Chief Minister's office, is now in jail. The Additional Private Secretary to the Chief Minister (CM Raveendran) was summoned for continuous questioning. There is more evidence about this in the hands of Swapna," he said.

"Chief Minister and the party secretary should respond to this. Legal action should be taken against Swapna if she is wrong," Satheesan said.

Also Read | Bihar: Main Accused Behind 'Fake' Videos of Attacks on Migrant Workers in Tamil Nadu Arrested.

"Earlier, when Swapna accused the Chief Minister, not even a defamation notice was sent. There was no legal action," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Swapna Suresh CPM secretary Govindan Master offered her a hefty amount of Rs 30 crore to leave the country and settle anywhere else. She even accused him of threatening her with dire consequences if she did not stop speaking about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

"I started revealing the truth after I came to know the true colour of M Shivshankar (former principal secretary to the Kerala CM). I got an anonymous phone call from a person called Vijay Pillai. He came for a settlement talk. He said to move out of Bangalore and leave the place. CPM party secretary Govindan Master had told him to threaten me and leave the place. They asked me to stop speaking about Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter and businessman Yussaf Ali. They offered me Rs 30 crore," she alleged in a Facebook live post.

Swapna said that she has no "personal agenda" against the Kerala Chief Minister, however, Master threatened to "finish" her life and gave her 2 days to decide.

However, middleman Vijesh Pillai refuted all the allegations.

Talking to the media on Friday, Pillai said, "Swapna Suresh's allegations are false. I don't know CPI (M) state secretary MV Govindan directly and have only seen him in the media. There was no mention of the Chief Minister in our meeting. Swapna has to prove the allegation that I threatened her."

Earlier in October last year, Swapna Suresh alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan is taking up projects in the state for his daughter Veena Vijayan and for the future generations of his family in the guise of development.

"Chief Minister's projects making undue commissions and for building an empire for his daughter or for his family or for the future generations of his family in the disguise of development. It should not be Kerala's FON, it shouldn't be Kerala Fibre Optical Network, it should be Veena or Vijayan Fibre Optical Network," Swapna had told ANI.

Swapna Suresh, a former employee of UAE Consulate, is one of the prime accused in the gold smuggling case.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs had in July, 2020, seized 30 kilograms (66 lb) of 24 carat gold worth Rs 14.82 crores from a diplomatic bag at Thiruvananthapuram Airport. The bag was meant to be delivered to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram.

Following the seizure, M Sivasankar, the principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, was also suspended and removed from his post after preliminary inquiry confirmed that he had links with Swapna Suresh. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Alleging misuse of power by the BJP-led Central government, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a sinister attempt to kill democracy by misusing ED-CBI on opposition leaders, adding that the public will give a "befitting reply to this dictatorship".

In a tweet in hindi, Kharge said that PM Modi has kept ED sitting at the house of the Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav for the last 14 hours.

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"His pregnant wife and sisters are being harassed. @laluprasadrjd. Yes, he is old, he is ill, even then the Modi government did not show humanity towards him. Now the water has gone over the head," he tweeted.

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted a raid at the residence of Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in the national capital in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam case.

Also Read | Assam Gets Its First Transgender-Run Tea Stall at Guwahati Railway Station.

The ED team left after over 11 hours of questioning the RJD leader at his residence here in New Delhi, they said.

In a subsequent tweet, kharge wrote, "Modi government is making a sinister attempt to kill democracy by misusing ED-CBI on opposition leaders"

"Where were the agencies of the Modi government when the fugitives ran away with crores from the country?" Kharge questioned.

Kharge asked why is there no investigation when the wealth of a "best friend" skyrockets? "The public will give a befitting reply to this dictatorship!"

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and said that the opposition in the country is "oppressed" and "harassed" by the BJP for raising their voices.

"The double engine sarkar which actually stands for "Pradhani and Adani Sarkar," works in the interests of only a few, and therefore the opposition is oppressed and harassed for raising their voices."

"More than 100 CBI raids, 200 ED raids, over 500 income tax raids, and 500 to 600 people have been questioned under the NIA. All of them are either politicians, members of our party, or business houses that don't subscribe to the BJP's diktats," she added earlier on Thursday. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Officials of Delhi Police on Saturday arrested a person, accused of raping a girl in North-East Delhi's Jafrabad area, police said.

The rape accused, a resident of Jafrabad, was arrested near Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow by a team of Delhi Police's North East district.

Also Read | Bihar Shocker: Man Shot Dead While Sleeping Outside His Residence in Naugachhia.

According to Delhi Police, the arrested person allegedly raped a girl, living in his neighbourhood.

"A case was registered based on the complaint by the victim yesterday evening, and efforts to nab the accused were immediately carried out," Delhi Police said, adding that the accused and the victim belong to different communities.

Also Read | Land-for-Job Scam: CBI Summons Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav for Second Time.

Police's investigation into this matter is underway. Further information is awaited. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Delhi: Three apprehended for harassing Japanese tourist during Holi IANS New Delhi More

Delhi Police have apprehended three people, including a juvenile, in connection with the harassment of a young Japanese tourist during Holi celebrations in the city's Paharganj area, a senior officer said. In a video of the incident that has gone viral, the accused are seen grabbing the woman and smearing colours on her amid chants of "Holi Hai".



A boy could also be seen smashing an egg on her head, even as the woman shouted "bye bye" just to escape from the spot.



The officer said that the woman left for Bangladesh on Friday, adding that she "had not made any complaint/call neither to the Delhi Police nor to the Japanese Embassy as confirmed by an official of the mission in response to a mail sent by Delhi Police".



"The boys seen in the video have been identified after meticulous efforts through field officers and local intelligence, three boys, including one juvenile, have been apprehended and enquired. They have confessed/admitted about the incident/happening seen in the video. They all are residents of the nearby area of Paharganj," said the officer.



"The woman in a tweet said she has reached Bangladesh and is mentally and physically fit. Action has been initiated against the three under DP Act, however, further legal action will be decided on merits and in accordance with the complaint by the girl, if received."



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Bhopal, Mar 11 (PTI) A policeman's body was found on railway track, while his wife and toddler son were discovered dead in their home in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal city on Saturday, an official said.

Also Read | Land-for-Job Scam Case: Tejashwi Yadav Unlikely to Appear for CBI Questioning, Seeks Fresh Date.

The police suspect sub-inspector Suresh Khanguda (32) threw himself under a train after taking the lives of his wife Krishna (28) and son Iva, who would have turned two on March 17, the official said.

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Misrod police station inspector R B Sharma said they were alerted about the mutilated body of a man on the railway lines under their limits around 3 am. The person was identified as SI Khanguda, who was posted in the special branch at the police headquarters.

The cop, who hailed from Agar Malwa, had joined the police force in 2017.

Later, the police found his wife and child lying in a pool of blood in their home in the Kolar area, he said.

No suicide note has been recovered, a police officer told PTI from the scene. It is suspected that Khanguda killed Krishna and Iva with a sharp weapon and then took his own life, he said.

Bhopal Zonal 4 Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Khatri and officials from Kolar police station did not respond to calls.

Asked what could have led to the deaths, Bhopal police chief Makrand Deoskar said they are yet to ascertain that as the investigation is still underway.

(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 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the post-budget webinar on 'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM VIKAS)' at 10 am today.

"In a short while from now, at 10 AM, the Prime Minister will speak on how this year's Budget gives great importance to skilling and the opportunities it will create for the people," Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.

Also Read | Kerala Shocker: Crime Branch Inspector Removed From Service on 'Sexual Assault' Charges.

According to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, it is part of a series of 12 post-budget webinars being organised by the Government of India to seek ideas and suggestions for effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget.

'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM VIKAS)' aims at improving the quality, scale and reach of products/services of artisans/craftspeople by integrating them with the domestic and global value chains.

Also Read | Bihar: Main Accused Behind 'Fake' Videos of Attacks on Migrant Workers in Tamil Nadu Arrested.

The webinar will have four breakout sessions covering the following themes -- Access to affordable finance, including incentives for digital transactions and social security, Advanced skill training and access to modern tools and technology, Marketing support for linkages with domestic and global markets and Structure of the scheme, identification of beneficiaries and implementation framework.

Besides Ministers and Secretaries of the concerned Central Government Ministries, a host of stakeholders drawn from the industry, artisans, financial institutions, experts, entrepreneurs and associations along with officials of State governments and attached offices of the Ministries of MSME and Textiles would attend these webinars and contribute through suggestions for better implementation of the budgetary announcement. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru, March 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Karnataka on March 12 where he will dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation. The 118 km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8,480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes.

Earlier on March 10, informing about the PM's visit to Mandya, Prime Minister's Office said, "The rapid pace of development of infrastructure projects has been a testament to the vision of the Prime Minister to ensure world-class connectivity across the country. Moving ahead in this endeavour, Prime Minister will dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation". PM Narendra Modi Says Skilled Craftsmen Are True Spirit Symbols of Self-Reliant India.

The project involves 6-laning of the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta-Mysuru section of NH-275. The 118 Km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes. It will act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in the region, the release added. 'PM Narendra Modi Not A Hindutvawadi' Says Subramanian Swamy in Maharashtra's Pandharpur (Watch Video).

Highlighting the benefits of the Mysuru-Khushalnagar 4 lane highway, the release read, "Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for Mysuru-Khushalnagar 4 lane highway. Spread over 92 Km, the project will be developed at a cost of around Rs 4130 crores. The project will play a key role in boosting connectivity of Kushalnagar with Bengaluru and will help halve the travel time from about 5 to only 2.5 hours."

Earlier Nitin Gadkari had given details of the connectivity project on Twitter. "The construction of the #Bengaluru_Mysuru_Expressway, which encompasses a portion of NH-275, also entails the development of four rail overbridges, nine significant bridges, 40 minor bridges, and 89 underpasses and overpasses," Gadkari tweeted.

In a separate tweet, Gadkari stated that this connectivity project will enhance the tourism potential in the area. "This ambitious project aims to improve accessibility to regions such as Shrirangpatna, Coorg, Ooty, and Kerala, thereby bolstering their tourism potential," Minister tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Karnataka on March 12 where he will dedicate and lay the foundation stones of projects worth around Rs 16,000 crores, a release from the Prime Minister's Office said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jaipur, Mar 11 (PTI) Scores of BJP leaders and party workers courted arrest here on Saturday as part of a protest against the Congress government's "insensitivity" towards the widows of Pulwama martyrs and manhandling of BJP MPs Kirori Meena and Ranjita Koli.

Rajasthan Police early Friday removed the widows of the three CRPF jawans killed in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack from the protest site outside Congress leader Sachin Pilot's house here and shifted them to hospitals near their respective residential areas.

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Meena and Koli claimed that they were not allowed to meet the widows by policemen who also misbehaved and manhandled them.

The widows have been protesting since February 28 and launched an indefinite hunger strike six days ago, demanding a change in rules so that their relatives and not just children can get government jobs on compassionate grounds.

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While the protesters threw stones and broke barricades, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse them as they moved towards Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence.

The party held protests in Jaipur and all district headquarters.

In the state capital, the BJP leaders and workers took out a rally from the party headquarters. As some of them broke the barricades and tried to jump over them, they were detained by police and taken different police stations in buses.

A large number of supporters of Meena had also arrived to join the protest from nearby districts of Dausa, Alwar, Jaipur rural, and Sawai Madhopur.

"The BJP will not tolerate this misbehaviour with the widows and BJP MPs by the tyrannical and dictatorial Congress government. Today's protest was against the autocratic Gehlot government of the state," BJP state president Satish Poonia said.

He said the widows and the BJP leaders were insulted by the Congress government and vowed to launch a massive campaign in the state to raise issues bothering the common people.

Poonia said the BJP government at the Centre led by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had introduced packages to support the families of Kargil war martyrs while the Congress is insulting them.

On one hand, Vajpayee gave strength and respect to families of martyrs and on the other hand the Congress government is insulting these widows, said Poonia while addressing the protesters.

Rajasthan deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, who was also detained by police during the protest, said the government has turned its back on the widows after making promises.

"Rajasthan will not tolerate the insult of widows of soldiers, and people's representatives. Today's protest was against the misbehavior with the widows and people's representatives by the police administration," Rathore said.

Reacting to the BJP protest, Congress leader and Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told reporters, "Kirodi Lal Meena is a senior leader and we all respect him. Rajasthan government is with the families of martyrs. BJP is politicising the issue as they might have got the orders from the top brass."

Responding to the demands of the protesting widows, the chief minister on Thursday asked whether it would be appropriate to give jobs to other relatives of the martyred jawans instead of their children.

"What will happen to the children of the martyr when they grow up? Is it appropriate to trample upon their rights? he had said on Twitter.

In an apparent attack on the chief minister, Pilot on Friday said ego should be kept aside to hear the issues of people.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], March 11 (ANI): Rajasthan Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore along with several other leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were detained by police on Saturday during a massive protest in Jaipur.

BJP leaders and workers were protesting against CM Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state over the matter of outcry by widows of jawans who lost their lives in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.

Also Read | Chhattisgarh: Three-Month-Old Baby Suffocates to Death After Drunk Man Sits on Her in Surguja District.

Heavy police were deployed in Jaipur in view of the massive protest.

Protesting BJP leaders and workers raised slogans against CM Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan and accused it of insulting the widow of jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack.

Also Read | Reverse Dowry: Telangana Tribal Girl Demands More Money, Calls Off Marriage After Groom Fails To Pay.

Some of them could also be seen climbing up on barricades erected by the police to prevent untoward incidents.

"The government turning their backs on widows after making promises, taking four years' time, misbehaving with them and beating Kirodi Lal Meena who was on his way to see the widows is the symbol of government's undemocratic means...We will put up a peaceful protest," BJP leader Rajendra Rathore said.

"We have initiated the protest today and we will continue it. The kind of behaviour the state govt is showcasing is an insult to democracy, we will take the protest against the govt further in all corners of the state," Rathore said.

"If this is the government's reason (job appointment should not be given to brother-in-law, right is of children) then why ministers of the government went in public and announced that children are young, the job appointment will be given to brother-in-law," Rathore added.

Reacting to the BJP's protest, Congress leader and Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, "We respect Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, he's a senior leader, it is not a BJP vs Congress thing. Rajasthan government is with the families of martyrs. BJP is politicising the issue, they might have received orders from the top brass."

"We all respect Kirodi Lal Meena, he picks up issues of the public but BJP needs to stop playing politics...When this matter became serious the BJP came into the picture," said Khachariyawas while speaking to ANI.

On Friday, BJP leader Kirori Lal Meena was rushed to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) hospital in Jaipur after he reportedly sustained 'injuries' during a clash with police. While BJP workers staged a protest outside the hospital.

Meena and some party workers were detained by police on Friday on their way to Jaipur. They were supporting the protesting widows of Pulwama attack soldiers, in favour of their demands.

BJP MP Kirori Lal Meena, who accompanied the protesting widows at the spot, alleged that the widows of the soldiers killed in the Pulwama terror attack were insulted by the state government.

Protests by the Pulwama widows intensified on Thursday as they sought justice from the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government by putting grass in their mouths.

They staged a protest in front of Sachin Pilot's residence on Wednesday and marched towards the Chief Minister's residence where the police stopped them. The widows had earlier alleged that the police personnel had misbehaved with them. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 11 (ANI): Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday termed the questioning of his colleague Sadanand Kadam as a "political move."

Addressing media persons, Raut said, "Kadam had worked hard to make Uddhav's public rally in Khed a success, but the ED arrested him."

Also Read | Uttarakhand Allopathic Doctors to Get Six-Day Training in Ayurveda.

"The government is going beyond dictatorship. Power comes and goes, but everyone will be accounted for. Sadanand Kadam's questioning is a political move," he stated.

On Friday, Kadam, a close aide of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and former Maharashtra minister Anil Parab, appeared before the ED in Mumbai for questioning in connection with the alleged Dapoli Sai Resort scam.

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The ED conducted a search at his residence and issued him summons to appear before the agency.

Kadam reached the ED office in the afternoon.

In February this year, Kadam challenged the Income Tax department after it had provisionally attached Sai Resort under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (PBPTA) in December 2022.

Anil Parab has a resort in Dapoli which is allegedly illegal and Parab is accused of corruption in building the resort.

Earlier in 2022, the ED had also called Parab in the alleged money laundering case in the Dapoli resort case.

It is alleged that the rules of the Union Environment Ministry have been ignored to build the resort, due to which the Environment Ministry declared it illegal and also complained about this in the Dapoli court.

Based on the same complaint, ED registered Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and started an investigation into the matter.

In 2021, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya lodged a complaint with then Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar against Parab, accusing him of illegally constructing a resort in Ratnagiri during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Meanwhile, back in June last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had quizzed Parab in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

He was summoned by the central agencies following raids at his properties in Pune and Mumbai in May 2022 after the agency filed a case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In September 2021 too, Parab appeared before the ED in Mumbai for questioning in connection with the bribery and money laundering case against former Maharashtra home minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 11 (ANI): In a bid to curb pollution, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved old vehicle scrapping policy for the state, State Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh told media persons on Friday.

He said that for scrapping 15 years old vehicles the state government would provide a 50 per cent rebate in taxes and penalties and 75 per cent in the case of 20 years old vehicles.

Also Read | Video: Rat Bites 8-Year-Old Boy At Fast Food Outlet In Hyderabad, Family Files FIR.

"Today the new scrap policy has been approved. A rebate of 50 per cent in taxes and penalties will be given for scrapping vehicles older than 15 years and 75 per cent waiver for vehicles older than 20 years will be given," the State minister said, adding that the new scrapping policy will help in controlling pollution.

As per the minister, the Centre will provide Rs 300 crore for this as assistance.

Also Read | Assam Gets Its First Transgender-Run Tea Stall at Guwahati Railway Station.

In this regard, earlier in February, the Ministry of Road Transport of the Central government issued a draft notification in which all 15-year-old vehicles of the Central and State Governments will have to be scrapped. The new rule will also be mandatory for the buses and other vehicles of the Corporations and Transport Department.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport's intention, the state government is encouraging private vehicles older than 15 years, as well as old vehicles used in departments, to be scrapped. Milestones have been fixed for this.

A letter regarding the scrapping of government and semi-government vehicles of 15 years or more in the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) was issued on January 23 with a google sheet containing information about vehicles. A notification dated November 28, 2022, was also issued for the relaxation of 15 per cent in road tax for private vehicles and 10 pc of total tax on the eight years for commercial vehicles, an official statement said.

"One-time waiver of pending liability on old vehicles is under process. All Heads of offices are requested to fill in the information about 15 years old vehicles of their department by Feb 5, 2023, so that further action can be completed," it added.

Meanwhile, the Centre had also earmarked an amount of Rs 2000 crore for the promotion of this part. This assistance or incentive will be on a "first come first served" basis and the states will have to achieve certain milestones.

"The State has to achieve Milestone-1 and Milestone-2 to become eligible for the incentive grant under this scheme. After achieving each milestone, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will pay Rs 300 crore to the state government," the statement said further.

Under Milestone 1, it will be mandatory to issue government orders to scrap all government-owned vehicles older than 15 years in RVSF. This order should be issued by the competent department of the State Government clearly mentioning the required number of vehicles in all departments, local bodies, undertakings etc which will be scrapped and the time by which they will be disposed of through RVSF.

Apart from that, it will be ensured to provide motor vehicle tax concessions on vehicles and to grant a one-time waiver of pending dues on old vehicles cancelled in RVSF for at least one year.

Under Milestone 2, all government vehicles older than 15 years will be scrapped as per the selected criteria. Under this, the total number of vehicles scrapped should be at least equal to the number of vehicles specified in the government order issued by the state government. All vehicles should be scrapped at RVSF only. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): India and Australia expressed their deep concern at the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, and Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation of violence, according to the joint statement released by both countries.

Looking at the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese also called for the release of all those arbitrarily detained, access to humanitarian assistance, resolution of issues through dialogue and transition towards an inclusive federal democratic system in Myanmar.

Also Read | US Shocker: 'Stalker' Kills Couple Before Committing Suicide in Redmond.

Both leaders also reaffirmed their support for ASEAN-led efforts in addressing the crisis in Myanmar and called for the full implementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus.

The statement came after Australian PM Albanese paid a state visit to India from March 8-11 and also signed various MoUs and finalized the 'Australia-India education qualification recognition mechanism.'

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PM Modi and the Australian leader expressed concern about the conflict and humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

"The Prime Ministers reiterated the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution to the conflict. They reiterated that the conflict was causing immense human suffering, exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economic system," the statement read.

Both leaders condemned North Korea's continued destabilising ballistic missile launches, which violate relevant UNSC resolutions (UNSCRs). They urged North Korea to comply with its obligations under relevant UNSCRs and reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation of North Korea.

PM Albanese reaffirmed Australia's commitment to not develop nuclear weapons and uphold the highest standards of non-proliferation, as per the joint statement.

Prime Minister Albanese congratulated India on assuming the chairmanship of the Wassenaar Arrangement and reiterated Australia's strong support for India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and appreciation for India's participation in the Australia Group as its most recent member.

Australia reiterated its support for India's candidacy for permanent and non-permanent seats of the UNSC.

"Referring to the recently concluded two-year tenure of India in the UNSC during 2021-22, Prime Minister Albanese congratulated India for its significant contributions to the agenda of the UNSC, including through themes like Maritime Security, Counter Terrorism, Technology and Peacekeeping and Strengthening the Multilateral System," the statement read.

"In this regard, Prime Minister Albanese appreciated Prime Minister Modi presiding over a UNSC High-Level Open Debate on 'Enhancing Maritime Security -- A Case for International Cooperation' under India's Presidency of the UNSC in August 2021, during which the UNSC unanimously adopted for the first time a Presidential Statement with a holistic view on maritime security," the statement added.

India and Australia also confirmed support for each other's candidacies for non-permanent seats on the UNSC - India for the term 2028-2029 and Australia for the term 2029-2030.

The Prime Ministers reiterated their firm commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, in view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation and also reaffirmed calls on those in positions of power across Afghanistan to adhere to counter-terrorism commitments and human rights, in accordance with UNSCR 2593.

They reiterated their call for the protection of the rights of women and girls and their full participation in public life. They agreed that a broad-based and inclusive government is necessary for long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan, according to the joint statement. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell. (Photo Credit - Twitter/Ministry of Finance)

New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday discussed opportunities for deepening New Delhi-Canberra economic cooperation with Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell.

"Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Mr. Don Farrell, today in New Delhi to discuss opportunities for deepening India-Australia economic cooperation," tweeted Ministry of Finance.

Also Read | WhatsApp Says Will Leave UK Market If Forced To Stop End-to-End Encryption for Users Under Online Safety Bill.

The two ministers also discussed issues of mutual interest, including macroeconomic conditions, opportunities for boosting investment from Australia to India and harnessing renewable energy, digitisation and technology revolutions underway in India.

They also discussed Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and other economies issues and highlighted the rich potential for India and Australia.

Also Read | Rats Transmitting COVID-19 to Humans? Study Finds Rat Population Carrying Alpha, Delta and Omicron Variants of Coronavirus in US Cities.

"FM Smt. @nsitharaman and Minister Farrell exchanged views on ongoing consultations on the India-Australia Bilateral Investment Treaty #BIT," tweeted Ministry of Finance.

Highlighting the rich potential for India and Australia , the Ministry of Finance stressed on collaborating to promote solutions that increase interoperability between the national Digital Payment platforms to ensure resilient payment system.

India and Australia are collaborating on a comprehensive strategic partnership to strengthen economic, trade, and security relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday.

"Our teams are working on a comprehensive economic agreement," Modi said in a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese following bilateral talks in New Delhi.

Albanese said they agreed on an early conclusion of their "ambitious" Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, which he expects to be finalized later this year.

The Australian prime minister landed in India on Thursday for a four-day visit. He is accompanied by Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell, and Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King, as well as senior officials and a high-level business delegation.

Meanwhile, Australia and India also announced a landmark bilateral Audiovisual Co-production Agreement, further strengthening economic and cultural ties between our two nations.

The agreement was signed on Friday by Trade Minister Don Farrell and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur aiming to encourage collaboration and creative exchange, leading to more Indian-Australian co-productions showcasing the best of both cultures, landscapes and people.

The initiative will also provide projects in both countries with access to government funding including grants, loans and tax offsets.

Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell saidthe agreement recognised India's role as a cultural powerhouse and would provide opportunities for each country's best screen talent to collaborate and create content.

"India is an important economic and cultural partner to Australia, and our governments have been working hard to bring our two film industries closer together."

"This Agreement will bring our actors, producers and filmmakers together and in turn, bring our people closer together."

The agreement will capitalise on India and Australia's thriving personal and cultural links. The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is the largest annual celebration of Indian cinema outside of India. Australia's screen industry is widely recognised within India for its unique cultural perspectives. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai, March 11: The Board of Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions, on Saturday announced Mohit Joshi as the MD and CEO designate of Tech Mahindra. The announcement comes on the heels of Mohit Joshi, the President of tech giant Infosys putting in his papers.

Infosys, in its official communication to stock exchange stated, that Joshi will be on leave and his last date with the company would be on June 9. Joshi will take over as Tech Mahindra MD and CEO when incumbent CP Gurnani retires on December 19, 2023. He will join Tech Mahindra well before that date to allow for sufficient transition time. Moonlighting: Infosys Allows Employees To Take Up Outside Gig Work With Managers Prior Consent.

Commenting on his appointment, Joshi said, "Tech Mahindra's growth journey has been remarkable. I am delighted to be joining the Tech Mahindra family and look forward to working closely with all the associates, partners, and customers to achieve new milestones, make a positive difference and #Risetogether." Infosys Starts Layoffs, Sacks 600 Freshers After They Failed in Internal Assessment: Reports.

T. N. Manoharan, Chairperson of the Tech Mahindra NRC said, "Mohit's appointment is the successful culmination of a rigorous selection process during which the NRC evaluated a number of internal and external candidates. Mohit's experience with digital transformation, new technologies and large deals will complement Tech Mahindra's strategies and continue to build on the strong growth momentum demonstrated by the company".

Mohit Joshi has over two decades of experience in the Enterprise technology software and consulting space and has worked with the largest corporations in the world in driving digital transformation and building thriving businesses.

Sources in Infosys claimed that his absence will create a vacuum in the company. Joshi had joined Infosys in 2000 and worked with the firm in many capacities. He was playing an important role at Infosys in connection with financial services, healthcare and life sciences businesses. Infosys management tried its best to retain him but the efforts could not materialise.

Joshi handled Infosys's internal technology and applications portfolio. He led a financial services business in Europe. In 2007, he was appointed as CEO of Infosys Mexico and he played a role in setting up the first subsidiary in Latin America.

At Infosys, he was Head of the Global Financial Services and Healthcare and the Software businesses, which included Finacle (the banking platform) and the AI / Automation portfolio.

Joshi also led Sales Operations and Transformation for Infosys and executive responsibility for all large deals across the company. He was also responsible for the company's internal CIO function and the Infosys Knowledge Institute. He has been a Non-Executive Director at Aviva Plc since 2020 and is a member of its Risk & Governance and Nomination committees.

In 2014, Mohit Joshi joined the prestigious Young Global Leader program at the World Economic Forum, Davos and is also a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Previously, Mohit has also held the office of the Vice Chair of the Economic Growth Board of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry).

Prior to joining Infosys in 2000, Mohit worked with ABN AMRO and ANZ Grindlays in their Corporate and Investment bank. Mohit has lived and worked in Asia, America and Europe and currently lives with his wife and two daughters in London.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 11, 2023 02:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New York, March 11: A 60-year-old Indian-origin Sikh man has been arrested in the US for allegedly attempting to hire people to shoot multiple people and burn down a prominent Gurdwara in California, according to media reports.

Rajvir Raj Singh Gill, a former Bakersfield City Council candidate, was arrested on March 4 for allegedly targeting one of Bakersfield's largest Sikh places of worship, Gurdwara Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Ji Khalsa Darbar, and burning down the property, bakersfield.com portal reported.

Gill was arrested in connection with six counts of criminal threats after officers executed a search warrant at his residence, the report said. The Bakersfield Police Department said in addition to offering someone money in exchange for burning down the gurdwara, Gill tried to pay people to shoot others who he had an ongoing dispute with, 23abc.com portal reported. Narendra Modi Government Blocks Six YouTube Channels Streaming Pro-Khalistan Content.

Gill had attempted to run for City Council Ward 7 against Manpreet Kaur in 2022. Kaur won the election and was the first Sikh Punjabi woman elected to the Bakersfield City Council, the report added.

Kaur, who won the seat for Ward 7, issued the following statement: "I am aware of the alleged allegations. I am confident the Bakersfield Police department is working diligently to keep our community safe and will address the matter accordingly. Hearing this news is distressing and frightening. This is one of our most highly attended Sikh temples locally. To hear of an alleged attempt to destroy a place of worship is heartbreaking and unfathomable."

He hired the people. Those people, whoever he hired, came and told us and they made a report to the police. So, the police called us and they got our information and everything and asked questions and we told them what's going on, and that's when everything happened, said Amrik Singh Athwal, a temple board member.

A Bakersfield Police Department spokesman declined Tuesday to address what may have prompted Gill to take the actions he is accused of, and he would not elaborate on the case.

A temple elder said Tuesday that Gill has in recent months shown up at the property disrupting prayers and threatening members of the congregation and carrying a gun before being arrested at one point. There are no records of his arrest prior to Saturday.

The elder, Sukhwinder Singh Ranghi, attributed the repeated confrontations to a dispute over more than USD 800,000, contributed by members of the congregation, that was supposed to reimburse a corporate entity set up to buy the temple out of foreclosure in July 2020. Australia: Pro-Khalistan Supporters Vandalise Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple in Brisbane.

It's the greed that most likely got to him, Ranghi was quoted as saying by bakersfield.com. Ranghi said the temple learned Gill offered USD 10,000 to two Hispanic men to kill certain leaders of the congregation who are involved in the court cases, including Ranghi. He said Gill drove the men around the city pointing out the homes of the temple leaders he wanted to be killed. This information came to temple leadership from an associate of the intended hitmen.

With more than 500 members, Shaheed is one of Bakersfield's best-attended Sikh temples. It hosts an annual celebration in late October that draws thousands.
New Delhi, March 11: A day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at over 15 locations in connection with the land-for-job scam in Bihar, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now summoned the state Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the matter, sources said.

The CBI is yet to official comment on the development. Earlier, Tejashwi was summoned to join the probe on February 24 but he did not appear. Now the CBI has sent him a second summon and asked the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister to appear before it by 2 p.m. Land-for-Job Scam: CBI Arrests Railway Employee Hridayanand Chaudhary in Connection With the Scam.

The probe agency had recently grilled former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi and former Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad in the matter. In its case, the CBI has alleged that during the investigation, it was found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM and CPO of the Central Railways engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of close relatives of the Lalu family. Land-for-Job Scam: CBI Raids 16 Places, Including RJD MLC Sunil Singhs Residence in Bihar.

The CBI had registered a case against Lalu Yadav, the then union Railway Minister, his wife 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' posts 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 favour of the family members of Yadav and a private company controlled by Yadav and his family.

"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 had said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 11, 2023 11:15 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The Directorate of Revenue of Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday (March 8) recovered gold bars of 2.314 kg (99.9 purity 24 carat) valued at Rs 1.32 crore. A person was carrying the smuggled gold bars from Kolkata at Secunderabad Railway Station in Falaknuma Express. The Hyderabad Zonal Unit of DRI officers collected the gold bars and investigated, said the officer on Saturday during a press conference. Kerala: Air India Staffer Arrested at Kochi Airport With 1,487 Gms of Gold.

Smuggled Gold Bars Worth Rs 1.32 crore Recovered

Hyderabad | DRI intercepted one person travelling from Kolkata by Falaknuma Express at Secunderabad Railway Station on 8th March. Smuggled gold bars bought from Kolkata, weighing 2.314 kgs valuing Rs 1.32 crore were seized. Further investigation is in progress. pic.twitter.com/yCRJczeZMJ  ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
London, March 11: A UK-based man has credited Apple Watch for pointing medics towards an undiagnosed heart condition. Author Adam Croft, 36, from Flitwick in Bedfordshire, UK, awoke to find his Apple device had been alerting him throughout the night that his heart was in Atrial fibrillation, reports BBC.

"It's not a feature I'd ever expected to use," he was quoted as saying. In an interview, Croft said that he had got up from the sofa one evening and "felt a bit dizzy" but when he got to the kitchen to get some water he "immediately felt the world closing in." Apple Watch Saves Life Again, Alerts Wearer About Racing Pulse After Nap Leads to Internal Bleeding.

"I managed to get down on the floor and ended up in a pool of cold sweat," he said. The next morning, he woke to find that his watch had been alerting him every couple of hours that his heart was in a rhythm known as Atrial fibrillation -- and that he should seek medical attention.

"I called 111 (UK medical helpline) who said get to hospital within the hour," Croft said. Additional testing at Bedford Hospital in the UK confirmed that Croft was in Atrial fibrillation. Croft claims he would not have gone to the hospital if he hadn't received an alert from his Apple Watch, the report said.

Moreover, the writer claimed to have previously experienced "little flutterings" of the heart that his watch had missed, but these had not occurred in months. He had also "never had any pain or symptoms that I thought were serious." Apple Watch Sends an Alert About Elevated Heart Rate, Helps Save Elderly.

The report said that after testing confirmed the Atrial fibrillation, doctors put Croft on blood thinners. He will now undergo a cardioversion procedure, which involves the use of "quick, low-energy shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm." Croft concluded, saying: "The watch will be staying on now."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 11, 2023 04:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The Mexico kidnapping incident, involving four Americans and the murder of two of them in the border city of Matamoros, led to the accusation of five alleged members of a powerful Mexican cartel on Friday on charges of aggravated kidnapping and murder.

The Attorney General's Office of Tamaulipas announced the allegations a day after the Gulf Cartel was blamed for the kidnapping.

In a handwritten message left on the truck's windshield, the five men claimed to be members of the Gulf Cartel, the major organized crime gang in this region of Mexico.

The note was discovered alongside the five men when they were tied up close to the pickup truck on Thursday morning, ABC News noted.

The note apologized for their acts and claimed that a few Gulf Cartel members were behind the kidnapping and murders.

"We have decided to deliver those involved and directly responsible," the note said, presumably referring to the five men tied up at the scene.

Authorities around Mexico, including the armed forces, rushed to the situation.

READ NEXT: Mexico Kidnapping Update: Drug Cartel Sends Apology Letter

Mexico Kidnapping Victims Took the Wrong Route

The four Americans were traveling to a doctor's appointment less than three hours after crossing the border, according to new livestream footage captured by one of the Mexico kidnapping victims and retrieved, geolocated, and analyzed by CNN.

The GPS navigation clock, the length and direction of the shadows, and the van's proximity to the bridge indicate that the video was captured a few minutes after 9:18 a.m. when the Tamaulipas attorney general alleges the group crossed into Mexico.

Given its remoteness and GPS navigation, how the four got there was unclear. The GPS routes in the video show that they were heading to Washington McGee's doctor's appointment.

The group never made it to the doctor's appointment, said a U.S. authority familiar with the investigation. The group called the doctor's office to say they were late for the 7:30 a.m. appointment.

The video was taken from Eric Williams' Facebook Live, and CNN got it from a friend who requested anonymity for safety reasons.

Although the video helps provide an additional timestamp of where the four were before their abduction, it does not explain where they went for three hours instead of their scheduled doctor's visit.

Surveillance footage almost a mile south of the doctor's office shows the vehicle at 11:12 a.m. when the attorney general of Tamaulipas claims it was last seen.

Then, a grey Volkswagen Jetta started following the van between 11:12 and 11:38, as stated by the attorney general, adding that several vehicles also followed the van by 11:41 a.m.

The Mexico kidnapping suspects from the Gulf cartel attacked the Americans around 11:45 a.m.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Rejects Military Intervention Against Mexico Cartels

Political leaders in the United States, particularly Republicans, expressed their displeasure with the Mexico kidnapping incident that involved four Americans, said Reuters.

Although President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador vehemently opposed using military force against the cartels in Mexico, some took it as a reason to push for it.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar has likewise rejected the possibility of military involvement.

"Some proposals have been put on the table, talk about a military force in Mexico. It's not going to bring us the solutions that we need," he told reporters on Friday.

Authorities are investigating whether the members of the Gulf Cartel kidnapped the four foreigners out of fear that they would invade the gang's territory, said a government document.

READ MORE: Utah Man Shot 12 Times by Police During Traffic Stop

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: New details emerge in Mexico kidnapping deaths of 2 U.S. citizens - From CBS Evening News
"Grab 'em by the p*ssy" has become one of former President Donald Trump's most infamous quotes after an audio of his 2005 conversation with then-Access Hollywood host Billy Bush leaked.

On Friday, a federal judge allowed the tape as evidence at Trunp's upcoming trial in the alleged rape of writer E. Jean Carroll.

The "Access Hollywood" tape almost derailed Trump's presidential run in 2016. His lawyers tried to stop the tape from being submitted as evidence but failed due to the ruling by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan.

The infamous tape can now be used as evidence to support the former Elle magazine columnist's claims that the New York real-estate mogul attacked her in the dressing room of a posh Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s.

According to the Associated Press, when Trump denied the alleged rape incident, Carroll sued him for defamation.

In his ruling, Kqplan wrote, "In this case, a jury reasonably could find, even from the Access Hollywood tape alone, that Mr. Trump admitted in the Access Hollywood tape that he in fact has had contact with women's genitalia in the past without their consent, or that he had attempted to do so."

READ NEXT: Supreme Court Rejects Donald Trump's Plea to Step in on Mar-a-Lago Documents Case

The 'Access Hollywood' Tape

A secret video captured the conversation between Donald Trump and then-Access Hollywood host Billy Bush inside a bus. The two did not realize they were caught on a hot mic.

In the audio obtained and published by the Washington Post, Trump started talking about trying to have sex with an unidentified married woman who refused the real-estate tycoon's advances.

Then moments later, Vox reported that Trump noticed soap opera star Arianne Zucker, who escorted him and Bush into the "Access Hollywood' set.

Bush was caught saying that Zucker was "hot as shit" before Trump joked that Bush should "use some Tic Tacs" in case he starts kissing her.

Then, Trump said: "I'm automatically attracted to beautiful - I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait."

He added: "When you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the p*ssy. You can do anything."

Trump issued an apology afterward, saying the comments were only "locker room banter."

Judge Also Allowed Testimony From Other Donald Trump Victims

According to CNBC, the judge also ruled that Jessica Leeds, another alleged sexual assault victim of Donald Trump, can testify. Trump allegedly groped Leeds and tried to put his hand up her skirt on a 1979 flight from Texas to New York.

The judge also allowed testimony from former PEOPLE Magazine staff writer Natasha Stoynoff, who said Trump pinned her against a wall and forcibly kissed her at his Mar-a-Lago mansion.

She was supposed to interview Trump and then-pregnant Melania Trump when the alleged sexual assault happened.

Aside from saying that his remarks on the tape were "locker room talk," he insisted that his words do not reflect his conduct.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Rants Against the Supreme Court

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Donald Trump Makes Lewd Remarks About Women On Video - From NBC News
A truck driver from Texas who had been stalking a female podcast host in Washington state broke into the woman's home early Friday morning and killed her and her husband, police said.

Police believe Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38, broke into the couple's home in Redmond through a window around 2 a.m.

According to NBC News, the woman's mother was able to escape the home and dialed 911 from a neighbor's residence.

Redmond police spokesperson Jill Green said that when police arrived, they found the woman's 35-year-old husband lying on the front lawn with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Despite police efforts to revive him, the man still succumbed to his wounds. On the other hand, the Texas stalker and the 33-year-old woman were found dead inside the house.

Green said Khodakaramrezaei died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

READ NEXT: Washington Avalanche Kills 3 Mountain Climbers

Washington Podcast Host No-Contact Restraining Order Against Texas Stalker

The murder victims were Zohre Sadeghi and her husband, Mohammed Milad Naseri. The Seattle Times reported that the couple filed a request for a no-contact order against the Texas stalker.

They reportedly obtained a protection order last week. Before they were killed, Redmond police Chief Darrell Lowe said police had been trying to track down Ramin Khodakaramrezaei but had been unsuccessful as he worked as a truck driver.

According to Lowe, Khodakaramrezaei listened to Sadeghi's podcasts, and they met on the app Clubhouse which has audio chat rooms where they can talk.

Lowe said the chat room was particularly for Farsi speakers hunting for jobs in the tech industry. King County District Court showed that a temporary restraining order was signed on March 3, and a hearing was set on March 17.

The records also revealed that Khodakaramrezaei was charged with one count of misdemeanor stalking and two counts of telephone harassment on March 2, the same day a judge also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

Protection Order Reveals How Scary the Texas Stalker Was

Zohre Sadeghi first contacted Redmond police in December 2022 and then again in January when the situation escalated from conversation to stalking and harassment, according to Darell Lowe.

Lowe said Sadeghi reported more than "100 contacts" from Ramin Khodakaramrezaei in just one day. He also appeared in person and gave gifts via mail.

According to the protective order, FOX 13 reported, Khodakaramrezaei was able to know her address and the addresses of her friends, even though she never told him.

The Texas stalker also threatened to set himself on fire in front of her house if she did not see him.

"He said the only way he would stop contacting me is if he died. That is also in the voice messages he keeps sending me, that he won't let me go, and the only thing that will stop all this is if he killed himself or died," the Washington podcaster wrote in her petition.

Khodakaramrezaei reportedly has a 7-year-old daughter living with his ex-wife. He also had a history of domestic violence with his former wife.

"This is the absolute worst outcome for a stalking case... This is every victim, every detective, every police chief's worst nightmare," Lowe noted.

READ MORE: 5 Gulf Cartel Members Slapped with Murder Charges

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Texas Stalker Kills Washington Podcaster and Her Husband, Police Say - From LiveNOW FOX
A California "Teacher of the Year" award recipient was arrested for alleged sexual abuse of a former 13-year-old student.

After being chosen one of the five 2022-23 San Diego County teachers of the year, 34-year-old Jacqueline Ma told a local news outlet in August that being a "champion" for the kids was important.

Ma, a sixth-grade California teacher at National City's Lincoln Acres Elementary School, was arrested on campus earlier this week.

She was arrested based on multiple felony charges, including lewd and lascivious acts with a kid under 14, Insider reported.

In a press release, the National City Police Department said they had detained Ma on Tuesday or a day after receiving a call from a "concerned parent who suspected that her 13-year-old child was possibly having an inappropriate relationship with a former teacher."

READ NEXT: Alabama Teacher Arrested for Having Sex With Student

California Teacher of the Year Re-Arrested After Being Released on Bail

Aside from several counts of sexual exploitation involving a child, Jacqueline Ma's charges also include dissuading a witness or victim, according to ABC 10.

Ma was eventually released on bail after being arrested on the grounds of Lincoln Acres Elementary on Tuesday. However, she was arrested again on Thursday.

Before her arrest, Ma was under surveillance, according to National City police, who said that investigators discovered "probable cause to re-arrest her on new felony counts."

"There must've been some evidence somewhere that prompted them to believe this crime would continue," said Frank Bradley, a retired SDPD sex crimes investigator.

According to Bradley, the re-arrest and new charges may be related to the fact that these investigations frequently change course.

"It's rarely over in its initial stage because you may get more victims, so you keep probing," said the retired SDPD sex crimes investigator.

Sexual predators are typically attractive, said Jessica Pride, a lawyer specializing in sexual assault and other sex offenses.

Pride and Bradley suggested that Ma's accusation of dissuading a witness or victim could indicate that she attempted to contact the person to influence the outcome of the inquiry.

"It's unclear whether that contact was an explicit request to have them keep quiet or not participate in the investigation or something implied like reaching out and saying, hey, contact me on Facebook," said Pride.

Many counts of possessing or distributing child pornography were also filed against Ma.

Pride noted that this means she was messaging or sending the student porn or photographs of a sexual nature. Ma's arraignment is set for Monday afternoon.

California Teacher Had Great Connection With Her Students

Jacqueline Ma was one of five educators honored with Cox Communication's "San Diego County Teacher of the Year" award for 2022-2023.

Ma's profile announcing her award noted that she "considers the relationships she maintains with her students her greatest accomplishments."

Many Lincoln Acres parents who spoke to NBC 7 agreed that Ma was popular among her pupils, but a few expressed concerns.

Aileen Carillo said Ma was "over the top" in her communications with her younger brother, who was one of Ma's former students.

"She would go to my brother's games in Tijuana every weekend. She went to one of his birthday parties, everything," she noted, adding that she used to ask her mom why the teacher always texts her brother.

She also said that Ma had contacted her, which she initially thought was nice as the California teacher seemed to care, but she later realized it did "not have to be that close."

The California teacher was arrested and booked into the Las Colinas Women's Correctional Center, and the district was reportedly seeking to replace her.

READ MORE: Avril Lavigne and Tyga Romance Has 'Devastated' Mod Sun

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: National City 'Teacher of the Year' Arrested for Sexual Misconduct With a Child - From CBS 8 San Diego
A man who was caught smuggling over 650,000 worth of cocaine into the country in shampoo bottles sewn inside his luggage has been jailed for five and a half years.

Jeferson Pedrucci (33), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of possessing the cocaine for sale or supply at Dublin Airport on January 20, 2022.

Garda Ross Brierley told Edward Doocey BL, prosecuting, that on the day in question Pedrucci and a female companion flew into Dublin from Sao Paolo in Brazil, via Lisbon. Pedrucci was stopped at customs and his luggage was searched.

Liquid cocaine with a street value of 154,000 was discovered in two shampoo bottles, the court heard. Another piece of luggage registered to Pedrucci's companion was also located and cocaine with a street value of nearly 500,000 was found sewn into the bag lining.

The combined total of the drugs seized was 651,875.

Pedrucci took full responsibility for the drugs, the court heard. He is originally from Brazil and has lived in Ireland since 2015, Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, defending, told the court. He also holds Italian citizenship.

He has nine previous convictions, all for road traffic offences.

Ms Lawlor told the court that Pedrucci owed money to loan sharks in Brazil, who made threats to kill him and his family if he did not transport the drugs for them.

When Pedrucci was arrested and the drugs were seized, threats were then made against Pedrucci's mother and sister, who were living in Brazil at the time. They have moved to Ireland as a result and were in court to support him.

Ms Lawlor said Pedrucci previously worked as a delivery driver but now works as a fibre optic technician and has excellent employment prospects. She urged Judge Martin Nolan to be as lenient as possible.

Sentencing Pedrucci on Friday, March 10, Judge Nolan accepted that he is unlikely to reoffend in the future. But he noted there was a high value of drugs involved in the case and Pedrucci deserved a prison term.

He handed down a sentence of five and a half years and ordered that the time Pedrucci previously spent in custody be taken into account.
Laois Offaly Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen has stood by the Government's decision not to retain the eviction ban which he said was not popular but necessary to help the rental market.

He said retaining it would have been substantial impingement on property rights and the advice was very strong from those with "great experience and expertise" in the housing market, that extending the ban would damage and undermine the prospects of people getting homes into the future.

He said there was also a 'deep concern' in Government that an extension would be seen by landlords as "breach of trust by Government"

Sometimes a critic of the Government, the TD issued a detailed statement about why he supports the change and other issues related to housing delivery.

"I acknowledge that this decision is neither popular nor populist, but it is necessary. I hope you will allow me to reply in detail.

"Before I respond on the eviction issue, may I draw your attention to some other developments over the time the ban has been in place that have been a factor in the recent decision.

"Supply is key to improving our housing system and is increasing. Almost 30,000 homes were built last year, an increase of 45.2% from 2021 (20,560) and 41.3% from 2019 (21,134), and 5,250 or 21% higher than the Housing for All target of 24,600 for 2022.

"During the Winter Emergency Period, delivery of social housing continued at pace. In Q4 2022, 4,800-4900 build units were delivered, along with 430-530 acquisitions and 600 lease arrangement put in place. In Q1 2023, 1,896 social housing build will be delivered, and 401 lease arrangements. The Department is aware that the estimated 20 acquisitions is likely to be much higher.

"Separately, during the period 1,532 local authority units were remediated under the Voids programme in Q4 2022 and a small number of units have already been recouped so far in Q1 2023.

"Emergency planning powers for local authorities were passed by the Oireachtas in December 2022. In conjunction with these powers the Government provided local authorities with debt relief on specific sites which will now facilitate the construction of 1,500 local authority houses using Modern Methods of Construction which will be delivered over the next 2 years.

"With the end of the winter period now approaching the Minister is taking a number of measures to urgently and substantially scale up housing delivery, including emergency accommodation, affordable housing, cost rental accommodation and social housing (including via acquisitions, I have for example specifically furnished local authority with details of eviction notices whos tenants are receiving housing assistance in the expectation that government policy will be implemented in such circumstances )

"A number of specific proposals have been developed with a view to increasing the immediate supply of social housing from 2023 through Build, Acquisition and Delivery schemes.

These include:

an increase in the number of social housing acquisitions to 1,500 in 2023 to reduce the number of households at risk of homelessness due to landlords selling properties;

an additional 1,000 homes through a Targeted Leasing initiatives in 2023 and 2024;

the amendment to the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) utilised by AHBs to deliver social homes.

"Overall Housing for All projects 9,100 new build Social homes in 2023 as part of a 4.5bn housing package to boost supply and exceed the overall target of 29,000.

"It is important to stress that the winter emergency period was introduced as a temporary emergency measure.

"Whatever they may be claiming now, at the time it was introduced Sinn Fein said they always wanted a temporary winter ban on evictions to give us some breathing space and we are supporting this legislation, he said.

He then turned to addressing the Government measure directly and why he backs it.

"The eviction ban represented a substantial impingement on property rights, for a specific time-limited period, to give extra protection to tenants during the cold winter months when homelessness services are most under pressure.

"There is deep concern that landlords would consider any extended, or further, winter emergency period to be a serious breach of trust by Government, further undermining their confidence in continuing their participation and growing their investment in the rental market.

"Any expiry date that may be set in legislation for any extension would not be credible to the sector and would be likely to prompt significant numbers of landlord exits, when legally permissible.

"However, taking into account the available information, the Minister considers that the most appropriate response now is to allow the Winter Emergency Period to expire, as legislated for by the Oireachtas last October.

"An extension would serve to discredit the function of emergency Government measures and, potentially, damage the prospect of introducing future emergency measures, such as those that played a crucial role in mitigating the worst impacts of Covid-19 on tenants.

"The popular decision would have been to keep going and to keep the eviction ban going. That would be popular, but it would not have been a sustainable position to adopt in terms of the supply question. We would have made it worse for people who would have come to further difficulty in getting access to housing. That was the dilemma. People are not coming into the rental market and people are leaving the rental market.

The TD concluded by saying: "The advice is very strong from those with great experience and expertise in the housing market, that if we were to extend the ban, it will damage and undermine the prospects of people getting homes into the future".
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A new campaign is underway to show the Government that Laois people want the Government to change its decision to pause the building of a new school in Portlaoise for children with profound disabilities.

The online petition is called 'Prioritise Kolbe!!' Started by Chloe Kelly, it asks people to please sign to save Kolbes new school. It outlines the reasons why.

"As a school community, we are devastated that our new school is now at risk. We have been informed that the Department of Education is in talks with the Department of Public Expenditure to assess which projects are priorities.

"We urge everyone to express to all public representatives that Kolbe Special School is a priority. Our pupils have been sadly pushed to the back of the queue for too long, they are in a building that is blatantly not fit for purpose. We plead with the community to stand with us to ensure that our pupils are not overlooked," says the appeal.

Here are some of the reason given by people who have signed.

Fiona Farley: It's well needed and a disgrace that these kids have to fight for basic rights.

Caroline D: The children that use this facility are in greater need of assistance than anyone else, they should come first, not last.



Sharon Hourihane: This is an absolute disgrace and shame on our government for their lack of respect , equality and rights for Ireland's most vulnerable pupils in special education.



Lorna Collins: This school has been promised for so long it's a disgrace. These children & staff deserve proper facilities.



Denise Leahy: I believed in equality in education for all.



Marie Kearns: One of the most deserving causes.



Martina Cleary: These children and staff deserve better its a disgrace



Denise O'Toole: The students and staff of Kolbe deserve better

While the school was told of the delay by the Department of Education, the move appears to have been instigated by the Department of Public Expenditure where Paschal Donohoe is the new minister.

He has said that a check must be made if there is enough money in the 12 billion National Development Plan pot to fund the building of the Kolbe school and over 50 others.

There is no indication as to how long this will take.

The Kolbe school has been costed at 9 million. Planning permission is in place and the Department of Education had given the green light. The school has campaigned for a building for many years as it relies on prefabs and does not have the correct facilities to accommodate the 40 children educated there.

The online petition is located at Change.org To go straight to it TAP HERE
County Kildare Chamber, the leading business voice for Kildare, will lead a trade delegation to Boston next week from Tuesday to Saturday.

The local business organisation has strong ties with the business community in Boston and visits the city annually.

While in Boston, the Chamber will host a series of business engagements, including a site visit to Keurig Dr Pepper who recently set up their EU Headquarters in Newbridge.

Further meetings are scheduled with both Quincy and Boston Chamber, the World Trade Centre and US political representatives with a particular focus on US-Ireland trade opportunities.

The delegation will also meet with Irish Network Boston, the Irish Consulate and the Irish American Partnership.

Leading the delegation is CEO Allan Shine and both the President and Vice President of the Chamber Mairead Hennessy and Brian Purcell.

In advance of the trade mission, Mr Shine said, Leading a business delegation to Boston during St Patricks Week enables the Chamber to meet with key political figures and stakeholders in Boston.

"Our aim is to promote Kildare and its world-class companies, in Boston as the ideal location for US investment.

"We will also meet with Quincy Chamber and City officials who we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with last year.

The Kildare relationship with the City of Boston has continued to grow over the last number of years, with annual trade visits and hosting a delegation from Boston to Kildare last year, to capitalise on this momentum for Kildare.
This file illustration photo taken on January 12, 2023, in Toulouse, France, shows a tablet displaying the logo of the company Meta. LIONEL BONAVENTURE / AFP

Facebook owner Meta is working on a new "text sharing" social media network, it said on Friday, March 10. This project is seen as a potential rival to embattled Twitter.

Since billionaire Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter in October, the platform has suffered outages and layoffs and seen advertisers flee over the lack of content moderation. But so far no major alternative to Twitter has emerged, leaving global leaders, politicians, celebrities and companies little choice but to continue to communicate via the platform.

Following reports on news websites Platformer and India-based Moneycontrol, Meta confirmed on Friday that it was beginning to work on the new platform. "We're exploring a standalone, decentralized social network for sharing text updates," Meta, which also owns Instagram, said in a short email statement. "We believe there's an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests," the statement added.

The media reports said that Meta's new app would use technology to allow it to be interoperable with niche network Mastodon and other platforms  enabling users to broadcast posts to people on other networks.

This would be a clear break from the usual practice of tech giants, with platforms such as Instagram or YouTube kept behind technological walls and operating using company servers under strict rules. Mastodon runs from decentralized computing servers, with no central management or authority calling the shots.

Is Twitter vulnerable?

In December, Musk briefly banned Twitter accounts that provided links to other social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Mastodon. Moneycontrol reported that Meta's new venture was being tested with features including tappable links, user biographies, verification badges and shareable images and videos.

In its latest glitch, Twitter on Monday suffered a brief but unprecedented outage with users worldwide reporting they could no longer read links to articles from outside websites. The company's tech support account blamed the problem on "unintended consequences" from an update to the platform.

Read more Twitter hopes to return to profit despite outages and slipping image

After several rounds of layoffs that saw more than two-thirds of staff let go, Twitter is running on a skeleton team, allegedly leaving it vulnerable to outages as well as disinformation and harmful content.

With many advertisers backing off, the network saw its revenue and adjusted profit fall about 40% year-on-year in December, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing people close to the company. Musk has tried to wean Twitter from advertising and promote subscriptions as a new way to bring in cash  an idea that Meta is testing as well  but so far the results have been disappointing.

Le Monde with AFP
Investigation'Pedophilia online' (3/3). Law enforcement and mainstream platforms are increasingly confronted with video conferencing tools used to produce child abuse content. And an additional legal challenge is that the content is watched live and not recorded.

"She do what you want in the show babe, the kid wants to please you, show her body, show naked and whole body..." This is one of the many messages, signed with the pseudonym "I love my kids," that a 25-year-old Filipino woman living in the suburbs of Manila sent to a North American man between 2017 and 2018. Flirtatious messages sometimes, regular requests for financial help to pay "the rent" or the "electricity bill" too. Some video calls that went unanswered. But also occasional selfies "with the kid".

This is not a long-distance relationship, this is the sexual exploitation of a 9-year-old Filipino child, forced by her family to expose herself to the webcam for Westerners in exchange for money.

Read more Article reserve a nos abonnes In the Philippines, the lost children to online rape

Originating in the Philippines, these live stream video "shows" of child sexual abuse have been growing steadily over the last decade worldwide, including in France. The problem increased exponentially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Lockdowns exacerbated intra-family violence in the home while pedophile travel plans were thwarted by the closure of borders. Global networks for the prostitution of minors turned increasingly to streaming. With the breakthrough of remote videos, the profile of criminals changed.

Since the children are thousands of miles away and the meeting takes place online, customers for these live streams downplay their participation and do not hesitate to pay for increasingly violent acts. "This has allowed pedophiles who previously confined themselves to downloading images [...] to go even further as they commission acts," explained Barthelemy Hennuyer, prosecutor at the Paris juvenile court between 2018 and 2021. He also noted that the use of streaming may have facilitated the act for delinquents who are not very nimble with digital technology.

Fear of losing her 'boyfriend'

The profile "I love my kids" does not correspond with her clients on some secret messaging app or by browsing the dark web, but through mainstream platforms such as Facebook Messenger or Skype, services that Filipinos use daily on their smartphones. Many Filipino child traffickers connect with Europeans and Americans on public forums and pornographic websites or even simply by sending them friend requests via Facebook.

Michel (presumed innocent, his first name has been changed), a French retiree now under investigation for complicity in "rape of a minor" and "aggravated human being trafficking," met at least five women on Chaturbate. On this online sexual relations site via webcam, he specifically sought relations with Asian women. Michel then kept in touch by text message or Skype for several months before paying for videos of child abuse. "Without any particular reason, just to express your gratitude that we had a good time... [...] We managed to have nice discussions outside of sex," he explained to investigators.

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STUDENTS from a Limerick secondary school have been awarded 500 to produce a short film which they aim to enter into the Limerick Short Film Festival.

Pupils from Colaiste Ide agus Iosef, Abbeyfeale, have been given the funding for their project named The Bullybusters, which is aimed at tackling bullying in schools and promoting mental health.

At an event similar to Dragon's Den, the students pitched their ideas to a panel of representatives from Dublin City Council, Eirgrid, and Community Foundation Ireland.

The team presented their idea for producing a professional short film for supporting students and showing them where they can go for help, and which also could be used in SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education) classes.

Along with the money awarded, they will also receive mentoring in filmmaking.

The students received the money through their participation in the Young Social Innovators (YSI) Social Innovation Den in conjunction with Community Foundation Ireland,

Roger Warnock, CEO of YSI, said: The innovative ideas show how strongly engaged our young people are when it comes to the pressing and relevant issues impacting on people and society today.

We are delighted to help advance these inspirational projects further through direct support.

Denise Charlton, chief executive of Community Foundation Ireland, added: In these challenging times, the work being undertaken is more important than ever.

To date, the non-profit organisation has provided over 150,000 in grants to support youth-led ideas for social change throughout Ireland through their YSI Social Innovation Den.
LIMERICK has been announced as the first ever Irish host of a 2023 major global event, with the news arriving during the night from Los Angeles, California, USA.

After a competitive bidding process, Limerick city has been chosen to hold the next Cineposium film conference event - an international film conference, which cities around the world rivalled for the honour of hosting.

Screen Ireland and Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, T.D, have been leading a trade mission in Los Angeles for a number of days now to promote the Irish screen industry. Limerick was ultimately successful in its bid to host the event, out of any other city in the world.

This is the first time in the organisations 46-year history that the conference has taken place in Ireland. Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI) Cineposium event, which will take place in the last week of September 2023, brings industry leaders from around the world together to discuss policy, economic development and screen production and will serve as an opportunity to showcase Limerick to major studio executives.

Minister Catherine Martin, T.D said: I am delighted to announce, along with AFCI and Screen Ireland, that Limerick will play host to a global film conference, Cineposium, this September.

This is an excellent opportunity to build on the current wave of success that is happening across the screen industry, and to further strengthen our partnerships with international production companies and studios around the world.

Being able to showcase Ireland as a global production hub is a fantastic way to drive more international production to all parts of the country, further developing skills and opportunities for Irish talent and our skilled crew base here.

Limerick is home to the largest studio in Ireland, Troy Studios, and with a generous tax incentive and added regional funding available through Screen Ireland and the Wrap Fund, it is an attractive location for productions.

The news comes after the major successes enjoyed by the Irish film industry recently: with Irish Oscar nominations, a Hollywood blockbuster starring award winning actor Russell Crowe being filmed in Limericks Dromore Castle, in the Kildimo-Pallaskenry parish, late last year and an upcoming World War II film drama being set in Limerick early this year, the success of placing Limerick on the international film map continues to grow.

Desiree Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland, welcomed the news: Limerick winning this bid is a significant recognition of Irelands position as a world-class location for film production, both in terms of the range of talent and skilled crew and craftspeople available across the country, as well as our countrys renowned landscapes and diverse locations.

The screen industry Cineposium is an excellent opportunity to showcase the strength and power of the Irish screen industry and we look forward to welcoming the global film industry representatives to Limerick this year.

Over the past decade, Cineposium has taken place in the US, France, New Zealand, Spain, South Korea, Russia and Colombia. The annual Cineposium conference connects AFCI members and film industry professionals with production industry partners and policy makers worldwide.

Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Councillor, Francis Foley, added: This is brilliant news for Limerick and once again shows that Limerick is a home for Film, a home for innovation and a vibrant place where massive organisations can collaborate on projects such as these.

Limerick City and County Council, Film in Limerick and the LCETB locally, along with the Western Development Commission and MSL ETB look forward to welcoming the Cineposium to Limerick in 2023.

Screen Ireland has recently announced the establishment of a new fund to support regional activity, assigning 3.5 million from the agencys budget for the fund. The multi-million euro fund is designed to develop crew resources and skills all around the country.

Further information about Cineposium sessions, speakers and early registration will be announced shortly and the event is in association with Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland, Innovate Limerick / Film in Limerick and the Association of Film Commissioners International (AFCI).
The tractors in a Leyland vintage run are very old but even they dont go back as far as the 17th century!

A group of enthusiasts followed the route of Sarsfields Ride to raise money for good causes.

The daring cavalry ride was part of the Siege of Limerick during the Jacobite War of 1690. The purpose of Sarsfields ride was to intercept a military siege train, on its way from Dublin and due to arrive in Limerick on August 12.

Information about the trains location was received at the Irish headquarters at King Johns Castle and prompted Sarsfield to try and intercept it before its arrival in Limerick. After travelling under the cloak of darkness, the siege train was attacked at Ballyneety near Pallasgreen. The guns and ammunition were collected and blown sky-high and the train was destroyed.

However, thankfully nothing blew up during the tractor run on the same route.

The drivers of Leyland, Marshall and Nuffield tractors began the 150km Sarsfield Ride route from Aherns bar, Newport, at 7.30am.

They headed for the city and King Johns Castle before taking in Oatfield, Trough, Harold's Cross, Bridgetown, Garenboy Church, Killaloe, Ballina, Boher, Kiloscully, Toor, Rearcross, Doon, Monard, Cullen, Old Pallas, Pallasgreen, Cappamore, Murroe and back to Aherns. They also found time to stop at Sarsfields Rock.

Colette Acheson, from Ballyneety, along with her husband Ian, and Kieran Lillis, Meanus, were three of the organisers of the charity event, along with all the drivers.

It was a fantastic day, said Colette, who added that they finished up after 8pm on Sunday, February 26.

These tractors were not built for speed but it isnt about the time they took, it is about raising money. The beneficiaries are the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind which is a very important charity to our members and especially to one member, in particular, who has taken part in the ride with a motorcycle club over the years.

And also Clionas Foundation, a local charity founded by Terry and Brendan Ring who have done phenomenal work providing help to families in Ireland who are dealing with a financial crisis while caring for a child with a life limiting illness. Our members know of families who have been helped by Clionas - it is a vital charity, said Colette.

To support those who went through the spine-shaking day-long ride you can donate online.

A presentation to the charities including what was donated on the day and through drivers sponsorship cards will be made in the coming weeks.
A BICENTENARY celebration is set for one Limerick school, with a black tie gala on the cards to mark its 200 years in existence.

Villiers School was established in 1821,beginning life on Henry Street in Limerick City before relocating to its current location on the North Circular Road. Being one of the only boarding schools in the region, Villiers hosts over 600 students and is a co-educational boarding and day school.

An anniversary gala ball will be held in the Strand Hotel, Limerick on Saturday, September 30 2023. The Black Tie event was officially launched in Villiers School on Friday, March 10.

Villiers is unique because it is one of the only schools in Ireland, outside of Dublin, to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme as an option instead of the Leaving Certificate. Another is that approximately 20% of the current students are from an international background.

Speaking at the launch of the 200 Years Gala Ball, Villiers Head of School, Jill Storey said: Villiers is a unique school, with a long and fascinating history. The school operates as a charity and as such has a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion.

We are fortunate to have a school population coming from many walks of life. I am honoured to be Head of School at this time, and mindful of the work of all those who both work with me and who have gone before me to ensure that the school is one which continues to evolve and thrive.

The black tie event is being organised by Villiers School Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the Alumni Association and is extending invites to parents of current and past students to join the milestone anniversary ball.

Chairperson of the PTA, Barry Long, said they are delighted to have the opportunity to

mark the special anniversary with a celebration: Villiers School has been part of the fabric of Limerick for over 200 years. Its an opportunity to celebrate the diversity and history of the school.

Many people in Limerick will remember it as the one with girls with red socks. This celebration will reinforce the genuine family feeling of Villiers School - a family you are always part of and proud of.

Villiers School was founded in 1821 under Hannah Villiers, as a Protestant-ethos educational facility for 30 students who were living with their mothers in sheltered accommodation also provided for by Hannah Villiers, Villiers Homes. Villiers Homes continues to provide housing to adults in need.
SMALL business owners across Ireland are being encouraged to apply for a grant worth up to 3,600 to help their companies become fully digital.

The Digital Start grant is available to company owners who trade internationally or are engaged in manufacturing.

The Limerick Local Enterprise Office is administering the scheme here as part of Enterprise Week 2023 which runs until this Saturday, March 11.

Lean BPI which provides digital solutions to small firms has been working with clients of the Local Enterprise Offices, and is encouraging business people to avail of this grant.

John OShanahan, who is based in Shelbourne Road on the citys northside, and is the founder of Lean BPI said: We specialise in developing tailored solutions to help small firms and micro industry clients to improve their workflows, converting to more efficient, simplified digital processes. Were delighted that our application of lean best practice, thought leadership and digital innovation has led to clients experiencing increased business performance, reduced costs and a reduction in the stresses of the day-to-day operations. Id strongly encourage business leaders to engage with their LEO to explore the Digital Start grant option.

On Friday, Mr OShanahan will be holding an online seminar offering insights into the benefits of going digital.

It kicks off at 10am. For more information on the grant, and the seminar, please visit localenterprise.ie/Limerick or telephone 061-557499.
Tata Group have reached an agreement with US Aerospace Lockheed Martin for fighter wing production at the companies' joint venture, Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) in Hyderabad.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) stated the production of 29 fighter wing shipsets, with an option of additional shipsets. The deliveries will start in 2025.

Lockheed Martin formally recognized TLMAL as a potential co-producer of fighter wings in October 2021 after its successful production and qualification of a prototype fighter wing shipset.

Through this prototype project, TLMAL was required to demonstrate the capability to perform detailed part manufacturing and delivery of a fully compliant fuel-carrying 9-g, 12,000-hour, interchangeable/replaceable representative fighter wing, the statement said.

That achievement further strengthened Lockheed Martin's partnership with India and supports its F-21 offering for procurement of 114 new fighter aircraft -- exclusively for India and the Indian Air Force -- by proving additional indigenous production capability.

The India F-21 represents an unprecedented strategic and economic opportunity for the United States-India relationship and represents a catalyst to future advanced technology cooperation, the statement said.

"This MOU between Lockheed Martin and Tata Group further exemplifies Lockheed Martin's commitment to a self-reliant India and the degree of confidence that exists in our relationships with our partners in India," said Lockheed Martin chairman, president and CEO James Taiclet.

"Lockheed Martin's 21st-century security vision aims to deliver integrated mission-focused defence capabilities with innovation and urgency, and with that, we are one of the only aerospace companies with a complex aerostructure capability for advanced fighters in India. This strong partnership embodies our principle of For India, From India, For the World," added Taiclet.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics established TLMAL as a joint venture in 2010.

"I am proud of the Tata Group's partnership with Lockheed Martin on this prestigious project. I would like to congratulate the TLMAL team for successfully industrializing and qualifying the fighter wing in spite of the technological complexity involved. I am confident the initiative of manufacturing fighter wings in India will go a long way in strengthening the aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem in India," said Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran.

Lockheed Martin Corporation, headquartered in Maryland, is a global security and aerospace company that is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services, said the company statement.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons focused on providing integrated solutions for aerospace, defence and homeland security.
Tata Technologies IPO: Tata Technologies filing papers with the market regulator SEBI led to surge in Tata Motors shares on Friday despite weak sentiments on Dalal Street. Under this public issue, Tata Motors intends to sell 8,11,33,706 Tata Technologies shares that the auto major acquired at 7.40 apiece. So, Tata Motors is expected to reap big gains from the Tata Technologies IPO and hence market has gone highly bullish on Tata Motors shares.

Tata Technologies IPO details

Speaking on Tata Technologies IPO impact on Tata Motors shares, Avinash Gorakshkar, Head of Research at Profitmart Securities said, "Tata Technologies is an IT company and Tata Motors has stake in this IT company that has applied to SEBI for its IPO. The IPO is expected to receive good response from investors due to the big name Tata being attached with the public issue. For Tata Motors, Tata Technologies IPO is going to bring cash flow as they acquired Tata Technologies shares at 7.40 per share (as written in the Draft Red Herring paper or DRHP)."

Gorakshkar said that Tata Technologies is yet to fix IPO price but it's for sure that Tata Technologies IPO price would be at least 4-5 times of the rate at which Tata Motors acquired stake in Tata Technologies. So, Tata Motors is expected to reap huge benefit from Tata Technologies IPO, said Avinash Gorakshkar.

On how Tata Technologies IPO would benefit Tata Motors share price in near term, Anuj Gupta, Vice President  Research at IIFL Securities said, "With Tata Technologies IPO, Tata Motors is going to book profit and hence cash flow in Tata Motors will go up after Tata Technologies share listing. In Q3FY23 results, Tata Motors beat the market estimates by big margin that has put Tata Motors shares in uptrend. This uptrend is expected to go further northwards after re-opening in China as it has big exposure in JLR sales in Chinese market. Hence, Tata Motors is expected to improve its balance sheet in upcoming quarter due to strong business outlook and Tata Technologies IPO is going to work as icing on the cake in near term."

Tata Technologies IPO price

On expected Tata Technologies IPO price, Gaurav Dua, Head - Capital Market Strategy at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas said, Listing of Tata Technologies, subsidiary of Tata Motors, could unlock value for shareholders. Though the pricing is still not clear yet but the street expects the company to list at M-Cap of around Rs18000 crore. Consequently, it could roughly add 35 to 40 per share in SoTP valuation of Tata Motors."

Tata Motors share price outlook

Expecting strong rally in Tata Motors shares, Anuj Gupta of IIFL Securities said, "Tata Motors share price has strong support at 420 apiece levels and those who have this stock in their portfolio can hold the stock with stop loss below 420 per share levels. Those who want to buy Tata Motors shares can buy this auto stock at current levels for short to medium term target of 490 to 500 per share maintaining strict stop loss below 420 levels."

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.
CUET UG 2023: The online application form for the Common University Entrance Exam (CUET) UG 2023 has been extended to 30 March, UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar said on 10 March.

Prior to this, the last date for the application form was 12 March. Interested and eligible candidates can apply online through the official site i.e. cuet.samarth.ac.in. The CUET UG 2023 exam is scheduled to be conducted from 12-31 May. The correction in particulars of online application form can be made from 1-3 April 2023 and the announcement date for the City of Examination is 30 April 2023.

The online Application Form for the CUET (UG)  2023 has been extended as per the details given below. For more information, please visit https://t.co/cUvZGrXKqR and https://t.co/6511A38EDk pic.twitter.com/rtE8RoUQrK  Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) March 10, 2023

Candidates are requested to visit the CUET (UG)-23 website for detailed information on eligibility requirements, syllabi of various test papers, and other relevant details related to registration.

Here's how to register for CUET UG 2023:

Visit CUET UG official site i.e. cuet.samarth.ac.in.

Click on CUET UG 2023 link available on the home page.

Complete the registration process by filling the required details.

Now fill the application form

Make the payment of the application fees.

Download the hard copy of the application form for future reference.

The application fee for CUET UG 2023 for General/ OBC is 700 while for other reserved category students, the fees is 650.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) in March last year announced that undergraduate admissions will be conducted in all central universities through a common entrance test and not based on class 12 marks. The undergraduate (UG) admission process in universities will be completed by July and the new academic session can begin on 1 August.

The CUET (UG) - 2023 will be conducted in 13 languages i.e. English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

The debut edition of the CUET-UG was conducted in July last year and was marred by glitches, prompting the National Testing Agency (NTA) to cancel the exam at multiple centres. While several students were informed about cancellation a night before the exam, many of them got to know about it after reaching the centres.

Meanwhile, at least 168 universities have opted for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for the undergraduate admission process so far, according to officials. These 168 universities include 44 central universities and 31 state universities such as Barkatullah University, Bhopal, Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics, Karnataka, Cotton University, Guwahati, and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. Last year, only 90 universities accepted CUET for admission to UG courses. More universities are expected to select the test for admissions this year.

In another update, the Delhi University (DU) on Friday advised candidates to go through the syllabi of all programmes before choosing their preferences for admission through CUET UG 2023, after several existing varsity students admitted they did not know the language they opted for.

In an advisory to candidates seeking admission in DU colleges, the varsity said that the last academic session, candidates opted for programmes with the sole purpose of taking admission to a certain college despite having no prior knowledge or proficiency required for pursuing the programme and area of study. The advisory comes on the back of several students in BA programmes admitting not knowing the language they have chosen. They have also written to the university several times for permission to change the subjects.

(With inputs from agencies)
The National Highway-48 located at the Delhi-Gurugram expressway will remain shut for around 90 days to facilitate the construction of a flyover and two underpasses.

According to a report by the Hindustan Times, Livemint's sister publication wrote that a 500-metre stretch will be shut for around three months, leading to traffic snarls.

One of the underpasses will connect the Dwarka expressway with Nelson Mandela Marg, another will connect the Dwarka link road with NH-48.

During the construction of the two underpasses and flyover, vehicles will be diverted towards slip roads constructed by NHAI next to the carriageway towards Delhi, the traffic police said.

Traffic at NH-48 near the Shiv Murti intersection will be diverted from the main highway to newly constructed slip roads. As per NHAI officials, the construction work will be completed within 90 days," SS Yadav, special commissioner of police (traffic) said.

The traffic police will give a "no-objection" certificate to the NHAIO by 14 March so that they can commence the construction work. Around 75,000 vehicles cross this stretch daily.

SS Yadav, special commissioner of police (traffic) told HT that the new constructions will likely reduce the travel time for commuters heading towards Dwarka.

The under-construction Dwarka expressway is a 29-km stretch that starts from the Shiv Murti in Delhi, and passes through Dwarka and several sectors in Gurugram, before culminating near Kherki Daula.

This project was conceived by the Haryana government in 2006 but got delayed due to land issues. IN 2016, the project was taken over by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

In 2019, the NHAI started the work, and was slated to be completed by 2021. However, due to the Covid pandemic, the project was further delayed. As per the daily, the work on the Gurugram section is expected to be completed by July this year, while the sections in Delhi are expected to be completed by 2024.
As the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation investigates a slew of Opposition leaders, the BJP has rubbished allegations of political rivalry. They are either playing the victim card or the emotional card when faced with a probe, asserted party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Saturday. The remarks came as BRS MLC and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha appeared before the ED in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam.

If it is an honest person, who is not involved in any law-defying act, they'll clearly say so without ifs or buts. But K Kavitha is being questioned and she hasn't said anything like that. They'll play the victim card but won't answer the public's questions," he said.

it should be asked again if she has anything to do with Indospirits. She will have to say if she has anything to do with Buchi Babu. It seems that this corruption is so massive that when all links are getting connected, people too are pained that these corrupt people looted them and filled their own coffers," he added.

Also read: ED summons Telangana CM KCR's daughter K Kavitha in Delhi excise policy case

Lalu Prasad Yadav had only one slogan, 'you give me plot, I'll give you job'. Everyone has released their model of corruption, today when action has been taken against them, they all are united," said Union Minister Anurag Thakur.

In nine years of governance did only one woman get empowered? Entangled in grave charges of corruption and scam that's when you remember the issue of women's empowerment. Did you manage to reduce loot in Telangana that you decided to reach Delhi as well?" he asked, in connection with the questioning of BRS MLC K Kavitha.

Also read: Delhi excise policy case: Court sends Sisodia to ED remand till 17 March. Video

Earlier this month, both the CBI and ED had interrogated and subsequently arrested former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Meanwhile, former Bihar CMs Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi were questioned by the CBI earlier this week and issued fresh summons to his younger son and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav. The ED also conducted raids on a number of premises - including houses of his three daughters and a daughter in law.

The crackdown has sparked outrage in the Opposition ranks with many top leaders lashing out at the BJP-led administration.

"It is an open secret that probe agencies are acting against political opponents of the BJP and helping those who agree to align with that party," Tejashwi alleged earlier this week. He asserted that his father had had "no powers" to give employment in exchange for favours as the railway minister.

BJPs goal is to make India an opposition-less country. They want India to have one party and one leader, and they want to dump every politician in jail. They want India to turn into autocracy," added AAP leader Raghav Chadha.

The Congress has also backed its fellow opposition parties, with senior leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accusing the BJP-led government of working to 'suppress' its critics. "Why is the BJP government so scared of the vocal voices of the Opposition?" she asked in a tweet on Saturday.

(With inputs from agencies)
India has announced that restoration of e-visa facility for the facility of e-visa for nationals of Saudi Arabia with immediate effect.

The announcement was made on by the Embassy of India in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Sharing an update on Twitter, the embassy wrote, "The Embassy is happy to announce that the facility of e-visa has been restored for the nationals of Saudi Arabia with immediate effect in all five sub-categories i.e. e-tourist visa, e-business visa, e-medical visa, e-medical attendant visa & e-conference visa."

The Embassy is happy to announce that the facility of e-visa has been restored for the nationals of Saudi Arabia with immediate effect in all five sub-categories i.e e-tourist visa, e-business visa, e-medical visa, e-medical attendant visa & e-conference visa. pic.twitter.com/XAuOqgnqZT  India in Saudi Arabia (@IndianEmbRiyadh) March 9, 2023

Earlier, in 2019, India had launched the e-Visa service for Saudi nationals, however, it was later suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. India provides e-Visa services to 166 countries.

As per the Indian Visa website, e-Visa service has been restored for nationals of 166 eligible countries."

It is worth noting that the Application and payment of fees are required to be made a minimum of 4 days in advance from the date of travel and wait for the approval.

Here's how to apply for e-Visa:

For online filling and submission of the application, applicants need to visit the official website i.e. indianvisaonline.gov.in

Apply online and upload a photo and passport page;

Pay e-Visa fees online using a credit/debit card /payment wallet;

Receive Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) online (ETA will be sent to the Email);

Fly to India - (Print the ETA and present at Immigration Check Post where e-Visa will be stamped on Passport.)

As per the official notification, the Indian government makes no provision of charging of any emergency fees or additional fees for grant of any emergency / express e-visa.

It is important to know that for e-Tourist and e-Business visa, applicants of the eligible countries/territories may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival. Apart from this, for e-Medical, e-Medical Attendant and e-Conference visa, applicants may apply online minimum 4 days in advance of the date of arrival with a window of 120 days. Example: If you are applying on 1st Sept then applicant can select arrival date from 5th Sept to 2nd Jan.

Earlier, owing to strong ties and strategic partnership with India, Saudi Arabia announced the exemption of Indian nationals from submitting a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) to obtain a visa for travelling to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Embassy in New Delhi said that the PCC will no longer be a requirement for Indian citizens and the decision has been taken as a part of the efforts of the two countries to strengthen their relations further. India-Saudi Arabia relations have strengthened considerably over the past few years including in political, security, energy, trade, investment, health, food security, cultural and defence fields.

(With inputs from ANI)
After a Japanese woman was allegedly groped and harassed by a group of men in Delhi on Holi , the city police arrested three persons including a juvenile as the video went viral on social media platforms. The footage was shot in an area of Paharganj, the cops said on Saturday.

The video showed a group of men smearing color on a foreigner, who seemed uncomfortable. It also showed one of the men smashing an egg on her head. She can be heard saying "bye bye" in the visuals.

Take a look at the video below,

This is horrendous to say the least .

A Japanese tourist in India #Holi

pic.twitter.com/HfpOIQCmYA  Deepali Pandey (@deepalipandey) March 10, 2023

Police said that the girl in the video is a Japanese tourist who was staying at Paharganj and departed for Bangladesh on Friday.

She has not even registered any complaint, neither called Delhi Police nor her country's embassy as confirmed by the official in response to an e-mail, a senior police officer said as quoted by news agency PTI.

Police have taken the notice of the video surfacing on the internet and were verifying whether it is of a recent incident or an old one, they said.

Sanjay Kumar Sain, Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) said, People seen in the video have been identified as Paharganj residents. Three persons, including one juvenile, have been apprehended and questioned. They have confessed their involvement in the incident as seen in the video."

Later, the girl also tweeted from her Twitter handle that she has reached Bangladesh and was fit mentally and physically.

Police initiated action against the accused under the Delhi Police Act, however, further legal steps will be decided on merits and in accordance with the complaint by the girl, if any, PTI reported.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal had said she was issuing a notice to Delhi Police to examine the video and arrest the perpetrators.

"Very disturbing videos getting viral on social media showing sexual harassment with foreign nationals on Holi! I am issuing notice to Delhi Police to examine these videos and arrest the perpetrators! Completely shameful behaviour!" Maliwal tweeted on Friday.

The National Commission for Women too took the notice of the video and asked Delhi Police to register an FIR in the matter.

"@NCWIndia has taken cognizance. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @CPDelhi to immediately file FIR in the matter. NCW has also sought a fair and time-bound investigation in the matter. A detailed report must be apprised to the commission," the NCW said in a tweet.
MSCI ESG Research said on Friday it recently changed some of its environmental, social and governance assessments of Adani Group entities, after the Indian conglomerate was caught up in a short-selling storm in recent weeks.

Seven listed Adani Group companies lost over $100 billion in market value combined after a Jan. 24 report by Hindenburg Research alleged stock manipulation and improper use of tax havens, and flagged concerns over debt levels. Adani has rejected the concerns and denied any wrongdoing.

"On March 3, we downgraded our assessment of the Hindenburg-related controversy cases to 'moderate' from 'minor' following new developments in the relevant cases," MSCI ESG Research said in a statement to Reuters.

It said the downgrade and resulting score changes did not lead to any changes in overall ESG Ratings of each company.

Entities rated by MSCI ESG Research include Adani Green Energy, Adani Power, Adani Total Gas, Adani Transmission and Adani Enterprises, according to the statement.

This week, MSCI ESG Research flagged all its covered Adani Group entities for the metric of accounting investigations, while some were flagged for the securities valuations metric, it said.

MSCI's ESG Controversies scoring and flagging system alerts investors to potential reputational risks, according to a factsheet produced by the agency.

"Across various Adani Group entities, MSCI ESG Research has identified issues relating to governance, board independence, related party transactions, and controlling shareholders," the company said.

Since the short-seller report release, MSCI ESG Research has added "Bribery and Fraud" and "Governance Structures" controversy cases to all Adani Group companies in its coverage, it said.

Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside of business hours.

Company representatives have met fixed-income investors over the past two weeks in an international roadshow.

Sustainability ratings company Sustainalytics downgraded corporate governance-related scores for some Adani Group companies last month.

MSCI ESG Research said on Friday it was closely monitoring developments in the Adani case, "including any associated potential launch of regulator-driven investigations or any ongoing developments related to governance structures, audit and accounting practices."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with US secretary of commerce Gina Raimondo, who was in India from March 7-10, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) said on Saturday. The meeting took place on Friday.

Taking to Twitter, Prime Ministers Office tweeted, US Secretary of Commerce @SecRaimondohad a fruitful meeting with PM @narendramodi yesterday."

Raimondo, who was on a four-day visit to India, also met several ministers besides holding meetings with commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal.

Earlier on Friday, India and the US re-launched their commercial dialogue to discuss supply chain issues and agree upon a semiconductor partnership initiative.

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Piyush Goyal jointly addressed a press conference on Friday at the India-USA Commercial Dialogue.

The dialogue focused on several emerging areas, including building supply chains, facilitating clean energy cooperation, talent development, and post-pandemic economic recovery for start-ups and small businesses.

Both the dignitaries discussed India-US strategic partnership, as well as economic and commercial engagement between the two countries, including through the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

The last India-USA Commercial Dialogue was held in February 2019. Since then, due to the pandemic and other factors it could not be held.
Two days after Satish Kaushik died of cardiac arrest, the Delhi Police said that they have found packets of 'objectionable medicine' from the farmhouse where he reportedly fell ill. The farmhouse belongs to Kaushik's friend Vikas Malu and the late actor went there to celebrate Holi with his friends.

The police are now investigating the purpose of the medicine and if Satish Kaushik had any connection with those medicines. The preliminary post-mortem report of the veteran actor has nothing suspicious and the police are still waiting for the detailed report on blood samples and the heart of the deceased actor.

Delhi Police also shared that the owner of the farmhouse Vikas Malu also has a rape case registered against him. The case is 11 years old and the police are working on the details of the case. For the purpose of investigation, the police have also prepared a list of people who were present at the farmhouse during the festival of Holi.

The spokesperson of the Delhi Police said that they are investigating the matter from several angles and that the exact reason for the death will be clear soon. On Saturday, the police also analyzed the CCTV records from the farmhouse

Satish Kaushik was a well-known actor-director to made his mark in Bollywood with memorable roles. Actor Anupam Kher shared the news of his death and said "I know "death is the ultimate truth of this world!" But I never thought in my dreams that I would write this thing about my best friend #SatishKaushik while alive. Such a sudden full stop on a friendship of 45 years!! Life will NEVER be the same without you SATISH! Om Shanti!."

Many noted personalities including PM Modi has condoled the death of the actor. "Pained by the untimely demise of noted film personality Shri Satish Kaushik Ji. He was a creative genius who won hearts thanks to his wonderful acting and direction. His works will continue to entertain audiences. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti," PM Modi tweeted.

(With inputs from agencies)
IT services company Tech Mahindra on Saturday announced that former Infosys President Mohit Joshi has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the company and key managerial personnel under the Companies Act, 2013, for a period of 5 (five) years with effect from 20 December, 2023 to 19 December 2028 (both days inclusive). Mohit Joshi will take over the charge from C P Gurnani after his retirement on December 19 this year.

Mohit Joshi will replace Gurnani who has been one of the longest-serving chief executive officers of the Indian IT sector. The Appointment of Mr. Mohit Joshi, as Managing Director (Designate) of the Company effective his date of joining the Company up to 19 December, 2023," according to a company statement.

Mohit Joshi joins Tech Mahindra from Infosys, where he is currently the President. Mohit has over two decades of experience in the Enterprise technology software and consulting space and has worked with the largest corporations in the world in driving digital transformation and building thriving businesses," the statement further said.

At Infosys, Mohit is head of the Global Financial Services & Healthcare and the Software businesses, which include Finacle (the banking platform) and the AI/Automation portfolio. Mohit also led Sales Operations and Transformation for Infosys and executive responsibility for all large deals across the company. He is also responsible for the Internal CIO function and the Infosys Knowledge Institute.

Mohit has been a Non-Executive Director at Aviva Plc since 2020 and is a member of its Risk & Governance and Nomination committees.

In 2014, Mohit joined the prestigious Young Global Leader program at the World Economic Forum, Davos and is also a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Previously, Mohit has also held the office of the Vice Chair of the Economic Growth Board of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry).

Prior to joining Infosys in 2000, Mohit worked with ABN AMRO and ANZ Grindlays in their Corporate and Investment bank.

Mohit has lived and worked in Asia, America and Europe and currently lives with his wife and two daughters in London.
Canada currently has massive job openings for immigrants, and in the next few years, they are likely to increase further. Now, if you are planning to relocate to Canada to look for new opportunities, the easiest way to do is to sign up for Express Entry or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). But even then, the confusion persists, i.e. which is the smarter way to obtain permanent residency in the country. Here is all that you need to know.

What are the key features of Express Entry and PNP?

Express Entry is an electronic system that manages applications for permanent residency from skilled workers. Candidates are evaluated using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), which assigns points based on age, education, language proficiency, work experience, and other factors related to their ability to contribute to the Canadian economy. Every two weeks, IRCC holds Express Entry draws inviting the highest-ranked candidates to apply for permanent residency.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) allows Canadian provinces and territories to nominate skilled workers who can contribute to the local economy. A provincial nomination increases the likelihood of obtaining permanent residency and is one of several options for skilled workers to immigrate to Canada.

Which is more beneficial?

Skilled workers who wish to immigrate to Canada can simultaneously apply to the Express Entry program and a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) stream. This approach can be beneficial as it increases the likelihood of being invited to apply for permanent residency.

Express Entry is a point-based system that assesses candidates based on several factors such as education, age, work experience, language proficiency, and others. High-ranking candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residency.

Now, candidates with a low ranking score in the Express Entry pool can enhance their score by applying to a PNP stream. If nominated by a province or territory, the candidate receives an additional 600 points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), increasing their chances of receiving an ITA.

Applying to both programs can be a strategic move, as it enables skilled workers to increase their competitiveness and the likelihood of receiving an ITA for permanent residency in Canada.

Can I settle anywhere under both programs?

Canadian citizens and permanent residents have the constitutional right to move freely within the country, establish residence in any province, and work in any province.

Although obtaining permanent residence through a provincial nomination program does not legally obligate one to remain in that province, honesty about one's intentions is encouraged.

The federal Express Entry program allows greater flexibility in choosing a province of residence, except for Quebec which has its own immigration system. It is still recommended to make an effort to settle and contribute to the province that nominated you before moving elsewhere.
An influenza outbreak in China picked up intensity over the past week as a major city prepared to enforce pandemic-style lockdowns to curb the surge in infections.

The positivity rate for flu jumped to 41.6% in the week beginning March 5 from 25.1% the previous week, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in its weekly Covid surveillance report on Saturday. The Covid positivity rate was down to 3.8% from 5.1%.

The northwestern city of Xian said earlier this week it would employ measures similar to those used to curb Covid-19 as part of its plan to contain influenza outbreaks, with school and business closures included in the response.

The city of some 13 million residents was locked down for a month in 2021 because of Covid, with residents largely barred from leaving their homes.

The positivity rate has increased for six consecutive weeks and started to increase more sharply in mid-February, according to government data.
Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions. The major diplomatic breakthrough negotiated with China lowers the chance of armed conflict between the Mideast rivals  both directly and in proxy conflicts around the region.

The deal, struck in Beijing this week amid its ceremonial National Peoples Congress, represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East. It also comes as diplomats have been trying to end a long war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.

The two countries released a joint communique on the deal with China, which brokered the agreement as President Xi Jinping was awarded a third five-year term as leader earlier Friday.

Also Read: Saudi Arabias got money but can it also lure foreign capital?

Videos on Iranian state media showed Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, with Saudi national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban and Wang Yi, China's most senior diplomat.

The joint statement calls for reestablishing ties and reopening embassies to happen within a maximum period of two months." A meeting by their foreign ministers is also planned.

In the video, Wang could be heard offering wholehearted congratulations" on the two countries' wisdom."

Both sides have displayed sincerity," he said. China fully supports this agreement."

The United Nations welcomed the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement and thanked China for its role. Good neighborly relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are essential for the stability of the Gulf region," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at U.N. headquarters.

The U.S. also welcomed any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

China, which last month hosted Iran's hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, is also a top purchaser of Saudi oil. Xi visited Riyadh in December for meetings with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations crucial to Chinas energy supplies.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted Shamkhani as calling the talks "clear, transparent, comprehensive and constructive."

Removing misunderstandings and the future-oriented views in relations between Tehran and Riyadh will definitely lead to improving regional stability and security, as well as increasing cooperation among Persian Gulf nations and the world of Islam for managing current challenges," Shamkhani said.

Al-Aiban thanked Iraq and Oman for mediating between Iran and the kingdom, according to his remarks carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

While we value what we have reached, we hope that we will continue to continue the constructive dialogue," the Saudi official said.

Tensions long have been high between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts there. Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shiite cleric with 46 others days earlier, triggering the demonstrations.

That came as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then a deputy, began his rise to power. The son of King Salman, Prince Mohammed previously compared Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Nazi Germany's Adolf Hitler, and threatened to strike Iran.

Since then, the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018. Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks after that, including one targeting the heart of Saudi Arabia's oil industry in 2019, temporarily halving the kingdom's crude production.

Though Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels initially claimed the attack, Western nations and experts blamed Tehran. Iran denied it and also denied carrying out other assaults later attributed to the Islamic Republic.

Religion also plays a key role in their relations. Saudi Arabia, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day, has portrayed itself as the worlds leading Sunni nation. Irans theocracy, meanwhile, views itself as the protector of Islams Shiite minority.

The two powerhouses have competing interests elsewhere, such as in the turmoil in Lebanon and in the rebuilding of Iraq following the U.S.-led 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia and political group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said the agreement could "open new horizons" in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Iraq, Oman and the United Arab Emirates also praised the accord.

Top Pakistani diplomat Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperations Council of Foreign Ministers, praised China for "encouraging dispute resolution, rather than on encouraging perpetual disputes."

Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a research fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute who long has studied the region, said Saudi Arabia reaching the deal with Iran came after the United Arab Emirates reached a similar understanding with Tehran.

This dialing down of tensions and de-escalation has been underway for three years and this was triggered by Saudi acknowledgement in their view that without unconditional U.S. backing they were unable to project power vis-a-vis Iran and the rest of the region," he said.

Prince Mohammed, focused on massive construction projects at home, likely wants to pull out of the Yemen war as well, Ulrichsen added.

Instability could do a lot of damage to his plans," he said.

The Houthis seized Yemens capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and forced the internationally recognized government into exile in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition armed with U.S. weaponry and intelligence entered the war on the side of Yemens exiled government in 2015. Years of inconclusive fighting created a humanitarian disaster and pushed the Arab worlds poorest nation to the brink of famine.

A six-month cease-fire, the longest of the Yemen conflict, expired in October.

Negotiations have been ongoing recently, including in Oman, a longtime interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. Some have hoped for an agreement ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins later in March. Iran and Saudi Arabia have held intermittent talks in recent years but it wasn't clear if Yemen was the impetus for this new detente.

Yemeni rebel spokesman Mohamed Abdulsalam appeared to welcome the deal in a statement that also slammed the U.S. and Israel. "The region needs the return of normal relations between its countries, through which the Islamic society can regain its lost security as a result of the foreign interventions, led by the Zionists and Americans, he said.

For Israel, which has wanted to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia despite the Palestinians remaining without a state of their own, Riyadh easing tensions with Iran could complicate its own regional calculations.

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered no immediate comment Friday. Netanyahu, under pressure politically at home, has threatened military action against Iran's nuclear program as it enriches closer than ever to weapons-grade levels. Riyadh seeking peace with Tehran takes one potential ally for a strike off the table.

It was unclear what this development meant for Washington. Though long viewed as guaranteeing Mideast energy security, regional leaders have grown increasingly wary of U.S. intentions after its chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

But the White House bristled at the notion a Saudi-Iran agreement in Beijing suggests a rise of Chinese influence in the Mideast. I would stridently push back on this idea that were stepping back in the Middle East  far from it," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

Mark Dubowitz, head of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, which opposes the Iran nuclear deal, said renewed Iran-Saudi ties via Chinese mediation "is a lose, lose, lose for American interests," noting: Beijing adores a vacuum."

But Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute, which advocates engagement with Iran and supports the nuclear deal, called it good news for the Middle East, since Saudi-Iranian tensions have been a driver of instability." He added that China has emerged as a player that can resolve disputes rather than merely sell weapons to the conflicting parties," noting a more stable Middle East also benefits the U.S.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Schengen countries receive millions of visa applications every year so, there is no guarantee that your application will be successful. But, the chances of your application being approved increases significantly if you apply to countries that has low visa rejection rate. Use this list to take a look at the statistics of the easiest European countries to get a visa, which will ultimately make your application process easier and smoother.

Lithuania: In 2021, Lithuania granted 98.7% of visa applications, making it easy to obtain a visa. The highest number of applicants were from Kazakhstan, with 3,090 visas issued out of 3,481 applications. Armenian citizens had the second-highest number of applicants, with 436 visas issued out of 449 applications.

Estonia: Estonia has a high visa approval rate of 98.4% and a processing time of up to 15 days, but may take longer in exceptional situations. Schengen Visa Statistics show that from a total of 40,657 applicants, 38,389 were granted an Estonian visa in 2021.

Finland: Finland has a high visa approval rate and is among the easiest European countries to obtain a visa. In 2021, out of 61,018 visa applications, 55,882 were granted. The country allows Schengen visa applications for 103 states excluded from visa-free travel, and for third-party nationals from Kosovo and Palestine. It is essential to stay up-to-date on visa policies and any changes that may arise due to COVID-19 or other reasons before applying for a visa.

Also read: All you need to know about Schengen visa application

Iceland: If you are looking to apply for a visa to a country that wont keep you waiting on the status of your application, then Iceland is the perfect place. From a total of 2,735 applicants, 2,410 were granted visas to visit Nordic Island. Applicants who applied for an Icelandic visa in the New Delhi consulate are at the receiving end of the highest rate of non-issued ATVs and uniform visas, as per Schengen visa news website.

Luxembourg: Luxembourg has a low Schengen visa rejection rate of 1.3%, making it an attractive option for travelers. The total number of applications in 2021 was 2,384, from which 2,296 were issued.
Days after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the financial group's UK arm is set to be declared insolvent. The Bank of England said that eligible depositors would be paid by the UKs deposit-insurance fund. According to an official statement, the UK's finance minister has spoken to the governor of the Bank of England about the situation.

SVB UK has a limited presence in the UK and no critical functions supporting the financial system. In the interim, the firm will stop making payments or accepting deposits," a Reuters report quoted the central bank as saying.

According to the BOE statement, deposits are insured up to 85,000 ($102,000) or 170,000 for joint accounts.

Also read: Silicon Valley Bank crisis: Staff offered 45 days of work at 1.5x salary by FDIC

While no appointments has been made yet, the company has reportedly lined up Interpath Advisory to handle the insolvency.

According to the Finance Ministry, talks are currently underway with affected firms. The junior finance minister will also discuss the concerns of some affected tech firms with industry representatives later on Saturday.

"The government recognises that tech sector companies are often not cashflow positive as they grow, and that they rely on cash on deposits to cover their day to day costs," an official statement said.

Also read: Short sellers make $500 mn on Silicon Valley Banks downfall: Report

Earlier this week, US banking giant Silicon Valley imploded as patrons rushed to withdraw their deposits amid growing concern about the lender's health. The frenetic two-day run has sent shockwaves rippling across the globe and wiped out more than $100 billion in market value for US banks.

Its downfall is the largest failure of a financial institution since Washington Mutual collapsed at the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. The aftereffects are already being felt, with some startups scrambling to pay their workers and meet office expenses. This in turn could lead to furloughs or layoffs.
Days after the Silicon Valley Bank crash sent shockwaves across the globe, employees have reportedly been offered 45 days of employment at 1.5 times their salary. The development came after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp took control of the collapsed lender on Friday.

According to a staff email seen by news agency Reuters, staffers have been told to continue working remotely - except for essential workers and branch employees.

Workers will be enrolled and given information about benefits over the weekend by the FDIC, and healthcare details will be provided by SVB Financial Group, FDIC wrote in an email late Friday entitled Employee Retention reported Reuters.

Silicon Valley Bank had a workforce of 8,528 at the end of last year. SVB ranked as the 16th biggest bank in the U.S. at the end of last year, with about $209 billion in assets and $175.4 billion in deposits.

Earlier this week, US banking giant Silicon Valley imploded as patrons rushed to withdraw their deposits amid growing concern about the lender's health. The frenetic two-day run has sent shockwaves rippling across the globe and wiped out more than $100 billion in market value for US banks.

Regulators rushed Friday to seize the assets of one of Silicon Valley's top banks, marking the largest failure of a US financial institution since the height of the financial crisis almost 15 years ago.

As part of the seizure, California bank regulators and the FDIC transferred the bank's assets to a newly created institution  the Deposit Insurance Bank of Santa Clara.

The new bank will start paying out insured deposits on Monday. Then the FDIC and California regulators plan to sell off the rest of the assets to make other depositors whole.

There was unease in the banking sector all week, with shares tumbling by double digits. Then reports of SVB's distress pushed shares of almost all financial institutions even lower Friday.

Its downfall is the largest failure of a financial institution since Washington Mutual collapsed at the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. The aftereffects are already being felt, with some startups scrambling to pay their workers and meet office expenses. This in turn could lead to furloughs or layoffs.
Balochistan High Court (BHC) has given temporary relief to former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and suspended his non-bailable arrest warrant for two weeks issued by a local court in a hate speech case registered in Quetta pertaining to inciting the public against state institutions.

This comes amid the arrival of a Quetta police team in Lahore to arrest the PTI chairman. The Quetta judicial magistrate issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the PTI chief following a case registered at the Bijli Ghar police station, Geo News reported.

The case was filed against Imran Khan under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA) for maligning national institutions. The Balochistan police registered a case against the PTI chairman on the complaint of a citizen - named Abdul Khalil Karak.

Justice Zaheer-Ud-Din Kakar of the BHC heard the plea filed by Iqbal Shah of the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ISF) on behalf of the PTI chief, as per Geo News reports.

The plea maintained that the offense wasn't committed in the jurisdiction of Bijli Police Station where the case had been registered and requested the court to dismiss the FIR.

While suspending the arrest warrant, Justice Kakar also issued a summons for the Balochistan police chief, SP legal and the station house officer of the Bijli Police Station. The hearing was then adjourned for two weeks, reported Geo News.

In the speech on Sunday, the PTI chief had come down hard on the "state institutions" after a team of Islamabad police had arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him in the Toshakhana case.

The deposed prime minister -- who was ousted from power in April last year -- vented his rage while addressing party workers and supporters at Zaman Park residence in Lahore who participated in the "Jail Bharo Tehreek" (voluntary arrest movement).

Khan said that he had neither kneeled before any institution or person nor would let the nation do so. Imran Khan is facing a total of 37 cases filed against him in different parts of the country, reported The News International.

These include litigation, police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cases, and also proceedings launched by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PTI chief.

(With ANI inputs)
A surprising comment has come from the US President's administration where one of the leaders has praised China regarding climate initiatives.

US Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that Americans can "learn from what China is doing" in combating climate change.

In an interview at the annual SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, the Biden administration leader heaped praises on China for its efforts towards improving climate. She said that China is actually "very sensitive" about the issue, more so than the United States.

The US Energy Secretary said, "the amount of money that theyre investing in clean energy is actually, you know, encouraging".

She added, "We are hopeful that, you know, we can all learn from what China is doing".

This week, the Biden administration said it is directing $6 billion in funding to speed decarbonization projects in energy-hungry industries like steel, aluminum, and cement making that contribute nearly 25% of US greenhouse gas emissions. The program is part of President Joe Biden's pledge to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050. Granholm said the program will help cut pollution while ensuring the competitiveness of American manufacturing.

Meanwhile, China and the US have locked themselves into a new cycle of accusations. The latest back-and-forth started when President Xi Jinping said in a speech that China was the victim of comprehensive containment and suppression by western countries led by the US". Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang also sharpened the warning, saying Washington faces possible conflict and confrontation" if it fails to change course.

The two governments have the worlds biggest trading relationship and common interests in combating climate change and other problems. But relations are strained over Taiwan, Beijings treatment of Hong Kong and mostly Muslim ethnic minorities, and its refusal to criticize or isolate Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The official Chinese view has soured following an uptick when Xi met US President Joe Biden in November in Indonesia, said Shi Yinhong, an international relations specialist at Renmin University in Beijing. He noted that in the five months since then, Washington approved more weapons sales to Taiwan, criticized Beijings stance on Ukraine, and put more Chinese companies on export watchlists, all of which China saw as hostile.

The United States formed a strategic group, the Quad, with Japan, Australia, and India in response to concern about China and its claim to vast tracts of the sea that are busy shipping lanes.

Xis government is especially irritated by displays of support by American and other Western legislators for Taiwan, which split with China in 1949 after a civil war.

And last month, the shooting down of alleged Chinese balloons by the US military, has deteriorated the ties between the two countries.
The intelligence community of the United States believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin can use nuclear weapons to end the Ukraine war. The Annual Threat Assessment report released on Wednesday added that Putin may also drag the US-led West to the Ukraine war in an effort to win back public support.

Putin's escalation may also delve from the larger opinion that the United States is using Ukraine as a proxy to weaken Russia, the report said, adding that the narrative around Ukraine's military successes is only a result of US and NATO intervention could presage further Russian escalation.

The US Intelligence Community asserted that the Ukraine war is reshaping the geo-political dynamics and the equations of China and Russia with the West are also going through a change.

It also added that how the conflict and its consequent geopolitical spillover will unfold remain highly certain. It claimed that the escalation of the conflict into a military confrontation between Russia and the West carries a risk that the world has not witnessed in decades.

Russia's recent missile attack across Ukraine cities

Russia launched a widespread missile attack on various cities in Ukraine on Thursday, primarily targeting energy infrastructure facilities. This was the first attack of such magnitude in three weeks. Although residential buildings were reportedly hit, Ukrainian officials have not confirmed any casualties yet.

Explosions and the blaring of air raid sirens shook Ukraine, particularly it's capital city of Kyiv, for several hours following the massive missile attack unleashed by Russia.

The mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, reported that explosions had occurred in the Holosiivskyi district, and emergency services were en route to the area to respond.

In eastern Ukraine, 15 missiles hit the city of Kharkiv and its surrounding northeastern region, damaging residential buildings.

According to the governor of Kharkiv, Oleh Syniehubov, more information about the extent of the damage and any casualties in Ukraine's second-largest city will be released soon.

As a result, Ukrainian Railways reported power outages in some areas, leading to delays of five trains by over an hour and 10 trains by over 30 minutes.

(With inputs from agencies)
The 95th Academy Awards ceremony will be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles on March 12, 2023.

This year there have been thirteen Irish nominations, including nine for the Banshees of Inisherin. This is the most ever received by the Irish in a single year.

Longford, alas as far as our research shows, has never won one of those coveted statuettes. But if, like our famous 1916 proclamation, we call on our exiled children in America Australia and elsewhere, Longford has acquitted itself very well.

The first of our Longford diaspora to triumph, was Patty Duke who was born in Elmhurst New York on December 14, 1946. Her paternal grand-parents were both born in Longford town, they were James Bartholomew Duke and Catherine Ann OHara.

At age 15, Patty portrayed Helen Keller in the film The Miracle Worker, a role she had originated on Broadway. In 1963 she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance; at that time, she was the youngest to achieve such an honour, she died in 2016.

Sean Astin, son of Patty Duke starred as a child actor in The Goonies and later as the Hobbit, Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1994 for the film Kangaroo Court.

Mel Colmcille Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York, on January 3, 1956. He is the second son of Hutton Gibson, a writer, and Longford-born Anne Patricia Reilly. His mother was born in the parish of Colmcille, close to the hill of Molly. She visited the place of her birth a few years before her death in 1990.



In 1995, Gibson produced, directed, and starred in Braveheart, a historical epic, for which he won two Oscars, the Academy Award for Best Director, and the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Nicole Kidmans Irish ancestry starts with Hugh Masterson who was born in Rincoolagh a townland in Granard parish in 1793, he was married to Elinor Briody, their daughter Bridget Masterson married James Gallagher (Callachor) a native of Cavan, they were Nicoles fourth great grandparents.

Nicole was nominated for an Oscar on five occasions, she won one, for her portrayal of writer Virginia Woolf in the drama The Hours, in 2003.

Melissa McCarthys great grandfather Thomas Carty was born in Currygrane, in Clonbroney civil parish, to John Carty and Maria Quinn in 1867, his son, Melissas paternal grandfather was Michael Joseph McCarthy, (born Michael Carty), in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland, where his father had moved, after he married.

Of her family, Melissa said Being Irish means being self-sufficient and doing whatever is needed. My dads friends in Chicago were all Irish and we grew up thinking of ourselves as Irish.

His dad was a Carty, but the name got changed to McCarthy when he emigrated. Im truly a Carty, she said.

Melissa won best supporting actress for Bridesmaids in 2012 and best actress for Can You Ever Forgive me 2019.

One of those famous exiles, Will Ferrell, who has starred in several great comedy films has never been nominated for an award by the Academy, but I am sure his time will come.

Although I have found no links so far of a connection to Longford, the fact that he came here to search for his roots, that he proudly wore his Longford jersey on national TV, entitles him to a mention.

In his own words: My dad researched that all the Farrells were from Longford so we went there a few years ago. Word got out I was in town and like 500 people showed up to this pub I was at and I ended up drinking at some Irish lawyers house at like two in the morning.

In 2017 he again visited Ireland, and on the Late Late Show it was his attire that captured the nation's imagination - at least around the Longford direction anyway.

The native of California was sporting the blue and gold of Longford GAA on the Friday night for his big appearance on RTE's primetime show. While being interviewed he showed the colours of the O'Farrell county, which he wore with pride.

Although Banshees are harbingers of tragedy and misfortune, let us hope that the ones from Inisherin bring great tidings on Sunday, March 12 next.

Good luck to all our Irish nominees.
A drunk driver who contested a charge brought before Longford District Court was banned from the road for two years by Judge Bernadette Owens.



Thomas Grennan (63) of Tonymore, Mohill, Leitrim pleaded not guilty to a charge that on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 he drove a vehicle while exceeding the legal alcohol limit.



The first prosecution witness, Garda Justin Brown, outlined details of his patrol that brought him in contact with the defendant. A white Mitsubishi vehicle driven by Mr Grennan was stopped at Currabawn, Drumlish at 4:45pm.

Garda Brown said this was the second interaction with the defendant as earlier in the day, at 2:10pm, while undertaking a Covid inspection in a Drumlish public house he saw the defendant consuming alcohol.



When Garda Brown saw the vehicle in traffic he believed he had reasonable grounds to suspect an offence was taking place if Mr Grennan was the driver. The officer told the court that as the vehicle was in a row of traffic he activated the blue light and sirens and pulled in, in front of it.



While speaking to the driver he noted a strong smell of intoxication liquor and formed the opinion the defendant was committing an offence. Mr Grennan was arrested and conveyed to Longford Garda station. En route he was asked for his driver's licence and insurance, he presented a full licence and later his insurance documentation.

The officer in charge, Garda David Buckley spoke to the defendant, undertook a 20 minute period of observation, however the Evidenzer (the forensic breath-alcohol analyser) could not be operated.



The on duty doctor was called and a blood sample was taken. This later returned a reading of 182mg of blood for 100 millilitres of blood.

Under cross examination by counsel for the defendant, Liam OConnell BL, Garda Brown rejected the suggestion there were a number of striking similarities between the specific order of words and the patter formatting of the statement by the two officers on duty.



In his evidence Garda Buckley explained the Evidenzer machine would not let him input data and so he was unable to use it to analyse the breath specimen. For this reason he called the out of hours doctor to take the blood sample.

Garda Buckley was the only officer on shift at the time who was a trained Evidenzer operator. The officer told the court he informed the Traffic Sergeant and the matter was rectified.

Reserve Garda Derek Francis was called as a witness by the defence. The Garda Reserve told the court he prepared his statement from the custody records, the notes on pulse and his own memory. Garda Francis has been a reserve since 2008 and has worked with Garda Brown for 10 years.



The witness refuted the suggestion by the defendant's counsel, Mr OConnell, that the statement was copy and pasted. He pointed out his statement was a page and a half while Garda Brown's was over four pages.

There are similarities because they are two accounts of the same incident, the officer said.

In his closing statement Mr O'Connell pointed out the defence had to call the reserve Garda to give evidence as the State had not made him a witness.



In his closing statement Inspector Dave Jordan said the State's case was based on the evidence of the full time Garda: The reserve Garda was not called because he must take a day off his own full time work to attend court, he explained.

The inspector spoke of a standard way of writing up a statement used by all Gardai. Inspector Jordan said just because the same phrases are used by different Gardai does not mean they copied each other.

Having reviewed the evidence Judge Bernadette Owens said she was not satisfied the defence reached the threshold to suggest there was some form of collusion in the compilation of the statement.



Mr O'Connell asked the judge to consider a number of mitigating factors. The defendant had no previous convictions and is an unmarried man who lives in a rural area.

The barrister said Mr Grennan draws hay for a living and a driving ban will impact on his ability to do this job. He pointed out the defendant has no formal education.

Among the factors Judge Owens said she would take into account were the defendant's previous good character and the implication of the driving ban.



The judge noted Mr Grennan's livelihood depends on his driving licence. Judge Owens imposed a fine of 800 with five month to pay and disqualified him for two years. Recognisance was set in the defendant's own bond of 250.
A number of self-advocates and families advocating for autistic children and adults are resolute in their wish that a full review of the Disability Act be carried out, Longford-based Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy has said.



Senator Carrigy, who is Chair of the Joint Committee on Autism, was speaking after stakeholders addressed Seanad Eireann last Thursday, to resume discussions on Autism Policy.

I was extremely happy to welcome a number of families representing the autism community to the Seanad, Senator Carrigy stated.



We also heard insights from a number of self advocates, some of whom are currently in third level education or in the workforce.

Resoundingly, families feel that their needs are not being met adequately by the Disability Act in its current form. Legally, the Act entitles people to an assessment of needs, but not to the follow up services which are so important.

We have heard how often, a diagnosis of autism is given to a person, but this only signals the start of a long, frustrating and often fruitless journey to accessing appropriate therapies.



There are currently long waiting lists for assessment of needs, and once a diagnosis has been made, there are insufficient professionals within the system to provide the badly needed services and therapies that should follow.

We have heard stories of families waiting up to four years for intervention after receiving a diagnosis. Early intervention is key, so this cannot continue.

Earlier in the week, the Committee heard from the Psychological Society of Ireland, The Irish Association of Speech & Language Therapists and the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland.

Senator Carrigy continued: All stakeholders; clinical practitioners, therapists, advocates and self-advocates agree that the Disability Act needs reform. At the very minimum, a review must be carried out to assess if it fully caters for and responds to the need of the whole community.



On Wednesday,, the Disabilities portfolio fully transferred from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth. This move means that disability is now firmly placed rightly alongside equality.

The next step must be to ensure that legislation reflects that same equality and that those of all ages with autism and disabilities are given the same services and opportunities as everyone.
The very act of shooting Garda Colm Horkan should raise questions about Stephen Silvers mental capacity, a defence barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.

In his closing address to the jury this morning (Friday, March 10), defence counsel Dominic McGinn SC said the shooting of Garda Horkan was not a rational act and there was no rational basis or motivation for what happened.

Mr McGinn described Garda Horkans death as a terrible tragedy that should not have happened".

Garda Horkan was trying to do his job to the best of his ability and should not be gunned down in the street, he said.

Nobody got up on the 17th of June expecting this to happen or planning this to happen but it did.

He told the jury Mr Silvers behaviour while in custody was erratic, and included urinating in his cell, banging his head off a wall and pacing around.

He said Mr Silver did not display a lot of intact social functioning on the day of the killing and pointed to the manner in which the accused behaved and spoke to gardai in the garda station, his shouting in the street and pacing up and down.

Shooting a garda. Thats not intact social function, he said, adding the natural conclusion from this was that Mr Silver was in a relapse of his bipolar affective disorder at the time.

Mr McGinn said consultant psychiatrist Professor Harry Kennedy was confident that mental illness played no part in the shooting but said Dr Brenda Wright, interim clinical director at the Central Mental Hospital, had given detailed evidence setting out her belief that Mr Silvers mental illness was a significant factor at the time.

Mr Silver has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Gda Horkan knowing or being reckless as to whether he was a member of An Garda Siochana acting in accordance with his duty at Castlerea, Co Roscommon on June 17, 2020.

He has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the jury have been told the main issue in the trial is Mr Silvers state of mind at the time of the shooting.

Mr McGinn He told the jury they had seen for themselves Mr Silvers behaviour during garda interviews and said that while he wasnt going to go through it all, he had no doubt this had a searing effect on your mind in terms of how he presented.

He said the accused showed no appreciation of the situation he was in and kept coming back to I didnt do anything, why am I here?

He said Dr Wright described this and other behaviour, such as Mr Silver rubbing his feet and fixing the blinds, as examples of disinhibited behaviour.

Counsel said shooting Garda Horkan was not a rational act and was not a targeted attack or a deliberate attack on a garda. It was instead, he contended, a chance encounter.

Theres apparently no rational basis or motivation for what happened so the very act of shooting Garda Horkan should raise questions about his mental capacity because it doesnt make sense, he said.

Mr McGinn said that as a human being, emptying a gun into someone for no reason implies the gunmans reason isnt intact. So yes its a deliberate attack but its not a rational act, he said. Thats not how people operate, thats not now society operates.

The lawyer said Mr Silver suffered an extremely significant relapse of his bipolar affective disorder when he was admitted to the Central Mental Hospital on June 23 and stayed there for ten months.

He said Dr Greg Kelly, a Castlerea based GP who saw Mr Silver a number of times over the course of his time in custody, saw him presenting in a number of ways and had given evidence that the accuseds presentation was completely inappropriate for where he was.

Dr Kelly had told how Mr Silver was at times manic and at other times elated, Mr McGinn said.

Mr McGinn told the jury the recordings of the interviews Mr Silver took part in while in custody were very important because they are one of the only things in the case that are completely objective and independent.

One of the things you have to decide is whether that behaviour was consistent with normality in any form, he said.

Mr McGinn said Professor Kennedy was confident that mental illness played no part in the shooting.

You have to decide whether or not that is a stateable proposition. He said that showed simply his normal personality, he added.

Counsel said the trial had heard evidence from witnesses, including Mr Silvers Sister Marian Bruen, that there was no suggestion he had those personality traits when he was well.

Theres no evidence to suggest that Mr Silver, when hes well, behaves in the appalling way that he did in the garda station, he said.

He said Professor Kennedys contention of learned impunity was contradictory.

Mr McGinn said Stephen Silver had acted violently and had shown aggression in the past but on every other occasion when this had happened, he had been admitted to psychiatric care.

He said Professor Kennedy had argued that Mr Silver had contrived a situation to get away with a serious crime.

That he put on a performance, thats whats being suggested, he said. That he put on that performance before the fatal shooting and carried on this performance until hes admitted to the Central Mental Hospital. That he has contrived a performance that morphs into a full blown relapse of his illness.

I suggest to you thats not a credible explanation for what is going on.

He said if that was how Mr Silver behaved in normal life then it could have been expected that he would have interacted with gardai an awful lot more and pointed out that Mr Silver only had one previous conviction for driving without insurance.

He said the prosecution had asked who is the real Stephen Silver and said that is what the jury have to look at.

Is the man on the DVD, is that how he is in everyday life, or is that how he is when hes suffering from bipolar affective disorder?" counsel asked.

He said what was known was that in June 2020 Mr Silver did have another relapse.

Counsel told the jury: What you have to decide is if that was just coincidental and followed on from the stress of the events of being charged or if that relapse was caused by things that had happened in the days prior to that.

He said a relapse could happen for all sorts of reasons, perhaps it was the stress of his marriage breaking up and having to move into the shed where he worked or perhaps it was the stress of his business with all that Covid entailed.

Mr McGinn said Dr Wright had given very comprehensive evidence to the trial as to why she believed Mr Silver was suffering a relapse of his bipolar disorder at the time.

Counsel said the jury had to decide, on the balance of probabilities, whether or not the accused was suffering from a mental disorder at the time. He said they then had to decide whether the effect of that disorder was such as to diminish his responsibility.

He said Dr Wright has said that his mental illness was a significant factor at the time.

The trial continues on Monday when Ms Justice Tara Burns will give her charge to the jury.
(Correcting the announcement date.)

(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Tuesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:

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Revolution Beauty Group PLC - AIM-listed beauty products retailer - Amends the terms of the deferred consideration and completion net asset adjustment for the acquisition of Medichem Manufacturing Ltd. The acquisition had a total consideration of GBP23.0 million with a deferred consideration of GBP16.0 million plus a completion net asset adjustment of GBP4.5 million were payable in equal annual instalments of GBP5.1 million over four years, it says. Reduces the instalment payable on October 21, 2025 to GBP3.6 million.

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Xtract Resources PLC - Australia and Africa-focused resource, development and mining company - Says that its independent consultant Optimal Mining Solutions Pty Ltd identified that the economics of the Bushranger copper gold project in Australia can be improved through modern ore sorting technology. Notes that Optimal Mining identified a copper project with similar grades to Bushranger where pre-concentration reduced the amount of material to be concentrated up to approximately 50%, significantly reducing pre-production capital and operating costs. Adds that the full study of the consultant will be completed based on further test work already underway on this option.

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System1 Group PLC - London-based marketing and brand consultancy - Gets a meeting requisition from its former Chief Executive Officer Stefan Barden and former Chief Financial Officer James Geddes demanding board changes. Says these changes include the removal of Rupert Howell as chair and a non-executive director and appointing Barden in these positions. Adds that they are asking for Philip Machray to retire as a non-executive director and for the board to re-elect John Kearon as a director.

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Catenae Innovation PLC - London-based digital media and technology provider using blockchain technology to support clients with operations and staff management - Records a loss of GBP523,497 for the 15-month period that ended December 31 2022, narrowed from GBP1.2 million in the 12-month period to September 30, 2021. Reports revenue of GBP152,437, multiplied from GBP30,210. Proposes to change its accounting reference date from September 30 to December 31. "The company continues to pursue business opportunities following receipt of the GBP56,940 payment in February 2023. Also, the company has not drawn down any funds under the convertible loan facility with Sanderson Capital Partners Ltd. referred to in the company's interims announcement of 30 September 2022, as it is focused on where the board discerns the best probability of profitable returns. We look forward to keeping the market updated on further progress," CEO Guy Meyer comments.

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By Abby Amoakuh, Alliance News reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2023 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Global security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin today (March 11) celebrated the unveiling of the first F-16 Block 70 jet along with senior Bahraini and American officials at its factory in Greenville, South Carolina.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has a unique history with the F-16: It was the first F-16 operator in the GCC beginning in the early 1990s, and now is receiving the first F-16 Block 70.

Announcing the key achievement, Lockheed Martin said the new jet is being readied for delivery to the Royal Bahraini Air Force.

This is the first of 16 jets for Bahrain, which already completed its first flight test early this year. This will be followed by additional flight tests at Edwards Air Force Base before their arrival in Bahrain next year.

"Todays ceremony represents the next generation of the powerful and proven legacy of F-16, and demonstrates Lockheed Martins commitment to advancing this programme and getting this much-needed aircraft and its advanced 21st Century Security capabilities to the warfighter," remarked OJ Sanchez, the Vice President of Integrated Fighter Group, which includes the F-16 programme.

"With the Block 70 iteration, we are transforming 4th generation for the next generation for the Royal Bahraini Air Force and other partners and allies around the world," he added.

Six countries have selected Block 70/72 aircraft. In addition to the current official backlog of 127 jets to-date to be built in Greenville, Jordan has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for 12 jets and Lockheed Martin has received a contract to begin its long-lead activities.

Bulgaria has also signed an LOA for an additional eight jets for its fleet. Once these are finalized, the backlog will increase to 147.

"The F-16 celebrated today was built by our talented, committed workforce in Greenville," said Danya Trent, the Vice President for F-16 Programmes and Greenville site leader.

"We are proud to call Greenville the global home of the F-16 and look forward to continuing to produce jets serving missions around the world," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
In the United States, a total of 125 flu deaths have been recorded in children this season, revealed data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).



The number and weekly rate of flu hospital admissions continue to decline in the country.

Flu Season in the United States

About 1,400 people were hospitalized with flu in the latest week ending March 4, CDC data showed.
Karnataka has reported its first death from H3N2 variant in the state, say authorities. According to health department sources, the elderly man from Alur in Hassan died on March 1. Commissioner of Health Department D. Randeep, who He had advised conducting an audit of the death, confirmed the death due to H3N2 variant on Friday.

H3N2 Scare in India: Kids are more prone to the ill effects of the H3N2 variant. The virus infects persons above the age of 60 years. Pregnant women should exercise extra caution.

H3N2 Variant in Karnataka

The swab samples are being collected from people with symptoms and sent for testing.



The department has given directions to monitor people with comorbidities and those above 60 years of age. The awareness is being created among people not to go for self-medication if they develop symptoms.



Source: IANS

The now-deceased man carried symptoms of fear, chills, cough and Sore throat Following the death, teams from the health department are carrying out medical tests at Alur and surrounding regions.
Inking your hand is a great way to show the world who you are. Also, they may be a touching gesture to honour a deceased or to mark a special occasion. More than that, having a tattoo on your hand may be a great way to meet others who share your values. So if you're planning to get inked this year, we have some trending designs for you.

Top 9 Coolest & Badass Hand Tattoos For Men

1. Skull Hand Tattoo

Skull hand tattoos stand out. The skull and hand design emphasize death and mortality, making it enjoyable. Skull hand tattoos are popular. Skulls are frequently on or above the hand. Upward-facing skulls symbolize death and transience.



The hand anchors the skull, symbolizing strength and durability. Sometimes colourful, skull hand art is frequently black and drab. If black and grey aren't wanted, red, blue, and green may create depth and clarity. The artist's ability and your design determine the skull hand tattoo. Feathers or flower buds may be put on the skull for a feminine touch or an exotic aesthetic. Your skull hand tattoo will endure. Skull hand tattoos are popular among men seeking edgy body art. This tattoo might be simple or detailed.

2. Tribal Hand Tattoo

 iStock

Old tribal hand tattoos are populartattoos with ancient symbols and linework. Polynesian, Maori, and Native American civilizations feature tribal hand tattoos. Simple lines and shapes to complex, multi-meaning scenes are utilized. Tribal hand tattoos symbolize protection and strength. Lines and symbols protect the wearer from evil. Mythical and extraterrestrial themes are common. Oceanic and North American tribal tattoos denoted status and function.



Tribal hand tattoos include curvy and spiralling motifs. These tattoos stand out with their repeated lines and patterns. Contemporary enthusiasts adore tribal hand tattoos' creativity and significance. Despite losing their spiritual and cultural significance, these tattoos remain fashionable. Tribal hand tattoos have historical and cultural significance. Black-ink tattoos feature geometric shapes and themes.

3. Star Hand Tattoo

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A star hand tattoo is bold, appealing, and covers the entire hand. Stars of diverse sizes and shapes are interlaced to form a unique and captivating patternCeltic stars, nautical stars, shooting stars, etc. Star hand tattoos symbolize strength, healing, development, creativity, uniqueness, freedom, and spirituality. Blatant hand tattoos express daring and uniqueness. Positioning a star hand tattoo is essential. The design must show off the whole hand and include stars. A full-hand tattoo might take many hours to several days to complete.



Star hand tattoos can be painful, but it's usually doable. Proper maintenance ensures the tattoo heals and stays vivid. No of the size or scope, star hand tattoos provoke passion and adoration. This tattoo shows boldness and individuality. Men who like dazzle should get a star hand tattoo. These tattoos might be basic, modest, or complicated. They might be black or colourful.

4. Geometric Hand Tattoo

Artistic Geometric Hand Tattoos. It's an excellent method to exhibit your personality. Geometric tattoos are popular, yet they're thousands of years old. Geometric tattoos mix forms and symbols to create complex and intriguing art. Geometric tattoos incorporate lines, angles, and patterns. Style and colour make them modest or prominent. Triangles, squares, and circles are common geometric hand tattoos. Animal patterns, religious symbols, and other symbols can be used. Stars or protective symbols are common hand tattoos.



Find a skilled artist to create your Geometric Hand Tattoo. Tattoo placement should consider the hand's facial characteristics. Complex geometric tattoos are more costly. A Geometric Hand Tattoo can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. Men are seeking contemporary, minimalist tattoos like geometric hand tattoos. These tattoos can be abstract or very detailed, with clear lines and precise angles.

5. Floral Hand Tattoo

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Floral hand tattoos are great for showcasing flair and personality. These eye-catching hand tattoos may be customized to your liking. Floral hand tattoos are frequently dramatic and delicate, combining subtle beauty and robust design. Realistic flowers, abstract or stylized floral motifs and neon tattoos are alternatives for a flowery hand tattoo. You can choose one flower or a huge bunch. For a classic look, pick an outline or shading for the flowers.



Depending on the size of your hand, symbols and phrases, like meaningful remarks, can customize and enhance your tattoo. Choose a trusted artist for a flowery hand tattoo, as it's a temperate region. Always depend on your design and the tattoo artist's skill. Floral hand tattoos are gorgeous and feminine body art for males. These tattoos might be delicate or colourful. They can also include meaningful flowers.

6. Animal Hand Tattoo

Creative and symbolic animal hand tattoos. Design animals can symbolize personal or cultural values. Hand tattoos have meaning. Animal hand tattoos represent power and protection because the hand is essential. Animal hand tattoo placement affects significance. A knuckle tattoo symbolizes protection, while a back tattoo represents inner strength. Side animal hand tattoos symbolize freedom and exploration. Hand tattoos are popular for meaningful and stylish tattoos. These tattoos can be realistic, cartoonish, or playful. Meaningful animals can be included.



7. Lettering Hand Tattoo

When letters or words are permanently inked onto the hand in a decorative script or font, the result is called a lettering hand tattoo. You can find fonts in various styles, from traditional cursive to modern graffiti. Because of its high visibility and exposure, the hand is an ideal location for lettering tattoos, increasing the likelihood that the tattoo's message will be seen and understood. It's also crucial to think about where on the hand the lettering will go, as this will affect both its legibility and size.

8. Mandala Hand Tattoo

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A mandala hand tattoo is a beautiful and intricate design that can add a touch of spirituality and sacredness to your body art. These tattoos are often done in black ink and feature geometric patterns and shapes that have deep meaning and significance to the wearer.



9. Religious Hand Tattoo

Religious hand tattoos are popular for men who want to express their faith and belief through body art. These tattoos can feature various religious symbols, such as crosses, angels, and religious figures, and can be done in various styles.



Tips & Advice for Getting a Hand Tattoo

A. Find the Right Artist

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Finding the right artist is the first step in getting a hand tattoo. Research local tattoo artists and look at their portfolios. Select a professional who understands your vision and whose skill fits your desired design.



B. Choose the Right Design

Choosing the right design is crucial to ensure your hand tattoo is something you'll love for a lifetime. Think about what the design means to you and its symbolism, colours, and size. Please talk with your artist to ensure the design is something you are pleased with before getting it done.



C. Consider Placement

The placement of a hand tattoo is vital to consider before getting it done. The area will be visible, so make sure the design fits your lifestyle. Discuss the placement location with your artist to ensure the design is highlighted, sized correctly, and shows your personality.



D. Be Prepared to Take Care of Your Tattoo

Hand tattoos require extra care for quicker healing and better results. Be prepared to use specialized ointments, avoid picking at the area, and keep the area clean. Before leaving your appointment, ensure you get detailed instructions on the best care for your tattoo.

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting a tattoo on your man's hand may be an exciting adventure into self-expression. The significance and complexity of a hand tattoo are up to the individual wearing it, and maybe anything from a meaningful message to a loved one's remembrance. They can also provide a one-of-a-kind and enduring memento of a significant event or a stunning work of art.

Hand tattoos not only enhance one's appearance but also have several positive effects on one's physical and mental health, including boosting one's sense of pride and assurance. So, whether you want to make a bold statement or mark a special occasion, a tattoo on your hand is the way to go.
Bahrain's Tourism Minister Fatima Al Sairafi has been awarded "Best Woman Tourism Minister of the Year" by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) at ITB Berlin, the world's biggest travel and trade fair, in recognition of her efforts to promote tourism.

Al Sairafi was chosen by a specialized judging panel for the PATWA International Travel Awards after it closely examined 29 women tourism ministers from across the globe.

The PATWA International Travel Awards recognise individuals and organisations that have excelled and are involved in the promotion of tourism from different sectors of the travel trade such as aviation, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, destinations, government bodies, tourism ministries and other service providers related directly or indirectly to the industry.

The PATWA jury explained that Al Sairafi's achievements and accomplishments in upgrading the tourism and travel sector in Bahrain played a key role in the decision to honour her with the "Best Women Tourism Minister of the Year" Award.

She has also played a pivotal role over the past months to promote Bahrain and other countries in the region as one destination which reflects how independent destinations can benefit from cooperation with other countries.

"As a tourism minister of an important but smaller Gulf destination, she showed the world how independent countries and regions can benefit from cooperation with other countries. Under her leadership, tourism in the kingdom is 90% back from pre-covid 2019 levels," stated PATWA jury members.

Her endeavours provided pivotal support to the businesses operating in the tourism field to recover from the impact of CovidD-19 compared to the pre-pandemic era, outperforming the international recovery rate, which was estimated by the World Tourism Organisation at 65%.

Al Sairafi said: "Efforts of our teams at the Ministry of Tourism and Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), in addition to our partners in the private tourism establishments as well as other stakeholders, showed excellent results."

"This is a testament to our keen desire to contribute as part of Team Bahrain to overcome the obstacles that the tourism sector went through during the pandemic and bring back this important field to its normal position to enable it to contribute to boosting the national economy, diversifying income sources, creating employment opportunities and attracting investments," she noted.

According to her, Bahrain is active in regional tourism activities and the Meeting and Incentive industry market. Many young Saudi Arabians see Bahrain as a popular weekend destination, she stated.

"Bahrainis see Saudi Arabia as a destination of many new trendy and cultural opportunities  and travel between the two countries is booming, especially on weekends," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Thousands take part in marathon in Uganda to promote HIV/AIDS awareness 17 Apr 2023 | 12:45 AM Kampala, Apr 16 (UNI) Thousands of people took part in a Sunday marathon in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, aimed at promoting HIV/AIDS awareness as the country expects to end the scourge by 2030. see more..

Arab League holds emergency meeting on Sudan military conflict 17 Apr 2023 | 12:42 AM Cairo, Apr 16 (UNI) The Arab League (AL) held on Sunday an emergency meeting in Cairo where representatives of Arab states discussed the ongoing military clashes in Sudan. see more..

Bangladesh Prez-elect vows to ensure l fair, participatory polls 17 Apr 2023 | 12:27 AM Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNI) President-elect Md Sahabuddin on Sunday vowed to do whatever is necessary to hold a fair, participatory and acceptable Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election. see more..

Will do whatever it takes to have a fair election: Bangladesh President 16 Apr 2023 | 8:47 PM Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNI) The newly elected president. Md. Sahabuddin said on Sunday "I will do whatever I can as a president to conduct a fair, participatory and acceptable national election"

He said this at the official handing over of his book 'Egye Jao Bangladesh'(Go ahead Bangladesh) in the capital today. see more..
Astros general manager Dana Brown has provided frequent updates throughout Spring Training regarding the clubs extension discussions with a number of players. After Houston got a deal done with Cristian Javier early in the spring, Brown expressed varying levels of optimism about the chances of productive talks with the likes of Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve.

Over the past few days, however, Brown has cast doubt on any short-term agreements with Tucker or Valdez. He pointed to yesterday afternoon as a loose target date for extensions with either player (though he clarified it wasnt an official deadline before cutting talks). No deal has materialized, and Brown similarly indicated its unlikely therell be any forthcoming contracts with Bregman or Altuve.

Speaking with Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle, the first-year GM pointed to next offseason as a likelier target for deals with either player. Its probably going to be more like next year, Brown said. We made it clear that we want to keep them both around. This is part of getting through (2025), getting to (2026), some more time to replenish the system without overhauling the roster.

While Brown didnt walk back any comments from earlier in exhibition play, its a departure from some of the enthusiasm hed expressed a few weeks ago. Hed told reporters in mid-February the club was hoping to make both Altuve and Bregman career-long Astros. The GM indicated at the time that hed said as much to agent Scott Boras, who represents both players.

Of course, putting talks on the back-burner doesnt rule that out for either player. Both Altuve and Bregman have already signed early-career extensions (two, in the formers case) and remain under contract for two more years. Altuve will make $26MM in each of the next couple seasons, while Bregman is due $28.5MM annually through 2024.

Altuve is trending towards the open market in advance of his age-35 season. Hes not yet shown any signs of slowing down, as hes coming off one of the best years of his career. He hit .300/.387/.533 with 28 home runs, a career-best 10.9% walk rate and an excellent 14.4% strikeout percentage in 604 plate appearances. Outside of the 60-game schedule, Altuve has remained one of the sports top offensive players.

Bregman is slated to hit free agency headed into his age-31 campaign. His bat has taken a step back from its MVP-caliber level of 2018-19, but hes remained a well above-average hitter. Bregman is coming off a .259/.366/.454 line with 23 longballs and more walks than strikeouts (13.3% versus 11.7%) through 656 trips to the dish. Few hitters can match that control of the strike zone, and Bregman generally pairs that consistently strong offense with plus defensive marks at third base.

The Astros head into the 2023 campaign with a luxury tax payroll calculated by Roster Resource around $218MM. Thats about $15MM shy of the base threshold. Houston has once paid the CBT, going narrowly above the mark in 2020. They have a little over $100MM in estimated CBT commitments by the 2025 campaign, when new deals for Altuve and/or Bregman would ostensibly begin.

Tucker and Valdez will each be in their final season of arbitration eligibility that year barring extensions. Brown and owner Jim Crane could be faced with some difficult decisions a year or two down the line, though the club is in very strong shape for the immediate future. Of the current roster, only veterans Michael Brantley and Martin Maldonado and relievers Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek are headed towards free agency next winter.
TODAY: The Nationals have formally announced the deal, confirming its an eight-year contract with a pair of club options for 2031 and 2032. The full financial breakdown isnt known, but Barry Svrluga (Twitter link) reports that the deal is somewhat front-loaded. Ruiz will receive a signing bonus, and hell earn $7MM in 2028, and $9MM in each of the 2029 and 2030 seasons. The second year of the extension also has a higher salary than he would normally receive in a last pre-arb year.

MARCH 10: The Nationals are in agreement with 24-year-old backstop Keibert Ruiz on an eight-year contract extension that guarantees $50MM, as first reported by Wow Deportes (Twitter link). Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post (Twitter link) reports that the contract also contains two club options. The Nationals are expected to formally announce the deal tomorrow, writes Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com. Ruiz is an Octagon client.

Its a long-term commitment from the rebuilding club to a player they consider the franchise catcher. Washington acquired the switch-hitting Ruiz at the 2021 trade deadline as part of the blockbuster that sent Trea Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers. Ruiz and starter Josiah Gray headlined a four-player return. Both were upper level prospects and Ruiz would get a look as Washingtons primary backstop by the end of the 21 campaign.

After playing in 23 games down the stretch, Ruiz got the nod as the Opening Day catcher last season. He played in 112 games and tallied 433 plate appearances, though his season was cut short when he had to be hospitalized after he was hit in the groin area by a foul ball. Before that unfortunate conclusion, Ruiz hit .251/.313/.360 in his first full season at the big league level. That offense was a little better than that of the average catcher, with the league receiving a .228/.295/.368 line from the position.

Ruiz didnt hit for a ton of power, only connecting on seven home runs. He drew walks in a modest 6.9% of his trips to the dish. Ruiz demonstrated excellent pure contact skills, though, striking out in fewer than 12% of his plate appearances while putting the bat on the ball with 86.3% of his swings. Only Blue Jays star Alejandro Kirk showed comparable contact skills at the position.

Putting the ball in play has been Ruizs calling card throughout his professional career. The Venezuela native appeared among top prospect lists for a few seasons during his time in the Los Angeles farm system. Evaluators have long lauded his hit tool, though reviews on his power upside and defensive acumen were more middling.

According to public metrics, Ruizs defensive performance as a rookie was mixed. Statcast pegged him as a slightly below-average pitch framer. He rated positively for his ability to keep the ball in front of him, though. Statcast estimated he blocked five more pitches than average over the course of 865 innings. His four passed balls were manageable. He did a solid job controlling the running game, throwing out 28.2% of attempted basestealers (more than three percentage higher than the league mark).

While Ruiz isnt a finished product, his rookie season more or less fell in line with his longstanding prospect profile. He proved his elite contact skills can translate against big league pitching and adequately managed things defensively. The Nats are surely hopeful hell tap into a little more extra-base impact over time. Hed connected on 21 home runs in 72 Triple-A contests in 2021, and while that was surely aided by a favorable offensive environment, it at least hints at double-digit homer potential for Ruiz at the MLB level.

Ruiz had between one and two years of service time. He wouldnt have been eligible for arbitration until after the 2024 campaign and wasnt headed to free agency until the 2027-28 offseason. This deal forecloses any chance hell go through arbitration and buys out at least three free agent years. If the club were to exercise both options, theyd extend their window of control by five seasons on a deal that could reach a decade in length.

Its technically the third-largest guarantee for a player in that service bracket. KeBryan Hayes holds the official record with last springs eight-year, $70MM extension with the Pirates. Andrelton Simmons secured $58MM over seven seasons on a 2014 extension with the Braves. Michael Harris signed an eight-year, $72MM deal with Atlanta last summer that, for all intents and purposes, also fits into the service group. Harris technically had less than a year of service at the time of his deal, though he was all but certain to finish in the top two in Rookie of the Year balloting and secure a full service year by the time he signed in August.

Ruizs guarantee checks in a fair bit south of the Hayes and Harris contracts, though one could argue the latter two players were safer bets. Harris and Hayes are excellent defenders and had produced a little more offensively than Ruiz has to date, even if each comes with some questions about their overall impact potential at the plate. Early-career extensions for catchers havent been especially common; Ruiz becomes the first backstop with less than three years of service to sign an extension since Roberto Perez in April 2017.

In exchange for upfront security, Ruiz concedes some long-term earning potential. Thats the case in every early-career extension of this ilk, though the potential ten-year term makes it particularly true in this instance. If Washington exercises both options, Ruiz wouldnt get to free agency until leading into his age-34 campaign. Had he proceeded year-by-year through arbitration, hed have first qualified for free agency at age 29.

Of course, doing so wouldve entailed the risk of injuries or underperformance derailing his career. Ruiz wasnt a high-profile amateur signee, only signing for $140K back in 2014. Its easy to understand the appeal of averting risk and securing the first life-changing payday of his career.

The Nationals, meanwhile, lock in a core player whose aging curve aligns with when the club should be more equipped to contend. Theyre in for another non-competitive season in 2023 and look hard-pressed to compete by next year either. Ruiz is now locked in for a few years into the 2030s, though, and the club obviously anticipates having plenty of chances to compete for a playoff spot in the medium to long-term future.

The contracts financial breakdown hasnt yet been reported. The deal has an average annual value of $6.25MM thatll count evenly against the luxury tax ledger for its duration. Thats not a concern in the short term; Washingtons projected 2023 payroll is more than $100MM south of this years threshold. The organization has paid the CBT in years past, however, so its not out of the question theyll again push towards that threshold a few years down the line if the teams competitive window comes clearer into view. The ongoing uncertainty about the Lerner familys ownership plans clouds the picture, though ownership is clearly at least willing to sign off on future-oriented moves of this nature.

Washington will continue to audition younger players to hopefully join Ruiz in the core over the next couple seasons. Gray, shortstop CJ Abrams, left-hander MacKenzie Gore and yet-to-debut prospects like James Wood and Robert Hassell have joined the organization in deadline blockbusters. Right-hander Cade Cavalli is a former first-round pick and a highly-regarded pitching prospect. Not everyone in that group will find success, of course, but theres now no shortage of intriguing players who will try to establish themselves at Nationals Park over the coming seasons.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Ghanaian hip-hop and rap performing artist ClickHuus

11.03.2023 LISTEN

Ghanaian hip-hop and rap performing artist ClickHuus has released a New Year's new single with a banger dubbed Same Time.

The song is delivered in a typical drill pace, with the track showcasing a more inspirational side of ClickHuus, as he encourages listeners to keep pushing towards their goals, no matter what obstacles life may throw against them.

This hot tune was written by ClickHuus himself and produced by Flow Beats.

The hip hop-drill single is a follow-up to his 2022's street anthem "As A Boy."

"Same Time" is a motivational single aimed towards his homebrewed youths who need a message of encouragement to push through their daily struggles.

ClickHuus, born Evans Oppong broke into the industry following his 2021's 'Ma Sparki' which featured Yaw Tog and Kofi Mole.

Thriving in the most popular hip-hop-aligned region in the country, Kumasi specifically, Click Huus combines hip-hop, drill, and afrobeats to produce a distinctive sound that has gained him a devoted following in his region and brought attention to the young artist in Ghana.

Primarily a drill artist, he explores the most musical themes relating to societal challenges, life struggles, love, religion, and more to always achieve his life goals.

Listen here: https://bfan.link/same-time

Watch "Same Time" (Lyrics Video) here:
Honorable Maurice Jonas Woode, Chief Executive for the Akrofuom District has signed an agreement with the Japanese embassy in Ghana for the construction of a CHPS compound and a Nurses quarters for the people of Yaadome in the district.

Other institutions that also benefited from the support known as the Grant Assistance for Grassroot Human Security Projects (GGHSP) included the Amansie west District, Suaman District and an NGO from the Volta Region.

Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) is part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of the Government of Japan. It is offered for developing countries with the aim to actively contribute to peace, stability and prosperity through both bilateral and multilateral channels.

The GGP aims to achieve economic and social development in developing countries based on the philosophy of human security, and provide the necessary funding for relatively small-scale activities in a way that directly benefits inhabitants at the grass-roots level.

The CHPS compound equivalent to a clinic consists of a male ward, female ward, OPD, Waiting area, Records room, Delivery room, Recovery room, Consulting room, Cold room, Dispensary, Emergency room and many others.

The facility which will be fully furnished with medical equipment will also have a 4 bedroom nurses quarters with a borehole and washrooms.

The 95,590 USD grant facility is expected to be completed in 10 months time with work supposed to commence in earnest.

Speaking with the media after signing the document on behalf of the people of Akrofuom, the visibility elated DCE said it was refreshing to see the Japanese Embassy come in to support the efforts of the Assembly to extend quality healthcare to residents of the district. He said the gesture lends credence to the immense work put in by his administration to improve the livelihoods of the people.

When completed, the project will alleviate the plight of the people of Yaadome who have to travel to long distances to access quality healthcare.

The District Coordinating Director Ebenezer Douglas Ntiamoah was present and witnessed the signing of the agreement.
Parliament has commenced debate on the motion to thank President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the State of the Nation Address (SONA) he delivered to the House on Wednesday, March 8.

Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Efutu, moved the Motion for the debate, seconded by Mr Isaac Adongo, the Ranking Member for Finance Committee and National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Bolgatanga Central.

Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed gratitude to the President for presenting his message on the State of the Nation to the House.

He noted that the President made an honest assessment of the countys situation and that he sought the support of all in addressing it with hope and confidence.

Mr Speaker, he dutifully did so but by coming out with all the facts regarding the state of the economy as he met it, and the efforts made by his government so far, and the future we have ahead of us, Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

Mr Speaker, the President, emphasized that we need to work together as a nation, and it is at the heart of this that I move this motion for us to thank Mr President.

The Deputy Majority Leader in his submission, dealt with five key areas, namely the state of the economy, the claim that the government had recklessly borrowed, the misused of funds and the massive road expansion that Ghana had seen under this government.

The rest are investments in building the requisite human resources to support Ghanas transformation and the emerging revival of Ghanas economy.

Mr Afenyo-Markin said investment in education such as the Free Senior High School was one of the major projects that the Government had embarked upon to build the requisite human resources to support Ghanas transformation agenda.

On his part, Mr Adongo reiterated that the current economic crisis facing the country was due to the governments reckless borrowing and the lack of fiscal sustainability.

Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, NPP MP for Abuakwa South reiterated that the current economic crisis facing the country was as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Adding that it baffled him when people say these world events did not affect the economies of the world.

Mr Atta Akyea noted that the Akufo-Addo administration was up to the task, and that its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was a world class, citing the free electricity and free water that Ghanaians enjoyed at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr John Abu Jinapor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu, debunked claims that the current government resolved the energy crisis (dumsor) that hit the country a few years ago.

He noted that the countrys energy crisis was resolved by the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama before it handed over power to President Akufo-Addo.
Member of Parliament for Builsa South Constituency in the Upper East Region and a member of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament is unhappy with the way and manner President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is quick to clear his appointees mentioned in the Auditor-Generals report on the Covid-19 expenditure of wrongdoing.

According to Dr Clement Apaak, the presidents appointees caught in the Covid-19 fund misappropriation are corrupt.

He said the report has just been presented to the Public Accounts Committee and as a member, "I will be diligent in ensuring the said appointees caught in the grand scale theft are held accountable."

"The president is aware his appointees heavily benefited from the loot so he quickly wants to clear them from any wrongdoings," Dr Apaak alleged.

The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Builsa South made these comments while reacting to the posturing of the president during his presentation of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament in an interview on the Ghana Yensom morning show hosted by Odehyeeba Kofi Essuman on Accra 100.5 FM on Friday, March 10, 2023.

He said the president behaved as if there was nothing wrong with the queries raised by the Auditor-General when in fact the state lost a quantum of money through corruption.

He said what was contained in the report was grand-scale thievery on the part of the appointees of the president.

He cited the situation of the Ministry of Information where staff were paid covid allowance when they were not entitled to such.

The president in the SONA said: ''It was Government that asked for the COVID funds to be audited, and I can assure this House that nothing dishonourable was done with the COVID funds.

"The responses from the Ministers for Health and Finance, on January 23 and 25, 2023, respectively, have sufficiently laid to rest the queries from the Auditor Generals report, and I believe any objective scrutiny of these statements from the Health and Finance Ministries would justify this conclusion."

Source: Classfmonline.com
Senegal's former prime minister Cheikh Hadjibou Soumare was charged with libel on Friday after asking President Macky Sall if he had provided funds to French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, his lawyer said.

Soumare, who was budget minister and then prime minister from 2007 to 2009 under former president Abdoulaye Wade, had been detained by police on Thursday.

He was charged with libel and spreading "false information" before being released on bail, Soumare's attorney, Mame Adama Gueye, told AFP.

In an open letter to Sall last weekend, Soumare asked the president whether he had donated 12 million euros ($12.7 million) to a "French political figure" whose party is distinguished "by hatred and rejection of others".

Le Pen, the head of France's National Rally, previously called the National Front, visited Sall in the capital Dakar on January 18.

Soumare did not specify Le Pen by name, but the Senegal government did so in its rebuttal to his question.

In its statement on Tuesday, the government said it "rejects and strongly condemns such insinuations", which it described as "cowardly and unfounded".

Soumare had also challenged Sall to say whether he intended to delay presidential elections due next February.

Sall was elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2019 but has remained silent on whether he intends to seek a third term in 2024, something that critics say would breach the constitution.

In a brief statement to reporters, Soumare said that one of the conditions of his bail was that he could not comment publicly on his case.

Rights defenders and Sall's opponents say civil liberties in Senegal are coming under pressure in the run-up to the presidential vote.

The government refutes any regression and says that laws are being applied fairly.

Two journalists have been charged with spreading false information since November.

Soumare, in 2007, succeeded Sall as prime minister.

After leaving that office, he became president of the commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), which brings together eight countries under a common currency.
Architect and left-wing activist Roland Castro, who became famous for his design plans in working class suburbs (banlieues), has died in Paris. A Maoist during the May '68 protests, he later swung behind centrist Emmanuel Macron.

Roland Castro's family announced his death on Thursday evening.

"He died peacefully, surrounded by his family, in a Paris hospital," his daughter Elisabeth Castro said.

Born into a Jewish family on 16 October 1940 in Limoges, Castro spent his early years in hiding during the collaborationist Vichy regime.

He and his family took refuge in the Limousin countryside where he was hidden by the communist resistance known as the Maquis.

That experience led him to believe he had "a debt of existence to France".

"Architecture, the banlieues, there's been no lack of causes; everything [I've done] has been a pretext for settling this debt," he once said.

He contributed to improving some run-down housing estates on the Paris outskirts, including La Caravelle.

In 1958 he began studying at the Paris Beaux-Arts school of architecture and joined the Union of Communist Students.

He was expelled from the union in 1965 after criticising Stalinism, and turned to Maoism.

As a leading figure in the May 68 student protests, he founded a Maoist group Vive la revolution (VLR) and a journal called Tout! Ce que nous voulons: tout! (Everything! What we want: everything).

"This little group was never a massive movement but it profoundly influenced French society," says professor of architecture Jean-Louis Violeau, author of a book on the architects of May 68.

Tout! published the first writings of the MLF (Women's Liberation Movement in France), Violeau told RFI, and it also dedicated one of its first editions to the Homosexual Front for Revolutionary Action (FHAR).

"These two movements gathered at the Beaux-Arts school of architecture, they converged in leftist pot luck meetings called 'Mao-Spontex'  both Maoist and spontaneous."

'Rebuilding' social ties

As an architect, Castro defended an ideal  to build social ties and convince people that the banlieues were not a dumping ground for those excluded from society.

In 1983, he co-founded the "Banlieues 89" collective with urban planner Michel Cantal-Dupart  a design-led initiative focused on combatting social exclusion. Its slogan was "making a revolution in the banlieues".

Two of its most renowned works were the renovation of Cite de la bande dessinee (comic strip museum) in Angouleme and the Bourse du travail (stock exchange building) in Saint-Denis, north of Paris.

Castro's buildings were often grafted onto existing constructions  he used asymetrical lines, wood and concrete, privileging the colour white.

In an interview with the review Urbanisme in 2021 he said he regretted nothing, but had often felt he'd had to "fight to get an opera or big public building", and could have been seen as someone who simply repaired, transformed or remodelled.

"Banlieues 89" received more than 200 projects, but lacked state financial support and was dissolved in 1991.

Lacan influence

Castro spent seven years in psychoanalysis under Jacques Lacan.

"He was one of the rare French architects to try and transfer Lacanian concepts in his architecture," says Jean-Louis Voileau.

"Castro used words like unconscious, transfer, repetition and tried to transfer them to architecture and understand more generally how things connect in cities."

Like Lacan, he paid attention to the symbolic, using it as a way of reading a town.

Voileau cites Castro's proposal for the Grand Paris project, which involved moving ministries to the banlieues, as an example of transferring Lacan's knots  symbol of the imaginary.

'Legend of architecture and urbanism'

In 2007, Castro created his own party "Mouvement pour l'Utopie Concrete" (Movement for a concrete utopia), with a view to running in the presidential elections. Its manifesto consisted of 89 proposals to bring people closer together.

However, he failed to get enough sponsors to run as a candidate.

For the 2017 presidential elections, Castro came out in support of President Emmanuel Macron.

Responding to the architect's death, Macron wrote on Twitter: "Legend of architecture and urbanism, visionary left-wing activist Roland Castro has left us. He left an indelible mark on our urban landscape [and was] an inspiration to our citizens. Goodbye and thank you, Roland."
Visakhapatnam, Mar 11 (UNI) Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Visakhapatnam have seized 7.396 kgs of Gold, worth Rs 4.21 crore from a passenger at Visakhapatnam Railway Station.

Acting on specific intelligence, the officials of DRI Visakhapatnam intercepted one person who arrived at Visakhapatnam Railway Station from Kolkata by Howrah-Chennai mail on Thursday along with the recipient who came to the railway platform and met the arrived person, a DRI release here said on Saturday.



From the inner zip lining pocket of the arrived persons Trolley Bag, 8 bars of smuggled gold of 7.396 Kgs (99.9 purity 24 Carat) valued at Rs. 4.21 crore have been seized.

It was revealed that gold was smuggled from Bangladesh & melted/recast into bars in Kolkata.

The two persons were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.

Further investigation is in progress, the release added.

UNI VV CS1015
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will tell Ethiopia next week that it needs to move forward on a fragile peace process if it wants to restore once warm ties when he pays the highest-level US visit since the brutal civil war, officials said Friday.

Blinken will also pay the first visit by a top US diplomat to Niger to discuss security cooperation in the Sahel, where Russia has been making growing inroads through its Wagner mercenary force.

Blinken will arrive Wednesday for talks in Addis Ababa with the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who transformed from a close US ally to near-pariah over the two-year war in the Tigray region that has left more people dead than the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Molly Phee, the top US diplomat for Africa, said the Tigray war was "earth-shattering" and that there could not be an immediate return to normal with Ethiopia, even though the United States valued its historically strong partnership with the continent's second most populous country.

"What we're looking to do is refashion our engagement with Ethiopia," Phee told reporters.

"To put that relationship in a forward trajectory, we will continue to need steps by Ethiopia to help break the cycle of ethnic political violence that has set the country back for so many decades," she said.

Blinken will also meet Tigrayan officials, civil society and humanitarian groups to discuss the November 2 accord, which was brokered in the South African capital Pretoria by the African Union with US participation.

Passengers from Tigray are greeted by relatives at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa on December 28, 2022 after the restoration of commercial flights. By - (AFP/File)

Under the deal, the rebel Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) promised to disarm in the face of an onslaught by the government, which agreed to restore basic services in a region that has suffered dire shortages.

But access remains heavily restricted, making it impossible to assess the situation on the ground, and violence and rights concerns have flared elsewhere in Ethiopia.

The United States has put the death toll at 500,000 while former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, who negotiated for the African Union, put it as high as 600,000, which would make the war one of the deadliest of the 21st century despite the greater spotlight on Ukraine.

Blinken has alleged crimes against humanity in the course of the war, angering the Abiy government which has warned that a UN-backed probe into abuses would undermine the peace process.

Incentives for peace

Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize for making peace with historic rival Eritrea and was once seen by the United States as part of a generation of dynamic new democratic leaders in Africa.

The war and allegations of abuses -- including the withholding of food -- have badly strained relations with the United States, which suspended Ethiopia's right to duty-free exports under a key trade pact, although Abiy participated in December in President Joe Biden's Africa summit in Washington.

Cameron Hudson, an Africa expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said there was an active debate within the Biden administration on whether to patch up with Ethiopia or to prioritize human rights.

"This is a bit of a fact-finding mission. There is this debate happening within the administration and I think Blinken needs to see for himself," Hudson said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed addresses the African Union in Addis Ababa on February 18, 2023. By Tony KARUMBA (AFP/File)

"What Addis is looking for is whether Washington is willing to say, enough has been done and we can normalize the bilateral relationship -- and that means turning on the financial spigot by restarting international lending assistance and assisting with the country's increasing debt crisis," Hudson said.

Abiy ordered the offensive after the TPLF, once Ethiopia's dominant power, attacked military installations.

Authoritarian Eritrea intervened against its longtime TPLF foes. Phee said the United States believes that Eritrean troops have largely withdrawn.

The Biden administration has been looking to boost its influence in Africa in the face of a growing presence by China and increasingly Russia, which is seeking diplomatic support in the developing world against Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.

Niger has offered key US support through a base for drone strikes against Islamist militants. In the capital Niamey, Blinken will meet President Mohamed Bazoum as well as young people from conflict zones.
The Ghana Geological Authority has advised Ghanaians to remain calm amid the frequent earth tremors in the Greater Accra Region.

According to the GGSA, occurrences like these are natural, which makes them very difficult to foretell.

People are advised to go on with their normal duties, as the recent one on Friday, March 10, was a normal one magnitude 2.8.

The tremor which follows that of Monday, December 12, 2022, according to the Authority, was felt slightly in High Street, Ridge, and some other parts of Accra Central.

A statement released and signed by Isaac Kuuwan Mwinbelle AG, Director-General, reads: "On Friday 10th March 2023, an earth tremor event occurred at 9:49 a.m. in parts of the Greater Accra Region. The event had a magnitude of 2.8 on the Richter scale.

"The epicenter is located 1.5 km offshore near James Town in the Greater Accra Region. The recorded magnitude is indicative of the extent of the tremor. The earth tremor is a minor one, and so it is not expected to cause damage.

"The tremor was slightly felt in High Street, Ridge, and some other parts of Accra Central."

"These are natural occurrences and therefore difficult to predict. The Authority is committed to continuously monitoring these events and informing the public appropriately to ensure public safety and minimize risk."

The GGSA further added, "Education and sensitization of the public on awareness and response during earth tremors is important and is currently being undertaken by the Authority."

It concluded, "The public is urged to remain calm and go about their normal activities."
11.03.2023 LISTEN

Alexander Afenyo Markins, Member of Parliament for Effutu, has recalled how a Ghanaian business magnate and politician, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom helped him achieve his dreams in education.

If not for the former Progressive Peoples Partys (PPP) presidential candidate, the Deputy Majority Leader says he couldnt have completed St. Augustine's College.

He said this while debating in support of the Free SHS policy on Thursday, March 9, in relation to the State of the Nation Address delivered on Wednesday by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The lawmaker posited that if not for the policy, children who are from poor backgrounds like he was wouldnt have had access to education.

According to him, Ghanaians must keep supporting the policy and not be too fixated on the amount of money that has been spent on it.

He urged Ghanaians to look at the impact of the policy.

"Free SHS has really helped the many who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to benefit from secondary education.

Mr Speaker, I use myself as an example of how I struggled at St Augustine's College, but for the bursary introduced by Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, I wouldn't have completed St. Augustine's College to be here serving Effutu, and I know that thousands of Ghanaians who as a result of poverty could not benefit from secondary education, he said.

So, therefore, Mr Speaker, if today the chorus is out there that government has spent so much, what Mr President is telling Ghanaians is that we have introduced a major social invention program which is in spite of the challenges we face as a country we are still implementing successfully, the Deputy Majority Leader stressed.
Former President John Dramani Mahama is asking for more than 93 per cent of the vote in the partys upcoming presidential primaries.

He noted that voting massively for him will send a strong signal to the NPP that the NDC is very united and battle ready for election 2024.

Speaking to some delegates at Kintampo North Constituency in the Bono East Region, the former President appealed to them to repeat what they did for him in the 2019 primaries.

"Someone told me they already knew who I was and that I should organise a meeting for the delegates and speak to them.

"But I disagreed and responded that I needed to respect the delegates and go to them to ask for their votes. That is why I am here, pleading with you to vote for me. Just as you did for me in 2019, I am asking you to do the same in 2023," the former President said.

He continued, "I'd like to start by thanking you for your help in 2019. Your support was enormous. I received 95.3% of the votes cast out of the seven candidates. It was a massive endorsement. When you give such an endorsement, it sends some fear and panic to our opponents."

Mr. Mahama noted that voting massively for him will "also send a message to our opponents that the NDC is united in victory. I would be declared the winner if I received 50% plus one. I'll be a winner if I get 60, 70, 80, or 90.

"However, we must send a clear message to the NPP that the NDC remains united and supports a single candidate. So, just as you did for me in 2019, you would do the same in 2023. In humility, I stand before you today. I'm asking for your support."

Meanwhile, the former President will be challenged by a former mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Kojo Bonsu, a former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwame Dufour, and one other who is a businessman in the partys polls slated for May 13, 2023.
11.03.2023 LISTEN

A private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has said the general public should, by now, be on the streets demonstrating against the military brutalities meted out to some civilians in Ashaiman over the killing of a soldier.

He said Ghanaians should be calling for the resignation of the President since he is the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

By now we should have been on the streets that the President should resign, he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 11.

What the Military did was not a swoop, it was a mob justice, it was vengeance, not a swoop., he stressed.

There must be reasonable suspicion before you swoop, he added.

He further indicated that per Article 2(10), the Military had no business going there to unleash this mayhem.

Martin Kpebu further expressed condolence to the family of the killed solder.

A Professor at the University of Ghana Ransford Gyampo, for his part, cautioned the public against attacking soldiers or Police officers at the slightest provocation.

Contributing to a discussion on the Military brutalities at Ashaiman following the killing of a solder Imoro Sherrif, on TV3's Key Points Saturday, March 11, he said the impression should not be created that at any time the Police or the military can be attacked.

When that is done then we are finished he said, adding that he was not rationalizing the excesses.

He further indicated elsewhere, if you attack soldiers this is how they respond.

Imoro Sherrif's body was found in a pool of blood near the Amania Hotel in Ashaiman and suspected to have been stabbed to death.

The Military High Command on Tuesday sanctioned an intelligence-led operation to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.

In the course of the operation, several civilians reported of brutalities meted out to them.

A Security Expert, Professor Kwesi Aning criticized the Military Command for how the brutalities meted out to some civilians at Asahiman by some men in uniform were handled.

According to him, the response by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in their statement was rushed, and not thought through.

In his view, the reaction of the GAF undermined their own credibility.

Speaking on the News 360 on TV3 Thursday, March 9, Professor Aning who is also the Director, Faculty of Academic Affairs & Research, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre , said The bigger challenge in the failure is that Parliament has not spoken, and the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior, with a deputy who was a former personnel from the Ghana Police Service, ought to show leadership and that leadership is lacking.

The Deputy Defence Minister, as I have said earlier, has shown political maturity and humility by saying, look, there were some unfortunate excesses but it is Parliament, particularly the Committee on Defence and Interior, that needs to invite the people who did the planning to come and answer some tough questions and to reassure the public post that conversation that we have learned these lessons, those who carried out the excesses will also be dealt with.

The Militray tells us that it was an intelligence-led operation or that they used intelligence and were targeted. I think the series of explanatory statements coming from the army itself have been unfortunate. When you read the press release carefully and you do a discourse analysis of the release, it was hastily put together, it wasn't thought through and undermines this credible and creditable institution.

GAF confirmed Tuesday's operation in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region by some officers, saying the exercise was sanctioned by the Military High Command.

It said it was an intelligence-led operation conducted to fish out the killers of a military officer and not to avenge the killing.

The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif.

This is solely police intelligence work, the Police said in a short statement on Friday March 10.

3news.com
11.03.2023 LISTEN

A senior lecture at the University of Ghana Professor Ransford Gyampo has cautioned the public against attacking soldiers or Police officers at the slightest provocation.

Contributing to a discussion on the Military brutalities at Ashaiman following the killing of a solder Imoro Sherrif, on TV3s Key Points Saturday, March 11, he said the impression should not be created that at any time the Police or the military can be attacked.

When that is done then we are finished he said, adding that he was not rationalizing the excesses.

He further indicated elsewhere, if you attack soldiers this is how they respond.

Imoro Sherrif's body was found in a pool of blood near the Amania Hotel in Ashaiman and suspected to have been stabbed to death.

The Military High Command on Tuesday sanctioned an intelligence-led operation to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.

In the course of the operation, several civilians reported of brutalities meted out to them.

A Security Expert, Professor Kwesi Aning criticized the Military Command for how the brutalities meted out to some civilians at Asahiman by some men in uniform were handled.

According to him, the response by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in their statement was rushed, and not thought through.

In his view, the reaction of the GAF undermined their own credibility.

Speaking on the News 360 on TV3 Thursday, March 9, Professor Aning who is also the Director, Faculty of Academic Affairs & Research, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre , said The bigger challenge in the failure is that Parliament has not spoken, and the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior, with a deputy who was a former personnel from the Ghana Police Service, ought to show leadership and that leadership is lacking.

READ ALSO: GAF is well-equipped, motivated to deliver - Gov't

The Deputy Defence Minister, as I have said earlier, has shown political maturity and humility by saying, look, there were some unfortunate excesses but it is Parliament, particularly the Committee on Defence and Interior, that needs to invite the people who did the planning to come and answer some tough questions and to reassure the public post that conversation that we have learned these lessons, those who carried out the excesses will also be dealt with.

The Militray tells us that it was an intelligence-led operation or that they used intelligence and were targeted. I think the series of explanatory statements coming from the army itself have been unfortunate. When you read the press release carefully and you do a discourse analysis of the release, it was hastily put together, it wasn't thought through and undermines this credible and creditable institution.

GAF confirmed Tuesday's operation in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region by some officers, saying the exercise was sanctioned by the Military High Command.

It said it was an intelligence-led operation conducted to fish out the killers of a military officer and not to avenge the killing.

The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif.

This is solely police intelligence work, the Police said in a short statement on Friday March 10.

3news.com
This week on The Sound Kitchen you'll hear the answer to the question about the summit in Paris on Lebanon. There's the Listeners Corner with Michael Fitzpatrick, Music from Erwan, and a call to submit essays to The Sound Kitchen essay contests. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the Play button above and enjoy!

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday  here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winner's names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, On This Day, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music  so be sure and listen every week.

The ePOP video competition is open! The deadline for entries is 20 April  but don't put it off! Start now!

The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department Planete Radio, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected ordinary people  you create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution  told by the people it affects. So put on your thinking caps and get to work ... and by the way, the prizes are incredibly generous!

To read the ePOP entry guidelines  as well as watch videos from previous years  go to the ePOP website.

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your musical requests, so get them in! Send your musical requests to [email protected] Tell us why you like the piece of music, too  it makes it more interesting for us all!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts which will leave you hungry for more.

There's Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series  an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.

As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we'll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you'll see Podcasts at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is Headline News) until you see Podcasts, and choose your show.

Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is [email protected] If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below.

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St Edward's University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement  and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English - that's how I worked on my French, reading books which were meant for young readers  and I guarantee you, it's a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald's free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni ([email protected]) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me ([email protected]) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. N.B.: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven't yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognized RFI English club, go to the Facebook link above, and fill out the questionnaire !!!!! (if you do not answer the questions, I click decline).

There's a Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click Decline, which I don't like to do!

We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Aynal Hoque from Natore, Bangladesh.

Welcome, Aynal! So glad you have joined us! Be sure you join the RFI Listeners Club Facebook page!

You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club  just write to me at [email protected] and tell me you want to join, and I'll send you a membership number. It's that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you receive a premium prize, AND, you can join our Facebook page, the RFI Listeners Club page. You must ask to join the group, and you must furnish your RFI Listeners Club membership number. I'll approve you, and off you go!

This week's quiz: On 11 February, I asked you a question about an article written by RFI English journalist Michael Fitzpatrick:  Paris summit in effort to lift Lebanon out of political paralysis. That week in Paris, representatives from several countries met to discuss how to help Lebanon get back on its feet  the country has been without a president since October.

You were to re-read Michael's article and send in the answer to this question: representatives of which countries were in Paris to discuss solutions for how to help Lebanon out of its current political crisis?

The answer is, to quote Michael:  The Paris gathering is to be attended by representatives from France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt.

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, s uggested by listener Liton Rahaman from Naogaon, Bangladesh : W hat did you feel when you received your very first paycheck?

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Vladimir Gudzenko from Moskovskaya oblast in Russia. Vladimir is also the winner of this week's bonus question: How did you feel when you received your first paycheck?

Congr atulations, Vladimir!

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria; RFI Listeners Club members Jean-Maurice Devault from Montreal, Canada and Md. Junaid from Odisha, India. L ast but not least, RFI English listener Nasir Aziz from Sheikhupura, Pakistan.

Congratulations winners!

Here's the music you heard on this week's programme: Gone with the Wind by Allie Wrubel and Herb Magidson, performed by the Wes Montgomery Quartet; the traditional Lebanese Amaken, performed by the Andre Hajj Ensemble;  The Flight of the Bumblebee by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; The Cakewalk from Children's Corner by Claude Debussy performed by the composer, and  Yes or No by Wayne Shorter, performed by the Wayne Shorter Quartet.

Do you have a musical request? Send it to [email protected]

This week's question ... you must listen to the show to participate. After you've listened to the show, re-read our article Tunisian thriller 'Ashkal' snags top gong at Africa's Fespaco film fest to help you with the answer.

You have until 3 April to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 15 April podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

[email protected]

or

Susan Owensby

RFI  The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

or

By text  You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country's international access code, or  + , then 33 6 31 12 96 82. Don't forget to include your mailing address in your text  and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.

To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here.
11.03.2023 LISTEN

Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has stressed that it is an undeniable fact that the Covid pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war are the cause of the countrys economic woes.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, he hit out at some Parliamentarians and prominent citizens who are criticising President Akufo-Addo for stating the fact in his State of the Nation Address.

According to Afenyo-Markin, it is only cynics and dishonest people who refuse to accept that the Covid pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war have affected the Ghanaian economy.

Mr. Speaker, I am well aware that there are cynics and detractors in and outside the hallowed walls of this House who have been quick to dismiss the Presidents insistence that Covid 19 and the War in Ukraine got us here, the Majority Leader who is also Effutu Member of Parliament argued.

Alexander Afenyo-Markin added, Mr. Speaker, in the face of these hard and unimpeachable facts, I dare say that no honest examiner of this Governments performance, can put his hands on his chest and say that it was reckless borrowing and misuse of the public purse that has created the economic problems we see today.

He was quick to add that the fact remains, Covid-19 and the War in Ukraine have decimated even the most advanced and robust economies worldwide, including the US, UK, China, and the EU.

The Parliamentarian also rubbished the allegation that government has been reckless in borrowing.

He said claiming that the Government acted recklessly by borrowing to fund national development is misleading. Government followed constitutional and legal procedures, and acted responsibly.
11.03.2023 LISTEN

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has touted the governments many investments in the judiciary.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament after President Akufo-Addos State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Deputy Majority Leader emphasised that there is no doubt that the judiciary is an essential component of the democratic system and plays a critical role in ensuring that the laws of the land are enforced fairly and impartially.

He said the move is why the government in recent years has made efforts to invest in the judiciary to improve its performance and enhance access to justice.

He disclosed that some of the areas where investment has been made include infrastructural enhancement involving the building of 120 courthouses with associated lodgings for judges across the nation with 60 completed.

For the first time Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate to have newly built courthouses with accommodation for Judges awaiting appointments. Six new regional courts in the newly created regions have been initiated with three in the North East, Oti, and Savannah regions completed and in service.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, 210 vehicles were distributed to all Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, and Lower court Judges back in 2020, Alexander Afenyo-Markin touted in Parliament.

According to him, all these investments by government in the judiciary of Ghana are important for the effective and efficient administration of justice, which is crucial for promoting the rule of law and protecting the rights of citizens.

These interventions are critical for the effective administration of justice and the protection of the rights of citizens, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stressed.
Only a few survivors are left in the village of Mukondi, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where ADF militants hacked dozens of people to death during an attack this week.

On Wednesday, fighters from the militia, which is aligned to the Islamic State group, killed over 40 people in Mukondi and the nearby village of Mausa, according to local officials.

Some villagers described how they had welcomed the fighters before the killing started.

Kavugho Tsongo, a 40-year-old farmer from Mukondi, said that villagers initially thought the armed men -- who were wearing military fatigues -- were simply paying a visit.

The fighters killed her sister-in-law and nephew. "They were chopped by machetes in my presence," Tsongo said.

Dozens of armed groups plague troubled eastern Congo, many of them a legacy of regional wars that flared in the 1990s and 2000s.

But the ADF is among the deadliest, accused of slaughtering thousands of civilians.

A woman and her daughter look on in front of their home the day after the attack on two villages which killed more than 40. By Joel Bibuya (AFP)

Last week, the United States offered a reward of up to $5 million for information concerning ADF leader Seka Musa Baluku.

Mukondi bore the brunt of the militia's latest violence this week. AFP visited the relatively large settlement, in North Kivu province's Beni territory, on Friday.

Village chief Deogratias Kasereka said that there had been no shooting during the attack. "They used bladed weapons, machetes, axes".

Thirty-one people were killed in the village, according to Kasereka, which now lies almost empty as the inhabitants have fled.

AFP was unable to independently confirm the number of people killed in the attack.

Torched houses

Kambale Kivyeku, 58, said he had left his field and arrived in Mukondi to find houses on fire.

He asked men who were nearby what was going on. "Without knowing it, I had just spoken to the rebels," Kivyeku said.

The fighters told him to drop to the ground and they pointed a gun at him before beating him with a tree branch.

"I don't know whether I escaped by magic," Kivyeku said.

People visit Mukondi health centre, which was damaged during the attack which saw dozens of houses torched. By Joel Bibuya (AFP)

Moise Kambale Kirimbi, who is also a farmer, said that the militants killed a family member during the attack and also torched his home.

"I don't know where to go," the 38-year-old said, adding that there were few soldiers to protect the area.

In their absence, local militias known as Mai-Mai provide security.

"I'm appealing to the government to track these rebels down," Kirimbi said, referring to the ADF. "They must be prevented from returning".

Efforts to defeat the ADF, and other militias, have so far fallen flat.

North Kivu and neighbouring Ituri province have been under a so-called "state of siege" since 2021, with security officials running the local governments in a bid to stamp out the violence.

A woman carries a child while standing at her plot the day after the attack. By Joel Bibuya (AFP)

The DRC and Uganda also launched a joint offensive that year to drive the ADF out of their Congolese strongholds, but the measures have so far failed to end the group's attacks.

Remaining residents interviewed by AFP said that the militants had torched 16 buildings in Mukondi, including a clinic.

At the nearest hospital, 7 kilometres (4 miles) away, most of the wounded survivors have presented with head wounds.

Hospital director Justin Muyisa said he had received 17 wounded patients since the attack, including 11 children, some of whom are in critical condition.

"We have no assistance, we urgently need medicine," he said.
United Nations, Mar 11 (UNI) The United Nations welcomed Saudi-Iranian agreement to resume diplomatic relations on Friday and praised China's role in the process.



"I want to welcome on behalf of the secretary-general the joint tripartite statement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the People's Republic of China, made today in Beijing announcing an agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic relations within two months," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at the daily press briefing.



"The secretary-general has expressed his appreciation to the People's Republic of China for hosting these recent talks and for promoting dialogue between the two countries," he said, while praising efforts by other countries, such as Oman and Iraq.



Describing "good neighborly relations" between Iran and Saudi Arabia as "essential" for the stability of the Gulf region, Dujarric said that the secretary-general was ready to "further advance regional dialogue and to ensure durable peace and security in the Gulf region."

UNI XINHUA RKM
Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has emphasised that government remains committed to making the needed investments in the development of infrastructure.

According to him, NPP Government's dedication to advancing infrastructure development is unwavering.

The Deputy Majority Leader who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu Constituency said this while speaking on the floor of parliament on the back of President Akufo-Addos State of the Nation Address.

He said the aim of financing the routine and periodic maintenance as well as the rehabilitation of public roads in Ghana is the primary objective of the Ghana Road Fund Management Board, which he is the Chairman.

It is clearly evident that the Ministry of Roads and Highways has been working diligently and that the quality of new roads being constructed and the life span of the old ones under maintenance are durable and provide the best possible value for money.

Mr. Speaker, to put it in perspective, the size of our road network was 78,402km as of 2016 and has since grown to approximately 94,203km between 2017 and 2022. Additionally, the percentage of paved roads was only 23% before 2017, whereas it has now increased to approximately 27% as of 2022, Alexander Afenyo-Markin told Parliament shared.

The Majority Leader further disclosed that through collaboration with the private sector, the government is actively investigating the use of Public-Private Partnerships as a means of financing crucial public infrastructure projects, including but not limited to the Accra-Tema Motorway Extensions, Accra-Takoradi Motorway, and Sogakope-Lome Transboundary Water Supply Projects.

Mr. Afenyo-Markin further revealed that the seven hundred- and fifty-million-dollar ($750 million) AFRExim Bank facility, which has been secured, will make it possible for government to construct many other roads and interchanges, including the long-awaited four-tier Suame Interchange.
Lawyer Martin Kpebu

11.03.2023 LISTEN

Private Legal Practitioner, Lawyer Martin Kpebu has condemned the military operation conducted in Ashaiman earlier this week.

Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) early in the week conducted what it described as a swoop in Ashaiman and its environs in a man-hunt for some criminals, who are suspected to have stabbed and killed a young soldier, Trooper Imoro Sherrif at Ashaiman-Taifa.

During that swoop, residents of Ashaiman were brutalised by the military with 184 people being arrested and taken to the barracks.

Speaking to TV3 during an engagement on the military operation today, Lawyer Martin Kpebu described the swoop as a mob justice backed with a thirst for vengeance.

According to him, the military had no business going to Ashaiman to unleash such brutalities on residents.

What the Military did was not a swoop, it was a mob justice, it was vengeance, not a swoop.

There must be reasonable suspicion before you swoop. The Military had no business going there to unleash this mayhem, Lawyer Martin Kpebu said.

In his view, Ghanaians should have by now hit the streets to demand that President Akufo-Addo resigns.

By now we should have been on the streets that the President should resign, Lawyer Martin Kpebu argued.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu Constituency, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has lauded President Nana Addo Dankwa for his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The President on Wednesday, March 8, went to Parliament to deliver a State of the Nation Address where he provided an update on efforts being made by government to address challenges facing the economy among other things.

Moving a motion on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin commended the President for fulfilling his constitutional responsibility.

In his view, the address has instilled hope that Ghana is on track to achieving a buoyant economy.

Mr. Speaker, the President fulfilled his constitutional responsibility under Article 67. It was an exercise that was characterized by full-time presidential honesty, regarding the challenges that Ghana faces. Moreover, it provided firm leadership on how the President intends to lead Ghana towards recovery from its current economic difficulties.

The address instilled hope that Ghana is on track to achieve a buoyant economy once again, Alexander Afenyo-Markin said on the floor of Parliament.

The Effutu MP continued, In light of this, it is appropriate to express gratitude to the President for his efforts in fulfilling his constitutional mandate. It is essential to underscore the significance of the President's message, which demonstrated his commitment to Ghana's progress.

According to Alexander Afenyo-Markin, after a very good State of the Nation Address, it is appropriate for fellow Members of Parliament to show appreciation and support for the President's efforts by thanking him for his message to the House.
It has emerged that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare was personally involved in the intelligence work that led to the arrest of the killers of the slain soldier Imoro Sheriff.

According to sources familiar to the development, the IGP joined the operations on the grounds at Ashaiman to follow leads and tip-offs that eventually led to the arrest of the suspects on Friday, 10 March 2023.

The Police in a post on social on Friday evening said: The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, the soldier who was found dead at Taifa Ashiaman on 4th March, 2023.

On Saturday, March 4, 2023, Imoro Sherrif, who according to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) visited Accra from Sunyani, was murdered in the Ashaiman township.

His death led members of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to descend on the Greater Accra town in a dawn swoop.

The GAF in their official statement stated that the military operation, which was sanctioned by the Military High Command, was not to avenge the killing of the soldier but rather to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

On social media, residents of Ashaiman reported that they were questioned and brutalised in the said swoop. They shared disturbing accounts and images.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey, condemned the GAF's actions saying: We cannot take the laws into our hands whether we are lawmakers or security agencies.

The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, also indicated that the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament together with the Ministry of Defence and the Military High Command will pay a visit to the Ashaiman community on Thursday, March 16.

Source: Classfmonline.com
In the Donbas, we see all of the essential elements for a future fratricidal conflict, similar to those in Lebanon, Bosnia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Only after enough blood has flowed will they come to finally realize getting it out of their system was just not worth it.

To find a solution to the rivaling Donbas region, I propose two schools of thought to guide the process. One, I believe Ukraine should not yield off Donbas to Russia (or its puppet separatists) by force. Since it is a unique bilingual community they should be allowed legitimate self determination that is decided by a democratic process, as opposed to a proxy war between Kyiv and Moscow. Not creating and supporting warring factions to advance the interests of one of the two capitals such as the present pro-Russian independence movement in the Donbas we see today.

The second school of thought is that the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow being played out in the Donbas is an ever more increasingly horrific conflict of Ethnic hate. Crimea, in my opinion, is more a fight over who owns the "sacred place". Crimea is seen as a sacred town that must be protected by the two warring factions. Therefore, it is pointless to have an election because the population is too homogenous. For the sake of peace, let the Russians have it.

Mention must be made that Ukraine has been an independent nation since 1991. Prior to that it was Ukraine USSR (republic within the country that was called the Soviet Union), and before that it was referred to as Okraina, which implied the borderland of the Russian empire. Before that it was Kievan Rus, which was part of the greater Rus. However ambiguous the history of Crimea is, peace is the option to all alternatives.

There are others who have the view that the territorial disputes today are more so related to social issues rather than border issues and are a direct consequence of the disintegration of the Soviet Union due to the messy and abrupt way that it happened. Do you agree with such people and how close it is to accuracy?

And others from Ukraine have also argued that the people of Ukraine have decided what should happen to their country. Millions have proven they would rather fight forever, be refugees, or dead rather than be slaves to the dictatorial machinations of Moscow. Ukrainians have decided to root the path of democracy to give each and every citizen the opportunity to have a say in the governance of the country. And not a one man show.

However, a shift to the West also poses some conflicting arguments which could be right or wrong depending on your philosophical outlook. A section of the West argue that there is a dichotomy in Western society where negotiation is the civilized path, yet Chamberlains attempts at negotiation with Hitler are framed derisively as appeasement policies for which Chamberlain is viewed as responsible for the spread of the Nazi Party. Is there a possibility of negotiation in this ongoing war? Would Putin accept same and under what conditions?

It is interesting to note that Russia invasion on 24 February 2022 and planned to be in Kyiv by the same afternoon, Kyiv in 3 days, Ukraine down in three weeks, and the whole world holding breath, counting hours, glued to screens.

 Abdul-Razak Lukman

[email protected]
Nigerias presidential election of Saturday, 25 February, was widely said to be flawed. According to local and international eye-witnesses, there were glaring evidences of late arrival of electoral officers and electoral materials to polling units  which disenfranchised many voters after they got tired of waiting for hours. There were ballot box snatchings, intimidation of voters to vote against their consciences, intimidation of the electoral staffs that were forced to announce rigged election results, vote buying, vote manipulation, physical violence and a host of other electoral malpractices that marred the electoral process.

Foreign observers pointed to a lack of transparency and operational failures. African Union observers noted isolated incidents of violence. The preliminary statement offered by the international observation mission of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) pointed out some of the anomalies that prevailed during the elections.

The 40-person delegation, with members from 20 countries, was led by Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda, former President of the Republic of Malawi. She was joined by Ambassador Mark Green, President and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and former administrator of the United States Agency for International Development; Ambassador Johnnie Carson, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State; Constance Berry Newman, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State; Stacey Abrams, American political leader, lawyer, and voting rights activist; Dana White, former Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs; Ambassador Derek Mitchell and Dr. Daniel Twining. The mission visited Nigeria from February 20 to 27, 2023, and deployed observer teams to 20 states covering all six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Through the mission, the team of observers sought to reflect the international communitys interest in and support for democratic electoral processes in Nigeria. Their statement was meant to provide an accurate and impartial report on the election process and to offer practical recommendations to improve future elections.

The mission conducted its activities in accordance with Nigerian law and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. It collaborated closely with other international and regional observer missions that endorsed the Declaration, while coordinating with impartial and independent citizen observer organizations.

According to the team, the Electoral Act 2022 introduced much-needed reforms aimed at increasing transparency in results collation and timely organization of pre-electoral processes. However, the elections still fell well short of Nigerian citizens legitimate and reasonable expectations. Failures of logistics, challenges with voter registration and voter card distribution, inadequate communication by INEC, lack of transparency in the publication of election data, and unchecked political violence before and during the elections overshadowed incremental administrative gains achieved in the pre-election period, and impeded a substantial number of citizens from participating in voting.

Ongoing currency and fuel shortages also imposed excessive burdens on voters and election officials while marginalized groups, especially women, continued to face barriers to seeking and obtaining political office. On Election Day, logistical failings caused late openings across the country, creating tensions, and the secrecy of the ballot was compromised in some polling units given overcrowding.

Although the application of new electoral technology aimed to increase integrity and efficiency on Election Day, challenges in the electronic transfer of results and their upload to a public portal in a timely manner continued to undermine citizen confidence at a crucial moment of the process. These logistical challenges, together with the scale of electoral insecurity, were foreseeable and avoidable. Failure to address these issues prior to Election Day was a missed opportunity. Moreover, voters trust in the process has been considerably shaken by INECs lack of transparency about the cause and extent of Election Day challenges. The combined effect of these problems disenfranchised Nigerian voters in many parts of the country, although the scope and scale is currently unknown.

Thabo Mbeki

Despite these real and troubling issues, Nigerians once again demonstrated their commitment to the democratic process. Voters displayed extraordinary resilience and resolve to have their voices heard through the ballot, often waiting for several hours due to logistical shortcomings. In particular, youth engagement was noteworthy, with significant increases in youth registrants on the voter roll. The National Youth Service Corps members once again served as poll workers across the country. The election management body, INEC, administered a nationwide election according to the electoral calendar and in the majority of polling units despite widespread insecurity and severe currency and fuel shortages.

The European Union Election Observation Mission officially said elections were held on schedule, but lack of transparency and operational failures reduced trust in the process and challenged the right to vote. The mission noted that on 25 February, Nigerians went to the polls in highly anticipated presidential and National Assembly elections that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) kept on schedule despite a volatile and challenging environment. Fundamental freedoms of assembly and movement were largely respected, yet the full enjoyment of the latter was impeded by insufficient planning, insecurity and the prevailing Naira and fuel shortages. Abuse of incumbency by various political office holders distorted the playing field and there were widespread allegations of vote buying.

The mission said: INECs operational capacity was hampered by the ongoing fuel and Naira shortage. Insecurity prevented it from accessing some Local Government Areas (LGAs), notably in the South. Attacks on INEC premises, including just days before polling, hindered preparations in affected areas, while instilling fear in voters. Overall, stakeholders had expressed confidence in INECs independence, professionalism, and voter information efforts, but this decreased ahead of elections. INEC lacked efficient planning and transparency during critical stages of the electoral process, while on Election Day trust in INEC was seen to further reduce due to delayed polling processes and information gaps related to much anticipated access to results on its Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

The Supreme Court: last hope of the common man

In the lead-up to elections, the widely welcomed Electoral Act 2022 introduced measures aimed at building stakeholder trust, however leaving some important gaps in terms of accountability and INECs power to enforce the law. Weak points include a lack of INEC empowerment to enforce sanctions for electoral offences and breaches of campaign finance rules. Positively, INEC benefited from timely financing than for previous contests.

Other new provisions also aimed to enhance transparency of results. The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV for the 2023 elections was perceived as an important step to ensure the integrity and credibility of elections. However, delayed training of technical personnel, an inadequate mock testing exercise, and a lack of public information on the election technologies diminished expectations and left room for speculation and uncertainty. During the early stages of collation, presidential result forms from polling units were not displayed on the IReV, while Senate and House of Representative results were slowly published.

Presidential election result forms started to be uploaded after 10 pm on Election Day, raising concerns and reaching only 20 per cent by noon on 26 February. Later the same evening, INEC explained the delay with technical hitches. An observer mission from the Commonwealth led by the former South African President Thabo Mbeki said the election was largely peaceful, but Mr. Mbeki also said observers had recorded incidences of election-related violence and insecurity, some of which regrettably resulted in the loss of life and postponement of elections in some polling units.

The number of violent incidents in the run-up to the election was double that in previous years, while there were probably at least as many episodes on the day of the election as there were in the last vote in 2019, observers from the United States said.

The Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party have headed to the courts. Invariably, the Supreme Court would have the final word.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Tinubu has called for reconciliation. "I take this opportunity to appeal to my fellow contestants to let us team up together. It is the only nation we have. It is one country and we must build it together," he said in a televised speech.

He also said that they had the right to challenge the results in court, and explained that the lapses in the election "were relatively few in number and were immaterial to affect the outcome of this election". Tinubu said he was ready to defend his mandate in the court.

At a news conference later, Mr Obi's running-mate Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed urged his supporters to stay calm. Labour's lawyers were "putting the papers together" to challenge Mr Tinubu's victory in court, he added.

Currently, the Justices of the Supreme Court include: Olukayode Ariwoola, Musa Datijo Muhammad, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chima Centus Nweze, Amina Augie, Uwani Musa Abba Aji, John Inyang Okoro, Lawal Garba.

Nigerians will have to bring them up before the Court of Heaven every day and pray that the God of the poor and the innocent will take hold of their consciences, give them grace, courage and wisdom to deliver good judgement in favour of the Nigerian people concerning the presidential election 2023. The heart of kings and judges are in the hands of God. Nigerians should pray that no satanic power of any kind, no divination or sorcery will work against them as they hear these cases.

The people of Nigeria should pray against every power assigned to manipulate them not to give judgment in favour of the right candidate that is the choice of the majority. They should pray that the judicial decision of these trusted servants of God will bring into office a President that God will use to heal and bless Nigeria, and put the nation on the part of solid economic recovery and growth.

They should pray for a prosperous New Nigeria. Nigerians should pray that their judgement of the Supreme Court unite Nigeria and not set it on fire. And may God continue to uphold the Supreme Court as it mirrors itself as the last hope of the common man.
The former President John Dramani Mahama says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has not only been reckless with the management of the economy, but he does not exhibit traits of a good leader.

He was reacting to the president's claim in his State of the Nation Address that his government has not been reckless in the management of the economy, borrowing and spending.

The president, once again, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war for the troubles of the Ghanaian economy.

President Akufo-Addo also argued that the country is currently servicing debts that were not contracted by his administration, insisting, we have not been reckless in borrowing and in spending.

Mr. Mahama disagrees and makes the point that the president is always quick to shift blame instead of taking responsibility.

According to him, that explains why the president does not appreciate the extent of the challenges confronting the country today.

The first principle of leadership is responsibility. You must take responsibility for every situation and work to solve it. If you are a leader who is always looking for somebody to blame, you will never be able to solve problems, he noted.

Mr. Mahama who was speaking during an interaction with branch and constituency executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Jema in the Kintampo South Constituency said the Akufo-Addo government has increased the total national debt from 120 billion Ghana Cedis to almost 600 billion Ghana Cedis in about six years.

The former president who is contesting to lead his party to the 2024 elections maintained that the president and his administration have been reckless.

What is more recklessness than what he and his finance minister have done he asked.

Mr. Mahama says government's attention was drawn to the increasing rate of borrowing by the minority in parliament, saying for every budget they brought from 2018 they were cautioned against the overborrowing.

Even the World Bank told them that you are risking going into debt distress because of too much debt, and they refused to listen. Today, exactly what they were warned against is what has happened. And you will not take responsibility?, he asked.

Citi Newsroom
Former President John Mahama has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is always blaming other things except himself for Ghana's economic crisis.

The flag bearer aspirant of the National Democratic Congress who was speaking to branch and constituency executives of the party at Jema in the Kintampo South Constituency, said the president is always looking for a scapegoat rather than taking responsibility for his "recklessness".

In his state of the nation address to parliament on Wednesday, 8 March 2023, the president, for the umpteenth time, blamed the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war for Ghana's economic woes.

The president, once again, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war for the troubles of the Ghanaian economy.

President Akufo-Addo insisted his government was steering the nation to prosperity before the twin global crises, stressing: We have not been reckless in borrowing and spending.

Mr Mahama, however, said it was high time Mr Akufo-Addo acted as a true leader.

The first principle of leadership is responsibility", Mr Mahama said, explaining:. "You must take responsibility for every situation and work to solve it".

He said: "If you are a leader who is always looking for somebody to blame, you will never be able to solve problems".

What is more reckless than what he and his finance minister have done, the former president wondered.

He said even the World Bank warned the government about its reckless borrowing but was ignored.

Even the World Bank told them that you are risking going into debt distress because of too much debt, and they refused to listen. Today, exactly what they were warned against is what has happened. And you will not take responsibility?" he asked.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service have received the first consignment of Measles vaccines, BCG vaccines and Oral Polio Vaccines.

The distribution to the various regions and facilities, according to the ministry of information, is underway.

The ministry, in a brief announcement on Saturday, 11 March 2023, said "more vaccines are expected in Ghana in the coming weeks from multiple sources".

The vaccines has been in short supply for the past few weeks, which has led to calls for the resignation of the health minister.

In his recent state of the nation address to parliament, Preaident Nana Akufo-Addo said he was very worried about the vaccine shortage and said the government was working to bring in more.
Frank Kofi Osei was murdered

11.03.2023 LISTEN

The Bill of Indictment in the murdered Canadian case is ready and same has been served on the Police and the Adentan District Court.

The Bill of Indictment will pave way for committal proceedings to be conducted by State Attorneys.

Depending on the recommendations of the Attorney General's Department, the two suspects  Safina Mohammed Adizatu and Michael Fiifi Ampofo Arku  nabbed in connection with the murder of Frank Kofi Osei, would be committed to stand trial at the High Court.

Meanwhile, the GNA has gathered that Safina, aka Safina Diamond has executed her GHC500,000 bail extended to her by a Tema High Court.

The GNA has gathered that she reported to the Police as part of her bail condition.

Arku was earlier admitted to bail by a High Court.

Safina and Arku are facing charges of conspiracy and murder.

The District Court has preserved their pleas.

The Police has been waiting for advice and the Bill of Indictment from the Attorney General office.

Frank, a Ghanaian resident in Canada was allegedly murdered in cold blood at Ashaley Botwe School Junction in July 2022 when he visited his girlfriend, Safina.

The case of the prosecution was that on Sunday July 24, 2022, Osei, who was on vacation in Ghana, visited Safina, his fiance who lived at Ashaley School Junction and decided to spend the night with her.

At night, Safina, Arku and other accomplices yet to be arrested, allegedly stabbed Osei with a knife and strangled him.

Osei's blood was allegedly cleaned from the floor by Safina and Arku while his body was in the room for 24 hours.

The prosecution told the court that the accused persons allegedly dragged Osei's body from the first floor of the storey building through the staircase and dumped it at the gate of the house, where the deceased had parked his Toyota Tundra.

Safina allegedly called a policeman claiming that her boyfriend, who visited her, had died in her room.

When the Police went to the scene, they found the body of Osei lying at the gate of Safina's house.

Safina, a student was nabbed at Ashaley Botwe School Junction and Arku, who had escaped to Kumasi after the incident was also rounded up by the Police.

GNA
London, Mar 11 (UNI) London and Paris have flagged their intention to build a new jointly-developed cruise anti-ship missile by 2030, according to a statement released following a France-UK summit on Friday.

"In the field of armament cooperation, France and the United Kingdom will advance key projects to develop their future complex weapons systems. They commit to concrete steps forward regarding the further advancement of the Future Cruise and Anti-Ship Weapon (FCAS/W) programme to avoid capability gaps," the statement said, adding that Paris and London "commit to deliver a future cruise capability in 2030."

In 2011, the project of the new missile received the name "Perseus."
An Accra Circuit Court has granted bail in the sum of GHS500,000.00 with three sureties to the Economist, who allegedly took GHS475,500.00 from an unemployed woman under the pretext of investing it in a Kako business but failed.

The Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah directed that all the sureties be civil servants earning not less than GHS3000.00, GHS2000.00 and GHS1000.00 a month respectively.

The matter has been adjourned to March 16, 2023.

Mr Alex Koduah is facing a charge of defrauding by false pretense.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

GNA
The Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, has described as an affront to the Constitution the recent military invasion of Ashaiman following the death of a 21-year-old military officer.

Military personnel stormed Ashaiman on Tuesday dawn March 7, 2023, with helicopters and armoured vehicles, to brutalise civilians following the murder of the military officer, Trooper Sherriff Imoro, who was allegedly stabbed in the town on Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Some innocent residents were lined up and beaten to a pulp as the town became what residents described as a 'ghost' area.

Adding his voice to the many stakeholders who have condemned the act, on the Big Issue on Citi TV with Selorm Adonoo, Mr. Cudjoe said, what happened was an internal matter. If the military were protecting us from external aggression, the kind of force they would use for this internal matter would have probably been disproportionate if they were defending us against any external aggression.

He asserted, the military can be called upon only when it appears that the police need their support. But in this case, it was not. What they did is an arbitration and an affront to the constitution.

He questioned why President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo refused to comment on the matter when he delivered the State of the Nation Address.

The President should have spoken about the matter. Im sure he gets briefings every morning, so he knew about this anyway. The least he could have done was to say that what happened was unfortunate and that he has asked for an investigation to be conducted professionally. That would have absorbed him from some sort of blame.

It doesnt speak well of someone who is supposed to be a human rights defender. This and many dastardly acts could have gotten a mention publicly and in his State of the Nation Address. Because it was an action that was going to define democracy or the extent of freedom people can have in a normal democracy, IMANI President stated.

The soldier, according to sources, was from Taifa and heading toward his residence at Zongo-Laka in Ashaiman when the unfortunate incident occurred.

Imoro Sherif who was found dead in a pool of blood near the Amania Hotel in Ashaiman was laid to rest on March 9.

Though he was carrying a laptop and other electronic gadgets the attackers made away with only his iPhone.

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a statement justified the brutalities adding that the raid was not to avenge the death of the soldier but to fish out perpetrators of heinous crimes.

GAF announced that its high command sanctioned the swoop. The military during the swoop arrested 184 suspects, but they were all later released by the military.

The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif.

The arrest was solely police intelligence work without the involvement of the military.

By Leticia Osei
Former President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated his call on executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) across all levels of the party to work hard between now and December 2024 to ensure that the NDC's victory in the polls is emphatic.

Ghanaians are looking up to us, the NDC, to win power and save them from their present predicament of hardship, high living cost, lack of critical infrastructure in their communities among others.

A statement signed by Madam Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Campaign Spokesperson and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Saturday said Mr. Mahama who is campaigning to lead his party to the next election told his audience in many of the constituencies visited that he will work hard for Ghana and the people of Ghana if elected President in 2024.

The John Mahama Campaign on Friday visited a total of six (6) constituencies to meet and interact with the branch and constituency executives and currently, visiting the remaining five constituencies before heading to the Bono Region on Sunday.

He charged the executives to own not only his flagbearer campaign, but also the 2024 campaign, restating his advice to regional and constituency executives to ensure fairness and transparency in the distribution of party resources and campaign materials to the branches.

I know you will vote for me, and I thank you all. I will also work hard and with you to campaign effectively for our 2024 victory. I will provide the materials and logistics needed, but please let's send them to the branches when they come. That is where the work is, he advised.

The aspiring NDC leader also called for a careful selection of competent polling agents and for extreme vigilance to ensure that the ballots are protected until the results are counted and declared.

Our success at the polls will depend on our work at the polling station. Constituencies visited on day one includes Kintampo North, Kintampo South, Nkoranza North, NkoranzaSouth, Techiman North, and Techiman South.

GNA
Former Minister for Science and Technology, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng

11.03.2023 LISTEN

A former Minister for Science and Technology, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng has disclosed that his exit from the Ministry was a grand scheme orchestrated by the government and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Prof. Boateng intimated that the allegations of some 500 missing excavators seized from persons engaged in illegal mining activities in 2020 were untrue and made up stories by some persons in government to tarnish his reputation in order to chase him out of office.

He disclosed that there were people in government that wanted him out because of his stance on illegal mining activities in the country.

Prof. Boateng disclosed that the very beginning and actions of military personnel deployed to effect the arrest of illegal miners triggered the entire falsehood about him being responsible for the missing excavators at the time.

The true story is that at the start of Operation Vanguard, the soldiers were supposed to arrest the excavators, but they will go into the forest and remove the control boards of the excavators and come back to report but when they went away, the owners will come with different control boards and move the excavators away.

So the soldiers reported that they had immobilized over 700 excavators and so we appointed someone to go round and check but when we went round, we found only about 150 to 200 excavators, the rest had been moved away.

He further stressed that there was an orchestration within the party and the government to get me out and when I left galamsey activities increased. Now things are coming up, and we know those who are doing galamsey even within the party and even people at the Jubilee House.

The entire missing excavators controversy began in 2020 when Prof. Boateng, the then Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation said most of the excavators seized from illegal miners had gone missing.

He subsequently wrote a letter to the Police CID to investigate Horace Ekow Ewusi, then suspended First Vice Chairman of the governing NPP, over his alleged involvement in the missing earth-moving equipment.

Ekow Ewusi was contracted by the government at the time to cart excavators and other vehicles and pieces of equipment seized by the anti-illegal mining task force to designated areas for safekeeping.

-citinewsroom
11.03.2023 LISTEN

Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof. Ransford Gyampo has fired back at the National Identification Authority (NIA) after the Authority dare him to provide evidence to his claim on the Ghana Card.

The NIA in a statement issued Prof. Ransford Gyampo a 24-hour ultimatum to publish details of his alleged research on registration equipment.

The ultimatum follows a Facebook post from the senior political science lecturer where he alleged that the distribution of equipment for the production of the Ghana Cards appears were skewed to favour the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and to the disadvantage of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Unhappy with the allegation, the NIA in its statement said, "NIA respectfully challenges Prof. Gyampo to take out of the realm of conjecture his allegations and so-called research findings and conclusions, by publishing the relevant details of his research within the next 24 hours. This will permit an objective assessment of the nature, purpose, scope, and method(s) of the research, as well as the facticity and soundness of his findings and conclusions."

Having cited the statement, Prof. Gyampo has fired back at the Authority.

According to him, the statement from the NIA is shrouded in half-truths.

He stresses that regardless of warnings and ultimatums the authority will give, he won't back down in ensuring that Ghana is not plunged into chaos by the NIA.

You guys can tickle yourselves and laugh just in the quest to protect your jobs. But some of us won't allow you to plunge Ghana into chaos and flee the country with your Diplomatic or Serviced Passports, Prof. Ransford Gyampo said in a statement on Facebook.

He added, Kindly engage the leaders of the opposition parties again, and do not live in the past.

Below is the statement from Prof. Ransford Gyampo:

Dear NIA,

I saw a very formal statement of response from your outfit to my banter with Prof Attafuah on Newsfile two weeks ago. I never thought I was this big or important to deserve such an attention from a whole institution that is supposed to be busy focusing on registering people it has been deficient in registering, culminating in long queues, payment of money, and near stampedes at the NIA headquarters.

NIA, your responses are shrouded in half-truths and this is what is referred to as propaganda. You guys can tickle yourselves and laugh just in the quest to protect your jobs. But some of us won't allow you to plunge Ghana into chaos and flee the country with your Diplomatic or Serviced Passports.

Kindly engage the leaders of the opposition parties again and do not live in the past. The comments of Jerry Rawlings and co, were given in the past and no one has qualms with the relevance of Ghana Card. Indeed, long before Prof Ken Attafuah got his appointment, some of us had argued for the need for all identity cards to be synchronized into one card. So, it's not a big deal if other eminent statesmen and women applauded the move to have Ghana card.

What is contentious, however, is the disagreement on the use of the Ghana Card as the sole source document for voter registration and the fact that the NIA has hugely imponderable challenges that it's top officials share only in the private. We need the Ghana Card but let's hasten slowly. There is no point for this inordinate haste which creates unnecessary feeling of suspicion that has the tendency to lead to implosion, given how the use of Ghana card alone, as the source document for voter registration, could impact hugely on the electoral fortunes of political parties.

Rather than citing what a dead founder of a political party said in support of the Ghana Card, let the NIA listen to the voices of the living about the dangers of intransigence and unwillingness to build consensus on the use of the Card as the sole document for voter registration. Let the NIA and Prof Attafuah not use eloquence and big English to be dismissive of challenges that stares at us in the face. Prof Attafuah was in parliament and he saw the reaction of the minority group. Using one side of the argument of Dominic Ayine on radio to support the counter view that, the NIA doesn't have trust deficit, is quite disingenuous. Professors must analyze things from a holistic view point. There are two sides to every coin and as we seek to build Ghana, our efforts must be aimed at protecting the national interest and not to tout one's supposed achievements that are highly contentious.

Yaw Gyampo

A31, Prabiw

PAV Ansah Street

Saltpond

Suro Nipa House

Kubease

Larteh-Akuapim
Professor Goski Alabi, Consulting President of Laweh University College, Accra, has called for the elimination of political bullying of women in the public space to encourage their active participation in politics.

According to Prof Alabi, although many women are achieving remarkable feats in trade, education, business, ICT, and other endeavours, they are afraid to get involved in active politics and repeat similar feats, for fear of verbal attacks.

A statement issued by Laweh University College, Accra, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Prof Alabi made the call in her opening remarks as the chairperson during an event organized by the Executive Network in Accra, as part of activities marking the International Women's Day on the theme Strategically Position Your Brand in 2023.

She observed that young ladies were sometimes not spared from cyberbullying. They are dissected and intimidated, among others, and these tend to destroy their pride, Prof Alabi stated

Women can never be men and men can never be women. We are biologically different. I don't believe in feminism, but believe in gender equity, where both men and women are offered equal opportunities to contribute to the table.

She advised women not to allow themselves to feel inferior; saying No one can make you feel inferior unless you agree to it.

The Executive Network consists of captains of industries and has among its aims, to strategically position businesses and leverage their networks for competitive advantage.

GNA
BVI police make arrests in one of two homicides last month
March 11, 2023 Ukraine Is Lying About Casualty Ratios To Justify Holding Of Bakhmut I follow and like Adam Tooze. His Chartbooks have always good materials. This recent one on the Silicon Valley Bank crash is also fine. But I was somewhat disturbed by a recent tweet of his: Adam Tooze @adam_tooze - 20:11 UTC  Mar 9, 2023 "Some experts worry Ukraine may be expending high-quality troops and equipment to kill mere Russian prison recruits as cannon fodder." Wow the language around the attritional battle at Bakhmut is getting grotesque! 7:1 ratio not good enough for you? Link: ft.com Military briefing: Ukraines battle of diminishing returns for Bakhmut Was that satire? Moon of Alabama @MoonofA - 20:14 UTC Mar 9, 2023

Replying to @adam_tooze 7:1 to whose advantage? He did not respond. But no, it was not satire. The linked Financial Times piece, reprinted in the Irish Times, actually quotes the Ukrainian national security chief Oleksiy Danilov as saying that the kill ratio was one to seven in Ukraine's favor. The whole passage is nuts: US and European officials estimate 200,000 Russian troops have been killed or seriously injured since February last year, and Ukraine about half that. One western official said Russia had suffered between 20,000 and 30,000 casualties over the past six months, adding that most of them were mercenaries fighting for the Wagner private military company. Wagners operations have been largely focused on Bakhmut. Nato officials estimate one Ukrainian had been killed or injured for every five Russians. Ukrainian national security chief Oleksiy Danilov last week estimated the ratio was one to seven in our favour. This makes no sense. Had 200,000 Russian's be killed or seriously wounded in the war while 20,000 to 30,000 of those were killed or wounded in the past six month then the first six month of the war would have cost the Russian side 175,000 losses. That's more than the total numbers that were, until the recent mobilization, involved in the whole campaign. Those numbers must have been pulled from hot air. Danilov casualty ratio is likewise obvious nonsense. The Medical Department of the U.S. Army has a book about CAUSATIVE AGENTS OF BATTLE CASUALTIES IN WORLD WAR II. It is quoted here: A report on the causative agents of battle casualties in World War II showed the comparative incidence of casualties from different types of weapons for several theaters. Compilers of the report believed that, while the more detailed subdivisions within their three major classes were open to question, their findings on the percent of total casualties due to small arms, artillery and mortars, and miscellaneous were reasonably accurate. From these they drew the following conclusions: 1. Small arms fire accounted for between 14 and 31 percent of the total casualties, depending upon the theater of action: The Mediterranean theater, 14.0 percent; the European theater, 23.4 percent; and the Pacific theaters, 30.7 percent. 2. Artillery and mortar fire together accounted for 65 percent of the total casualties in the European and Mediterranean theaters, 64.0 and 69.1, respectively. In the Pacific, they accounted for 47.0 percent. The Encyclopedia Britannica likewise notes for World War I: The greatest number of casualties and wounds were inflicted by artillery, followed by small arms, and then by poison gas. When I was in officer school the number estimated for a big war in Europe was 75% of casualties due to artillery and aerial bombing. Data from the European Commission, quoted by El Pais, says that Russia has a 10:1 advantage in artillery: According to data from the European Commission to which EL PAIS has had access, Russia fires between 40,000 and 50,000 artillery shells per day, compared to 5,000-6,000 Ukrainian forces expend. The Estonian government, which has been one of largest contributors to Kyivs war effort, puts the average use of artillery at between 20,000 and 60,000 Russian shells per day, and 2,000 to 7,000 Ukrainian rounds, according to a document sent to EU Member States by Tallinn, to which this newspaper has had access. The Russian forces fire ten times the number of shells the Ukrainians can fire. In a modern war artillery fire causes 65+% of all casualties. It is thus impossible that Ukraine is losing less soldiers than the Russians. The total ratio may well be 7 to 1 but it will certainly be to the advantage of the Russian forces side. But minimizing the losses Ukraine has in Bakhmut seems to be a current propaganda scheme. A recent Newsweek piece quotes similar nonsense. This propaganda seems to be designed to justify the Ukrainian decision to hang on to the city as long as possible: Moscow's troops are on the cusp of taking the city in the eastern Donetsk region fought over for months, of which they reportedly control half. Amid rumors of a Ukrainian retreat Western officials suggested would do Kyiv no harm, President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted his troops would stay to prevent Russian forces from moving on "to other towns." Already in January the U.S. was pressing the Ukraine to forget about Bakhmut and to move to a more mobile campaign: In a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, and Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl, said the US wants to help Ukraine shift away from the sort of pitched battle of attrition playing out in Bakhmut and focus instead on a style of mechanized maneuver warfare that uses rapid, unanticipated movements against Russia, sources familiar with their discussion said. The hundreds of armored vehicles the US and European countries have provided to Ukraine in recent weeks, including 14 British tanks, are meant to help Ukraine make that shift, officials said. In his latest summary Dima of the Military Summary Channel reported that the Ukrainian side will soon try a counterattack to cut the Russian ring around Bakhmut and to draw the Russian side into a decisive general battle. I see, like Dima, little chance that such an attempt could be successful. The force ratio to achieve something like that is simply not there. But if the Ukraine wants to do that, against 'western' advice, it needs some justifications. The lies about casualty ratios in favor of Ukraine seem designed to give those. Posted by b on March 11, 2023 at 18:11 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
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Sonora, CA  As winter storms continue to blow through California, the state has secured federal assistance.

Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that within hours of Californias request, the White House approved a Presidential Emergency Declaration to support the state and local response to continuous storms impacting much of the state. The federal declaration enables impacted counties to immediately access federal assistance to help protect public safety and property, including generators, road clearance equipment and sheltering or mass care assistance as needed.

We are grateful for President Bidens swift action to provide more resources and assistance to Californians reeling from back-to-back storms, said Governor Newsom. We also thank all the heroic first responders working tirelessly to save lives in these dangerous and challenging conditions. California will continue to work day and night with local, state and federal partners to protect and support our communities.

As earlier reported here, on Thursday, 21 counties, including Tuolumne, were added to the 13 counties that included Amador and Mariposa under a state of emergency declared by Newsom last week. Calaveras has not been added to the list.

As California continues to mobilize personnel and resources to storm-impacted communities throughout the state. The video in the image box shows how crews are responding across the state.
Yves here. I am guilty of the kind of behavior that this article criticizes, by supporting the Snow Leopard Trust, which tries to help the endangered species by giving local inhabitants employment like snow leopard conservation and paid crafts work that is designed to be more attractive than poaching.

By John Reid, the co-author (with the late Thomas Lovejoy) of Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet, founder of Conservation Strategy Fund, and senior economist for Nia Tero, a nonprofit that supports Indigenous stewardship of vital ecosystems. Originally published at Undark

How should humans care for the beings that share the planet with us? This is one of the defining questions of our time. Between 1970 and 2018, wild animal populations have fallen by an average of 69 percent, according to the World Wildlife Fund, due to factors including habitat loss, overhunting and fishing, pollution, and climate change. In that same period, the human population has more than doubled and, by one estimate, now weighs nearly 10 times as much as all undomesticated mammals put together.

A common reaction is the urge to save individual animals. This urge has been validated by generations of thinkers who have argued for the elimination of animal suffering on ethical grounds. One of the latest in this line is the renowned philosopher Martha C. Nussbaum, whose recent essaysin The New York Review of Books make an expansive case for human action to protect animals from harm.

In her December piece, Nussbaum proposes that sentient animals should have the chance to live flourishing lives, free of suffering inflicted not only by human activity but also by wild predators. While she acknowledges that if we tried to interfere with predation on a large scale, we would very likely cause disaster on a large scale, she still suggests humans should intervene on animals behalf  even in the wild, which she describes as a place full of cruelty, scarcity, and casual death. The main prescriptions that issue from this approach are surprisingly trivial: Ban tourism that profits from viewing predation; save litter runts; and feed captive animals synthetic lab-grown meat, to name a few.

This kind of thinking is well outside mainstream conservation practice. No major environmental group, to my knowledge, is working in any organized way to thwart orcas, lions, peregrine falcons, owls, and other predators. Scientists dating back to Darwin and beyond have studied natural systems without passing moral judgement on predation or any other mechanisms of evolution and energy transfer.

Nussbaums approach, however, is arguably an outgrowth of a less radical, more widely held worldview of animal individualism, characterized by a focus on the rights of specific animals. Highly developed consciousness in many of these creatures is thought to make them susceptible to the sort of suffering our ethical systems seek to avert in human individuals. But individualism  also at the heart of our legal and economic systems  is a terrible guide to stewarding the natural world.

The crusade for individual animal welfare treats wild animals like pets, often reducing conservation to the protection of hand-picked mascots in isolated bits of habitat that are inadequate to safeguard the climate and large-scale ecological phenomena, such as migration. It causes us to look at nature as an assortment of beings with different ethical standings, rather than as intricate living systems that require a lot of space and a tolerably slow pace of change.

Over my three decades in the conservation movement, Ive learned that the best approaches set out to save and connect natural systems, not specific animals. True, some commercially prized species of plants and animals  mahogany and pangolins, for example  need special protection from overexploitation. But any approach that fails to conserve ecosystems at large scales will fail sentient and nonsentient life forms alike.

A prime example is the Endangered Species Act, the United States main biodiversity law, which provides legal protection for individual species when they are at risk of or nearing extinction. The 1973 law was a landmark achievement. But the law only kicks in when a system is already starting to lose species, and it takes a single-species approach to habitat protections. Unsurprisingly, it hasnt prevented the collapse of biodiversity at the population level.

Under the Endangered Species Act, conservation debates have often centered on whether a certain species is worth saving. For instance, measures to protect the Delta smelt  a very small fish endemic to California that most Californians have never seen  have been derided by farmers and politicians, including the 45th U.S. president, for stifling the states agricultural economy. Critics argue that the protection efforts reduce water flows to Central Valley farms. What is actually at stake in the debate over the Delta smelt, however, is the health of the San Francisco estuary, the largest in California, which has thousands of populations of wild species and millions of humans inhabiting its shores.

At its extreme, the zealous defense of individual prey animals can provide an intellectual fig leaf to scorched-earth predator control. Government-sponsored killing of wolves, pumas, and grizzly bears throughout the 19th and much of the 20th century eliminated these animals from vast areas of North America to keep livestock safe. An awakening to the ecological and moral costs of the slaughter brought reform to these programs, but the reflex to treat predator control as the solution to ecosystem imbalances persists.

In Canada, for instance, caribou are in trouble. To thrive, the animals need to roam though vast mosaics of forest and tundra shaped by fire, birds, groundwater, and insects, among other things. But these natural systems have been disrupted by roads, oil prospecting, and climate change. (The proposed Ambler Mining District road, should it be approved by the Biden administration and the State of Alaska, may similarly impact Alaskas Western Arctic Caribou Herd.) Mature forests, where caribou feast on lichen, have become scarcer, reducing caribou numbers to the point that wolf predation might push them over the edge. Having failed to respond to the systemic issues, the Canadian government has been compelled to deal with symptoms, killing wolves to keep the caribou alive.

Pumas, which today range throughout Central and South America and western North America, have also been the object of species-specific policies  both to save them and get rid of them. Research shows the folly of viewing them apart from their systems. Scientists have documented ecological relationships between pumas and at least 485 other species, including mammals, birds, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, plants, and fish. Some of these relationships are with the animals the big cats eat, like deer  an infliction of suffering Nussbaums approach would abhor. But the carcasses pumas leave behind feed dozens of species of carrion eaters and diversify vegetation by enriching the soil with nitrogen. Extirpated from their range in the central and eastern United States, pumas are now returning eastward, and scientists say we should let them.

In his 1949 essay The Land Ethic, conservationist Aldo Leopold exhorts people to admit all the non-human beings with whom we share territory into our ethical community and to acknowledge the roles various beings play in the ecosystem, rather than focusing on their independent individual destinies. The Land Ethic recognizes that the best thing we can do for any individual animal, regardless of whether it is sentient, is love the system in which its embedded.

Ive spent a lot of time in the last five years talking to Indigenous peoples  all from cultures that hunt. They live in and around ecosystems their families have stewarded for countless generations. Most of them express a worldview akin to Leopolds  not as the result of any big epiphany, but as a matter of common sense. Why risk the integrity of the system that feeds you? What is the upside of disrespecting a web of beings that sustained ancestors, provided sounds for your language, and played critical parts in your stories?

One of John Muirs most famous quotes is When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. One of Shakespeares is There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy. And yet, we sometimes need a fresh reminder that our world is a fabric of dazzling complexity that we must steward with a view of the whole  and with a healthy dose of humility in the face of all that we dont yet understand.
The evolution of my position with the Post dates to 2000, when I began work with The City Paper. In 2008, SouthComm Inc. bought the Post and TCP, with the latter ceasing operations in 2013. In 2018, FW Publishing acquired the Post, for which I have served as managing editor since 2011.

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(Natural News) Anything women can do, men in dresses can do better. Thats the message from major American corporations and tech giants on International Womens Day in 2023.

(Article by Jordan Boyd republished from TheFederalist.com)

Already, cities, organizations like the ACLU, politicians like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and members of the Biden administration, including First Lady Jill Biden, are choosing to share this special month and day with men.

Jill Biden presents an International Women Of Courage Award to a biological male on #InternationalWomensDay at the White House pic.twitter.com/5fudW9wICM  Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 8, 2023

Now, even the companies you likely engage with daily are pushing women out of their Womens History Month campaigns to make room for confused men. Here are five international brands that chose to use men as the face of their celebrations of female-led advancements.

Apple

The first thing Apple users see when they visit their devices App Store on International Womens Day on March 8 is a giant red poster featuring a dolled-up plus-size fat positivity activist named Naomi Hearts.

Apple users who click on the square are redirected to an article about Heartss self-love campaign and desire to garner support for dangerous and irreversible procedures such as chemical castration and genital mutilation.

Google

Google Indias advertisement celebrating equal rights and opportunities for women on International Womens Day features Prakriti Soni, a man who expressed the belief that he was a woman starting in 2020.

The ad has more than 4 million views.

Hersheys

To promote International Womens Day, Hersheys Canada chose Fae Johnstone, a man who masquerades as a woman, as one the newest faces of the popular candy bar companys wrapper.

Johnstone, who leads an LGBT activist organization that prides itself on forcing leftists equity agenda in workplaces and on children, is also featured in the companys Womens History Month video advertisement.

We can create a world where everyone is able to live in public space as their honest and authentic selves, Johnstone says in the ad. See the women changing how we see the future @HersheysCanada.

.@Hersheys is putting the face of a trans-woman on chocolate bar wrappers with HerShe highlighted in honor of international womens day.

Hersheys is erasing women. pic.twitter.com/JzRkAtwTdO  Leftism (@LeftismForU) March 1, 2023

Despite backlash for inviting a man into womens spaces, Hersheys Canada stood by its decision to include Johnstone.

Seafolly

Popular Australian swimwear brand Seafolly is known for showcasing its products on female models such as Gigi Hadid. This year, right before International Womens Day, Seafolly chose a bearded man posing as nonbinary to be the star of their newest advertising campaign.

This marks the first time iconic Aussie swim giants @seafollyaustralia have worked with a Trans ambassador/brand partner, Deni Todorovi? wrote in an announcement on Instagram.

Some Seafolly customers are abandoning the brand for mocking women by choosing a man to parade around in bikinis.

KitchenAid

Even before Womens History Month began, companies started pushing for men in their ads targeting women.

KitchenAid has a history of pouring money and effort into female empowerment campaigns, including its documentary, A Womans Place, which highlights the companys challenging inequality, helping to advance women in culinary arts and support the industry at large.

That all went out the window when the appliance company selected Dylan Mulvaney, a man who gained online fame for his belief that girlhood is a costume that can be worn by anyone, to help headline its 2023 Color of the Year campaign launch and newsletter in February.

Its becoming all too commonplace for businesses to pay delusional men to sell products- including exclusively female ones like tampons- to real women. Thats a massive slap in the face to the women of the past, present, and future.

Big businesses say they want to support and empower women, but they cant do that if they are butting females out of their board rooms and ads to replace them with bearded men in dresses.

Asking men to headline is a sign of regress, not progress. Companies that partner with men pretending to be women show nothing but contempt for women and their accomplishments.

Read more at: TheFederalist.com
(Natural News) The Brazilian government has approved the planting of genetically modified (GM) wheat in the country, making it the second South American nation to do so after Argentina.

The approval was issued by Brazils National Technical Commission of Biosecurity (CTNBio) in response to a request filed by plant genetics firm Tropical Melhoramento e Genetica (TMG). Based in Brazils Mato Grosso state, TMG is the partner of Argentinian company Bioceres  which developed the approved HB4 wheat strain.

TMG noted that Brasilias approval gave the green light for commercial cultivation of the HB4 GM wheat strain in the Portuguese-speaking nation. Bioceres pointed out that CTNBios approval of the HB4 GM wheat strain has opened the Brazilian market to the technology.

Brazil plants about three million hectares (741,316 acres) with wheat, mostly in southern states like Rio Grande do Sul and Parana. Farmers in those states may be interested in wheat that is drought-tolerant because crops such as maize and soy grown in Brazils south have experienced water stress.

However, the approval only applies to the cultivation of the strain and not for domestic consumption. Other countries such as the U.S., Colombia, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Nigeria have allowed HB4 for both human and animal consumption. HB4 is only permitted for use in animal feed in Indonesia.

According to Bioceres, GM wheat showed higher yields compared to conventional varieties. Targeted environments showed as much as 43 percent yield improvement.

While Brazil may not immediately begin growing GM wheat, Brasilias approval reflects a significant shift in attitude given the concerns about the worlds wheat supply following the Russia-Ukraine war. (Related: Australia to unleash genetically modified wheat  who will burn down these fields and stop this human rights horror?)

GM wheat approval in Brazil opens new chapter

The use of GM corn and soy varieties for animal feed, biofuels and ingredients such as cooking oil is a common practice. However, GM wheat has never been grown for commercial purposes. Consumer fears about potential allergies or toxicities in the GM version of the staple crop used for breads, pastas and pastries have held back any plans of commercial cultivation.

At least two food associations in the Portuguese-speaking nation welcomed CTNBios decision to approve the HB4 GM wheat cultivation.

One such association, Abimapi  which represents Brazilian biscuit, pasta, bread and cake makers  lauded the move as one that could potentially increase internal supplies, This, it added, could reduce industry costs.

Abimapi was previously against GM wheat. However, it changed its stance following the results of a survey it commissioned, with more than 70 percent of Brazilians saying they would not mind consuming products that contained GM wheat.

Abitrigo, the countrys industry group for flour millers, also lauded the decision. It said the approval solves the risk of regulatory conflicts because flour imports were permitted even before the HB4 GM wheat strain was effectively cleared in Brazil. Back in November 2021, Brazil became the first nation in the world to allow imports of flour made with GM wheat.

The approval for planting, imports and commercialization of GM wheat resolves this issue, bringing peace of mind to different market actors, Abitrigo said in a statement. The final word will rest with consumers.

While Abimapi and Abitrigo see potential benefits with the approval of GM wheat, Brazilians could see potential health issues with such Franken-crops. A September 2018 article from NaturalHealth365 elaborated on the harms of food made with GM ingredients.

According to the piece, the genetic modification can introduce or elevate allergens, toxins and anti-nutrients that would otherwise be absent in unmodified crops. The effects of the biological insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and the toxic weedkiller glyphosate can also be blamed for the issues linked to GM food.

Experts have raised concern that Bt  which creates small holes in the intestines of pests  could have the same effect in the human digestive systems. Moreover, animals given feed made from GM soy have shown potentially cancerous cell growths and increased inflammation in their stomachs.

Visit GMO.news for more stories about GM wheat.

Listen to Robert Scott Bell talk about GM wheat escaping Monsantos experimental fields and contaminating the U.S. wheat supply below.

This video is from the Natural News channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Japan halts imports of U.S. wheat after USDAs shock finding of genetic pollution from GMOs.

GMO wheat crops threaten the existence of organic wheat by tainting crops across the country.

GM wheat could permanently damage human genetics by silencing hundreds of genes throughout the body.

South Korea joins Japanese ban on U.S. wheat imports after shocking GMO contamination announcement by USDA.

Sources include:

AgWeb.com

eFeedLink.com

MSN.com

NaturalHealth365.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) At first slowly but in recent weeks with seemingly gathering pace, two trends have emerged. On the one hand, many of the core claims behind lockdowns, masks, and vaccines are unravelling and the prevailing narrative has been in retreat on all three fronts. But there is still a long way to go, as indicated by the cussed refusal of the Biden administration to let Novak Djokovic play at Indian Wells.

(Article by Ramesh Thakur republished from Brownstone.org)

On the other hand, the explosive lockdown files in the UK have blown apart the official narrative. We the sceptics were right in our dark suspicions of the motives, scientific basis, and evidence behind government decisions, but even we did not fully grasp just how venal, evil, and utterly contemptuous of their citizens some of the bastards in charge of our health, lives, livelihoods, and childrens future were. Hell is empty, And all the devils are here (Shakespeare, The Tempest) indeed. They will have to build a new circle of hell to accommodate all the perpetrators of evil let loose upon the world since 2020.

A mistake is when you spill coffee or take the wrong exit ramp off the highway. Lockdown was a policy pushed hard by politicians and health chiefs even against scientific dissent and substantial public opposition, using tools from every tyrants playbook of disinformation and lies whilst attacking and censoring truth. The depth of public opposition went unrecognized because the fear-peddling media colluded in not reporting on protests.

Genuine mistakes were few and are forgivable. Most were deliberate distortions of reality, outright falsehoods, and a systematic campaign to terrorize people into compliance with arbitrary diktats interspersed with efforts to vilify, silence, and cancel all critics by using the full powers of the state to co-opt, bribe, and bully. All in pursuit of the most maddening public policy insanity of modern times because it ignored existing canons of pandemic planning in blind panic just when calm was most needed. To call lockdown a mistake is to trivialize the shock to society.

Before coming to that, a few preliminary observations to summarize where we are at.

What is Now Known and Generally but Not Universally Admitted

Covid is now endemic. It will circulate throughout the world and keep returning with mutating variants. People who have been infected and/or vaccinated can contract and transmit it. Consequently we have little choice but to learn to live with it. What is important is to make sure the right policy lessons are learnt so that never again, neither for a novel coronavirus nor for any other infectious disease, do we go down the path of public policy insanity to lock up an entire city or country with the discovery of 1-10 cases and bring all social, cultural and economic activity to a shuddering halt  or give total power and control to sociopaths and psychopaths.

Meanwhile what is particularly striking is just how many suspicions voiced by sceptics from early 2020 onwards and mocked as conspiracy theories have turned into plausible claims and accepted facts:

The virus may have originated in the laboratory of the Wuhan Institute of Virology; Covid modeling was dodgy and dressed up outliers as reasonable case scenarios; Lockdowns dont work; Lockdowns kill through perverse consequences and inflict other damaging harms, including interruptions to critical life-saving childrens immunization campaigns in developing countries; School closures are particularly bad policy. They did not curb transmission but they did cause long-term harm to childrens education, development and emotional well-being; Masks are ineffective. They stop neither infection nor transmission; Infection confers natural immunity at least as effective as vaccination; Covid vaccines do not stop infection, hospitalization, or even death; Covid vaccines do not stop transmission; The safety of vaccines using new technology had not been definitively established, neither for the short term nor for the long term; Vaccine harms are real and substantial but safety signals have been summarily dismissed and ignored; mRNA vaccines are not confined to the arm but spread rapidly to other parts, including reproductive organs, with potentially adverse consequences for fertility and births; The harm-benefit equation of vaccines is, like the disease burden itself, steeply age-differentiated. Healthy young people did not need either initial or booster doses; Vaccination mandates dont increase vaccine take-up; Vaccine mandates can fuel cross-vaccine hesitancy; Suppression of sceptical and dissenting voices will lessen trust in public health officials, experts and institutions, and possibly also in scientists more generally; Estimates of Long Covid were inflated (CDC estimate of 20 percent of Covid infections against UK studys estimate of 3 percent) by using generalized, non-specific symptoms like mild fatigue and weakness; Health policy interventions involve policy trade-offs just like all other policy choices. Cost-benefit analysis is therefore an essential prerequisite, not an optional add-on.

The Lockdown Files

The last three years have seen lives lost in the millions with tens of millions more yet to be accounted for in the coming years, civilized lifestyles destroyed, previously inviolate freedoms shredded, civil liberties turned into privileges to be granted on the whim of bureaucrats, law enforcement officers corrupted into street thugs brutalizing the very people they are sworn to serve and protect, businesses destroyed, economies wrecked, bodily integrity violated.

The Lockdown Files, a treasure trove of over 100,000 WhatsApp messages in real time between all the principal policymakers on Covid in England while Matt Hancock was the Secretary of Health (202026 June 2021), offer an unparalleled and gripping window into the amoral and cynical arrogance circulating in the corridors of power. The daily drip-feed of revelations in the Telegraph is akin to watching with fascinated horror a slow-motion train wreck. Schadenfreude doesnt come any more delicious.

The files are littered with flippant remarks, mocking comments and contempt for citizens. Among the revelations about the Johnson government:

The government knew there was no robust rationale for including children in the rule of six (the maximum number of people who could meet at any given time), but backed the controversial policy anyway.

Facemasks were introduced in secondary schools in England after Johnson was told it was not worth an argument with Scotlands Nicola Sturgeon over the issue, despite Englands Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Chris Whitty saying there were no very strong reasons to do so. In other words, political calculations were knowingly prioritized over schoolchildrens needs.

A plan to lift restrictions were dropped after Johnson was told it would be too far ahead of public opinion.

Consultants were paid over 1 million a day for more than a year on the totally ineffectual test and trace program, turning the scheme into the embezzlement of public funds to line private pockets.

We now know just how punch drunk on tyranny the political, bureaucratic, scientific, and journalist class was during the pandemic. The ruling elites, when liberated from democratic accountability and media scrutiny, morphed seamlessly into morally cavalier and inhumane petty tyrants. Averse to alternative ways of thinking outside the echo chamber, they developed neuralgia to any idea that might challenge lockdown fanaticism.

Lockdown sceptics like the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration (GBD) who argued for the elderly and frail to be protected were demonized as dangerous Covid deniers who wanted to let it rip in a callous and cruel strategy of herd immunity. But government officials whose policies had a direct, catastrophic impact on the health of the elderly and frail were treated as heroes and unimpeachable voices of moral authority.

Sociopath, Psychopath, or Both?

Among the revelations about Hancock:

I can relate therefore to this online comment on one of these stories in the Telegraph: Hancock was intellectually stunted pondlife before the pandemic and still is now, but with more slime and a bit of a stink to him. Or, to put it in more technical language: Hancock comes across as an ego-driven total fwit.

The state criminalized quotidian activities like sitting on a bench in the park, walking on the beach and meeting with extended family. Public health messaging was weaponized to normalize and sacralize spirit-sapping levels of social isolation. Even East Germanys Stasi did not stop the elderly from hugging their grandchildren. Elderly patients were forced to die alone and surviving family members were banned from saying final farewells and denied the solace of a full funeral.

Hancock was able to get away with exercising his lust for power because his prime minister, Boris Johnson, proved to be lazy, weak, and vacillating. The vivid description of Johnson by fired top aide Dominic Cummings  an out of control shopping trolley lurching from side to side in a supermarket aisle, depending on who he last talked to  has been amply validated by the leaked files. The instinctual libertarian rapidly morphed from a lockdown sceptic into a zealot.

Lessons

The Lockdown Files confirm that politics informed the policymakers in most of the key decisions on how to manage the pandemic. Accordingly, while medical specialists can debate the technical details of different medical approaches, policy specialists should be among the lead assessors in evaluating the justifications for and results and effectiveness of the policy interventions.

The existing frameworks, processes and institutional safeguards under which liberal democracies operated until 2020 had ensured expanding freedoms, growing prosperity, an enviable lifestyle, quality of life and educational and health outcomes without precedent in human history. Abandoning them in favour of a tightly centralized small group of decision-makers liberated from any external scrutiny, contestability, and accountability produced both a dysfunctional process and suboptimal outcomes: very modest gains for much long-lasting pain.

The sooner we return to the conviction that good process ensures better long-term outcomes and acts as a check against suboptimal outcomes alongside curbs on abuses of power and wastage of public funds, the better.

Interventions rooted in panic, driven by political machinations, and using all the levers of state power to terrify citizens and muzzle critics in the end needlessly killed massive numbers of the most vulnerable while putting the vast low-risk majority under house arrest. The benefits are questionable but the harms are increasingly obvious. The Johnson government in general and Hancock in particular revalidate Lord Actons astute observation that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

They werent following the science but Hancocks ego and career ambitions. He exploited Johnsons stonking laziness and shallowness. The Lockdown Files reveal a government gone rogue that viewed and treated the people as enemies. The UK, US, and Australia dont need an inquiry strung out over years, focused on small details to the neglect of the big picture, with the tame conclusion that lessons will be learnt but blame cannot be apportioned. Instead we need criminal charges, and the sooner the better.

Britains top civil servant acted more like a partisan political hack than an apolitical, neutral and loyal-to-the-elected-government of the day civil servant. Cases bias, immaturity, poor judgment, and unwillingness to support the PM with accurate, balanced, and impartial information were such as to warrant instant sacking. His hubris is such that he is yet to submit his resignation despite the publication of these appalling exchanges with Hancock who had effectively taken over the government.

The fact that as the absolutely cringe-worthy revelations came tumbling out, PM Rishi Sunak insisted Case has his confidence reflects poorly on Sunaks judgment.

Flawed process produced bad outcomes.

In a modern-day version of sacrificing virgins to appease the viral gods, the young have lost many more years of their life to buy a few more lonely, miserable months for the infirm old.

If the vast sums thrown at Covid had been redirected to the leading killer diseases and upgrades to public health infrastructure, using the standard quality-adjusted life years (QALY) metric, many million deaths would have been averted around the world over the coming decades.

If we fail to heed the lessons of the last three years, we will indeed be condemned to repeat them, not just for new pandemics of infectious diseases but also for other crises like the climate emergency.

Read more at: Brownstone.org
(Natural News) Five members of the Gulf Cartel were tied up, dumped in the street and left for the authorities by their own narco bosses, who left a note apologizing for the murder of two Americans during a kidnapping attempt. The note was obtained by the Associated Press through a state law enforcement officer in the state of Tamaulipas.

The faction of the Gulf Cartel known as the Scorpion Group was responsible for the incident. The bosses of the faction apologized to the residents of Matamoros where the Americans were kidnapped, to the Mexican woman who died during a shootout with the cartel and to the four Americans and their families.

We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline, letter stated  adding that the individuals supposedly went against the cartels rules, including respecting the life and well-being of the innocent.

Drug cartels have been known to issue statements. Usually, these are done to intimidate or threaten local rivals or Mexican authorities. But at certain occasions, such as when the United States is involved, drug cartels issue statements as a public relations stunt to try to smooth over situations that could severely affect their business interests. (Related: 4 Americans missing, 1 Mexican bystander dies after shootout near Texas border.)

Kidnapping and murder of Americans brought in National Guard troops to Mexico

The incident occurred on Friday, March 3. All four Americans were shot during the kidnapping.

The four Americans drove into Matamoros, just across the border from Brownsville, Texas, for a medical procedure. Video of the incident showed gunmen dragging people into a white pickup truck and driving off.

Immediately following the incident and the killing of the two Americans, National Guard troops and a special forces outfit from the U.S. Army entered Mexico to begin running patrols. Mexican security analyst David Saucedo noted that the presence of American troops heated up the plaza.

It is very difficult right now for them to continue working in terms of street-level drug sales and transferring drugs to the United States; they are the first ones interested in closing this chapter as soon as possible, he added.

But the families of the victims do not believe this so-called apology from the cartel should change the situation.

Jerry Wallace, the cousin of victim Eric Williams, who was shot in the left leg, feels great knowing that his family member is alive but does not accept any apologies from the Gulf Cartel.

It aint gonna change nothing about the suffering that we went through, said Wallace, 62, who called for the American and Mexican governments to do better to address cartel violence.

LaTavia Washington McGee was the other survivor of the incident. The two Americans killed were Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard. Their bodies were brought across the border to Brownsville on Thursday, March 9.

Read more news about Mexican cartels at DrugCartels.news.

Watch this episode of the Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina wants the United States to declare war on Mexican drug cartels, but wont show the same support for defending Americas borders.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

CLAIM: Arizonas Democrat governor, Katie Hobbs, accused of taking bribes from Mexican cartel through complex real estate scheme.

On the Fringe with Dan Radiostyle: Trump blasts anti-American Biden for siding with cartels on border policy.

Kari Lake: Katie Hobbs stole elections to protect cartels trafficking drugs, humans across border.

Mexico considers deploying national guard troops to defend high-crime highways and put a stop to cargo theft.

Texas governor steps up, designates Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, orders state law enforcement to take action.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

APNews.com



NBCNews.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) New York Citys Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol told a City Council panel meeting that the Department of Homeless Services and Health & Hospital are spending an average of $363 per day for a single illegal migrants shelter and food.

That translates to over $10 million per day as more than 30,000 illegal migrants currently are housed in the citys taxpayer-funded facilities, according to reports.

City Hall puts the minimum daily cost of taking care of illegal immigrants at $4,622,800, telling the media that there are 12,700 households currently in its care.

Iscol warned the City Councils Committee on Contracts that the city is at the end of its resources, and the situation is not sustainable.

According to Iscol, the temporary Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers set up by the city to deal with the influx of illegal immigrants are not viable solutions.

He added that the city has reached out for help from both state and federal governments. However, the city is not getting enough support from President Joe Biden and New York State Governor Kathy Hochul.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) only provided the city with $8 million in December. City Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis expressed frustration, with Borelli stating that the Biden administration should take responsibility for the situation and provide financial aid to the city.

Hochul has promised $1 billion in aid to the city for the crisis in her state budget, though the city will have to pay a third of the amount. The Biden administration, on the other hand, has yet to commit to funding any amount of aid.

NYC taxpayers money going to waste  literally

Meanwhile, the New York Post reported earlier this year that nearly a ton of taxpayer-provided food gets tossed in the trash every day at a Manhattan hotel being used to house migrants.

Disturbing photos show garbage bags full of sandwiches and bagels awaiting disposal at the four-star Row NYC hotel near Times Square, where the city pays a daily rate as high as $500 per room, hotel employee Felipe Rodriguez told the Post. (Related: NYC mayors top aide admits ILLEGALS are destroying the Big Apple.)

Its a crime to be throwing out so much food, he said.

According to Rodriguez, at least 40 percent of the food supplied to migrants at the Row gets thrown out. He estimated the amount wasted at almost a ton a day.

How do I know that? Because the sanitation guys go floor by floor every day, picking up the trash, he said.

Before, it used to be something like six, seven bags in the back landing of each floor. Now theyre picking up 15, 20 bags. Anything [the migrants] dont consume is in those bags, and theyre heavy. I weighed one of the bags full of sandwiches one time and it weighed 60 pounds.

The expanding roster of hotels in New York City is being used to house about 26,100 of the 38,700 migrants whove flooded into the Big Apple since the spring, according to City Hall.

Officials initially planned to have migrants undergo processing in those hotels for just 72 hours, but they abandoned the plan after getting overwhelmed by the influx that led New York City Mayor Eric Adams to declare a state of emergency in October.

Read more stories about illegal immigrants at Migrants.news.

Watch this video about illegal immigrants being favored over homeless Americans.

This video is from High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Crimes at the border: Illegal immigrants, illegal drugs flow freely in southwest border.

Illegal immigrants now outnumber Americans who are officially unemployed.

YOU CANT MAKE THIS UP! NYC Mayor admits illegal aliens who fled violent drug cartels are now fleeing NYC over fears of rampant crime.

Illegal immigrants ignore their own health and hygiene, harbor communicable diseases.

Sources include:

ThePostMillennial.com

NYPost.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) The first hearing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic occurred this week, and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) spilled the beans about the Chinese Community Partys (CCP) deliberate destruction of evidence pertaining to its alleged Wuhan lab origins.

In order to avoid leaving behind a smoking gun proving that covid was created by mad scientists and not spread randomly in bat soup, Cotton explained, the CCP ravaged the evidence files in an effort to permanently cover up the truth  but it did not work.

The Chinese Communist Party destroyed evidence so there may never be a smoking gun,' Cotton said in a tweet. But all the available evidence points to a lab leak. Theres a reason why the CCP covered this up.

(Related: Remember back in 2020 when Sen. Cotton called on the Department of Justice [DoJ] to investigate Google over antitrust violations?)

Even Bidens Energy Department now agrees that covid likely came from a lab leak

The New York Times disagrees, having published a hit piece on Cotton claiming that no new evidence but plenty of political theater came about in this weeks round of hearings.

The fake news giant is trying to steer the narrative that we simply cannot know where covid came from because there is not enough conclusive evidence one way or another. Cotton says this was intentional on the part of the CCP, which he says is the primary responsible party in this coverup.

The Times apparently missed the memo from the Biden regimes Department of Energy (DoE), which also now agrees that the Chinese Virus more than likely came from the Wuhan lab.

Communist China, meanwhile, continues to insist, as does the Times, that covid just appeared out of nowhere. The regime also claims it has always been open and transparent about the matter, providing shared information and data on [coronavirus] with the international community in a timely manner.

None of this is true, of course, as it is an undeniable fact that communist China destroyed evidence and denied access to vital information back when international investigators were poring over the Wuhan lab in search of evidence.

In truth, China has consistently destroyed evidence and denied access to vital information, a fact the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) was reluctantly forced to admit after Beijing turned the long-delayed visit by W.H.O. investigators to Wuhan in early 2021 into a stage-managed farce, reported Breitbart News.

W.H.O. formally abandoned the search for the viruss origins two weeks ago, expressly because China has effectively obstructed the investigation. W.H.O. promised for years to conduct a more thorough follow-up to the disastrous 2021 Wuhan trip, but China prevented it from occurring.

In Chinas assessment, it is actually the United States that is responsible for unleashing covid, particularly the U.S. Army and its operation in Fort Detrick, Md. There, the regime claims, Tony Fauci and other deep state criminals oversaw the creation of covid as a bioweapon.

We also now know that Fauci participated in a conference call on Feb. 1, 2020, during which the lab leak theory was discussed. Fauci and his allies expressed a desire during this call to keep a lid on the lab leak theory and instead peddle an alternative narrative to keep the U.S. deep state out of the crosshairs.

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, reads a memo sent on March 5 to members of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

As more breaking news emerges to show that covid was manufactured as opposed to being an unexpected anomaly in nature, we will share it with you at Plague.info.

Sources for this article include:

Breitbart.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Certain chemicals pose serious risks to humans, wildlife, agriculture, and the environment, many of which are carcinogens and neurotoxins. Many people are familiar with dangerous household chemicals, like ammonia, bleach, drain cleaners, antifreeze, and even air fresheners. Industries often use or even create other volatile chemicals that are quite dangerous, including chlorine, arsenic trioxide, hydrogen cyanide, dioxins, phosgene, and many more. Some deadly chemicals are released into the environment out of pure carelessness or negligence, and others from accidents or natural disasters.

Way back in 1917, a French cargo ship loaded with wartime explosives, collided with a Norwegian vessel in Halifax, Canada, causing the deadliest industrial disaster that country has ever experienced. More than 2,000 people died and 9,000 more were injured by explosions, fires and debris.

Pay it forward to 1982, when an entire Missouri city, Times Beach, was completely contaminated with one of the most toxic chemicals on Earth, dioxin, that was literally sprayed onto unpaved roads in a haphazard attempt to glue dust to the ground so the dirt roads wouldnt be so dusty. After evacuating every resident and businesses, state and federal governments spent more than $35 million to buyout and demolish every house. Three years later, the whole city was officially shut down. All because the roads were sprayed with the most potent cancer-causing agent made by man.

1984 Bhopal, India gas leak was the largest industrial disaster in history, at that time

Two years later, in 1984, nearly 50 tons of deadly gas (methyl isocyanate) leaked from an insecticide factory in Bhopal, India, creating the largest industrial disaster in history (at the time). The mother company of the plant was an American corporation by the name of Union Carbide. The gas drifted over very populous areas and killed over 15,000 people nearly instantly.

Panic set in across all of Bhopal. Over half a million survivors suffered from respiratory problems, some blinded for life. Their compensation? A couple hundred dollars each. The whole disaster was blamed on incompetence and lack of safety protocol at an understaffed plant. Soil and water contamination led to high instances of birth defects later for the areas inhabitants. Executives of the company were convicted of negligence by a Bhopal court in 2010.

In 1986, serious mistakes made by inadequately trained plant operators at the nuclear power plant Chernobyl, in Ukraine, just north of Kiev, led to explosions and fires that exposed at least five percent of the radioactive reactor core to the environment, which ending up depositing radioactive materials across Europe. Thirty plant workers, plus several firefighters, died from acute radiation syndrome within weeks. Some 5,000 people from the area developed thyroid cancers from the disaster. Surrounding regions were contaminated in Russia and Belarus.

In 1989, the Phillips Petroleum Company plant in Pasadena, Texas experienced a series of explosions caused by an ethylene leak that killed two dozen people and injured over 300. Afterwards, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration blamed the disaster on inadequate safety procedures. Ethylene is a highly flammable gas used in the chemical industry that can cause lymphoma and leukemia in humans.

After an earthquake damaged Japans Fukushima nuclear power plant, Japans government dumped a million tons of radioactive wastewater in the Pacific Ocean

Yes, many governments are responsible for turning chemical and nuclear disasters into much larger catastrophes. This is nothing new to the people of planet Earth. In 2011, after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami that rocked the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, Tokyos government officials assured the people of northeast Japan there was nothing to worry about, and that if they just kept a positive attitude and kept drinking their beer, everything would be just fine.

Over 20,000 people were reported dead or missing after the nuclear disaster, and the land around the plant remains uninhabitable. Over 1.25 million tons of radioactive-contaminated wastewater accumulated in holding tanks. TEPCO claims they removed most of the radioactivity, but thats a lie, because tritium (radioactive hydrogen isotope) still remains, among other undisclosed radioactive materials.

In 2015, a series of massive explosions erupted at a hazardous chemicals storage facility in the Chinese port of Tianjin. More than 50 people were killed and hundreds more injured, thanks to improperly stored chemicals.

The most careless toxic incident in the history of the world just happened in East Palestine, Ohio this year

After a train carrying vinyl chloride derailed in East Palestine, Ohio recently, government officials decided they would light the chemicals on fire and put the entire nation at risk of permanent contamination, in what is said to be the most haphazard handling ever of one of the most deadly chemicals on the planet. The big question is whether this horrific disaster was done on purpose to further destroy agriculture, the food supply, and the health of Americans already decimated by the Biden Regimes crippling of the nation.

Had the EPA and government stepped in and done what was responsible, the train cars loaded with deadly chemicals would have never been SET ON FIRE, and hazardous materials crews could have properly contained and disposed of the chemicals. Instead, by dumping the vinyl chloride in ditches and purposely setting it on fire, they created dioxins that will ruin countless lives, and the agriculture, soil, and water of surrounding regions for decades to come.

Dioxins are byproducts of other chemical productions. They are hormonal toxins that are extremely persistent and build up in the food chain. They are bioactive and can be passed on from generation to generation. The mass media in America has gone silent about the dangers of this massive catastrophe. The effects are worse than those of agent orange in Vietnam.

Keep your truth news in check by adding Preparedness.news to your favorites list and tuning in daily for updates on real news about surviving in the face of accidental and planned chemical spills and so-called controlled burns of the most dangerous toxins on earth.

Sources for this article include:

Censored.news

NaturalNews.com

PlanetWavesFM.substack.com

Britannica.com

World-nuclear.org

NPR.org

InterestingEngineering.com

TheGatewayPundit.com
The latest weather reports said that the La Nina comes to an end, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

As La Nina officially ends, it is expected that El Nino could bring warmer temperatures.

The two weather phenomena play a crucial role in weather events.

Here comes El Nino

In the latest report, AccuWeather and NOAA explained the official end of La Nina.

La Nina had been significant in cooling down temperatures. As it is expected to end, temperatures could soar in some parts of the world.

NOAA explained the likelihood of El Nino's impact on the weather and climate, adding that the warmer event could begin this year or in 2023.

On the other hand, Reuters reported that El Nino is possible from July to September or forming in summer of 2023.

Furthermore, the report said that neutral conditions could emerge this spring season.

In some parts of the United States, previous forecasts noted that spring-like temperatures unfolded in the South and Eastern parts.

Meanwhile, AccuWeather said that the weather phenomenon could impact global wind patterns.

The report added US could experience warm and dry conditions in parts of the southern US due to La Nina. In contrast, El Nino could unload a wetter weather outlook.

As a result, homeowners and motorists should keep updated with the weather and the possible impact of El Nino on the weather pattern.

Impact of El Nino

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the El Nino phenomenon impacted about 60 million from 2015 to 2016.

The impact of El Nino could reach parts of the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, Southern Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

The US Geological Survey added that El Nino could warm the ocean surface, possibly reaching challenging temperatures across the eastern and central Pacific oceans.

Meanwhile, United Nations OCHA explained that La Nina could stay longer than the El Nino phenomenon. Both could reach from nine to 12 months.

Forecasts noted that there could be no rapid transitioning of weather phenomena from La Nina to El Nino.

An article published in the University of Arizona explained that El Nino could play a role in flooding and landslides in parts of Africa.

As El Nino could influence rain, the report added that it could increase the risk of water-borne diseases.

Meanwhile, the Guardian showed that challenging heatwaves could emerge as El Nino unfolds.

As the global population suffers from climate change, El Nino could help unleash hotter temperatures and concerning heatwaves.

Warming temperatures could impact aquatic animals that could not survive the extreme temperatures.

Did you know? More facts about El Nino

OCHA explained that El Nino is not actually due to climate change. Both are considered natural weather events or occurrences.

However, climate change could contribute to warmer temperatures that could devastate oceans, environments and humans.

Related Article: Powerful Winter Storms Ease Prolonged Drought Conditions in California

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature News.
Killer whales are known for hunting fish, seals, squid, and other marine animals. However, both anecdotal evidence and documented evidence in recent years have proven that they also hunt several shark species, even the notorious predator, great white sharks. In spite their fierce track record, there is still no reported fatal attacks by killer whales on humans in the wild.

For instance, two orcas named 'Port' and 'Starboard' killed at least 17 sharks in the waters off South Africa within a single day in late February. This is not the first time that the due killer whales were reported stalking, preying, and killing sharks. Since their first discovery in 2015, the presence of Port and Starboard has led to a localized shark evacuation off the South African country.

Port and Starboard Returns

Port and Starboard are the names of two infamous orcas known for swimming off the coast of South Africa. Known for their collapsed dorsal fins, which is rare in the wild, Port's fin bends to the left and Starboard's bends to the right. The duo killer whales went on a killing spree on February 24, where they killed at least 17 broadnose sevengill sharks in a single day, according to the website Earthsky.

The whales only consumed the livers of the sharks, which were left dead and their bodies to wash up on a South African beach. The incident is considered rare since it not everyday that local residents and authorities in South Africa see the pair of killer marine animals hunting sharks.

In 2015, the male orcas Port and Starboard was first discovered after scuba divers found several dead, floating broadnose sevengill sharks. Scientists then attributed the shark deaths to the two predatory killer whales, Earthsky recalls.

Furthermore, the years 2017 and 2019 saw the washing up of dead great white sharks on the South African coast, where it was observed that their livers were eaten out from their bodies. In 2020, the previously shark-infested waters of South Africa's False Bay has reportedly nearly became a 'ghost town' after almost hundreds of great white sharks moved out from the area.

Also Read: [VIDEO] Orca Shows Ancient and Rare Hunting Technique to Catch and Kill Its Prey in Antarctica

Orcas Kill Great White Sharks

It was in October 2022 when news about scientists confirming that orcas also chase and kill great white sharks. This comes after the marine mammal was caught on video by a drone making a snack on of the world's largest sea predators, The Guardian reported.

In the 3-minute aerial drone clip uploaded on YouTube by Sea Search Research & Conservation, it can be seen that a pod of killer whales are encircling white sharks in Mossel Bay, South Africa.

Based from an official press release by the marine research organization, this is the "first direct evidence" of orcas killing great white sharks in South Africa. In addition to the drone, the feeding frenzy was also captured by a helicopter.

Findings about the study was published in the journal Ecology of The Ecological Society of America in October.

Related Article: Dozens of Sharks Avoid South African Waters as Killer Whale Duo 'Port' and 'Starboard' Hunt Them
March became problematic for California after heavy snow caused health and safety concerns. This week, the latest forecast showed that atmospheric river could cause flooding concerns in California.

Californians should keep updated with the weather for possible flooding, travel disruptions and slower commutes this week.

Atmospheric events and flooding

In the latest weather report, AccuWeather said that the atmospheric event hit parts of California, causing challenging rain and snow.

The weather forecast advised residents to stay alert for the rapid water rise due to the rainy conditions.

Central Valley could expect challenging conditions as a flood warning is present in the Merced River. Weather agencies also monitored the Salinas River and Monterey County.

Meanwhile, the report added that rainy conditions impacted southeastern California and parts of Los Angeles.

Recently, CNN News reported that California suffered from heavy snow, especially in San Bernardino County, which left many residents stranded at their homes.

In the latest key message, the NWS Weather Prediction Center reported that mountain snow could unload in northern and central California this coming weekend.

The weather forecast added that excessive rainfall could unfold next week in California, which could cause more flooding concerns.

On the other hand, CBS News reported that about 9,000 residents in California were evacuated due to the atmospheric river.

Meanwhile, authorities deployed personnel to help with evacuations and cleaning operations due to downed trees.

The report added that Watsonville residents were advised to evacuate due to possible flooding.

Due to the flooding, residents could expect slower commutes and travel disruptions.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the recent snowpack in California improved the prolonged drought in the region, helping essential reservoirs.

How to prepare for flooding

The flooding concerns in California could result in dangerous situations for residents. Californians experienced severe weather conditions in January due to a bomb cyclone and an atmospheric river.

This week, forecasts showed that flooding could impact this week. According to American Red Cross, disaster preparedness is essential during dangerous floods.

Also Read: El Nino to Bring Warmer Temperatures After Official End of La Nina

Here are important reminders to prepare for possible flooding in California.

Prepare emergency supplies and kits.

It is at the top of the list because flooding could cause inaccessible road conditions. Homeowners should ensure enough home food supplies and emergency kits in case of a widespread power outage and evacuation.

The recommended home supplies and emergency kits are the following:

Battery-powered radio

Extra flashlights for family members

Non-perishable goods and bottled water

Extra mobile phone and power bank

List of contacts

Keep updated with the weather conditions

During a flooding event, it is not recommendable to commute to affected areas. Motorists should stay updated with the weather conditions for possible road closures, road delays and dangers.

It is best to stay home when the weather becomes disastrous or severe.

Related Article: US Winter Forecast: Storms to Hit Northeast Next Week; Rounds of Snow to Cause Travel Disruptions

For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
As their population continues to rise significantly, experts warn that the Burmese python, an invasive species, is moving north of Florida in search of more prey.

The Burmese python population in Florida is growing outside of the Everglades after decimating its prey.

The Everglades National Park and other ecosystems in southern Florida are where the invasive species are largely found.

However, a recent study from the US Geological Survey found that the species is moving northward and is expanding outside of these habitats, with some individuals being found as far north as Lake Okeechobee.

Burmese pythons are expected to gradually spread into nearby natural habitats as they continue to decimate their prey base in Florida's southernmost natural areas and as their population grows, according to Michael Kirkland, a South Florida Water Management District senior invasive animal biologist and study co-author.

Burmese Pythons

In Florida, Burmese pythons are an invasive species. The species is indigenous to Asia, and it was probably brought to Florida in the 1970s through the exotic pet trade. Since then, they have flourished in the subtropical climate of the state, and their population is on the rise. As they continue to prey on local wildlife, this poses serious threats to the environment.

It is anticipated that the majority of snakes will remain south of Palm Beach, despite some being found north of Lake Okeechobee.

Ron DeSantis vs the invasive Burmese python. https://t.co/fSlfEfpTjl #flpol  Jeanne MillikenBonds     (@JeanneBondsNC) March 4, 2023

According to Kirkland, pythons are hardy creatures with a high capacity for environmental adaptation, but it's not clear how far north the invasive species will be able to spread if unchecked. The data clearly shows that pythons still prefer natural areas to urban development, even though there doesn't seem to be a suitable habitat or climate for them north of Lake Okeechobee at the moment.

According to Kirkland, the South Florida Water Management District, and its partners are doing their best to hold the line and stop the snakes from moving further afield in the state.

Kirkland continued by saying that it is still a top priority to restore the Everglades, including by making a suitable habitat for native species free from the threat of pythons as well as other invasive plants and animals.

With the help of dots that represent sightings or captures, the USGS map demonstrates the extent to which pythons have spread. From the Everglades, dots are seen moving north.

According to Jackie Guzy, author of the USGS report, those seen north of Lake Okeechobee might not be a part of the same population as those slithering in the Everglades or the south. Guzy says that these snakes might have recently escaped.

Also Read: Invasive, Destructive Giant Land Snails Puts Florida County Under Quarantine

Florida Fish and Wildlife vs. Burmese Pythons

Burmese pythons are a special concern because they breed quickly and are challenging to control in terms of population.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has put in place several initiatives to try and control the population, but worries persist as the numbers keep rising.

This covers both allowing humane killings of Burmese Pythons on commissioned lands listed on the website as well as on private lands with the owner's permission.

According to Kirkland, there are many reasons to be concerned about local wildlife. severe declines in the numbers of fur-bearing animals in Everglades National Park and the nearby natural areas, specifically as a result of the python invasion. Wading birds are now frequently found in analyses of stomach content.

Previously believed to be restricted to Miami-Dade County's natural areas, Kirkland asserts that there is now a strong possibility that the invasive species population has spread as far north, reaching Palm Beach as well as Hendry Counties, Newsweek reports.

Related Article: Florida Holds Annual Invasive Snake Hunt to Remove Burmese Python from Local Ecosystem
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Cloudy with rain and snow showers. Low around 35F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 60%. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain and snow showers. Low around 35F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 60%. Higher wind gusts possible.
Individuals with Type 1 diabetes have a smaller pancreas than people without diabetes. This is surprising because insulin-producing beta cells account for just a small fraction of the pancreas, so the loss of beta cells in Type 1 diabetes would not be expected to reduce pancreas size.

Now, a study of one family from Alabama has led Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers to discover that insulin deficiency, independent of the autoimmunity associated with Type 1 diabetes, is the principal factor leading to a markedly smaller pancreas.

Four members of this family of eight have monogenic diabetes from a rare mutation in the insulin gene, leading to insulin deficiency without autoimmunity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pancreas showed a reduced size and altered shape in the individuals with diabetes. This was similar to what had previously been observed in individuals with Type 1 diabetes. These new findings are published in Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association.

This is a wonderful story about the power of a single family to inform us about the process of a disease that affects millions of people. There are not many families, especially not large families, who are known to have exactly this form of diabetes, who could come forward to help us answer this question. But they responded to the call, and they've provided a really clear answer to a fundamental biologic question." Daniel Moore, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Ian Burr Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes

About two decades ago, David Pursell and his wife, Ellen, agreed that he and three of their six children who were diagnosed with diabetes would participate in research with the hope more could be learned about the disease. It was as simple as giving a little blood.

They were surprised years later when a researcher from the University of Chicago's Kovler Diabetes Center called to tell them that advances in science had revealed that the four actually had monogenic diabetes due to a mutation in the insulin gene instead of Type 1 diabetes.

Last year, the Pursells were contacted by VUMC researchers who were collaborating with Siri Greeley, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the Kovler Diabetes Center's Monogenic Diabetes Registry. The Vanderbilt research team asked if the family could travel to Nashville to have precise measurements of their pancreas taken at the Medical Center.

The VUMC research team, which includes Moore, Jordan Wright, MD, PhD, Jon Williams, PhD, Melissa Hilmes, MD, and Alvin C. Powers, MD, along with colleague Jack Virostko, PhD, at The University of Texas at Austin, had previously found the reduction in pancreas size was present at the time of Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. The Vanderbilt investigators had also organized an international team, the Multicenter Assessment of the Pancreas in Type 1 Diabetes (MAP-T1D), to develop a standardized MRI imaging protocol to assess pancreas volume and microarchitecture.

"We know the pancreas is much smaller in individuals with Type 1 diabetes, but there haven't been good models to understand exactly what's going on," said Wright, an instructor in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism and first author on the manuscript. "This is the first time we can actually demonstrate in humans that insulin is a major factor in determining pancreas size and the loss of it leads to a much smaller pancreas."

David and Ellen and their now adult children, Peggy Rice, Vaughan Spanjer, Chrissy Adolf, Ramsey Nuss, and twin sons Parker and Martin Pursell, each had their pancreas size measured using the standardized Vanderbilt MRI protocol. David, Chrissy, Parker and Martin have monogenic diabetes.

"When we talked to the doctors at Kovler, they asked if we'd be interested in participating in some trials or research and we said, 'Of course, anything we can do,'" said David Pursell. "When we learned our diabetes was not caused by an immune response due to our islet cells being attacked by antibodies, then we thought maybe we've got the chance of getting an islet cell transplant.

"But also, we're obviously all in this together. If, by virtue of our family volunteering for this research we can help anyone else, we felt like it would be worth it."
With the arrival of March, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, faculty and staff in the Department of Internal Medicine's Section of Digestive Diseases are redoubling their efforts to spread the word about the importance of screening, especially in younger individuals and those with a family history of the disease.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Still, many people are unaware of the role screening plays in reducing their risk of developing the disease.

"Caught early, this cancer has an excellent prognosis, and screening has been shown to decrease incidence and mortality," said Xavier Llor, MD, PhD, professor of medicine (digestive diseases), Yale School of Medicine; medical director of the Cancer Screening and Prevention Program and Colorectal Cancer Prevention Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center.

Despite the continued overall decline of colorectal cancer, recent statistics are worrisome, Llor said. According to the latest report from the American Cancer Society, the proportion of cases among those younger than 55 has increased and the progress against colorectal cancer as a whole has slowed.

Llor recommends that health care providers start the discussion with patients by age 40, to increase the chances that they will get screened by 45. Individuals with a parent, sibling, or child who had colorectal cancer should start screening earlier, at age 40, he said.
On a Sunday afternoon in April, Adiel Najeras world turned upside down.

The 25-year-old University of Kentucky doctoral student knew something was wrong. Earlier that week, he experienced exhaustion, chest pains and trouble driving. On this spring weekend in 2022, he slept through his alarm, missed church, then found himself disoriented and barely able to move.

Weak and unable to leave his apartment, Najera FaceTimed his parents, who quickly knew the situation was dire because of his slurred speech and confusion.

The biggest steps of my life

Music  and the trumpet in particular  are in Najeras DNA. Hes a trumpet performance major in the UK College of Fine Arts and his father, Paul, is a retired band director and trumpet player himself who still gives lessons to musicians. Adiels brother, Johniel, is a music education major at Baylor University in the familys home state of Texas.

In early April, Paul and Johniel competed in the National Trumpet Competition in Delaware. Adiel surprised them by showing up unannounced to cheer them on, along with his competing UK colleagues.

Afterward, Adiel and the other UK students drove back to Lexington. Thats when his symptoms began.

They dropped me off at my apartment. Its only two steps I have to take to get up on the level to my apartment, and I just remember those two steps feeling like the biggest steps of my life. Adiel Najera, University of Kentucky doctoral student

In the days that followed, Adiel grew more out of sorts.

On the Sunday he phoned his family, his father was so worried that he called Adiels band director, Professor Cody Birdwell, D.M.A. Birdwell along with three of Adiels classmates hurried over to Adiels apartment to check on him.

My couch to my door was about five steps, Adiel said. I was on FaceTime with my dad and he said, Go open the door now, son. He was pretty forward about it.

However, Adiel remained sitting as he felt unable to stand up.

My father almost called the police to just force their way in. It took all my willpower to get up and take those few steps to open the door. Thats one of the last things I remember.

Soon after the door opened, Adiels friends and Birdwell rushed him to UK Good Samaritan Hospital.

It looked like fireworks in his brain

Doctors at Good Samaritan determined Adiel had experienced multiple strokes and sent him to UK HealthCares Kentucky Neuroscience Institute. Adiels parents and brother booked the first possible flight from Texas to Lexington.

Before Adiel underwent emergency brain surgery, his family was able to briefly visit him along with his priest.

Having a priest there was important to us, said Paul, who feared his son might not make it out of surgery.

Paul recalls examining Adiels CT scan.

It looked like fireworks in his brain, Paul said. It was a three-hour surgery, and it was the longest three hours of my life.

Adiels family held vigil in the days that followed.

I left at midnight every day and went to Adiels apartment and pretended to sleep, Paul recalled. I came back at six in the morning to relieve his mother and brother, then they went and pretended to sleep.

Rest and relief finally came when Adiel improved enough to be sent to Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital two weeks later. It took extraordinary work by neurologist David Dornbos, M.D. and Adiels neurosurgery team at the Kentucky Neuroscience Institute to get him to that point.

He truly saved our sons life

Adiels most dangerous stroke occurred in his cerebellum, the part of the brain at the base of the skull that is important to movement, balance and motor function.

The problem there is you get a lot of swelling, which starts to push on the brain stem, Dornbos said. If we had done nothing, he probably would have passed away from it.

To relieve the pressure and give Adiels brain room to swell and recover, Dornbos removed part of his skull  as well as portions of dead brain tissue.

After we got that bone off, the surgery went fine, Dornbos said. He did really well with it.

A second procedure, involving the insertion of a catheter into an artery, was performed to prevent secondary strokes and to plug a major clot in Adiels arterial artery.

Dornbos says it is uncommon for people in their 20s and 30s to suffer strokes. However, he and the other providers at Kentucky Neuroscience Institute have dealt with enough such cases that theyre prepared to meet the moment when it occurs. Even if, as in Adiels case, the cause of a stroke is unclear.

Were a very high-volume referral center for vascular neurosurgery, so we get a lot of (experience), Dornbos said. You always have to be very conscientious about each individual patient. But when you do it that many times over and over again, you definitely have better outcomes.

Adiels family is grateful for their experience.

At the end of this surgery where they removed part of Adiels brain, we had this amazing human being of a doctor come in and talk to us, said Adiels mother, Johjania, of Dornbos. He was so caring, yet so professional, so approachable and kind. It made a world of difference to us. The confidence that we knew he truly cared, it wasn't just a job.

He truly saved our son's life, Johjania said. His hands, his knowledge, his caring just saved him. And we're forever grateful.

Paul praised Dornbos and Adiels health care team for their life-saving care, as well as their compassion toward the family at a frightening time.

That man is my new hero, Paul said. He tolerated my questions and was very gracious. I owe these people more than I can ever give them.

Hes a pretty remarkable guy

Adiel has worked hard through occupational, speech, and physical therapy to reach his pre-stroke level of motor and musical skills. It has been a frustrating road at times. But through dedicated practice with the help of his father, his brother, and UK trumpet Associate Professor Jason Dovel, D.M.A., Adiels trumpet skills are improving every day. Dornbos says Adiels family has played a major role in his rapid recovery.

His family is awesome, Dornbos said. Hes a pretty remarkable guy, and he has really good family support. Those two things make a big difference.

Dornbos expects Adiel to make a near-complete recovery and says hes at fairly low risk for another stroke.

When young people have strokes, its kind of a blessing and a curse because their recovery tends to be better. Their brains are more adaptable, Dornbos said. Hes probably at a slightly higher risk of stroke than the general population, just because its happened to him before. But hes not at tremendously higher risk.

The best medicine

Adiel performed with the UK Wind Symphony just five months after the inexplicable series of strokes thrust him into the biggest challenge of his young life. Hes on course to earn his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance and determined to achieve his goal of teaching and playing trumpet professionally.

Adiel is forever grateful for all the treatment hes received from UK HealthCare. But his favorite therapy has been with him since birth.

Music is indescribable, he said. Its something past words and something past feelings. Its some of the best medicine in the world.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Low near 10F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Low near 10F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Indian School announced that it would soon be signing a Solar Power Purchase Agreement (SPPA) to save on EWA bill expenses, during an annual General Body Meeting held at Riffa Campus.

According to Chairman Prince S Natarajan, the deal would not bring any additional costs, as the design, financing, and installation of the solar energy system would be undertaken by the developer.

Natarajan added that this move falls in line with the schools commitment to UNESCOs sustainable development goals. The school also announced other decisions, including getting into a deal with a financial service provider to collect tuition fees online, which allows parents to view pending and historic payments.

The school is also setting up smart tools in classrooms to enhance the curriculum. Additionally, a proposal to install an LED display in the Jashanmal auditorium in Isa Town received approval. During the meeting, the schools financial report was approved, and water leakage issues in the Riffa Campus buildings were discussed.

Natarajan mentioned that the current executive committee is operating under an extension granted by the Ministry of Education, which was also upheld by Bahraini courts. The AGM was attended by Chairman Prince S Natarajan, Secretary Saji Antony, Vice-Chairman Jayafar Maidani, Executive Committee Members Binu Mannil Varughese, Mohammad Kuhrsheed Alam, Premalatha NS, Rajesh Nambiar, Ajayakrishnan V, Mohammad Nayaz Ullah, Principal VR Palaniswamy, and Staff Representative Johnson K Devassy.

The meeting also approved a resolution that the MoE nominee to the EC shall be a parent and not any past EC member. It was decided that the school would provide a reply to queries and feedback from the parents within seven days of receiving such emails.
Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, says the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in the state, has endorsed his reelection bid.

Abiodun is running for his second and final term as governor of Ogun.

In a series of tweets on Friday, the governor said the endorsement is a big win for the All Progressives Congress (APC), his party.

He said the support by the opposition party is a testament to how well policies and programmes by his administration suit everyone in the state, even across party lines.

Crucial as it is, this total endorsement by leaders of the frontline opposition party is a clear statement on how well the projects, programmes and policies that have shaped Ogun State under our Administration sits well with all and sundry, even across party lines.  Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun - MFR (@dabiodunMFR) March 10, 2023





The executive members and leadership of the Labour Party in Ogun state have endorsed and declared their support for our re-election bid. This is a BIG Win for us and our great party, the APC in Ogun state, Abiodun tweeted.

Crucial as it is, this total endorsement by leaders of the frontline opposition party is a clear statement on how well the projects, programmes and policies that have shaped Ogun state under our administration sits well with all and sundry, even across party lines.

We are not ungrateful for this public, unreserved and objective thumbs-up, that will further project the popular acceptability of our inclusive governance approach.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Julius Abure, LP national chairman, said the party did not instruct any state chapter to liaise with or support candidates from other parties.
The immediate former Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa, has authenticated the position of the worldwide leader of the association, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, on the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the February 25, presidential election.

Prior to the election, the leadership of the group were divided over the candidates for the election as Fasoranti and some other leaders of the Afenifere supported Tinubu while the National Leader of the association, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, backed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi .

After Tinubu was declared the winner of the poll, Fasoranti sent a congratulatory message to Tinubu but the Adebanjos group, in a meeting held recently, condemned the outcome of the presidential election, declaring that Obi won the election.

However, Arogbofa, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the position of Fasoranti on Tinubus victory was the position of the Afenifere. The statement was titled, On some reactions by some Afenifere members on the presidential victory of Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The statement read, Chief Dr R.F. Fasoranti, is still alive and kicking. By the Afenifere tradition, he is still the leader of Afenifere. We defer to him in line with our cherished Yoruba culture. So, whatever any other member says or does is immaterial, after he has spoken or acted.

In an interview, I acknowledged that some members were foisting Peter Obi as presidential candidate on us, I did say Afenifere members are not robots. They are made up of intelligent people with strong convictions but occasional divergent views. That notwithstanding, they are bound together by the welfare philosophy of the association. On any contentious issue, they come together as democrats the discuss and agree on a consensus. While the consensus becomes their public stand view, those who disagree are still allowed to keep their views without necessarily making them an opposition position to the majority decision.

I concluded by saying if elections will hold in 2023, most Afenifere members and by extension the right-thinking, accommodating and unbiased Yoruba ethnic group who are in the silent majority will vote Tinubu.

He added, On March 3, 2023, Chief R.F Fasoranti sent a very warm congratulatory letter, on our behalf and himself, to Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his hard-won victory in the February 25, 2023 presidential election. That was done in line with the well-known Afenifere practice. This is where Afenifere stands. The oracle has acted and spoken. Any person or group that may see things differently is free to do so as he is free to exercise his liberty.




The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu has said the allegation that he rigged the presidential election could lead to a lawsuit.





The electoral chief issued a reply to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, after the leadership, on Friday, asked him to resign.





The opposition charged the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, to investigate the chairman over alleged manipulation of election results.





A statement by Yakubus Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi said the call was misplaced and challenged the PDP to prove its claims in court.





The spokesperson wondered why the party did not provide evidence to back up the spurious allegations.





Oyekanmi said the PDP also did not give evidence of how Yakubu sabotaged the uploading and transmission of results from polling units.





The aide maintained that the INEC does not rig elections, stressing that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, has ensured the integrity of the electoral process.





Oyekanmi remined the PDP that it rejected the outcome of the February 25 poll and should toe the path of honour by pursuing its case until judgment is delivered.





Canvassing the same issues the party intends to plead in court on the pages of newspapers and calling for the resignation of the INEC Chairman is like putting the cart before the horse.





The PDP is hereby reminded that making libelous allegations against the person of the INEC Chairman is actionable, he added.
The Labour Party (LP) campaign has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of not allowing Peter Obi, standard bearer of the party, to access election materials.

Recall that the court of appeal granted leave to Obi to have access to all the sensitive materials used by INEC.

INEC, however, asked the court to vary the order, saying the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) needs to be reprogrammed ahead of the governorship and state assembly polls.

In a statement on Friday, Yunusa Tanko, spokesperson of the LP campaign, described the move by INEC as an act of judicial insubordination.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with greatest impunity have refused, neglected and failed to obey the order of the presidential election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja made on the 3rd day of March 2023, directing it to grant the Labour Party and its presidential candidate H.E. Peter Gregory Obi leave to apply and receive from INEC certified true copies of materials used in the presidential election held on 25th February 2023, he said.

It will be recalled that the aforesaid order of the presidential election petition tribunal was duly served on INEC on the 3rd of March 2023 despite the fact that they were present and represented at the tribunal when the order was made.

Not minding the service of the said order on INEC, and a reminder letter dated the 6th day of March 2023 and delivered same date at the INEC headquarters Abuja, the electoral umpire has continued to ignore and or disobey the valid order of such magnitude till NOW.

It should be noted that in a democracy like ours, rule of law must triumph not only in our legal system but also in our body polity as a whole.

Parties to a litigation like in this instant case must accept and obey every order of the court in good faith and no party should be seen to employ self-help to disparage or disrespect an order of court which if not checked and curtailed could possibly undermine our democracy, rule of law and constitutionalism.

The action of INEC under reference also constitutes for all intent and purposes, an act of judicial insubordination and willful refusal to comply to the order of court. As we speak INEC has chosen to obey the court order given to it to reconfigure the BIVAS machine, which they are doing right now, and ignoring the order granted to us to inspect electoral materials.

The Labour Party campaign said the disobeying of court order is a well calculated attempt to undermine and frustrate the presentation of the petition by the party.

We therefore want to state that we will not fail to call our supporters to march to INEC offices nationwide in a non violent protest which is allowed by law. This is to curtail the flagrant disobedience to court orders by INEC, the LP campaign said.
Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has reacted to calls by the presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi for people of the state to vote massively for his partys House of Assembly candidates.

Obi had on Friday night met with National and state Assembly candidates of Labour Party in Anambra, while urging the assembly candidates to work with Soludo upon election.

Obi said Soludo remained his brother, and that he should not fear being impeached by Labour Party dominated assembly, as all that was paramount was to bring development to the state.

But Soludo reacting to the call, through his Press secretary, Mr Chris Aburime said the call was rather deceptive, and was meant to lay landmines for Soludo.

He said: That call was meant to deceive Anambra people. Obi can not be talking about development in Anambra and also be talking about asking Anambra people to elect lawmakers from the opposition party to work with Soludo.

He worked with a legislature that was dominated by lawmakers from the PDP, when he first came in as governor, and he knows that it was not easy for him.

He even suffered impeachment because of that, and we hope it is not the same thing he wants to set Soludo up for.

Anambra people should go all out next Saturday and vote for APGA, if they want the developmental strides of Mr Governor to continue.

You can not be talking of development and at the same time talking of electing opposition politicians into the House of Assembly, it is not done. It is deceit.

Anambra people supported Obi during the presidential election, and besides, Soludo refused to interfere as the people trooped out to vote for Labour Party, and that was even before Soludo made the environment conducive for people to come out and vote.

We have voted Labour Party in the presidential election, but for the House of Assembly election, we are voting for APGA, and we want Anambra people to know so.

Soludo and Obi have had a running battle on the choice of lawmakers in the next session of the Anambra House of Assembly.

Though they will be no governorship election in the state, Soludo is fighting to have majority, if not all members of the 30-man assembly, while Obi who is the leader of an emerging political force in the country, wants to assert himself by using his influence to cause a higher number of lawmakers in the assembly.

Obi had in the presidential election held two weeks ago, won about 92 percent of the total votes cast in the Anambra State, a feat that has shown his dominance in the state.
Some state governments are planning to initiate contempt proceedings against the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over their non-compliance with the supreme court judgement on the naira redesign policy.

Last week, the supreme court ruled that the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes remain legal tender till the end of 2023.

Following the judgement, some banks have been giving the old notes to customers but the banks insist that customers fill out a form on the CBN portal before the old notes can be deposited.

Traders, motorists, and business owners have also refused to accept the old naira notes in anticipation of official approval from the CBN or President Muhammadu Buhari.

On Friday, the governments of Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, Ondo, Ekiti, Katsina, Ogun, Cross River, Lagos and Sokoto states served Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, the enrolled order and certified true copy (CTC) of the supreme court judgement.

Abdulhakeem Mustapha, counsel for Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states, said that he expected immediate compliance with the judgment as the non-service of the documents had given the government and the CBN an escape route.

The Attorney-General of the Federation has been served now and we will take it up from there; if there is no compliance now, we will commence committal proceedings against the attorney-general and the CBN governor, Mustapha told ThePunch.

When the Supreme Court talks, the constitution makes it compulsory for all government representatives and everybody to comply with its order. Its not discretional, you have to obey, it is the last and the final and that is why we have separation of power.

The presence of separation of power is for checks and balances; when the Supreme Court talks, it must be complied with by all persons.

The Kogi government recently threatened to arrest and prosecute persons and businesses rejecting the old naira notes.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has arrested members of two syndicate groups allegedly involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit United States dollars (USD) and new naira notes.

During an interview with the NAN in Abuja on Friday, Olusola Odumosu, NSCDCs public relations director, said the suspects were arrested in Plateau state between February 22 and March 8.

Odumosu said members of one of the groups, consisting of four men, were arrested in possession of fake 64,800 dollars and N475,000.

He also said the counterfeit notes of N1.5 million were seized from the second group of five men.

From the seized N1.5 million, N784,500 were counterfeit new naira notes while N49,650 was old naira notes, he said.

He said members of the first group were apprehended following an intelligence report that they were on their way to deliver the fake notes to a client in Nasarawa state.

Odumosu added that the suspects have made confessions about their involvement, noting that the corps was carrying out extensive investigations and manhunting other fleeing syndicate members.

He said investigations revealed that the syndicates had operated in Plateau, Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Gombe states for years before their apprehension.




The Zamfara State Police Command has dislodged bandits camp, rescuing 14 kidnapped victims, after 68 days in captivity.





This was contained in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Gusau, the State capital by the State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), S P Mohammed Shehu.





On March 10, 2023, Police Tactical Operatives in Conjunction with the vigilante while on Mop Up Operation near Munhaye forest successfully dislodged bandits camp belonging to one recalcitrant bandits Kingpin AKA Dogo Sule





As a result of the operation, fourteen hostages comprising two male adults, seven females and five children below the age of 2 were rescued.





According to the statement, in the course of debriefing, the victims informed the police detectives that, on January 1, 2023 at about 2300hrs, large number of suspected bandits armed with sophisticated weapons stormed Anguwar Mangoro and Gidan Maidawa villages in Gusau Local Government Area and abducted them to their camp where they spent 68 days in captivity.





The victims who were in sympathetic condition have been taken to the police clinic in Gusau for medical treatment and thereafter reunited with their families and relations.





The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kolo Yusuf has congratulated the victims for regaining their freedom, reassuring them of continuous commitment to protect lives and property of the citizens.








Former England midfielder, Steven Gerrard has flown to Istanbul to hold talks with Trabzonspor.





Gerrard has been out of job since being sacked by Aston Villa on October 20.





The 42-year-old lasted less than one year in charge of the Premier League side after joining from Rangers to take a first job in Englands topflight.





Gerrard was linked with the Poland job earlier this year, after the countrys FA decided not to renew Czeslaw Michniewiczs contract.





But Poland eventually appointed Fernando Santos.





According to Turkish outlet Karar, Gerrard visited Istanbul earlier this week to have dinner with Ertugrul Dogan, who is running to become president of Trabzonspor.





The club are sixth in the Turkish Super Lig, having won 11 of their 23 matches.





Dogan has reportedly promised to hire Gerrard as manager if he wins the forthcoming election.
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said Peter Obi of the Labour Party is following in the footsteps of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Arthur Nzeribe, by calling for the cancellation of a free and fair election.

Fani-Kayode, a Tinubu, Shettima Presidential Campaign Council member, disclosed this on Friday through his verified Twitter page.

Reacting to the rejection of the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubus victory at the just concluded presidential poll by Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, the APC chieftain wondered why Nigerian politicians were calling for the annulment of a free and fair election.

Why do Nigerian politicians call for the annulment of a free & fair election after losing & for the scrapping of the Electoral Commission that conducted it? Zik did so after Shagaris 1979 election, Nzeribe did so after Abiolas 1993 election & Obi did so after BATs 2023 election, he said.

Recall that Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, has headed to the Presidential Court of Appeal Tribunal to challenge Tinubus victory.

Tinubu, the former Governor of Lagos state, was declared the 25 February presidential election winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
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Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Clear skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low around 45F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Clear skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low around 45F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Kyle may have thought his man shed would be more fun. Its barely furnished, and the shed behind his and Nans rural Georgia home mostly holds junk and outdoor gear reflecting his interest in hunting. There isnt much furniture, and the rolling chair would be more comfortable if he werent duct taped to it.

Nan has turned the tables. As Lauren Gundersons Exit, Pursued by a Bear begins, Nan has decided shes had enough of Kyles abuse. After knocking him out and taping him to the chair, shes planning on having the last word.

The drama is stark and at times darkly comic. Torey Hayward and Tenaj Jackson are co-directing it for the Radical Buffoons at the Fortress of Lushington from March 19 to April 7.

In summer, after Roe v. Wade (was overturned), we knew we wanted scripts with strong female leads, Hayward says. Thats how the conversation started.

Gunderson is one of the most produced contemporary playwrights in the U.S. Many of her works focus on women characters and exploring their power. Locally, The NOLA Project presented her drama The Revolutionists, set during the French Revolution and featuring Marie Antoinette, assassin Charlotte Corday and a fictional French Caribbean woman inspired by the Haitian revolution.

Gunderson also co-wrote the much more lighthearted Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, which the now shuttered Southern Rep Theatre mounted at Loyola University. It takes Jane Austens characters from Pride and Prejudice and imagines them years later, focusing on middle daughter Mary Bennet as an intellectually curious figure less caught up in the novels concerns with social standing.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear is not bookish at all. Its a far more visceral whirlwind of a one-act drama in which Nan wants vengeance. Shes planning to use some of the remains of a recently killed deer carcass to attract bears to the shed where shes restrained Kyle. Its farfetched, and even comically so, but that humor just helps get to the point.

Some of the humor is strangely serious and offbeat at the same time. Nan occasionally recalls the words of former President Jimmy Carter. Gunderson is a native of northern Georgia, where the play is set. Nan and Kyle lead a humble life not too far from Atlanta, though it comes across as a scary metropolis to them.

People doing the play often lean into comedic caricatures of these people, versus telling these honest stories, Jackson says. Which part of them would kill a man, or would abuse a person for so long and not feel remorse until theyre being threatened with a bear?

Nan enlists two friends for support. Sweetheart is a stripper who imitates Kyle. Simon is a friend who appears in a cheerleader outfit.

Exit, Pursued by a Bear premiered in 2011, and although that predates the explosion of the #MeToo movement in 2017, it feels right in line with some of the movements tenets. Kyle hasnt changed. Nan has. She has decided to put an end to his various forms of abuse. Shes tired of everything from his indifference to her feelings to his verbal and physical mistreatment. Shes also tired of him blaming her for his cruelty.

The way abusive men are seen now has changed in the last 10 years, Hayward says.

But Nan also never left Kyle. She may find redeeming aspects to him, and he definitely has convinced her to forgive him and stay before.

Nan also isnt just telling Kyle how bad hes been. She has her two friends there to help show him. Both from their own memories and with Nans direction, they act out episodes. At times that blurs whether the scenes are factual or projections.

Those reenactments are almost a play within the play, and that also reflects Gundersons original impetus. While the action is immediate and visceral, the drama was inspired by a stage direction written by Shakespeare.

The play gets its name from something audiences witness in Shakespeares The Winters Tale. In that story, the King of Sicily tasks Antigonus with transporting and abandoning a baby, which he does. Although the girl survives, Antigonus meets a prompt and grisly end. It does, however, take place offstage.

Gunderson aims to put the action at center stage. She also aims to tell some of her story through the conventions of stage directions. Here, those elements are made explicit. In her script, theyre supposed to be projected as text at various points. Hayward and Jackson have found their own approach.

While Gunderson has very specific stage directions, the directors have room to maneuver. Theyve altered the setting slightly. The script calls for the play to happen in the couples living room with Kyle strapped to a La-Z-Boy recliner. Theyve also updated some of the costuming and attitudes, even though the play is just more than 10 years old. But the central dynamic of confronting abuse hasnt changed at all.

There are some things that ring tone-deaf now that were doing it in 2023, Hayward says. But abuse and the sense of justice havent changed since Shakespeare wrote the stage direction.

Visit radicalbuffoons.com for tickets and information.

Kate Winkler Dawson explores New Orleans 'Morphine Murderess' in true crime podcast Tenfold More Wicked New Orleans resident Annie Crawford made newspaper headlines across the country more than a century ago. She was tried for the murder of her sister, Elise.
Interim New Orleans Police Superintendent Michelle Woodfork touted a 20% decrease in violent crime in New Orleans in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, saying her efforts to transform the department during her first 100 days as fill-in chief has yielded dividends.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce has kicked off an executive search to replace longtime CEO Kevin Brinegar.

Brinegar is retiring from the Indianapolis-based chamber after 21 years.

Brinegar has received the Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana's highest civilian honor, and led the Indiana Chamber to become the second-largest state chamber in the country.

Finding an individual to replace someone of Kevins caliber and intellect is somewhat like trying to find a unicorn, but I  along with the rest of our board of directors  am confident that our collaboration with Medallion Partners will find exactly the right person to lead the Indiana Chamber into the next phase of its remarkable journey, Indiana Chamber Board Chairman Paul Perkins said.

The Indiana Chamber commissioned Carmel-based Medallion Partners to partner with its search committee of board members on its CEO search, which is now underway. A new CEO will be tasked with promoting business interests at the statehouse, such as by advocating for more career training, less smoking and tax policies favorable to businesses.

The aim is to have a new CEO at the helm by late summer or early fall. The new leader would work with Brinegar for several months.

"The organization boasts a total of eight related entities, including a foundation, workforce and wellness programs, as well as the states largest political action committee. Thats the backdrop in which the new leader will step into and why we are making sure to have such a thorough and transparent process to find that uniquely qualified individual," Perkins said.

The Indiana Chamber dates back to 1922 and now has 25,000 members across the state. It offers businesses public policy advocacy, networking opportunities, programming, seminars and publications.

Anyone interested in applying to the CEO position should email confidential@medallionpartnersinc.com by April 10.
Nearly 80% of hotels are suffering from staffing shortages, leading more hoteliers to offer incentives to potential hires.

The Washington D.C.-based American Hotel & Lodging Association found 71% of hotels are looking to fill vacancies by increasing wages. About 64% are offering more flexible schedules while 33% are expanding benefits.

Average hotel wages now stand at $23 per hour after rising faster than average wages in the general economy during the coronavirus pandemic.

The hotel business is big in Northwest Indiana given its proximity to Chicago, major interstates and attractions like the Indiana Dunes National Park. Northwest Indiana is home to 7,500 hotel rooms, including more than 4,300 in Lake County, according to the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority.

About 81% of those surveyed said they couldn't fill vacancies with higher wages and other sweeteners, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association. About 79% of hotels said they have a staffing shortage, which is severe in 22% of cases.

Housekeeping has been the most critical staffing issue for most hotels. About 43% rank it as their top hiring need.

The staffing situation has improved since September when 87% of hoteliers surveyed said they were short-staffed, 36% severely so, the American Hotel & Lodging Association found.

Most hotels are attempting to fill about seven vacant positions, down from 10 last fall.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates hotel employment is down by more than 250,000 jobs as compared to the pre-pandemic level in February 2020. An estimated 100,000 hotel jobs are currently being advertised as open.

Recruiting enough workers continues to be the top challenge for many hoteliers, and this is leading to historic career opportunities for hotel employees, said AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers. AHLA and the AHLA Foundation are working tirelessly to grow the industrys talent pipeline and retain workers through innovative events like National Hotel Employee Day and compelling ad campaigns like A Place to Stay, but there is still more to be done. We need Congress to help address workforce shortages with bipartisan solutions to incorporate more immigrants into the American economy.
Old National Bank, the largest bank headquartered in Indiana, is expanding to the Detroit metropolitan market in Michigan.

The bank, which gained a large presence in the Region after succeeding First Midwest Bank, acquired office space in Troy, Michigan. It will establish a Metro Detroit commercial bank team in the Liberty Center building there.

We are excited about Old National's expansion into Metro Detroit, and we have a very experienced and dynamic team to help us lead the way," said Jim Sandgren, CEO of commercial banking. Old National is already very strong in other Michigan markets, and this group can certainly take us to the next level in establishing a commercial presence in this important growth market."

While Detroit itself long suffered population decline as a result of deindustrialization and white flight, many people decamped to nearby suburbs like Oakland County, which is home to 1 million residents, more than most major cities. The Detroit metropolitan area is by far the second largest in the Midwest with 4.3 million residents, trailing only the Chicago metropolitan area that Northwest Indiana is part of.

Rick Hampson, who has 27 years of commercial banking experience, will serve as Old National's new Metro Detroit Market president. He will report to Old National Michigan State Executive George Bailey.

What excites me most about this expansion is that we have the right team and relationships in place to serve this important market, Bailey said.

Old National Bank has $47 billion in assets and $28 billion in assets under management. Founded in 1834, it's now the sixth-largest commercial bank based in the Midwest and one of the 35 largest banks in the country.

Old National has many Northwest Indiana locations, including in Hammond, Gary, Griffith, Schererville and Crown Point.
VALPARAISO  Five years ago, the Kankakee River breached levees and threatened to flood homes and businesses. Now the Kankakee River Basin-Yellow River Basin Development Commission is working on a plan for flood responses.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping formulate the plan. Cara Pattullo, a planner with the corps, said she hopes it will be ready by December.

Porter County Surveyor Kevin Breitzke and County Engineer Mike Novotney said their countys plan is good but has room for improvement. That might help other counties prepare their responses.

The Porter County Highway Department set up barricades to try to keep people out of danger on flooded roads, but there werent enough of the wooden sawhorses in 2018. Breitzke remembers seeing a vehicle pointed nose-down in a ditch, partially submerged in water, and rushed to see whether anyone was inside; it had been abandoned.

It would be nice to have something to keep people off the roads, Breitzke said. Peoples lives are in danger by these activities.

Northwest Indiana residents will remember September 2008, when the mother of all storms, as Breitzke put it, caused the Little Calumet River to overflow. It was a fatal disaster that prompted the Legislature to reconfigure the Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission and put millions of dollars into finishing work on levees along the river.

The flooding in late February 2018 along the Kankakee River spurred the Indiana General Assembly to similar action, creating the Kankakee River Basin-Yellow River Basin Development Commission to prevent flooding where possible and respond when it happens. The Yellow River is a tributary of the Kankakee.

Porter County diverted a portion of its stormwater fee on unincorporated properties to fund the agency. Most added a fee to taxpayers property tax bills for the annual dues.

I'm enthused to begin this process because I, for one, will sleep a lot better at night, and I hope that some of you will as well, as much work as we do on flood mitigation, Executive Director Scott Pelath said. We know that we don't have the ability to stop flooding. We do hopefully, over time, have the ability to turn major floods into moderate floods and moderate floods into minor floods, given the work that we do together. But we have to be able to respond appropriately when we do.

Dave Handwerk, planning branch section chief with the Army corps Chicago office, said the Kankakee-Yellow River agencys spirit of cooperation will go a long way toward drafting and implementing a successful flood-response plan. Communication is a key part of the plan.

Identifying resources and lines of authority are important, too. The federal governments response is delayed because a county official asks the governor to declare a state of emergency, then the governor asks the president to make a similar declaration. That takes time, Handwerk pointed out.

Jasper County Surveyor Vince Urbano said the 2018 flood caught his county unprepared. No income source for the flood response had been established.

We were all in communication the whole time, and we didnt know what to do, he said. Finally, one of the county commissioners said to just take care of it and the commissioners would figure out how to pay for it. Farmers came rushing in with tractors and sandbags and almost got washed away.

We learned from that. We learned to have the finances in place. We learned to have the resources in place, Urbano said.

We could have lost some of the business resources in the town of DeMotte if wed let that thing go.
ST. JOHN  St. John officials are crafting a road map for the town's future and they want the public to lead the way.

About 50 residents poured over maps sprinkled Thursday throughout town hall for a community open house. The aim was to gather input on plans for some of the town's major corridors: segments of 101st, Calumet and West 109th avenuea. The three stretches of roadway, about 7 miles in total, have been identified as "emerging corridors," areas that have opportunities for development, streetscape improvements and town signage.

The idea for the St. John Corridors Plan came out of the rapid growth the town has seen in recent years. St. John jumped from 14,850 residents in 2010 to 21,448 residents in 2021. Councilman Bryan Blazak, R-1st, said more than 550 homes were built in St. John last year.

"We know growth is going to continue," said Sergio Mendoza, director of building and planning. "This is an opportunity for the public to come in and give us an idea of how they would like to see these emerging corridors develop over time over the next five, 10, 15 years."

The town is working with the city planning and urban design firm Teska Associates and Robinson Engineering to draft the plan. Francie Lawrence, a senior planner with Teska, said it is in the very early stages; resident feedback will be used to shape the initial document.

"We're mostly here to hear from you," Michael Blue, a principal with Teska, told attendees.

After a brief presentation, residents filled poster boards with comments written on sticky notes. Much of the feedback focused on traffic congestion and the need for wider roads and more turn lanes. Some comments mentioned improving the landscaping around the roads and adding a sense of place to the corridors. Residents suggested growing native plants beside roads, connecting bike lanes and creating more outdoor gathering spaces.

As part of the project, the town launched the website stjohncorridorsplan.org, where people can leave comments on an interactive map.

Lawrence noted that many of the properties included in the corridors plan are not in the town's jurisdiction but are part of unincorporated Lake County. The goal of the plan is to create an outline of what kind of improvements St. John would like to see, Lawrence explained.

Town Manager Joe Wiszowaty said the plan will be used as a guide for developers, establishing what the town's expectations and standards are.

The town is also working on a strategic plan and an economic development plan.

On Feb. 8, Teska interviewed 39 local stakeholders. The group included nearby property and business owners, homeowners associations, churches and schools. Stakeholder feedback mirrored many of the comments made Thursday: St. John is a great place to raise a family but has issues with traffic congestion, walkability and a lack of central community gathering spaces.

Teska and Robinson will now use resident feedback to draft a plan before hosting another community open house. According to the project timeline, the plan will likely be adopted in the fall.

"The more we hear from you, the more the plan is unique and special to you," Blue told residents.

PHOTOS: St. John skatepark Skatepark coming to St. John Skatepark coming to St. John Skatepark coming to St. John Skatepark coming to St. John Skatepark coming to St. John Skatepark coming to St. John Skatepark coming to St. John
In 2022, there were 45 drownings in Lake Michigan. A life-ring safety station could have been the difference between life and death for many of them.

Drowning has been a neglected public health issue for a long time, said Dave Benjamin, co-founder and director of GLSRP. Life rings are one layer of water safety that havent been implemented, but should be across the Great Lakes.

After advocating for water safety for over 12 years, Benjamin said things may finally improve.

Benjamin, Bob Pratt, Evelyn Hernandez and Lynn Jaynes are members of the newly formed Lake Michigan Water Front Safety InitiativeIndiana. The core of the group are family members of drowning victims. On Feb. 20, they traveled to Indianas statehouse to testify on behalf of the need for safety stations on all Lake Michigan beaches.

Each persons testimony led the Senate Committee on Natural Resources to unanimously pass Senate Bill 424. If this bill is passed by the House of Representatives, it would require life ring stations to be placed on piers and at all public access points on Lake Michigan.

Were calling all of the local communities to show their support for the passing of this bill, said Hernandez, a drowning survivor. Drowning happens so fast that if someone is distressed, by the time the police show up the person may have already drowned.

The implementation of safety stations are a small cost to save someones life Benjamin said. Upon the passing of bill 424, a minimum of 100 safety stations would be placed along Lake Michigan beaches.

We are in desperate need, Hernandez said. Asking for the life rings is the minimum first step.

In 2012, Hernandez and her boyfriend, Leonel Dominguez, were on an inflatable raft that was blown offshore by strong winds at Beverly Shores in Porter County. The couple drifted nearly 8 feet apart, struggling to stay afloat in the cold water.

Him and I were good swimmers, she said. We were trying not to panic.

Though bystanders witnessed the pairs struggles, there was no safety equipment to pull them to shore. Hernandez felt a bystander grab her and pull her to safety, but Dominguez had already submerged. She was the only survivor.

Leo was one year away from earning his nursing degree. My point is that these arent reckless people drowning, she said. This can happen to anyone.

Each safety station would include a life ring, weather-proof case and durable rope that would be approximately 100 feet in length. Stations would likely be placed 100 feet apart on piers, at every public access point to Lake Michigan, or no more than a quarter mile apart at more remote locations. They would cost roughly $1,000 per installation and equipment.

During the statehouse testimony, Benjamin emphasized that over the past 12 years more than $100 million has been invested into beach restoration projects across Northwest Indiana from Hammond, Whiting, Gary and Portage, to Michigan City. In comparison, he said, investing approximately $100,000 on life rings is a small cost and a starting point for water safety on the Great Lakes.

Now is the time to do something, said Jaynes, a Chesterton resident. Too many people are drowning in the Great Lakes and its practically in our backyard.

Jaynes lost his friend, Tom Kennings, last summer at Porter Beach. Kennings, 38, noticed a teenage girl in the water who appeared to be in distress. He entered the water and managed to save the girl but had drowned doing so.

Wherever there is swimming, we need the tools, Jaynes said. If we take action and work toward a common goal, we can have these safety stations up by May.

Benjamin, Hernandez and Jaynes ask community members to contact Indianas state representatives as the bill moves onto the house for voting. If the bill is passed, local governments that own piers and lakefronts will be required to publish a report on lakefront drownings that occur within 50 feet of access points at least twice per year.

We wont stop with the life rings, we want education too, Jaynes said. Without good education some people may not realize how to use the life rings. Our ask is for people to support bill 424 and give our representatives a call.

For more information on drowning statistics and safety tips, visit glsrp.org.
On a recent morning, Irene Neuwirth, who had trekked from Los Angeles to Christy Rillings studio on West 38th Street in Manhattan, chattered brightly as Ms. Rilling fitted her for the gown she planned to wear on Oscars night. Ms. Neuwirth, a jewelry designer with an enthusiastic Hollywood following, emerged in her street clothes from behind a screen, exhilarated to have had a voice in the gowns creation.

I love this feeling of couture, its so personal, she said. You want to be in control of the way you look.

She had settled on a pink velvet evening column, a synthesis of her own aesthetic and the resolutely low-key style Ms. Rilling cultivated years ago.

In 2008, when Ms. Rilling opened her studio, the country was in a recession. People werent really prepared for that, she said. I had to find ways to make things that were elegant, not flashy. Nobody wanted to peacock around.
My Adderalls not working.

Videos of people who claim that their medication is no longer effective have recently catapulted through TikTok. In one, someone clutches a prescription bottle, rattling the pills as she shakes her fist. Theyre giving us fake Adderall during the shortage, the caption reads. The adderall isnt adderalling, another user claims in a video.

Some people urge their viewers to submit complaints to the Food and Drug Administration about what they believe is a new Adderall being distributed and to call for the agency to run lab tests of the medication. Videos related to the phrase adhd meds not working have been viewed more than 15 million times on TikTok.

For nearly half a year, many people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have struggled to obtain their medication amid a nationwide shortage. The F.D.A. first announced the shortage in October, and Adderall is still in short supply. Among the patients who do manage to find Adderall, health care providers are left fielding their questions, though some say the concerns arent new. Danielle Stutzman, a psychiatric pharmacist at Childrens Hospital Colorado, estimates that up to a quarter of her patients over the past few years have said their medication seems less effective, a trend she said began around the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

To date, the F.D.A. has not identified safety or quality issues with Adderall products, or signals indicating a loss or change in efficacy, a representative for the F.D.A. said in a statement. A representative from Teva Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest manufacturers of Adderall, wrote in a statement that all Teva manufacturing processes and practices are the same (and we continue to distribute the same brand and generic Adderall products).
Glen Lockett, an influential record producer who, working under the name Spot, helped define the jet-turbine sound of American punk rock in the 1980s, recording groundbreaking albums by Black Flag, Husker Du, Minutemen and many others, died on March 4 in Sheboygan, Wis. He was 71.

His death, in a nursing home, was announced in a Facebook post by Joe Carducci, a former co-owner of SST Records, the iconoclastic Hermosa Beach, Calif., label where Mr. Lockett made his name. Mr. Lockett had been hoping for a lung transplant in recent years after a long struggle with pulmonary fibrosis, and he had spent most of the last three months in a hospital after a stroke.

As the in-house producer for SST from 1979 to 1985, Mr. Lockett controlled the mixing board on landmark recordings that helped bring American punk from deafening gigs in garages and basements to the mainstream  the college-radio mainstream, at least.
In an epic that began with Walk to the End of the World (1974) and concluded 25 years later with The Conquerors Child, Ms. Charnas conceived a dystopic world in which an escaped female slave, Alldera, leads the rebellious Free Fems to brutally conquer and enslave their former male masters. The men had faulted women for the near-destruction of humanity, called the Wasting.

Image The Slave and the Free, encompassed the first two books in Ms. Charnass series The Holdfast Chronicles. Credit... Macmillan

The Holdfast Chronicles, as the series is called, is unique in feminist science fiction in that it reflects 25 years of the development of feminism, Dunja M. Mohr wrote in the journal Science Fiction Studies in 1999.

Investigating the raging war of the sexes, she added, Charnas does not shy away from describing the slow  and sometimes grim  process of change leading from dystopia to utopia, the painful purging of psychological and physical violence involved.

The fantasy novelist Polly Shulman wrote in Salon in 2000 that the Holdfast Chronicles fall squarely in the tradition of feminist utopias/dystopias that produced Joanna Russs The Female Man or Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, nourishing writers like Ursula K. Le Guin and Sheri S. Tepper.

Ms. Charnas did not set out to write a feminist novel. In an interview with SnackReads, a digital publisher of short fiction, she said Walk to the End of the World began as a satire about how top political leaders in Washington would behave while confined to bunkers during a nuclear war and waiting, as she put it, for the results of their stupidity to wipe out the rest of the world so they could come out and repopulate it with the assistants they were sleeping with.
Leaders of major environmental organizations including the League of Conservation Voters, Alaska Wilderness League, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Earthjustice and others gathered two weeks ago for what two participants described as an emotionally charged meeting with Deb Haaland, the Interior secretary. Ms. Haaland, who opposed Willow when she served in Congress, choked up as Alaska Natives begged her to block the project and she explained her agency had to make difficult choices, the attendees said. Activists left with the impression that the decision to approve Willow had been made.

Among the staunchest opponents of the project are people who live closest to it. Rosemary Ahtuangaruak is the mayor of Nuiqsut, an Alaska Native community that is about 35 miles from the Willow site. If the project is built, she said her community of about 500 would be surrounded by oil and gas facilities, threatening their way of life and reliance on subsistence hunting and fishing.

We have enough oil and gas development around us and enough areas that are already leased in this area that they could do work for a long time, Ms. Ahtuangaruak said. Theres no reason they have to go into this area. Its about wanting to.

In a March 3 letter to Ms. Haaland, Ms. Ahtuangaruak said recent environmental reviews of the project had not adequately considered the impact on the local community.

The federal agency, she wrote, does not look at the harm this project would cause from the perspective of how to let us be us  how to ensure that we can maintain our culture, traditions and our ability to keep going out on the lands and waters.
In April 2017, the Seattle police arrested a Brazilian man they had caught installing a card-skimming machine on an A.T.M. near the famed Pike Place Market. As officers investigated, they connected the man to a Florida address where he once lived with George Santos, now a Republican congressman from New York.

The man, Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha, pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge in the case and was ultimately deported to Brazil. Mr. Santos was not implicated or charged, but he later told a lawyer that he had been questioned by the Seattle police, and he flew across the country to testify at a bail hearing on Mr. Trelhas behalf.

On Wednesday, Mr. Trelha sought to drastically change the narrative of the case. In an affidavit that he submitted to the federal authorities, he accused Mr. Santos of leading the operation and said the two had agreed to split the profits in half. Mr. Trelha contended that he had not disclosed this previously because Mr. Santos had threatened his friends.

I am coming forward today to declare that the person in charge of the crime of credit card fraud when I was arrested was George Santos/Anthony Devolder, Mr. Trelha wrote in his statement, which was first reported by Politico and sent to the F.B.I., the Secret Service and the U.S. attorneys office in Brooklyn.
WATSONVILLE, Calif.  Evacuation orders were in force, announced late on Thursday through social media posts and over speakers used by the local police department. Another storm was approaching. Residents needed to get to safety.

As he had done during the previous storm, Cesar Leon, 39, the director of the Salvation Army shelter in the small agricultural city of Watsonville, helped bus his patrons to an emergency setup at the nearby fairgrounds.

This time around, though, the sentiment was different, he said: They didnt want to leave, because they just did it a month ago.

It has been a brutal winter for much of California, where areas beleaguered by a succession of atmospheric rivers  storms named for their long narrow shape and the immense amount of water they carry  have grown weary of living under the constant specter of flooding.
WASHINGTON  The data of more than 56,000 people, including Social Security numbers and other personal information, was stolen in a hack of the online health insurance marketplace for members of Congress and Washington, D.C., small businesses and residents, officials said in a statement on Friday night.

The D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Authority revealed the size and scope of the data breach on Friday as officials said they were taking the matter very seriously. District of Columbia officials learned of the attack on the D.C. Health Link marketplace on Monday and immediately launched an investigation, began working with law enforcement and engaged a third-party forensics firm, the statement said.

The investigation has found that 56,415 customers were affected, and the data stolen includes names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, health plan information and other personal information, including home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, ethnicity and citizenship status.

It was not immediately known how many of those affected were members of Congress. Congressional leaders said earlier this week that the Capitol Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation had informed them that the personal data of many lawmakers, staff members and their families had potentially been compromised.
Theres a gap between the need and the availability for women to get this care.

Why better research hasnt really led to better treatment

Sharon Bober, a psychologist and director of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institutes Sexual Health Program, said several factors have helped move the needle on research. For one, survivorship is growing (in 2022, there were 18.1 million male and female cancer survivors in the United States; by 2032, there are projected to be 22.5 million). There is also a greater understanding within medicine and society at large that sex and sexuality are an important component of overall health, Dr. Bober said. Since 2018, she added, the American Society of Clinical Oncology has urged providers to initiate a discussion with every adult cancer patient  female and male  about the potential effects of cancer and cancer treatment on sex.

But some women say theyre still greeted with silence.

Cynthia Johnson, a 44-year-old from Texas, who was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer at age 39, said she was grateful for life and lifesaving treatments. But that does not negate her frustration that not one of her doctors ever brought up her sexual health.

They dont tell you going into it that you are going to experience dryness. They dont tell you that you are going to experience lack of desire, Ms. Johnson said. They dont tell you that if you do, on the off chance, get in the mood to do something, its going to feel like razor blades.

Surveys support her experience and also suggest there are significant gender discrepancies in who gets queried about sex. A 2020 survey of 391 cancer survivors found, for instance, that 53 percent of male patients were asked about their sexual health by a health care provider, while only 22 percent of female patients said the same. And findings presented last year at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, focusing on 201 patients undergoing radiation for cervical or prostate cancer, concluded that 89 percent of men were asked about their sexual health at their initial consult, compared to 13 percent of women.

Dr. Jamie Takayesu, a radiation oncology resident physician at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and a lead author on the study, said the research was inspired by her own nagging sense that she wasnt asking female patients about sex often enough, and she suspected her colleagues werent either. She has a few hypotheses about why: Prostate cancer has a high survival rate, she said, so doctors may be more inclined to focus on quality of life issues with treatment. But she also noted there were better and more formalized tools to assess sexual function in men, and that many cancer doctors  herself included  got little to no training in how to talk about sex.
The five men were left prostrate on the sidewalk outside their black pickup truck, their shirts pulled over their heads, bare torsos pressed against the ground, their bound hands spread before them almost in supplication.

The handwritten letter on the trucks windshield read like a formal, albeit chilling and remarkable apology: the Gulf Cartel Scorpion Group was very sorry that their members accidentally shot and killed two Americans and a Mexican bystander while kidnapping two more U.S. citizens.

The men were being offered up to the authorities, the letter said, to make amends for disturbing the peace. On Friday, Mexican prosecutors charged the five men in connection with the abduction and killings.

While Mexican drug cartels thrive in a vacuum of law and order that persists inside Mexico, there is an unspoken rule that many members of organized criminal groups are careful not to cross: do not touch Americans.
JERUSALEM  Israeli leaders have for years considered Iran an existential threat, viewed Saudi Arabia as a potential partner and hoped that shared fears of Tehran might help forge formal relations for the first time with Riyadh.

The news of a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia on Friday was therefore greeted in Israel with surprise, anxiety and introspection. It also compounded a sense of national peril set off by profound domestic divisions about the policies of the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And it seemed to catch Mr. Netanyahu  who has long presented himself as the Israeli leader best qualified to fight Iran and most able to charm Saudi Arabia  off guard.

The announcement undermined Israeli hopes of forming a regional security alliance against Iran. It suggested that while other countries in the Middle East may see Iran as a menace, they see little gain in isolating and opposing Tehran to the extent that Israel does. Israel views Iran and its nuclear weapons program as a danger to Israels very survival. But the Saudi decision was a reminder of how Irans neighbors in the Persian Gulf see Tehran as a troublesome neighbor that must nevertheless be engaged with.

These realizations also sparked soul-searching about Israels internal crisis. Israelis are currently consumed and divided by a contentious government proposal to increase its control over the judiciary. To politicians in both the government and the opposition, the news underscored how that domestic turmoil risked distracting the country from more urgent concerns like the threat of Iran.
There are also signs that Chinas leaders are not united in supporting a more confrontational posture. It behooves the United States to reassure those who may be open to reassurance. America and China are struggling with many of the same challenges: how to ensure what President Xi Jinping has termed common prosperity in an age of income inequality; how to rein in the worst excesses of capitalism without losing its vital creative forces; how to care for an aging population and young people who want more out of life than work; how to slow the pace of climate change and to manage its disruptive impacts, including mass migration.

The core of Americas China strategy, building stronger relationships with our allies, is sound policy. Over time, the United States ought to seek a greater alignment between its economic interests and other national goals. The presidents budget proposal, released on Thursday, repeats some of the language from Mr. Blinkens speech last year and proposes several billion dollars of foreign aid and investments to buttress U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Were trying to make sure that we can outcompete them when it comes to hearts and minds around the globe, said Shalanda Young, the director of the Office of Management and Budget.

But the United States should not pull back from forums where it has long engaged China.

For example, the World Trade Organization operates a court of appeals that was created to adjudicate trade disputes. The court, however, has not operated in over two years, since the most recently appointed judges completed their terms. New judges cannot be installed without the support of the United States, and the Biden administration has declined to provide that support. The United States has also pulled back from committees at the W.T.O. that write the rules of trade, according to Henry Gao, a professor at Singapore Management University and an expert on the organization. When Mr. Xi proposed in November 2021 to use the W.T.O. as a forum for establishing rules about state-owned enterprises, a key American goal, the United States didnt show much interest, Mr. Gao said in an interview.

That is a mistake. The construction of a rules-based international order, in which America played the leading role, was one of the most important achievements of the 20th century. It cannot be preserved if the United States does not continue to participate in those institutions.

The Biden administrations continuation of Trump-era restrictions on trade with China, and its imposition of a host of new restrictions, is also a dubious strategy. Limiting competition is likely to yield some short-term benefits, but American economic growth in recent decades has been driven primarily by increased productivity in sectors that are exposed to global trade. Competition has been both painful and beneficial. The value of the major investments the federal government is making in infrastructure, research and technical education is significantly reduced by measures that limit the size of the market for American goods or that shelter American businesses from healthy foreign competition.
Given all of this, since 12-step groups are free and easily available outside of professional treatment, it makes little sense for government or insurers to pay rehabilitation centers that use the 12 steps in therapy groups and daily programming for these services, as they do currently. Instead, government payers and insurers should spend their limited funds on approaches that arent free elsewhere and that dont have constitutional issues.

When it comes to opioid use disorder, religious elements of 12-step programs can be especially harmful. Narcotics Anonymous, the group focused on opioid addiction, is philosophically opposed to the most effective medications  methadone and buprenorphine. The group says in its literature that N.A. is a program of total abstinence  so people using these medications are not considered clean. This is an article of faith, not a principle based on data.

In practice, it means that in many groups, N.A. members who take medication are not permitted to speak at meetings and are not allowed to count their days of recovery (since they are still using, even by taking only prescribed medication). Some N.A. members shame and disparage medication, pushing cessation. A study of 368 rehabs across the United States found that 21 percent actively advised researchers posing as patients to avoid medication, in line with N.A.s position.

This stance ignores decades of data: Buprenorphine and methadone are the only treatments that reduce the death rate from opioid use disorder by 50 percent or more  no abstinence treatment has been shown to have this lifesaving effect. Since these medications work only as long as people stay on them, encouraging quitting can put lives at risk, especially with a street market so flooded with fentanyl that a single return to use can be deadly.

So how can addiction medicine be brought into the 21st century? First, as we do with other disorders, we need to separate the medical and psychological guidance given in treatment from the ideology of religious support groups. In cancer care, the doctrine of support groups doesnt dominate treatment. Oncologists, for example, dont argue that only people who receive chemotherapy count as being in remission, not those who use radiation. The specialty as a whole recognizes that different people need different regimens.
Running in the charisma lane  Sarah Palins rise is a good example  doesnt seem to work as well for women running nationally, because they can more easily be dismissed as unserious. Palin had more political experience than Trump or Lake when she ran for vice president, but its also noteworthy that several years after she resigned as governor of Alaska, she couldnt even win a congressional race in her home state, despite once having been quite popular there and having been, by many accounts, a precursor to Trump. (To be clear: In my ideal world, neither Palin nor Trump nor Lake would get anywhere near the White House  not again, at least. And while I think Haleys resume is solid, were not remotely ideologically aligned. But we dont live in my ideal world; we live in a world where our former president publicly declares, I am your retribution, like a video game villain and his supporters cheer.)

If the experience lane is blocked for women, too, however, theres nowhere for them to run.

I ran this theory by Jennifer Lawless, a professor of politics and public policy at the University of Virginia. She told me that while she doesnt disagree with the premise, we might not even have enough inexperienced female candidates running to know whether pure charisma works for them. The perception among female candidates is that they need to be more qualified, but theres not much evidence that voters are holding them to a higher bar. At the same time, voters are not frequently presented with unqualified female candidates, she told me over the phone.

Over two decades of research, Lawless has found that at this point, female candidates perform just as well as male candidates in terms of winning elections and raising money. Where theyre still far behind is in what she calls political ambition, or the desire to run for office. Since 2001, Lawless has been polling citizens with the four professional backgrounds most common among elected officials (law, business, education and politics), and found that the gender gap in political ambition has actually grown by two percentage points since the early aughts: In 2001, 59 percent of these men considered running for office, compared to 43 percent of women. In 2021, the percentage of men remained at 59 percent, but the percentage of women dropped to 41 percent.

Women arent only less likely than men to have considered running for office, write Lawless and her colleague, the political scientist Richard Fox. They are also less likely to express any interest in a candidacy at some point down the road. Interestingly, the gender gap in political ambition is about the same for white women and women of color.

Another gender gap emerges in terms of women seeing themselves as qualified. According to Lawless and Fox:

The women and men we surveyed are matched in their professional backgrounds and credentials. They also have comparable experiences raising money and organizing people in the community  two essential tasks for any candidate. Yet 72 percent of men, but only 48 percent of women, rate themselves as qualified or very qualified to run for office. Women are more than three times as likely as men to say theyre not at all qualified to run.

There may also be female candidates who mute some aspect of their authentic selves because theyre afraid it might be a liability for them on the national stage, Lawless said. She gave the example of Senator Bernie Sanders, whose rumpled grumpiness is sui generis, has broad appeal and probably wouldnt work for a woman. As she put it, Men run as who they are, and women think of themselves as a type they have to be.
This is an old story. Thomas Jefferson, who had a knack for articulating liberalisms best and worst impulses, wrote to James Madison in 1789 that intergenerational debts were essentially illegitimate. By the law of nature, he argued, one generation is to another as one independent nation to another. Using some crude demographic tables, he calculated that, for political purposes, a generation spans about 19 years. Would it not be wise and just, Jefferson asked, for a nation to declare that neither the legislature, nor the nation itself, can validly contract more debt than they may pay within their own age, or within the term of 19 years? And he went even further, insisting that every constitution, then, and every law, naturally expires at the end of 19 years, and should be written as such.

The appeal of self-exploding laws has not waned in the intervening centuries. Senator Rick Scott, Republican of Florida, recently proposed to restrain public spending by requiring all federal legislation to expire after five years. He later insisted this would not include Social Security or Medicare, but having all the other laws vanish every few years still involves a peculiar denial of our responsibilities to the future and the past.

Madisons response to his mentor was a diplomatic yet unsparing evisceration of this way of thinking. A government built on time-limited laws would be too mutable to gain the respect of its people, he wrote. Who knows if the next generation will be wise enough to renew the most important achievements of the present and the past? Why should we assume, he might have said to Senator Scott, that the Congress of five years from now will do better and not worse than todays?

But Madisons most important response was at the level of principle. We owe something to prior generations because they have given us a lot. The improvements they made form a charge against the living who take the benefit of them, he wrote. And the current generation takes on debts principally for the benefit of posterity, so that it isnt wrong to expect those who will benefit from what we now build to also shoulder a share of the cost someday.

Every society is an intergenerational compact of this sort. Our society would benefit by understanding itself this way, grasping that the relations between the generations should be shaped by gratitude to the past and solicitude for the future.
In hospitals, candy stripers are selfless volunteers. Candy-stripers of the eight-legged variety, however, appear not so benevolent. New research reveals that two species of candy-striped spider have secret night lives, leaving their cobwebs to carry out violent predation after dark.

Two scientists published their discovery Friday in the journal Ecology. One of them, Catherine Scott, an arachnologist, conducted this research while working on her doctorate at the University of Toronto, Scarborough. She says these common spiders, native to Europe but now widespread in the United States and Canada, are known for doing fairly normal web-building spider stuff, and for the genes that cause their stripy features, but their active hunting of big prey at night had escaped notice. Her colleague Sean McCann, also an arachnologist who was then at Scarborough, first suspected the spiders clandestine habits.

Dr. McCann is an avid macro photographer with a penchant for snagging beauty shots of snoozing bugs on dead vegetation during predawn hours. While working on black widow spider research on the Tsawout First Nation territory on Vancouver Island in Canada, Dr. McCann discovered mass carnage being carried out by candy-stripers during his morning photo shoots on the beach. The smoking gun was the discovery of numerous sleeping wasps entombed in web, their innards sucked dry. This grisly scene prompted the two researchers to take a closer look.

First, they checked to see if other scientists had documented candy-striped nocturnal killing of sleeping insects. They had not. Some, like the English naturalist W.S. Bristowe, had noted in the 1930s how this species lurks by its web, ready to pounce and hurl sticky threads after sensing vibrations. This was not their only previously recorded hunting strategy, however.
SAN FRANCISCO  For once, the crisis didnt seem to revolve around a cryptocurrency company.

The sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank on Friday set off panic across the technology industry. But crypto executives and investors  who have endured a year of near-constant upheaval  seized on the moment to preach and scold.

Centralized banking was to blame, the crypto advocates said. Their vision of an alternate financial system, unmoored from big banks and other gatekeepers, was better. They argued that the government regulators that recently cracked down on crypto firms had sown the seeds of the banks implosion.

Fiat is fragile, wrote the Bitcoin advocate Erik Voorhees, using a common shorthand for traditional currencies.

Were seeing glitches in the machine, said Mo Shaikh, chief executive of the crypto company Aptos Labs. This is an opportunity to take a breath and consider the practicalities of decentralization.
One night in 1862, as the Civil War raged, an enslaved mariner named Robert Smalls seized an opportunity.

When the enlisted crew of a Confederate steamer disembarked for a night of carousing in Charleston, S.C., Mr. Smalls, the ships pilot, gathered his family and the other enslaved sailors and their families. He then steered the ship for a dramatic escape past heavy fortifications to Union-controlled waters and freedom.

Disguised in a top hat and a Confederate captains long overcoat, Mr. Smalls gave the passcodes at each of five Confederate forts and, once past the reach of cannon fire, hoisted a white flag of sewn-together bedsheets that his wife Hannah had made  delivering the ship to Union forces.

Mr. Smalls and the crew had lined the bottom of the boat with explosives to detonate rather than be recaptured and face execution.
Months before suspending Mr. Warren, Mr. DeSantis had ordered his staff to find progressive prosecutors who were letting criminals walk free. Under oath, his aides later acknowledged that they had deliberately avoided investigating Mr. Warren too closely, so that they would not tip him off and prompt him to reverse his policies  thwarting the goal of making an example of him. When contrary information did materialize, Mr. DeSantis and his lawyers dismissed or ignored it, the records show.

Only after Mr. Warren was removed did the governors aides seek records from Mr. Warrens office that might help justify Mr. DeSantiss action.

If the investigation into Mr. Warren was cursory at best, the preparation to remove him while simultaneously publicizing that ouster involved greater planning. And those plans were executed with military precision. The governors aides gave special attention to news outlets they referred to as friendly. Immediately after the news conference, DeSantis aides exerted influence over communications at the state attorneys office, an independent county agency, working to ensure that the takeover did not result in negative coverage.

And that night, the governor headlined Fox Newss Tucker Carlson Tonight to promote his move. Mr. Carlson opened with a 12-minute speech about prosecutors who disregard the law, then turned to an exclusive interview with the governor.

Ron DeSantis is the man who put an end to it today in the state of Florida, Mr. Carlson said.

Although Mr. DeSantiss move was cheered in the conservative news media as a victory in his war on wokeness, a federal judge ruled in January that the governor had violated Mr. Warrens First Amendment rights and the Florida Constitution in a rush to judgment. The actual facts, Judge Robert L. Hinkle wrote, did not matter. All that was needed was a pretext. Mr. DeSantiss office, the judge said from the bench, had conducted a one-sided inquiry meant to target Mr. Warren. (The judge said he did not have the authority to reinstate Mr. Warren, who is appealing in state and federal court.)
WASHINGTON  Finally, there is a peace deal of sorts in the Middle East. Not between Israel and the Arabs, but between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which have been at each others throats for decades. And brokered not by the United States but by China.

This is among the topsiest and turviest of developments anyone could have imagined, a shift that left heads spinning in capitals around the globe. Alliances and rivalries that have governed diplomacy for generations have, for the moment at least, been upended.

The Americans, who have been the central actors in the Middle East for the past three-quarters of a century, almost always the ones in the room where it happened, now find themselves on the sidelines during a moment of significant change. The Chinese, who for years played only a secondary role in the region, have suddenly transformed themselves into the new power player. And the Israelis, who have been courting the Saudis against their mutual adversaries in Tehran, now wonder where it leaves them.

There is no way around it  this is a big deal, said Amy Hawthorne, deputy director for research at the Project on Middle East Democracy, a nonprofit group in Washington. Yes, the United States could not have brokered such a deal right now with Iran specifically, since we have no relations. But in a larger sense, Chinas prestigious accomplishment vaults it into a new league diplomatically and outshines anything the U.S. has been able to achieve in the region since Biden came to office.
When Amira Bouraoui, an Algerian-French pro-democracy activist, boarded a plane to France from Tunisia last month, she thought her ordeal had finally come to an end.

She had already failed twice to flee Algeria, where her activism had put her in the governments cross hairs. Her third attempt, by illegally entering neighboring Tunisia, resulted in her being arrested and threatened with deportation. Only a last-minute offer of consular protection from France saved her.

I was ready to do anything to leave Algeria, Ms. Bouraoui, 47, said in a recent interview in a Paris suburb where she now lives in exile, asking that the precise location not be disclosed. Not being able to express myself freely was like a slow death to me.

What she did not expect, however, was the Algerian governments retaliation. A dozen days after Ms. Bouraouis escape, prosecutors charged her 71-year-old mother, her cousin, a journalist acquaintance, a taxi driver and a customs official for criminal conspiracy in helping her flee.
A powerful South African corruption watchdog has found that President Cyril Ramaphosa committed no wrongdoing in connection with the theft of more than half a million dollars stashed in a sofa at his game farm three years ago.

The finding is a major victory for the president, who has been bedeviled for the past 10 months by accusations that he tried to cover up the theft to avoid scrutiny over having such a large sum of U.S. dollars stored at his property.

Mr. Ramaphosa still faces investigations by an elite unit of the national prosecutor and by the South African Reserve Bank, which is looking into whether there are any violations related to foreign currency exchange. But the public protectors investigation was one of the last major legal hurdles for him regarding the incident.

The conclusion came from a report of preliminary findings by Kholeka Gcaleka, South Africas acting public protector. A statement issued by a spokesman for Ms. Gcaleka on Saturday said that the office could not reveal any contents of the preliminary report, which has been distributed to parties involved in the case so they can have time to respond. But The New York Times obtained a copy of the 191-page report.
In a pivotal scene in the movie, a character based on a real-life prosecutor tells a panel of judges that the trial can help forge a peace based on justice and memorializing the atrocities.

This is our opportunity, he says. It may be our last.

Rather than an end, those words, taken from the real closing arguments, were a beginning. To this day, in courtrooms across Argentina, roughly 180 former military officials, police officers and civilians are being prosecuted for crimes against humanity.

With more than 300 open investigations and 14 trials, the process is permanently alive, said Estela de Carlotto, the president of Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, a human rights organization started by women searching for their grandchildren who were born in captivity to political prisoners and then given to other families.

Some investigations are focused on crimes committed in clandestine detention centers where hundreds of people were tortured and killed. In one case, a former marine captain is on trial for orchestrating the illegal adoption of his brothers daughter, who was born in a detention center and raised by another member of the military. Her parents are still missing.
When Beijing stepped into the role of mediator this week in the surprise rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, it signaled a new level of ambition for Xi Jinping, Chinas top leader, who has sought to burnish his image as a global statesman in an escalating rivalry with the United States.

Chinas top diplomat quickly attributed the success of four days of secret talks in reviving diplomatic ties between the two archrivals to Mr. Xis leadership, which he said demonstrated the bearing of a great power.

By taking credit for striking a peace deal in the Middle East, Mr. Xi is seizing on waning American influence in the region and presenting Chinese leadership as an alternative to a Washington-led order he depicts as driving the world toward a new cold war.

This is a battle of narratives for the future of the international order, said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a Washington-based research institute. China is saying the world is in chaos because U.S. leadership has failed.
Whats really shifted is the ability for Canadians to wrap their head around how much of a simple solution this actually is, said Dr. Lafontaine, the first Indigenous person to lead the physicians association. The moment that were in right now is one where Canadians are realizing the existing system doesnt really make a ton of sense for what patients actually do when they move throughout the health care system. It doesnt make any sense for how providers move throughout the health care system.

Like members of all licensed professions in Canada, physicians are licensed and supervised by provinces and territories. That, Dr. Lafontaine said, brings considerable inflexibility to the system. Doctors who are available to work are unable to cross provincial borders to help when theres a staffing shortage in another province  a particularly acute need in remote communities  or to fill in during gaps like parental leaves. Nor can they serve patients in other provinces using telehealth, Dr. Lafontaine said. If doctors were more mobile, they could reduce the need to fly patients to large regional hospitals.

Becoming licensed in other provinces is a formidable task. While it varies by province, just registering involves extensive paperwork, takes months and costs about 2,000 Canadian dollars for a single province. On top of that, theres an annual fee. In Albertas case, for example, that comes to 2,200 dollars.

It costs a lot of money to hold two licenses or three licenses, Dr. Lafontaine said.

There have been recent developments to support Dr. Lafontaines optimism. On May 1, the four medical licensing bodies in Atlantic Canada will open a registry for doctors who want to work in any of the four provinces.

Earlier this year, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, promised to introduce legislation that would allow the province to recognize the credentials of doctors and nurses licensed in other provinces.
Ukraine insisted on Saturday that its forces were fending off relentless Russian attacks in Bakhmut, even as Western analysts said that Moscows forces had captured most of the embattled citys east and established a new front line cutting through its center.

Gradual Russian advances and a high number of Ukrainian casualties have fueled talk of a retreat from Bakhmut, a city in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine that has been devastated by months of fighting. But Ukrainian officials say that Russian losses in Bakhmut are worse than their own, and they have signaled that they will pursue a strategy of bleeding the Russian Army before a planned Ukrainian counterattack.

Despite the Ukrainian militarys assertion that it was holding on in Bakhmut, it was becoming increasingly clear that its grip on the city was tenuous and that Russian forces were making new gains. Although Bakhmuts strategic value is debatable, Moscow is looking for a victory after a series of setbacks.

Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the head of Russias Wagner mercenary group, said this past week that his fighters had seized the eastern half of Bakhmut  an assertion that Ukraines military rejected at the time, saying that its soldiers were still fighting there.
BERYSLAV, Ukraine  Oleksandr Hordienko stepped gingerly into a wheat field that had recently served as a Russian tank position, following closely behind an assistant with a metal detector. He stopped when he came to a row of metal disks glinting in the late-winter sun.

They were tank mines, hundreds of them, laid out in a checkerboard pattern across his field and presenting a deadly conundrum before the spring planting season.

Farmers who choose to climb into their tractors and work their land risk death or dismemberment by the mines, shells and other ordnance that litter the fields. Those who do not risk an economic crisis: The fighting has already cost the southern Kherson region three harvests, and there is no sign that farming will resume its role as an engine of Ukraines economy anytime soon.

Producing watermelons, barley, sunflower oil and corn, Ukraines fertile lands have sustained generations, delivered huge amounts of food to the world and could now provide a desperately needed lifeline to the country. But although the Russian troops who once occupied many of the fields of southern Ukraine are long gone, they left a colossal array of explosives behind, some abandoned and others rigged as traps.
Offaly student Rebekah Egan was presented with a memorial scholarship award by Dublin City University at a ceremony to celebrate memorial and endowed scholarships on Wednesday 1st March. In total, 44 students received awards named in honour of individuals and organisations who have played a key role in the life of Dublin City University and Irish society.

Rebekah Egan from Tullamore, a former student of Tullamore College who is currently completing a degree in Global Business at DCU was presented with the Teresa Twohill Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship was established in 2018 in memory of Teresa Twohill, who dedicated her life to broadening access to the Irish language. Teresa, a scholarship recipient herself, was a primary school teacher who was responsible for establishing a number of Naonrai across Leinster. This scholarship was created to celebrate her work in the revival of the Irish language and in the field of education.

Speaking at the event, Joe Quinsey, CEO of DCU Educational Trust commented: Memorial and endowed scholarships make a lasting contribution to the universitys mission to transform lives and societies. By creating opportunities for doctoral research and opening a door for talented students to excel, these scholarships help bright young people to fulfil their potential and make their mark on the future.

The 44 scholarship recipients were selected based on different criteria, depending on the wishes of those who created the scholarship. These include undergraduate students supported by DCUs Access Programme, postgraduate students in the fields of Biotechnology, Chemistry, Marketing, Law and Journalism, and students with outstanding sporting achievements.
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A conversation took place between the Tel Aviv district commander Eshed and police chief Shabtai, after Eshed was dismissed from his post.
In a rare comment on a friendly nation's politics, Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed 'concern' about the 'restructuring of the rule of law' in Israel.
Medvedev, who in his tweet referred to the Jewish-Ukrainian president as the 'head Nazi in Kiev [sic],' warned that Russia's response to such a move by Ukraine would be tit-for-tat.
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The agreement negotiated in Beijing to restore relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran signaled at least a temporary reordering of the usual alliances and rivalries, with Washington left on the sidelines.
News reports emerging from Germany and the United States claim that a pro-Ukrainian group was behind the blowing up of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea in September 2022.



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Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to re-establish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions. The major diplomatic breakthrough negotiated with China lowers the chance of armed conflict between the Mideast rivals - both directly and in proxy conflicts around the region.
Details of Dutch Regulator KSAs 26m in December Fines Released

Published March 11, 2023 by Lee R

The fines are apparent but the respect for the judgment of the Netherlands gaming authority appears lacking.

Dutch regulator Kansspelautoriteit has levied 26m in fines for license violations in December, with details of the penalties coming out now.

First Penalties

All penalties are still being appealed, but the targets of the fines have been revealed to be Videoslots at 9.8m, with other fines handed down to N1 Interactive, Probe Investments, Betpoint Group, and Fairload.

Unlicensed Play Issue

All five of the companies assessed fines committed the violation of allowing players to participate in unlicensed online casino play, according to the KSA.

Requests for Delay

The fines were originally announced in December, with proceedings delayed by all five parties requesting that the decisions not be published. The request for a delay was thrown out of court last week.

Repeat Violation

Other details released include KSAs assertion that N1 Interactives 12.6m fine constituted a repeat violation for an infraction that had been fined previously.

Incorrect Display Liability

KSA further expanded on the fine levied on Videoslots, saying the operator was flagged for incorrectly displaying the regulators logo:

KSA explained:

The wordmark of the Gaming Authority was incorrectly displayed on the website, while this may only be used by licensed providers.

Videoslots Contention

Videoslots announcing its intention to contest almost immediately.

KSA listed other violations they imposed fines on as lack of visible and adequate age verification; the wrongful implication of products being offered were licensed in Europe, and allowing anonymous payment methods.

KSAs New Policy

KSA further explained that the imposition of fines was based on the organisations newly adopted fines policy in September 2021, which takes into account the turnover achieved in the Netherlands.

Interactives Bad Site

Further information indicates that Malta-based N1 Interactive received a previous fine for offering games of chance to Dutch players via an unlicensed website called betchan.com.

Videoslots Complaint

Videoslots contested the decision by castigating the Netherlands Gaming Authority, characterising KSA as abusing the mystery shopping regime imposing the fine, and accused the regulator of calculating the fine based on several guesstimates.

Accusing KSA

Videoslots deputy chief executive Ulle Skottling didnt stop there, going so far as to label the sanction absurd and additionally insisting the KSA itself was acting unlawfully.

Dividing the Fines

The other fines are split up to Betpoint Groups 1.78m penalty, Probe Investments at 1.12m, and Fairload at 900,000.

KSA Spokesperson Speaks

KSA Chair Rene Janse said of the fines:

We mean business. Player safety is paramount. A fine is to hit where it hurts, so in the wallet. With such amounts, we think we can impose an appropriate sanction, given the illegal earnings.

Outlook

The penalised operators would appear to do better by accepting the decision than attack the integrity of any regulating authority.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Chief of General Staff of the Libyan Army loyal to the Government of National Unity (GNU), Lieutenant General Mohamed al-Haddad, is visiting Algeria focusing on developments in the region and the promotion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries
Cotonou, Benin (PANA) - Niger's president, Mohamed Bazoum, is expected in Cotonou on Monday for a 48-hour official visit, official sources said on Saturday
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - The Sudanese Army General Command has reaffirmed that it fully backs the ongoing political process in the country, in line with the Political Framework Agreement signed late last year that calls for a number of measures that would lead to an interim period followed by fair and free election
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, has said that temporary arrangements, transitional governments and the outgoing legislative bodies are endangering the Libyan situation, while fuelling the crisis
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A total of 150 asylum seekers and refugees were evacuated to Rwanda from Libya on the first evacuation flight of 2023, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Friday
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - US Assistant Secretary of State Geoffrey Pyatt has reaffirmed his country's support for the Libyan National Oil Company (NOC) and its Board of Directors in implementing its strategy to build capacity and increase oil and gas production
Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/Cameron Spencer)

Royal family members were invited to the intimate gathering of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's christening. However, no one came.

The spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle confirmed to People that the couple's daughter, 21-month-old Princess Lilibet Diana, was christened in an intimate gathering Friday by Rev. John Taylor, the bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex extended their invitation to the Royal family, yet King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton were a no-show.

No decision yet on whether the couple will be attending the King's coronation

An insider informed the magazine outlet that there were around 20 to 30 guests at last Friday's christening celebration. The gathering was attended by Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, Lilibet's godfather, Tyler Perry, and another unnamed godmother.

It was Perry's residence that Prince Harry and Markle used when they first arrived in America in 2020. Perry was seen arriving in Montecito, California, last week before the event alongside a 10-person gospel choir, who sang "Oh Happy Day" and "This Little Light of Mine" during the celebration, Page Six reported. The latter song was also sung during Harry and Markle's wedding in 2018.

The absence of the Royal family in the celebration prompted questions about whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend King Charles' coronation come May. It was reported that Prince Harry and Markle received a "correspondence" about it.

A spokesperson stated that any immediate decision by the Duke and Duchess regarding their attendance at the coronation would not be disclosed at this time.

Read More: Meghan Markle Opens up About Family as She Shares Daughter's Big Milestone and 'Morning Rush' at Home

A meaningful relationship between his children and the Royal family

"I've said before that I've wanted a family, not an institution-so, of course, I would love nothing more than for our children to have relationships with members of my family, and they do with some, which brings me great joy," Prince Harry said in a January exclusive interview with People, talking about his deep desire for his children to have a meaningful relationship with the Royal family.

In a virtual event of Prince Harry's bestselling memoir book Spare over the weekend, the prince poured out his feelings about being "more and more distant" from the Royal family.

The broadening gap between them became more apparent when news about the Duke and Duchess' eviction from their UK home made a lot of noise a week ago.

According to the Time, Prince Harry and Markle were "requested to vacate" the Frogmore Cottage by King Charles, leaving them without an official royal residence and a safe place to stay in case they decided to attend the King's coronation.

Despite everything that is happening, both children of the Duke and the Duchess - Princess Lilibet and three-year-old Archie will continue to use the royal titles given to them after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Related Article: Prince Harry Wants Father and Brother 'Back' Amidst Tension in the Royal Family
Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/MAHMUD HAMS/AFP )

ATV rides, jumping on most trampolines, riding in the front, and swimming alone are some of the activities pediatricians do not allow their kids to do to keep them away from injuries and accidents.

Parents would want their kids to enjoy their childhood fully. At the same time, parents know that kids will always be kids, and accidents and injuries can happen. However, ER pediatrician parents are reminding co-moms and co-dads that not all activities benefit children, and not all are worthy of their experience if it means a high risk for harm.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that though the number of unintentional deaths of children due to injuries has lessened by 11 percent from 2010 to 2019, injury is still the leading cause of death for teens and kids in America.

Just in 2019, there were over 7,000 deaths due to unintentional injuries between the age of zero to 19, an estimated number of 20 deaths in a day. Though the numbers have decreased, this is still alarming since child injury is often preventable.

Activities that are a big-NO

Today talked to ER pediatricians who are also parents and discovered that they have several activities that deserve a big NO for their children. They would never allow their kids to do these activities due to a high risk of injury, accident, or death.

1. Jump on trampolines

Experts warn parents that this well-loved backyard toy's highs are not worth its lows, with some trampolines riskier than others, especially the public or park trampolines.

A pediatric emergency medicine specialist at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, Dr. Ee Tay, declared that there are just too many "broken bones and orthopedic injuries" caused by trampolines, added with its uncontrolled surroundings and the number of kids playing on it. The risk of collisions and falls is high.

Medical director of emergency management Dr. Brent Kaziny of Texas Children's Hospital stated that there are ways to do trampolines safely. Parents need to choose in-ground trampolines and those with enclosure nets. Most of all, parents or guardians should supervise every trampoline session to minimize the number of kids jumping all at once and ensure no significant differences in age and weight.

2. Ride an ATV

According to previous reports, ATV-related injuries are rising in the country.

Further, Dr. Tay stressed how kids and teens could not correctly judge their speed or distance and most often choose just go for it. He also warned parents that the machine could flip so easily.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that no one under 16 should ride or operate an ATV.

For parents who want their children to experience riding an ATV, Kaziny encourages them to make sure that the ATV is age-appropriate, that their kids are wearing helmets and other protective gear, and that they strictly follow the safety measures.

Read More: Only 11 Percent of Children Involved in Bike Accidents Wear a Helmet

3. Swim alone

Another leading cause of children's unintentional injury or death is drowning.

According to primary care pediatrician Dr. Katie Lockwood from Children's Hospital, Philadelphia, children from ages one to four are usually the victims of drowning. The incidents occur in swimming pools, natural water sources, and bathtubs, especially among infants.

Doctors encourage parents to teach their kids how to swim as early as possible, and despite the kids knowing how to swim, parents should have water rules set and always be vigilant. There should always be a "water watcher," designated and sober.

"It's shocking how quickly a kid can end up getting themselves in trouble if you're not really paying attention," emphasized Kaziny. He urges parents to have child-resistant barriers such as locking gates in their home pools.

4. Ride in the front seat before kids turn 13

KidsHealth states that children below 13 should never ride in the car's front seat, especially since vehicle crashes are also one of the leading causes of unintentional injury, accident, and death among kids.

Children should always ride in the back seat and, whenever possible, always in the middle, even for short drives.

Lockwood warns parents that the front airbags are a potential danger to kids with developing skeletons because they are made for adults and are not the right size for them. This is why airbags cause fractures in the rib, lung punctures, and head, neck, and spine injuries.

Related article: Preventable Injuries From Car Crashes, Firearms Cause America to Lose a Lot of Young People
Photo: (Photo : Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

New York is taking measures to secure the availability of mifepristone, an abortion pill, in the state.

Other states in the country are prohibiting the dispensing of abortion pills. However, this is not the case for New York.

New York government officials are reminding major pharmacy chains that abortion pills are legal in the state and urging them to continue to supply them.

Availability of abortion pills in New York

According to Reuters, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James are taking action to ensure access to essential reproductive healthcare for women in the state.

In a recent letter to the CEOs of Walgreens, CVS Health, and Rite Aid, the officials requested that the pharmacy chains commit to making abortion pills available in the state.

The letter emphasizes the critical need for access to mifepristone, an essential medication for medical abortion.

The state's top officials call on the pharmacies to dispense the medication to patients with a valid doctor's prescription.

They remind the pharmacies that New York's law protects access to abortion as a fundamental right, and there are no legal barriers to dispensing mifepristone in New York pharmacies.

As per Axios, the officials express concern about political pressure being applied to limit access to reproductive healthcare in other states and urge the pharmacies not to be intimidated by such tactics.

They emphasize that it is essential for healthcare providers to stand up for access to reproductive healthcare in New York.

In their letter, Hochul and James set a deadline of 10 business days for the pharmacies to respond, either confirming their commitment to distributing mifepristone in the state or providing a legal rationale if they refuse to do so.

Read Also: Lawsuit Against Texas Claims Abortion Bans Violate Women's Rights to Health, Equality

The availability of the abortion pill mifepristone

The letter sent by Governor Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James follows Walgreens' announcement last week that it will not dispense mifepristone in 21 states.

According to CNN, Walgreens also announced that they would halt the sale of mifepristone, including in some states where abortion remains legal, after receiving a letter from the GOP attorneys general.

However, Walgreens' senior director for external relations, Fraser Engerman, said the company's position has always been to dispense mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permissible to do so once certified by the FDA.

In January, the US Food and Drug Administration said pharmacies could dispense mifepristone to individuals with prescriptions. This recent move sparked a backlash from Republican states seeking to limit access to abortion.

In response to Walgreens' decision to restrict access to abortion pills, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state would be pulling back on a renewal of a $54 million contract with Walgreens.

The increased attention on medication abortion comes after the Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, recognizing abortion as a constitutional right nationwide.

Access to reproductive healthcare has been a contentious issue in the United States, with many states passing laws restricting or limiting access to abortion.

New York has taken a firm stance on protecting women's reproductive rights, and the state's top officials are working to ensure that women have access to essential healthcare services.

Related Article: Walgreens Responds to Republican Attorneys General, Will Not Dispose of Abortion Pills in 20 States
Photo: (Photo : Getty Images/John Moore)

The Governor's budget proposal would expand the program allowing more children to visit their parents in prison.

Governor Tim Walz's budget proposal for 2023 to 2025 includes the Minnesota Department of Health's recommendation, allowing $1.125 million in grants for model jail practices and in-person visits to be implemented in more Minnesota jails.

Only six jails across the state have the visitation program. These are Sherburne County Jail, Carlton County Jail, Olmsted County Jail, Renville County Jail, Ramsey County Correctional Facility, and Stearns County Jail.

With the additional funding from the budget proposal, 15 more jails will have the visitation program and other services such as parenting classes and peer-to-peer support in jails.

Kids' visits as 'lifeline' for inmates

Thirty-one-year-old Quannel "Nel" Hobson was sentenced to eight months at Ramsey County Correctional Facility. He has already served seven months and will be released after a month.

When asked what keeps him strong while incarcerated, he answered that the weekly hour-long visits of his son have been his "lifeline."

His two-year-old son visits him every Sunday, and they play with his kid's favorite wooden toy blocks inside a child-friendly room at the jail.

The visitation program of the jail is " a blessing," for Hobson, who emphasized how his little boy's visits became his "greatest motivation to stay on the right track."

Indeed, it is a unique blessing as not all parents get this wonderful opportunity like him.

Most jails in Minnesota are not allowing in-person visits yet between incarcerated parents and their young ones, according to the Department of Corrections. And this can be heartbreaking since an estimated 67 percent of adults in Minnesota jail are parents with minor children. According to a state report, most of them lived with their minor kids before their jail time, and most desired to participate in parenting education.

The report also said that 17 percent of the state's youth have parents that are presently or previously imprisoned, and the separation is one of the most reported "adverse childhood experiences."

Read More: Ex-Incarcerated Father Gives Back by Helping Imprisoned Parents Who Can't Be With Their Children

Visitation to help in healing children's trauma

Rebecca Shlafer, a pediatrics researcher at the University of Minnesota specializing in studying the effects of incarceration on children and families, stressed that the imprisonment of parents and the separation heightens children's risk of having poor outcomes in their adolescence and their adulthood. It can lead to substance addiction and mental health and education struggles.

"It is really about trying to help heal some of the trauma that could have happened in the context of their parents' incarceration. Helping parents reconnect with their kids, helping kids understand their parents are safe. Sometimes kids don't know where their parents went so being able to see and touch and hold them is important," Shlafer told MPR News.

The average length of stay at the Ramsey County jail for women is 38, while 48 days for men. Shlafer stated that despite the shorter prison sentences, it still can be "equally or more disruptive" for the kids due to uncertainty.

Related article: Nashville-Based Nonprofit Helps Kids by Helping Their Parents to Parent Effectively
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The book, The Infallibility of the Church (1888) by Anglican anti-Catholic polemicist George Salmon (1819-1904), may be one of the most extensive and detailed  as well as influential  critiques of the Catholic Church ever written. But, as usual with these sorts of works, its abominably argued and relentlessly ignorant and/or dishonest, as the critique below will amply demonstrate and document.

*

The most influential and effective anti-Catholic Protestant polemicist today, Dr [???] James White , cites Salmon several times in his written materials, and regards his magnum opus as an excellent work. In a letter dated 2 November 1959, C. S. Lewis recommended the book to an inquirer who was vexed about papal infallibility. Russell P. Spittler, professor of New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary, wrote that From an evangelical standpoint, the book has been standard since first published in 1888 ( Cults and Isms , Baker Book House, 1973, 117 ). Well-known Baptist apologist Edward James Carnell called it the best answer to Roman Catholicism in a 1959 book . I think we can safely say that it is widely admired among theological (as well as emotional) opponents of the Catholic Church. * Prominent Protestant apologist Norman Geisler and his co-author Ralph MacKenzie triumphantly but falsely claim, in a major critique of Catholicism, Roman Catholics and Evangelicals: Agreements and Differences (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1995, 206-207, 459), that Salmons book has never really been answered by the Catholic Church, and call it the classic refutation of papal infallibility, which also offers a penetrating critique of Newmans theory.

*

Vol. IX: March 1901

*

Dr. Salmons Infallibility

Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Murphy, D.D.

*

[I have made a few paragraph breaks not found in the original. Citations in smaller font are instead indented, and all of Dr. Salmons words will be in blue ]

*

There are Catholic theologians who maintain, and not without good reason, that it is a note of the true Church that she should be calumniated and persecuted. And her Divine Founder insinuated this very clearly when He said to His disciples:  If you had been of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. [Jn 15:19] Very

early in the Churchs history she had bitter experience of the truth of these words; and every age of her existence supplies her with fresh experience of it.

But the shedding of Christian blood in hatred of Christian truth, has long since ceased to be fashionable, and if indulged in now, would, perhaps, call forth a protest from the Great Powers. The old hatred, however, finds expression still in a system of persecution, less openly cruel, but certainly more destructive of souls  the misrepresentation of Catholic doctrines and practices. Satan knows his enemy well, and in his warfare with the Church there is no truce. He gets his deputies to do his work, unceasingly, and by them no means are left untried to weaken or destroy the faith of those who are within the Church or to hinder those who are without from entering her fold.

Amongst the assailants of the Church, there are very many the vehemence of whose declamation is in precise proportion to their ignorance of the doctrines they condemn. Such persons cure rather objects for pity. They will not, of course, take the Churchs teaching from herself; for then it may not be so easy to refute it. They persistently attribute to her doctrines which she does not hold, and so they readily refute the phantoms of their own creation. They act just like those pagans of whom Tertullian said: They are unwilling to hear, what, if heard, they could not condemn.

And very often, too, the attack on the Church is made by men of undoubted ability, and of considerable acquirements, from whom, therefore, we should have expected accurate statements of our doctrines and intelligent treatment of the grounds on which these doctrines are held. And yet when we read their controversial works, we seek in vain for any of these qualities. They seem to understand the Church quite as little as the least educated of her assailants. The ability, the calmness, the spirit of dispassionate inquiry, which mark them in other departments of learning, seem to have completely abandoned them when they discuss the claims of the Catholic Church.

Dr. Salmon is a specimen of this class. He was known as a scientific scholar of some eminence. He is also the author of some articles in Dr. Smiths Dictionaries, and of an Introduction to the New Testament, which is a useful compilation, though often disfigured by needless exhibitions of anticatholic bias. His book on Infallibility will bring him no laurels. Indeed, judged by this book, Dr. Salmon seems to be a survival of the fittest to remind us of a time when no charge was too vile to be made against Catholics, and believed of them on mere assertion; and when no vindication, however conclusive, of Catholic doctrines and practices would obtain a hearing. The book consists of a series of lectures delivered in Trinity College, Dublin, to young men preparing for the ministry of the Protestant Church, and its aim is to show, that the claim to Infallibility made by the Catholic Church is groundless.

The present writers attention was called to Dr. Salmons book on its first appearance some years since, but it did not seem to him to call for serious theological treatment, because the reasoning was of such a kind, as could not deceive any educated Catholic, whilst the cost and bulk of the volume made it highly improbable that it would circulate amongst the uneducated, who alone could be affected by it. As however it is now certain that determined and persistent efforts have been made to circulate it amongst Protestants to confirm them in their prejudices against the Catholic Church, to shut out the light of truth from them, and as it has been used also in attempting to unsettle the faith of converts to Catholicism; and is, furthermore, the storehouse whence proselytising parsons and Church Mission agents get their stock-in-trade, it may be well to call attention to its contents.

Pere Hardouin is reported to have said to some friend who called him to task for his historical eccentricities: Do you think that I have been rising all my life at four oclock in the morning, merely to say what everyone has been saying before me? The learned Jesuits mantle has certainly not fallen on Dr, Salmon. No long vigils were needed for the composition of his book. He has said nothing in it that was not often said by others before him. He does not seem to understand  he certainly does not state correctly  the Catholic doctrine on infallibility; and he has said little against it, that was not said, with more force and better taste, by Dr. Whately and Dr. Todd. Indeed, he quotes several long passages from Dr, Whatelys Cautions for the Times without a syllable of change, and without the ceremony of an inverted comma. He draws largely on Usher and Chillingworth, and still more largely on Lesley and Littledale; he frequently adopts the reasonings and sometimes the words, of that theological luminary, Dr. Tresham Gregg.

His parade of erudition can deceive only the ignorant as to the very second-hand character of his book. He seldom ventures on a proof of any of his statements; no doubt, satisfied that his own assertion is a sufficient warrant of their truth. This, too, may have been the opinion of the students whom he lectured; but, after all, it is not fair to them to send them out into the world to carry on controversies with us, equipped only with the information supplied by Dr. Salmon. There are scattered through the book some smart sayings which may excite laughter amongst young men in a class-room, but do not help to prepare them for the more serious work that awaits them in the world abroad. Indeed, no fairly intelligent person can read through the lectures without feeling how little the students owe to their professor. Then, again, he frequently applies to us epithets, that are known to be insulting, and justifies himself by saying that he is speaking behind our backs. Well, this is all a matter of taste, and by all means let the Doctor indulge in this. It does us no harm.

He volunteers graciously to make us one liberal concession. He will call us Roman Catholics if we call him and his brethren Irish Catholics. Truth forbids us, however, to make the compromise, and the Doctor would not know himself under the new title. He openly, and, indeed, needlessly, proclaims himself a Protestant (page 9); but by Protestant he means one who has examined into the Roman claims, and found reason to think them groundless (page 10). This qualification limits very considerably the number of Dr. Salmons co-religionists, and completely disposes of his claim to the title Catholic. And, though he is treating of an all-important subject, there is nothing in his book really deserving the name of argument  no sound reasoning, no dispassionate discussion, no elevating thought. My own opinion is; For myself, I cannot admit; I will tell you what seems to me; My belief is; In my opinion  these are Dr. Salmons loci theologici.

The book teems with sinister insinuations against us, with misrepresentations of our doctrines and practices. It contains several statements regarding us that are made with reckless indifference to fact, and there is no relying on any of his quotations. Now, when a man like Dr. Salmon carries on the controversy against us in such a fashion, and trains his students to do in like manner, what are we to expect from controversialists of the Lavender Kidds school? We are to expect a perpetuation of that bigotry and intolerance of which Dr. Salmons university has been, and is, the stronghold; and Dr. Salmon and his friends are to expect that our bishops shall be incessant in their warnings to Catholic young men not to enter a university in which the ruling spirit is of such a kind.

Dr. Salmon devotes an introductory lecture to the Controversy with Rome, and he deplores that in recent times it has lost much of its interest. This decline of interest he attributes to various causes. Disestablishment, of course, is one, which means, no matter how artfully Dr. Salmon may seek to conceal it, the loss of the loaves and fishes. Then there has been a reaction against certain extreme anti-Romanist over-statements (page 2), which is Dr. Salmons nice name for the vile epithets applied to Catholics and Catholic doctrines by such pretty specimens of taste and truthfulness as Bale, and Fox, and Dopping. Then changes in Eucharistic doctrine and other High Church tendencies have had their influence on the decline of the controversy. And so, too, temptations to scepticism have made many weak-minded people recoil towards Rome, under the idea that they would be safer (page 5). This, he tells us, has been the case with a majority of the perverts which Rome has made in later years (page 5), including, of course, Cardinal Newman, and Cardinal Manning, and Dr. Ward. Well, if this disastrous indifference to controversy with Rome is to continue, the fault shall not be Dr. Salmons, for he proceeds to exhort the future parsons to apply themselves zealously to its study. And, in order to stimulate them more effectually, he says: 

I am not ashamed of the object aimed at in the Roman Catholic controversy; I believe that the Church of Rome teaches false doctrine on many points which must be called important, if anything in religion can be called important. . . . I count it then a very good work to release a man from Roman bondage. [p. 6]

And he offers the old golden rule for disposing of Romanism: The Bible, and the Bible only. Assuredly, he says, if we desire to preserve our people from defection to Romanism there is no better safeguard than familiarity with Holy Scripture (page 11). And again: I have said already that to an unlearned Christian familiarity with the Bible affords the best safeguard against Romanism (page 15). That is, put a confessedly difficult book into the hands of an ignorant man, and he is quite certain to interpret it aright! And so certain is the Doctor of the all-sufficiency of the Bible that he says: I should be well pleased if our adversaries were content to fight the battle on that ground (page 11). He must have calculated confidently on the ignorance of his audience when he made this astounding statement. He quotes Bellarmine, Dr. Murray, and Perrone; and does he find them declining the battle on that chosen ground of his? And though he would chose Scripture as his battleground, he is himself very sparing in Scriptural quotations; and whenever he happens to quote Scripture, the text is thrown up like a rocket, and left to its fate, without an attempt to show how it applies.

Considering the tone of these lectures, it is an agreeable surprise to find him giving his students the following prudent advice: You must be careful, he says, also to distinguish the authorised teaching of the Roman Catholic Church from the unguarded statements of particular divines (page 13). And he also cautions them against taking at second-hand extracts from the Fathers.

I find that those who originally made extracts from the writings of the Fathers were more anxious to pick out some sentence in apparent contradiction with the views of their opponents, than to weigh dispassionately whether the question at issue in the modern controversy was at all present to the mind of the author whom they quote, or to search whether elsewhere in his writings passages may not be found bearing a different aspect. [p. 15]

It would have been well that he had confirmed his advice by his own example, but the book affords abundant proof that he has not done so. He devotes a great deal of his lectures to an attempt to identify the statements of particular divines with the authorised teaching of the Catholic Church. He labours to show that the Church is responsible for the statements made by St. Liguori in his Glories of Mary, and he states distinctly, that the attempt made to release the Church from that responsibility is not successful (page 195). He labours to identify with the Churchs official teaching the arguments used by Dr. Milner on the Rule of Faith. He more than insinuates that the Church is to stand or fall with Cardinal Newmans Essay on Development and Grammar of Assent. Again, the views of Gury, of Father Furniss, of the Abbe Louvet  and these, too, misrepresented  are set forth as the official teaching of the Church. But his transgressions in this department are venial, when compared with his quotations.

At page 20 he quotes Dr. Milner and other controversialists, as saying of the Immaculate Conception, that neither Scripture nor tradition contained anything on the subject. The other controversialists are not named, but Dr. Milner, who is named, made no such statement, nor any statement from which it could be deduced. Towards the close of the thirteenth letter in the End of Controversy, Dr. Milner explains what Catholics mean by the Infallibility of the Church, and he adds: 

This definition furnishes answers to divers other objections and questions of Dr. P. The Church does not decide the controversy concerning the Conception of the Blessed Virgin, and several other disputed points, because she sees nothing absolutely clear and certain concerning them either in the written or unwritten word.

Now, in saying that the Church sees nothing absolutely clear and certain, Dr. Milner clearly implies that the Church saw some grounds for deciding the controversy, though not absolutely clear and certain; but Dr. Salmon, to suit his own purposes, omits the important words absolutely clear and certain, and informs his students, that, on the testimony of Dr. Milner, the Immaculate Conception had no foundation in Scripture or Tradition; and that, therefore, on the principle of Catholics themselves, the doctrine could not be defined at all! And this is the learned professor who assures his students, Our object is not victory but truth! (page 13).

Again, in the same passage, page 20, in speaking of the definition of the Immaculate Conception, in A.D. 1854, Dr. Salmon says the doctrine was declared to be the universal ancient tradition of the Church. Now the definition or declaration was made by Pius IX., and yet, in a note at page 270, the doctor tells us, Pio Nonos language was not, Receive this because it has been held semper ubique ab omnibus, but because it is laid down now at Rome by me.  No doubt the students who had heard the first version ridiculed as false in Dr. Salmons second lecture, and the contradictory version ridiculed as equally false in his fifteenth lecture, had forgotten their professors beautiful consistency, and had added both statements to their polemical stock-in-trade, their aim, of course, being not victory but truth.

Again, at page 58, he says of Cardinal Newman: He taught that one must not expect certainty in the highest sense before conversion, Faith must make a venture, and is rewarded by sight.  The reference is to Loss and Gain and the words in the text are: Faith ever begins with a venture, and is rewarded with sight. [Part 3, c.i.] This quotation is adduced to show that, according to Cardinal Newman, one must be always doubtful as to the validity of the claims of the Church to our submission. Dr. Salmons own version of the argument as given in the previous page (57) is: You must accept, without the least doubt, the assertions of the Church of Rome, because it is an even chance that she may be infallible. The text from Loss and Gain is adduced to show that, according to Cardinal Newman, the above version of the Churchs claim is substantially correct.

Now the words quoted do not represent Cardinal Newmans teaching at all. They are the words of Charles Reding, who is not yet a Catholic, and separated from this context they are grossly unfair, even to him. They are used by Reding in reply to a Protestant friend who is dissuading him from joining the Church, who tells him that he is under a delusion, and that he will find his mistake later on. Reding answers: If I have good grounds for believing, to believe is a duty. God will take care of His own work. I shall not be abandoned in my utmost need. Faith ever begins with a venture, and is rewarded with sight. The words then, as used by Reding, distinctly contradict Dr. Salmon, for he maintains that one can have no good grounds for believing in the Church; whereas Reding clearly implies that he has good grounds. And Dr. Salmon takes as much of Redings statement as can be distorted, and gives this garbled text to his students as the clear testimony of Cardinal Newman against the claims of the Catholic Church, and his object is not victory but truth.

In the sixth chapter of the same Part 3, Dr. Salmon could have found, what he might, with some show of reason, have quoted as Cardinal Newmans teaching. Reding on his way to London to be received into the Church, meets with a priest and gets into conversation with him on the subject of which his soul was full. He quotes some of the very statements made by Dr. Salmon: he finds himself unable though wishing to believe, for he has not evidence enough to subdue his reason: 

What is to make him believe? the priest says shortly but quietly: What is to make him believe? the will, his will . . . the evidence is not at fault, all it requires is to be brought home and applied to the mind; if belief does not follow the fault lies with the will . . . Depend upon it there is quite evidence enough for a moral conviction, that the Catholic or Roman Church, and no other, is the voice of God. . . . I mean a conviction, and one only, steady, without rival conviction or even reasonable doubt; a conviction to this effect  the Roman Catholic Church is the one only voice of God, the one only way of salvation Certainty, in the highest sense [the certainty of faith], is the reward of those who, by an act of the will, and at the dictate of reason and prudence, embrace the truth when nature like a coward shrinks. You must make a venture. Faith is a venture before a man is a Catholic, it is a gift after it.

Dr. Salmon is welcome to all the aid he can get from this, the real teaching of Cardinal Newman. In the face of such evidence of the cardinals teaching it needs a very strong imagination to quote him as admitting that there is neither reason, nor prudence, nor argument, guiding those who join the Church, and that it is an even chance that she may be infallible. (page 57).

Now, when books that are accessible to all, are so misquoted so misrepresented by Dr. Salmon what confidence can we have in his quotations from works that are rare and accessible to few, such as the Fathers and obscure theologians? Let us see. At page 28 he says: 

The Roman Catholic advocates ceased to insist that the doctrines of the Church could be deduced from Scripture, but the theory of some early heretics, refuted by Irenaeus, was revived, namely, that the Bible does not contain the whole of Gods revelation, and that a body of traditional doctrine existed in the Church equally deserving of veneration.

And in proof of this he gives in a note the following quotation from St. Irenaeus: 

When they [the Valentinians] are confuted from the Scriptures they turn round and accuse these same Scriptures as if they were not correct, nor of authority; for that they are ambiguously worded, and that the truth cannot be discovered from them by those who are ignorant of tradition. For they say that the truth was not delivered in writing but viva voce; wherefore Paul also declared:  We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world.  [I. 3, c. 2] And to make the analogy complete, Irenaeus goes on to complain that when the Church met these on their own ground of tradition, then they had recourse to a theory of development, claiming to be then in possession of purer doctrine than that which the Apostles had been content to teach.

This long extract fully illustrates the controversial tactics of Dr. Salmon. He tells his students that we have ceased to insist on a doctrine which he knows we never held at all, and he tells them also that the doctrines which we do hold, and which are defined in the fourth session of the Council of Trent, is the same as that of the Valentinians, and is involved in the condemnation of these heretics by Irenaeus. We hold that all the revelation made to the Apostles was not committed to writing by them; that part of it remained unwritten, and was handed down by the Apostles to their successors, and remains in the custody of the Church as part of the deposit of faith. Was this the teaching of the Valentinians? Was this the doctrine condemned by Irenaeus?

Certainly not, and Dr. Salmon must be quite well aware of this. The Valentinians, like the Gnostics, claim to have a secret tradition unknown to the Church at large. This would imply either that the Apostles did not know the whole truth, or that, knowing it, they did not communicate it to those whom they taught (page 150). The same tenets are attributed to them by Dr. Salmon at page 358, and again at page 381, where he states that the argument of St. Irenaeus were directed against that theory. Dr. Salmon then informs his students, in his second lecture, that the Catholic teaching was the Valentinian heresy, and was condemned by Irenaeus; but in his ninth, nineteenth, and twentieth lectures he admits that it was quite a different doctrine that was held by the Valentinians, and condemned by the saint. Clearly he had no fear that his students would detect his inconsistency or trouble themselves to test the quotation from Irenaeus; and he so manipulated the text as to conceal from them effectually what the saint really did condemn. He breaks off the quotation precisely when Irenaeus begins to explain his meaning, and instead of the words of the saint gives a gloss of his own which has not an atom of foundation in the text. Immediately after the words quoted by Dr. Salmon the text is: 

And this wisdom each one of them says is that which he finds in himself  a fiction, forsooth; so that properly, according to them, the truth is at one time in Valentinian, at another in Marcion, at another in Crinthus, and subsequently in Basilides, or in this or that disputant who can say nothing salutary. For each of them, in every sense wicked, is not ashamed to preach himself, thus corrupting the rule of truth. But when we challenge them to that tradition which is from the Apostles, which is held in the Church by the succession of presbyters, they reject tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser than the presbyters, and even than the Apostles, and have discovered the genuine truth  that the Apostles have mixed up legal observances with the Saviours words, . . . whilst they themselves know the hidden mystery with certainty and without mixture of error, which is, indeed, to blaspheme their Creator in a most impudent manner. Hence it comes to pass that they neither agree with Scripture nor tradition.

And in the opening of the next chapter (3) the saint explains the apostolic tradition preserved in the various Churches, and witnessed to by the succession of bishops of each Church; and then he gives the Roman Church and its bishops as the great reliable witness of apostolic tradition for the whole Church. And, with this text before him, Dr. Salmon does not hesitate to tell his students that St. Irenaeus condemns the Catholic doctrine on tradition. No. St. Irenaeus is a most eloquent vindicator of Catholic tradition, whilst he condemns, in scathing terms, the impudent assumption by the Valentinians of superior, hidden knowledge, which is something very much akin to that gustus spiritualis which Dr. Salmon and his evangelical friends claim as their guide to the discovery of Biblical truth. The attempt, then, to make a pervert of St. Irenaeus, is a miserable failure, and, in making it, Dr. Salmon has shown a reckless indifference to the responsibilities of his position. He is training up young men to be controversialists, and is, by very questionable tactics, filling their minds with false views, which, when the day of trial comes, will expose them to certain defeat and to ridicule.

Those few specimens of Dr. Salmons quotations will give some idea of his reliability in that department, but before proceeding to deal with his theology it may be well to give a specimen of the spirit which he seeks to instil into his students. At page 11, he says: 

And assuredly if we desire to preserve our people from defection to Romanism, there is no better safeguard than familiarity with Holy Scripture. For example, the mere study of the character of our Blessed Lord, as recorded in the Gospel, is enough to dissipate the idea, that there can be others, more loving, more compassionate, or more ready to hear our prayers than He.

Here, now, is a statement as clear as it can be made by implication, that we hold that there are some  perhaps many   more loving, and more compassionate, more ready to hear our prayers, than our Blessed Redeemer is! Now, what are Dr. Salmons grounds for this monstrous insinuation? He has none. Impossible. He knows his students well; they are prepared to believe everything that is bad of Catholics. Their minds have been, from their earliest years, filled and saturated with anticatholic prejudices; and now their professor, with all the weight that years and experience, and a reputation for learning, can give to his teaching, levels at us the insinuation, Satanic in its character, that we believe there are others more kind and compassionate than our ever Blessed Redeemer.

If the young men who imbibe such teaching, bring to the discharge of their clerical duties charity, or liberality, or enlightenment, they certainly do not owe it to their professor. His lectures are teeming with all the time-worn calumnies against Catholics. He has a case to make, and is not scrupulous as to the manner of making it. He has a tradition to maintain, and his arguments in its favour are judiciously selected to suit the tastes and capacity of his hearers. Scripture, fathers, theologians are made to say precisely what the lecturer wishes them to say, and all the time the lecturer is a victim to his love of truth!

The specimens already given of Dr. Salmons controversial style would seem to dispense with the necessity of any detailed examination of his book. Can anything good come from Nazareth? And the examination is entered on, not for his sake, but for the sake of those who have been, or are likely to be, deceived by his statements. The headings of the several lectures give a very inadequate idea of the contents: they are full of repetitions, full of irrelevant matter; there is much declamation, and no logical order. It is, therefore, difficult so to systematize the matter as to bring it within reasonable compass for treatment, but it is hoped that nothing important will be over-looked.

Dr. Salmon is a firm believer in the all-sufficiency of the Bible. It is his supreme antidote to Romanism. He says: 

The first impression of one who has been brought up from childhood to know and value his Bible is, that there is no room for discussion as to the truth of the Roman Catholic doctrine. . . . And assuredly if we desire to preserve our people from defection to Romanism, there is no better safeguard than familiarity with Holy Scripture, . . . thus believing, as I do, that the Bible, not merely in single texts, but, in its whole spirit, is antagonistic to the Romish system. [p. 11] I have already stated that to an unlearned Christian, familiarity with the Bible affords the best safeguard against Romanism. [p. 15]

Now, it is strange that so firm a believer in the all-sufficiency of Scripture should not be able to cite Scripture to his purpose. Neither, he says shall I bring forward the statements of Scripture which bear witness to its own sufficiency (page 132). And, for the best of all reasons, because there are no such statements. And it would have been well for Dr. Salmons reputation if he had been equally economical in his quotations from the Fathers in favour of his pet theory. He informs his students, for instance, that they had the sanction of several of the most eminent Fathers for thinking that what was asserted, without the authority of Holy Scripture, might be despised as freely as approved (page 29); the quotation is repeated at greater length at page 147. This, because it has not authority from the Scriptures, is with the same easiness despised as approved.

The quotation is from St. Jeromes Commentary on the twenty-third chapter of St. Matthew, and is quite characteristic of Dr. Salmon. It is separated from its context and quoted to prove a doctrine which has not an atom of foundation in St. Jeromes text. The saint is explaining the thirty-fifth verse in which the Scribes and Pharisees are charged, amongst other crimes, with the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias whom you killed between the temple and the altar, and he asks who is this Zacharias because he finds many of the name. He gives various opinions, one of them being that the Zacharias named was the father of John the Baptist. This opinion, he says, is grounded on the ravings of some apocryphal writers who say that Zachary was killed because he foretold the coming of the Redeemer. St. Jerome rejects this opinion on the ground that it had no foundation in Scripture, whereas each of the other opinions had some.

He says: You may as easily despise it as approve it. St. Jerome, then, consults the books of the Old Testament  the authentic Jewish record, in which genealogies were, as a rule, pretty fully recorded  to determine which of a certain number of Zacharias this was, who is mentioned by our Lord; and he rejects an opinion on the subject which has no foundation in that record, but rests solely on the dreamings of apocryphal writers. Is Dr. Salmon prepared to reject anything not found in the Old Testament, for St. Jeromes quotation will confine him to that? St Jerome searches the Old Testament to determine a certain historical fact, and from this Dr. Salmon argues that we must all search the Scripture, and Scripture only, to determine our faith. St. Jerome says: You may despise or approve the ravings of some apocryphal writers, and hence Dr. Salmon informs his juvenile controversialists, you must despise and reject apostolical tradition, and you have St, Jeromes authority for doing so. From controversialists so trained, the Catholic Church has nothing to fear.

Two other quotations from St. Jerome are given in the the same page (147), and for the same purpose. As we accept those things that are written, so we reject those things that are not written. The words of St. Jerome are: As we do not deny those things that are written, so we reject those that are not written. This quotation is from St. Jeromes letter against Helvidius who denied the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin, and who to prove his view appealed to St. Matt. i. 25: And he knew her not till she brought forth her first son. Helvidius also appealed to the texts in which the  brethren of the Lord are mentioned. He inferred from the texts that the Blessed Virgin did not continue a virgin; St. Jerome quotes a number of texts of similar construction to show that the inference was groundless. He quotes the texts of St. Matthew to prove that our Lord was born of a virgin  this is what the text does say. Helvidius relies on an inference from the text; that is, on what the text does not say. So also from the texts referring to the brethren of the Lord.

Helvidius infers that they were natural brothers, though the texts do not say so. St. Jerome proves from parallel texts that this inference is groundless. With this in his mind, St Jerome says: Just as we do not deny the things that are written, so we reject the things that are not written; that God was born of a virgin we believe because we read it; that Mary ceased to be a virgin we do not believe because we do not read it. St. Jerome says then: I accept what the texts state; I deny what they do not state. And this is the authority offered to his students by Dr. Salmon as a proof of the all-sufficiency of Scripture and as an argument against tradition! The Doctor did not tell his students that in this very letter against Helvidius St. Jerome actually appeals to tradition as a proof of the perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin. After dealing with the arguments of Helvidius, St. Jerome says: 

But why am I dealing in trifles. . . . Can I not put before you the whole long line of ancient writers  Ignatius, Polycarp, lrenaeus, Justin Martyr, and many other apostolic and eloquent men who have written volumes full of wisdom against Ebion and Valentinian, who hold this same opinion?

That the writer of this forcible and eloquent appeal to tradition, should be quoted against tradition, shows how applicable to Dr. Salmon are St. Jeromes words immediately following the above quotation: Which volumes if you had read you would know something better.

The next text from St. Jerome is still more extraordinary in its application: These things which they invent, as if by apostolic tradition, without the authority of Scripture, the sword of God smites (page 147). One can fancy the joyous amazement of the young theologians of Trinity, as they listened to this quotation. How they must have been shocked at the duplicity of Rome; but now her days were numbered; they must have felt that Dr. Salmon himself was the pillar and the ground of truth. But, as in the other quotations, their professor was blindfolding them here again. The quotation is from St. Jeromes Commentary on Aggeus, i, 11: And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, etc.

The saint is explaining the woes threatened to the Jews for their neglect in not rebuilding the Temple. He says that instead of drought  the Septuagint has sword, whilst the Hebrew is ambiguous, inasmuch as the consonants in both words are the same, and only the vowel points would distinguish them. He proceeds to show how the sword is used in Scripture as a symbol of the punishment of sinners. He then goes on to give a mystical explanation of the other words of the text. The mountains are those who rise up against the knowledge of God; the corn and wine and oil are the inducements held out by heretics to flatter those whom they deceive. The oil also, he says, represents the heavenly rewards promised by heretics.

And then comes the passage quoted by Dr. Salmon: And other things, too, which without authority or testimony of Scripture, but as if by apostolic tradition, they, of their own accord, find out and invent, the sword of God smites. Now, clearly the things condemned here are grounded not on genuine apostolical tradition, but on traditions falsely called apostolical. The words used are reperiunt atque confingunt. The tradition, therefore, is spurious, a fiction, and not apostolical. And had Dr. Salmon continued his quotation for one other sentence, his students would have got specimens of the traditions falsely called apostolical. They were, among other things, certain extraordinary austerities, long fasts, vigils, mortifications, sleeping on the ground, etc., arising out of the example of Tatian in particular, de Tatiani radice crescentes.

St. Jerome, then, condemns fanatical practices which had no foundation on apostolical tradition, notwithstanding the pretensions of those who proclaimed them. And on the strength of this passage Dr. Salmon informs his students that St. Jerome condemns apostolic tradition, and maintains the Bible and the Bible only, though, as already shown, the saint is a most eloquent and powerful advocate of tradition. To defend the Bible, and the Bible only, must, to Dr. Salmons mind, be a forlorn hope, when he has recourse to such arguments as these; and it is sad to see one in his position instilling such views into the minds of young men who are not likely to take the trouble of verifying his quotations. He is treating them badly. They came to him, it must be presumed, for knowledge, and he is making them more than ignorant. They ask him for bread, and he gives them a stone. In his first lecture he gave them a wise warning as to quotations from the Fathers, and in nearly every quotation in his book he does himself the very thing which he condemned.

Dr. Salmon gives at pages 119-121 a very long quotation from St. John Chrysostom on the reading of the Scriptures. It is very eloquent, very forcible, and very appropriate all through. But should another edition of Dr. Salmons book be called for, it is respectfully suggested that he should insert at full length the Encyclical of Leo XIII., On the Sacred Scriptures [1893]. He will find it as forcible, and certainly a far more able exhortation to the reading and study of Scripture, than anything he can find in St. Chrysostom. The quotation of the Encyclical would no doubt cause some murmurs in the class-room; and would be distasteful to many of his readers, as it would tend to disturb their settled conviction of the hostility of Catholics to the Bible; but such considerations should not weight with one whose object is not victory but truth.

But there is one brief quotation from St. Chrysostom at page 90 which merits a passing notice: All things are plain and simple in the Holy Scriptures; all things necessary are evident. This is taken from St. Chrysostoms Third Homily on the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians. The homily is a vigorous and eloquent attack on persons who decline to come to the church to hear the Scriptures read and explained. One of the excuses given for abstension from church was, that there was no sermon; and St. John asks what need is there of a sermon, all things are plain and simple in Scripture. Now, St. Peter ought to be, at least, as good an authority on this matter as St. Chrysostom, and he very distinctly states that the Scriptures are not so plain and simple, and that certain very serious consequences follow from the misinterpretation of them. Dr. Salmon agrees with St. Chrysostom, in holding that the Scriptures are very plain and simple, and such being the case, how does it happen that in a certain very plain passage of Scripture, St. Chrysostom finds the doctrine of the Real Presence, whilst in the very same passage Dr. Salmon finds the doctrine of the Beal Absence? If Dr. Salmon be right in his view, then St. Chrysostom is wanting either in intelligence or in honesty; whereas if St. Chrysostom be right, then Dr. Salmon is not so far-seeing as some people fancy, or not so zealous in his pursuit of Biblical truth.

The Doctor can maintain that St. Chrysostom is right, only by the humiliating confession that he is wrong himself. It may be too much to expect the Doctor to put the matter in this way to his juvenile theologians; but it is the true way to put it; and they would be all the better prepared for future contingencies, if they were told the truth, and nothing but the truth. Dr. Salmon says truly that St. Chrysostom was a most eloquent preacher, and such preachers are sometimes carried away by their eloquence into slight exaggerations. Of this we have a conspicuous instance in St. Chrysostoms Seventeenth Homily on St. Matthew, where he distinctly condemns even a necessary oath. His words are: But what if someone shall exact an oath, and shall impose a necessity for taking it? and he answers: Let the fear of God weigh more with him than any necessity.

Now this is clearly an exaggeration occurring in an eloquent invective against swearing; and the passage quoted by Dr. Salmon may be another instance of it. A few sentences lower down in Dr. Salmons quotation St. Chrysostom insists on the plainness of the historical portions of Scripture, and, perhaps, his general statement may be limited to such portions. But, at all events, in the very opening sentence of the next homily (IV.) he distinctly admits that St. Pauls doctrine is obscure  a statement which no one, except for controversial purposes, would think of denying. And as Dr. Salmon himself says at page 124: I suppose there is not one of them [Fathers] to whose opinion on all points we should like to pledge ourselves, he cannot deny the same liberty to others, especially in a case where the opinion is so notoriously opposed to facts. St. Athanasius, too, is put forward as a witness to the all-sufficiency of Scripture. He is quoted as saying: The holy and inspired Scriptures are sufficient in themselves for the preaching of the truth. (page 154). This is from the Oratio Contra Gentes, and in its dexterous manipulation Dr. Salmon appears at his best. The text is: 

Sufficient indeed of themselves for indicating the truth, are both the sacred and inspired Scriptures, and the very many volumes written on the same matter by most holy teachers, which if one shall study, he will to some extent understand the sense of the Scriptures, and perhaps attain that knowledge which he desires.

The Oratio was addressed to Macarius, a learned man who seems to have asked St. Athanasius for an explanation of the Christian creed; and the saint tells him, that he may perhaps be able to get the knowledge he requires from Scripture interpreted by the writings of the Fathers  that is, from Scripture and tradition this learned man may, perhaps, be able to get what he is to believe. Dr. Salmon quietly suppresses the reference to the Fathers  tradition  and represents Athanasius as saying that the required knowledge can be got from Scripture alone. A learned man may get his faith from Scripture and tradition combined, according to Athanasius himself; therefore, argues Dr. Salmon, according to St. Athanasius even an ignorant man can get his creed from the Bible alone! Of course the students took the version of the Regius Professor, and sure he is an honourable man.

But all Dr. Salmons tall-talk about the Bible comes to a stand-still, when the plain question is put to him: How does he know that the Bible is the Word of God?  how does he know that the Bible is inspired? He is very indignant with Catholics for putting this question, and he frequently reproaches them with using the infidel argument. But Catholics answer the infidel argument, he cannot. St. Augustine put the answer tersely and truly when he said: I would not believe the Gospels, unless the authority of the Church moved me to do so. Dr. Salmon does not believe in the authority of the Church, and cannot therefore give such an answer. He puts the Bible on a level with Livy or Tacitus, and there he must leave it. He cannot appropriate our conclusions without submitting to our arguments. This matter will come on for fuller treatment later on. But then Dr. Salmon will argue still. The Church of Rome, he says, is against the Scriptures because she feels the Scriptures are against her  (page 12); The Church of Rome has very good reason to discourage Bible-reading by their people (page 123), etc. This is the old, old story, a thousand times refuted, contradicted by the most notorious facts of ecclesiastical history; and yet as often repeated with cool confidence by controversialists of the Dr. Salmon type.

In fact, the case against the Catholic Church is so clear to Dr. Salmon, that he does not see the necessity of adducing any proof. In a note at page 123, he says, I have not troubled myself to give formal proof of the discouragement of Bible-reading by the modern Church of Rome, etc. But he quotes the Fourth Rule of the Index to show that we are now often apt to be ashamed of this practice (note, p. 123). Considering the general character of Dr. Salmons quotations it would be idle to expect him to be ashamed of the manner in which he has quoted this Rule. He omits from it a vitally important expression, and the omission enables him to completely misrepresent the object of the Church in making that Rule. The Rule is: Since it is manifest from experience that if the Holy Scriptures in the vulgar tongue be permitted everywhere without distinction, owing to the rashness of men, more evil than good will arise from it, etc.

Now the expression, on account of the rashness of men  ob hominum temeritatem  clearly gives the motives of the Church in making the law. Bad men abuse the best of Gods gifts, and the Church had abundant experience to convince her that bad men had abased the Bible in the vulgar tongue, and with this knowledge she seeks to check the abuse by permitting the Bible in the vulgar tongue to those only whose character is such that they are likely to be served and not injured by the concession. But Dr. Salmon omits the expression, on account of the rashness of men, and leaves the future spiritual guides of Irish Protestants to infer that Catholics hold that the evils come from the Bible in itself, and not from the abuse of it by bad men. Now, to restrict the reading for the motive here openly alleged by the Church indicates a reverence for the Bible, and a desire to save souls from spiritual ruin; but to restrict it for the motive cleverly insinuated by Dr. Salmon indicates a fear and dislike of the Bible in itself  the false charge which Dr. Salmon labours to fasten on the Church, and which he regards so clear as not to need even an attempt at proof.

He quotes the Rule, he says, from Dr. Littledale. Surely he has the original in his own library, and he owed it to his own position as Regius Professor of Divinity, not to take his authority as second-hand, and that a hand so soiled as Dr. Littledales. Dr. Littledale wrote for the rabble, whose sole article of faith is hatred of the Catholic Church; but Dr. Salmon is lecturing young men of some education, training them to be controversialists, and yet he confirms them in their ignorance of the very doctrines they will have to assail. Dr. Salmon is notoriously wrong in his version of our theory and practice in this matter, and it is difficult to fancy him ignorant of either. The Fourth Rule of the Index, comes to Catholics as a law, made by competent authority  the Church  legislating for a good end, and within her own proper sphere. The law, therefore, is binding on them, and if they refuse to obey it, they render themselves indisposed for absolution, and the Church treats them as such.

There was no restriction made by the Church on the reading of the Scriptures until the sacred volume began to be abused. When corrupt translations of portions of it began to appear and to be abused, it became the clear duty of the Church to check the abuse, and to warn her children against taking in spiritual poison from a fancied source of life. Some such restrictions were made long before Luthers time. But at that time the prevalence of corrupt translations, made in the interests of heresy, led to the legislation of the Fourth Rule of the Index; and no unprejudiced person can find, in that legislation, anything but a wise and necessary precaution against the gross and soul-destroying abuse of Gods Word. When the religious excitement of that time had somewhat abated, the law was modified by Pope Benedict XIV., and it has been still more modified in oar time by Pope Leo XIII. But Dr. Salmon may take it as a fact, that a Catholic is as free to read a Catholic vernacular Bible as he is to read his own. Bat it mast be a Catholic Bible, published under proper ecclesiastical sanction, and with explanatory notes from fathers or approved theologians.

Dr. Salmon then is completely wrong in his version of our theory, and is equally wrong as to our practice. If he ever happens to visit any of his Catholic neighbours he will find them possessed of a Catholic Bible, and quite unconscious of any prohibition as to its ase. He will find Catholic Bibles sold by all Catholic booksellers, and at a very reasonable price. If he consult some authority more reliable than Dr. Littledale he will find that for the past hundred years several very valuable editions of the Catholic Bible have been published, and circulated, without the slightest indication of opposition on the part of the modern Church of Rome. And if for some time previous to that period he should find few Catholic Bibles in Ireland, Dr. Salmon cannot be ignorant of the cause. It was not the discouragement of Bible-reading by the modem Church of Rome, (page 121), but the worse than pagan tyranny of the Church to which Dr. Salmon himself professes to belong. The spirit that inspired the Penal Laws against Catholics, and that regulated their administration was the spirit of the Protestant Church, and had its focus in Dr. Salmons own university; and it ill-becomes him to reproach us with the consequences of that degrading system.

Our schools were burned, our teachers hanged or exiled; no Catholic Bible, or other Catholic book could be published in the country, except by stealth, and at fearful risk to the publisher and possessor. The law aimed at making us unable to read, and left us nothing to read that was not anticatholic. Protestant education we could have got, and Protestant Bibles too, and we would be well paid for accepting them. But we spurned the bribe, we defied the laws, and kept the faith. These few plain well-known facts, entirely overlooked by Dr. Salmon, help to explain our practice as to Bible-reading, at a time not so long past as to have left no impression on Dr. Salmons memory. To the Catholic Church the sacred character of the Scriptures is a much more vital matter than it is to Dr. Salmons communion.

She has always cherished it with affection; she has preserved it for the long ages before Dr. Salmons Church came into existence. Her priests and her monks transcribed it, illustrated it, explained it. She is its sole legitimate interpreter now, as she has been since her foundation. Restriction she certainly has put on its reading, to ensure that it should not be abused; that it should be read with due reverence and with proper disposition. The Catholic Church will not permit ignorant men to dogmatise on the most sacred subjects, and to quote the Bible to confirm their ravings. The wisdom of her action in this matter is abundantly confirmed by the chaos existing in Dr. Salmons own communion, where unrestricted Bible-reading has given everyone a creed for himself  where  orthodoxy is ones own doxy and heterodoxy is everyone elses doxy.

Does Dr. Salmon think that the Bible is enhanced as a standard of truth by the profane brawlings of Salvationists and of Sunday street-preachers? Between the Protestantism of Lord Halifax or Father Puller and the Protestantism of Dr. Salmon or Mr. Kensit, there are, no doubt, many shades of opinion, not in very exact harmony; but all alike, and with equal logic, spring from that principle which Dr. Salmon regards as the best safeguard against Romanism (page 15) and he might have added, with much more truth, as the best safeguard against the possibility of one fold and one shepherd. He admits that the members of so many different sects each find in the Bible the doctrines they have been trained to expect to find there (page 110), and in this, as in other matters, the tree is known by its fruit.

Dr. Salmon thus is completely notoriously wrong, both as to our theory and practice as regards the reading of the Bible. But it would be unfair to him to pass over the following pretty specimen of his theological reasoning, in which he gives his students the key to our alleged hostility to the Bible: 

If you let people read the Bible, you cannot prevent them from reflecting on what they read. Suppose, for an example, a Roman Catholic reads the Bible: how can you be sure that he will not notice himself, or have it pointed out to him, that, whereas Pius IX. could not write a single Encyclical in which the name of the Virgin Mary did not occupy a prominent place, we have in the Bible twenty-one Apostolic letters, and her name does not occur in one of them. [p. 123]

And suppose that a Catholic does read the Bible, he finds it stated there that the Blessed Virgin is the Mother of God, full of grace, and blessed amongst women; and how can you be sure that he will not notice himself or have it pointed out to him that in the whole course of the Bible no other creature is addressed in such language? May not a Catholic, then, infer from all this that the Blessed Virgin is more holy, more perfect, than other creatures, and therefore, entitled to some higher honour than they? And the silence of the twenty-one Apostolic letters does not in the slightest degree affect this inference. Therefore, the Catholic who reads the Bible actually finds in it the foundation of his devotion to the Blessed Mother of God. This must be disappointing to Dr. Salmon. But Dr. Salmon himself believes in the fallibility of the Church, in the all-sufficiency of Scripture, in justification by faith alone, and these doctrines do not occur in one of the twenty-one Apostolic letters.

Now, if he may believe those doctrines, notwithstanding the silence of the twenty-one Apostolic letters, why should he make that silence an argument against Catholic devotion to the Blessed Virgin? Dr. Salmon knows quite well the occasional character of those Apostolic letters. Each was called forth by some special circumstances, and in none of them is there a cursus theologiae. The silence of such letters, then, is no argument against the honour given by Catholics to the Blessed Mother of God, and Dr. Salmon has gained nothing for his Bible-reading theory by casting his last stone at her. He probably thought the argument good enough for his students, and they, too, may have thought it a master-piece of logical acumen; but once they get into controversy with any well-educated Catholic, they are certain to be rudely awakened to the defective character of their early training, and made to feel that, instead of arguing against Catholic doctrines, they are simply beating the air.

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Summary: Jeremiah Murphy, D.D. made a devastating reply to anti-Catholic George Salmons rantings in a multi-part review in The Irish Ecclesiastical Record in 1901-1902.
Breast Care International, (BCI) and Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City in Accra, have signed a partnership agreement to generate revenue through voluntary patron contribution to support treatment and awareness creation modules designed to fight the surge in breast cancer statistics.



The humanitarian initiative appeals to patrons of Kempinski to donate fifteen cedis per each nights stay to make a difference in supporting Breast Care International through the hotels Be Heath Initiatve, program.



Founder and President of BCI, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, at the signing ceremony in Accra observed that stigma remains a bane in the campaign and we are firmly rooted in our conviction that this initiative would help in getting more patients to step out for treatment.





The Charity, She said, is keen on reducing the burden of financing the treatment cycle of indigent breast cancer patients, on a few, and commended Kempinski hotel for charting and supporting a noble cause that would rescue several women from ravages of breast cancer.



The BCI President noted that the initiative would re-kindle the primary objective of saving cancer patients.



We have to put the public on constant notice that breast cancer is still on the rise, and we cant afford to lose our loved ones and friends to a disease that could be cured if detected early she stressed.



The initiative would enable BCI focus on women who come with early stage conditions to be readily treated, she emphasised.



Dr. Wiafe said no patient, should be left out, insisting we value every life and pesewa from the donor community towards breast cancer awareness creation programs.



We must all rally around the new model and avoid acts which can cause needless and preventable breast cancer deaths among our wives, daughters, sisters, and mothers she added.



Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai, noted, the joy in reaching out to the indigent, deprived woman stuck in the remotest village stems from our shared love and value for humanity.



We are each others keeper. We are so closely and directly affected by each others acts such that we ought reasonably to have everyone in contemplation, especially the perishing and dying breast cancer patient, in our everyday engagements she said.



Managing Director of Be Health, Anne-Marie Bettex-Baars, together with manager of Kempinski, Rozlaine Hakki expressed their delight in the partnership with Breast Care to save lives.



We are proud to have launched our health initiative and support BCI fight against breast cancer. We believe that by working together, we can make a significant impact and help save lives.



The Be Health initiative is an ongoing effort, and guests are invited to continue supporting the campaign by making donations during their stay, to enable the hotel make a difference in the fight against breast cancer she added.







Source: Myjoyonline.com









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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for the Buem constituency, Kofi Adams says the military erred in besieging Ashaiman to seek justice for the death of their colleague.



According to him, the police with expertise in investigating trickier crimes must have led the operations in the town.



Military personnel besieged the area on Tuesday dawn following the killing of a member of the Ghana Armed Forces Band, Sherif Imoro, 22.



The deceased who was been laid to rest, Thursday (March 9) was in Accra for a military course and in the last three weeks, had been visiting his parents in their home at Ashaiman every Friday, multiple media sources said.



It was during one of his visits that he was reportedly confronted by a gang that killed him.



Speaking on NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie', Kofi Adams, however, pleaded with the military to hand over all evidence in their possession after their swoop to the police to continue with the investigation of the murder.



He believes the offenders will be arrested shortly.



The police have the track record of arresting criminals after their investigation, he said.



Adding that, I dont think the military should continue to get involved in what they have already done.





Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









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Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, has stated that officers take great pride in their uniforms and that members of the community they serve should respect that uniform.



His remarks come in the wake of military excesses in Ashaiman early Tuesday, following the alleged killing of a young soldier, Imoru Sheriff, by a mob at Ashaiman Taifa last Saturday.



Some soldiers are accused of using helicopters to fly over the Ashaiman neighbourhood and unleashing mayhem on some of the locals.



The Defence Minister stated during a joint press conference with Parliaments Defence and Interior Committee members that incidents like this one occur as the nation shapes up.



We are shaping up a country and we are going to have some of these regrettable incidents. I will still appeal to the people of Ghana to be very respectful of people in uniform. It will help all of us, he intimated.



Kennedy Agyapong, Chairman of the Committee, had previously stated that committee members, the Defence Ministry, and the Military High Command had agreed to visit Ashaiman to ascertain the true facts of the incident.



The minister said, I will not say anything until the committee has gone on Thursday to visit the place and ascertain for ourselves the facts.



Mr. Nitiwul explained that one of the reasons they were not going there right away was because the investigation was still ongoing, and they did not want to jeopardise it.



That is why we have asked our colleagues to tone down on statements so that we can all work together to ensure that this tricky situation is brought under control, he added.



On behalf of his members, the committees chairman expressed condolences to the bereaved family and those who were innocently affected by the militarys beatings.



Some of the people were caught up in the frenzy, according to Mr. Agyapong, who stated, I heard some of them were in their various homes and were brought out to be caned.



We all have to admit as human beings that there were excesses and therefore we sympathise with the people of Ashaiman and the Ghana Armed Forces for our young men taking the law into their hands to kill the young soldier.



A situation like this, all we can say is that we need peace. We as members of the committee cannot inflame passion by going there to make comments that will annoy a faction, Mr. Agyapong, who is also the NPP MP for Assin Central, posited.



He continued, Our mission is to make sure there is peace in this country. The unfortunate incident that happened, we have all condemned it and the Minister has apologised on behalf of the military.



They admit that there were excesses. We are not going to make a statement on the floor of the House until we visit the scene and visit the affected victims, and listen to their side of the story, he concluded.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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An oil tanker loaded with Russian crude has been idling off the coast of Ghana for more than two weeks after arriving, Bloomberg reports.



The tanker christened Theseus arrived in Ghanas territorial waters on February 24, 2023, and was supposed to be discharged into storage tanks at the Tema oil refinery (TOR).



Russias pool of buyers shrank dramatically in December after the European Union banned imports from the country, forcing traders to find new markets of Russian barrels.



This is the first Russian shipment to the West African country in at least four years, according to Bloomberg data.



The tanker loaded about 600,000 barrels of crude from Russias Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in late January, according to tanker tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.



The cargo on board originated from Russia, according to data from Vortexa and a port agent report seen by Bloomberg.



Separately, a product tanker SCF Yenisei with Russian diesel also arrived at Tema a week ago after loading about 40,000 tons from Russias Baltic port of Primorsk in early February, according to a port agent report and ship tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. It has yet to discharge.

Source: graphic.com.gh









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Some residents in Sekondi-Takoradi have expressed their unhappiness about the current usage of the Takoradi Jubilee Park as a market centre.



It would be recalled that the Jubilee Parks were monumental projects undertaken by the John Agyekum Kuffour-led administration in some parts of the country when Ghana turned 50 years in 2007 for the hosting of national and ceremonial events.



However, the Takoradi Jubilee Park was converted into a temporary trade centre during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic to create more space for traders to do business.



The move was also part of efforts to help prevent the spread of the disease among the market women and other traders.



So, now that cases of the epidemic had gone down drastically or none are being recorded, some residents have expressed the view that it is about time the traders went back to where they were brought from.



Some of the residents asserted that many of them could not participate in the Regional celebration of the countrys 66th independence anniversary celebration because they did not know where the event took place.



We did not even know the region celebrated the Independence Day anniversary on March 6 this year because on that day, the market women were still at Jubilee Park. It was later we realized that the ceremony took place in Sekondi, some of them lamented.



Nana Egya Kwamina XI, a Divisional Chief of the Ahanta Traditional Council called on city authorities to clear the traders from the Jubilee Park to allow it to be used for its purpose of hosting national and ceremonial events.



He was of the view that since there are still more spaces at the Apremdo Market, popularly called Abenbebom in his traditional area, the trades could be moved there to trade rather than allowing them to take over the Jubilee Park.



I am appealing to the political heads within the Western Region to immediately return the park to its original use.



He said, There are more spaces at the Apremdo market which can contain the traders and so I do not see the reason to still allow the trades to continue to do business at the Takoradi Jubilee Park.



According to the chief, taxpayers monies were used for both projects to serve different purposes But here is the case, the Apremdo market is abandoned, and the Jubilee Park is rather serving as a market.



Meanwhile, the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly has indicated that plans are afoot to relocate the market women from the Jubilee Park.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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Ghana police in a statement have confirmed the arrest of the main suspect in the murder of the late military officer, Imoro Sherrif



The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, the soldier who was found dead at Taifa Ashiaman on 4th March 2023. A police statement said.





Dozens of military officers stormed Ashaiman in the operation that saw some soldiers entering the town in trucks, with an armoured car plus a helicopter hovering over the town.The exercise is said to be in response to the gruesome murder of a young soldier, Trooper Sherrif Imoro, by some unidentified persons on Saturday, March 4, 2023.Videos of the invasion shared across social media show various forms of assault being meted on residents by the rampaging officers who subjected some of the residents to severe beatings.In a statement released in the early hours of March 8, the Ghana Armed Forces admitted authorizing the swoop which led to the arrest of 184 persons, as well as the seizure of suspected illegal drugs.In the said statement, they also acknowledged excesses may have resulted in the swoop but failed to apologize for or commit to conducting a probe on the same.An initial 150 suspects were released on March 8 whiles Fix The Country movement convener Oliver Barker-Vormawor reported on March 9 that the remaining 34 have also been freed without charge.The Ashaiman Police have quizzed the devastated girlfriend of the murdered military man who was killed at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.The interrogation was in an attempt to unravel the circumstances under which the 22-year-old trumpeter of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) band, Imoro Sherrifwas killed.She was invited, questioned and released on self-recognized bail by the police, DGN Online can report.Confirming the interrogation, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey gave additional information to 3Fm that So far it was only one person that was invited for questioning, the purported girlfriend of the deceased.According to the Police, it appeared the girl has also been devastated about the whole issue, the guy was with her throughout the night up to 2am when they departed and just to wake up the following morning to hear the issues on social media, she was devastated about it.So by and large, it was the only person that was questioned as we speak now. So we are waiting to see if the culprits will be arrested.Imoro Sherrif was laid to rest on Thursday, March 9 at the Military Cemetery, Burma Camp in Accra.Imoro Sherrif was gruesomely murdered on Saturday, March 4.He was found in a pool of blood in Ashaiman and suspected to have been stabbed to death.The Military High Command on Tuesday sanctioned an intelligence-led operation to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.In the course of the operation, several civilians reported of brutalities meted out to them as 184 persons were rounded up with 150 released and 34 persons have been handed over to the Ghana Police Service through the Military Police for further action.

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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Gabon: At least two people are dead and 28 others missing after a small ferry foundered off the Gabonese coast, a port official told AFP on Thursday. The vessel was carrying 151 passengers and was headed to the city of Port-Gentil from the capital, Libreville.
It has emerged that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) George Akuffo Dampare was personally involved in the intelligence work that led to the arrest of the killers of the slain soldier Imoro Sheriff.



According to sources familiar with the development, the IGP joined the operations on the grounds at Ashaiman to follow leads and tip-offs that eventually led to the arrest of the suspects on Friday.



The Police in a post on social on Friday evening said: The Police after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation have arrested the key suspects involved in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, the soldier who was found dead at Taifa Ashiaman on 4th March 2023.



On Saturday, March 4, 2023, Imoro Sherrif, who according to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) visited Accra from Sunyani, was murdered in the Ashaiman township.







The March 7 military swoop



Dozens of military officers stormed Ashaiman in the operation that saw some soldiers entering the town in trucks, with an armoured car plus a helicopter hovering over the town.



The exercise is said to be in response to the gruesome murder of a young soldier, Trooper Sherrif Imoro, by some unidentified persons on Saturday, March 4, 2023.



Videos of the invasion shared across social media show various forms of assault being meted on residents by the rampaging officers who subjected some of the residents to severe beatings.



In a statement released in the early hours of March 8, the Ghana Armed Forces admitted authorizing the swoop which led to the arrest of 184 persons, as well as the seizure of suspected illegal drugs.



In the said statement, they also acknowledged excesses may have resulted in the swoop but failed to apologize for or commit to conducting a probe on the same.



An initial 150 suspects were released on March 8 whiles Fix The Country movement convener Oliver Barker-Vormawor reported on March 9 that the remaining 34 have also been freed without charge.





Police Interrogate Girlfriend Of Slain Soldier



The Ashaiman Police have quizzed the devastated girlfriend of the murdered military man who was killed at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.



The interrogation was in an attempt to unravel the circumstances under which the 22-year-old trumpeter of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) band, Imoro Sherrif

was killed.



She was invited, questioned and released on self-recognized bail by the police, DGN Online can report.



Confirming the interrogation, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman, Ernest Henry Norgbey gave additional information to 3Fm that So far it was only one person that was invited for questioning, the purported girlfriend of the deceased.



According to the Police, it appeared the girl has also been devastated about the whole issue, the guy was with her throughout the night up to 2am when they departed and just to wake up the following morning to hear the issues on social media, she was devastated about it.



So by and large, it was the only person that was questioned as we speak now. So we are waiting to see if the culprits will be arrested.



Imoro Sherrif was laid to rest on Thursday, March 9 at the Military Cemetery, Burma Camp in Accra.



Imoro Sherrif was gruesomely murdered on Saturday, March 4.



He was found in a pool of blood in Ashaiman and suspected to have been stabbed to death.



The Military High Command on Tuesday sanctioned an intelligence-led operation to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.



In the course of the operation, several civilians reported of brutalities meted out to them as 184 persons were rounded up with 150 released and 34 persons have been handed over to the Ghana Police Service through the Military Police for further action.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Sam Nartey George, Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram has chastised the Electoral Commission (EC) and its chairperson over the recent Constitutional Instrument (CI) it has put before Parliament.



The CI aims to amend the current law to make Ghana Card, the sole proof of identification for registration of new voters, removing the existing options of the use of passports and the guarantor system.



In the opinion of Sam George, the action of the EC amounts to threatening Ghanas democracy, which development the Minority Caucus will not allow to happen.



Our democracy is under threat with an Electoral Commission that has gone rogue and an electoral commissioner who has become a tin god and thinks that she is the best thing to happen to Ghanaians since Bens bread.



And who thinks that she can run riot in this country and do whatever she wants because she has the blessings of a president who is ruling like a despot, he told Accra-based Joy News reporter in Parliament.



Sam George stressed that Parliament remained the last bastion to protect the countrys democracy and that the Minority represented the final hope in that bastion.



Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress has asked all Members of Parliament to suspend their campaigns and religiously attend to parliamentary business in the coming weeks.



It is believed that the move is to allow them marshal their numbers in opposing two major developments, the passage of the CI as well as approval of recently vetted ministerial nominees.







Source: ghanaweb.com









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Presidential candidate Aspirant of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Hon. Joe Ghartey, has joined former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye, to mourn his late wife, Maj. Rtd. Alberta Adwoa Boatemaa Oquaye.



Hon. Ghartey together with his wife, Efua Ghartey, visited Prof. Oquaye at his residence in Accra to commensurate with him about the loss of his wife.



During the visit, Hon. Ghartey recalled various public events that he sat next to the former Speaker and his dear wife "and she was wonderful company. Such a lady."



"During President Kufour's administration, I sat next to Prof Oquaye in Cabinet. At the time he was Minister of Energy and I was Attorney General and Minister of Justice", Hon. Ghartey said.



"Prof. Oquaye handed over his staff to me when I succeeded him

in 2013 as 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament."



"When Prof Oquaye became Speaker I was one of the few Parliamentarians he would invite to his Chambers to have lunch with him."



"My relationship with him extended to his family, including his dear wife."



"May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace until the day of resurrection," Hon. Joe Ghartey concluded.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, a Governance Lecturer at the Central University, has condemned the murder of a young Military soldier at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.



A military officer in his early twenties was allegedly beaten and stabbed to death by some unidentified assailants on his way home.



The deceased is said to have sought permission from the military camp to visit his family and, on his way, met his untimely death.



As a result, troops were deployed to the community who unleashed their anger on the residents in the community, beating them mercilessly.



Videos emerged showing the soldiers pulling the residents from the homes as they received heavy lashes.



Reacting to the incident, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah commiserated with the innocent people, who due to the death of the military officer, were subjected to severe beatings, but wondered why any person would attempt to assault and kill a soldier.



He kicked against mob justice stressing it is inappropriate and unlawful for any person to take the life of another and insisted that people shouldn't take the laws into their hands but rather report matters to the appropriate authorities and the Ghana Police Service.



"Stop the attacks," he exclaimed and expressed disgust over the assault of the young soldier resulting in his death.



"What at all could provoke them to stab this gentleman to death? Does this young guy not have a family? His mother is weeping. He has a family," Dr. Otchere-Ankrah decried.



He hoped the perpetrators will be found and dealt with.



"Are we in a jungle?", he fumed.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Ghana's fast-rising insurance platform, aYo MTN, has extended the ambassadorial deal of ace broadcaster MrGilbert Abeiku Aggrey, popularly known as AbeikuSantana.



The one-year extension would see the award-winning broadcaster continue various activations with the aYoMTN, which has insured over eight million Ghanaians subscribed on the digital insurance platform.



Speaking at a signing ceremony in Accra, Mr. Francis Gota, Chief Executive Officer of aYo Ghana Intermediaries Limited, stated that Abeiku Santana has contributed immensely to the growth of their brand, and they were elated to give him a one-year extension.



"It has been exactly one year since we signed AbeikuSantana as a brand ambassador, and we are delighted about the impact he has made to our brand and are elated to continue our working relationship with him.



"The aim of our brand is to create a future where everyone uses insurance by making it easily accessible, and by engaging Abeiku Santana, we want to further broadcast the good benefits one seeks to enjoy when they join the platform," he said.



Mr. Gota noted that over GHC 13 million in claims have been paid to its customers, and they are poised to aid people in difficult times, especially when it comes to health care.



Abeiku Santana, on the other hand, was grateful to the aYo MTN brand for sustaining their relationship with him, as he relishes telling Ghanaians about the need to get on the aYo Ghana insurance platform.



"I am grateful to aYo MTN for recognising my efforts in thriving their brand and honouring me with a one-year extension.



"I believe that through Gods Grace and Glory, we will be able to have an impact on poor and needy people who are either sick or have lost their loved ones and help them gain good health care and live protection packages," he added.

The 2021 Radio and Television Personality of the Year entreated Ghanaians to subscribe to the aYo MTN insurance platform because it has the best packages that could salvage their plights in difficult times.



"In this digital age, to have an insurance product that is easily accessible and so affordable, it is quite remarkable. I am yet to have an insurance policy that cares so much for the low-income earners than aYo, and I urge Ghanaians to subscribe to this insurance to secure the future," he said.



MTN Ghana users can subscribe to "Recharge with Care", "Send with Care and other insurance products by dialing *296#.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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As frustrated motorists continue to deal with long lineups at Quebec's automobile insurance board, truck drivers worry that they won't be able to leave the province come April 1. Vehicles enter and exit the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel on the south shore of Montreal, Monday, January 2, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
" " Pet parents often have to make gut-wrenching choices when it comes to caring for sick animals. Justin Paget/Getty Images

It was a dark April day in 2013 when I lost one Sophie Lou Who, my 12-year-old chocolate lab who had two marbles for eyes and a candy-kiss nose. Sophie collapsed at my feet and wouldn't get up. I didn't even know she was sick. She had gotten a clean bill of health only months before.

I sped her in the dark of night to the 24-hour emergency hospital some 30 miles away. The doctor feared a tumor on her spleen had burst, sending rivers of blood and possibly cancer cells coursing through her otherwise sturdy body. Her sister, McBeal, passed at that very same hospital, during the same week a year earlier, during a similar emergency run. The two were as thick as thieves and had spent nearly every day for more than 11 years with each other. It was fun to watch them love each other. When McBeal, who was 14, died, I knew Sophie would want to find her.

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As I talked to the veterinarian that night, she offered a bit of hope. She said the tumor might be benign and an operation could save her life. An ultrasound would determine the extent of the carnage. Did I want them to do both procedures? They would be expensive, she noted, thousands of dollars on top of what I already spent that night, but if it was her dog ... she didn't need to finish the sentence.

Pet parents often have to make gut-wrenching choices when it comes to caring for sick animals. Such situations are stressful and depressing. A first-of-its kind study published in the September issue of the journal Veterinary Record, underscores those grim facts. The study concluded that the burden, stress, anxiety and depression of taking care of a sick pet are similar in many ways to taking care of a sick family member, especially those with dementia.

The study was co-authored by Mary Beth Spitznagel, a clinical neuropsychologist and associate professor at Kent State University. Spitznagel had what she called "pet-care burden." Her dog, Allo, had Cushing's disease and bladder cancer so Spitznagel started writing a blog about her experiences, and is using the blog to do additional studies with a veterinary clinic and pet disease support groups. But she also wanted to study the psychological impact caring for a sick pet has on a person. She created an online survey using validated information from human caregiver research. Spitznagel and a team of other researchers crunched the numbers.

"In the case of this study, burden is at a high enough level that for some people, it could be causing symptoms of anxiety and, more likely, depression," Spitznagel said in a statement. "Something striking in this study participant group of pet caregivers is that a good number of people feel stressed out but don't stop to think about why."

The researchers hope veterinarians will use the study to find ways to lessen the burden pet caregivers are under when their cats or dogs get sick. That burden is often complicated by economics. According to one 2010 survey, 62 percent of pet owners say even if the cost reached $500, they would likely pay for their pet's health care. Fewer than half said they would pay $1,000. Only 30 percent said they would pay $2,000.

But for other pet owners, money is never an option. That was the case for Courtney Silk and Bill Walter, who never considered it when treating their dog Sam's life-threatening heart condition. "Money was never discussed," Silk said in an email. "No decisions were predicated on the cost of how much medication, procedures or hospital stays would cost."

Sam got the best of care. Silk and Walter would sometimes drive late at night from their Connecticut home to Sam's canine cardiologist in Springfield, Massachusetts. Sam was on a bevy of medications. He even had his own pillbox. While Silk and Walter were away for hours at work, a dog sitter came in twice a day to give Sam his meds. "One of the medications was a diuretic, so additional walks, at all hours, were necessary to keep up with how this impacted his body," Silk said. "We had to be mindful of what he ate, so we began buying every flavor of baby food, baby cookies and baby treats."

Silk and Walter spent more than $20,000 taking care of Sam. It was expensive. It was stressful. "Sam was not just a dog. He was our furry child. We had him for 14 years. We tried everything and anything to keep him alive during the last year of his life."

But there comes a time in a pet owner's life where decisions have to be made. That day eventually arrived for Sam. "The doctor said there was nothing more that could be done after a particularly bad incident of heart failure," Silk said. "We were devastated and never thought we would get to that point. We chose not to be at the hospital when the doctor put him to sleep."

As for my dog Sophie, the call from my vet came the next morning. My hand shook as I held the phone. The ultrasound and other tests were completed. They could operate, but that would only buy her a few days, a month at the most. I raced to the hospital and took her home. I never left her side for the remainder of the day. Even though I was prepared to mortgage my house and max out my credit cards, steal if I had to, all the money in the world couldn't save Sophie Lou. The two of us spent her last night in the darkness of the living room, waiting for sleep and perhaps a miracle to arrive. Neither came.

Two hours past dawn, I took Sophie Lou to her vet. He examined her and read the report from the emergency hospital. He agreed with the prognosis. Time had come. I kissed her head and held her paw as he shaved a bit of her still shiny chocolate fur off and placed a catheter in a vein. I told her I loved her, kissed her snout and said that I'd see her again on the "flipside." They were the same words I used with McBeal a year earlier. The doctor then took a syringe, hooked it up to the catheter and pressed its contents into Sophie's once strong body.

As I stroked her head and kissed her one last time, Sophie went to sleep. I know her sister was waiting for her.

Now That's Interesting The American Pet Products Association says Americans will spend about $69.36 billion on their pets in 2017, which is nearly $3 billion more than in 2016. The APPA also estimates pet owners will spend nearly $17 billion just in vet expenses in 2017.
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. President Rumen Radev reported on Saturday that the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) will open an office in Bulgaria in May 2023, the President's press secretariat said. Radev held a videoconference in Baku with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, after Radev tested positive for COVID-19.

The Bulgarian President was subsequently given two more tests that were negative. Although he feels well and has no symptoms, he cancelled his participation in the 10th Global Forum in Baku.

According to Radev, the SOCAR's office in Bulgaria is a sign of Azerbaijan's serious intentions for further deepening of cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector. The opening of the office was agreed during Aliyev's visit to Sofia in September 2022. The two presidents discussed the progress of the preparation on Saturday.

The Azerbaijani side showed interest in the Solidarity Ring (String) project, which is to unite the capacity of the gas transmission networks of Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary to create real energy diversification. Radev said that he invited his Azerbaijani counterpart to Sofia, where the two can discuss having Azerbaijan join the project, which is fully in line with the European vision of guaranteeing supplies, their security and diversification.

Radev said: "We are already receiving the full quantities of Azeri gas through the interconnector between Greece and Bulgaria on very good terms, but this is only the beginning". He pointed out that political dialogue at the highest political level is an important condition for deepening the cooperation between the two countries in all areas of mutual interest, not only energy.

Earlier Saturday, the Bulgarian head of State met in Baku with local business representatives, which was organized by the Bulgarian - Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
RTA Debate Rages On as Poker Training Tool Removes 20-Second Delay

March 11, 2023 Connor Richards Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

As the threat of real-time assistance (RTA) to online poker continues to permeate, who is responsible for detecting and preventing cheating in the online poker space? Poker sites? Government regulators? Poker training software developers? This is a question that several prominent poker players and training site owners debated this week in the latest controversy over the future of online poker in the age of artificial intelligence.

The discussion surrounded the decision by poker training software Odin Poker to remove its 20-second delay, something that critics warned encourages cheating by allowing users to see outputs in real-time to make optimal decisions.

Odin and Prometheus Poker founder Rory Young pushed back on this criticism by pointing out that other prominent poker training tools have always operated without a delay (albeit with other RTA-prevention methods in place) and claiming that these sites were unwilling to agree "on having the same delay on our respective products."

1/6 When we launched Odin in July 2021 I contacted @GTOWizard, @RunItOnce etc to propose an agreement on having the https://t.co/BTptuB5h7f  Rory Young (@RoryYou59455440)

Among those to weigh in on the RTA controversy were Run It Once founder Phil Galfond, RangeTrainerPro founder Kenneth K.L. Cleeton and DTO Poker Trainer owner Dominik Nitsche.

Click here to learn more about RTA in poker

Hammer Dropped on Odin

Odin is a poker training software similar to tools like GTOTrainer, GTO Wizard and DTO Poker. Using unique simulations, the software helps players analyze hundreds of spots and looks at different flop bet sizes and preflop actions using PioSolver Analysis Tools, according to the Odin website.

The poker training software launched in July 2021 at a time when solver outputs were largely only accessible to high-stakes pros who "needed expert knowledge to be able to configure these solvers," Young told PokerNews in a March 9 interview.

"The idea was to bring this technology at scale to as many people as possible, obviously for profit, but (also) so people could have access to the same information that the best players in the world had," said Young.

Odin had a large marketing presence at the 2021 World Series of Poker (WSOP) and even picked up a high-profile ambassador in poker wunderkind Fedor Holz. As of earlier this year, Holz is no longer affiliated with the company.

In its first nearly two years on the market, Odin operated with a 20-second delay to prevent RTA, a timeframe Young noted was "more than enough time to make sure that it can't be abused."

According to Young, he reached out to other major poker training software providers "to negotiate a gentleman's agreement where the one thing we never compete on is the delay, for the sake of the future of online poker."

"No one got back to me," he said. "People responded, but they basically said, 'No, not interested.' And then despite this, I still chose to keep on the delay for nearly two years, obviously to the detriment of revenue and customer (user experience) and everything."

On Feb. 28, Odin removed the 20-second delay and advertised on its website that it now offered "instant solutions" with "no delay." A few days later, Odin sent an email to users promoting the delay and announcing a sale.

"Solving poker has never been faster," reads a banner on the Odin website.

Young told PokerNews he opted to remove the delay "because it was causing such (user experience) problems for our users; there were lots of complaints, lots of competitors who had no delays."

A banner on the Odin website advertising the delay removal

Removing the delay didn't bode well with several poker players and fellow training site operators, including LearnProPoker co-founder Ryan Laplante.

"Unfortunate to see you want to profit from not having a delay, and don't want to help the industry as a whole," tweeted Laplante.

Young defended his decision to remove the delay in a Twitter thread, where he noted he contacted other training companies about agreeing to a delay and "NONE of them were willing."

Laplante, who helped build and owns a part of RangeTrainerPro that launched in 2019, disagreed with this reasoning.

Fuck you for changing your product in a way that YOU KNOW people can use to cheat, with your only excuse being "O https://t.co/pSsqLWhmLr  Ryan Laplante (@Protentialmn)

This response also didn't satisfy poker streamer Vanessa Kade, who wrote that "I think you're all equally the problem" and "that doesn't absolve you though just because others are doing it."

"It's important to act ethically regardless of what everyone else is doing," tweeted Kade. "That's why people have so much respect for people and companies who consistently make an effort to do the right thing - when it's not just lip service it often has a real personal cost and the reason it's hard is *because* it puts the welfare of the community above your own self-interest."

Poker Training Operators Put on Defensive

The decision by Young to drop its 20-second delay put Odin and other poker training sites on the defensive as the community debated how best to counter RTA in the face of rapidly changing technology.

Young, a WSOP bracelet winner from Australia, acknowledged that it was a "big mistake doing a big sale and sending out a promotion saying we removed it (the 20-second delay) where we didn't clearly communicate."

"That's on me," he said. "I suck at marketing, to be honest. I didn't really think it through. It should have been like, 'Hey, due to our competitors not having delays and so many people kind of leaving us for them, we decided we had to remove the delay. We didn't want to.' I think that kind of messaging would have been smarter."

Rory Young

He also acknowledged that removing the delay could be problematic. Might doing so enable Odin customers to use it as an RTA tool?

"The short answer is yes; the longer answer is yes, but you will be caught," said Young. "Either directly through Odin or through the poker sites catching you."

Without disclosing specifics, Young noted that "we have two or three measures internally that we take to prevent RTA," adding that "the delay is the only very obvious, measurable, user-facing measure that you can take to prevent people from using it."

Other poker training software operators weighed in on social media. Galfond defended RIO's Vision GTO Trainer in a Twitter thread, while DTO Poker Trainer founder Nitsche pointed to other poker training tools like GTO Wizard that operate "with 0 delay," noting that "tools capable of displaying solver solutions in real time have been around for a long time now."

I see myself tagged (called out) in convos regarding GTO solver tools & their use as RTAs, related to @RunItOnce's https://t.co/PSrbQ6PU6R  Phil Galfond (@PhilGalfond)

"Odin did not cross any lines that had previously not been crossed by other big players in the space," said Nitsche. "Don't hate on Odin for following the trend."

Join your fellow PokerNews readers in our Discord server, where you'll find exclusive offers, special freerolls, and all the latest poker-related news and tournament live updates.

Who's Responsible for Policing RTA?

Like many of poker's most controversial issues, the subject was taken up on the Solve For Why Only Friends podcast, where Matt Berkey called removing the delay "optically poor from a marketing standpoint" while also noting he was "very much of the mindset that this is not the software development team's duty to police any longer."

"The issue is that even if you could get every single operator on board right now ... it doesn't prevent somebody tomorrow from launching a new product that says 'f*** you. We'll do it better and we'll do it more efficiently. And you being ethical is what's going to cost you bottom line and allows us to win market share,'" said Berkey.

His position deviated from that of Kleeton, who argued that software developers and poker training sites have an obligation to create ethical products that don't enable RTA.

"It takes zero effort on our parts in order to be good actors," the RangeTrainerPro founder said. "The only effort that it takes is a willingness to look beyond the bottom line and realize that in the long term all we're doing is ... making a quick dollar in the short term but killing online poker in the long term."

Both agreed that regulatory bodies need to play an active role in detecting RTA and preventing cheating.

"Maybe if we could go beyond the operators altogether because that's what's lacking is oversight be a greater governing body," said Berkey.

"That's exactly the point," said Kleeton. "We don't have an oversight governing body."

KL Cleeton

In his interview with PokerNews, Young pushed back on notions that he was a bad-faith actor in the poker community and noted that he has been at the forefront of RTA prevention.

"If I was this bad-faith actor, my team of developers are ex-Google, ex-Facebook developers. We can augment the Odin system in maybe like a couple of weeks to be a fully-fledged RTA selling directly to the public where it can read your screen and tell you exactly what to do in real time. Never have we ever had any kind of productization that would point in that direction. Quite the opposite."
PN Podcast: Global Poker Award Winners & Guest Preston McEwen Talks WSOPC Success

March 10, 2023 Chad Holloway Executive Editor U.S.

On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode of 2023, Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards breakdown all the Global Poker Award winners, reveal that the PokerNews Cup will be returning to the Golden Nuggets 2023 Grand Poker Series, and offer some highlights from the 2023 Wynn Millions.

They also welcome guest Preston McEwen to the show. He's been a force to be reckoned with on the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit having won five gold rings in the past two years. He's also fresh off making four final tables in four days at the WSOPC Harrah's Cherokee stop. Find out what's led to all his success here.

Finally, they recap two RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) stops and get into the recently-revealed PokerStars USA SCOOP schedule for players in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

PokerNews is hiring for the 2023 WSOP! Click here for details.

Time Stamps

Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show  tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.

Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here!

Check Out Past Episodes of the PN Podcast Here!

Sharelines PokerNews Podcast: Preston McEwen (@flapjack_jebus) talks winning five @WSOP Circuit gold rings!
Welcome to the last and final day of the $3,500 Wynn Millions Main Event here at the beautiful Wynn Las Vegas. A total of 1,314 entries joined the field over three starting flights and after five action-packed days of poker, only nine players remain in the hunt for Wynn Millions glory.

Once the dust settled on Day 5, Zachary Donovan bagged the top stack with 11,775,000 in chips. Donovan, who is now a Las Vegas local, said he primarily plays cash games around the area as well as most of the major tournament events in the city. Donovan has close to $2.2 Million in earnings and with his largest score being just over $260,000, will look to smash that record with the $654,637 top-prize.

Donovan will definitely have his work cut out with the likes of Pedro Ingles (7,175,000), Andrew Esposito (6,175,000), and Jacob Powers (6,075,000) close on his heels.

Final Table Seat Draw

Seat Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Pedro Ingles Spain 7,175,000 36 2 Zhigang Yang Canada 3,200,000 16 3 Jacob Powers United States 6,075,000 30 4 Andrew Esposito United States 6,175,000 31 5 Cliff Ziff United States 4,875,000 24 6 Mark Zajdner Canada 5,950,000 30 7 Kharlin Sued United States 2,000,000 10 8 Michael Rossitto United States 5,425,000 27 9 Zachary Donovan United States 11,775,000 59

Final 9

All nine players have locked up a guarantee pay-day of at least $67,765, but will have their sights set on the lion's share of the $4,171,950 prize pool. Action kicks off today at Noon and blinds will resume at Level 30 with 100,000/200,000 and a 200,000 big blind ante. There will be a 15-minute break at the end of each 90-minute level and depending on how long the day goes, could be a dinner break added in. The action should speed up some with the average stack being just under 30 big blinds.

Remaining Payouts

Place Prize 1 $654,637 2 $430,752 3 $294,540 4 $208,598 5 $154,279 6 $120,361 7 $96,706 8 $80,310 9 $67,765

Be sure to stick with PokerNews for all your up-to-date coverage of the final table of the Wynn Millions Main Event.
Kyle Larson passed Joey Logano with 29 laps to go and went on to win his second Cup Series race of the season Sunday at Martinsville Speedway on a day when NASCAR welcomed back Chase Elliott. Logano, who was forced to begin the race in the back of the field after his crew found a leak in his water tank prior to the start, finished second followed by Martin Truex Jr and Denny Hamlin. Larson ended some frustration on a track that he said doesnt suit his driving style, celebrating by doing a burnout most of the half-mile, paperclip-shaped track. It was the 21st career Cup Series win for Larson and his 15th win in the last three seasons. Read moreLarson pulls away from Logano to win at Martinsville
The Super Mario Bros. Movie scored the best second weekend ever for an animated movie in North American theaters with $87 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Mario faced little major competition this weekend even with a slew of new national releases including The Popes Exorcist, which opened in second place; Renfield, which debuted in fourth; Mafia Mamma and the animated Suzume. A24 also debuted Beau is Afraid, starring Joaquin Phoenix, in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles where it made $320,396 over the weekend before it expands nationwide on Friday. Read moreMario tops charts again; Beau is Afraid wins in limited
US President Joe Biden has made a decision to extend the unilateral American sanctions against Iran for another year.

March 11, 2023, 10:53 Biden extends US sanctions on Iran for another year

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 11 , ARTSAKHPRESS: This was announced by the press service of the White House, which disseminated the documents signed by Biden on the extension of sanctions.
Savannah River Mission Completion, the liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site, has been recognized as an all-star for its continuing efforts to support United Way agencies across the region. Read moreSRMC receives fundraising award from United Way of the CSRA
Richard Eckstrom has been South Carolinas comptroller general so long that most people forget he started his political career by defeating Grady Patterson in 1994 to become state treasurer. Mr. Patterson returned the favor in a grudge match four years later and kept the seat another eight years, until a handsome young man with a formidable political name and a soon-to-be-discovered cocaine problem snatched it back from him.

Mr. Eckstrom was certain enough that the state of South Carolina needed his accounting acumen that he returned to the campaign trail four years after his defeat and unseated first-term Comptroller Jim Lander and served alongside Mr. Patterson  to the delight of neither  for four tense years. (Mr. Lander, by the way, had succeeded Earle Morris, who served from 1976 through 1999 and wasnt indicted for securities fraud until five years after he left office, for crimes unrelated to his public service.)

After Thomas Ravenel was convicted on federal drug charges, the Legislature appointed Rep. Converse Chellis to replace him as treasurer; he lost a primary in 2010 to Curtis Loftis, who has been treasurer since.

My point isnt to demonstrate that our two most boring statewide elective offices have seen more than their share of political drama in the past three decades, although they have, but rather to provide a backdrop for our conversation about what might be in Mr. Eckstroms future now that senators seem universally to have lost faith in his ability to do his job, and House members  well, the jurys still out on them, although a handful have introduced a resolution of impeachment.

A bit more of a backdrop: Mr. Ravenel was one of three elected statewide officers who left office under indictment in the past two decades; the others were Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Sharpe and Lt. Gov. Ken Ard. Gov. Mark Sanford might have been indicted for campaign finance violations stemming from the Argentina escapade but for the fact that then-Attorney General Henry McMaster concluded (I think correctly) that in a close case, the doubt should go to not disrupting the state by indicting a governor. Mr. Sanford might have been impeached but for the House's conclusion that it wasnt clear enough that he broke any laws; besides, and I think more importantly, we were better off with him in his last year in office than Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer heading into the 2010 GOP gubernatorial primary as an incumbent.

But as Sen. Larry Grooms reminded me Wednesday, indictment and impeachment arent the only ways to end a statewide elected officials term early. Another provision in the S.C. Constitution allows the governor to remove an executive branch official for any willful neglect of duty, or other reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground of impeachment, with a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate. A Senate insider predicted a week earlier it would be easy to muster a two-thirds vote for impeachment, but as Sen. Grooms noted, that requires a finding of serious crimes or serious misconduct in office. And not everyone is certain that failing to tell anybody about an accounting error for a decade as it grew into what we learned this past week was actually a $4 billion overstatement of the state's cash assets constitutes actual misconduct.

Some senators think Mr. Eckstrom committed an actual crime Tuesday, when he flatly denied hiring a private attorney, only to have Sen. Stephen Goldfinch read an email from West Columbia attorney Robert Bolchoz saying Mr. Eckstrom had personally engaged me to help with the production of documents and that he would be providing him with legal counsel in regards to the impeachment resolution.

Im not sure that would produce a criminal conviction, because a jury listening to Mr. Eckstrom testify likely would conclude that hes too disconnected from reality to perjure himself. But it might hold up in a political trial.

Of course, the cleaner ending would be for Mr. Eckstrom to resign, which many hope will happen Tuesday, when Mr. Grooms subcommittee is expected to issue a report on its investigation into the $4 billion overstatement.

Part of me hopes that happens. But another part hopes it doesn't, because a forced removal  particularly a protracted one  would more likely remain on voters minds by the time they could be asked, in November 2024, to amend the state constitution to abolish the office of comptroller general.

Regardless of who occupies it, the office could be an empty shell by then; talks are underway to add a proviso to the budget to transfer most if not all of its duties to other agencies, likely the Department of Administration and the attorney generals office.

The tricky part about actually abolishing the office is that the comptroller is part of the window dressing  accomplished through the State Fiscal Accountability Authority, formerly the Budget and Control Board  that allows legislators to keep their fingers in the financial management of the executive branch of government. That board is composed of the governor, treasurer, comptroller general and the chairmen of the House and Senate budget committees, and the Supreme Court has ruled that its constitutional because executive branch officers outnumber legislators.

Thats always been a shaky legal foundation, and if you removed one of those executive branch positions (let alone two), it would collapse. The Legislature isn't going to give a seat on that board to someone the governor appoints, so eliminating the comptroller's office requires adding another statewide elected official to the board. Obviously that should be the attorney general, whose office oversees securities law and who is the only statewide official besides the governor we ought to be electing.

Yes, it would be better to dismantle the whole thing, let the states chief executive run the executive branch and have the Legislature stick to the job of legislating. But government is the art of the possible, and legislative approval is not possible when it involves stripping power from the Legislatures two chief budget writers.

Click here for more opinion content from The Post and Courier.
LEXINGTON  The parents of a River Bluff High School student are suing the Lexington County One School District, alleging that a teacher assaulted their daughter after the student refused to recognize the Pledge of Allegiance.

A complaint filed Feb. 13 in federal court accuses the school district, its Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait, River Bluff Principal Jacob Smith, River Bluff teacher Nicole Livingstone and the S.C. Department of Education of violating 15-year-old Marissa Barnwells constitutional rights to free speech.

Barnwell was walking through one of the high schools hallways around 8:40 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2022, the complaint says, while the Pledge of Allegiance was playing over the schools intercom system.

She continued walking to class without reciting the Pledge or stopping for the following moment of silence, when Livingston started yelling at her and pushed her against a wall, demanding that she stop walking, before taking her to the principals office, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit said Barnwell "was extremely upset and emotionally disturbed about being taken to the principals office as she believed she was being punished for having done something wrong."

"I was just not prepared for that, and no student should have to go through such traumatic things," she said at a March 9 press conference, accompanied by her family and her attorney, Tyler Bailey. Barnwell added that it was emotionally damaging to go back to school without feeling safe.

A Lexington One spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit, other than saying the school districts attorney was working on a response to the suit.

The complaint says Barnwells refusal to recite the Pledge was legally protected by the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment and South Carolina law.

I know my constitutional rights, I know that no one can take those rights away from me, Barnwell said, adding that she hasnt said the Pledge since she was in third grade, once she realized that in those pledges, you say liberty and justice for all, but is America really liberty and justice for all?
St. Michael's Church in downtown Charleston will host its 60th Day of Healing Prayer this month, welcoming guests to be delivered from physical and emotional ailments.

The annual event seeks to transform the historic sanctuary into an "ER for the soul," said the Rev. Al Zadig, pastor of the church.

The speaker for the program, scheduled 9 a.m.-3 p.m. March 18, is the Rt. Rev. Andrew Williams, who serves as the Anglican Church of North America bishop of New England.

Williams, who began his career as a corporate litigator in the United Kingdom from 1989 to 1998, resigned from his law firm and began training for ordination at Trinity College in Bristol. He graduated with a degree in theology and was ordained in the U.K., after which he spent six years as associate vicar for a congregation just outside London.

In 2009, Williams began serving as a vicar for a church in Connecticut for several years before he was consecrated as a bishop in 2019.

There is a $30 admission price, which also covers food.

The healing ministry at St. Michaels includes about 50 trained lay prayer ministers. They pray with individuals suffering from physical or emotional ailments during the program's personal prayer moment. Those prayers are confidential and take place as soft music is played throughout the sanctuary, helping to create a peaceful atmosphere.

The program begins at 9 a.m. with worship, followed by a teaching session led by Williams. Then the church will offer prayer ministry followed by lunch at noon.

At 12:45 p.m., the worship will start the afternoon session and will be followed by the second teaching session led by Williams. There's an additional prayer time before the program ends at 3 p.m.

Zadig said this year's focus is on shame. The event is intended to help people be freed from "bad shame" that they feel they can't escape. That is different from good shame, which can lead to repentance, Zadig said.

In past years, guests have been invited to write generational "sins," such as addiction, on pieces of paper that are then destroyed in a ceremonial burning in the church courtyard.

Divorce, adultery and other shameful experiences can be passed down from generation to generation, Zadig said.

"You are going to be the generation who breaks it," he's told guests, encouraging them to go "from victim to victor."

Susan Warring has been a prayer minister for over a decade, having been trained by Florida-based Christian Healing Ministries, a nonprofit that teaches on prayer. Warring has witnessed several instances of healing. Last year, a mother of two who had trouble walking gained physical strength, she said.

"She came in with a walker, and left without," Warring said.

Others have found deliverance from emotional struggles. Zadig said during one event, a close relative was able to finally forgive someone who had harmed her years prior.

Still, lay ministers are careful to not take credit for the signs and wonders manifested in St. Michael's.

Mary-Louis Khemp, who has served at the healing prayer program for seven years and said she's prayed for individuals who have found emotional freedom, noted that she can't actually heal anyone.

"We trust God to do the healing," she said.
GREENVILLE  Scuttled plans to move City Hall from its current downtown location of five decades to a spot on the periphery of Falls Park are back on the table.

City leaders will hear recommendations on whether to move, or stay and renovate the current 10-story tower. An agenda item for a March 13 City Council workshop meeting lists "acquisition/disposition of city property" as the lone item to consider in open session.

Mayor Knox White confirmed to The Post and Courier that the item involves hearing staff recommendations on the future of Greenville City Hall.

For nearly two years now an advocate for a move to the Bowater building at the edge of Falls Park, White said the current City Hall tower built in 1973 is inadequate and would require costly renovations.

"The option still is to either renovate the existing building or move to a unique site on the (Reedy River) falls," he wrote in a message to the newspaper.

Moving to a new location would save the city millions of dollars, he said.

In 2021, the city began negotiations to sell the tower with plans to move into the Bowater building, on office complex overlooking the Reedy River Falls along East Camperdown Way. The building sits between the Camperdown development and the recently opened Grand Bohemian Hotel.

Cost projections at the time indicated renovations to Bowater, which is about 20 years newer than the current City Hall, would be significantly less expensive than renovating the South Main tower.

However, that deal fell through for unspecified reasons after six months of talks.

After the plans for a new City Hall were sidelined, officials set their eyes on acquiring a new headquarters for the police and fire departments, as well as municipal court.

To that end, the city bought a six-story office building off Haywood Road formerly known as the Fluor Daniel building.

After the city finalized the plans for the new public safety headquarters, White said, it revisited City Hall. The city has been exploring its options for months and is now prepared to formally consider next steps.

White said the factors that will carry the most weight in the decision are cost, public parking availability, the ability to establish City Council chambers on the ground floor and flexible workspace for employees.

"These projects, for our police and City Hall, will make city services far more accessible to residents and give our employees much more appropriate work space for a growing city," he said.
At 43 years old, Erinn Stampe attributed her constant fatigue and lagging energy levels to being the single mother of an active 11-year-old boy, Lucas, and two rambunctious poodle mixes.

But after two failed iron infusions due to her low energy levels, doctors urged her to undergo a colorectal screening to further investigate why her body wasn't responding to treatment.

Awake but still groggy from the anesthesia used during her colonoscopy, Stampe digested the sobering diagnosis  stage three colon cancer.

"My life was turned upside down," Stampe said as her voice crackled from the tears brewing in her eyes.

Stampe is part of a growing trend of younger adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer, the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.

And according to the American Cancer Society, the cancer is expected to cause over 50,000 deaths in 2023.

The overall rate of people diagnosed with the disease has steadily dropped by about 1 percent each year from 2011 to 2019. However, this downtrend is mostly in older adults, who the cancer typically affects.

But rates of colon cancer in people 50 years old and younger have increased since the mid-1990s.

The spike in cases was so concerning, in 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended colorectal screenings for people at average risk of the disease start at age 45, a five-year jump from the previously recommended age of 50.

"In a lot of cases colon cancer is a preventable disease," Dr. Gabriel Chedister said, colorectal surgeon for Roper St. Francis Hospital.

However, in many cases with younger people, Chedister said the disease can be more aggressive than ones seen in older patients.

"We don't really know why that is the case," Chedister told The Post and Courier, as he recalled seeing patients in their 30s devastated by aggressive forms of colon cancer.

The disease affects the large intestine and is characterized by rectal bleeding, persistent abdominal discomfort such as cramps or gas, unexplained weight loss, weakness or fatigue and a persistent change in bowel habits.

Chedister said many younger people, like Stampe, attribute their symptoms to just normal aches and pains. Rarely do they think these symptoms are early signs of cancer.

A new way of living

Stampe seems to juggle her new way of life well, corralling her two dogs competing for attention, while moving her chemotherapy pump still infusing medication from her previous treatment to behind a pillow on her couch.

Due to a demanding chemotherapy schedule that zaps her energy for weeks at a time, she isn't able to do many of her old activities like travelling with Lucas, outdoor events, school drop-offs and in-person parent-teacher conferences.

Before being diagnosed, Stampe, a New York native and Mount Pleasant transplant, worked full time as an English as a second language teacher.

But after losing a number of friends to COVID-19, she took a leave of absence from teaching.

"The risk was just too much," Stampe said.

Now, she works part time as a home school instructor and dog breeder of her bichon frise, Kya, a pup she acquired during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I walk a lot of dogs, can we put my port on my the left side," Stampe recalled asking her nurse at her first chemotherapy treatment.

Early detection

Stampe said she didn't have many of the cancer's traditional symptoms.

But a lot of people in the early stages of the disease are asymptomatic, which is why doctors rely heavily on screenings to catch the disease as early as possible.

"I didn't think I was even old enough to get a colonoscopy," Stampe said.

Colonoscopy exams are the most popular diagnostic tool for colon and rectal cancers. During the exam, doctors insert a tiny video camera attached to a long flexible tube into the rectum. The goal is to look for any changes to the large intestine or rectum such as swollen, irritated tissues or potentially cancerous polyps.

Stampe was diagnosed on Oct. 1 after doctors found two malignant tumors on her colon during a colonoscopy.

On Oct. 31, Stampe underwent surgery to remove the affected areas of her colon before they were able to spread to other areas of her body.

"Lucas calls me semicolon," Stampe said chuckling. "He's not wrong either, I only have half a colon now."

Other screening tools like Cologuard, an at-home screening tool for both colon and rectal cancer, are less invasive. The test detects altered DNA, abnormal growths or polyps and blood in the stool through a stool sample.

Depending on your insurance plan, Cologuard test kits can be a covered expense. Without insurance, the test can run upwards of $500.

Since the USPSTF's recent recommendation moved the screening age to 45, American insurances companies are now required to fully cover colorectal screenings for patients age 45 and above.

And for those without insurance or who are underinsured, there are opportunities to get screened for free throughout the state.

Where to get screened

Currently, Roper St. Francis Hospital is offering free colorectal screenings for uninsured and underinsured residents in the Lowcountry.

Patients of average risk of the disease are those without a family history of colon or rectal cancer.

For people with a family history of the disease, doctors recommend getting screened 10 years before their family member was diagnosed.

But genetics is only one of the factors to consider. Others include obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, smoking and heavy alcohol use.

And Black, Latino and Native American people are at an even greater risk of developing colorectal cancer than their White counterparts.

"Much of the population, especially the underinsured go without screenings," Dr. Jorge Lagares-Garcia said in a recent press release, colorectal surgeon for RSFH.

According to a recent press release from Roper St. Francis Hospital, those eligible for a free screening must be 45 years or older, or 10 years younger than the age of your family member who had colorectal cancer.

For example, someone who's mother had colorectal cancer at age 45 would need a screening at age 35.

"It's so important to get screened," Garcia added, as the the disease is highly preventable when detected early.

To sign up for a free colon cancer screening, call 843-402-CARE.

You may also be eligible for screening through the Colorectal Cancer Prevention Network at the University of South Carolina.

For information call 803-777-1231 or visit www.crcfacts.com.

And for more information on colon cancer and when you should get screened, visit www.cancer.gov.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 54F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
As record numbers of air travelers continue to visit South Carolina, airports across the state continue to make it easier for people to fly to and from the Palmetto State.

Charleston, Greenville and Myrtle Beach airports picked up a total of five new destinations, airlines announced recently. Columbia will soon see nonstop flights to three additional destinations.

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport on March 9 announced budget carrier Avelo Airlines will offer nonstop service to New Haven, Conn., and Orlando, Fla.

When those flights start this summer, Avelo will become the seventh airline serving the Upstate airport.

The Houston-based low-fare airline already has flights from Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

JetBlue Airways plans to start daily nonstop flights May 25 from Charleston to Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y., which is about 30 miles north of Manhattan. The New York-based airline already offers flights from Charleston to John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports in the New York City area.

The new route will bring head-to-head competition between JetBlue and Breeze Airways, which already offers service to White Plains from Charleston and plans to offer daily flights to Westchester County Airport beginning May 1, according to its flight schedule.

Since Breeze started serving Charleston in 2021 with flights to 11 destinations, the Utah-based low-cost carrier will reach 22 destinations from the Lowcountry when it adds twice-weekly service to Portland, Maine, beginning May 19.

Myrtle Beach also is getting new nonstop flights for the summer.

Spirit Airlines, the largest carrier at Myrtle Beach International Airport, will add a seasonal nonstop flight to Rochester, N.Y., beginning May 15. Allegiant Air will launch a seasonal nonstop flight from the Grand Strand to the Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio beginning June 1, according to the Las Vegas-based airline.

American Airlines soon will start flying nonstop to three destinations from Columbia Metropolitan Airport, beginning with service to LaGuardia on May 5 and Chicago O'Hare on July 6. Seasonal nonstop service to Miami begins June 3 and runs through Aug. 12.

Both Charleston and Myrtle Beach airports saw record passengers in 2022.

Charleston International, the state's largest airport, saw 5.32 million travelers coming and going last year, a 27 percent jump from 2021. Its previous record of 4.87 million was set in 2019.

Myrtle Beach International reported a record 3.46 million arrivals and departures, for a 7.7 percent gain from 2021  which saw a then-record 3.2 million passengers.

Officials with both airports attributed the surge to an increase in air service and the availability of more nonstop flights to and from South Carolinas popular tourist markets in the Lowcountry and along the Grand Strand.

Greenville-Spartanburg International reported nearly 2.2 million passengers in 2022. Its record of 2.6 million passengers was set in 2019.

Columbia Metropolitan recorded 1.06 million passengers last year, its most since a record 1.35 million in 2019.
Traute Lafrenz Page, the last of an anti-Nazi resistance group in Germany known as the White Rose, died March 6 at her home on Yonges Island, according to her family. She was 103.

As a young woman, Page belonged to the opposition movement that urged Germans to reject the fascism of the Third Reich. White Rose members did not take up arms against the Nazi regime but focused on appealing to the hearts and minds of their fellow Germans, especially students.

Members, including Page, held secret meetings and distributed anti-war leaflets in Munich, Hamburg and other places from 1941 to 1943. Movement founders Hans and Sophie Scholl, brother and sister, were arrested in February 1943 and executed. Page, who had been romantically involved with Hans Scholl, was tasked with informing the family.

In April 1943, Page, philosophy professor Kurt Huber and Alexander Schmorell were detained by the Gestapo. Huber and Schmorell were executed. Page, minimizing her activities during testimony, was sentenced to a year in prison for complicity. Later, she was arrested and jailed again. A trial was set for April 1945. She likely would have been sentenced to death, but three days before the trial was set to begin, Allied forces took control of Germany.

Page narrowly escaped death on other occasions, her granddaughter Emily Meyer said. Once, while passing notes between prisoners, hers flew out the window, landing on the ground below. It might have been discovered by Nazi guards, but snowfall the next day obscured the piece of paper.

Traute Lafrenz was born May 3, 1919, in Hamburg, the youngest of three siblings. By 1939, she was studying medicine at the University of Hamburg, even as World War II was well underway. After the war, in 1947, she emigrated to the U.S., completed her medical studies in San Francisco, and married Vernon Page, with whom she had four children.

From 1972 to 1994, she was head of the Esperanza School in Chicago, a private day school for children with developmental challenges. In the 1990s, the Pages began to visit the South Carolina Lowcountry where their daughter Renee Meyer lived. Vernon Page was in declining health and died in 1995. Lafrenz Page moved to Yonges Island permanently in 1998.

Page was an adherent of anthroposophy, an esoteric practice started in Austria by Rudolf Steiner in 1912 which, according to Steiner, holds that a consciousness of our human situation becomes a path from the mind and spirit in the human being to the mind and spirit in the cosmos.

It was an example of her grandmothers mix of stark German pragmatism and spiritual seeking, Emily Meyer said.

When she turned 100 in 2019, Page received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who called her a hero of freedom and humanity, according to Agence France-Presse in Berlin.

Meyer said her grandmother was a citizen of the world who made an enormous impact.

Its strange to be related to somebody who doesnt belong to you, Meyer said. She belongs to so many.

Page is survived by her sons Michael, Thomas and Kim, daughter Renee Meyer, son-in-law Eric Meyer, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
The seriousness of the situation was never lost on Dylan Kwitchoff, even as a ceaseless, roaring wind seemed determined to distract him.

The fourth-year Charleston police officer and a cadre of other first-responders from the city and Mount Pleasant responded Feb. 22 to stop a man from jumping off the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge. The group not only had to convince the man not to jump, but then get him from the outer edges of the towering cable-stayed span before ensuring he received proper treatment and support.

And they needed to do so without endangering the man or the rescuers working some 190 feet above the Cooper River.

That task meant navigating an array of challenges, ranging from multiple agencies gelling quickly without the luxury of preplanning; maintaining a steady traffic flow that didnt impede the mission; and, for Kwitchoff, dealing with an inherent fear of heights.

It was only later, after the man was removed from his perch at the bridges apex and delivered to a hospital, that Kwitchoff assessed the evening with fellow officer Zach Azari.

When we got to our headquarters, I looked at him and said, I think I might throw up,' " Kwitchoff said. Thats when the adrenaline dump hit me, especially with the heights thing. But we talked it over between the two of us for five or 10 minutes, talked with leadership about it, and then it was over with, done with.

You move on, go home, fall asleep, wake up and prepare to maybe do it all over again.

According to Charleston police records, only one person has jumped to their death from the Charleston side of the bridge since 2016. Over that same period, there were 17 other times when first responders thwarted someone from taking their own life. Mount Pleasant police said they do not keep such records.

The iconic bridge with diamond-shaped towers opened in 2005. Within its first seven years, at least 10 people had jumped or fallen from the bridge, The Post and Courier reported. All but one died.

By the time the bridge marked its 10th anniversary in 2015, some 20 people had plunge from its deck to their deaths, the paper reported.

You dont know what people are going through, and that gentleman was obviously going through something major, said K-9 officer Joe Hartmann of the Charleston Police Department.

Hartmann and his dog, Jersey, arrived on the scene Feb. 22 shortly after Kwitchoff and Azari.

He just wanted someone to talk to, he wanted help, he wanted someone to reach out to him and let him know that everything is going to be OK," Hartmann said. "And Zach and Dylan did a great job talking to him. Really just treat people with respect. People just want to be talked to and heard.

The most recent event atop the Ravenel Bridge had a positive outcome thanks partly to increased mental health training for first responders. That includes Crisis Intervention Training.

Peter Farrell is a former Charleston police lieutenant who now serves as an instructor for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. He said that training stresses the importance of being empathetic when attempting to establish a rapport with the person in need.

Still, its not a color-by-numbers approach. Instead, it has to be massaged and interpreted differently according to each situation, Azari said.

That was the case with the man who considered jumping the night of Feb. 22. He allowed Azari and Kwitchoff to engage him and gradually connect. It took time to get to that point. They spoke with the man for 10 minutes before making hands-on contact, and then another half-hour after he was extracted before being shuttled off.

But it worked.

Part of it was training. Part of it was instinct sharpened by experience.

Communication is one of the most important things you do in this job, Azari said. Ninety-nine percent of everything you do is talking with someone. We don't shoot our guns all the time. Theres a 1-percent chance you pull your gun and shoot or get into a physical altercation with somebody. Thats not our job. Our job is going out, engaging people, talking with people and making them trust us.

The officers later followed up on a promise: they visited the man after he arrived at the hospital.

He was clearly upset the entire time, saying nobody cared, Kwitchoff said. We wanted him to know that we do care, that there are different resources out there. When we showed up, he was like, You guys actually came. And you knew it meant something to him because you could see it on his face.

"It wasnt just, Hey, we got you off the bridge. Have a good one. We followed through and that meant something to him.
Ambassador at-large Edmon Marukya, referred to the violation of the cease-fire regime by the armed forces of Azerbaijan on the contact line of Artsakh on March 10 on his "Twitter" page.

March 11, 2023, 09:45 Aliyev declares that he is ready to talk with the Armenians of NK, but attacks them - Marukyan

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 11 , ARTSAKHPRESS: "Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire regime in Nagorno-Karabakh. On the one hand, Aliyev continues to declare that they are ready to talk with the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, with those born there, on the other hand, they attack the people who were born and live peacefully in Nagorno Karabakh. Now the world knows what Aliyev means," Marukyan wrote.
From the moment Alex Murdaugh was indicted for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul, it was clear that there would be not one but two defendants in the courtroom: Mr. Murdaugh and South Carolinas criminal justice system.

We had already seen too many inklings of justice working differently for the Murdaughs, who had controlled the local solicitors office for three generations while simultaneously growing their private law firm into a storied powerhouse able to extract massive jury verdicts in the poor rural counties next door to Hilton Head: from the boat wreck that wasnt properly investigated after Mr. Murdaugh and his former solicitor father were able to talk to witnesses before they talked to police to the courthouse irregularities that seemed to have aided in elaborate financial frauds.

Would a local (and perhaps statewide) police and court system that seemed so deferential to this family be able to deliver justice in an extraordinary case with no direct evidence, a high-caliber defense team and an international spotlight whose scrutiny most criminal cases dont have to withstand?

In the end, thanks to Mr. Murdaugh's lies and excellent work by lead prosecutor Creighton Waters and his team, a jury took less than three hours to declare Mr. Murdaugh a double murderer, and our state seemed to have passed the test. As Mr. Waters declared after the verdict was delivered last week: "It doesn't matter who your family is. It doesn't matter how much money you have or people think you have. It doesn't matter how prominent you are. If you do wrong, if you break the law, if you murder, justice will be done in South Carolina."

But as encouraging as that verdict seemed, it was delivered in spite of numerous, serious missteps by law enforcement. Officers, at least in the beginning, paid far too much deference to Mr. Murdaugh and then continued making rookie mistakes throughout the investigation, from not following up on tips to not trying hard enough to gather evidence that turned out to be crucial to the conviction.

The deferential treatment started on the night of the murders, when SLED allowed friends and family members to gather at the main house, some of them even tidying the place up, before investigators did anything to rule it out as part of the crime scene. SLED agents went out of their way not to disturb family and friends when they did a walkthrough of the house the next day.

Even though police had evidence within two days that seemed to catch Mr. Murdaugh in a lie and place him at the scene minutes before the murders, it was more than three months later  after Mr. Murdaughs alleged attempted suicide-insurance scam  before SLED executed a search warrant for the house. Investigators never searched the home of Mr. Murdaughs mother, even though he said he had gone there the evening of the murders.

The missteps ran the gamut from sloppy work  failing to secure the murder scene or dust for fingerprints or complete other crime-scene basics  to a lackadaisical attitude toward gathering circumstantial evidence, most notably not pushing back when General Motors said it didnt have any location data on Mr. Murdaughs Chevrolet Suburban. Prosecutors eventually got that information  which became crucial evidence  by pure luck, because someone from GM who was following the trial did a new search and found the information, which the company then provided last month.

At a crucial point in the investigation  when a grand jury was convened  a SLED investigator provided jurors with incorrect information about blood spatter evidence and what he described as the signature way shotguns were loaded at the estate, testimony that evidenced either extreme carelessness or worse.

If SLED was overly deferential in the early part of the investigation, Circuit Judge Clifton Newman appeared at times to go too far in the other direction to compensate: Even if he was right to allow prosecutors to introduce evidence of Mr. Murdaughs financial crimes in order to establish a motive, some of that testimony ventured far afield from the alleged motive  which the prosecution essentially abandoned in its closing argument.

And then the judge capped the trial off with a 17-minute soliloquy castigating Mr. Murdaugh, remarks that we expect the defense will cite in its appeal to bolster its case that his evidentiary decisions reflected the judges personal feelings about the defendant.

Its no clearer now than it was in the summer of 2021 what our police, courts and Legislature can do to address the shortcomings in our criminal justice system that this trial highlighted  although more sunshine throughout the system is always a good start.

But we know that if we are to have a criminal justice system that keeps us safe and maintains the public confidence that is essential to its success, simply comforting ourselves that we wont be fooled again by Alex Murdaugh, high-fiving a victory and moving on is not sufficient.

Click here for more opinion content from The Post and Courier.
COLUMBIA  America's global differences with China are on display in the South Carolina Legislature, where lawmakers are considering bills that would bar Chinese companies from owning large tracts of land in the state.

Opponents call the two measures anti-business and discriminatory to the very investors the state heavily recruited to locate here, with Chinese immigrants also calling the bills "maddening" and a barrier to their pursuit of the American dream.

"Those people who come to this country are motivated by freedom," Frank Win of Columbia, finance manager for Jushi USA Fiberglass Co., testified at a Senate hearing on the proposal March 7.

"Thats my motivation to come to this country," he added. "I dont want this bill to affect people who love this country, who work hard and pay taxes and do everything they can.

"I feel my job is at risk," he said.

But state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, one of the sponsors, said the legislation is about protecting national security, not discriminating against Chinese Americans.

"This isnt targeting anyone based on race. Its targeting based on political connections to the Chinese communist party," the Spartanburg Republican said.

"Theres been a growing trend across the country generally where Chinas become much more belligerent to the United States and our interests," Kimbrell said, adding, "Our objective is not to expose ourselves politically and economically any more than possible to the Chinese government or communist party."

He expects lawmakers to re-evaluate the state's recruiting of Chinese-owned companies.

"If a targeted tax incentive went before the Senate right now for a company coming from China, I dont think it would pass," he said.

Jushi, headquartered in China, is among more than 40 Chinese-owned companies operating in South Carolina, according to the state Department of Commerce, which announced Jushi's decision in 2016 to put its first U.S. plant on 200 acres in Richland County.

At the time, the planned investment of $300 million, creating 400 jobs, was touted as the biggest economic development win for the capital county in decades.

Since 2011, Chinese-owned companies have collectively announced $1.54 billion in capital investment and the creation of nearly 5,300 new jobs in South Carolina, according to Commerce, which has international offices in China and Taiwan. The economic development agency does not track how much land the companies own in the Palmetto State.

Win came to the United States 25 years ago as a University of Tennessee student and became a citizen five years ago.

"It's just not right," he said. "They're not punishing the Chinese government. They're punishing people who left their country for this new land. They're pushing people like us into the arms of the communist country."

While the Chinese communist government is the target of both measures, neither actually names the country. Both would update current law that dates back to at least the 1950s, which bans foreigners and foreign-controlled companies from owning or controlling more than 500,000 acres in South Carolina.

One bill simply strikes 500,000 from the law and replaces it with 1,000 acres.

The other, which has stronger support, also shrinks the limit to 1,000 acres but exempts land owned or mortgaged by June 30. It also bars any new purchase of land by a "foreign adversary," as defined by the U.S. commerce secretary, no matter what the acreage.

The federal list of "foreign adversaries" includes five countries: China is at the top, followed by Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Russia. Last on the list is a specific politician, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Both bills will be back up for debate in a Senate subcommittee March 14.

Longyu Hu, who owns five properties in Clemson, where he earned his doctorate degree, questioned whether his rental income from college students would dry up.

"I was very proud to become part of the American dream and be a landlord," he said, holding up a pair of sweatpants covered with the paint he used when renovating his first apartment. "I'm very proud to be a South Carolinian landlord.

"This bill puts a limit on the free market, a core value we share in the United States," he said, concluding with a question that brought levity to the hearing. "What if one day someone said, 'You cant buy land in Columbia because youre a Clemson fan.' Where does this end?"

Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, the lead sponsor of the more specific bill expected to advance, said he filed it Feb. 28 as a reaction to an announcement two weeks earlier that a subsidiary of a bio-medical firm operating in China and the U.S. was buying land in Savannah Lakes Village, a community in McCormick County built around Lake Thurmond, which stretches along the Savannah River on the border with Georgia north of Augusta.

According to the release, the deal included the possibility of using 500 undeveloped acres for food warehouse and distribution centers.

An executive with SLV Windfall Group, the real estate firm entering the $28 million deal, told the Index-Journal of Greenwood he understood why the release upset residents but said there will be no commercial development on residential sites. A meeting Jim Walsh, co-CEO of the Windfall Group, held with residents to address rumors started with a slide pledging no food distribution centers.

"This is not going to happen," he told the newspaper, adding that the buyer's senior managers are all U.S. citizens who want to expand their business into real estate. "China is not buying SLVW."

Massey said that didn't calm fears.

The timing of the announcement seemed particularly bad, as it came days after the U.S. military shot down a Chinese balloon off the coast of the Grand Strand. The Pentagon confirmed the balloon was part of a large surveillance program China's been conducting for several years.

"I think it heightened concerns among those who live close to where this land would be," Massey, whose multi-county district includes the lakefront community, said about the balloon.

Add in, he said, the land's proximity to the Clarks Hill Dam, which created the man-made lake for power generation, and its proximity to Fort Gordon, home to the U.S. Army's cybersecurity center, and south of that, the Vogtle nuclear power plant.

"Those things combined with the global environment and aggressive behavior of China and their friendliness toward Russia, you put all those things together, and thats whats led to the concerns of the people in McCormick," Massey said.

Asked about Commerce's heavy recruiting of Chinese companies over the last decade and the thousands of jobs they've brought, Massey said, "The worlds changed a lot in the last year as it relates to China."

Massey, who was surrounded by opponents of the bill firing off questions after the meeting, said he understands the immigrants' concerns and is willing to continue listening. He also expects some tweaking of the bill, which is co-sponsored by 14 other Republicans and one Democrat.

"What I'm really trying to get at is the purchase of larger tracts, especially like those in McCormick County," he said.

"But I think in the global environment were dealing with right now, for those countries that are designated by the U.S. government as foreign adversaries, we have to be very careful," he continued. "I think everybody, regardless of political affiliation, has concerns about all five countries on that list."

The one Democrat who signed on, Sen. Thomas McElveen, said it was the 2013 purchase of Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork processor, by a Chinese billionaire that prompted him to back Massey's bill. The Sumter Democrat said he doesn't want China, or any company propped up by a foreign adversary, to be able to control the U.S. food supply.

"I think it's a national security issue," he said. The Smithfield "example highlights the fact I think we take our food surplus for granted in America, and I think the Chinese are figuring out ways to feed their people."

However, he stressed he doesn't want to "chill foreign investment." And, he added, "the last thing I want to do is be involved in anything that comes across as xenophobic."

He expects amendments to the legislation, saying it's still very early in the process.
SPARTANBURG  Students at Carver Middle School are working alongside Wofford College students to conduct a study that will allow the public to see the Southside of Spartanburg from a youth perspective.

With the help of college students in an ethnographic research class and quantitative methods class, the seventh grade geography students will conduct a comprehensive neighborhood study.

The students' work will be displayed in a data walk thats open to the public and will take place on May 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at CC Woodson Community Center.

The study is centered on the middle school students being able to use various research methods to design their ideal neighborhoods that study organizers hope can be used in city planning.

Having them so excited and engaged with geography and seeing how this is relevant, while also giving them exposure to where they could be in a few years has been amazing for me, said Regan Hood, a Carver Middle seventh grade geography teacher.

Hood has opened up the study to allow all students in each of her geography classes to participate. There are currently 51 middle schoolers participating in the study. They have been meeting with Wofford College students since the start of the semester in January.

Though the study is still in its initial phases, one of the first steps was for students to draw their current neighborhoods and use words to describe it.

Students were then asked to draw their ideal neighborhoods, describe them and compare their current neighborhoods with their ideal ones.

Another exercise called for students to get into groups with people who lived near them and create a list of things theyd like to see in their neighborhoods.

Students will also use physical objects to map out some of the changes or new amenities theyd like to see in their areas. A final step is for students to create digitized maps of their dream neighborhoods using geographic information system mapping software.

We need to take their input seriously and make sure any developers that want to build in our community respect their voices, said Toni Sutton, board chair of advocacy group Southside Sankofa.

Sutton said shes spoken to council members and city management about including the results of the study into the Southside's master plan.

Alysa Handelsman, assistant professor of anthropology and community sustainability specialist at Wofford College, said the study allows students to learn about different research methods, see themselves as researchers and see the power that research can bring to their lives.

Shes hoping the study will give youth a new skill set to be advocates for changes and ideas that they have for their communities.

Handelsmans students are helping with the qualitative side of the study.

Last spring, one of Handelsmans students led mapping workshops with students at The Cleveland Academy of Leadership and Mary H. Wright Elementary School.

Across the dream neighborhoods, workshop organizers were finding that students wanted homeless shelters that had playgrounds in the back and for the shelters to be places where people could get anything they wanted to eat.

Students also wanted to see reformed prisons.

The fact that those were trends across these maps that kids were creating really stood out to me and kind of got me thinking what does that look like across Spartanburg neighborhoods," Handelsman said.

The data walk will show how youths lived experiences influence the way they think about their day-to-day spaces and how their experiences can shape the future spaces theyd like to live in.

Stations will be set up across the gym in CC Woodson. Maps that students have drawn, maps students created with various materials, and digitized maps of neighborhoods will be displayed.

Because students will be conducting their own interviews for the study, there will be some life history information from long-term Southside residents.

The data walk will feature information on what the middle school students learned from their interviews with those residents. Some students might have the opportunity to film their interviews.

A photovoice component with a day-in-the-life theme will be shown. Carver students will be given cameras and asked to take 10 pictures that portray a day in their life that will speak to how youth are experiencing the spaces theyre growing up in.

The unique part of this is that Alysa and I are pairing quantitative and qualitative data to work with the community," said Jen Bradham, assistant professor of environmental studies at Wofford College. And oftentimes, it's one or the other, but being able to work across disciplines allows for a more comprehensive picture of whatever it is that you're researching.

Bradham and her students are working on the quantitative side of the study.

Bradham said the collaboration is a powerful way to collect information because it allows students at the college and middle school level to problem-solve and come up with ways to reach their goals.

The study makes students think about what methods they plan to use to reach a goal and why. Both groups of students are learning how to interpret data and how to use the data for the next steps of the study.

To complete the study, Carver Middle School students will come to Wofford and create their entire dream neighborhood using a software called ArcGIS Pro software thats in one of the colleges computer labs.

The students final digitized maps will be printed out as large posters to be displayed at the data walk.

Both Bradham and Handelsman plan to conduct this study in every middle and elementary school within Spartanburg School District 7 so that people can understand what living in Spartanburg is like for youth and take into consideration aspects of their city theyd like to see improve or change as Spartanburg grows.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told Georgian President President Salome Zourabichvili that her country should not take part in helping Russia to dodge Western sanctions, the White House press service said in a statement.

March 11, 2023, 10:19 Bidens advisor warns Georgian president against helping Russia to dodge sanctions

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 11 , ARTSAKHPRESS: According to the readout of the meeting, the sides "discussed the need to ensure Russia continues to feel the full economic costs of the sanctions, export controls, and other economic restrictions imposed by the United States" and its allies over the special military operation in Ukraine.

"Sullivan underscored the need for Georgia to avoid becoming an avenue for evasion or backfill," the document says.

Sullivan and Zourabichvili also "discussed recent developments in Georgia, underscoring their countries shared interest in Georgias Euro-Atlantic integration."
Nollywood has come a long way from the VHS tapes and video club era.

In 2003, Nollywood gave Nigerians some of the most memorable and exhilarating classics.

It was the year that perhaps one of Nollywoods biggest exports, Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme, aka Aki and Pawpaw, bagged their break-out roles in Aki na Ukwa.

So popular were their roles that fans never recalled the movies title and assumed it was Aki and Pawpaw.

While compiling the list, PREMIUM TIMES realised a trend that films of that year cut across some themes, rituals(blood money), comedy, prostitution and romance.

The stars of that year were undoubtedly Osita and Chinedu, who brought the silliest comic relief anyone could wish for.

Genevieve Nnaji also made her mark with her memorable role in Sharon Stone in Abuja, while her then-rumoured rival, Omotola Jalade, starred opposite her in Blood Sisters.

READ ALSO:

The late veteran actor Sam Loco held sway as he starred in almost all comic movies released in 2003, just as filmmakers Kingsley Ogoro and Ojiofor Ezeanyaeche produced the most blockbusters that year.

In 2003, filmmakers did not have to rely on social media but on movie posters featuring a known face and dramatic TV adverts highlighting distributors from Ebinmpejo lane and Upper Iweka road.

Twenty years later, we journey down memory lane, revisiting classics that dominated 2003.

Aki na Ukwa 2

In a sequel, to the first release of Aki na Ukwa, with the characters Aki and Pawpaw, played by Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme.

It continued the story of how the duos antics got them banished from their fathers house. Moving in with their uncle, they began terrorising another village.

Frances Nsonwu, Oby Kechere, and Amaechi Muonagor joined them. In 2021, Charles Okpaleke of Play network produced a remake, but it could have made more impact than the original.

Osuofia in London- produced by Kingsley Ogoro, kola Munis

It starred veteran actor Nkem Owoh, Francis Odegha, Cynthia Okereke, Mara Ashton and Romanus Amuta, among others.

Osuofia in London was produced and directed by ace filmmaker Kingsley Ogoro. Owoh,62, played the lead role in the film, which was a box-office hit. The film earned him critical acclaim and the nickname, Osuofia.

It told the story of Osuofia, who arrived in London straight from his village in Africa. It was after he inherited the vast estate of his deceased brother, who left the village years before and amassed a fortune in London.

The 2004 sequel, Osuofia in London 2, didnt do so well.

The comic actor was supposed to reprise his iconic role in Osuofia Goes To Miami, scheduled for a 2021 release.

Billionaires club-directed by Afam Okereke

Billionaires Club 2 continued the story of a secret society of men who used occultic powers to manipulate people and make blood money.

The movie starred some of the greatest Nollywood actors, including Clem Ohameze, Pete Edochie, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Tony Umez, Sola Sobowale and Patience Ozokwor.

Two rats

The comic movie Two Rats told the story of two young boys whose father has been murdered by their uncle. In a selfish move, uncle-Amaechi Muonagor wanted them to work as houseboys in their fathers house.

The movie starred Osita Iheme (A-boy) and Chinedu Ikedieze (Bobo), Amaechi Muonagor, Patience Ozokwor, Andy Chukwu, Prince Nwafor, David Ihesie, Ricky Eze. and Atitebi Haleemah.

Baby Police  produced by Martin Onyemaobi, Amayo Uzo Philips

Starring Osita Iheme, Kenneth Jideofor and Chinwe Owoh among the long list of casts, the movie told the story of a mischievous little boy who constantly disturbed his neighbours with pranks and thefts.

He eventually got into more considerable trouble and formed the Baby Police Force of Nigeria (which was composed entirely of adults except for him- Dada), and earned money by taking money from criminals (who were just everyday people).

Abuja Connection- produced by Ojiofor Ezeanyaeche

Starring Chidi Mokeme, Clarion Chukwura-Abiola, and Eucharia Anunobi, the movie told the story of Jennifer and Sophia, who belonged to the same clan but were rivals.

However, they knew each other well and had inside information about their mission in the struggle for power and money.

Their battle showed how having influential connections in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, can bridge the line between poverty and wealth.

Emotional Crack  produced by Ebere E. Eze, Rob Emeka Eze, Nse Ikpe-Etim

Starring Dakore Akande, Stephanie Okereke, Ramsey Nouah and Patience Ozokwor, the movie told a story of a man named Chudi who never cherished what he had; he had a good wife, but he continually abused her.

It soon dawned on him what he had when he lost her to another man.

Egg of Life  produced by Ojiofor Ezeanyaeche

The adventurous movie told the story of a journey to restore the life of the kings only son, a group of girls were sent into an evil forest to retrieve the magical egg of Life.

The movie starred Uchemba Williams, Funke Akindele, Sam Ajah, Padita Agu and Pete Edochie.

Blood sister- produced by John Nkeiruka Nwatu

Blood sisters told a captivating story of two sisters who grew up in a world of poverty, where selfish desires are realised, and jealousy becomes the main issue of their household.

The movie starred Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Tony Umez, Oge Okoye and Patience Ozokwor.

Police Recruit- produced by Ojiofor Ezeanyaeche

Directed by Charles Inojie, the movie starred Chiwetalu Agu, Nnamdi Eze, Charles Inojie, Sam Loco Efe, Amaechi Muonagor, John Okafor and Nkem Owoh, told the story of four miscreants who joined the police force and engaged in a spree of incompetence and corruption.

Break Up

This romantic 2003 movie starred Jim Iyke, Ramsey Nouah, Pat Attah, Rita Dominic and Genevieve Nnaji.

In the movie, Juliet (Genevieve) and Austin (Ramsey Nouah) end their relationship and then play mental games to test their love for each other. While similar scenes play in the lives of other characters.

The movie packed a theme of romance and Infidelity.

Sharon stone in Abuja

This oldie continued the story of a Lagos female casanova Sharon Stone played by Genevieve Nnaji, who relocated to Abuja after being burned in Lagos by her own game, with an agenda to gain government contracts.

She soon discovered that earning a living wasnt so easy and teamed up with another playgirl lady B.

The movie starred Genevieve Nnaji, Tony Umole, Emeka Okoro, Prince Val Nwigwe and Nneka Kwulu.

Twin Brothers  MacCollins Chidebe

Starring Hanks Anuku, sam Loco Efe, Tom Njamanze, Osita Iheme, Lasa Amoroand Maryann Apollo, this classic told a story of a man who forcefully tried to terminate his daughters pregnancy without success.

When she finally gave birth to a set of twins, one of them turned out to be a miniature person.

Nicodemus  Directed by Reginald Ebere

Leading the cast, Osita Iheme and John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu, Nicodemus takes us on the adventurous comical story of the everyday life of a no-good wannabe electrics repairman.

Although he cannot repair anything, he jumps from job to job, tries to have sex in his employees room and makes weird jokes with his wife.

However, the real star of this movie was the son. He was an intelligent and cheesy young boy who behaved (and even looked) more mature than most other characters.

The Return  Kingsley Ogoro

The return told a story about a successful but arrogant and ruthless businesswoman who died prematurely but returned to earth as the reincarnation of her own deceased housemaid Elo, to whom she had shown little or no compassion in life.

The movie starred Uche Ama Gabriel, Fred Amata, Ruke Amata, Patrick Doyle, Segun Arinze, and Richard Mofe Damijo.

Unconditional love  Nkiru Sylvanus

Directed by Jeta Amata and starring Grace Amah, Ansa Ekpo Bassey, Bassey Ekpo Bassey and Olu Jacobs, the movie is a story about a young man who was ripe enough to pick a wife and settle down as was the wish of his father Okonkwo (Olu Jacobs) and the people closest to him.

His bright prospects seemed to stand in the way as he, Emeka (Bassey Ekpo Bassey), had problems picking from many women flocking around him to impress him.

However, he had to do everything to woo her when he found what he sought in a girl Ebere (Nkiru Sylvanus).

Real Love

Starring Olu Jacobs, Stella Damascus, Chioma Akpotha Ramsey Noah and Remi Abiola, it was the story of a man searching for real love.

He met a pretty blind girl and fell in love with her but had to battle their highly prejudiced society to accept their love.

Not man enough  produced by Nwafor Anayo

With lead stars, Emeka Ike, Genevieve Nnaji and Andy Chukwu, the classic tells a story of the battle between two guys, Nelson and Steve, who wants a lady, Maureen.

While Nelson plays the promiscuous flirt, Steve is the nice guy in the battle for Maureens heart.

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The rule of law upon which our democratic governance is founded becomes illusory if the President of the country or any authority or person refuses to obey the orders of courts, thus proclaimed Justice Emmanuel Agim, delivering the lead judgment in the case brought by three state governments  Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara  against the federal government at the Supreme Court, seeking an order invalidating the Central Bank of Nigerias (CBN) recent banknotes redesign. Expressing the Supreme Courts unfamiliarity with any law which empowers a bank to withhold a customers money and refuseto give him/her, the lead judgment extended the validity of the old naira notes until 31 December, ordering that they remain legal tender alongside the new notes, up until the newer deadline.

Very few Nigerians required the Supreme Court to remind them that The (CBNs) directive on (cash) withdrawal limit is an infringement of peoples rights. And most have had to live with a frightening range of infringements since the banknotes swap policy came into effect. These have ranged from the economic (loss of earnings platforms across the economys informal sector), through the emotional (having to beg for cash from friends, family, neighbours and strangers to meet basic needs) to the conceptual (just struggling to make sense of the policys design, implementation and expected outcomes).

Yet, in a young democracy, the violation of the peoples rights is the more telling concern, especially at this stage in the election cycle, when the end-of-cycle polls doubles as the Republics affirmation of faith in what US President Abraham Lincoln described in The Gettysburg Address as government of the people, by the people, for the people. If our democracy is not to perish, it will matter too that acts of disdain for the laws of the land, a charge directed by the Supreme Court at Presidential Muhammadu Buhari, be as rare as the trampling on by government of the peoples rights.

The CBNs response to the Supreme Courts ruling is disturbing for precisely this reason. Not only has its governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele failed to offer a path towards implementing the apex courts ruling, but there is no evidence whatsoever that the apex bank has acted to instruct deposit money banks to accept and dispense the old naira notes. In consequence, the ugly spectacle of bank customers queuing at bank branches in the wee hours of the morning in the increasingly forlorn hope that they might obtain some cash remains.

Mr Godwin Emefiele continues to offer a signal lesson in disdain for the mores and laws of the land. Whether it was his earlier bid to be president, or his decision to be in contempt of the Supreme Court. Bank chief executives, on the other hand, have failed to cover themselves in glory from the start of this saga. It will help to understand why they were unable to disprove the earlier malarkey where the CBN attributed the scarcity of cash to their unethical practices, rather than its failure to supply the system with enough new banknotes. But nothing can excuse their acquiescence in the CBNs rule-breaking behaviour.

PREMIUM TIMES believes that the role of the industry regulator, even in a sector as important as financial services, is not analogous to that of a school principal, or of a regimental sergeant major in the army. The requirement to obey lawful orders should have our banks complying with the CBNs decision, as soon as this was made. Along with Mr Godwin Emefiele, therefore, Nigerian banks chief executives have been responsible for inflicting pains on domestic economic actors that have continued to hurt the economy, while in the recent case, acting in gross contempt of the countrys laws.

It is in the nature of these contemnors of the laws of the land, that the respective shareholders of the businesses they head should act to bring them to book. We cannot build a democracy where scofflaws run the financial services space.

PREMIUM TIMES has made several calls for Mr Emefiele to be relieved of his office. These calls were premised on growing doubt as to his fitness for office. If we took the CBNs main price stability remit as our point of departure, Mr Emefieles incompetence is incontrovertible. This is as much about the outcomes of his policy, and as the Supreme Courts ruling points to, as it is about the thoughtlessness that goes into his policy design. However, rule breaking is why we would want Mr Emefiele to be arrested and tried. We cannot build a democracy on the back of impunity and illegality. But there is also the charge of economic sabotage.

If the first is criminal. The second is treasonous.

Alas, President Buhari, himself a scofflaw, as noted by the Supreme Court, is neither able nor willing to do right by the country on this matter. This will be the legacy of his eight-year rule. But we cannot continue to allow acts of criminal conduct to define our democracy.

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Following a dispute involving Gary Lineker, the BBC has announced that Match of the Day will be broadcast this weekend without a presenter or pundits.

On Friday, the BBC announced that Lineker, who has hosted the show since 1999, would step back from his presenting duties until there was an agreement on his social media use.

Lineker had made comments on Twitter that criticised the UK governments new asylum policy, a breach of BBC guidelines.

Despite receiving widespread support from social media users and his colleagues, including Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Alex Scott, Micah Richards, and Jermaine Jenas, who all refused to appear on the show in solidarity, the BBC has focused on match action without presentation or punditry this weekend.

The broadcaster said it acknowledged and respects the position of some of its pundits who have refused to appear while the situation with Lineker remains unresolved.

The dispute highlights the difficulties faced by broadcasters in relation to social media use by their employees.

Lineker, who is a freelance employee, had expressed his political views on Twitter, which the BBC deemed inappropriate, as he was seen to have taken sides on a political issue.

The BBC has stated that Lineker should refrain from taking sides on party dynamics, political issues, or political controversies.

However, the situation has proved divisive, with Linekers colleagues expressing their support for him, and the BBC taking the unusual step of broadcasting a show without a presenter or pundits.

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of having fans in the stadium cheering on their teams was highlighted.

The makeshift electronic sounds adopted when fans were yet to be allowed into match venues couldnt replicate the energy the vociferous supporters bring into each match day.

Now, there will be a test of what Match of the Day, the popular BBC show, will look like without the array of pundits that make the show keenly followed across the world.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally recognised Akanimo Udofia as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State.

Mr Udofia is accorded the recognition for the first time after emerging from a controversial primary held 10 months ago which was not monitored by INEC as mandated by the law.

INEC cited court order as the reason it is recognising Mr Udofias candidacy, which is contained in the amendment number six posted on its website on Friday.

The recognition followed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja which on Thursday ordered INEC to list Mr Udofias name as the candidate of the APC for the 2023 governorship election in Akwa Ibom.

Mr Udofia instituted the suit against INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.

That an order of mandamus is hereby made compelling the respondent to list the applicant as the governorship candidate of the APC in Akwa Ibom State in view of the extant judgments and judgment orders of the Court of Appeal, Justice J.K. Omotosho said in his judgment.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday struck out the same application (a cross appeal) filed by Mr Udofia, describing it as an academic exercise, having dismissed the main appeal filed by a former presidential aide, Ita Enang.

Mr Enang, a former senator from Akwa Ibom, was one of the APC governorship aspirants in the 26 May, 2022 primary election of the party in Akwa Ibom.

He was at the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which held that Mr Udofia was a valid member of the APC and, therefore, eligible to have contested the APC primary in Akwa Ibom.

Ita Enang reacts

The former senator in his reaction to the Federal High Court decision, wrote a letter on 10 March to INEC, telling the commission that there was no court order directing it to list guber candidate for Akwa Ibom State.

Mr Enang, in the letter addressed to the INEC chairman, said the judgment order was obtained in suppression of correct facts while concealing the fact that an appeal was pending on the Supreme Court on the same subject matter and the Court of Appeal in its original judgment of 19 January did not make any positive or consequential order whatsoever directing INEC to enlist Mr Udofia or Mr Enang (himself) as the Akwa Ibom APC governorship candidate for the 2023 election.

The APC has no governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State based on all available court judgments, Mr Enang said in the letter.

He urged INEC to be properly guided as there was no consequential order from either the Appeal Court or the Supreme Court on the matter to enable it to act by accepting and publishing the name of any person as the candidate.

Background

The APC held its governorship primary around midnight on 26 May 2022 which was not monitored by INEC as mandated by the law.

Mr Udofia had emerged as the winner of the primary.

The INEC office in Akwa Ibom, in a report it sent to its headquarters in Abuja, stated clearly that the APC did not hold its governorship primary in the state.

READ ALSO: Supreme Court affirms Akan Udofia as Akwa Ibom APC governorship candidate

INEC, relying on the report, had since refused to recognise Mr Udofia as a governorship candidate of APC in the state until 10 March.

Meanwhile, Mr Enang had shortly after the primary last year instituted a suit at a Federal High Court in Uyo asking it to declare him as the governorship candidate of APC in the state arguing that Mr Udofia was not a member of the APC as at the time the primary was conducted.

Mr Enangs claim was that Mr Udofia, having been on the ballot for the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary in Akwa Ibom within the same period the APC conducted its own primary in the state, could not have been a member of the APC and, therefore, ineligible to contest for the APC primary.

The Judge, Agatha Okeke, on 14 November 2022 nullified the primary that produced Mr Udofia, ordered a fresh primary within two weeks but barred Mr Udofia from participating in a fresh primary.

But the Appeal Court on 19 January set aside the judgment but did not order INEC to publish Mr Udofias name as the APC governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom.

It is unclear for now if the legal battle is over for the APC in Akwa Ibom State. Some sources told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that Mr Enang, a lawyer, is likely going to file a fresh court case against Mr Udofia.

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Some officials of the Nigerian Navy reportedly invaded a police facility in Delta State, in the countrys south-south region, and assaulted a police officer, according to a clip posted on Twitter, Friday evening.

The incident happened at Enerhen police station, near Warri, according to the Twitter user who posted the video.

The one minute, 30 seconds clip showed the assaulted officer moving about restlessly inside the premises of the police station, surrounded by angry colleagues who were appealing to him to stay calm.

His face was bloodied and his police uniform partially torn.

Kingsley, relax. Dont take laws into your hands, a voice from the video background could be heard shouting.

Make una leave me, the assaulted officer said with a shrug, as he pulled off his shirt and hastened towards the gate, apparently to go after the naval officials who allegedly assaulted him.

READ ALSO:

The clip briefly showed him stepping out of the gate, before the camera quickly panned to where some armed naval officials stood a few meters away from the gate of the police premises.

Una own don finished! Una own don finished! Una own don finished! The background voice in the clip kept saying, while rebuking the action of the naval officials.

Una come beat police for police station. New bastard navy, beating police in the police station.

The camera moved closer to a naval official who appeared to be making a phone call, and then quickly panned to another scene where a police officer fiercely took on one of the naval officials.

No let-am go-o. Make dem no let-am go, the background voice shouted. Bring my tear gas, bring my tear gas.

The clip ended abruptly with a sound of footsteps, as if someone was hurrying away  maybe to go fetch the tear gas for the officer who was shouting in the video background.

PREMIUM TIMES was unable to find out what may have caused the incident as at the time of filing this report.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police spokesperson in Delta State, Bright Edafe, he declined comment on the matter. We are treating that matter internally, he said.

The naval authorities in Nigeria had not yet issued a statement on the incident.

Nigeria my country! So much lawlessness in the country, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong said of the clip.

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The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has appointed Akintunde Babatunde as its new Programme Director to oversee all programmatic work at one of the leading not-for-profit organisations in the country.

The appointment is effective from 1 March 2023, said CJIDs executive director, Tobi Oluwatola.

Prior to his new position, Mr Babatunde was the pioneer Deputy Director in charge of CJIDs development programme, where he spearheaded the organisations efforts to drive research and policy work across West Africa on six projects, including natural resources and extractives; human development: health, education, and agriculture; conflict and security; climate change, and energy transition.

Akintundes rise in the organisation has been meteorica testament to his passion for media development, stellar work ethic, exceptional leadership and charisma, Mr Oluwatola wrote in a memo to staff, adding that the management was pleased to announce the appointment after a careful selection process.

Mr Babatunde joined the CJID in 2017. At various times, he has led a number of the organisations flagship projects.

He pioneered Dubawa between 2017-2018, a project that promotes a culture of fact-checking and improving media literacy in West Africa. In that role, he authored dozens of articles, trained over 500 journalists and was nominated for The African Fact-checker Award of the Year 2018. Between 2018-2019, Mr Babatunde led UDEME and subsequently pioneered the Natural Resources and Extractives Programme (NAREP).

As the programme director, Mr Babatunde will now oversee all of the CJIDs programmatic work including Journalism, Accountability, Development, and Dubawa.

I am excited about the new role, Mr Babatunde said. The work we do at CJID is exciting, and I am humbled about the new challenge to help drive our programmes for maximum impact.

CJID was founded in 2014 to help strengthen West Africas journalism sector to promote democratic accountability in the service of inclusive and sustainable development. In 2020, the organisation expanded its footprint beyond Nigeria and moved into specific niches in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia.

The new programme director has authored hundreds of articles on public policy, governance, and fiscal transparency on both local and international media platforms and coordinated ten fellowship programmes and over 30 capacity development programmes and training for over a thousand journalists, researchers, civil society practitioners, and government officials which has produced over 1000 reports; 7 policy briefs published in over 30 news agencies and development platforms in West Africa.

He has made presentations on climate change policy in West Africa at various institutions, including the European Parliament and COP26 New York Times Climate Hub. His broadcast commentary has appeared on BBC, Channels TV, TVC, Silverbird, and NTA, among others.

Mr Babatunde obtained a Masters degree (with Distinction) in Media Practice for Development and Social Change from the University of Sussex as a British Government Chevening scholar.

He is a member of the International Youth Climate Movement, a UNESCO MIL Ambassador, a 2020 YALI RLC Fellow, a 2020 One Global Activist, a 2021 Climate Reality Leader, and a 2022 Mandela Washington Fellow of the Presidential Precinct.

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The National Welfare Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Friday Nwosu, has died.

Mr Nwosu, chieftain of the ruling party from Abia State, was age 63 at the time of his death.

According to reports, he died at an undisclosed hospital in Abuja on Thursday after a brief illness. Mr Nwosu was elected into APC NWC in May 2022.

Words are not enough to describe the monumental loss brought by the passing of the Partys National Welfare Secretary, Sir Friday Nwanozie Nwosu on the APC family. May his soul Rest In Peace, the ruling party said in a tweet on Friday.

Buhari, Tinubu mourn

President Muhammadu Buhari and President-elect, Bola Tinubu have also expressed shock over the death of Mr Nwosu.

Mr Buhari, in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, on Friday, said the death of the APC official has left a big vacuum in the party.

He praised Mr Nwosu for his wisdom and maturity in handling the activities of the party.

Mr Tinubu, in a statement issued by one of his media aides, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, on Friday, said Mr Nwosus death had left a gaping hole in the party.

I received with shock and grief the news of the sudden death of Chief Nwosu. He was a dedicated party man and a leader who paid his dues for the success of the party.

I join friends and family in grieving this sudden loss of a man who had worked so well for our great party. His sacrifices and contributions to the growth of democracy and our party will be cherished for a long time, he said.

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Some supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State under the umbrella of Concerned Ogun Citizens have stormed the residence of a former governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun, to beg him to help their party to unseat Governor Dapo Abiodun in the 18 March governorship election.

Although a senator on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Amosun is not supporting Mr Abioduns second term bid. Instead, he has been campaigning for the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Biyi Otegbeye.

Mr Amosun also did not support the governor when he was elected in 2019.

On Saturday morning, the PDP supporters carrying placards stormed the Ibara Housing Estate residence of Mr Amosun and urged him to support the candidate of PDP, Ladi Adebutu, in the election.

Some of the inscriptions on their placards read Dapo Abiodun must go, Senator Ibikunle Amosun dont let Ogun State people down, Senator Amosun support us now, United we stand, divided we fall, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, please join force with PDP allied forces now, New Ogun State is possible, Dapo Abiodun must go, among others.

The leader of the group, Ajirotutu Oluwafemi, who delivered a letter to the senator, said only strong alliance can help the opposition to defeat Mr Abiodun at the poll.

It is very obvious that to defeat an incumbent we need to work together as a team with a lot of sacrifices.

Excellency Sir, we are hereby appeal to you in the interest of the good people of Ogun State to please see reasons to stop using ADC as another platform to take over power from Dapo Abiodun and APC.

It is logically clear that any vote for ADC in the coming election will serve as an indirect assistance to return Dapo Abiodun to office. Theres no way by which major oppositions go different ways and the incumbent will not have his way.

Its on this note we are passionately appealing to your Excellency to come out to lead the major opposition political parties in Ogun State to victory on the platform of PDP, Mr Oluwafemi said.

The protest letter was received on Mr Amosuns behalf by the director  general of Biyi Otegbeye Campaign Organisation, Muyiwa Oladipo.

The campaign DG assured the supporters that their demands would be looked into in the interest of the generality of Ogun people.

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Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has visited families of the 30 fishermen killed on Wednesday by terrorists at Mukdolo village, Ngala Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the affected fishermen from Dikwa LGA had gone fishing in the village, but were ambushed and killed by terrorists.

A statement from the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Isa Gusau on Saturday, said Mr Zulum met with the bereaved families at the palace of the Emir of Dikwa, Ibrahim Ibn Ibrahim-Elkanemi.

On behalf of the government and people of Borno, I am here to extend our sympathy to you over the killing of our brothers who had gone to earn a living.

I urge you to take solace from the Almighty Allah, as He alone can take life. We pray that their souls shall rest in eternal peace, Mr Zulum said.

The governor, who presented relief materials to each of the deceased families to support them during the mourning period, also assured them of further assistance.

Responding on behalf of the families, the Shehu of Dikwa appreciated the governor for his concern and commitment to the welfare of the people.

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The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has kicked against the decision of the Oyo State government to rename a popular central mosque on Iwo Road, Ibadan, after Governor Seyi Makinde.

The Islamic group is also demanding immediate reversal to the old name of the mosque.

MURIC made the demand in a statement by its Executive Director, Ishaq Akintola, and made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.

During a Friday Jumah service in October 2019, Governor Makinde had said the Adogba Central Mosque would be demolished to pave way for the construction of an interchange (bus terminal).

The governor said the project would be completed between nine and 11 months.

He further said a church around the interchange area would also be demolished.

The central mosque has now been rebuilt at another location almost four years after the governors promise.

Within its complex are an Arabic school, an Islamic Model School, a Research Centre, a Library, an events hall, ample parking space and a good road network.

It has also been renamed after the governor, to the anger of MURIC, which has accused the governor of trying to score cheap political points.

Even the timing of the completion of the mosque was calculated to coincide with the 2023 electioneering period. Seyi Makinde has played on the intelligence of the Oyo State Muslim community. It is outrageous, MURIC said.

The group described the renaming of the mosque after the givernor as a desecration of the place of worship. Mr Makinde is a Christian.

READ ALSO:

We are shocked to our marrows. What audacity! It is desecration of our place of worship. We cannot worship Makinde. We will worship Allah alone. It would have been right if he had not destroyed our mosque ab initio. But now we can still ask him Where is our mosque? It is highly immoral. His action also lacks tact.

Makinde can only be justified to name the mosque after himself if the money spent on its construction belonged to him personally. He needs to prove that to us but he has not. He used our common patrimony. That money belongs to the tax payers of Oyo State. It is not Makindes money. Therefore he has no moral right to name the mosque after himself. It is daylight robbery. It is abracadabra: the more you look, the less you see. Makinde has robbed Peter to pay Paul. Apart from the immoral angle, the governor has exhibited ulterior motive.

Unfortunately the governor does not know that the Muslims are not pleased with his action. The best advice we can give him at this point is to remove his name from the mosque and replace it with the original name of the mosque which he destroyed, viz, Adogba Central Mosque.

MURIC is known for dialogue and non-violence. Our motto is Dialogue, No Violence. Neither do we issue threats or give ultimatum. But the best time for the governor to effect the change of nomenclature is before the gubernatorial election coming up next week, Saturday, 18th March, 2023 in order to avoid protest votes on that day.

We say capital NO to Makinde Central Mosque. It is a rogue nomenclature. Our mosque is Adogba Central Mosque. Engr Seyi Makinde has no mosque.

Government keeps mum

Contacted, the governors Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, said he was aware of MURICs statement but refused to comment on the matter.

That matter is not one that I want to talk about, Mr Adisa told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone. I dont want to say anything about the matter.

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Suren Sarumyan, spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense of Artsakh, in response to Artsakhpress's inquiry, informed that the reports being disseminated on some Telegram channels that the Azerbaijani side made a sabotage infiltration attempt in the direction of Martuni at night, do not correspond to reality.

March 11, 2023, 11:46 Ministry of Defense of Artsakh dismisses reports on sabotage infiltration attempt by Azerbaijan

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 11 , ARTSAKHPRESS: "The operational situation remains unchanged and relatively stable," Sarumyan added.
The National body of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has dissolved its Rivers State chapter over an alleged gross misconduct and flagrant violation of the provisions of the councils 2021 Revised Code of Conduct.

This is contained in a statement signed by the councils National Secretary, Yusuf Dantalle, on Saturday.

The council said the decision was part of the resolutions reached at its General Assembly meeting held on 9 March.

The council said it ratified the recommendation for the immediate dissolution of the state chapter after it adopted a governorship candidate, an action that violated the Code of Conduct of the group.

IPAC is not a political party but a platform for all political parties saddled with the mandate of promoting and defending the interests of all registered political parties in Nigeria.

Hence it should be neutral, fair, and impartial to all, Mr Dantalle said.

The council has condemned (the action) and dissociates itself from the actions of the state chapter of the council for endorsing Mr Siminalayi Fubara, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Let us be unequivocal that those behind this scripted spectacle are nothing but political pawns.

All political parties whose officials were found to be part of this malpractice are enjoined to take disciplinary actions against the culprits to serve as a deterrent to others.

He called on the electorate in the state not to allow themselves to be used to elect just anybody, but to vote for candidates of their choices in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly elections rescheduled for 18 March.

(NAN)

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Ugandan authorities should immediately release freelance journalist Andrew Arinaitwe and drop all charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.

On Sunday, March 5, authorities arrested Arinaitwe while he was reporting at a boarding school in the central district of Wakiso, according to a statement shared with CPJ by Kiiza & Mugisha Advocates, a law firm representing the journalist, and tweets from the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda, a local press rights organization. Arinaitwe was on assignment with the weekly publication The Continent, which is distributed via messaging apps including WhatsApp, according to those sources and the outlets news editor, Lydia Namubiru, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app.

Authorities held Arinaitwe until Monday, when he was released on bail, according to those sources and a police document reviewed by CPJ.

On Thursday, authorities formally charged Arinaitwe with criminal trespass with the intent to steal, detained him, and adjourned his case until March 14, according to his lawyers statement, Namubiru, and Culton Scovia Nakamya, a journalist who observed the court proceedings and spoke to CPJ via messaging app.

Ugandan journalist Andrew Arinaitwes ongoing detention and prosecution raises serious questions about the lengths authorities will go to restrict coverage of sensitive topics, said CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo. Arinaitwe should be released immediately, all charges against him must be dropped, and he should be allowed to continue his reporting without undue interference or further intimidation.

At the time of his arrest, Arinaitwe was reporting on allegations sexual abuse by teachers in Ugandan boarding schools, including at Kings College Budo, and had gone to the institution to seek comment from its principal after failing to reach him on the phone, according to his lawyers statement and Namubiru.

Arinaitwe entered the school without being stopped or questioned by a security guard at its gate, but then the principal, John Fred Kazibwe, accused the journalist of illegally accessing the institution and reported him to military officers who were on the campus, who in turn handed him over to the police, Namubiru told CPJ.

In a statement sent to CPJ via messaging app, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, in whose jurisdiction Wakiso district falls, accused Arinaitwe of failing to use normal procedures to access the school and of sneak[ing] into the college to improperly interview students.

Before releasing him on bail Monday, police confiscated Arinaitwes phone and laptop, according to Namubiru and the lawyers statement.

At the Nsangi Magistrates Court on Thursday, authorities formally charged Arinaitwe and then adjourned the hearing after state prosecutors argued that they needed time to verify the addresses of his sureties, persons who guarantee that he will abide by bail orders, according to those sources and Nakamya.

Under Ugandas penal code, criminal trespass is a misdemeanor that carries a prison term of one year upon conviction.

Contacted via messaging app, Kazibwe told CPJ that he could not comment while the case was before the court.

Ugandas national police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, did not respond to queries sent by CPJ via messaging app.

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Following the extension by one week the conduct of the governorship and state houses of assembly election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), some Nigerian universities have announced new resumption dates for academic activities.

Nigerian tertiary institutions had earlier been directed by the Federal Ministry of Education to suspend academic activities until 14th March when the election wouldve been concluded.

But INEC postponed the second round of the countrys general elections earlier scheduled for 11th March, to 18th March.

Consequently, the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Lagos State University (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) and Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDUS), among others, have announced new resumption dates.

The University of Abuja had stated that it is not going on break and would instead continue academic activities virtually throughout the period of the break.

The spokesperson for Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Lamara Garba, said the Senate of the institution has not decided on a new resumption date.

The Dean, Students Affairs for Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), Umar Aliyu, a professor, said the one week extension would also apply to the institution, but theres no definite resumption date yet.

He said UDUS was to begin a new session by the end of March, but that the Senate of the institution would have to meet to decide on an actual date of resumption.

Now that the elections have been extended by one week, we are also applying that extension, he told our reporter in a telephone conversation on Friday. Officially, we are supposed to start a new session by (the end of) March. Now, the date has to change and that means the Senate would have to sit to decide on a new date.

Resumption, examinations

Meanwhile, LASU, UNILAG, LASUED and FUOYE have released statements to announce new dates of resumption.

The Senate for UNILAG and LASU approved Tuesday March 21st for resumption, said statements from both institutions.

The Head, Communications Unit at UNILAG, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, however, said all other activities of the university, including inaugural lectures and meetings (excluding teaching), should continue as scheduled.

On behalf of the University of Lagos Senate, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, FAS, has approved that the resumption of academic activities be postponed to Tuesday, March 21, 2023. However, all other activities of the university, including inaugural lectures and meetings (excluding teaching), should continue as scheduled, parts of the UNILAG statement read.

Meanwhile, LASU said the ongoing examinations would continue on Wednesday 22nd March, a day after new resumption date scheduled for Tuesday, 21st March.

The Vice Chancellor and Chairman of the LASU Senate, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, a professor, said the institution would continue to provide skeletal services from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm throughout the break.

She also directed that students whose polling units are within the school premises should be allowed into the premises to exercise their franchise.

Students who have registered for their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) and have their polling unit (24  17 -05  065) at the open space at LASU gate should be allowed to exercise their franchise, she said.

Meanwhile, FUOYE and LASUED approved Monday, 20th March, for resumption of academic activities.

LASUED Registrar, Opeoluwa Akinfemiwa, said the resumption date only applies to students.

A memorandum by FUOYE Registrar, Mufutau Ibrahim, stated that the first semester examination begins on Tuesday 21st, a day after resumption.

He said: There will be an intensive physical revision exercise to prepare students adequately for the forthcoming 2022/2023 first semester examinations which will take place from Tuesday 21st March to Saturday, 25th March.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

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Former UK Prime Minister and Member of Parliament, Boris Johnson, will address the 16th session of the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe annual lecture series.

The former UK leader will address the august gathering in Lagos on 27 March.

The last edition was addressed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari

While announcing the 2023 event, the Acting Coordinator-General of Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation, George Anyiam-Osigwe, noted that the former UK Prime Minister joins the rank of global statesmen and women that had addressed the lectures eminent audience in the past.

Mr Johnson, according to the statement, will bring to bear his experiential knowledge as one of the significant international statesmen of the 21st century to examine the central theme of the lecture, Rehumanising Human Experience: A Synopsis of Anyiam-Osigwes treatises.

The former Mayor of London and former UK Foreign Secretary, through his keynote address, will offer solutions to some of the global challenges that are currently plaguing the world, stoking citizens frustrations and anger, the statement noted.

Why we chose Boris Johnson

On the choice of Mr Johnson, the coordinator-general of the Foundation said the former PM was chosen for his courage, extensive and practical knowledge in confronting some world knotty domestic and global problems such as Brexit, COVID-19, Russia-Ukraine war during his premiership.

We considered him the right person to speak to the theme of rehumanising the world. The world has gone through serious upheavals in the last two decades; from the civil war in Syria, political instability in parts of Africa, Brexit that has really tested the United Kingdom and the entire European Union, the trade war between China and America and the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the entire world for more than a year with attendant social and economic dislocation.

The statement noted that Mr Johnson is one of the active global leaders of the last decade who had to deal with some of these problems and led the world through a once-in-a-century pandemic.

We are of the strong view that our country and the world can benefit from his experience and perspectives, the statement said.

About Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has previously served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party.

He was also once Foreign Secretary and Mayor of London. He is still a serving member of the British parliament.

He succeeded Theresa May as UK Prime Minister after the latter resigned over her inability to get the Brexit deal concluded.

READ ALSO: British PM Boris Johnson resigns

The statement from the Foundation said Mr Johnson is a champion of democracy, freedom and free market capitalism, and believes that the sheer innovative power of the west will take us through the ramifications of the war on Ukraine and post-COVID shocks, and will defeat struggling authoritarian regimes.

The statement said Mr Johnson believes technology, driven by free market democracies, will ultimately defeat our biggest challenges on health, science and global warming.

Also, Mr Johnson, the statement stated, argues that in the 21st century, countries must be able to deregulate and be as competitive as possible which explains why he successfully campaigned for Brexit  taking back control of UK law, marking the biggest constitutional change for half a century, and enabling the UK to generate the fastest vaccine approval in the world and the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe  with all the subsequent economic benefits.

Mr Johnson is the kind of politician who takes risks for the principles of democracy, freedom and free markets, and stands alongside those fighting against authoritarian regimes, the statement said.

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Nigerias leading investigative medium, PREMIUM TIMES, has called for the arrest and prosecution of Godwin Emefiele, the central bank governor.

In its Saturday editorial, the outlet reiterated its stand, frowning at the anti-people cash policies imposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the watch of Mr Emefiele.

The editorial also berated the CBN for failing to adhere to the ruling of the Supreme Court on the old naira notes. It noted that the cash withdrawal limit imposed by the central bank is an infringement on the rights of the people.

And most have had to live with a frightening range of infringements since the banknotes swap policy came into effect, the newspaper stated in the editorial.

These have ranged from the economic (loss of earnings platforms across the economys informal sector), through the emotional (having to beg for cash from friends, family, neighbours and strangers to meet basic needs) to the conceptual (just struggling to make sense of the policys design, implementation and expected outcomes).

A few days before the February 25 general election, President Muhammadu Buhari affirmed the naira swap policy drafted by the CBN against the ruling of the court. Mr Buhari had begged Nigerians for perseverance despite the unholy hardship inspired by his administrations monetary policy.

The governments of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara had filed a suit against the federal government at the Supreme Court, seeking an order to invalidate the CBNs recent move to make old denominations of N200, N500 and N1000 illegal tenders.

A supreme court judge, Emmanuel Agim, had said on the matter that the rule of law upon which our democratic governance is founded becomes illusory if the President of the country or any authority or person refuses to obey the orders of courts 

But then, both the federal government and the CBN have made no official move to enforce the order of the supreme court, despite public outrage.

PREMIUM TIMES is, however, now seeking the arrest and prosecution of Mr Emefiele for failing to obey the court and for violating the rights of Nigerian citizens.

PREMIUM TIMES has made several calls for Mr Emefiele to be relieved of his office, the newspaper said in the editorial. These calls were premised on growing doubt as to his fitness for office. If we took the CBNs main price stability remit as our point of departure, Mr Emefieles incompetence is incontrovertible.

This is as much about the outcomes of his policy, and as the Supreme Courts ruling points to, as it is about the thoughtlessness that goes into his policy design.

However, rule breaking is why we would want Mr Emefiele to be arrested and tried. We cannot build a democracy on the back of impunity and illegality. But there is also the charge of economic sabotage. If the first is criminal. The second is treasonous.

Alas, President Buhari, himself a scofflaw, as noted by the Supreme Court, is neither able nor willing to do right by the country on this matter. This will be the legacy of his eight-year rule. But we cannot continue to allow acts of criminal conduct to define our democracy.

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The Federal High Court in Bauchi, Bauchi State, has convicted two bigwigs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state for conspiracy and money laundering involving N142 million.

Saleh Gamawa and Aminu Gadiya were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for receiving the total of N142,460,000 in cash to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential elections in Bauchi State, according to a statement by the anti-corruption agency on Saturday.

The two men, who were members of the Finance and Funds Disbursement Committee of the PDP for the 2015 general elections, accepted the cash payment in excess of the threshold provided by law, EFCC added.

The judge, Hassan Dikko, handed down his judgement on 2 March, convicting and sentencing them to jail with an option of fine, EFCCs statement signed by the commissions spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, said.

The court consequently sentenced the two defendants to two years imprisonment at the Bauchi Correction Service or a fine of N3 million each in lieu of imprisonment on count 1.

It went further to sentence the second defendant to two years imprisonment with an option of N3 million in lieu of imprisonment on count 2.

The sentences are to run concurrently from 2 March.

The defendants were first arraigned on 4 June 2018 and re-arraigned on 16 October 2018 on two charges of money laundering.

READ EFCCS FULL STATEMENT

EFCC Press Release

Two PDP Chieftains Jailed 3 Years for N142m Elections Bribe Scam

Two Chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bauchi State, Saleh Hussaini Gamawa and Aminu Umar Gadiya, have been convicted by a Federal High Court, Bauchi and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for offences that bordered on conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N142, 460,000.00 (One Hundred and Forty Two Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira).

Justice Hassan Dikko convicted the duo on March 2, while ruling on the two count charge brought against the defendants by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The defendants were first arraigned on June 4, 2018 and re-arraigned on October 16, 2018 on a two count charge for allegedly receiving over N142million to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential elections in Bauchi State.

Count one of the charge reads, That you, Saleh Hussaini Gamawa and Aminu Umar Gadiya, all members of the Finance and Funds Disbursement Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2015 General Elections, and in such capacities sometimes in March, 2015 in Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did agree amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit; Conspiracy to accept cash payment exceeding the threshold provided by law, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 16(2) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012( as amended) now No.1, 2012.

Count two reads, That you, Sale Hussaini Gamawa and Aminu Umar Gadiya, all members of the of the Finance and Funds Disbursement Committee of the peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2015 General Elections, and in such capacities sometimes in March, 2015 in Bauchi State within the jurisdiction of this Honourabe Court did accept cash payment of N142,460,000.00 ( One Hundred and Forty Two Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira) from the Directorate of Finance, Bauchi State PDP Campaign Organization exceeding the required threshold of cash payment, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1, 16(1)(d) and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the Money Laundering ( Prohibition)Act, 2011 (as amended) now No.1, 2012

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting the stage for the case to proceed to full trial. In the course of trial, the prosecution presented one witness and tendered documents marked as Exhibits A1, A2 and A3. Both defendants testified in their respective defence.

At the close of evidence, the final written addresses were filed, exchanged and adopted on January 17, 2023, with the prosecution asking the court to convict the defendants as charged. The defence, on the other hand, submitted that the evidence presented against the defendant by the prosecution was not credible and urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants. Justice Dikko then reserved judgment for March 2, 2023.

In the well-considered judgment that lasted more than three hours, Justice Dikko reviewed the facts of the case and the submissions of counsel and arrived at the conclusion that the prosecution proved the cases against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt on count one and convicted them as charged. He however discharged and acquitted the 2nd defendant on count two.

According to justice Dikko, the fact that the defendants in this instant case endorsed exhibit A1, A2 and A3 to receive cash to the tune of N142,460,,000.00, well in excess of the legal threshold designated by law, there can be no other conclusion but that the defendants conspired to so commit the offence and I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt. It is rather astonishing that in the defence of the count, the defendants completely disregarded the damaging evidence of exhibits A1,A2,and A3, lying right before the Court. I therefore find the 1st and 2nd defendants guilty of conspiracy as charged in court one and are accordingly convicted.

On Count two, he said, I have relied almost entirely on Exhibits A1, A2 and A3, and a close scrutiny of the Exhibits demonstrates that the 1st defendant, Saleh Hussaini Gamawa received N105, 840,000.00 in Exhibit A1, N27, 650,000.00 in Exhibit A2 and N8, 970,000.00 in Exhibit A3, summing up to N142,460,000.00, all in the presence of, or witnessed by the 2nd defendant Aminu Umar Gadiya. The content of these documents leaves no one in doubt as to who received the money, that is Saleh Hussaini Gamawa (1st defendant) who is a natural person from the Bauchi State PDP Campaign Organization (Director of Finance) which is not a designated financial institution, and for the purpose of payment to participants during the National and Presidential Elections.

The offence under Section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 is one of strict liability. The fact of the payment or receipt of cash in excess of the threshold alone is sufficient to ground a conviction as can be noticed in the exhibits before this court and again, I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt. Consequently, I find the 1srt defendant guilty of the count and is accordingly convicted. The 2nd defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted on this count.

In his allocutus, the 1st defendant urged the court to be lenient and temper justice with mercy. I have a large family which includes the family of my elder brother who turned blind and cannot fend for his family; they look up to me for sustenance, since the beginning of this case neither the political party nor the Government came to my rescue, thus I urge the court to forgive me, he stated.

The 2nd defendant also pleaded for leniency, arguing that he is a retiree and had not benefited from the money.

Before sentencing the defendants, Justice Dikko acknowledged their pleas for leniency but insisted that they must be punished to serve as deterrent to others. I consider your pleas that you have family who will suffer in your absence thus I will be lenient, however your offences must be punished appropriately to deter others in the society from perpetrating same. He consequently sentenced the 1st and 2nd defendants to 2years imprisonment at the Bauchi Correction Service or a fine of N3,000,000.00 each in lieu of imprisonment on count one; while the 1st defendant bagged a further 2years imprisonment or a fine of N3,000,000.00 in lieu of imprisonment on count two.

The sentences are to run concurrently from March 2, 2023.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

11/03/2023

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MONROVIATwo additional witnesses have told appeal hearings for Gibril Massaquoi, a former commander of Sierra Leones Revolutionary United Front, RUF in Monrovia that he ordered civilians, including seven women to be raped and burnt alive in a house, crowning a week of harrowing testimonies and allegations against him.

Civilian 22, Fridays first witness, speaking in his native Gbandi language through an interpreter before the Turku Appeals Court of Finland alleged Mr Massaquoi had ordered an open disgrace of the women in Kamatahum, Lofa County.

They tied them up, took their clothes off and naked them, said Civilian 22. He (Massaquoi) gave orders that they should rape and kill them.

The man claimed before Turku Court of Appeals that before the women were killed, they were inside crying and that he thought they (soldiers) were raping them.

On direct examination, Civilian 22 was certain about an alleged nickname of the mastermind of the alleged atrocities.

There was one commander called Angel Gabriel, he said.

Many prosecution witnesses have told the Tampare District Court, which acquitted Mr Massaquoi of charges of aggravated war crimes and aggravated crimes against humanity in April 2021, that it was one of the names Mr Massaquois soldiers and comrade-in-arms called him by.

Civilian 22 said afterwards, he and others, who were in the town buried the women. He also alleged Mr Massaquoi ordered separate killings after his soldiers had gathered a group of civilians in a house.

He said your (soldiers) go and kill them, said Civilian 22. And they put them in the house based on his orders and burnt it. I was not to a close range to see them, but I saw the flames of fire and heard the voices of the people crying in the fire.

The witness also alleged Mr Massaquoi and his soldiers looted zinc from houses in the town and transported them to Sierra Leone.

There is a town called Gbandalo (in Sierra Leone, but close to Kamatahum), if you go there, you will see the zincs they took from Kamatahum.

Aggravated murders, aggravated rapes and looting are among a litany of charges prosecutors are trying to prove on appeal that Mr Massaquoi committed.

Civilian 40, another prosecution witness, accused Mr Massaquoi of the same acts and said the former rebel commander spoke in a well-known language.

I heard him speak only Krio (a popular language in Sierra Leone), said Civilian 40.

The witnesses alleged the acts happened between 2001 to 2002.

Civilian 11, Fridays first witness couldnt testify because his testimony was closed to the public and media.

The hearings continue on Monday.

The coverage of the appeal of Massaquois acquittal is a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project.

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has given INEC headquarters 72 hours ultimatum to direct its Rivers State office to release documents needed by the party to lodge a case at the Election Petition Tribunal.

INEC had announced the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winners of the three senate seats and nine out of the 12 House of Representatives seats in the state during the election.

The APC and the Labour Party candidates won one House of Representatives seat each while the result of Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 2 was suspended, this newspaper earlier reported.

But the APC, which is challenging the outcome of the 25 February National Assembly polls in the state, claimed its candidates won the elections and that their mandate were stolen.

The party has threatened to mount a blockade at INEC office in Port Harcourt, if its request was not granted at the expiration of the ultimatum.

APC spokesperson in the state, Darlington Nwauju, issued the threat in a statement in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Mr Nwauju accused INEC head of operations in Rivers State, Mike Odeh of conniving with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to frustrate the APC efforts in getting the necessary documents needed to facilitate its case at the tribunal.

May we put on record that the APC in Rivers State had applied for the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C and other documents incidental to the recently conducted National Assembly elections in the state in which results were mutilated and or forged in favour of the PDP in areas where our party clearly won and our candidates should have been declared winners if INEC had kept its promise of uploading results from the polling units to the iREV portal.

Instructively, the said Head of Operations, Mr Odeh, against both the civil service rules, INEC guidelines and the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) has consciously and viciously erected a wall to ensure he frustrates the moves of the APC in Rivers State to retrieve the stolen mandates of our National Assembly candidates by refusing to release the relevant documents earlier listed, which are at the heart of prosecuting our petitions at the Elections Petitions Tribunal, knowing too well that election petitions are sue generis or time bound, Mr Nwauju said.

Mr Nwauju said the party has lost confidence in Mr Odeh, adding that he has refused to release documents to it despite approval granted the party to access the said documents by the states Resident Electoral Commissioner and Administrative Officer of the commission in the state.

The APC in Rivers State has lost confidence in the Head of Operations, Mr Mike Odeh and demands his immediate investigation and prosecution for single-handedly uprooting the independence status of the INEC, Mr Nwauju said.

Spokesperson for the PDP in the state, Sydney Gbara, did not respond to a call and text message for comments when contacted.

PREMIUM TIMES could not reach Mr Odeh, head of operations in Rivers INEC office for comments at the time of filing this report.

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I imbibed my pro-women culture from my mother, Ebibo, who as an illiterate petty trader ensured the education and wellbeing of all her children. She taught us contentment, humility and service to all irrespective of religion, race, ethnicity and gender. On Tuesday 3 April, which would be the tenth year she departed, I will observe a special prayer and thank her that she was my mother.

I am blessed because I am blessed by women. This Wednesday, 8 March, I received messages from some women wishing me a happy International Womens Day. They know I am not part of their gender. But they are aware that I support, speak and fight for gender equity, equal rights and justice for all, irrespective of class, race and gender. One of the earliest such messages I received came from the Cuban Ambassador, Clara Pullido.

She dotes on some of us like a mother hen protecting her beloved ones.

She sees herself as a daughter of Africa. Her Masters degree was in Ghana, where she studied Nigerian political history and she has been Cuban Ambassador to the African Union, Ethiopia, Algeria and now, Nigeria. She advocates for women and their role in emancipating humanity. It is through her that I met the female ambassadors and diplomats from Asia, Europe, Caribbean and Latin America that I have come to know.

This 2023 Womens Day, to me, was a particularly sad one, as I watched with sorrow many petty traders in the streets, almost all of who are women, turned destitute because the Buhari administrations currency policy has made cash so scarce that they barely have customers. Things are so bad that even to buy a small packet of biscuits, some pepper or an orange on the streets would require cash transfer which, in many cases, gets stuck. So, their perishable goods have perished; some rotting in the farms. So many have become impoverished and, needless to state, the vast majority of these victims of the inept and thoughtless implementation of a new currency change, are women.

However, these adversities and a climate of impunity and violence have not stopped women from being courageous and standing their ground. When during the presidential and National Assembly elections of 25 February, political thugs invaded a polling station in Surulere, Lagos and stabbed Mrs Bina Jennifer Efidi, they must have assumed they had discouraged her and other voters from casting their ballots.

They were mistaken; they had taken on a woman who they assumed is fickle. But after her wounds were treated, even with blood trickling down her face and in her blood-soaked T-shirt, she returned to the polling station, daring the thugs, and casted her vote. Mrs. Efidi has become the symbol of resistance against street thugs and political violence in Nigeria.

There are lots of conflicts in the world and women, who tend to take care of the family, including their husbands and children, suffer a lot. But where the men are intimidated by forces of oppression and repression, women in many cases, step forward. For instance, in the on-going Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people, many women have become involved, including engaging in physical combats with Israeli soldiers

Efidi reminds me of the resistance of Rosa Parks, the African-American lady who on 1 December, 1955 in racist Montgomery, Alabama, refused to give up her seat for a White man. Her resistance violated the segregations laws then in place. She was arrested for civil disobedience, detained and fined. But she refused to bow. Her resistance inspired the Blacks one-year boycott of the citys bus service, and the November, 1956 ruling that under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the American Constitution, bus segregation is unconstitutional.

The on-going mass protests in Iran were triggered by the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini, a lady arrested on 13 September for allegedly not properly wearing her hijab. She was said to vae been beaten and died three days later while still in police custody. Women spearheaded and sustained the protests. The religious police took on the wrong gender and got dissolved.

There are lots of conflicts in the world and women, who tend to take care of the family, including their husbands and children, suffer a lot. But where the men are intimidated by forces of oppression and repression, women in many cases, step forward. For instance, in the on-going Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people, many women have become involved, including engaging in physical combats with Israeli soldiers who come to effect the demolition of Palestinian homes to give way for illegal settlements. One of the most famous is Khalida Jarrar, a 60-year-old Palestinian lawmaker, whose last stint in Israeli prison was two years ago. She had been jailed at least four times on the nebulous charge of belonging to a terrorist organisation, which is what Israel calls all organisations that reject genocide in the Palestine.

During her last imprisonment, she lost her 31-year-old daughter, Suha Ghassan Jarrar, a human rights activist. But she also began the education of Palestinian women prisoners. By last year, seven of her protegees in Israeli jails were enrolled for degree programmes. Jarrars conviction is that: Education is liberating for women, because it helps them expand their knowledge, strengthen their personality, and gives them a degree of independence to face society and its problems, as well as helping them find work after leaving prison.

But the most famous woman of Palestinian origin is Al Jazeeras Shireen Abu Akleh, whose coverage of the region for 25 years became authoritative. She gave the Israeli authorities who could not fault her professionalism so much sleepless nights that they decided to kill her. On 11 May, 2022, in Jenin, an Israeli marksman took her out. Even the United States (US), which traditionally covers Israeli atrocities, admitted the Israelis killed her.

The struggle against Apartheid in South Africa was long and bloody because the regime was supported by powerful countries like the US and United Kingdom. As the repression grew and men were targeted, women stepped forward with the famous Womens March of 1956. In that march, the women adopted a South African proverb: Wathinta Abafazi Wathinta Imbokodo, which means: You strike a woman; you strike a rock.

Its report concluded that gunfire from IDF (Israeli Defence Force) positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. Cornered, Israel admitted that she was accidentally hit by IDF gunfire but would neither allow its troops nor the marksman interviewed or brought to justice for murdering the 52-year-old journalist.

The struggle against Apartheid in South Africa was long and bloody because the regime was supported by powerful countries like the US and United Kingdom. As the repression grew and men were targeted, women stepped forward with the famous Womens March of 1956. In that march, the women adopted a South African proverb: Wathinta Abafazi Wathinta Imbokodo, which means: You strike a woman; you strike a rock.

The leaders of that march on the Union included Helen Joseph, who gave up all her privileges of being a White woman to fight for social justice; Lilian Ngoyi, the first woman member of the African National Congress National Executive Council; and Albertina Sisulu, who later led the largest coalition that saw the back of Apartheid.

They were followed into battle by formidable women, the most famous being Winnie Mandela. The Apartheid regime found too late that when You strike a woman; you strike a rock. This is a truism that many regimes across the universe are yet to learn. I imbibed my pro-women culture from my mother, Ebibo, who as an illiterate petty trader ensured the education and wellbeing of all her children. She taught us contentment, humility and service to all irrespective of religion, race, ethnicity and gender. On Tuesday 3 April, which would be the tenth year she departed, I will observe a special prayer and thank her that she was my mother.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.

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The Labour Party appears uninoculated against the APGA contagion. The party is becoming rigidly ethnicised. Ethnic irredentists have seized the party, branding it after themselves  recreating it in their own image. Some of these irredentists who take up residence on social media are quick to establish they own the Labour Party, shutting out divergent interrogations.

It may just be a bubble. A phantasm. An ignis fatuus. A castle on quicksand. It may not take long before the house caves in. The Labour Party electoral rendition is a thrilling experiment of what could be; of political possibilities, of change, but it appears the party is doomed to crumple under the weight of its own afflictions and internal contradictions.

The Labour Party has won 40 National Assembly seats so far  according to records by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the party, put up a notable performance in the presidential election, though there are disputations over votes from the states he won, as there are allegations that they were ballooned in his favour.

But are these sputters of fortune enough to keep the party afloat? I think not. The party is becoming vigorously ethnicised, rigid, and anti-intellectual. I believe the party may end up like the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)  a failed experiment and poor attempt at building a peoples forum.

There is no guarantee that those who were swept into parliament on the wave of juvenile anger, will remain in the party afterwards. And even if some of them do, there is no certainty that the same wind will blow again in subsequent elections.

At parliament, the beneficiaries of the Obi phenomenon will fight for survival, opportunities, and trade interests. There is the likelihood that some of them will cross into other parties for whatever interest they hold.

So, that the Labour Party has 40 seats in parliament today is not a guarantee of political sustenance or survival in the long run. It is not a guarantee of anything. The party remains a rustled-up vehicle without organic and deep roots. It lacks intellectual bearings, and its supporters are vacuous, angry, and menacing. It is only held together, at the moment, by youthful anger, but what happens when the rage tapers off?

The much-vaunted Obi phenomenon will fizzle out as soon as the elections are done, and the youth have other worthy distractions. I do not see Peter Obi sustaining the momentum long after the elections. He may retreat to his business and wait for another happenstance. It is the reason I said it will be historic if Obi extends a hand of fellowship to the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, rather than chasing apparitions and chest thumping while at it.

APGA used to be that party. The third leg. It held some promise. The party came on stream as democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999. It won some elections. But over time, the party became rigidly regional. It became defiant to political evolution. While the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which was founded much later in the 2000s, was able to build from its base to the centre by attuning itself to the times and evolving accordingly, APGA was closed and straitjacketed.

APGA lost its oomph and quickly took on the brand of a sectional party. The dream of the revered Igbo leader, Odumegwu Ojukwu was for the party to become a national brolly  a stamping ground for all Nigerians. To build from the base and levitate to the centre. But the party failed to realise this dream. It was racked by internecine squabbles, greed, lack of foresight by subsequent managers, insularity, and sabotage.

The Labour Party appears uninoculated against the APGA contagion. The party is becoming rigidly ethnicised. Ethnic irredentists have seized the party, branding it after themselves  recreating it in their own image. Some of these irredentists who take up residence on social media are quick to establish they own the Labour Party, shutting out divergent interrogations.

Even Aisha Yesufu, a prominent voice of the Obi campaign, was not spared of the noxious epithet by these sudden appropriators of the Labour Party. She was reminded, you are not one of us  despite her immense support for their candidate.

These appropriators of the Labour Party should take the pain to study the ethos of their party. It is conventionally a workers party. But I guess, anger and bigotry drive anti-intellectualism. There is no place for bigotry in an intellectually fecundated mind.

I am of the view that this new-fangled mob is a latent threat to our democracy. Our conversations on politics have never been this contaminated. In reality, this problem stretches beyond the Labour Party mob. But I would advise those who care to listen to desist from spreading poison and freely trading bigotry.

There is no trophy but damnation for being a loud-mouthed bigot.

Fredrick Nwabufo aka Mr OneNigeria is a media executive.

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Perhaps Western journalists might have seen things differently if only they bothered to look, but such was their hurry to report a feelgood story of youth resurgence and political revitalisation about an African country where such tends to be scarce; such, in addition, was the umbilical connection between the same journalists and the Obi-dient, that the only facts available to them were those afforded by the bubble into which they had sealed themselves.

Across the Western media, the outcome of Nigerias just concluded general election has been both shocking and disappointing. While the shock owes to the triumph of candidate Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  a contender the Western press had given next to no chance of winning  disillusionment at the outcome is attributable to the conviction that, being an icon of the old guard, a Tinubu presidency suggests a continuation of politics as usual at a moment when many Nigerians strongly desire everything but that.

That a cross section of Nigerians also share this disappointment goes without saying, and it remains to be seen what policy options the president-elect will pursue (provided he survives the legal challenge to the election by the Labour Partys (LP) Peter Obi and the Peoples Democratic Partys (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, respectively, to win over his doubters, particularly young Nigerians who justifiably perceive that their country is headed in the wrong direction.

Beyond the shock and disappointment, however, it is important to reflect on why the Western media got it wrong on the outcome of the election, and why Western journalists, in many instances using more or less the same language, persisted in presenting Peter Obi as the elections front runner, when there was simply no evidence to support the assertion.

As an increasing number of young Nigerians  the Obi-dient  gravitated towards the 61-year-old Obi, raising the tantalising prospect of a breakup of the duopoly which has monopolised power since Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999, Western media sympathy for Obi (allied with fawning portrayal of his platform) rose in tandem.

This was understandable. In Nigerian politics, Obi was the closest thing to a unicorn  an energetic candidate who spoke the language of transparency and good governance and appeared to mean it  and perhaps for the first time in a long while, Nigerians of a certain generation had real hope that governance could be set on a new pedestal. Obis political rallies testified to this newfangled buoyancy and bullishness about the countrys prospects, and disillusionment at his failure at the polls has to be set against this specific affective backdrop.

But if sympathy for Obi was understandable, that he came up short, a heartbreaking outcome from the perspective of his supporters, was also not unexpected. As a matter of fact, I predicted it. In the first place, the passion of the Obi-dient, pivoting on the cultural influence of the urban educated, entertainers, influencers, celebrities, and assorted agents mobilising a nascent digital power, could only radiate so far. Structurally, as the Nigerian media goes, so goes its social media. The political map the morning after the election confirms this.

Furthermore, and for all his undeniable bond with young people, Obi faced a practically insurmountable challenge to achieving his presidential ambition precisely because of his failure (his part in this is a matter of debate) to forge a coalition with power brokers in the predominantly Muslim North. The choice of Kaduna State-born Datti Baba-Ahmed as his running mate was clearly meant to obviate the disadvantage of not having an agreement with the core North in place, but the founder of the Abuja-based Baze University is more technocrat than pugilist, and his political footprint, even at the best of times, was always light. Obis abysmal numbers across the Northern region, where the presidential contest was more or less a two-horse race between Tinubu and Abubakar puts his failure to connect in the region in bold relief.

If all this was obvious to the average student of Nigerian politics, that it continued to elude Western journalists is one of the more puzzling aspects of their coverage of the election. Their first error was to characterise as a political outsider a savvy veteran who only four years ago ran as running mate to Abubakar on the platform of the PDP, and in May 2022 was still gearing up to pick up the same partys presidential ticket until he was outmaneuvered by Abubakar. By the same illogic, Obi would soon be anointed as the front-runner in the election, even when it was abundantly clear that Tinubu and Abubakar, for political and structural reasons sketched above, were the two candidates to beat. That these reasons might have been unpalatable if one were favourably disposed to Obis candidacy does nothing to change their status as brute facts.

There were other mistakes. Pressured as to the reason for their confidence in Obi as a front-runner in the election, Western journalists regularly cited surveys, many of which, by omission or design, seem to have been armoured against evidence. Persistent warnings about the limitations of polling in light of Nigerias sociological and ethnoregional particulars went unheeded. Nor did many Western journalists seem willing to make the simple admission that the voice of young Nigerians, as encapsulated in the Obi-dient movement, while legitimate, did not necessarily aggregate the voice of every young Nigerian. No allowance was made for the countrys obvious political and cultural heterogeneity, nor was there any curiosity about parts of the country where comparatively low levels of literacy and technological diffusion have historically signaled a contrary sensibility.

Perhaps Western journalists might have seen things differently if only they bothered to look, but such was their hurry to report a feelgood story of youth resurgence and political revitalisation about an African country where such tends to be scarce; such, in addition, was the umbilical connection between the same journalists and the Obi-dient, that the only facts available to them were those afforded by the bubble into which they had sealed themselves. Hence the spectacle of an echo chamber in which both the Western and Obi-dient media glibly cross-referenced each other, impervious to the kind of contrary information or perspective that might have forced them to adjust their lens.

That the Western press meant well is not in question. Obi was a breath of fresh air in a country where political criminality is a tautology, more or less, and he ran against two representatives of the establishment deeply loathed by many. While that may be understandable, there is simply no excuse for its mischaracterisation of Obi, never mind its scandalous negligence of the basic realities of Nigerian politics.

By recklessly propping up Obi, hence giving the impression that he was on his way to the presidency, they have contributed to the publics loss of confidence in the integrity of the Nigerian election.

Ebenezer Obadare is Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow for Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

This article was originally published by the Council on Foreign Relations as part of the Diamonstein-Spielvogel Project on the Future of Democracy.
Whatever troubles the country is currently facing, let us see it as a sacrifice and the price we have to pay to rescue our land from the hands of the devourers. We have been fighting these wars and winning, no matter how small our victories appear to be. Truly, pressure ti wa, but we are Nigerians  no matter the pressure, we meuve!

Sufie stands in the scorching sun in Sabon Gari; his hands protruding outside like a statue. He had no energy to talk and his legs were failing. But he has found himself in the midst of others, some on the floor and others running after each vehicle that passes  every man to his own problem. His last energy is reserved to keep him standing as long as he can and he stretches his little hand out as far as he could. He had just returned from the closest buka, where he would normally take customers leftover food, but wallahi, no customer this time, so he has to face it. Sufie is one of the many beggars but business is no longer business as usual. He has learnt a new English phrase, no cash, from everyone he begs for money. Which is more like a bad omen. They all say the same thing as they walk slowly past him. From their demeanour and the looks on their faces, he sometimes thinks their troubles are far more than his. No one is dropping new ten naira notes into beggars plates, an obligation they usually do after receiving instructions from their spiritual guardians to give ten beggars N10 notes or do something similar. Standing emaciated, Sufie has not eaten in the past two days and there is no hope of food in sight. No Cash! Beggars suffer more!

Babagana, a sugarcane cart pusher, looked helplessly as his eight-year-old son asked for his daily feeding money to school. He looked up to the sky and wished this was not his reality. Some months back, he could confidently boast of his neatly stacked naira notes underneath his Ghana must go bag. Not too far in a distinct community, Mama Sade, a small-scale retailer, also counts her losses as her tomatoes perish without patronage. Her business no longer holds the prospect it had. The Emefiele saga has gotten to her. Mama no dey collect transfer! The pressure is getting wesser.

On 26 October, 2022, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, announced that the naira notes would be redesigned, with the Nigerian government claiming it would be a good attempt to withdraw the over N3.23 trillion in circulation. The apex bank had claimed that one of the reasons for enforcing this policy is the fact that about 85% of naira notes are in circulation, outside the vault of banks in the country. Well, every society must find ways to strengthen its economy and a move towards a cashless policy is the right attempt to revitalise the economy; however, the challenge lies in the appropriateness of the enforcement of such policies and their effects on the people. The peoples welfare and interests must be first considered in all policymaking processes. All enforcement procedures must be carefully done in the best way, so that they would have minimum impact on the people.

Till today, Nigerians still wonder, why the urgency? If the purpose is to curb electoral malpractices, why then commence the process a few months before the election? Without considering the gimmicks and jokes about the coloured naira notes that have been taken too far, the general consensus on the street is that (1) the government and others would enact new policies to guarantee their success at the polls; (2) there is sabotage aimed at political parties and aspirants in the coming elections; and (3) there are massive embezzlement schemes by the outgoing government; among other these and that. While these are largely unfounded, given the situation of things, the odds, and the immediate effects of the policies, many have been unable to come up with arguments that would disprove the assumptions on the street. But the question I will always ask is, why the pressure?

One does not need to be an economist to know this; so CBN, why the pressure? After taking cash from the hands of individuals, what alternatives were provided? Mobile banking? Reliance on Point of Sales Machine (POS)? We just dey play. Many of the villages and even parts of the urban areas still struggle with internet access.

I have not qualified the approach of the Central Bank in implementing its policies as unnecessary pressure, but societys reaction and its consequences have shown this beyond doubt. The Nigerian transactional atmosphere rests primarily on the use and exchange of naira notes, as many of the minor commercial activities can barely function with a cashless policy in place. In line with the 2021 Global Findex Report, Nigeria is one of the seven countries that are major contributors to the number of unbanked citizens in the world, as it ranks third among others. Forty per cent of Nigerians are unbanked, a total of about 59 million adults out of the total population. Most of these individuals are women and about 73% of all of them do not even have the required documents to open a bank account. Far into the villages, where there is barely any bank within a radius of a two-hour drive, you will not be surprised if the policies are more like a pronouncement of hardship. In 2022, Nigeria was ranked the fifth country in the world with less banking penetration. This means that there is a Chioma somewhere in the South-East who does not have a bank account, does not have access to a bank, and is being cut off from the order of things right now. While the policy is allowed to take effect slowly, the apex bank could double up on ensuring accessibility to banking and financial services.

The implementation of a cashless policy in any society has to be a slow but steady process to make society adjust to it, and not an aggressive and pressurised withdrawal of cash from circulation. No matter how cashless policies are implemented, it is impossible to go completely cashless. One does not need to be an economist to know this; so CBN, why the pressure? After taking cash from the hands of individuals, what alternatives were provided? Mobile banking? Reliance on Point of Sales Machine (POS)? We just dey play. Many of the villages and even parts of the urban areas still struggle with internet access. As at December 2022, only a little above 108 million Nigerians had access to the internet and also make use of it  77% of Nigerians in rural areas and 36% in urban areas did not have access to or use the internet. This means there is a large margin of those who would be able to use some of the alternatives available to the people. Still, the data projection is quite low because, by 2027, only 60% are expected to have access to the internet.

Coupled with the massive emigration of technology experts in the banking sector, the financial technology aspect of the Nigerian banking sector has proven rather unreliable. You could wait for frustrating minutes or even hours before a transfer of fund goes through, money may be reversed, or you sometimes would not be able to use the banks USSD codes at all. Similar issues occur with the use of debit cards at POS points. POS operators, owing to the difficulties in getting cash, now charge high rates for cash withdrawals. These rates are presently within the range of 15 to 30%, and you will shout 21 Hallelujahs if you are lucky to find any in operation. How would the common men and women survive? Is it reasonable to charge a POS fee of N1,500 on every N5,000 withdrawal? Does it make sense to transfer N200 to buy tomatoes from Mama Sade when bank charges are outrageous and she cannot even go inside the bank to withdraw her money at the counter or even through her ATM card? Should beggars now use POS to collect money from their customers? How do you expect Sufie, Babagana and his family, and Mama Sade to survive the aggressive enforcement of the cashless policy if the preliminary issues are not first addressed? It is important that the CBN knows that there is no need for pressure; short and long-term plans in ensuring enforcement would only be good for everyone.

In the face of all of these, I urge Nigerians to take it easy on themselves. They should resist the temptations to engage in violence but try as much as possible to explore alternatives until the winds settle. There is a need for a community approach to solving some of these problems, especially in rural areas. It is high time those in charge of the grassroots took care of their people.

While this naira imbroglio is going on, fuel is still in short supply and pump prices remain on the high side, causing more hardship to the misery the citizens are already facing. Considering these challenges, the increasing cost of commodities, insecurity, and all other forms of torture that the people are going through, you will realise that pressure ti wa! In response, the citizens have taken to the street in a more violent way. The system does not favour them, things are expensive; they find a way to work and earn something, only to be denied access to their hard-earned money. It is both funny and annoying, and many of these reactions are understandable even if they are not acceptable. Burning of banks that are themselves deprived of naira will not help matters. Causing violence is a further investment in hardship, and endangering the lives of fellow Nigerians in the banking sector is a case of the oppressed oppressing the oppressed. Well, there is a limit to the guidelines and directives one can give a hungry man, so I will just implore you to think before you leap.

Also, it seems that the government does not have an idea of what goes on and what approach to take. The nation is confused about who to follow in the emerging power tussle. In its judgement, the Supreme Court has ordered the reversal of policies. Many governors have shown disagreement, others have given their own directives, and some institutions have expressed their varying takes. The National Council has its own position, while the CBN governor goes another way. The president found another spot, and the First Lady has asserted, disclaimed, and reasserted in a little space of time. It seems the nation is on autopilot towards an abyss. These are crucial times. Nigerians are deciding their leadership and many incidents are still ongoing.

In the face of all of these, I urge Nigerians to take it easy on themselves. They should resist the temptations to engage in violence but try as much as possible to explore alternatives until the winds settle. There is a need for a community approach to solving some of these problems, especially in rural areas. It is high time those in charge of the grassroots took care of their people. Most importantly, the people must not let these issues discourage them from participating in deciding the leadership of the nation at all levels before, during, and after the elections. It should serve as a wake-up call to the fact that 2023 is not a year for compromise. Whatever troubles the country is currently facing, let us see it as a sacrifice and the price we have to pay to rescue our land from the hands of the devourers. We have been fighting these wars and winning, no matter how small our victories appear to be. Truly, pressure ti wa, but we are Nigerians  no matter the pressure, we meuve!

Toyin Falola, a professor of History, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at The University of Texas at Austin, is the Bobapitan of Ibadanland.

**This piece was written before the 25 February elections and during the crisis of petrol shortage and naira confiscation.

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The emergence of Umar Namadi from Hadejia emirate as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mustapha Lamido from Dutse emirate as that of the People Democratic Party (PDP), has re-enacted the rivalry between the two emirates in Jigawa State, North-west Nigeria.

The two candidates are considered the top contenders to succeed Governor Muhammad Badaru who is rounding off his second term in office.

The rivalry was aggravated by the results of the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections which showed that the Dutse emirate went for the opposition PDP candidates and saw the defeat of an APC senator from the zone, Sabo Nakudu. Some members of the House of Representatives also lost the election under the ruling APC.

The results of the 25 February polls provoked suspicion that the Dutse emirate may not vote for the governorship candidate of the APC. The Hadejia emirate is particularly worried about the outcome of the presidential poll because, based on the unwritten power rotation agreement in the state, it is supposed to produce the next governor. But if the voting pattern seen in the presidential election continues, that may be difficult after all. This is because the voting pattern suggests that voters in Dutse emirate may vote for their son, Mustapha Lamido. The PDP candidate is a son of a former governor of the state, Sule Lamido.

The rivalry further intensified after the voice of an unidentified person went viral on social media castigating voters in Dutse emirate for voting for PDP candidates in the presidential and National Assembly elections.

The unknown person in the audio clip claimed that Dutse emirate has always wanted to hang on to power without considering Hadejia emirate which has not produced a governor in the state. It warned that the people of Hadejia would never take it lightly with the Dutse emirate if their candidate (Mr Namadi) eventually wins the governorship election.

We are going to deal with you (Dutse Emirate) and power will never return to Dutse emirate again. After we finish, we will pass it (power) to another emirate, the unidentified person suspected to be from Hadejia, said in the viral audio recording.

That comment sparked controversy so much so that the Hadejia emirate had to distance itself from it and reaffirm its usual neutral position in politics.

Also, Islamic clerics in the state warned against the divisive comments. The Chief Imam of Dutse Central Mosque, Abubakar Sani, in a sermon last week Friday, appealed for restraint and cautioned that Islam is against people who are proud of themselves and those who feel they are superior to others for whatever reason.

Such behaviour of identifying oneself with a particular region existed in the pre-Islamic era. But with the coming of Islam, people are united under one identity. Anybody seeing himself from another region as above someone from another clan and region is still in the dark ages, the cleric said, warning residents against provocative remarks using emirate affiliation.

For the governorship election in Jigawa, political analysts the race is too close to call between the APC and PDP candidates. Although the candidates of other political parties are vying for the governorship seat, it is projected that the race is between the two major parties.

While the PDP candidate hinged his campaign on better health care, education, and a promise to run an inclusive government if elected, his APC counterpart has not only made similar promises but pledged to build on the achievements of the incumbent governor, also a member of the party.

The candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Aminu Ibrahim, may likely play the role of a spoiler to his former party, the PDP, where he unsuccessfully contested for governor twice in 2015 and 2019.

Background to emirate rivalry, power struggle

The choice of Dutse as the state capital in 1991 when Jigawa was created was arguably the beginning of the rivalry between Dutse and Hadejia.

Dutse was the least considered area for the state capital because of its remote location and closeness to Kano. Hadejia, a bustling commercial town, was one of the emirates in the old Kano State from where the state was created by the Ibrahim Babangida administration. With that status, Hadejia town was naturally expected to be the seat of power. However, last minute lobbying by powerful interests reportedly resulted in Dutse being named the state capital.

Jigawa has 27 local government areas, 30 state constituencies, 11 federal constituencies and three senatorial districts. The state also has five emirate councils, namely Dutse, Hadejia, Gumel, Kazaure and Ringim. It is fairly homogeneous with the Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups found in all parts of the state. The Mangawa (a Kanuri dialect) and Badawa ethnic groups are found in Hadejia emirate.

Although each of the three dominant groups has maintained its ethnic identity, Islam and a long history of inter-marriages bound them together. Islam is the predominant religion, with over 99 per cent of the population adhering to the Sunni (Salafist) doctrine, according to a report by the United States Institute of Peace, and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD).

Apart from the Gumel emirate, the other four emirates have produced governors in and outside Jigawa State.

The first civilian governor of the state, Ali Saad Birnin Kudu, is from Dutse Emirate. He governed the state between January 1992 and November 1993. Saminu Turaki, from Kazaure emirate, served as governor from 1999 to 2007. Sule Lamido, from Dutse Emirate, served as governor between 2007 and 2015, while the incumbent governor, Mr Badaru, who assumed office in 2015, is from Ringim Emirate.

Mukhtar Muhammed, from Dutse Emirate, was the military governor of Kaduna State, between July 1978 and October 1979. He died in 2017. The Hadejia emirate also produced Hamza Abdullahi as military governor of the old Kano State. Umaru Muhammad, also from Hadejia, was governor of the North-western state during the Murtala Muhammed regime in 1975. A year after, when the North-western state was split, Mr Muhammad continued as Sokoto governor until July 1978. He died in 1980 in a plane crash.

Since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999, Hadejia emirate has been agitating for power shift to the zone but interests among the political actors have made that impossible over the years.

Hadejia and Dutse emirates have the largest voting population, almost on an equal basis. If voters from the respective emirates will vote in the governorship election along the line of the emirate dichotomy, then both candidates will have to seek the winning votes from other emirates  Kazaure, Gumel and Ringim. Interestingly, both the APC and the PDP governorship candidates have nominated their running mates from Gumel Local Government Area  the headquarters of Gumel emirate.

Gov Badarus iron fist approach

The APC gained control of the North-west state in 2015. In that years election, the party won in almost all the 287 political wards in the state. However, things began to fall apart in the APC when Mr Badaru moved and took control of the party structure in the state thereby clipping the wings of politicians and lawmakers whom he considered obstacles in his route to political stardom.

In the 2022 primary election of the party, the governor accumulated more political adversaries for himself and the party. He determined who got the party tickets and dropped the ones he did not like, despite their political relevance at the grassroots. One of them is Yusif Galambi, a member of the House of Representatives from Gwaram federal constituency. After Mr Galambi was denied a return ticket under the APC by the governor, he joined the NNPP and won the 25 February election there.

The senators for Jigawa North-west and North-east districts, Danladi Sankara and Ibrahim Hassan, respectively were the other victims of the governors iron fist approach to the partys affairs in the state. The two senators lost their return tickets for allegedly being active in the upper chamber. They had advocated for direct primary elections for political parties in the new Electoral Act 2022 as against the governors preference for indirect primaries.

Mr Sankara withdrew from the senate primary election for the Jigawa North-west after he reportedly discovered that Mr Badaru had directed the local government chairmen from his zone to work against him during the exercise. The lawmaker is still aggrieved. However, he reportedly mobilised votes for the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, in the just concluded presidential election. It is not clear if he will do so in Saturdays governorship election.

Meanwhile, the senator is believed to have some influence in his district with nine out of the 12 local government chairpersons in his district in his camp. As things are, the APC would need his support to win the governorship election. This is even as his followers have been posting unfavourable comments on social media vowing to bring the APC down.

Four members of the House of Representatives were also denied return tickets under the APC. They are Mohammed Faggen-Gawo, who has joined the PDP, Mr Galambi, who defected to the NNPP, Muhammad Gudaji who moved to ADC and Ado Sani. There are indications that they would work against the APC in the election.

Also, nine members of the state House of Assembly who failed to secure APC return tickets for alleged disloyalty to Mr Badaru may also work against the party. The lawmakers are Sulaiman Musa representing Guri constituency; Garba Muhammad (Garki); Abdulrahman Alkasim (Yankwashi); and Usman Haladu (Kanya).

Others are Ibrahim Kadaita (Gagarawa); Hassan Usman (Roni); Musa Sule (Dutse); Kais Abdullah (Malammadori); and Kabiru Abdullahi (Babura  the governors hometown).

ALSO READ: Jigawa governor loses own federal representative member to PDP

Mr Abdullahi reportedly joined forces with other aggrieved politicians during the presidential election and successfully made the governor lose his polling unit in Babura LGA.

Baba Mai calculator

Other factors that may influence the governorship election in Jigawa are the alleged refusal of the governor to fill vacant positions in the state civil service and his tightfistedness. Mr Badaru is derogatorily referred to as Baba Mai calculator (father of calculator) by some people for allegedly starving party members of funds while allegedly enriching himself. Even so, others say he is a good manager of state resources.

Some APC members also complained that the governor did not do empowerment programmes for the people of the state in the eight years he has been in office. Farmers also complained that farming inputs, machines and agrochemicals he reportedly imported from China were not sold to them at subsidised rates. Some farmers lamented that farm inputs are cheaper in the open market than from the state-controlled Agricultural Supply Company (JASCO), managed by a confidant of the governor.

Some of the farmers even alleged that Mr Badarus role as head of the Presidential Task Force on Fertiliser did not benefit them as the price and availability of fertilizer in Jigawa State remain a concern. The opposition PDP and its candidate are exploring these lapses to woo farmers. In fact, Mr Lamido has reportedly distributed free fertilizer to the farmers across the 27 local government areas of the state in a bid to get their votes come Saturday.

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The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ovie Omo-Agege, has denied rumour that he plans to reverse the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in the state.

Mr Omo-Agege, also the deputy president of the Senate, said this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sunny Areh, on Friday in Warri.

He described the rumour as the handiwork of the Peoples Demicratic Party (PDP), urging residents to ignore it and vote for him in the 18 March Governorship Election.

Mr Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central, said that the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers was passed by the National Assembly in January 2021 under his watch as deputy president of the Senate.

That Omo-Agege plans to reverse the recently domesticated Federal law by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta in the state when assumes office as governor.

For record purposes, Senator Omo-Agege is part of the leadership of the National Assembly as Deputy President of the Senate that worked assiduously for the passage of the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Bill into law.

To now suggest that the same law I facilitated its passage into law will be rolled back when I become governor after winning the rescheduled March 18, governorship election is not just stupid and idiotic but farcical, he said.

Mr Omo-Agege said that on 8 April, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Bill which then became an Act.

According to him, Section 1 of the Act clearly states that Teachers in Nigeria shall compulsorily retire on attainment of 65 years of age or 40 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.

Mr Omo-Agege said that few days ago, Mr Okowa approved the adoption of the Act extending the retirement age of teacher in the state.

He said the governor adopted the Act exactly one year after the federal government had begun its implementation describing it as a belated move borne out of desperation.

Mr Omo-Agege said he had a concerted programme to improve the ambience for learning in the state.

He reiterated his commitment to upgrading the infrastructure in educational institutions, promote teachers as and when due and ensure that on retirement, their gratuity and benefits were paid.

(NAN)

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One of the biggest surprises thrown up by the 2023 general elections is the loss of the presidential election recorded in Lagos State by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Since he began to swim in Nigerias murky water of politics more than three decades ago, the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, who is dubbed the City Boy in reference to his grip on the politics of the state, had never lost in Lagos.

After recording the highest number of votes among the elected senators in Nigeria during the aborted Third Republic in 1992, Mr Tinubu was later elected governor of the state in 1999 and to a second term in 2003. His reelection was despite the war waged on his party, Alliance for Democracy (AD), by the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which swept away five of the partys six governors in the South-west states.

Since then, opponents had tried in vain to dethrone Mr Tinubus political dynasty from the nations economic nervecentre. But like a cat with nine lives, the former governor maintained his hold on Lagos and from there has spread his influence to put his associates in government in and outside the South-west.

Mr Tinubu was a principal architect of the merger of opposition political parties that unseated President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. He contributed to nurturing the ruling party and finally claimed its presidential ticket for the 25 February presidential election.

He has since been declared winner of the election and presented with a certificate of return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). But the oppositions highest gain in the 25 February presidential election seems to be the trouncing of Mr Tinubu in his home state of Lagos.

Though the difference in the votes recorded by Mr Tinubu and the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who won in the state, was less than 10,000, the defeat has since set a lot of tongues wagging.

In fact, it has set panic into the former governors political camp ahead of next Saturdays governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Many young Nigerians and social media users, and particularly followers of Mr Obi, have continued to taunt the incumbent governor of the state and a protege of Mr Tinubu, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, advising him to begin to pack his belongings from the Alausa Government House.

But for the discerning, the defeat of APC in Lagos did not come as a surprise as the factors that gave the opposition victory are clear enough. A few of them are discussed below:

APCs Muslim-Muslim ticket

In 1993, Moshood Abiola (now late) of the then Social Democratic Party (SDP) chose a fellow Muslim deputy from the Kanuri ethnic group of Borno State as running mate and still won the presidential election. However, the socio-political and religious divides in Nigeria have widened since then and trust among people of different religious beliefs have reduced.

The Boko Haram insurgency in Northern Nigeria since 2009, and the activities of marauding cattle herders and bandits across the country have worsened interfaith relationships.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has not done much to douse the tension and bridge the divides.

According to Joseph Akinola, an ICT expert and Lagos resident, if Christians feel discriminated against despite having one of them as vice president in the last seven years, the combination of a Muslim president and Muslim vice will worsen our situation.

Expectedly, many Pentecostal churches championed the crusades against the same faith ticket of the APC and adopted Mr Obi as the Churchs candidate.

Lagos is the capital of many Pentecostal churches in Nigeria, and many advised their members to vote against the APC presidential candidate in the election.

Though informal, this was the message across many Christian societies in the state and the country ahead of the presidential election.

The fact that Mr Tinubus party won the states three senatorial seats and 19 out of 24 House of Representatives seats reinforced the argument that Christian voters were not necessarily against the party but were against its Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

Shettima as VP candidate

Kashim Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, had his image largely dented when on 14 April, 2014, about 250 students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, were abducted by members of the dreaded Boko-Haram sect.

The callous act birthed the global BringBackOurGirls campaign, which had global leaders joining to demand the release of the students.

Prominent political leaders from Nigerias North-east have been accused of being behind the Boko Haram savagery in their region.

A voter during the 25 February poll and member of the Redeemed Christian Church of Nigeria (RCCG), who identified herself simply as Ibidun, said she cringes at the mere thought of Mr Shettima as Nigerias potential vice-president.

A mere look at Mr Shettima alone gives you the impression of a tough man, and it can be scary. So I couldnt just vouch for him, and I am afraid of Tinubus health, Ms Ibidun told PREMIUM TIMES.

Although Mr Shettima has denied any links with Boko Haram and there is no evidence to the contrary, many Lagos voters were not convinced.

#EndSars protest

Since October 2020 when protesters against police brutality were attacked at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos by security operatives, many young Nigerians, particularly those residing in Lagos, had waited for a day to punish Mr Tinubu and his political associates for allegedly being behind the attack.

The violent reaction by the protesters also included setting ablaze public properties and those linked to Mr Tinubu, including the Television Continental headquarters and The Nation Newspapers office.

It was, therefore, not surprising that many young Nigerians voted against the candidate of the ruling party.

Ade Mabo who flew to Lagos from the United States of America to vote for Mr Obi, cited the killing of innocent protesters as one of the many reasons he voted against Mr Tinubu.

Godfatherism/questionable pension plan

Mr Tinubu has not held any public office since his tenure as governor ended in 2007. But he wears the garb of a godfather with the status of a colossus.

He is accused of imposing and removing political officeholders in Lagis at will. Many of Mr Tinubus critics blamed him for the replacement of the states immediate past governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, with Mr Sanwo-Olu in 2015.

Apart from this, the controversial pension scheme instituted for political office holders at the twilight of his administration as governor of the state has remained a source of resentment against Mr Tinubu by many Nigerians. The content of this pension package was shared far and wide on social media ahead of the presidential election and many contrasted this with the perceived frugality of the Labour Party candidate while he held sway as governor in his home state of Anambra.

Godfatherism is one of the reasons I voted against Tinubu: specifically choosing governors and puppetting them. Making sure he controls them like a pawn instead of giving them free hands to run and then mentoring them to do the right things, said Mr Mabo, an investor, and social entrepreneur.

Tinubus frail health

Until Wednesday, 1 March, when he held high his Certificate of Return after the presentation by INEC, many Nigerians did not believe Mr Tinubu could carry his hands without being supported.

There have been many insinuations about Mr Tinubus health, including that he allegedly wet his clothes while on a public visit.

Despite the candidate and his associates insisting that he was fit enough to govern Nigeria, the rumours did not subside.

Mr Tinubu was accused of selfishness and greed, with many advising him to nominate any of his trusted allies, rather than subject himself to the rigour of tedious campaign activities.

Many voters stuck to their negative perception of his health status, despite Mr Tinubu running perhaps the most strenuous physical campaign of the 18 candidates.

Fuel scarcity/Naira redesign policy

Petroleum products were largely available in Nigeria for more than six years under the APC federal government. But Nigerians in the past year have faced difficulties in accessing the products, and at very high costs.

While the fuel crisis raged, the government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced a naira redesign policy which it said was to address monetary issues while President Buhari said it would curb vote buying during elections.

However, at the expiration of the deadline for conversion to the new notes in January, there was an acute cash scarcity and confusion set in.

This led to protests across Nigeria with attacks on backs and some other private and public properties. The naira scarcity still persists.

As the nations commercial nervecentre, the impacts were badly felt in Lagos, and the consequence was many voters rejecting the political party in power. Though Mr Tinubu condemned the policy, many voters were reluctant to separate him from the policy of his political party.

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The Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service have received the first consignment of Measles vaccines, BCG vaccines and Oral Polio Vaccines.

A statement from the Ministry of Information said "Distribution to various regions and facilities underway."

"More vaccines expected in Ghana in the coming weeks from multiple sources" it added.

READ ALSO: Routine child immunisation vaccine shortage hits Ghana health facilities

For the past few months, the Northern Region and other parts of the country have been experiencing vaccine shortages.

President Akufo-Addo delivering the State of The Nation Address on March 8 said the current shortage of some childhood vaccines in the country is of great concern to him.

This shortage, if prolonged, according to the President, will affect negatively Ghanas Childhood Immunisation Programme, which has been recognised as one of the most successful in the world.
I am a woman of the 21st century. For most of my life I have been free to make decisions for myself, attend college and pursue a career. This freedom that I have is thanks to the women of the past who fought for equal rights, such as the right to vote, which was granted through the 19th amendment in 1920. As we celebrate Womens History Month this March, I would like to tell you the story of Alice Gertrude Case, a woman born nearly a century before me, who accomplished unique and amazing things.

In Auburn, Gertrude was born to the Eldred family in 1899, one of four children. In high school she was a member of the French Club, the Pin Committee and the Pi Kappa Advisory Board. Following her graduation from Auburn High School in 1917 she began working at the Case Research Laboratory as a laboratorian. Women working in science labs during the early 1900s were usually given a supporting role like this, where they worked under the supervision of a research scientist. They often faced discrimination and intimidation if they wanted to work as research scientists, and it was difficult to even be accepted into a college to pursue a degree in science. While employed at the Case lab, Gertrude showed talent and scientific interest, so she was taught the skill of glassblowing. She and another woman, Margaret Tryon, would blow glass tubes, bulbs and vessels for the lab to use in its research and inventions. Gertrude and Margaret were two of nine known women to work for the Case lab.

Gertrude and Theodore Case were married in 1918, about a year after her initial employment, and this probably stalled her work at the lab. The roughly 20% of women in the early 20th century who worked were primarily young and unmarried, often quitting their jobs if they became married. It seems that Case continued to foster Gertrudes passion for learning, though, because he gave her the gift of physics textbooks on their honeymoon. Even with her primary role then being that of a wife, Gertrude is noted as being present for many of Cases invention tests.

Soon after their marriage Gertrude became a mother, eventually having four children. Her newest role as a parent would have absorbed most of her time, ensuring that the children were well-cared-for and prepared for lives of their own. Jane Case Tuttle, one of Gertrude's daughters, remembers her as being a strict parent but someone who had an eye for interior design, played the piano beautifully, and enjoyed hosting parties.

During World War II, when the children were mostly grown up, she set her eyes on new aspirations. She began working as a gray lady for the American Red Cross, where she provided non-medical services such as writing letters for sick and injured patients at military hospitals. When Theodore Case died in 1944 he left the family's summer home, Casowasco, to Gertrude, who then sold it to the United Methodist Church. She was deeply religious and hoped the property could be used to minister youth and children, a mission it still holds today. Following her faith, she also served as the national president of the Episcopal church mission of help. A new path opened up before her when she moved to Washington, D.C., in 1958. She was appointed social director for the Cuban embassy, which is a post she held until Fidel Castro came to power.

Throughout her life, Gertrude was devoted to work that improved the lives of others, whether that be through the work she did at the Case lab or her various volunteer positions. She was a talented pianist, a mother, a glassblower and an immeasurably unique person. Gertrudes story has captivated me from my very first day as curator, seeing her name in notebooks and wanting to know more. I hope her name will shine brightly this month and for months and years to come.
BEIJING, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Edianyun Syndicated Loan Meeting was successfully held. Sixteen major banks in China, including Xiamen International Bank and Bank of East Asia, attended the meeting under the leadership of Fubon Bank. Ji Pengcheng, Founder and CEO of Edianyun, Zhang Bin, Co-founder and COO of Edianyun, and Ma Xiliang, President of Fubon Bank Beijing Branch, were present.

Fubon Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fubon Financial Holding Co., Ltd. and the second largest financial holding company in Taiwan, with a total asset of RMB 2,418.3 billion.

"I have been looking forward to this event and hope to continue the friendly cooperation with other banks on the project of Edianyun. Edianyun is a pioneer that spurs the development of China's enterprise office IT industry, something that's recognized both home and abroad and drives us to lead the syndicated meeting,"said Ma Xiliang.

"Strategically, Edianyun mainly targets SMEs, which are over 1.5 million and continue to grow in China. SMEs face more severe IT challenges than large enterprises as they are short of money and professional IT teams and have a tough time in digital transformation and upgrading." Ji Pengcheng added, "Edianyun offers stable, high-quality IT services to help SMEs promote efficiency, digital transformation and upgrading, and competitiveness at lowers costs. In return, such SMEs help Edianyun develop a business model featuring growth and profitability. In the future, we are committed to providing enterprises with effortless access to our services."

As Zhang Bin said, "What distinguishes Edianyun from others is its ability to attract customers with lower costs and retain them with convenient services. I recently met an old customer who told me that his company has been using Edianyun service since 2015 without any change even though the company's development direction has changed five times."

Edianyun has more than 40,000 paying customers and 1.1 million devices in service. In 2022, the company maintained over 90% customer retention thanks to its constantly upgrading digital technology.

Edianyun's manufacturing and service system takes each product and service to the lowest level, thereby standardizing manufacturing and services.

In the case of computer screen damage, instead of being discarded, the computer's backlight and backlit paper will undergo digital detection separately to identify the exact problem, which is then specifically addressed. For example, if the backlit paper is found to be yellow, it will be replaced. Remanufacturing technology extends computer life from 3 to 5 years up to 7 to 10 years and cuts carbon emissions by 50,000 tons per year while effectively meeting customer needs.

The Xuanji system, independently developed by Edianyun, can flexibly dispatch more than 3,000 engineers nationwide to deliver door-to-door on-site service within two hours. In addition, Edianyun continues to improve its service efficiency and capability and is now promoting the regional grid-based service on a trial basis to reform its original service model and offer exclusive "fully managed" IT services to enterprises.

The closed-loop system Case independently developed by Edianyun supports the whole-process and real-time monitoring, warning and verification of every customer's demand and hits every tiny problem "to the core."

Such technologies equip Edianyun with the competitiveness that outperforms exclusive equipment reselling companies, enabling it to provide high-quality products and services at low costs that ultimately benefit customers.

"Edianyun focuses on services and solutions to SMEs and gains insights into the IT industry, SMEs and the business itself in the promising SME office IT market. It's compellingly attractive for investors," said Ma Xiliang said.

As we advance, Edianyun will deepen its cooperation with major banks to jointly explore the broad office IT market, truly help SMEs, and boost China's office IT industry!

SOURCE Edianyun
DUBLIN, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Customer Intelligence Platform Market by Component, Application (Customer Data Collection & Management, and Customer Segmentation & Targeting), Deployment Mode, Organization Size, Data Channel, Vertical and Region - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The customer intelligence platform market size to grow from USD 1.9 billion in 2022 to USD 7.0 billion by 2027 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 29.7%

Several factors, such as the rising need to gain a holistic view of customer data, intensifying need to deliver omnichannel experience, the rising demand for personalized customer experiences, and the shift toward data-driven marketing and advertising.

In addition, heightened adoption of customer intelligence platforms to monitor changes in the market as they occur, and rising investments in customer intelligence platforms by large enterprises, all contribute to the expansion of the customer intelligence platform market.

Services segment to have a higher CAGR during the forecast period

Based on services, the customer intelligence platform market has been segmented into consulting and support, and maintenance services. These services help organizations streamline their marketing operations.

It includes the support offered by customer intelligence platform vendors to assist their customers in using and maintaining customer intelligence platform solutions efficiently. With customer data increasing day by day, organizations are increasingly adopting customer intelligence platform services to address marketing requirements for continuously evolving customer demands.

Cloud deployment segment to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Based on deployment modes, the customer intelligence platform market has been segmented into on-premises and cloud. The CAGR of the cloud deployment mode is estimated to be the largest during the forecast period.

Cloud-based customer intelligence platforms offer various advantages, including scalability, adaptability, easy deployment, and cost-effectiveness, which promote the adoption of cloud deployment across organizations. The low cost and ease of implementation have made the cloud a highly desirable delivery mode among organizations.

The SaaS deployment model is generating demand for a cloud-based customer intelligence platform, as it provides scalability and flexibility. The major providers of cloud-based customer intelligence platforms are Oracle, Adobe, and SAP.

SMEs segment to hold higher CAGR during the forecast period

The customer intelligence platform market has been segmented by organization size into large enterprises and SMEs.

SMEs with limited marketing budgets are trying to scale up their business through cost-efficient marketing techniques to generate the most ROI from their marketing spend.

Thus, a customer intelligence platform can help SMEs align with their limited budget and fulfill their business expansion objectives. With instant technological changes and digital transformations disrupting various industries, SMEs are also facing pressure to adjust to the latest trends and use technologically advanced solutions that support their business operations.

Asia Pacific is projected to hold the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Asia Pacific is expected to grow quickly during the forecast period.

Opportunities for smaller customer intelligence platform vendors to introduce customer intelligence platform solutions for numerous sectors have also increased. All these aspects are responsible for the region's expeditious growth of the customer intelligence platform market.

Companies operating in Asia Pacific continue to focus on improving customer services to drive market competitiveness and revenue growth. China, Japan and India have displayed ample growth opportunities in the customer intelligence platform market.

Premium Insights

Increasing Spending on Marketing and Advertising Activities by Enterprises

Retail & E-commerce Segment to Register Highest CAGR During Forecast Period

North America Held Largest Market Share in 2022

Platform and BFSI Segments Held Largest Shares of North American Market in 2022

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Need to Gain a Holistic View of Customer Data

Intensifying Need to Deliver Omnichannel Experience

Rising Demand for Personalized Customer Experiences

Shift Toward Data-Driven Marketing and Advertising

Restraints

Need to Ensure Compliance with Data Privacy Laws and Protect Customer Data

Opportunities

Development of AI- and ML-based Customer Intelligence Platforms

Heightened Adoption of Customer Intelligence Platforms to Monitor Changes in Market

Rising Investments in Customer Intelligence Platforms by Large Enterprises

Challenges

Organizational Failures Pertaining to Optimized Use of Customer Data

Lack of Skilled Workforce

Case Study Analysis

Understand Increasingly Diverse Customer Base Across Industries

Create More Personalized and Relevant Interactions

Analyze Consumer Behavior on All Touchpoints

Build Better Direct Relationships with Patients

Provide Real-Time and Automated Customer Service

Technology Analysis

Cloud Computing and Customer Intelligence Platforms

Big Data and Analytics and Customer Intelligence Platforms

Features of Customer Intelligence Platforms

Customer Service Software

Marketing Automation Software

Point of Sale Systems

E-commerce Platforms

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

Types of Data Collected for Customer Intelligence

Demographic Data

Psychographic Data

Transactional Data

Behavioral Data

Regulations and Industrial Standards

General Data Protection Regulation (Gdpr)

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission 27000 Standards

Cloud Security Alliance (Csa) Controls

Governance, Risk, and Compliance (Grc)

European Union Data Protection Regulation

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

European Union Data Protection Regulation

Can-Spam Act

Company Profiles

Key Players

IBM

Oracle

Microsoft

Adobe

Sas

Salesforce

Google

Accenture

Informatica

SAP

Verint

Teradata

Zeta Global

Tibco Software

Nice

Transunion

SMEs/Startups

Alida

Algonomy

Netbase Quid

Ngdata

Zeotap

Actioniq

Amperity

Useriq

Datashift

Staircase AI

Terminus

Lifesight

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fgl9d2

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
Historic AlUla Old Town was among villages included by UNWTO on its 2022 list of Best Tourism Villages

Delegates from around the world will share their insights on sustainable, innovative rural tourism

ALULA, Saudi Arabia, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AlUla, the ancient crossroads of civilisations in north-west Arabia that is now emerging as a global destination for cultural and natural heritage, will be the site of the first-ever in-person meeting of representatives of the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO.

AlUla Cultural Oasis AlUla Old Town District

The villages, including AlUla Old Town District were recognised in December as part of UNWTO's Best Tourism Villages (BTV) initiative, "recognises villages that are an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with accredited cultural and natural assets, that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, products, and lifestyle and have a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects  economic, social, and environmental."

UNWTO have organised the first iteration of the Best Tourism Villages Award Ceremony and meeting of the BTV Network in AlUla on March 12-13. The event will be a forum for knowledge-sharing on topics such as best practices, community empowerment, and public-private partnerships. It will also review the programme's 2022 activities and 2023 work plan.

Delegates originating from Switzerland to Vietnam will gather at AlUla's Maraya multi-purpose venue, which holds the Guinness record as the world's largest mirror-clad building, with mirrors covering its 9,740 sqm surface. The UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, is expected to attend.

The BTV programme aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to triple tourism's share of the national economy to 10%. In 2019 Saudi Arabia introduced eVisas for citizens of 49 countries, and this February the Kingdom introduced a 96-hour stopover visa.

For the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) the gathering affirms AlUla's legacy as a cultural crossroads. A place of collaboration and cultural exchange for a millennia, there is a natural synergy between the destination and the UNWTO's BTV programme. The inclusion of AlUla on the 2022 list is an accolade in support of RCU's careful regeneration, cultural rejuvenation, and curated redevelopment of heritage destinations. RCU is honoured not only by AlUla's inclusion as a BTV but by its selection as host of this inaugural BTV global gathering.

HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, said: "The Ministry is proud to partner with UNWTO to host the Best Tourism Villages 2022 Awards Ceremony and jointly convene the first meeting of the BTV Network in the historic destination of AlUla, one of the villages across the globe recognised for its innovative approach to transforming the tourism sector."

Mr. Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UNWTO, said: "For rural communities everywhere, tourism can be a true gamechanger in providing jobs, supporting local businesses and keeping traditions alive. The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO showcase the power of the sector to drive economic diversification and create opportunities for all outside of big cities."

Eng. Amr AlMadani, CEO of RCU, said: "This gathering of the world's best tourism villages serves several purposes for RCU: it allows us to share insights with destinations that share our commitment to sustainable regeneration, it showcases Maraya as a leading venue for conferences. It also provides our guests with the opportunity to visit AlUla, including the remarkable site of Hegra, which in 2008 was inscribed as Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site."

The complete list of Best Tourism Villages 2022 can be read here: www.unwto.org/news/best-tourism-villages-of-2022-named-by-unwto

Tune into the event through the official livestream here: https://youtube.com/live/32ecVh7kzkE

Noted for editors:

It is always AlUla / not Al-Ula

About the Royal Commission for AlUla

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in north-west Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education, and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2030949/AlUla_Cultural_Oasis.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2030953/AlUla_Old_Town_District.jpg

SOURCE Royal Commission for AlUla
NEW ORLEANS, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until April 25, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Catalent, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: CTLT), if they purchased the Company's securities between August 30, 2021 and October 31, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Get Help

Catalent investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-ctlt/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Catalent and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 1, 2022, the Company reported its financial results for 1Q2023 ending September 30, 2022, disclosing that its earnings had fallen to zero, a slashed fiscal year 2023 revenue guidance from $4.975B to $5.225B to the range of $4.625B to $4.875B, and that it was anticipating "negative P&L [profit and loss] effects," due to regulatory issues.

On this news, shares of Catalent plummeted by 31.7% over two trading sessions, to close at $44.90 per share on November 2, 2022.

The case is City of Warwick Retirement System v. Catalent, Inc., No. 23-cv-1108.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
NEW ORLEANS, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 1, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Dutch Bros Inc. ("Dutch" or the "Company") (NYSE: BROS), if they purchased the Company's securities between March 1, 2022 and May 11, 2022, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Get Help

Dutch Bros investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-bros/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Dutch Bros and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On May 11, 2022, the Company disclosed dismal 1Q2022 financial results including a net loss of $16.3 million, compared to a net loss of $4.8 million for the first quarter of 2021 and an adjusted net loss of $2.5 million (a loss of $0.02 per share), which fell below analysts' expectations, due to its failure to "perceive the speed and magnitude of cost escalation within the quarter," among other things.

On this news, shares of Dutch fell $9.26, or 26.9%, to close at $25.11 per share on May 12, 2022.

The case is Peacock v. Dutch Bros Inc., et al., No. 23-cv-01797.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
DUBLIN, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "2023 EMEA Retail POS Terminal Market Study" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This report explores the market climate for EPOS terminals in the Europe/Middle East/Africa region.

Growth was back in 2021 after the COVID slowdown of shipments in 2020.This report comes out at a time of chaos with Russia's recent invasion of Ukraine.

More than just numbers without explanation, this report goes deep into discussion of retailing in the countries and segments to reveal the forces that are shaping EPOS purchase decisions. We believe it is important for our customers to not only see numbers, but understand the market behind the data so as to make more informed decisions for the future.

The report includes country by country shipments, installed base, forecasts and trends for the electronic point-of-sale terminal market in EMEA.

Additionally, the report covers emerging trends and influences that affected the market in 2022 and those that will help form market decisions in the future. It also includes forecasts for shipments through 2027.

Retail Market Segments: Each Country/Region, Country-by-Country Shipments, Installed Base

Food/Grocery

Drug Stores

Superstores/Warehouse Clubs

Mass Merchants

Department Stores

Specialty Category Killers

Specialty Others

Convenience/Gas

Hospitality

Key Topics Covered:

INTRODUCTION

Introduction/Background and Objectives

Market Segment Definitions

POS Definitions Used

Country Details

1. TRENDS, DRIVERS & BARRIERS

2. EMEA MARKET OVERVIEW

2.1 POS Shipment History and Forecast

2.2 POS Installed Base History and Forecast

3. GERMANY

3.1 Retail Overview

3.2 POS Shipments History

3.3 POS Installed Base History

4. FRANCE

4.1 Retail Overview

4.2 POS Shipments History

4.3 POS Installed Base History

5. UNITED KINGDOM (UK)

5.1 Retail Overview

5.2 POS Shipments History

5.3 POS Installed Base History

6. ITALY

6.1 Retail Overview

6.2 POS Shipments History

6.3 POS Installed Base History

7. BENELUX

7.1 Retail Overview

7.2 POS Shipments History

7.3 POS Installed Base History

8. SCANDINAVIA

8.1 Retail Overview

8.2 POS Shipments History

8.3 POS Installed Base History

9. SPAIN

9.1 Retail Overview

9.2 POS Shipments History

9.3 POS Installed Base History

10. AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND

10.1 Retail Overview

10.2 POS Shipments History

10.3 POS Installed Base History

11. RUSSIA

11.1 Retail Overview

11.2 POS Shipments History

11.3 POS Installed Base History

12. OTHER EMEA

12.1 Retail Overview

12.2 POS Shipments History

12.3 POS Installed Base History

13. SUMMARY TABLES

13.1 POS Historical Shipments from 2020-2022

13.2 POS Historical Installed Base from 2020-2022

14. FORECASTS

14.1 Projected Shipments by Segment from 2022-2027

14.2 Projected Installed Base by Segment from 2022-2027

15. REFERENCES

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ogh5fr

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:

Research and Markets

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[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



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SOURCE Research and Markets
NEW YORK, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE: GS) resulting from allegations that Goldman Sachs may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Goldman Sachs securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=11359 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On January 20, 2023, during trading hours, The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled "U.S. Fed probes Goldman Sachs consumer business." The article stated that "The U.S. Federal Reserve is probing whether Goldman Sachs Group Inc's consumer business had appropriate safeguards in place as the bank ramped up lending." Further, the article stated that "The central bank is concerned the Wall Street giant did not have proper monitoring and control systems inside Marcus, its consumer unit, as it grew larger." The article added that "The probe, which grew out of a standard Fed review of the business in 2021 and intensified into an investigation last year, is also examining instances of customer harm and whether they were properly resolved."

On this news, Goldman Sachs's price fell $8.91, or 2.54%, to close at $341.84 on January 20, 2023.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
HEIBEI BAODING, China, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 10th, GWM held the INTELLIGENT NEV DAY event at its Chinese technology center.

The event was attended by thousands of authoritative media outlets to discuss the development direction and frontier technology trends of the new energy vehicle industry. GWM also conducted a simultaneous online live broadcast, which attracted numerous users.

GWM Releases New Hybrid Technology to Accelerate Electrification Transformation

During the event, GWM President Mu Feng presented the company's new brand declaration: "GWM Intelligent New Energy--more efficiency, more range and more safety." He stated that "GWM has always been adhering to an intelligent new energy strategy. In the future, GWM will apply core technology to provide more advanced intelligent new energy products to meet the global users' demand for cleaner and safer mobility life."

GWM has been continuously deepening its new energy and intelligent layout, with a complete industrial chain layout of vehicles, covering hybrid architecture, power batteries, hydrogen energy, electric drive technology, intelligent cabin, intelligent driving, and intelligent chassis.

For the hybrid architecture, GWM has established a multi-architecture parallel development strategy while keeping optimizing it, providing strong technical support for the electrification transformation. GWM also released an upgraded new hybrid technology  Hi4 at this event.The Hi4 technology is a new hybrid system that integrates hybrid, intelligent, and four-wheel drive. It can achieve a balance between high efficiency and high performance in all scenarios.

GWM plans to launch the first model with this hybrid technology in April this year. By 2024, GWM's entire new energy product line will be equipped with electric four-wheel-drive technology, providing users with a more powerful and environmentally friendly driving experience.

GWM has already introduced a range of new energy products globally, including the HAVAL H6 HEV/PHEV, HAVAL JOLION HEV, GWM TANK300 HEV, WEY Coffee 01, and GWM ORA. Its leading intelligent new energy strength has gained recognition from media outlets and users.

GWM will continue to deepen its new energy and intelligent strategic transformation and inject new energy and intelligent technology into more vehicle models. The company aims to create a more diversified new energy product structure, providing global users with more high-quality choices.

About GWM:

Facing the trend of personalized consumption of users, GWM insists on the user-centered concept and practices the development strategy of "Based on category innovation, and brand building through new category creation", and has created five major brands: HAVAL, WEY, ORA, GWM TANK and GWM Pickup.

To contribute to the carbon peak and carbon neutrality goal, GWM has made the construction of future-oriented industrial ecology a top priority. From battery electric technology to hybrid technology, from perovskite to hydrogen energy, GWM has been one of the companies with the widest layout in China's new energy industry chain.

In the future, premiumization, globalization, intelligentization and new energy will still be the key drivers for the continuous growth of GWM's business performance.

GWM Group

SOURCE GWM
LOS ANGELES, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamilton-Selway Fine Art is honored to open "Hello :)" the first LA solo exhibition of artist and curator Fernando Romero, better known under his street moniker "Ski". Though based in New York City, Ski has been a constant visitor of LA over the last twenty years and is a frequent collaborator in high profile public works here including recent mural work with Shepard Fairey. Given the influence the vibrancy, light, culture, and architecture of Los Angeles has had on his bi-coastal practice, we felt it overdue for his formal solo debut here in his second home, and are thrilled to introduce him to the Hamiltoin-Selway family of creatives and collectors.

HSFA Fernando Ski Romero

Embracing this moment of community and celebration, Ski produced a new body of work equally employing anachronism and anatopism to build a world in which New York And LA become the same imagined city that spans time and place  a moving condensed archive of personal memory stiffened by a scaffold of the shared visual language of graffiti, tag, street art and stencil that shape the urban experience. In these works, one can find the Hollywood sign now covered by the names peeled off of a New York subway, or a black and white profile of a corner in LA given a treatment which makes it indiscernible from a brooklyn brownstone. Icons of each city blur into one another amidst a haze of spray paint in a joy-driven palette of vivacious acid and jewel tones, buoyant bubble letters shouting an S, K, or I behind a cityscape both alien and familiar.

Join us for "Hello :)" this March 30th 2023 6  9pm and take in Ski's flow and gesture for yourself. Celebrate with us in this homecoming for our favorite honorary Angeleno, Fernando Romero.

8678 Melrose Avenue West Hollywood, CA 90069 310-657-1711

Hamilton-Selway Fine Art is an internationally prominent gallery specializing in Pop Art limited edition prints and paintings. For three decades, our client list has included esteemed members of the Hollywood community, billionaire investors, Academy Award winning actors, and people of all walks of life who simply love art.

For more information about the exhibition, artist, and pricing, or for general press inquiries please visit our website: www.hamiltonselway.com or contact Ron Valdez at 310-657-1711 / [email protected]

Twitter: @hamiltonselway Facebook: Hamilton-Selway Fine Art Instagram: hamiltonselwayfineart

SOURCE HAMILTON-SELWAY FINE ART
DUBLIN, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Legal Framework in India for FDI Policies and Ease of Doing Business" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Through this report, we intend to provide the FDI landscape, regulatory frameworks and current status of FDIs in India. This report will help companies interested in investing in India.

After the decision of going for economic reforms in 1991, the Indian government took many steps to bring in foreign direct investments (FDIs). As time proceeded there were many iterations to the original framework and today the reforms are at their peak.

There were many challenges on this route and there are many more to come. But the good news is the government is working on sorting them. Still, there are some areas an investor should take care of. What are those unfolded as you go.

The scope of the report is limited to analyzing the challenges faced by foreign investors while investing in India as per the prevailing regulatory framework. The report also discusses the impact of the regulatory framework and ease of doing business by foreign companies after the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Statement of Problem

The Narasimha Rao-led Government introduced liberalization and allowed foreign companies to invest and do business in India. Despite making a favourable environment for the business and economy, there are certain issues and challenges which foreign companies/investors face while investing in India. The regulatory framework of the country creates a hindrance to a certain amount and impacts the decision of these investors in investing in India and expanding the business and economy of the country.

Hypothesis

The report assumes that after the economic policy of 1991 and the introduction of the liberalization policy, India opened the gates for foreign investors and companies to do business in India and invest in India. Many regulations and laws have been eased to attract and increase foreign direct investments and development the business market in India.

Limitations of the Study

The report is limited to the study of issues and challenges faced by foreign investors or companies while investing in India. It only analyses the concerns and issues with the regulatory framework for investing in India. Due to the nature of the study interviews or interactions with foreign companies or investors were not conducted.

Research Questions

How the foreign companies defined in India ?

? What are the different methods of establishing foreign companies in India ?

? What is the procedure for registering foreign companies in India ?

? How can Indian laws and regulations impact foreign companies while doing business in India ?

? What issues and concerns does a foreign investor face while investing in India ?

? What is the present scenario of foreign investments after the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Research Objectives

To understand the concept of foreign companies as per the Companies Act, 2013.

To understand the different methods of establishing foreign companies in India .

. To list out the procedure of registering foreign companies in India .

. To analyze the impact of Indian laws and regulations on foreign companies while doing business in India .

. To critically analyze the issues and concerns faced by foreign investors while investing in India .

. To analyze the present scenario of foreign investments after the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The sources used for the research include;

Ministry of Commerce and Industry

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)

Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS)

Project Development Cells (PDC5)

Investment Clearance Cell (ICC)

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

The National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASCOM)

Legal Resources;

The Juvenile Companies Act of 2013, the Banking regulation act, of 1949

The Payment of Wages Act of 1936, the Industrial Employment Act of 1946

The Industrial Disputes Act of 1947

The Payment of Bonus Act of 1965

The Payment of Gratuity Act of 1972

The Construction Workers Acts of 1996, the Workmen's Compensation Act of 1923 (as amended in 2000)

The Industrial Disputes Act of 1946, and the Trade Unions Act of 1926

Income-tax Act of 1961, Competition Act,2002

Limited Liability Act, 2008

Indian Contract Act of 1872

Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999

Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 and Information Technology act 2000

Key Topics Covered:

1. Research Background

1.1 Statement of Problem

1.2 Hypothesis

1.3 Research Questions

1.4 Research Objectives

1.5 Scope of the Study

1.6 Limitations of the Study

1.7 Research Methodology

2 Executive Summary

2.1 Positive Externalities in Economic Growth

2.2 Factors Considered for FDIs

2.3 The Two Questions

3 The Trend of Investing in Developing Countries

3.1 The Basic Principles

3.2 Rule of law and foreign investment

3.2.1 Setting Investment Climate

3.2.2 The Relevance of Expediting Regulatory Procedures

3.2.3 Local Legal Systems, International Treaties and Bilateral Investment Treaties

3.3 The Indian Legal System and its impact

4 Indian Environment for FDIs

4.1 Era of FDI Liberalisation

4.2 Five Point Policy

4.2.1 Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992

4.2.2 Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) and Regulations

4.2.3 Banking Regulation Act, 1949

4.2.4 Companies Act, 2013 and 2015

4.2.5 Indian Contract Act, 1872

4.2.6 Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996

4.2.7 Information Technology Act, 2000

4.2.8 Competition Act, 2002 and Limited Liability Act, 2008

4.2.9 Business laws regarding copyrights, patents, and trademarks

4.2.10 Labour Laws

4.2.11 Tax laws

5 The Regulatory Process for Foreign Companies in India

5.1 Procedure for Foreign Company Registration in India

5.1.1 Companies (Registration of Foreign Companies) Rules

5.1.2 Financial Statements of Foreign Companies

5.1.3 Foreign Company Certification

5.1.4 Compliances under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) 1999

5.1.5 Companies act, 2013

6 Foreign Companies as per Companies Act, 2013

6.1 Rules for Running Business in India through Electronic Means

7 Legal Options for Starting a Business in India

7.1 Joint venture with Indian Partners

7.2 Wholly Owned Subsidiary Company

7.3 Limited Liability Partnership

7.4 Branch Office

7.5 Liaison Office

7.6 Project Office

8 Company Formation in India

8.1 Incorporation of a company

8.1.1 Ascertaining Availability of Name

8.1.2 Preparation of Memorandum of Association in the Article of the Association

8.1.3 Printing, Signing, and Stamping, Vetting of Memorandum and Articles

8.1.4 Power of Attorney

8.1.5 Payment of Registration Fees

8.1.6 Certificate of Incorporation

9 Summary

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kbd0u

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:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

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SOURCE Research and Markets
AUBURN  Over 40 pairs of hands clapped in unison as the booming singing voice of Connie Fredericks-Malone soared throughout the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn Friday.

The people in the heritage center focused their attention squarely on Fredericks-Malone, a vocalist and and actress, as she sang the freedom marching song "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize." Her performance was a part of the city of Auburn's annual ceremony for Harriet Tubman Day, which acknowledges the iconic abolitionist who spent much of her adult life in Auburn. Tubman was born in March 1822 and died March 10, 1913.

When Fredericks-Malone was finished with her performance, she promptly went over to hug Tubman's great-great-grandniece, Pauline Copes Johnson, who was seated near the podium.

Iris St. Meran, a journalist with NewsChannel 9 in Syracuse, served as the emcee for the celebration. She told the crowd she was honored to celebrate Tubman with them. Other Tubman descendants were also in the audience.

"Give credit to Harriet Tubman, because I feel like I'm living her wildest dreams standing in front of all of you today," St. Meran said.

One of the speakers was state Sen. Rachel May, who called Auburn a "remarkable community that welcomed (Tubman) and where she chose to be." She also talked about her "awe of a woman of unbelievable courage who changed the course of history, honestly."

Assemblyman John Lemondes thanked those in attendance for allowing him to participate in recognizing "what Harriet Tubman means for our community and for our nation and means to each and every person here."

"There's no amount of honor that we can give to her that's enough, and that's the essence of my message. She rings true to me in, perhaps, a different way, as a veteran," Lemondes, a retired U.S. Army colonel, said, as Tubman was the first woman in American history to lead a major military expedition. "She put everything on the line for her family, for her people, for her country that was being ripped apart and helped put it all back together and spent the rest of her life doing more good at home."

Other speakers included T. Morgan Dixon, co-founder and CEO of GirlTrek, a nonprofit public health organization for Black women and girls, and Ahna Wilson, superintendent of Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn.

Fredericks-Malone, who also performed the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which is often called the "Black National Anthem," at one point, said after the ceremony that she was thrilled to have been asked to sing at the event.

"This was an honor, a deep, deep honor. Harriet Tubman, I mean, gosh, as a Black child growing up in America, that's somebody you hear about early on, and you understand her life, her legacy, and what she did for us as people," Fredericks-Malone said. "And then to come to Auburn and see that she is celebrated, she is held high today, is very, very special."
DUBLIN, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Ireland 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 Ireland is expected to grow by 47.8% on annual basis to reach US$1524.0 million in 2023.

The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 25.6% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$1524.0 million in 2023 to reach US$5981.4 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



Ireland Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Ireland 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

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028

B2B

B2C

C2C

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028

Mobile

Desktop

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Domestic

Cross Border

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Tier-1 Cities

Tier-2 Cities

Tier-3 Cities

Ireland 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

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Platforms

Video Commerce

Social Network-Led Commerce

Social Reselling

Group Buying

Product Review Platforms

Ireland 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/utup0j

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:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

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SOURCE Research and Markets
BISMARCK, N.D., March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE: MDU) announced the filing of a Form 10 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission that identifies "KNF" as the stock ticker under which Knife River Corporation, the company's construction materials subsidiary, expects to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. MDU Resources is on track to complete the spinoff of Knife River into an independent, publicly traded company in the second quarter of 2023.

The separation is expected to occur through the spinoff of a newly formed company, Knife River Holding Company, which will be the new parent company for Knife River.

With the planned separation, MDU Resources' stockholders will retain their current shares of MDU Resources stock and receive a pro rata distribution of 80.1% or more of outstanding shares of KNF stock. The separation is expected to be tax free to MDU Resources and its stockholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In connection with the separation, MDU Resources may retain up to 19.9% of the outstanding shares of KNF stock, which may, among other things, subsequently be exchanged to accelerate debt reduction, distributed to MDU Resources' stockholders or sold for cash.

"We look forward to seeing KNF listed on the New York Stock Exchange alongside MDU," said David L. Goodin, president and CEO of MDU Resources. "Investors will have the opportunity to own shares of MDU Resources as we move toward becoming a pure-play regulated energy delivery business as well as shares of Knife River as a pure-play construction materials business."

The Form 10 registration statement for Knife River is available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov and on MDU Resources' website at https://investor.mdu.com/financials/sec-filings. The company expects to update the registration statement in subsequent amendments as information is finalized prior to the spinoff. These amendments also will be available on the sites.

MDU Resources announced in August 2022 that it intends to spin off Knife River to optimize value for stockholders as it works toward creating two pure-play, publicly traded companies. The spinoff is subject to certain customary conditions, including final approval by MDU Resources' board of directors and the SEC's declaration that the Form 10 registration statement is effective.

MDU Resources intends to host an investor information day at the NYSE prior to the separation of Knife River. The company will provide information about this event on its website when it is scheduled.

About MDU Resources

MDU Resources Group, Inc., a member of the S&P MidCap 400 and the S&P High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats indices, is Building a Strong America by providing essential products and services through its regulated energy delivery and construction materials and services businesses. For more information about MDU Resources, visit www.mdu.com or contact the Investor Relations Department at [email protected].

About Knife River

Knife River Corporation mines aggregates and markets crushed stone, sand, gravel and related construction materials, including ready-mix concrete, asphalt and other value-added products. It also distributes cement and asphalt oil. It performs integrated contracting services. For more information, visit www.kniferiver.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

The information in this release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained in this release, including statements about the planned separation of Knife River Corporation, the future state of MDU Resources and future stock performance, are expressed in good faith and are believed by the company to have a reasonable basis. Nonetheless, actual results may differ materially from the projected results expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, refer to Item 1A-Risk Factors in MDU Resources' most recent Form 10-Q and 10-K.

Media Contacts: Laura Lueder, MDU Resources manager of communications and public relations, 701-530-1095

Tony Spilde, Knife River senior director of communications, 541-213-0947

Investor Contact: Brent Miller, director of financial projects and investor relations, 701-530-1730

SOURCE MDU Resources Group, Inc.
NEW ORLEANS, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 2, 2023 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: LUMN), if they purchased the Company's shares between September 14, 2020 and February 7, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.

Get Help

Lumen investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-lumn/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

Lumen and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 2, 2022, the Company revealed delays in the buildout of its fiber optic cable services, branded as Quantum Fiber, and that it was "not yet where we want to be" with "much more to do." On this news, shares of Lumen fell more than 17.7%, from a close of $7.05 per share on November 2, 2022, to a close of $5.80 on November 3, 2022.

Then, on February 7, 2023, the Company disclosed that, contrary to prior representations, work on Quantum Fiber had hit "more of a stop button than a pause button" and that its "location and subscriber results were impacted by the pause we had in place." On this news, shares of Lumen fell more than 20.8%, from a close of $4.99 per share on February 7, 2023, to a close of $3.95 on February 8, 2023.

The case is Voigt v. Lumen Technologies, Inc., No. 23-cv-00286.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

SOURCE ClaimsFiler
NEW YORK, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: CRL) resulting from allegations that Charles River may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Charles River securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=12403 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On February 22, 2023, Charles River disclosed that it had received a grand jury subpoena for documents relating to a joint United States Department of Justice ("DOJ") and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ("USFWS") investigation into the illegal importation of nonhuman primates from Cambodia for research purposes, which has already led to criminal indictments of two Cambodian officials, as well as a Cambodian non-human primate supplier. The Company stated it would voluntarily suspend shipments of primates from Cambodia, which could impact the Company's ability to source non-human primates for research purposes. In addition, it warned that the investigation could harm its business.

On this news, Charles Rivers' stock price fell as much as 15% during intraday trading on February 22, 2023, harming investors.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
NEW YORK, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Dutch Bros, Inc. (NYSE: BROS) between March 1, 2022 and May 11, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important May 1, 2023 lead plaintiff deadline.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Dutch Bros securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Dutch Bros class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=12586 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 1, 2023. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class made materially false and/or misleading statements, and failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) the Company was experiencing increased costs and expenses, including on dairy; (2) as a result, the Company was experiencing increased margin pressure and decreased profitability in the first quarter of 2022; and (3) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Dutch Bros class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=12586 mailto:or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
NEW YORK, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The smart TV sticks market size is expected to grow by USD 612.44 million from 2022 to 2027. The growth momentum of the market will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.78% during the forecast period, according to Technavio. Factors such as the increasing benefits of smart TV sticks, and the advantages of OTT providers are driving the market growth. Some of the key trends in the market are the emergence of OTT content providers and the growing number of product launches. However, the rising use of mobile electronic devices, restrictions on certain digital content, and security issues related to smart TV sticks are challenging market growth. For more insights on the historic data (2017 to 2021), and forecast market size (2023 to 2027)  Request a report sample

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Smart TV Sticks Market 2023-2027

Smart TV sticks market 2023-2027: Market dynamics

The growing penetration of the Internet is driving the market growth. 4G and 5G technologies enable end-users to connect with the high-speed Internet. Moreover, the rise in the use of broadband also supports market growth. For instance, there were more than 749 million Internet users in India. In 2021, the US had more than 302 million internet users. These factors will encourage consumers to consume digital content, which, in turn, will increase the demand for smart TV sticks during the forecast period.

The emergence of OTT content providers is a critical trend in the market. Consumers are shifting from watching traditional broadcasts to on-demand streaming videos. Hence, many TV broadcasters are focusing on expanding their businesses by launching their own OTT platforms and applications. In 2021, OTT platforms had 2,709.02 million users. Consumers can download OTT applications on their smart TV sticks to get easy access. These factors will support market growth during the forecast period.

Restrictions on certain digital content are impeding the market growth. Acquiring rights to distribute content on a new platform is challenging, as online digital content players need to comply with the rules and regulations of different countries. In addition, there is high competition among these players. They compete on parameters such as features, price, and functionality. These factors will hinder the market growth during the forecast period.

Smart TV sticks market 2023-2027: Scope

Our smart TV sticks market report covers the following areas:

Smart TV sticks market 2023-2027: Segmentation

Type

Non-4K



4K and above

and above Distribution channel

Hypermarket and supermarket



Online



Convenience stores



Specialty store

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



Middle East and Africa

Learn more about the contribution of each segment of the market. Download a sample

Smart TV sticks market 2023-2027: Vendor analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the smart TV sticks market, including Actions Microelectronics Co. Ltd., Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., ASUSTeK Computer Inc., BBK Electronics Corp Ltd, Bharti Airtel Ltd., Cixi Jieke Electronics Co. Ltd., CloudWalker Streaming Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Dadocer, Dish TV India Ltd., Dongguan Sonicway Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd, Geniatech Inc., Google LLC, NVIDIA Corp., Roku Inc., Shenzhen Rikomagic Tech Corp. Ltd., Shenzhen Tomato Technology Co. Ltd., Topleo Technology Ltd., Xiaomi Inc., and Comcast Corp.

Smart TV sticks market 2023-2027: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2023-2027

Detailed information on factors that will assist smart TV sticks market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the smart TV sticks market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the smart TV sticks market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of smart TV sticks market vendors

Why buy?

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Analyzes competitor's offerings

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Grow your profit margin with Technavio  Buy the report!

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Smart TV Sticks Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 165 Base year 2022 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.78% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 612.44 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 7.45 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 41% Key countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and UK Competitive landscape Leading vendors, market positioning of vendors, competitive strategies, and industry risks Key companies profiled Actions Microelectronics Co. Ltd., Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc., ASUSTeK Computer Inc., BBK Electronics Corp Ltd, Bharti Airtel Ltd., Cixi Jieke Electronics Co. Ltd., CloudWalker Streaming Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Dadocer, Dish TV India Ltd., Dongguan Sonicway Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd, Geniatech Inc., Google LLC, NVIDIA Corp., Roku Inc., Shenzhen Rikomagic Tech Corp. Ltd., Shenzhen Tomato Technology Co. Ltd., Topleo Technology Ltd., Xiaomi Inc., and Comcast Corp. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, market growth inducers and obstacles, fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

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Table of Contents :

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Type



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Distribution Channel



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 09: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 10: Parent market



Exhibit 11: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 12: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 13: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2022

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2022-2027

Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

4 Historic Market Size

4.1 Global smart TV sticks market 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 18: Historic Market Size  Data Table on Global smart TV sticks market 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.2 Type Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 19: Historic Market Size  Type Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.3 Distribution Channel Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 20: Historic Market Size  Distribution Channel Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.4 Geography Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 21: Historic Market Size  Geography Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

4.5 Country Segment Analysis 2017 - 2021

Exhibit 22: Historic Market Size  Country Segment 2017 - 2021 ($ million)

5 Five Forces Analysis

5.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 23: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2022 and 2027

5.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 24: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2022 and 2027

5.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 25: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 26: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 27: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 28: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2022 and 2027

5.7 Market condition

Exhibit 29: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2022 and 2027

6 Market Segmentation by Type

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 30: Chart on Type - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Type - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Type

Exhibit 32: Chart on Comparison by Type



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Comparison by Type

6.3 Non-4K - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 34: Chart on Non-4K - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Non-4K - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 36: Chart on Non-4K - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Non-4K - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.4 4K and above - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

and above - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 38: Chart on 4K and above - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and above - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 39: Data Table on 4K and above - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and above - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 40: Chart on 4K and above - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

and above - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 41: Data Table on 4K and above - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

6.5 Market opportunity by Type

Exhibit 42: Market opportunity by Type ($ million)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Market opportunity by Type ($ million)

7 Market Segmentation by Distribution Channel

7.1 Market segments

Exhibit 44: Chart on Distribution Channel - Market share 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Distribution Channel - Market share 2022-2027 (%)

7.2 Comparison by Distribution Channel

Exhibit 46: Chart on Comparison by Distribution Channel



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Comparison by Distribution Channel

7.3 Hypermarket and supermarket - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 48: Chart on Hypermarket and supermarket - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on Hypermarket and supermarket - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 50: Chart on Hypermarket and supermarket - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on Hypermarket and supermarket - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.4 Online - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 52: Chart on Online - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Online - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 54: Chart on Online - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 55: Data Table on Online - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.5 Convenience stores - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 56: Chart on Convenience stores - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 57: Data Table on Convenience stores - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 58: Chart on Convenience stores - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 59: Data Table on Convenience stores - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.6 Specialty store - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 60: Chart on Specialty store - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 61: Data Table on Specialty store - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 62: Chart on Specialty store - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on Specialty store - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

7.7 Market opportunity by Distribution Channel

Exhibit 64: Market opportunity by Distribution Channel ($ million)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on Market opportunity by Distribution Channel ($ million)

8 Customer Landscape

8.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 66: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

9 Geographic Landscape

9.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 67: Chart on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 68: Data Table on Market share by geography 2022-2027 (%)

9.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 69: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 70: Data Table on Geographic comparison

9.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 71: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 73: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 74: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 75: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 77: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 78: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 79: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 80: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 81: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 82: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.6 South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 83: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 84: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 85: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 86: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.7 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 87: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 88: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 89: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 90: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.8 US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 91: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 92: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 93: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 94: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.9 China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 95: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 96: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 97: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 98: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 99: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 100: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 101: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 102: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.11 UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

Exhibit 103: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 104: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)



Exhibit 105: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)



Exhibit 106: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.12 Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 Exhibit 107: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 108: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2022-2027 ($ million)

Exhibit 109: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

Exhibit 110: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2022-2027 (%)

9.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 111: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)



Exhibit 112: Data Tables on Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

10 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10.1 Market drivers

10.2 Market challenges

10.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 113: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2022 and 2027

10.4 Market trends

11 Vendor Landscape

11.1 Overview

11.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 114: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

11.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 115: Overview on factors of disruption

11.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 116: Impact of key risks on business

12 Vendor Analysis

12.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 117: Vendors covered

12.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 118: Matrix on vendor position and classification

12.3 Amazon.com Inc.

Exhibit 119: Amazon.com Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 120: Amazon.com Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 121: Amazon.com Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 122: Amazon.com Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 123: Amazon.com Inc. - Segment focus

12.4 Apple Inc.

Exhibit 124: Apple Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 125: Apple Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 126: Apple Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 127: Apple Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 128: Apple Inc. - Segment focus

12.5 ASUSTeK Computer Inc.

Exhibit 129: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 130: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 131: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 132: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. - Key offerings

12.6 BBK Electronics Corp Ltd

Exhibit 133: BBK Electronics Corp Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 134: BBK Electronics Corp Ltd - Product / Service



Exhibit 135: BBK Electronics Corp Ltd - Key offerings

12.7 Bharti Airtel Ltd.

Exhibit 136: Bharti Airtel Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 137: Bharti Airtel Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 138: Bharti Airtel Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 139: Bharti Airtel Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 140: Bharti Airtel Ltd. - Segment focus

12.8 CloudWalker Streaming Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Exhibit 141: CloudWalker Streaming Technologies Pvt. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 142: CloudWalker Streaming Technologies Pvt. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 143: CloudWalker Streaming Technologies Pvt. Ltd. - Key offerings

12.9 Comcast Corp.

Exhibit 144: Comcast Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 145: Comcast Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 146: Comcast Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 147: Comcast Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 148: Comcast Corp. - Segment focus

12.10 Dish TV India Ltd.

Exhibit 149: Dish TV India Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 150: Dish TV India Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 151: Dish TV India Ltd. - Key offerings

12.11 Geniatech Inc.

Exhibit 152: Geniatech Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 153: Geniatech Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 154: Geniatech Inc. - Key offerings

12.12 Google LLC

Exhibit 155: Google LLC - Overview



Exhibit 156: Google LLC - Business segments



Exhibit 157: Google LLC - Key offerings



Exhibit 158: Google LLC - Segment focus

12.13 NVIDIA Corp.

Exhibit 159: NVIDIA Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 160: NVIDIA Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 161: NVIDIA Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 162: NVIDIA Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 163: NVIDIA Corp. - Segment focus

12.14 Roku Inc.

Exhibit 164: Roku Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 165: Roku Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 166: Roku Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 167: Roku Inc. - Segment focus

12.15 Shenzhen Rikomagic Tech Corp. Ltd.

Exhibit 168: Shenzhen Rikomagic Tech Corp. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 169: Shenzhen Rikomagic Tech Corp. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 170: Shenzhen Rikomagic Tech Corp. Ltd. - Key offerings

12.16 Shenzhen Tomato Technology Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 171: Shenzhen Tomato Technology Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 172: Shenzhen Tomato Technology Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 173: Shenzhen Tomato Technology Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

12.17 Xiaomi Inc.

Exhibit 174: Xiaomi Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 175: Xiaomi Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 176: Xiaomi Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 177: Xiaomi Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 178: Xiaomi Inc. - Segment focus

13 Appendix

13.1 Scope of the report

13.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 179: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 180: Exclusions checklist

13.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 181: Currency conversion rates for US$

13.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 182: Research methodology



Exhibit 183: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 184: Information sources

13.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 185: List of abbreviations

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BEIJING, March 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the occasion of the Two Sessions, several prominent foreign experts who live and work in China, were interviewed by S&T Daily to share their thoughts on China's development and its important role in global growth.

Visions for Two Sessions

Speaking of their visions for this year's Two Sessions, British paleontologist, Professor Norman Macleod from Nanjing University (NJU) recognized their value in setting priorities and establishing a roadmap for China's development.

Macleod praised China's progress in the past years in addressing environmental issues, such as establishing national parks and wildlife reserves. He expressed his appreciation for the renewed emphasis on conservation and correcting the detrimental effects humans have exerted on the natural environment, as reflected in the Two Sessions' document.

At the same time, Professor Rocco Lacorte, an Italian Marxist scholar from Nankai University, expects that the focus will be on addressing key issues related to social and economic development, as well as environmental challenges. He said that the world has called for action to address these challenges, and China is already ahead of the West in terms of green policies.

As a cultural messenger between China and Azerbaijan, Dr. Agshin Aliyev, an Azerbaijani sinologist, is optimistic about the potential of such collaboration to foster stronger ties between the two nations.

Canadian teacher at Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, Rouhieh Tabibzadegan, is more concerned about China's policies in improving primary education, which is crucial for the development of children's morality, intelligence, and physical beauty. She emphasized that it's essential to start teaching morality at a young age and providing practical ways for students to learn and apply their lessons.

BRI, Unrivalled Global Platform

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013, to improve regional connectivity and economic integration, while benefiting people's livelihoods and welfare. Almost ten years on, this vision has become a world-applauded reality in terms of policy coordination, infrastructure upgrades, closer people-to-people exchanges, and other enhanced ties. As a collaborative endeavor, BRI has been welcomed by the international community, as well as by individuals who are witnessing its tangible benefits. Prof. Lacorte described it as "a historically unprecedented and important initiative."

From his perspective, it has made a significant impact on countries like Laos, as many people have been lifted out of poverty by participating in projects like the China-Laos railway. Similar projects have taken place with the African countries in the BRI. Lacorte highlighted that BRI's significance not only lies in its function to boost global economic development, but also in terms of global governance and security.

Lacorte believes that BRI can bring more peace and stability to the world. He admired the role of BRI, which embodies the idea that reaches a harmonious coexistence and interdependence, and believes the people of the world can use this tool to build a community with a shared future for mankind. "The BRI is a model of win-win cooperation. In this model, China respects the interests and the autonomy of each country," he said, adding that it is good news to see more countries joining BRI.

Lacorte said that BRI has led to tangible benefits in improving living conditions of the people in the areas where it is implemented. After years of cooperation, landmark accomplishments, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), serve as specific examples.

According to Dr. Mashooq Khan, a young Pakistani scientist working at Shandong Analysis and Test Center, CPEC is a mega project aiming to rapidly modernize Pakistan's economy, energy infrastructure, and transportation network. Khan hopes that Pakistan further extends this cooperation to the ground level and drives further development by technology transfer, enhancing universities' capacity for industrially important research, modernizing agriculture, and supporting small manufacturing units.

Azerbaijan, located in the center of the so-called Medium Transport Corridor between China and Europe, remains a reliable transit partner for China. Aliyev, currently working at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told S&T Daily that Azerbaijan is deeply involved in realizing this project with the support of China. Based on his working experiences, he applauded the cultural significance brought by BRI.

China Commits to Openness and Innovation

China has been stepping up efforts to promote its academic and innovative environment featuring openness, inclusiveness, and high efficiency, which fosters collaboration and creativity, leading to significant advancements in various fields in China and even around the globe. The positive experiences of foreign experts working in China's institutions reflect the country's commitment to building such a community.

Prof. Macleod from NJU has worked in China for five years and experienced firsthand the country's academic environment. He described the academic environment at NJU as "supportive" and the research resources as "outstanding."

Macleod said that the facilities and equipment available to researchers are first-rate, and there are virtually no limitations on what can be accomplished. He would encourage his Western colleagues and young researchers to consider China a preferred destination, citing the lower cost of living, access to resources, and friendly and supportive environment.

After studying and working in China for six years, Dr. Mashooq Khan noted a collaborative, inclusive, supportive, and creative research environment is considered the best to carry out scientific research, and he feels that his team and institute in China meet all these criteria. Khan's team is open to collaboration and actively establishes partnerships with high-level researchers at home and abroad to integrate their expertise for significant technological advancement. "My research team values and respects each other, and there is no discrimination, social separation, or isolation," he said.

Not only do the institutions answer the calls for openness, inclusiveness and innovation, but cities like Shenzhen also attract foreign experts' attention to their strides in pursuing innovation and openness.

Prof. Aldo Tagliabue said that he is particularly interested in Shenzhen, where he works. This city provides him with more significant opportunities for innovation. "Shenzhen is a relatively new city that has grown rapidly over the past few decades, attracting many people from around the world," he said, adding that "Because there is no long-standing tradition in Shenzhen, there is a unique opportunity to start something new and innovative." He sees Shenzhen could serve as a model for other places in China and around the world.

Int'l Cooperation Boosts Common Development

The Chinese scientific community has been ramping up its efforts to collaborate with its peers worldwide, establish new research initiatives, cultivate an internationalized environment for research, and create an open and globally-competitive innovation ecosystem, in order to push the boundaries of innovation for the sake of humanity. Foreign experts have responded favorably to these initiatives.

Italian Professor Francesco Faiola, the first full-time foreign researcher at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Science of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), established the stem cell toxicology research group at the Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology.

"My lab attaches great importance to international exchange and cooperation," he told S&T Daily. In recent years, his team has led 12 international cooperative projects, made over 220 keynote speeches, and been invited to give presentations at major international academic conferences. According to Faiola, his lab has established multiple stable strategic scientific and technological partnerships, cultivated a group of academic leaders and facilitated the production of various innovative scientific and technical achievements.

According to Viktor Gouretski, a German scientist at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, CAS, China's investment in knowledge, education, and science has had a profound and far-reaching effect on its progress and contribution to the global community.

Gouretski told S&T Daily that his personal experience is also a testament to China's efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges. "I had an opportunity to continue my research in China, indicating that the Chinese government considers inviting experts from other countries and conducting international collaboration are essential," he said. Gouretski believes China's policy is active and will pay off in the long run, benefiting not only the country, but also the world. By fostering international collaboration and talent exchange, China can learn from and contribute to the global scientific community, leading to further advancements in various fields.

Aldo Tagliabue is a renowned Italian scientist in the field of immunology and vaccine research with over 40 years of experience in the industry. He currently serves as the chief scientist of the Laboratory of Inflammation and Vaccines at the Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT).

Tagliabue also appreciates China's efforts in talent cultivation and people-to-people exchanges. He noted that China has been investing in people for many years, which has generated tangible benefits in the form of talented scientists and researchers who have studied abroad and then returned to China to work.

He lauded the fact that China has intensified its efforts to promote international sci-tech collaborations and exchanges, and established various programs to support the brightest minds, in order to become a worldwide magnet for talent and innovation.

"China is a land of opportunities," said a Nigerian scientist Oluwarotimi Williams Samuel, who also works at SIAT, adding that different sectors in China are opening to embrace global cooperation.

Sci-tech Progress Sparks More Opportunities

"Since arriving in Beijing in early 2014, I have been fortunate to witness China's outstanding progress in basic science," said Faiola, adding that China has made significant progress in technological development, and Chinese high-tech enterprises have been globally influential in recent years.

He said, with multi-faceted efforts to support various industries, China has not only taken a leadership role in the aerospace sector, but also made remarkable scientific achievements in high-tech fields such as biotechnology, alternative energy, and new materials, which have attracted increasing global attention.

In today's interconnected world, countries are facing various global challenges. "Only by cooperating and building a shared future can we address these challenges," Faiola emphasized. He believes that China's sci-tech advancements will bring new vitality to the international community and the country will, "Play a significant role in a more diverse global scientific research community in the future."

Lacorte said that China's research environment is dynamic, attractive, and promising for the future of China and the world. From his point of view, China has almost achieved "a miracle" in technological and enterprise innovation in the last few years.

The country has become a global driving force of industrial transformation, supporting innovation and creating a greener environment, he said.

Having conducted research in China and witnessed the country's sci-tech achievements, Gouretski expresses his admiration for China's progress in the field of science and technology.

Before visiting China, Gouretski could only read about the country's technological achievements from books and magazines. However, after seeing the achievements firsthand, he recognized the significant progress made by China in previous decades. He admired the country's advanced infrastructure, which he considers comparable to that of developed parts of Europe.

Gouretski is impressed by China's advancement in part because of how much science and technology has permeated into daily life. When travelling in almost any city or province in China, he always has access to a strong mobile phone signal and stable internet connection, which is not always the case in Germany.

Regarding the idea of "science empowering life," Faiola added that Beijing is a remarkably convenient city to live in, with features such as phone payment apps, and he seldom takes a wallet with him.

SOURCE Science and Technology Daily
With their rich past in mind of successful business partnership and seamless collaboration among friends, Steve Wilson and Vincent Jue have again decided to bring together their teams once again to enrich the foundation drilling and ground engineering industry.

SALT LAKE CITY, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- It is with great pride that Western Equipment Solutions (WES) would like to announce the acquisition of the assets of Champion Equipment Sales, LLC. Long time partners Steve Wilson of Western Equipment Solutions and Vincent Jue of Champion Equipment Sales, LLC are excited to unify their teams once again and expand the territories for Soilmec and Leffer equipment sales and service, all under the Western name. With offices in Nisku, Alberta, Salt Lake City, Utah, and now Paramount, California, this continued partnership creates a larger parts, sales, and service force to assist both new and existing customers in the foundation drilling and ground engineering industry, blending the best of both companies to strengthen Western Equipment's reach and processes.

Western Equipment Solutions is proud to announce the acquisition Champion Equipment Sales, LLC Western Equipment Solutions is proud to announce the acquisition Champion Equipment Sales, LLC

"The joining of forces WES and CES creates the best and most customer centered Ground Engineering and Foundations Drilling Equipment Dealer in North America. I know that this combination of talented people and resources will serve our customers very well," President Steve Wilson says.

With the full support of industry-leading manufacturers Soilmec, Leffer, and others, WES will continue to strive to provide top-of-the-line equipment, parts, and service to all customers throughout the acquisition, and plans to maintain the existing equipment manufacturers, employees, service processes, and distribution network. Existing customers in both the Western United States and Western Canada will continue to receive the highest quality service and equipment they have come to expect, and new customers will be pleased to experience the growth to come. Sales and Business Development Representative Sean Montgomery comments, "I'm excited to continue to build at WES what I started at CES. Building out an experienced and capable team throughout the Western US and Western Canada to support all areas of the Foundation Drilling Industry has always been a shared goal of our businesses and one that we look forward to working on together. The ever-expanding needs of our customers will benefit greatly from our combined team's reach, expertise, and capabilities in sourcing and servicing foundation drilling equipment and tooling." Sales Manager Craig Berninger also touches on the new territory acquisitions, saying "we are motivated to bring our skills and service team to a larger territory. It will be great to work with past clients again and expand our line of products [within] the industry."

John Wilson, General Manager of Western Equipment Solutions, has spearheaded the acquisition and will continue to push for growth, focusing on the integration of operations and personnel for the new organization. He looks forward to the changes, saying he is "excited to take this opportunity to the next level. We want to increase the service and support to the foundation drilling industry." Already, the development of the WES financing department has drastically streamlined the process of getting equipment to customers, seamlessly and efficiently. The unified territory, expanded product lines, and knowledgeable staff will continue to thrive. Visit the Western Equipment Team at Conexpo 2023, March 14-18 in Las Vegas, Nevada booth #D2707.

About Western Equipment Solutions: Western's primary goal is to help our customers maximize drilling performance by getting them the right equipment for the job. We provide the highest-quality equipment in the industry and premium service to improve drilling efficiency and productivity while streamlining workflow. Our sales and support team of certified professionals will continue to be dedicated to getting you the right equipment for your job. With offices in Nisku, Alberta, Salt Lake City, Utah, and now Paramount, California, Western Equipment Solutions is guaranteed to provide the industry's best equipment and top-level expert support for jobsite logistics, onsite technical support and service, and operator training. Visit us online at www.westernequipmentsolutions.com .

Media Contact:

John Wilson, General Manager

801.824.7532

[email protected]

SOURCE Western Equipment Solutions
Patna, March 11 : Bihar Police have arrested the main accused who made 'fake' videos of attacks on migrant workers in Tamil Nadu.

According to a Bihar police spokesperson, two accused namely Manish Kasyap and Youraj Singh are absconding and the state police are conducting raids on their possible hideouts. The police have already arrested one of the accused Aman Kumar, a native of Jamui district.

"The main accused Rakesh Ranjan Kumar, a native of Gopalganj district had made the fake video in a rented accommodation in Patna's Bangali colony under Jakkanpur police station, with the help of 2 persons on March 6. He has confessed the crime. The whole idea behind making a video in Patna was to mislead the police of Bihar and Tamil Nadu. We have cross checked with the landlord of Rakesh Ranjan Kumar and he has also confirmed that the video was made at his house," the spokesperson said.

"Accodingly, the investigating team has registered an FIR against Rakesh Ranjan, Manish Kashyap, Youraj Singh and Aman Kumar in Economic Offence Unit (EOU) police station in Patna," he added.

The police said that a video made by Rakesh Ranjan Kumar was tweeted on March 8 by a person named Manish Kashyap. He had uploaded the video on a YouTube channel named BNR News Honey.

In the video, two people were seen tied with something. The video looked suspicious. During the investigation, it appeared that the video was made by Rakesh Ranjan Kumar. He was taken into custody from Gopalganj and brought to Patna in EOU police station. He eventually confessed the crime, the spokesperson elaborated.

According to the police, Manish Kashyap is a "habitual offender". He is having seven criminal cases against his name. He was involved in attacking a police team as well. After the Pulwama incident, he was involved in beating some Kashmiri traders in Patna's Lhasa market and served a jail term. He was also involved in uploading several objectionable communal posts in the past.

Accused Youraj Singh was also involved in uploading the fake video. An FIR has been registered against him in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district. He was involved in firing in Narayanpur village in Bhojpur district three months ago, and is on the run. The Bihar Police is making efforts to arrest him.

The spokesperson said that a story with headline "Madhubani Ke Ek Youwak Ki Tamil Nadu Me Hatya" (Madhubani youth murdered in Tamil Nadu) was published in a Hindi daily. However, the SP of Tirupur district (Tamil Nadu) refuted the news.

The youth named Shambhu Mukhiya had committed suicide after the marriage of her sister was postponed. Her wife had given an application in Mangalam police station in Tirupur district on March 5, and she claimed that her husband had slit his wrist.

The Bihar Police registered two FIRs in connection with the Tamil Nadu incident and identified 30 videos uploaded on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp. The police also identified 26 suspicious social media accounts and preservation notices given to 42 other social media accounts.

In the case, four persons were booked so far including Rakesh Ranjan Kumar, Manish Kashyap, Youraj Singh and Aman Kumar.
During Mondays informational presentation to the Flagstaff City Council and Coconino County Board of Supervisors, county staff made it clear that the impacts of another fire on the nearby mountains would be disastrous for Flagstaff.

The presentation was focused on the possibility of a blaze on the south and western slopes of the San Francisco Peaks  areas that make up the Upper Rio De Flag watershed that drains through downtown Flagstaff. Engineering firm JE Fuller shared models of potential burn severity for a fire in the particular area, as well as models of potential post-fire flooding. While preliminary, the results of the models have been enough to catch the attention of area leadership.

Its ugly, folks, said Lucinda Andreani, director of the county flood control district. The gravity of how we manage this issue and the impact its going to have on Flagstaff over the long term is significant.

The modelling covered four different scenarios evaluating fire in three separate areas of the Upper Rio watershed, and a fourth worst-case scenario that evaluated a 21,500-acre fire across the entire watershed.

Its a big area to burn, but its really not, said Joe Loverich, project manager for JE Fuller.

For comparison, the 2022 Tunnel Fire burned about 19,000 acres, and a few months later the Pipeline Fire burned an additional 26,500 acres.

Based on the predicted burn severity of this worst-case scenario, the resulting flooding from a 2-inch rain event on the burn scar would send a substantial amount of water through the heart of Flagstaff, into the Rio, through downtown, across Lone Tree on over to the east side of town, Loverich said. Weve tracked our modeling all the way down to I-40.

Loverich added: Is this exactly what a fire is going to do? No. But it is a decent representation of what a fire could be in these areas.

Additionally, the county has begun the process of working with Northern Arizona Universitys Economic Policy Institute to develop an estimate of how such a scenario would economically impact Flagstaff. The estimate will include costs such as remediation, lost property values, flood damages, tourism revenue losses, sales tax revenue losses and more.

Based on similar economic impact studies, such as the one produced to evaluate a fire and flooding event on Bill Williams Mountain, county forest restoration director Jay Smith estimated that the economic impact of a large fire on the Peaks would top a billion dollars.

Probably over $2 billion, Smith said.

Altogether, the risk associated with this worst-case scenario is enough that county leaders stressed the importance of robust proactive measures, especially in the realm of forest restoration to reduce fuel loads associated with high-severity wildfire.

Now, what we understand  as weve dealt with these fires multiple times now  is that the cost to be reactive to a fire and post-fire flooding costs sometimes as much as 25, 30 times more than if youre just proactive and you go out and do the treatment, Smith said.

Proactive forest treatment on the Peaks will be a substantial undertaking involving steep-slope logging  which Smith estimated could take $60 million alone  as well as other forest treatments across the 21,500 acres.

It could be a pretty high price tag, Smith said.

To that end, Coconino County has been very active in securing funding for both regional flood mitigation and forest restoration. Recently, it announced that the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (ADFFM) agreed to allocate about $11 million to Coconino County  which would constitute the 25% match they needed to accept a $50 million injection from the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

It also announced that $42 million will be coming from the U.S. Forest Service for on-forest restoration work, and another $9 million from the Emergency Watershed Protection Programs will fund flood mitigation in Pipeline East flood corridors.

It has been absolutely essential that we were able to get the federal funding that we got, said Patrice Horstman, chair of the county board of supervisors.

Though these funds will be spread out among multiple areas affected by fires and floods, Coconino County is prepared to devote at least $30 million to targeting the high-cost, steep-slope forest restoration on the San Fransisco Peaks.

But to reduce the overall risk of fire in that entire area and reduce the ultimate risk of post-wildfire flooding and impact to the economy, the entire area is going to need to be treated, Andreani said. This is going to take a partnership with the district, with the city and the Forest Service, and all the parties are going to have to come forward with funding.

According to Smith, Forest Service leadership has already expressed alignment with a partnership bent on treating the western slopes of the Peaks.

They are committed to focusing on the same area, Smith said. Were meeting with them, getting the projects lined up so we can begin this work as soon as possible.

He added that the county was also looking to engage other partner organizations, such as the ADFFM, the National Forest Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, and even private partners such as Arizona Snowbowl.

The mountain attracts people to Flagstaff, to our tourism industry, Smith said. We want to see [private industry] get involved.

Historically, attracting industry partners to forest restoration work has been challenging. It was one of the key reasons that the Forest Service had to completely restructure their Four Forest Restoration Initiative in 2021.

We continue to struggle getting industry established where we can take all these forest products  the live wood and the dead wood that needs to come out to help protect these acres, Smith said.

He added that he has been working closely with a range of forestry professional and Northern Arizona Universitys Ecological Restoration Institute to imagine new ways to use the wood resources harvested from forest restoration.

Were opening up every nut, every basket, everything we can to try to solve these problems, Smith said.

As problems with the current health of the forest are directly related to the century of fire suppression philosophy enacted by settler society in northern Arizona, Andreani noted that the county is also working on bringing back and reinvigorating Indigenous practices, such as controlled burns, that were employed to reduce fire threat in the region.

Almost all the tribes employ these strategies and have that as part of their history, Andreani said. And a lot of thats been suppressed over the years.

Ultimately, the tone of Mondays meeting reflected a reckoning with a fact that a new fire on the Peaks would be a substantial threat to Flagstaffs future.

We are all-in, said Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett. Whatever its going to take to protect the community from this kind of catastrophic wildfire and resulting flooding.
United Nations, March 11 : The United Nations marked the first-ever International Day to Combat Islamophobia with a special event, where speakers upheld the need for concrete action in the face of rising hatred, discrimination and violence against Muslims.

The observation on Friday follows the unanimous adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution in 2022 that proclaimed March 15 as such an international day, calling for global dialogue that promotes tolerance, peace and respect for human rights and religious diversity, Xinhua news agency reported.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide, who come from all corners of the world, "reflect humanity in all its majestic diversity". Yet, they often face bigotry and prejudice simply because of their faith.

Moreover, Muslim women might face "triple discrimination" because of their gender, ethnicity, and faith.

The growing hate that Muslims face is not an isolated development, the UN chief stressed.

"It is an inexorable part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and violence targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority Christian communities and others," he said.

"Discrimination diminishes us all. And it is incumbent on all of us to stand up against it. We must never be bystanders to bigotry." Stressing that "we must strengthen our defenses," Guterres highlighted UN measures such as a Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites.

He also called for ramping up political, cultural, and economic investments in social cohesion.

"And we must confront bigotry wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head. This includes working to tackle the hate that spreads like wildfire across the internet," he added.

To this end, the UN is working with governments, regulators, technology companies and the media "to set up guardrails, and enforce them." Other policies already launched include a Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, and the Our Common Agenda report, which outlines a framework for a more inclusive and secure "digital future" for all people.

The UN chief also expressed gratitude to religious leaders across the world who have united to promote dialogue and interfaith harmony.

The high-level event was co-convened by Pakistan, whose Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari underlined that Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and pluralism.

Despite Islamophobia not being new, he described it as a "sad reality of our times." "Since the tragedy of 9/11, animosity and institutional suspicion of Muslims and Islam across the world have only escalated to epidemic proportions. A narrative has been developed and peddled which associates Muslim communities and their religion with violence and danger," said Zardari, who is also chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers.

"This Islamophobic narrative is not just confined to extremist, marginal propaganda, but regrettably has found acceptance by sections of mainstream media, academia, policymakers and state machinery," he added.

Csaba Korosi, president of the UN General Assembly, pointed out that Islamophobia is rooted in xenophobia, or the fear of strangers, which manifests in discriminatory practices, travel bans, hate speech, bullying, and other forms of abuse.

He urged countries to uphold freedom of religion or belief, which is guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

"All of us carry a responsibility to challenge Islamophobia or any similar phenomenon, to call out injustice and condemn discrimination based on religion or belief - or the lack of them," he added.

Korosi said education is crucial to understanding why these phobias exist and can transform how people perceive each other.

On March 15, 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution by consensus which was introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation that proclaimed March 15 as "International Day to Combat Islamophobia." The date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings, in which 51 people were killed.
Frankfurt, March 11 : The German Police have freed the hostages who were held for over four hours and arrested the perpetrator in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe, local police authorities have said.

The suspected perpetrator had taken several people hostage in a pharmacy at around 4:30 p.m., Xinhua news agency reported, citing German news agency dpa.

A subsequent operation lasted several hours before police entered the pharmacy at around 9:10 p.m. and arrested a suspect, said Karlsruhe's police.

The building is currently being searched, and no injuries has been reported, according to preliminary findings.
San Francisco, March 11 : A suspected stalker killed a couple before committing suicide in Redmond of the US' Washington state, police said.

Officers found a man with a gunshot wound in a house. He died at the scene. A woman was also killed inside the house, and the suspect was located with a "self-inflicted gunshot wound" in the main bedroom, Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying.

The woman's mother, who lives at the home, encountered the suspect and somehow managed to escape without injury and called the police, according to Lowe.

The identification of the couple has not been released. The suspect, identified by the Redmond Police Department as Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38, had been the subject of a misdemeanor stalking investigation after the female victim filed a no-contact order against him.

Khodakaramrezaei was a truck driver. He listened to the woman's podcasts. They had met on the app Clubhouse, which allows users to talk over audio chat rooms, according to a report by The Seattle Times.

The victim originally contacted Redmond police in December 2022 and again in January after the suspect's actions intensified. A temporary order of protection was signed on March 3, and a hearing was set to occur on March 17, the report said.

Friday's killings were the "worst possible outcome of a stalking case", Lowe said at a media briefing on Friday afternoon.
Nairobi, March 11 : Eleven countries in eastern and southern Africa are currently experiencing an exponential rise in cholera cases amid a surge in deaths, the Unicef announced.

Unicef said the 11 countries are experiencing an extremely worrying cholera outbreak with 67,822 cases and 1,788 estimated deaths, noting that actual figures are likely higher as limitations in surveillance systems, underreporting, and stigma hamper monitoring, reports Xinhua news agency.

The UN body's Deputy Regional Director Lieke van de Wiel said poor water and sanitation, extreme weather events, ongoing conflicts, and weak health systems are compounding and endangering the lives of children across southern Africa.

"We thought this region won't see a cholera outbreak this widespread and this deadly in this day and age," she said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

Unicef has made an appeal for $150 million for all 11 cholera outbreak countries in the region, including $34.9 million for Malawi and $21.6 million for Mozambique, to provide lifesaving services to a total of 5.4 million people affected by the outbreak.

It said the public health situation is rapidly deteriorating, particularly in the hardest-hit countries.

According to the Unicef, two of the countries with the heaviest burden -- Malawi and Mozambique -- have a combined total of more than 5.4 million people in need of support, including more than 2.8 million children.

Last month, the World Health Organization warned that 22 countries around the world are currently fighting cholera outbreaks -- a number that has since increased following additional outbreaks.

After years of declining cases of cholera globally, cases went up in 2022 and were expected to continue to do so this year.

Van de Wiel said this is a serious cholera crisis, and all signs point to this getting much worse before it gets better.

"We need urgent and sustained investment to respond to the immediate outbreaks and strengthen systems and communities to be better prepared for what is likely to be more severe occurrences in the future," she said.

Unicef said its integrated response at the country level focuses on the provision of safe water and sanitation, water treatment, soap for handwashing, oral rehydration salts solution, and social, behaviour change, and communication engagement messages.

The UN agency will provide lifesaving nutrition interventions, including nutrition screenings in all cholera treatment units, train healthcare workers to provide quality case management and infection prevention and control, and establish community-based oral rehydration points to prevent progression to severe cholera for non-severe cholera cases.
United Nations, March 11 : Is India a "friend" for Pakistan? Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari choked on the word "friend" while trying to refer to India and with the word stuck in his craw twice, he finally settled on "our neighbouring countries".

While admitting at a news conference here on Friday New Delhi's diplomatic success in preventing Islamabad's attempts to bring Kashmir to the centre of attention at the UN, Bilawal started by referring to India as "our friends within..." But he caught himself and on his second try stammered, "with our friend...", again stopped himself and stammered, "our our", before settling on "our neighbouring countries".

His British-accented eloquence deserting him, this is how Bilawal's sentence sounded: "Whenever the issue of Kashmir is brought up, our friends within, with our friend, our... our, our neighbouring countries, strongly object vociferously object and they perpetuate a post facto narrative." Despite the plural "countries", he was apparently referring to only India.

"We face a particularly uphill task to try and get Kashmir onto the, into the centre of the agenda at the UN," he said.

But unlike at his last news conference at the UN in December, he did not hurl any vicious invectives against India or its leaders this time.

Relations between Inda and Pakistan are on the ice, first, because of the terrorist attacks on India emanating from Pakistan and the free movement of terrorists, and, second, because Islamabad has refused contacts following India removing Kashmir's special constitutional status.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)
Johannesburg, March 11 : Newly appointed South Africa captain Temba Bavuma took control of his side's Test against the West Indies thanks to a drought-ending 171 not out at the Wanderers.

Bavuma had not scored a century since 2016, his maiden Test ton, as he helped rescue the Proteas in the second Test to end day three with a lead of 356, reports ICC.

After a pair of ducks in the opening Test, the skipper produced a career-best knock reaching his second Test century off 192 balls before finishing the day at 171* off 275 balls.

South Africa started the day in trouble losing the wickets of Dean Elgar (5) and Tony de Zorzi (1) inside the opening hour of the first session before Aiden Markram departed for 18 leaving the hosts 32/3.

A 103 sixth-wicket partnership between Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder (42) steadied the innings as South Africa ended the day on 287/7.
Ottawa, March 11 : Canada's employment held steady in February following two consecutive monthly increases and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5 per cent, the national statistical agency said.

Statistics Canada said on Friday that employment grew in healthcare and social assistance, public administration, and utilities, reports Xinhua news agency.

At the same time, fewer people worked in business, building and other support services, it added.

Total hours worked rose 0.6 per cent in February and were up 1.4 per cent on a year-over-year basis.

Average hourly wages rose 5.4 per cent on a year-over-year basis in February, compared with 4.5 per cent in January, according to the national statistical agency.

The employment rate, the percentage of people aged 15 and older who are employed, was 62.4 per cent in the month, down 0.1 percentage points from the recent high observed in January.

The rate in January was the highest since May 2019, Statistics Canada said.

The unemployment rate remained near record low at 5 per cent in February.

There were just over 1 million unemployed persons in the country in February, virtually unchanged from January, Statistics Canada said.
Mumbai, March 11 : Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor underwent an intensive training to achieve a well-chiseled body for his latest release 'Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar'.

The actor's fitness trainer Shivoham took to Instagram to praise Ranbir for showing dedication and discipline towards achieving a ripped look for Luv Ranjan's directorial.

Ranbir's fitness trainer took to his Instagram to share two shirtless pictures of the actor flaunting his washboard abs.

He wrote: "What you see is truly an example of a disciplined lifestyle, dedication and a lot of hardwork. It's a team effort and results like this cannot be achieved by half hearted involvement."

"The nutrition, the supplements, the training but more than anything the WILL to wake up and do what is necessary is the number one reason why you achieve your goals and this is what sets you apart from the rest. 4am training sessions, 11:30 p.m. training sessions or even sometimes finding the time in between shoots, Ranbir has done it all."

"Balancing his personal life along with his professional life. All these things cannot be learned from reading books, these are values that are imbibed in you and conditioning that you pick up from your parents and the company you keep." His trainer said that he is proud of Ranbir and "cannot wait to show the world 'THE ANIMAL' look next."

On the work front, Ranbir will next be seen in 'Animal' alongside Rashmika Mandanna and Bobby Deol.

-- Syndicated from IANS
San Francisco, March 11 : Ford Motor has issued a recall notice for 18 electric F-150 Lightning pickup trucks with faulty battery cells that caused at least one truck to catch fire.

Automakers will resume production of electric trucks from March 13, with a "clean stock" of battery packs, after a four-week pause to investigate the defect, reports The Verge.

On February 4, a fire broke out in a holding lot during a pre-delivery quality check while the vehicle was charging. Ford halted production and issued a stop-shipment order to dealers.

According to Ford, the "root cause" of the problem was at the Georgia plant of South Korean battery supplier SK On.

The company's spokesperson Emma Bergg stated that the firm was not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to this recall, the report said.

"Together with SK On, we have confirmed the root causes and have implemented quality actions. Production is on track to resume Monday with a clean stock of battery packs," Bergg was quoted as saying.

Moreover, he confirmed that the affected vehicles are either on dealer lots or in the customer's hands.

The company has been in close communication with the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is expected to issue the recall notice next week, the report mentioned.

Last year, Ford recalled more than 1 lakh vehicles, including Maverick, Escape and Corsair models, that face fire risk.

The recall affected vehicles in the US all of which came with a 2.5-litre hybrid/plug-in hybrid (HEV/PHEV) engine, reports CNBC.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Los Angeles, March 11 : A new clip from the upcoming action-spy thriller 'Citadel', showcases how the character of Richard Madden helps the character of Priyanka Chopra Jonas remind her part.

During a SXSW keynote speech on the future of women in Hollywood led by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Prime Video dropped a new clip from its massive new spy series Citadel, reports Collider.

The clip shows Richard Madden's Agent Kane trying his best to remind Priyanka's Agent Sinh of her past as a member of the titular spy organisation. His attempts at jogging her memory go hilariously wrong and nearly ended with the two agents fighting each other.

Madden's character is trying help Priyanka, but she's quick to write him off as some lunatic who broke in with bad intentions for her. His character doesn't help his situation when he tries throwing a knife at Priyanka to see if her elite agent instincts will kick in.

Instead, it just frightens her even more, and she grabs a knife of her own to defend herself. Rather than backing away and trying to de-escalate, Kane rushes in and scans her face with the briefcase, revealing to her that she is Nadia Sinh.

This shocked Priyanka says: "That's." Madden replies: "You." The first season of the global series consists of six-episodes with two episodes premiering on April 28 on Prime Video and one episode rolling out weekly through May 26. The series is executive produced by the Russo Brothers' AGBO and showrunner David Weil, and stars Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, with Stanley Tucci and Lesley Manville.

'Citadel' will premiere in multiple languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
After hearing over three hours of public comment on the topic, Flagstaff City Council approved a resolution supporting abortion access in the city at its meeting Tuesday.

Council had first discussed a potential resolution on abortion at its Feb. 21 meeting in response to a petition it had received in August. Almost 90 residents had signed the petition asking city council to discuss ways it could protect residents who were accessing, assisting with or providing abortion services.

After discussion and an hour of public comment that was mostly in favor of the resolution on Feb. 21, Council had directed city staff to draft a resolution that it would discuss at a later meeting.

The majority of comments at Tuesdays meeting  45 of the 65 total  were against the resolution, including religious leaders, local residents and at least one anti-abortion advocate.

City council approved the resolution in Tuesdays meeting, with six members  Mayor Becky Daggett, Vice Mayor Austin Aslan and Councilmembers Deborah Harris, Jim McCarthy, Miranda Sweet and Khara House  voting for it and only one  Councilmember Lori Matthews  voting against.

Abortion is never an easy decision and no one ever makes that decision lightly. ... Its not a decision that should be made in the state Legislature, McCarthy said during city councils discussion.

This resolution states an opinion of us as a council body, House said.  ... As we are being presented with this conversation, it is part of our role to engage in that and share that opinion and have these sorts of conversations, as difficult and challenging and nuanced as they may be.

The resolution is based in part on similar ones passed by city councils in Tucson and Phoenix in 2022 that had expressed dissent with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

Flagstaffs resolution also expresses opposition to the decision and Arizona laws criminalizing abortion, while supporting the constitutional rights of pregnant persons, including their access to reproductive health care and abortions.

It also includes ways it will support Flagstaff Police Department in establishing priorities and policies related to abortion that consider the need to protect the physical, psychological and socioeconomic well-being of pregnant persons and their care providers.

The full text of the resolution can be found online.

City attorney Sterling Solomon and councilmembers noted at both meetings, however, that healthcare in Arizona is regulated by the state, and not cities, so the action would make a statement rather than a law.

This, alongside Arizonas current law, was part of why Matthews said she opposed the resolution.

Abortion is currently legal in Arizona through 15 weeks of pregnancy, though access in Flagstaff is limited. The local Planned Parenthood, for instance, currently offers abortion referrals rather than abortion services.

Im surprised were still talking about this, Matthews said. I respect all of our citizens, their decisions and desires. Your abortion rights are covered. Whether I agree with them or not is irrelevant, and I think the showing tonight of the people that are opposed to a resolution are feeling offended and stating that theyre going to lose trust in our local government in making a political stance that doesnt have any legal standing in it.

Other councilmembers disagreed.

I think part of what was motivating this conversation from folks who wanted to hear from their council and their police department that theyre protected is that [abortion laws] could change, Aslan said.  ... We need to make sure our resources are being directed wisely, regardless of what state Legislature has passed into law at any particular time.

We have had many courageous conversations in this country over a lot of years; this is not going to be the last one that we have, Harris said. I do believe that we have the right to disagree with our legislators and this is the appropriate way to do it. We get to tell them when we dont like something. ... It does not mean that we give up our rights or our feelings just because we sit in these seats  but I do think that I owe it to the people who voted for me and those who didnt vote for me to hear what you have to say and make the decision that I think is best. In this particular case right now, Im supporting this resolution.

The majority of commenters attended the Tuesday meeting in person. Each was given three minutes to speak.

Many of those opposed to the resolution discussed their own opinions against abortion, with some saying that Council passing the resolution would not be representative of their constituents beliefs.

I believe every person deserves respect and has the right to opinion, but as the City of Flagstaff chooses to endorse or force one opinion over another, when many disagree with that opinion, thats extremely divisive and pulls apart our community, said resident Ann Ingram. I think youve seen by the show here that a great deal of people are opposed to some kind of a resolution.

Many commenters who spoke against the resolution cited religion, specifically Christianity, as their reason for opposing abortion, quoting Bible verses and prayers and using religious language.

The group included a few local pastors: Joshua Walker, teaching elder of Church of the Resurrection (though he said he was here as a concerned citizen rather than a pastor), David Berry, senior pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship, Barbara Swee, associate pastor of Northland Christian Assembly, and Jim Dorman, founding pastor (now retired) of Christs Church of Flagstaff.

Im here today on behalf of myself and the nearly 300 people of my church, Berry said.  ... Together we are all in vehement opposition to the proposed resolution 2023-12. The mission of Flagstaff as weve been reminded is to protect and enhance the quality of life for all. That certainly includes the most vulnerable among us who cannot defend and speak for themselves, people in the womb.

Some of those who supported the resolution mentioned the separation of church and state in their comments, saying that to act based on the religious beliefs of other commenters would go against it.

Northern Arizona University professor of comparative cultural studies Diana Coleman also noted that these beliefs were from a subset of one religion.

We have not heard the religious side, as Ive heard people say; weve heard from a thin, select fringe of conservative Christianity that doesnt represent all of Christianity, she said.  ... We do have separation of church and state, we have the establishment clause. This religious-inflected dialogue is inappropriate to be forced on and also very disingenuous.

Matthews said the religious views should be heard, however, as they were community members perspectives.

I dont think that it was about well, this is a religious thing or a God thing, so you need to be shamed into making a decision, she said.  ... This is their belief and they are part of the community.

In his part of the discussion, McCarthy said the question was about who was making decisions.

Someone [tonight] said there are differing opinions on the issue. Well, thats obvious. But one side, who would say pro-choice, theyre saying, Im not going to make that decision for you. The other side is saying, I want to make that decision for you.

Several opposing the resolution referenced their children, some bringing them to the meeting to make their own comments. Others mentioned their experiences with pregnancy, abortion and parenthood from a variety of perspectives, using them to both support and oppose the resolution.

Those who commented in support of the resolution included members of the Flagstaff Abortion Alliance among other local residents. While many used at least part of their time to respond to earlier comments, several also said they supported abortion access as needed healthcare in Flagstaff.

I do believe we should protect and enhance the lives of pregnant people, parents and children, said NAU student Leslie Hansen. A ban on abortion doesnt do this; it harms many, many lives. ... I know this resolution is just a statement, it wont change laws, it wont grant access to abortions, but I think it will show support to people that really need it.

A recording of the meeting is available online. The item starts around an hour and 10 minutes into the recording while councilmembers discussion of the resolution begins at around four hours and 15 minutes.
Kathmandu, March 11: Nepal's Supreme Court started hearing a petition on Friday which seeks the immediate arrest of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda and launch probe into his Maoist party leadership during the ten-year conflict (1996-2006) that killed around 17,000 people.

The hearing began at a Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada. It is not clear how long the court will take to make its final verdict on the case.

The hearing is taking place five days after the apex court received two writ petitions against Prime Minister Prachanda for admitting that he would take the responsibility for 5000 of the total 17,000 deaths during the bloody insurgency.

In their writ, 14 petitioners mostly conflict victims have demanded the immediate arrest of Prachanda since he has publicly admitted that he would take the responsibility for the 5000 deaths during the conflict era.

In January 2020, Prachanda at a public event had remarked that he was ready to bear responsibility for 5,000 deaths during the armed conflict while accusing the then state forces for the remaining fatalities.

Prime Minister Prachanda, who is now heading an eight-party coalition government backed by the Nepali Congress, the largest party in parliament, and six other political parties, has faced trouble for the same remarks.

The ruling alliance dominated by the Maoist and Congress parties was quick to defend the prime minister. In a statement earlier this week, the alliance said that all the conflict-era cases should be handled by the transitional justice mechanisms.

The court hearing has injected some sort of uncertainty and fragility in the ruling alliance which came into being only two weeks ago after Prachanda severed ties with KP Sharma Oli, chairman of the CPN (UML) over differences on the country's presidential nominee.

Oli's party withdrew support to the government while recalling its cabinet ministers in response to "Prachanda's betrayal". Prachanda had come to power with the support of the CPN (UML) in December last year after he ditched Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepali Congress. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Prachanda chose to support the Congress candidate Ramchandra Poudel for the country's presidency while breaking alliance with the UML.

A day ahead of the Supreme Court's hearing on Friday, the Prachanda-led government tabled a new bill to amend the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Act at the House of Representatives, lower house of parliament. The bill seeks to constitute a Special Court to hear the conflict-era cases of atrocities.

The bill, which is now available on the official website of parliament, states that a separate bench will be constituted at the Supreme Court where victims can challenge the decisions of the Special Court. Human rights activists, however, say that the bill is inadequate to address the grievances of the conflict victims.

Apart from the Maoist party, various splinter groups of the Maoist party also have joined hands with Prachanda. The groups along with Maoists said they were ready to counter any activity that is against the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed between the then rebel Maoists and the state in 2006. They believe that all those who were in state power during the armed conflict should equally be held responsible for the human rights abuses.

It is still not clear what sort of ruling the Supreme Court will deliver in response to the writ petition against Prachanda.

If the apex court decides to go ahead with the case, Prime Minister Prachanda will have to step down on moral grounds, say constitutional experts.

If the court passes verdict against Prachanda, it may ruin not only the current power equation but also adversely affect the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) signed between the then rebel Maoists and the state that paved the way for Nepal's new federal republican set-up in 2006.

The CPA envisaged that Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP)-which are known as transitional justice mechanisms-would be formed within six months of its promulgation and work to investigate, identify and punish the guilty of human right violations during the conflict.

However, these two commissions came into being only in 2015 and have so far been unable to function due to lack of required support from mainstream parties including the Maoists, Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML).

(Santosh Ghimire is India Narrative's Nepal Correspondent based in Kathmandu) (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New York, March 11 : While relatively unknown outside of the Silicon Valley, the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was among the top 20 American commercial banks, with $209 billion in total assets at the end of last year, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

But now, it is the largest lender to fail since Washington Mutual collapsed in 2008, reports CNN.

SVB partnered with nearly half of all venture backed tech and health care companies in the US, many of which pulled deposits out of the bank.

Its sudden fall mirrored other risky bets that have been exposed in the past year's market turmoil.

Crypto-focused lender Silvergate said on Wednesday it is winding down operations and will liquidate the bank after being financially pummeled by turmoil in digital assets.

Signature Bank, another lender, was hit hard by the bank selloff, with shares sinking 30 per cent before being halted for volatility Friday, CNN reported.

"SVB's institutional challenges reflect a larger and more widespread systemic issue: The banking industry is sitting on a ton of low-yielding assets that, thanks to the last year of rate increases, are now far underwater -- and sinking," wrote Konrad Alt, co-founder of Klaros Group.

Alt estimated that rate increases have "effectively wiped out approximately 28% of all the capital in the banking industry as of the end of 2022".

Despite initial panic on Wall Street over the run on SVB, which caused its shares to crater, analysts said the bank's collapse is unlikely to set off the kind of domino effect that gripped the banking industry during the financial crisis, CNN reported.

But smaller banks that are disproportionately tied to cash-strapped industries like tech and crypto may be in for a rough ride, according to Ed Moya, senior market analyst at Oanda.

"Everyone on Wall Street knew that the Fed's rate-hiking campaign would eventually break something, and right now that is taking down small banks," Moya said.

The company's stock cratered on Thursday, dragging other banks down with it.

By Friday morning, SVB's shares were halted and it had abandoned efforts to quickly raise capital or find a buyer.

Several other bank stocks were temporarily halted Friday, including First Republic, PacWest Bancorp, and Signature Bank, CNN reported.

The mid-morning timing of the FDIC's takeover was noteworthy, as the agency typically waits until the market has closed to intervene.

"SVB's condition deteriorated so quickly that it couldn't last just five more hours," wrote Better Markets CEO Dennis M. Kelleher.

"That's because its depositors were withdrawing their money so fast that the bank was insolvent, and an intraday closure was unavoidable due to a classic bank run."
Kolkata, March 11 : At a time when the politics in the hills of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong in north Bengal is under focus because of the newly formed bonhomie between Ajay Edwards' Hamro Party, Bimal Gurung's Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and estranged Trinamool Congress leader Binoy Tamang, a surprise meeting between Bimal Gurung and BJP Lok Sabha member from Alipurduar constituency and the Union minister of state for minority affairs John Barla on late Friday evening has sparked fresh speculations.

Political observers feel that this meeting is a clear indication of Gurung's attempt to not just resurrect his old ties with BJP but also give the newly formed trio- alliance in the hills the backing of a national party. The meeting, according to observers, is also significant since it is at a time when the newly formed trio- alliance is making an all-out effort to resurrect the movement in the hills over the separate Gorkhaland state.

According to Gurung, he came to meet the Union minister to request him to initiate steps so that the Union government steps in for a permanent political solution in the hills. "We had earlier made the same request to the state government to find out a permanent political solution. I also requested the Central minister to initiate the process where the Union government can work for the development of Gorkha, Rajbanshi and the people of other tribal communities both in the hills as well as in the plains of Terai and Dooars regions in north Bengal," Gurung said.

Despite describing the meeting as a courtesy call prompted by his long-standing friendship with Bimal Gurung, John Barla said he looks for a long-standing understanding with the hill leader in the coming days. "Because of his support I became the candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He campaigned in my support which helped me to win the election. Our mutual friendship and cooperation will continue in the coming days as well," Barla said.

According to political commentator and specialist in north Bengal and northeastern Indian politics Nirmalaya Banerjee said that keeping in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections such a development was not really unexpected. "On the one hand, Gurung wants his party as well as his allies to get the backing and support from a national party like BJP. On the other hand, BJP leadership is also aware that without the support of the hill parties they will not be able to retain crucial seats in north Bengal especially the Darjeeling and Alipurduar constituencies. To my feeling, this is the beginning of renewed bonhomie between BJP and hill parties," he explained.
New Delhi, March 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stressed the need to reorient the skill infrastructure system according to the needs of Lord Vishwakarma.

The Prime Minister addressed a Post Budget Webinar on the subject of 'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman'.

Referring to skilling and creating job opportunities for crores of youth through Skill India Mission and Kaushal Rozgar Kendra, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for a specific and targeted approach.

Modi said that the PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman Yojana is a result of this thinking.

Explaining the need for the scheme and the rationale of the name 'Vishwakarma', the Prime Minister talked about the exalted status of Lord Vishwakarma in the Indian ethos and a rich tradition of respect for those who work with their hands with implements.

Mentioning the continued attraction of hand-made products, the Prime Minister said that the government will provide holistic institutional support to every Vishwakarma of the country which will ensure easy loans, skilling, technical support, digital empowerment, brand promotion, marketing and raw material.

"The objective of the scheme is to develop traditional artisans and craftsmen while preserving their rich tradition. Our aim is that Vishwakarmas of today can become entrepreneurs of tomorrow. For this, sustainability is essential in their business model." He requested all the stakeholders do a hand-holding of Vishwakarma colleagues, increasing their awareness and thereby helping them in moving forward. For this you have to go to the ground, you have to go among these Vishwakarma companions.

The Prime Minister further informed that skilled craftsmen were contributing in their own ways towards exports in ancient India.

He lamented that this skilled workforce was neglected for a long time and their work was considered non-significant during the long years of slavery.

Even after India's independence, the Prime Minister pointed out that there was no intervention from the government to work for their betterment and as a result, many traditional ways of skill and craftsmanship were abandoned by the families so that they could make a living elsewhere.

He also highlighted that startups can also create a huge market for craft products through the e-commerce model apart from helping them with better technology, design, packaging and financing.

The Prime Minister concluded by requesting all the stakeholders to prepare a robust blueprint and emphasized that the government is trying to reach the people in the remote parts of the country and many of them are getting the benefits of the government schemes for the first time.
Washington, March 11 : A total of 125 paediatric flu deaths have been reported in the US so far this season, according to the latest data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC estimates that there have been at least 26 million flu illnesses, 290,000 hospitalisations, and 18,000 deaths from flu so far this season in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.

The number and weekly rate of flu hospital admissions continue to decline in the country.

About 1,400 people were hospitalised with flu in the latest week ending March 4, CDC data showed.

The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get an annual vaccine as long as flu activity continues.

There are also prescription flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat flu illness, which need to be started as early as possible, said the CDC.
Los Angeles, March 11 : American actor Ike Barinholtz, who has appeared in films such as 'Disaster Movie', the 'Neighbors' franchise and 'Suicide Squad', seems to be a big fan of Indian actor NTR Jr as he asked his friend and actress Mindy Kaling if the 'RRR' actor asked about him.

Mindy, who was co-hosting a celebration of South Asian Oscar nominees in Los Angeles, dropped a slew of pictures. In one image she is also seen posing with NTR Jr, whose song 'Naatu Naatu' is nominated at the 95th Oscar Awards.

She captioned the image: "Last night I was honoured to co-host a celebration of South Asian Oscar nominees. Met so many new friends and hugged old ones, and was inspired by the talent all around me. @falgunishanepeacockindia designed the most spectacular saree for me and @sethicouture loaned me basically all the diamonds in the world." "Thank you to @priyankachopra and @anjula_acharia for organising such a special event. Also love when @asekar95 is my date and we get to do the most Indian thing ever and order Taco Bell after.

Barinholtz took to the comment section and wrote: "Did Jr NTR ask about me? Would he want to possibly be friends with me?" To which Mindy replied: "@ikebarinholtz I honestly thought of you the whole time." 'Naatu Naatu' has already won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award this year. At the Oscars, the song is contending against tracks sung by Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

'RRR' stars NTR Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt and Shriya Saran and tells the fictional story of two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem and their fight against the British Raj.

Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.
Bengaluru, March 11 : Condolences poured in from across the country for Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President and Dalit leader R. Dhruvanarayan who died due to a heart attack in Mysuru on Saturday.

Former Prime Minsiter H.D. Deve Gowda, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai, senior congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condoled Dhruvnarayan's demise.

Deve Gowda said that he was shocked and saddened by the sudden death of state's senior Congress leader Dhruvanarayan. Dhruvanarayan's demise has created a void in the state political scenario, he said.

Chief Minister Bommai said he was saddened by the death of Druvanarayan and prayed for his soul. "I will also pray to god to give strength to his family and supporters to bear the irreparable loss," he stated.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi stated, "Saddened by the sudden demise of former MP R Dhruvanarayan. A hard-working and humble grassroots leader, he was a champion of social justice who rose through the ranks of NSUI and Youth Congress. His death is a huge loss to the Congress party. My condolences to his family." Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Deeply saddened to hear about the death of Dhruvanarayana Ji, former MP and working president of KPCC. His contribution to public service and commitment to social justice will always be remembered. My condolences to his family and friends." According to family sources, Dhruvanarayan complained of chest pain and was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

The 61-year-old Dhruvanarayan joined Congress in 1983. He worked as the President of Bengaluru Unit of NSUI in 1986. He represented Chamarajanagar parliamentary constituency twice. He also won from Kollegal and Sante Maralli constituencies as MLA from Congress.

Congress insiders said Dhruvnarayan was all set to contest polls from Nanjangud reserve constituency in the upcoming assembly polls.

The Congress has cancelled the Praja Dhvani Yatra in Ramnagar and Davanagere districts after the leader's demise.

KPCC Working President Satish Jarkiholi also condoled Dhruvnarayan's demise.

State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar said: "Dhruvanarayan was like my family member, a brother and very close to heart. I am not able to react on his death."
Bengaluru/Mumbai, March 11 : The Board of Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions, on Saturday announced Mohit Joshi as the MD and CEO designate of Tech Mahindra.

The announcement comes on the heels of Mohit Joshi, the President of tech giant Infosys putting in his papers.

Infosys, in its official communication to stock exchange stated, that Joshi will be on leave and his last date with the company would be on June 9.

Joshi will take over as Tech Mahindra MD and CEO when incumbent CP Gurnani retires on December 19, 2023. He will join Tech Mahindra well before that date to allow for sufficient transition time.

Commenting on his appointment, Joshi said, "Tech Mahindra's growth journey has been remarkable. I am delighted to be joining the Tech Mahindra family and look forward to working closely with all the associates, partners, and customers to achieve new milestones, make a positive difference and #Risetogether." T. N. Manoharan, Chairperson of the Tech Mahindra NRC said, "Mohit's appointment is the successful culmination of a rigorous selection process during which the NRC evaluated a number of internal and external candidates. Mohit's experience with digital transformation, new technologies and large deals will complement Tech Mahindra's strategies and continue to build on the strong growth momentum demonstrated by the company".

Mohit Joshi has over two decades of experience in the Enterprise technology software and consulting space and has worked with the largest corporations in the world in driving digital transformation and building thriving businesses.

Sources in Infosys claimed that his absence will create a vacuum in the company. Joshi had joined Infosys in 2000 and worked with the firm in many capacities.

He was playing an important role at Infosys in connection with financial services, healthcare and life sciences businesses. Infosys management tried its best to retain him but the efforts could not materialise.

Joshi handled Infosys's internal technology and applications portfolio. He led a financial services business in Europe. In 2007, he was appointed as CEO of Infosys Mexico and he played a role in setting up the first subsidiary in Latin America.

At Infosys, he was Head of the Global Financial Services and Healthcare and the Software businesses, which included Finacle (the banking platform) and the AI / Automation portfolio.

Joshi also led Sales Operations and Transformation for Infosys and executive responsibility for all large deals across the company. He was also responsible for the companyaAs internal CIO function and the Infosys Knowledge Institute.

He has been a Non-Executive Director at Aviva Plc since 2020 and is a member of its Risk & Governance and Nomination committees.

In 2014, Mohit Joshi joined the prestigious Young Global Leader program at the World Economic Forum, Davos and is also a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Previously, Mohit has also held the office of the Vice Chair of the Economic Growth Board of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry).

Prior to joining Infosys in 2000, Mohit worked with ABN AMRO and ANZ Grindlays in their Corporate and Investment bank. Mohit has lived and worked in Asia, America and Europe and currently lives with his wife and two daughters in London.
San Francisco, March 11 : A new storm is currently lashing much of western California , bringing significant rainfall amid flood warnings.

The winter storm will produce copious amounts of heavy snow to the high terrain of northern and central California and significant rainfall and flood threats across much of the state, as well as into far western Nevada, according to the latest forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS) late Friday.

The NWS warned of possible "significant road/urban and small stream flooding", reports Xinhua news agency.

Rainfall totals are adding up to about 10 inches in several counties in Southern California, which are put under flash flood warnings, according to NWS Los Angeles.

The atmospheric river is easily visible on satellite, extending out just south of Hawaii.

Rain will increase as the main moisture plume moves south into Southern California, according to the forecast.

"Flash flooding is occurring and is expected to worsen. Avoid travel and flooded roadways," NWS Los Angeles tweeted.

The NWS warned the public to protect their property from flooding, adding that drivers should never try to cross flooded roads.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday proclaimed a state of emergency in 21 counties, activating the California National Guard and other state agencies to respond to storm-related emergencies.

"California is deploying every tool we have to protect communities from the relentless and deadly storms battering our state," Newsom said.

"In these dangerous and challenging conditions, it is crucial that Californians remain vigilant and follow all guidance from local emergency responders."
Mumbai, March 11 : Indian actor Ram Charan attended the South Asian Excellence pre-Oscars event and Priyanka Chopra Jones's party, along with his wife Upasana Konidela.

Priyanka and Ram Charan share a great camaraderie as the two have worked together in the 2013 film 'Zanjeer'.

Ram and his wife spent time with the actors, directors and producers from the west. He wore a Dolce and Gabbana suit paired with glasses.

Ram is currently in the US waiting for the Oscar awards to take place on Sunday. His song 'Naatu Naatu' from the film 'RRR' is nominated at the 95th Oscar awards.

'Naatu Naatu' has already won a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award this year. At the Oscars, the song is contending against tracks sung by Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

'RRR' stars NTR Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt and Shriya Saran and tells the fictional story of two real-life Indian revolutionaries, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem and their fight against the British Raj.

Set in the 1920s, the plot explores the undocumented period in their lives when both the revolutionaries chose to go into obscurity before they began the fight for their country.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
The Church of The Epiphany Mar 11  423 N. Beaver St., Flagstaff. 928-774-2911. 8 a.m.- March 12, 10:30 a.m., Services are held at 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays; 8:00 am and 10:30 am on Sundays. This weeks officiant is Alison Lee. All Are Welcome!  Church of The Epiphanyepiphanyaz.org(928) 774-2911423 N. Beaver Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. https://go.evvnt.com/1604483-0.

PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH Mar 12  3430 N. Fourth St., Flagstaff. 928-526-9578. 10-11 a.m., We invite you to join the family of Peace Lutheran Church (LCMS) on Sunday at 10:00am for in person blended service (Combined Liturgical, hymnal based and Praise Worship) with Holy Communion. Pastor William Weiss Jr. (Pastor Bill) will be presiding. The service will be live streamed on our website (peacelutheranflagstaff.org) and on YouTube. https://go.evvnt.com/1600030-0.

BEACON UU SUNDAY SERVICE: All Human, All Equal with the Rev. Anthony Mtuaswa Johnson Mar 12  Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 510 N. Leroux St., Flagstaff. (928) 779-4492. 10-11 a.m., ALL ARE WELCOME! You BELONG at Beacon. Spiritually open and intentionally inclusive since 1958. This Sunday is a pulpit exchange with the Sedona UU Fellowship. The sermon honors the day that the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document and the most translated document in the world today. As we endure these current times of tumult, and arguably the worst assault on human dignity in recent history, we will reaffirm our belief in and our commitment to the fact that we are All Human, All Equal. The Rev. Anthony Mtuaswa Johnson, preaching with Worship Associate Andy Hogg. Music from Andrez Alcazar and Austin Shaw. https://go.evvnt.com/1599465-0.

LIVING CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH Mar 12  500 W. Riordan Road, Flagstaff. 928-526-8595. 10-11 a.m., We invite all to celebrate with us Gods love and presence in our lives and be Gods hands in the world. We are intentionally inclusive. We worship through music, teaching, prayer, and the sacraments each Sunday at 10 a.m., at the Campus Ministry Center located on the NAU campus or join us online. Join Rev. Kurt Fangmeier for the Third Sunday in Lent! In todays gospel the Samaritan woman asks Jesus for water, an image of our thirst for God. Jesus offers living water, a sign of Gods grace flowing from the waters of baptism. The early church used this gospel and those of the next two Sundays to deepen baptismal reflection during the final days of preparation before baptism at Easter. As we journey to the resurrection feast, Christ comes among us in word, bath, and mealoffering us the life-giving water of Gods mercy and forgiveness. We will hear more with our Reading of Exodus 17:1-7 (Water from the rock in the wilderness), Psalm 95 (Let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation) and with Reading Romans 5:1-11 (Reconciled to God by Christs death), Finally, the Gospel John 4:5-42(Baptismal image: the woman at the well). Prayer of the Day Merciful God, the fountain of living water, you quench our thirst and wash away our sin. Give us this water always. Bring us to drink from the well that flows with the beauty of your truth through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. https://go.evvnt.com/1599067-0.

Unity of Flagstaff Spiritual Center Mar 12  Unity of Flagstaff Spiritual Center, 1800 S. Milton Road, Flagstaff. 10:30-11:30 a.m., Luck is defined as what is seen as chance and is considered a force that causes good or bad things to happen. Lots to unpack there. Ever wonder how LUCK may play a part in your Spiritual Journey? Ever use Luck as the reason for the bad or the good that happens in your Life? What if it does have something to do with the draw? As in, what we are drawing to us. Could LUCK of the DRAW take on a new meaning when we remember that we are creating through the power of our thoughts as we are aligning with our Divine Nature or NOT aligning? Join Rev. Penni and Ryan Biter with music this Sunday AT 10:30 AM Live at 1800 S. Milton Suite 103 or Live Stream on Youtube.unityofflagstaff.org. Unity of FlagstaffFind YOUR Expression. Unityofflagstaff.org. https://go.evvnt.com/1607615-0.

Flagstaff Federated Community Church: Please join us for in person services Sundays at 10 a.m. We are located at 400 W Aspen Ave. on the corner of Aspen and Sitgreaves in Downtown Flagstaff. All are welcome to our services. For more information about Flagstaff Federated Community Church please call our office at 928-774-7383, Mon  Thurs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Church of the Resurrection Sunday Church Services: 740 W. University Heights Drive S., 740 W. University Heights Drive S., Flagstaff. 928-853-8522. 10-11:30 a.m., Church of the Resurrection Presbyterian Church in America (PCA): We invite you to join us for worship at 10 a.m. on Sundays at 740 W. University Heights Drive South. Please feel free to contact us for information on our mid-week gatherings and for more information on our church. You can find us at www.cor-pca.org and www.facebook.com/CORFlagstaff or we can be reached at corflagstaff@gmail.com and (928) 699-2715.

Leupp Nazarene Church: The church, near mile post 13 or Navajo Route 15, has been holding services by teleconferences and doing drive-up meetings. For information, call pastor Farrell Begay at 928-853-5321. Teleconference number: 1-7170275-8940 with access code 3204224#. Services are 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

Christian Science Society of Flagstaff: 619 W. Birch Ave. The Christian Science Society of Flagstaff has opened for Sunday services while continuing to have them available via Zoom for online and phone. Wednesday testimony meetings are available only via Zoom. For phone Sunday Services: Dial: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 369 812 794#, Passcode: 075454#. For phone Wednesday meetings, dial: 669-900-9128, Meeting ID: 971 672 834#, Passcode: 894826#. The access for Zoom on Sundays is: https://zoom.us/j/369812794. The Zoom access for Wednesdays is: https://zoom.us/j/971672834. The password to use to enter both is CSS. We welcome all to attend our Sunday Services in person, or live by Zoom, at 10:00 oclock, and to attend our Wednesday Testimony meetings live by Zoom, at 5:30 oclock. Our Reading Room will be open on Wednesdays from 4:005:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10-12 noon. For further information please call 928-526-5982.
Patna, March 11 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on the premises of former Union Railway minister Lalu Prasad and his associates was a result of him being a part of the Mahagathbandhan in the state.

"The raids did not happen for five years from 2017. Why are they happening now? The simple reason is I am a part of the Mahagathbandhan. Such raids would not intimidate us and our government will smoothly manage Bihar," Kumar said.

Reacting on changing the alliance again, Nitish Kumar dismissed it as "rumours" saying that Mahagathbandhan is running smoothly in Bihar. "Don't worry and don't listen to rumours," he asserted.

On Friday, ED raided 15 premises of Lalu Prasad, his family members and close associates in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Mumbai, Ranchi and some other places. The ED sleuths had recovered Rs 53 lakh cash, 1.5 kg gold jewellery, 540 gram gold coins, and USD 1900 from the residences of Tejashwi Yadav and his sisters Ragini Yadav, Hema Yadav and Chanda Yadav.
New Delhi, March 11 : Investigators probing the death of 66-year-old noted Bollywood actor Satish Kaushik have recovered some "medicines" from the farm house where he attended a party, an official said on Saturday.

"We are waiting for an autopsy report to ascertain the cause of his death. Some medicines were recovered from the farmhouse in Bijwasan where Kaushik attended a party. A list of guests has also been made," said a senior police official.

Post-mortem of the veteran actor was conducted at Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital here.

A senior police official said that they had received information regarding Kaushik's death from Fortis hospital in Gurugram.

The actor-writer-director Kaushik -- remembered as 'Calendar' (his character in Mr India) -- passed away late on Wednesday.
London, March 11 : A UK-based man has credited Apple Watch for pointing medics towards an undiagnosed heart condition.

Author Adam Croft, 36, from Flitwick in Bedfordshire, UK, awoke to find his Apple device had been alerting him throughout the night that his heart was in Atrial fibrillation, reports BBC.

"It's not a feature I'd ever expected to use," he was quoted as saying.

In an interview, Croft said that he had got up from the sofa one evening and "felt a bit dizzy" but when he got to the kitchen to get some water he "immediately felt the world closing in." "I managed to get down on the floor and ended up in a pool of cold sweat," he said.

The next morning, he woke to find that his watch had been alerting him every couple of hours that his heart was in a rhythm known as Atrial fibrillation -- and that he should seek medical attention.

"I called 111 (UK medical helpline) who said get to hospital within the hour," Croft said.

Additional testing at Bedford Hospital in the UK confirmed that Croft was in Atrial fibrillation. Croft claims he would not have gone to the hospital if he hadn't received an alert from his Apple Watch, the report said.

Moreover, the writer claimed to have previously experienced "little flutterings" of the heart that his watch had missed, but these had not occurred in months.

He had also "never had any pain or symptoms that I thought were serious." The report said that after testing confirmed the Atrial fibrillation, doctors put Croft on blood thinners.

He will now undergo a cardioversion procedure, which involves the use of "quick, low-energy shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm." Croft concluded, saying: "The watch will be staying on now."
Cape Town, March 11 : Vani Kapoor who is aiming for a maiden Ladies European Tour win, shot 69 in the third round to get into the Top-10 of the South African Women's Open.

With a total of 7-under 209 she is lying ied eighth, while fellow Indian Pranavi Urs continued her steady play. Pranavi added 71 for the second straight round and has scores of 70-71-71 to be tied 27th.

Amandeep Drall, Diksha Dagar and Ridhima Dilawari missed the cut. The cut fell at even par with 61 players making it through to the final rounds.

Ashleigh Buhai added 3-under 69 to her 64-65 and took a four-shot lead. Germany's Chiara Noja and Spain's Ana Pelaez Trivino are in second place on 14-under-par after three rounds.

Vani had five birdies against two bogeys, both on the back nine, and she seemed confident after a fine second round 4-under 68.

Pranavi, the winner of the 2022 WPGT Order of Merit birdied fourth, but bogeyed sixth, seventh and 11th . She rallied with birdies on 12th, 13th and 15th to get to 71.

Buhai bogeyed her first hole but came back with a birdie on the second before adding three more on the fourth, fifth and 18th holes to reach a total of 18-under-par.

Buhai has won this title three times previously - the last time being in 2018.

Pelaez Trivino, who is fourth in the 2023 Race to Costa del Sol, fired the joint-best round of the day with a 66 (-6) to move up the leaderboard.

While Germany's Noja produced a round of 69 (-3) on day three with six birdies and three bogeys on her scorecard.

Argentina's Magdalena Simmermacher sits in outright fourth place on 13-under-par after carding a round of 67 (-5) on day three.
Chennai, March 11 : Superstar of Tamil film industry, Rajinikanth said that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's life journey and political journey are one and the same and cannot be differentiated.

Rajinikanth was speaking to reporters on Saturday after visiting the photo exhibition marking Stalin's 70th birthday.

The chief minister had turned 70 on March 1.

The Tamil actor said that the photo exhibition on Stalin was organised brilliantly and added that the DMK leader had worked hard to reach the position of chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Rajinikanth also said that the people of Tamil Nadu had recognised the hard work that Stalin had done and had given the mantle of chief minister post.

The visit of the Tamil megastar created a flutter at the Raja Annamalai Mandiram, Chennai where the exhibition of Stalin's photographs was held.

It may be noted that the exhibition was inaugurated on February 28 by another superstar of the Tamil movie industry, Kamal Haasan.

There are 120 photographs of the chief minister's public and personal life. Tamil Nadu minister P.K. Sekar Babu and Tamil Actor Yogi Babu accompanied Rajinikanth during his visit to the photo exhibition of Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin.
Patna, March 11 : Amid RJD national president Lalu Yadav's family and associates allegation that the BJP is misusing the central agencies, Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha on Saturday said such statement will not be of any help, and if they have any proof, they are free to move court.

Issuing statements in the media would not help them, he claimed.

"Instead of blaming the BJP, the Lalu family should disclose how they have obtained such a big amount of money. They are misleading people. If they have any proof against BJP of misusing the central agencies or have any proof against any BJP leaders, they are free to go to the court," Sinha said.

"The corrupt people are getting unnerved by the actions of CBI, ED and Income Tax department. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced from the Red Fort to make India a corruption free country. We had removed the corrupt government of Congress and its alliance partners. These people are questioning prime minister and home minister of the country. They should be ashamed of themselves," Sinha said.

"No one has a right to put question mark on constitutional institutions. If anyone has an objection, go to court. If the guilt is proven, the court will punish guilty as per the law," he said.

The Enforcement Directorate had conducted raids on 15 places of Lalu Prasad's family and friends in connection with the land-for-job scam case and recovered Rs 53 lakh cash, 1.5 kg gold jewellery, 540 gram gold coins and 1900 dollars from the houses of Tejashwi Yadav and his three sisters Ragini Yadav, Chanda Yadav and Hema Yadav.
Islamabad, March 11 : The legal challenges posed for former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan are not only limited to him but also extend to the top leadership of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party as well.

While Khan is facing at least 76 legal cases currently, many of which may result in his disqualification and failure to contest the upcoming general election in the country, top party leaders including former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, former information minister Fawad Chaudhry, former finance ministers Hammad Azhar, Asad Umar and Shauqat Tareen and the recently appointed PTI president Chaudhry Pervez Elahi are also facing cases.

The legal course of action taken by the incumbent government is aimed at shrinking the intensity of the PTI's anti-government campaign and engage them in legal cases, similar or equivalent to the kind of cases, that were registered against other party leaders of opposition political parties including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People Party (PPP).

"The intention behind cases of hate speech, incitement to violence and provocation to spread negative notions against the state institutions, lodged in different police stations spread across the country seems to be an attempt to divert the focus of the PTI anti-government campaign at large", said Irfan Ashraf, a political analyst.

"We have seen senior leaders of PTI like Shahbaz Gill, Azam Swati and former Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed being transported from city to city under police custody to appear before courts in cases of similar nature against them. This has most certainly damaged the PTI leadership's efforts to lead their supporters and stage big anti-government public uproar," he added.

However, others believe that the government, by keeping top PTI leadership in legal battles and court hearings, has certainly weakened the intensity and influence of the party's public rallies.

"It would not be wrong to say that the prime reason why Khan's long marches failed was because all of his top leadership would be sitting with him in Peshawar or in Islamabad, while the supporters were left to manage themselves without anyone leading them ahead", said Rizwan Razi, a senior political analyst.

"And because PTI supporters were leaderless during their long marches, they failed to pressure the government. This is why today, the government is making sure that they register each and every single case against the PTI leadership and keep them busy saving their necks from being put behind bars instead of leading the anti-government campaign with focus and attention."
New Delhi, March 11 : The signs of an embattled Imran Khan are evident from the fact that he "jumped into his neighbour's house in Lahore to evade arrest".

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman jumped his residence's wall and escaped to his neighbour's home to evade arrest, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed on March 6, a day after the former Prime Minister's hide-and-seek drama, The News reported.

The minister said: "Yesterday (March 5), 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's comments came after an Islamabad police team came to Lahore for arresting the PTI chief -- but without the court summons. The law enforcers returned without an arrest as the party told them that he "wasn't home", The News reported.

Contrary to Khan's over-exaggerated claims, the former Prime Minister is only facing less than 40 cases in different parts of the country, The News reported.

These include litigation, police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cases and also proceedings launched by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PTI chief.

When Fawad Chaudhry was approached and asked why Imran Khan had claimed that he was booked in 76 cases, the former information minister replied that cases filed by Imran Khan were against the denial of remedies or for rights adding that litigation accrued because of the actions of the government, The News reported.

Earlier this week, the PTI chief had claimed on Twitter that 76 cases have been registered against him.

With the latest change in Khan's stance on regime change conspiracy, the number of U-turn the former Pak premier has taken might have crossed the century, The News reported.

The only consistent policy of Khan on which he has never taken an about turn is "taking a U-turn on almost every statement".

He described the U-turn as a hallmark of leadership.

On November 18, 2018 while justifying and defending his about turns, he tweeted, "Doing a U-turn to reach an objective is the hallmark of great leadership just as lying to save ill-gotten wealth is the hallmark of crooks." After coming into power, Khan together with his cabinet stepped back from most of the promises he made to the nation before winning the 2018 elections, The News reported.

Even after he was ousted from the government, the U-turns policy is still a consistent part of Imran Khan's strategy.

There is a long list of the former premier's famous U-turns that he has taken over the years.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
Islamabad, March 11 : Maryam Nawaz Sharif, chief organiser of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is working up her party's campaign for the upcoming elections to the Punjab province with a narrative, targeting PTI chief Imran Khan and his "persisting support" in the judiciary.

Maryam is holding public rallies, party meeting and engagements with the media to disseminate the anti-Imran narrative, in which, she slams the former premier of being a puppet of the former military chief General (retd) Qamar Jawed Bajwa and former chief of ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) General (retd) Faiz Hameed, whom she accuses of illegally mentoring, supporting and facilitating Khan during the 2018 elections and later using their offices to manipulate legal cases against Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and other senior party members of PML-N.

Maryam does not shy away from stating that Khan is still the "blue-eyed boy" for many judges in the top courts and is still getting inside support from what she terms as remains of Faiz Hameed in the military establishment.

"They (judges & military establishment) will not be forgiven for disqualifying Nawaz Sharif and imposing Imran Khan on the nation. Those who conspired against my father are not confessing to their crimes," she said.

"Imran Khan's facilitators are running away," she added.

Maryam and her father Nawaz Sharif were arrested mid-air on their way back to Pakistan from London and sentenced to imprisonment in corruption cases of assets beyond means during Khan's tenure.

Nawaz Sharif and Maryam were sent to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi first and then moved to Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore to complete their sentence. Later, the court granted permission to Nawaz Sharif to travel to London on medical reasons while Maryam was granted bail in the cases against her.

However, when Khan government was removed through a no-confidence vote in the parliament during April 2022 and the coalition government of PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) took over control; Maryam and her husband Captain (Retd.) Safdar were declared free of all charges against them.

Since then, Maryam has been campaigning against Khan for "concocting" cases against her and her family out of fear of losing power.

"Former Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan Saqib Nisar's video conversation confirmed that he was directed by then ISI chief Faiz Hameed to give wrong judgements against me and my father," she said.

"It was open to all that Khan and his supporters in the establishment and judiciary wanted to keep me and my father behind bars till the elections were completed. Because they knew that even after being targeted and suppressed in false cases, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter would win the election in 2018," she added.

Maryam's political campaign is most certainly Khan-centric now, in which, the broader calculations are to give him a taste of his own medicine by disqualifying him just before the elections and making pathways for victory for PML-N.
Ramanagara: An aerial view of the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway in Ramanagara on Friday, March 10, 2023. Prime Minister Narendrea Modi will inaugurate the expressway on 12 March. (Photo: Dhananjay Yadav/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Ramanagara: An aerial view of the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway in Ramanagara on Friday, March 10, 2023. Prime Minister Narendrea Modi will inaugurate the expressway on 12 March. (Photo: Dhananjay Yadav/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, March 11 : Credit war on Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway intensified in Karnataka with BJP stepping up its attack on JD(S) accusing it of attempting to claim credit for the project.

BJP MLA and former minister K.S. Eshwarappa dubbed the "attempts" of JD(S) to "claim" credit for the project as claiming someone else's baby as theirs.

"Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is claiming the child born to someone as his," Eshwarappa stated addressing reporters while participating in Vijaya Sankalp Yatra in Madikeri.

In a joint press conference with former union minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, he asked the former PM to identify who his child is.

JD(S) party had released a full-page advertisement claiming that the expressway is the dream project of Deve Gowda and due to his efforts it has come to this shape.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inaugurating the expressway on Sunday and BJP is projecting it as the contribution to south Karnataka by a double engine government. The party is holding a roadshow of PM Modi and he will address a mega public rally.

On the other hand, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah maintained that the green signal to the project was given by late Union minister Oscar Fernandez when Congress was in power at the Centre.

He also claimed that it was Oscar Fernandez who elevated the Bengaluru-Mysuru stretch of road from state highway to national highway.

The social media is abuzz in the state with the credit fight on Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. BJP is getting ready for the mega event and with the joining of independent MP Sumalatha to the party, the saffron party is looking up to PM Modi's event and hopes to make an impact in the region.
Los Angeles, March 11 : 'Stranger Things' actress Millie Bobby Brown is ready to leave Hawkins in the rearview.

The Emmy Award nominee, 19, admitted that she's "very ready" to say goodbye to her 'Stranger Things' role, reports People magazine.

She recently spoke about preparing to film the fifth and final season of Netflix's nostalgia-driven sci-fi series, which premiered in 2016.

"I'm definitely ready to wrap up. I feel like there's a lot of the story that's been told now," she explained. "It's been in our lives for a very long time. But I'm very ready to say goodbye to this chapter of my life, and open new ones up." She further said, quoted by People: "I'm able to create stories myself that are important to me and focus on the bigger picture. But I'm really grateful (for the show)." Brown found her breakout role on 'Stranger Things' when she was 12, playing telekinetic youth Eleven, who escapes a government testing facility where researchers used her in a portal to an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down.
Los Angeles, March 11 : Hollywood star Will Smith was there for 'Batgirl' directors following the bad news about the movie's cancellation.

The 'Emancipation' star reached out to Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who also directed the actor in 'Bad Boys for Life', after they learned that Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the film in a cost-cutting measure, reports aceshowbiz.com.

In a new interview with Variety, El Arbi reveals how Smith offered some comfort in the wake of the movie's cancellation. "It was two days after the wedding, and Will Smith was there." He was like, 'What's happening? Oh my God,'" the filmmaker said. "And he said, 'Really, don't worry about it. Just one tip. Don't go on social media.'" Warner Bros announced the shocking decision to scrap 'Batgirl' in August 2022, though the filming had been completed. Responding to the news, El Arbi and Fallah said in a statement that they "are saddened and shocked by the news." Leslie Grace, who was cast in the titular role, praised the "incredible cast and tireless crew" for their "hard work and intention" they put into the film during the shooting for months in Scotland. She penned on Instagram: "I feel blessed to have worked among absolute greats and forged relationships for a lifetime in the process!" El Arbi and Fallah have since been booked for their next project. They are set to return at the helm for the fourth 'Bad Boys' movie, which was greenlit earlier this month. Sharing the news in late January, Smith said in an Instagram video: "Yo, I've got an announcement." The Oscar-winning actor was seen visiting his co-star Martin Lawrence's home before the duo screamed in unison, "Bad boys 4 life". The two then started riffing on the fact that the third film, released in 2020, was already titled 'Bad Boys for Life'.
New York, March 11 : Father of an Indian-American doctor killed by carjackers in Northwest DC, last year, worries that the thieves, who remain at large, may still be harming others.

Rakesh Patel, 33, from Washington Hospital Center had left his Mercedes running while he dropped off a package for his friend near Florida Avenue and 18th Street in Adams Morgan on March 8, 2022, NBC4 Washington reported.

A group of thieves jumped into the car, and when Patel tried to stop them, they ran over him and drove away.

Security cameras showed two masked men leaving the car at 16th Street and Roxanna Road in Northwest later that night.

They returned the next day with what looked like a bottle of bleach and they took a floor mat.

Raj Patel told NBC4 that he is still heartbroken over the death of his son.

"Once they said they had a lead, and then they said they lost the lead, and that's about it," Raj Patel said."It hurts to know that nobody can reverse what happened, nobody can change it," Patel said.

"But I think the people that committed the crime, that if they don't go after them, they keep on doing it." With so far no arrests being made in the case, Raj worries that the carjackers might kill another innocent person.

"My son is not going to come back, but at least somebody else's son might be saved," he said.

"You don't know... It could be the president's son. You never know, but they can be saved, right?" The doctor was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.

According to DC Police, the victim's stolen vehicle was found the following afternoon about five miles from the scene of the hit-and-run -- close to the Maryland border.

A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrests of the killer or killers.
London, March 11 : Generation Z, people born between 1997-2012, perceive online "personal brands" as a crucial tool to gain more advantage in job markets, new research reveals.

The study, led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with the University of Greenwich, demonstrates the importance of authentically building online personal branding strategies and tactics to bridge the gap between Gen Z's desired and perceived images on social media when job seeking.

The findings, published in the journal Information Technology & People, showed that all Gen Z participants perceived digital personal brands as an essential tool to portray themselves and project strong impressions to employers.

The effort in building and managing personal brands creates win-win results for Gen Z students and employers in the recruitment process.

"Previous research has argued that professionals tend to maintain a perfect image online, but we find that for Gen Z job seekers, an imperfect online image works better," said Prof. Alastair Morrison at the University of Greenwich.

The more Gen Z students focus on portraying their brands on platforms such as LinkedIn, the higher the probability that employers will find their profiles and be better able to evaluate candidate talents, skills, traits, and the fit with company culture.

Employers highly recommend LinkedIn to Gen Z students and expect them to build LinkedIn profiles.

"The differentiating factor between Millennials and Gen Z is the use of technology from an early age and how this has impacted their online behaviour. Gen Z are always connected to digital environments through interactions with their networks, gaming, consuming videos, and creating their own content to share on social media," said co-author Dr. Brad McKenna, Associate Professor in Information Systems at UEA.

"Personal branding has shifted from celebrities and top-tier managers to employees and job seekers, making the ways in which people market themselves more of a conscious effort. Job seekers today need to effectively communicate their talents to prospective employers," added co-author Dr. Wenjie Cai, from the University of Greenwich.

The researchers recommend that universities seek personal brand information from Gen Z students to understand them better and to mentor them in the varied ways needed to achieve personal goals and objectives based on skills, knowledge, and opportunities for training and growth.

Companies should utilise all possible opportunities to engage with student job seekers, share their organisational cultures, and be open about what they are expecting for specific positions.
New Delhi, March 11 : A unique musical event featuring international musical icon, John Legend, and South Indian American star Raja Kumari is certainly something right out of a dream. "Music has the ability to move people and spur on transformation," John said in anticipation of the performances to come, "It has the potential to make a person see the light ahead and keep walking." Celebrating the power of music at the Walkers & Co Tour, the never-before-seen event provided a venue for people to gather in celebration, as it honoured those who motivated by self-belief, identity, and, along with it, the idea of progress, for both themselves and the rest of the world. Their view that a person is defined by their journey-their trip, their milestones, and the learning and progress that accompany them-is lyrical.

The tour ushered in a wave of culturally audacious initiatives from Walkers & Co. that pledges to provide a platform for people and communities to produce forward-thinking, inclusive work that advances society. "I have always wanted to come and bring my music to fans in India, a country reverberating with positivity and so much potential," John Legend said about the event. Adding, "The ideal method to do that is with a platform like Walkers & Co. that values community, co-creation, and collaboration. We anticipate a future full of similar projects, teamwork, and, above all else, the promise of music with bated breath." The always entertaining Peter Cat Recording began up the night in Delhi on the second day of the two-day festival, following a healthy first leg in Mumbai, and won the audience over with their effortless brilliance. VJ Anusha quipped up a hearty tete-a-tete with an enthralled audience that couldn't believe their luck; sitting in a room full of stars. She introduced Raja Kumari who brought her high vibrational energy to share - loud and shiny as her silver dress with floor length arm tassels. Much like her music, her performance was bold, colourful, dramatic and jubilant, leaving no head unturned and no heart unfurled as she sang from the depths of her soul to break the very ceiling - as she does daily in being who she is.

Raja Kumari performed 5 of her most enigmatic songs to a bobbing, vibing audience. She gave a shout out to her family who travelled from Hyderabad especially to witness her live, along with a special mention for the women in the audience who she cheered and honoured with an honesty that was genuine and palpable.

The evening's frantic celebration centred on the performance, which as expected was a major one--John Legend, the youngest recipient of an EGOT award for song writing. The Legend himself entered the stage with a warm, confident gait, in black suit with bejewelled shoulders, sharing his opulent charm and potent love with the people of the national Capital region. The 12-time Grammy winner, who has been a much-loved performer for more than 20 years, captivated the audience. He was greeted first with a round of applause and then there was a pregnant gap while everyone waited for the genius to start working his magic.

Legend began the performance with a gentle serenade, cutting through the anticipation to touch every heart in the A DOT venue. He performed his songs about love, closeness, and joy, taking his time to transmit each word and musical note so that the audience may do the same. The enduring piano ballad that Legend penned in 2013 for his future wife, Chrissy Teigen, served as his encore. 'All of me' is arguably his most well-known and adored song. The audience stood up in response to the love that John was singing about and with, showing respect for what was being offered openly.

The night came to a successful conclusion when Raja Kumari, who had changed quickly into a statue of liberty crown, joined Legend in singing "Just Keep Walking," the anthem for Walker & Co.'s "Keep Walking" promotion. With Legend's "All of Me," the audience was already dancing and delighted to join in on the catchy song that acted like a true anthem, with everyone participating, celebrating, and sharing in the high vibrational energy together.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Srinagar March 11 : Following the recent meeting of the BJP leaders with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, political circles are agog with speculations about imminent assembly elections in J&K.

During his meeting with senior local BJP leaders, Amit Shah is reported to have told the party leaders to increase their public outreach and footfall on the ground.

In his interaction with his party colleagues here, BJP leader Ashok Koul is reported to have told them that assembly elections are going to be held sooner than expected.

Koul hastened to add that the timing and schedule of these elections is the prerogative of the Election Commission of India.

In their closed door meetings, National Conference (NC), People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress have told their party cadre that these elections could be held in May-June this year, but before the annual Amarnath Yatra, that starts towards the end of June this year or else, they would be held with the general elections in the country.

Regional mainstream parties have been demanding holding of assembly elections without any delay so that the people have an elected government.

J&K was brought under the Governor's rule after Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP resigned as the chief minister on June 19, 2018.

On August 5, 2019, Article 370 was abrogated by the Parliament and the state was downgraded to the status of a Union Territory.

Ladakh region, which was part of J&K, was made a separate Union Territory.

NC, PDP, Congress, Apni Party headed by Altaf Bukhari and People's Conference (PC) headed by Sajad Lone have been demanding restoration of statehood.

These parties had been seeking restoration of statehood as a pre-condition for their participation in the assembly elections.

Amit Shah has again reiterated that statehood would be restored to J&K after the assembly elections.

The initial resistance of the mainstream parties not to join the elections unless statehood was restored, appears to have melted away.

While employment, industrialisation, better education, healthcare, infrastructure and the campaign against corruption remain the main thrust of the BJP, regional parties are demanding restoration of 370 in addition to statehood.

While restoration of Article 370 remains an electoral promise for NC, PDP and some other parties, as to how they would go about to the get the same restored without the required numbers in the Parliament remains an unanswered question.

Elections are generally fought on emotive issues in a place like J&K that is comparatively better off as compared to many other states of the country.

Semi-separatism has always come handy for the local mainstream parties in the Valley while complete integration with the rest of the country has brought good dividends for the BJP in the Jammu region.

An interesting question that all these political parties will have to answer to the electorate is whether emotive issues like semi-separatism and complete integration would still remain relevant when J&K has constitutionally been completely integrated with the rest of the country? Even for the BJP, banking completely on the glory of abrogation of Article 370 is unlikely to hold the same sway on the voters in the Jammu region as it did when 370 was intact.

Political parties will have to move beyond abstract assurances whether elections are held in near future or delayed further in J&K.

It is in this context that the voters would look for new faces without any baggage of the past.

The failure of the new and young leadership to emerge in J&K would cause an electoral situation where people would have to choose between tried and tested politicians and parties.

Given the track record of traditional political parties, it would somehow boil down to 'vote for the lesser evil' situation.

Who would be the least mistrusted among the political parties would then determine the winner and losers.

In a nutshell, if new leadership without any baggage of the past does not emerge during the assembly elections, people would be voting for lack of choice rather than for their choice candidates.

It would then be a battle of old ideas and not of new ideology for the voters.
New Delhi, March 11 : Christie's New York celebrates Asian Art Week this spring with eight auctions, five live and three online.

Live sales begin March 21 with Japanese and Korean Art, featuring woodblock prints, Buddhist art, important Korean porcelain and paintings. There will be two live sales on 22 March: Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art is led by a brilliantly gold-heightened Tibetan painting of Milarepa, an array of Himalayan bronzes, and royal portraits from the Rajput and Deccan states; South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art includes important works by Manjit Bawa, Francis Newton Souza, Maqbool Fida Husain, Sayed Haider Raza, Akbar Padamsee and other luminary artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

The offerings continue on March 23 , with the highly anticipated auction of J. J. Lally & Co. and the Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art auction, which continues with two sessions on March 24. Three online sales complement the live auctions: J. J. Lally & Co. Aa" The Library, South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art Online and Arts of Asia Online.

ASIAN ART WEEK | LIVE AUCTION OVERVIEW: Japanese and Korean Art

March 21, 2023 | 10 a.m.

The sale is led by an important Joseon Dynasty moon jar, followed by masterpieces by Chong Son and an excellent example of Park Sookeun. Among our diverse selection, this sale features an early impression of Katsushika Hokusai's masterpiece the Great Wave; a fine group of Japanese traditional paintings from renowned collections; selections of Buddhist art, lacquer works including a group of inro from a private English collection, sculptures, ceramics, metalworks, arms and armor, modern and contemporary art, and important Korean works of art and paintings.

Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art March 22, 2023 | 8:30 a.m.

A wide selection of works from across India, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia is led by a group of Gandharan masterpieces, foremost among them a large, finely carved grey schist figure of Buddha Shakyamuni. Among the selection of Himalayan paintings, highlights include a brilliantly gold-heightened Tibetan painting of Milarepa, an eighteenth-century Imperial Chinese painting of Vajrapani, and a fourteenth-fifteenth-century Nepalese paubha of a Vasudhara mandala. An assortment of Himalayan bronzes will also be presented, including a rare 'Buddha niche' plaque from Densatil Monastery and large fifteenth-century Tibetan gilt-bronze figures of Ratnasambhava and Akshobhya. The sale concludes with an impressive collection of Indian court paintings, including a large and attractive folio from Purkhu's Harivamsa, a seventeenth-century Mughal zenana scene, and an array of striking royal portraits from the Rajput and Deccani states.

ASIAN ART WEEK | ONLINE SALES: South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art

September 22, 2023 | 11 a.m.

A significant group of works that celebrate diverse artistic practices from South Asia and its diaspora in the 20th and 21st centuries. Highlights include a monumental painting by Manjit Bawa and a set of remarkable early landscapes from the 1940s, 50s and 60s by artists like Francis Newton Souza, Sayed Haider Raza, Akbar Padamsee, Ram Kumar and Maqbool Fida Husain. Accompanying them are exceptional works by pioneers of South Asian modernism Jamini Roy, Abdur Rahman Chughtai, George Keyt and Rashid Choudhury, and rare works by Anwar Jalal Shemza, Zarina and Rummana Hussain. The catalogue also celebrates Maharaja Sayajirao University and the seminal Baroda Group of artists associated with this institution with works by Narayan Shridhar Bendre, Sankho Chaudhuri, Bhupen Khakhar, Jeram Patel and Gulammohammed Sheikh among others.

J. J. Lally & Co.

March 23, 2023 | 8:30 a.m.

A dedicated sale of works from the gallery of one of the most important connoisseurs and dealers in fine Chinese art. The live auction will encompass Chinese ceramics and works of art from the Shang through the Qing dynasties. Highlights include a very rare Guan bottle vase formerly in the collection of Carl Kempe, a very rare 'peacock feather'-glazed mallet vase, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735), a remarkable imperial fahua 'dragon' jar, guan, Chenghua-Hongzhi period, late 15th century, and a rare imperial gilt-bronze bell, bian zhong, Kangxi period, dated by cast inscription to 1713. This sale celebrates the legacy and significant contribution to the field of Chinese art made by J.J. Lally & Co. For nearly four decades J. J. Lally & Co. presented pieces of the highest caliber to the most prominent collectors and museums worldwide. J.J. Lally & Co.'s carefully planned exhibitions and impeccably researched catalogues solidified the impeccable reputation of the gallery and the esteemed dealer who created it.

Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art March 23, 2023 | 2 p.m.

March 24, 2023 | 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Outstanding works from a number of important private collections of ceramics and early Chinese works of art, as well as a curated selection of important classical Chinese furniture. Highlights include a 17th-century exceptional and very rare huanghuali folding chair, an important early Western Zhou-dynasty bronze ritual wine vessel, jue, formerly from the Liu Tizhi collection, a large Northern Wei dynasty sandstone figure of a bodhisattva, an exquisite and very rare Yongzheng-period small doucai moon flask as well as lacquer, cloisonne enamel, jade carvings and glass from various private collections.

South Asian Modern + Contemporary Online March 15-28, 2023 | Online

Works by well-known artists at accessible estimates, including exceptional figurative works by Tyeb Mehta, Maqbool Fida Husain, Francis Newton Souza and Bikash Bhattacharjee, alongside early landscapes by Benodebehari Mukherjee, Avinash Chandra, Kanwal Krishna and Walter Langhammer, and abstract paintings by Sayed Haider Raza, Biren De, Laxman Shreshtha, Ismail Gulgee and Mohammed Kibria. Also includes a selection of contemporary works by artists including Atul Dodiya, Sheila Makhijani and Seher Shah.

Arts of Asia Online March 15-29, 2023 | Online

A wide selection of works across Asia and in various media, including furniture, jade carvings, lacquerwares, ceramics, metalwork, textiles, bronze sculpture, stone sculpture, prints, and paintings. Arts of Asia Online also highlights property from important collections including Chinese Ceramics from the J.M. Hu Zandelou Collection, Chinese Jade Carvings from the T. Eugene Worrell Collection, and Important Chinese Rank Badges from the David Hugus Collection, as well as a British collection of Japanese inro. With a wide range of estimates, and a number of works offered with no reserve, Arts of Asia Online presents opportunities for both burgeoning and established collectors of Asian art.

J. J. Lally & Co. Aa" The Library March 15-30, 2023 | Online

Visitors to J. J. Lally & Co. will remember the iconic reference library, which also served as a quiet, private space for first-hand viewing, study and discussion. The sale of the library will comprise 116 lots of essential volumes for the new and experienced collector, including reference books, scholarly journals, museum exhibitions, auction catalogues from the 1970s-2021, as well as a complete set of J. J. Lally & Co. exhibition catalogues.

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Mumbai, March 11 : Filmmaker-producer Mahesh Bhatt, whose relationship with actress Parveen Babi is quite well-known, recently opened up on the dark days when the lady whom he loved was in acute distress and trouble.

The director walked down the memory lane as he recollected the times when the actress was treated through electric shocks as she was battling mental illness.

Arbaaz Khan, who hosts the chat show 'The Invincibles', said: "There was probably one way of treating Parveen Babi, by giving electric shocks," to which Mahesh Bhatt replied: "That was the time I ran away with her. This was during the making of 'Shaan'." He went on: "There was a set put up for 'Shaan' and she was a big part of the movie. I remember walking up to the director of the film, Ramesh Sippy's office. I was a nobody then, he just looked at me and said, 'What's happening?'. At that time, mental illness used to be an enigma - even now it continues to be. The doctors said that it would take 6-8 weeks for her to return to functional normalcy." Mahesh even produced a film on his relationship with Parveen, the film, which released in 2005, was titled 'Woh Lamhe' and starred Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja.

He further mentioned: "But the film's production didn't have that much time, there were foreign film professionals involved in the film and the metre was running. A lot of money was riding on her. But then I hijacked her and took her away to Bangalore." 'Woh Lamhe' starred Kangana as a film actress who suffers from schizophrenia. Similar to what Mahesh described during the chat show, Kangana's character too is taken away by Shiney's character, who is a big director to take care of her.
Kochi, March 11 : The Kochi Muziris Biennale is the biennale of the masses and has been received whole-heartedly by the common man, said Apinan Poshyananda, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Thailand, and the CEO-cum-Director of Bangkok Biennale.

Apinan, an art critic considered one of the foremost curators in Asia and listed among the Future's list of most influential persons in Thailand, examined in detail the various artworks on display at different venues of the Kochi Biennale.

Incidentally, this was Apinan's first visit to the Biennale which is into its fifth edition that ends next month.

"The city of Kochi and her people play an important role in making the Biennale special. I happened to come across many of them while moving from one venue to the other. The energy and excitement are palpable. In other places, Biennale often feels secluded. Viewers are important. It is the participation of the people that decides the success of a Biennale. In that regard, Kochi Biennale is vastly superior. In the third world, there is no other Biennale that comes close to the Kochi Biennale," said Apinan and added that other biennale events have much to learn from the Kochi Biennale.

"The Biennale's layout and presentation are beautiful. The Bangkok Biennale is in its infancy. It is only three editions old. There is much to learn for Bangkok from the Kochi Biennale. Many presentations at the Kochi Biennale are mesmerising. There are some powerful creations too on display. Many have multiple layers to them. This is a new experience," he said.

"There is no revolting background or bias or sentiments attached to the Biennale here, unlike many other places. Here, people are everything. The corrupt influence of position or power does not reach here. The contribution of Biennale to economic well-being and tourism growth is beyond analytics. The Biennale is giving an economic push not just to Kerala, but to the country as a whole. The Kochi Biennale has played a key role in shaping a sustainable art market in the country," said Thailand's popular art loving top official.
San Francisco, March 11 : Microsoft plans to release GPT-4 as early as next week, with the ability to create AI-generated videos from simple text prompts.

Andreas Braun, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Germany, recently confirmed that GPT-4 will be unveiled next week at an event called -- AI in Focus -- Digital Kickoff, reports Windows Central.

"We will introduce GPT-4 next week, where we have multimodal models that will offer completely different possibilities - for example, videos," Braun was quoted as saying.

The report said that GPT-4 is the next iteration of OpenAI's Large Language Model (LLM), and it should be significantly more powerful than GPT-3.5, which powers the current version of ChatGPT.

ChatGPT and other GPT-3.5-powered technologies are currently limited to text-based responses.

However, Braun's comments imply that this may change with the release of GPT-4.

The multimodal models of the LLM could pave the way for video production and other types of content, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the AI-powered Bing search engine has surpassed 100 million daily active users, as ChatGPT's integration into Bing has helped the company grow its usage within a month like never before.

Its rival Google Search engine has more than 1 billion daily active users.

Roughly one-third of daily Bing preview users are using AI chat daily.
Kochi, March 11 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for providing information on the whereabouts of one Sawad -- the prime accused in the 2010 Kerala hand chopping case, an official said on Saturday.

Sawad is a resident of Ernakulam district in Kerala.

The case pertains to the chopping of a professor, T.J. Joseph's right hand in July 2010 by the activists of the now-banned organisation, Popular Front of India. Joseph was attacked while he was on his way to home from Church along with his mother and sister.

The attackers told him that he was being punished for the alleged sacrilegious undertone of one of the questions he had framed during an exam at the college where he was teaching.

The case was later investigated by the NIA.

A special NIA court in 2015 convicted 13 people owing allegiance to the PFI.

However, the key accused in the case, Sawad, continues to be on the run since then.
Christchurch : , March 11 (IANS) Daryl Mitchell struck his fifth Test century while Matt Henry made a career-best 72 helping New Zealand fight back on Day 3 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval here on Saturday.

Mitchell scored a superb 102 off 193 deliveries hitting six fours and two sixes and with Henry blazing to a quick-fire half-century as New Zealand clawed their way back into the match.

The Test was delicately poised as Blair Tickner then claimed 3-28 in a superb burst of pace bowling as Sri Lanka slumped to 83/3 in 38 overs in their second innings at the close of play on the third day. They had a slight lead of 65 runs with seven-second innings wickets in hand. Angelo Mathews was batting on 20 along with Prabath Jayasuriya (2 not out) at stumps.

But New Zealand's spirits were dampened by a leg injury to pacer Neil Wagner late on day three.

However, the day belonged to the Black Caps, especially Mitchell and Henry as they rescued their team from a precarious 162/5 in response to Sri Lanka's first innings score of 355, at the close of play on Day 2.

Mitchell's century and some late-order pyrotechnics propelled New Zealand to a first innings total of 373 - a lead of 18 on the first innings.

Starting at the overnight score of 162/5, New Zealand were down to 188/6 when Michael Bracewell fell in the first session. He scored 25 before edging behind to Niroshan Dickwella off Prabath Jayasuriya.

Mitchell was in superb form as New Zealand took advantage of the best batting conditions in the match so far, bringing up his fifth Test century and second at his home ground. He had struck his maiden unbeaten ton at the same Hagley Oval against Pakistan in January 2021. Mitchell has been in brilliant touch since the June tour of England, hitting three centuries - including a Test-best 190 in Nottingham.

Mitchell had walked in to bat on Friday afternoon with New Zealand tottering at 76/3 in difficult batting conditions with the ball swinging and seaming about and a confident Sri Lankan pace attack putting the Black Caps under pressure.

He combined for a 47-run stand for the seventh wicket with skipper Tim Southee (25) adding 56 for the eighth wicket with Matt Henry before he was caught behind by Dickwella off Lahiru Kumara.

Henry and Wagner (27) then smashed 69 runs off 49 balls in their entertaining ninth-wicket partnership, belting the Sri Lanka bowlers around the ground. Henry showed off his power-hitting ability, clubbing 24 off an over from Rajitha, which included five boundaries as New Zealand erased the first innings' deficit and gained an a small lead.

Brief scores: Day 3: Sri Lanka 355 and 83/3 in 38 overs (Oshada Fernando 28; Blair Tickner 3-28) lead New Zealand 373 all out in 107.3 overs (Daryl Mitchell 102, Matt Henry 72, Tom Latham 67; Asitha Fernando 4-85, Lahiru Kumara 3-76) by 65 runs.
New Delhi, March 11 : Sources of funding to national political parties remain largely unknown, an analysis has disclosed.

According to a report released by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released on Saturday, during FY 2021-22, BJP declared Rs 1161.0484 crore as income from unknown sources which is 53.45 per cent of the total income of national parties from unknown sources (Rs 2172.231 crore). This income of BJP is Rs 149.8658 crore more than the aggregate of income from unknown sources declared by the other six national parties (Rs 1011.1826 crore).

The report said that between FY 2004-05 and 2021-22, the national parties collected Rs 17,249.45 crore from unknown sources AITC declared Rs 528.093 crore as income from unknown sources which is 24.31 per cent of the total income of national parties from unknown sources.

Out of Rs 2172.231 crore as income from unknown sources, share of income from Electoral Bonds was Rs 1811.9425 crore or 83.4%, said the ADR report.

The report said that combined income of INC (Congress) and NCP from sale of coupons between FY 2004-05 and 2021-22 stands at Rs 4398.51 crore.

The report said that total income of eight national political parties in FY 2021-22 was Rs 3289.34 crore and total income of political parties from known donors (details of donors as available from contribution report submitted by parties to Election Commission and analysed by ADR) is Rs 780.774 crore, which is 23.74 per cent of the total income of the parties.

Total income of political parties from other known sources (sale of assets, membership fees, bank interest, sale of publications, party levy etc) is Rs 336.335 crore, or 10.22 per cent of the total income. Total income of political parties from unknown sources (income specified in the annual audit report whose sources are unknown) is Rs 2172.231 crore, which is 66.04 per cent of the total income of the parties, said the report.

The ADR report has said that out of Rs 2172.231 crore as income from unknown sources, share of income from Electoral Bonds is Rs 1811.9425 crore or 83.4 per cent.

ADR report said that income from sale of coupons declared by INC, CPI(M) & NCP) formed 6.785 per cent (Rs 147.3886 crore) of income from unknown sources while donations from voluntary contributions (below Rs 20,000) formed 9.184 per cent (Rs 199.4951 crore) in income from unknown sources of the seven national parties.

At present, political parties are not required to reveal the name of individuals or organisations giving less than Rs 20,000 nor those who donated via Electoral Bonds. As a result, more than 65% of the funds cannot be traced and are from 'unknown' sources.

ADR has recommended that since a very large percentage of the income of political parties cannot be traced to the original donor, full details of all donors should be made available for public scrutiny under the RTI. Some countries where this is done include Bhutan, Nepal, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Bulgaria, the US and Japan. In none of these countries, it is possible for more than 65% of the source of funds to be unknown, but at present it is so in India.

The unknown sources are income declared in the annual audit report but without giving source of income for donations below Rs 20,000. Such unknown sources include 'donations via Electoral Bonds', 'sale of coupons', 'relief fund', 'miscellaneous income', 'voluntary contributions', 'contribution from meetings/morchas', etc. The details of donors of such voluntary contributions are not available in the public domain, said ADR.
Patna, March 11 : BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday claimed that RJD national president Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are playing sympathy card over the raids of CBI and ED in connection with the land-for-jobs scam.

Addressing mediapersons here, Modi said: "There is no law in the country which bars investigating agencies not to conduct raids or ask questions to pregnant women and ill persons. Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar are playing sympathy cards on CBI and ED raids." "Nitish Kumar should announce that Bihar police would not conduct raids on the houses where pregnant women, ill persons or where children are residing. The sympathy card would not work for them. Lalu Prasad was involved in corruption and law is taking its own course," the BJP leader said.

Modi's statement came a day after Lalu Prasad said the ED "sent" by the BJP has posed questions to his pregnant daughter in-law Rajshree Yadav for 15 hours and his grandchildren and daughters were also "made to sit" for that long.

Modi asked Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav to reveal how he owned a luxury house in the upscale locality of Delhi at such a young age. When Tejashwi Yadav was 29-year-old, he was the owner of 52 properties.

"Instead of answering these questions, he and other members of Lalu family are crying foul," Modi said.

"Two persons are responsible for the plight of Lalu Prasad and they are Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and JD-U national president Lalan Singh. They have provided the documents of IRCTC land-for-jobs case to the CBI. Lalan Singh was the one who in 2008 wrote a letter about the scam to former prime minister Manmohan Singh. As the UPA government was in power, no action taken against him. When the regime changed in 2014, Lalan Singh became active again and he had provided the documents to CBI pertaining to this scam. Nitish Kumar compromised with corrupt persons and hence he is taking the favour of Lalu Prasad," Modi said.

"CBI has strong evidence against Lalu Prasad and his family members. Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav should answer who was Hridayanand Chaudhary. He was the fourth grade employee in India railways who obtained the job with the help of Lalu Prasad. He had gifted a piece of land to Lalu's one of the daughters Chanda Yadav worth Rs 60 lakh. Can Lalu Prasad deny it," Modi asked.

"When the first raid was conducted on Lalu Prasad's premises in connection with the fodder scam, at that time the UPA government was in power. When he went to jail for the first time, it was not during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government's tenure but the UPA government. The FIR in the IRCTC scam was also registered during the tenure of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. So, don't blame BJP," he said.

"One has to reap what he sows," he said.
New Delhi, March 11 : India and Australia have joined forces to drive innovation in areas of national challenges and shared priorities of both countries, an official said on Saturday.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) -- Australia's national science agency, have joined hands by signing a Letter of Intent (LoI) to encourage cooperation to drive innovation activities, a statement said.

The move came during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to India as he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in Delhi.

An official said that the meeting between Modi and Albanese spanned across areas of mutual interest and explored avenues of strengthening bilateral engagement in a range of key areas with innovation as one key item.

The LoI between AIM and CSIRO calls for a greater collaboration in areas of mutual interest and strategic priorities and serves as a general framework for cooperation intended to facilitate the development of more programme specific interventions.

The core of the bilateral engagement is the India-Australia Innovation and Technology Challenge (IA-ITC) -- a programme envisioned to bring together the innovation ecosystems of India and Australia.

The programme intends to leverage the complementary capabilities and resources of the innovation ecosystem of both the countries.

According to a statement, the IA-ITC builds on the success of the India Australia Circular Economy (IACE) hackathon 2021, which witnessed university students, start-ups, and SMEs from both India and Australia develop innovative tech-based solutions for circularity in food system value chain.

Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director - AIM, NITI Aayog said: "We are thrilled to partner with CSIRO on fostering innovation and co-developing the India Australia Innovation and Technology Challenge." "This partnership and the IA-ITC program in particular is an exciting opportunity for India and Australia to collaborate at different levels of the ecosystem involving start-ups, SMEs, business incubators and accelerators, VCs and the industry. This will open new horizons in knowledge sharing and co-creation given CSIRO's vast experience with Science and Technology programmes." Jonathan Law, Executive Director - Growth, CSIRO said: "CSIRO is excited to partner with AIM and work towards solving shared global challenges. AIM has an impressive track record of fostering and leveraging world-class innovations and entrepreneurs. We look forward to combining our strengths and expertise to create scientific breakthroughs that make real-world social, economic and environmental impact."
Thiruvananthapuram, March 11 : The Kerala Catholic Bishops Conference (KCBC) has expressed ire over a play - 'Kakkukali', which they say is an insult to Christianity. However, a section of the Communists and those behind the drama say it's nothing but an expression of freedom.

The drama is staged by Alapuzha-based Neythal Nataka Sangham which is scripted by K.B. Ajayakumar and directed by Job Madathil. It tells the trials and tribulations faced by a girl who becomes a nun, against the wishes of her Communist father.

KCBC president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis condemned the drama stating that it was against the cultural fabric of Kerala and staging it was a blot on the culture of the state.

He has asked the state government to ban staging it.

But, the play director Madathil said that by now they have already staged it at 15 places. He has decided to go ahead with the drama.

The trouble began when opposition came from a pro outfit of the KCBC- Pro Life which raised a banner of revolt when it was to be staged at Guruvayoor's Municipality's cultural event in Trissur.

However, the AIYF, the youth wing of the CPI, has come in support of the play, saying that if the creators of the play wish to stage it at Trissur, they will provide all the support for it.
Imphal, March 11 : The Manipur government has withdrawn from the tripartite talks and Suspension of Operations (SoO) signed with Kuki National Army (KNA) and Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA), two underground tribal militant outfits in the northeastern state, with immediate effect, officials said on Saturday.

It was reported that the cadres of KNA and ZRA are instigating the poppy cultivators in the state against the government, which has been taking action against illegal poppy cultivators, and destroying poppy fields in the forest lands, specially in the reserve and protected forests.

Frid'y's protests rallies against the state government on this count in three districts were also allegedly backed by KNA and ZRA militants.

A senior Manipur government official said that the Cabinet at a late night meeting on Friday decided to withdraw from the tripartite talks and SoO agreement signed with KNA and ZRA, and the Government of India.

The leaders of KNA and ZRA hail from outside the state, the official said.

The Manipur government took the decision after violent protests were staged by the civilians in different parts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts on Friday against state government's crackdown on poppy cultivation.

The Centre and Manipur government had signed the tripartite agreement and SoO with KNA and ZRA on August 22, 2008.

Under the SoO agreement, several hundred KNA and ZRA militants had come overground. However, the Union government is yet to come to the negotiating table.

The Cabinet meeting on Friday night chaired by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh reviewed the law and order situation in the state after the protest rallies held earlier in the day at Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tengnoupal districts.

"The Cabinet noted that the rallies were organised for a cause which is unconstitutional and therefore the rallies were illegal. The Cabinet also reaffirmed that the government will not compromise on the steps taken to protect the state's forest resources and for eradicating poppy cultivation," an official statement said.

The state government has also served show-cause notices to the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of Churachandpur and Tengnoupal districts for allowing the rallies in violation of prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144.

"Strong action would be taken against the officers responsible for the lapse in security," the statement said.

While the district authorities in Churachandpur and Tengnoupal allowed the protest rallies, the same in Kangpokpi district was prevented by the authorities leading to the clashes, in which at least four policemen and 10 civilians were injured.

As part of the 'War Against Drug Mission', the Manipur government has been destroying poppy fields and evicting the settlers from the reserved and protected forest areas.
Jaipur, March 11 : A murder mystery has prompted the Jaipur Municipal Corporation Heritage to change its rules.

In Jaipur, now the ID of five people will have to be given to perform the last rites in the crematorium and cemetery. This will also include the ID of the deceased. These five people would be those who attended the funeral.

Jaipur Municipal Corporation Heritage issued orders in this regard on March 8. These orders have been issued after the famous Monalisa murder case reported in Bikaner last year. Bikaner's Additional SP Amit Kumar wrote a letter to the Jaipur collector in this context.

Municipal Corporation Jaipur Heritage officers said that the records of many dead are not kept after the last rites in the crematorium as well as in Jaipur city. Eventually, the correct information doesn't come out when required.

The decision has been taken after Monalisa, a resident of Bikaner, was murdered on February 5, 2021 by her husband Bhavani Singh in a flat in Omaxe City, Jaipur. After it was stated as natural death to destroy the evidence of murder, Municipal Corporation had cremated Monalisa at Moksha Dham located in Sodala Purani Chungi, Jaipur. The cause of death was referred as Corona to the family members of Monalisa.

When the family members got suspicious, they registered a murder case in Bikaner in 2022. When the police investigated the case, surprising facts came out. She was murdered by her own husband.

During the investigation, when the police reached the crematorium at Sodala and asked for records regarding Monalisa's murder, there was no record. After this, Bikaner ASP Amit Kumar wrote a letter to the Jaipur collector on January 17.

The order comes with these facts: A complete record of last rites should be made in all the cremation grounds run by the Municipal Corporation Jaipur Heritage.

Records are not maintained by those who work in the crematorium, sell wood, perform last rites, sell other materials related to cremation. They should also keep a record of the person taking the cremation material.

All people are cremated in the cremation ground. Cremation should be done after ascertaining the identity of the deceased.

Records should be taken by taking the identity documents of at least five people involved in the funeral.

Records related to cremation should be submitted to the Municipal Corporation every month.

At present, apart from the ID of the deceased brought to the crematorium and cemetery in Jaipur city, the ID of one of his relatives was taken. So that its details can be filled in the application form for the death certificate and sent to the Municipal Corporation.
Chennai, March 11 : Actor-turned-politician and DMDK leader Vijayakanth on Saturday voiced his protest against the Central public sector undertaking (PSU) NLC India Ltd for acquiring farmland in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore.

The Desiya Murpoku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader told mediapersons that the ruling DMK must stop being spectators in the issue and intervene at the earliest.

He called upon the NLC India to provide justifiable compensation to the villagers whose land was acquired by the PSU.

Vijayakanth also said the Central and the state government schemes are for the welfare of the people.

He also decried the use of force by the police against protesting villagers whose land was being acquired.

The NLC India is in the process of acquiring land from the villagers of Cuddalore for its second round of expansion.

The police have also set up barricades at the entrance to the villages like Rangamathevi, Kilpadi, Karivetti and Adanur where the land is being acquired.

AIADMK interim general secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, K. Palaniswami has also come out strongly against the acquisition of land.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) of the powerful Vanniyar community has been at the forefront of the agitations against the land acquisition.

PMK leader and former Union Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss has also protested against the acquisition.
New Delhi, March 11 : In a latest development in the death case of noted Bollywood actor-director Satish Kaushik, a woman, who claims to be the wife of a Delhi-based businessman, has claimed that her husband allegedly killed Kaushik for Rs 15 crore which he took from the actor for investment purpose in Dubai.

Atul Krishan New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) In a latest development in the death case of noted Bollywood actor-director Satish Kaushik, a woman, who claims to be the wife of a Delhi-based businessman, has claimed that her husband allegedly killed Kaushik for Rs 15 crore which he took from the actor for investment purpose in Dubai.

The woman made the claim in a complaint she lodged with the Delhi Police Commissioner's office, alleging that Kuashik was demanding the money back which her husband didn't want to repay.

She alleged that Kaushik was murdered with some pills which were arranged by her husband.

Earlier on Saturday, a senior police officer had said that they have recovered some 'medicines' from the farmhouse in Delhi where the 66-year-old actor had attended a party before his death, reportedly due to cardiac arrest.

IANS, which has accessed a copy of the complaint filed by the woman, also spoke to her who said that it was a planned murder.

The woman claimed that she got married to the businessman on March 13, 2019, adding that she was introduced to Kaushik by her husband and the late actor met them regularly in India and Dubai.

She claimed that on August 23, 2022 Kaushik had visited their house in Dubai and demanded Rs 15 crore from her husband.

"I was present in the drawing room where both Kaushik and my husband got involved in an argument. Kaushik was saying that he was in dire need of money and it has been three years since he gave Rs 15 crore to my husband for investment purpose. Kaushik also said that neither any investment was made nor his money was returned for which he was feeling cheated," read the complaint.

She also shared a photo of the businessman and Kaushik, taken at a party in Dubai. The woman alleged that the son of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was also present in the party.

"My husband promised Kaushik that he would repay the money soon. When I asked my husband what was the matter, he said that he lost Kaushik's money during the Covid pandemic. My husband also said that he was planning to get rid of Kaushik," read the complaint, which also said that her husband deals in various kinds of drugs.

The complaint said that the businessman had a heated argument with Kaushik on August 24, 2022 over the money.

The woman claimed that her husband told Kaushik that the payment was made in advance and hence there was no proof of it, but he was ready to repay it for which he needed time.

"Then I heard Kaushik telling my husband that he had given him a promissory note. Now I read the news of Kaushik's death. I fully suspect that it was my husband who along with his aides conspired and murdered Kaushik with drugs so that he doesn't have to return the money," the complaint read.

When asked, the concerned police officers did not make any comment on the matter.

As per sources, 25 persons who attended the party at the farmhouse will be summoned for questioning.

( can be approached at atul.k@ians.in)
Cherry blossoms in spring attract tourists at the Yongfu Cherry and Tea Scenic Spot of Zhangping, Fujian province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]



March is the month in which cherry trees with their pink blossom petals lure tourists. It is also peak season for tourism at the Yongfu Cherry and Tea Scenic Spot of Zhangping, Fujian province, an entrepreneurship center for Taiwan people.

In the 1990s, Hsieh Tung-Ching introduced the first cherry tree from Taiwan to Yongfu, which has grown into a sea of flowers and is a popular attraction. "When the cherry trees blossom, more than 10,000 tourists come to see them every day," Hsieh said, adding that the bloom period is from late January to mid-March.

He said rural tourism has great potential on the Chinese mainland. In 2006, Tseng Kuo-Pao began his tea business in the town, to cover planting, processing and exhibition, which have become popular with tourists. He added that revenue grew 50 percent during the cherry cultural and tourism festival on Feb 10, when a lot of tourists came to buy Taiwan snacks and specialties.

Hsieh Yu-Hsuan also joined the festival.

"Tourists like grilled sausage and milk tea from Taiwan, so we are confident," Hsieh Yu-Hsuan said.

The scenic spot received 300,000 tourist visits last year, generating 100 million yuan ($14.48 million) in revenue, according to the local authorities.

Cherry blossoms in spring attract tourists at the Yongfu Cherry and Tea Scenic Spot of Zhangping, Fujian province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]








New Delhi, March 11 : A 21-year-old man was stabbed to death in Delhi's Trilokpuri area on Saturday, an official said.

The deceased has been identified as Tushar, a resident of Trilokpuri area.

According to the police, an information of a stabbing incident was received from the LBS Hospital at the Kalyanpuri police station on Saturday afternoon following which an investigating officer was deputed for further inquiry.

"The IO collected the medico-legal case report of Tushar from the hospital where he was declared brought dead," said a senior police officer.

"On further inquiry, it was found that the deceased was stabbed multiple times by a man in front of a house in Trilokpuri," the officer said.

The police are scanning CCTV footages from the area to identify the accused and to ascertain the crime sequence.
Kolkata, March 11 : Trinamool Congress leader Santanu Bandopadhyay, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday in connection with the multi- crore teacher's recruitment scam in West Bengal, was remanded to three-day ED custody by a special PMLA court here on Monday.

Although the ED counsel had made a plea for 14-day custody of Bandopadhyay, the principal nodal officer of Hooghly district Zilla Parishad, the judge granted remand till March 13.

Bandopadhyay on Saturday claimed that he has been framed in this matter and that it had been done purposefully by those who are already in judicial custody in relation to the multi-crore scam. However, he did not name anyone specific on this count.

Meanwhile, ED sources said that the agency has got definite proof that Bandopadhyay had direct links with Trinamool Congress legislator and the former president of West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), Manik Bhattacharya, who is currently in judicial custody along with his wife and son for their alleged involvement in the recruitment scam.

The ED has recovered two identical list of candidates for primary teachers' recruitment, first from the residence of Bhattacharya and the second from the residence of Bandopadhyay.

In the two identical lists of 319 candidates, 20 are currently employed as primary teachers in different state-run schools. The investigating officers are considering summoning them for questioning to find out whom they paid the money to ensure their appointments.

As per the statements made to the ED by Tapas Mondal, another accused middleman in the scam, Bandopadhyay used to directly send recommendations for appointment of primary teachers to Bhattacharya.
Dhaka, March 11 : The attack on Ahmadiyas in Bangladesh was pre-planned by the Islamists backed by the Pakistan-based Jamaat-e-Islami and the militant outfits, an official said on Saturday.

"The trained armed cadres, equipped with lethal weapons, carried out attacks on the Ahmadiyya community," a senior official told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

Militants used gunpowder and petrol during attacks on the Ahmadiyya community while it organised a 3-day Jalsa.

The attacks on March 3 in Panchagarh Sadar left two dead and over 100 injured.

S.M. Sirajul Islam Huda, Superintendent of Panchagrrh district police, said that 30 people were arrested for the attack in which gunpowder and petrol were used to set establishments afire.

A total of 165 people have been arrested so far in connection with the attacks, he told IANS.

"We have been arresting people on the basis of specific information and footage, irrespective of their political backgrounds," said Huda.

On March 3, an engineer belonging to the Ahmadiyya community was killed while at least 30 others, including seven policemen, were injured in a clash between law enforcers and supporters of Islamist organisations demonstrating against the Ahmadiyya community, demanding cancellation of the 3-day-long 'Jalsa Salana' -- an annual gathering of the members of the Ahmadiyyas.

The Islamists set afire more than 300 houses and around 200 shops belonging to the members of the Ahmadiya community.

Police vehicles were also set on fire while a police station was attacked.
Kolkata, March 11 : The West Bengal government has communicated to the Centre that if permitted, the state government will arrange for cultivation of poppy seeds under strict vigilance and restricting the production to state-run agricultural farms only.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced on the floor of the Assembly that she has written to the Centre seeking permission for poppy cultivation in West Bengal considering the increased demand of it as a favourite Bengali palate against the sky-rocketing price of the product in the market.

A senior state government official said that in the communication to Union Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, the state government has outlined the detailed infrastructure available in the state so that poppy cultivation can be done to prevent its misuse in manufacturing of psychotropic and narcotics substances.

"In the letter, the state government has provided the details of the state-run agricultural farms which can be used for the purpose of poppy cultivation under strict vigilance," the official said.

According to the state Agriculture Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, there are currently 160 state-run agricultural farms, some of which can be utilised for poppy cultivation under strict vigilance of the state machinery.

"The demand for poppy as a palate is maximum in West Bengal. So if the state is allowed poppy cultivation, the dependence on imported poppy will come down to a great extent. This will also economically benefit the state and the country," he said.

The Chief Minister had on Thursday also sought the support of the opposition BJP in pushing the demand on this count.

Currently, poppy cultivation is allowed only in three states -- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The West Bengal government's contention is that the cultivation of this particular variety of seed is allowed in three states where the demand is much lower compared to that in West Bengal.

This is not the first time that the West Bengal government has demanded permission to cultivate poppy.

Banerjee had raised the matter at the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Bhubaneswar, which was chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah. However, no positive decision has come on this count so far.
Panaji, March 11 : Noted Konkani poet Melvyn Rodrigues from Mangaluru, Karnataka, has been elected as the Convenor of Konkani Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, at the general council meeting held on March 11.

Rodrigues told IANS that it is a honour of all Konkani-speaking people and he will try his best for the progress of the language.

"This is a honour of all Konkani people living in India and foreign countries. I will try to do whatever best possible for taking Konkani to greater heights, working within the Constitution of Akademi and fight to uphold the true spirit of writers," he said.

As per the 2011 census, there were around eight lakh Konkani-speaking people in Karnataka. There are also Konkani-speaking people and Konkani writers in Delhi, Kerala and Maharashtra.

Rodrigues will be a member of the executive council of the Sahitya Akademi for the next five years.

Earlier in January, Rodrigues was nominated to the General Council of Sahitya Akademi. His name was chosen by the outgoing general council, out of the several recommendations received from various Konkani institutions affiliated to the Akademi.

A graduate in Business Management and a postgraduate in Sociology, Rodrigues is currently working as the Director of Operations, at Daijiworld Media Private Limited.

He is the founder of Kavita Trust, which has organised more than 220 programmes on poetry and has published 34 books.

Rodrigues has many literature books to his credit, which includes one novella, six poetry collections, three translations, two collection of essays, six edited works and one musical album.

He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2011.
New Delhi, March 11 : After Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal last week announced a new platform, 'Insaaf', and a website, 'Insaaf Ke Sipahi', to fight the 'injustice prevailing in the country under the BJP-led government', the senior lawyer on Saturday held a meeting at Jantar Mantar to launch the initiative.

Sibal launched this platform in the presence of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha, which is intended to help people rise in the fight against injustice with lawyers at the forefront of the initiative.

Addressing the gathering, Sibal referred to the raids conducted at the premises of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members, and claimed that the operation was BJP's response to losing power in Bihar.

Sibal said: "You can see what is happening in Bihar. They felt Tejashwi Yadav and JD-U are coming together. It's been years since Lalu Prasad has been the Chief Minister of Bihar. They came to remember the case all of a sudden." Talking about the recent raids by probe agencies, Sibal said: "The ED sees the Indian map in a different way. They see only the opposition ruled states, they don't go to BJP ruled states." Focusing on his initiative, Sibal said: "Every political party has its own ideology, but when you read the preamble of the Constitution, the basis of it is justice." Sibal also pointed out the prevalence of defectors becoming ministers, and went on to accuse the BJP of buying MLAs, and destabilising opposition governments in different states.

"What kind of politics is this? Defectors are become ministers... Those who defect from their party should be banned from becoming ministers or fighting elections for five years," Sibal said.

Sibal also demanded for Rs 50,000 salary for school teachers, free education for women, and cheap healthcare, and more.

About Sibal's national-level platform, Tankha said: "Everyone wants justice, but there are very few who can fight for it. This will become the voice of 133 crore Indians. We hope that it will transform into a people's movement." Those who want to combat injustice can register on the website insaafkesipahi.co.in, Sibal said.
Jaipur, March 12 : Countering the demand of the widows of Pulwama martyrs in Rajasthan that their brother-in-laws should be given government jobs, a group of war widows in the state met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday and said that it is not appropriate to give jobs to anyone other than the wife and children of martyrs.

Posting photographs of the meeting on Twitter, Gehlot said, "Salute to the war widows, salute to the sacrifices." The war widows expressed their views at the residence of the Chief Minister and supported the current policies of the state government.

The state government will always stand with the martyrs and their families, Gehlot said.

It needs to be mentioned here that the wives of Pulwama martyrs -- Manju Jat, Sundari Devi, Madhubala Meena -- were protesting outside Congress leader Sachin Pilot's residence for the past one week. However, the police forcefully removed them the protest site at 3 a.m. on Thursday and took them to their village in an ambulance.

Manju Jat and Sundari Devi demanded government jobs for their respective brother-in-law, but the government's argument is that there is no provision to give a government job to such a kin.
Mumbai, March 12 : In a freak mishap, an iron rod fell from a building onto a passing autorickshaw below and killed a woman and her minor daughter travelling in it, the BMC Disaster Control said here late on Saturday.

The incident occurred near the Western Express Highway at Jogeshwari around 6 p.m. on Saturday.

As the autorickshaw cruised by, an iron rod hurtled down from the seventh floor scaffolding of a 16-storey under-construction building on the three-wheeler, critically injuring the duo.

A passing private vehicle stopped and rushed them to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital for treatment.

Doctors later said that while the mother, Shamabano Asif Shaikh, 28, was dead before admission, her 9-year old daughter Aayat succumbed to her injuries during treatment.
Dhaka, March 12 : Atleast 200 people were injured in a clash between students of Rajshahi University (RU) and locals in Binodpur Gate area of Rajshahi city here.

Atleast 25 to 30 shops, including a police box, were torched during the clash.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed, exams and university classes have also been postponed on Sunday and Monday.

The clash ensued when a student of the university entered into an altercation with a bus staff at about 6 p.m. over seating arrangement in a bus.

Witnesses said that Akash, a student of the Social Work department, came to Rajshahi in a bus from Bogura on Saturday evening.

He entered into an altercation with the driver and supervisor of the bus over sitting in the bus.

Later, assistant of the bus and Akash entered into an altercation again in the Binodpur Gate area of the university.

A local trader also joined in the altercation at that time.

On being informed, students from various halls of the university rushed to the spot and engaged in clashes with the bus staff and locals.

Witnesses said the students and traders then began hurling brick chips at each other at that time.

The students vandalised several shops and set them on fire while the traders damaged several motorcycles of the students.

RU proctor professor Ashabul Haque said they were trying to bring the situation under control.
Dar Es Salaam, March 12 : Three suspected poachers have been detained by Tanzanian police after they were found in possession of six elephant tusks in the country's northern region of Manyara, police said.

George Katabazi, the Manyara regional police commander, on Saturday said the suspected poachers were arrested on Friday at 9 p.m. local time in Madunga village in Babati district in the region.

"The suspects were riding on two motorcycles that they used to ferry the tusks," Katabazi added.

He said the suspects were arrested during a joint crackdown conducted by police and game rangers from the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority after they were tipped off by members of the public, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last week, an official said police were holding three suspected poachers in connection with the killing of six elephants in the East African nation's Ruaha National Park, a national park in Tanzania, between January 2022 and February 2023.

Godwell Ole Meing'ataki, assistant conservation commissioner and commanding officer for the Ruaha National Park, told Xinhua over the phone that the suspected poachers, found in possession of multiple elephant tusks, were arrested on February 28 in the Iringa municipality by the Wildlife and Forest Force of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in collaboration with the police.
An Omaha man has pleaded guilty to his part in a multimillion dollar embezzlement scheme that he and his partner used to fund their lavish lifestyle.

Jeffrey Stenstrom, 42, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to a news release from the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nebraska.

Stenstrom and his partner Brett A. Cook embezzled upwards of $5.1 million from Omaha property management company Darland Properties LLC, which Cook was vice president of, according to Stenstrom's plea deal. Stenstrom and Cook obtained the money by overbilling for contracting work, billing for work that was not performed and obtaining insurance proceeds from the fraudulent invoices.

Cook was found dead in May after federal agents searched his home, and his death was ruled a suicide.

Under the plea agreement, Stenstrom faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000, twice the amount of the laundered funds or both. Stenstrom has also agreed to pay restitution of no less than $5.1 million to Darland Properties, according to the release.

Stenstrom will also forfeit multiple properties in Nebraska, a residence in Arizona, multiple vehicles including a 2020 McLaren 600 LT Spider, jewelry and multiple life insurances policies worth over $2 million, the release said.

Stenstrom's sentencing is scheduled for June 2 and a federal judge has ordered a pre-sentence investigation be conducted, the release said.

Stenstrom also has a pending sentencing for income tax evasion in which he faces up to five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine and will pay just under $2 million in restitution to the IRS, according to the release.
Ankara, March 12 : At least five migrants were killed when a dinghy sank off the coast of southwest Turkey, state media reported.

Turkish coastguard arrived off the coast of Didim district in Aydin province after learning that a boat was taking in water at 6:20 a.m. (0320 GMT), the daily Hurriyet reported on Saturday.

The coastguards rescued 11 people, including a child, the daily reported, adding that search and rescue efforts continue in the area for the missing migrants, Xinhua news agency reported.

The preliminary findings revealed that the migrants, who are African nationals, were brought to Didim by human traffickers before sailing to the Greek islands illegally, the Hurriyet reported.

The Aegean Sea has been an important route for migrants trying to reach Europe through Turkey. A deal was signed between Turkey and the European Union in March 2016 to curb the flow of illegal immigration.
HackerEarth's State of Developer Ecosystem report also reveals developers aim to sharpen their Blockchain and Data Science competencies, their growing demand to be assessed fairly for their skills via developer-friendly dedicated tech hiring platforms, and the need for more equity in the workplace.

HackerEarth, a global HR tech company providing leading solutions to sources, assess, upskill and engage software developer talent, today released its annual State of Developer Ecosystem report. The report has leveraged comparative insights by polling recruiters, engineering managers, and developers to form a comprehensive, in-depth account of where tech recruiting stands today.

According to recent data published by The World Economic Forum, over 42% of all jobs are expected to undergo significant changes, highlighting the increasing importance of skills such as analytics, critical thinking, and advanced problem-solving. HackerEarth's State of Developer Ecosystem report also reveals the rising desire among developers to sharpen their Blockchain and Data Science competencies, their growing demand to be assessed fairly for their skills via developer-friendly dedicated tech hiring platforms, and the need for more equity in the workplace.

HackerEarths report shows that in 2023, tech talent expects transparent communication, honest workplace reviews, better performance improvement plans. They also expect their organizations to create value and affect real-life change through their tech, or CSR initiatives, and this is reflected in their approach towards DEI initiatives. Additionally, developers want biases against self-taught developers to be eliminated, highlighting the emergence of a skill-first approach to employment. HackerEarths State of Developer Ecosystem report also highlights that 87.9% of self-taught developers have faced biases when applying for jobs.

Tech is one of those sectors that lives in a dual reality. We are at the forefront of all innovation, and yet we are also the ones hit hardest by the current global headwinds. Our aim with this survey was to bring together the two sides of the tech recruiting coin, and build a comprehensive snapshot of what ails tech hiring and what can be improved. I believe by examining both the developer perspective and the recruiting perspective side-by-side, we can build resilient, talented and inclusive tech teams that can weather any storms that may lie ahead, said Sachin Gupta, CEO of HackerEarth.

Key findings from the 2023 State of Developer Recruitment Report include:

1.Hiring is mostly frozen, except for a slight thaw among certain sectors



40% of the recruiters are unsure of the market conditions and didnt know when they would start hiring again.

Only 20% of the recruiters said they planned to hire upwards of 100 developers in the coming days.

2.The tech community and their needs



Developers indicate that the use of tech hiring tools, ongoing skills development, and clear understanding of the technology stack are essential components for improving the hiring process.

Upskilling in demand with 17.74% of developers aiming to sharpen their skills in Blockchain, and 17.66% choosing Data Science.

3.Developers feel that organizations have made efforts to facilitate better alignment



Three years after COVID, about 86% of organizations and 78.7% of developers feel that the tech hiring process has improved for the better.

Organizations have re-aligned their hiring flow to enhance candidate experience through the use of knowledge-sharing as an engagement tool. Social media and employer branding also features heavily in their plans to attract Gen Z talent.

It is also clear that developers favor the use of automated tools for hiring with 44.61% of them saying they would appreciate being assessed via dedicated tech hiring platforms.

4.Collaboration between recruiters and hiring managers has always been a source of friction, and newer challenges are thrown up as behaviors and expectations change



FullStack developer roles remain challenging to fill due the high demand in similar tech fields such as blockchain, machine learning, and data science.

Recruiters also believe that remote work has reduced accountability across teams and caused siloing of functions; however, this may slowly see a change with the newer generation preferring to either work in a hybrid mode or in a fully offline mode.

5.Looking ahead to 2023



The hiring freeze offers the perfect opportunity to overhaul tech recruiting funnels, and fix flaws.

Automated assessments with benchmarked results can help highlight candidates coding skills.

Job stability and rewarding job experience with open channels of communication and inclusive initiatives to take precedence.

Access the full report here: https://www.hackerearth.com/recruit/resources/insights/drs2023/

About HackerEarth

HackerEarth is a global company that helps large enterprises recruit, evaluate, and upskill developers based on specific skills. The companys platform enables recruiters to make the most accurate and informed decisions about candidates, improve hiring efficiencies, facilitate continuous learning and development, and ensure the right developers are matched with the right positions. HackerEarth is also a leading facilitator of online hackathons and coding challenges, where its community of over 6.5 million developers can upskill and practice for employment interviews. The company was founded in 2012 with offices in San Francisco and India. For more information, visit https://www.hackerearth.com.
We are honored to once again receive this prestigious acknowledgement by our industry peers at all five locations, with two (Miami and Orlando) receiving Premier Dealer status.

Off Lease Only is delighted to announce that it has once again earned the prestigious Edmunds Five Star Premier Dealer Award for customer satisfaction stemming from consistently highly rated 2022 reviews. Edmunds, an online car shopping resource that generates more than 20 million visits every month, honors 80 dealers nationwide for outstanding customer satisfaction ratings, with 11 of those dealers earning the prestigious Edmunds Five Star Premier Dealer designation.

We are honored to once again receive this prestigious acknowledgement by our industry peers at all five locations, with two (Miami and Orlando) receiving Premier Dealer status, states Lee Wilson, CEO of Off Lease Only. With our unique online and in-store customer experience, we are looking forward to continuing to provide exceptional service and support for years to come.

Off Lease Only has stores in West Palm Beach, Broward County, Miami, Orlando and Bradenton, Florida earning the highly coveted national award based on customer sales reviews submitted from January 1 to December 31, 2022. The fact that Off Lease Only continues to elicit extremely high marks from our customers is a testament to the professionalism, hard work, dedication and commitment that our teams have put into ensuring that our customers receive the best possible service, adds Off Lease Only COO, Alan McLaren.

The Five Star Dealer Award is a measure of the worth a dealership places on quality customer reviews, which drives future business. Off Lease Only has previously been recognized by Edmunds for its top-notch customer experience every year from 2015 to 2022.

"Dealerships across the country continued to navigate inventory shortages in 2022 amid other market hurdles, including fluctuations in used car values and major shifts in consumer shopping behavior. This year's Five Star Dealer recipients demonstrated incredible tenacity in the face of these challenges while setting the highest standards of service with their customers," said Seth Berkowitz, president of Edmunds

To see the complete list of Edmunds Five Star Winners, visit:

https://www.edmunds.com/industry/five-star-dealers.html

To learn more about Off Lease Only, visit: https://www.offleaseonly.com/

ABOUT OFF LEASE ONLY

Founded in 2004, Off Lease Only is a high-volume, pre-owned car dealership group based in Florida with stores in Palm Beach County, Broward County, Miami, Orlando and Bradenton, as well as a new location in Katy, Texas under its sister brand CarSquad. With more than 350,000 pre-owned cars sold, Off Lease Only is dedicated to providing five-star customer service while saving customers thousands of dollars on quality used cars, trucks, SUVs and vans. While serving the Florida community for over 18 years, Off Lease Only has been recognized with multiple awards from the automotive industry.

ABOUT EDMUNDS

Edmunds guides car shoppers online from research to purchase. With in-depth reviews of every new vehicle, shopping tips from an in-house team of experts, plus a wealth of consumer and automotive market insights, Edmunds helps millions of shoppers each month select, price and buy a car with confidence. Regarded as one of America's best workplaces by Fortune, Great Place to Work and Built In, Edmunds is based in Santa Monica, California.
The collaboration will spearhead awareness and accessibility to HPV testing for women in Nigeria.

GoodAction is proud to announce its support of Fleri and Healthtracka in honor of International Women's Month, to help reduce the number of Nigerian women suffering from cervical cancer. With more than 12,000 women in Nigeria diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and almost 8,000 dying from the disease, it is crucial to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and preventive behaviors. This is a joint initiative between three leading technology companies: Fleri, Healthtracka, and GoodAction.

At the forefront of this effort is Fleri, a healthcare platform on a mission to raise $10,000 through corporate donations, funding a minimum of 500 HPV self test kits for women in Nigeria who are within the low-income bracket. Fleri has coordinated with Healthtracka, a healthcare technology company, to provide the test kits, in addition to promoting awareness of the cause. GoodAction, a tech first fundraising platform for non-profit organizations and businesses alike, will host the initiative and drive support for donations.

The collaboration will spearhead awareness and accessibility to testing for women in Nigeria. The survival rate for cervical cancer when found early is high, with more than 90% of women surviving beyond five years after diagnosis. The self-collection HPV testing kit is widely validated, convenient, private, and easy to use, encouraging women across the country to take their health into their own hands.

GoodAction is excited to partner with Fleri and Healthtracka to champion the fight against cervical cancer in Nigeria and promote awareness globally. For more information about this initiative, please visit goodaction.com

About GoodAction: GoodAction is a tech platform designed to make the connection between non-profit organizations, corporations, and individuals seamless. It enables easy and secure donations and volunteering towards various causes, including health, education, environmental, social, and governance issues. The platform helps organizations increase their reach and impact by providing tools to create fundraising campaigns, track donations, and engage with donors. GoodAction is committed to promoting social good and making a difference in the world.

Learn more: https://www.goodaction.com/

About Fleri: Fleri is a membership-based healthcare platform on a mission to help immigrants protect the people they love regardless of how far apart they are. Their revolutionary business model provides an alternative to sending cash transfers for medical expenses. As a member, immigrants can find and directly pay for healthcare access for their loved ones overseas. With access to a dedicated family care coordinator and the best healthcare providers across Africa, Fleri brings peace of mind to immigrants in the diaspora and quality care to their loved ones overseas.

Learn more: https://joinfleri.com/

About Healthtracka: Healthtracka is a digital health platform that provides at-home sample collection and delivers lab testing results digitally in 1-3 days in Nigeria. The company offers individuals a broad range of testing options and clinical services such as consultation and medication prescriptions that they can access from home. Healthtracka aims to empower Nigerians to take control of their health and lead longer, happier lives by making care accessible, affordable and convenient.

Learn more: https://healthtracka.com/
America's Preferred Home Warranty "This recognizes our team for what we do every day, 24/7/365, which is to turn customers moments of misery into moments of magic, making sure that theyre taken care of, said APHW VP of Operations Michael Sadler.

Americas Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) was recently presented with the Bronze Stevie Award in the Most Valuable Response by a Customer Service Team category in the 17th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service.

The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service are the worlds top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals. The Stevie Awards organizes eight of the worlds leading business awards programs, including the prestigious American Business Awards and International Business Awards.

Winners were announced on Friday, March 3rd, during a gala event attended by more than 400 professionals from around the world at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

More than 2,300 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry and country were considered in this years competition. Winners were determined by the average scores of more than 170 professionals worldwide on seven specialized judging committees.

The nominations we received for the 2023 competition illustrate that business development, customer service, and sales professionals worldwide, in all sorts of organizations, have continued to innovate, thrive, and meet customer expectations, said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. The judges have recognized and rewarded their achievements, and we join them in applauding this year's winners for their continued success.

This award is a direct result of their ongoing commitment to excellence, said APHW CEO Rodney Martin, and I couldnt be more excited for our entire customer service team at APHW.

This recognizes our team for what we do every day, 24/7/365, which is to turn customers moments of misery into moments of magic, making sure that theyre taken care of, said APHW VP of Operations Michael Sadler. And you know, our response to the COVID pandemic was years in the making. We had all the systems in place to take care of it, but what made it work was the human element, the people that we have working for us. They had to work during an unprecedented time, with their spouses and loved ones working alongside of them, and take care of our customers. I think this award will make our team members feel proud, but they dont do it for recognitionthey just want to take care of our customers.

Details about the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service and the list of Stevie winners in all categories are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/Sales. Nominations for the 2024 competition will be accepted starting this July.

About Americas Preferred Home Warranty

For over 20 years, Americas Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) has helped thousands of homeowners nationwide protect their biggest investment. Located in Jackson, Michigan, APHW is a privately held company dedicated to providing our customers with high-quality products, competitive pricing, and unsurpassed service.

We do this by:



Protecting essential home systems and appliances

Providing homeowners with their choice of contractor

Delivering top-rated support and claims service 24/7/365

Educating customers about home warranties and maintenance

About The Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.

Sponsors of the 17th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service include Sales Partnerships, Inc., Support Services Group, and ValueSelling Associates, Inc.
Dr. Lee's vision for patient care blends both safety as well as optimal aesthetic outcomes.

Dr. Lee is a Harvard-trained plastic surgeon serving patients in the greater Boston area. He specializes in cosmetic procedures of the face, breast, body, as well as nonsurgical treatments such as Botox and Juvederm. Dr. Lee's vision for patient care blends both safety as well as optimal aesthetic outcomes. I am first and foremost a doctor. My primary objective is to keep things safe and if something is unsafe or not worth the risk, I will tell you. I also tell all of my patients that I always reserve the right to change the plan if it becomes a safety issue.

"By utilizing the most advanced techniques coupled with an in-depth understanding of the human body, Dr. Lee is able to achieve outstanding outcomes which result in extremely happy patients!"

Education and Training

Dr. Lee grew up in the northeast and graduated from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania with honors (magna cum laude). From there he went to medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine where he made the decision to become a surgeon. After medical school, he completed his training in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Medical School hospital. During this time, he also completed a fellowship in the Plastic Surgery Research Lab where he published numerous book chapters and journal articles. He also traveled extensively giving presentations at the national and international level advancing the field of plastic surgery. From there, he was accepted to the Harvard Plastic Surgery Combined Residency Program where he further refined his surgical skills in all aspects of plastic surgery. Dr. Lee then completed his training as a fellow in Craniofacial Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. Breast surgery is by far the most commonly performed aesthetic surgery in the world. Whatever the goal, Dr. Lee will make an accurate assessment and then formulate a safe, customized plan just for you.

Learn more about Dr. Jeffrey Lee by visiting: https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/member/dr-jeffrey-lee/

ABOUT HAUTE BEAUTY NETWORK:

Haute Beauty is affiliated with the luxury lifestyle publication Haute Living. As a section of Haute Living magazine, Haute Beauty covers the latest advancements in beauty and wellness, providing readers with expert advice on aesthetic and reconstructive treatments through its network of acclaimed doctors and beauty experts.

For more about Haute Beauty, visit https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/
"We aim to demystify digital and social media marketing so power gen companies can have greater visibility online even with limited internal resources."

The Electrical Generating Systems Association (EGSA) kicks off their three-day 2023 spring conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, starting March 12th. Representing Duthie Power Services at the EGSA conference are Erik Duthie, Randy Gross, Shana Duthie and Jennifer Watkins, with Ms. Duthie and Ms. Watkins presenting an educational session on Monday, March 13th, on the Nuts and Bolts of Social Media.

EGSA is a professional organization for on-site power generation industry experts whose semi-annual conferences offer members opportunities to share knowledge and advance the industry as a whole. Duthie Powers Nuts and Bolts of Social Media educational session will offer a wholistic picture of various marketing opportunities on the top social media platforms.

As Shana Duthie, Head of Sales and Marketing at Duthie Power Services, explains, businesses in the power generation industry dont tend to spend as much money on marketing as, say, medical, pharma and banking. We aim to demystify digital and social media marketing so power gen companies can have greater visibility online even with limited internal resources.

Randy Gross, Head of Quality Assurance at Duthie Power Services and a member of the EGSA Education Committee, adds, even beyond the Spring and Fall conferences, EGSA offers certification courses and educational opportunities for professionals in all positions of the power generation industry. We strive to elevate all members of our industry whenever possible.

Featuring keynote speaker Kevin OLeary from Shark Tank, two days of exhibition, and ample networking opportunities, the 2023 EGSA Spring Conference is an action-packed weekend that brings together power generation professionals and strengthens the on-site power generation industry.

For over 50 years, Duthie Power Services has served as the largest independent generator and fire pump service provider in Southern California. The Duthie team specializes in generator sales, installations, rentals, routine maintenance, diagnostics, repairs, and 24/7/365 emergency power restoration. The companys commitment to using high-quality parts, coupled with fast, guaranteed customer service and preventative maintenance packages, have made them an industry leader. Duthie Power is a family-owned business and active member of BOMA San Diego (Building Owners and Managers Association) and BOMA Orange County, as well as EGSA (Electrical Generating Systems Association), with offices in Long Beach and San Diego, California.
GRAND ISLAND -- A second suspect has been arrested in connection to a homicide at Fonner Park in Grand Island.

The Grand Island Police Department said Friday that a 16-year-old Grand Island teen was arrested and booked at the Hall County Jail Thursday evening in connection to an alleged robbery that authorities say preceded the shooting.

Todd Scherer, 62, of Lincoln, was found dead inside a Fonner Park barn Thursday morning, the victim of a shooting. Scherer's body was found in one of the tack rooms at Barn R with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the torso.

Police arrested Logan Hunts Horse, 20, of Wounded Knee, South Dakota on Thursday. The department corrected his last name, which had been incorrect in a release issued Thursday.

Investigators said the suspects allegedly robbed, assaulted and shot Scherer, who they knew. Scherer, a Lincoln native, was a longtime stable foreman who worked with thoroughbreds at tracks in Nebraska and beyond for more than 45 years.

Law enforcement recovered some of the items taken from Scherer.

The department said an investigation into the shooting continues, "with additional witness interviews and evidence being collected."

Top Journal Star photos for March 2023
In Everyday Utopia (Simon & Schuster, May), Ghodsee surveys the history of utopian experiments and calls for a renewed commitment to envisioning a better world.

Why is utopian thinking so crucial in this moment?

I think the experience of the pandemic lockdowns and the sudden upheaval of our everyday lives also created an opportunity to realize how much of the routines of our daily lives were merely matters of social convention, rather than the way that things have to be. Companies that used to totally refuse the idea of remote work suddenly allowed all their employees to work from home. People raising their children in the nuclear family, in single-family homes, suddenly formed pandemic pods with family, friends, neighborsanybody they could get to share childcare and homeschooling responsibilities. So right now, were in this incredibly plastic moment in time, and we need to seize the opportunity to do more social dreaming before our societies revert to their own sclerotic ways.

What is family expansionism, and how can it help support parents, caregivers, children, and others?

I use that term to mean that we have to expand our definition of family to include a wider network of kin and non-kin relations. Given that this thing called the family is the ultimate backup plan when capitalism chokes, or when theres a pandemic, or when theres some natural disaster, we immediately shove care and responsibility for the raising of children and all sorts of labor into the home. If we can expand the definition of what that home contains, I think well all be much happier and healthier and more resilient in the face of a lot of future challenges.

Which utopian proposals or communities fascinated you the most?

Last summer I visited Campus Galli, near the border between Germany and Switzerland, where a group of experimental archaeologists are trying build a full-scale replica of the ninth-century Plan of St. Gall, which is a utopian imagining of what the perfect Benedictine monastery would have looked like. What is so cool about these people is that theyre doing it all using the methods and materials that would have been available in that geographic region in the Middle Ages. They make their own wooden dowels, which they use instead of nails. Instead of glass, they have windows made of this really thin translucent white leather. Many of them had given up good professional positions in Germany. They will die before this Benedictine cloister is ever finished, so theyre working on something they know they will never see the end of, and the process of building this community really bound them together in fascinating and interesting ways. They were so excited, and so happy. Every person I spoke to exuded a kind of purpose. They were doing something they thought would benefit humanity.
A Korean poet living in Seoul has stopped speaking. Its not a protest, a neurological condition, or a conceptual artworkthe woman in question would like to speak but cant. She visits a therapist, who asks about her childhood memories and recent dreams and twines them into an elegant hypothesis to explain her problem. I understand how much youve suffered, the therapist says. The woman knows, with a serene certainty, that the therapist is wrong; he doesnt understand her. But who is going to help her now?

The woman who cannot speak is one of the two protagonists of Greek Lessons (Hogarth, Apr.), Han Kangs latest novel, translated from Korean by Deborah Smith and Emily Yae Won. The other is a teacher of ancient Greeka man in his late 30s whose family relocated from South Korea to Germany when he was a child. After the man learns he is slowly losing his sight, he returns to Seoul. The woman enrolls in the ancient Greek course he teaches, hoping that the study of a language thats entirely unfamiliar to her and doesnt feel worn ragged by years of use will help her regain her speech. They move slowly toward each other in alternating chapters that describe their ascetic present-day lives, childhood recollections, poems, and lettershis story narrated in first person, hers in third.

Ancient Greek came to fascinate Han because of its grammar. In 2002, she had tea with a publisher whod studied Greek philosophy. She asked him about the language, and he mentioned the concept of the middle voice; in Greek Lessons, the teacher explains that middle voice is used to express an action that relates to the subject reflexively.

The idea of a grammatical voice indicating that the subject is acting upon herself became the genesis of Greek Lessons. I started picturing a single word in the moment before the big bang, which contained all of lifes meanings and feelings and sensations together, Han says.

In the novel, a character wakes in horror from a dream of one single word, bonded with a tremendous density and gravity, she writes. A language that would, the moment someone opened their mouth and pronounced it, explode and expand as all matter had at the universes beginning... a supremely self-sufficient language. The prospect is chilling.

Han explains the story of Greek Lessons over Zoom on a winter day. Its morning in Seoul, where she lives. In the novel, Seoul in summer is a city that smells of things that had once been alive going bad. That idea of going bad has something to do with her concerns about language; she dislikes it.

Maybe because I started my writing with poetry, I always feel that language falls shortshort of reaching anything, Han says. Its like an arrow that flies but always fails to reach the target.

Yet if language is a record of failure, as poets often lament, Greek Lessons suggests that its loss is no solution, either. Newly speechless, the woman also loses custody of her beloved son, whose father plans to send him abroad.

The entire book, Han says, is a process of retrieving the first-person voice for this woman. Language comes to seem imperfect but necessary; life is sufferingyou can leave your country, love unrequitedly, lose a sense you value deeplybut no other kind of existence is possible.

Centered on one womans attempt to accomplish something existentially important, Greek Lessons is in some ways a thematic complement to Hans other works, which tend to follow characters, often women, compelled to moral acts that people around them find unintelligible and threatening. The resulting conflicts are often violent, and characters not infrequently harm themselves.

Many Anglophone readers came to Hans work through 2015s The Vegetarian, a book about a woman named Yeong-hye who renounces meat, then eating in general, determined to live harmlessly, like a plant. Yeong-hyes desire to exit a brutal system is met with brutality; the books scenes of hospital wards and forced feeding are frank and harrowing.

In a later novel, Human Acts, published in English in 2016 (both books, plus a third novel titled The White Book, were translated by Deborah Smith), Han describes the South Korean governments repression of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising: the murders of protesters, including children; their decaying corpses; the casual torture of those who were arrested.

I actually dont like violence, Han says. But I want to be truthful. I dont like very violent movies, but when I look into the depth of humans, when I look into the world, I cannot just look away. I feel that I should penetrate the raw truth of humans and the world, rather than enjoy or be fascinated by violence.

In contrast to these works, the bloodiest scene of Greek Lessons is one in which the Greek teacher drops and breaks his glasses while trying to help a bird trapped inside a building. The novel describes powerful and painful emotional states, but its gentle in tone, closer to The White Book, in which a woman in a European city mourns a sister who died before the woman was born and ponders the individual and communal aftermath of tragic events.

Before I wrote Greek Lessons and Human Acts, Han says, I read Sebalds Austerlitz, and I was fascinated with his historical trauma and very personal insight. For her, Greek Lessons offered consolation. I wanted to touch a very tender and soft part of humans. Suddenly, a scene came to me where an index finger writes something on a palm to communicate. And the fingernails are so severely clipped back that the finger is incapable of harming anyone. I wanted to describe the process of coming closer and closer to this moment of infinitely tender touch.

The characters search for consolationthrough philosophy, psychiatry, poetry, linguisticscarries them beyond language, toward touch. Finally alone together, they are at once joined and eternally sundereda description that would have pleased Rilke, who thought of love as two bordering solitudes. Neither one claims to understand the other: according to the structures of Greek Lessons, such a claim would necessarily be false. But like the Greek philosophers, Han is still intent on understanding something fundamental, and perhaps ineffable, about people.

My next novel to be published in English, We Do Not Part, deals with another massacre in Korea, she says. And then Im going to write another one. Im not sure if it will be a very bright one, but Im going in this direction, toward looking into something in humans that cannot be harmed or destroyed. Maybe in the end, if I live long, I can reach that part.

Elina Alter is the translator of Alla Gorbunovas Its the End of the World, My Love; her translation of Oksana Vasyakinas Wound will be published by Catapult in September.

Note: This article has been updated.
Jesse Ray Myers was 17 the night 15-year-old Khoen Parker was shot dead in January 2022. While still a juvenile, Myers lied to police about what happened that morning and encouraged others to also lie. While officers were trying to piece together the events that lead to Khoens death, Myers fired shots from a stolen Glock in the Heights, leading to his being arrested and charged as an adult with felony criminal endangerment.

District Judge Mary Jane Knisely ordered Myers to be supervised as an adult by Montana Probation and Parole until he is 25 for obstructing justice and tampering with witnesses. For the two counts of criminal endangerment, she sentenced him to six years in a DOC facility.

After Mr. Parker was shotyou didnt render aid. You didnt contact law enforcement, in fact you lied to them for many months as the party went on, Knisely said.

In the early hours of Jan. 16, 2022, officers with the Billings Police Department responded to reports of shots fired in a parking lot on the 400 block of Constitution Avenue. Minutes later, the Billings Clinic called police saying staff were treating Khoen in the emergency room for a gunshot wound. He died that same morning.

Over the next eight months, BPD investigators sifted through false leads and statements, misinformation spread online and hundreds of pages generated by search warrants for cell phone data and social media accounts to inch their way to the truth. In September 2022, one person was charged with killing the 15-year-old and four others were charged with disrupting the investigation into his death.

Two groups of teens met that morning in January 2022 for a fight after exchanging threats for several hours. One group consisted of five teens who waited at a residence on Constitution Avenue after agreeing to meet the second group in the parking lot near Castle Rock park. The second group came to the park in two separate vehicles.

Some of the teens in the first group came to the parking lot carrying BB guns, court documents said. Someone in the second group brought a handgun to the fight, but charging documents do not specify whom. A melee erupted between the two groups, among them Myers and Khoen.

A third group pulled up to the scene in an SUV. Several adults were in the vehicle who tried to stop the fighting. One of them allegedly brought a loaded handgun, and fired two rounds into the air. In an interview later with police, the shooter said he was trying to break up the fight.

At least seven more rounds from a different weapon followed, court documents said. Everyone fled the parking lot, and Khoen got into one of the vehicles saying hed been shot. A 16-year-old member of his group drove Parker to the Billings Clinic. Although Myers and others followed Khoen to the hospital in the second vehicle, only one person stayed with him at the hospital. Myers went to a house party.

Between officers first responding to the shooting Jan. 16 to criminal charges being filed in September 2022, BPD Det. Michael Robinson testified in court Friday, police interviewed dozens of witnesses. All of them, he said, lied or concealed information at some point during their interviews.

During an interview with detectives on Jan. 17, Myers purposefully hid his phone from investigators. In the day leading up to that interview, Myers colluded via text messages with the teen who allegedly shot Khoen to make their alibis consistent. Myers relayed to the teenager to tell investigators the two of them were inside one of the vehicles when Khoen was shot. When detectives interviewed Myers a second time, he admitted to previously lying.

While he was decent to talk to, he [Myers] did nothing but lie and deceive, Robinson said.

The teen accused of shooting Khoen, identified in court documents as A.G., is facing a total of five charges. Along with negligent homicide, county prosecutors have charged him with tampering with or fabricating evidence, along with misdemeanor counts of theft, riot and obstructing a peace officer. (The Billings Gazette generally doesnt identify minors involved in major crimes until they plead guilty or are convicted.)

Three others, two adults and another teenager, have also been accused of hindering the investigation that followed Khoens death. That coordinated effort to deceive, Det. Robinson said during his testimony, prevented police from resolving the case, and informing Khoens family how the 15-year-old died.

In the courtroom Friday, Khoens friends and relatives watched Myerss sentencing through tearful eyes. Khoens mother, Jennifer Parker, testified that for nine months she had to wonder who did this to her baby. More than a year later after the shooting she still cries every day, mourning what shes lost, and what Khoen lost.

He never got his first job, Parker said. He never drove a car. Hell never have a drivers license. Hell never graduate high school. Hell never go to prom. Hell never be a dad. Hell never hold his kids. Hell never get married. Ill never dance with him at his wedding.

On Aug. 12, 2022, less than seven months after Khoen was shot, Myers was at Lake Elmo carrying a stolen Glock. Although neither charging documents nor testimonies shared in court detail why, at some point he pulled out the gun and fired several rounds. Police arrested Myers, now a legal adult at 18 years old, soon after responding to a report of shots fired.

Within a month of the Lake Elmo shooting, Myers was charged in Yellowstone County Youth Court in connection to the investigation into Khoens death, and also charged in Yellowstone County District Court with two felony counts of criminal endangerment, with a weapons enhancement. In January of this year, Myers reached plea agreements with Yellowstone County prosecutors in both cases. He has been in custody at Yellowstone County Detention Facility since last September, and appeared in court dressed in a suit but restrained with handcuffs. Myers declined to give a statement when asked by the court, and remained stoic throughout his sentencing.

For obstructing justice and tampering with witnesses, prosecutors recommended Myers be on probation until he turns 25. For the two counts of criminal endangerment, they recommended five years in the custody of DOC, with three years suspended.

The shooting at Lake Elmo, Senior Deputy County Attorney Hallie Bishop said Friday, coming so soon after the death of Khoen, demonstrated that Myers was a danger to the community. The efforts Myers went through to cover up Khoens death were extensive and deliberate, she said, and then seven months later, Jesse engaged in the exact same conduct that killed Khoen Parker.

Judge Knisely followed the recommendation from prosecutors in ordering Myers to probation until he is 25 for obstruction and tampering with witnesses. However, for the Lake Elmo shooting, she sentenced him to six-year commitment to the DOC, with no time suspended. The aggravating factors in the case, Knisely said, far outweighed any mitigating factors.

Myers is still a young man, Knisely said. If he wants to keep being a gun-packing thug, he has plenty of time to do that. He also has time to become a better person and do all of the things that Khoen will never be able to.

I truly wish you the very best, Knisely said.

There were at least 16 homicides in Yellowstone County in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. BPD has opened three homicide cases so far this year.
In her latest novel, Kairos (New Directions, June), German writer Jenny Erpenbeck looks at East Germany in the 1980s and 90s through the lens of a love affair that is as complicated and fraught as the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The protagonist is 19 and her lover is a married, middle-aged writer when they connect on a bus in Berlin in 1986: The doors closed again, the bus moved off, and she felt for a handhold. And thats when she saw him. And he saw her.

And so it begins, as Erpenbeck puts us in both their heads: Shall we have a coffee? And she said: Yes. That was all. Everything was underway, there was no other possibility. It was 11 July, 1986. How could he shake her off, this kid? What if someone saw them together? How old was she anyway? Ill have my coffee black, without sugar, that way hell take me seriously. Some chitchat and go, he thinks. Whats her name? Katharina. And his? Hans.

The novel opens with Katharina going through boxes of artifacts of hers and Hans that are delivered to her home after hes died, years after the affair. Pages that were written to deceive alongside other pages that were striving for truth, Erpenbeck writes. Silent fury and silent adoration together in one envelope.

Their relationship mirrors the fate of the German Democratic Republic, with the gap in their ages giving each of them a different perspective: She had only just been born when his first book appeared, Erpenbeck writes. He took his first steps under Hitler.

The idea, Erpenbeck tells me, was to look at the connection between political and private life. I thought I was old enough not to get involved in writing a love affair. Also, it was 2019 when I started writing, the anniversary of the wall coming down.

Born in East Germany, Erpenbeck was 22 when the wall fell. In her 2020 essay collection Not a Novel: A Memoir in Pieces, she reveals that she was not in the streets celebrating on that momentous night in 1989, but just went to bed. She was ambivalent, as the world she knew was ending.

When I am asked about East Germany, she says, I am full of emotion, empty of thoughts. This was a reason for me to write this book, the first time for me to reflect and look back. The thought was that East Germany was a better society in terms of solidarity and equality. The experiment failed. I could tell about it in a private story.

Like a love affair, East Germany had an exciting beginning. In Kairos, Katharina matures and suffers as does the GDR. In the beginning, there was euphoria, but mistakes were made, Erpenbeck says. You try to overcome mistakes, make an effort to make it like before, but when you hide bad things, they fester. They stay and gain weight in the course of time.

Erpenbeck is interested in how education forms people. Hans is shaped by the ideals of the GDR, and when the system ends, he loses his hopes for a better world. People like Hans were children in a fascist society that failed, Erpenbeck says. Things changed, Hitler youth shirts were discarded, no longer did people use the greeting, Heil Hitler. Children had the experience of their parents being wrong; parents lost authority; children lost the feeling of being safe. And then disappointment becomes part of your personality.

The fall of the wall was not peaceful, Erpenbeck emphasizes. There was not a lot of time for reunification, for transition. The majority of people wanted to live like the West without understanding the consequences. They had to hurry to understand how Western society worksthe energy it takes to pay for your house, to maintain your job. These things were taken care of in the GDR; there was less stress. Art had much more importance. We would wait for books, discuss theater performances.

 When I am asked about East Germany I am full of emotion, empty of thoughts. This was a reason for me to write this book, the first time for me to reflect and look back. Jenny Erpenbeck 

The final issue raised by Hans and Katharinas relationship is that of a very young woman being manipulated by a manin this case, an older man. Hans makes her feel guilty about her choices and actions. Erpenbeck tells me that when she did readings in Germany, many women came to talk to her of experiencing these manipulations. This was mirrored in the GDR, where Communists were accused of not being communist enough and of betraying ideals, which led them to doubt themselves.

Declan Spring at New Directions began editing Erpenbeck with the 2005 collection The Old Child & Other Stories. I dont remember how we stumbled upon her, he tells me. It was so long ago. We usually take things on consensus. And we are committed to publishing everything Jenny writes on an ongoing basis.

Kairos is the sixth book Erpenbeck has published with ND. When the German manuscript was finished in 2021, Spring saw a plot summary and a description from the translator, Michael Hofmann. Also, friends of New Directions who read German sent reports telling us it was wonderful, Spring says. From the moment I began reading the translation, I kept going. It is such an exciting book. Going Went Gone [Erpenbecks previous novel, published in 2015] was quiet. It sinks into you. This one grips you from the first page. The story of a frantic love affair. And its so intriguing to watch the affair unfold and unravel as the GDR is collapsing. Its a powerful book and beautifully translated. Jenny always relates to how historical events affect relationships and family, and Kairos does this in a dramatic way.

Spring notes that everyone in the West thinks of the fall of the Berlin Wall as a great milestone; here is another perspective. He recounts the scene in which Hans is in his office with his colleagues waiting to hear about the fate of their jobs. They begin to understand the devastation theyll face as theyre thrust into capitalism, and the fact that they might not be able to afford their homes anymore.

Sarah Chalfant, Erpenbecks agent at the Wylie Agency, says, We are deeply honored to work with Jenny. I had been an admirer for a long time and wrote her a letter to inquire whether she might require representation and be interested in having a conversation.

Wylie began representing Erpenbeck in early 2018. New Directions bought North American print, e-book, and audio rights to Kairos, with Granta publishing simultaneously in the U.K. Rights to date have been sold in 11 languages, and, Chalfant says, We are in ongoing conversations elsewhere.

Early on in Kairos, Erpenbeck describes the Greek god from whom the book takes its name: Kairos, the god of fortunate moments, is supposed to have a lock of hair on his forehead, which is the only way of grasping hold of him. Because once the god has slipped past on his winged feet, the back of his head is sleek and hairless, nowhere to get hold of. Was it a fortunate moment, then, when she, just nineteen, first met Hans?

Most definitely for us, Erpenbecks readers.
Margaret Walkers seminal poem For My People is celebrated for its characterization of the Black experience in the U.S. Everybody knows that poem, but not enough people know who she was, said Maryemma Graham, a distinguished professor of English at the University of Kansas and founding director of the History of Black Writing project, who spent time working with Walker before she died in 1998.

After conducting exhaustive research into Walkers writing life and her struggles for her voice to be heard, and after interviewing her family, friends, and colleagues, Graham set out to reintroduce Walker to the world in the authorized biography The House Where My Soul Lives: The Life of Margaret Walker. Released in December by Oxford University Press, the project was 20 years in the making. But, Graham said, like Walker she struggled with publishers to give the work the attention it deserves. Mostly people knew her as an institution builder, Graham explained, but Walkers work changed what it means to be a Black writer.

Born in Birmingham, Ala., in 1915, Walker founded the Institute for the Study of the History, Life, and Culture of Black People (now the Margaret Walker Center) in 1968 to preserve, interpret, and disseminate information on African American history and culture. Two years before, her first and only novel, Jubilee, set the tone for historical fiction telling stories from the Souths Reconstruction period. She published several collections of poetry in the 1970s, but in response to her sharp essays critiquing political talking points and figures such as Clarence Thomas, the public began to mischaracterize her as an angry Black woman, Graham explained.

She understood this, Graham said. And its interesting, because despite the fact that she had embraced so many writers, helped to nurture writers, gave send-offs to writers, and had events to launch peoples careerseven though she had done that, especially for women writers, very few came to her rescue when she was being given all this bad press.

After Walker sued Roots author Alex Haley for plagiarizing Jubilee, the suit was dismissed and her reputation took another hitshe was seen as jealous of Haleys success. But nothing could be further from the truth, Graham said, as Walker was known to serve as a connector in the Black literary community. She knew everybody who was anybody between 1930 until the end of the 20th century, Graham added. She might have had fights with them, but she knew them.

Graham met Walker in the 1990s during the authors stint as a visiting professor at Northwestern University. She asked me the kind of questions I was accustomed to answering when I meet people in the South, said Graham, who, like Walker, is a Southerner. In exchange for ushering Graham into the Black literary community, Walker recruited Graham to compile Walkers collected works and tell the story of the Black Souths resistance to Jim Crow racism through her story.

The result is an autobiography that is guided by Walkers prolific journal entries and honed by Grahams research and explanatory notes. Toward the end of her life, she was trying to do her autobiography, and she had said to me, I think youre going to have to tell my story because I am not going to be able to finish it,  Graham said. She left all of her journals. I had the perfect archive and all I had to do was follow her lead.
A lot has happened since Wattpad announced in January 2019 that it was starting a publishing division to produce print books based on the stories on its online platform. In that first year, Wattpad Books was able to release six young adult titles with a small staff led by Ashleigh Gardner, who was then deputy general manager of Wattpad Studios and Publishing, and Deanna McFadden, then publishing director for Wattpad Studios. Before it could celebrate its first anniversary, however, the pandemic upended plans for the Wattpad Books rollout. Then in spring 2021, Wattpad was acquired for $600 million by Naver, South Koreas leading internet platform, whose holdings include the online comics platform Webtoon.

Despite the pandemic, Wattpad released 15 young adult titles in 2020, including its most successful book to that point, The QB Bad Boy and Me by Tay Marley, which is now set to become a movie starring Noah Beck. When Covid hit, Wattpads authors, all drawn from its online world, easily adapted to promoting titles via virtual events, said McFadden, who is now executive director of the Wattpad Webtoon Book Group. (Gardner is now senior v-p of global publishing, overseeing all of Wattpad Webtoons publishing programs.)

After the dust from the Naver acquisition began to settle in the second half of 2021, the newly formed Wattpad Webtoon Book Group started to pick up speed. In early November, Anna Toddone of Wattpads first breakout stars, whose After series was eventually published by Simon & Schuster and who then formed the multimedia company Frayed Pagesagreed to team with Wattpad Books to launch Frayed Pages x Wattpad Books. The co-branded imprints first title, After: The Graphic Novel, a graphic adaptation of the prose series, was released in spring 2022. Todd continues to publish her own works under Frayed Pages, as well as that of new romance writers that she selects.

In late November, the Webtoon Unscrolled imprint was announced, with a mandate to publish print editions of hit Webtoon mobile webcomics for both YA and adult readers. The first list was published in fall 2022, and according to Maeve ORegan, senior manager, marketing and publicity, Wattpad Webtoon titles had the groups biggest sell-in to datenearly 200,000 copies across the first three titles, led by True Beauty, Vol. 1 and Tower of God, Vol. 1. Last year also saw the formation of W by Wattpad Books, an adult imprint with an emphasis on romance whose first list contained the debut adult book by Beth Reekles, author of the YA bestseller The Kissing Booth.

Wattpad Webtoon Book Group published 30 new titles in 2022, added three new imprints, and grew the size of its staff to 21. All that activity resulted in sales soaring 468% last year over 2021. The new hires included six in marketing and publicity whose efforts are directed by Tina McIntyre, who was named v-p of marketing in December 2021. Though based in Toronto, Wattpad Webtoon Book Group has a number of remote workers, including some who, like McIntyre, live in the U.S.

We learned a lot from last years explosive growth, McFadden noted. This year, Wattpad Webtoon plans to release 41 titles, including 15 under the Webtoon Unscrolled imprint, and McFadden said the publisher will double down on its marketing and promotional efforts. The companys lists feature a lot of debut authors, since the basis of the publishing program involves Gardner and McFadden's editorial team working with Wattpad Webtoons content team to mine the Wattpad and Webtoon platforms for popular stories that they believe would do well as books. While the book groups authors benefit from having had exposure to the 179 million users of the Wattpad and Webtoon platforms, most are not well-known among the wider reading public or to booksellers and librarians, McIntyre acknowledged.

To remedy that, McIntyre and McFadden created an ambitious program to get authors to as many in-person events as possible. Among the stops authors made last year were to New York Comic Con and almost all of the regional bookseller association trade shows. Wattpad Webtoon authors also made regular appearances at independent bookstores and libraries, and did signings at Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million outlets. Todd is set to tour this summer to support her novel The Burning, which is due out August 1. Other authors are set to appear this spring at PWs U.S. Book Show in New York City, Word on the Street in Toronto, and Book Lovers Con in Houston.

One reason McFadden and McIntyre are bullish on the future is that current reading trends correspond very well to Wattpad Webtoons strengths in commercial fiction and in stories centering DEI characters. We think we are in a good place, McFadden said.
Though the Bologna Childrens Book Fair returned as an in-person event last year, after being closed in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, this years show confirmed that its back to its prepandemic self. Nearly 29,000 publishing professionals were in Bologna for the 60th edition of the fair last week, a 25% increase over 2022 and roughly equal to the number who attended in 2019. There were 1,456 exhibitors from 90 countries and regionsa little more than the 1,442 exhibitors that made the trip in 2019. In addition to the childrens-focused programming, the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and BolognaBookPlus, an extension of the fair dedicated to general trade publishing, took place March 69 as well.

The fair is bigger than it had been in the last few years, and its a nicer experience with the renovations that have happened, said Prashant Pathak, publisher of Wonder House Books from Delhi, India. 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.

Americans were scarce in Bologna in 2022, but not so this year. Scholastic v-p and group publisher Lori Benton said, 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.

Andy Cummings, editor in chief of Lerner Publishing Group, was also glad to return to Bologna. Its terrific to be back, he said. Its been helpful to hear whats working in certain markets. While we still cant take anything for granted, people are eager to work together and publish great books together.

Prize giving is always a part of Bologna, and this year was no exception. In a live broadcast from Stockholm on March 7 that was simultaneously shown at the fair, U.S. author Laurie Halse Anderson was announced as the winner of the 2023 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the worlds largest childrens book prize, worth five million Swedish krona (more than $450,000 at present exchange rates). The ALMA jurys citation stated, In her tightly written novels for young adults, Laurie Halse Anderson gives voice to the search for meaning, identity, and truth, both in the present and the past. Her darkly radiant realism reveals the vital role of time and memory in young peoples lives.

Anderson made her childrens debut in 1996 with the picture book Ndito Runs, illustrated by Anita Van Der Merwe, about a Kenyan girl who races barefoot across the countryside. In 1999, she published her first YA novel, Speak, which is considered her breakthrough. Lauded for its powerful depiction of a rape survivors experience, the book has been translated into several languages. She is also the author of the 2019 memoir-in-verse Shout, in which she explores her own experience as a rape survivor, and the process of learning to use her voice through literature. Her other notable books depicting difficult subjects include Wintergirls (2009), and The Impossible Knife of Memory (2014).

Frequently the target of book-banning efforts, Anderson is also active in the fight against censorship, and a panel moderated by Barbara Marcus, president and publisher of Random House Childrens Books, addressed the growing threat of book censorship around the world. Giorgia Grilli, professor of childrens literature and cofounder of the Center for Research in Childrens Literature in the Department of Education at the University of Bologna, began by pointing out that in the U.S., there are more than 1,000 titles banned in schools, according to estimates. In Italy, we have a deeper problem: we dont have books in schools, she said, sardonically.

Grilli noted that banning books in democratic societies may backfire. Talking about these books makes them more widespread; it gives them more power, she explained. Her deeper concern is about self-censorship: When artists are not willing to write about something that is ideologically charged, when artists adapt to the dominant viewthis is the world that worries me. She added that she longs for more representations of children in picture books as mysterious and melancholy creatures with a wide range of emotions, and not just as open-mouthed, starry-eyed, and smiling. In which world had they grown? I want books with unconventional representations of children, Grilli said.

Author David Levithan compared Vladimir Putins book banning in Russia and Ron DeSantiss bans in Florida, both of which target books with LGBTQ content. What the far right is doing in our country, conservatives in your countries are taking notes from, Levithan said. Its systematic, and a book censorship playbook is at work. The harm wont be to publishers or libraries, but to the children, he added. The books dont matter in this. The children do. Its an effort by the far right to push the kids back into the closet. The far right dont care if they kill themselves there.

Levithan pointed out that the recent discussion around revising Roald Dahls books was merely a distraction from the larger, more urgent issue at hand. Many authors have asked me, Do you think this means I wont be published anymore?  he said, adding that he came to Bologna to ring the alarm. This is a crucial moment. We need to keep publishing these books! The whole publishing chain needs to be there. Even a wobble in one part might cause a chilling effect.

An audience member asked panelists, Where do publishers step in? What have you seen done [by publishers] so far?

We were really caught off-guard, said Jon Anderson, president and publisher of Simon & Schusters childrens division. Its a fight. A major fight, but the forces of good are becoming fully mobilized.

Next years edition of the fair is scheduled to take place April 811 and will feature Slovenia as the Guest of Honor country.
In 2018, BuzzFeed News published the long-form article We Saw Nuns Kill Children: The Ghosts of St. Josephs Catholic Orphanage, the result of six years of investigation by journalist Christine Kenneally. It took Kenneally another three years to write Ghosts of the Orphanage, which PublicAffairs will publish in March. Centering her narrative on the abuses at St. Josephs in mid-20th-century Vermont, Kenneally expands her lens to expose the systemic failings of the orphanage system, which, she writes, was at its peak in the 1930s and largely disbanded by the 1970s.

She was determined to find out what happened, says Ben Adams, executive editor at PublicAffairs, and there was just more, and more, and more. Kenneallys two previous titles, The First Word and The Invisible History of the Human Race, respectively explored the origins of language and of identity; when Adams asked what united her three books, she explained that they were all answers to questions she was told not to ask. She asked anyway.

Kenneally initially struggled to believe the stories of survivors and witnesses, and her dawning realization is the engine that drives the narrative: she leads readers through the story of her own discovery as the evidence and death toll mount.

Its easy to identify a villain and say thats the perpetrator, but then you identify another villain and another, and you think: is something wider going on? Adams says. The villain is a network of people who came through different orphanages for different reasons, who on their best days were not monstrous people, but who were capable of monstrous acts.

PWs starred review called the book essential, if deeply difficult, reading. Adams expands on the idea, noting that St. Josephs and other such institutions relied on the taboo against discussing abuse to go about their business undisturbed. The undoing of that is one of the most important goals of this book; by reading the story, youre contributing to a reckoning.

An empathetic approach

Atlantic national correspondent Mark Bowden is perhaps best known for writing Black Hawk Down, a National Book Award finalist turned Oscar-winning film about the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. The authors new book is set closer to, but a world apart from, the suburb of Baltimore where he grew up.

In Life Sentence, an April release from Atlantic Monthly Press, Bowden profiles Montana Barronette, known as Tana. He and his gang ruled violence-ridden Sandtown, the Baltimore neighborhood made famous by The Wire and infamous for the police-custody death of Freddie Gray. Tana was first arrested at age nine for auto theft, began selling drugs at 13, and after a string of homicides beginning in his teens was sentenced to life in prison at age 23.

Bowdens upbringing had nothing in common with Tanas, and the author frames his subjects story as an example of what happens when children in poverty-stricken communities are left with no prospects other than the life. He approached it with empathy, says Grove Atlantic publisher Morgan Entrekin. The title captures itTana is serving a life sentence, but his circumstances gave him another. His father was imprisoned and then deported, his mother addicted to drugs; he was raised by his grandmother. Kids in Sandtown often dont have a father or a coherent nuclear family, and young men in the neighborhood are running drugs and committing crimesyou get sucked into it.

PWs starred review said, Bowden pulls no punches in his indictment of the ways in which the richest country in the world has allowed Black children for decades to be born into blighted urban neighborhoods, and saddled them with burdens that they must struggle to surmount to lead meaningful lives. The book will haunt readers long after they finish it, according to the review, and like Adams at PublicAffairs, Entrekin believes this discomfort serves a larger purpose: How will we ever understand gangs if we dont read these stories?

Liz Scheier is a writer, editor, and product strategist living in Washington, D.C., and the author of the memoir Never Simple.

Read more from our New True Crime Book feature:

No One Gives a Sh*t About Chickens: PW Talks with Barbara Butcher

The author of 'What the Dead Know' (Simon & Schuster, June) discusses her two-plus decades as a death investigator with the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

International Crime Syndicate: New True Crime Books

Authors probe real-life criminal activity beyond the U.S. borders.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/10/2023



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Deavan Clegg has announced she's officially engaged to boyfriend Christopher "Topher" Park after nearly three years of dating.Deavan welcomed her first child with Topher in October 2022, and according to the mother of three -- who starred on the first two seasons of : The Other Way with ex-husband Jihoon Lee from 2019 to 2020 -- Topher popped the question shortly after they brought their son, whom they affectionately call "Baby Park," home from the hospital."He did ask me in November," Deavan, 26, shared with In Touch Weekly on Tuesday, March 7 of the marriage proposal."So like a month after we had our baby, he finally popped the question, about time. But yeah, we are officially engaged now."Deavan said Topher, 30, proposed marriage during a birthday getaway in Salt Lake City, UT, which had initially been postponed due to her son Taeyang's battle with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia , a diagnosis Deavan had revealed in May 2022.Deavan -- who shares Taeyang, 3, with Jihoon -- had suspicion Topher was going to get down on one knee, and so she said she "hyped" herself up for the significant moment in her life."Then the next day he was running late to pick me up because he had to go get a haircut," Deavan told the magazine, joking about how it was a "rough" road to the proposal."Then he called me and told me that he got a flat tire and I was like, 'Oh he's lying. Like he's just buying time, like maybe he's going to get flowers.' Turns out he really did have a flat tire."When Topher returned to the couple's hotel room, Deavan recalling him receiving an important phone call. He was apparently informed "something bad happened" and so he "had to go to work."Topher was stuck at work until 3AM, which left Deavan feeling "sad" and deflated. She had assumed the marriage proposal was going to be delayed because of the unforeseen circumstances.However, the following morning, Topher surprised Deavan with a ring while they were casually packing up their belongings in their hotel room."I didn't say 'yes' right away because my brain didn't register that he was still doing the proposal because of how bad everything went," Deavan explained."And then I made him sit on the couch and he is like, 'So is that a yes or a no?' And I said, 'Oh yes.' And then I grabbed the ring and just put it on myself and he was like, 'I'm supposed to put it on you.' And I was like, 'No, my fingers are swollen from the baby, like let me do it.'"Deavan confirmed the proposal "didn't go as planned at all" but it "fits their story perfect.""It seems like something wild is always happening," Deavan admitted. "So everybody was joking saying that was actually the perfect proposal with for us, because of how crazy our lives are."Deavan -- who also has a daughter Drascilla, her first-born child, from a previous relationship -- first sparked engagement rumors when she and Topher were spotted wearing rings on their left ring fingers.But Deavan clarified to In Touch, "We had like a couple ring and the only reason we wore that couple ring is because -- it's a funny story, but he wanted to bring me as a plus one to his friend's wedding, but his friend said, 'No girlfriends, only fiancees and wives.'"Deavan therefore confessed, "So we wore those rings just so I could go wedding and I never took it off."Deavan and Topher announced they were expecting a child together back in May 2022."We are happy to announce baby Park will be arriving Fall 2022 [baby emoji]," Deavan wrote on Instagram at the time.Deavan got pregnant with Baby No. 3 after suffering a miscarriage only months beforehand in April 2021.Jihoon confirmed he and Deavan had split in August 2020 after one year of marriage, which was around the same time Deavan started hinting she was in a new relationship by posting photos of an unidentified man on Instagram with his face cropped out.Deavan officially filed for divorce from Jihoon in September 2020, but she accused Jihoon of dragging out the process by not signing the papers and cooperating.In that same month, Deavan and the mystery man -- who turned out to be Topher, a Korean-American actor -- went Instagram official when Topher posted sexy photos with Deavan on social media.Deavan revealed she actually met Topher in the Los Angeles airport while she was still in a relationship with Jihoon but the pair's first interaction was casual and they didn't follow up on anything until after Deavan became single again.After dating for a brief amount of time, Deavan and Topher moved in together.Deavan, whose divorce from Jihoon wasn't finalized until last year, previously claimed Jihoon had been "abusive" during their relationship and had done "disgusting" and "vile" things Deavan even alleged Jihoon had abused Drascilla, which Jihoon firmly denied In a Q&A session on Instagram in May 2022, Deavan insisted Jihoon's alleged lack of responsiveness and care for Taeyang is why a judge awarded her full custody of Taeyang during the divorce proceedings.Deavan revealed in August 2020 she had moved back to the United States after trying to move to South Korea for the second time to be with Jihoon. She then confirmed their split on social media shortly afterwards.But Deavan revealed in her Q&A that she and Jihoon actually ended their relationship in November 2019, shortly after she had announced having a miscarriage with their second child on social media, but they chose to continue filming : The Other Way for the money.Deavan suggested in her Q&A at the time that she was thinking about having Topher adopt both Taeyang and Drascilla."He would very much love that... Blood doesn't make a father a father," Deavan shared on Instagram Stories.She elaborated, "Topher has been in Taeyang's life for two years. Taeyang calls Topher dad and cries for him more than me. I think Taeyang only knows him. Unfortunately, that is what my ex decided. He had his rights and didn't take them."Deavan insisted in 2020 she was completely done filming with the franchise after multiple bad experiences. Deavan said she had been asked to fake scenes with Jihoon, and she also accused the editing team of making Drascilla look out of control.Deavan additionally alleged 's production company had driven cast members to consider suicide Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage!
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/10/2023



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Aaron Clancy has revealed he's in a new relationship and happier than ever after his explosive breakup with Genevieve Parisi on the show last year."Life is good, I can't complain... I don't want to say anything too, too official right now, but I am seeing someone," Aaron told Joe Amabile during the March 2 episode of the "Click Bait with Bachelor Nation" podcast."Things are going really, really good. I am super happy, actually. I'm probably the happiest I've been."Aaron said he and his girlfriend, whom he chose not to identify, met through "a friend of a friend."Aaron gushed about how the mystery woman "is super talented," explaining, "[I don't want to] give too much away, but she's an artist."Aaron informed Joe -- a fellow The Bachelorette and alum -- that he probably doesn't know her, but the San Diego resident added, "You should! Because I'll be in the front row. I'm her No. 1 fan yelling, 'You go, baby!' I'll be holding up a big sign."Aaron recalled how his first date with his girlfriend was a very casual one with no pressure."It's funny because for our first date, I wasn't really planning on it being a date. It was more of, like, just meeting this person. But we got a few beers. It was more casual, and then once I really started liking her, I was like, 'Okay, I've got to do this right,'" Aaron shared.Aaron therefore asked the woman out on what he believed would be a more proper first date."So I took her to a nice restaurant out here in San Diego called Island Prime. It's a steak and lobster type of place right on the water. So I did it right for sure!" Aaron boasted.Aaron also said his girlfriend knows about his past on Katie Thurston 's season of The Bachelorette and his two stints on , Seasons 7 and 8."Yeah, she knows about my horrific failures on national TV, for sure," Aaron confirmed with a laugh."If she's okay with that, I feel like she could be The One," Joe quipped.And Aaron replied, "One thousand percent. I agree. And I'm even worse in real life, so....""Trust me, I know," Joe joked.Aaron, who went to school for business, is currently working in sales and social media in San Diego. When Joe playfully called Aaron "unemployed," insisting that's totally fine, Aaron laughed and noted, "I'm in between things."Aaron and Bachelor Nation's James Bonsall -- who is also in a serious relationship -- both appeared on 's seventh season in 2021 and left the show single, but as new best friends.They proceeded to enter 's eighth season last year together, as a funny bromance.James got involved in a love triangle with Shanae Ankney , but he was sent packing when Shanae chose Logan Palmer over him.Meanwhile, Aaron dated Genevieve in Paradise and fell in love with her.However, Aaron dumped Genevieve after the Final Rose Ceremony and before overnight Fantasy Suite dates, claiming their fights were unhealthy and she essentially wasn't his person.Aaron then became a subject of scrutiny late last year, when he was accused of using and playing Genevieve just to stay in Paradise -- and remain on-camera -- for as long as possible.And according to one of Aaron's alleged ex-girlfriends, he was allegedly playing two women shortly before leaving San Diego to film in Mexico.Aaron was allegedly dating two women , simultaneously, from around September 2021 through May 2022.filmed in June 2022, and once Aaron returned home, he appeared to resume dating one of the women he had left behind to film the show. (Based on Aaron's "Click Bait" interview with Joe, it seems his current girlfriend is someone brand new that he recently met).Aaron denied allegations he was a two-timer and that he had manipulated Genevieve for more screentime.Aaron also claimed he never left to film Paradise in Mexico with the intention of reuniting with one of his former flames once he traveled back home to San Diego.However, the woman who had come forward with the accusations to Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone fired back, insisting Aaron was a liar and a cheater Genevieve, for her part, said on "The Ben and Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast" in early December that Aaron had "blindsided" her with their split on Paradise.Genevieve said she had fallen in love with the wrong person and "should have picked up on some flags."Genevieve also complained on the podcast that Aaron had never reached out to talk or check on her once filming ended.Aaron, however, insisted that he texted Genevieve after the reunion filmed on November 4.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
A bill that would move $267 million from the state general fund to the Department of Commerce to distribute to counties for grants to pay for eligible infrastructure projects cleared an initial vote in the state House on Friday by a substantial margin.

House Bill 355 from Rep. John Fitzpatrick, R-Anaconda, passed a second reading 86-14. It faces a final vote before moving to the Senate.

Youre looking out for the folks back home and thats always appreciated, Fitzpatrick said of what voting for his bill would mean.

Fitzpatrick told the House he was inspired to bring the bill after the water supply to Philipsburg ruptured when he was campaigning there last year.

Fitzpatrick advocated for his bill by saying it was a responsible way to use some of the states estimated $2.6 billion surplus and that the allocation of funding in the bill treated every county fairly by taking into account per-capita income and taxable value when divvying up money.

Counties would also need to put up matching funds.

Democratic Rep. Paul Tuss, of Havre, said the bill would spread infrastructure dollars throughout the state and make sure smaller counties were taken care of.

A bill that passed a second reading in the House by a 58-42 vote Friday would put $500,000 toward paving the road to Lost Creek State Park outside Anaconda.

Rep. John Fitzpatrick, the Anaconda Republican carrying the bill, said in 2003 the state Fish, Wildlife & Parks department entered into a memorandum of understanding with Anaconda-Deer Lodge County to pave part of the road. That project was finished by 2004, and now that part of pavement in bad shape and needs improvement in addition to paving the rest of the road.

Under his bill the county will also put up $500,000 and pay for any cost overruns.

After an amendment, the funding source for the states part of the money will come from the bed tax collected on hotel room stays. Fitzpatrick said that was fitting given the tourism drive the park creates.

No legislators weighed in on House Bill 375. It faces a final vote before moving to the House.
Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Mainly clear skies. Low near 45F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low near 45F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
A Bismarck police officer is on administrative leave while department and state investigators probe allegations of excessive force being used on a 63-year-old man.

Officers responded to an 8 p.m. Thursday call that a man was standing in the middle of the street in the East Main Avenue and 24th Street area. The man walked away from the initial responding officer after being ordered to stop, and when the officer attempted to detain him he began displaying aggressive behavior, according to Lt. Luke Gardiner. The man was forcibly detained and taken into custody, the department said.

Other officers who responded to the scene notified police administrators that excessive force may have been used. An internal investigation began immediately, the department said. Four officers responded to the call.

The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Bismarck Police Internal Affairs will conduct separate investigations while the initial responding officer is on leave. Officials did not release the officers name, citing state law on active criminal investigations.

The law Gardiner cited states that the name of an arresting officer is not shielded. Police did not specifically say the man was arrested -- the department's statement said the man "was taken into custody."

The officer has been with the department nearly four years and his personnel file contains no disciplinary documents, Gardiner said.

The department said it would not identify the 63-year-old man unless he is charged with a crime stemming from the incident. It also did not release the name of the other responding officers.

The Tribune on Friday morning requested information about a man who appeared bloody, bruised and with one eye swollen shut in a Burleigh Morton Detention Center photo. He was in custody on suspicion of simple assault, preventing arrest, refusal to halt and drug possession, according to the jail roster. His year of birth was 1959, making him 63 or 64. He was released before the department sent out information about the investigation, and it was not clear if he was the man involved in the incident.
Sam Rainsy, acting president of theCambodia National Rescue Party, posted a statement on his Facebook page calling for support for Siem Reap provincial governor Tea Seiha to be a candidate for prime minister.

Exiled Cambodian opposition figure Sam Rainsy has thrown his support behind the current defense ministers son to become prime minister four months ahead of Julys general elections.

The announcement followed a report about a shakeup and power struggle within the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, or CPP, over the selection of a new leader to succeed Hun Sun, who has ruled the country since 1985.

Sam Rainsy, acting president of the disbanded opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, posted a statement Friday on Facebook backing Tea Seiha, governor of Siem Reap province and the son of Defense Minister Tea Banh, as a prime ministerial candidate for the 2023-28 term.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party was the previous main opposition party before Cambodias Supreme Court dissolved it in 2017. Sam Rainsy, a party co-founder, has been living in self-exile in France since 2015, when he fled a series of charges his supporters say are politically motivated.

The Cambodian people who want freedom and justice must unite around Tea Seiha, Tea Banh and Tea Vinh in order to bring about a democratic change in the countrys leadership through peaceful and nonviolent means, meaning free and fair elections, he wrote.

Tea Seiha is the son of Cambodias minister of defense and the provincial governor of Siem Reap. Credit: Fresh News

Admiral Tea Vinh is the brother of Tea Banh and commander of the Royal Cambodian Navy. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Tea Vinh in late 2021 for corruption concerning Chinas involvement in the redevelopment of Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville province, which could give Chinese forces a stronghold in the contested South China Sea.

In Transparency Internationals 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, Cambodia scored only 24 out of 100, and was ranked at 150 out of 180 countries.

Such a change will promote a new leadership which is not made up of murderers, desperately corrupt people and traitors to the nation such as Hun Sen and his family, Sam Rainsy wrote, referring to the authoritarian prime minister who has ruled Cambodia for 38 years.

July elections

The move comes as Cambodia prepares to elect members of the National Assembly, now fully controlled by the CPP under Hun Sen, who also serves as the partys president. Opposition figures, including Sam Rainsy, want the prime minister and his party out of power.

In the run-up to the election, Hun Sen has repeatedly attacked members of the Candlelight Party  the current main challenger to the ruling party  in public forums, while CPP authorities have sued Candlelight members on what many observers see as politically motivated charges.

Tea Banh, who has served as defense minister since the late 1980s, dismissed San Rainsys support for his son in a Facebook statement of his own, and stated his backing of Hun Sens oldest son, Hun Manet, as the future prime minister.

Cambodia's Defense Minister Tea Banh attends the ASEAN Japan Defense Ministers Informal Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 22, 2022. Credit: Associated Press

Hun Manet, 45, is commander of Cambodias army, deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, and leader of the CPPs central youth wing. Hun Sen has groomed him to be his successor.

Sam Rainsys statement aims at breaking national unity, Tea Banh wrote. My family and I still have a stand to support Hun Manet to be the next prime ministerial candidate.

He added that the military will work against any foreign interference in an attempt to topple the legal government.

Following the statement, many senior military officials also denounced Sam Rainsys backing of Tea Seiha, who is widely expected to succeed his father as defense minister when Tea Bahn retires.

After Hun Sen said in December 2022 that Hun Manet would succeed him, some leaders in his government, including Tea Bahn and Interior Minister Sar Kheng, did not immediately endorse the move, though they eventually expressed support for the plan.

Internal rifts?

Political analyst Kim Sok said the matter is indicative of internal rifts in the CPP over prime ministerial candidates, suggesting that a faction led by Sar Kheng and Tea Banh still may not be pleased with Hun Sens intention to transfer power to his son.

He also said Hun Sens concern about a possible revolution sweeping through Cambodia might not come from members of the public and young people displeased with chronic corruption within the government and growing authoritarianism, but from within the CPP itself.

Hun Sen has said that he will be the CPP president when his son is the prime minister; this means there is an internal rift, said Kim Sok. This is a sign of a color revolution within the party.

Hun Sen recently warned Cambodians not to attempt to stage any color revolutions  popular anti-regime protest movements and accompanying changes of government  using human rights as a pretext, but rather to protect his so-called hard-earned peace.

Translated by Samean Yun for RFA Khmer. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
More than two years of research into the history of North Dakota's capital city by dozens of volunteers will culminate Wednesday with the official unveiling of a timeline of Bismarck's diverse and historic past.

The journey to the completion of a "Timeline of Bismarck History" wasn't an easy one, but it has been fulfilling, according to attorney Tory Jackson, a history buff and one of the spearheaders of the project.

"There were hundreds of volunteer hours that went into the project; it was a tremendous amount of work," he said. "There were times it looked like we would never get to the finish line, so we're all pretty thrilled with the result."

The result is both a printed version and an online version of highlights from Bismarck's past, broken down into chunks and nuggets and placed on a timeline stretching from 12,000 years ago to modern times. The start and the finish of the project bookended the capital city's celebration of its 150th anniversary in 2022.

This group of volunteers researched, wrote, rewrote, wrangled over organization and subject matter, drafted, designed, edited, redrafted, rewrote, wrangled, and committed many months of their time to a project that is an immense value to people interested in understanding the specifics of the areas past, said Amy Sakariassen, chair of the Bismarck Historic Preservation Commission, which led the effort.

Project origins

The biography of Bismarck grew out of the creation of the Historic Preservation Commission in May 2019. Members of the group wanted to have a historic preservation plan to guide their goals and activities, and decided a timeline would be the best format.

Jackson said it initially was going to be a "small undertaking" of a few pages as part of a larger planning document, but "It kind of took on a life of its own."

There was no money available to hire out the work, so three commissioners -- Jackson, businesswoman Beth Nodland, and Blake Dinkins, who works for an architecture firm -- formed a subcommittee to launch the project. They added five others in the community with an interest or expertise in local history -- Jim Christianson, Jack Dura, Emily Sakariassen, Kate Waldera and Sarah Walker.

The group first met in January 2021 and decided to split the timeline into eras, exploring history all the way back to the Paleoindian Period rather than just focusing on Bismarck's relatively shorter history as an organized city. Eras are:

Native landscape (12,000 B.C. to 1738 A.D.)

Pre-founding (1738-1872)

Bismarck early years (1872-1898)

Growing capital city (1898-1930)

Tumultuous years (1930-1945)

Post World War II and mid-century growth (1945-1965)

A maturing city (1965-1999)

Bismarck today (1999-2022)

The group enlisted the help of volunteers who researched various topics and wrote short narratives, ranging from well-known people and events such as the burning of the state Capitol in 1930 to the more obscure, such as steamboat cook and gold miner Sarah "Sally" Campbell.

The list of contributors is long, according to Jackson.

"City staff -- (former Senior City Planner) Will Hutchings in particular -- a lot of people in the city, various groups and people along the way, the State Historical Society, the Northern Plains National Heritage Area, The Bismarck Tribune, local colleges -- it was a pretty big effort," he said.

Final product

The final product is an 8.5-by-11-inch bound paperback book of 90 pages, including an eight-page bibliography. It has about 160 written narratives and about 200 images ranging from maps to photos.

"A pretty tremendous amount of information," Jackson said.

It cost a little over $11,000 to have United Printing of Bismarck make 2,500 copies, according to City Planning Manager Kim Lee. The cost was covered by a grant through a National Park Service program under which municipalities become eligible for funding and other aid by committing to local preservation efforts, so future generations can be aware of their cultural heritage. The grant was administered through the State Historical Society.

Copies will be available for free at the release party -- with a limit of one per person -- and then available at the City/County Building. The group hopes to also have some at the Bismarck Veterans Memorial Public Library, and to make copies available to schools. It's not yet known whether more copies will eventually be printed.

"We'll see how quickly the 2,500 go," Jackson said. "I think people will be pretty interested in it, will be impressed once they see it and will want a copy."

The online version is already available on the city website, at bit.ly/3ZzOi1G.

"The nice thing about the online version is it can be added to over time -- members of the public will be able to suggest things to add," Jackson said. "The online version will be kind of a living document, if you will."

Release party

The release party begins at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at Juniper Workantile, 122 N. Fourth St. The building is at the intersection of Fourth Street and Broadway Avenue.

The event is free and open to the public. There will be light refreshments.

"We thought it would be nice to have a public event to unveil the timeline and thank the people who worked on it," Jackson said. "A chance for people to get together and celebrate what we accomplished."

The Historic Preservation Commission meets at 3:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month in the Tom Baker Room at the City/County Building. For more information about the commission, go to bit.ly/3ZylE0M.
"This video fails completely" if China really wants to integrate Uyghurs into society, researcher says

A Chinese public service video featuring Uyghur actor Turghunjan Mehmet portraying a drug dealer shows him giving the candy to an apparently Han Chinese woman in a coffee shop.

A public service video featuring a Uyghur actor who portrays a black-hearted drug dealer preying on Chinese women recently went viral in China.

But researchers and activists have criticized the choice of a Uyghur for the role, saying it plays on old racist tropes about Uyghur men, who have historically been victims of drug trafficking rather than perpetrators.

Im a black-hearted drug dealer, but Id never tell you this, the actor, Turghunjan Mehmet, says to the camera from a dimly-lit room.

Id never tell you that Id package methaqualone as candy and give it to you, he says. Its street name is Buddhas Virtue. It can trigger severe coma and lethal respiratory failure.

The camera shows him giving the candy to an apparently Han Chinese woman in a coffee shop.

If [Chinese authorities] are sincere in their attempts to try to integrate Uyghurs into society, this video fails completely, said Henryk Szadziewski, an American expert on Uyghur affairs. It reinforces the racist stereotypes people already have in their heads: that Uyghurs are criminals.

The 90-second video garnered nearly 2 million likes within a day of its release on Feb. 8th, according to an article by Manya Koetse, a Chinese media analyst.

Online commenters praised Turghunjans good looks and convincing portrayal, with some saying they found it hard to tell that he was an actor, rather than an actual drug dealer. You can only play [this role] well if youve seen a lot of drug dealers, one said.

Turghunjan has portrayed a dealer in several other videos posted by the Xinjiang Narcotics Control Commission. In one, he raps in handcuffs, reeling off the slang terms for different controlled substances while standing next to a police officer.

In an interview with a Chinese state-run newspaper, Uyghur actor Turghunjan Mehmet says he prepared for the drug dealer role by repeatedly watching crime and espionage thrillers. Credit: RFA screenshot from video





According to an interview with Turghunjan in a state newspaper, he manages social media accounts and produces videos for the narcotics control commission as well as the Xinjiang Fire Department. To prepare for the drug dealer role, he said he repeatedly watched crime and espionage thrillers.

With short videos, theres a five-second principle, he told the Xinjiang Daily. If you dont draw someones interest within five seconds, theyll close the browser window.

Radio Free Asia made repeated attempts to contact Turghunjan and speak with someone at the narcotics control commission, but was unable to reach either one.

Ironic and painful

For many Uyghurs, continued government encouragement of the stereotype that Uyghurs deal drugs is both ironic and painful, because they have suffered greatly from the problem of drug use.

Drugs took off in China starting in the 1980s as its economy opened to the world. A heroin epidemic swept through the Uyghur Region in the 1990s, accelerating the spread of HIV.

Xinjiang authorities, obsessed with fighting ethnic splitism, did little to stop drug trafficking, said Bahtiyar Shemshidin, a Uyghur activist in Canada who prior to 2000 worked in the anti-drug unit of the Ghulja Public Security Bureau.

The main victims of addiction were our Uyghur youth. Many of them died, and many of them contracted AIDS, Bahtiyar said. The authorities sporadically arrested small drug dealers, who were mostly Hui Muslims. But the big drug dealers were Chinese.

In the face of government inaction on drugs, Uyghurs in Ghulja organized meshrep, social gatherings that emphasized moral conduct and abstinence from drugs, Behtiyar recounted.

Authorities initially welcomed meshrep, but then banned them as they gained popularity and participating Uyghurs started advocating against government policies such as alcohol sales.

On Feb. 5th, 1997, the Ghulja police, along with the Chinese army, opened fire on Uyghurs protesting the meshrep ban, killing as many as 200. Mass arrests followed, sending many Uyghurs to earlier versions of the re-education camps that have proliferated since 2017 and have been central to Chinas current genocidal campaign.

'Absurd suggestion'

In 2023, it is absurd to suggest that Uyghurs have the freedom of movement, let alone the motivation, to deal drugs, said Bahtiyar.

Uyghurs cant become drug dealers and sell drugs under heavy Chinese surveillance, he said. They cant even move from one village to another without the governments permission and forget about Uyghurs living in Chinese cities.

From the 1980s to the present day, the primary source of narcotics for both Xinjiang and China has been the Golden Triangle border regions of Burma, Laos, Thailand and China, experts say. Chinese towns in Guangdong province such as Boshe have been notorious for methamphetamine and ketamine production.

A 2021 Ministry of Public Security report singled out Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Yunnan provinces as centers of drug crimes and addiction. It did not list Xinjiang. The Urumqi Public Security Bureau reported a decrease in drug confiscation and crime relative to inner Chinese provinces.

Its absurd to suggest that Uyghurs have the freedom of movement, let alone the motivation, to deal drugs, says Bahtiyar Shemshidin, a Uyghur activist. China has imposed heavy surveillance on citizens in the Xinjiang region. Here, security cameras watch imams and government officials as they leave a mosque in Kashgar in Chinas Xinjiang region. Credit: Reuters

Cycles of violence

In addition to being inaccurate, state-sponsored stereotyping of ethnic minorities as ruthless criminals contributes to cycles of violence, said Mathias Boelinger, a correspondent for Deutsche Welle and author of the German-language book The High-Tech Gulag: Chinas Crime Against the Uyghurs.

These patterns cause tragedy that ends in murder, he said on Twitter, citing a 2009 incident in Guangdong Province in which Han Chinese workers at a toy factory murdered two Uyghur colleges following false rumors that the Uyghurs had raped two Han women.

The Shaoguan Incident led to riots and reprisals in Xinjiangs capital Urumqi in which at least 197 people were killed, the majority of them Han Chinese, according to the Chinese government. A security clampdown swiftly followed.

Government endorsement of ethnic stereotypes replicates Western colonial practices that the Chinese Communist Party has long condemned, Boelinger told RFA. These stereotypes that many Han have toward other ethnic groups, particularly the Muslim groups and Tibetans, [are] a little bit similar to the colonial stereotypes of the Europeans, he said.

The Han see themselves as victims of colonialismwhich they arebut at the same time they also have their own colonial history, where they are the colonizers, and nowadays in China there is very little reflection on this.

You find some of these stereotypes in speeches by party officials, he added. From the perspective of any colonial power, the people that they colonize are wild people.

Continued promotion of these tropes suggests a lack of government interest in changing policies on the Uyghurs, said Szadziewski.

It just shows this idea that Uyghurs need reforming, Uyghurs need to be changed, Uyghurs need to be reeducated, he said. This kind of thinking led to some terrible things in the last five years.

Translated and written in English by Nadir. Edited by Malcolm Foster.
When the Taliban returned to power in 2021 in a lightning military insurrection that toppled Afghanistans internationally recognized government, the country immediately fell into diplomatic isolation.



Two of Kabuls neighbors to the north, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, chose a different route, putting the hard-line groups fractious history with the former Soviet Central Asian republics aside and prioritizing engagement over criticism and pressure.



But a giant canal project in Afghanistan now taking shape that the Taliban is pursuing at a rapid pace is giving the two water-stressed countries doubts about whether strategic patience with the Islamic fundamentalist group will yield rewards.



If you look at other projects that have involved Afghanistan and Central Asia somehow, there has often been a win-win element, Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, founding director of the Center for Governance and Markets at the University of Pittsburgh, told RFE/RL.



But the Qosh Tepa Irrigation Canal, which will divert large volumes of water from the dwindling transboundary Amu Darya River, is a very different case.



This is very much zero sum, because water is a finite good and there dont seem to be any benefits for Afghanistans neighbors here, said Murtazashvili, adding that she expects the Central Asian countries to pursue a lot of quiet diplomacy on the project that will add to the pressures faced by outsized agricultural sectors already battling climate change and historical mismanagement.

But the Taliban will be probing to see how far it can go, Murtazashvili said, something she suggested its downstream neighbors will have to get used to.



If the first Taliban [regime that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001] was weighed down by insurgency and in some ways never really behaved like a state, Taliban 2.0 seems to really like the idea of projecting state power, Murtazashvili said.



Old Project With New Momentum



The stated dimensions of the irrigation canal that workers started digging last spring are enough to understand why the downstream countries have concerns.



With a length of 285 kilometers and a width of some 100 meters, experts believe it could draw a significant portion of the Amu Daryas flow while irrigating 550,000 hectares of land.



An Afghan civil servant with knowledge of the project told RFE/RLs Uzbek Service that work on the second of three stages of the project that began in the spring of 2022 is expected to begin in the coming months, with more than 100 kilometers already dug and visible from space.



The plan to irrigate land in northern Afghanistan is not new.



Farid Azim, an official at the National Development Company overseeing its construction, pointed out last year that Afghanistans first president, Mohammad Daud Khan, had a similar vision in the 1970s.

The project was most recently pursued by the U.S.-backed administration of President Ashraf Ghani -- which the Taliban overthrew less than two years ago.



A press release issued by the United States Agency for International Development from 2018 marking the launch of a Washington-funded feasibility study for Qosh Tepa described a 200 kilometer-long canal serving a cultivated catchment area of 500,000 hectares.



Developing Afghanistans agriculture sector provides great potential for employment and economic growth, then-U.S. Ambassador John R. Bass said in the release.



But the project was not a pressing concern for neighbors, primarily because political infighting and chronic instability in northern Afghanistan had made it impractical.



Bismellah Alizada, a researcher at Londons School of Oriental and African Studies, told RFE/RL that Rashid Dostum, who was the Afghan first vice president from 2014 to 2020, was among the influential politicians with concerns about the project.



One of those concerns was that it would be used to benefit and resettle members of the politically dominant Pashtun group to which President Ashraf Ghani belonged, Alizada said.



Dostum -- an ethnic Uzbek warlord -- long enjoyed strong ties to the regime in Uzbekistan and was even reported to have fled there when the Taliban captured Mazar-e Sharif, overwhelming forces jointly under his command before the group advanced on Kabul.

Members of Dostums exiled Junbish-e Milli party have reiterated these concerns more recently, but the reality is that the Taliban has no opponents capable of preventing it from forging ahead with giant public works projects, Alizada said.



More obvious obstacles are technical capacity and cash, with billions of dollars in funds belonging to Afghanistans central bank frozen after the Taliban takeover. That would make it hard for the cash-strapped Taliban to finance a project whose first phase cost nearly $100 million, according to reports.



But Graeme Smith, a senior consultant for the International Crisis Groups Asia Program, said the Taliban has a strong political will to finish off projects begun by the former government with Qosh Tepa the biggest that the group has revived so far.



With their very limited resources, the Taliban have prioritized [Qosh Tepa], said Smith, expressing skepticism that the Islamic fundamentalist group would pay attention to its neighbors concerns.



The Taliban is a nationalist movement intensely focused on their domestic constituencies, Smith said.



I think its fair to assume they will continue governing with a strong focus on issues inside the country and less regard for concerns outside, he told RFE/RL.



Games Of Leverage



Taciturn Turkmenistan has so far said nothing about the canal project.



But a Turkmenistan-based hydrologist speaking in March to RFE/RLs Turkmen Service on condition of anonymity called the project not a problem, but a disaster.



RFE/RL correspondents in the closed authoritarian country reported this year about severe water shortages in Turkmenistans Soviet-built Karakum Canal, which is four times the length of the one the Taliban is seeking to complete.



The World Resources Institute in 2019 ranked Turkmenistan as one of 17 countries in the world with extremely high water stress. Uzbekistan and Afghanistan were placed in the next highest category. Central Asia as a whole depends on rivers that rise in mountains, where many glacier stocks are being depleted by climate change.



Tashkent, whose own Moscow-imposed, cotton-growing legacy is one of the chief causes of the Amu Daryas demise, has been more proactive on Qosh Tepa.

According to the Talibans deputy prime minister for economic affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the topic was among those broached by Uzbek presidential envoy and former Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov when he was in Kabul last month for talks on economic cooperation.



Komilov was cited by Baradars office as saying that Uzbekistan was ready to work with the Islamic emirate (the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan) through technical teams in order to maximize the benefits of the Qosh Tepa canal project.



Uzbekistan provided no comment to that effect in its release on the talks, but President Shavkat Mirziyoev -- in a national address in December -- flagged Qosh Tepa as a concern as he touched on the problem of desertification.

At the moment, we consider it necessary to conduct practical talks on the construction of a new canal in the Amu Darya basin with the interim government of neighboring Afghanistan and the international community based on international standards and taking into account the interests of all countries in the region, he said.



We believe that this approach will be supported by our neighbors.



Mirziyoevs preference for dialogue over threats on transboundary water use has been welcomed by the neighborhood since predecessor Islam Karimov passed away in 2016.



This appears to have worked with upstream Kyrgyzstan, where successful border negotiations saw Uzbekistan granted de facto control of a strategic reservoir located inside Kyrgyz territory, albeit not without a rash of political discontent in Kyrgyzstan.

And although authoritarian Karimov virulently opposed the construction of giant hydroelectric dams in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Mirziyoev has given both his blessing, with Tashkent even attaching itself to Kyrgyzstans Kambar-Ata-1 project as a partner -- a move that will give it a hand in upstream management.



Qosh Tepa, however, is becoming a source of public anxiety in Uzbekistan.



With the volume of the Amu Darya water [already] decreasing, Afghans will take a quarter of its water through this canal, complained Uzbek academic and outspoken government critic Khidirnazar Allakulov in an interview with RFE/RLs Uzbek Service.



Instead of solving the problem, the Uzbek government takes the Taliban to Samarkand, dressing them and presenting them with gifts. The government bows to Afghanistan.. Not only the current generation, but also future [Uzbek] generations can be endangered by the water problem, Allakulov said.



Regular exchanges between the Turkmen and Uzbek governments and the Taliban predated the fall of the Ghani government, and Turkmenistan was among the first countries in the world to accept a Taliban-appointed ambassador.

But in line with the international community as a whole, neither has recognized the new regime in Kabul.



This only complicates what Alizada calls the legal lacuna between Afghanistan and its former communist neighbors, since Kabul had not previously signed treaties with them on transboundary management.



And while Afghanistan is keen for more trade opportunities and relies on its northern neighbors for supplies of electricity for several provinces, there are other areas of these bilateral relations where the Taliban feels it has real leverage, Alizada argued.



For the Central Asian countries, I think the number one concern is hard security, especially with the regions history with transnational extremist groups. The Taliban will continue to use assurances on security in negotiations with these countries going forward.
A Russian court is expected to deliver a verdict in the trial of journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who faces 25 years in prison on charges of treason and spreading false information, which he denies. Rights groups say the trial is an attempt by the Kremlin to persecute one of its most prominent critics.

The Moscow City Court is scheduled to deliver a verdict in the trial on April 17, just over a year after Kara-Murza, who twice nearly died after what he says were deliberate poisoning attacks, was arrested on the charge of spreading "false information" about Russia's armed forces.

In August, Russian authorities added the charge of involvement in an "undesirable" foreign organization, and in October they added the treason charge for the 41-year-old's public criticism of the Russian authorities in the international arena.

The trial was delayed last month after his lawyer told the court his client's health had "significantly deteriorated." A certificate from the medical unit of Kara-Murza's detention facility stated he was being treated for polyneuropathy, which he says is a result of the poisonings.

"Vladimir Kara-Murza has been detained, prosecuted, and is facing a monstrous prison term for no more than raising his voice and elevating the voices of others in Russia who disagree with the Kremlin, its war in Ukraine, and its escalating repression within Russia," Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a report ahead of the verdict.

"The Kremlin's persecution of Kara-Murza, which is part of its efforts to demoralize and quash civic activism, should be condemned in the strongest possible terms," he added.

In his final statement to court on April 10, Kara-Murza, who Amnesty International has designated a "prisoner of conscience," said the level of opaqueness about the charges against him surpassed the trials of Soviet dissidents in the 1960s and 1970s, and the language used against him was reminiscent of the 1930s, when Soviet citizens were arrested on fabricated charges and put on show trials.

Kara-Murza, a longstanding proponent of democratic values and a vocal opponent of the current Russian government, said he was jailed for his political views, "for speaking out against the war in Ukraine, for many years of struggle against (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's dictatorship."

"Not only do I not repent of any of this, I am proud of it," he said, adding that he looks forward to a day "when those who kindled and unleashed this war, and not those who tried to stop it, are recognized as criminals."

Russia adopted a law criminalizing spreading "false information" about its military shortly after it sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Kara-Murza is the latest in a string of opposition activists, reporters, and others who have been arrested and prosecuted under the legislation amid a growing Kremlin crackdown on civil society.

Kara-Murza was a key advocate for the U.S. Magnitsky Act, which sets out sanctions for human rights violators in Russia. He has also called for sanctions to be imposed on culpable Russian officials.

On March 3, the United States designated six people, including three judges, for sanctions due to their role in Kara-Murza's detention.

The late U.S. Senator John McCain was a proponent of Kara-Murza's efforts, and Kara-Murza served as a pallbearer at McCain's funeral in 2018.
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

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Politician, entrepreneur, philanthropist, a billionaire whose bank was implicated in a mass money-laundering scheme, Ruben Vardanian has worn many hats in the 54 years of his life. His most recent, that of prime minister of the de facto government in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, will likely count as one of the most short-lived.

After taking Armenian citizenship in June 2021, Vardanian, who is of Armenian descent, renounced his Russian citizenship a year later and announced plans to move to Nagorno-Karabakh, where he became prime minister based in the de facto capital, Stepanakert, in November 2022.

But in February, less than three months into his new role and more than two months after the start of an Azerbaijani blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, Vardanian was dismissed from his position by the region's ethnic Armenian leader and de facto president, Arayik Harutiunian, with reports suggesting that he was seen by Azerbaijan as being too close to the Kremlin.

The billionaire, however, remains bullish. "The position of state minister was not a goal for me. But a means to achieve my goals more effectively in [Nagorno-Karabakh]," Vardanian wrote in e-mailed comments to RFE/RL following his dismissal. The state minister is second only to the president and is commonly referred to as prime minister, a position that was formally abolished in a 2017 referendum. "So, my purpose remains unchanged: to do everything to have a safe, free, dignified Armenian Artsakh," he added, using the Armenian name for the breakaway region.

Once called one of the "founding fathers" of the Russian stock market, Vardanian made his fortune in the chaotic, high-stakes world of banking after the fall of the Soviet Union.

In 1991, he co-founded Troika Dialog, an investment banking and asset-management firm headquartered in Moscow. After serving as the CEO of a major Russian insurance company, Rosgosstrakh, in 2013, Vardanian co-founded VB Partners, an investment company with assets under its management worth over $1.5 billion, which include shares in the Armenian bank, Ameriabank.

'Troika Laundromat' Scandal

Like most tycoons in the post-Soviet world, Vardanian's wealth has attracted great scrutiny.

In 2019, "Troika Laundromat," an investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a global network of investigative journalists, claimed that Troika Dialog was at the center of a nearly $9 billion global money-laundering scheme, which allowed some of Russia's most influential people to secretly transfer money, evade taxes, and hide assets abroad.

While the OCCRP said that Vardanian was "Troika's president, chief executive officer, and principal partner" at the time of the alleged misdeeds, it also said there was no "definitive evidence" that he knew of the scheme. Vardanian himself dismissed some of the allegations as "pure inventions."

His perceived coziness with the Russian elite did not escape the attention of Washington.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Vardanian was named in a draft bill in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the so-called Putin Accountability Act, which calls for those close to the Russian president to be subjected to personal sanctions.

The move sparked speculation that Vardanian's decision to renounce his Russian citizenship was motivated by a desire to avoid possible sanctions against him.

"[If I'd wanted to evade sanctions] I could have gone to Uruguay or somewhere [else] in South America," Vardanian told RFE/RL over Zoom in January, adding that his decision to become an Armenian citizen and take a leading political role in Nagorno-Karabakh was motivated by patriotism and a desire to serve his country.

Vardanian was born in Yerevan to an architect father who hailed from western Armenia and a pianist mother, whose roots extended to Tbilisi, Georgia, and "Artsakh," he said.

By contrast, his children were born in Moscow and have visited Nagorno-Karabakh regularly with their father. "My children grew up in a different environment. They were born in Russia. My son made a voluntary choice to serve in the army in Artsakh," Vardanian said.

Mingling With The Stars

A known philanthropist who has mingled with the British royal family and Hollywood film stars, Vardanian once said that he and his wife planned to give away more than 80 percent of their wealth. Much of his philanthropic work has focused on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, including the restoration of the ninth century Tatev Monastery and the prestigious UWC Dilijan College, an international boarding school set in the lush mountains of northern Armenia.

"I believe the person who has more has to give back more. If you've done many things in your life and you want to be with your people and nation, you should give back," he said. "Are you ready to support your nation, or not?"

Vardanian's support for his nation was severely tested as prime minister, with most of his brief term dominated by the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. The only land route linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh has been blocked since mid-December 2022 by Azerbaijani protesters claiming to be environmental activists. Armenia has accused the protesters of acting with official Azerbaijani support, a charge the regime of President Ilham Aliyev denies.

As a result of the blockade, the citizens of the majority-ethnic-Armenian enclave have faced a humanitarian crisis, with families separated and acute shortages of food and medical supplies.

During his tenure as prime minister, Vardanian would appear live almost every day on local television, urging ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh to stay united and resist. "There's no gas, the electricity is cut off for many hours a day," Vardanian said. "There's no fruit, vegetables, fish. No elements of a normal life. It's challenging economically and psychologically. But also, people are ready to defend our homelands."

Unable to receive medical attention, some people have died since the start of the blockade, Vardanian said, although he did not say how many. "It's a humanitarian catastrophe. The West needs to recognize that this is unacceptable. It's not important whether Artsakh is recognized as independent, it's the humiliation of 129,000 Armenians. It's wrong. The West needs to put more pressure on the Aliyev regime," he said.

Baku and Yerevan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for years. Armenian-backed separatists seized the mainly Armenian-populated region from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people. Diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict brought little progress over the years, and the two sides fought another war in 2020 that lasted six weeks, killing around 7,000 people, before a Russian-brokered cease-fire was agreed.

On February 23, Nagorno-Karabakh's leader, Harutiunian, announced that Vardanian was being removed from his post. Insisting that it was not the result of pressure from either Baku or Yerevan, Harutiunian credited his decision to "tactical differences" between him and Vardanian over a number of "factors," including the "interests of geopolitical actors."

"My dismissal was the decision of the president. On my side, I consider this decision to be tactically wrong, because in this situation it doesn't help [us] face the challenges. On the contrary, it weakens us," Vardanian said in e-mailed comments.

"Part of my job was everyday communication with the outside world. An international audience was being informed about the ongoing events in Artsakh, about the resilience of the people. Thus, Azerbaijan wanted to stop it. They want no one to know and speak out about their behavior towards people in Artsakh." In addition to speaking to RFE/RL, Vardanian appeared on France 24 and the BBC's flagship HARDTalk interview program in January.

Immediately after Vardanian's firing, there were reports in the Armenian media that it was due to conditions set by Azerbaijan in relation to possible peace negotiations. During a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference in February, Azerbaijani President Aliyev alluded to Vardanian as an impediment to negotiations, saying that Baku was not willing to negotiate "with the person who was exported from Russia to have the leading position in Karabakh." Azerbaijani officials consistently and publicly took umbrage against Vardanian's appointment, accusing him of working for Russia.

"It's tempting to say that Harutiunian and the Armenian leadership bowed to Azerbaijan's pressure to fire Vardanian and to satisfy Azerbaijan's demands," said analyst Benjamin Poghosian, the founding director of the Yerevan-based Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies.

"There were also domestic political developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh republic and small communities have their own dynamics. But 24 hours after Vardanian was fired, we know that an agreement was reached to restore the full-scale supply of gas and electricity to Nagorno-Karabakh." In recent months, gas and electricity supplies to the breakaway region have been interrupted, with ethnic Armenian authorities saying that Azerbaijan was behind the cut-offs, accusations that Baku denies.

A meeting to discuss the blockade of the Lachin Corridor between officials from Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan -- the first since the blockade began in December 2022 -- was confirmed as having taken place on February 24, a day after Vardanian's dismissal. Officials from both sides met again on March 1 to discuss the blockade, making it the second such meeting within a week.

Concerns In Both Baku And Yerevan

Ahmad Alili, the director of the Baku-based independent think tank, the Caucasus Policy Analysis Center, told the Caliber.az news website on February 27 that the decision to dismiss Vardanian could have been the lesser of two evils for Armenians in Karabakh.

"Of the demands put forward by Azerbaijan, Armenia chose Ruben Vardanian's [firing] in order to possibly obtain concessions in the process of installing a checkpoint on the Lachin road in the future," he said. "Yerevan has decided that after meeting Baku's second-most important demand -- i.e. Vardanian's dismissal -- international mediators will put pressure on Azerbaijan, saying that Yerevan is making concessions and Baku is not."

That Vardanian was considered by Azerbaijani officials to be such an important figure -- and one worth removing -- was likely due to their perceptions about the billionaire's Moscow ties. "Azerbaijan's overreaction to Vardanian was mistakenly perceiving him as a man on a mission directed by Putin," said Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center, a Yerevan-based think tank.

Concerns about Vardanian, however, didn't just come from Baku, but from Yerevan as well, where some politicians saw him as an Armenian Bidzina Ivanishvili, a reference to the oligarch who has dominated Georgian politics since 2012 and who many believe to be beholden to Russia.

Speaking on February 21, pro-government parliamentary deputy Gagik Melkonian said that Vardanian was acting on the Kremlin's orders, one of which included "driving a wedge between Armenia and Karabakh."

With some Armenian and Azerbaijani criticism of Vardanian often sounding very much the same, analyst Giragosian said it was "an accidental agreement that both Pashinian and Aliyev wanted Vardanian gone."

Vardanian and Pashinian have reportedly had a thorny relationship, at least in part due to Pashinian's 2018 decision to close down a public-private investment project, the Center for Strategic Initiatives, which Vardanian had financially supported. The project was set up by Pashinian's predecessor, Karen Karapetian, to attract foreign investment into Armenia.

"I have no time to look at what Pashinian is doing," Vardanian said, when asked about the direction Armenia has taken under Pashinian, who has been prime minister since 2018. "I don't want to comment on Armenian [affairs]."

With a very small political power base in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, it was perhaps little surprise that Vardanian had his work cut out for him, especially during a period of intense crisis. While Russian peacekeepers have "been trying to help us, bringing us humanitarian food," said Vardanian, the largely weak force has meant that many Armenians feel let down by supposed international assistance -- not just by the peacekeepers but also the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Armenia is a member of the CSTO -- a Russian-led Eurasian military alliance loosely similar to NATO with its principle that an attack on one is an attack on all. In September 2022, when heavy border clashes included Azerbaijan bombarding southern Armenia with artillery, the Armenian government's appeals for military backup from the CSTO were refused. "The failure in Nagorno-Karabakh of the peacekeepers and the CSTO has tainted Vardanian with a kind of skepticism," said Giragosian.

Since his dismissal, Vardanian has publicly vowed to remain working in Nagorno-Karabakh. "He is rather smartin terms of investing in public relations and philanthropy," said Giragosian. "He is sincere. I think he genuinely believed in his mission in Nagorno-Karabakh. Whether it's patriotism or nationalism, there was a degree of sincerity."

Given the high-profile life he has led, rubbing shoulders with Russia's political elite, and given the accusations of wrongdoing levelled against him, Vardanian appears to have a thick skin. "I love criticism," he said. "It helps. I deal with it fine."

Speaking to Russian news outlet RBC in November 2021, Vardanian said he was interested in entering Armenian politics, adding that he might one day want "to be the leader of the country." With an estimated wealth of $1 billion, his dismissal as prime minister may not spell the end for his political career.

"I am a happy person. I live a full life," Vardanian said. "I have inner peace [and] one of the biggest challenges is when you're not at peace with yourself. Sometimes projects fail, but that's OK."
The first time that Vitaly Votanovsky was contacted to find out the fate of someone fighting in Ukraine for the notorious Wagner mercenary group was in November 2022.

He received a Telegram message from the aunt of 22-year-old Andrei Kargin saying that she hadnt heard from her nephew for months since he deployed to Ukraine as part of the Russian group, and she was beginning to wonder what fate he had met. She filled out all the necessary paperwork to be contacted in the event of his death, but had received no word from Wagner. Desperate, she reached out to Votanovsky, a well-known local blogger and activist based in Russias North Caucasus who had been investigating the true death toll of Moscows yearlong invasion.

By the end of February, Votanovsky had found Kargins grave in Russia at a special cemetery for Wagner fighters killed in Ukraine. His aunt had never been contacted by Wagner to let her know that her nephew had been killed or if she wanted to attend a funeral. The only news she received was a photo taken by Votanovsky.

Since then, Votanovsky has been contacted by numerous families about the fate of their relatives fighting as mercenaries for Wagner in Ukraine.

He told RFE/RL's Caucasus.Realities, a regional news outlet of RFE/RL's North Caucasus Service, that since he began tracking the graves of those killed in Ukraine, hes found relatives for families across southern Russia, such as cities like Stavropol and Volgograd, and even as far away as Belarus and Kazakhstan. In most cases, the families had not been informed of the deaths and only discovered that their relatives were no longer alive after someone had discovered one of Votanovskys photos on his Telegram channel.

Only in one case was the wife informed that the fighter had diedthe rest didnt even know, Votanovsky said during an interview. During my last trip, I found many graves with nonstandard black-and-yellow wreaths -- and many relatives found out about their loved ones [that way].

Those black-and-yellow wreaths have become a symbol for the graves of Wagner fighters killed in Ukraine. The mercenary group has suffered heavy casualties of late, especially in recent months as grinding battles have raged in eastern Ukrainian towns and cities like Soledar and Bakhmut.

Special Cemeteries

In order to accommodate all the bodies, Wagner has built special cemeteries for its slain fighters, many of whom are believed to be inmates who were recruited to fight in exchange for being released from prison. Votanovsky first discovered the sprawling Wagner cemetery in December in the village of Bakinskaya located within the Krasnodar region in southwestern Russia.

In addition to commuting their sentence, part of the recruiting pitch made publicly -- and seen on leaked video footage -- by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is also that a designated family member will receive a cash payment should they be killed fighting in Ukraine. Advocacy groups say prisoners who enlisted were told their families would receive a payout of 5 million rubles ($71,000) if they were killed.

But Votanovsky says that, based on his growing interactions with family members whose relatives have died fighting for Wagner in Ukraine, many are not being informed about deaths and the promised payouts are not being delivered, which he speculates may be a deliberate move by the mercenary group.

Of course, its easier for Wagner to bury all those taken out in one place than to deal with the complex logistics and transport for corpses around [Russia] and even to neighboring countries, Votanovsky said. But this also demonstrates their real attitude toward both the dead and their families.

'Out of Prison For Slaughter'

The exact reason for family members not being notified is not known.

In interviews RFE/RL conducted with experts, activists, former Wagner mercenaries, and family members of fighters who were killed, some have theorized that it could result from poor organization, a concern over the financial cost for the company given the mounting battlefield casualties suffered in recent months, or other practicalities resulting from the war and the heavy recruitment of inmates.

According to Vladimir Osechkin, the founder of Gulagu.net, a Russian human rights organization focusing on the countrys prison system, the main reason why family members are not being informed and paid is that the fighters, especially those recruited from prisons, are seen as expendable.

He says that, based on his organizations research, Wagner recruits are often deceived about the purported financial benefits and the lack of communication or delivery of promised payments is the latest development from a system where Prigozhin was given the right and opportunity to take anyone out of prison for slaughter.

Yana Gelmel, a lawyer with the In Defense of the Rights of Prisoners Foundation, adds that other factors could also be contributing to the lack of payments beyond an unwillingness on the part of Wagner brass, such as failures to fill out contact forms correctly and some recruits not wanting to tell their family members that they had signed up to fight in Ukraine.

RFE/RL spoke with seven separate family members who contacted Votanovsky and it reviewed his conversations with them. They asked for some identifying details to be withheld in order to prevent legal or other repercussions from Russian authorities.

In one case, the wife of a slain mercenary says that she has not received any of the payments touted by Prigozhin. Despite signing a power of attorney for her husband before he deployed, her legal attempts to claim compensation have been ignored and she says that she only learned about her husbands death through Votanovskys channel.

Another woman whose husband was killed fighting for Wagner said that she was told that she could not attend the funeral and was asked to visit the grave at a later date.

One woman whose relative was killed in Ukraine after being recruited from prison says that she has written to the Russian Defense Ministry and to the correctional colony where her relative was serving time, but has had no response.

In the other cases, the relatives said that they had launched appeals to Wagner and the Defense Ministry, but have not received replies.

'Cannon Fodder'

U.S. government estimates say some 50,000 Wagner mercenaries have been sent to the war in Ukraine and 30,000 have since been killed or injured.

Andrei Medvedev, a former Wagner commander in Ukraine who later fled to Norway and has applied for political asylum, told RFE/RL that the difficulties with sending payments to the families of dead fighters largely stems from the mercenary company suffering huge losses and it being financially unrealistic for it to transfer money to each one.

[The fighters] have been treated like cannon fodder, Medvedev said. There are too many corpses and there just isnt enough money [to pay everyone].

The former mercenary added that, despite the growing number of relatives left in the dark, Wagner does inform some families, saying that to not do so at all would harm the companys reputation inside Russia.

But he says that more and more families are unlikely to receive their promised payouts considering the growing losses Wagner is facing.

While still fighting with the mercenary group, Medvedev said that he witnessed cases where many soldiers were buried on the spot after being killed in combat and then listed as missing by a commanding officer.

In one episode, he said that a friend from the mercenary group was killed in front of a Ukrainian position and that his superior said that his family would not receive compensation because the mans body couldnt be sent back to Russia.

No body, no payment. The commander immediately said that the family would not receive money without a body, Medvedev said. I had to lead a group there to get him so that his body could be sent home.

Written by Reid Standish in Prague based on reporting by Andrei Krasno for RFE/RL's Caucasus.Realities.
Turkmen citizens going to Turkey are being asked to sign statements that they will not engage in anti-government activities and must find guarantors liable for their trip, according to a rights organization focused on Turkmenistan.

The latest travel agony for Turkmen strengthens the argument that anti-regime protests by Turkmen expats motivated the authoritarian regime in Ashgabat to ask Turkey to be excluded from Ankaras list of countries subject to a visa waiver.

The Turkmen government has denied that is the case, claiming instead a desire to ensure the security of its citizens abroad.

Turkish authorities imposed new visa restrictions on Turkmen citizens in September.

The Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (THF) on March 5 published the transcript of an interview between two foreign-based Turkmen bloggers and a Turkmen citizen who traveled to Turkey last month.

The citizen, who used the name Gadam, said that the guarantor for a citizens trip should have an income of at least 2,000 manats ($100 according to the black-market rate).

A visa will not be issued without a letter of guarantee. If a person does not return home [before the visa expires] the guarantor faces dismissal [from his job], said Gadam.

RFE/RLs Turkmen Service has confirmed that information, as well as reports that the guarantor should be an employee of the state -- a fact that makes finding such a person a challenge for Turkmen without family members in government.

On the nonactivism pledge, Gadam recalled that, having received his Turkish visa, he was called into his local police station, where he was made to sign a document promising not to participate in rallies and protests criticizing our government [or] in discussions on political issues that are held on the Internet.

That includes a prohibition on liking politically inappropriate videos posted online, he said.

In Freedom Houses annual report, which was released on March 9, Turkmenistan was once again included in the watchdogs worst of the worst for civil liberties, edged out only by Syria and South Sudan.

But it is the countrys grueling, near decade-long economic crisis that has strengthened emigration to Turkey, where the migration service recorded more than 220,000 Turkmen in January.

That trend only slowed thanks to a near two-year ban on regular flights to and from the country as part of anti-coronavirus measures that were eased last year.

And it was Turkmenistans inconceivable claim to have no cases of the disease that first fired up Turkmen activists, who began protests outside Turkmenistans diplomatic missions abroad, most notably outside its consulate in Istanbul, in 2020.

The demonstrations soon began to target other ills in Ashgabats authoritarian system.

Several Turkmen activists were detained in 2021 and threatened with deportation by Turkish authorities, though they were later released.

Last year, five activists were injured after being attacked on the grounds of Turkmenistans Istanbul consulate, where they were trying to submit a letter to new President Serdar Berdymukhammedov highlighting the human rights crisis in their homeland.

They alleged that one of the men who attacked them was an employee of Turkmenistans mission.

Verbal Orders

THF noted in its March 5 publication that the new measures being introduced by authorities for citizens seeking to travel to Turkey are contrary to Turkmenistans law on migration.

Yet, of the numerous authoritarian policies instituted by Turkmen authorities in recent years, few have been announced, published, or much less explained to the population.

In February, RFE/RLs Turkmen Service reported that Turkmenistans migration service had temporarily ceased issuing biometric passports.

A government source told an RFE/RL correspondent that a verbal order had been given to slow the issue of passports for people who had applied for them.

Later that month, the Europe-based outlet Turkmen.News reported that the government was preventing citizens from reapplying for new passports until the final month of their passports validity.

Citizens could previously apply six months before their existing passport expired.

Travel restrictions on Turkmen were raised during a review of Ashgabats rights situation at the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva this month.

Members of a Turkmen government delegation asked to justify their decision to request that Turkey impose travel restrictions on the country responded that a visa regime with [Turkey] did not restrict movement but instead enhanced the safety of Turkmen citizens, according to a report on the meeting published by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR).

But an RFE/RL correspondent in Istanbul said there was so far no evidence that the fresh restrictions were stemming the outflow of Turkmen to Turkey.

If anything, the number of incomers wearing Turkmen national clothes and speaking in the Turkmen language in Turkeys largest city has grown in recent weeks, the correspondent said.

Gadam, the Turkmen citizen cited by THF, said that Ashgabats stance was logical since the more people go abroad, the greater the threat to the authorities."

Are there problems in our country related to the lack of jobs, food prices, and corruption? Of course there are. Instead of solving them, the authorities continue to oppress the people, Gadam said.

Written by Chris Rickleton based on reporting by RFE/RLs Turkmen Service
Russian mercenary fighters claim they are closing in on the center of Bakhmut, but British military experts say the brutal, monthslong combat in and around the eastern Ukrainian city has taken a staggering toll on the invading forces, making it highly challenging for the group to maintain its bloody offensive in the near term.

On March 11, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner group of Russian mercenaries, posted a video from what he claimed was a site near the city center.

This is the building of the town administration, he said pointing to a building in the distance. It is one kilometer and 200 meters away."

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However, he repeated his demand for the Russian military command to provide his group with more ammunition to allow it to "move forward."

Last month, Prigozhin, considered one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies, accused top armed forces officials of committing "treason" by failing to equip his private troops, who have been a major force in the battle to take Bakhmut, with enough ammunition.

Prigozhin has made claims of battlefield victories in the past, and his most recent remarks could not immediately be verified, although the British Defense Ministry said in its daily update that the Bakhmutka River running through the besieged city now marks the front line.

The U.K. ministry said Ukrainian forces still hold the west of the town and have destroyed bridges over the river in an effort to block the Russian fighters advance.

With Ukrainian units able to fire from fortified buildings to the west, this area has become a killing zone, making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westward, the ministry said.

It warned, though, that the Ukrainian force and their supply lines to the west remain vulnerable to the continued Russian attempts to outflank the defenders from the north and south.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War think tank said Russian forces had made gains in Bakhmut and were clearing eastern parts of the city. It added that the mercenaries had advanced to new positions in the northwest of the city and were within 800 meters of the giant AZOM metal-processing plant.

The think tank said the Wagner groups apparent goal of taking the plant was likely to lead to a further wave of Russian casualties.

Ukrainian and Western military experts have said Russian fighters have suffered near-catastrophic levels of casualties in the long battle for Bakhmut -- which U.S. military leaders have said holds little strategic value and mostly indicates Moscows desire for a symbolic victory in the face of growing criticism at home.

Ukraine has also suffered heavy losses, although neither side has disclosed up-to-date casualty figures in the conflict, which passed its one-year anniversary in late February.

According to a NATO estimate on March 6, Russia is losing about five times as many troops in the Bakhmut fighting as Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that more than 28,000 people have volunteered to serve in Ukraines Offensive Guard units, which are now nearly fully staffed.

The units are mostly already formed and today we are recruiting additional volunteers to have a reserve in the future, Klymenko said on March 11.

The Offensive Guard units, which are expected to be used in an offensive against invading Russian forces, are currently being trained at facilities around the country, Klymenko added.

The Ukrainian General Staff said during its daily briefing on March 11 that the Russian military launched more than 100 attacks across the front line in the Donetsk region, including around Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Shakhtarsk,

Russia also reportedly carried out 29 air strikes and four missile strikes in the region over the previous 24 hours, the military said, adding that civilians were injured and civilian infrastructure was damaged.

Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Ukrainian military administration in the southern Kherson region, said three civilians were killed and two injured in the city of Kherson when a Russian shell struck their car.

The reports could not be independently confirmed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address following the Kherson attack that "I would like to support all those cities and communities of ours that are subjected to brutal terrorist attacks by the evil state every day, every night."

Russia "uses a variety of weapons, but with one goal: to destroy life and leave nothing human behind. Ruins, debris, shell holes in the ground are a self-portrait of Russia."

Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilians, despite abundant evidence to the contrary.

Ukraines ground forces commander, General Oleksandr Syrskiy, said Ukrainian troops are trying to buy time for the spring offensive, which is just around the corner. He said Russia continues to devote resources to the attack on Bakhmut, preventing it from advancing elsewhere.

Throughout Ukraine, Ukrenerho -- the national energy company -- was working to return power to several regions after Russian missiles and drones hit crucial infrastructure sites. Scheduled blackouts were in place in several cities, including Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.

With reporting by AP and AFP
A blizzard that socked North Dakota to start the weekend dropped 5.6 inches of snow on Bismarck overnight Friday into Saturday, moving the winter of 2022-23 into third place all time in city history.

The capital city as of 6 a.m. Saturday had received 92.5 inches of snow this season, third-most since record-keeping began 148 years ago, according to the National Weather Service.

Bismarck's snowiest winter was 1996-97, when it received 101.6 inches -- double the typical winter snowfall for Bismarck. The city last year got 55.1 inches.

Another 8 inches is needed to move the winter into second place. That won't come from this storm -- only about an inch more is expected through the weekend, though weather warnings for the region remain in place into Sunday due to high winds that will cause blowing and drifting snow.

Interstate 94 was closed between the Montana border and Jamestown as Saturday began, but the portion between the border and Dickinson reopened in the morning, and the stretch from Dickinson to Jamestown reopened midafternoon. State Highway 6 in Morton County also reopened.

U.S. Highway 52 remained closed between Jamestown and Minot late in the afternoon. No travel was advised throughout the state.

The poor conditions led to a fatal crash in McKenzie County. A 29-year-old Watford City man died when the pickup truck he was driving spun out of control and collided with an oncoming commercial truck on icy U.S. Highway 85, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol. It happened 5 miles south of Willison around 6:40 p.m. Friday. No travel was advised at the time.

The pickup driver died at the scene. The 67-year-old man from Bridger, Montana, driving the commercial truck was taken to a Williston hospital with what the Patrol said were serious but not life-threatening injuries. Authorities did not immediately release their names.

The storm prompted some closures. North Dakota's Gateway to Science in Bismarck shut down for the day, as did Essentia Health's walk-in clinic on Ninth Street.

Temperatures will be closer to average next week, with highs in Bismarck-Mandan reaching the 30s by Tuesday, according to the weather service. Normal highs for this time of year are around 40. The 8-14-day outlook indicates a return to more normal precipitation, but potentially below-normal temps.
Long-term care facilities see a crisis looming on the horizon threatening their future. The solution basically comes down to money.

During the pandemic the facilities faced a growing shortage of workers, as many workers didnt want to deal with the rules spawned by COVID-19 and the increased health risks. The facilities were forced to rely more on traveling registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants.

The traveling staffers came at a higher price, with a CNA position that paid $33 an hour pre-pandemic going as high as $85. LPN positions went from $44 up to $90 with overtime costing $120 an hour. An RN went from around $55 to about $130.

Its not easy work. Some of the residents, because of health reasons, can be difficult to care for. The staffers must take care of the residents down to their basic needs. It must be considered challenging work.

Not all the challenges faced by long-term care facilities can be blamed on the pandemic. They existed before COVID-19, but were exacerbated by the pandemic. The facilities faced staffing and salary issues earlier, but when forced to hire traveling staffers the problems increased. Theres a nursing shortage in the state overall, not just in long-term care facilities.

Facilities have been forced to downsize, and some have closed. Michael Standaert of the North Dakota News Cooperative did a good job of explaining the long-term care facilities' problems in a Feb. 27 story in the Tribune.

He noted that an average of three long-term care facilities in the state have closed or downsized annually since 2020. North Dakota has 192 long-term care facilities, including assisted living, basic care and nursing homes. The demand for services is expected to peak in 2029 as baby boomers retire and age, according to Shelly Peterson, North Dakota Long Term Care Association president.

Rural areas especially feel the impact when a facility closes. It forces residents of the facility to move farther away from family and friends, reducing the personal contact.

State government and private employers need to find ways to pay more to the nursing staffs. Benefits also are an issue with workers. Passing the costs on to the facilities residents can be a iffy prospect, with many in limited financial situations.

The National Direct Care Workforce Resource Center ranks North Dakota 31 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia on its wage index, and 42 out of 51 on its worker supportive policies index. So theres room for improvement.

Unfortunately, its not only the health care field where the state ranks low in pay. There also are worker shortages in other professions in North Dakota. The Legislature has been considering bills to encourage immigration from outside the United States to North Dakota. Senate Bill 2142 would create an immigration office within the Department of Commerce to lure foreign health care workers.

If the bills are approved it will take time before the impact will be noticed.

It may sound simplistic, but the immediate step needs to be finding ways to help long-term facilities pay more. Otherwise, facilities will continue to close or downsize, leaving the elderly and those in need in a bind.
23 Surgical Blades, Drugs & 2 Android Phones Recovered From Tihar Jail, Delhi

The Tihar Jail Administration has informed the Delhi Police in this matter

NEW-DELHI: Taking in view the suspicious activities in Tihar Jail, the Jail Administration conducted a search operation in Jail No 3. Meanwhile, a large quantity of surgical blades, drugs, two touchscreen mobiles and SIM cards have been recovered from the inmates in the jail.

On Friday evening, the spokesperson of Tihar Jail said that after suspecting suspicious activities in Tihar Jail, the jail administration conducted a search operation in Central Jail No. 3 at around 6:40 am. Meanwhile, many suspected prisoners were also searched and 23 surgical blades, mobile phones, SIM cards etc. were recovered from their possession.

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During interrogation, the prisoners have admitted that these banned goods were thrown in from the other side of the prison wall. The Tihar Jail administration has informed the Delhi Police in this matter. Legal action is being taken in this regard.
J&K Govt Cancels Arms License of Amritpal Singh's Bodyguards

Arms licenses of Varinder Singh and Talwinder Singh canceled

CHANDIGARH: In a major action against the associates of 'Waris Punjab de' chief Amritpal Singh, the Jammu and Kashmir government has canceled the arms licenses of Amritpal's two bodyguards. The Deputy Commissioner of Ramban and Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir said that the arms licenses issued to two bodyguards of Amritpal Singh have been cancelled.

Among them are the names of retired Constable Varinder Singh of 19 Sikh Regiment and Talwinder Singh of 23 Armed Punjab. Earlier, Varinder was arrested by the Punjab Police. The license of Talwinder Singh (Tarn Taran), posted in Amritpal's security, is from Ramban (Jammu Kashmir). While Varinder Singh's (Tarn Taran) license is from Kishtwar (Jammu and Kashmir).

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The Punjab Police on Thursday detained Amritpal's social media handler Gurinder Singh. He had reached Amritsar Airport to fly to London. It is worth mentioning here that after the Ajnala incident, the Punjab Police had identified the 10 companions of Amritpal Singh, who stay with him 24 hours a day armed with weapons.

The police had issued notices to various district administrations seeking details of the arms. After this, the process of canceling their licenses has been initiated. These licenses were issued by the administration for self-defense, so that it cannot be used by security personnel.
PM Modi and his Australian Counterpart Anthony Albanese

PM Albanese assured me that the security of Indian community is a priority for them: PM Modi

NEW-DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (March 10) raised the issue of recent attacks on temples in Australia before his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese. The matter came up for discussion during their wide-ranging conversation, which was aimed at expanding the overall relationship. Addressing the media after the conversation, PM Modi said that the news of attacks on temples in Australia are continuously arising. Naturally, this comes up as a matter of concern for all the people in India and hurts our hearts.

The Prime Minister said, "PM Albanese have assured me that the security of the Indian community is a special priority for them. We discussed ways to enhance maritime security and mutual security in the Indo-Pacific region with his Australian counterpart."

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"We discussed mutual cooperation to develop a reliable and robust global supply chain," Modi said. Prime Minister Modi also said that the two sides are working on a comprehensive economic agreement. He added, "In the field of defense, we have made notable agreements in the last few years, including cooperation in equipment for each other's forces."

PM Albanese said in his remarks that Modi and he agreed to complete the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as soon as possible. He said, I hope we will finalize it this year." The Australian Prime Minister arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening after concluding his programs in Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
6.62 Kg Gold Seized from Passengers arrived from Sharjah

11 people have been arrested in this case

COIMBATORE: In a major achievement, Tamil Nadu Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has unearthed Smuggling of gold through Air Arabia flight from Sharjah. During investigation, about 6.62 kg gold has been recovered from the passengers.

Reportedly, the passengers arrived from Sharjah through Air Arabia flight had brought the gold by hiding it in their shoes, pockets and private parts. Eleven people have been arrested in this case. The value of the seized gold is said to be around Rs 3.8 crores. The further investigation in the matter is underway.
Drone

The International Price of the Heroin is around Rs 21 crores

AMRITSAR: Conveying a message of friendship, the Border Security Force (BSF) handed over a Pakistani who had mistakenly crossed the border and entered the Indian territory. On the same night, BSF jawans recovered 3 kg heroin from a Pakistani drone.

The BSF said that the jawans were on patrol during the intervening night of March 10-11. The troops detected the drone movement at BOP Dhanoye Kalan under Amritsar district. Witnessing the moment, the troops shoots down the drone. Afterwards, a search operation was launched in the area.

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Notably, a pink colored packet was recovered from the fields which contained three packets of heroin weighting 3.055 kg. The international price of the recovered heroin is around Rs 21 crores. BSF has detained three intruders while crossing the border in the last 24 hours. One of the intruders were arrested in Ferozepur sector. He was identified as Rehman, a resident of Khyber district of Pakistan. Nothing suspicious was found from him. The BSF handed him over to Pakistan.
NRI Nihang Pardeep Singh Cremated

A wave of mourning has engulfed the village over the demise of the youth.

SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB: Nihang Pardeep Singh, a 24-year-old NRI from Gazikot village of Gurdaspur, was killed during Hola-Mohalla celebrations at Sri Anandpur Sahib. His dead body was brought to his native village Gazikot today. A wave of mourning has engulfed the village over the demise of the youth. Leaders of various political and religious organizations arrived to pay their last respects to the deceased Pardeep Singh.

The father of the deceased, Subedar Major Gurbaksh Singh, performed the last rites and said that the administration has assured him that strict action will be taken against all the accused. He said that Pardeep Singh has given his martyrdom to restore the dignity of Guru Dhams.

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While interacting with the media, the father of deceased said that he is proud of his son's martyrdom. The government should take strict action against the accused and the government should learn a lesson from Pardeep's martyrdom. Two accused have been arrested so far and they have complete confidence in the administration and government that they will get justice.


20228When Philosophy is Disparaged in World of Science20212022ICSS XXXI Luxembourg 2022proceedings[1]

ICSS XXXI Luxembourg 2022Valenciareviewer

Global Journals Research In EngineeringICSS XXXI Luxembourg 2022open accessGlobal Journals Research In EngineeringICSS XXXI Luxembourg 2022ICSS XXXI Luxembourg 2022emailengineering

When Philosophy is Disparaged in World of ScienceGlobal Journals Research In EngineeringengineeringengineeringThe Dynamics of the Chain Fountain

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emailGlobal Journal of Science Frontier Research12301230Global Journal of Science Frontier ResearchEmail22[2]

When Philosophy is Disparaged in World of Science202288

When Philosophy is Disparaged

Rongqing Dai

Abstract

Human beings are paying a dire price for disparaging philosophy in all facets of life, especially in the field of natural science where the most intelligent explorations of nature for the survival and advance of Homo sapiens species are supposed to be conducted. This writing will demonstrate through examples how philosophically erroneous mistakes in mathematics and physics that were made at the turn of 20th century could last for more than a century without being identified, as well as an issue that has lingered for several centuries and still confuses the whole world with its philosophical complexity. In those examples, we could see that scientists with the aura of the smartest people on earth could easily be convinced by simple, straight, and brilliant ideas, which could bring aesthetically attractive convenience but would lead to various kinds of false knowledge and wrong practices, and then defend those ideas with all their lives for a long time, simply because the scientific community has not been prepared with strong philosophical capacity of reasoning.

Keywords: Philosophy, Hilbert First Problem, Special Relativity, Energy Conservation, Metaphysics

1. Introduction

Since ancient times, scientific researches have operated as a tripod engine with observation (experiment), mathematics, and philosophy as its three supporting legs to enrich the repository of knowledge, among which philosophy as the steward of logic is supposed to be the agent to digest the knowledge acquired with math and lab and thus becomes the tie to bind all scientific works together. The basic reason why philosophy can do its job is as Aristotle pointed out more than two millenniums ago in Metaphysics (Aristotle 350BC) that all beings share common logic for being qua being.

Sadly, as science advanced into the era that is now tagged as modern, it no longer operates as a balanced tripod machine, but instead a severely tilted bipedal robot with a shrunk philosophical tail. A quick survey of the evolution of scientific writing style since the turn of 20th century, we might easily identify the gradual vanishing of metaphysical reasoning or speculative discourse in the writings over the past century.

Although varieties of hypotheses are certainly not scarce in nowadays scientific papers (especially those of theoretical physics), even the best of them can seldom be counted as good philosophical speculations since generally they are not the outcome of profound metaphysical reasoning but mainly out of imaginations, and human imaginations are often disconnected from reality.

In fact, even the scientific literature with philosophical style discourses around the turn of 20th century as historical records were already at the end of the inertial flow of the ancient philosophical stream. That was the time period when scientists began to put their faith mainly in math modeling and lab data. Besides, the drastic decline of academic philosophy started almost right before the end of the era of the so-called classic science and the beginning of the so-called modern science. Consequently, humans as a whole are paying the price for disparaging philosophy since then.

On the other hand, human scientific advances have never been perfect at any historical stage, and thus always leave some critical unfinished tasks to the new comers.

It was the metaphysical style speculations that helped giving birth to the iconic modern fields of physics --- the theories of relativity and quantum physics. Naturally, those endeavors have left some confusions or mistakes that would require later generations to further clarify or correct. However, the heavy mathematical and experimental reliance of those new scientific fields created the impression that math plus lab are the only things needed for science, and philosophy is just an excessive appendix.

As a result, while the destitute of the capacity of high quality speculative thinking obviously accounts for the current stalemate status of the frontier physics as well as many other scientific fields, scientists are still collectively despise the role of philosophy in scientific endeavors simply because they have no idea what good philosophical thinking could do in scientific researches since they never tasted it since their school times. This has created an awkward situation as would be illustrated in this writing through examples that errors resulting from defective or wrong philosophical thinking could linger for decades or even centuries without being spotted by the whole academia of science. To make matters even worse, nowadays scientific workers would often try their best to defend some logically evident errors left by their antecedents, simply because of the dearth of the required philosophical capacity to make full sense of the logical complexities behind the pages of fancy mathematical expressions and observational data.

In this writing, I will demonstrate how philosophically erroneous mistakes in mathematics and physics that were made at the turn of 20th century could last for more than a century without being identified, as well as an issue that has lingered for several centuries and still confuses the whole world with its philosophical complexity.

2. The Shocking Acceptance of the Continuum Hypothesis

In 1870s Georg Cantor developed his set theory by establishing the notion of the equal size of two infinity sets based on one-to-one correspondence between the sets: if we can find a one-to-one correspondence rule between two sets (i.e. matching the elements of those two sets through a seamless one-to-one correspondence), then they are considered to be equally long or have equally many elements, which means that they have the same cardinal number; or otherwise they are not equally long, but of different cardinal numbers. Along this Cantorian philosophical line, in 1878 Cantor proposed the continuum hypothesis (CH for its acronym) (Koellner 2019), which could be expressed as "There is no set whose cardinality is strictly between that of the natural numbers and the real numbers." In 1900 Hilbert listed CH as the first of his 23 open problems, which has been considered unsolved by the academia of mathematics to today.

However, as discussed by Dai (2022a) , the real cause for the mathematical academics including the most famous ones to have failed to solve the Hilbert first problem is the illusive nature of the above mentioned Cantorian philosophy of measuring the length of an infinity set, or the Cantorian cardinal system.

In 1873, Cantor provided a proof (Veisdai, 2021) that there are as many rational numbers as natural numbers, which can be briefly presented as follows:

Let us arrange all the rational numbers (ratios of natural numbers) in an infinite table as such:

1/1 1/2 1/3 1/4 1/5 ...

2/1 2/2 2/3 2/4 2/5 ...

3/1 3/2 3/3 3/4 3/5 ...

4/1 4/2 4/3 4/4 4/5 ...

5/1 5/2 5/3 5/4 5/5 ...

... ... ... ... ...

Next, starting in the upper left hand corner, move through the diagonals from left to right at 45 degrees, starting with 1/1, then 1/2 and 2/1, then 3/1, 2/2 and 1/3 and so on, write down every new number we come across. We will obtain the following ordering:

(1) 1/1,

(2) 1/2,

(3) 2/1,

(4) 3/1,

(5) 2/2,

(6) 1/3,

(7) 1/4,

(8) 2/3,

(9) 3/2,

(10) 4/1,

.

which is not just well-ordered, but also in one-to-one correspondence with the natural numbers in their natural order. This proves the countability of the rational numbers by natural numbers, and thus according to Cantorian philosophy, he proved that there are as many rational numbers as natural numbers. Based on the same philosophy of counting infinite sets by one-to-one correspondence with natural numbers, in 1874 Cantor proved that real algebraic numbers are countable (by natural numbers) as well.

In 1874 Cantor also provided a proof showing that real numbers are strictly more than natural numbers. Therefore, up to that point he had effectively divided the infinite series within the domain of real numbers into two categories, one is of the same size as natural number, and another is with all real numbers, and the continuum hypothesis says that there is no other infinite set strictly sitting between these two categories.

Once we accept the above conclusions of Cantor, it is then very hard for anyone to find an infinite set with its cardinality strictly greater than natural numbers but strictly smaller than real numbers. This is the reason why Hilberts first problem has been lingering for such a long time.

2.1. The trick of abusing the abstract notion of infinity

In the time of Johann Bernoulli and L'Hopital, humans already knew that the so-called infinity is not an empty abstract logo, but with real meanings that we can use to compare the magnitudes of different infinities (e.g. Wikipedia, 2022a). But Cantor used the notion of infinity as an endless repository for him to withdraw numbers whenever he needs for his schemes. By doing this, he effectively eliminated the difference in the speed to go to infinity as Johann Bernoulli and L'Hopital noticed.

If we actually count the series of rational numbers following the above Cantorian procedure, no need to go too many steps we will find that the natural number that is used to mark the largest rational number would be much bigger than its rational counterpart. This tells us two things:

1) if we count the numbers of elements for a given magnitude, the rational would go to infinity much faster than the natural; but 2) if we count the numbers one by one then the natural would go to infinity much faster than the rational.

Both of these two facts tell that rationals are much more than naturals, instead of being equal to naturals as Cantor demonstrated with his trick.

Obviously, the trick of the Cantorian scheme of measuring is to borrow from future for the current spending, and he did not have the need to worry about running out of resources as economists would do when dealing with deficit economies, because he had an endless repository of supply for his expenditure whenever dealing with infinity, even though obviously his expenditure would potentially outrun his storage whenever the infinity line of supply is cut off.

Then the audience might ask such a question: does the Cantor's scheme of abusing the notion of infinity make any real sense? The answer is no except for playing brain-burning games for fun or for idiotizing youngsters with meaningless tricks. In fact, we might expose the absurdity of the deficit spending that Cantor conducted for his counting game by cutting the series of rational numbers at a randomly large value, e.g. 1 quadrillion, and we will see that there are far great more rational numbers than natural numbers. This tells that the Cantorian counting scheme is meaningless for any real world thing except for his fictitious infinity, because all numbers involved in real life issues, no matter the count of money, population, or the particles in a block of matter, or the toners used to print a drawing etc are all finite instead of infinity, no matter how big the number is, and thus you will always find that rationals are way much more than naturals. Further, as demonstrated by Dai (2022a) [3], even for any two given natural numbers we can find infinitely many rational number between them. In fact, we can easily see this by picking up 1 and 2, then we can find that there are infinitely many rational number between them (e.g. 1.1,1.2,1.3,,1.999999,.).

3. The Baffling Ignorance of the Irreversibility Entailed by the 1st Postulate of Special Relativity

For the past century, people have become familiar with basic features of the relativistic effects of motions prescribed by the special theory of relativity; but one important aspect of the effects that would be entailed by the theory of special relativity has been basically missing, which is the irreversibility of the relativistic processes. According to the mainstream claim of relativity, when the relative speed of two system decreases to zero, things would go back to the status at rest based on the Lorentz transformations. However, as discussed by Dai (2022b), the first postulate of the special theory of relativity would logically dictate irreversible physical as well as chemical changes in the remote system, which is logically unreasonable and naturally impossible.

The first postulate of the special theory of relativity is also called as the principle of relativity, which states that all inertial coordinate systems are equivalent in describing natural laws. In the meantime, according to the two most important icons of the special theory of relativity, the Lorentz transformations and the Einstein energy-inertia relationship, we know that when an object is in motion, it would contract by a factor of (1 - v2/c2)1/2 in the moving direction while the sizes in the other two spatial dimensions remain the same:

L = L (1 - v2/c2)1/2, (1)

and also acquire an increase of mass as:

?m = ?E/c2, (2)

where ?E is the acquired kinetic energy for the motion.

The increased mass and decreased volume would logically lead to the following conclusion:

[The density of the moving object increases as the result of its motion.] (*)

The most troublesome thing is that according to the first postulate of special relativity, the above statement (*) is not pure imagination but rather physically real. This would entail irreversible physical and chemical changes that are impossible to happen in nature as demonstrated in the following two thought experiments:

Experiment one: Permanent plastic change of a cuboid of plasticine

Suppose we have a cuboid of plasticine with a longitudinal length of L and sectional area of A in a frame of reference K and there is an observer O in a frame of reference K that is moving at speed v relative to K in the direction parallel to L. Now according to FitzGeraldLorentz contraction hypothesis (1) and Einstein energy-inertia relationship (2), we would have a volume reduction A L and a mass augmentation of m, and thus a density increment of

? = (?Lm+L ?m)/AL2 (3)

where both L and m are positive. However, according to the theory of solid mechanics, the deformation of a solid in one dimension would also cause the deformation of the solid in the other two dimensions (e.g. Wikipedia, 2022b; Wikipedia, 2022c); but in the case of a cuboid of plasticine, the non-relativistic deformation in the other two dimensions would be permanent and would not disappear even though the length in the moving direction could be assumed to restore to the original L after the relative motion stops according to special relativity.

Experiment two: Melting wax

Suppose we have an insulated box filled with air consisting of molecular nitrogen and oxygen only (Based on example from Wikipedia, 2022d) at 38?C and also containing a wax bar that will melt at 40?C. Now a spaceship at a distance away is launched and a while later it reaches the speed about 18% of the speed of light c. Then according to the special theory of relativity, the astronaut O in the spaceship who is knowledgeable of the insulated box would estimate that the density of the box and everything inside would have increased more than 1.6% due to the reduction of the volume and the addition of mass, and thus the temperature within the box should have adiabatically risen to exceed 40?C, which means that the wax bar is melting. Since the melting of wax is thermodynamically irreversible, the melted wax in the insulated box observed by the astronaut O will never come back to its original intact state again. Then the astronaut returns to the launch site and go to check the insulated box after he has landed. When he opens the box, if the wax is melted as he observed in space according to the special theory of relativity, then the whole universe would be in a complete mess. But fortunately, as we can say with confidence, the wax in the insulated box would not melt simply because of the motion of some irrelevant spaceship faraway.

It is important to notice that in each of the above two examples, the observer O does not have direct connection with the observed object which could justify a cause and effect relationship, and thus O and the observed object could be just two randomly moving objects in the universe.

4. The Surprising Denial of the Rule of Velocity Superposition for the Sake of the 2nd Postulate of Special Relativity

The second postulate of special relativity states that the speed of light in vacuum is constant to all observers. Because of this postulate, the speed of light has become one of the fundamental physical constants with a value that is exactly equal to 299792458 meters per second. It is exact because, by a 1983 international agreement, a meter is defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1299792458 second. This particular value was chosen in order to provide a more accurate definition of the meter that still agreed as much as possible with the definition used before. The time unit second is in turn defined to be the interval of time occupied by 9192631770 cycles of the radiation emitted by a caesium-133 atom in a transition between two specified energy states. (e.g. Wikipedia 2022e; NIST, 2019)

However, as discussed by Dai (2022c), this postulate of invariant speed of light in vacuum is not only logically defective for its entailment of impossible results as demonstrated with a recently designed thought experiment, but also has been experimentally proved wrong more than a century ago by Sagnac and others.

The fate of Sagnac experiment and the corresponding Sagnac effect is worth our special attention because of its exemplar role for illuminating the importance of philosophy in scientific practices.

In 1913 French physicist Georges Sagnac conducted an experiment which substantially challenged the second postulate of the special theory of relativity. During the experiment, a beam of light is split into two beams which are made to follow the same path but in opposite directions, and on return to the point of entry the two light beams are allowed to exit the ring and undergo interference as recorded by an interferometer. When Sagnac (e.g. Wikipedia, 2022f; Sagnac, 1913) let the table on which the light paths were established to rotate slowly (1 to 2 revolutions per second), he recorded the difference between the paths of those two beams, which was a clear indication that the speed of light relative to the observers obeys the classic Galilean rule of superposition. The mechanism of the Sagnac experiment has been named as Sagnac effect and devices built with Sagnac effect are routinely used in guidance and navigation systems for commercial airliners, nautical ships, spacecraft, and in many other applications.

However, the physical revelation of the Sagnac experiment has been surprisingly misinterpreted for the past more than a century period of time as a typical example of the correctness of relativity. The most hilarious part of this is that the relativistic derivations of Sagnac effect would normally share the commonplace of first admitting that the speed of light of those light beams in opposite directions equal to c - v and c + v, and then managing to prove that the constant speed of light in vacuum makes sense in Sagnac experiment by citing the Lorentz transformations, as we might see in the work of Mathpages (2022) when the author even admits that devices made of Sagnac effect are capable of detecting rotation rates as slight as 0.00001 degree per hour. Obviously, these people do not seem to realize that by assuming the speed of light of those beams in opposite directions to be c - v and c + v, they already deny the constancy of the speed of light in vacuum and thus deny the value of special relativity. This is a typical example how things could go wrong for a long time (more than a century) after the whole society losing the capacity of thinking in philosophically correct ways.

4.1. The influence of Sagnacs goal and claim upon the misinterpretation

Respecting truth and denying untruth should always be the ultimate principle for scientific explorations and thus humans do not have any excuse for making collective mistakes such as misinterpreting the outcome of Sagnac experiment for more than one hundred years. Nevertheless, it might also be meaningful for us to notice the distractive effect of Sagnacs goal for his experiment and correspondingly his claim of what his experiment proved.

Sagnac was trying to prove the existence of the luminiferous aether and claimed that he succeeded in doing so while the connection between his results and the existence of aether was not soundly convincing. As we could see from the above discussions, the need to assume the velocities of light to be c + v and c - v by the relativistic scholars has already proved that the constancy of speed of light in vacuum is wrong. That is to say, the result of Sagnac experiment could be well explained without the need of the superfluous notion of aether that is attached to extra unneeded attributes. However, more than one hundred years ago, when the scientific focus was still not completely off the topic whether space was filled with the luminiferous aether, Sagnacs goal of searching for aether and his claim of having found it could have practically played a role of distracting the attention of scientists and caused them to ignore the fact that Sagnac experiment had offered a good example that speed of light in vacuum is not constant to all.

4.1.1. More profound causes

But on the other hand, humans should not use any excuse to shed off the collective responsibility for such a long-lasting mistake, just like that a failed student cannot blame some intentional distractions of tricky questions in a test. We need to introspect about our worldwide culture in the scientific community to find more profound social cultural causes behind this phenomenon. By looking into the century long misinterpretation of the Sagnac experiment, we might find at least three profound philosophical causes behind.

First, we might see from this phenomenon that people often defend something simply because the big name of the thing makes them feel that they should defend it instead of that they really understand what they are defending. This mindset of placing social benefits above truth is against the fundamental principle of philosophy which values truth above utilitarian needs.

Second, despite that human intelligent capacity (especially the intelligent capacity of scientific elites) is often unrealistically exaggerated, intellectually humans are indeed quite weak in general, vulnerable to various kinds psychological distractions, and could even be collectively under some distractions for very long time without being able to pull out from the social psychological trap.

Third, more importantly, the misconception of the separation of science from philosophy has sadly caused the social disparagement of philosophy in the scientific community for the past centuries, which has severely crippled the human collective scientific capacity in general while human self-puffing-up confidence in human scientific capacity has reached its pinnacle. This issue is at the root of the above two issues.

5. The Jaw-dropping Relativistic Chronology

At the core of special relativity lies the peculiar light-seeing-based philosophy which claims that the happening of event P is meaningful to event Q only when the (imaginary) light emanating from the spot of P could reach the spot of Q according to the speed of light in vacuum c; vice versa. According to this special logic, to anyone in the spot of Q, P never happens until the light emanating from the spot of P could reach the spot of Q. If event P and event Q cannot see each other, they are considered as irrelevant in the universe. Both relativistic simultaneity and relativistic causality are established on top of this peculiar philosophy of determining the mutual reality of things. We might call this philosophy as relativistic chronological logic because it determines how a relativistic scholar should think of the sequential influence between things, including how to determine simultaneity and causality.

The most famous manifestation the relativistic chronological logic might be the definition of light cone that was conceived by Minkowski (e.g. Wikipedia, 2021a), which describes the path that a flash of light, emanating from a single event at a single point in space and a single moment in time and traveling in all directions, would take through spacetime; but the most astonishing application of the relativistic chronological logic could be found in cosmology where we often hear claims that it is meaningless to even talk about the happening of a cosmological event before we can virtually see it (according to the calculation based on speed of light).

This would lead to the hilarious conclusion that the explosion X of a celestial body of 1000 light-year away 999 years ago happened later than the explosion Y of a celestial body of 5 light-year away 5 years ago, despite that the relativistic cosmologists would still study the explosion X as 994 years earlier than the explosion Y because they know that if they do not do so, the whole cosmological causality chain network would be messed up so that it would be impossible for them to correctly study the cosmological history and dynamics.

Obviously, the light-seeing-based relativistic chronology creates a cracked logical framework that cannot be consistent with itself or with the logical and semantic systems of the general culture. As a matter of fact, even from the most utilitarian point of view, the abovementioned relativistic causality view is problematic because even before the observer sees the light from a cosmological event, physical events within each celestial body and interactions between all celestial bodies never cease to happen, which is not determined by whether it is possible for an observer to see anything of them at all. On the contrary, only if the observer respects the objective happenings before he could see them he could possibly understand them correctly.

6. The Misleading Diagnosis for the Apparently Longer Lifespan of the Muon

In this section lets look into a famous claim among the so-called experimental testing of time dilation that the apparent elongated lifespan of muons travelling through the atmosphere is the result of time dilation. The theory normally goes like this (e.g. Wikipedia, 2022g):

The emergence of the muons is caused by the collision of cosmic rays with the upper atmosphere, after which the muons reach Earth. Suppose T is the lifespan of the muon measured in the earth inertial frame S, and T 0 is the lifespan of the muon according to the proper time of a clock in the inertial frame S comoving with the muon, corresponding with the mean decay time of the muon in its proper frame, then because of time dilation we have

T = T 0 > T 0 , (4)

where  = 1/(1- V/c ), from which the relativistic scholars conclude: the reason why the muon can pass through the thickness of earth atmosphere within its supposedly very short lifespan is because when observing from the earth inertial frame S its lifespan becomes longer thus it can move farther with the same value of the supposed lifespan at the same relative speed v.

Then when stepping from S into S, the relativistic scholars would use time dilation no more but shift to length contraction as follows

L = L 0 / < L 0 , (5)

where L 0 is the proper distance in S that the muon could travel within its lifespan, and L is the distance that the muon can travel in S when calculated in S, from which the relativistic scholars conclude: the reason why the muon can pass through the thickness of earth atmosphere within its supposedly very short lifespan is because when observing from muons inertial frame S, the earth atmosphere becomes thinner thus muon needs shorter time to pass through it at the same relative speed v.

Here we should take heed of the typical asymmetric uses of the Lorentz transformations: time dilation is cited when the discussion is based on the observation from S while length contraction is cited when the discussion is based on the observation from S.

This asymmetric uses of Lorentz transformations in S and S when explaining the seemingly longer lifespan of the muon is not accidental but due to inevitable causes:

If they continue to use time dilation when stepping into S, since the relative speed v would not change with the Lorentz transformation, we would have

L = vT = vT 0 / = L 0 / < L 0 (6)

Although (6) and (5) look exactly the same, they actually read very differently because with (5) we are focusing on the relativistic change of spatial span while with (6) we are focusing on the relativistic change of temporal duration. More specifically, (5) reads as the thickness of the earth atmosphere in S that the muon needs to pass through becomes thinner when observing from S, but (6) reads as the distance L that the muon can travel in S within its lifespan is shorter than the distance L 0 that the muon can travel in its own frame S within its lifespan.

Obviously, the effect indicated by (6) would logically cancel out the effect indicated by (5): even though now the muon only needs to travel a shorter distance in order to pass through the earth atmosphere, it would also die within a shorter distance therefore it might still not be able to pass through that shorter distance.

Here the catch that causes this confliction is that the speed v and the lifespan T 0 of the muon in S are two constants for the analysis. Therefore, when we make observation from S, we might conclude that the muon can travel a longer distance at the same speed v because the earthly observed lifespan is longer than T 0 , but when we make observation from S, we would find that a shorter period of time T in S would be corresponding to T 0 in S according to Lorentz transformation for time dilation, which entails that the muon would only travel a shorter distance in S within its lifespan T 0 . Obviously, these two conclusions contradict each other.

This need of asymmetric treatment due to the difficulty of symmetric treatment is a common problem with special relativity. In fact, if we cite length contraction instead of time dilation when observing from S, it would right away lead to the opposite conclusion of a longer lifespan for a moving muon: we might find that when observed in S whatever distance the muon travels would become shorter and thus the muon would die within a shorter distance than calculated in S.

6.1. Reasonable considerations for investigating the muon lifespan issue

Obviously, it is logically unsound to assume that time dilation is the cause of the apparent longer lifespan of muons in the earth atmosphere. Philosophically speaking, the reasonable approach to investigate the said phenomenon should be conducted by taking into consideration of the following two aspects:

1) Given that air density is much higher in the lower atmosphere than the upper atmosphere while cosmic rays are constantly penetrating the atmosphere with high magnetic rigidity (Viel, 2021), it would be more reasonable to question the validity of the assumption that muons in the atmosphere are solely created at the upper atmosphere. This is because the increase of air density near the ground compared to the upper boundary of atmosphere is tremendous while the reduction of cosmic rays due to the influence of earth magnetic field is only a small portion as pointed by Viel (2021), and thus there would be more chances for the cosmic ray to create muons in the lower region with higher air density.

2) It would also be meaningful to investigate the impact of the dynamics of moving in the earth gravitational field upon the lifespan of muons until some definite knowledge can be obtained for the issue.

7. The Interesting Process of Denying the Absolute Space and Time

In 1687, Isaac Newton formally put forth the notion of absolute space and time in his masterpiece Philosophi Naturalis Principia Mathematica, it then became the backbone of the classic mechanics until it was banished and replaced by the relativistic spacetime at the turn of 20th century. The failed efforts of searching the luminiferous aether and the cosmic center played an important role in the process of denying the absoluteness of space and time (Dai, 2022d); however, the logic behind this process is very amusing and thus philosophically interesting as we might see from this section. Nevertheless, in the end of this section we will also learn the unintentional role of this process in a semiotic scaffolding practice that helped humans to reach a meaningful destiny of knowing the nature of space and time.

7.1. The amusing roles of the most famous failed experiment and the nonexistent cosmic center

19th century was the time when physicists were exploring the electromagnetic world by making analogies to the classic mechanics. Naturally, they had the idea of supposing a medium to support light just like air or water as media to carry sound waves or surface water waves, and they called that medium as luminiferous aether as an analogy to the ancient notion of aether for the medium of gravity (van Lunteren, F.H., 2002). This idea instigated a surge of researches trying to prove the existence of the luminiferous aether or even to find a way to measure it. This goal failed badly, and the most famous of those efforts was the experiment conducted by American physicists Albert A. Michelson and Edward W. Morley in 1887 and published in November of the same year (e.g. Wikipedia, 2022h). Since then the Michelson-Morley experiment has been called the most famous failed experiment in history because it became an important catalyst for the birth of the special theory of relativity.

Starting from 1880s, a peculiar aesthetical fondness drove scientists to demand that the Maxwell equation should look the same in all inertial frame of references, which is undoubtedly the origin for the first postulate of the special theory of relativity, i.e. the principle of relativity, which could be deemed as an extension of the Galileo's principle of relativity (e.g. Wikipedia, 2021b).

But even if the Maxwell equation looks the same in all inertial frames of reference, the need of a media for light to propagate might become an important reason for people to think that the actual speed of light could change with respect to the observers of different velocities. Therefore, the missing of aether shown by the failed Michelson-Morley experiment made many to believe that it was the straw that broke the camels back because they thought that the missing aether is the proof that the speed of light should be constant in vacuum to all observers, which became the second postulate of the special theory of relativity.

The establishment of the special relativity in turn caused the denial of the notion of absolute space and time by claiming that space and time are relatively relating to each other through the Lorentz transformations. As we have seen in the past months, the special theory of relativity is wrong and the failed outcome of the Michelson-Morley experiment could be easily and definitely explained by the following equation based on the revised postulate of speed of light in vacuum (Dai, 2022e):

c ab = c + ?v (7)

where c ab is the speed of light in vacuum between two objects a and b, c is the speed of light in vacuum given by the Maxwell formula, and ?v is the relative speed between objects a and b. From (7) we can see that the reason why the Michelson-Morley experiment failed is because with their experimental set up, ?v = 0, and thus in theory we should have c ab = c; of course, since the surface of earth is not in pure inertial motion but with slight acceleration, with high precision Michelson-Morley style experiments, we might still detect the tiny ?v caused by the acceleration of earth.

Another important reason for the notion of absolute space and time to be banished at the turn of 20th century accompanying the birth of theories of relativity, as indicated by Einstein (1916), was the thought that Newtons absolute space and time would require a centre of universe with a maximum density of stars. The failure of identifying such kind of cosmic center became another reason for denying the notion of absolute space and time.

However, as discussed by Dai (2022d; 2022e), we do not need any coordinate system, not to mention a universe center, for us to make sense of absolute space and time.

Now when we look back to the whole thing, we might find that the above logic of using the failed Michelson-Morley experiment and the unfound cosmic center as the reason of denying the absoluteness of space and time is amusingly ill-founded. Here we see such a strange role of the failed Michelson-Morley experiment and the unfound cosmic center in the banishment of the notion of absolute space and time: people first artificially fabricated the concepts of aether and cosmic center and tried hard to prove their existences, then the failures of proving their existences were used as the evidences that the space and time should not be absolute but rather relatively relating to each other. In other words, scientists first created some nonexistent things so that they could prove their nonexistence and then used those proofs to conclude that space and time are not absolute. If this type of logic is allowed in everyday life, we could imagine what might happen to this world.

7.2. The accidental help to the knowledge of softly absolute space and time

Now as we know that special relativity is incorrect because both of its postulates are wrong, we seem to have come back to the old Newtonian absolute space and time. But the truth is that we indeed are not coming back to the old rigid Newtonian space and time, but rather entering a new era of the soft absolute space and time that would conform to the general theory of relativity.

Up to this stage, we humans have finally come to a staging area after the centuries long journey from Newton to Einstein to now, and learned that space and time are neither rigidly absolute nor softly relativistic, but rather softly absolute. One thing that we need to take special heed is that in this softly absolute space and time, space and time are independently separate from each other instead of correlating with each other through Lorentz transformations as required by the special theory of relativity.

7.2.1. Inertial coordinate systems as the absolute coordinate systems

Traditionally, the notion of absolute space and time was deemed to be tied to the notion of absolute coordinate system or preferred coordinate system. After we enter the new realm of soft absolute space and time, the issue of absolute coordinate system might resurface again. As pointed out by Dai (2022e) [23], we do have the liberty to claim an absolute coordinate system now, but once we do that, we will find that all inertial systems that move with regard to each other at constant speeds without the impact of gravity are absolute coordinate systems. Further, in the soft absolute space and time, light would still travel rectilinearly in all inertial systems (i.e. absolute systems) and the speed of light in vacuum between two moving objects would also be the same to all inertia systems. This might sound a lot like the second postulate of special relativity, but it differs from the latter in that the speed of light between two objects varies with the relative speed between those two objects.

8. The Over-Confidence Resulting From the Ignorance of What Energy Is About

Over-confident of the existing textbook knowledge is a common philosophical error over human history. One typical example is about the notion of energy conservation, which was first established by Emilie du Chatelet in 18th century based on the transfer between kinetic energy and potential energy in mechanics, and was later extended to all forms of energy and the transfer between different forms of energy (e.g. Wikipedia, 2022i).

While the notion of energy conservation and the corresponding equations have been one of the critical composing part of scientific derivation in any branches of modern science (especially physics), scientists are not as sure about the meaning of energy itself as the public might have supposed. So far the scientific notion of energy has been completely constructed on top of the concept of conservation established by Emilie du Chatelet, and thus it is almost impossible for scientists to think about energy beyond the conservation of that invisible and intangible natural vigor. Nevertheless, nature could always surprise us by going beyond the best imaginations that humans can have. As discussed by Dai (2021a; 2022f), while energy seems always conserved in the subatomic world explored by quantum physicists where boundary configurations for the potential energy are always simple, in the complicated macroscopic world, energy conservation could be violated under certain special dynamic configurations of the system. Further, as discussed by Dai (2021b), the common familiar natural phenomena like redshift and blueshift are constantly violating energy conservation with or without the influence of the expansion of universe.

Therefore, the claim that the law of energy conservation can never be violated is incorrect; but since the scientific notion of energy has been constructed based on the concept of conservation and transfer, the above mentioned discoveries of cases in which energy is not conserved have exposed the ignorance of the scientific community about either the true essence of energy or the mechanism of its creation and annihilation which has not been clearly taught in textbooks.

9. Discussion

Human beings are paying a dire price for disparaging philosophy in all facets of life, especially in the field of natural science where the most intelligent explorations of nature for the survival and advance of Homo sapiens species are supposed to be conducted. In the examples discussed above we could see that scientists with the aura of smartest people on earth could easily be convinced by simple, straight, and brilliant ideas that would lead to various kinds of false knowledge and wrong practices, and then defend those ideas with all their lives for a long time, simply because they do not possess the capacity to discern simple philosophically wrong ideas.

Very often those simple, straight, and brilliant ideas could bring aesthetically attractive convenience with its logical defects hidden in various camouflages that could be easily identified if the society has been prepared with strong philosophical capacity of reasoning.

In the case of Cantor continuum hypothesis, its defect is almost as simple and straight as the Cantor measuring scheme for infinity sets once we identify his trick of abusing the endless repository of infinity set by running a deficit economy in counting the number of the elements in an infinity set.

In the case of the first postulate of special relativity, as a mathematical expedient, even without any reason to believe that it should actually happen in nature, one might still assume the contraction of the whole space in the direction of the motion in order to make the Maxwell equation look symmetric without worrying about the impact to the perpendicular spatial dimensions. However, when that mathematical expedient is extended from the electrodynamics to the classic mechanics in an effort of replacing Newtonian mechanics, a simple mathematical common-sense error was committed: while it is reasonable to assume that the postulated contraction of the scale of the electromagnetic wave in the direction of motion would not affect the physics in the other two perpendicular directions, when the same postulate is applied to a macroscopic moving object, it would be immediately problematic due to the inevitable violation of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.

Once again, the defect here is as simple and straight as the convenience the Lorentz transformations could bring: it is a simple mathematical common-sense error of ignoring that the increased number of elements (particles) would tremendously increase the complexity of the involved math.

In the case of the second postulate of special relativity, although it might take some deep insight to logically expose the erroneous result which the postulate would lead to, as presented by Dai (2022c), the defect of defending relativity by twisting the significance of Sagnac effect is as simple and straight as the psychological comfort it could bring to those with firm faith in the special theory of relativity.

In the case of the light-seeing-based relativistic chronology, with a simple logical reasoning for one more step further from the seemingly reasonable claim that if A could not see B then B is meaningless to A, one could easily spot its chaotic consequence of dictating that new events could happen earlier than old events.

In the case of the false claim of time dilation for the apparently longer lifespan of muons, it only needs a trivial step of asking why the time dilation and length contraction cannot be applied in a symmetric manner when changing the inertial frames in order to debunk the myth.

As for the amusing roles of the failed Michelson-Morley experiment and the unfound cosmic center in denying the absoluteness of space and time, it is one of the best examples in history showing how wrong philosophical thinking could lead the whole world go astray for a very long time; besides, it might also suggest that sometimes we need to have some humor to look at how wrong philosophy operates in human history.

The apparently most complicated case (and thus the most lingering issue) discussed above would undoubtedly be the over-confidence based on the textbook knowledge that energy conservation can never be broken. Nevertheless, if we carefully examine the history of establishing the energy conservation law as described in textbooks, it is not hard for us to find that human efforts of defying that law have never been ceased since the time when the conservation law was proposed but unfortunately all unsuccessful (at least according to the literature records).

However, one important reason that should account for the failures of the past attempts to defy the energy conservation law is the worldwide crackdown of any attempt of doing so, through political and cultural means by smearing those defiant ones as morally or mentally unhealthy or unworthy. But the problem is that the officially pronounced reasons why perpetual motion machine is impossible (which is a slogan equivalent to the claim that the thermodynamics laws cannot be violated, where the thermodynamics first law is the energy conservation law) are themselves normally versed in a manner of sophistry as shown in the following typical layout (e.g. Wikipedia, 2021c):

A perpetual motion machine of the first kind produces work without the input of energy. It thus violates the first law of thermodynamics: the law of conservation of energy.

A perpetual motion machine of the second kind is a machine that spontaneously converts thermal energy into mechanical work. When the thermal energy is equivalent to the work done, this does not violate the law of conservation of energy. However, it does violate the more subtle second law of thermodynamics (see also entropy). The signature of a perpetual motion machine of the second kind is that there is only one heat reservoir involved, which is being spontaneously cooled without involving a transfer of heat to a cooler reservoir. This conversion of heat into useful work, without any side effect, is impossible, according to the second law of thermodynamics.

A perpetual motion machine of the third kind is usually (but not always) defined as one that completely eliminates friction and other dissipative forces, to maintain motion forever due to its mass inertia (Third in this case refers solely to the position in the above classification scheme, not the third law of thermodynamics). It is impossible to make such a machine, as dissipation can never be completely eliminated in a mechanical system, no matter how close a system gets to this ideal (see examples in the Low Friction section).

The defect in the above commonly accepted official reasons of why perpetual motion machines are impossible is as simple and straight:

The above three reasons all use extreme scenarios to cause the audience to ignore the possibility of the logical middle, i.e. cases that are not completely void of energy, are not completely void entropy increment, and do not completely deplete dissipations caused by friction or any other causes, but still violate the energy conservation law as discussed in above section 8.

The fact that the whole world could have accepted the above reasons for the impossibility of perpetual motion machine for centuries is once again an excellent example of how things could go wrong when the whole society is deprived of quality capacity of philosophical thinking.

History is full of coincidences. A few decades before the academic world accepted Cantors set theory, Danish author Hans Christian Andersen published his famous writing The Emperor's New Clothes (e.g. Wikipedia, 2022j) , and then a few decades later, as we have witnessed from the examples discussed above, the community of scholars in mathematics and physics, a group of elites that would be least possible to be connected by the public to that folktale of Andersen, started to put on the real life show simply because of their collective dearth of strong capacity of philosophical thinking.

10. Remarks for the Future

The academic capacity of philosophical thinking has been severely crippled by the collective misunderstanding and disparaging of the role of philosophy for the past few centuries. It is the outcome of complicated historical developments of both academic philosophy and academic science with profound causes in both prescribed and accidental forms. Obviously we cannot go back in history to fix the historical causes but rather have to face the current challenges coming with it if we do want to have a change of the status quo with the academic philosophical weakness.

10.1. The need for the change of attitude

One of the biggest challenges at this point of history for the world to deal with the fallout of disparaging philosophy for a long time is to admit that collectively disparaging philosophy has done huge harms to the civilization. This would be much more difficult to the academia than it might sound because it is always a popular tendency for people to focus on particular technical or conditional reasons for their mistakes or failures instead of the defects in their fundamental ways of thinking (i.e. their philosophical thinking) since hardworking people would always think that they have tried their best to muster up their good logical ability to take care of all the necessary aspects. Consequently, although due to the undeniable directional errors when we look back over the century-long course it would be very hard for serious readers to deny the philosophical causes behind the mistakes discussed in this writing, when similar situations occur in the future practices, people would most probably repeat the same mistakes if the negative societal mindset about the role of philosophy remains the same.

A change of the mindset of disparaging philosophy by admitting the important role of philosophy in scientific endeavors is of the utmost importance for us to improve human societal capacity of philosophical thinking. We need not only personal willingness of taking philosophy more seriously but also the same kind of societal willingness; personal willingness is important since every discipline is made up of individuals while societal attitude would be critical for the resource granting and platform allocation (e.g. paper publication).

10.2. An awkward situation

Even if the whole academia of science is now willing to admit the important role of philosophy in scientific endeavor, we would face the general awkward situation that philosophers do not know science and scientists do not know philosophy. To make matters even worse, as declared by Heidegger in last century that the academic philosophy is pretty much dead. Some typical symptoms of the ailing academic philosophy include: 1) collective poor capacity of reading (see Dai, 2019, 2020 a-b, 2021c); 2) the widespread abuse of empty isms as the substitutes of real life logical issues; 3) lacking the knowledge of what philosophy is meant to be; 4) lacking the capacity of metaphysical analysis of real life dynamics and accordingly having lost one of the most important functionalities of philosophy which is the diagnoses of problems for social practices; 5) lacking the knowledge about why the academic philosophy is pretty much dead.

Obviously, this stalemate situation would discourage scientific workers to take philosophy seriously or give them (wrong) excuse to continue disparaging philosophy; in the meantime professional philosophers cannot provide much help to scientists even if they think they can or claim they can.

10.3. An acute disorder without a quick solution

With or without the relevant human awareness, the collective societal poor capacity of philosophical thinking would continue to take its toll on the wellbeing of human civilization in all areas such as science, economy, politics, environment, etc. Practical issues that are deemed as urgent in everyday life might very well be rooted in the unhealthy status of general societal capacity of philosophical thinking. That is to say that we have an urgent task of mending our societal capacity of philosophical thinking instead of assuming that the impact of philosophical development is always a long term bet without the hope of helping the pressing issues and thus without the need of urgent treatment.

Nevertheless, we do not have much in hand to solve this dilemma. Obviously, this situation cannot be changed by a single-task project in any single discipline of culture. This demands a collaborated action across disciplines and across the world and requires generous investment without utilitarian financial expectations for immediate paybacks.

10.4. The need of a new specialty of advanced applied philosophical (metaphysical) analysis

The long term solution for boosting the global societal capacity of philosophical thinking would undoubtedly involve revolutionary changes in philosophy education at all levels (from grade to graduate). However, fundamental educations would not suffice for meeting the global demands for advanced philosophical capacity in helping with practical needs in scientific, economical, political, environmental, and all other cultural areas. We need to have professionals of advanced capacity of metaphysical thinking in various decision making bodies to help avoiding detrimental actions.

The challenge here is that we need a new specialty to help the world with widespread demands while it is impossible for us to train people with this specialty like we train other professionals. This new specialty would require its professionals to be not only proficient in math and science but also in philosophy (metaphysics). This requirement determines that it would be like building another ivory tower in the academic world. Nevertheless, since we need it we have no other choice but start to build it so that we might get over the barrier of societal weak capacity of philosophical thinking.

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Wikipedia (2022e). Speed of light. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light. Last edited on 24 August 2022, at 20:06 (UTC).

Wikipedia (2022f). Sagnac effect. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagnac_effect. Last edited on 28 March 2022, at 18:02 (UTC).

Wikipedia (2022g). Experimental testing of time dilation. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_testing_of_time_dilation#Atmospheric_tests. Last edited on 31 March 2022, at 05:29 (UTC).

Wikipedia (2022h). MichelsonMorley experiment. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelson%E2%80%93Morley_experiment#Most_famous_%22failed%22_experiment. Last edited on 9 October 2022, at 18:58 (UTC).

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Back in 1978, Mary Jean Anderson never dreamed the newly formed family business would be ranked in the Top 1% of plumbing, heating and cooling companies in the United States.
Choosing Companies That Make a Difference: The Power of BBB4Good

At Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest (BBB), the definition of a better business has evolved.
Japanese officials are cracking down on men taking gross photos of themselves pretending to fondle statues of young female characters at Japan's new Ghibli Park, the new theme park dedicated to the work of animation director Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli. From the Straits Times:

In a press conference on Thursday, Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura said he plans to ask Ghibli Park's operating company to immediately stop any improper behaviour by visitors, Japan daily Mainichi Shimbun reported.

Speaking to Japanese media, he said: "It is extremely regrettable. We will take firm action because it (Ghibli Park) is located within the prefectural park."[]

The photos feature a park visitor taking upskirt photos of Marnie, the titular character of the 2014 film When Marnie Was There, and another fondling the breasts of Teru, the heroine from the film Tales From Earthsea (2006)[]

Mr Omura said that if the person who took the inappropriate photos at the theme park is identified, the prefecture will take severe measures such as legal action.
Light from the distant supernova-hosting galaxy was gravitationally lensed by the foreground galaxy cluster RX J2129.6+0005 (RX J2129 for short).

Galaxy clusters contain thousands of galaxies of all ages, shapes and sizes.

Typically, they have a mass of about one million billion times the mass of the Sun.

Albert Einstein predicted in his theory of general relativity that massive objects will deform the fabric of space itself.

When light passes one of these objects, such as a massive galaxy cluster, its path is changed slightly.

Called gravitational lensing, this effect is only visible in rare cases and only worlds best telescopes can observe the related phenomena.

Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive celestial body causes a sufficient curvature of spacetime to bend the path of light traveling past or through it, almost like a vast lens, Webb astronomers said.

In this case, the lens is the galaxy cluster RX J2129, located around 3.2 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation of Aquarius.

Gravitational lensing can cause background objects to appear strangely distorted, as can be seen by the concentric arcs of light in the upper right of the Webb image.

The astronomers discovered a supernova called AT 2022riv in the triply-lensed background galaxy using observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, and they suspected that they had found a very distant Type Ia supernova.

Type Ia supernovae always produce a fairly consistent luminosity  at the same distance, one looks as bright as any other  which makes them particularly helpful to astronomers.

As their distance from Earth is proportional to how dim they appear in the night sky, objects with known brightness can be used as standard candles to measure astronomical distances.

The almost uniform luminosity of a Type Ia supernova could also allow astronomers to understand how strongly the galaxy cluster RX J2129 is magnifying background objects, and therefore how massive the galaxy cluster is.

As well as distorting the images of background objects, gravitational lenses can cause distant objects to appear much brighter than they would otherwise, the astronomers said.

If the gravitational lens magnifies something with a known brightness, such as a Type Ia supernova, then astronomers can use this to measure the prescription of the gravitational lens.

This observation was captured by Webbs Near-InfraRed Camera to measure the brightness of AT 2022riv.

As part of the same program, spectra of the lensed supernova were obtained using Webbs Near Infrared Spectrograph.

They will allow comparison of this distant supernova to Type Ia supernovae in the nearby Universe.

This is an important way to verify that one of our tried-and-tested methods of measuring vast distances works as expected, the researchers said.
Guess Kevin McCarthy had someplace to be today and had Greene sworn in to replace him. Hey, look! Everything is normal. Happens all the time, except not usually with people so busy fighting the gazpacho and Jewish Space Laser conspiracies.

We had to expect this, right?

Independent:
Following 12 years of work, a big team of researchers from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany have constructed the largest and most complex brain map to date. It documents every neuronal connection in the brain of a larval fruit fly.

While it may not be as big and complex as a human brain, Science Alert reports that it nonetheless covers 548,000 connections between a total of 3,016 neurons.

Connectome: First Complete Brain Map of an Insect

The map shows distinct types of neurons and their routes, as well as connections between the two sides of the brain and the spinal cord. This advances scientists' knowledge of how signal transmission from neuron to neuron leads to behavior and learning.

The First-Ever Complete Map of an Insect Brain Is Truly Mesmerizing https://t.co/kIExGmKezv  ScienceAlert (@ScienceAlert) March 11, 2023

Joshua T. Vogelstein, a biomedical engineer at Johns Hopkins University, said in a press release that understanding the machinery of the mind is part of knowing humans in the cognitive sense. The key to this is understanding how neurons communicate with one another.

Researchers used a high-resolution electron microscope to scan hundreds of slices of the young fruit fly's brain to produce this stunning multi-functional map, known as a connectome. Scientists then assembled the images and merged them with previously collected data, precisely noting each and every connection between neurons.

This includes both cells that communicate inside each half of the brain as well as those that communicate across the two hemispheres, allowing researchers to examine brain connections in depth.

Although the hemispheres of the brain have distinct and vital tasks, how they integrate and utilize information from each side for complex behavior and cognition is not fully understood.

Marta Zlatic, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, said that the way the brain circuit is built determines the communications that can execute. This is the first time scientists mapped the brain of insects with the exception of Caenorhabditis elegant, a larva of marine annelid, and a low chordate.

READ ALSO: Circuit Map Of The Brain: A great breakthrough To Know How Brain Learns And Stores New Things

Observing Neural Activity of a Larva Fruit Fly

The team chose the larva fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster because it shares much of its fundamental biology with humans, like a comparable genetic foundation, SciTech Daily reports. More so, it is best for learning decision-making behaviors which makes it a useful model organism in neuroscience.

The high-resolution pictures of the brain were made by Cambridge researchers and painstakingly inspected to discover individual neurons, meticulously tracing each one and connecting their synaptic connections.

Cambridge forwarded the data to Johns Hopkins, where the researchers spent more than three years analyzing the brain's connections using the original programming they wrote. The Johns Hopkins scientists devised methods for identifying groupings of neurons based on similar connection characteristics and then investigated how information may spread across the brain.

Finally, the entire team tracked every brain cell and every connection and classified each neuron based on its function in the brain. They discovered that the busiest circuits in the brain were those that went to and from neurons in the learning area.

The methods developed by Johns Hopkins are applicable to any brain connection project, and their code is available to anyone attempting to map an even larger animal brain.



RELATED ARTICLE: New Dog Brain Map Explains Why Blind Dogs Can Still Play Fetch

Check out more news and information on Brain in Science Times.
"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." Though the authorship of this quote is still contested, examples continue to abound, whether liberals refusing to mask for co-workers who might be immune-compromised or want to protect themselves and their families from COVID, or Christians in the United States and other countries weaponizing victimhood.

I don't live in other countries. My experience in the US is one of an overwhelming overt, covert context and subtext of psychological, legal, historical, and cultural imposition of Christian-themed ideological viewpoints and judgments about the world. These viewpoints and conclusions become justifications for discriminatory laws and policies in the name of religious freedom. This is not about the debate over the separation of church and state  you can check out Philip A. Hamburger's recent book on that controversial subject, but to share this essay by Chrissy Stroop "'Tolerance' and 'religious freedom' are subtle codes for Christian supremacism," in Open Democracy.

"Christian privilege, which shapes political speech in the US in many ways, isn't a concept we're used to discussing very much. That's why I'm devoting this week's column to unpacking the concept further. Christian privilege functions in much the same way as white, male, cisgender and straight privilege function: subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) conveying advantages to those who belong to society's de facto normative category and corollary disadvantages to those who fall outside that category. Unjust social systems operate most smoothly when they are assumed and we remain largely unconscious of them, or of possible alternatives. But once they are named and brought into the open, we can begin to see the world in a different way  and to see ways that we might work towards greater equity by dismantling social hierarchies based on race, class, gender, sexuality, and, yes, religion (or lack thereof). Like other forms of privilege, Christian privilege is most effective when we don't mention it. And that's why I intend to keep talking about it whenever the topic is relevant."

The Christian dog-whistle politics explored by Stoop in this and other writings are another, often less emphasized element, of the so-called Southern Strategy so clearly articulated by two GOP strategists some 13 years apart.

In 1968, John Ehrlichman, Nixon's domestic policy chief, stated, "You understand what I'm saying? We knew we couldn't make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities," Ehrlichman said. "We could arrest their leaders. Raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did."

Then, in 1981, "[t]he late, legendarily brutal [GOP] campaign consultant" Lee Atwater clarified the strategy for organizing white voters and increasing Republican voting power and political positioning, "You start out in 1954 by saying, "N*****, n*****, n*****." By 1968 you can't say "n*****"that hurts you, backfires. So you say stuff like, uh, forced busing, states' rights, and all that stuff, and you're getting so abstract. Now, you're talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you're talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites. 'We want to cut this,' is much more abstract than even the busing thing, uh, and a hell of a lot more abstract than "n*****, n*****." The audio of Atwater's interview is available here.

Chrissy Stoop is a co-editor and contributor to the book, Empty the Pews: Stories of Leaving the Church.
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Australians could be forgiven for hardly noticing the rehabilitation of Camilla, Queen Consort. Its understandable, the royal family has endured many melancholy hours. They include the pomp and ceremony and sadness of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the uncertainties of Harry and Meghan, the death of Prince Philip and the much-deserved shaming of Prince Andrew. And yet, Camilla has come shining through.

I came away thinking, I really like this person,  says one former British tabloid editor of meeting Camilla two years after Dianas death. Credit: Getty Images

In the 1990s, she was poison. A mistress spat upon by other women in supermarkets. A marriage-breaker who had to hide after Prince Charles publicly admitted being unfaithful. The third person described by Princess Diana in her 1995 BBC Panorama interview, as there were three of us in this marriage. The prospective wicked stepmother, whom William and Harry begged their father not to marry. The divorcee ostracised for years by her future mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, and banished from the sight of the Queen Mother.

It is a truism of royals that the more things change, the more they do not. The essence of modern royalty, Charles and Camilla are Baby Boomers who grew up in an upper-class world seemingly marooned in Evelyn Waughs between-the-wars novels where love came second to social circles and bloodlines.

Little wonder then that their languid, long extramarital affair was rumbled in 1992 when a cringe-making three-year-old taped phone call was splashed on front pages. Here was the future king of England (and Australia) imagining himself reincarnated as a tampon. The last time the English saw such public thoughts was at school reading John Donnes 1633 poem The Flea in which the bloods of two illicit lovers are lyrically united by insect bite.
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 This story is part of the March 12 edition of Sunday Life. See all 13 stories . When actor Emily Browning looks back on her eight-year-old self and ponders why she may have been the victim of bullying at school, she comes to this conclusion: I was a bit like Lisa Simpson. Why would a likeness to the adorable animated icon make her a target? I was one of those kids who was a nerd, but not a quiet nerd. An outspoken nerd, she says. Because I was outspoken, people assumed I was full of myself. The bullying was so relentless Browning eventually changed schools. It proved to be a fortuitous move. Raised just outside Melbourne, she wound up at a progressive school where her confident personality (a little baby-actress-pain-in-the-ass, as she puts it) was rightfully seen as an asset, and she was encouraged to appear in plays. It was a parent of one of her school friends who first spotted her precocious talent and suggested she audition for a TV drama. At the tender age of eight, Browning scored her first role in the television film The Echo of Thunder (1998). Next came parts in the ABCs Something in the Air, Sevens Blue Heelers, the 2002 horror flick Ghost Ship and the 2003 film Ned Kelly, alongside Heath Ledger. Then in 2004, aged 16, Browning appeared as Violet Baudelaire in the film adaptation of Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events. What came next was instant stardom.

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It was really overwhelming, Browning says, looking back at that whirlwind time. I had a different management team then, and they were pushing for me to be on Nickelodeon and Disney. Thankfully, I had the foresight at that age to know what kind of career I didnt want to have. Not only did Browning decide she didnt want to be the next Selena Gomez, she questioned whether she wanted to pursue acting at all. I was like, Oh, that was fun. But I had a sense that I was too sensitive to handle the industry. I was very aware of the fact that it was really emotionally taxing. So after that, I actually kind of quit acting for a while because I wanted to get back in Australia, finish high school, just be a regular kid. I had a sense that I was too sensitive to handle the industry. I was very aware of the fact that it was really emotionally taxing. Although her parents had been supportive of her acting career, she thinks they were quietly relieved when she returned home. But the move required Browning to return to her suburban Melbourne high school, now as a Hollywood star. How did that go down with her fellow students? High school was interesting, because at that point people knew that I was on TV and in movies, so there were definitely a lot of people who were not particularly stoked about that, she says. But I also had a really great group of friends in high school who are my friends to this day. So it was not too bad. Its the challenges of high school and female friendships that are at the core of her latest project, Class of 07, an eight-part series launching on Amazon Prime Video this week. Created by Australian writer and director Kacie Anning, its a high-concept comedy which follows Zoe Miller (Browning) who accidentally crashes her 10-year high school reunion. As she throws herself into partying with her former school mates (and enemies), she chooses not to let them know about the apocalyptic wave just beyond the doors.

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Emily Brownings role in the Class of 07 is the first time shes tried her hand at comedy. Described as Lord of the Flies in cocktail dresses, its a hilarious and insightful look into the complexities of female friendships and the lasting effects they have when made during those formative teenage years, themes that Browning can relate to personally. My female friendships have been so much more dramatic, and heartbreaking at times, than my romantic relationships, she says. I loved being able to explore that. I feel like its very common to see the drama of a romantic relationship, but to see just the drama of all these women and how they interact, to me it had a lot to say about female friendship  especially those relationships at school and how people grow up and how maybe they dont change. Loading For Browning, by the time she finished her real-life high school journey, shed found herself drawn back into acting. I was like, You know what, that was really fun. I started acting again and it kind of just kept going from there. She went on to star in the 2011 films Sleeping Beauty and Sucker Punch. Then, from 2017 to 2021, she appeared in the TV series American Gods and had a recurring role in the Showtime drama The Affair (2018-19). As a result, shes been based in LA for the past 10 years. As she puts it, I sort of just ended up staying here. There wasnt ever really a decision. It just kind of happened. And now Ive built my whole life here.

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Brownings second stint in Hollywood has also come with the same uneasiness about fame she felt when she was first there. Credit:Rebekah Campbell/Headpress Browning lives with her partner, writer and director Eddie OKeefe, whom she met on a film 10 years ago. We were friends for a few years before we started seeing each other, she says. Hes from the Midwest. Ive noticed that Midwesterners are the Americans who are the most similar to Australians. Theyre very self-deprecating, kind of naturally friendly. Theres no pretence. Its clear that finding a life in LA that reminds Browning of her Australian roots has been important. Ive found my people here and found parts of the city that have nothing to do with Hollywood, which feel a lot more like home. The neighbourhood Im in right now reminds me of Melbourne. Its a lot more chill. And there arent many actors around, which is really nice. I knew very early on that I wanted to be an actor, but I didnt really want to be famous. I saw what it did to people. But Brownings second stint in Hollywood has also come with the same uneasiness about fame she felt when she was first there. I knew very early on that I wanted to be an actor, but I didnt really want to be famous. I saw what it did to people. I was like, Im the kind of person this could ruin.  So how has she managed to balance being a working actor with not being a celebrity? It has been a lot to do with the projects Ive chosen not to do, says Browning, who famously turned down the chance to audition for arguably one of the biggest roles of the mid-noughties: Bella Swan in Twilight. Maybe my pickiness has been, in some ways, really helpful for my career. Ive probably screwed myself over a few times. But again, it was this awareness of just being a little too sensitive. I needed downtime to work on myself and figure myself out.

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Working so much as a kid, I matured really quickly, but it also hindered the growing-up process. I feel like a late bloomer; Im 34 now and Ive only just started to feel like an adult. Child actors dont have the best track record for being adults! Im now at a point where I feel very comfortable in myself. I know how to protect myself and take care of myself. Im at a place where I feel pretty good about my decisions. Im more interested in longevity than having a breakout. Emily Browning (right) with her Class of 07 co-star, Megan Smart. Brownings role in Class of 07 is the first time she has tackled comedy. But within the first few minutes of the opening scene (involving a defecating dove and Brownings open mouth), its obvious she has natural comedic talent. That was actually my audition scene, which was truly terrifying, she says, laughing. I remember saying to Kacie, before we did the scene, So the bit at the end, where the bird, you know  you dont want me to mime that, do you? And she was like, Everyone I cast in this show, I need them to feel comfortable being a dickhead.  Even though she nailed the audition, Brownings fears were only amplified when she arrived on set. I was terrified, especially because all the other girls are so naturally funny. A lot of them have comedy backgrounds, but even the ones who dont are just funny. Browning is clearly the most accomplished actor in the cast, but she found her experience a hindrance rather than an advantage. Having done mostly dramatic stuff, Ive always tried not to make a fool of myself. But Kacie again was like, You have to be willing to make a fool of yourself. It felt like going to clown college.

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The man who killed a SUNY Buffalo State University student last fall on the University at Buffalo North Campus will not face criminal charges, authorities announced Friday.

The man was defending himself when he fatally stabbed Tyler Lewis because he was being assaulted by a group that included the 19-year-old sophomore from Long Island, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said at a news conference.

If you are in imminent danger of your life, i.e, getting beat up and stomped on by five individuals, youre also allowed to use deadly physical force, said Flynn.

So the stabber here had justification to use deadly physical force on two theories: One, a robbery  being the victim of a robber  and, two, his own safety, he added.

Flynn for the first time detailed what investigators believe happened Oct. 14 outside a freshman dorm in the Ellicott Complex's Richmond Quad in Amherst.

Police had responded around 7:30 p.m. to a report of a person with a chest wound, and Lewis was pronounced dead at Erie County Medical Center.

Lewis' family had pressed prosecutors in recent months to act quicker in bringing charges in Lewis' death, most recently holding an emotional news conference Monday outside the Erie County Courthouse in downtown Buffalo.

Grieving family seeks answers in fatal stabbing of SUNY Buffalo State student Tyler X. Lewis' loved ones, their attorneys and community activists held a news conference to seek justice for the 19-year-old and to press the Erie County District Attorney's Office to bring charges in his slaying.

Flynn said on Friday that evidence compiled by the DAs office showed that Lewis and four others left the Buffalo State College campus with the intention to steal marijuana from a local marijuana dealer from whom they had made the arrangements online.

In general, this group of kids, we have evidence that they had a practice of robbing marijuana dealers, said Flynn.

It appears that the victim befriended these individuals, and we have evidence that he wanted to engage in that lifestyle, Flynn added.

Flynn said Lewis, who had a backpack with a knife and $1,800 in counterfeit money, got into the dealers car with the intention to buy a pound of marijuana, while the other four men with whom he had driven with to UB waited in their car.

When he gets into the car, something went awry. I dont know, we dont know definitively what happened. I can speculate that the dealer recognized it was counterfeit money. Do I definitively know that? I do not, but I suspect the dealer recognized it was counterfeit money, said Flynn.

A fight broke out at some point during the transaction and members of Lewis' group began kicking and stomping on the dealer, Flynn said.

He said witnesses described the dealer's injuries, which included a badly scarred and bloodied face.

The dealer, who Flynn did not name, pulled out a knife and stabbed Lewis, Flynn said. The knife and the drugs never were recovered but the fake cash was, he said.

The killing was justified as self defense under state law, but Flynn said he still presented the case to a grand jury to review out of respect for the family.

The grand jury on Friday declined to indict the dealer.

Lewis' mother, Roquishia Lewis, responded to Flynn's news conference announcement in an email sent to The Buffalo News.

"Today's press conference mirrored their communication throughout this whole alleged investigation. I never received notification from the DAs office that the grand jury came to a decision," said Roquishia Lewis.

"I met with the ADA on Monday who told me it would be another 2-4 weeks before the grand jury proceedings would conclude. It was only after I sent an email to John Flynns office yesterday calling them out that they miraculously had a decision from the grand jury today," she said.

Flynn on Friday said that nothing he said about the victim was intended to harm his reputation or do harm to his family. It appears by all accounts, Flynn said, that Lewis "was a fine young man from a good, strong, supportive loving family," but who, Flynn suggested, was steered down the wrong path by others.

I know that the family has been calling me incompetent and complaining about why was it taking Flynn six months here. Well, we told them the answer. They just dont want to listen to it, said Flynn.

Ill tell the world the answer. The answer is because we had individuals who did not immediately come forward. We had to hunt down who these people were and, eventually, they came forward, he said.

We had individuals when they did come forward, they misled the police, and lied to the police about what happened Flynn said.

"While I understand that his family has waited six months for answers, it was important that we conduct a complete and thorough investigation into the events that led to Tylers untimely death in order to present all of the evidence to a grand jury," Flynn said in a statement after the news conference ended.

Defense attorney Herbert Greenman represented the man who investigators determined stabbed Lewis.

"It was a tragedy all the way around," Greenman said when reached by The Buffalo News late Friday.

"We're satisfied that justice has been done," he said, declining further comment.

Flynn also said the people who brought Lewis to the campus to rip off the dealer will not be charged. He did not name them but said two of the four were Buffalo State students, one was a former Buffalo State student and one was a UB student.

UB, in a statement, said that student was no longer enrolled at the university.
But theres a huge price difference: Lab-grown diamonds can cost up to 70 per cent less than a mined diamond and can be developed in a matter of weeks. How is a lab-grown diamond made? There are two methods to grow lab-grown diamonds, beginning with a carbon seed. The first uses high-pressure and high temperature called HPHT. The second, more common, CVD method uses a mixture of gases, including methane, added at low pressure. Both cause carbon to grow around the seed, producing a diamond. Theyre marketed as socially responsible: Laboratory settings mean the diamonds are produced in a controlled environment with occupational health and safety regulations, while factories that use renewable energy produce diamonds with a smaller environmental footprint than natural stones. Its hard to know just how large the lab-grown diamond industry is due to individual deals between importers, wholesalers and jewellers, but Diamond Dealers Club of Australia president Rami Baron estimates as many as one in five engagement rings sold for under $10,000 in Australia features a grown stone, up from 5 per cent just three years earlier. But Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia Director Roy Cohen said provenance reports tracing a lab-grown diamonds production are still in their infancy.

Because theyre not linked to mining in any areas of potential conflict there hasnt been [a demand] for them, he said. What certifications are available? Grading reports: Examines the colour, clarity, carat weight, and cut of a diamond

Kimberley Process: Certifies natural diamonds have not been used to finance or perpetuate conflicts

Ethics and sustainability certifications: Assesses the carbon footprint, environmental impact and health and safety of employees during the production process, and are available through third-party auditors. Of the 10 jewellers contacted by The Sun-Herald across Melbourne and Sydney, just four were able to trace their entire diamond supply chain from start to finish. There is just one sustainability standard in the diamond and jewellery market, the SCS-007. Developed in 2021, it assesses a producers adherence to social responsibility and governance, environmental, and sustainable practices criteria, a stones traceability, occupational health and safety for workers, and truthfulness and transparency in public claims. Michael Hill Jewellers is the only company in Australia that provides this certification. Only six lab-grown diamond producers in the world have so far been accredited with SCS-007.

Global non-profit Responsible Jewellery Council also offers certification on traceability and responsibly sourced practices, though just 1573 companies have signed on across the globe. Companies such as Pandora and Sydney-based Moi Moi Fine Jewellery have turned to third-party audits to assess their suppliers labour, environment and ethics performance, with diamonds cut and polished in the same facilities they were manufactured in, often via automation. Director of the Jewellery Association of Australia Ronnie Bauer said while there were stringent checks and balances on natural diamonds, lab-grown diamonds werent held to the same level of scrutiny. The same provisions should be applied to anything grown in a factory or polished in a polishing house, Bauer said. Why are mined diamonds falling out of favour? Natural diamonds have been illegally traded to finance war and conflict, mainly across west and central Africa. While the 2003 Kimberley Process seeks to prevent these diamonds from entering the mainstream rough diamond market, its an imperfect process. Diamond mines can devastate the environment, causing erosion and deforestation with toxic chemicals dumped or leaked into waterways and soil. Mines across Africa have been linked to forced labour, child labour and dangerous work practices. A 2018 Human Rights Watch report found human rights abuses are ongoing in the natural diamond industry.

Silicosis and suicide The bustling river-side city of Surat, in eastern India, is the global hub for cutting and polishing diamonds and gemstones. Over 90 per cent of the worlds diamonds are sent to India to have their exterior cut away and be shaped and polished. But shaving off a diamonds polycrystalline silicon casing can be deadly. If inhaled, this dust can cause cancer and silicosis, a deadly and untreatable lung disease.

Employees inspect and polish diamonds at a workshop in Surat, Gujarat. Credit: Dhiraj Singh Despite claims of being a more ethical choice for consumers, many lab-grown diamonds are also cut and polished in this same dangerous manner, highlighting the need to track the production process for each stone.

In India, diamond cutting and polishing factories have converted 20 per cent of their production into lab-grown diamonds in the past year. One study for risk management consultancy firm Sphera found this process presented a medium-high risk for silicate dust exposure directly linked to silicosis. The same risks are present in quartz-based semi-precious stones such as Amethyst and Citrine. Loading In 2018, a Reuters investigation found that 5000 suicides between 2010 and 2018 were in areas where diamond workers live, with six suicides in 2018 among diamond workers. Senior researcher at the University of Queenslands Sustainable Minerals Institute Dr Lynda Lawson travelled to gemstone cutting and polishing centres across eastern India in 2018 and found concerning practices.

She said particularly in Surat, there were a number of home-based workers cutting cheaper stones. Theyve got the mom and dad, with the baby hung in a hammock over the top, and theyre busy grinding away all day or night, she said. The damage that silicosis does to the lungs is horrifying. In 2019, the Indian government implemented a compensation scheme for silicosis sufferers and their widows, with over 41,586 people registering. Silicosis is preventable, Lawson said, using saws that cut with water, ventilation systems to draw dust away from the worker, and respiratory masks. She said more companies were adopting these measures as the risks became more known.

The World Jewellery Confederation Communications Director Steven Benson said silicosis in the diamond industry had been considered an issue across the past 30 years. These types of health threats are an issue with any mineral thats producing dust that can be drawn into somebodys lungs, he said. Spurious environmental claims The environmental sustainability of lab-grown diamonds isnt clear-cut and depends on mining and production techniques. One 2019 report found that mined diamonds produced 69 per cent less CO2 per carat than lab-grown diamonds. For companies that use renewable energy, lab-grown diamonds can have a fraction of the carbon footprint of mined diamonds. Benson said the issue of greenwashing in the lab-grown diamond industry was huge.

Individual companies should only make eco claims if they can back them up with verifiable third-party evidence, he said. For the industry to make a blanket claim that is environmentally friendly, it is problematic and spurious. Loading Benson also takes issue with companies calling lab-grown diamonds socially responsible, arguing if done with the proper checks and balances in place, mined diamonds can support large communities in developing countries. In a report released this month, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found 57 per cent of 247 assessed businesses across eight industries made concerning environmental claims. The ACCC did not examine the jewellery industry, though a spokesperson said the agency continues to look at [greenwashing] allegations across a range of sectors.
Sydney should rethink its Opal pricing system, public transport experts and business advocates say, with expensive tickets designed for pre-pandemic working patterns keeping people away from the office.

Lowering the cap on weekly travel, making light rail services free between Circular Quay and Surry Hills, as well as reducing the length of the peak pricing period were all raised as potential strategies to encourage more commuters to adopt public transport.

Weekday patronage on Sydney train services, excluding the Metro, is at 69 per cent of 2019 levels. Credit: Louise Kennerley

Patronage on NSW public transport during February was at 74 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, a slight increase from 66 per cent in October last year. Weekday patronage on Sydney train services, excluding the Metro, is at 69 per cent of 2019 levels.

University of Sydneys Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies chair of transport, Professor John Nelson, said patronage was at less than 80 per cent compared to the start of the pandemic.
Scarlett was 13 when her parents were told her a heart transplant was the only chance of survival. They told us we have two options: we can turn off her life support and let her die, or we can try for a heart transplant, Kercher-Hack said. Amanda Kercher Hack with her daughter Scarlett Hack who was 13 when she was told a heart transplant was her only chance of survival. Credit: Brook Mitchell We only had 14 days for a matching donor to become available. Otherwise, Scarlett would be too far gone [to successfully undergo transplantation], she said. The plan was to fly Scarlett to Melbourne on ECMO (a heart-lung bypass machine), an extremely, extremely risky exercise, Kercher-Hack said.

A nurse later told me that they hadnt held out much hope that Scarlett would survive the trip, she said. But when the Victorian border restrictions scuttled her familys plans to relocate to Melbourne, Scarletts paediatric cardiac surgeons Drs Yishay Orr, Ian Nicholson and Phil Roberts asked her parents if they would trust them to do the transplant at Westmead. I said yes, lets do it here, Kercher-Hack said. They listed Scarlett on the heart transplant list through St Vincents Hospitals adult transplant program as an eleventh-hour work-around. CHW staff developed a model of care for running a heart transplant service that guided the complex and multidisciplinary work not just for Scarlett, but the four successful heart transplants that followed her.

Loading Within eight days of being put on the transplant list, Scarletts new heart was on its way. They did it, Kercher-Hack said. We owe everything to [CHW], and it absolutely devastates me to think that other families cant get that same care right here. Why, in a major city like Sydney, are we putting kids on ECMO on planes to Melbourne? Since those five successful transplants, five more children were transferred from Sydney to Melbourne for heart transplantation in 2022, the Sydney Childrens Hospital Network (SCHN) confirmed.

Dr Paul Jansz, director of the adult Heart Lung Transplant Unit at St Vincents Hospital, said there is definitely the demand, as well as the technical and medical expertise, to operate a paediatric heart transplantation service at CHW. It is ridiculous that families have to relocate to Melbourne to have this procedure, Jansz said. We [can] fully support them with the infrastructure from our own transplant service. From where I stand it is just a lack of will from the administrative and supporting funding bodies. Each transplant costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, including during the months of pre- and post-operative care. The paediatric heart transplant service at Melbournes RCH is a Nationally Funded Centre (NFC) program, which also covers ventricular assist devices (VADs), which some heart failure patients rely on while they wait for a new heart.

Loading NFCs are funded by a pool of contributions from all states and territories  managed by the Health Chief Executives Forum (HCEF)  according to a population-based formula. A joint states and territories review of this NFC, led by NSW Health, began at the end of 2021. CHW staff and parents interviewed for the review had hopes it would recommend establishing a second paediatric heart transplant program at CHW. They were told the review would be completed within four to six months. More than a year later, no decision has been communicated. Health Minister Brad Hazzard directed questions to NSW Health. A spokeswoman for NSW Health said the review was still underway having experienced significant delays due to COVID-19 and the final recommendations were expected before the end of this financial year.

The argument for running just one service in Australia stems from the need to concentrate the small volume of cases at one site to maintain clinical expertise. Fewer than 20 Australian children received a heart transplant annually, the NSW Health spokeswoman said. The international benchmark, however, for maintaining a high-performing paediatric heart transplant centre is five cases per year  the number of children sent from NSW to Melbourne in 2021  and centres doing a handful of cases over a three-year period still have acceptable results. Jansz said he had no doubt that NSW had more than enough cases to justify a second service at CHW. There are units doing far fewer heart transplants and doing them well, Jansz said.

What the current numbers dont include are the kids who dont go on the waiting list because their families cant relocate, or the kids getting managed with heart failure perhaps longer than they should because there is no established transplant program in NSW. Then they get to the point where [their condition] falls off a cliff, and they end up on ECMO. That is disastrous, he said. Elizabeth Miroforidis with her sons Romeo and Alex Kakias holding a photo of their brother Elias at their Peakhurst home. Credit: Louise Kennerley Elizabeth Miroforidis has made the journey to Melbournes RCH twice for her sons Elias and Alexander. Both boys were diagnosed with Barth Syndrome, a rare condition characterised by an enlarged and weakened heart (known as dilated cardiomyopathy).

Elias Kakias died from complications of a blood clot in his ventricular assist device (VAD) while waiting for a heart. Elias, born in December 2017, battled heart failure for the first few months of his life. At just seven months old, he was put on ECMO and flown from Sydney to Melbourne to wait for a heart transplant. Elias relied on a type of VAD  known as a Berlin heart that kept him alive. But five weeks after he was put on the transplant list a blood clot formed in the device, causing severe brain damage. Elias was eight months old when he died.

I held him while he took his last breath, Miroforidis said. A mix-up with Elias death certificate meant his parents drove back to Sydney not knowing his body had been left behind in Melbourne. I didnt get to see him until the day before the funeral, his mother said. Elias brother, Alexander, was born carrying the same deadly heart condition, despite his parents being repeatedly assured that they did not carry the genetic mutation that caused it. He was 18 months old when his heart function deteriorated.

Having to make the journey to Melbourne again was almost too traumatising for Miroforidis to bear. I remember telling his doctors we cant go back to Melbourne. As soon as I walk through those doors, its like being there with Elias. All that pain all over again, she said. Alexander Kakias underwent a heart transplant at Melbournes Royal Childrens Hospital. Alexander was listed for a heart transplant in NSW in early 2021, but it soon became clear Alexander would also need a Berlin heart. We had no other option but to take Alexander to Melbourne, Miroforidis said.

Once again, Alexanders family had put their lives on hold to relocate to Melbourne, this time for six months, enrolling his older brother Romeo in a new school and paying bills in two states. Having to go through all this all over again tore our family apart, Miroforidis said. It was incredibly unfair ... but I swore that this time when we went to Melbourne that I was coming back with my child, she said. Alexander got his new heart just shy of his second birthday. Why are we sending kids to Melbourne for heart transplants when we know Westmead is capable of doing this? Miroforidis said. This is madness.

Loading The SCHN spokeswoman said it strongly supported the development of a dedicated heart transplant service at CHW and welcomed the opportunity to put forward a strong case for formal recognition. But the hospital is struggling to keep up with overwhelming demand on its existing services amid what clinicians characterise as chronic underfunding and a staffing crisis. Its elective surgery waitlist blew out to a record 2656 children at the end of 2022  779 of whom had waited longer than clinically recommended for their surgeries. Surgeries and diagnostic imaging appointments are regularly cancelled because there are not enough anaesthetists or intensive care beds to support them.

Loading Scarlett Hacks heart biopsy at CHW was cancelled in January and again in February. The crucial procedure that measures any rejection of her new heart has been rescheduled for next week. Jansz said: Its really hard for the clinicians to exist in this environment where they are not supported to push programs forward, and they are constantly under pressure from dwindling resources. The SCHN spokeswoman said its clinicians are committed to providing safe and high-quality care to all patients and any child requiring urgent surgery receives this without delay. RCH declined to comment.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese heads to US for AUKUS meeting

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A teenage girl is in critical condition and four other people have been rushed to hospital after a car crashed into another vehicle in Melbournes inner north, causing it to spin out of control and strike a pedestrian.

Emergency services were called to the intersection of Lygon and Elgin streets in Carlton around noon on Saturday following reports of a two-vehicle collision and multiple injuries.

Police said one of the cars, a grey Volkswagen Passat, had been spotted moving erratically in the area before it crashed into an Alfa Romeo, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and strike a pedestrian.

The driver of the Volkswagen was detained by bystanders until police arrived. He has been since arrested and placed under police guard at the hospital, where he is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Inside a shed in Melbournes outer suburbs, senior Australian Border Force officer Joel Scantlebury inspects a shipment of coffee beans that has arrived in Victoria by courier from a country in East Africa earlier that morning.

Hidden inside resealed coffee packets nestled in a sea of used clothes and shoes are three black plastic bags filled with white crystals. A chemical analysis of the substance, known as a NIK test, immediately returns a positive result for drugs.

Australian Border Force superintendent Tori Rosemond (left) and officers Joel Scantlebury and Steven Psiroukis at the agencys headquarters at Melbourne Airport. Credit: Wayne Taylor

You can see its slowly changing colour, Scantlebury says of the liquid inside the vial of the NIK test he is holding.

Scantlebury has snapped the vial like a glow stick, spilling the solution into a bag, which contains crystal fragments from the parcel. The liquid has turned a vibrant cobalt blue, which indicates the presence of methamphetamine.
Perth residents unable to find a doctor offering fully subsidised services are being slugged more than $42 for a 15-minute consultation according to new data, as the number of bulk-billing GP clinics continues to drop.

A new report by online healthcare directory Cleanbill found the average out-of-pocket cost of a standard doctors appointment in Greater Perth had risen 6.3 per cent over the past four years to $42.40.

The workload for GPs has always been intense. Credit: iStock

Claremont, Fremantle, West Perth and Subiaco emerged as the most expensive suburbs to see a GP, with the average out-of-pocket cost of an appointment exceeding $50, while patients visiting clinics in East Perth, Thornlie, Gosnells and Armadale were charged the least.

The report, which tracked changes in the bulk-billing rate, found the average cost of an appointment in Perth now rivals the governments average Medicare rebate.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong is being urged by the federal opposition to sanction three men for their role in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which killed 298 people on board including 38 Australians.

The District Court of The Hague in November found three pro-Russian separatist fighters guilty of causing the downing of MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Russians Igor Girkin and Sergey Dubinskiy, and Ukrainian national Leonid Kharchenko, were convicted of 298 counts of murder and unlawfully causing an airplane to crash by the Dutch court, but the three men remain at large.

More than 100 days after the sentencing, the Australian government has not sanctioned the trio over the downing of MH17  although Girkin was sanctioned by Australia in 2014 for his general role in the separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.
Premier Dominic Perrottet will pin his re-election hopes on a promise to parents that his government would provide financial security for their children, as he unveils his signature policy ahead of the March 25 poll.

Perrottet will officially launch his campaign on Sunday in the electorate of Holsworthy, a south-west Sydney seat held by the Liberals but also being targeted by Labor after its local member was defeated in a controversial pre-selection.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet with his daughter Celeste in Lismore earlier this month. Credit: Elise Derwin

In a key speech to the party faithful, the father-of-seven is expected to promise his government will provide the gift of opportunity to the next generation.

I know every single parent here today and across this state shares one thing in common and that is this: from the moment our children are born, we worry about them constantly and would do anything to ensure they have better opportunities than we did, Perrottet is expected to say.
This story has rightly sparked outrage around the world. Imagine a news service even considering obfuscating, garnishing or downright misreporting the objective truth in order to please its audience. Imagine a country in which the media presents stories and perspectives their audiences wish were true instead of providing them with a window into the world as it actually is.

The network was sent into crisis mode when it was first to call the state of Arizona for the Democratic Party. Telling the truth early and accurately infuriated the networks Trump-supporting voters, who boycotted the station. So, in the days following, Fox executives considered whether they should use slower and less accurate election-projecting technology  or, even more shockingly, if they should base election projections on how viewers might react.

Its beginning to become clear that Australians cant handle the truth. When we hear it, we dont like it. So we make sure to avoid it. And were not alone.

Sadly, even in Australia, we dont have to imagine. The pressure from audiences overwhelms many news outlets. One of the favourite ways for audiences to express their outrage at news and views they dont like in commercial media is to threaten to cancel their subscription. Smaller media outlets trying to win market share encourage that tendency and feed off it by insisting that only they, who most slavishly mirror their audiences prejudices, are telling them the truth. In an era of commoditised content, it takes immense courage and a bit of fiscal recklessness to present facts in their unspun ugliness. Sometimes, like Fox, media outlets cave in and follow the money.

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This week, this masthead published the conclusions of an expert panel on China. Predictably, many people didnt like it. Nobody likes the idea that war could be imminent. But in a country that shies away from knowing too much about how global affairs are intersecting around us, it was an important piece of cut-through reporting. It was unmissable. More people are now aware of the potential for imminent conflict. It will significantly help achieve the psychological shift the assembled experts emphasised Australians will have to undergo to understand the world we now live in. The purpose of the experts warnings, and of the report, was to make Australia aware that we need to prioritise defence to prevent a hot conflict.

But its not fun to hear experts warn that our holiday from history is over, as this panel did in a joint statement. Whoever wants their holidays to end? Australians are used to peace and have enjoyed the safety of distance and irrelevance while other countries are constantly reminded of wars just past and tensions still simmering. One letter writer encapsulated our kumbaya complacency by suggesting that instead of a red alert Australia needs a peace alert.

And the relativists were out in force: China has a right to become more assertive. We are a settler nation anyway, what right have we to protect the land we live on? The experts are just making us the patsies of a warmongering America. In fact, its just the weapons manufacturers trying to turn a buck. And no doubt Xi Jinpings increasing penchant for military khaki is purely about fashion.
A newly discovered asteroid roughly the size of an Olympic swimming pool has a "small chance" of colliding with Earth in 23 years, with a potential impact on Valentine's Day in 2046, according to NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office.

The asteroid has a 1 in 625 chance of striking Earth, based on data projections from the European Space Agency, though NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Sentry system calculated the odds closer to 1 in 560. The latter tracks potential collisions with celestial objects.

But the space rock  named 2023 DW  is the only object on NASA's risk list that ranks 1 out of 10 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, a metric for categorizing the projected risk of an object colliding with Earth. All other objects rank at 0 on the Torino scale.

Though the 2023 DW tops the list, its ranking of 1 means only that "the chance of collision is extremely unlikely with no cause for public attention or public concern," according to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, while a 0 ranking means the "likelihood of a collision is zero, or is so low as to be effectively zero."

"This object is not particularly concerning," said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

NASA officials have warned that the odds of impact could be dramatically altered as more observations of 2023 DW are collected and additional analysis is performed.

"Often when new objects are first discovered," NASA Asteroid Watch noted Tuesday on Twitter, "it takes several weeks of data to reduce the uncertainties and adequately predict their orbits years into the future."

Risk of asteroid impact

It's common for newly discovered asteroids to appear more threatening when first observed.

"Because orbits stemming from very limited observation sets are more uncertain it is more likely that such orbits will 'permit' future impacts," the Center for Near Earth Object Studies, located at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, notes on its website.

"However, such early predictions can often be ruled out as we incorporate more observations and reduce the uncertainties in the object's orbit," it reads. "Most often, the threat associated with a specific object will decrease as additional observations become available."

It may be a few days before new data can be collected because of the asteroid's proximity to the moon, Farnocchia noted in an email to CNN. The last full moon was two days ago, and it still appears bright and large in the sky, likely obscuring 2023 DW from immediate observation, he said.

"But then the object will remain observable for weeks (even months with larger telescopes) so we can get plenty of observations as needed," he added.

The asteroid measures about 160 feet (about 50 meters) in diameter, according to NASA data. As 2023 DW orbits the sun, it has 10 predicted close approaches to Earth, with the nearest landing on February 14, 2046, and nine others between 2047 and 2054. The closest the asteroid is expected to travel to Earth is about 1.1 million miles (1.8 million kilometers), NASA's Eyes on Asteroids website notes.

The space rock was first spotted in our skies on February 2.

It's traveling about 15.5 miles per second (25 kilometers per second) at a distance of more than 11 million miles (18 million kilometers) from Earth, completing one loop around the sun every 271 days.

Farnocchia noted the success of NASA's DART mission, or the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, in September 2022 as evidence that humanity can be prepared to confront space rocks on potentially disastrous courses. DART intentionally collided a spacecraft into an asteroid to change its trajectory.

"That's the very reason why we flew that mission," he said, "and that mission was a spectacular success."

33 groundbreaking NASA missions in photographs 33 groundbreaking NASA missions in photographs Explorer 1 Apollo-Saturn Apollo 7 Apollo 8 Apollo 9 Apollo 10 Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 13 Apollo 14 Apollo 15 Apollo 16 Apollo 17 Pioneer 10 Pioneer 11 Viking Voyager Interstellar Skylab Space Shuttle Shuttle-Mir Landsat Hubble Space Telescope Chandra Spitzer Space Telescope International Space Station Mars Science Laboratory Parker Solar Probe Juno OSIRIS-REx Cassini-Huygens SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket and Manned Crew Mars 2020 Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter James Webb Space Telescope
~ Hearing continues on Tuesday. ~

PHILIPSBURG: --- The Court of First Instance has denied the Government of St. Maarten its request to take urgent measures to end the ongoing strike at the Pointe Blanche Prison.

The court considers that there is no need for an urgent measure. The prisoners at the Pointe Blanche Prison have the right to collectively strike. The court is weighing the right of the inmates to strike as heavier than the right to end the strike. The prisoners also have rights and should be granted the opportunity to strike. Especially if their safety is at risk and they feel their basic rights are violated.

Attorney for the Prison Inmate Association Sjamira Roseburg says the case will continue on Tuesday, however, Roseburg said that the government should focus on what really matters. The guards and inmates are complaining about the current safety situation. More guards are needed. Also, the medical Situation needs to be urgently tackled and a policy needs to be in place for the current prison population to be reduced. This will add to the safety of the prison as well. Its further impossible that for example last week the nurse was out of the office for 4 days and therefore the inmates couldnt get the proper medical help. This urgent measure was uncalled for seeing the peaceful strike. I still have hope for a positive outcome on the matter. In the end, the inmates fall into the care of the country of Sint Maarten and their rights need to be guaranteed

Read the judgment from the court.
A guest on a major news network recently referred to Mike Pence as Pious Pence! What a fitting name for a man who has always defined himself by his adherence to his Christian faith. For heavens sake  he refers to his wife as mother, befitting the reverence he pays to her role in being a mother to their children. What a great role model he is, say many who admire his openness about his devotion to Christ and being a proud Christian.

I looked up the definition of pious in my American Heritage Dictionary, and here is what is printed about pious: 1. Having or exhibiting religious reverence; devotion. That sounds like Pence, doesnt it? Hold on; what about his unwavering devotion to Donald Trump? Pence stood steadfast in his defense of Trump and Trumps shameless and criminal contempt for the rule of law and disregard for any sort of truth or honesty  didnt he? Is that what a good Christian should have done for four years? I think not!

2. Professing or exhibiting a strict traditional sense of virtue and morality; high minded. Is Pence showing virtue, morality or being high minded currently? Well, isnt he refusing to comply to a subpoena from the special counsel investigating Trumps role in the January 6th insurrection? Is an open, defiant and illegal attempt to destroy our democratic process waged by domestic terrorists any kind of Christian or pious activity? Of course not!

Pence, to date, has refused to come forward and tell the truth. Is this exhibiting any traditional sense of virtue? Of morality? Is he being high minded in his cowardice shown by his total disregard for really acting like a real Christian? Absolutely not. Shame on him for his phony piousness and lacking in any moral clarity.

Pence and all the other Evangelical Christians should ask themselves a common question they often have asked to others: Have you found Jesus? If they continue to defend our former president, I dont think they will ever find Jesus, do you?

Larry Gustina

Buffalo






Client: Lauren Stone asks Robyn to come help her get her daughter a life saving surgical procedure.

Despite highlighting a couple of social topics we should be discussing, this weeks client story was not one of my favorite.Actually for both the client and family stories, I had trouble suspending my disbelief.It wasnt that much of a problem in the family story, but in the client story...it stopped me.When they listed the reasons that this woman felt she had no option but to pull out a gun, hold people hostage and demand that the hospital perform the surgery her daughter need, I immediately thought of three things this mother could have done before her daughters time ran out.There was a lot made of the fact that pressure had been brought down on the SWAT team had been told to ignore all protocols, dont negotiate, just kill this woman and be done with it.Robyn discovers out that a senators son is one of the hostages.But, they did nothing with this character.He wasnt a good guy.He wasnt a bad guy.He didnt even offer to intercede with his mother to save the day.His only purpose seems to have been to provide a reason for SWAT tp be behaving oddly and talk to the loud mouth character. (Just about every hostage story has a loud mouth character that causes some kind of trouble.)Our loud mouth character is Marjorie.Marjorie is indignant that Robyn spent the episode bending over backward to give the Lauren what she wants.She points out that if one hospital gives in to these kinds of demands then everyone would pull out a gun when the insurance company (and/or hospital) declined a vital procedure.Shes not wrong. This is the basic reason the country does not negotiate with terrorists.This just didnt feel like the type of case Robyn should have taken. It makes her responsible for creating more problems than shes fixing.Maybe if Lauren was fighting a wrong that was something other than standard operating procedure.Marjorie took the situation from bad to worse by grabbing a gun from her purse (How did she get a gun into a hospital in day 2023?) and inadvertently shoots the surgeon.This complication did give the show a moment to highlight another social issue; the difficulty for highly trained immigrants to continue to work in their field when they move to the US.I hope this desperate mother has guardianship backups ready, because shes not raising her kid for a while.But the episode seems determined to help this woman get away with her actions because her only alternative is to let her child die.But since they never convinced me this was her only alternative, I stand by my belief that actions have consequences.The writers never managed to get me to care about anything other than where Dante and Robyns relationship would be when the distraction was over.

Family Life: Vi helps a neighborhood restaurant re-discover a precious recipe.

The previous owner of this family restaurant dies. Her children inherit the recipe but never think to get the recipes from their mother.Again I hit a mental brick wall with the setup.This woman, who knew she was dying, had expressed a desire for her children to keep the restaurant open, but had NOT written down her recipes? A businesswoman who inherited the restaurant herself?I just couldnt buy that she wasnt more prepared for this situation before she got sick. Plus, Id be she inherited at least a few recipes when she took over the restaurant.I could easily have believed that the children never thought to ask.So, I chose to believe that shed written them down for her children to find. The children just didnt know where to look.I know. Im being a little extra here, but I expect a lot from this show. I expect more because they usually give me more.I did find it interesting that, rather than getting dinged for serving lesser quality of his mother's recipes he changed up the formula completely and went vegan.This way, any complaints coming in wouldnt tarnish his mothers reputation.I wasnt surprised that Vi could reproduce the recipe by taste. My mother can do that. I just kept wishing they'd show her changing spoons each time she tasted.The significant moments in the episode were a good news/bad news pair.Dante (Im wondering if I should start calling him Marcus as well) forgiving Robyn. Robyn did apologize and it was a good one. She and Marcus are all good. Im happy.Robyn was served with papers. Miles has officially filed for full custody of Delilah. I have a feeling hes going to get an earful from his daughter.This is the story Im waiting to see play out. I could have skipped this weeks episode.What did you guys think?
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Romania has played an important role in the humanitarian assistance provided to Ukraine, and the empathy and generosity that Romanians have shown to their neighbours have been exemplary, something appreciated by the Ukrainian refugees, the ambassador of the United States of America in Bucharest, Kathleen Ann Kavalec told an interview with AGERPRES.

"I've heard from many Ukrainian refugees how much they've appreciated the support and how it has really transformed their view of Romania for the better. I imagine the future of Romania-Ukraine becoming much closer because of all these people-to-people ties and all these new trade ties," the American diplomat says.

Kathleen Kavalec presents her ambassadorial priorities: security, trade and investment, and also democracy and the rule of law.

"Companies will come and invest when they see a system where there is transparency, where there is accountability, where there is rule of law," the American diplomat emphasises.

AGERPRES: You started your mandate in Romania at the beginning of February. The US Embassy was always a strong supporter of democracy in Romania, of democracy in general, the rule of law and the freedom of press. In this light could you talk about the priorities of your mandate here regarding these particular topics?

Kavalec: First of all, let me say I'm just delighted to be back in Romania again after 15 years and very excited to work on what is very close and productive bilateral relationship.

So, for my mandate [there are] three key priorities: the first, of course, is security, and that involves security in terms of countering Russian aggression in the neighbourhood, against Ukraine and this horrific war that they've begun, in bolstering our military cooperation, deterrence, bolstering cooperation within NATO, and bilaterally in terms of our presence here and the region. You know that we have increased the number of US troops here as part of the NATO cooperation.

So, first and foremost security; second, trade and investment. I am glad to say that we have a very robust presence in terms of US companies here: 5 billion US dollars in trade and over 100,000 jobs that have been created thanks to US companies and investments here. So, in that area we are working to help US companies that are interested in investing, promoting trade between our countries and also very important and related to this improving rule of law, transparency, because companies will come and invest when they see a system where there is transparency, where there is accountability, where there is rule of law. So, that's very important - and a part of that working especially in the area of energy, which will contribute again to security and to energy independence and diversification in Romania as well as the region, because certainly Romania is a leader when it comes to energy independence. And then third, [there is] democracy, which has the underpinning of everything else that we do. And, for any democracy one is always working to strengthen democracy particularly in the area of rule of law, freedom of the press.

And again, it's back to the same issue: you need to have rule of law and accountability for business to work well, for citizens to feel that they have justice in their country. Recently, there was a lot of commentary about a case that was dismissed relating to the Colectiv tragedy, and again you can see there that citizens expect, want to see, a rule of law system that functions effectively and where they see justice being delivered. So, security, trade and investment and democracy.

AGERPRES: Because you were talking about security issues, especially in the context of the war of Russia against Ukraine: there was an announcement by the US President at the beginning of this year about the reinforcement of US troops in Romania. Is there a timeline related to bringing more US troops into Romania?

Kavalec: Well, currently, we have, I think, over 3,000 US troops, and at the moment we have the 101st Battalion which is here in the country. They will be leaving shortly, but they will be replaced by the 10th Mountain Brigade. So, that will - I think - bring it to something more or less equivalent to what it is now, but certainly there will be more troops coming and going during this period. We will be constantly evaluating the need for additional troops. As you know, we are part of NATO and other countries, especially the French, have increased their presence as well. So, we will be working together with the Allies to determine where we need to strengthen further our defences and our deterrence.

AGERPRES: Also, when it comes to the relations between Romania and the US we can also talk about military acquisitions. Major acquisitions made by Romania from the US were in the form of government-to-government. What is the estimation regarding this kind of acquisitions?

Kavalec: I don't have a specific number to say. Just let me say that as a NATO member, Romania is committed to modernising its defence capability. So, purchases that are made all go to making Romania a stronger and more prepared member of NATO. Of course, where we can offer systems that help reinforce that capability we are happy to do so. There are a number of systems that are being purchased that will be delivered in the coming months. But, the main thing here, I think, is that the systems improve Romania's readiness and capabilities within NATO, and that allows us as a collective defence organisation to present a stronger and more credible deterrent for defence purposes in the region.

AGERPRES: When you said systems that will be purchased in the coming months, could you elaborate on that?

Kavalec: There are number of systems that have been ordered - there are F16s, for instance, they are coming; there are other systems that will be provided in terms of air defence. Sorry, I don't have a list here, but, yes...

AGERPRES: Because there was in the public space information regarding the interest of Romania to purchasing tanks, Abrams tanks from the US.

Kavalec: Yeah, so this is again part of this whole improving the defence capability

AGERPRES: The United States of America is the first supporter of Ukraine in terms of arms delivery to this country. How do you see Romania's role in this link of helping Ukraine militarily?

Kavalec: First of all, I recently - you may know - I went to Romexpo on the terrible anniversary of the 1st year of this awful war. And there I met with Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war. I met with the UNCHR and other UN organisations and NGOs that have been helping the refugees. I think Romania has played a very important role in helping with the humanitarian response and the spirit of empathy and generosity of spirit that the Romanians have shown to their neighbours have been exemplary - this is what I've heard from many of the refugees with whom I spoke that they were so well received here. First and foremost, I think Romania has to be commended for its willingness to help those refugees, and also I want to mention the great cooperation between civil society and the Romanian government. This is a textbook of example, I think, of why civil society organisations are so important and how they can work effectively with government particularly in a time of crisis. Romania has also been really helpful in terms of helping with grain shipments out of Ukraine, which is important not only to Ukraine but also to the world as a whole. Because of all that grain that Ukraine produces that goes to the third world, there were concerns early on about impact on world hunger. Romania played a key role in making sure those grain shipments got out, it acted very quickly.

And it also helped with incredibly important energy - that has been another area. So, I think Romania has played a great role in terms of support to Ukraine during this period. I've heard from many Ukrainian refugees how much they've appreciated the support and how it has really transformed their view of Romania for the better. I imagine the future of Romania-Ukraine becoming much closer because of all these people-to-people ties and all these new trade ties. And I think, as Ukraine moves to join the EU, there will be many opportunities in terms of reconstruction, cooperation and deepening of ties. So I just want to commend the Romanian government and the people for their great response during this terrible tragedy.

AGERPRES: The situation in Ukraine made the need for a Black Sea strategy even more stringent, and Romania has been contributing to the drafting of this Black Sea strategy, which is being written in Washington. Could you talk about the contribution that Romania has to that, because Romania is also around the Black Sea?

Kavalec: As you mentioned, I think the war has shown, it highlighted, the importance of the Black Sea region in a way that, unfortunately, the war has made it even more important, but it's always been important. This has highlighted the need for cooperation in the region. In Washington, as you indicated, Congress is very interested in seeing us have a development strategy in partnership, of course, with the countries in the region to look at such issues as freedom of navigation, defence and deterrence, sharing of information, economic development. So, there's an effort in the US government right now to increase the focus on these issues and certainly in coordination with Congress, which has requested and instructed more focus on this area. So, that's what's going on and of course we were in contact with our partners about this. Secretary of State Blinken spoke earlier this week to Foreign Minister Aurescu, and this was one of the topics they discussed. We will be having the 8th edition of our Strategic Dialogue with Romania. There's a delegation coming next week to Bucharest. Again, that's another topic that will be touched upon. So, this is ongoing at the moment.

AGERPRES: Will such a strategy be available by the time Romania will host Three Seas Imitative in September?

Kavalec: It's hard for me to say exactly, but I would imagine so...

AGERPRES: Because President Biden said two years ago that the US is a strong partner of this summit.

Kavalec: Yes, and this is something, again, where I think Romania has shown great leadership in supporting and developing this idea of the Three Seas Initiative, and the US has been a strong partner. There's a lot that can be done to link the region through infrastructure, economic cooperation and we are very much behind this and look forward to the summit that's upcoming this year that Romania will host.

AGERPRES: Given the current situation, how much of the summit do you think will focus on security more than on economics?

Kavalec: I suppose that will play a big role, but I think - as we see it - the Three Seas strategy takes a very longer term perspective. These are about issues of transportation, communication, and infrastructure. The security situation certainly is a big component. I think there is a much longer-term view as well of linking the North to the South and making sure there's a corridor of cooperation and economic prosperity along that corridor.

AGERPRES: Coming back to domestic issues, when it comes to the relationships between the US and Romania, Romanians always think about the Visa Waiver situation, they want to travel freely to the US , but eventually it's a question of mathematics. Do you have a message for Romanians regarding this, as an ambassador?

Kavalec: As an ambassador, let me just say this is something that I would very much like to see happen, and I am committed to working with the Romanian government on this. Again, it will be a topic in our strategic dialogue. But, of course, more important than that is the fact that we're working together, our experts are working together on some of the technical parts of the programme that involve passports, that involve border issues. As you mentioned, there's a mathematics issue which has to do with the refusal rate. But, having looked at other countries that have joined and the path that they have chosen, I am pretty confident that there is a path forward to make progress in these areas. I'm hopeful that we will be able to achieve something during my mandate...

AGERPRES: The Romanian authorities were talking about a particular campaign regarding the Visa Waiver, an awareness campaign.

Kavalec: I think it helps people to make sure that there are more visas issued than refusals, helping with information about how to have a successful visa application, how to avoid the pitfalls of not providing sufficient information, it's very important to understand what visas do allow you to do and not do, for example on a tourist visa you cannot work in the United States - you have to have a different kind of visa - so just sharing that information with the public so that the applications that do come in are successful. I think that will help bring the refusal rate down.

AGERPRES: You were talking about the strategic dialogue that is soon to happen in Bucharest. One of the most important bilateral deals made by Romania with the US is regarding these small modular reactors. Is there a timeline, when will they become a reality?

Kavalec: We signed, I think in 2020 a cooperation agreement on civilian nuclear issues, and I think this is very exciting development in our relationship, both in terms of helping with renovation and expansion of Cernavoda and also in terms of this exciting new technology - small modular reactors - which, by the way, all of the world is attracting huge interest in Europe and Asia so this is an area, again, an energy field where, I think, Romania can be a leader. However, it is a project that will take several years to develop - I understand something by the end of the decade, 2028-2029 something thereabout. In the shorter term, there will soon be an SMR simulator that will be in operation at Bucharest Polytechnic University for training purposes, for students, for scientists, for engineers to learn the technology, to understand the operations. Also it may serve as a centre for other people from the region who are interested in this technology. What is exciting about this is this is a safer, greener, more scalable way of using nuclear energy, which in a world that's looking for non-carbon sources of energy can make a huge difference. So, we are excited to be partnering with Romania to support your interest in this technology, and the ability to create probably 8,000 new jobs in this sector, I think, will be a valuable contribution.

AGERPRES: Will the current energy crisis make this SMRs-related process faster?

Kavalec: I think we're seeing lot of interest in alternative sources of energy right now, so there is a real rush, I think, to look for solar, for wind, for hydro - there's a lot of room for more investment in all of these areas. But, certainly, I think the energy crisis has increased the interest and the focus on nuclear as well.

AGERPRES: On a more personal note, you actually came back to this part of the world, to this region and I want to ask you, and you can answer in Romanian, if you could: there is this discussion that there is a difference between the Western personality, the Western soul and the Eastern soul. What was the greatest cultural shock that you had when you went to Eastern Europe for the first time?

Kavalec: Am sa incerc sa vorbesc putin in limba romana, dar nu stiu daca pot sa raspund suta la suta in limba romana. O sa incerc. Eu nu vad o diferenta mare intre cultura sau suflet. Cred ca peste tot oamenii sunt la fel. Avem poate traditii diferite, dar cred ca suntem foarte similari, si n-am simtit o diferenta foarte mare aici cand am venit, dar am simtit o ospitalitate foarte calduroasa. Aici, copiii nostri s-au simtit foarte bine aici; fiica-mea a mers la gradinita in limba romana. Am invatat foarte mult despre cultura romaneasca si am calatorit foarte mult ca atasat cultural si de asemenea cu familia. Am viajat peste tot si ne-am bucurat foarte mult aici. Din acest motiv, sunt foarte fericita sa fiu din nou in Romania, si sper sa am posibilitatea de a calatori foarte mult, de a ne intalni cu prietenii de atunci si sa ne facem prieteni noi in mandatul meu.

(I will try to speak a little in Romanian, but I don't know if I can answer one hundred percent in Romanian. I'll try. I don't see a big difference between culture and soul. I think people are the same everywhere. We may have different traditions, but I think we are very similar, and I didn't feel a big difference here when I came, but I felt a very warm hospitality. Our children felt very well here; my daughter went to kindergarten in Romanian. I learned a lot about Romanian culture and travelled a lot as a cultural attachee and also with my family. We have lived all over the place and we enjoyed it very much here. For this reason, I am very happy to be in Romania again, and I hope to have the opportunity to travel a lot, to meet friends from back then and to make new friends during my mandate.)

AGERPRES: Now, this is the last question. Because we were talking during the interview about the Romanians who want to go to the United States of America. What would you tell Americans, why should they come to Romania?

Kavalec: I think this is such a beautiful country; there's so much to see, and I think people are so warm and open here. I know many of my friends want to come now that they know I'm here. What I would say to Romanians is it's worth your while to help share information about the country, encourage friends to come and let people know more about Romania, cause I think there is a lot of interest when people learn. There is a very popular show on Netflix right now called 'Wednesday' and it is increasing interest in Romania because people have found that it was filmed here, and a lot of people I know - who maybe didn't know anything about Romania - are asking me about Romania now. So, I think there's a lot of potential to expand tourism. I would encourage Romanians to welcome friends abroad to come here.
Heavily-armed police outside the pharmacy (Getty Images)

German police arrested a man on Friday evening after a special unit stormed a pharmacy in Karlsruhe where multiple people had been held hostage for hours.

Multiple explosions were heard as officers sought to end the hostage situation in the west German city of Karlsruhe.

Police earlier said multiple hostages were being held but that there was no danger to the broader public.

German tabloid Bild reported that the incident began at 4.30pm and that police had made contact with the hostage-taker. i

The area surrounding the pharmacy was extensively cordoned off.

Police officers have rushed to the scene at a pharmacy in the west German city (Getty Images)

The Stuttgarter Zeitung reported that two people had been taken hostage and that there was a demand for a ransom of a single-digit million euro sum.

A police spokesperson declined to comment on the report.

Police had advised residents to avoid the area, with those unable to access their homes being advised they can take refuge in a nearby school.

Karlsruhe, not far from the French border, is a city of some 300,000 people and home to the Federal Court of Justice, Germany's highest court.

The hostage situation followed Thursday's deadly rampage at a Jehovah's Witnesses hall in Hamburg.

An unborn baby was among seven people killed in the shooting, with police revealing that the gunman was a 35-year-old German with a firearms licence.

The man - named only as Philipp F, in line with German privacy rules - carried out the shooting on Thursday evening before taking his own life himself after police arrived, said authorities.
After a busy day at work at his upholstery showroom, Jose Gomez climbs the stairs to his home and studio on the second floor to clock in on his second job as a working artist at Art by Gomez. He loves the light-filled studio hes carved out in his unique space and enjoys all the comforts of home and family in the 3,000-square living space hes rehabbed over several years.

The previous owners of his building had rented two apartments above their shop as income producers. Although the tradition of owners living above your own businesses is an old one, it wasnt something Gomez had planned originally. "Id sold my first house, and I moved into one of the apartments while I was looking for a house in this neighborhood, he says. He soon realized he didnt need a house. Why not just live in this place?

He completely rehabbed the space over a span of several years and finished the job in February with a complete kitchen renovation. He transformed what had been a jumble of rooms into a sleek open plan space. It looks like a loft but without the high ceilings, he says.

The space includes three bedrooms, two baths, an art studio and an open kitchen-living-dining room. Hes furnished it with pieces that span from antique to modern with a strong concentration of pieces by ground-breaking midcentury designers. He buys midcentury originals from around the country, particularly from Miami and Los Angeles, and then restores them.

In his mostly modern home, he displays a treasured antique silver candelabra he brought with him from Miami. Hed moved there from Honduras as a younger man. It is all I still have. Its very old. It was given to me by a woman from Cuba, who has since passed away. She was an angel in life and she went too quickly, he says.

Some of the furniture and decor are Original Gomez creations, like the 120-inch white Italian leather sofa that anchors the living room and the organic mirror upholstered in Brazilian ivory cowhide. At the time I built the sofa, I had two Dalmatians, so I needed room for all of us, he says. Today, he shares the sofa and the house with Nicolas, his 4-year-old Dalmatian.

His painting of a day at the beach with all three of the Dalmatians hes lived with hangs on a wall in the dining room. Two are now deceased, but they live and frolic in the dream-like painting that represents his bond with his dogs and his love of the beaches, both in his native Honduras and in Miami where he lived when he first came to the United States. Animals help make a house a home, he says.

Although he lives in a commercial district, hes at home in the Lindenwood Heights neighborhood. He says its very convenient, quiet and close to Francis Park where he enjoys walking Nicolas morning and night.

On a normal day, hell get up early and head to the nearby gym by 7 a.m. He then goes to the shop to set the work for the day, then visits his sister who lives nearby for breakfast, then returns to the shop for the day.

At five, I go upstairs and take Nicolas out, then I relax and get into my art. Ill have a little wine, and put on some music  samba, jazz, love Nina Simone and I paint. Nicolas gets close to me when Im painting around 9 p.m. He says its time to go, and we walk, he says.

In spring and summer, he likes to cook Honduran foods and entertain friends. The kitchen remodel, which opened the space into the living areas and allows him to be part of the action when he cooks his paellas and sopas.

I love to be at home. My space is all white with my art hanging everywhere, he says. My favorite room is my studio. Its one special place just for me, almost in the center of the space. When I close the door, I dont even think about Gomez Upholstery, he says. I make art.

Jose Gomez

Age  52

Family  Gomez shares his home and studio with Nicolas, an energetic Dalmatian.

Home  Lindenwood Park

Occupation  Gomez owns and operates Gomez Upholstery, a shop that is well-known for repair, restoration and reupholstery of furniture from antiques to modern day pieces. The shop specializes in collectible furniture from the 1940s to the 1980s and is known for working with fine leather and hides. Art by Gomez is his second business. He is also a painter and fine artist whose subjects include flora, fauna and culture of his native Honduras as well as abstracts and paintings influenced by the time he spent in Miami.

At Home with Jose Gomez
LINCOLN COUNTY  A local organization is collecting donations to help the four siblings who were orphaned Wednesday night after their parents and grandfather died in a murder-suicide near Foley.

Divine Nest on Friday set up the "Foland Children Fund" on its website, divinenest.com. Tim Hite, associate director of the nonprofit organization, said all money raised will go to the children but will have restrictions on what ages they can access it.

The siblings are a boy about 15, a girl about 13, a boy about 6 and a baby about a year old, the sheriff's office said.

"I think a lot of the sentiment about it is just the heartbreak for the kids," Hite said. "I think they just want to do what they can do to help them through this difficult time."

Divine Nest is nonprofit at 49 College Campus Drive in Moscow Mills. The agency's number is 636-383-1349.

The siblings escaped unharmed from their home in the 2500 block of South Highway W near Foley on Wednesday night as their father fatally shot their mother, their grandfather and then himself.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office identified the gunman as Phillip Foland, 56. Police said he killed his wife, Lauren Jennings Foland, 38, and his father-in-law Scott Preston Causey, 72, in the trailer home they all shared.

Police are trying to determine a motive for the shooting. The children were in the protective custody of a state agency Thursday and staffers with the Lincoln County Child Advocacy Center were interviewing them, said Lincoln County Prosecutor Michael L. Wood.

The family's dog was chained up, left behind and hiding in a kennel in the yard Thursday when a Post-Dispatch reporter and photographer visited the home. Deputies picked up the dog and delivered it to the PALS no-kill animal shelter, where the dog was being cared for, a shelter employee said Friday. She said the shelter had received dozens of calls from people concerned about the dog.

Did we miss a warning sign? Community reeling after murder-suicide in Lincoln County As his four children ran from the home, a Lincoln County man killed his wife and father-in-law Wednesday night before killing himself. The small community near Foley is wondering if there were missed warning signs.
ST. LOUIS  The expected departure of the citys chief trial prosecutor could throw potentially dozens of criminal cases in limbo as an understaffed circuit attorneys office struggles to keep up with its caseload.

Marvin Teer, 60, will soon leave the St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office to spend more time with his family, an office spokeswoman confirmed Thursday.

He came out of retirement in 2021 to join an office that has struggled to keep people on staff and lost hundreds of combined years of experience prosecuting crimes in St. Louis. Teer was tasked with training young attorneys and handling prominent cases, including a triple murder, the alleged murder-for-hire of a pregnant teacher and the killing of a St. Louis police officer.

Now, it is unclear who will take over those and other high-profile cases as just five prosecutors are left handling hundreds of the citys most serious felony cases.

A spokeswoman for the circuit attorneys office did not respond Friday to questions about the offices plans to redistribute Teers workload but said Thursday he would continue to be an asset to the office.

As the office transitions his role, he will continue to provide support, the statement said.

Teers departure comes at a tumultuous time for Gardners office, as a bill moving through the Missouri Statehouse would strip Gardner of most of her power, and the Missouri Attorney General has filed suit to remove her from office.

Teer was a city prosecutor in the 1990s and later worked in the Missouri Attorney Generals Office under Jay Nixon. He then served as a commission counsel for the Missouri Supreme Court, a special prosecutor and an assistant city counselor. He was also a traffic court judge and an administrative law judge.

He came to the circuit attorneys office because he wanted to help lead an amazing, young team of lawyers and because he loved trying cases, he told the Post-Dispatch in 2021.

He quickly took on some of the offices biggest cases, including Stephan Cannon, who was convicted last year and sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting retired St. Louis police Capt. David Dorn.

Dorns wife, Ann Dorn, said Friday her family felt lost in the system dealing with an office that has been routinely criticized for keeping victims in the dark. But when Teer took over, it was completely different, she said. He called them with updates about the case and worked hard for a guilty verdict.

She said she worried other families will fall through the cracks without his diligence.

I got my justice because of Marvin, she said. Its going to be a huge loss for the city.

As of last month, Teers docket showed he was handling 84 cases, including 55 murder or manslaughter cases, though he is the lead prosecutor much fewer than that. He picked other cases up to monitor and assist after another prosecutor suffered a medical emergency in court.

On Thursday, rumors about Teers expected departure spread quickly through the courthouse. Teer declined to comment or confirm that he was leaving, but at 9:15 p.m., a spokeswoman confirmed he would transition from his role.

Judge Marvin Teer has been an invaluable leader at the (circuit attorneys office), and has led his team with integrity, the statement said. We wish him the best as he transitions from our office to spend more time with his family.

Many reacted to the news online, expressing dismay over continued turnover in Gardners office.

One of those voices was Patrick Hamacher, who unsuccessfully ran against Gardner in the 2016 Democratic primary and left the office in 2018. He said he was dismayed to see an experienced, respected person like Teer leaving the office and said he hoped Gardner would accept assistance from former prosecutors like him or from other offices that have offered to help.

(The prosecutors office) is sacred to me, he said. And so when I see these things, particularly the level that were at now, its really just devastating to watch.
EDWARDSVILLE  A Madison County jury found a man guilty Thursday in a 2021 murder outside a Granite City tire shop

Fred W. Williams, 33, was convicted of first-degree murder in the June 25, 2021, killing of tire shop employee Delas M. Carter, 30, of Alorton.

Prosecutors argued Williams shot Carter 10 times at close range outside the shop in the 1500 block of Madison Avenue.

Assistant States Attorney Luke Yager, in his closing argument, called it an execution in broad daylight."

Evidence presented at trial included security footage of the shooting with the shooter's face covered, cell phone data, license plate tracking and a DNA match on clothing found in a getaway car," according to the office of Madison County State's Attorney Tom Haine.

The motive for the killing was not clear during the trial.

Williams faces a sentence of between 45 years to life in prison.

Another man police initially suspected in the shooting, Dionta O. Moore, 31, died by suicide when he was apprehended by police during a police chase after the shooting.
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ST. LOUIS  City workers bulldozed the remains of a once-bustling homeless encampment here Friday afternoon over public health concerns, ending nearly a year of back-and-forth over its future amid complaints of violence and mayhem from nearby business owners.

Officials said social workers spent weeks meeting with people in the camp and offering them help with housing before the heavy equipment rolled in.

Nick Dunne, a spokesman for Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, said upward of 25 people had accepted the help, and are now in or headed to tiny homes, 24-hour shelters and rehab centers, among other places.

We are committed to helping them on the path to permanent housing, he said.

There were several people still living in the camp Friday, and some advocates for the homeless protested the decision to move them against their will.

Alex Cohen, an organizer with Tent Mission STL, said few, if any, would make it into permanent housing. The waitlist is months long, he said. He predicted most of the people taken away from the camp would be kicked out of shelters in a few weeks, and go right back to the streets.

Another encampment will spring up in a few months, and well be back in the same position, he said.

St. Louis has struggled to address homelessness on the riverfront and its downtown area for years. A decade ago, three encampments along the Mississippi prompted similar concerns before they were deemed a public health risk and cleared  and even then, a smaller camp popped up the following year.

More recently, the Jones administration cleared an encampment in Interco Plaza, off Tucker Boulevard, after reports of people using drugs and assaulting each other culminated in a fatal shooting.

The current riverfront encampment, under the pavilion where the Admiral riverboat once moored, came onto the public radar shortly after the Interco Plaza clearing. At first, the city left it alone, saying shelters were full. In April 2022, officials started moving to clear it along with three other encampments, citing health and safety concerns. But they backed off the riverfront encampment at the last moment, saying they wanted to have more resources available, leaving the campers alongside tourists, residents and office workers on Lacledes Landing, just north of the Gateway Arch.

But by the fall, they were drawing complaints from business owners, including developers looking to build new loft apartments and space for stores and restaurants to reinvigorate the historic district after years of decline. Brian and Gretchen Minges, of Advantes Group, complained in October that people were breaking into vehicles, defecating in public, openly using drugs and harassing tenants and tourists alike. Others said they had had problems with homeless people breaking into their stores and restaurants.

Officials said then they had heard from the Mingeses and others, and that social workers were making weekly visits to the camp to offer resources, including shelter. But they did not move to disband the camp.

That changed last week, when notices of Fridays removal were posted, citing health and safety concerns.

Gretchen Minges said it was about time.

The living conditions down there were getting deplorable, she said, to a point where it was dangerous for everyone living there or being around there.

She said a recent knife fight left a trail of blood outside one of the loft buildings.

Residents that remained in the camp this week conceded some drug use takes place.

Anthony Rohrer, 37, said hed also recently been attacked with an axe and taken to a hospital, where he said he was told he was lucky to be alive.

But he shrugged it off. Things happen, he said.

Most of the time, he said, people look after one another.

We need more understanding, he said. Were a little town, a little system of our own.

Another resident, Lamont Jones, 26, said there are other spots for people to go in the city.

But not like this, he said. A lot of people had their hopes set on this.
There was a time when the public could count on conservative politicians to be frugal guardians of public money. That was back before Republicans figured out they could get away with funding their increasingly extremist ideological crusades on the backs of taxpayers who largely disagree.

Consider, for example, the fact that polls consistently show strong majorities of Missourians (including Republicans) favor rational gun restrictions  yet their political leaders are forcing them to subsidize the states relentless rush in the opposite direction:

 A federal judge last week overturned a state law that presumes to invalidate many federal gun restrictions, declaring it unconstitutional in its entirety. Thats ultimately the only conclusion any court could rationally reach, since the law blatantly violates the core constitutional tenet of federal supremacy. But Republican state Attorney General Andrew Bailey vows to appeal anyway, spending public funds for what amounts to re-litigating the outcome of the Civil War.

 When Republicans recently filed legislation to strip all state and local sales taxes from firearms  which would cost the state and local governments millions of dollars for the purpose of getting more guns into circulation  some legislators amended the bill so it would at least eliminate the state sales tax on food as well (as most states already have). Republicans last week removed that provision, saying the state cant afford the lost food taxes.

 Legislation to ban red-flag safeguards in Missouri would assertively prevent courts from temporarily disarming those shown to be a danger to themselves or others. The measure specifies that local governments cant even accept federal money meant to incentivize such protections locally.

In these and other ways, Missourians are being forced by their own politicians to pay through the nose to ensure that Missouri continues to have one of the highest gun death rates in America.

Talk about blood money.

The modern Republican Partys frequent rejection of most of its own long-held principles  fiscal responsibility, local control, law and order  is perhaps nowhere more pronounced than on the subject of guns.

As the party has radicalized in Missouri over the past decade, the GOP-held Legislature has, with vandalistic enthusiasm, torn down just about every piece of the states once-significant raft of reasonable gun laws: universal background checks for purchasers, permits for carrying in public, any semblance of local control over any of it, all gone.

Today, people with misdemeanor domestic violence convictions or orders of protection arent restricted from purchasing handguns or ammo under Missouri law. Because, why stand in the way of letting some wife beater finish the job?

Technically, convicted felons still arent supposed to have guns. But that restriction is effectively unenforceable in a state where individuals can sell to anyone, anywhere with no background check required and no questions asked.

Once Mr. Felon or Mr. Wife Beater has the gun, theres not a lot that cops can do about it until he uses it. Thats because in Missouri, any adult can walk around in public with a loaded pistol with no permit, license, ID or any other documentation required.

Im sorry, did I say adult? In one of the Legislatures multiple recent actions on guns that are so loopy that they have garnered humiliating national headlines, Republicans voted  twice  to defeat a measure specifying that minors cant walk around in public with loaded guns.

This is what happens when the only political danger to legislative Republicans is that some primary challenger will out-crazy them from the right. So they have to make sure theres no extra room over there.

The passage of Missouris Second Amendment Preservation Act  the overturn of which last week was one of the least-surprising decisions in modern jurisprudence  is one example of this strategic extremism. As my Post-Dispatch colleague Tony Messenger noted last week, that bonkers law was initially conceived in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre. Because, obviously, the only humane response to the shredding by firearms of 20 small children is to ensure that firearms continue to be available to any loon who wants them.

The vow by Bailey, the state attorney general, to defend this indefensible law is consistent with how he has approached the job since taking office this year: committing the taxpayers money and time to self-serving culture-war crusades like meddling in school policies and trans medical treatment, rather than doing his job as Missouris lawyer. But this time, instead of just using his office to promote right-wing intolerance, he is assertively siding (on our dime) with violent criminals who might otherwise be thwarted by federal gun laws.

As for the pending legislation to nix firearms sales taxes: As The Kansas City Star put it last week, the measure would make Missouri the only state in the country that taxes food but does not tax gun sales.

If youre not proud of that as a Missourian  well, in politics, as in any other aspect of life, you get what you pay for. And what you vote for.

Kevin McDermott is a Post-Dispatch columnist and Editorial Board member. On Twitter: @kevinmcdermott. Email: kmcdermott@post-dispatch.com
Taxation priorities on guns and diapers are all wrong

Regarding the editorial Missouri GOP already enables gun violence. Now it wants taxpayers to fund more of it, and the op-ed, Why does Missouri continue to tax essential items like diapers and period products? (both March 2): When will Missouri legislators step back and look at the irony in the taxes they choose to remove and those they choose to apply? Removing taxes from gun and ammo sales, and giving tax credit to gun dealers, while applying taxes for diapers and feminine products, as luxury items, are prime examples.

Legislators must realize how their focus on the important issues in the lives of families is off course. As the fire of gun violence rages, they stoke it. As families struggle to pay for everyday essentials, the Legislature does nothing to help.

As a woman, a mother and a nurse, I can assure you diapers and feminine products are not luxuries but are necessities for women and children. Why not apply the tax revenue for guns and ammo to the tax burden from diapers and feminine products?

Legislators need to reevaluate their priorities and think about their own wives, mothers and children for a change.

Barbara Ritter  Wentzville

Republican gun policies are a threat to police officers

Regarding Missouri Republicans derail plan to keep kids from carrying guns in public (Feb. 3): Strange how Republicans urge everyone to respect and support the police, yet in Missouri they wont take the most logical step to make police work safer: Restrict gun ownership. Even kids not yet of driving age should have the freedom to buy and carry guns, they argue.

I hate to make this prediction, but it might be only a matter of time before a police officer loses his or her life to a gun fired by a minor. Republicans will no doubt join the outcry. Why should anyone listen to them, much less vote for them?

Douglas Sutton  Seeshaupt, Germany

Rep. Bosleys traffic lawbreaking merits election defeat

Regarding Joe Hollemans piece on Missouri state Rep. LaKeySha Bosley (St. Louis lawmaker slammed for political moves  and not paying traffic tickets, March 2): Do St. Louis and the state need a representative who seems to ignore traffic safety laws? Three outstanding warrants should not be the standard our representative sets. Voters should not continue to keep her in office. Surely we can find a truly worthwhile person with superior ethical standards to lead St. Louis into the future.

Robert Ritzer  Richmond Heights

Calling foul on Roy Blunts claim of health care support

There was some truth in the op-ed by former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (Patent trolls are stifling American technological innovation, March 4). However, it seemed to mostly be more posturing to his rural former constituents. Specifically, the paragraph that claimed: Throughout my time in public service, few issues were as important to me as ensuring that working people could get access to quality, affordable health care.

I call foul, big time. In the Senate, Blunt voted against the Affordable Care Act and most other bills that would have expanded health care. Many of his family members have been lobbyists. Lobbyists seldom work for working people about anything. Big corporations in the insurance, pharmaceutical, communication and medical industries hire them to ensure their obscene profitability, which in turn has caused the shrinking or elimination of many rural community health care providers.

Ric Haberstroh  Ferguson

Sensible gun laws are the only way to protect school kids

Regarding Missouri lawmakers debate adding more guns at schools (Feb. 1): I am a retired public school teacher. I became a teacher shortly before the Columbine mass school shooting in Colorado. Nothing prepared me for the horror and responsibility that came in that moment. Along with focusing on academic, social and emotional growth, teachers now held the students lives in their hands.

Active-shooter training became the norm as teachers learned to lock doors, relocate students, maintain silence, and fight or evacuate. Since Columbine, Missouri schools have held intruder drills with consistency, bravery and underlying trauma.

Only survivors can answer how they would react in a real active-shooter scenario.

Legislators must realize their power to be the change by passing sensible gun laws that protect our schools. We deserve laws requiring background checks on all gun sales and the implementation of red-flag laws. Our laws must prevent children from carrying guns and also require all guns to be secured everywhere. I implore them to protect schools with laws and not by the arming of our teachers as some have suggested.

Bonnie Wendlandt  Florissant

Gutting comics removed a draw for younger readers

I am still disappointed about the Post-Dispatch comics section being gutted. I understand Lee Enterprises wanting to have the same comics in all of their newspapers, but why does it only get to be half a page in the print edition? I would much rather have a full page in color on the front of the Everyday over some article that contains no substance. At the very least, could Breaking Cat News be brought back? This comic is just a treasure.

Comics are enjoyable for all ages and can be a stepping stone to encouraging kids to read the newspaper. Without bringing in younger readers, will newspapers survive?

Addie Schnurbusch  Bel-Nor

Read letters online at STLToday.com
BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- On March 8, Abrasivestocks.com participated in the "German Equipment Manufacturing Industry Cooperation Matchmaking Conference" held in Leipzig, Germany. During the conference, the general manager of Abrasivestocks Germany introduced the company's overseas industrial warehouses and Hardware Tools & Grinding Expo in Brisbane Australia.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230310005423/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

Over 160 representatives from various organizations attended the conference, including the Henan Provincial Department of Commerce, Leipzig Bureau of Commerce, and German and Chinese enterprises participating in German Grinding Exhibition. The conference aimed to discuss the future of cooperation and exchange between Henan Province and German equipment manufacturing industry.

During the conference, the director of Industry Development Promotion Division of Henan Provincial Department of Commerce discussed the remarkable achievements in the cooperation between Henan and Germany in the field of equipment manufacturing.

Mr. Xu Daqun, director of Industry Development Promotion Division of Henan Provincial Department of Commerce, said that Henan and Germany has always maintained close economic and trade relation, and the two sides have cooperated in the field of equipment manufacturing for many years with remarkable achievements. Today's (March 8) gathering is to discuss the prospect and future of cooperation and exchange between Henan Province and German equipment manufacturing industry.

The president of the IHK Leipzig talked about the important issue of vocational training, while the president of German-Chinese Economic Federation emphasized the potential for cooperation between Germany and Henan through knowledge and experience exchange and joint projects.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230310005423/en/

Abrasivestocks

www.abrasive-stocks.com

Bai Ning

[email protected]

Source: Abrasivestocks.com
Netflix

One of Netflix's newest three-part docuseries, MH370: The Plane That Disappeared, explores the eerie, never-been-solved story of a commercial Malaysia Airlines flight that went missing back in 2014 and was never found.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 took off on March 8, 2014, from Kuala Lumpur, and was headed for Beijing, the docuseries explains. But the Boeing 777 disappeared along the way with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board, per Brittanica. To this day, no one knows what happened.

Planes go up, planes go down, aviation journalist Jeff Wise says in the trailer. What planes dont do is just vanish off the face of the Earth.

But what happened to MH370, and was it ever found? Heres what you need to know.

What happened to MH370?

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was a red eye flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing that was scheduled to arrive on the morning of March 8, 2014, Brittanica explains.

The plane reached cruising altitude at 1:07 a.m., and had its last communication with air traffic control around 1:21 a.m. Just as it was about to enter Vietnamese airspace over the South China Sea, Malaysian radar detected that the plane turned around and flew southwest over the Malay Peninsula before turning northwest. Malaysian military radar lost contact with the plane over the Andaman Sea at 2:22 a.m.

However, an Inmarsat satellite over the Indian Ocean received hourly signals from the flight and last detected the plane at 8:11 a.m.

How many people went missing?

The plane contained 227 passengers and 12 crew members. In total, 239 people disappeared on the flight.

What is Tomnod?

The first thing to know is that Tomnod was a crowdsourcing tool people used to help figure out what happened to the flight and its passengers. The technology technically uses satellite imagery to identify evidence of urbanization across the globe, and was a tool originally developed by Professor Amit Khandelwal at Columbia Business School.



But when MH370 disappeared, people began to volunteer to search high-res imagery of different locations in an effort to try to find debris from the plane or survivors, the documentary explains. Tomnod ended up using 2.3 million internet users, according to The Guardian, but its findings were found to be inconclusive.

Story continues

Was flight MH370 ever found?

Malaysia Airlines told families in late March of 2014 that the company believed the plane crashed into the Indian ocean and that it was was assumed "beyond reasonable doubt" that there were no survivors, per BBC News.

The documentary also details how debris that seemed to be from a commercial airliner washed up on the coast of Africa and islands along the Indian Ocean, with a statement from Australian authorities saying that the pieces were almost certainly from the missing plane, per BBC News.

What are the theories about what happened to the fight?

There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to the story of this doomed flight. However, The Sun, a newspaper in the UK, breaks down a few theories.

One is that the planes captain plotted a mass murder-suicide, with the theory that Captain Zaharie Amad Shah flew the jet in circles to ensure he wasnt being followed and then landed at a high speed to make sure no one survived.

Another theory is that the pilot tried to do a controlled emergency landing into the ocean that didnt work.

Other theories say that the plane was hijacked, shot down by the US Air Force, or was in cruising mode when it crashed.

But still, to this day, no one seems to know what truly happened. You can catch more details about MH370, the plane that disappeared, and the lives on board, in Netflix's docuseries.

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HONG KONG, CHINA, March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, ELLIPAL, a well-known air-gapped cold wallet provider, celebrated its 5th anniversary and redefined a new security trend product to the market - Self-Custody. ELLIPAL, with its air-gapped cold wallet products like ELLIPAL Titan and ELLIPAL Titan Mini, has been protecting important cryptocurrency assets since 2018. This year ELLIPAL is celebrating its 5th anniversary and is welcoming the trend of self-custody.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/cryptocurrency/best-crypto-wallets/?award=ellipal-titan-crypto-wallet-2022-best-crypto-wallets

"Not keys, not coins"

What ELLIPAL has been providing since 2018 is a solution to securely protect the private keys. With their cold wallets, ELLIPAL protects private keys using secure air-gapped technology and anti-tamper technology. Their security features help protects users' cryptocurrency from both online hacks and offline hacks.

ELLIPAL not only provides superior security to its users, they also provide accessibility. Over the 5 years of development, ELLIPAL has added many useful features to their wallets, may it be: trading, buying, staking, or DeFi. ELLIPAL also supports over 51 blockchains and their tokens, making up over 10,000 tokens and coins supported. It also developed native NFT support which allows users to view their NFTs right on the ELLIPAL App. Users can also access many NFT market places and trade their collection freely and securely on the go.

Constantly Innovating for Security

ELLIPAL has never stop innovating new products and services to make the crypto space safer for everyone. Just last year, ELLIPAL has updated three security products for its users.

ELLIPAL Titan Mini

The ELLIPAL Titan Mini with the security features like air-gapped transactions, anti-tamper technology, competitive performance, also designed to be more compact for increased portability. Smaller size also means the cold wallet can easily be hidden away.

ELLIPAL JOY  Seed Phrase Generator

ELLIPAL Joy is the worlds first open-source and offline private key generator. It ensures the private keys for cryptocurrency wallets are secure and trustworthy. It uses a true random number generator, follows the BIP39 standard, and has an open-source code that users can access to verify the security of the private key generation process. Users can use the ELLIPAL Joy to create trustworthy mnemonics and import them to any wallet.

ELLIPAL Seed Phrase Steel  Seed Phrase Backup Protector

ELLIPAL Seed Phrase Steel is a metallic device designed to protect seed phrases. The device is made of stainless steel and is physically strong, corrosion-resistant, and fireproof, making it suitable to withstand extreme conditions. It is portable and easy to hide and is compatible with all BIP39 wallets. The ELLIPAL Seed Phrase Steel is intended to keep backup seed phrases secure for generations, providing a more reliable and long-lasting option compared to traditional methods such as writing on paper or saving on a computer.

360 Degrees Security

As cryptocurrency becomes increasingly important economically, people will need to know how to protect their assets from all kinds of threats. Using both the ELLIPAL Joy and the ELLIPAL Seed Phrase Steel together the ELLIPAL Titan Mini cold wallet, users will be fully protected. The ELLIPAL Joy would eliminate any threats from closed-source, untrustworthy, private keys generation by giving them the most secure private keys unique exclusively. The ELLIPAL Seed Phrase Steel will then protect backup seed phrases so that users can keep them for generations. Lastly, the ELLIPAL Titan Mini will secure assets offline so it will never be hacked. Together with ELLIPAL, users can lead a perfect self-custodian lifestyle.

An Increasingly Secure Future

As people move on from exchanges and embrace self-custody, security in the crypto space can only improve. At ELLIPAL, all people will continue to pride themselves in their contribution toward crypto security. With the strength in the research and development of the crypto security field, ELLIPAL will help make crypto more secure for everyone.

However, just improving security is not enough. ELLIPAL also aims to make security more accessible to everyone of any age or experience. ELLIPAL will continue to make its product as easy and simple as possible and make sure to include features that make the wallets usable for everyday crypto spending/trading. This way, ELLIPAL will make self-custody an easier process for everyone which will in turn creates a safer crypto space.

In the next five years, ELLIPAL hopes to increase its brand influence in 20 key countries, continue to educate users about crypto security, and adhere to its Secure & Easy to Use motto. They aim to keep upgrading their products and add support to 20 more blockchains in 2023. ELLIPAL believes that the potential userbase for cryptocurrency wallets can reach 1 billion in the future, thats why ELLIPAL will continue to invest in developing increasingly better security solutions.

Media contact

Contact: Charlene Hu

Company Name: ELLIPAL LIMITED

Website: https://www.ellipal.com/

Email: [email protected]

Charlene Hu ELLIPAL LIMITED charlene at ellipal.com

Source: ELLIPAL
DUBLIN, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "The Role of an Effective HR Advisor Training Course" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The seminar will focus on the key skills needed by the HR advisor, as well as the practical duties required by the role.

Are you working in HR and looking to develop your skills to take your career to the next level?

This programme will build on your skill set and experience, and give you the knowledge to fully understand the role and responsibilities of an HR advisor.

Providing an effective human resource service to businesses is the principal goal of all HR teams. The HR department is responsible for making sure the organisation is able to meet business needs through the management of the company's most valuable resource - its employees.

Overseeing the biggest item on the budget comes with responsibility for ensuring the best blend of skills and talents with timely interventions and effective support. The role of the HR advisor is pivotal in making this happen.

This practical two-day programme is a must-attend event for any newly promoted or aspiring HR advisors, as well as those looking for a refresher.

There will be a range of participative activities focusing on the processes of recruitment, induction of new starters, performance review processes, performance management challenges, reviewing and implementing policies and managing others. Plus there will be time to consider the implications of Brexit on the HR function.

Key objectives of this programme

By the end of this programme you will be able to:

Develop and action effective HR policies and procedures

Examine and implement recruitment procedures to create high levels of return on investment

Establish strong bonds of commitment with new staff to reduce attrition rates

Identify organisational learning needs and how these impact the bottom line

Understand the importance of having the right staff, with the right skills, in the right roles

Guide managers in the practical application of performance reviews and understand the links to overall organisation performance

Support line managers in the handling of formal disciplinary procedures protecting both them and your organisation from legal challenges

Enhance your people skills to work with HR administrative staff and processes to achieve a one-stop-shop approach to transactional HR

Who Should Attend:

HR advisors

New and existing HR staff

HR officers and coordinators

HR assistants and administrators aspiring to the role of an HR advisor

Key Topics Covered: Module 1: The importance of the role of the HR advisor

Key responsibilities of an effective HR advisor

Working collaboratively with line managers

Working with and reporting to key stakeholders

Promoting equality and diversity within the organisation

Developing effective job descriptions and competencies

Managing employee welfare services, including health and safety

Managing and implementing organisational change

Quantifying evidence indicators for effective HR

Module 2: Recruiting and selecting talent

Recruitment campaigns

Best practices for effective hiring

Preparing job advertisements

Working with agencies

Dealing effectively with applicants

Drawing up a shortlist



Interviewing skills and techniques



Selecting fairly



Reference checking



Issuing contracts

Managing and implementing an effective induction process

Module 3: Remuneration and rewards

Advising on remuneration and pay issues

Payroll

Pensions

Benefits

Annual salary reviews

Benchmarking and reporting

Linking pay and performance

Module 4: Managing staff performance

Performance reviews and why they are not an HR tool

Working with line managers to manage performance

Tracking and managing sickness and attendance

Short-term sickness



Long-term sickness



Return-to-work procedures

Managing and advising on disciplinary and grievance procedures

Staff counselling

Career development and progression

Producing stats and data which add value and impact on the organisation

Module 5: Identifying, planning and implementing training needs

Performing Training Needs Analysis (TNA) reviews

Handling learning and development requests

Identifying development opportunities

Measuring and reporting the return on investment (ROI)

Succession planning and talent management

Module 6: Reviewing, updating and implementing policies

Developing and implementing formal policies and procedures

Anti-discrimination



Equal opportunity



Health and safety



Maternity, paternity and parental



Leave of absence



Flexible working



Other time-off rights



Disciplinary and grievance



Codes of conduct

Staff handbooks

Giving constructive advice and guidance and working with line managers

Communicating standards of performance and best practice to key stakeholders

Module 6: Reviewing, updating and implementing policies

Developing and implementing formal policies and procedures

Anti-discrimination



Equal opportunity



Health and safety



Maternity, paternity and parental



Leave of absence



Flexible working



Other time-off rights



Disciplinary and grievance



Codes of conduct

Staff handbooks

Giving constructive advice and guidance and working with line managers

Communicating standards of performance and best practice to key stakeholders

Module 7: Managing and working with others - both internal and external

Overseeing junior administrators

Getting the best out of the team

Performance management as a line manager of others

Dealing with suppliers

Outsourcing

Managing agencies and sub-contractors

Trade unions

Applying continuous improvement programmes within HR

Considering the implications of Brexit on HR

Speakers: Jocelyn Hughes Freelance consultant Jocelyn Hughes is a recognised expert in HR management and personal development, having worked in training and personal development since the early 1980s. A strong advocate of training for a reason, she has a practical approach to training which aims to provide participants and organisations with readily useful content, transferable to the workplace.

Having enjoyed a successful career in training management, she began working as a freelance consultant in 1998, working with major blue chip organisations across the UK and internationally. Jocelyn is widely respected for her experience and expertise. She is a qualified NLP practitioner and is a published author of 'Contact Centre Management' with Echelon Publishing.For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k5fj2f

About ResearchAndMarkets.comResearchAndMarkets.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:

Research and MarketsLaura Wood, Senior Manager[email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2-day-role-of-an-effective-hr-advisor-training-course-april-17-20-2023-301768977.html

SOURCE Research and Markets
This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Pacific edition, March 11, 2016. It is republished unedited in its original form.

MINAMISOMA, Japan  Take papers dyed in springtime colors, fold them into dozens of flower shapes and sew them into a single ball.

Add an origami crane, a smaller flower ball for visual balance and string it all together, ending with a tassel. Repeat.

The resulting decorations are how people who lost their homes to a March 11, 2011, tsunami and a nuclear meltdown  people still waiting to move into permanent homes after five years  have raised money to help others in need.

We are happy to be helpful, even a little, said Reiko Suzuki, 61, a resident of the Terauchi No. 2 temporary housing complex about 25 miles from the failed Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

Suzuki, like most of the other residents, lost her home to the tsunami and couldnt rebuild after her neighborhood became part of the exclusion zone surrounding the power plant. The residents here live in prefabricated, 320-square-foot homes originally designed to last two years.

A displaced life is difficult by most accounts, and often not a healthy one.

A recent Fukushima University study found that Fukushima Prefecture residents suffered from psychological distress and maladies related to lifestyle changes at well above the national averages.

However, even amid hardship, communities form and relationships among neighbors grow.

The friendship that residents never expected came months after the disaster, when a Navy spouse named Masako Sullivan asked every Terauchi resident what they needed.

Shortly after, Sullivan and Helping Hands For Tohoku, an unofficial spouses group, began delivering rice, water, toiletries, clothing and other basic needs.

Even though most of the families who were here in 2011 have moved on to different duty stations, they never stopped supporting the Terauchi No. 2 residents. They passed word to incoming families and continued making the drive, about five hours from Yokosuka, to visit with them.

Spouses with Helping Hands and the Yokosuka Chiefs Spouses Association send the residents some of the materials they need to make the decorations. The residents then sent the finished products to Sullivan, who auctions them in San Diego.

That money has aided Helping Hands efforts to aid disaster victims in the Philippines, and to help buy holiday presents for military children who have lost a parent.

The money has also aided Japans recovery, along with other fundraising efforts in San Diego. They helped a day care center in Ishinomaki, a city that lost 3,500 people in the tsunami, after the center exhausted most of its funds rebuilding in a safer area.

Donations kept coming, and we were able to build fences, purchase playground toys  in a few months the center got a very nice playground, Sullivan said. It was amazing teamwork.

Pictures of Sullivan and the Terauchi No. 2 residents, along with postcards and baby pictures from other Navy families, hang in the housing complexs community room.

They are reminders of the better times spent here  and a reminder of how many people no longer live here.

Perhaps that is the best thing that can be said about Terauchi No. 2: it is only about half-occupied. The remaining residents are among 60,784 people still living in prefabricated housing as of January, according to government figures.

When Stars and Stripes visited in 2014, the complex was still full, and residents spoke about the strain and stress of uncertainty.

That hasnt gone away entirely, but there is also noticeably more hope amid plans for something more permanent.

Takeko Aihara, 84, cant return to her old home in Minamisomas Kaibama area, where 80 people out of a community of 70 households died during the tsunami. Her family may join some of the survivors, who have clustered together in a new community, but the choice isnt so simple.

My grandchild doesnt want to live where the ocean can be seen, Aihara said.

Suzuki should be able to return to their old neighborhood when the government certifies the area as decontaminated in April.

Her family is on a waiting list to repair their home and may be able to move out by the end of the year.

However, her mother-in-law requires special care, and theyll need a medical facility to move into the area before they do, which isnt a given.

Despite all of the troubles theyve endured, five years in temporary housing made them like a family, said several of the women who gathered along with Suzuki to talk with Stars and Stripes.

When they leave Terauchi No. 2, theyll likely have to keep in touch by phone, since so many are elderly and cant drive.

It will be lonely, Suzuki said. But we have to move forward.

Stars and Stripes reporter Hana Kusumoto contributed to this report.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday ordered on-site evaluations of each military service academy after a survey of cadets and midshipmen found an increase in sexual assaults among students.

The campus visits will be conducted by Gilbert Cisneros, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, and is one of eight actions that Austin laid out in a memorandum issued Friday, shortly after the release of survey results that showed an 18% increase in student-reported sexual assaults at the academies.

The defense secretary also requested the Defense Departments Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Training and Education Center of Excellence improve training for campus leaders on how to assess and act on the cultural climate among students and pockets of risk. He called on the academies to better promote sexual assault prevention programs and resources and communicate to students the changing military justice system and the impacts it has on their reports of assault.

As I have emphasized since taking office, I expect every member of our total force to be part of the solution to countering sexual assault and harassment, Austin wrote to the leaders of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. I expect you to reverse the harmful trends at our [military service academies]. Now is the time to employ the resources with which we have been entrusted and advance our common way forward.

The student-reported survey results from the 2021-22 academic year showed an increase at each academy  a trend since 2014 despite Defense Department efforts and attention from Congress. The problem is mirrored across the military, where research, programs and initiatives have increased to combat the problem, but without a statistic change.

Though the surveys are generally conducted every two years, the last year one was compiled in 2018 because the coronavirus pandemic forced officials to cancel the effort in 2020. However, the service academies still compile statistics on reported sexual assaults for each year.

Roughly 12,700 students attend the academies who will commission as officers in the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps after graduating with a bachelors degree. Based on survey responses, the Defense Department estimated 1,136 students experienced unwanted sexual contact, with 155 of them reporting the assault to a DOD authority.

The three service academies collectively received 206 reports of sexual assault allegations in the 2021-22 school year that involved cadets, midshipmen, and preparatory students as either victims or perpetrators  an increase of 45 reports from the previous school year, according to the Pentagon report. Not every report occurred during a students time at the academy, though they are still able to report and receive assistance.

Of these reports, 61 came from West Point, 70 came from the Naval Academy and 75 came from the Air Force Academy, with 170 of the reported incidents happening when the person was a student at one of the academies.

The report released Friday did not speculate on the reason for the increase, but instead looked at risk factors. Alcohol was involved in about 60% of unwanted sexual contact, despite a reduction in excessive drinking reported during the same period. Assaults were more likely to occur among sophomores, which is the first year that students have more relaxed rules at service academies. Freshmen have the most restrictions imposed on them and were the least likely to be assaulted. Students who were assaulted before becoming cadets or midshipmen were more likely to be assaulted again, the report said.

Vice Adm. Sean Buck, superintendent of the Naval Academy, said in a prepared statement Friday that the results of the survey are extremely disappointing and there is work to be done to address the problem.

Effectively addressing unwanted sexual contact and sexual harassment requires fundamental changes in order to build healthy command climates and safe and respectful living and working environments, Buck said. We will continue to implement needed reforms to strengthen institutional trust, increase accountability for sexual violence, and to set the conditions for dignity and respect across the academy.

Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland, the superintendent at West Point, and Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, the superintendent at Air Force Academy, said in statements that they take each report seriously and are committed to changing behavior.

Throughout the year, we will continuously evaluate and adjust to find solutions that work, Clark said. The landscape of this issue has evolved and changed over the years requiring us to change our approach and refresh our tools.

Nate Galbreath, acting director of the DOD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, said the results of the survey highlight the importance of implementing the recommendations of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military, which submitted its report to Austin in July 2021. Austin established the commission shortly after becoming secretary, and in September 2021, he laid out the plan for implementing the recommendations.

One major change from the committees recommendations is the creation of a Special Trial Counsel Office in each service branch by Dec. 27. That office will determine whether to prosecute certain crimes among service members, including sexual assault. At service academies, superintendents previously held that authority, and officials said the change will create more independence in the system.

We think it's really, really important that we tell our cadets and [midshipmen] about this historic change that we're making, so they understand that the department is taking action [and] making change in the space, and they understand how the new system will work, Beth Foster, executive director of the Defense Force Resiliency Office, said Friday during a call with reporters.

During the campus visits in the next few months, evaluators will be very involved in talking with cadets and midshipmen to get their understanding of whats going on, Foster said.

Austin also called on the academies to issue a policy by Aug. 31 on the physical separation of students who suffered a sexual assault from alleged perpetrators. He said this should include not scheduling them in the same classes or putting them in close proximity during mandatory events. This policy would also meet a requirement issued by Congress in 2021.

The three academies already do have a version of separation policies, Galbreath said. However, this is just to the extent that is practical because of the communal nature of the academies.

Overall, Foster said academy superintendents and leaders have been receptive to Austins call to action and are looking forward to opening their doors for the upcoming evaluations.

Our perception is that they absolutely want to get after this problem. The challenge is that they don't always know the right steps to take, or because the science and data has evolved so much in this space in recent years, they need new tools and capabilities to get after this, she said.
Emmanuel Macron and Rishi Sunak give a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Emmanuel Macron and Rishi Sunak give a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Emmanuel Macron has hit out at the consequences of Brexit as France and the UK unveiled a new agreement to tackle small boats cross the Channel.

The French president said the effects of quitting the EU had been under-estimated before the 2016 referendum.

He made his comments as he stood alongside Rishi Sunak - who backed the Vote Leave campaign.

The pair held a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace following a summit in Paris.

Under the terms of the new deal, the UK will give France nearly half a billion pounds over the next three years in an attempt to stop the flow of asylum seekers trying to get the Britain.

It follows the governments publication of its Illegal Migration Bill, which aims to deport all illegal migrants and ban them from ever settling in the UK.

But Macron suggested the problem had come about partly as a result of the vote to leave the EU.

Asked whether the relationship between the UK and France can ever be the same after Brexit, Macron said: This is my wish. But it depends on what we will do in the coming months and years.

On the short front what we have to do is to fix the consequences of Brexit.

A lot of issues we have are a direct consequence of Brexit and probably some of these consequences were under-estimated, but we have to fix them.

Sunak told the Paris press conference: I always say, we left the EU but we didnt leave Europe. Emmanuel said previously Brexit didnt change geography.

We want to have a close, co-operative, collaborative relationship with our European partners and allies. And of course, that starts with our nearest neighbour, France, and today is the first step on that journey.

Were writing a new chapter in this relationship, and Im really looking forward to everything that we can build on in the coming months and years ahead.

Related...
(Tribune News Service)  Former President Donald Trump went on the attack when Jack Smith was named the latest special counsel to investigate the former president, calling him a "fully weaponized monster" whose Obama-era ties made him a "political hit man."

Yet one of Trump's own lawyers shares those same ties.

For five years, James Trusty and Smith served together as senior Justice Department officials. Smith tackled public corruption. Trusty went after gangs and organized crime.

Now they're potential adversaries in what could be the nation's most politically incendiary federal case. Smith is poised to recommend to Attorney General Merrick Garland whether to indict the former president for mishandling classified documents or in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trusty is part of Trump's legal brain trust.

During their time at Justice, though, the two section chiefs were close and supportive, known to joke around at meetings, former colleagues say. They won major cases and also weathered setbacks and controversies.

Smith and Trusty bring to their current roles firsthand insight into how the other manages complex investigations and high-pressure situations. Former colleagues likely would use some of the same words to describe them, said Jason Weinstein, a former high-level Criminal Division official  "measured, responsible, ethical, good lawyers."

"It was clear to me there was a great deal of respect in both directions," said Weinstein, who remained friends with them.

This kind of shared history can matter  to a degree  if Smith, 53, and Trusty, 58, find themselves sitting across the negotiating table, said Lanny Breuer, who led the Criminal Division during their time as section chiefs.

"There's a level of trust," Breuer said. "It's not going to change, substantively, things, but when you know each other and respect each other, it makes even the most stressful situations a little bit more navigable."

Lawyers in this type of situation wouldn't be expected to do any favors, but if one asks for a meeting they might get a more friendly reception and open mind, according to a person familiar with the investigations who requested anonymity to discuss it.

Smith and Trusty declined interview requests.

Their evolution from colleagues to combatants is striking given the notoriety of the Trump probes, but not totally surprising. Former Justice insiders are often sought for politically sensitive cases. Trusty is also friends with Robert Hur, the special counsel investigating classified materials found at President Joe Biden's home and office; they were federal prosecutors together in Maryland.

Trusty is a registered Republican, but his friend and former Maryland colleague Rod Rosenstein, Trump's former deputy attorney general, said he didn't think Trusty agreed to represent Trump for "ideological reasons."

"I think he views President Trump as just another client who is deserving of the best legal defense," Rosenstein said.

Lawyers who know Smith  a political independent, according to a senior Justice Department official  say Trump's bias claim is baseless. Weinstein called it "laughable," and added that although he hadn't discussed it with Trusty, he suspected "no one would feel it's more laughable than Jim."

Their connection dates back more than a dozen years. Smith and Trusty were each tapped to help the Justice Department recover from the botched prosecution of the late U.S. Senator Ted Stevens.

Trusty had just been hired as a gang unit deputy when the Stevens case fell apart in early 2009. But given his trial experience, he was sent to Alaska to work on other cases in the wider corruption probe. By the end of 2010, Trusty was the right fit to lead the merged gang and organized crime section, Breuer said.

Smith was hired that year to take over the Public Integrity Section in a post-Stevens reboot. He'd been overseas working for the International Criminal Court following a successful run as a federal prosecutor in New York. Breuer said he was looking for someone "bold and courageous," but not a "cowboy."

"Jack fit the bill," he said.

Smith and Trusty's cases rarely overlapped, but they met regularly along with other senior officials in the division. Breuer recalls they would "rib each other" during meetings and "were two of the more affable, slightly bigger personalities."

Smith's tenure saw convictions of lawmakers, law enforcement officers and government contractors. He ran "a real tight ship," said Brian Kidd, a former public integrity attorney. "He was good at pushing cases that seemed worthy to pursue."

The work coming out of Trusty's unit included a slew of cases against the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas prisons and MS-13 gang.

"I put a lot of stock in someone like Jim," said Cody Skipper, a former attorney in the section. "He has a better gauge than most people, because he's seen a lot more."

There were also challenges. Smith faced criticism for dropping older investigations. A campaign finance case against former U.S. senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards ended with a hung jury and partial acquittal.

Trusty's name surfaced in what became known as the "Fast and Furious" scandal. Emails between Weinstein and Trusty featured in efforts by congressional Republicans to hold then-Attorney General Eric Holder responsible for a mismanaged gun-tracing operation, though officials said the messages were wrongly interpreted.

Weinstein declined to discuss those events, but said Smith and Trusty "were personally supportive of each other in good and bad times."

They'd cut similar paths to the Justice Department, prosecuting violent crime at the state level before moving to US attorney offices in 1999  Smith in Brooklyn and Trusty in southern Maryland  and eventually holding leadership posts. Trusty's courtroom successes included a murder conviction in the widely-covered case of a missing 6-year-old. He was involved in early efforts to deploy the federal racketeering statute against MS-13. Rosenstein described him as an "accomplished trial lawyer."

Smith was involved in a number of high-profile cases, including the brutal sexual assault by police of Abner Louima and the murder of two undercover detectives. He was "appropriately aggressive" and "creative," said Todd Harrison, a friend and former colleague.

Now back in the spotlight, they've knowingly taken jobs with professional risks. Some of Trump's past relationships with his lawyers have been fraught. The first Trump-focused special counsel, former FBI director Robert Mueller, faced intense scrutiny and personal attacks.

After leaving the department in 2015, Smith moved away from the US political arena. For the past four years he's been leading a war crimes investigation involving Kosovo in The Hague. He hasn't made a public appearance since becoming special counsel in November.

Trusty leaned into the public eye after he went into private practice in 2017, providing legal commentary on Fox News about the Russia probe, among other topics. Jeff Ifrah, the founder of Trusty's law firm, said reports that Trump saw Trusty's TV hits are true, but not the whole story  several people in Trump's orbit recommended hiring Trusty based on his background.

Ifrah said he wasn't worried about the firm having Trump as a client. "You're either committed to representing individuals and trying to keep the government honest or you're not," he said.

Fellow Trump attorney Evan Corcoran, himself a former federal prosecutor, had praise for his colleague: "If I had to describe Jim Trusty in only three words, they would be  integrity, integrity, and integrity."

Trump has name-dropped Obama officials that Smith  but also Trusty  served with as evidence that Smith is a "Radical Left Prosecutor."

Former colleagues say Smith is apolitical and has years of experience rebuffing the kind of attacks coming from Trump.

"What Jack is driven by," said Kidd, Smith's former co-worker. "is public service."

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OMAHA  Douglas County Board members are raising concerns about large amounts of waste from a recent Kansas oil pipeline spill being dumped in the countys Pheasant Point Landfill in rural Bennington.

They want to know exactly what is in the contaminated soil and other waste thats being sent to Nebraska from the cleanup of Decembers Keystone Pipeline leak of tar sands oil in northeastern Kansas, near the Nebraska border. They want to know the risks of the contaminants. They want to know how chemicals in the soil will be prevented from leaking into the water, soil and air. And they want to know exactly why the material is being sent to Nebraska.

The concern that I have is that were receiving waste from an oil spill in Kansas, County Board member Jim Cavanaugh said Wednesday. Which raises the question, why isnt Kansas taking care of their own oil spill waste?

He and fellow board members Maureen Boyle and Mike Friend raised the questions at the Douglas County Board meeting Tuesday during a presentation by the countys environmental services director, Kent Holm, on other topics. Holm and Ryle Palmer, site manager for the landfills operator, Waste Management, assured them the waste had been deemed safe to put in the Douglas County landfill and would be contained.

But the board members, who said they are hearing concerns from constituents about the waste, were unsatisfied with the answers and insisted on more detailed documents and answers.

Were going to have them (Waste Management) come back when they have the right people here to answer the questions, Boyle said. They didnt have an engineer here. They didnt have their PR people here. ... We want them to be sure to come back and talk to us again so we can get more assurances, so they can answer those questions we were asking.

The waste is coming from a Dec. 7 oil spill from a rupture in the Keystone Pipeline in rural Washington County, Kansas. The leak spilled nearly 600,000 gallons of oil into Mill Creek and the surrounding land. The pipeline, owned by TC Energy, carries diluted bitumen from Canada to Oklahoma. The corporation, formerly known as TransCanada, proposed to build the Keystone XL pipeline to carry similar material through Nebraska but that plan failed, in large part because of opposition from environmentalists and landowners in Nebraska.

The explanation provided to the County Board for why the waste was being shipped to Douglas County instead of staying in Kansas: Waste Management bid for the contract to dispose of it, and Pheasant Point is about as close and is better equipped to handle it than a Waste Management landfill in Kansas.

Holm told the County Board that he could approve the disposal of the waste in Douglas County because of special event authorization authority the County Board gave him in 2009.

This is a very similar project to a lot of others that weve had, Holm said. The reason these things go into this particular landfill  is because they have the protections they have, the liners and the other protections that are needed to be able to contain particular material.

He said the county trusts Waste Management because they have the permitting through the state and the federal authorities to do it in a way that protects groundwater.

Holm said Waste Management is very diligent about analyzing the materials coming in and have had numerous analytical studies done on this particular product.

Cavanaugh pressed for a copy of a document showing such a study. Palmer said that TC Energy owns those reports and that he would give the board contact information for TC Energy.

Lisa Disbrow, a spokeswoman for Waste Management, said by email Wednesday that the company will send someone with more expertise to answer the boards questions.

The World-Herald found answers to some of the County Boards questions in documents from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy and in interviews Wednesday with representatives of that department and Waste Management.

A document on the NDEEs website, an application from TransCanada Keystone Pipeline to dispose of the waste in a landfill near Topeka, Kansas, says that it contains crude oil impacted soil, vegetation, wood, plastic, absorbents, PPE, hoses, boom, and animal carcass. The document says 75,000 cubic yards of waste would be deposited over six months.

The document says the material includes a heavy crude oil mixed with materials to dilute it. Under a category titled hazardous ingredients of material, the document lists bitumen, hydrocarbon diluent, benzene and hydrogen sulphide.

Cavanaugh said he was particularly concerned about the possibility that the waste included benzene, which has been determined to cause cancer in people.

The documents on the NDEE website also include a laboratory analysis of the waste. A memo says that the departments compliance staff had reviewed the analysis and confirmed Kansas and federal determinations that the material is nonhazardous solid waste.

Asked if the NDEE had approved the disposal in Douglas County, a department spokeswoman said by email, The petroleum contaminated soil generated from the TC Energy pipeline release cleanup in Kansas was reviewed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the EPA, and it was deemed a nonhazardous solid waste, which can be disposed of at any permitted solid waste landfill. The Pheasant Point facility is permitted to accept nonhazardous solid waste for disposal, and does not need to seek additional approval from NDEE for waste its already permitted to accept.

Asked specifically about the benzene, the spokeswoman said it is present at a non-hazardous level according to Nebraska state waste regulations.

Disbrow said a third-party certified lab analyzed samples of the waste.

The waste materials were determined to be non-hazardous waste based on the state of Nebraskas regulations, Disbrow said. Pheasant Point only accepts non-hazardous solid waste materials as allowed by the Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy.

She said the landfills disposal area or cells are engineered with a composite liner (2-ft thick compacted clay and a 60-mil thickness of polyethylene geomembrane liner). The landfill also has a system of groundwater monitoring wells, part of the permit requirements, that allows the landfill to continually monitor and ensure the solid wastes materials disposed are not impacting our communitys groundwater.

Cavanaugh said Wednesday that the board will continue to follow up.

Im going to make sure that we do get the answers, he said. Its just responsible environmental stewardship to make sure that our air, soil and water are protected in Douglas County.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2023
It was alleged gardai recovered mobile phones and a copious amount of weighing scales and bagging

A Dublin grandfather on disability benefit has been accused of money laundering by having more than 100,000 in alleged crime proceeds secreted in socks and gloves in a hidden compartment under his stairs.

Brendan Colley (54) of Galtymore Close, Drimnagh, appeared before Judge Michele Finan at Dublin District Court on Saturday.

He was charged with an offence under section seven of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 following a search of his home on Thursday night.

Detective Garda Brian OCarroll told the court that Mr Colley was arrested, taken to Kevin Street Garda station, and made no reply to the charge.

The detective objected to bail due to the seriousness of the case and fears Mr Colley was a flight risk or would dispose of illegally obtained assets.

Detective Garda OCarroll told a contested bail hearing that Mr Colley was accused of money laundering after gardai searched his residence.

He said: During the course of the search, 102,726 in cash was found. This was wrapped in bundles of 1,000 and hidden in socks and gloves in a hidden compartment underneath the stairs.

It was alleged gardai recovered mobile phones and a copious amount of weighing scales and bagging.

The detective maintained that Mr Colley was caught essentially red-handed with a significant sum of cash secreted under the stairs at his home and may attempt to flee.

The officer also expected the case to be sent to the Circuit Court, which has broader sentencing powers.

He said the accused had a residence and a partner in Spain and could dispose of illegally acquired property if released on bail.

Cross-examined by defence solicitor Danica Kinane, he agreed that the accused had lived his entire life at his family home in Drimnagh and accepted it would take a long time before the case was finalised.

The judge noted that family members were in court, and one offered to stand bail.

Pleading for bail, Ms Kinane argued her client had ties to this jurisdiction and was undergoing treatment for health issues.

She submitted that the judge could impose conditions on her client, who did not address the court.

He has yet to indicate a plea.

Judge Finan held that the court could grant bail under stringent conditions. He was ordered to lodge 1,000, surrender his passport and provide a new contact phone number, and an independent surety was set at 10,000.

Judge Finan remanded him in custody with consent to bail to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Tuesday. Once it has been taken up, he must not leave Dublin, go to Dublin Airport, or apply for duplicate travel documents.

He has to sign on three times a week at a garda station and remain contactable 24/7.

Legal aid was granted after the judge noted he received a disability payment.
My daddy, rest in peace. Thank you for everything you have done for me

Marcel Jnr posted this picture on his Facebook page of his father

The devastated son of a man who was killed in a sustained attack in Co Kildare earlier this week has thanked his dad for everything you have done for me.

It is suspected that Marcel Kusenda (47), who was originally from Slovakia, was targeted in a row which stemmed from an incident at a house in the Piercetown area of Newbridge on Wednesday morning.

He had been in a critical condition in Naas General Hospital from the injuries he sustained in the serious assault where he was pronounced dead yesterday afternoon.

Taking to Facebook, his grieving son, who is also named Marcel, paid tribute to his father and thanked him for the role he played in his life.

My daddy, rest in peace, Marcel wrote. Thank you for everything you have done for me. You gave me a lot of advice in life, you helped me a lot in everything you could.

Every time I tried something, you tried it with me so we could overcome. I hope you find your peace. You are already in heaven together with your father, whom I loved very much as well as you. I love you so much.

Speaking to the Mirror from his home in Slovakia, Marcel Jnr added: It is very difficult and I dont know what to do now.

This hurts so much and my dad just didnt deserve to die like this. Not in this terrible way.

Marcel Jnr posted this picture on his Facebook page of his father

He said his dad had lived in Ireland for more than 20 years and he loved it there.

He added: I dont know anything else. I just feel pain and I hope for justice.

Gardai believe Mr Kusenda was the victim of a sustained and savage assault over the course of a number of hours.

Shortly after the attack, a man in his 30s who had been arrested in relation to the savage fatal attack was released without charge.

It is understood that two men were known to each other.

One line in the investigation is that the brutal assault happened over unproven allegations that the victim had assaulted another person.

However, a garda spokesman has now confirmed the arrested man has now been released without charge

The spokesman said: A man (30s) arrested as part of this investigation has been released without charge. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Investigating Gardai continue to appeal to anyone with information in relation to this incident to contact them at Newbridge Garda Station on 045 440180, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
One line in the investigation is that the brutal assault happened over unproven allegations that the victim had assaulted another person.

A man who was arrested in connection with a savage fatal attack in Co Kildare has been released without charge.

On Wednesday, a man (40s), who is originally from Slovakia, was discovered with serious head and other injuries at 10:30am outside his home in Piercetown area of Newbridge.

Gardai believe he was the victim of a sustained and savage assault over the course of a number of hours

He was, initially, rushed to hospital but passed away on Friday afternoon.

Shortly after the attack, a man (30s) was arrested in relation to the fatal assault.

It is understood that two men were known to each other.

One line in the investigation is that the brutal assault happened over unproven allegations that the victim had assaulted another person.

However, a garda spokesman has now confirmed the arrested man has now been released without charge

The spokesman said: A man (30s) arrested as part of this investigation has been released without charge. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Investigating Gardai continue to appeal to anyone with information in relation to this incident to contact them at Newbridge Garda Station on 045 440180, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
A detective attached to the garda Special Detective Unit (SDU) was arrested and questioned about working for the Hutch gang after compromising messages were allegedly discovered by investigators.

The Irish Independent has learnt that text messages between him and other people suspected of working for the gang have played a major role in the investigation.

The officer was arrested and questioned for a number of hours at Ashbourne garda station in Co Meath on Wednesday. He was later released without charge, and a file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Sources said it is alleged the detective had multiple dealings with low to mid-level members of the Hutch gang over a sustained period of time. The detective staunchly denies any allegations of wrongdoing.

It has emerged that around 40,000 in cash and a number of rounds of ammunition were seized this week by detectives as part of the investigation.

The garda insists that he has a perfectly legitimate reason for having the cash and he believes that he can prove that, a source said last night. He intends to fight these allegations head-on.

Gardai confirmed details of the arrest yesterday evening.

As part of an on-going criminal investigation by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI), a member of An Garda Siochana was arrested earlier this week, a garda spokesman said in a statement.

The garda was subsequently released without charge pending a file to the DPP. The garda is suspended.

More arrests are expected as part of the long-running NBCI investigation into the Hutch gang.

It is understood that the NBCI has been investigating the detectives alleged activities for at least three years. It is claimed he had dealings with a number of Hutch gang members and was involved in financial dealings with the mob  something he completely denies, according to sources.

The SDU is responsible for investigating the activities of serious criminals, including Irish and international terrorist and organised crime groups. Because of the nature of their duties, SDU officers carry firearms.

Details of the arrest of an SDU officer have sent shockwaves throughout the force.

RTE first revealed details of the arrest yesterday evening, and sources confirmed that investigators also removed documents and electronic devices as part of the investigation.

Laptops and mobile phones are being forensically examined for emails, texts, and voice messages.

The arrested detective has worked on a number of investigations into dissident republican terror groups, including the New IRA.

He has been involved in a number of extremely sensitive and dangerous undercover operations, which has led to the seizure of explosives and other illegal material as well as the arrests of terror suspects.
Katie internalised negative emotions such as anger and sadness and felt she was a disappointment and a burden to those who loved her.

A devastated mum has called for more help for people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) after the death of her teenage daughter.

Katie Donnelly died in hospital last September after struggling with her symptoms of BPD, following a diagnosis early last year.

Mum Erin says sufferers are marginalised and misunderstood in mental health services and among the public as attention-seeking when theyre facing a constant emotional battle.

The most common treatment is psychotherapy but Katie, just 18 when she died, was facing a two-year wait. Other BPD sufferers who have spoken to the Sunday World say theyre facing a similar delay in treatment.

According to charity Mental Health UK, the condition affects one in 100 of the population, and studies show they have a higher rate of suicide than people with any other psychiatric illness.

Erin, from Trillick, Co Tyrone, says her daughter struggled every day.

She had been formally diagnosed with BPD, also known as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, one of the most common personality disorders.

Katie Donnelly

Katie was an A student, had a large circle of friends, possessed excellent social skills and was very outgoing.

"She hated seeing people suffer and put everyones feelings and emotions above her own.

She wanted to pursue a career as a paramedic so that she could help as many people as possible and she worked part-time caring in the community, says Erin.

Katie was formally diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder just after she turned 18. She researched her condition and self-diagnosed herself with Quiet Borderline Personality Disorder.

"She was in constant emotional pain, but she accepted her diagnosis.

Katie internalised negative emotions such as anger and sadness and felt she was a disappointment and a burden to those who loved her.

The condition is described by the NHS as a disorder of mood which affects how a person interacts with others. The symptoms include emotional instability, impulsive behaviour, unstable relationships, self-harm and suicidal thoughts and paranoia. Its cause isnt known but childhood abuse or neglect can be triggers.

Erin recalls heart-breaking conversations with her daughter when Katie explained the impact the condition had on her life.

Katie Donnelly was full of ambition

She used to say, I dont want to die. I want my mind to be quiet.

A comment was made to Katie while she was in A&E that there was a man who had been in an accident and was fighting for his life.

"Katie said to me, Mummy, do they not understand Im here fighting for my life too? 

Following the teenagers sudden death in hospital, Erin has called for better understanding and treatment for people with BPD.

Its a condition that continues to face deep discrimination within mental health services and the community.

"Many people and professionals alike still view self-harming behaviour as attention-seeking, rather than perceiving it as a symptom of their underlying mental illness and associated distress, she says.

Other sufferers who spoke to Sunday World on condition of anonymity say theyve also faced a lack of understanding about BPD.

Amy, who was only diagnosed in her forties, after four different diagnoses says she knows how clients with BPD are treated because shes a mental health professional.

Shes never told any NHS workmates and doubts she ever will, because of the stigma attached to BPD.

US comedian Pete Davidson, former boyfriend of Kim Kardashian is one of the only public figures to state publicly he has the condition. Its thought Princess Diana and Amy Winehouse may both have had BPD, but neither was formally diagnosed.

My colleagues dont know, and I cant bring myself to say it, says the health professional.

I hear the office banter about theres another personality disorder coming in, and they dont mean any harm, but its got that stigma of being difficult.

Among healthcare professionals there are very pre-conceived ideas about BPD and that reduces healthcare empathy and leads to burnout among the staff.

Amy doesnt experience the rage often associated with BPD but has struggled with feelings of shame, emptiness, anxiety, sorrow and feelings of terror. She experienced childhood sexual abuse and feels that contributed to her condition.

Recurrent hospital admissions are common, she believes because patients with BPD often feel secure in the order and structure of a hospital environment.

But suicide attempts are also part of the impulsive, intensely emotional condition. I could have a situation where Im talking to a colleague and they dont want to listen because people have busy lives and when they go away, Ill feel abandoned.

Instead of thinking I can go back and talk to them in ten minutes Ill feel they dont want me, Im a bother to them, Im a nuisance to this world. Thats how this kind of thinking gets out of control.

Pete Davidson

It starts with panic and fear and continues to the next stage which is to look for help in A&E or engage in self-harm. Some people who self-harm go on to die accidentally or by misadventure.

Amy admits shes attempted suicide but also clearly recalls she didnt want to die.

When I put the rope around my neck, I knew I didnt want to die. I just wanted my head to be free of the worry of everything.

Shes now on anti-psychotic medication, which is working, but knows from professional experience that talking therapy Dialectical Behaviour Therapy has an 80 per cent success rate.

Louise, diagnosed with BPD four years ago, is on the waiting list for the therapy but has been warned it will be two years before she gets an appointment.

The 21-year-old says her condition has led to multiple hospital admissions and trouble with the police.

When I go to hospital if Im in an episode they dont know how to react or to calm you down. Thats why Ive got arrested a couple of times. I was always getting arrested and acting up, she says.

You could wake up in a good mood and out of nowhere you will get a sudden rush of emotions and you cant control them. You feel like a burden to everyone and push people to see if they leave you.

You overthink everything, you think the worst of every situation. Ive had so many suicide attempts, but I have never wanted to die.

Louise says strong family support has kept her going.

No one really explained anything to me after my diagnosis. Ive been left in the dark. If it wasnt for my family and my girlfriend God knows where Id be.
A group of anti-refugee protestors have blocked traffic on Dublins OConnell Street this afternoon.

Footage emerged showing the group standing in the middle of the road outside the General Post Office (GPO).

OConnell Street is one of the busiest public transport routes in the capital, as it connects the north and south sides of the city with Luas tracks in both directions.

Some of the those who protested wore high-vis jackets and carried Ireland flags, while others carried signs saying, "close the borders.

Meanwhile, others carried messages which denounced the governments handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Some protestors could be heard chanting about Taoiseach Leo Varadkar: Leo, Leo, Leo, out, out, out.
First Dates Ireland star Jordan Dunbar (29) has been remembered as a beautiful human being who loved his family and friends.

Mr Dunbar died unexpectedly earlier this week and his life was celebrated at a funeral mass in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Donaghmede, this morning.

The well-known Dubliner, who was on the popular dating show back in 2017, also appeared as a presenter on RTEs My Yellow Brick Road in 2019.

This week, tributes were paid to Mr Dunbar who worked in a number of salons in the capital over the years and was a recognisable face around town.

Mourners attending this mornings mass were asked to wear bright colours to help Jordans family celebrate his life, while donations to Pieta House were encouraged in lieu of flowers.

The Sugarbabes song Stronger was played in the church as Mr Dunbars coffin was brought to the alter.

Jordan Dunbar was predeceased by his mother Sharon, and chief celebrant Fr Gerard Corcoran said the only consolation for his heartbroken family and friends is that Jordan once more is back home with his mam whom he loved.

Fr Corcoran spoke as Mr Dunbars loved ones brought symbols of his life to the alter.

They included a Sugarbabes CD and a Lana Del Rey picture for his huge interest in music.

He was creative and an artist in all that he did. Thats probably even an understatement, Fr Corcoran said.

A Louis Vuitton wallet, a bottle of tequila and a can of coca-cola were also presented, as well as his godchild Stevies handprints.

Jordan was so excited and proud to be asked to be Stevies godfather, Fr Corcoran added.

In the eulogy, Mr Dunbars friend Aoife recited the many ways people described Jordan over the years.

Bubbly, glamorous, babes, princess, stun-hun, duchess of Donaghmede, light, nuts, individuality, courageous, extra, sparkly, humorous, unapologetic, passionate, loving and colourful, she said.

Mr Dunbar spent most of his working life in hairdressing and Aoife recalled how he was nominated for Best Front of House Experience and later won best dressed at the 2020 Image Awards.

That's where his claim to fame started. He was interviewed by Humans of Dublin, he twerked his way through a YouTube video, starred in First Dates Ireland, Generation Dating and My Yellow Brick Road, where he used his own life experiences to help others through the hardships in their lives. Albert, Michelle, and all of us were so proud of him at that time, Aoife said.

Aoife said Mr Dunbar had so much love for his god child Stevie and he had a great ability to listen to people empathise and give them strength, courage and confidence.

Over the past few days, there have been a lot of words to describe Jordan, she said.

Kind, funny, a force of nature, a beautiful soul, a bright star. He was not only intelligent, but strong, self-aware, talented, friendly, fabulous, a beautiful human being with great wit and style. Some say he was an old soul, but less of the old. This list is endless because there were so many layers and depths to him on his personality.

Aoife said Mr Dunbar suffered great loss when his uncle Mikey died in 2010, and when his best friend  his mother Sharon  passed away in 2015.

They were inseparable. She was his rock and he was her baby. The hole in his life was something that neither love nor time would ever heal. We hope that he is back with them both now and at peace or at least dancing away with them to Sugarbabes, Aoife said before ending the eulogy in Mr Dunbars own words.

Life is a beautiful thing. Something to cherish and grab by the horns and just enjoy.

Jordan Dunbar is survived by his father Albert and Albert's brother and sisters, aunt Michelle, cousin Craig, his second family Gerry, Leanne and Maria Nolan, his close friends Geena and Megan, relatives and a large circle of friends.

His funeral mass was followed by cremation service in Dardistown Crematorium.
Jim wants nothing to do with Gavin because hes a child pervert, said a source.

A pair of banged-up brothers  jailed on consecutive days in the same court - will completely ignore each other inside, we can reveal.

Crossbow lunatic James Gillen got over seven years in jail last week for firing the deadly weapon into the balls of a drinking pal who owed him a small debt.

When cops arrived 49-year-old Gillen told them, I shot him in the balls, no problem, he wouldnt get on the ground so I could kneecap him. There you go, Ive claimed ittry to f**king do my family in, f**king 2p gangster.

Bizarrely it was Gillen who called the cops to tell them hed just shot his mate in the groin because he was under the completely false impression his mate was planning to attack him.

A day before the west Belfast man was sent to Maghaberry Prison  and in a completely unrelated case in the exact same courtroom  his younger brother Gavin Gillen was sent to jail for ten months for sending pictures of his balls to a teenage girl.

Both are beginning their new future behind bars in the Co Antrim maximum security prison but despite their family relationship its understood they remain completely estranged.

Its not known if the pair have crossed paths inside Maghaberry but sources say the prison authorities have been made aware theyd be better kept apart.

Gavin Gillen

Jim wants nothing to do with Gavin because hes a child pervert, said a source. Gavin was shunned by his family after it emerged what he had been doing but he wont lose much sleep over being shunned by Jim as the feeling of hatred is mutual.

Most people would be glad to see a friendly face in prison like your brother but Jim and Gavin despise each other and wont be giving each other any kind of support. I can tell you therell be no brotherly love in Maghaberry between those two.

The fact both of them have been jailed for such serious offences has ripped the family apart but Gavin has been ostracised for what he did to that wee girl.

And it hasnt gone down well that he lied that he was gay in some weird and desperate effort to save his own skin. Everyone knows hes not gay and everyone knows he had a thing for young girls.

Both brothers have brought shame onto the family but despite Jim getting far longer in jail the family have more sympathy for him than they do for Gavin.

Jim suffered a stroke last year and that seems to have wised him up a bit but Gavin wont find much forgiveness when he gets out jail.

Gavin Anthony Gillen was jailed at Newry Crown Court for 10 months last week, for sexual communication with a child.

The 43-year-old, who said he was high on cocaine at the time, sent a series of sexually explicit images to the child just over two years ago and then claimed he couldnt have done such a thing because hes gay.

But we revealed how Gillen had form for messaging young girls and had even been asked to leave a local gym because of his sleazy behaviour.

Last week the court heard even though he knew full well he was almost 30 years older than the schoolgirl, 43-year-old Gillen still engaged the child in a series of flirtatious, sexually explicit messages, telling the teenager she was a total honey.

Gillen began by commenting on skimpy clothes and asking her if she had seen porn but he then goes on to asking her if she has seen a penis and if she has looked for pictures of penises on the web.

At one point he sent her two pictures of an erect penis and asked her if she thought that d**k is nice, said Ms Auret adding Gillen also asked if she liked girls rather than boys.

The cocaine loving creep also asked her: if she has kissed boys; If she has felt a penis; If a boy had rubbed his hard penis on her, whether she felt it and did she like it.

He told her that his d**k was hard as hell, Ms Auret told the court, describing how Gillen sent her the d**k pics several times but warned her to delete them.

In addition to a 10-month jail sentence, Judge Irvine ordered Gillen to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and also imposed a sexual offences prevention order, which places prohibitions on where Gillen can live, who he can date, where he can work and what devices he is allowed.

James Gillen

A day later, in the same court, his older brother James Gillen was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for firing a cross bow into the groin of a so-called mate who owed him between 200-300.

The pair had apparently been on a recent drugs and booze bender which lasted several days.

Gillen called the police to tell them what he had done but when they arrive at his Lagmore Avenue home they discover the victim lying injured nearby, bleeding heavily, who initially tells the cops he injured himself climbing over a fence  before admitting the truth.

Hes taken him to the Royal Victoria Hospital in an ambulance by police escort and he is treated for an 11cm wound on his thigh which required 16 sutures to fix.

The court was told the victim owed Gillen some money hed lent him on Christmas Day but was struggling to pay so offered his own crossbow as part payment.

He explains the crossbow is in the boot of his car, its unstringed and has no bolts with it and that it never leaves the car.

Speaking after the sentence, Detective Sergeant Kitchen said: Gillen inflicted serious wounds on his victim after shooting him with a crossbow bolt in December 2020, following an altercation in the Lagmore area of Belfast.

"This was a vicious assault which resulted in a man suffering a serious injury and I hope this sentencing sends out a clear message to anyone who thinks they can use violence and get away with it.

While Gavin will be let out of jail later this year his big brother must serve half his sentence  almost four years  inside before being released on licence for the rest of his term.
A former City of Park Hills employee filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court this week against the city and its mayor, alleging he was unjustly reprimanded and later terminated, partly for statements he made at a city meeting, according to court filings.

The civil complaint was filed on Friday on behalf of Charles Naucke, who had been employed full-time by Park Hills' Parks and Recreation Department since 1996.

In the suit, Naucke alleges he suffered retaliation that eventually included his termination for speaking at a public meeting of the city's Utilities Committee. Naucke says Mayor Stacey Easter interpreted his speech as "an affront to her personally, and the competency of city officials."

The complaint states that last year, on Oct. 19, Naucke attended a public hearing of the Utilities Committee, where committee members were discussing funding for a new city building.

Naucke said he was given permission to speak at the meeting and mentioned that an area business owner and city resident had offered to pay for the materials and construction of the building a year and a half earlier and raised the question of whether the offer was still available as it could save the city money. He said he had learned about the private citizen's proposal from the previous city mayor, John Clark, and Utilities Director Frank Shovlin. Shovlin, present at the committee meeting, also recalled the offer, the suit states.

Mayor Easter was at the October committee meeting and later reportedly inquired about the citizen's earlier offer of funding but learned it was no longer available, according to the complaint.

Days later, during a city council meeting on Oct. 25, Naucke's suit states Easter spoke out during the open session "to attack" Naucke claiming that his speech and statements during the Utilities Committee meeting "were completely false."

The complaint goes on to state that on Nov. 4, then-City Administrator Mark McFarland (since retired) issued a disciplinary warning, at the direction of Easter, to Naucke regarding his speech at the committee meeting. The disciplinary warning reportedly cited "inappropriate behavior at Utilities Committee meeting, conduct bringing discredit upon the City of Park Hills."

At the next regular city council meeting on Nov. 7, the suit states Naucke presented an appeal of the disciplinary action to the mayor and council members during the executive session. The issue of protected speech was discussed, and the city administrator reportedly said he had cautioned the mayor not to issue the warning. The mayor then allegedly said, "yes, he did tell me not to do it, but I told him to anyway."

The lawsuit further notes that the day after the committee meeting, Naucke met with the city administrator, expressing his interest in filling the director position of the Parks and Recreation Department. The spot had been vacant since the former director's departure earlier that month.

The suit alleges the city administrator told Naucke that he had spoken with Easter about it, and she had said she would not take Naucke's name to the council for approval because she wanted someone younger. At the time, Naucke was 64 years old and said he planned to continue working for the city until he was 70.

On Dec. 13, the suit states the city council voted to hire Matt Barton to fill the Parks and Recreation director's position. Barton began work around the start of this year when he met Naucke for the first time.

Naucke alleges that on Jan. 4, Barton asked him why he wasn't chosen for the position as Naucke was an employee with 27 years of experience with the city. Naucke's suit claims Barton did not have any Parks and Recreation experience when hired as the new director.

The lawsuit states, "In the days that followed, Mr. Barton told Mr. Naucke the following: 'Charlie, I want you to retire on your own, not to have somebody retire you;' 'I'm not gonna be doing it;' 'Charlie, watch your back;' 'Watch what you do.'"

On Jan. 27, the suit claims Barton went to the Street Department and told employees who were gathered there, "I don't know how long I'm gonna stay. I should have known when they told me in my interview the first thing I had to do was fire Charles Naucke. I didn't even know who he was."

On Feb. 24, Barton was fired from his employment for failing to be a "team player" in disciplining another employee, according to Naucke's complaint.

By that time, Naucke had already been let go. Easter had reportedly sent Naucke a letter discharging him from his job on Jan. 12. Naucke said he received the letter on Jan. 27.

The termination letter reportedly cited misconduct allegations, including Naucke's speech at the Utilities Committee meeting.

The letter further alleged Naucke acted with careless negligence while driving a city vehicle, reportedly referring to an accident on Nov. 7, in which Naucke was driving. The suit states an elderly resident hit the city-owned truck and admitted to being at fault. However, per city policy, Naucke was required to take a drug test, which returned positive for opioids on Nov. 17. Naucke asserts that he had been taking a physician-prescribed pain medication known as hydrocodone at the time of the drug screening.

Other allegations made in the discharge letter included "use of a city vehicle for personal business," reportedly referring to Naucke's use of a Parks and Recreation truck in responding to a fire department call on Jan. 10. Naucke claims in his suit that he was never told not to use the city truck to respond to fire calls.

In filing his petition this week, Naucke is seeking judgment against the City of Park Hills and Easter for "actual and compensatory damages, punitive damages against Defendant Easter, individually" as well as the cost of bringing the suit and attorney fees. Naucke is suing Easter in her individual capacity, and demands a jury trial.

Naucke has sued the City of Park Hills before, bringing claims of First Amendment violations against the city and then-City Administrator James Link in March 1999.

On Oct. 10, 2000, a jury awarded Naucke $8,542 of back pay, $50,000 in compensatory damages, $100,000 in punitive damages against the city administrator, and $119,458 in legal fees and expenses, court records indicate.

The newly filed suit notes that Naucke's wife, Theresa, was a vocal critic of the City of Park Hills Fire Department in 1999, leading up to the filing of Naucke's first suit against the city. The complaint mentions that one repeated criticism Theresa Naucke made was her claims of incompetence on the part of the fire chief at that time, Jimmy Easter, a relative of Mayor Easter by marriage.

The complaint states, "[City Administrator] Link did not take kindly to Theresa's criticisms of the City. He told Charles Naucke to silence his wife or he would lose his employment. Charles Naucke refused to do that, Theresa continued with her criticisms, and Mr. Link fired Charles Naucke from his full-time position as a volunteer fire department employee."

The suit filed this week states, "Many of the city officials whose conduct gives rise to this lawsuit were aware of the prior lawsuit and its results."

More recently, a vote was taken to the city council to remove Theresa Naucke as a commissioner on the City's Planning and Zoning Committee; however, the council voted, 4-3, to keep her on the committee during the last council work session on Feb. 28.

The Daily Journal reached out to Mayor Stacey Easter for comment on the lawsuit, but the mayor declined to comment as she had yet to receive a copy of the filings as of Friday afternoon.
The convicted paedophile is in the highest category of risk

Filthy farmer Richard Crompton is behind bars after he appeared in court yesterday charged with sending sex messages to an 11-year-old girl.

The convicted paedophile is in the highest category of risk and was remanded in custody after a social worker alerted police to sexualised messaging found on the childs phone.

Incredibly the court was told the child told police Crompton had been upfront with her and told her he was a paedophile.

The Sunday World exposed 51-year-old Crompton in 2020 after he was caught with more than 1,000 images and 200 videos of children being raped and sexually assaulted.

We revealed then how Crompton already had a conviction for having sex with a 13-year-old girl 14 years ago after plying her with alcohol and cannabis when he lived in Norfolk, England.

On that occasion he was convicted of sexually assaulting the girl and was jailed for 33 months but has since admitted he had sex with her.

The Sunday World went to Cromptons home to confront him about his evil crimes and found him living in a picturesque rural community.

When we confronted him to ask him about his 2020 case he said: Im talking to you about that  and tell him to stop taking my picture.

When asked about his conviction in England he said the prosecution in Dungannon, seemed to be going hell for leather about that but he said he didnt want to discuss it further.

We pointed out it was strange he didnt like having his own picture taken, given his crimes, but he just grinned and walked away.

When he was sentenced Crompton blamed the Sunday World exposing him for not being able get a job.

Yesterday it emerged Crompton is now behind bars after fresh allegations.

Crompton of Mullagharn Road, Omagh is accused of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by communicating with a child for sexual gratification.

A detective constable from the PSNI Public Protection Unit told a special sitting of Dungannon Magistrates Court the charge which allegedly occurred on 10 March (Friday), could be connected.

She explained in the course of speaking with the child on an unrelated issue, social workers observed a number of messages being received on her phone.

On examination, these were found to be of a sexual and indecent nature, sent to the child from a contact named Richie, whom she confirmed was the defendant.

The messages appeared to show Cromptons alleged longstanding interest in the child, including asking her for a picture to show how shes grown in three years and if she still has the red underwear and pink skirt.

The child told police she had sent images but was fully clothed in all, and confirmed Crompton told her he is a paedophile.

He was arrested at his home where four phones were seized.

During interview he accepted knowing the child as she had given him a dog and they were in contact about that.

He insisted he would not have asked her for images as he is trying to address his offending behaviour.

Beyond that he answered no comment to questions around sexual communication with the child.

Objecting to bail the detective said Crompton is, A Category 1 sexual offender who is subject to Public Protection arrangements and managed in the community.

He has breached the SOPO by contacting an 11-year-old child and did not declare this to his Designated Risk Manager. He has 21 previous convictions including 20 for sexual offences and indecency.

He knows the young victim and if released may attempt to intimidate her. The comment of how she has grown shows a longstanding knowledge of her.

While accepting the relevant record a defence solicitor said Crompton complied with all aspects of the SOPO and anything required off him by his Designated Risk Manager, adding, If admitted to bail he would obviously continue with this.

However District Judge Steven Keown refused stating, The defendant has shown little or no regard for court orders applicable to him. There is a high risk of reoffending which cannot be managed by conditions. Bail is refused.

Crompton will appear again by video-link at Omagh Magistrates Court next month.

In September 2020, Crompton walked free from Dungannon Crown Court with a Probation Order after he was caught with numerous indecent images of children.

The indecent imagery matters, the details of which are too graphic to report, occurred between May and July 2017 and involved over 1000 stills and 201 videos, with one child being just three-years-old.

Describing this as loathsome, Judge Brian Sherrard noted such offences carry a maximum 10 years imprisonment.

Despite the option of jail, Crompton was sentenced to a three years Probation Order and made subject to a SOPO for eight years as well as sex offender notification for five years.

All three remain live today.
Mr Dowling said under Irish law, his sister Aoife is considered Blakes biological mother even though the couple used a donor egg.

Brian Dowling and Arthur Gourounlian explain the difficulties they faced while going through surrogacy

Brian Dowling and his husband Arthur Gourounlian have described the difficulties they faced while going through surrogacy.

The former Big Brother contestant and Dancing with the Stars judge welcomed their daughter Blake in September. Mr Dowlings younger sister Aoife acted as their surrogate.

The couple were speaking ahead of the release of their one-off documentary, Brian & Arthurs Very Modern Family, which will follow the trio as they prepared to welcome the new arrival, as well as the difficulties they have faced along the way.

Mr Dowling said the documentary captures the highs and lows of their journey to parenthood.

For us, it was sharing what happens when Instagram stops. We always keep our Instagram quite positive and fun and light, and I think what the documentary does is it kind of goes behind the scenes a bit more, he told sundayworld.com.

How vulnerable we felt, the legality of it all. We were going through surrogacy when there were no regulations, it wasnt legal or illegal in that sense.

People get a chance to hear from Aoife; its quite nice to hear Aoifes voice and how shes feeling. I think for us, to get the opportunity to do that on Irish television as two gay men, you dont really see that that often.

I think we wanted to show people that its not been plain sailing, that it has been a struggle.

Mr Gourounlian added: I personally never even knew where to start with surrogacy, Im still learning about legislation, so if it helps a couple of people then my job is done.

Mr Dowling said under Irish law, his sister Aoife is considered Blakes biological mother even though the couple used a donor egg.

Currently, there are no laws in Ireland to govern either domestic or international surrogacy.

Behind the scenes, theres so much going on in our situation with paperwork. As it stands with Irish law, and our experience with our daughter, my sister Aoife is considered Blakes biological mother, which she is not, he said.

Only one of our names is down as father. Obviously, Blake only has one biological father; we always knew that and thats not an issue for us.

As a father and a man, myself, in this day and age, in hospitals and in law, the mother has all the say. If Aoife was married, her husband would go down as Blakes father.

Aoife doesnt want to have her name down on any legal paperwork regarding Blake as her mother. Aoife wants that removed with new legislation. Even the day Blake was born there was a lot of paperwork going on.

Aoife had to sign paperwork to allow us to have some sort of input into our daughter's medical care and that was very odd; Aoife wanted no responsibility for that.

On the day, we were very lucky. They looked after us at the National Maternity Hospital, they were so good. Obviously, our situation is unique. Arthur and I were in one room and Aoife was in another; we had the baby, you dont see that every day, but the staff were great.

Mr Dowling said Blake, who is now six months old, has a sassy personality and hates to miss out on anything.

Shes sitting up, shes very determined. Shes very quiet  she rarely ever cries, she cries if shes overtired, but she hates to sleep to miss out on anything, he said.

Arthur added: Since Ive lived in Ireland, I know Irish people love to gossip; I was like youre definitely an Irish-Armenian woman. We call her nosey Nora.

Arthur, who speaks four languages, said he is adamant to raise Blake in a bilingual house.

I think French is the one I was comfortable to speak to her, so Im always trying to speak French to her, and she loves it, he said.

Brian and Arthur's Very Modern Family airs Monday, March 13 at 9.35pm on RTE One and RTE Player.
The Maynooth man joined other international celebs including Florence Pugh, Cate Blanchett, and Zoe Kravitz

Florence Pugh and Paul Mescal attend the The CAA Pre-Oscar Party at Sunset Tower Hotel   Getty Images for CAA

Irish Oscar hopeful Paul Mescal was among the many Irish stars making the most of the biggest movie weekend in Hollywood.

The Maynooth man joined other international celebs including Florence Pugh, Cate Blanchett, and Zoe Kravitz at a glitzy bash in Los Angeles on Friday night.

Mescal and many other stars kicked off Oscars weekend at a party hosted by top actors agency CAA at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles.

The Irishman was photographed with A-lister Pugh, whos no stranger to these shores having filmed Irish period drama The Wonder here last year.

Other stars in attendance included Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Salma Hayek and Demi Moore.

It kicked off the biggest weekend of the 27-year-old Irishmans career as he waits to see if he becomes an Oscar winner on Sunday night.

Mescal is nominated for Best Actor - along with his Banshees of Inisherin co-star Colin Farrell - for his role in Aftersun.

The emotional Scottish indie sees him play a dad who goes on a memorable sun holiday with his young daughter.

Fourteen Irish nominations at the Oscars - which also include nods for Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan and Brendan Gleeson - means a large influx of Irish are painting LA green this weekend.
The 40-year-old Tipperary star, who has lived in Los Angeles for nearly 15 years, also spoke of the many who supported her along the way

The Banshees of Inisherin star told guests in the early hours of yesterday at the Irish-themed Oscar Wilde party in Los Angeles an amusing tale of an admirer of her performance in a series in which she regularly shed all her clothes.

There was a fella stalking me [in New York] because I was in this HBO show, Rome, and no one on the job cared because he kept sending us cupcakes from his bakery, she said.

The 40-year-old Tipperary star, who has lived in Los Angeles for nearly 15 years, also spoke of the many who supported her along the way, including director and scriptwriter Martin McDonagh, actress Dearbhla Molloy and Druid theatre co-founder Marie Mullen.

She said her experiences in America had helped her secure some great roles at home in Ireland, but she has stayed in America and has happily been here ever since.

I still remember all those people who made an impact on my life and my career along the way, and I feel really lucky that we crossed paths, she said.

Condon is nominated as Best Supporting Actress for her role as Siobhan Suilleabhain in the dark comedy that was filmed on Achill Island and Inishmore, one of the Aran islands.

She is due to bring her brother as her plus-one to tomorrow nights 95th Academy Awards at which Ireland has a record 14 nominations.

Fresh off a Bafta Best Supporting Actress win, Condon was presented with her Oscar Wilde Award by Rhea Seehorn of Better Call Saul fame, who, she said, so inspired me to the depth of my soul as an actor, and then I got to meet her, and shes even better. She called her searingly honest in her performances.

Eve Hewson was also honoured at the ceremony, receiving a special Wilde Card gong. Parents Bono and Ali were there to hear her jokingly rile her father for building such a privileged life for me and my siblings that were almost impossible to like.

She added with a laugh: Thank God were not tall, or we would all be models  and everyone would really, really f**king hate us.

Hewson thanked her father for his guidance and his wisdom and for teaching her what hard work looks like.

And to my mom, for loving me so much that I feel like I can fly, she added.

Hewson (31) said the last time I got an award I was 11, and I was in the Girls Brigade, and it was for best hip hop dancer of the year.

She thanked Sharon Horgan, who put her in the television series Bad Sisters, saying it made her proud to be Irish and so, so, so proud to be an Irish woman. And so, so, so proud to be a baby alcoholic with emotional issues and murderous tendencies.

She added: I cant tell you how many times someone has watched that show, and they tell me how similar I am to my character.
Missouri students did worse across the board on the latest round of standardized testing released Tuesday, with 112 districts and charter schools scoring low enough to be classified as provisionally accredited.

But the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or DESE, said it would not downgrade any districts this year because it is the first of a new testing program.

DESE released public school districts and charter schools Annual Performance Report scores to the public Tuesday afternoon, showing student performance dipping dramatically from pre-pandemic reports.

At the time of the last complete report in 2018, three districts were provisionally accredited and three were unaccredited. All were confined to the states urban core in Kansas City and St. Louis.

Provisionally accredited school districts are subject to state monitoring, and unaccredited districts, in some instances, are taken over by the state.

Now, schools scoring below fully accredited status span the entire state.

DESE officials stressed that the scores released Tuesday were indicative of COVID-induced learning loss and a more rigorous testing regime implemented for the first time this year.

The rubric combines standardized testing scores, attendance rates, access to advanced courses, graduation rates and more. The previous version of the school improvement plan, the program puts an emphasis on students academic growth and the creation of a continuous school improvement plan.

I would say the biggest shift in making this a more rigorous system is that districts and schools are held accountable for both growth and status. So, the pressure is there not only to score high at that snapshot in time for their overall proficiency rates but also to make sure that the individual student is growing at the expected rate, Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven told reporters.

State law establishes that the first year after changes to the improvement program must be a pilot year that wont be used to lower a public school district's accreditation or for a teacher's evaluation. DESE wants three years of data before using scores to lower accreditation, Mallory McGowin, DESEs chief communications officer, said in an email.

The results of standardized testing  the Missouri Assessment Program, or MAP, show which districts may be struggling with learning loss.

The 2018 MAP scored districts on a 40-point scale: 16 points for the districts performance in math, 16 points for English/language arts scores and eight points for social studies.

The 2022 MAP scores have a 32-point scale: 12 points for math, 12 for English/language arts, four for social studies and four for science.

In 2018, Missouri districts scored an average of 90% of the points available in DESEs scale, compared to 65% in 2022.

The states largest district, Springfield R-XII School District, dropped from 93% to 63% on DESEs scale between 2018 and 2022.

Independence 30 School District scored a perfect 100% in 2018 but fell to 53% in 2022.

Rolla 31 School District earned a 94% in 2018s MAP but decreased to 66% in 2022, receiving just half of the points possible in math.

Other districts scores remained high, and some improved their MAP achievement. Rockwood R-VI School District, the states third largest district, scored 97% of the possible points in 2018 and 100% in 2022.

Fort Zumwalt R-II School District earned 100% in both 2018 and 2022.

McGowin told The Independent the 2022 scores should be considered the baseline and expects growth.

Expectations for student performance remain high, and we anticipate districts and charter schools will work with their communities to meet them, she said.

Vandeven put pressure on the state to also contribute to student success.

It will take collective energy and commitment from across the state to elevate the teaching profession, she said.

She pointed to DESEs Blue Ribbon Commission, a group that set legislative goals including raising the minimum teacher salary to $38,000.

The number one school level factor that impacts students' success is an effective teacher, Vandeven said.

We're facing a national nationwide teacher shortage, she continued. While we don't collect information on the number of substitute teachers working in schools each day, due to the educator workforce shortage, our sense is that our reliance upon substitutes is at an all time high.

She said the department issued 18,300 substitute certificates in 2022, compared to the prior three years average of 12,160.
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A dinner held in honor of the Help the Hungry Bake Sale Committee by the Ministerial Alliance and St. Vincent de Paul food pantries provided an opportunity for both charities to say thank you to the group that has, for the last 17 years, raised a large percentage of their annual budgets.

The event was held Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Farmington Country Club.

The evening began with Farmington Mayor Larry Forsythe presenting committee chairperson Chris Landrum with a proclamation from the city in recognition of the positive impact that she and the committees efforts has had on the community.

Forsythe read the proclamation, saying, Whereas the Help the Hungry Bake Sale is an annual event held in Farmington, Missouri, to raise money for two local food pantries, the Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry and the St. Vincent's DePaul Food Pantry; and whereas the Help the Hungry Bake Sale first began in November 2005 through the inspiration and dedication of Chris Landrum, who has passionately led the Health the Hungry Bake Sale organization since its inception; whereas the Help the Hungry Bake Sale has raised and donated a commutative total of $1 million in the last 17 years;

Whereas through the efforts of Chris Landrum and the Help the Hungry Bake Sale committee, a countless number of families in the Farmington region have been served through donations to the food pantries; and whereas Chris Landrum should be recognized and commended for her devotion and dedication to the Help the Hungry Bake Sale, now, therefore, I, Larry D. Forsythe, mayor of the city of Farmington, do hereby issue this proclamation in honor of Chris Landrum for her inspiration and dedication in bettering the lives of her fellow citizens through the leadership of the Help the Hungry Bake Sale. In witness thereof, I do set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Farmington affixed on his 23rd day of February 2023.

Responding to the proclamation, Landrum said, Thank you so much. Thank you, ladies. And you know, I truly, truly appreciate this from all of you, but you know this wouldn't be possible if you all weren't right there with me the whole way. You all were a team. But thank you so much. This is an honor for me, but it's also an honor for our whole team.

Addressing the committee, Agnes Hinkebein, director of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, said, First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for all the meetings you go to, all the preps you do, all the cleanup you do, and of course the baking. Without you as a team, we could not serve our people as well as we do.

This last year, we served 8,641 individuals. So you put a smile on a lot of people. And if you ever want to see that smile, come to the pantry. I will gladly let you stand there and observe or help, that was my help, but to see how the gratitude that's in their heart. I'm so proud to be part of this community because what other community would do all this? So thank you so much.

Greg Robinson, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Farmington and president of the Farm Minister Alliance, said, Thank you for allowing me to come. Actually, the one you should be hearing from is [Nancy Faulkner, director of the Farmington Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry] who does all the hard work. But the deal that she and I have made is that she does the work and I do the speaking  and that's not a fair deal, for you at least  but I'm privileged to come and just say a word of thanks. Being able to do a dinner tonight and help provide this for you, is just a small token of our appreciation. The Farmington Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry has been in existence for 40 years. And when we say it started as a food pantry, it was that, a closet, a pantry at a local church, giving away to just a few people.

In just the past 10 years only, there have been over 60,000 individuals who received food and 1.7 million pounds of food that have been given away. And I'm going to tell you, that's just in 10 years, and you've been providing funds for that for longer than that period of time. There is no way we could have done what has been done in these past years without the bake sale. Just looking at our budget and our finances, the money that has been raised by the bake sale has gone to cover the vast majority of food expense that we've had in recent years  the vast majority of it. And then it has allowed us to do other things. As you know, organization's growing and now we've been gifted a new building and all these great things are happening with the Ministerial Alliance, but those wouldnt have happened if we weren't already in place by receiving the funds and support from the organization. It just wouldn't have been possible.

Robinson recalled that it has been 17 years since Landrum came up with the idea of the Help the Hungry Bake Sale.

Oh, we can do a little thing, and look what it's turned into, he said. Who would have thought a million dollars, right? And we experienced the same thing at the Ministerial Alliance. When it started as a food pantry, a closet, we would never have thought that now we would be in a huge building and serving thousands upon thousands of people every year. And so I encourage you, just as we do in our organization, I encourage you, continue to dream big, pray big, because God can do more than we can imagine. So thank you for all the effort you've put into this.

I enjoyed every year getting to be a part of the cooking clergy contest and have fun there for our rigged auction that we have. And it doesn't hurt that First Baptist has won that the last three years, so that's okay too. But we have a good time, and just seeing the results out of that, so thank you, and again, as you enjoy your dinner, I hope that you know in just, in a small way, how much we appreciate you. I just love the work you're doing, and the dream that God has put upon your heart, and that he has grown and blessed it.
Amogy, a Brooklyn-based company, revealed plans to unveil a zero-emission tugboat powered by ammonia by the end of 2023 during this year's CERAWeek.



This will be a significant achievement towards zero-emissions shipping as ammonia is predicted to become the leading fuel source for the world's large cargo ships by 2050.

World's First Ammonia-powered Ship

Amogy is retrofitting a tugboat, built in 1957, which currently uses diesel generators and electric motors with a 1-megawatt ammonia-to-power system, three times larger than what has been tested on its ammonia-fueled semi-truck.



The technology utilizes highly-efficient cracking modules in a hybrid fuel cell system that powers the electric motors for zero-carbon shipping.



"This is the first milestone of many you will see from Amogy in accelerating the accessibility and scalability of clean energy in the global maritime industry," Seonghoon Woo, CEO of Amogy, said in a press release statement.



"With successful demonstrations of our ammonia-powered drone, tractor, and semi-truck under our belts, we look forward to presenting the first ammonia-powered ship in 2023, with a target to fully commercialize in 2024."



Yara Clean Ammonia (YCA) has partnered with Seam, C-Job Naval Architects, Feeney Shipyard, and Unique Technical Solutions (UTS) to bring the world's first ammonia-powered ship to life.



YCA, known as the largest trader and shipper of ammonia worldwide and one of the largest producers of ammonia, will provide green ammonia for the demonstration. Green ammonia is produced using renewable energy and emits zero greenhouse gas emissions from "well to wake."



It is an ideal next-generation fuel as it does not emit CO2 when used as a fuel, making it a perfect fit for the hydrogen economy.

Read Also: 'Flying Hotel That Never Lands': AI Sky Cruise Ship Will Use Nuclear Energy to Fly in Luxury

Amogy's Partners

Amogy has enlisted Seam as the electrical systems integrator, C-Job Naval Architects as the independent ship design company integrating the ammonia system, and Feeney Shipyard, who will retrofit the tugboat and remove the engine under the supervision of C-Job Naval Architects.



The company will work with UTS, its electrical and systems integrator from previous demonstrations, to scale up the power pack for pre-commercial use. Together, the partners aim to showcase the potential of green ammonia as a sustainable fuel source for the shipping industry.



Amogy has developed a technology that converts ammonia to electric power safely and efficiently. The company has partnered with DNV, a leading classification society, to ensure compliance with maritime safety standards.



DNV's Senior Consultant in Maritime Environmental Technology, Hans-Christian Wintervoll, says DNV has been working with Amogy since December 2021 and is pleased to contribute to their continued success.



Amogy has raised $70M from investors, including Amazon, Saudi Aramco, and SK Innovation, and plans to test its technology on a tugboat in upstate New York in 2023, pending safety testing and regulatory discussions.

Related Article: Ships Started Sailing and Converging in the Atlantic Ocean, Experts Believe It's Due to Weakening Magnetic Field

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Meta, the company behind social media giants such as Facebook and Instagram, is currrently working on a new decentralized social app for sharing text updates, as reported first by TechCrunch on Friday, March 10.



The company confirmed this development with their spokesperson saying that they are "exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates. We believe there's an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests."

Decentralized App P92

MoneyControl reported that a new decentralized app, codenamed P92, is currently in development by Meta. The app will allow users to log in using their Instagram credentials, as stated in the documents viewed by the publication.

However, this move may raise concerns among individuals who do not want to share their data with another Meta app.

According to a report by Platformer, Instagram head Adam Mosseri will oversee the project. The company is also taking the necessary steps to address privacy concerns before the app's public release, involving the legal department.

Meta's goal with this new app is to develop an alternative to Twitter or a competitor to Mastodon, which gained popularity after Elon Musk took over Twitter. The decentralized network is part of the Fediverse, a network of decentralized servers supporting the ActivityPub protocol.

Read Also: Meta Sues Spy Firm Voyager Labs for Allegedly Using Fake Facebook Accounts to Collect User Data

ActivityPub

MoneyControl also reported that Meta's P92 app intends to support ActivityPub, making it easier for users to connect with other instances, including Mastodon

Various platforms such as Tumblr, Flipboard, and Flickr have either implemented or are planning to implement ActivityPub support, among other decentralization protocols.

Bluesky, an iOS app backed by Jack Dorsey, was also recently launched in beta, while messaging applications like Rocket.chat have adopted the Matrix protocol.

Blaine Cook, a former engineer at Twitter, believes that the existence of different protocols is crucial for diversifying both protocols and applications built on top of them.

Cook also commented that interoperability between ActivityPub and Bluesky would not be challenging. The only hindrance to interoperability between Twitter and Facebook's timeline has been the protectionist policies of these companies.

It is worth noting that Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has launched several apps and experiences that have not always been successful.

In recent years, it has discontinued experimental apps such as tbh, Super, Neighborhoods, Tuned, Campus, Sparked, and Lasso, according to TechCrunch.

Hence, this new app in development can go many ways and time will tell if Meta will continue the project and introduce the new social network to the world.

Related Article: Facebook Special Program for VIP Users Criticized by Meta's Oversight Board Regarding Offensive Content Retention

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The COSMOS-Web program has released the first images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which include stunning visuals of spiral galaxies, gravitational lensing, and evidence of galaxy mergers.



The mosaic images, captured in early January using JWST's Near-Infrared Camera and Mid-Infrared Instrument, showcase various types of galaxies.

COSMOS-Web's Objectives

COSMOS-Web has the objective of mapping the earliest structures of the universe, with plans to create a wide and deep survey of up to one million galaxies.



Over 255 hours of observing time, the program will map 0.6 square degrees of the sky with NIRCam and 0.2 square degrees with MIRI, approximately the size of three full moons.

Jeyhan Kartaltepe, associate professor at the School of Physics and Astronomy at the Rochester Institute of Technology and principal investigator of COSMOS-Web, expressed her excitement about the first data received from the telescope.



She stated that her team had been working tirelessly to produce science-quality images for analysis, and the initial images were just a taste of what is to come.



Kartaltepe leads COSMOS-Web alongside Caitlin Casey, associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin. The international team behind the program comprises almost 100 astronomers from various parts of the world, illustrating the collaborative nature of the project.

"This first snapshot of COSMOS-Web contains about 25,000 galaxies-an astonishing number larger than even what sits in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field," Casey said in a press release statement.



"It's one of the largest JWST images taken so far. And yet it's just 4 percent of the data we will get for the full survey. When it is finished, this deep field will be astoundingly large and overwhelmingly beautiful."

Read Also: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Catches an 'Asteroid Photobomber' Roughly the Size of Rome's Colosseum

Key Science Objectives

COSMOS-Web is a space exploration project aimed at achieving three key science objectives. First, it aims to provide deeper insight into the Reionization Era, a period lasting between 200,000 to 1 billion years after the Big Bang.



Secondly, the project seeks to identify and classify early massive galaxies within the first 2 billion years of the universe's existence. Finally, COSMOS-Web aims to investigate the correlation between the evolution of dark matter and the stellar contents of galaxies.



The project has gained significant momentum, with JWST set to observe the widest area in its first year. This will allow scientists to study galaxies in various local environments.



Images taken thus far have been nothing short of remarkable, revealing much more detail than those captured by other observatories, including the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope.



The images were produced from six telescopic pointings between January 5-6, 2023. JWST is set to capture 77 pointings, approximately half of the field, in April and May of this year. The remaining 69 pointings are scheduled to occur in December 2023 and January 2024.

An overview of COSMOS-Web's objectives was published on arXiv.

Related Article: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Snaps an Incredibly Detailed View of a Crowded Field of Galaxies

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The Biden-Harris administration has proposed a $27.2 billion budget for NASA in fiscal year 2024, which would give a significant boost in funding the Artemis program and other space missions.



The White House's budget framework was revealed on Thursday, March 9, and it plans to increase the space agency's budget by 7% from the nearly $25.4 billion that NASA received for fiscal year 2023.

New Cosmic Shores

"The budget details a blueprint to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. "At NASA, we support good-paying American jobs, stir imaginations, and excite the world to gaze up at the heavens and reflect on our place in the universe."



NASA claims that the budget will enable the agency to keep an eye on and safeguard the environment, promote environmentally friendly aviation, better support orbital debris management, create cutting-edge new technologies, and inspire the Artemis Generation.



"President Biden's budget will help us explore new cosmic shores, continue to make strides in traveling to and working in space and on the Moon, increase the speed and safety of air travel with cutting-edge technologies, and help protect our planet and improve lives here on Earth," Nelson added.

The proposal allocates $8.1 billion for exploration, which is an increase of more than $500 million from the previous year.



The funding will be used to support the necessary systems and equipment, including rockets, lunar landers, space suits, and crew vehicles to fly astronauts around the Moon on the Artemis 2 mission, which is scheduled for late 2024, as well as later Artemis landing missions.

According to Space News, Nelson also announced that NASA would reveal the four-person crew of Artemis 2 on April 3, with three NASA astronauts and one Canadian astronaut, in accordance with a previous agreement between Canada and NASA regarding Canada's contributions to the lunar Gateway.

Read Also: [LOOK] NASA Unveils New Map Detailing 2023, 2024 Solar Eclipses in the US

Mars Mission and ESA Collaboration

The budget includes $949 million for the Mars Sample Return mission, which aims to return samples collected by the Perseverance rover on Mars. This amount is higher than the $800 million projected in NASA's 2023 budget proposal for the same mission in 2024.

The White House proposal indicates that it supports the US collaboration with the European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars rover mission, although the amount of funding is not specified.

The ESA cut ties with Russia last year and sought support from NASA to fly its Rosalind Franklin rover, including thrusters for the lander, radioisotope heating units for the rover, and launch services.



The White House has requested $2.5 billion for Earth science in the budget, which is in line with NASA's projected spending for 2024. This funding will support the next Landsat spacecraft and the Earth System Observatory series of missions.



In addition, the budget proposal includes a new initiative seeking $180 million to begin developing a deorbit tug for the International Space Station (ISS). The administration aims to develop this space tug to avoid relying on Russian systems, which may not be able to accomplish the task.

Related Article: NASA's Roman Space Telescope Simulates Millions of Stunning Galaxies in Deep Field Image

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PeopleGrove, a company that provides and hosts a social platform for higher education institutions and alumni networks, is currently investigating a security lapse that exposed users' personal information online, according to a report by TechCrunch.

CloudDefense cloud security researcher Anurag Sen discovered the issue and notified TechCrunch, stating that the company left the server hosting an internal database exposed to the internet without a password.

This allowed anyone to access the data using only a web browser and knowledge of its IP address. The server became inaccessible shortly after Sen's discovery.

Gigabytes of Data Exposed

The database in question contained gigabytes of personal information, including phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, details of university achievements and scores, and resumes containing detailed work histories and employment details.



Unfortunately, none of the exposed data was encrypted, making it vulnerable to unauthorized access, as per TechCrunch's report.



PeopleGrove's Chief Technology Officer Reilly Davis confirmed that the database was a development server and that an investigation was underway to determine what data was contained within it.



It is unclear why the internal database was accessible from the internet, or why the apparent test database contained real people's information.

TechCrunch said that it was able to confirm some of the exposed data by cross-referencing public records, social media profiles, and other career social networks like LinkedIn.



A user who claimed to have been a former U.S. intelligence officer had their top-secret security clearance details, personal email address, home address, and phone number exposed in their user record.



Another user whose information was part of the data breach confirmed to TechCrunch that their exposed information was accurate. However, they could not provide information about how the data was obtained or who obtained it.

Read Also: North Korean State-Sponsored Hackers Have Been Attacking Healthcare Providers Since 2021 - US Authorities Warn

25 Million User Logs

When the data breach was discovered, there were over 25 million user logs on the platform. According to PeopleGrove's website, the platform has over 20 million registered users.

Davis said that the company would notify affected users if their sensitive data had been exposed. He also stated that the company has implemented logging mechanisms in its Google Cloud environment to determine which data may have been accessed or exfiltrated.

The breach has raised concerns about data privacy and security, particularly in the higher education sector where personal information is often used for recruitment and alumni engagement.

The data breach on the platform is a significant issue for its users, particularly those who rely on it for education and career mentoring.

Related Article: FBI: Beware of Deepfakes, Tech Jobs Interviews May Contain Stolen Information and Deceive Public

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The new ChatGPT 4 will soon be introduced by Microsoft.

(Photo : Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The Microsoft logo is illuminated on a wall during a Microsoft launch event to introduce the new Microsoft Surface laptop and Windows 10 S operating system, 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.

This new AI is expected to be a better version of the original ChatGPT. Microsoft Germany's Chief Technology Officer Andreas Brean was the first one who revealed this AI innovation.

"We will introduce GPT-4 next week ... we will have multimodal models that will offer completely different possibilities - for example, videos," said Braun during the recent event titled "AI in Focus - Digital Kickoff.

New ChatGPT 4 to be Introduced by Microsoft!

According to Digital Trends' latest report, the new ChatGPT 4 will allow users to have AI-generated videos through text descriptions.

(Photo : Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

In this photo illustration, the welcome screen for the OpenAI "ChatGPT" app is displayed on a laptop screen on February 03, 2023 in London, England. OpenAI, whose online chatbot ChatGPT made waves when it was debuted in December, announced this week that a commercial version of the service, called ChatGPT Plus, would soon be available to users in the United States.

Also Read: Can ChatGPT Help Health Tech Startups? Here are 5 Ways Why it's Transformative in Healthcare

If this is true, then the new version of the popular AI chatbot will be quite similar to Meta's Make-A-Video; a tool launched in 2022 that can also create realistic videos based on text prompts.

Aside from realistic videos, Microsoft confirmed that the new ChatGPT 4 will be able to do other important tasks.

Holger Kenn, Microsoft Germany's Director of Business Strategy, explained that the new ChatGPT 4 will be multimodal.

This means that the new AI will be able to generate videos, music, and images just by relying on short text prompts. Microsoft explained that the new ChatGPT 4 can benefit many industries, including the call center sector.

ChatGPT 4 Also Good at Coding?

Forbes reported that many rumors about ChatGPT 4 already appeared even before Microsoft confirmed its arrival.

Aside from being able to generate images, music, and videos, numerous tech enthusiasts claimed that the ChatGPT 4 will also be good at providing computer code.

This means that the ChatGPT 4 can easily create computer codes using different programming languages, such as C++-, Python, and Javascript. But, this will also remain speculation until Microsoft releases the official ChatGPT 4.

In other news, a new AI app, which can interpret emotions to better understand non-verbal individuals, was created. We also reported about the arrival of a new AI manga translator, which can help prevent pirated translations.

For more news updates about AIs and other similar innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Conversation With ChatGPT: Multiverses, Singularity, Future of Machine Learning

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A Chinese military-funded research team has created an artificial intelligence (AI) system that can design the electrical layout of a warship with remarkable speed and accuracy.

According to the South China Morning Post, the AI designer completed the task in one day when it would have taken humans nearly a year to complete, even with the most advanced computer tools available!

The research team from the China Ship Design and Research Centre published their findings on Feb. 27 in the Chinese-language journal Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems.

Designing Warships 300x Faster

Modern warship electrical layout design is a complex and time-consuming process that frequently involves proofing errors that can take many hours to discover.

It is not easy to design a warship. Webb Institute explains that naval architects use advanced engineering tools to evaluate the vessels' stability and maneuverability, the structures required to support the forces they will encounter, and the power necessary to propel them through the waves.

Meanwhile, the addition of military equipment and weapons found on modern-day warships adds to the complexity of the task.

However, when the researchers tested the AI designer with over 400 challenging tasks, it achieved 100% accuracy. The team stated that the AI designer was "ready for engineering applications" in China's shipbuilding industry, which would speed up the production of warships in its shipyards.

Humans took 300 times longer to complete the same tasks.

China Expanding Naval Fleet

Some nations, particularly the United States, are concerned about China's growing ability to produce warships.

SCMP also reported that US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro warned that China has 13 shipyards for warship production, with "one shipyard [having] more capacity than all of our shipyards combined."

China intends to have over 400 warships by 2025, roughly a third more than the US fleet. The Chinese army has focused on replacing its earlier generations of platforms with limited capabilities in favor of larger, more modern multi-role combatants, according to a report from the Pentagon.

The Chinese army is becoming a more modern and adaptable force on the seas. China's PLA fleet comprises modern multi-role platforms equipped with cutting-edge anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine weapons and sensors as of 2021.

The AI Warship Designer

According to Luo Wei, the senior engineer in charge of the research team, the design was the main factor slowing down production rather than shipyard delays.

Read Also: China's Baidu Beats Q4 Revenue Estimates With Strong AI, Cloud & Advertising Portfolio

The military supported the AI designer project to improve efficiency by shortening the time-consuming process of design changes when the navy modified the requirements for a new ship.

The AI designer project used a database of Chinese ship design knowledge and experience from previous decades to significantly reduce the computing resources needed and eliminate errors.

While the AI designer's effectiveness has only been demonstrated for electrical system layout, the researchers believe it could be easily used with a small computer system.

The team compared their AI designer to those developed by large technology firms such as Google to accelerate computer chip design, noting significant differences.

Unlike AI chip design, which can make a few mistakes, there is no room for error in warship design.

Furthermore, an AI chip designer can create many products, which means that a large amount of computing resources can be allocated to train it while the company still makes a profit.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Chinese Scientists Develop War Games AI AlphaWar; Passes Turing Test with Experts!

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FarmWise, a startup that aims to increase the efficiency of the farming industry, has developed autonomous weeding robots that use artificial intelligence to remove weeds without damaging crops, according to a report by MIT News.

The first robot, named Titan, is designed like a large tractor and makes use of a trailer instead of a driver's seat. It uses machine vision to differentiate between weeds and crops such as artichokes, leafy greens, cauliflower, and tomatoes, allowing it to snip weeds with sub-inch precision.

The company has deployed about 15 Titans on 30 large farms in California and Arizona, providing weeding services with the help of an iPad. Recently, FarmWise introduced a new robot named Vulcan, which is lighter and pulled by a tractor.

According to Sebastien Boyer, the co-founder of FarmWise, the farming industry needs to increase its efficiency due to the growing population and limited resources such as land and water. He believes that AI and data will play a significant role in achieving this goal.

How FarmWise Came to Be

Sebastien Boyer shared that he came to MIT in 2014 and pursued master's degrees in technology and policy, as well as electrical engineering and computer science over the next two years.



During his graduate work, he explored machine learning and machine vision techniques, which led him to think of ways to apply these technologies to environmental problems. He received a small amount of funding from MIT Sandbox to further develop his idea, which made him decide not to take a job.



After his graduation, he teamed up with Thomas Palomares, a fellow Frenchman, and Stanford University graduate. Together, they started going to farmers' markets, requesting small farmers to give them tours of their farms.

About one in three farmers welcomed their requests. They then asked for referrals to larger farmers and service providers in the industry.

Boyer revealed that they learned that agriculture was a significant contributor to the negative impact of human activities on the environment and had not been disrupted by software, cloud computing, AI, and robotics as other industries had.



This combination of factors excited them and motivated them to develop a solution that could drastically increase the efficiency of the farming industry.

They discovered that herbicides were losing their efficacy as weeds developed genetic resistance. The only alternative for farmers was to hire more workers, which was becoming increasingly difficult. Hence, this ultimately inspired the creation of FarmWise.

Titan and Vulcan Robots

The Titan and Vulcan robots are directed by operators using an iPad or touchscreen interface, respectively. The robots are powered by AI that directs hundreds of small blades to remove weeds around each crop.

The Vulcan is directly controlled from the tractor cab, where the operator has access to a touchscreen interface similar to those found in a Tesla car.



Boyer noted that the labor shortage in the US and worldwide is a serious problem, making weeding a challenging task. The Titan robot was designed to work alongside field workers, and with more than 15,000 commercial hours.

Related Article: This Mini Electric Street Sweeper Maintains Bike Lanes; Here's How

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A PayPal Mafia member blamed Big Tech's hundreds of layoffs on over-hiring to fulfill Meta and Google managers' "vanity."

As reported by Insider, Silicon Valley VC Keith Rabois is the CEO of OpenStore and a general partner at Founders Fund, two companies that provide investment to Shopify merchants. He is also a member of the PayPal Mafia due to his time spent as an executive at the online payment company in the early 2000s.

'Fake Work'

Appearing remotely at an event organized by banking company Evercore, Rabois claimed Meta and Google had employed hundreds of staff members to conduct "fake work" to achieve recruiting metrics out of vanity.

Rabois agrees that massive layoffs are long needed. According to Insider, via Fortune, he remarked, "All these people were extraneous. This has been true for a long time. The vanity metric of hiring employees was this false god in some ways."

Rabois added, "There's nothing for these people to do. It's all fake work. Now that's being exposed, what do these people actually do? They go to meetings."

Rabois also said Google had employed engineers and other tech workers on purpose to prevent them from being snatched by rivals.

Rabois claimed the new employees were stuck doing nothing but sitting at their desks.

Though, Rabois implied that this was not a terrible tactic, going so far as to call it quite logical to hire competent individuals to keep them out of competitors' offices.

Read Also: Meta to Conduct a Fresh Round Layoffs, Cutting Thousands of Employees this Week

Widespread Layoffs

Employees in the tech industry have felt the effects of widespread layoffs. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, let off 12,000 employees in January, and CEO Sundar Pichai said he accepted full responsibility for the move.

In 2022, Meta reportedly fired off 11,000 employees at the cost of $88,000 per person, with more layoffs possible in the future.

Facebook is said to be cutting even more employees in 2023 as part of founder Mark Zuckerberg's "Year of Efficiency," with middle managers and those working on unsuccessful projects taking the brunt of the cuts.

Praising Elon Musk

Keith Rabois worked closely with Tesla CEO Elon Musk at PayPal in the early 2000s.

Rabois lauded Twitter CEO Elon Musk, who eliminated half the company's staff a month after taking over in October 2022. Rabois said people are following Elon and Twitter, and he is definitely setting an example.

According to Insider, Musk's techniques are controversial, and his relentless cost-cutting has sometimes backfired on him.

Security and stability difficulties have plagued Twitter since Musk gained control, with a big outage occurring just last week. He apologized for mocking laid-off Twitter employee Haraldur Thorleifsson and accused him of exploiting his handicap as an excuse not to work.

Read Also: Elon Musk Apologizes for Mocking Disabled Twitter Worker, Claims 'Misunderstanding'

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A new Google Pixel 7 camera bug affects macro photos captured by users.

(Photo : Photo credit should read JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)

This photo shows a Google Pixel 3A phone on display during the Google I/O conference at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on May 7, 2019.

This camera issue was first shared on the Google Pixel subreddit. Based on the comments of affected users, the Pixel 7 camera bug prevents them from saving macro photos captured in low-light conditions.

As of writing, the scope of the camera bug is still unknown. Google also hasn't confirmed if it is already working on a fix to solve the glitch.

New Google Pixel 7 Camera Bug Affects Macro Photos

According to 9To5Mac's latest report, the new camera bug affects Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro that are running the Google Camera 8.7.250.494820638.44 update.

(Photo : Photo credit should read ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP via Getty Images)

The new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones are seen at a product launch event on October 4, 2017 at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, California. Google unveiled newly designed versions of its Pixel smartphone, the highlight of a refreshed line of devices which are part of the tech giant's efforts to boost its presence against hardware rivals.

Also Read: Google Pixel Fold Leaks: Features a Larger Battery, Significantly Heavier than Samsung's Z Fold

A video showing the camera bug revealed that the issue prevents Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro from saving images captured in low-light. Even when the flash is used, the captured photos are still unable to be saved on the device's memory.

Meanwhile, some affected users tried to pull a logcat while taking a photo using their Pixel 7 devices.

In this experiment, they discovered that the bug was caused by the Android smartphone's Camera app. Because of this, many users speculated that the HDR of Pixel 7 models is to blame, claiming that the bug happens when the image-capture algorithm glitches.

How to Temporarily Fix It

Since Google hasn't announced any official fix for the latest Pixel 7 camera bug yet, many users decided to find methods that can temporarily solve the issue.

One of these is adding more light to a shot. Users explained that using a lamp or another light source will allow affected Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro devices to save their captured macro photos.

Another solution would be turning off the device's flash and relying on the Night Sight mode. If you want to learn more details about this second temporary fix, you can visit Android Police's report.

Other stories we recently wrote about smartphones:

Apple confirmed the new yellow iPhone 14; with pre-orders starting on Mar. 10.

New leaks claimed that the new Samsung Galaxy S24 will be faster than the iPhone 15, thanks to an advanced SoC.

For more news updates about Android and iOS smartphones, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: This Google Pixel Watch Bug Will Force Users to Double-Set their Alarms

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Cincinnati Animal CARE, a local animal rescue organization, recently posted on Facebook that a serval cat doped up on cocaine was rescued from a tree in Ohio.

On January 28, it was reported to the Hamilton County Dog Wardens that an "exotic cat" was stuck in a tree - later turned over to animal experts.

Upon capturing the animal, they determined it was a serval, an African wildcat prohibited in Ohio. DNA testing confirmed this suspicion later on. But what authorities discovered next shocked them more.

Exotic Cat Found Positive for Cocaine

The cat tested positive for cocaine exposure, much to the shock of the animal rescue group.

According to IFLScience, Cincinnati Animal CARE now tests captured exotic animals for drugs, following a case in early 2022 where a capuchin monkey tested positive for methamphetamine.

The serval has been transferred to Cincinnati Zoo, where it received some of the best veterinary care available since the animal rescue facility was not ready to deal with the species and the cat's bizarre situation.

Cocaine Effect on Animal Brain

A study explains that when a person is exposed to cocaine, the drug can cause long-lasting changes in the brain that impact the connection between specific brain cells.

Cocaine can specifically affect a type of brain cell that releases glutamate, a chemical involved in reward and pleasure.

The study tells us that long-term cocaine exposure causes substantial changes in the function of glutamate in the brain's reward pathway in animals. This is why cocaine users can develop an addiction and a strong desire to use the drug repeatedly.

Read Also: 'Space Salad' is Coming for Astronauts to Keep them Healthy and Stuffed for Their Missions in Orbit, Deep Space

Cocaine can also affect the brain's stress response, contributing to relapse and the developing of stress-related disorders.

Cocaine-exposed animals are more likely to seek out the drug in response to stress, and the more they use it, the more sensitive they become to both the drug and stress.

How's the Ohio Cat?

The cat's owner reportedly cooperated and agreed to cover the cost of the cat's treatment until the ownership transfer was completed. The case is still open, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture is also looking into it.

In a Facebook post, Cincinnati Animal CARE commended the Cincinnati Zoo for helping Amiry, the cat, receive the medical attention he required and the Dog Wardens and Medical Staff for their efforts in the rescue.

They also urge people to visit their county animal shelter before going to breeders when looking for their next pet.

Cocaine Cat, Bear, and Snake

This is not the first time an animal has been discovered under the influence of drugs. When Australian police raided a crystal meth lab in 2016, they found a 1.8-meter (6-foot) pet python at the scene.

The python was behaving aggressively, which indicated that it had been exposed to methamphetamine particles.

The discovery of a serval cat high on cocaine comes at an interesting time, given the recent release of the film Cocaine Bear.

This film is based on a true story from 1985 about a black bear in Kentucky who ate a large amount of cocaine dropped from a drug smuggler's plane. The bear died soon after, and authorities later discovered its body.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: [LOOK] World Nature Photography Awards Features the Best, Most Fascinating Wildlife Captures

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Apple recently challenged the authority of Britain's competition watchdog to investigate its mobile browsers, claiming that it lacked the authority to launch an investigation because it appears to have done so too late.

Reuters reports that Apple told a London tribunal on Friday, March 10, that Britain's competition watchdog had "no power" to start a probe.

Apple Contends UK Watchdog Investigation

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into Apple's cloud gaming and mobile browsers in November, citing concerns about Apple and Google's restrictions.

The CMA has been investigating Apple and Google's "effective duopoly" that enables the companies to "exercise a stranglehold over these markets" for nearly a year. This was found in research made by the watchdog.

MacRumors tells us that as part of the market investigation, which is supposed to be over in 18 months, the CMA can request Apple for a significant amount of data to conclude and make legally binding changes.

In January, Apple filed an appeal with the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London, claiming that the investigation is invalid because it should have begun in June 2022.

Read Also: Apple Music Classical App Now up for Pre-order Ahead of March 28 Release

The CMA claims that the investigation will increase developer opportunities while providing more options to UK consumers. It also mentions that the browser engines of Apple or Google power 97% of all mobile web browsing in the UK.

Apple Legal Team Opposes Probe

Timothy Otty, Apple's attorney, argued that Apple had "suffered serious prejudice" as a consequence of the CMA's decision, having "had to repeatedly divert management time and technical resources away from its business activities."

In addition, he mentioned that the CMA's decision to investigate in November was too late to comply with the law.

James Eadie, a lawyer representing the CMA, reasoned that the watchdog had complied with the legal time limits by noting that it initially decided not to launch an investigation in December 2021.

Additionally, he argued that invalidating the investigation would cause "significant prejudice to the public interest" that would outweigh any burden borne by Apple.

What This Means for Apple

The result of the hearing will have a profound impact on the tech sector, as it will establish whether the CMA has the authority to investigate Apple and Google for their practices in the United Kingdom. If the appeal is successful, it could restrict the CMA's power to look into other tech giants.

The investigation into Apple's mobile browsers is merely one of the regulatory challenges the company faces globally. In the United States, lawmakers are investigating whether Apple and other tech giants have committed anticompetitive practices, while the European Commission is investigating Apple's App Store practices.

According to Reuters, the hearing occurred on the same day that the CMA announced it was extending the deadline for its analysis and review of Apple's app developer terms and conditions until May.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: UK Watchdog Says Apple and Google Has Too Much Power in the Phone Market and Edges Out Competition

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There is a new autonomous robot that can do whatever task is assigned to it, and it helps users with different needs and requirements that no longer needs intricate training before it can start working. Meet ALAN, and was made by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which centers on a self-learning bot for every need.

Humans need only to experience one thing, despite not having any knowledge about it, to become aware or have basic abilities to do one task, and it is what this new robot features.

ALAN: Autonomous Robot that Learns While it Works

(Photo : Robo Explorer via Github)

ALAN, a robot capable of learning about its environment through exploration to perform tasks and accomplish goals.

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University introduced its latest "robotic agent" which can freely do tasks and learn as it explores its environment, calling this robot, ALAN. The team said that ALAN does not need any significant training before it can operate, as it would continuously learn about its environment with the data collected, to accomplish tasks and the like.

According to its researchers, "This is enabled by measuring environment change, which reflects object movement and ignores changes in the robot position."

"We use this metric directly as an environment-centric signal, and also maximize the uncertainty of predicted environment change, which provides agent-centric exploration signal," they added.

The team pre-published their study over at arXiv, awaiting peer review before it sees a journal publication.

Read Also: Researchers Create Robot to Autonomously Explore Unfamiliar Environments

Self-Learning the Environment to Perform Tasks

The main feature of the robot is its self-learning features that do not need immense training before it can deploy in the real-world setting, with ALAN learning about its environment to achieve its goals.

Its exploration centers on learning more about how to interact with objects, centering on a "zero-shot" manner towards "goal reaching."

Robots Aim to Help Humans with their Jobs

There are many reasons as to why companies tend to hire more robots instead of humans in doing certain tasks, and among those is the reluctance of people to do a certain job, unlike these mechanical creations. North America increased its hiring of robots over humans in 2022, and it is because of the labor shortage in the industry.

Most robots now are equipped with self-learning technology through artificial intelligence that centers on doing different tasks and requirements on their own, with minimal human supervision. This, in turn, helps with maintaining different standards, take for example this Danish firm that aims to integrate AI into its robotic blade maintenance technology.

At first, it would seem like robots are trying to take over people's jobs-rather, employers or companies choosing to hire more bots over humans. But that is not the case, as these innovations aim to help people with their everyday needs, with robots like ALAN trying to learn more of what is out there, with significant awareness of their environment.

Related Article: These AI-powered Robots Can Autonomously Snip Weeds While Preserving Crops

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TikTok is seeing another ban on government devices, but this time, it is over in a European country where its app is no longer permitted to be installed in these technologies, with Belgium heightening its restrictions. This centers again on data privacy issues which people are wary of in the social media, citing concerns about the dangers of the app.

Different states and countries already banned TikTok from government devices as they are also trying to be careful against its alleged Chinese intelligence connections.

TikTok Faces Ban on Belgium's Government Devices

(Photo : Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

In this photo illustration, the download page for the Tiki Tok app is displayed on an Apple iPhone on August 7, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Reuters reported that the order to ban TikTok from Belgium's government devices came directly from the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, claiming that it would no longer be accessible. The new prohibition centers on concerns regarding TikTok and its significant access to its users' data, and with it on government phones may be dangerous.

PM De Croo received a warning from the Belgian national security council which regarded that the app collects massive data from its users which is a cause for concern. Furthermore, according to Interesting Engineering, the council also claimed that TikTok is working with Chinese intelligence services, seeing as it is a Chinese-owned app.

Read Also: Experts Say TikTok Ban on Australian Government-issued Phones Should Also Apply To Other Social Media Apps

Data Privacy Concerns over at TikTok

ByteDance is still the owner and parent company of TikTok, with its rights to operate in Western countries and Australia under Oracle's care. Still, it is ByteDance who has the final say on what is happening to the app, or how it would proceed.

Regulators and security agencies have significant concerns over TikTok's operation, especially with its massive data collection, which they fear may be shared with the Chinese government.

TikTok Ban in Devices

Among the first to ban TikTok from its devices is the United States, and it first centered on individual states to ban the social media platform to enforce its restrictions among its constituents and employees. However, there is now a plan to bring a new law against TikTok, which its government devices ban would be enforced on a national scale.

Another nation that focused on the same TikTok ban in Canada, with the Great North also wary of its dangers and data access which violates its privacy laws in the country.

Additionally, the EU also joined in with its ban on the Chinese-owned app, with China claiming that this decision "undermines" business confidence.

There were claims that TikTok provides its data and information from its users from different nations to its surveillance and espionage agencies, especially with China still being its major operator.

Despite TikTok handing over its Western operations to Oracle, the concerns are still significant, with Belgium joining its cautionary actions against data theft.

Related Article: TikTok Overtakes Facebook as Canada's Least Trusted App | Top Reasons Why Its Trust Levels Decline

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ASML Holdings NV is eyeing countries from Southeast Asia to build their next plants for chip-making machines, which is an effort to reduce the company's exposure to the US-China chip war.

(Photo : EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)

An employee walks past an ASML logo, a Dutch company which is currently the largest supplier in the world of semiconductor manufacturing machines via photolithography systems at the company's headquarters in Veldhoven on April 17, 2018 They call it "the shrink" it's the challenge of how to pack more information onto the microchips which power everything from our phones to our computers, even our coffee machines.

Considering Southeast Asia

Representatives from a dozen tech companies are set to visit Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore next week. South China Morning Post reported that ASML Holding NV is included among the companies as the company considers building its next plant in these countries.

Dutch public body Brabant Development Agency noted, "The majority of the companies [are] joining because they are considering expanding or setting up production locations in either Vietnam or Malaysia."

The organized trip was prepared by the agency, along with Brainport Industries. Almost 200 high-tech manufacturing companies will be represented on a trip based near the Dutch city of Eindhoven.

As per the report, the possible investment is part of ASML's wider and longer-term strategy to reduce its exposure and reliance on China amid the chip war. In fact, a dozen companies included in the trip are all contractors to ASML, which is considered one the world's top suppliers to semiconductors manufacturers.

Also Read: China Lambasts Netherlands for Following US in Restricting Chip Access

Neways is included in the trip, ASML's supplier to develop electrical control units, power controls, and wiring systems for lithography systems. Brainport added that NTS Group will also join the business trip, which helps ASML to provide precision mechanics tools.

Reuters reported that Singapore is one of the heavily considered countries as a potential location for ASML's regional headquarters. However, one of the companies was in advanced talks with partners in Vietnam to build a factory.

Blocking Chip Exports to China

Last March 8th, the Dutch government complied with the United States' pressure to block the sale of ASML's technology to China as they released new restrictions in an effort to protect the Netherlands' national security.

Because of these restrictions, companies will have to apply first for a license to export chip technology but this would only apply to high-specification systems that can make the smallest, most powerful chip tools made by ASML.

Because of this, Foreign Ministry spokeswomen from China expressed their criticisms of depriving China of its right to development. She stated, "We firmly oppose the Netherlands's interference and restriction with administrative means of normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and Dutch enterprises."

Chinese vendors are unable to manufacture high-end products specifically made for smartphones, servers, and other advanced technology, hence why the country relies on other companies from different regions like the Netherlands' ASML. The lack of access to ASML technology is a "critical hindrance" to the country's efforts to build a domestic chip industry.

Related Article: Dutch, US Officials to Discuss Potential New Restrictions on Exporting Chip-Making Gears to China

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Ford Motor Co. has announced that it will be cutting 1,100 jobs at its Valencia plant in eastern Spain. This is in addition to the 2,300 layoffs that were announced last month as part of the company's strategy to achieve a leaner and more competitive cost structure in Europe, according to a report by AP.

Valencia Plant

Ford Spain has described this as a profound restructuring of its operations, with the workforce becoming surplus when the plant switches to making electric cars, as this requires less labor. The Valencia plant has been championed by Ford as its preferred site to assemble next-generation electric vehicles on the continent.



Currently, the Valencia plant is Ford's only facility in Spain and employs 5,400 people. The job cuts are mainly due to the discontinuation of production of the S-Max and Galaxy models in April 2023. Ford has not disclosed how many of the 1,100 jobs being cut will be permanent positions.

Ford has been restructuring its European operations since 2022, and last month, the automaker announced 2,300 layoffs largely in Germany and the United Kingdom as part of its strategy to focus on producing electric vehicles and sustainable mobility solutions.

Ford plans to launch its first European-built electric car later this year, as part of its strategy to offer an all-electric fleet in Europe by 2035.

Read Also: Ford's Latitude AI Wants to Help you Drive Despite Not Looking at the Road, Better than its BlueCruise?

Shift to EVs

This transition towards electric vehicles is driven by the need to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change. The shift to electric vehicles is a global trend, with governments introducing regulations and incentives to promote sustainable transportation.



However, the switch to electric vehicles is also leading to job losses, as electric cars require less labor than traditional combustion engine cars. This may be seen in the Valencia plant as it has been identified as Ford's preferred location to assemble "next-generation" electric vehicles in Europe.



In January, Ford opened a new solar power plant at the Valencia facility, as part of its efforts to become a carbon-neutral business. The automaker has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050 and is investing $22 billion in electric vehicle development through 2025 to achieve this goal.

In related news, Ford is recalling 18 F-150 Lightning pickup trucks after learning that one truck caught fire due to a faulty battery. This follows the suspension of production and shipment due to battery problems found during the pickup's manufacturing process.

The South Korean battery supplier SK ON improperly manufactured the affected automobiles with battery cells at its production facility in Georgia, according to a report by The Verge.

Related Article: Ford NFT, Virtual Automobiles Appear on Leaked Trademark Applications; Does it Mean Entering the Metaverse?

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Former White House strategist Steve Bannon has recently deemed Tesla founder Elon Musk a "complete phony" who is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Newsweek tells us in a report.

Following Musk's tweet voicing interest in acquiring the recently defunct Silicon Valley Bank, Bannon made such accusations during an appearance on the Tim Pool Daily Show podcast.

Im open to the idea  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2023

Is Musk a CCP Puppet?

While Musk's tweet was in response to Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan's suggestion, Bannon took advantage of the opportunity to criticize Musk's alleged ties to the CCP.

Bannon responded by claiming that Twitter, which Musk acquired for $44 billion in October 2022, had blocked "anti-CCP" sentiments and that the CEO of the social media platform was "owned by the Chinese Communist Party."

Bannon claimed that Tesla was Musk's only valuable asset and that the CCP controlled its joint venture in Shanghai, which accounts for a significant number of manufactured Tesla electric vehicles. According to Bannon, this is why Musk never attacks the CCP, even during demonstrations against COVID-19 lockdowns.

Musks's Recent Moves Prove Otherwise

A Barron's report tells us that Tesla's share of the Chinese EV market, which includes both battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, is around 10%, trailing BYD's 45%.

Read Also: Elon Musk vs. Halli Thorleifsson Twitter: Did the CEO Fire Him Because of Disability?

China is crucial for Tesla's electric vehicles despite a lackluster market share, with the automaker relying heavily on its Shanghai factory. After an upgrade in 2022, Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory can now produce 1.1 million electric vehicles annually, making it the company's most productive manufacturing facility.

Newsweek also references an earlier quote from Musk, in which he lauded China's "economic prosperity" on the 100th anniversary of the CCP's founding.

But does this prove Musk is under the control of the communist party?

Chinese Officials' Recent Comments on Musk

In late February, Musk shared a report from the US Department of Energy expressing that the COVID-19 pandemic likely originated from a Wuhan laboratory leak.

CNBC reports that a Chinese newspaper issued a warning to Musk in response. In the words of the newspaper, Musk may be "breaking the pot of China."

The CNBC report says that this is similar to the idiom "bite the hand that feeds you."

Musk-China Relations

This is not the first time that Musk's ties to China have been called into question. After Tesla opened a showroom in China's controversial Xinjiang region in 2022, BBC reports that US Senator Marco Rubio slammed the company for helping cover up the "slave labor" happening there.

However, one of the most significant events that has highlighted Musk's ties with China is one that the US Congress mentioned in March 2022.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk's ties to China are causing concern in Washington, including among some Republican lawmakers who have been staunch supporters of the billionaire.

Concerns center on the possibility of China gaining access to classified information held by Mr. Musk's closely held SpaceX, including through foreign suppliers with ties to Beijing.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: New Twitter CEO? Elon Musk Expects Replacement by End of 2023

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Health service authorities in the UK have reported that more than 100,000 people, including children, have been treated in virtual wards during the last year.

Medical experts have called this system a "game changer" for the home monitoring of patients.

According to Evening Standard, National Health Service (NHS) officials claim that virtual wards may speed up the time it takes to send patients home from the hospital or help them avoid hospitalization entirely. Remotely monitoring a patient's heart rate, oxygen levels, and temperature is possible, thanks to advances in medical technology.

In a virtual ward round, doctors from different fields confer with each other and the patient remotely to perform diagnostic procedures and administer care, including drawing blood, writing prescriptions, and starting IV infusions.

The system plays a significant role in the NHS's efforts to restore services during the pandemic, with the ultimate goal of treating 50,000 patients per month through virtual wards.

Treated Patients

As reported by the PA news agency, NHS England has treated over 100,000 patients in the past year alone.

Around 545 Black Country children have been seen by pediatric virtual wards, with many more receiving care in other regions of the nation.

According to NHS England, almost 16,000 people were treated on virtual wards in the month of January alone. Currently, 340 different virtual ward programs in England provide a total of 7,653 virtual beds.

See Also: AI Predicts Alzheimer's Risk With Above 90% Accuracy

Virtual Ward Round

National medical director for NHS England, Professor Stephen Powis, said that these world-leading projects are making a genuine difference not only to the individuals they directly help but also in relieving demand for broader services. Up to a fifth of emergency hospital admissions are projected to be avoided by properly assisting vulnerable patients at home and in the community.

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust's Telehealth Team assists about 2,000 patients with diabetes, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Its Clinical Telehealth Center team leader and registered nurse, Nisha Jose, guaranteed that anything normally occurring on a medical ward may now be accomplished with the virtual ward initiative.

According to Jose, they check in with the patient to see how they are doing every six hours. If there are any problems, they do electrocardiograms (ECGs) right there in their house. She believes that this system has completely revolutionized how they provide medical treatment.

Further Plans

During the last year, virtual wards have helped 100,000 patients get the care they need to recover safely from the comfort of their own homes. Experts estimate that up to 20% of emergency admissions are preventable with the correct care in place.

To further this goal, as outlined in the urgent and emergency care recovery plan, Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said they plan to expand the use of virtual wards. The goal is that 50,000 patients a month would benefit from high-quality care at home, accelerating their recovery, freeing up hospital beds, and helping reduce waiting times for emergency care.

See Also: Study Reveals Shocking Link Between Insomnia, Heart Attacks

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Akamai Technologies, Inc. on Wednesday revealed that the company mitigated the largest distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack ever launched against a customer based in Asia-Pacific (APAC).

The record-breaking attack DDoS attack that took place on February 23, 2023, has broken the previous record that the U.S.-based cloud and cybersecurity company recorded held in September last year with attack traffic peaking at 900.1 gigabits per second (Gbps) and 158.2 million packets per second (PPS).

For that unaware, a DDoS attack occurs when multiple systems flood the bandwidth or resources of a targeted system, usually one or more web servers, in order to make an online service, network resource, or host machine unavailable. A DDoS attack uses more than one unique IP address or machine, often from thousands of hosts infected with malware.

According to Akamai, the attack was intense and short-lived, and was fully pre-mitigated, with most attack traffic bursting during the peak minute of the attack, which matches the current trends in the DDoS space.

The attack was distributed across the companys scrubbing network but was most heavily sourced from APAC. No individual scrubbing center saw more than 12% of the total traffic, with many ending up in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Singapore, and Osaka centers. Most of the attack traffic (48%) was in-region.

How Does Akamais Scrubbing Network Work?

When a DDoS attack against a client website is detected, all incoming site traffic is rerouted to one or more of Akamais global data centers. Malicious traffic is then scrubbed before the remaining clean traffic is routed back to the clients network.

Without the right defenses, even a robust, modern network would likely collapse under an assault of this magnitude, making any online business thats reliant on that connection completely inaccessible. That inaccessibility can jeopardize consumer trust, result in financial loss, and have other serious ramifications, said Akamai senior product manager Chris Sparling in a blog post.

To prevent the attack and safeguard its customer, Akamai said it used its industry-leading combination of platform, people, and processes to pre-mitigate the assault with no direct or collateral damage.

The company added that it used more than 225 frontline responders across six global locations with decades of expertise to mitigate the attack.

With the increase in DDoS attacks with unprecedented innovation in the threat landscape, it is imperative for online businesses to have a DDoS mitigation strategy. Akai recommends employing the following recommendations to minimize DDoS risk:

Immediately review and implement Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommendations.

Review critical subnets and IP spaces, and ensure that they have mitigation controls in place.

Deploy DDoS security controls in an always-on mitigation posture

Proactively pull together a crisis response team and ensure runbooks and incident response plans are up-to-date.

Previously, Akamai has dealt with major DDoS attacks with large European customers. In September 2022, the company successfully detected and mitigated a DDoS attack against a European customer on the Prolexic platform, with attack traffic abruptly peaking to 704.8 Mpps.
Microsoft on Friday announced that it would be adding improved protection against phishing attacks that deliver malware via malicious Microsoft OneNote files.

We add enhanced protection when users open or download an embedded file in OneNote. Users will receive a notification when the files deem dangerous to improve the file protection experience in OneNote on Windows,

the company wrote in a new Microsoft 365 roadmap entry titled Microsoft OneNote: improved protection against known high-risk phishing file types.

The change implemented by Microsoft is expected to reach general availability before the end of April 2023.

What Is OneNote?

Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking app that is included in the Microsoft Office suite. It gathers users notes, drawings, screen clippings, and audio commentaries, and notes can also be shared with other OneNote users over the Internet or a network.

It provides a single place for keeping all of your notes, research, plans, and information  everything you need to remember and manage in your life at home, at work, or at school.

Why Microsoft One Was Exploited For Delivering Malware

For years, threat actors have been delivering malware by hiding macros in emailed Microsoft Office documents, such as Word and Excel. However, last year, Microsoft tightened security around macros by blocking VBA macros from running by default in Office files acquired from the internet.

This did not deter threat actors from finding new ways to sneak in malware. This time they found another file format  Microsoft OneNote attachments  for spreading malware, as they do not distribute malware through macros or vulnerabilities.

Over the last couple of months, there has been an increase in the number of attacks abusing Microsoft OneNote documents with .one file extensions for delivery of malware such as AsyncRAT, AgentTesla, DoubleBack, NetWire RAT, Redline, Quasar RAT, and XWorm.

These documents are generally posed as protected documents such as invoices, remittances, or shipping, with a message to double-click a graphic button to view the file. Usually, the OneNote docs contain embedded files, often hidden behind a graphic button.

In the event, the user double-clicks on the button, it actually double-clicks on the embedded file causing it to launch, and quietly starts implementing the malicious payload in the background.

Users generally ignore Microsofts security warnings while double-clicking on an embedded file, which can potentially put the entire corporate network at risk, and in turn be affected with information-stealing malware, or, a full-blown ransomware attack in worst cases.

Prevention Measures

Although Microsoft has announced enhanced OneNote protection, users too can take preventive measures to stop malicious Microsoft OneNote attachments from infecting Windows.

Users can set up secure mail gateways or mail servers to automatically block the .one file extension (via BleepingComputer).

Additionally, Windows admins can use Microsoft Office group policies to restrict the embedded file attachments in Microsoft OneNote files from launching.

In order to do this, you need to install the Microsoft 365/Microsoft Office group policy templates to get started with Microsoft OneNote policies. Once the policies are installed, you need to the Disable embedded files and Embedded Files Blocked Extensions in Microsoft OneNote policies.
Lists of candidates for Chinese premier, other leaders finalized for voting

Xinhua) 10:17, March 11, 2023

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the sixth meeting of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The lists of candidates for premier of the State Council and some other Chinese leaders and legislators were finalized on Friday after the presidium of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) held its fifth and sixth meetings.

Both presidium meetings were presided over by Executive Chairman of the Presidium Zhao Leji.

At its fifth meeting on Friday morning, the presidium decided that the lists of candidates for premier, vice chairpersons and members of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China, director of the National Commission of Supervision, president of the Supreme People's Court, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and members of the 14th NPC Standing Committee, would be sent to all NPC delegations for discussion and consultation.

The candidates for premier and CMC vice chairpersons and members were nominated by Chinese President and CMC Chairman Xi Jinping.

The candidates for director of the National Commission of Supervision, the chief justice, the procurator-general, and members of the 14th NPC Standing Committee were proposed by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the presidium.

At its sixth meeting Friday afternoon, the presidium decided by voting the final lists of candidates for these leaders and legislators. NPC deputies will vote to decide on premier and CMC vice chairpersons and vote to elect the rest at an upcoming plenary meeting.

Between the two presidium meetings, executive chairpersons held their fifth meeting, chaired by Zhao.

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the fifth meeting of the executive chairpersons of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the sixth meeting of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Yan Yan)

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the fifth meeting of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

Zhao Leji, executive chairman of the presidium of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), presides over the fifth meeting of the presidium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

(Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Du Mingming)
Albemarle County Schools officials say they absolutely plan to collaborate with the divisions teachers and staff on a collective bargaining agreement.

That confirmation comes after questions were raised over how involved the Albemarle Education Association union would be in drafting the agreement, which would be one of a handful in the commonwealth.

The AEA will have a role, county schools spokesman Phil Giaramita told The Daily Progress before a Thursday night School Board meeting.

During the meeting, county schools Superintendent Matthew Haas provided further detail on what that role would be.

Haas is working with the school divisions attorney, Ross Holden, as well as an outside attorney, Eric Patel, to draft a collective bargaining resolution to present to the School Board. The draft would be complete by April 17, and then the division would meet with the unions legal counsel and leadership to reach an agreement.

I think its a good compromise, Haas told the school board during Thursdays meeting.

Albemarle Education Association President Vernon Liechti said he feels optimistic.

I am encouraged to hear that the division wants to be collaborative with us on this, Liechti told The Daily Progress during Thursday nights meeting. Communication will make it so that we all feel that this process has been fair for both sides.

During a budget work session last week, the School Board voted 5-2 to direct Haas and division staff to draft a collective bargaining resolution. It is a historic decision that, if the resolution passes, would make Albemarle one of the few school divisions in Virginia to give its staff a collective bargaining contract. That list now includes Richmond, Arlington, Prince William County and recently the city of Charlottesville.

School Board members Jonno Alcaro and Kate Acuff voted against the measure.

After last weeks vote, members of the Albemarle teachers union expressed frustration that they were not specifically included in the drafting process.

The Albemarle School Board passed a motion to direct the superintendent and staff to draft a resolution for bargaining without any involvement of the workers who are petitioning for bargaining rights, Albemarle Education Association Vice President Mary McIntyre told The Daily Progress last week. While this is potentially a step forward, we are concerned that there is no explicit requirement for the AEA to be included in a collaborative process or for the end goal to be a mutually agreed upon resolution.

McIntyre said the school division should clearly outline its intent in an amended motion.

Around the state, when workers were shut out of the development process, weak resolutions have been the result, she said.

In October of last year, the Arlington Education Association said there had been a communication breakdown after the school board there authorized collective bargaining in May.

Arlingtons school district was the second in Virginia to authorize such bargaining after Richmond.

The collective bargaining resolution that passed in May does not create a fair process, Arlington Career Center employee Javonnia Hill said at a school board meeting on Oct. 13. It is not what you thought it would be.

The Albemarle County School Boards vote last week came hours after the Charlottesville School Board voted unanimously to give the city union collective bargaining rights. The city resolution was the result of almost a year of negotiations between the Charlottesville Education Association and the school board. In May 2022, Charlottesville directed a group that included Superintendent Royal Gurley and union members to draft a resolution.

In the county, Liechti said, We want a resolution thats as strong, if not stronger, than what the city passed.

This is now the Albemarle Education Associations second bid for collective bargaining rights after the School Board voted against a measure in May 2022 that would have allowed most division employees to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. At the time, county school officials said the state law allowing collective bargaining did not provide sufficient guidance for how the process would work.

Last week, School Board Chair Katrina Callsen said to expect a resolution some time in the summer.

We dont want to drag our feet, Callsen told The Daily Progress
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Miklos Fridrich, a high school senior in Chesterfield County, has applied to 13 colleges. That might sound like a lot, but he knows classmates who have applied to 20.

The more colleges he applies to, he figures, the better chance hell have of being accepted to a quality school.

Its become more difficult to get into the states best colleges, making it harder for high school students to know where they will be accepted and where theyll be rejected.

The target is moving every year, said Jim Jump, a counselor at St. Christophers School.

For the past three years, the University of Virginia, the College of William & Mary and Virginia Tech have been flooded with thousands more applications, causing their admission rates to go down.

Colleges are reviewing this years batch of applications, and most students will hear back by April 1.

At UVa, the number of applications received has almost doubled in 10 years. The university received 57,000 applications this yearan all-time high.

If UVa extends the same number of offers as last year, it will have an admission rate of 17%. Ten years ago, UVa accepted almost 30% of applicants.

No college in the state has transformed like Virginia Tech. A decade ago, it received 21,000 applications and accepted 73% of them.

This year, it took in 47,000 applications and it had an acceptance rate of 57% last year.

At William & Mary, applications rose from 14,000 to 18,000 in two years. The school anticipates accepting between 30 and 33% of applicants, said Suzanne Clavet, a spokesperson for the university.

While William & Marys acceptance rate is down compared with recent years, its about equal to where it was a decade ago, the result of growth in enrollment and fewer students accepting the colleges offer.

The three colleges charge in-state students between $27,000 and $37,000 a year for tuition, fees, room and board. While UVa and William & Mary are the two most expensive public schools in the state, they are significantly cheaper than the nations elite private schools.

Private colleges in Virginia such as Washington and Lee University and the University of Richmond have low acceptance rates, too.

Brand recognition matters

There are a number of reasons why applications are up. These schools stopped requiring standardized test scores, encouraging students who wouldnt normally apply for an elite school to throw their hats in the ring.

Virginia Tech has worked to simplify its application process by streamlining how student send transcripts. It now allows students to apply using the Common App.

Another factor is the brand recognition these colleges carry.

A lot of it is still brand, said Tod Massa, policy analytics director at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. These are the top-brand schools. Everyone knows who they are.

As admission rates go down, the academic standards necessary for acceptance goes up, Jump said. Its not a dramatic increase, but the bar seems to be raised every year.

Such constantly changing requirements make it harder for counselors like Jump and students like Fridrich to predict where theyll be accepted. Rejection can mess with a kids confidence, Fridrich said.

Increased interest isnt limited to Virginias top colleges. What Jump calls the ESPN schools  large Southern public universities such as the University of Georgia, the University of South Carolina and the University of Tennessee  have seen their application numbers skyrocket.

Those schools have increasingly recruited Virginia students, who are relatively wealthier than graduates of other states and bring more revenue than in-state students. High school grads in Virginia are increasingly more likely to choose an ESPN school, according to state data.

Colleges continue recruiting and searching for more applicants even when they dont need more applicants, Jump said. A colleges U.S. News & World Report ranking and its bond rating are affected by the number of applications they receive and their admission rates.

These three schools aspire to be nationally known universities, Jump added. Part of the way you do that is by being selective.

Some argue that elite colleges should increase their capacity to keep up with demand. Virginia, William & Mary and Virginia Tech have grown in recent years. But growth requires years of planning and additional resources.

Colleges dont target particular admission rates

Virginia, William & Mary and Virginia Tech dont aspire to particular admission rates, spokespeople for the colleges said. They focus on attracting the most talented students they can, and they consider the percentage of applicants who accepted the schools offer last year, known as its yield.

Colleges also must strike the right number of in-state and out-of-state students, and they consider the number of open seats in each department or major.

It is increasingly tough to predict from year to year, said Brian Coy, a spokesperson for UVa.

While certain colleges can be difficult to gain admission, getting into a four-year college in Virginia isnt hard.

We have a place for every Virginia student that wants to go to college in Virginia, Massa said.

At most colleges in Virginia, admission rates are going up. James Madison University accepted 86% of applicants in 2021, according to the most recent year available. Virginia Commonwealth University accepted 92%.

Altogether, the number of college students in the state has declined in the past decade as costs have continued to increase. This has created a divergence in Virginia colleges, in which some are booming, and others are fighting over a shrinking pool of applicants.

Higher admission rates do not indicate that colleges are accepting substandard students, Massa said. Fewer students are dropping out from Virginia colleges, and a higher percentage are graduating. The way Massa sees it, colleges are working harder to find students and working harder to keep them. Thats a good thing.

That level of engagement serves students well, Massa said.

VCU doesnt shy away from its admission rate. It embraces its goal of serving low-income and first-generation students. Its board of visitors has discussed modeling itself off Arizona State University, which accepts every student who meets a certain academic threshold.

Admission to an elite college isnt a prerequisite for earning a high-paying job, either. According to earnings data, a students major is a far greater determinant of income level than a students college.

Jump tells his students their college experience is more important than the reputation of their college.

There are lots and lots of good places, he said. Its a mistake to set your heart on I have to go here or Ill be a failure. 

Of the 13 schools to which Fridrich applied, hes gained acceptance to three and is waiting to hear from the rest. He knows the college he chooses wont define who he is, but he still worries about which schools will accept him.

Its not a logical thing, Fridrich said.

Best public colleges in every state Best public colleges in every state Alabama: University of Alabama at Birmingham Alaska: University of Alaska Southeast Arizona: Arizona State University Arkansas: University of Arkansas California: University of California - Los Angeles Colorado: Colorado School of Mines Connecticut: University of Connecticut Delaware: University of Delaware Florida: University of Florida Georgia: Georgia Institute of Technology Hawaii: University of Hawaii at Manoa Idaho: University of Idaho Illinois: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Indiana: Purdue University Iowa: University of Iowa Kansas: University of Kansas Kentucky: University of Louisville Louisiana: Louisiana Tech University Maryland: University of Maryland - College Park Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts - Amherst Michigan: University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Minnesota: University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Mississippi: University of Mississippi Missouri: University of Missouri Montana: Montana State University Nebraska: University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nevada: University of Nevada - Reno New Hampshire: University of New Hampshire New Jersey: Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Mexico: New Mexico Tech New York: United States Military Academy at West Point North Carolina: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Dakota: University of North Dakota Ohio: The Ohio State University Oklahoma: Oklahoma State University Oregon: Oregon State University Pennsylvania: Penn State Rhode Island: University of Rhode Island South Carolina: Clemson University South Dakota: South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Tennessee: University of Tennessee Utah: University of Utah Vermont: University of Vermont Virginia: University of Virginia Washington: University of Washington West Virginia: West Virginia University Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin at Madison Wyoming: University of Wyoming
Grilld has grown to 160 stores and captures a modest 3-4 per cent of the market off their pitch of fresh, healthy premium burgers. Bettys Burgers currently has 54 stores but plans to open some 25 local stores per year. Then there are other home-grown outfits like Marys Burgers, Huxtaburger and Milky Lane that have amassed a fan following in the local burger market, worth $9.2 billion, according to research firm IBISWorld. Credit: Wendys ambition to retest the waters in Australia follows the recent trend of American burger giants attempting to crack the Australian market. Despite the hype, these interlopers have so far tasted limited success. Five Guys, which has 1425 stores in the US, has three outlets in Australia. Char-grilled burger chain Carls Jr has more than 1000 locations in the US but limited visibility in Australian cities. It has, however, found some success along Australian highways with 30 venues, mostly drive-throughs. Actor Mark Wahlberg-owned Wahlburgers, which has 49 stores in the US, has four in Australia; while In-N-Out, which has nearly 400 locations around the US, has only ever run sporadic  albeit wildly popular  pop-ups locally.

Laying out the battleground The fast food gold rush has coincided with the rapid rise of the humble burgers social status, which has been repackaged from a low-price, cheap-quality commodity to a more upmarket offering, well suited to a social dining experience. Suzee Brain, retail food consultant, director and owner of Titanium Foods. Food consultant and Titanium Foods director-owner Suzee Brain says while Australians and Americans share a mutual love for burgers, fried chicken, and pizza, any US chain entering the Australian market in 2023 would face a battle of at least two dimensions: commercial and cultural. The operational costs of setting up shop in Australia is relatively higher compared to the US. To be even a fifth of the size of McDonalds here, a new chain would have to roll out nearly 200 venues. But thats going to take them multiple years to roll out before you start to get any purchasing power on buying your potatoes cheaper and your buns cheaper, said Brain.

Our transport costs and real estate prices are steep, she added, and thats before you factor in wages. Australias minimum pay is $21.38 compared to Americas far lower rate of $11.03 (US$7.25). There are a lot of commercial implications until you can get scale that allows you to compete on price. So, thats a difficult proposition for Wendys, she said. Then you have the changing tastes of a younger generation, which is embracing flexitarianism - with an emphasis on plant-based foods - and opting to eat five smaller meals instead of three bigger ones. The oversized burger and the upsizing arent necessarily things that are going to resonate too well with the emerging demographics, said Brain. Cultivating social capital and cultural relevance is arguably the toughest challenge Wendys would have to tackle. McDonalds has cemented itself firmly in our fast food culture, meanwhile, players like Five Guys, In-N-Out, Shake Shack and White Castle hold some street cred thanks to the globalisation of American media.

Wendys will need to work on building brand recognition among Australian consumers, many of whom may confuse it with the South Australian-born ice cream, milkshakes and hot dog franchise Wendys Milk Bar. I think [fast food] is part of pop culture, said Stuart Cook, the CEO of globally aspiring plant-based burger outfit Flave. In-N-Out and Shake Shack have definitely become part of pop culture in the last 10 years. Younger people know about it because they see it in the movies, they see superstars going to it after the Oscars red carpet. Flave CEO Stuart Cook and his wife Samantha Cook are hoping to be the McDonalds of plant-based burgers. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer Australian chains are going global Meanwhile, the tide is turning the other way. As Wendys scouts for master franchisees, the chief of every local burger operation this masthead spoke to was looking to expand in the US, with Flaves Cook and Grillds Crowe taking calls from New York or a Los Angeles airport. Separately, Guzman y Gomez intends to push more deeply into the US and, one day, Mexico.

US chain Carls Jr offers jumbo-sized char grilled burgers, but it is relatively unknown in Australian cities. Its Australian concepts that should be going into the US because the ones who are successful here in Australia are almost born in fire, said Cook, who argues that Australian businesses operate on lower margins and must have more robust, productive processes than their US counterparts where wages are lower. [Wendys] either increase their sales price proportionally ... really reinvent themselves from a productivity standpoint, or partner with an amazing Australian operator that can take that model and tweak it to do incredibly well here in Australia. The battle will also have to be fought on more traditional grounds. Bettys Burgers managing director Troy McDonagh says businesses that deliver on customer service always have a chance. I think theres always room for businesses that deliver the key elements of hospitality, and thats providing an environment that your customers or your guests love, he said.

If you find the magic that a customer is ready to receive, they will come back time and time and time again because the experience is the same ... Im certain, at Bettys, not worried about [market] saturation. Although Wendys is a 54-year-old brand, both Brain and Cook observe that its legacy could provide a surprising upside, if executed well. Retro is back, declared Cook. Thats where store design could play a really important part, added Brain. Wendys, which first opened in 1969 in Ohio, is having a second crack at the Australian market. Credit: (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Despite the scepticism from industry competitors, franchisee interest in Wendys has been strong, according to franchise consultancy and Wendys local partner DC Strategy.

Weve had the highest ever applications for a franchise as a result of support for Wendys entering the Australian market, said DC Strategy group CEO Barry Money, who said there had been hundreds of applications. Weve been inundated, frankly. Wendys has identified theres a niche in the market for their brand ... Its got a reputation for being a friendly and a family-friendly brand. Theyre extremely franchisable. Wendys chief development officer and president of international Abigail Pringle described Australia as a high-priority market with great potential for long-term growth. Weve been interested in this market for years and Australians have been asking us to bring our fresh, high-quality, great-tasting food to the country. Were ready to answer the call, and were excited to have a new home in Australia, she said.

The chain is seeking qualified, well-established master franchisee candidates who share our ambition for accelerated growth, have strong financial wealth and a proven track record of growing brands in Australia, she added. Loading When Wendys collapsed in 1985, its remaining 11 stores were gobbled up by Hungry Jacks, which shuttered two and converted the other nine to Hungry Jacks stores. The burgers are better at Hungry Jacks, said a spokesperson. And we intend to keep it that way. McDonalds declined to comment.
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 Weve curated a selection of key stories as part of the NSW election. See all 50 stories . Even by the standards of Macquarie Street, the fight the former Liberal MP Catherine Cusack had in her office with Matt Kean one day in November 2020 was pretty ugly, at least the way she remembers it. Back then, Kean, now treasurer and energy minister, held the portfolios of energy and environment. The specific issue was koalas, but the significance of the moment, says Cusack today, was far broader. She believed it was evidence of the Liberal Party ceding ground to the Nationals over the environment as it sought support to bed-down its energy policy. That day Cusack had informed Kean and then-premier Gladys Berejiklian that she planned to cross the floor to vote against a bill that would have allowed landowners to clear crucial koala habitat with less oversight. Happier times: Gladys Berejiklian and Catherine Cusack. Credit:Facebook The issue was central to the so-called Koala wars, which three months earlier had seen the NSW Nationals leader and deputy premier John Barilaro threaten to blow up the Coalition over control of planning and land management policy. When Matt came into my office I said to him  this is an absolute stain on your reputation. You will forever be remembered as the environment minister who let this happen.

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He turned on me with such ferocity, and he said, I am the best environment minister in this states history. A spokeswoman for Kean said he did not say those words and referred the Herald to earlier reporting of the broader issues during a turbulent period. Former environment minister Matt Kean, now treasurer and energy minister. Credit:Nick Moir Everyone knows that I fought to protect koalas, Kean said at the time according to an AAP report, which cited the $190 million he had secured for the governments koala strategy. I think its a matter of public record that my relationship with [former NSW Nationals Leader] John Barilaro nearly broke the government over the stance I took to protect koalas. Cusack went on to vote against the bill, telling parliament that an estimated 71 per cent of koalas had been lost during the Black Summer bushfires in her North Coast region. She went on to cross the floor, lost her role as parliamentary secretary and later quit parliament.

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The koala was declared to be endangered in NSW in 2022. The Coalitions achievements in energy and climate policy, particularly those helmed by Kean, have been widely celebrated. Kean was appointed to energy and environment after the 2019 election at a time when many of his conservative colleagues, particularly in the Morrison-led federal government, either challenged climate science or declined to act upon it. This was a safe position for conservative public figures, endorsed by a handful of powerful media voices. Kean challenged it from the outset. We cannot allow ideology and politics to get in the way of our clear path to economic prosperity, let alone the health of our planet to future generations of Australians, he said in a 2019 speech at the Smart Energy Summit.

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To those with vested interest and ideologues, that want to stand in the way of this transition. I say, enjoy your Kodak moment because the energy iPhone is on its way. Kean championed a policy of establishing so-called Renewable Energy Zones across the state  regions connected to the grid in which private sector renewable energy projects would be fast-tracked. These would be developed in time to replace ageing coal power stations. The policy is now entrenched, backed by ambitious emission reduction targets and enmeshed with similar efforts across the east coast and backed by the federal governments funding of new transmission infrastructure. It has attracted billions in private sector investment. Having proved that centre-right governments could act on climate, Kean was elevated to treasurer, taking the energy portfolio with him.

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But the state governments broader environmental record is not as bright. The 2021 NSW State of the Environment report, prepared by the NSW EPA, made for grim reading. Loading The number of NSW species at risk of extinction now sits at 1043, with 18 species added in the past three years. A further 116 ecological communities - a group of naturally occurring plants or animals living in a unique location  are also listed as threatened. Modelling predicts that only 496 of the 991 terrestrial species listed as threatened are predicted to survive in 100 years time. Invasive species are on the rise, further threatening native animals and whole ecosystems. Among them are the feral horses now blighting the Kosciuszko National Park, whose numbers have leapt from 14,380 to 18,814 over the past two years.

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A Sweet Home man is dead and a woman injured while trying to save him from a burning house in a two-alarm structure fire Thursday night, March 9.

Someone called 911 just after 10 p.m. to report a house on fire near 47th Avenue and Highway 20, according to a Sweet Home Fire District news release.

A firefighter in charge of combating the blaze arrived at the home to find the front side engulfed in flames. A man and a woman who fled the house told the firefighter another man likely was trapped inside, according to the release.

The woman was injured after, firefighters said, she tried to reenter the home searching for the third occupant.

That occupant died in the fire.

Unfortunately, the adult male victim did not survive, stated the release.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

An ambulance crew transported the woman to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the release.

A firetruck from Brownsville and Lebanon answered a call for support fighting the blaze, adding to Sweet Home crews responding on three firetrucks and two ambulances. A total of 20 firefighters responded, according to the release.

The department reports the fire was under control about an hour later, 11:15 p.m.

Fire officials assert the fire did not start under suspicious circumstances. The Oregon State Fire Marshals office was investigating the fire.
In the end, we were dragging Dad around from pillar to post to get things signed off, and he was so sick, Loncar said. It was just so cruel. Daryl was initially given a prognosis from an oncologist of two to five years in 2019, but he was dead within nine months. It was very, very obvious to us that he was dying, and it wasnt far away, Loncar said. He wanted to be able to die peacefully and with dignity, but he was robbed of that. Daryl was adamant he wanted to use the states voluntary assisted dying laws to end his own life. But in the end, Daryl, who spent the final years of his life rescuing animals through the Geelong Animal Rescue, was no longer able to feed himself. His legs were swollen and covered in bed sores. For five days, his children kept a vigil at his bedside, taking turns to care for him through the night. Loading

If anyone needed help, Dad was always the first one there and the last one to leave, Loncar said. It breaks my heart we werent able to do that one last thing for him and give him the death he wanted. Victorias laws allow access to a lethal substance for terminally ill adults who have only about six months to live  or no longer than 12 months for those with a neurodegenerative diagnosis  and who meet other strict eligibility criteria such as being able to give informed consent. But Loncar said the six-month rule should be lifted, arguing people who receive a terminal cancer diagnosis be permitted to start the process sooner. You can draw on your super fund when you get a terminal diagnosis because everybody accepts youre dying, Loncar said. Loading

To have to wait until youve got six months left to live, and youre severely ill, being dragged around trying to jump through hoops, its just not fair. Melbourne oncologist Cameron McLaren, who has helped dozens of Victorians end their lives lawfully with a lethal substance, said Victoria must start looking at states, such as Queensland, which has implemented a 12-month terminal prognosis for cancer. He said there was an argument to allow terminally ill people to undergo an assessment as soon as they are informed they are dying, with the proviso medication would be dispatched only when they have about six months to live. There are so many ways this could be addressed to stop people from having to go through this process when they are very frail and ill, he said. McLaren is also pushing for a law mandating patients must have lived in the state for at least a year, to be scrapped.

Now that weve got every other state with legislation its not a safeguard anymore, its a barrier, he said. He said there had been several cases of terminally ill people locked out of the states voluntary assisted dying scheme and living out their final days in intolerable pain because they did have permanent residency, despite living in Victoria for decades. McLaren said Queensland offered exemption applications for long-term residents who were not officially Australian citizens, something Victoria must consider. Doctors also want a legal ban on Victorian doctors initiating conversations about voluntary euthanasia to be reviewed, which has previously been described as an unprecedented, unwarranted infringement on communication between health practitioners and their patients.

Queensland, NSW, WA and Tasmania have all passed their own assisted dying laws without the same gagging clause. South Australia is the only state to have copied the Victorian provision. Oncologist Cameron McLaren: We should be able to inform patients of what their rights and options are. Thats just good medicine. Credit: Justin McManus Doctors should be able to initiate that conversation in the context of a broader discussion on care options, McLaren said. We should be able to inform patients of what their rights and options are. Thats just good medicine. The latest government figures show 1035 permits to die using prescribed lethal medication have been issued, and 604 people have died from taking the substance between June 19, 2019, and June 30 last year. With 68 safeguards, Victorias voluntary assisted dying act has been described as one of the most conservative in the world. Access remains most problematic for the terminally ill in regional and rural areas, where there is a shortage of doctors who have undertaken the mandatory training. This has meant bedridden Victorians, who are in intolerable pain, are being forced to travel hours to Melbourne to visit specialist doctors.

There remains only one euthanasia-accredited neurologist in rural Victoria. Dr Nick Carr has helped 48 people lawfully obtain a permit to end their lives. Credit: Jason South Melbourne GP Nick Carr, who has helped 48 people lawfully obtain a permit to end their lives, is preparing to fight the Commonwealth law preventing doctors from communicating about voluntary assisted dying via telehealth in the federal court later this year. Under the code, it is illegal for a person to discuss suicide through a carriage service, which includes phones, text messages, emails and telehealth services. Anyone caught breaking the communication laws can be fined up to $222,000. But Carr argued it was a completely ridiculous interpretation of the code.

Loading It is all based on, in my view, a misinterpretation of the wording of the Criminal Code act. Carr said he would argue in court assisted dying was not suicide, a consensus shared by many in the medical community. Voluntary assisted dying is about giving patients who are already dying a choice about how they die, he said. Carr also wants the government to consider increasing funding or training a group of pharmacists in regional areas, who could dispatch the medication to rural Victorians. He said pharmacists at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, who mix and deliver the lethal doses across the state, were being overloaded, causing delays in getting lethal medication delivered to people in remote areas.

The St Kilda GP said incentives to encourage more doctors to consider undertake the mandatory training were also desperately needed, such as specific Medicare rebates. Carr provides his voluntary assisted dying services pro bono. Despite all the challenges overwhelming experience over the last almost five years is the look of relief and gratitude on peoples faces that this is an option in Victoria, Carr said. When youre there when these people die, it is genuinely beautiful. Its gentle. Its so peaceful, and it actually is a beautiful death. The terms of reference of the review are yet to released, but the government confirmed a range of safeguards will be examined. Loading
Teaching vacancies have surged to almost 1000, up from about 600 at the beginning of term one, forcing some schools to run skeleton programs.

There are about 980 teaching jobs being advertised by the Victorian Department of Education, among the 1601 education jobs that need to be filled.

Schools are still struggling with absences and teacher shortages. Credit: File photo

Victorian Principals Association president Andrew Dalgleish said schools were in a weekly bind trying to plug holes, with principals regularly stepping in to teach.

The first priority for every school leader is to make sure they have a quality teacher in every classroom. The last thing we need is having to double-up classes or cut the curriculum, he said.
Former assistant minister Jason Wood says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis call on Australia to protect Hindu temples vindicates his decision to redirect cash from a community safety program to protect places of religious worship.

Modi expressed concern about a spate of attacks on Hindu temples with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese late on Friday in a closed discussion in New Delhi, highlighting the scale of the alarm in India over the problem.

Graffiti on the wall outside the ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple in Melbourne in January.

The attacks on temples in Melbourne and Sydney sparked concern at the highest level in India and drew a promise from Albanese to provide special protection.

Tension between Hindus and some Sikhs in Australia has been building for months. Three Hindu temples were defaced in January after protests by supporters of those seeking a break-away state for Sikhs in the Punjab region, to be called Khalistan.
Under the new Summary Offences Amendment (Decriminalisation of Public Drunkenness Bill 2020), being intoxicated in public will not be a criminal offence. It will instead be treated as a medical issue, with diversionary pathways to outreach services including sober shelters. The government is grappling with how to move from a police-led response to a health-led one, and fund it appropriately. Feedback from trials in the City of Yarra, City of Greater Dandenong, City of Greater Shepparton and Castlemaine will help determine the rollout of the statewide model, but there are widespread fears about Victorias preparedness for November and budgetary constraints that could hamper the reforms. The two-year trials alone cost $24.5 million. The landmark legislation was triggered by the death of Yorta Yorta woman Tanya Day in police custody. Credit: Justin McManus Ambulance Victoria attended more than 20,000 callouts for alcohol-only intoxication in the 2021-22 financial year, according to the most recent available data compiled by addiction research centre Turning Point. A third of those callouts were in regional Victoria. While the City of Melbourne topped the list of local government areas with the most callouts, at 1707 incidents, Greater Geelong, which is classified as regional, came second with 965 incidents.

Other LGAs with the highest number of callouts during the same period included Casey, in Melbournes southeast fringe, Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Shepparton, in the states north, recorded 273 intoxication callouts. However, when population levels are considered, the region had a higher rate of attendances per 100,000 people than Geelong. Data from Victorias Crime Statistics Agency shows 3181 public drunkenness offences were recorded across the state in the year ending June 2022. A Victorian government spokesman said the government was committed to decriminalising public drunkenness because a police cell is not the place to sober up. We know that existing public drunkenness laws have had a disproportionate impact on certain groups in our society and we are working with representatives of those groups to provide culturally safe and appropriate services, the spokesman said. Addiction is a health issue and should be responded to as such.

Nationals MP for the state seat of Shepparton, Kim OKeeffe, said the governments proposed sobering up services were another example of Labor prioritising metropolitan communities. Almost 4 per cent of people living in and around Shepparton are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, according to the latest census data, while a quarter of residents stated that both parents were born overseas. Our communities do deserve the same level of support, OKeefe said. Especially when it comes to a matter like this. Given there wont be any dedicated services to non-Indigenous people in regional Victoria, questions remain over how it will be implemented, and what help will be provided to a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people found drunk in public. The government said non-Aboriginal services providers will not be required to provide services to non-Aboriginal people. The government has argued its reform prioritises First Nations communities because of the disproportionate impact the laws have had on Aboriginal people. It said service providers would be given discretion about how they deliver their support.

Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service chief executive Nerita Waight has long advocated for the reform but is concerned the government has not backed it up with a significant boost in funding for health services, and is frustrated it settled on a statewide model without waiting for the results of the interim evaluation report. Loading While Waight insists the new model must not involve Victoria Police she expressed concern officers may resort to upcharging  where in the absence of public drunkenness people would be charged with other offences  if there were no health providers available, or they refused to move on, a risk the expert working group also identified. The head of the police union, Wayne Gatt, said police did not oppose decriminalising public drunkenness, but that the reform was impractical. He said the force needed supplementary powers to ensure intoxicated people who were a threat to themselves or others could be moved on. The government has pulled the rug out from police who are ultimately going to be called but have no powers to deal with the situation, Gatt said.

If the government wanted to significantly and seriously limit the number of people into police custody, it should have gradually built the model and at a point in time when those services and those options were available to the entire community, then considered an opportunity to transition by modifying police powers. In a joint report published last year, The Police Association of Victoria, Victorian Ambulance Union and Health & Community Services Union called on the government to immediately upgrade police holding cells, install non-invasive camera-assisted medical monitoring systems similar to those used by the UKs National Health Service, and hire more rapid-response mental health clinicians. Gatt and Paul Healey, the branch secretary of HACSU, accused the government of ignoring a key cohort of people who are intoxicated in public: those who will refuse to be taken to sobering-up centres or connected to health services. The governments response for people who are sad and vulnerable when drunk to be taken to sobering-up centres is good, and were supportive of that, Healey said.

But the government doesnt have an answer for the third group of people who just refuse the help: theyre going to either punch an ambo, smash a window, or get picked up by police for doing other things. The whole premise of decriminalising public drunkenness is to prevent people being taken into custody  the governments model is doing little to prevent that. The government said if drunk person in public was violent or aggressive towards the public or outreach workers, police could be called. If police find an intoxicated person, they may call an outreach to provide support or leave them where they are. Wayne Gatt, the head of the powerful police union. Credit: Jason South Gatt fears police will be forced to wait on the side of the road for help to arrive under the new model. The pre-tender document states the decriminalisation model will be consent-based and focused on harm reduction. Sam Biondo, the executive officer at the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association, commended the government for embarking on the reform, but questioned the lack of investment. He urged the state to consider the existing strains on drug and alcohol treatment services, and adequately prepare for further pressure.

That will require more planning, more humans, more infrastructure resources  were talking about big changes, but are we getting the resources to build capacity? No, Biondo said. Theres been a new mental health system promised, but not necessarily any investment on the alcohol and drug side. Maybe the government have adjusted the funding that goes into Aboriginal alcohol and drug space, which is really required and supported by us, but for non-Aboriginal people, theres a need to consider the capacity to our system. Ambulance Victoria attended more than 20,000 callouts for alcohol-only intoxication in the 2021-22 financial year. Credit: Wayne Taylor Heather Chigwada is an alcohol and drug clinician at Project Sunrise, an organisation that works with young people and people from an African background. The expert working group on decriminalising public drunkenness identified Sudanese and South Sudanese, along with First Nations communities, as being overrepresented in the archaic laws. She said she was worried because she was not aware of any services being put in place to help her community, and that it was important for there to be culturally safe programs.

Salvation Army boss Major Brendan Nottle said Victorians should be highly alert to the fact that there may not be enough wraparound services within and outside metropolitan Melbourne. Loading If the government thinks just by putting certain measures in place well resolve the issue, I think theyd be mistaken, he said. Once you dig, the more needs start to emerge. Victorian Ambulance Union general secretary Danny Hill said sobering up services were a good way to free up paramedics time. However, he said such services needed to be easily accessible. If not, then the reforms will not be safe, he said. Opposition police spokesman Brad Battin said the Coalition remained opposed to any moves to water down police powers when decriminalising public drunkenness, citing NSWs approach, which strengthened move-on laws after abolishing the offence of public intoxication.
Emergency responders evacuated about a city block's worth of homes in South Albany after a "substantial release" of natural gas.

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People were waiting Friday afternoon for utility crews to dig up a pipe near a house where, fire officials believe, a blue Subaru hatchback collided with a gas meter at about 3:45 p.m. and filled a garage with combustible fumes.

Siblings Dane Gray and Erin Gray were walking a dog, they said, when they found firetrucks blocking the roadway near their house.

"I'm ready to be home," Erin Gray said.

They were still waiting in about 45-degree weather by about 6:30 p.m.

Albany Fire Department crews urged about 20 people to leave 16 residences, clearing out anyone within 100 feet of the leaking gas line.

"It's natural gas. So, it's flammable, and it could explode," said Tom Henke, a lieutenant with the department.

Glenn Jones lives two houses to the west and said he could smell gas and hear "hissing" from their residence near Belmont Avenue Southwest's intersection with Belmont Loop Southwest.

Fire and police officials still had the neighborhood cordoned off with cones and emergency vehicles and people could smell natural gas at Belmont Avenue and Chapman Place, to the east.

By 6:40 p.m., residents began returning to their homes.

Emergency responders anticipated that utility NW Natural would work to seal a gas line and dissipate fumes from the site of the leak late into Friday night.

An excavator scooped terrain from beneath the roadway where utility and construction crews were expected to seal off the gas line with a guillotine-like pipe shutoff squeeze tool, according to Henke.

Fire officials believed the campus of Linn-Benton Community College campus, about 500 feet away, was unaffected.
Batavia, NY (14020)

Today

Windy with scattered thunderstorms early, overcast overnight with occasional rain likely. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Windy with scattered thunderstorms early, overcast overnight with occasional rain likely. Low 44F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
The Albany City Council has endorsed unanimously Benton County's push for new justice facilities, but not without concerns voiced by a city councilor who lives in the county.

North Albany's 11,000 or so residents are in Benton County.

The $110 million dollar bond measure headed for the May ballot is a multi-agency effort to increase jail capacity, address homelessness and mental health and construct an earthquake-resistant courthouse.

The project marks the county's fourth attempt to pass jail-related taxpayer funding since 2000.

Earlier this week, Corvallis endorsed the Bond Measure 2-140, despite some councilors declining to officially back the measure.

"The number of crimes being recorded in Benton County has increased 28% in the last five years," Benton County Commissioner Nancy Wyse said during public comments at the Wednesday, March 8 Albany council meeting.

In that same period, the number of people released because of overcrowding has risen 654%, she said.

The jail often reaches capacity, making it so beds have to be rented at other agencies, placing those in custody far away from their area of residence, she said.

Transporting people in custody to other detention centers costs $1.5 million annually, Wyse said.

"Keeping the community safe entails more than just a new jail," she said.

The money would also go toward a navigation center where homeless individuals could access resources, mental health treatment and addiction recovery services, Wyse said.

"There is a long-term cost advantage for taxpayers because inaction will cost more in the long run," Wyse said.

But Councilor Matilda Novak said that while she supported the bond measure emotionally, she was concerned for taxpayers in North Albany.

"A lot of folks are hard-pressed these days," Novak said.

After a discussion with Mayor Alex Johnson II about the decision facing voters, Novak agreed with her colleagues to endorse the bond measure.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

If approved, the bond measure increases tax burden by $142 a year on a residential property assessed at $258,596, or 55 cents for every $1,000 of assessed value.

The special election is May 16.

Editor's Note: This article has been edited to correct the monetary value of the bond.

Related stories:
It had already been four days since anyone had heard from Joe Jourets 81-year-old brother. His departure down a mountain pass in California was followed by a series of winter storms in the area, and a search and rescue operation began.

After almost a week, an H80 search helicopter spotted what looked like a rock half-buried in snow. Alive in his Ford Focus, hand out of his window, Jourets brother was waving.

The 81-year-old had been heading home from Big Pine, California, northbound to Gardnerville, Nevada, but had taken an alternate route due to storm closures on Highway 395. Instead, he opted for Highway 168 leading into Death Valley National Park.

Last having been heard from on Friday, Feb. 24, after said series of winter storms in the days following, Inyo County Search and Rescue (InyoSAR) received a callout for a missing person on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

(Left) CHP deploys an H80 helicopter to assist in the search for Joe Jourets 81-year-old brother. (Courtesy of California Highway Patrol); (Right) Search and rescue team members were deployed to comb Deep Springs Valley. (Courtesy of Inyo County Sheriff/ Inyo County Search and Rescue)

They responded immediately. But a winter storm caused the team to delay until Wednesday, March 1, due to safety concerns, according to Inyo County Sheriffs Office.

Two teams of four search and rescue members, with support from Caltrans District 9, were deployed on Thursday and they began making their way into Deep Springs Valley, focusing their search around Gilbert Pass.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) deployed an H80 helicopter to provide additional assistance; it conducted two aerial searches around the Gilbert Pass.

At noon the same day, CHP forensics reported an identified cellular ping from approximately 4 p.m. on Friday, which belonged to the individual in question.

The searchers managed to triangulate the signal to an area along Death Valley Road, a rough road running south of the 168 and leading into Death Valley National Park, the sheriffs office said, which had been inundated with snow caused by the recent storms.

Jourets brothers Ford Focus, buried in snow along Death Valley Road. (Courtesy of California Highway Patrol and Inyo County Sheriff/ Inyo County Search and Rescue)

The CHP H80 crew immediately returned to Bishop Airport to refuel before proceeding to Death Valley Road. Within a short time, the pilot spotted an object embedded in the deep snow.

[The pilot] was about out of gas, Jouret told news outlet Patch. But he looked down and he saw what looked like a rock as he looked down. He had another man with him in the helicopter  and as they looked down there, it was [my brothers] car. He was almost buried in snow, but not quite. He took his hand out of the window and waved it.

They prepared for an extraction but, unable to land due to the deep snow, the pilot hovered the H80 about three feet over Jourets brothers Ford Focus. One of the crewmembers harnessed up, descended, grabbed the stranded traveler, and pulled him from the vehicle.

(Left) Jourets 81-year-old brothers Ford Focus buried in snow along Death Valley Road; (Right) Rescuers conducted a search in a CHP H80 helicopter. (Courtesy of California Highway Patrol)

Once aboard, Jourets brother was flown to Bishop Airport, where he received medical care.

He was smiling all the way back to the airport, Jouret said on Friday. He was happy to get out of that situation.

He reportedly managed to survive the week by subsisting on croissants and snow. Jouret describes his brother as having been active his whole life and being still pretty spry. He was released hours later, Patch reported.

I just really believe it was a miracle, Jouret said.

Afterward, Inyo County Sheriffs Department posted on Facebook, updating that the missing person had been found and recovered and thanking everyone, including volunteers and the community, who helped make the operation a success.

Offering advice to would-be travelers, they said, InyoSAR would like to remind everyone to always be prepared for unexpected events and have a safety plan in place when traveling through the mountains.
A Prelude to War

Why are US allies in the Asia-Pacific region scrambling to rearm themselves?

(L-R) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the Quad Fellowship Founding Celebration event in Tokyo on May 24, 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images)

Commentary

While the Biden administrations weakness and decline in military readiness concerning China goes unreported or underreported in the United States, those nations most vulnerable to Chinese aggression and intimidation are aware of the rising risk of war.

When nations assess their national security status, they analyze all alliances and associations, including military, economic, and so forth. A critical aspect of that analysis will be the United States and its ability and willingness to fulfill its strategic security obligations.

Fading US Security Guarantees in the Region

Today, those obligations, first and foremost, involve the threats that China and its de facto proxy, North Korea, pose to the region. Every national security adviser or minister of defense in the Asia-Pacific region that relies on U.S. security guarantees must ask themselves, Are we as secure today as we were yesterday under American security guarantees?

In other words, the governments in Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Canberra, and Manila all see the growing threat coming from China. These governments actions indicate that theyre all questioning their belief that the United States will be able to defend them.

Unfortunately, most are increasingly unsure about Americas ability to defend them. At the Pentagon, however, the answer is definite: No, we wont be able to protect you.

Over the past decade, with the possible exception of the Trump administration, the United States has pursued a graduated weakness defense posture in the region (as well as elsewhere) by failing to address threats with tangible military development and deployment effectively. Meanwhile, China continues to increase its defense spending to record levels.

Asia-Pacific Nations React to China Threat, US Decline

As a result, South Korea is seriously considering building its nuclear arsenal in response to the rising threat posed by both China and North Korea. Given North Koreas reliance on China for food and fuel, one must conclude that its aggression and acts of intimidation toward South Korea and Japan are tacitly, if not explicitly, approved by Beijing.

Tokyo is also radically redefining its defense posture across the board in light of Chinas rising threat to the status quo. The Japanese are doing so because they dont see a commensurate rise in Americas ability to stop China.

In Taipei, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said that he expects a Chinese attack by 2027, if not sooner. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has prioritized conquering Taiwan and continues to escalate Chinas provocative behavior. Consequently, Taiwan has extended compulsory military service from four months to a year and seeks to develop drone and missile production. Again, thats a no-confidence vote on Americas willingness and capability to deter an attack from China or even answer one.

Australias response is less about rearming and more about deepening its strategic international relationships. That applies not only to the United States, which is more or less a given, but also to expanding its ties with India. That makes sense, since India is Chinas only regional nuclear and military counterweight.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese before a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on March 10, 2023. (Money Sharma/AFP via Getty Images)

In the Philippines last month, Manila granted the United States increased use of its military bases in direct response to the rising threat from China. In all practical terms, expanding Americas military presence in the Philippines is the equivalent of a military buildup.

Beijing Redefines US-Based Regional Security Agreements

Whats more, the regime in Beijing is clearly signaling to the region and the United States that the U.S. security guarantee to the regional nations alliance is now unacceptable. This shift mirrors Chinas rise to global power and its desire and intent to challenge U.S. supremacy in the region.

Chinas leadership, including Xi and his minister of foreign affairs, Qin Gang, has made it clear how Beijing views the current Asia-Pacific security arrangement, describing it as encirclement and containment and suppression, a zero-sum game of life and death.

Intimidation Rhetoric

But who was Beijing speaking to?

Was the message primarily aimed at its domestic audience to gin up nationalism, as left-wing The Guardian claims?

Is the Chinese leadership expressing its fear of a life-and-death struggle between itself and the United States?

Perhaps, but not likely. Its more realistic that Beijing was sending a message to the other nations in the region to intimidate and affirm their doubts about Americas security commitment. Using Cold War terms such as containment also points to the regional nations as the intended audience, since theyre framing the current voluntary security arrangements as belligerent rather than defensive.

Its no surprise why they would make such a forward-leaning assertion. The U.S. military state of readiness is already stretched thin in various contexts, including the massive commitment of war materiel to Ukraine.

US in Terminal Decline?

Beijing regards the United States as being in terminal decline and sees an opportunity to exploit the weakness of the Biden administration regarding its reunification plans with Taiwan.

Moreover, Chinas navy has already surpassed U.S. surface fleet numbers. According to Kris Osborn of Warrior Maven, it also possesses nuclear-enabled, hypersonic, anti-ship missiles, against which the U.S. Navy may or may not be able to defend itself. Therefore, its reasonable to think that the zero-sum game of life and death phrasing applies more to U.S. allies in the region rather than to China.

What could be the reason for Beijings massive military buildup?

The simple fact is that no country or group of countries has any interest in, intention to, or capability of invading China.

Unfortunately, its not likely that any country or group of countries will be able to deter China from invading and conquering other nations in the AsiaPacific region.

That reality has finally dawned on them and the rest of the world.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Australia in Talks With Brazil for Agricultural Trade Agreements

A field of wheat being harvested on a farm near Inverleigh, Australia, on Jan. 12, 2021. (William West/AFP via Getty Images)

Australia and Brazil have launched negotiations for new agricultural trade agreements allowing the import of Australian barley and wheat, the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The meeting was held between the Australian ambassador to Brazil, Sophie Davis, and Brazilian Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro on Wednesday, according to the ministry.

The two countries aim to initiate arrangements that will allow Brazilian pork export and Australian barley and wheat imports. They also discussed research cooperation in sustainable agriculture.

However, the ministry stated that Brazil and Australia must first articulate a reduction in bilateral trade tariffs at the World Trade Organization (WTO) before implementing such trade agreements.

Abitrigo, a Brazilian trade group representing flour millers, said in a separate statement that it also met Australian government representatives to share information on the Brazilian wheat market.

The trade group said it was in favor of diversifying sources of wheat imports, adding this would be beneficial to Brazilian flour millers.

Brazil is a net wheat importer and the worlds fourth-biggest pork exporter, being home to some of the worlds largest meatpackers. The countrys total pork export reached 1.13 million tons in 2021.

Brazils main supplier of imported wheat is Argentina, though its own internal production is growing as it seeks to become self-sufficient in the staple.

Australia-China Trade Dispute

Australias major agricultural products are wheat and barley. Australias wheat production is estimated to have reached 37 million metric tons in the 2022-2023 year, while its barley production is estimated to hit 13.5 metric tons, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.

In October 2021, Australia elevated its dispute with China at the WTO over Beijings punitive tariffs on Australian barley exports.

The Chinese Communist Party imposed 80 percent anti-dumping tariff on Australian barley imports in May 2020 after the former Australian government called for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Exports of beef, cotton, wine, lobsters, and grapes were all hit with restrictions of varying degrees.

On Feb. 6, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell discussed with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao the removal of Chinas trade restrictions on key commodities of Australia, their first trade talks in three years.

Farrell said trade and investment had always been part of the bedrock of the relationship between the two countries as China continued to be Australias largest trading partner and an important source of investment.

The minister also said the Australian government was determined to cooperate with China while standing firm on the countrys national interest.

While there were disagreements between the two sides on many issues, the Australian government believed the differences should be resolved via dialogues.

Wang also hoped that Australia could handle the above issue appropriately and provide a fair, open, and equal business environment for Chinese companies.

The meeting between Farrell and Wang is Australias latest attempt to resume the normal trade relation with China after Foreign Minister Penny Wongs trip to Beijing in December 2022.

Alfred Bui and Reuters contributed to this report.
Australias Biggest Electric Vehicle Show Kicks Off in Sydney

The new MG4 all- electric car is unveiled at the Fully Charged Live convention at the ICC Sydney Theatre in Sydney, Mar 10, 2023. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi)

More than 10,000 people are expected to visit Australias biggest electric car show in Sydney, where organisers will display almost every battery-powered vehicle available in the country.

The Fully Charged Live Show, which will open its doors on Saturday, will also be the first venue in Australia to show off an unreleased MG hatchback that has been named as a contender for Australias cheapest electric car.

The motor show, which industry experts say is the first held in Australia in years, comes just one month after consumers set a record for electric vehicle purchases.

Fully Charged chief executive Dan Caesar told AAP the company had planned to bring an electric vehicle showcase Down Under earlier but the pandemic slowed us in our tracks.

Were finally delivering show one now and then we are definitely coming back next year. Typically in year two the show doubles or triples in size, Caesar said.

Australia seems to be quite a vibrant place at the moment in terms of talking about solar panels or batteries or EVs. There seems to be some strong demand.

While electric vehicle sales made up 3.8 percent of new cars sales in 2022, that figure jumped to 6.8 percent in February 2023 and Caesar said the country was on a similar trajectory to the United States.

We wouldnt be surprised if by this time next year when we come back Australia is at 15 percent pure electric sales, Caesar said.

The event, held at Sydneys International Convention and Exhibition Centre, will feature electric cars from brands including Polestar, Tesla, Hyundai, VW, Peugeot, Nissan, and Honda, as well as an electric ute from LDV.

Several models will be available for attendees to test drive.

The show will also be the first Australian event to show off the MG4, a hatchback some experts predict could be a contender for the cheapest electric vehicle in the country.

MG Australia marketing general manager Rick White said the car maker would not reveal the MG4s price yet but confirmed it would launch in the second half of the year.

Originally we were going to get it a little sooner, White said.

MG Australia communications manager David Giammetta said the company was eager to show off its upcoming vehicle, alongside a new long-range electric SUV model, to inspire drivers to consider what future cars could look like.

Australia hasnt had a motor showthis is as close as weve gotten to a motor show in yearsso we just jumped on it as soon as we could, Giammetta said.
Belgium Bans TikTok From Government Phones After US, EU

The icon for the video sharing TikTok app is seen on a smartphone on Feb. 28, 2023. (Matt Slocum/AP Photo)

BRUSSELSBelgium is banning TikTok from government phones over worries about cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation, the countrys prime minister said Friday, mirroring recent action by other authorities in Europe and the United States.

The Chinese-owned video sharing app will be temporarily prohibited from devices owned or paid for by the Belgiums federal government for at least six months, according to a post on Alexander de Croos website.

TikTok said it is disappointed at this suspension, which is based on basic misinformation about our company. The company said its readily available to meet with officials to address any concerns and set the record straight on misconceptions.

Earlier Thursday, Belgiums Flemish regional government decided to block access to TikTok on its staffs phones and computers after being advised by several Belgian security and cyber security agencies, an official statement said.

TikTok is owned by Chinas ByteDance, which moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020. The company sought to distance itself from its Chinese roots, saying its parent company is incorporated outside of China and its majority owned by global institutional investors.

But the European Unions three main institutions and Denmarks defense ministry have already ordered employees to remove the app from devices used for official business. Similar bans have been imposed in Canada and the United States.

The tussle over TikTok is part of a wider global rivalry between China and the United States and its Western allies over technological and economic supremacy.

De Croo said Belgiums ban was based on warnings from the state security service and its cybersecurity center, which said the app could harvest user data and tweak algorithms to manipulate its news feed and content.

They also warned that TikTok could be compelled to carry out spying for Beijing, he said, without being more specific.

We are in a new geopolitical context where influence and surveillance between states have shifted to the digital world, de Croo said in an online statement. We must not be naive: TikTok is a Chinese company which today is obliged to cooperate with the intelligence services. This is the reality. Prohibiting its use on federal service devices is common sense.

TikTok said user data is stored in the United States and Singapore and pointed to new measures to ease European concerns by storing user data in European data centers.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Bird Flu Creates Egg Shortages in Japan, Affecting Restaurant Chains, Retailers

A file image of a customer looking at carton of eggs at a store in Tokyo, Japan on 2 Feb. 2, 2007. (Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images)

Restaurant chain operators and retailers in Japan are struggling to source eggs, according to reports, as the country faces its worst avian influenza outbreak.

Teikoku Databank said that at least 18 listed restaurant chain operators in Japan, including McDonalds Holdings Co., have temporarily stopped selling egg-related menu items as of March 5, Bloomberg reported.

Meanwhile, some egg products have been taken off the shelves of convenience stores like 7-Eleven since January due to supply shortages in the East Asian nation, according to Teikoku Databank.

The wholesale price of eggs in Japan near-doubled to 327 yen ($2.39) per kilogram last month from the year prior, the financial research firm said.

Egg shortages and rising prices are due to the spread of avian flu in Japan, which forced the culling of some 15 million hens. The disease has spread to more than half of the countrys total 47 prefectures since the first cases were reported in October.

Local authorities have urged poultry farmers to take thorough measures to protect their flocks as they believe the virus is carried by migratory birds wintering in Japan, local media NHK News reported.

Global Issue

Japan is not the only country struggling with an avian influenza outbreak. Focus Taiwan reported that Taiwans daily production of eggs dropped to 22.4 million last month due to the avian influenza outbreak, causing prices to rise for both chicken and duck eggs.

Its still too early to say when the supply of chicken eggs will return to normal, despite the governments promise that the shortage will end late this month, said Kao Chuan-mo, chairman of Taiwans egg sales association.

The country has placed an order for 5 million eggs from Australia to help with the shortfall, with the first delivery of three having arrived on Feb. 28.

Outbreaks of the virus have spread throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In the United States, total poultry deaths topped 58 million last month, surpassing the previous 2015 record, according to U.S. government data.

Rescued chickens gather in an aviary at Farm Sanctuarys Southern California Sanctuary in Acton, Calif., on Oct. 5, 2022. A wave of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu has now entered Southern California as the fall bird migration sets in, raising concerns for wild birds and poultry farms in the region. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The disease is extremely deadly to poultry, so much, so that entire flocks are often culled even when only one bird tests positive.

Medical specialists now warn that the disease is a year-round problem as poultry farmers struggle to protect their flocks.

It appears that waterfowl like ducks and geese can now carry bird flu without appearing sick and easily spread them to domesticated poultry like chickens and turkeys, experts say.

Wild birds are primarily responsible for spreading the virus and can carry the disease without dying and introduce it to poultry through contaminated bodily waste products.

Not Usually Harmful to People

The avian flu can also infect wild mammals and people, especially those in contact with infected birds, but the World Health Organization says the risk to humans is low.

Rose Acre Farms, the countrys second-largest egg producer in the United States, said it had lost about 1.5 million hens at a farm in Guthrie County, Iowa, last year.

All personnel who enter their barns were required to shower first to remove any trace of the virus, CEO Marcus Rust, told Reuters.

After a company farm in Weld County, Colorado, got hit twice within about six months, resulting in the culling of more than 3 million hens, Rust said, we got nailed, adding, you just pull your hair out.

Rust said he eventually concluded that the wind blew the virus in from nearby fields where geese flew overhead.

Bryan Jung and Reuters contributed to this report.
California to Consider Making Housing a Fundamental Human Right

New homes under construction at a housing development in Novato, Calif., on March 23, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

After a failed attempt three years ago, the California Legislature will again consider an amendment to the state constitution to make housing a fundamental human right.

Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA) 10 on March 8. The measure would declare that everyone in the state has the right to adequate housing.

We have a housing crisis, Haneys spokesman Nate Allbee told The Epoch Times. Are we going to stand around and keep talking about the crisis or are we going to take some action? And this is a big step.

According to the proposed measure, state and local governments would share the obligation to provide adequate housing for everyone on a non-discriminatory and equitable basis. The proposal is based on a view to fully realize the right by all appropriate means  to the maximum of available resources, according to the measures text.

Allbee said: Its definitely our intent to go as far as we absolutely can with [ACA 10]. Even if it doesnt pass, I think its important that we start the conversation.

The amendment requires the approval of two-thirds of the members in both the Assembly and Senate. If it passes and is signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, it would be placed on a future ballot and decided by voters.

Under the proposal, the Golden State would become the first in the United States to recognize the right to housing in its constitution. Its scheduled to be heard by a committee on April 6, according to the state legislative information site.

The change, though, could cost developers and local governments more money to build future housing projects, former Costa Mesa Mayor Jim Righeimer told The Epoch Times.

Elected officials feel that if they vote for something, therefore it is, Righeimer said. Theres no such thing as affordable housing. All there is is subsidized housing. Its really just a matter of whos going to subsidize it. The 2-by-4s and concrete still cost money.

A similar amendment was proposed in 2019 by then-Assemblyman Rob Bonta, now the states attorney general. Bontas bill failed to pass during the chaotic session as legislators wrestled with the COVID-19 pandemic issue.

A new condominium building is being built in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2022. (Allison Dinner/Getty Images)

The ACLU Southern California and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE)a nonprofit advocating for economic, racial, and social justicehave joined with Haney to sponsor this sessions amendment.

A safe, affordable home shouldnt just be a privilege for those who can afford Californias sky-high housing costs. Housing should be a right guaranteed to every Californian, no matter who you are, ACCE wrote on Twitter on March 8.

The amendment would guarantee all Californians access to housing that is permanent, habitable, affordable and culturally appropriate, according to ACCE.

Eric Tars, legal director with the National Homeless Law Center in Washingtona national homelessness-prevention nonprofittold The Epoch Times that making housing a human right means the government is accountable to its people for making sure everybody is able to enjoy the right.

According to a Housing Inventory Count conducted in January 2022 by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, Californias homeless population grew nearly 200 percent to 171,521 last year compared to 2021, totaling about 30 percent of all homeless in the United States.

Haney also introduced Assembly Bill 1532 on Feb. 27, which would allow governments to convert empty office buildings into affordable housing.
A day after President Joe Biden unveiled his $6.8 trillion budget proposal, House Freedom Caucus members pushed back with a proposal of their own. They say its aimed at shrinking Washington.

Former President Donald Trump may possibly testify before a grand jury in New York. This comes amid Trumps campaign to regain the White House in 2024.

We hear from Rob Henneke, executive director at Texas Public Policy Foundation, who gives his insight into this weeks Twitter Files hearing and the impact the files are having.

A bill to declassify intelligence on COVID origins is now moving to Bidens desk after passing in both the House and Senate. What does the White House say about it, as a senator exposes Chinas efforts to block the bill?

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) joins us to discuss a new bill regarding the World Health Organizations (WHO) new accord. The accord would make the WHO more powerful in making decisions about pandemic responses

Hundreds of lawmakers and their staff have had their personal information compromised, with the FBI discovering their information on the dark web after a breach.
Ceiling Collapse Incidents in Hong Kong Public Hospitals, The Hospital Authority Apologized

Tony Ko Pat Sing (center) apologized after multiple industrial incidents in public hospitals. Ko stated on March. 9, 2023 that a committee had been set up to review the incidents. (Sung Pi-long/The Epoch Times)

Following the revelation of the ceiling incidents in Kwai Chung Hospital, the Castle Peak Hospital, and the United Christian Hospital in Hong Kong in November 2022, another ceiling collapse was reported in Kwai Chung Hospital on March 7.

Just as the Hong Kong Hospital Authority announced the establishment of a special committee to review medical facilities, safety, and maintenance in public hospitals, and the public thought they could rest easy, a second ceiling collapse occurred at Kwai Chung Hospital.

Dr. Tony Ko Pat Sing, Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital Authority, announced that the authority had received a report at about 3 a.m. on March 8 that a ceiling collapsed in a ward at Kwai Chung Hospital. Concrete fell from above and damaged furniture and computer equipment in the patient ward.

Ko said the authorities had made arrangements for repair and had sealed off the involved area to ensure the safety of patients and staff.

An Instagram user named hanosecretshk posted on March 8, revealing the ceiling collapse incident in a Kwai Chung Hospital ward on March 7. The photo uploaded shows the concrete that fell and damaged a printer and computer in the ward.

Ko held a news conference on March 8, stating that no one was hurt.

Ko apologized for the multiple accidents recently and announced the Hospital Authority had established a special committee, the Committee of Hospital Maintenance, Repair of Medical Equipment and Facility, to investigate the incidents.

Depending on the review of medical equipment, facilities, and mechanism, the authority must complete the assessment and follow-up proposal within three months.

Ko stressed that the Hospital Authority was very concerned about the incidents and would do its best to ensure a safe medical treatment and working environment for patients and employees.

Additionally, he said the bureau would follow up promptly, and violations would not be tolerated.

Yuen Ka-hing, administrative director of Kwai Chung Hospital, added that at about 3 a.m. on March 8, colleagues heard loud bangs coming from the first floor in Block L.

Later, hospital staff discovered a piece of concrete, about 30 cm by 30 cm, had fallen from the ceiling.

The total area affected was about 1.5 square meters, and the hospital patients had immediately been relocated.

Ching Wai-kuen, Director of Strategic Development of the Hospital Authority, pointed out, The department has already requested seven networked facility management teams to inspect medical instruments, indoor building structures, and the exterior of the buildings. The teams will also prioritize any large machinery which showed signs of water leakage, loosening or peeling.

The investigation is expected to be complete within a month.

When asked by the reporter why social platforms were first to reveal two of the recent ceiling collapse incidents and whether the Hospital Authority tried to conceal the situation, Ko clarified, The Hospital Authority has always been open and transparent with hospital accidents. As soon as preliminary information becomes available, the authority will announce the details immediately.

Media has pointed out that Fujitac Construction & Engineering Consultants was responsible for building inspections for both hospitals where concrete fell from the ceiling.

Ching Wai-kuen answered that the Hospital Authority was not satisfied with the work effectiveness of the particular contractor and would strengthen supervision and continue observation. The HA would not rule out reporting the company to the regulatory agency for further review.

Multiple Accidents Occurred in Public Hospitals

It is not the first time something has collapsed in public hospitals. In February, a surgical lamp fell from the ceiling at the United Christian Hospital, and an anesthesia assistant was hit and hurt on the shoulder.

After investigation, the Hospital Authority found that 23 surgical lights had loose or broken screws.

On the evening of March 1, the Hospital Authority received a report from Tuen Mun Hospital that some part of a patient crane lift track had fallen off in an internal medicine and geriatrics rehabilitation ward.

When the incident occurred, the patient had already passed through the track. No patient or staff was injured.

Instagram user hanosecretshk revealed on March 4 that in November 2022, concrete the size of half a pillow fell off from the ceiling to the bedside in a ward at Castle Peak Hospital.

But the Hospital Authority never informed the public of the incident.

In response to media inquiries on March 5, the Hospital Authority confirmed that the Castle Peak Hospital incident occurred at the end of November 2022. No patients or employees were injured in the incident. The authority thought the concrete fell off due to water leakage.

On May 30, 2022, Tuen Mun Hospital had a similar incident in which concrete fell from the ceiling of a male bathroom in the radiotherapy building of the hospital. Later, it was reported that some parts of the ceiling structure had aged and became loose before collapsing.

No one was injured when the incident occurred.
Chinas Population Decline Impacts its Education Sector

Students arrive for a ceremony on the first day of the new school year at an elementary school in Beijing, China on Sept. 1, 2021. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Chinas population has entered an era of negative growth, and the impact of plummeting birth rates has spread to the education sector.

The Asian giant may have seen a short baby boom in 2015 as many families decided to have a second child after the communist regimes draconian one-child policy was lifted. However, instead of continuing to rise, birth rates declined after 2017.

As a result, in this school year, there is a larger-than-usual number of 6-7-year-old children enrolling in elementary schools, creating a shortage of school capacity for these kids. Meanwhile, due to the irregular pattern of birth rates, kindergartens are currently struggling to recruit enough students. By 2025, elementary schools will experience the same problem after seeing a spike in enrollments in these two years.

Born in 2016, 2017

The ruling regime replaced its one-child policy with a two-child policy in 2016 in an attempt to reverse the trend of a shrinking population in the future. This prompted some families to have a second child. However, the two-child trend failed to sustain momentum, which lead to a three-child policy in 2021.

In a few months, children born in 2016 and 2017 in China will start elementary school. However, all across China, schools have issued warnings about the limited supply of elementary and secondary school places.

It has been widely reported in the Chinese state media recently that many places in China have issued early warnings for school places in the 2023 school year starting in Autumn. It is expected that there will be a huge shortage of school places all over the communist nation.

The Chinese state media said that the shortage of school places has been ongoing in some areas of China for several years, but the issue is amplified this year due to a surge in enrollment as a result of the two-child policy.

The current capacity of Chinese schools was designed for the previous one-child policy. The sudden revision into a two-child policy created the unexpected wave of births, burdening the elementary schools this year. This is happening in China despite the fact that the overall population is declining.

Recently, there have been waves of kindergarten closures in China as demand for early childhood education has plummeted. This trend is in stark contrast to just two years ago when there was an abundance of children seeking to enroll in early childhood centers.

The everyday declining enrollment is pushing competition between different kindergartens. Even exclusive kindergartens previously serving families of elite state corporations are now opening their enrollment quotas to the public.

Universities Facing Closure

Chinas declining birth rate is likely to have a delayed effect on the nations secondary schools and universities in the upcoming years. At present, Chinas universities have quietly started downsizing enrollment quotas; in January this year, more than a dozen provinces in China issued policies to halt the founding of new universities.

Graduating students attend a commencement ceremony at Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications in Chongqing, China, on June 22, 2022. (Cnsphoto via Reuters)

Ding Changfa, associate professor of economics at Xiamen University, told Chinese news outlet First Financial in February 2023 that colleges and universities in China are greatly affected by the declining birth rate. In the future, it is expected that some public higher education institutions and private universities will face closure, Ding said.

Zhang Yi, a researcher at the elite Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, wrote an article analyzing the time between the seventh and eighth census in China. He concluded that China will experience a decrease in the number of secondary schools due to the decline in the school-age population at this level. This will also lead to the enrollment numbers in colleges and universities being affected to some extent.

Data Claims Negative Population Growth

On Jan. 17, 2023, Chinas National Bureau of Statistics released data revealing that the countrys annual births in 2022 fell below 10 million, which was lower than the annual death rate, and that the natural population growth rate turned from positive to negative. The countrys population declined by 850,000 compared to the previous year.

The natural population growth rate is the ratio of the natural increase in population (number of births minus deaths) to the average total population over a certain period of time (usually one year), which reflects the trend and speed of natural population growth.

Outside of the education sector, Chinas negative population growth will be one of the greatest challenges facing its economy in the coming years.
City Councillor Oversees Montreal Area Organizations Alleged to Double as Chinese Police Stations

The Sino-Quebec Center in Brossard, Quebec, is seen on March 9, 2023. The RCMP says it's investigating this location, along with the Chinese Family Service of Greater Montreal, which are allegedly clandestine overseas Chinese police service stations. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times)

A Montreal area city councillor who oversees two organizations suspected by the RCMP of hosting Chinese police stations has been asked to step aside during a police probe of the issue.

Brossard Mayor Doreen Assaad said she asked councillor Xixi Li to recuse herself from her role during the RCMP investigation, reported the Journal de Montreal on March 10.

Separately, Assaad said she also made a complaint against Li, whos aligned with an opposition party, to the provinces director of elections regarding the 2021 municipal elections.

The mayor alleges that Li used the logo of the Director General of Elections in her political communications in Chinese during the campaign.

Li is the director of the Centre Sino-Quebec de la Rive-Sud (CSQRS) in Brossard and the Service a la famille chinoise du Grand Montreal (SFCGM).

Both entities have been identified by the RCMP as being the subjects of investigations for allegedly hosting Chinese police stations.

Neither Li nor Assaads office have returned requests for comment. Brossards Communications Director Alain Gauthier said he had no information to provide on the matter.

CCP Reception

A now-deleted page on CSQRS website shows Li attending a National Day celebration in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in 2018. The page was flagged on social media by cyber criminologist Laura Love.

The reception was attended by top-level Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials, including regime leader Xi Jinping.

The website says Li attended the state dinner at the invitation of Chinas then-Premier Li Keqiang.

The CSQRS 2018-2019 annual report (the only currently available online) also indicates that in 2016, the organization was honoured to be among three groups helping new Chinese immigrants to Canada selected by the Chinese government.

The RCMP said on March 9 it was investigating the two locations. The SFCGM is located in Montreals Chinatown.

We are carrying out police actions aimed at detecting and disrupting these foreign state-backed criminal activities, which may threaten the safety of persons living in Canada, said the force.

The RCMP said on March 10 it had received a dozen promising leads on the organizations since making its investigations public, reported the Journal de Montreal.

The Epoch Times reached out to the RCMP but didnt immediately hear back.

Bernard Ouellet, an administrator of the CSQRS, says the allegations regarding Chinese police stations and election issues dont match with what he knows about Li.

It goes contrary to the image and the work I see from the Sino-Quebec director, even with regards to values, her way of doing things, and her personality, he said.

Ouellet said he is unaware of Lis attendance at the CCP event in China, and says neither the RCMP nor the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) have talked to him.

Cheuk Kwan, an activist for democracy in China, told a House of Commons committee on March 10 that he was not surprised by who has been identified as being behind the several alleged Chinese police stations in Canada.

We were not surprised because these are well-known names, said Kwan, co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China.

She openly advertised herself as being a partner of the Chinese Communist Party, he said about Li.

Confusion About Police

The Epoch Times went to the office of Sino-Quebec in a Brossard strip mall flanked by a popular grocery store and restaurant. A receptionist said there was no Chinese police station there, but instead a Longueuil police station. Brossard is part of the larger urban area of Longueuil and is served by its police department.

He said Sino-Quebec is partnered with Longueuil police, but when asked if police were present on site, he said its not the case.

Were partners. We do a lot of liaison, said the employee in French. If theres something we call them. Longueuil police would not comment given the ongoing RCMP investigation.

The Sino-Quebec employee called the allegations really funny and said Sino-Quebec works for the Language Ministry of Quebec.

Political Connections

Sino-Quebec provides language resources to Chinese immigrants and is well-known in the community. It also mixes with politicians at all levels.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino tweeted in July 2021 that he had a very productive meeting with Sino-Quebec. We continue to work for a fairer and more welcoming Canada for all.

The Epoch Times reached out to Mendicinos press secretary for comment but didnt hear back by publication time.

The Sino-Quebec website also has a photo of International Trade Minister Mary Ng and Liberal MP for Brossard Alexandra Mendes meeting with Xixi Li in January 2019.

An inquiry with Mendes office was not returned before publication.

Love also flagged a picture of Li with Liberal MP Han Dong, who Global News reported was a witting affiliate in Chinas election interference networks, based on CSIS information. Dong has called the allegations inaccurate and irresponsible.

An advisor to MNA Linda Caron in the Brossard riding where Sino-Quebec is located told The Epoch Times he would not comment at this time given the RCMP investigation and the complaints made to Elections Quebec.

Complaints

Quebec Conservative Party Leader Eric Duhaime sent a letter on March 10 to the director of Quebec elections to request an investigation into potential Beijing interference in the provinces municipal elections.

Duhaime quoted Mayor Assaad as saying: Ive seen things which raise doubts about the transparency of Sino-Quebecs role in the electoral campaign and the involvement they had to get their director elected.

In light of these revelations, I ask you today to open an investigation in order to examine potential Chinese communist interference in Quebecs municipal elections and to see if it could illegally contribute to Ms. Lis election, he wrote.

The RCMP said last week that four other Chinese police stations in Toronto and Vancouver have ceased operating. It said police had visited the locations and had a visible police presence there, which didnt please Beijing.

Any time you have representatives from the embassy whose law enforcement liaison officer comes up to us and is not pleased with the actions we took, I think thats a sign that we did our job, RCMP Deputy Commissioner Michael Duheme told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs on March 2.

The RCMP says no charges have been laid and Global Affairs Canada says no Chinese diplomats have been expelled in relation to the unofficial police stations.

Andrew Chen and Peter Wilson contributed to this report.
Dan Andrews Denies Allegations of Interference Into States Anti-Corruption Watchdog

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews is at the centre of another corruption allegation, this time from the former IBAC commissioner himself, who alleges that the Andrews government interfered with the watchdogs independent audit processes.

In a leaked letter published by the Herald Sun on March 9, former IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich KC alleged that the Andrews government also made an elaborate revenge plot after several probes into state Labor by the watchdog.

Additionally, Redlich alleged that Labor MPs instructed auditors to find dirt on IBAC and data that is not readily publicly available with threats to have their pay withheld if they didnt comply.

IBAC was advised that the IOC (Integrity and Oversight Committee) is looking for evidence to support a narrative that IBAC is not performing, Redlich wrote, reported the Herald Sun.

What is most concerning is that it appears that the Chair and majority of the IOC Audit Sub-Committee seemed intent on casting IBAC in a negative light for what we can only assume were political reasons relating to the work undertaken by IBAC.

Redlich also alleged that members of the Integrity and Oversight Committee (IOC) leaked information to the media to gain some political advantage.

Andrews has denied these allegations maintaining that the state government has behaved appropriately.

I absolutely reject any suggestion by him or anybody else that the government does not behave appropriately, Andrews said on March 9. There are no findings to the contrary.

Im not having a debate with a bloke who used to do a job, whos written a letter I havent seen, Andrews said in reference to Redlichs scathing letter.

On March 9, opposition leader John Pesutto moved to suspend debate on the governments Heritage Amendment Bill to instead debate the allegations made by Redlich. But this attempt was shut down by state Labor and backed by the Greens.

The former IBAC commissioner is not only making allegations of interference, hes making very serious allegations, which, if true, may well be criminal, Pessuto said.

Victoria used to have a great reputation as a place where governments acted with integrity, with principles, with ethics, and what do we have here? Its acting like a gang. Its roughing up integrity agencies. Its trying to interfere with the work of independent auditors who were there to report on the affairs of IBAC simply so it can protect the government. This is not good enough.

The letter which Redlich wrote was written before his term ended in December 2022. The letter, which was addressed to the Speaker and President of the Legislative Council President, was used to call for an overhaul of the states Integrity and Oversight Committee.

Labor-dominated Auditors

Under IBACs legislation, the IOC is required to conduct an independent performance of IBAC once every four years.

Callida Consulting carried out the most recent audit during Redlichs tenure.

Redlich claimed that IBAC had significant concerns about the interference by the IOC in the work of the auditors.

Redlich alleges that the Labor-dominated sub-committee significantly undermined the independence of the audit by providing directions into what report could or not include.

Moreover, Redlich said he believed the actions by the IOC were related to IBACs investigation into the Andrews government.

[T]he Chair and majority of the IOC Audit Sub-Committee seemed intent on casting IBAC in a negative light for what we can only assume were political reasons relating to the work undertaken by IBAC, he wrote.

In light of these recent events concerning the IOC in its dealings with issues concerning IBAC, it is submitted that some amendment of the [legislation] is necessary to protect IBAC from exposure to the risk that the IOC or its majority may make decisions to advance a political purpose.

Funding Concerns

In August 2022, Redlich raised concerns over IBACs funding and resources, suggesting that decisions about funding should be removed from the discretion of the government of the day, reported The Age.

He called for broader powers that would allow IBAC to investigate soft corruption in what he described as fundamental institutional failings in the state administration.

However, Andrews has denied allegations that the Labor-majority committee was used for political purposes.

The ex-head of that agency is not a member of parliament, and its the parliament that will determine these matters. Very simple, Andrews said.

Hes got a view. Hes not in the parliament. He didnt stand for election. Hes not part of the government or part of a majority or a member of the House. Other people are, and those decisions have already been made. You want to determine parliamentary committee membership. Well, then get yourself elected.

Andrews continued: Its completely inappropriate for anyone to be suggesting that that committee is an extension of the government. That committee is made up of members of parliament who are elected by the parliament and are accountable to the parliament.

Redlich commenced his tenure as IBACs second commissioner in January 2018, and was previously a Victorian Supreme Court judge for 15 years. He was described as one of Victorias most eminent and well-respected jurists.

The current committee is made up of seven MPsfour from Labor, one from the Greens, one from the Nationals, one from Liberal, and is currently chaired by Labor MP Gary Mass.

Meanwhile, the Andrews government is in the process of selecting a new IBAC commissioner, with the Labor majority having veto powers over the new appointment.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Premiers office seeking a response to the allegations; while a Victorian spokesperson did not provide a response to the allegations, the spokesperson said: Weve delivered stronger powers and record funding to support IBAC.
DeSantis Urges Conservatives Never to Surrender to Woke Mob in Fiery Iowa Speech

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in speeches in Iowa on Friday that Republicans taking a firm stance in the nations culture wars will help win elections and pledged never to surrender to the woke mob.

DeSantis traveled to Iowa on March 10, where he took part in separate events in Davenport and Des Moines, which were part of his freedom blueprint tour for his newly-released memoir, The Courage to Be Free: Floridas Blueprint for Americas Revival.

The book, which charts a roadmap for the conservative fight against the excesses of progressivism, is the number one best-selling non-fiction book in the country, DeSantis said at the event in Des Moines.

Theres a lot of people that arent happy about that, I can tell you, he said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

While the Florida governor is said to be considering a presidential run, he has not yet announced his candidacy. DeSantis taking part in the two events came ahead of the 2024 Iowa GOP caucuses, which will kick off the presidential nominating season for Republicans.

A guest holds a copy of The Courage to be Free by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during an event where the governor spoke in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 10, 2023. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Woke Mind Virus

In Davenport, the Republican governor highlighted his crusade in Florida against leftist priorities, touting such accomplishments as prohibiting mask and COVID-19 vaccine mandates, banning the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation to young students, and preventing biological men from competing in womens sports.

Were very sensitive to what parents are facing in terms of the different influences that are trying to be imposed on our children, DeSantis said. It is wrong to tell a second grader that they were born in the wrong body. It is wrong to have gender ideology imposed in our schools. And in Florida, we dont let it happen.

The Florida Board of Medicine recently banned transgender surgery, hormone therapy, and puberty blockers for children, with DeSantis touting these efforts in his speech.

Our children are not guinea pigs for medical experimentation. We dont want people making money off mutilating them in ways that are irreversible, he said, blaming the explosion of transgender procedures in recent years on the woke mind virus.

Its warping people, he said. Its infecting medical practice.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to Iowa voters during an event in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 10, 2023. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Never Ever Surrender to the Woke Mob

DeSantis continued his speech in Davenport by saying that Florida has managed to remain free despite woke ideology taking hold in many institutions, such as medicine, universities, and corporations.

Because woke ideology has infected so many institutions, if you really want to protect the freedom of your folks, youve got to be willing to defend them against the left imposing their pathologies on your people in any of these institutions, DeSantis said. So weve got to fight.

In the state of Florida, we will fight the woke in the legislature, we will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in the businesses.

We will never ever surrender to the woke mobour state is where woke goes to die, DeSantis added, holding up conservative efforts against woke ideology in Florida as a roadmap for other states to follow.

DeSantis also denounced efforts by corporate America to impose a progressive ideological agenda through ESG, which he said was a way to use economic power to push an agenda that would face opposition at the ballot box.

He pushed back against what he described as financial sector discrimination against fossil fuels and Second Amendment rights. DeSantis also vowed to protect conservatives and Christians against woke banking, presumably referring to the denial of financial services based on ideology.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs copies of his book after speaking to Iowa voters during an event in Des Moines, Iowa, on March 10, 2023. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

You Watch Iowa

At both events, DeSantis drew comparisons between Iowas and Floridas politics and praised Iowa for being one of the best run states in the country.

There is an effort to sexualize these young kids, and it is wrong. And weve got to stand up against it. And we cant allow it to win the day. And youre doing it in Iowa. Were doing it in Florida. But that needs to be all across the country, he said.

DeSantis speech to Iowa Republicans came as the Florida legislature began its 60-day session this week.

I always tell my legislators, You watch Iowa. Do not let them get ahead of us on any of this stuff,' DeSantis said. So, weve got our legislature in session now. So buckle up. The next 60 days should be fun in Florida.

While the crowd at the events responded to DeSantis anti-woke rhetoric with enthusiasm, there was a cooler response from the Biden administration.

During a press briefing Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about DeSantis remarks about woke going to die in Florida.

When Republicansextreme Republicans, these MAGA Republicansdont agree with an issue or with policy, they dont bring forth something thats going to have a good-faith conversation. They go to this conversation of woke. But that is not actually policy, Jean-Pierre said.

This is not having a good-faith conversation on how we can move the country forward. This is about attacking young kids and their parents because of how they view themselves, because of how they see themselves, because of how they want to live. What that turns into is hate, she added.

Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Rita Hart on Thursday took a similarly critical line.

I dont know whos going to come out of this GOP primary, but the bottom line is that Iowansand Americanscannot afford the extreme agenda that these folks are peddling, Hart told reporters at a press conference.

Former President Donald Trump, who is running for president in 2024, is scheduled to visit Davenport on Monday.
Overseas Chinese Unheard and Erased Despite Being Primary Targets of Foreign Interference: Expert

Protesters hold signs at a rally outside of the Wenzhou Friendship Society in Richmond, B.C., on Feb. 25, 2023. (Vivian Yu/NTD)

While Beijings election interference in Canada has dominated media headlines in recent weeks, Chinese living overseas who have been raising the alarm for years have remained unheard and erased, said a rights advocate.

When the diaspora resists Beijings transnational controls, dissidents tires are slashed, activists are harassed and threatened, international students study permits are declined, and passport applications are rejected, Ai-Men Lau, adviser to Alliance Canada Hong Kong (ACHK), said while testifying on Beijings foreign interference to the House ethics committee on March 10.

I also want to take this opportunity to urge policymakers to rebuild trust with diaspora communities, many of whom have felt long unheard and erased, she added.

Recently, a series of news report alleged foreign interference activities by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that include meddling in the 2019 and 2021 elections, sending up a surveillance balloon that trespassed North American airspace, and operating clandestine Chinese police stations on Canadian soil.

However, public discourse continues to leave out important cultural insight from the [Chinese] diaspora communities who have first-hand knowledge and ability to differentiate between a target of foreign influence, an active Chinese agent, and someone with ties to the Chinese consulate, said ACHK executive director Cherie Wong.

She told MPs on the ethics committee, which previously convened to discuss anti-Asian hate, that its a fallacy to believe all Chinese or Asian Canadians side with the CCP and its diplomatic consulates, which reportedly orchestrated the election interference, according to a recent Globe and Mail report.

The notion that all ethnic Chinese communities are supporters of the Chinese authorities is racist and reductive. These communities are not a monolith, but are vibrant and diverse in language, culture, and politics, Wong said.

Wong, who experienced first-hand Beijings harassment and intimidation when she spoke out against the CCP and advocated for democracy in Hong Kong, also noted that while Chinese diasporas are the primary targets of foreign interference operations, the regime also targets all persons of influence, and many Canadians are unaware of their tactics.

Beachhead of Chinas Unrestricted Warfare

Chinas foreign interference operations are part of a modern form of warfare dubbed unrestricted warfarea concept coined in a 1999 book of the same name published by two Chinese military officials. Contrary to conventional military confrontation, the book depicts how political, economic, and psychological tools can be leveraged to advance the CCPs interests.

Vancouver is the beachhead for the Peoples Republic of Chinas (PRC) unrestricted warfare, said Bill Chu of the Chinese-Canadian Concern Group on the Chinese Communist Partys Human Rights Violations.

No soldiers are required to be transported in as the idea is to convert locals into [the CCPs] foot soldiers, Chu told the committee. Through WeChat and other things, the PRC has been silently sending official news and directives to tens of thousands of Chinese students and immigrants here.

He noted that for decades, the world underestimated China until it experienced an economic boom after joining the World Trade Organization in the early 2000s.

The world has since been bamboozled by its rocket-like rise that most forgot PRC is a one-party authoritarian state, which outlaws ideological pluralism, Chu said.

So communism should never be mixed up, even by the self-proclaimed progressives, as a legitimate choice, since accepting it ironically means no more choice.
Dutch Government Blocks China From Access to Key Semiconductor Technology

ASML Holding logo is seen at the company's headquarters in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on Jan. 23, 2019. (Eva Plevier/Reuters)

The Dutch government agreed to block China from having access to chip manufacturing technology, heating up a longstanding conflict over semiconductors with Beijing.

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities slammed The Hague and accused the European Union state of siding with the United States in an ongoing chip war.

The Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Liesje Schreinemacher, told the Dutch parliament on March 8, that the proposed limitations on CCP access to sensitively designed advanced equipment using ultraviolet light, to etch circuits on processor chips, was essential on security and human rights grounds.

ASML Holdings, which is based in Veldhoven, in the Netherlands, is the worlds only producer of equipment using extreme-ultraviolet light (EUV), to etch microscopically precise circuits onto silicon, allowing them to be packed more closely together, thus boosting their speed and reduces power demand.

Sensitive Chip Technology

The CCP is known to have made attempts to acquire the valuable technology from the Dutch.

The trade minister did not directly mention China or ASML, Europes largest tech firm and one of the largest global suppliers of semiconductor equipment, in her letter to parliament.

In view of technological developments and geopolitical context, the government has come to the conclusion that it is necessary for (inter)national security to extend the existing export control of specific semiconductor production equipment, wrote Schreinemacher.

She said the new measures target only very specific technologies in the semiconductor production cycle on which the Netherlands has a unique and leading position, such as the most advanced Deep Ultra Violet (DUV) immersion lithography and deposition.

She added that the decision for additional export controls was made carefully and as precisely as possible [surgically], in order to avoid unnecessary disruption of the value chains and to take into account the international level playing field.

Schreinemacher said the government would publish the new regulations before the summer.

Regarding which specific details fall under the new restrictions and whether ASML can continue to service chip-printing machines the company has already sold in the country is still being fleshed out.

Those details still need to be worked out, Schreinemacher told reporters on March 9 in Stockholm.

ASML and its Chinese customers are not exactly sure how the ban will affect their businesses.

Companies that purchase their equipment enter into service agreements with ASML for ongoing maintenance.

The installed base segment contributed about 25 percent of ASMLs worldwide revenue last year.

ASML Reacts to Its Governments Decision

In response to the governments decision, ASML stated on its website, that the new restrictions will apply to its most advanced deposition and immersion lithography tools.

Due to these upcoming regulations, ASML will need to apply for export licenses for shipment of the most advanced immersion DUV systems, the company said, adding that it will take time for these controls to be translated into legislation and take effect.

Our expectation of the Dutch governments licensing policy, and the current market situation, we do not expect these measures to have a material effect on our financial outlook that we have published for 2023 or for our longer-term scenarios, it added based on the announcement.

China makes up 14 percent of the Dutch firms total global sales and has sold more than $8.46 billion worth of chip lithography equipment in China over the past decade.

A prohibition on ASML from exporting its most advanced technology to China has been in place by The Hague since 2019, but the firm is still allowed to supply lower-quality systems.

ASML has Chinese-based research and manufacturing centers in Beijing and Shenzhen, as well as a regional headquarters in Hong Kong.

However, the new rules may indirectly affect certain products that account for 10 percent of ASMLs global sales in a worst-case scenario, ING analyst Marc Hesselink, told Reuters.

Some of the Dutch firms customers in China include South Korean chipmakers SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, which would still likely be granted licenses.

Meanwhile, several Chinese companies like chipmakers SMIC and YMTC, face U.S. export restrictions but may face few restrictions from the Netherlands.

Semiconductor Security Pact

Back in January, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and President Joe Biden held talks to discuss advanced chip technology made by Dutch company ASML Holdings and other security issues.

Tech industry experts say that the lack of access to ASMLs latest advanced tech manufacturing technology has become a serious handicap in the CCPs long-term plans to develop its own domestic chip industry.

Chinese manufacturers are currently only able to produce low-end chips used in vehicles and in most consumer electronics, but not those used in smartphones, servers, and other high-end products.

Beijing has criticized the moves by the United States and its allies, saying they are violations of free market principles in international trade.

The Biden administration imposed export controls to limit Chinas access to advanced chips in October, which it says can be used for dual-use purposes.

There are strategic concerns that Beijing could use the advanced chips, to make weapons, enhance existing surveillance apparatus, further additional human rights abuses, and improve the speed and accuracy of its military logistics.

The White House has urged allies like Japan, the Netherlands, and other European allies to take its side in its ongoing chip war between Beijing and Washington.

The Biden administration did their thing on Oct. 7 and we are doing what we are doing based on our own assessments, Schreinemacher told reporters in Sweden while avoiding a comparison between their countries restrictions.

CCP Opposes New Tech Restrictions

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, accused an individual country in a reference to the United States, of trying to safeguard its own hegemony by abusing national security as an excuse to deprive China of its right to development.

We firmly oppose the Netherlandss interference and restriction with administrative means of normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and Dutch enterprises, said the spokeswoman, Mao Ning. We have made complaints to the Dutch side, she said.

Mao called for the Dutch to safeguard the stability of the international industrial and supply chain.

Schreinemacher said that the Chinese protest over her governments decision to impose restrictions on computer chip technology exports was understandable from their position, but she still expected diplomatic relations to remain good.

Mao warned that the restrictions would limit normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese and Dutch companies.

However, the Dutch trade minister said China will remain a top trading partner for both the Netherlands and Europe.

She said that Europeans are buying solar panels from China, while the Chinese can still buy equipment from the West, including ASML machines, which will not be subject to restrictions.

So I believe that this mutual dependence works to both our advantages, she said.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Elon Musk Calls for Release of QAnon Shaman as New Jan. 6 Video Surfaces

Jacob Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, inside the U.S. Senate chamber after the U.S. Capitol was breached on Jan. 6, 2021. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk called for the release of Jan. 6 defendant Jacob Chansley, also known as the QAnon Shaman, in response to a newly released video of the Capitol breach.

Free Jacob Chansley, the worlds richest person, who has 131 million followers on Twitter, wrote in a Twitter post on Friday.

Chansley was found guilty and jailed for conspiracy charges related to the Capitol breach that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021, and he was later sentenced to 41 months in prison on November 2021.

Chansley received arguably the most spotlight among those who participated in the breach, famous for his distinct look with face paint and a horned hat, as well as for his self-described affiliation with the QAnon movement.

Musks tweet was a response to a video posted on Twitter by political strategist Chuck Callest. The clip shows Chansley standing at an entrance of the Capitol building, calling everyone to go home.

While the video doesnt show a timestamp, it was likely filmed soon after former President Donald Trump posted a video on Twitter on the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2021, telling the protestors to go home.

Donald Trump has asked everybody to go home. So what are we going to do? We are going to obey our president, and do as he asked and we are going to go home, Chansley said in the video, speaking through a megaphone.

Lets get out of here, guys, he said.

In another follow-up post on the same day, Musk clarified that he is not a part of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movementan ideology centered on America-first principles popularized by Trumpbut rather is speaking from a point of fairness.

Im not part of MAGA, but I do believe in fairness of justice, Musk wrote, Chansley was falsely portrayed in the media as a violent criminal who tried to overthrow the state and who urged others to commit violence. But here he is urging people to be peaceful and go home. And the other video shows him calmly walking in the Capitol building, being escorted by officers and then thanking the officers.

Im not part of MAGA, but I do believe in fairness of justice. Chansley was falsely portrayed in the media as a violent criminal who tried to overthrow the state and who urged others to commit violence. But here he is urging people to be peaceful and go home. And the other https://t.co/XU8vISJaNy  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 11, 2023

In another post on the same day, he compared Chansleys sentence with that of a person who assaulted comedian Dave Chapelle.

Chansley got 4 years in prison for a non-violent, police-escorted tour!? Dave Chapelle was violently assaulted on stage by a guy with a knife. That guy got a $3000 fine & no prison time, Musk wrote.

Surveillance Footage

Musks Friday comments come after days of internet uproar brought on by Fox News airing of never-shown-before surveillance footage in and around the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) released the footage to Fox News Tucker Carlson, who aired it on his show Tucker Carlson Tonight.

Among the most high-profile revelation in these tapes was a clip showing Capitol Police officers walking alongside Chansley, who was unarmed. Other footage showed Chansley walking past several Capitol police officers.

Following the tapes release, Musk has been vocal in projecting his frustrations on Twitter.

This is crazy. The public was misled, Musk wrote, replying to the footage showing Chansley walking in the Capitol building.

He also took issue with the conduct of the Jan. 6 committee, saying that they withheld evidence for political reasons.

Besides misleading the public, they withheld evidence for partisan political reasons that sent people to prison for far more serious crimes than they committed, Musk wrote on Twitter, referring to the Jan. 6 Committee. That is deeply wrong, legally and morally.

The Jan. 6 Committee in the Canon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Dec. 19, 2022. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Mike Davis, legal expert and president of the Article III Project, said that he believes the videos constitute exculpatory evidence in Chansleys case.

It shows that he wasnt a violent threat, Davis, a former clerk under Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. At best, he should have been charged with trespassingat best, 30 days in jail. Forty-one months? For what?

I think a reasonable juror would think that he thought he could be there when the police are walking him around and not telling him to leave, Davis added.

Even a 95 percent Democrat D.C. jury would not have found Jacob Chansley guilty if they watched that video.
Fauci Disputes Claim Former CDC Chief Excluded From COVID Discussion Over Lab Leak Theory Support

Dr. Anthony Fauci denied allegations his former colleague, Dr. Robert Redfield, made during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday after Redfield said he was excluded from a conference call in early 2020 to discuss the origins of COVID-19 because he suspected the virus was the result of a lab leak.

Redfield, who served as the director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), testified before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Wednesday.

During his testimony, Redfield said he was not included in a conference call with other scientists including Fauci, who formerly served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and oversaw much of the U.S. response to COVID-19. The conference call Redfield described was organized by Jeremy Farrar, director of the British charity Wellcome Trust in February 2020.

During the hearing, Redfield expressed his support for the idea that the COVID-19 outbreak originated from a lab leak and said he had shared his support for the lab leak theory with Fauci as far back as January 2020, prior to the conference call.

When asked why he was not included in this February 2020 conference call, Redfield said it was told to me that they wanted a single narrative and that I obviously had a different point of view.

Fauci denied Redfields allegations during an interview with Fox News on Friday.

He is totally and unequivocally incorrect in what hes saying, that I excluded him, Fauci said of Redfields comments about the February 2020 conference call on COVID-19. I had nothing to do with who would be on that call.

Fauci said the conference call Redfield had described was organized by a group of evolutionary virologists specifically to discuss the possibility that COVID-19 might have been a genetically engineered virus.

Another point that is important, [Redfield] said, in his own mind, that he was kept out because he was of the opinion that [COVID-19] might be a lab leak, Fauci said. Half the people on the call were of the opinion that it might be a lab leak. So his rationale of why he thought he was excluded is an invalid rationale, so its really unfortunate that he made those statements.

Fauci said it would have been okay to have Redfield on the February 2020 call, but I didnt put him or take him off.

Lab Leak Theory

During the Wednesday House hearing, Redfield testified that he believed the lab leak theory to be the most likely scenario for the COVID-19 outbreak.

This conclusion is based primarily on the biology of the virus itself, including the rapid high infectivity for human-to-human transmission, which would then predict rapid evolution of new variants as well as a number of other important factors, which also include the unusual actions in and around Wuhan in the fall of 2019, Redfield told lawmakers.

Fauci claimed COVID-19 is totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human. His support for the natural spread theory over the lab leak theory earned a message of thanks from Dr. Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, which had ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a suspected origin point for COVID-19 in the lab leak theory.

Republican lawmakers also recently raised allegations that Fauci prompted the drafting of a research paper titled The proximal origin of SARS-CoV-2, which was published in March 2020 and which asserted COVID-19 is not a laboratory construct or a purposefully manipulated virus.

In May 2021, Fauci altered his position on the lab leak theory, telling PolitiFact that he was not convinced that COVID-19 developed naturally.

The lab leak theory has gained renewed support in recent weeks after the U.S. Department of Energy and FBI Director Christopher Wray placed support behind the theory that COVID-19 came from a lab leak.

From NTD News
Ford to Cut 1,100 Jobs in Spain After Other European Layoffs

Ford cars sit in the port of Valencia, Spain, on April 3, 2007, waiting for shipment. (Herbert Knosowski/AP Photo)

MADRIDFord Motor Co. announced Friday that it will cut around 1,100 jobs at its plant in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia.

The cuts are in addition to the 2,300 layoffs largely in Germany and the United Kingdom that the automaker announced last month as part of a leaner, more competitive cost structure in Europe.

Ford Spain said in a statement that it notified unions on Friday of what it described as a profound restructuring of its operations. Ford has recently championed the Valencia plant as its preferred site to assemble next-generation electric vehicles on the continent.

Jose Luis Parra Navarro, a UGT union spokesman, said the workforce would become surplus when the plant switched to making electric cars because the work requires less labor.

The plant is Fords only such facility in Spain and currently employs 5,400 people.

The job cuts were mainly due to the already announced discontinuing production of the S-Max and Galaxy models in April 2023, Ford Spain said in an email.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based company has a strategy to offer an all-electric fleet in Europe by 2035 and says production of its first European-built electric car is expected to start later this year.
Former Ohio House Speaker Convicted in $60 Million Bribery Scheme

Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (C), walks into Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse with his attorneys, Mark Marein (L), and Steven Bradley (R), before jury selection in his federal trial in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Jan. 20, 2023. (Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo)

A federal jury convicted former Ohio House of Representatives Speaker Larry Householder and former Ohio Republican Party chair Mathew Borges of participating in a bribery scheme of $60 million, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday.

Householder, 63, and Borges, 50, were charged in 2020 in a bribery case related to a nuclear plants bailout bill passed in 2019. The legislature revoked the bill in 2021.

Prosecutors alleged that energy distributor FirstEnergy Corp gave $60 million to Generation Now, a political nonprofit operated by Householder. According to prosecutors, those funds were used for lobbying for secured passage of the $1.5 billion bill in 2019.

They alleged that Borges, then a lobbyist, sought to bribe Tyler Fehrman, an FBI operative, for inside information on the referendum to overturn the bailout law.

Former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Mathew Borges (R) walks toward Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse with his attorneys Todd Long (L) and Karl Schneider (C) before jury selection for his federal trial in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Jan. 20, 2023. (Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo)

Householder and Borges were convicted of participating in the racketeering conspiracy, the Justice Department said in a statement on Thursday. The racketeering conspiracy charge, in this case, is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Fehrman posted on Twitter after the verdicts came down.

In a phone interview, Fehrman said that the outcome proved the risk he took in wearing a wire for the FBI as part of the governments investigation was worth it.

For them to come back and find both of them guilty, and after not too long, is just such a relief, he said. It is a good day for Ohioans. This stuff just cant continue to happen.

FirstEnergy agreed to pay $230 million in 2021 to settle U.S. government charges in the case. It admitted it paid millions of dollars to state officials to pursue legislation on nuclear subsidies and other policies that would benefit it.

Larry Householder illegally sold the statehouse, and thus he ultimately betrayed the great people of Ohio he was elected to serve, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker said on Thursday. Matt Borges was a willing co-conspirator, who paid bribe money for insider information to assist Householder.

The man who brought the case, Parkers predecessor David DeVillers, wrote on Twitter: The line between influence peddling and bribery will now be drawn by the rule of law and not by politicians, lobbyists, and corporations.

We are incredibly disappointed in the verdict, Householders attorney Steven Bradley said. We will take some time to evaluate all of our legal options and will most certainly pursue an appeal. Our client is looking forward to going home to be with his wife and family during this very difficult time.

Borges did not testify at trial but insists that hes innocent. His attorneys argued that he was uninvolved with the pay-to-play scheme, while Householders team portrayed his actions as nothing more than hardball politics.

Under a deal to avoid prosecution, FirstEnergy admitted using a network of dark money groups to fund the bribery scheme and even bribing the states top utility regulator, Sam Randazzo.

Randazzo resigned as chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio after an FBI search of his home, but he has not been charged and denies wrongdoing. The government has asked the Public Utilities Commission to delay its internal investigation into FirstEnergy while its probe continues.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
GOP Senators Accuse Pentagon Official of Leaking Classified Information on Chinese Spy Balloons

Dr. Colin Kahl, the U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, is seen in a file photograph. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Pentagon official Colin Kahl leaked classified information about Chinese spy balloons to deflect blame on the Biden administrations mishandling of a similar spy balloon in U.S. airspace last month, according to two Republican senators.

Kahl, whom President Joe Biden appointed as his undersecretary of defense for policy, provided classified information to reporters, revealing that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spy balloons may have infiltrated the United States during the Trump administration, Sens. Roger Wicker (R., Miss.) and Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) wrote in a March 10 letter.

This is the first time Kahl has been identified as the source of these leaks, which seem to have been an attempt to shift blame away from Biden after the administration allowed the Chinese spy balloon to fly across the entire United States before shooting it down off the coast of South Carolina.

The Pentagon official, however, left out the fact that the previous Chinese balloons were discovered much later, and the Trump administration did not have time to reply.

In addition, soon after the balloon became public knowledge, Dr. Kahl leaked previously classified information to the press about prior Chinese surveillance balloons during the Trump administration, the senators said in their letter.

It remains unclear whether this leak was cleared internally through the proper channels. Either way, it was a brazen attempt to shift blame. Most egregiously, Dr. Kahl omitted a key detail in his distribution of this sensitive information to the press  the prior Chinese balloons were only discovered much later. The Trump administration did not have an opportunity to respond at the time.

Near the end of their comments, the lawmakers said they sincerely hope you will hold Dr. Kahl accountable for his politicization of previously classified materials. This type of behavior is the reason every Senate Republican voted against Dr. Kahls nomination in 2021.

Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Feb. 5, 2023. (Petty Officer 1st Class Tyler Thompson/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

Additional information about Chinas spy balloons has continued to surface. According to the chiefs of the United States Northern and Southern Commands, China took down one of its balloons after it passed Central America about the time another one was flying into the United States on March 8, as The Epoch Times previously reported.

What I understand is the PRC actually terminated that balloon in the Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of South America, Gen. Glen VanHerck, who heads the U.S. Northern Command, told the House Armed Services Committee in a hearing, using the acronym for the Peoples Republic of China.

U.S. Southern Commands head Gen. Laura Richardson confirmed that to be true. Neither disclosed the time and place of the takedown nor the position of the balloon remnants.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to The Epoch Timess request for comment.
GOP Senators Express Grave Concern to Education Secretary Over Taxpayer-Funded Anti-Semitic Near East and Mideast Programs

Republican senators expressed grave concern on March 8 to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona over U.S. taxpayer-funded anti-Semitic Near East and Middle East programs on Americas college and university campuses.

The letter was signed by Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

We write with grave concern that the Department of Education, over the course of decades, has been allowing taxpayer-funded antisemitism to take place on college campuses throughout the United States, they wrote in the letter.

The senators accused university Near East and Middle East programs of not abiding by Title VI of the 1965 Higher Education Act (HEA), which include the requirement that program recipients reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world regions and international affairs, as described in the grantees application. This violation, wrote the senators, is done through having a disproportionate amount of their curriculum on criticizing Israel.

Although the senators acknowledged that criticizing the Jewish state is not anti-Semitic, the type of scrutiny coming from these taxpayer-funded programs and professors goes against the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances working definition of antisemitism, which has been adopted by dozens of countries including the United States.

Specifically, wrote the senators, these programs and professors have been violating the working definitions examples of anti-Semitism including denying the Jewish people the right to self-determination, comparing the Israeli governments actions to Nazi Germany, holding Israel to double standards not applied to any other Democratic nation, Holocaust denial, and more.

An example the senators cited is that, according to the AMCHA Initiative, which combats anti-Semitism on U.S. college and university campuses, between 2010 and 2013, 93 percent of UCLAs Center for Near East Studies public events related to Israel displayed bias against the Jewish state.

The senators alleged that some universities may have even violated anti-terrorism laws by hosting convicted terrorists as speakers, for example, New York University hosting a webinar in 2020 with convicted terrorist Leila Khaled, who hijacked a plane in 1969 and was released in a prisoner exchange in 1970, when she attempted to hijack another plane. Khaled belongs to the U.S.-designated terrorist group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Another example of anti-Semitism in Mideast studies programs on college campuses the senators cited was the North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studiesa joint Duke-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill programportray[ing] Islam in a positive light but fail[ing] to teach students the history of the persecution the Jewish people and other ethnic and religious groups in the Middle East have faced for centuries, as alleged in a 2019 letter to the program from the Education Department under President Donald Trump.

According to a 2022 AMCHA Initiative study, 160 academic departments at 120 U.S. colleges and universities issued or endorsed wholly one-sided, anti-Israel statements containing rhetoric that meets the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Examples cited by the letters signees include a UC Berkeley professor who lectured that Palestinian terrorist acts were counter-violence that pales in scale to actions by Israel and claimed Holocaust denial is a form of protest' and a professor at the University of Texas at Austin who labeled Israel a racist country and compared its policies to Nazi Germany.

Because of the widespread antisemitism taking place on college campuses, many Jewish and pro-Israel students no longer feel safe, wrote the senators. In fact, universities with faculty who actively support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel were 3.6 times more likely to have their Jewish and pro-Israel students targeted for physical harm on campus.

The senators gave the Education Department until April 28 to respond to numerous questions including to what extent have college and university programs in the United States used federal funds on speakers and programs that meet the IHRA working definition of antisemitism over the last decade and the departments plan for ensuring programs and professors on college and university campuses receiving HEA Title VI funding are in compliance with federal requirements requiring diverse perspectives.

A Department of Education spokesperson responded on March 10 to The Epoch Times request for comment on the letter by confirming it received the letter and referring to a fact sheet about Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and a Q&A about the 2019 executive order signed by Trump on combating anti-Semitism, especially on college and university campuses.
Recently, COVID-19 and Fauci have been trending on Twitter. And when you click on those hashtags, you dont get regurgitated government messaging.

Instead, you get declarations such as this one from Dr. Eli David, which has been viewed 1.2 million times: Fauci was wrong about lockdowns, masks, double-masks, Remdesivir, vaccine, boosters, and virus origin. Was Fauci right about anything? Give me a single thing about Covid which Fauci got right.

Tired of Half-Truths

Its becoming increasingly clear from social media and elsewhere that people are tired of being lied to by government health authorities. Theyre beginning to realize that these agencies dont have their best interests in mind.

I stopped to chat with an older couple enjoying the sun last week. They had set up two folding chairs by the water so they could watch the passersby and look at the shimmering Atlantic Ocean.

You just have to enjoy every second, the wife said. My husband has dementia. Its been hard. You dont know when youre going to go. My best friend called me sobbing two weeks ago. They found her 46-year-old son dead in his bed. No one knows why.

Do you know if he was vaccinated? I asked in the gentlest tone I could muster. I know that may sound like a strange question but  we are seeing myocarditis and pericarditis in young men post-vaccinationthe Florida surgeon general no longer recommends mRNA vaccines for young menand at least some of these sudden unexplained deaths may be due to that.

I didnt know that, she said. But Im sure he was vaccinated. Ive done so many at this point, Im radioactive!

Weve had, what, five? she said, turning to her husband. Its getting ridiculous. We still got COVID, twice. Were not doing any more.

Deaths Continue

There has been a surge in sudden, unexplained, age-inappropriate deaths in at least 30 countries in the industrialized world.

In Ireland, so many people died in January that funerals had to be postponed, according to local news.

Ed Dowd, in his new book, Cause Unknown: The Epidemic of Sudden Deaths in 2021 and 2022, argues that the sudden deaths in young people in industrialized countries are due to mRNA vaccines.

Dowd shows that the number of excess deaths in the United States attributed to COVID-19 in 2020 was actually much lower than the huge spike in sudden deaths that began in 2021 after the vaccines started being widely distributed.

Importantly, most of the 2021 deaths, which occurred mostly in people aged 18 to 64, werent attributed to the disease.

From February 2021 to March 2022, millennials experienced the equivalent of a Vietnam war, with more than 60,000 excess deaths, Dowd wrote. He is an expert in following and anticipating trends and a founding partner of a global investment company, Phinance Technologies.

The Vietnam War took 12 years to kill the same number of healthy young people weve just seen die in 12 months.

Swine Flu Vaccine Program Halted After 3 Deaths

On Oct. 13, 1976, The New York Times ran a story about the swine flu vaccine.

The headline read Swing Flu Program Is Halted in 9 States as 3 Die After Shots.

All deaths from all vaccines reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System by year from 1990 to 2023. (screenshot/OpenVAERS.com)

As of Feb. 24, nearly 34,580 deaths had been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via the governments Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is known for its under-reporting (pdf), after COVID-19 shots.

With deaths reported for all vaccines combined, the number jumped from 420 deaths in 2020 (before COVID-19 vaccination) to 22,278 deaths in 2021 (with COVID-19 vaccination), a 5,304 percent increase.

Brave Doctors Around the World Speaking Out

With the mounting evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is doing more harm than good, doctors and health experts around the world, many of whom are risking losing their jobs, are now speaking out against continuing to give mRNA injections.

Especially problematic, they say, is giving mRNA vaccines to young people, for whom COVID-19 is usually a mild, easily overcome viral infection.

In May 2020, we wrote our first article on evidence-based science-forward researchers and clinicians who have spoken out against propaganda posing as science, headlined May the Force Be With Them: Scientists Fight Back.

Since then, we have continued to document and report on a global phenomenon: Conscientious doctors and medical scientists who follow the facts say that mRNA vaccinations do more harm than good and that its time to stop the harm.

Japanese Cardiovascular Surgeon Says Halt the Boosters

Dr. Kenji Yamamoto, a cardiovascular surgeon in Japan, argued that giving any further COVID-19 vaccines is simply too dangerous.

As a safety measure, further booster vaccinations should be discontinued, Yamamoto wrote in a peer-reviewed letter published in the journal Virology. He has seen lethal cases of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia.

He and his colleagues have found that the vaccines have led some patients to develop marked immune dysfunction. Some have died from antibiotic-resistant infections, deaths which Yamamoto attributed to vaccine-induced immune problems.

To date, when comparing the advantages and disadvantages of mRNA vaccines, vaccination has been commonly recommended. As the COVID-19 pandemic becomes better controlled, vaccine sequelae are likely to become more apparent, he wrote.

It has been hypothesized that there will be an increase in cardiovascular diseases, especially acute coronary syndromes, caused by the spike proteins in genetic vaccines. Besides the risk of infections owing to lowered immune functions, there is a possible risk of unknown organ damage caused by the vaccine that has remained hidden without apparent clinical presentations, mainly in the circulatory system.



British Cardiologist Speaks Out

Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist who has been staunchly in favor of vaccines for his entire medical career, initially defended the COVID-19 vaccine program.

In fact, he was among the first to get them.

But after spending countless hours researching the vaccines and carefully reviewing all the available scientific data, Malhotra no longer recommends them.

He now believes that these vaccines are causing unprecedented harms, as he explained in the recent documentary Safe and Effective: A Second Opinion.

Moreover, he has published several peer-reviewed articles explaining the data. Re-analysis of randomized controlled trials using the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology suggests a greater risk of serious adverse events from the vaccines than being hospitalized from COVID-19, Malhotra wrote.

Australian Cardiologist Calls to Stop the Shots

Dr. Ross Walker, a cardiologist based in Sydney, Australia, has seen about 70 cases of vaccine-induced heart problems following mRNA vaccines in his practice alone.

He now believes that the mRNA vaccines are very pro-inflammatory and that they should never have been mandated.

In his patients, the heart problemswhich include palpitations, chest pain, and shortness of breathhave been lasting for up to half a year following vaccination, he said.

We dont need to use mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna, Walker told the Daily Mail Australia.

A Virologist and Immunologist Speaks Out

Yuhong Dong is a medical doctor who writes for The Epoch Times and has more than 20 years of experience in virological and immunological research.

For her doctorate from Beijing University in China, Dong specialized in infectious diseases. From 2010 to 2017, she was the senior medical scientific expert and pharmacovigilance leader at Novartis Headquarters in Switzerland. During that time, she won four company awards.

There is ample evidence, based on preclinical and clinical studies, demonstrating that these COVID-19 vaccines do not protect people against SARS-CoV-2 infection, but incur serious adverse events including abnormal blood clots, cardiovascular events, strokes, sudden death, immune disorders, neurological injuries, and reproductive events, Dong said via email.

At the general population level, the risks weigh high over the benefits. We should take a decent but rational decision to stop the COVID-19 vaccine program immediately.

The solution to building strong immunity to survive viral infections, Dong said, isnt mRNA technology.

Instead, she wrote, we need to teach people how to preserve or bolster their divine-endowed natural immunity [and] change their detrimental lifestyles and mindsets.

Should Be Summarily Stopped

Dr. Bose Ravenel, a retired pediatrician based in North Carolina who spent 31 years in private practice, 11 years as an academic pediatrician, and six years practicing integrative pediatric medicine, said, The COVID-19 vaccine program should be summarily stopped because signals for adverse effects, including death, are unprecedented.

Ravenel told The Epoch Times that he has clocked more than 4,500 hours studying SARS-CoV-2 and the vaccines.

The risk of death or serious illness from current COVID strains is statistically low, effective ambulatory treatment is available, and the absolute risk reduction from the vaccines is 0.5 to 1.6 percentthats very low, he said.

These mRNA vaccines fail to achieve the foundational function of a vaccine of stopping infection or transmission to others.

Belongs in the Dustbin of History

Dr. Thomas Redwood has been an emergency room physician for more than 30 years. He was an ER physician within the Wellstar and Piedmont health care systems in Atlanta until his privileges were terminated for not complying with COVID-19 vaccine mandates; he now practices in Alabama.

We should end the COVID vaccine program, full stop, Redwood told The Epoch Times. What was touted as safe and effective is neither.

Redwood also said hes surprised that the medical community is still defendingand even promotingthese vaccines.

Any other vaccine with a similar adverse event profile has been pulled from the market, he said. The vaccines inability to prevent infection and therefore transmission further highlights why this experimental drug belongs in the dustbin of history.

Cardio-Toxic

Dr. Kirk A. Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist and the medical director of the nonprofit For Hearts and Souls, said the spike protein is a known cardio-toxin.

It is now known to function as a cardio-toxin, Milhoan wrote in an email.

According to Milhoan, knowingly having our bodies produce a cardio-toxin with the hope that it will help protect us against a respiratory virus with a very low infection-fatality rate makes no sense.

After This Health Assault, We All Need to Heal

Dr. Cammy Benton, a family physician in private practice in Huntersville, North Carolina, said she was skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccine program from early on.

The science from the beginning simply did not meet criteria for approval for use, Benton told The Epoch Times.

Ongoing data confirms that the vaccine failed on its promises and has caused significant harms, not only on a physical level but on a psychosocial level on a global scale.

We need to heal on all levels after this assault on our freedoms and our health.

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.
Hong Kong Female Political Prisoners Turned Into Massive Projection Art on Building in NYC on International Womens Day

The youngest female political prisoner in Hong Kong Is only 14

On the exterior of a high-rise building in Manhattan, New York, the faces of the female democrats are projected on the evening of International Women's Day on March 8, 2023. The photo shows former Stand News reporter Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam and the number of days she has been remanded: 739. (Courtesy of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation

On March 8, the eve of International Womens Day, a prominent art projection on the exterior of a tall building in Manhattan, New York, displayed a number of female political prisoners in Hong Kong. The message was to urge the Hong Kong government for their release immediately.

A Hongkongers organization, The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK), stood in solidarity with the Hong Kong female political prisoners who have been put into jail in Hong Kong.

On the night of March 8, five female portraits were projected by CFHK on the exterior of a Manhattan Building in New York. They included former Legislative Council member Claudia Mo Man-ching, former Stand News reporter Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam, barrister and former Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Alliance Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, spokespersons of now disbanded Student Politicism spokespersons Wong Yuen-lam and Chu Wai-ying.

The projection also shows that the democratic figures have been detained for over 500 days. Among them, Gwenyth Ho Kwai-lam and Claudia Mo Man-ching for 739 days.

The light projection displayed an image of Hongkongers holding up yellow umbrellas to fight for freedom, with the words Freedom is on trial in Hong Kong.

In both Chinese and English, the message was urging the Hong Kong government to release the Hong Kong political prisoners.

The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK) set up a large projection on the exterior of a sky-rise building in Manhattan, New York, United States, on the eve of International Womens Day on March 8, 2023. The foundations projection was to stand in solidarity with Hong Kong female political prisoners. The foundation also called on the authorities for their release. (Courtesy of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation)

A large-scale projection in Manhattan, New York, shows an image of Hongkongers holding up yellow umbrellas, fighting for freedom, on March 8, 2023. (Courtesy of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation)

The trial of The Hong Kong 47 Case in Hong Kong has been in session. After the 2019 preliminary primaries, 47 democratic politicians, journalists, and lawmakers were arrested and charged with conspiracy to subvert state power under the National Security Law.

It is the largest case since the Hong Kong and Beijing government implemented the National Security Law.

CFHK recently launched a political prisoner database, pointing out that Hong Kong has the worlds highest proportion of female prisoners.

Frances Hui Wing-ting, the political and advocacy coordinator of CFHK, pointed out that, at present, the youngest female political prisoner in Hong Kong is only 14 years old.

Hui said, The situation is shocking. The Chinese Communist Party imprisons far more female political prisoners than any other regime. That was why the organization held the event in New York on the eve of International Womens Day. The organization wanted the world to know their names and urged the regime to release them immediately.

The organization chose to hold the projection art event in New York on the eve of International Womens Day on March 8, 2023, to let the world know the names of the political prisoners and call for their immediate release. (Courtesy of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation)

CFHK Chairman Mark Clifford said women account for a large ratio of the nearly 1400 political prisoners in Hong Kong. Clifford described it as an insult.

Clifford expressed that it was imperative to remember those female political prisoners in Hong Kong. He added, We should learn from these women who continue to stand tall for freedom and democracy while in prison. They have not been forgotten.

The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK), an American Hongkonger organization, supported Hong Kong female political prisoners with projected art on high-rise buildings in Manhattan, New York, on March 8, 2023. (Courtesy of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong)

The picture shows the portrait of the former spokesperson of now-dissolved Student Policitism, Alice Wong Yuen-lam, and the number of days she has been in prison, on display on March 8, 2023. (Courtesy of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong)

The large-scale projection in Manhattan, New York, shows a message: Release Hong Kong Political Prisoners in Chinese and English on March 8, 2023 . (Courtesy of The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong)
It Happened One Night (1934): Frank Capras Pre-Code Oscar Winner

Commentary

The 95th Academy Awards are taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 12. The 95th year! Its hard to believe that its been almost a whole century since the first Oscars were handed out at a short, private ceremony at the Blossom Ballroom in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

I applied to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for press credentials to the Oscars, but I sent my application too late. I thought it would be a good idea to cover the event if I could, but, frankly, Im relieved I didnt have to. I neither know nor care about any of the actors or nominees, and I doubt you readers care much more about todays celebrities and the latest releases. Ill just wait until Monday morning to skim through the news and see whether the star-studded event included any controversial losses, Satanic rituals, or violent assaults by winners.

Clark Gables Oscar for It Happened One Night is displayed at Meet the Oscars, an exhibit featuring the 50 Oscar statuettes that will be presented at the 78th Academy Awards, at Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2006. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Conservatives arent the only people turning off the television during awards season. For the past few years, all the major award shows have had historically low ratings, with in-person ceremonies after the pandemic being generally lambasted as boring, goofy, and hypocritical. This season, the Golden Globes ushered in the red-carpet season with dismal ratings and an obnoxious overdose of propaganda. Instead of wasting our time watching and analyzing the 95th Oscars, lets review the first movie to sweep the five major Oscar categories, It Happened One Night from 1934.

A Depression Era Story

This Frank Capra movie, regarded as the first screwball comedy, is a classic rich girl meets poor man love story. Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) is an heiress who impulsively marries a news-seeking playboy, King Westley (Jameson Thomas), against her fathers wishes. Millionaire Alexander Andrews (Walter Connolly) has his daughter kidnapped right after the ceremony and held prisoner on his yacht in Florida, planning to get her marriage annulled. However, Ellie refuses to be controlled any longer, so she jumps overboard and swims to shore. With her fathers detectives hot on her trail, she pawns her wedding ring to buy simple clothes and a ticket for a night bus headed to New York, where King is waiting for her.

Original movie poster for the American film It Happened One Night (1934), directed by Frank Capra. (Public Domain)

On the bus, Ellie meets a loudmouthed, drunken reporter named Peter Warne (Clark Gable). After having a fight on the telephone with his editor, Joe Gordon (Charles C. Wilson), Peter heads to New York, immediately getting into a disagreement with Ellie over seating arrangements. At one of their stops, Ellies bag is stolen, prompting Peter to take more notice of her. Soon, he figures out her real identity, recognizing her from local newspapers, and he sees a great opportunity. Instead of turning her over to her father for the promised reward, he decides to help her get to New York without being discovered so he can get a scoop on her story.

Knowing that hell reveal her secret if she refuses, Ellie agrees to pool her financial resources with Peter to rent a motel room. They register as husband and wife, but Peter maintains propriety by hanging a blanket between the twin beds as the walls of Jericho. Peter isnt the only one who discovers Ellies identity, however. An annoying admirer of hers on the bus, Oscar Shapely (Roscoe Karns), figures out that she looks familiar as well, so the pair have to set out on their own. During their challenging, impoverished, and funny trip, they may just find something neither one was expecting.

Pre-Code, Pre-Capra

You may or may not be familiar with the movie term Pre-Code. This films Wikipedia page was the first place I heard or read about the term more than seven years ago. It created a mild curiosity that grew into a passion for Hollywood history, leading to my becoming a blogger and then a journalist. Even if it doesnt mold your career trajectory, learning about Pre-Code films will change the way you watch old movies. The term means before the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code, which began with the formation of the Production Code Administration (PCA), a branch of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (MPPDA), in July 1934. This chapter of cinematic history is complex and confusing. The Code is nicknamed the Hays Code after Will H. Hays, the first MPPDA president, but he did not write it, as commonly believedMartin J. Quigley and Father Daniel A. Lord did. Their documents official title is The Motion Picture Production Code of 1930, which was when it was officially adopted by the MPPDA. However, the Studio Relations Committee (SRC), a PCA branch formed to enforce the Codes guidelines for proper film content, was thoroughly ineffectual for four years. Thus, 1930-1934, the early talking picture period generally recognized as the Pre-Code Era, was not before the Codes existenceit just was before they figured out how to use it!

It Happened One Night was released on February 18, 1934, five months before the PCAs formation, so it is undeniably Pre-Code. Its interesting to compare this Frank Capra film, one of the directors first hits, with his later beloved classics. Seeing the Pre-Code work of an artist whose later work you know and love can feel like discovering your fathers college scrapbook. You may be surprised to see that the respectable citizen sowed some wild oats as a youth! So it is with Frank Capra and this film. While it certainly doesnt top any list of notoriously salacious, violent, or controversial films from this period, it lacks the warmth and sincerity which would mark later Capra films. Instead, it contains content that proves its Pre-Code status.

Cropped screenshot of Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable from the trailer for the film It Happened One Night in 1934. (Public Domain)

Perhaps Ellie Andrews could be the heroine of a Code Capra film, but Peter Warne is nothing like the Capra leading men whom Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart would play later in the decade. His first line is In a pigs eye, a vulgarism which was banned by many 1930s censor boards. Hes rebellious, violent, and generally anti-social. He isnt fighting against corruption and tyranny, like later Capra charactershes just fighting against the establishment. Like many Pre-Code films, this movie includes a lot of extreme yet pointless drunkenness, which is especially problematic when you consider that Prohibition wasnt repealed until December 1933, after most of these films had been made. The men treat Ellie with very little respect, with her fathers slapping her across the face in the first scene, Shapelys making indecent flirtatious advances toward her, and Peters frequently using aggressive dialogue and behavior toward her. There are at least a couple of scenes where a little more of Miss Colberts figure is revealed than what is necessary or proper, such as when she reveals her thigh in the famous hitchhiking scene. Besides that, there is a general air of suggestiveness in the dialogue and scenarios, which lowers the moral tone of the characters and the story.

What Happened One Night?

Films released in 1934 are where the whole Pre-Code situation gets really confusing. Many movies were in production or had just finished primary filming when the PCA was formed in July. After ignoring the SRC throughout production, they suddenly had to heed the Code-enforcers if they wanted to receive Seals of Approval for distribution throughout the United States. Oftentimes, there was little the PCA could do with the films at this point, since they had already begun production with scripts which violated the Code. The purpose of the Code was not to censor finished films; it was to guide filmmakers throughout production to help them make clean movies from the start. Most early Code films dont meet the decency standards of later Code films, since it took a while for Hollywood to embrace the strange new concept of decency.

Cropped screenshot of Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable from the trailer for the film It Happened One Night in 1934. (Public Domain)

Many of the films It Happened One Night competed with at the Oscars were released later in the year as early Code films. Its not surprising that an uncomplicated Pre-Code film would stand out as being artistically better, thus winning Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Adaptation. Although proper Code enforcement would help films be more entertaining than ever, many 1934 Code films were caught in limbo.

It Happened One Night is entertaining, and its a fascinating glimpse into the unique world of America in 1934. However, if youre looking for the heartwarming nostalgia Frank Capra films usually provide, you wont find much here. The only moment which even hints at Capracorn is when a young boy on the bus (George P. Breakston) tearfully panics after his mother faints. When Ellie learns that they are starving, she gives the lad her bottom dollar. This is a brief testament to the leading ladys unselfish generosity and a tableau of the Depression Era. However, this movies everyman lacks the power of later Capra heroes because he lacks their moral fiber. This Oscar Sunday, I invite you to rent or buy this film on Amazon Video or YouTube and consider how greatly the Code influenced even the noblest of filmmakers, Frank Capra. If it encouraged him to make his inspiring movies, could it motivate todays filmmakers to pursue a higher standard?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Its Time to Restore Ethical Integrity at the University of British Columbia

Commentary

As a University of British Columbia alumnus, with a Ph.D. from the Department of English Language and Literatures, I share responsibility for UBCs policies. Because my credentials are associated with UBC, whenever I make use of them to gain employment, or to secure positions as a volunteer or committee member, whenever I draw benefit in any way from the accreditation that I have received from UBC, I am tacitly supporting UBC as an institution.

As far as I am able, I attempt to live in an ethically responsible fashion that minimizes harm to others. As such, because my professional credentials are bound up with UBC, it is essential that I oppose any policy which, in my view, constitutes an obvious and significant departure from ethically acceptable practice.

I am writing this open letter because I believe UBCs COVID-19 genetic vaccine mandate was egregiously unethical. I refuse to accept UBCs decision to coerce students, staff, and instructors into receiving this experimental treatment. I refuse to accept the pretence that this treatment could be called safe when there was absolutely no long-term safety data available to support that claim. Moreover, there remains no controlled phase 3 clinical studies that show these vaccines prevent infection with SARS-CoV-2, reduce the severity of COVID-19, or prevent transmission. And finally, I refuse to endorse UBC as an institution of any merit until its administration has issued public apologies for its coercive COVID-19 policies, and for its role in misleading the general public with respect to the safety and efficacy of these mRNA vaccines.

I volunteer with the Canadian Covid Care Alliance (CCCA), a volunteer not-for-profit organization of over 700 independent scientists, medical doctors, and other health-care professionals and hundreds of others from diverse backgrounds. I volunteer with the CCCA in the hopes of restoring integrity to Canadian health care. I am currently assisting a team of researcherspeople whose work I respect and for whose tireless and care-filled diligence I am deeply gratefulin a project identifying, mapping, and explaining the pervasive conflict of interest that is plaguing Canadas public health system.

The problem of conflict-of-interest corrupting health-related decision-making and policy-making is particularly grievous in B.C.one of the only provinces in Canada that has maintained the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health-care workers. In spite of an extreme shortage of nurses, B.C. still has not re-hired those terminated for refusing vaccination. Were talking about thousands upon thousands of nurses. These are qualified professionals with families to support. These are individuals who benefit from robust naturally acquired immunity after working on the front lines of COVID-19 care throughout the first year of the declared pandemic!

While the CBC and corporate media refuse to consider their plight, it is imperative for anyone capable of empathetic critical thinking to consider the financial difficulty imposed on these nurses and their families. It is imperative that we consider the emotional and psychological difficulty imposed on these nurses and their families by the nightmarish situation in which they find themselvespunished for standing up for the right to informed consent and the right to refuse unwanted medical interventions.

These front-line nurses are being punished for doing the right thing while UBC continues to stand by and endorse COVID-19 vaccine mandates that do far more harm than good. In fact, UBC is blocking the acceptance of students in medicine, dentistry, nursing, and other health disciplines unless they agree to submit to vaccination against COVID-19. Contrary to all common sense, UBC is insisting on vaccination regardless of whether these individuals already have natural immunity, and they are doing this more than three years into the pandemic!

I realize that our universities are caught up in a similar web to that which has seized hold of our health-care system. Cash-starved institutions are always vulnerable to corporate influence and even capture. But administrative expediencysimply doing whatever is required to maintain and increase fundingleads inevitably to real human harm.

I have a friend who works at UBC. She really wanted to keep her job. She was injured by both of the Pfizer shots she received. She was hospitalized both times. Conscientious researchers have established that the shots pose similar risksassociated with the production of spike proteinto those posed by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Indeed, the shots pose much greater long-term risk to heart tissue than COVID-19 itself.

We all now know that these inoculations are not effective at stopping or slowing transmission. That much has been admitted publicly by a Pfizer representative speaking before a European Union parliamentary committee. And we all know that they are not safe. When we take all of the reports of all of the vaccine injuries, hospitalizations, and deaths in the U.S.s VAERS, the UKs Yellow Card, and the World Health Organizations VigiAccess systems, what we see is that there are more vaccine injuries reported from the three U.S.-approved COVID-19 vaccines in the past two years than from the combined sum of all the other vaccines administered over the last 30 years.

Instead of requiring COVID-19 vaccination for students admitted into its MD, dentistry, and nursing programs, UBC needs to stop endorsing this vaccination program immediatelythe shots are NOT SAFE, and they are NOT EFFECTIVE!

UBC needs to get in front of this catastrophe of pharmaceutical industry-leveraged global health policy. Real people need to take real responsibility at UBC. They need to apologize for coercing students, staff, and instructors into receiving these still experimental COVID-19 genetic vaccines. They need to actively seek out the injured and address their injuries. And once apologies have been issued and reparations begun, these responsible individuals need to initiate significant internal reform to prevent the imposition of similarly coercive policies in the future.

After three long years, I am tired of being continuously ashamed of UBC. I want to see representatives of the UBC community begin taking the steps necessary to restore UBCs ethical integrity. Im calling upon the UBC Board of Governors, the UBC Senate, the UBC Heads of Departments, the UBC Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic, and the UBC Office of the PresidentIm calling upon the human beings in these offices, the human beings in these roles, to take responsibility and begin doing the right thing.

Im calling upon you all to begin making amends for the harm UBCs COVID-19 policies have done to UBC as a community as well as for the harm they have done to the universitys reputation as an institution of higher learning.

We can all do better.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Japan Agrees to Join Alternative WTO Trade-Dispute Resolution System

A sign of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is seen on its headquarters in Geneva on Sept. 21, 2018. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images)

Japan has agreed to join an alternative dispute resolution system to the World Trade Organization (WTO) after a prolonged inactivity of the WTO Appellate Body left the countrys dispute cases in limbo.

The cabinet approved the decision to participate in the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) on Friday, according to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

This will make Japan the 26th MPIA member, including China, Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Ukraine, Pakistan, and Singapore.

It said the Appellate Body has ceased functioning for over three years, and the yearly number of WTO dispute settlement cases had dropped to less than half of what it was before the current situation began.

In addition, two of the dispute cases that Japan has filed with the WTO have already been appealed into the void, and those cases have been virtually left in limbo, the ministry said in a statement.

As an interim measure until the dispute settlement function is restored, the Japanese government decided to join the MPIA, it added.

In 2019, the Trump administration decided against appointing new members to the Appellate Body over a host of issues with the WTO, including judicial overreach by its members, consistent rulings against U.S. tariffs designed to protect American businesses, and slow decision-making.

In turn, the Appellate Body cannot hear appeals because it lacks the numbers to constitute a body.

The MPIA was set up after the WTO Appellate Body was frozen. However, both parties must be willing to submit to an MPIA ruling, which could be another means to effectively kill the case.

The European Commission welcomed Japans decision to join the MPIA, citing global trade regulations as the best guardrail against global economic fragmentation.

It is also a strong sign of support for the restoration of a reformed and fully functioning dispute settlement system, which WTO members have committed to putting in place by 2024, the commission said.

The EU reiterates that MPIA membership remains open to all members, to offer a practical tool for appeal arbitration, pending the restoration of a reformed and fully functioning WTO dispute settlement system, it added.

South Koreas WTO Dispute Against Japan

South Korea said on Monday that it will halt a WTO dispute process sparked by a complaint against Japan as the two countries discuss Japans export curbs on high-tech materials to South Korea.

The suspension of the WTO dispute resolution process is not really a withdrawal  but a pause, Kamchan Kang, director-general at Koreas trade ministry, told reporters.

If the issue does not progress well, the process may resume again, Kang added.

In July 2019, Japan imposed export curbs on materials used in smartphone displays and chips amid a decades-old row with Seoul about South Koreans who said they were forced to work under Japans 19101945 occupation of Korea.

South Korean tech firms such as Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SK Hynix Inc., and LG Display Co. Ltd. were among companies widely expected to be affected by Tokyos curbs on fluorinated polyimides, photoresists, and hydrogen fluoride, in which Japanese production dominated.

South Korea recently announced that its companies would compensate people forced to work under Japans 19101945 occupation, as the country seeks to end a dispute that has undercut U.S.-led efforts to present a unified front against China and North Korea.

Daniel Y. Teng and Reuters contributed to this report.
Killing of Maryland High Schooler Solved 52 Years Later

MILLERSVILLE, Md.More than a half-century after Maryland high school student Pamela Conyers was found strangled to death following her disappearance from a local shopping mall, law enforcement officials announced Friday that they finally solved the case.

But the suspect, Forrest Clyde Williams IIIwhom detectives identified using DNA technology and genetics researchdied in 2018 of natural causes. Officials havent linked him to other unsolved crimes, leaving many unanswered questions for residents of the close-knit suburban community outside Baltimore.

The night of Conyers disappearance, the 16-year-old attended a high school pep rally and then drove to the mall. Her parents reported her missing when she never returned from running errands. Four days later, authorities discovered her body in a wooded area, not far from the family car she had been driving.

There was no evidence to suggest Conyers knew her accused killer, Anne Arundel County police officials said at a news conference Friday. They also said they havent ruled out the possibility that another suspect was involved, meaning the case is not yet considered closed.

Federal and local officials praised detectives for pursuing a decadeslong search for justice in the case.

We are pleased to deliver a measure of justice for Pamela Conyers and her loved ones, said FBI agent Tom Sobocinski. Cases may grow cold, investigators may change, but this proves that for law enforcement, victims are never forgotten.

Detectives used DNA analysis and a process called investigative genetic genealogy, both of which didnt exist when Conyers was killed in 1970, Sobocinski said.

When investigators collected evidence from the 1970 crime scene, they had no idea how it might later be used. But cold case detectives recently developed a DNA profile that they compared to information available in publicly accessible genealogical databases, officials said. That allowed them to identify potential relatives of the suspect, create a family tree and ultimately pinpoint Williams. He declined to specify which relatives led them to Williams or describe the process in detail.

But Sobocinski said the case demonstrates how evolving technology allows law enforcement to solve cold cases, a process that has given hope where previously there may have been none.

Such genealogic investigations have revolutionized cold case investigations across the country in recent years, though privacy advocates have expressed concern about the implications of law enforcement accessing public genealogy databases.

Anne Arundel County officials provided little information about Williams, saying only that he had a sparse criminal history and spent most of his life in Virginia. He was 21 when Conyers was killed.

FBI Special Agent in Charge, Tom Soboconski, Baltimore Office, speaks during a news conference in Millersville, Md., on March 10, 2023. (Jeffrey F. Bill /Capital Gazette via AP)

Officials said his family moved to Maryland when Williams was a teenager and he attended an Anne Arundel County high school. He moved back to Virginia sometime later. Police presented an old mugshot of Williams from the early 1970s, saying he was arrested locally on minor counts, including drunk and disorderly conduct. Online court records didnt include a reference to that arrest, though they show he received a citation for fishing without a license in 1990.

Calls to phone numbers associated with his relatives werent immediately returned Friday.

Williams was survived by two children and many other relatives, according to his obituary.

If he were still alive, he would have been charged with the murder of Pamela Conyers, Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said during the Friday news conference.

Officials said the Conyers family had requested privacy.

Michael Golden, a high school classmate of Conyers, said the announcement brought some sense of closurebut also raised more questions. Golden attended the news conference with his high school yearbook in hand, opening it to a photo of Conyers.

Its still frustrating because I dont know anything about this guy, he said of the suspect. Its something all of our classmates  have been grappling with for all these years.

Golden, who befriended Conyers during band practice, said he vividly remembers when she went missing. He recalled an image of her empty desk in trigonometry class the Monday morning after her disappearance.

I still mourn her death, he said. I got to grow old, and she didnt. Shes forever 16.

David Wells, another longtime community member whose wife went to school with Conyers, said he was serving in the Air Force when the case was unfolding. He recalled being stationed in Hawaii and receiving letters from family members about the tragedy back home.

Wells said he was surprised to learn detectives didnt believe her killing was linked to other cold case homicides involving young women victims around the same time.

While the investigation remains open, officials said detectives dont believe the Conyers case is connected to the killing of Catherine Ann Cesnik, a Baltimore nun who went missing from a local shopping center and later was found dead from blunt force trauma. That case was featured in a 2017 Netflix documentary, The Keepers.

By Lea Skene
LAPD: Man Who Shot 3 Officers Was Suspect in Extortion Case

LOS ANGELESA man who shot three Los Angeles police officers in a Lincoln Heights gun battle that left him dead was a suspect in an extortion case, police said March 10.

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) did not elaborate on the nature of the investigation, but said 32-year-old Joseph Magana was a parolee who was a named suspect for an investigative report for extortion that occurred in Hollenbeck Division. The division covers Lincoln Heights, along with areas such as Montecito Heights, El Sereno, Boyle Heights, and Monterey Hills.

LAPD officers conducting surveillance around 4 p.m. Wednesday spotted the suspect walking in the area near the 3800 block of North Broadway, between Lincoln Park Avenue and Mission Road, and established a perimeter in the area, police said. When they lost sight of him, they requested backup from canine units.

According to police, one of the dogs being used in the search alerted officers to a downstairs unit that appeared to be a converted living space still under construction. Officers surrounded the area and began calling for Magana to surrender. When he failed to comply, officers deployed a chemical agent in hopes of flushing him out, police said.

Magana responded by opening fire at police, striking three officers, while police returned fire as the suspect retreated back inside the downstairs unit. The shooting was believed to have occurred at about 6 p.m.

A SWAT team was requested as a standoff ensued, and a robot was ultimately deployed into the unit, where Magana was seen on camera and appeared to be unresponsive. SWAT officers entered the unit, determining that the suspect had been struck by gunfire. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, police said.

According to the police department, two handguns were recovered at the scene, one of them a 9mm semi-automatic ghost gun and a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol. A loaded extended high-capacity magazine was also recovered, police said.

A ghost gun is one that is generally untraceable, often built from kits or assembled from various parts without serial numbers.

The three wounded officers were treated at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, and two of them were released Thursday night, police said. The third was still hospitalized, but police have indicated that all three officers were expected to recover.

One of the police officers was shot in the arm, another was shot in the leg and the third was shot in the body, but body armor probably deflected the round, according to authorities.

Mayor Karen Bass went to the hospital Wednesday night and spoke with two of the injured officers.

I deeply appreciate their service, and let them know that their city stands with them, Bass said at the news conference outside the hospital. And I very much look forward to their recovery. My heart goes out to the officers families who tonight got the phone call, or the knock on the door, that they dread every day that their loved one go on duty.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Magana had a lengthy criminal record. In January, the suspect was charged with battery on a police officer and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in connection with an incident late last year, The LA Times reported, citing court records and law enforcement sources.

The shooting of the officers prompted a massive police presence in the Lincoln Heights area, with at least three SWAT Bearcat vehicles at the scene. Residents in the area were evacuated during the standoff. Video from the scene showed officers escorting a resident with a walker from a home near the shooting scene.

Other residents were warned to stay inside their homes with their doors locked.

A citywide tactical alert extending officers shifts was issued following the shooting, but it was canceled when the suspect was determined to be dead.

The officers who were shot are all canine unit officers, and all are part of the Metropolitan Division, police said.
Meta to Block Access to News on Facebook, Instagram If Online News Act Adopted As-Is

The logo of Meta Platforms' business group in Brussels on Dec. 6, 2022. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

OTTAWAFacebook and Instagrams parent company says it will stop making news content available on its platforms if the proposed federal Online News Act passes in its current form.

Meta spokesperson Lisa Laventure says the company made the decision because the act will require it to pay publishers for links or content it doesnt post.

Laventure says paying for these posts is neither sustainable nor workable for Meta.

Tech giants like Meta and Google have fought against the proposed law known as Bill C18, which would require digital giants such as Google to negotiate deals that would compensate Canadian media companies for linking to or repurposing their content online.

Large Canadian media companies and the federal Liberal government argue the bill would level the playing field for news outlets that compete with tech giants for advertising dollars.

Facebook blocked access to news in Australia after a similar law was discussed in 2021, but quickly backtracked after the government made changes to an arbitration mechanism in the bill.
Michigan State House Freedom Caucus, joined by local community members, holds a press conference at 10:00 a.m. ET on March 11 in Marshal, Michigan, to reject the Ford EV battery plant with a Chinese partner sitting on property in Marshall.
Mission Viejo Man Accused of Choking School Teacher Mom to Death to Be Retried

SANTA ANA, Calif.A mistrial was declared this week in the case against a 38-year-old Mission Viejo man charged with killing his mother, with jurors deadlocking 11-1 on a verdict.

Jurors began deliberating Monday morning and said they could not reach a verdict as of Tuesday afternoon because of the holdout. A hearing was scheduled for Friday to consider how to proceed with a retrial.

Charles Seton Mosby is charged with one count of first-degree murder. He is accused of killing 69-year-old Marie Mosby, a former elementary school teacher, on Sept. 9, 2021.

Five to seven minutes. I want you to think about that, Senior Deputy District Attorney Dan Feldman said in his opening statement. Five to seven minutes is how long it takes for someone to cut off a persons oxygen to die.

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Mosby held his hands over his own mothers mouth until she died, Feldman alleged.

According to the defendants description he smothered her until her eyes were bugging out, Feldman said.

Then, after he realized she was dead, he decided to cover up the crime, Feldman said.

After putting his 5-foot-1 mothers body in the plastic storage bin he wrapped her in plastic, Feldman said.

The next day he went to The Home Depot to buy Damp Rid to mask the odor of the decomposing body, the prosecutor said.

Marie Mosby drove from their home at 27153 Cipres to City Hall on Oct. 13, 2020, so she could call police because the defendant had smashed her phone and computer, Feldman said.

The prosecutor played a tape of another 911 call with authorities in December of 2020 when she called to report she feared her son would try to kill her, Feldman said.

My son is trying to break into the house and Im afraid hes going to try to kill me, Maria Mosby said in the call. She had locked the doors when he was out back so he wouldnt come back into the home.

She told the authorities her son is a paranoid schizophrenic, who thinks Im somebody else in my body, shes heard saying in the call.

The tape captures the two arguing heatedly as he complains about being locked out.

Mosby called her stupid and cursed before telling her, Im going to be arrested because of you. He later added, You should die and hopefully you will.

After allegedly killing his mother, Mosby drove to the Las Vegas area on Sept. 14 in his mothers Chevrolet Volt and was seen by relatives who had not visited with him in about a decade, Feldman said.

He was driving Marias car with their three dogs, Feldman said.

Family members in Las Vegas had been trying to contact the victim for days with no luck, so they asked her other son, Michael Mosby, to check on her. Michael Mosby, who lives in San Diego County, called sheriffs deputies to do a welfare check, but they did not find anything amiss and no one answered the door, so they could do nothing further, Feldman said.

Michael Mosby drove up to his mothers home and broke in and when he could not find her there he called deputies and said he wanted to file a missing persons report, Feldman said.

When deputies entered the house they noticed an unforgettable odor from the victim who was decomposing in a plastic coffin where she was placed by the defendant, Feldman said.

Mosby returned to Orange County on Sept. 15 and was arrested in Orange, Feldman said. Mosby had been convicted on drug charges in Riverside County and was under house arrest, so investigators were able to use a location device to chart when he was away from the home, Feldman said.

According to Feldman, when investigators first questioned Mosby he plays ignorant and asks, Did you find her?'

Later, he said he had been experiencing manic episodes and was digging up the yard, Feldman said. Then he said his mother had come at him with a kitchen knife and he managed to get the weapon away from her and was attempting to render her unconscious in a way he learned in basic training, Feldman said.

He also told the investigators that it was not his mother but a clone, Feldman said.

Mosby claimed he shook his mother to make sure she was awake and then left and had nothing to do with her death, Feldman said.

Mosby also said he felt that the authorities would not believe him so he put his mothers body in the box and left, Feldman said.

He also said he cut off her air because she continued to claw at me, Feldman said.

Mosbys attorney, Terri Lynn Bianchi of the Orange County Public Defenders Office, said that when her client saw his mothers body it broke his mind.

He tells investigators, It broke my mind,' Bianchi said.

He didnt know what to do so he put her in the storage bin, she said.

He knew the cops were coming whether he called them or not, Bianchi said. That is what Charles thought. But days go by and the cops dont come. So he goes to Vegas to say goodbye to his grandmother. He wasnt able to see his grandmother but leaves some items for her.

And then he returned to Orange County, Bianchi said.

The defense attorney said in the December 2020 911 call her client can be heard assuring his mother he was not going to kill her. He said that during the pandemic he was worried there would be no one there to care for her, Bianchi said.

In the October 2020 call his mother said that while her son towers over her he never hits her, Bianchi said.

Mosby told investigators that his mother was highly intelligent but had been slipping and was forgetful so he wondered if it was dementia or whether she was someone else, Bianchi said.

He admits to mental health issues, she said.

He may have committed a crime, but he is absolutely not guilty of murder, Bianchi said.
Nearly 200,000 People in Thailand Hospitalized Because of Air Pollution

Nearly 200,000 people in Thailand were admitted to hospitals with pollution-related respiratory illness last week as heavy smog covered vast areas of the country, the Health Ministry stated on March 10.

More than 1.3 million people in Thailand have fallen sick since January because of dangerously high levels of air pollution, Radio Free Asia reported, citing the ministry.

The PM2.5 level has been over 51 micrograms per cubic meter of air for more than three consecutive days in 15 provinces, which has begun to affect the peoples health, Public Health Secretary Opart Karnkawinpong said.

Thailands air pollution levels are higher this year due to increased traffic, he said.

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, which can get into the lungs and pose significant health risks, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Greenpeace Thailand campaigner Alliya Moun-Ob said the number of people who fell ill because of air pollution could be the worst we have seen so far, with several Thai cities being engulfed in thick smog.

We could see mountains in Chiang Mai but cant see them anymore. In Bangkok, tall buildings are lost in the smog, Moun-Ob told Radio Free Asia.

Its the post-COVID back-to-normal situation. That is why it is particularly bad this year for Thailand. Also, there is less rain this year compared to last.

The government has urged residents to stay indoors and wear masks when leaving their houses. The countrys pollution control department advised people to use personal protective equipment when necessary.

No-Burning Rule

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha last month imposed a three-month no-burning rule from Feb. 1 to April 30 to curb wildfires and haze. He has now urged farmers to refrain from burning agricultural waste.

Please, I dont want to use the laws. If its used, you all will be breaking it. I dont want anyone to be in trouble, but you must think about the quality of life of others and their health too, he said.

The pollution control department has previously said that stagnant weather conditions were exacerbating vehicle emissions and seasonal fires on agricultural lands. It urged people to reduce outdoor activities.

Thailands Chiang Mai city was ranked the second most polluted city in the world on March 11, with its PM2.5 levels reaching 118.4 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the Swiss air quality company IQAir. The company stated that exhaust fumes from traffic, crop burning, construction-induced pollution, and smoke output from factories are contributing factors to the high levels of PM2.5 in Thailands cities.

Thailand as a country can be counted as a place that has numerous polluted cities, some of which are famous for their levels of smoke and haze, IQAir stated, citing Bangkok and Chiang Mai as some of Thailands polluted cities.

In 2019, local authorities in Chiang Mai declared a state of emergency after the citys air pollution level reached a disastrous level, with PM2.5 levels exceeding 700 micrograms per cubic meter.
North Koreas Kim Jong Un Calls for Intensified Drills in Case of Real War

A fire assault drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea, in a photo released by North Korean state media Korean Central News Agency on March 10, 2023. (KCNA via Reuters)

SEOULNorth Koreas Kim Jong Un ordered the military to intensify drills to deter and respond to a real war if necessary, state media said on Friday, after the leader oversaw a fire assault drill that it said proved the countrys capabilities.

North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile off its west coast on Thursday, South Koreas military said, adding it was analyzing possibilities the North may have launched multiple missiles simultaneously from the same area.

Photos released by the Norths KCNA news agency showed at least six missiles being fired at the same time.

KCNA said a unit trained for strike missions fired a powerful volley at the targeted waters and demonstrated its capability to counter an actual war.

[Kim] stressed that the fire assault sub-units should be strictly prepared for the greatest perfection in carrying out the two strategic missions, that is, first to deter war and second to take the initiative in war, by steadily intensifying various simulated drills for real war, KCNA said.

Kim was accompanied by his young daughter who has appeared recently in a series of major events.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said South Korea would step up combined military drills with the United States and enhance joint planning and execution of U.S. extended deterrence against the Norths nuclear and missile threats.

We will build an overwhelming response capability and retaliation posture, Yoon said at a commissioning ceremony for naval academy graduates in the southeastern city of Changwon, adding that the security situation surrounding the Korean peninsula was more serious than ever.

Seoul has been seeking to strengthen extended deterrence, the ability of the U.S. military to deter attacks with its nuclear umbrella, amid growing calls within South Korea for the country to develop its own nuclear capability to counter North Korean threats.

The latest missile launches came as the United States and South Korea were set to kick off large-scale military exercises known as the Freedom Shield drills next week. North Korea has long bristled at the allies drills as a rehearsal for invasion.

North Korean leader Kims sister, Kim Yo Jong, said earlier this week any move to shoot down one of its test missiles would be considered a declaration of war and blamed the joint military exercises for growing tensions.

Yang Uk, a research fellow and defense expert at Seouls Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said North Korea has been increasingly claiming that its smaller missiles are nuclear-capable, in apparent threats to South Korea.

North Korea doesnt appear to have developed miniaturized nuclear warheads to be loaded on cruise or tactical ballistic missiles yet, but its clear thats where they are headed to, Yang said.

The United States will hold an informal meeting of United Nations Security Council members next week on human rights abuses in North Korea, a move likely to anger Pyongyang and spur opposition from China and Russia.

By Soo-hyang Choi
Little action, but loads of intrigue

2023 | TV-MA | 6 episodes | Spy Thriller

They were the most privileged upper crust of British society. Sir Anthony Blunt was even the third cousin of the Queen Mum. However, the members of the so-called Cambridge Five spy ring were all committed communists, who betrayed their country to the Soviet Union. MI6 Intelligence Officer Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis) was not one of them, but he was very close friends with Harold Adrian Russell Kim Philby (Guy Pearce). That puts Elliott in a rather tight spot with rival domestic-focused British intelligence agency MI5 when he fails to capture (or kill) Philby in Beirut, after the double agents exposure.

Elliotts relationship with Philby and his search for a further Soviet mole drive writer-creator Alex Carys fictionalized six-part A Spy Among Friends, based on Ben Macintyres historically based novel, which premieres on MGM+ (formerly Epix).

Much of the series unfolds in flashbacks, prompted by Elliotts debriefing. MI5 Director General Sir Roger Hollis (Adrian Edmondson) has assigned Lily Thomas (Anna Maxwell Martin) to interrogate him, because he anticipated her no-nonsense, Margaret Thatcher-like, middle-class competence would rub the elitist Elliott the wrong way. Initially, the MI6 spy underestimates Thomas, as so many have before, but he quickly recognizes her keen intelligence.

MI6 Intelligence Officer Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis) hunts down spies in British intelligence. (Sony Pictures Television)

Likewise, she grudgingly acknowledges Elliott is much smarter than most of the blue-blooded English elites that dominate the British intelligence services. They might even be able to work together, sniffing out further moles. However, Elliott still has a lot of explaining to do.

Friendship Over Honor

The MI6 spy did not merely let Philby slip through his fingers during their final meeting in Beirut. He also vociferously vouched for Philby when his friend and colleagues fell under suspicion years earlier, after the embarrassing defections of Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess (Daniel Lapaine and Thomas Arnold, in minor roles)the first two identified members of the Cambridge Five.

Philby would be the third of the Five to be discovered. Soon, Elliott focuses on Blunt (Nicholas Rowe), trying to smoke out the fourth mole in the notorious spy ring. He also has suspicions regarding the so-called Fifth Man, which may or may not include Thomass boss, Hollis.

In real life, the MI5 director was not a member of the Cambridge Five, nor was he ever convicted of anything. However, there has been extensive media speculation suggesting Hollis was indeed a high-placed mole, even though several former agents claim he was exonerated.

There is also a significant American player in this drama: James Jesus Angleton (Stephen Kunken), the head of the CIAs counter-intelligence operations, with whom Philby had also cultivated a close friendship. Although Angletons allegiances were never questioned, his long-term impact on the agency is highly controversial.

Lily Thomas (Anna Maxwell Martin) is assigned to work with Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis) to find spies, in A Spy Among Friends. (Sony Pictures Television)

A la le Carre

There is some healthy fictional speculation in Macintyres novel and Carys adaptation, but the broad historical events it documents are true. Of course, it probably sounds familiar to readers of classic spy fiction, because John le Carre largely built his career on re-writing the Cambridge Five cases, most notably in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

It is therefore fitting that A Spy Among Friends has a very le Carre-esque vibe. Cary and series director Nick Murphy advance the narrative in a meticulously methodical manner. Over and over, key events and conversations are replayed from different angles. In this series, much will turn on a word here, or a phrase there. That makes it quite rewarding for those who enjoy complex espionage thrillers, but it requires the viewers full attention.

A Spy Among Friends does not paint a particularly rosy picture of the UKs intelligence services in the 1960s, but the extent to which the Cambridge Five compromised MI5 and MI6 is hard to spin. Furthermore, it never glamorizes the Soviet moles or whitewashes the brutality of Russian communism. Indeed, Elliott is deeply tormented by Philbys betrayal, because of their many contacts, colleagues, and friends, who were viciously tortured and executed by the Soviets, thanks to Philby.

Spymaster Actors

Pearce does not exactly humanize Philby who is consistently portrayed as an arrogant sociopath, but he manages to cut him down to human size. Carys adaptation also implies Philby might have had second thoughts regarding his defection (which the real life Philby and his Russian widow always deniedbecause they had to). Regardless, in A Spy Among Friends, it turns out to be easier for Philby to admire the workers paradise from afar than to live under it.

Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis, L) was once close friends with Kim Philby (Guy Pearce), in A Spy Among Friends. (ITV)

Yet, perhaps the real star of the series is Damian Lewis, who is magnetic as the brilliant but humbled Elliott. His portrayal of the spymaster is also quite witty and sly, which helps make the very cerebral story more accessible. Anna Maxwell Martin is perfectly cast as Thomas, the patronized counter-spy; but she basically plays the same mousy-on-the-outside, steely-on-the-inside persona that she is accustomed to playing in a a host of other British series such as The Bletchley Circle.

Obviously, British intelligence went through quite the rough patch. This series compellingly shows all the infamous scandals from the perspective of the honest intelligence officers, who upheld the trust placed in them by their country and their colleagues. It is a carefully crafted, deliberately paced thriller that might not fully appeal to action-oriented James Bond fans (even though Bond author Ian Fleming makes a small but amusing appearance).

Enthusiastically recommended for fans of intricately plotted, fact-based espionage fiction, A Spy Among Friends starts streaming March 12.

Kim Philby (Guy Pearce) was once a close friend of M16 intelligence officer Nicholas Elliott (Damian Lewis) in A Spy Among Friends. (MGM+)

A Spy Among Friends

Director: Nick Murphy

Starring: Damian Lewis, Guy Pearce, Anna Maxwell Martin

Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 6 episodes

Release Date: March 12, 2023

Rated: 4 stars out of 5
Ottawa Commits to Targeted Reform of Bail System: Justice Minister

The federal government will move forward quickly on a targeted reform of Canadas bail system, Justice Minister David Lametti said after meeting with his provincial and territorial counterparts to discuss new bail legislation.

The reforms will address the challenges posed by repeat violent offenders, as well as offences committed involving the use of firearms and other weapons, Lametti said at a March 10 press conference in Ottawa.

The commitment comes as the federal government faces mounting pressure for bail reform after the murder of Const. Greg Pierzchala, a member of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), at the hands of a repeat offender who was released on bail.

All of Canadas 13 premiers signed a joint letter in January urging the government to review the bail system in response to the death of the 28-year-old officer. The premiers suggested a reverse onus on bail for the offence of possessing a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, which would require an individual accused of that crime to demonstrate why they should be granted bail.

Lametti would not comment on whether those specific provisions are coming but said it is something that the government is considering.

The minister, however, described Pierzchalas death as a catalyst for change.

Bail is a constitutional right, but it is not absolute, he said. Our laws are clear that bail can be denied where there is just cause, when it is necessary for the safety of the public, or to maintain the publics confidence in the administration of justice.

We all know that public confidence in our criminal justice system has been affected by recent events. I hope our work today will help to reverse that trend.

Bill C-75

Randall McKenzie, one of the two people charged with first-degree murder in relation to Pierzchalas death, was previously denied bail in a separate case involving assault and weapons charges but was later released after a bail review. His release was reported to have been largely due to his indigenous identity, which must be specially considered by judges according to federal law.

This prompted critics to challenge Bill C-75, legislation passed by the Liberal government in 2019 that modified bail provisions with a focus on addressing overrepresentation of Indigenous persons and accused from vulnerable groups who are traditionally disadvantaged in obtaining bail, according to background information on the bill from the Department of Justice.

When asked if the reform announcement is an acknowledgement that Bill C-75 made bail too easily obtained, Lametti didnt give a direct answer, and instead said the commitment made on March 10 takes other actions with respect to the Criminal Code.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report
Rural Independents Threaten NSW Coalition Power

(L-R) Colin Spicer, Orange independent MP Philip Donato, and Doug Spicer, with guide dog Rusty at Orange train station in the Central West region of New South Wales, March 6, 2023. Mr Donato was one of three rural MPs to quit the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party in 2022 to run as an independent. (AAP Image/Stephanie Gardiner)

On a hot and windy day weeks out from the New South Wales (NSW) election, Orange independent MP Philip Donato meets a group of retirees and a guide dog named Rusty.

Standing on the towns single train platform, the rail action group is pushing for more services between Sydney and the growing regional centre in the states central west.

Donato has long supported their calls for better links to the city for healthcare, work and tourism.

Before a press conference, he kindly tells one of the groupalso named Philto move away from the platform edge.

Dont step back Phil. Im a bit worried about where youre positioned there, Donato says.

Its a brief glimpse of the MPs easy rapport with his constituents and the hyperlocal issues at the heart of his popularity in the region, where he won 49 percent of the vote in 2019.

Donato is one of three former Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MPs in rural NSW who quit to run as independents in 2022 after denouncing the minor partys leadership.

The success of community-backed campaigns in the federal election could be repeated in these key rural NSW seats, raising the possibility much of the west could be represented by independents in a minority government.

Dominic OSullivan, a political science professor at Charles Sturt University, said these regions, along with marginal Nationals seats such as Tweed and Upper Hunter, were crucial for the coalition to retain power.

The swing is on across the state against the government, just as it was against the coalition in Victoria, OSullivan told AAP.

The swing there was against the Liberals, but the Nationals went against that trend. Thats what they need to do in NSW.

It just depends on how strong those feelings remain of the National Party taking regional support for granted.

Donato is standing as an independent after his successful 2016 run with the Shooters to end a seven-decade Nationals stronghold.

Further west, the member for Murray Helen Dalton and Barwon MP Roy Butler disrupted Nationals seats as Shooters candidates in 2019, reflecting sentiments the traditional country party had abandoned its grassroots base.

The NSW Nationals longest-serving MP Geoff Provest, the incumbent in the marginal north coast seat of Tweed, said the federal and Victorian elections revealed lessons for all major parties.

Communities respond to genuine connection with their MPs, rather than captains calls from Macquarie Street, Provest said.

Youve got to talk to the people and make yourself available, thats the secret.

Provest is going to the election after leading his community through complex COVID-19 Queensland border closures and historic floods.

Though many voters are disaster weary and worried about the cost of living, Provest doesnt sense a shift away from the Nationals.

But theres never an easy election, you never take anything for granted, you work and work and work.

The Baird governments decisions to amalgamate local councils and briefly ban greyhound racing in 2016 were seen as a major influence in the move away from the Nationals in the west.

Donato is backing the growth of greyhound racing in Orange during a campaign otherwise focused on rural health, roads and education.

The former police prosecutor said support for dog racing was not a cynical attempt to keep Shooters voters on board but part of helping ordinary people.

Im for less government, not more red tape, Donato told AAP.

The greyhounds got singled out because they were seen as the lower end of the racing fraternity, an easy target, working class battlers.

For Butler, whose far western electorate includes 150 communities across 356,292 square kilometres, roads are always front of mind.

After travelling 5400km on a recent 10-day trip, his windscreen shattered and his car conked out, leaving him stuck in Sydney for repairs.

Butler said he is rarely home on his familys cattle property at Mendooran, instead travelling to every corner of the electorate.

The real challenge is always the people who are not politically engaged and finding a way to touch them, Butler said.

The way to find them is on the street, or they might be moving sheep or cattle across the road and I pull up and have a chat.

Theres a whole cohort that arent politically engaged, but they still vote on election day.

The former correctives and community services worker said health, education and safe drinking and groundwater were pressing issues across Barwon.

Dalton hasnt been spending much time on her NSW Riverina property at Rankin Springs either, campaigning across a 110,699 square kilometre electorate.

While the cost of living is on the minds of people in the southwest too, often living is the ultimate challenge, leading her to push for the states rural health inquiry.

We die five years earlier than our city counterparts and the further west you go, the poorer our health outcomes. Thats not good enough, Dalton said.

We dont want to be managed or talked down to from Sydney, were sick of it. And sick is the operative word.

Just after midday, the XPT rushes through Orange on its way to Dubbo and local Neil Jones shows Donato photos of graffiti at a skate park.

Jones, who stood as a mayoral candidate for the Greens, said Donatos success is down to his respect for a range of views in a diverse electorate.

Its very important that the popular choice is someone who truly reflects the person on the street, Jones said.
Russia Can Fight in Ukraine for 2 More Years at Current Intensity, Lithuania Says

A Ukrainian T-64 tank rolls along a muddy lane from the town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region to Bakhmut, Ukraine, on March 9, 2023. (Sergey Shestak/AFP via Getty Images)

VILNIUSThe chief of Lithuanias military intelligence said Russia has enough resources to continue the war in Ukraine for two more years at the current intensity.

Moscow says it launched its special military operation in Ukraine a year ago to combat a security threat. Kyiv and the West call it an unprovoked war to subdue an independent state.

The resources which Russia has at the moment would be enough to continue the war at the present intensity for two years, Lithuanias intelligence chief Elegijus Paulavicius told reporters.

How long Russia is be able to wage the war will also depend on the support for Russias military from states such as Iran and North Korea, he added.

Paulavicius was introducing a national threat overview by Lithuanias intelligence agencies, which also claimed hackers linked to the Russian and Chinese governments repeatedly attempted to break into Lithuanian government computers in 2022.

Their priority remains continuous long-term collection of information related to Lithuanian internal and foreign affairs, the agencies said.

It did not say whether the hacking attempts were successful.

Lithuania has been one of the harshest critics of Russia in the European Union, and faced the ire of China after it allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in 2021.

Chinese envoys office in Vilnius did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Russia has repeatedly denied accusations in hacking activities abroad.

Lithuanias intelligence services said sanctions had not harmed Russias ability to fund its military as it redirects resources to them from public welfare.

Russia uses long chains of intermediaries to procure sanctioned Western technologies, and its army is being adapted for long-term confrontation with the West and will prioritize efforts to rebuild its military presence in the Baltic Sea region, where it will remain a threat and a source of instability.

This will depend greatly on the duration and the outcome of the war in Ukraine  the longer and the costlier the war, the more time it will take, the report said.

By Andrius Sytas
San Francisco Planning Commission Finds Near-School Office A Very Good Location for Marijuana Dispensary

SAN FRANCISCOThe San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously approved a marijuana dispensary/smoking spot close to John Yehall Chin Elementary School in a meeting on March 9, despite objections from community members.

Vice president of the commission Kathrin Moore concluded it is actually a very good location.

The suggested marijuana dispensary is a vacant two-story office building located at 100 Broadway, just at the edge of Chinatown. If approved, it will become a 3,500-square-foot marijuana center, including a smoking area and storage.

As much as it has been a difficult issue for me not to listen and clearly take into consideration the voice of the community, I would share  as my commissioners do, that this is actually a very good location, Moore said after nearly four hours of public comments.

I think you should be actually in a way comfortable supporting this as a refuge for people who do use marijuana, and there are quite a few people that this is nearby, Moore added.

The commissioners also expressed awareness that off-site marijuana use may cause trouble for other people, but there was no corresponding amendment attached to the marijuana dispensary itself.

During the public comment session, several of the people who spoke against the opening of the dispensary went over the time limit and were promptly interrupted by members of the planning commission. A representative speaking on behalf of Jonathan Zhen and the Broadway Community who also went over the allotted time limit was interrupted by one of the commissioners, who then threatened to call the deputy sheriff. The representative presented some photos demonstrating that the proposed marijuana consumption site is less than 100 feet from a preschool.

The dispensarys owner, Lawrence Michelson, said the closest K12 school, John Yehall Chin Elementary School, is 735 feet away from the subject property.

According to Google Maps, the travel distance from 100 Broadway to John Yehall Chin Elementary School is about 0.2 miles (1,056 feet). (Screenshot via GoogleMaps.com)

There are many dispensaries that have been approved today that are within closer proximity than ourselves  sometimes even two doors down from our dispensaries, Michelson said.

The decision disappointed the hundreds of people, mostly elderly people from the Chinese community, who came to San Francisco City Hall in the rain on March 9 trying to persuade San Francisco Planning Commission members to reject the marijuana dispensary.

Josephine Zhao, co-founder of Communities as One, said at the meeting: We have over 100 incubators, marijuana businesses, and cannabis retails in the city operating right now. And there are 140, 150 more in the pipeline.

In a year or two, therell be more marijuana business than all the coffee shops, Zhao said.

Local resident Lefteris Eleftheriou told The Epoch Times, We feel the city is opening too many dispensaries, especially near schools.

An attendee holds up a sign protesting the proposed marijuana dispensary, at a meeting of the San Francisco Planning Commission on March 9, 2023. (Lear Zhou/The Epoch Times)

Eleftheriou said even though most of the people at the hearing said no to the dispensary, the Planning Commissioners, theyre not listening to the residents, and people are very upset, very angry. Hundreds of people show up, they oppose, but they [the planning commissioners] unanimously approve.

Hazel Lee, president of the SF Shanghai Association, told The Epoch Times, The development of the healthy and stable community must be balanced in all aspects, including economic, culture, education, healthcare, recreation, and arts.

San Francisco resident Sherry Chan said she thought they could fight the marijuana dispensary like in 2017, when thousands of community members stood up against a marijuana dispensary at 2505 Noriega Street proposed by the husband of former Oakland Mayor Jean Quan.

At that time, San Francisco had not established ordinances for marijuana businesses after the legalization of recreational marijuana in California in 2016.

Today there are over 40 dispensaries in San Francisco, according to Weedmaps, which shows local cannabis dispensaries and delivery services.

The San Francisco Office of Cannabis site lists over 120 proposed retail licenses.
CLAREMONT, Calif.Office manager Elisa Duke had no idea what was in store when she walked into Shen Yuns evening performance on March 10. However, exiting Bridges Auditorium at the conclusion of the show, Ms. Duke is sure shell be returning for more.

We didnt know what to expect coming in. You see the [ads] on TV, but once youre hereits just beautiful! We really enjoyed itit was very inspiring, she said. There was a little bit of everything!

Based in New York, Shen Yun is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Its artists seek to revive the glory of Chinas 5,000 years of history and share with everyone all that is good and beautiful in China before communism.

The program includes classical Chinese, ethnic, folk, and short storyline dances, as well as solo musical performances. Together with the live orchestra, the artists recount tales and legends ranging from ancient to modern times.

Ms. Duke thought Shen Yuns mission to revive traditional culture was very beautiful, and its presentation was right on target. She loved the traditional values that were portrayed.

Ill definitely come to see it again. I cant wait to bring my granddaughterI kept thinking about it the whole time I was watchingshe would love this, she said.

I liked the compassion. The world we live in nowadays lacks compassion. Seeing it on stage, even without any words, was really nice. You can feel that [the performers] are portraying that.

William Golsch and his wife Neva attended Shen Yuns evening performance at Bridges Auditorium, in Claremont, on March 10, 2023. (Alice Sun/The Epoch Times)

Also in the audience were construction contractor William Golsch and his wife, Neva. The couple had purchased tickets for Shen Yun after seeing an ad in The Epoch Times.

It was good, Mr. Golsch said. The whole show was very upper level!

Mrs. Golsch, who used to play in an orchestra, loved Shen Yuns music. She especially enjoyed the solo performance of the two-string erhuan ancient Chinese instrument.

According to its website, Shen Yuns pioneering orchestra is the first in the world to blend the spirit and beauty of Chinese music with the power and grandeur of a Western symphony orchestra.

While the couple thoroughly enjoyed the performance and couldnt pick a favorite piece, Mr. Golsch said he was impressed by Shen Yuns modern-day story dance discussing Chinas human rights issues under communist rule.

I enjoyed the [message.] Im glad that somebody is willing to stand up, he said.

[Shen Yun] is speaking up, and we need to do thatespecially in this countryhere and in China. Its a world movement that needs to take place.

Reporting by Linda Jiang, Alice Sun, and Jennifer Tseng.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
SEVILLA, SpainProfessional dancer Alejandra Sabena watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Cartuja Center Cite on March 9.

There are no wordsits amazing, said Ms. Sabena. The shows stage design is wonderful  the great professionalism of the dancers, musicians, the acting, the costumesits perfection wherever you want to look!

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 and is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Shen Yuns mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture.

Ms. Sabena said that Shen Yun reflects the Chinese culture, and that the dancing reflects, above all, the light of the people. It reflects the soul of nature that moves us day by day.

I think that they have a way of directly transmitting  the messages that they want to give. You dont need to understand Chinese, you dont need to know their religion or their culture itself.

Ms. Sabena said that the messages she got from Shen Yuns performance were of loyalty, love, love for nature, love for life, love for values.

What they convey is a purity at a spiritual level that I will walk away trying to learn.  Alejandra Sabena

What they convey is a purity at a spiritual level that I will walk away trying to learn, said Ms. Sabena. I would [try] to learn Chinese, try to get to know that culture and bring it into my life.

Ms. Sabena also said that she believed in the importance of reviving traditional culture and sharing it with the rest of the world. She said that although Chinese culture is very ancient, it is new to those who are not Chinese and therefore, important to learn about.

I think its good to know new beliefs, new cultures, and to be able to discern what you want to choose, what you want to support, and what you want to have faith in, said Ms. Sabena.

Referring to Chinas oppressive communist government and its persecution of followers of faith depicted in Shen Yuns performance, Ms. Sabena said, I think suppressing faith takes away from all of us the possibility of being more free.

Ms. Sabena said she would recommend Shen Yun to everyone, to all cultures, to all levels of society.

I wish it would reach people who cant access theaters, she said. I think that this marvel is worth seeing.

Reporting by NTD and Wandi Zhu.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
David Cartwright (L) and his family enjoyed Shen Yuns evening performance at The Buell Theatre, in Denver, on March 10, 2023. (Yawen Hung/The Epoch Times)

DENVERProfessor and trauma therapist David Cartwright has been looking forward to seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts ever since he learned about the dance company.

I heard about [the performance], and I said, my gosh, we got to go! So, I got my kids and got the tickets, and here we are!

On March 10, Mr. Cartwrights family of six attended Shen Yuns evening performance at The Buell Theatre. The show turned out to be everything he had imagined and much more.

First of all, the experience was one of beauty and pageantry. The artists that were up on stage were phenomenal. I was enraptured by it! Mr. Cartwright exclaimed.

Then, as you sit there, you begin to understand the storyit was a learning processyou realize that there was a message there, and its quite strong too.

According to its website, Shen Yun translates directly into the beauty of divine beings dancing. Based in New York, the artists have made it their mission to revive, through dance and music, Chinas divinely inspired civilization to its pre-communist glory.

Though Shen Yun Performing Arts is well-beloved by audiences around the world, it is currently forbidden by the ruling Chinese regime from performing in China.

In fact, many of Shen Yuns founding members had fled to America to escape persecution by the communist party.

Referring to Shen Yuns dance piece depicting human rights issues in modern-day China, Mr. Cartwright said he is familiar with the situation. However, Shen Yuns performance inspired him to give it more thought.

I go home with the question in my own mind and heart that there has to be something more I can do. Shen Yun and the people of China are being subjected to so muchI just want to cry, Mr. Cartwright said.

That reality, the atrocities that are being doneI dont know yet what that means for me, but something [in the performance] says more is required of me as a person, as a human being, [to help] my fellow human being.

As a Christian, Mr. Cartwright was very intrigued by the spiritual element of Shen Yun. I want to know more about that. Im really curious. That was something I was completely unaware ofthis spiritual realm [of China,] he said.

It certainly connected with me from a spiritual standpoint and as a human. Its important that we treat each other, care for each other, and protect each other in ways that we were designed for [by the divine].

Finally, Mr. Cartwright would like to offer his best wishes to the performing artists.

I pray that [Shen Yun] will be protected and generate more and more support. I hope more people are like meshow up and have their eyes opened even more, he said.

Im extremely grateful that we [came.] There are multi-level and multi-tiered meanings in the performance. Im thankful for Shen Yun and for everyone associated with it.

Reporting by Yawen Hung and Jennifer Tseng.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Texas Man Sues 3 Women for Allegedly Helping Ex-Wife Get Abortion Pills and Murder His Unborn Child

Pro-life demonstrators rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Nov. 1, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

A Texas man has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against three women who he alleges conspired with and helped his ex-wife obtain abortion pills to murder his unborn child.

The plaintiff, Marcus Silva, alleged in a complaint filed on March 9 (pdf) at the district court in Galveston County, Texas, that two of the women assisted his then-wife in murdering Ms. Silvas unborn child with illegally obtained abortion pills, while a third woman provided the pills.

Its a crime tantamount to murder under Texas law for anyone to assist a pregnant woman in obtaining a self-administered abortion, the lawsuit indicates.

The abortion of Silvas unborn child took place in July 2022, several weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which outlawed abortion in Texas.

Pro-life demonstrators gather outside Planned Parenthood in Houston, Texas, on June 24, 2022. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)

The plaintiff and his wife divorced in February 2023, according to the lawsuit, which does not bring any claims against her. Under Texas law, women who get an abortion are protected from liability.

Silva, who is seeking $1 million in damages, also accuses two of the women named in the lawsuit of conspiring with his then-wife to murder her unborn child and of conspiring to conceal the pregnancy and the abortion from him.

He is being represented in the case by attorneys from the Thomas More Society.

The women who assisted with this illegal abortion also face the prospect of murder charges, as Texas law defines the crime of murder to include the intentional killing of an unborn child and assisting in a self-managed abortion, according to Texas Penal Code  1.07, 19.02, 19.06, the Thomas More Society said in a press release.

Silva also plans to sue the manufacturer of the drug, mifepristone, that was used in the abortion, once the manufacturer is identified in the lawsuits discovery process, according to the complaint.

Abortion harms not only the unborn children who are killed, but also the fathers who have had their fatherhood stolen from them, Peter Breen, executive vice president and head of litigation at the Thomas More Society, said in a statement.

We commend Mr. Silva for stepping forward, and we will help any father who seeks justice on behalf of his unborn child who is killed in an unlawful abortion.

Mifepristone (Mifeprex) and misoprostol, the two drugs used in a chemical abortion, are seen at the Womens Reproductive Clinic in Santa Teresa, N.M., on June 17, 2022. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

Pro-abortion groups condemned the lawsuit, calling it an intimidation tactic.

This is an outrageous attempt to scare people from getting abortion care and intimidate those who support their friends, family, and community in their time of need, Autumn Katz, a lawyer with the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement.

The extremists behind this lawsuit are twisting the law and judicial system to threaten and harass people seeking essential care and those who help them.

Lawsuits challenging abortion restrictions have arisen across the United States as clinics have shuttered in Republican-dominated states.

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adopted a rule change that expands the availability of abortion pills at both physical and online pharmacies.

Since the FDA first approved the abortion pill mifepristone in 2000, patients have been required to get the drug in person from a doctor and a subset of specialty offices and clinics.

Later, the federal agency announced that a fresh scientific study done by agency personnel recommended relaxing access to the drug, agreeing with various medical associations that had long believed that the limitation was unwarranted.

The FDAs rule change enables women to have telehealth care consultations and receive the pills by mail via certified prescribers or pharmacies where allowed by law.

Currently, 19 U.S. states have laws prohibiting telehealth consultations or mailing of abortion pills, superseding the FDA rules.

Caden Pearson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Texas State Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Ban Drag Shows With Kids Present

A Texas state lawmaker has introduced a bill to ban erotic performances in the presence of minors after a Plano bar hosted a drag show attended by families and children last year.

Republican state Rep. Bryan Slaton filed House Bill 4129 on Wednesday to stop what he called the sexualization of children in Texas in the wake of these erotic drag performances sweeping our state.

Sexualized performances where grown adults are dancing provocatively and stuffing money in their exposed underwear are no place for minors, Slaton said in a statement.

He added that the State has a strong interest and a duty to protect children from being sexually exploited, and HB 4129 is the most comprehensive bill filed this session to stop the sexualization of our kids by these performances.

If passed, the bill would make these performances a third-degree felony if they occur in the presence of a minor. The bill also makes it a third-degree felony for a sexually-oriented business to allow an erotic performance in the presence of a child.

The first offense would result in a $10,000 fine, and the second offense would result in license revocation for the business, according to a news release. Additionally, any domestic or foreign for-profit or non-profit entity classified as a sexually-oriented business may not allow minors on the premise.

This is not a partisan issue, he said, emphasizing that people on both sides of the aisle recognize and believe that children should not be sexually exploited.

Slaton noted that if adults want to watch or engage in these performances in front of other adults, that is not affected by the bill.

But erotic performances are no place for young children, and it must be stopped, he said. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this extremely important legislation into law.

Comptroller Investigates Bar

According to a letter obtained by Texas Scorecard, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar launched an official investigation into Ebb and Flow, a Plano bar that hosted a drag show with children present in October last year.

The letter inquires about whether the bar operates as a sexually oriented business, which must pay a fee of $5 per customer to the comptroller under Chapter 102 of the Texas Business Code.

However, we find no record of your company being set up on our system to report this fee, the letter states.

The letter was prompted by a viral video filmed at an event there that showed a male dancer dressed in drag lifting his dress to show white panties while gyrating suggestively for cash donations in front of a little girl.

Please review and determine whether your business hosts activities that would subject it to the fee, Hegar wrote to the bar. Please note that even if you only occasionally host events that would subject your business to the fee, you are responsible to collect the fee for the attendance during that event.

The video went viral after Sara Gonzalez, who hosts a TV program on Blaze TV, posted it on Twitter.

The Texas Family Project (TFP) is an organization based in Austin that advocates for pro-family causes, including opposing child sex change operations, the use of puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones on minors, and the sexualization of children in schools.

The website for Defend Our Kids TX includes a form that the public can use to notify the organization of scheduled drag shows that are marketed as all-ages or family-friendly and involve childrens participation.

TFP President Chris Hopper released a statement on Wednesday expressing his enthusiasm for Hegars letter to the bar.

We are thrilled to see the Comptroller investigate this horrendous drag show for kids, he said in a statement. I pray he will take swift action to fine this and every other business that facilitates the sexualization of our children.

The Texas comptroller has also investigated other drag shows that occurred in the presence of children, including one in Dallas caught on video that showed a child placing money in a performers undergarment.

The Epoch Times contacted Ebb and Flow for comment.
The Committee on the Present Danger: China hosted a webinar on March 7 on the potential powers that could be granted to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The United States and other members of the WHO have been negotiating ways to give sweeping new powers to the WHOs Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus. Through material changes to existing international health regulations and/or a new pandemic accord, Tedros would be able to declare actual or potential public health emergencies of international concern in any country on the basis of privately supplied information and without the agreement of the nation(s) affected.

The webinar examines related topics, including the need for Congress to act in extracting the United States from the WHO.

Moderator:

Frank Gaffney, executive chairman of the Center for Security Policy, host of Securing America with Frank Gaffney on Real Americas Voice Network, and vice-chair for the Committee on the Present Danger: China

Taped Remarks:

Donald Trump, 45th president of the United Stateshighlights of remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference on March 4, 2023

Panelists:
Three in Five Canadians See China as a Threat or an Enemy: Survey

People attend a vigil commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests and clampdown outside the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver on June 4, 2021. (Don MacKinnon/AFP)

In the wake of reports about Chinas interference activities in Canada, few in the country see the communist regime in a favourable light, with most regarding it as either a threat or an enemy, according to an Angus Reid Institute survey.

Among 1,622 Canadian adults surveyed, the majority (62 percent, or over three in five) said the federal government should regard Beijing as either a threat to Canadian interests (40 percent) or an enemy (22 percent). Only 6 percent said the regime should be approached on friendly terms.

China was one of six countries explored in the survey published March 10, with the other five being the United States, Mexico, Taiwan, India, and Russia. Of the six countries, only Russia generated a more hostile response than China, with 72 percent of Canadians seeing it as either a threat or an enemy. The pollster points to Russias invasion of Ukraine as having created a clear fracture line in international relations in what has increasingly become a world divided between two superpowers, China and the United States.

China fostered the increased distrust among Canadians with alleged foreign interference that ranged from meddling in the 2019 and 2022 federal elections to launching a surveillance balloon that violated Canadian airspace to creating secret police stations on Canadian soil.

Election Interference

As more details emerge in allegations of Chinas potential election interference, reportedly aimed in part to crush Conservative Party candidates deemed unfriendly to Beijing, the poll shows that the vast majority of past Conservative voters (88 percent) either hold very unfavourable views of China (60 percent, or three in five) or mostly unfavourable views (28 percent).

Not only past Conservative voters, but the majority of past voters of each of the other major political parties surveyed also view China either very or mostly unfavourably87 percent of Bloc Quebecois voters, 83 percent of Liberal voters, and 79 percent of NDP voters.

While 74 percent of past Conservative voters say China is a threat to or an enemy of Canada, the figures are 61 percent of past Liberal voters, 57 percent of past Bloc Quebecois voters, and 56 percent of past NDP voters.

In an earlier Angus Reid Institute survey, published March 1, most adult Canadians expressed belief that China did try to interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, with two-thirds (32 percent) saying Beijing definitely tried and another two-thirds (33 percent) said it probably tried.

As recently as 2017, almost half (48 percent) of Canadians held favourable views of China, said Angus Reid. But that opinion started to turn sour and has never recovered since Chinas detention of Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig in December 2018, in what was widely seen as hostage diplomacy in retaliation for Canadas arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.

Though that matter resolved with the two Michaels release after more than 1,000 days in Chinese prison, recent events have apparently done little to elevate Canadian opinion, the pollsters said .

Perhaps related to Canadians negative views of China, Taiwan is held in high regard by a majority of Canadians, the pollsters added. The self-ruled island, Canadas 13th-largest trading partner, is seen favourably by 62 percent of Canadians, with 51 percent viewing it mostly favourably and 11 percent very favourably.

The March 10 Angus Reid survey was conducted online between Feb. 23 and 25 among a representative randomized sample of 1,622 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. A probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Train Rams Into Public Bus in Nigerias Lagos, Killing 6

An ambulance drives past a soldier standing away from protesters at Ojota district in Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 16, 2012. (Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images)

ABUJAA train rammed into a public bus in Nigerias commercial hub of Lagos on Thursday, killing six people and injuring dozens of others, as the bus driver tried to beat the train signal, emergency services and the state governor said.

The accident happened at a bus stop in the Ikeja axis of Lagos, a city of around 20 million people, Lagos state emergency services said in a statement.

Two persons died on the spot while four others died in the hospital, 25 persons have been treated and transferred to Gbagada General Hospital, Agege General Hospital and the trauma centre at toll gate, Babajide Sanwo-olu, governor of Lagos State said at the State Hospital.

Security guard Ubong Okon witnessed the aftermath of the crash, which happened at about 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. local time (0600 to 0700 GMT).

I came out to open the gate, then I saw the train and the bus, I looked inside the bus, there were lots of passengers inside, I went inside and saw people with injuries, there was blood everywhere, then I started to help get people inside the bus out.

Traffic jams are part of daily life in Lagos, where most people drive with little regard for road and safety rules.

In Africas most populous nation, many roads are poorly maintained and riven with potholes, leading to accidents that claim thousands of lives every year.

Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika said in a statement that he has directed Nigerias safety investigation agency to look into the cause of the accident.
US Intel Agencies Need to Focus Intensely on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Intelligence Chief Says

Avril Haines, head of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), testifies during a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing about worldwide threats, on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 14, 2021. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

During a March 9 hearing of the House Intelligence Committee, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines expressed the need for intel agencies to focus more intensely on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The hearing was called by Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) to discuss global threats.

Haines took the opportunity to make comments about the need for the intelligence community (IC) to hire more minorities on the basis of their race.

Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.) addressed the issue of workforce development in questioning to Haines.

Citing earlier comments from David Petraeus, former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, Carson contended that minorities were underrepresented in the IC.

What are your organizations doing to improve diversity when it comes to recruiting and retaining your workforces? Carson asked Haines and the other panelists. Does the IC need to devote more resources to professional development? How do you all plan on tackling those very apparent issues?

I think there is no question that we have to do better on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, Haines replied promptly.

Haines pointed to recent budget requests in which her organization had requested more funding to carry out more intense efforts to increase the presence of minorities in the IC.

I think youll see in our budget requests and our proposals in all of the work that were doing that  we see this as an area that we need to focus more intense resources and efforts, Haines said.

She specifically noted the lack of Hispanic and Latinos among the leadership of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI).

In the senior leadership [of the ODNI], I look at the percentage of Hispanic and Latinos for example, Haines said. It is, as you know, a little bit more than three percent, and that clearly does not reflect the country.

Haines continued that the IC needs to do better at ensuring that we have data that is reliable, [data] that allows us to be held accountable to what our diversity and inclusion is.

She added, We are also working across a range of other issues that weve seen to promote recruiting across the country in a variety of different communities to ensure that were reaching folks that dont normally come to the IC or know about the IC.

The hearing was overall a tense one for Haines and her peers, who were grilled by Republicans on reported civil rights abuses of the U.S. surveillance state.
-- "China's path to modernization reflects Chinese wisdom, Chinese civilization and history," said Keith Bennett, a long-term China specialist and vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club.

-- China always keeps the world's development and peace in mind in its modernization process. That is because Beijing fully understands that it will do well only if the world does well, and vice versa.

-- The Chinese path to modernization serves as an "example" for developing countries, especially African countries, when they have been confronted with multiple crises that hinder their development in recent years, General Secretary of the Congolese Labor Party Pierre Moussa has said.

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- For a long time in history, the world was shrouded in the myth that modernization equals Westernization. The emergence of Chinese modernization dispels it, making modernization no longer a single-choice question, but a multiple-choice one.

For the world, China's task to modernize a country of 1.4 billion people, or nearly one-fifth of the global population, is unprecedented. The Herculean pursuit not only captures global attention, but also has global ramifications.

Among a series of concepts and initiatives that China promotes in both state governance and global interactions, the Chinese path to modernization is the most popular keyword that people would like to know more about, according to an overseas survey conducted by Xinhua News Agency recently.

WHAT ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHINESE AND WESTERN MODERNIZATION?

China's path to modernization is one of peace and development, win-win cooperation, and harmony between humanity and nature, rather than external expansion and plundering.

"China's path to modernization reflects Chinese wisdom, Chinese civilization and history," said Keith Bennett, a long-term China specialist and vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club.

"The modernization of a small number of Western countries was based on the exploitation, oppression and colonization of almost the entire world. China is not developing by exploiting any other country; China is developing itself and modernizing itself, and at the same time helping other countries to develop and modernize," he said.

China does not seek to exploit or control other nations, and it plays no role in inciting conflicts, said Mokhtar Gobashy, deputy chairman of the Cairo-based Arab Center for Political and Strategic Studies, adding that's why China has gained respect and popularity in the Arab world.

Meanwhile, Chinese modernization emphasizes both material and cultural-ethical advancement, which distinguishes it from Western modernization, said Chen Gang, assistant director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore.

The coordination of material and cultural-ethical advancement leads the way to realize all-around material abundance as well as people's well-rounded development, Chen said.

WHAT CHINESE MODERNIZATION CAN OFFER FOR THE WORLD?

China stands in the world as the second-largest economy and a responsible major country. It always keeps the world's development and peace in mind in its modernization process. That is because Beijing fully understands that it will do well only if the world does well, and vice versa.

Firstly, China is committed to making the world less poor and more equitable.

By the end of 2020, China had lifted out of poverty all rural residents living below the current poverty line and met the poverty eradication target set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule.

Commenting on China's poverty reduction drive, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said those achievements are "the biggest contribution for dramatical reduction of poverty."

More than eradicating absolute poverty, Chinese modernization promotes common prosperity, thereby shrinking the enormous wealth gap and inequality that have risen in tandem with Western modernization.

British scholar and political commentator Martin Jacques highlighted China's pursuit of common prosperity, lamenting how Western countries have never taken it seriously.

"For China to embrace common prosperity, to establish a society of greater fairness, greater equity, that is a very important message not only to China, Chinese people but to the world as well," he said.

China, on its way toward modernization, has also been sharing its development dividends with the rest of the world.

Take the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). According to a World Bank forecast, if all Belt and Road transport infrastructure projects are carried out, the initiative would generate 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars of global revenues annually to 2030. Up to 90 percent of the revenues would go to partner countries.

"The most important thing about the BRI is that developing nations could benefit from the great experience in the development of China. BRI gives them the opportunity to create an industrial society and join the modern age. This is something that in the long run would bode well for the future of humanity," said Khairy Tourk, professor of economics with the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Secondly, China is committed to making the world greener and more biodiverse.

China ranks first globally in the area of planted forests and forest coverage growth, contributing a quarter of the world's new forest area in the past decade.

From 2012 to 2021, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP declined by 34.4 percent, and energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 26.4 percent, equivalent to saving of 1.4 billion tons of standard coal.

So far, China has also emerged as a major proponent of renewable energy, and it is working hard to capitalize on the potential of a green BRI.

UNFCCC (the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Executive Secretary Simon Stiell spoke highly of China's firm and consistent stance on actively addressing climate change, as well as its efforts to translate climate commitments into concrete actions.

At a time when the world is facing an energy crisis, China continues to make solid progress in dealing with climate change and plays an important role in advancing the global response to climate change, Stiell said.

Meanwhile, under China's presidency, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has adopted the global biodiversity framework ahead of schedule. China has shown leadership in global biodiversity protection, Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, has said.

Thirdly, China is committed to making the world more peaceful.

For more than 70 years, China has never started a war, never occupied a single square mile of foreign territory, never engaged in proxy wars, and never been a member of or organized any military bloc.

It is the only country that has incorporated peaceful development in its Constitution, and the only country among the five nuclear-weapon states to pledge no first use of nuclear weapons. China's track record on peace can stand the scrutiny of history, and its peaceful rise is an unprecedented miracle in human history.

Since China's restoration of its lawful seat at the United Nations in 1971, China has actively participated in the political settlement of major regional hot issues, including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Iran nuclear issue, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Palestine-Israel issue.

In response to mounting conflicts and security challenges in today's world, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022.

And in the GSI Concept Paper released last month, China further expounded the core ideas and principles of the initiative, identified the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation and demonstrated China's sense of responsibility for safeguarding world peace and firm resolve to defend global security.

"China's idea of being a builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods are consistent with the ideals of the UN Charter," former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has 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)

AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH?

Chinese modernization is a new model for human advancement, and it dispels the myth that "modernization is equal to Westernization," presents another picture of modernization, expands the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization, and provides a Chinese solution to aid the exploration of a better social system for humanity, Xi once said.

China's rise as a global economic power shattered the long-held notion that modernization means Westernization, said David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg.

The Chinese path to modernization serves as an "example" for developing countries, especially African countries, when they have been confronted with multiple crises that hinder their development in recent years, General Secretary of the Congolese Labor Party Pierre Moussa has said.

"They could find in this model elements for the construction of a development path that can enable them to handle present and future challenges," he said.

"Modernization has never been simply Westernization," Chen said, adding that "Chinese modernization is a new development model, which can be used as a reference for other countries with similar national conditions or at a similar stage of development."


Baby Found in Fullerton Gas Station Bathroom Trash Can; Woman Arrested

After a newborn baby was found abandoned in a bathroom trash can in a Fullerton, California gas station on March 9, a woman was arrested the next day a half mile away from the station, according to police.

Venissa Maldonado, 25, of Fullerton, was taken into custody Friday for alleged attempted murder and felony child abuse by the Fullerton Police Department.

After conducting a thorough investigation, which included surveillance footage and possible suspect vehicle information, detectives served a search warrant at approximately 1:45 a.m. [Friday] in the 400 block of W. Orangethorpe Avenue, police Sgt. Ryan ONeil said.

Maldonado was being held on $500,000 bail, according to jail records.

Fullerton officers on Thursday were dispatched to the Chevron gas station located in the 900 block of Orangethorpe Avenue around 3:30 p.m. in response to a possible abandoned newborn inside a restroom, ONeil said.

After discovering the baby, officers initiated life-saving procedures and immediately contacted the Fullerton Fire Department paramedics. The baby was later transferred to a hospital in critical but stable condition, according to ONeil.

Anyone with further information was urged to contact Fullerton police Detective Marcus Saenz at 714-738-5361. Those wishing to provide information anonymously can call the Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS or visit the website at https://occrimestoppers.org/.

Additionally, ONeil pointed out that according to the Safely Surrendered Baby Law, parents or person with lawful custody can surrender an infant within 72 hours of birth without fear of prosecution.

The laws intent is to save lives of newborn infants at risk of abandonment, he said.

According to the law, the infant must be delivered to a safe surrender location, such as a public or private hospital, designated fire station, or other location approved by the County Board of Supervisors.

City News Service contributed to this report.
Woman Arrested in Gruesome Killing of Hong Kong Model

Hong Kong police escort a suspect at the Shenzhen Bay Port border crossing in Hong Kong, on March 7, 2023. (Information Services Department via AP)

HONG KONGA woman accused of assisting a suspect in the gruesome killing and dismemberment of model Abby Choi in Hong Kong has been arrested in mainland China and charged, Hong Kong police said.

The arrest of the 29-year-old woman brought the total number of people allegedly involved in the case to seven. Police said they suspect she assisted another suspect and then fled to mainland China. She was handed over to Hong Kong authorities at Shenzhen Bay Port and charged on Tuesday, they said.

The grisly killing of Choi, 28, has gripped many in Hong Kong and in mainland China because the city has a very low level of violent crime.

Abby Choi in a file photo. (Abby Choi/Instagram via Reuters)

Last week, her ex-husband, Alex Kwong, his father, Kwong Kau, and his brother, Anthony Kwong, were charged with murder after police found body remains in a house rented by Kwong Kau in a suburban area of Hong Kong near the border with mainland China. Alex Kwongs mother, Jenny Li, faces one count of perverting the course of justice. All four were detained without bail.

Police also arrested two others accused of assisting other suspects in the case.

Choi, who had more than 100,000 followers on Instagram, disappeared Feb. 21, according to a report filed later with police.

She had financial disputes involving tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars (millions of dollars) with her ex-husband and his family, police said earlier, adding that some people were unhappy with how Choi handled her finances.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has secured his third term, making him the first to hold the position for this long since Mao Zedong. He faced zero competition, with zero votes against him. Plus, he stacked his cabinet full of his loyalists. With growing scrutiny on him, Xi Jinping is now lashing out at the United States, naming Washington in a rare show of directness. But is it all for show, to bolster nationalist pride inside China? Or is this a foreshadowing of whats to come? And how will it impact Taiwan?

Topics in this episode:
Hookah venue discovered on Bangla following complaint

PHUKET: Officials apprehended and handed over to police a hookah venue manager after a raid on Bangla Rd last night (Mar 10). A total of 52 hookah sets along with other equipment and shisha were seized and also handed over to police officers.

crimepatong

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Saturday 11 March 2023, 03:23PM

Officials raided Crystal Club on Bangla Rd last night and found the venue offering hookah in breach of the Customs Act. Photo: PPHO via Eakkapop Thongtub

Officials raided Crystal Club on Bangla Rd last night and found the venue offering hookah in breach of the Customs Act. Photo: PPHO via Eakkapop Thongtub

Officials raided Crystal Club on Bangla Rd last night and found the venue offering hookah in breach of the Customs Act. Photo: PPHO via Eakkapop Thongtub

Officials raided Crystal Club on Bangla Rd last night and found the venue offering hookah in breach of the Customs Act. Photo: PPHO via Eakkapop Thongtub

Officials raided Crystal Club on Bangla Rd last night and found the venue offering hookah in breach of the Customs Act. Photo: PPHO via Eakkapop Thongtub

Officials raided Crystal Club on Bangla Rd last night and found the venue offering hookah in breach of the Customs Act. Photo: PPHO via Eakkapop Thongtub

According to Akara Suwattikul of the Phuket Provincial Defense Office, the raid at Crystal Club on Bangla Rd was order by no less than Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam, Phuket Provincial Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Somprat Prabsongkram and Kathu District Chief Thitiwat Boonkit.

Reporting the raid, Mr Akara emphasised that Governor Narong is serious about dealing with smuggling, sale and distribution of various substances and items deemed illegal in Thailand. Thus, having received a complaint about Crystal Club offering shisha, officials went there and conducted an inspection.

The allegations turned out to be true, as upon entering the club at around 11.30pm officials supported by Territorial Defense Volunteer (OrSor) personnel saw people smoking shisha and staff serving them the illegal product.

One young staff member presented herself as the manager/keeper of the venue and thus was taken to Patong Police Station to face charges of breaching the Tobacco Control Act and Customs Act which are commonly applied to all violations having to do with shisha, hookah, electronic cigarettes, nicotine or non-nicotine liquids, vaping devices and accessories.

Mr Akara did not elaborate on any possible consequences for Crystal Club as a venue. Similary, nothing was said about the patrons of the club who were found smoking shisha and thus techincally buying and using goods, brought into Thailand illegally. The latter can be of certain importance for foreign visitor of Phuket as disrespecting Thai laws can now result in a yellow (warning) or red (deportation) card from Phuket Immigration.
More local warnings issued in Phuket as wildfire season continues

PHUKET: As announced by the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), the country officially entered the hottest season from Mar 5 meaning hotter and drier weather as well as increased risk of fires. The Phuket provincial office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) is yet to release a province-wide warning about the risk of fires or conduct a training for local residents to be more aware of fire-prevention measures. Meanwhile local municipalities and administrative organisations keep including mild warnings to people and requests for cooperation each time they report another fire extinguished in their respective areas.

Safetydisastersweather

By The Phuket News

Saturday 11 March 2023, 01:23PM

The two most recent cases this week include a roadside fire near Wat Manik in tambon Srisoonthorn on Mar 8 and a similar incident on Mar 9 on Muang Mai  Pa Khlok Rd in tambon Thepkrasattri, both in Thalang district.

Neither of the incidents resulted in loss of life, injuries or significant damage to property as firefighters were able to reach both scenes fast enough and prevent the fire from spreading.

This was not the case on Feb 5 last year in Rawai, where a large wildfire razed some 50 rai of hillside land near Nai Harn Beach.

Some 16 tourists were left stranded on rocks at Laem Krathing because of the fire. They were rescued by Navy personnel on boats after it was realised they had absolutely no safe means of escaping by land.

Unable to operate on the steep side of the hills, Phuket fire teams focused on preventing the fire from getting closer to a nearby luxury resort and local houses. It took several days before officials announced that the situation was back to normal.

Rawai Mayor Aroon Soros blamed two possible factors for the Nai Harn fire of 2022, namely the hot weather (natural cause) or a discarded cigarette butt (man-induced cause).

No official conclusions have ever been revealed about what caused the most recent fires in Srisoonthorn and Thepkrasattri, leaving people to choose between either of the two mentioned by Mayor Aroon last year  or a combination of them.

Thepkrasattri Subdistrict Administrative Organization (OrBorTor, SAO) asks people for cooperation. Please, refrain from burning waste or conduct any activity that may cause a fire. With the current dry weather, a fire can cause widespread damage, affecting property and lives, the Thepkrasattri OrBorTor said, giving just a hint about possible reasons.

Helping hand from above

Meanwhile the situation is much worse in some of the mainland provinces of Thailand where DDPM officials have to deal with full scale wildfires in the forests using fire engines where possible and their new Ka-32 Guardian helicopter where it is not.

The aircrafts were provided by Russia, one of the leading manufacturers of firefighting airplanes and helicopters, all based on Soviet-era technologies. Old but good Be-200 and Ka-32 fight fires everywhere from Siberia to Portugal, and Thailand is now one of the operators of such aircrafts.

Reports of wildfires in Trat, Chumphon, Phitsanulok, and Tak are posted by the national DDPM office on a daily basis. Tens of thousands litres of water are spent every day to control the fires devouring local forests, killing wildlife and sending PM2.5 particles into the air.

The national DDPM Facebook page makes it clear that Ka-32s are very handy in fighting fires in hard to reach areas. Yet it is not clear what resources DDPM Phuket has at its disposal to respond to a wildfire in the jungle or on a hill, just like in Nai Harn last year.

Back then firefighters could only act on foot as fire trucks were physically unable to reach the scene. Firefighting vessels were useless as well, because the blaze was raging too high on the side of the hill. Even evacuating the stranded tourists turned out to be a challenging and risky affair due to the peculiarities of the shoreline in the area.

On Jan 7 this year, the locally based Region 18 DDPM office organised an emergency drill in Kathu modeling a fire in a condominium building. This was where people could witness a Ka-32 in action. The chopper was barraging over the scene demonstrating readiness to provide support if needed.

Yet it is not clear where the helicopter is based on a regular basis and how many tasks this one aircraft has to fulfill on the regional scene.

Civil defense

After the Nai Harn Fire, the Phuket branch of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC, the political arm of the Thai military) led a fire preparedness exercise attended by 45 community leaders and local residents, the most obvious first line of disaster prevention and mitigation.

Speaking at the event, Rear Admiral Kanokpol Pimthong, Deputy Chief of the Phuket ISOC branch, made it clear that peoples knowledge about disasters is key to both preventing incidents and taking measures if prevention fails.

Communities are the first line to face disasters. If the community or locality is prepared to face the situation and can be initially self-reliant to respond to the situation, it will help reduce the loss of both life and property, R/Adm Kanokpol said.

The activities aimed to enable community leaders and citizens to learn and understand disaster management practices and be ready to participate in disaster risk reduction and support disaster prevention and mitigation activities, Phuket ISOC explained.

At present, disasters, both natural and human-caused, have tended to become more severe and unable to be stopped, R/Adm Kanokpol said.

The officer did not elaborate on why people have become less able to stop disasters now, when we have advanced technical solutions and knowledge.
Phuket Tourist Police seeks foreign volunteers

PHUKET: Tourist Police in Phuket are seeking foreign volunteers to provide assistance to law enforcers in dealing with other aliens on the island. The deadline for application is this Sunday (Mar 12).

transportpoliceSafety

By The Phuket News

Saturday 11 March 2023, 08:00AM

According to the announcement made via Phuket Tourist Police Facebook, applicants must be over 20 years of age, have a domicile or residence in Phuket and have a legal status in Thailand. The latter normally means having a long-term visa.

Applicants will also have to pass a criminal record check and prove their strong involvement in the community as well as possession of necessary skills to perform varied tasks.

Phuket Tourist Police did not explain what varied tasks a volunteer can face, but an interested individual can ask the officers themselves by calling 076223891 or 0934965159 or by visiting the Phuket Tourist Police office from 8.30am till 16.30pm.

Nothing was said about the expenses a volunteer may face (such as buying a uniform) or actual working hours. Unlike their counterparts from Immigration Bureau, Tourist Police volunteers can expect working shifts on weekends and outside of regular office hours.

Previously Patong Police Chief Col Anotai Jindamanee (now transferred out of Phuket) explained to The Phuket News that language skills are among crucial things for volunteers  including being able to speak their own mother tongue. Phuket Tourist Police did not specify if this requirement is still on the list.

Definitely, foreign language ability is required in their own language. They need to able to communicate in English as the international language. Other skills of foreign applicants include a fair ability to speak Thai. The level of Thai language needs only to be basic so that Thais can understand them. There is no need to be an excellent Thai speaker. It is just for communicating with Thai police officers and local people, Col Anotai explained.

The application form for foreigners can be downloaded here.
Thai banking apps to demand facial scanning for transfers from June

BANGKOK: State-owned and commercial banks have agreed to comply with the Bank of Thailands (BOT) new cybersecurity measures by the June deadline. The measures include facial scans for money transfers of more than B50,000 at a time, transfers of more than B200,000 per day and changing transfer limit to be over B50,000.

crimetechnology

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 11 March 2023, 11:15AM

A bank customer performs a facial scan using a smartphone. Photo: Bangkok Post

Commercial bank members of the Thai Bankers Association (TBA) have been upgrading their digital technology to handle cyber-risks. The association has committed to compliance with the new measures, TBA chairman Payong Srivanich said at a media briefing on Friday (Mar 10), in collaboration with the central bank and the Government Financial Institutions Association (GFA), reports Bangkok Post.

Mr Payong said banks already collected customers biometric data, allowing for facial scans for money transfers and adjustments of credit transfer limits on mobile banking apps. He said banks would continue to collect such biometric data.

According to the new measures, a facial scan is needed for: digital money transfers of more than B50,000 per transaction; transfers of more than B200,000 per day; and to change credit transfer amounts of more than B50,000 per transaction. Banks must implement these measures by June this year.

BOT governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput said on Thursday (Mar 9) the central bank chose 50,000 baht and higher because the amount is a frequent target of fraudsters.



"To comply with the new cybersecurity measures, banks will have to allocate a higher investment budget for IT and digital system development," admitted Mr Payong from TBA.

"But the investment is necessary to guard against cyber-risks or it could create a higher loss for both customers and banks," he added.

Tuantong Treenuparb, senior executive vice-president for IT at Government Housing Bank and a representative of GFA, said specialised financial institutions (SFIs) have also developed biometric technology to protect customers from cyber-risks. As a result, SFIs are committed to complying with the central banks new cybersecurity measures, he said.

However, for some SFI clients, especially those from vulnerable segments who are not familiar with digital banking transactions, the banks will help them with financial and digital literacy to protect against digital financial fraud, said Mr Tuantong.

Siritida Panomwon Na Ayudhya, the Bank of Thailands assistant governor for payment systems policy and financial technology group, said some banks have collected digital facial data for more than 50% of their total deposit client base, while others were below that level.

Banks have only been collecting digital data for around two years, so it will continue as an instrument to handle cyber-risks, she said.

"In the initial stage, the central bank requires facial scans for digital money transfers and adjusting credit transfer limits," said Ms Siritida.

"The facial scans could be expanded to cover money deposits and withdrawals for the next step."

More measures to follow

The regulator also wants to close loopholes and curb fraudsters access to consumers by banning financial institutions from sending links via SMS and email.

Banks are also not allowed to send customers personal data through social media. In addition, mobile banking users can only use one username for a device.

The central bank also requires financial institutions set up a hotline call centre where customers or financial fraud victims can contact them around the clock.

On Feb 15 Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said a 14-section draft decree on the prevention and suppression of technology crime is expected to take effect soon. The drawt  seeking to combat the use of mule bank accounts by scammers and call-centre gangs  had already been examined by the Council of State and approved by the Cabinet.

Telecom service providers will be required to provide information about their customers within specified periods to the the Royal Thai Police (RTP), the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) or the Anti Money Laundering Office (Amlo) for examination if illegal activity is suspected.

Financial institutions and businesses that detect suspicious transactions will also have the power temporarily suspend them before alerting financial institutions or businesses that receive the transferred money.

The draft decree also imposes harsh penalties against people hired as nominees to open accounts, or who allow others to use mobile phone numbers for illegal activity. They face a three-year jail term, a maximum fine of B300,000, or both.

People who help procure bank accounts, electronic cards, e-wallets, SIM cards or who advertise this service may face up to five years in jail, a fine of B200,000-500,000, or both.

According to central bank data, from March to December 2022 there were around 50,000 cases of online shopping fraud, 20,000 cases of money transfer fraud, 18,000 cases of lending fraud, and 13,000 cases of call centre fraud. There were 58,000 cases of nominee deposit account fraud with total reported losses of B5.5 billion.
Thai Government continues to woo wealthy, capable foreigners

BANGKOK: Nearly 3,000 foreigners have applied for long-term resident (LTR) visas in the four months since Thailand fully reopened on Nov 1, 2022, deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul said on Friday (Mar 10).

tourismeconomics

By Bangkok Post

Saturday 11 March 2023, 07:00AM

An officer checks an electronic immigration device at Suvarnabhumi airport in Samut Prakan province. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb / Bangkok Post

According to Ms Traisuree, a total of 2,920 foreigners applied for LTR visas from Nov 1 last year to Feb 28. European applicants, 940, formed the biggest group of LTR visa applicants, followed by 517 Americans and 325 Chinese people, reports Bangkok Post.

The applicants included 195 highly wealthy people, 1,011 wealthy retirees, 771 foreigners who want to work from Thailand, 390 specialists and 553 followers of those applicants. It was not specified how many of those applications had been approved.

In a separate development, the Board of Investment (BOI) had already offered promotional privileges to about 500 projects of foreign companies to build their regional headquarters in Thailand, with a combined investment of B13 billion.

Most of the companies were from Japan, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong and France. Well-known companies included Agoda, Huawei Technologies, Arcelik Hitachi, Ajinomoto, Nissin Foods, Alstom, Toyota Motor and Nippon Steel.

From their planned regional hubs in Thailand, the companies would supervise and support the operations of their subsidiaries in countries in the same region.

The government wanted to attract such regional headquarters as well as wealthy and capable foreigners to the country so that they would transfer knowledge and innovations to Thai people working with them, the spokeswoman said.

The LTR visa program, which provides tax breaks and other financial incentives, was introduced in 2022. As reported by state news agency NNT in February this year, the government aims to attract 1 million applicants over the next five years. This presumes an average of 16,666 applications per month which Thailand is yet to come close to.

To achieve the targert, the BOI is looking to enlist private firms to promote the new 10-year visas.

"Collaborating with private firms to promote the program locally and globally is an excellent opportunity for Thailand to increase its foreign investment and attract skilled professionals and high-net-worth individuals," NNT said in the report without providing any details.
Time to Scream again

It is hard to imagine that the film that filmmaker Kevin Williamson made back in 1996 aimed at lightly mocking the slasher horror genre turned into what we now know as the Scream franchise  a franchise that has just released its sixth film and had a spin-off television series. Williamsons involvement with the series is now limited but his characters live on and have created a passionate group of fans that keep asking for bloody adventures of Woodsboro to keep coming back to the big screen.

World-Entertainment

By David Griffiths

Saturday 11 March 2023, 11:00AM

Scream VI (2023). Image: IMDb

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (Ready or Not) and Tyler Gillett (V/H/S) do shake things up a little though with Scream VI by moving the action from Woodsboro to New York  a move that in theory should open up the films universe a little.

The reason for this dramatic change is that Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega  Wednesday) is now attending college in New York. Her friends, Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown  Yellowjackets) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding  Fall), have also made the move to the big city  as has her sister Sam (Melissa Barrera  In The Heights). The latter though is something that Tara is not happy about as she feels she is being smothered by Sam who wont let her live her life. In fairness though Sam has never fully recovered from the events of the last film.

While Tara says that they are in no danger in New York, her theory soon proves wrong when the groups film lecturer is found murdered in an alleyway and Detective Bailey (Dermot Mulroney  My Best Friends Wedding) soon discovers that there is a direct link between this fresh murder and the Ghostface murders. Soon, once again Tara, Sam and their friends find themselves fighting for their lives.

Six films into a franchise you could probably forgive Scream VI for being light on for new ideas but to its credit the first half of the film holds its own. Moving to New York does breathe some new life into the storyline and allows for some new characters to be introduced, which of course widens up the pool of potential suspects and victims as well. The fact that most of the characters are likable also adds to the suspense of the film.

Early on it does feel like this is going to be a pretty decent film. The first murder seen on screen is inventive and draws the audience in especially when it is revealed that not all is what it seems. That suspense is further heightened when it is revealed that there is tension between Tara and Sam  that also pushes the narrative that not all characters in modern day horror films have to be one-dimensional.

Sadly though things start to fall away and become completely unbelievable as the film goes on. While the story itself seems to hold up there are times when people are savagely stabbed and then only a few moments later are seen on screen working around as if nothing has happened to them  that might wash if youve got regenerative characters like Deadpool or Wolverine around but certainly doesnt work with the characters here.

Like what we also saw in the Jeepers Creepers reboot last year, Scream VI also seems to suffer from a patch in the film where some of the actors seem to forget how to act and their over-acting is dreadful. You do also have to feel for Hayden Panettiere (Heroes) who returns as fan favourite Kirby Reed. For some reason the screenplay and the wardrobe/costume department have made her seem like her character would be more at home in an adult film rather than the Scream franchise. It is a shame to see such a talented actress be treated this way.

What saves the film from a complete write-off is that the directors and screenwriters are at times creative. The scenes of Tara and Sam fighting for their lives in a convenience store and the suspenseful sequence on the underground train hold their own and show that there is still life left in the franchise when filmmakers are willing to be creative, while the return of the iconic Gail Weathers (Courteney Cox  Friends) makes the ticket price worth it. Having said that though the no-show of Neve Campbell playing Sidney Prescott is a huge loss and leaves a big hole in the films storyline.

Credit does need to be paid to Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera, who are great throughout the film, while Jasmin Savoy Brown is also one of the films saviours. The way she plays film geek Mindy is one of the highlights of the film and her payoff is that she gets to deliver some of the most memorable lines. Some might find the way Mindy explains the horror rules annoying while others will see it as a great plot device that at times brings in some humour.

Scream VI certainly isnt the best film in the franchise but it does have some moments that will be enjoyed by horror fans. The fact that the film does get a little gory and has some creative sequences saves it, but there are too many unbelievable things happening for this to be considered a good film.

Scream VI is currently screening in Phuket and is rated 18.

2.5/5 Stars

David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus
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How to apply for tourist visas in Southeast Asian countries

Tourists on Boracay resort island in the Philippines. Photo by Reuters

Southeast Asia is widely known for its rich cultural heritages, pristine island beaches and abundant street food - and each country has its own visa requirements as well.

Here is a tourist visa guide to some popular destinations in the region.

Thailand

Currently, citizens from 64 countries and territories, including the United States, the United Kingdom, most EU nations and ASEAN countries are eligible for a 45-day visa-free stay upon arrival in Thailand.

There are two ways to obtain a Thai visa: apply for a visa on arrival (VOA), which is limited to citizens of certain countries, or apply for a Thai visa in your country of residence.

Thailand currently allows citizens from 19 countries, including China and India, to apply for a visa on arrival, which permits a stay of up to 30 days in the country. Normally, the fee for a Thai visa on arrival is 2,000 baht (US$60).

Passport holders from countries not eligible for the visa exemption scheme or the visa on arrival program need to apply for a tourist visa at the Thai Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence. The visa fee costs $30 per person. Application forms are available on the Royal Thai Embassy website in each visitor's country.

The required documents include passport or travel document with a validity of not less than six months, a visa application form, one 4x6 centimeter photograph taken within the last six months, a round-trip air ticket or e-ticket, and proof of financial means, 20,000 baht per person.

Overstaying for 90 days or more is a serious offense in Thailand, where offending tourists face deportation or being banned from reentering the country.

Vietnam

Vietnam currently waives visas for travelers from 25 countries, with a maximum stay ranging from 15 to 90 days.

Citizens of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Kyrgyzstan are offered visa-free stay of 30 days, while tourists from Chile and Panama enjoy a 90-day visa waiver.

Visitors from some European countries, Japan and South Korea, Vietnam's top tourism markets, are permitted to stay in the country for no more than 15 days without applying for a tourist visa.

At present, Vietnam is only offering 30-day single-entry e-visa service for citizens from 80 countries and territories, including major economies such as the United States, India and Australia.

Among the main eligibility conditions for the e-visa are a passport with a six month validity, a .jpg photo of the applicants full passport data page, a .jpg passport photo and a valid international credit or debit card.

In order to apply for the e-visa, the first step is to visit the official website for Vietnam's e-visa application at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn and complete an online form.

The e-visa is valid for entry at any of 28 international checkpoints in Vietnam, including eight international airports. The e-visa costs $25 per person.

Indonesia

Indonesia offers visa exemptions for tourists from 169 countries and territories including all EU countries, the U.S. and ASEAN member nations. The maximum stay is 30 days.

All visitors must hold a passport valid for six months as well as a valid return ticket. The immigration officer at ports of entry may ask the passengers to produce any necessary documents such as hotel reservations and proof of finances.

If you enter Indonesia under the visa exemption policy, you are not allowed to extend your stay under any circumstances. You must leave the country within 30 days or face a fine of approximately $70 for each day you have overstayed.

If you wish to stay in Indonesia for longer, you should apply for a visa on arrival that is available for 89 countries and territories, including Vietnam.

A visa obtained on arrival costs Rp500,000 ($33), and is valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. Tourists are allowed to extend the visa one time for another 30 days at designated entry points by paying another Rp500,000.

Cambodia

Passport holders from ASEAN countries are eligible for a visa-free stay upon entering Cambodia with the allowed maximum stay depending on nationality.

Citizens from Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore are allowed to stay for a maximum of 30 days while citizens from other countries are allowed 15 days.

For passport holders from countries not eligible for the visa-exemption scheme, they can apply for visa on arrival or via an e-visa service.

Nationals of any country may obtain a visa on arrival for tourism purpose with a visa fee of $30 for a maximum stay of 30 days.

The e-visa service is available for citizens of most countries for $36, which allows for a single entry and a maximum stay of 30 days for tourism purposes.

Overstaying a visa in Cambodia costs around $10 per day.

Philippines

Citizens from 157 countries, including European countries, the United States, Australia and ASEAN members do not need a visa to enter the Philippines for a maximum stay of 14-59 days.

Only citizens from Brazil and Israel are allowed to stay in the Philippines with a maximum stay of 59 days without applying for a visa.

Those wishing to stay for two months must apply for a single entry visa valid for three months for a fee of $30, and a multiple entry visa valid for six months or 12 months for a fee of $60 or $90 respectively.
Russian tourists enjoy at a beach in Thailand, on March 20, 2020. Photo by AFP

A 50-year-old Russian tourist has been detained in Thailand for overstaying his visa for 188 days on Koh Pha Ngan Island around 500 kilometers from Bangkok.

He is awaiting deportation, the local police were quoted as saying Friday by news portal The Thaiger.

His arrest came as part of a police campaign to crack down on visitors overstaying their visa.

Last month police on resort island Phuket had arrested four Nigerian men who had been staying illegally for three to four years.

Overstaying for 90 days or more entails deportation and a ban on entering the country again.

Thailand received 11 million foreign visitors last year, making its tourism industry among the fastest to recover in Southeast Asia following the pandemic.

The government eyes 30 million arrivals this year.
The United States has called for the release of Christian and ethnic Kachin leader Reverend Dr. Hkalam Samson who has been arrested, detained, and put on trial in Burma.

Rev. Samson is one of the countrys leading religious figures. He is an advisor to the Kachin Baptist Convention after having served for a decade as president and general secretary of the group. The Convention has an estimated 400,000 members, the majority of whom are ethnic Kachin. He is also President of the Kachin National Consultative Assembly.

Rev. Samson is a prominent advocate for human rights, including religious freedom, for people of all faiths. He is also known for his humanitarian work.

Regime authorities in Burma detained him on December 4, 2022, before he was to leave for Bangkok for medical care. He faces three charges, including under the countrys Counter Terrorism Law, which includes incitement to violence. His lawyer told Radio Free Asia that the court said Reverend Samson was charged under terrorism laws because he had met officials of Burmas National Unity Government. If convicted on all charges, he faces more than 10 years in prison.

We are extremely concerned for his wellbeing and safety and urge our partners and allies to join us in calling on the regime to drop all charges and immediately and unconditionally release Reverend Samson, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said. Reverend Samsons incredible work advocating for religious freedom, justice, peace and accountability should be celebrated and replicated, not condemned.

Human rights groups and civil society organizations have joined in calls for his release, including Human Rights Watch, who called the charges against Rev. Samson politically motivated, and a heavy-handed attempt to chill all dissent among ethnic minority leaders.

In its most recent report on international religious freedom, the State Department noted that senior U.S. officials have consistently raised with the Burma military regime ongoing U.S. concerns about religious freedom, including the plight of the majority Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine State, hardships facing Christian minority religious communities in Kachin, northern Shan, and Chin States amid ongoing violence.

State Department Spokesperson Price said, We  urge the regime to cease it unconscionable repression against religious actors and communities in Burma and end the violence.
[March 10, 2023] Hims & Hers Health, Inc. Not Materially Impacted by Silicon Valley Bank Closure

Hims & Hers Health, Inc. ("Hims & Hers" or the "Company") (NYSE: HIMS), the leading health and wellness platform, is aware of the current actions taken by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation with respect to Silicon Valley Bank ("SVB"). The Company has limited cash exposure resulting from the liquidity concerns at SVB. The vast majority of the Company's cash and short-term investments are held via third-party custodians other than SVB. Additionally, the Company does not have any debts or current lines of credit directly impacted by these events. About Hims & Hers Health, Inc. Hims & Hers is the leading health and wellness platform on a mission to help the world feel great through the power of better health. We believe how you feel in your body and mind transforms how you show up in life. That's why we're building a future where nothing stands in the way of harnessing this power. Hims & Hers normalizes health & wellness challenges-and innovates on their solutions-to make feeling happy and healthy easy to achieve. No two people are the same, so the Companyprovides access to personalized care designed for results.



For more information, please visit https://investors.forhims.com/. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The Company cautions you that statements included in this report that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding any liquidity concern. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that any of these results will be achieved. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. Future developments affecting the Company may not be those that the Company has anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the Company's control) and other assumptions 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 factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of each of the Company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any of the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230310005431/en/

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[March 10, 2023] SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DEADLINE ALERT: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Reminds Investors that a Class Action Lawsuit Has Been Filed Against Southwest Airlines Co. and Encourages Investors to Contact the Firm

Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, reminds investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Southwest Airlines Co. ("Southwest Airlines" or the "Company") (NYSE: LUV) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Southwest Airlines securities between June 13, 2020, and December 31, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors have until March 13, 2023 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. Click here to participate in the action. Winter storms disrupted holiday travel during the 2022 holiday season, leaving thousands of travelers stranded in airports around the United States. However, not all domestic airlines were affected equally. Southwest Airlines flight cancellations accounted for the vast majority of domestic flight cancellations, leaving travelers unable to visit loved ones over the holidays, and attracting the ire of the federal government. As flights were getting cancelled around the country, it soon emerged that the root cause behind Southwest Airlines' cancellations was outdated and ineffective technology, in particular, its crew scheduling system (called "Sky Solver"). Further compounding on this issue, Southwest Airlines used an aggressive flight schedule that left it prone to greater cancellations than its competitors in the event of unusual conditions, such as nationwide storms. As various national news outlets focused on how Southwest Airlines' utter failure to provide adequate services to its customers left thousands stranded at airports across the country, the truth about the Company's business began to emerge. On December 26, 2022, Business Insider published an article about Southwest Airlines entitled "U.S. Department of Transportation says it plans to look into Southwest Airlines following the airline's unacceptable holiday flight cancellations." The article highlighted that the Department of Transportation had announced that it would examine "whether cancellations were controllable," and whether Southwest Airlines was complying with its stated customer service plan, after reports of a lack of prompt customer service in the wake of cancellations. On the same day, CNN published an article entitled "Massive Southwest Airlines Disruption Leaves Customers Stranded and Call Centers Swamped." CNN discussed how the winter conditions had affected Southwest Airlines to a much greater extent than its competitors, and then discussed how it had been provided a transcript of a message from Defendant Jordan to Southwest's employees. In this message, Defendant Jordan stated that "[Southwest Airlines] has a lot of issues in the operation right now," and that "[p]art of what we're suffering is a lack of tools. We've talked an awful lot about modernizing the operation, and the need to do that." Then, on December 27, 2022, Reuters published n article entitled "Southwest cancels thousands more flights; U.S. Government Vows Scrutiny." This article quoted Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (the "SWAPA"), who said "Southwest is using outdated technology and processes, really from the '90s, that can't keep up with the network complexity today."



The Reuters article also discussed Southwest Airlines' flight schedule. Rather than flying out of hubs, Southwest Airlines relies on the aforementioned point-to-point service, which leaves Company staff vulnerable to being stranded during disruptions (such as inclement weather). Murray said that this complex and aggressive business model was possible. However, executing this strategy in adverse conditions would only be possible with software that was more effective than Sky Solver, Southwest Airlines' proprietary software that is used to match flight staff personnel with different flights. Murray stated that "[w]e had aircraft that were available, but the process of matching up those crew members with the aircraft could not be handled by our technology." Due to Sky Solver's failure, the Company had to manually match crew members to specific flights, a process that Murray called "extraordinarily difficult." On the same day, CNN published an article entitled "Why Southwest is Melting Down," which quoted Kathleen Bangs, a spokesperson for a flight tracking website called FlightAware, who stated that Southwest's schedule was aggressive in that it focused on shorter flights with tight turnaround times. Bangs further stated, "[t]hose turnaround times bog things down."

The December 27 CNN article quoted Lyn Montgomery, the president of the labor union which represents Southwest Airlines' flight attendants, as saying "[t]he phone system the company uses is just not working. They're just not manned with enough manpower in order to give the scheduling changes to flight attendants, and that's created a ripple effect that is creating chaos throughout the nation." The December 27 CNN article revealed that it also obtained a transcript of a phone call between Southwest Airlines' COO, Andrew Watterson, and various company employees, in which Watterson stated "[t]he process of matching up [crew members] with the aircraft could not be handled by our technology." On this news, Southwest Airlines stock fell from a closing price of $36.09 on December 23, 2022, to $33.94 on the next trading day, December 27, 2022, and then to $32.19 on December 28, 2022, a drop of over 12%. More news emerged about Southwest Airlines over the following days. On December 30, 2021, My Tech Decisions published an article about Southwest Airlines entitled "Southwest Airlines' Holiday Collapse Due in Part to Outdated IT Systems," which discussed how the SWAPA had warned that the Company needed to improve its technological infrastructure. SWAPA stated, "A systemic failure of Southwest Airlines leaders to modernize, support, and staff its operation leaves every frontline employee, Pilots included, tired of apologizing to our passengers. [. . .]. For more than a decade, leadership shortcomings in adapting, innovating, and safeguarding our operations have led to repeated system disruptions, countless disappointed passengers, and millions in lost profits." Further, "[we call for investing in infrastructure in the form of] crew scheduling software that takes into account our point-to-point network, [. . .] and communication tools that would have allowed for displaced crews to remain in constant contact with our Company." On December 31, 2022, The New York Times published an article entitled "The Shameful Open Secret Behind Southwest's Failure," which discussed how it was an "open secret" within Southwest Airlines that it desperately needed to modernize its scheduling systems. In particular, the article discussed how software shortcomings had "contributed to previous, smaller-scale meltdowns," and that Southwest Airlines worker unions had warned the Company about the software at various times before the Company's meltdown over the 2022 holiday season. On this news, Southwest Airlines stock fell from a closing price of $33.67 on December 30, 2022 to $32.6 on the next trading day, January 3, 2023, a drop of over 3%. As a result of Defendants' wrongful acts and omissions, and the precipitous decline in the market value of the Company's common shares, Plaintiff and other Class members have suffered significant losses and damages. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Southwest Airlines shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Melissa Fortunato by email at [email protected], telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form. There is no cost or obligation to you. About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230310005006/en/

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Credit our pal Super Dave with the "creative defunding' tag.

And this report provides a bit of a confirmation of our previous reporting . . .

TODAY KCUR CONFIRMS OF TKC REPORTING . . . KCMO IS PLAYING GAMES WITH THE BUDGET IN ORDER TO DENY POLICE FUNDING AMID THE ONGOING HOMICIDE CRISIS!!!



The snow removal gambit is just part of a bigger con . . . Here's a peek at the sitch . . .



"The budget proposal now being considered by the Kansas City Council allocates $280.7 million for KCPD. According to Mayor Quinton Lucass office, that amount meets the 25% funding requirement without exceeding it. In other words, $280.7 million is exactly 25% of the citys general revenue, calculated as roughly $1.12 billion.



"Although the minimum funding level is enshrined in the state Constitution, the mathematics behind calculating that number is more complicated. In reality, the different components of Kansas Citys budget that make up the general revenues are scattered around the 700-page budget.



"And the city isnt sharing much about what those components are."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
It's rough out there tonight and this quick compilation offers a peek at police action, alleged misdeeds and tragic news.

As always, we attempt to find some nicer stories toward the end of the compilation . . .



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Victim dies days after shooting near Kansas City bus stop KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A victim critically injured in a Kansas City, Missouri shooting earlier this week dies from his injuries just days later. Kansas City police officers responded to a shots fired call just before 4 a.m. Monday, March 6 in the area of E. 35th Street and Prospect Avenue.

Family says body found Friday matches description of missing KC teen Jayden Robker Family of 13-year-old Jayden Robker, who went missing more than a month ago in Kansas City's Northland, said a body found Friday matches the description of the teen. They are awaiting autopsy results to know for sure. Several police agencies responded Friday morning to a wooded area near North Broadway and NW Englewood Road, where Gladstone Police confirmed a body had been discovered.

Pedestrian critically injured in hit-and-run crash in Kansas City at 31st, Stadium Drive SOURCE: KMBC A pedestrian suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle in Kansas City on Friday afternoon. Police were called out Friday around 3:11 p.m. to the area of 31st Street and Stadium Drive on a two-vehicle wreck.

Missouri gun law to stay in effect during court fight KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Missouri law banning local police from enforcing federal gun laws remains in effect as a lawsuit against it is appealed. U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes earlier this week struck down the law as an unconstitutional overstep by the state on the federal government.

Standoff in Overland Park after man allegedly fires shots at US Marshals OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Law enforcement are involved in a standoff Friday night after they say a man shot at U.S. Marshals and FBI agents trying to serve a warrant. Overland Park police spokesman John Lacy said the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI were serving a felony warrant around 5 p.m.

Van belonging to Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City torched Kansas City police are looking for the suspect or suspects who burned a van belonging to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City.A police officer found the van burned on Thursday in the area of East 43rd Street. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City Club provided KMBC surveillance video of the incident.

Kansas City man sentenced for domestic abuse recruited inmate to kill wife KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Jackson County judge sentenced a Kansas City man to 15 years in prison for domestic assault and other crimes. A jury convicted Michael D. King, 57, of seven charges including conspiracy to commit assault, tampering with a victim, domestic assault , harassment, and violating a protection order.

Open-container law for marijuana gets hearing in Missouri House * Missouri Independent The from Rep. Kent Haden, R-Mexico, would require all marijuana products in vehicles to be kept in odor-proof and child-proof containers. "I don't claim to be an expert on marijuana - I've never inhaled," Haden said, earning laughs from members of the House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee.

Prairie Village receives grant to pay for license plate readers PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. - A federal grant will pay for Prairie Village to install license plate readers at traffic lights across the city. The city started installing the readers at some of the busiest intersections and planned to install more over the next decade.

Athletics brings former KCPD officer purpose, 'special bond' after medical retirement KANSAS CITY, Mo - Former Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department Ofc. Kathryn Hwang is taking the success of her future into her own hands. Hwang sustained a traumatic brain injury, causing her to medically retire from KCPD. Since then, she has begun the road to recovery and self-discovery. "The injury is hard.

Developing . . .
Postscript on an old school dude who rotted the last years of his life away before he was convicted for killing a husband & father in Brookside over a big money court case. Declared



Believe it or not . . . The most damning piece of evidence was a toilet recording along with pretty much every media outlet and local institution convicting him in the press.



Here's the aftermath as his health continues to fade . . .



"A Jackson County judge ruled Friday that Jungerman is not competent to be sentenced for the crime. The judge ordered Jungerman be committed to a state mental health facility for six months to receive treatment. Jungerman will be reevaluated after six months."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Convicted Kansas City killer David Jungerman deemed incompetent KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Jackson County judge determined an 85-year-old man needs mental health treatment before he can be sentenced for murder. A jury convicted David Jungerman in September of first-degree murder for the death of Tom Pickert. Pickert was gunned down in the yard of his Brookside home in 2017.
Admittedly, this report advocates progressive talking points pushed by the newspaper.

However . . . We appreciate the hyperbole and sarcasm nevertheless.



Here's the basics most celebrated by Twitter bots . . .



If passed, this means Missourialready one of only 13 states that tax foodwould be the only state in the union that taxes groceries but not guns.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Missouri Wants To Be the Only State in the Country That Taxes Groceries but Not Guns Missouri, are you alright? I'm asking because there is some concerning news coming out of your state right now, and it's just very ill-thought-out. See, it's being reported that your lawmakers are considering legislation that would not tax any firearms made in your state.

A more upbeat 2nd Amendment link to be fair . . .

Gun control reforms make little progress in Missouri legislature, despite violence in state KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Despite a growing sense of urgency to address gun violence in the state's two largest cities and a mass shooting at a high school last fall, the Missouri General Assembly has been slow to pursue any gun reforms. Kristin Bowen, a deputy chapter leader for Moms Demand Action, which is a national organization advocating for stronger gun laws, is often in Jefferson City testifying.

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.
Several highways in western Nevada were closed Friday and Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency due to the weather conditions.

Most roads had reopened Saturday morning with chains or snow tires required.

Still closed were U.S. 95 between Schurz and Hawthorne, a portion of State Route 208 south of Yerington, and all of State Route 338 between Smith Valley and the California line.

In northeastern Nevada, the Department of Transportation reported water on two northeastern Nevada roadways: State Route 278 north of Eureka, and State Route 233 south of Montello.

No northeastern counties were included in the emergency declaration.

Tonight, I am declaring a state of emergency for the severe weather impacting northern Nevada, Lombardo said Friday. This state of emergency declaration will enable Churchill, Lyon, and Douglas County to receive state and federal support and resources, which will enable the counties to better protect their residents and mitigate storm damage.

The governor urged all Nevadans to stay safe, travel cautiously, and to follow all local guidance throughout the continuation of this severe weather.

A flood watch remains in effect for Elko County until 11 p.m. Monday.

The National Weather Service forecast for Elko calls for an 80% chance of rain or snow showers Saturday night, a 30% chance Sunday, and 50% Sunday night.

A slight chance of rain Monday will be followed by 40% Tuesday and rain likely Tuesday night.

Elko County Office of Emergency Management has set up a non-emergency information line for people with questions or concerns related to recent weather events. Call 775-777-2574 to find a location for sandbags, to report minor flooding and pooling of water, or to be connected with other resources.
Nevada Democratic lawmakers are hoping to help rehabilitated people convicted of a crime to begin their lives again through creation of a statewide automatic record sealing process, but court workers say efforts circumvent their authority to grant clearance.

Under AB160, sponsored by Assemblyman C.H. Miller (D-North Las Vegas), the state would be required to set up a process keeping track of people who are eligible for automatic record sealing and submitting requests for record sealing when applicable.

Nevada law generally allows courts to order the sealing of criminal records if certain conditions, such as time elapsed (between 1 to 10 years depending on the severity of the crime) and the individual avoiding other convictions, are met. Certain crimes, such as DUIs that result in an injury or fatality, sex offenses and crimes against children are not eligible to be sealed.

But the sealing of criminal records requires individual action and filing a petition in court  something that Millers bill would instead automate, once the normal conditions for record-sealing are met.

Being cleared by our statutes that already exist, that says you should be eligible to have your record sealed, Miller said during the hearing on Tuesday. We want that process to automatically start to not create any additional barriers for those folks.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department lobbyist Beth Schmidt testified in opposition, stating the department could go from sealing 1,600 records a year to upwards of 48,000 a year under the proposal. She said although the agency wants to work with Miller, department officials have concerns about meeting the automatic sealing threshold.

We do not believe that we would meet the implementation deadlines set forth in this bill, Schmidt said. Without a complete restructure of how we seal records in Nevada, we believe this approach adds layers on top of an already cumbersome process.

Under an amendment submitted by Miller on Tuesday, the bill would require the state Department of Public Safetys records department to develop a process to automatically identify and record the criminal records of individuals eligible to have their records sealed, starting in 2028. The department would then transmit that list of eligible convictions to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the administrative arm of the Nevada Judiciary.

That office would serve as a clearinghouse and be charged with transmitted eligible convictions to individual courts. There, courts would be required to follow existing state law establishing a rebuttable presumption that criminal records should be sealed, but would still be required to notify prosecuting attorneys of individual convictions up to be sealing and allow them an opportunity to dispute the sealing.

The bill also calls for a task force to help advise and implement the bills requirements, which could include hiring a vendor or consultant to help with research. A similar bill requiring the automatic sealing of marijuana-related convictions passed in 2019 and is still being implemented.

Under the proposal, those eligible for record sealing may file a written request with the courts to verify and receive documentation that their criminal history was sealed.

The office of the attorney general submitted an amendment allowing for people with wrongful convictions and who received a certificate of innocence to be included in the automatic sealing process.

Several municipalities and law enforcement agencies opposed the bill. The City of Las Vegas testified in opposition because of the potential for increased workload and a lack of state funding. The Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association, Washoe County Sheriffs Office and the Nevada District Attorneys Association all opposed the bill for the automatic mandate.

There are not enough prosecutors to review [every eligible person], so our ability to object will be rendered effectively meaningless Nevada District Attorney Association lobbyist Jennifer Noble said. Hearings that should be occurring will not occur, and we believe that victims and the people of Nevada deserve consideration as well.
For many of his loved ones, the death of Chaguanas Businessman Rishard Ali came as a shock. 
The first batch of Leopard 1 tanks as part of a Danish-German-Dutch cooperation project will be delivered to Ukraine this spring, according to a statement posted on the website of the Danish Defense Ministry.

Denmark's Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen stated this after visiting Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG), a German company engaged in preparing Leopard 1 tanks for delivery to Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"I am very excited to have visited FFG. I was there to see that the work to prepare Leopard 1 tanks for Ukraine is progressing so that we can get them going as soon as possible. I am proud that Denmark, in cooperation with other countries, supports Ukraine's struggle for freedom with a large and important donation, and we still hope to be able to deliver the first tanks to Ukraine during the spring," he said.

The ministry recalled that the Danish government has entered into a collaboration with Germany and the Netherlands to donate at least 100 Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine.

"Denmark launched the project to refurbish a large number of Leopard 1A5 tanks together with the Netherlands and Germany in early February. The first sub-goal of the project is to be able to deliver tanks to two battalions  corresponding to approximately 80 tanks  as quickly as possible. The first tanks are expected to be ready during the spring and will be used to train Ukrainian forces," the statement reads.

As part of the project, Ukraine will be offered education and training in the use of the tanks, as well as spare parts and an ammunition package.

Ukrinform reported earlier that Ukrainian tankers had already completed training on Leopard 2 tanks in Poland. All 14 Polish tanks of this type, which Warsaw was to hand over to Kyiv, are already in Ukraine.
-- "China's path to modernization reflects Chinese wisdom, Chinese civilization and history," said Keith Bennett, a long-term China specialist and vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club.

-- China always keeps the world's development and peace in mind in its modernization process. That is because Beijing fully understands that it will do well only if the world does well, and vice versa.

-- The Chinese path to modernization serves as an "example" for developing countries, especially African countries, when they have been confronted with multiple crises that hinder their development in recent years, General Secretary of the Congolese Labor Party Pierre Moussa has said.

For a long time in history, the world was shrouded in the myth that modernization equals Westernization. The emergence of Chinese modernization dispels it, making modernization no longer a single-choice question, but a multiple-choice one.

For the world, China's task to modernize a country of 1.4 billion people, or nearly one-fifth of the global population, is unprecedented. The Herculean pursuit not only captures global attention, but also has global ramifications.

Among a series of concepts and initiatives that China promotes in both state governance and global interactions, the Chinese path to modernization is the most popular keyword that people would like to know more about, according to an overseas survey conducted by Xinhua News Agency recently.

China does not seek to exploit or control other nations, and it plays no role in inciting conflicts, said Mokhtar Gobashy, deputy chairman of the Cairo-based Arab Center for Political and Strategic Studies, adding that's why China has gained respect and popularity in the Arab world.

Meanwhile, Chinese modernization emphasizes both material and cultural-ethical advancement, which distinguishes it from Western modernization, said Chen Gang, assistant director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore.

The coordination of material and cultural-ethical advancement leads the way to realize all-around material abundance as well as people's well-rounded development, Chen said.

British scholar and political commentator Martin Jacques highlighted China's pursuit of common prosperity, lamenting how Western countries have never taken it seriously.

"For China to embrace common prosperity, to establish a society of greater fairness, greater equity, that is a very important message not only to China, Chinese people but to the world as well," he said.

China, on its way toward modernization, has also been sharing its development dividends with the rest of the world.

Take the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). According to a World Bank forecast, if all Belt and Road transport infrastructure projects are carried out, the initiative would generate 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars of global revenues annually to 2030. Up to 90 percent of the revenues would go to partner countries.

"The most important thing about the BRI is that developing nations could benefit from the great experience in the development of China. BRI gives them the opportunity to create an industrial society and join the modern age. This is something that in the long run would bode well for the future of humanity," said Khairy Tourk, professor of economics with the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Secondly, China is committed to making the world greener and more biodiverse.

China ranks first globally in the area of planted forests and forest coverage growth, contributing a quarter of the world's new forest area in the past decade.

From 2012 to 2021, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP declined by 34.4 percent, and energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 26.4 percent, equivalent to saving of 1.4 billion tons of standard coal.

So far, China has also emerged as a major proponent of renewable energy, and it is working hard to capitalize on the potential of a green BRI.

UNFCCC (the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Executive Secretary Simon Stiell spoke highly of China's firm and consistent stance on actively addressing climate change, as well as its efforts to translate climate commitments into concrete actions.

At a time when the world is facing an energy crisis, China continues to make solid progress in dealing with climate change and plays an important role in advancing the global response to climate change, Stiell said.

Meanwhile, under China's presidency, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has adopted the global biodiversity framework ahead of schedule. China has shown leadership in global biodiversity protection, Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, has said.

Thirdly, China is committed to making the world more peaceful.

For more than 70 years, China has never started a war, never occupied a single square mile of foreign territory, never engaged in proxy wars, and never been a member of or organized any military bloc.

It is the only country that has incorporated peaceful development in its Constitution, and the only country among the five nuclear-weapon states to pledge no first use of nuclear weapons. China's track record on peace can stand the scrutiny of history, and its peaceful rise is an unprecedented miracle in human history.

Since China's restoration of its lawful seat at the United Nations in 1971, China has actively participated in the political settlement of major regional hot issues, including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Iran nuclear issue, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Palestine-Israel issue.

In response to mounting conflicts and security challenges in today's world, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022.

And in the GSI Concept Paper released last month, China further expounded the core ideas and principles of the initiative, identified the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation and demonstrated China's sense of responsibility for safeguarding world peace and firm resolve to defend global security.

"China's idea of being a builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods are consistent with the ideals of the UN Charter," former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said.

AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH?

Chinese modernization is a new model for human advancement, and it dispels the myth that "modernization is equal to Westernization," presents another picture of modernization, expands the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization, and provides a Chinese solution to aid the exploration of a better social system for humanity, Xi once said.

China's rise as a global economic power shattered the long-held notion that modernization means Westernization, said David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg.

The Chinese path to modernization serves as an "example" for developing countries, especially African countries, when they have been confronted with multiple crises that hinder their development in recent years, General Secretary of the Congolese Labor Party Pierre Moussa has said.

"They could find in this model elements for the construction of a development path that can enable them to handle present and future challenges," he said.

"Modernization has never been simply Westernization," Chen said, adding that "Chinese modernization is a new development model, which can be used as a reference for other countries with similar national conditions or at a similar stage of development."
Ukraines Air Force is ready to send servicemen to the Kingdom of Norway in order to undergo training on the Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) within the shortest time possible.

The relevant statement was made by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Grateful to the Governments of Norway and the United States for their decision to hand over two NASAMS systems for Ukraine to protect its airspace. The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is ready to send servicemen from anti-aircraft missile units to Norway for training within the shortest time possible, Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk noted.

A reminder that, on March 10, 2023, Norway announced the transfer of two complete NASAMS firing units to Ukraine in cooperation with the United States.
Canada has introduced a trade embargo on Russian steel and aluminum, banning the import of these products.

That's according to Canada's Department of Finance, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The importation of all Russian aluminum products, such as unwrought aluminum, aluminum sheets, and finished products including containers and other household items made from aluminum, is now prohibited," the report said.

Also banned are all primary Russian steel products, including iron and non-alloy steel, semi-finished, and finished products such as tubes and pipes.

"This ban will further deny Russia the ability to generate the revenues it needs to pay for its war against Ukraine. Canada continues to work alongside its partners and allies to hold Russia accountable," the department said.

In 2021, Canada imported $45 million of aluminum and $213 million of steel products from Russia.
Q: Saudi Arabia and Iran held talks in Beijing this week, which has received extensive attention from various quarters. Can you share with us the context, the outcomes and more details of the talks? What future role will China play in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East?

A: In response to the initiative of President Xi Jinping of Chinas support for developing good neighborly relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the delegation of Saudi Arabia headed by Dr. Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and National Security Advisor, and the delegation of Iran headed by Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held talks in Beijing from March 6 to 10. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi held talks with the two delegations respectively and chaired the opening and closing ceremonies of the talks.

China, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement and issued a Joint Trilateral Statement. Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, resolve the disagreements between them through dialogue and diplomacy, respect the sovereignty of states, and not interfere in internal affairs of states. They agreed to resume diplomatic relations, and carry out cooperation in various fields. The three countries expressed their keenness to exert all efforts towards enhancing regional and international peace and security. Saudi Arabia and Iran also expressed their appreciation and gratitude to China for hosting and sponsoring the talks, and the efforts it placed towards its success. China looks forward to seeing closer communication and dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran and stands ready to continue playing a positive and constructive role in facilitating such efforts.

With the concerted efforts of all parties concerned, the talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Beijing produced major outcomes. Saudi Arabia and Iran have identified the roadmap and timeline for improving their relations, which provides a solid foundation for their cooperation going forward and turns a new page in their bilateral relations. Their dialogue and the agreement set a good example of how countries in the region can resolve disputes and differences and achieve good neighborliness and friendship through dialogue and consultation. This will help regional countries to get rid of external interference and take the future into their own hands. Saudi Arabia and Iran reaffirmed their adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms in international relations including non-interference in internal affairs of states. This is in line with the trend of the times. China applauds this and congratulates both sides.

I want to stress that China pursues no selfish interest whatsoever in the Middle East. We respect the stature of Middle East countries as the masters of this region and oppose geopolitical competition in the Middle East. China has no intention to and will not seek to fill so-called vacuum or put up exclusive blocs. China always believes that the future of the Middle East should always be in the hands of the countries in the region. China always supports the people in the Middle East in independently exploring their development paths and supports Middle East countries in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation to jointly promote lasting peace and stability in the region. China will be a promoter of security and stability, partner for development and prosperity and supporter of the Middle Easts development through solidarity. China will continue to contribute its insights and proposals to realizing peace and tranquility in the Middle East and play its role as a responsible major country in this process.
Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (right) and Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong. (Photo: VNA)

Minister Bui Thanh Son expressed his belief that with the election of the State leadership for the new term at the ongoing first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China will successfully implement socio-economic development goals and tasks set out by the session, contributing to the realisation of the Resolution of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China.



The minister stated Vietnam consistently attaches importance to consolidating and developing its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, considering this a top priority in the countrys overall foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of external relations.



He held that the relationship between the two Parties and countries is in front of a new beginning with great advantages and huge potential for cooperation, especially after General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong's important visit to China in October last year.



Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested the two sides continue to maintain contacts and exchanges at all levels; improve the quality and efficiency of cooperation, develop trade in a more balanced and sustainable manner; expand investment cooperation in parallel with settling obstacles in several key projects; promote transport connectivity, and soon resume flights between the nations to facilitate travel of people and flows of goods, especially in the context that the two countries have opened their doors after the COVID-19 pandemic.



Applauding Chinas placing of Vietnam on the list of countries to which Chinas group tours will be piloted from March 15, the minister recommended the two sides facilitate the exchange of tourists, and effectively and sustainably exploit their extensive potential for tourism cooperation for mutual benefits.



Agreeing with the hosts suggestions for the promotion of the nations collaboration in the time to come, Nong affirmed that China treasures its relations with Vietnam and is willing to work with Vietnam to increase exchanges, consolidate political trust via all-level contacts, and constantly enhance the friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.



Vietnam is becoming an increasingly important cooperation partner of China, with bilateral trade turnover nearing 235 billion USD, the official said, expressing his wish that the two sides will further promote cooperation in economy, trade, investment, transport connectivity, culture, education and tourism.



He proposed Vietnam continue to create a fair and favourable business climate for Chinese businesses.



Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides emphasised the importance of strictly implementing agreements and common perceptions of senior leaders of the two Parties and countries, well controlling and properly settling disagreements at sea.



Minister Bui Thanh Son suggested the two sides respect each other's legitimate rights and interests in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and make efforts to maintain peace and stability at sea for the development of each country and making positive contributions to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and in the world.

The same day, Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu held talks with Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong, during which the two sides agreed to continue fully implementing the high-level perceptions and thoroughly prepare for the 15th meeting of the Steering Committee for Vietnam-China Bilateral Cooperation and step up bilateral cooperation in different areas.

Vu suggested both sides devise plans and well hold exchange activities, all-level meetings and facilitate locality-to-locality cooperation, continue applying trade facilitation measures. He proposed China accelerate the opening of its market for Vietnamese farm produce, resume seafood imports, make it easier for Vietnam to establish more trade promotion offices in the country and increase the quotas for Vietnamese goods in transit by Chinese railway to a third country.



Vu also proposed measures to boost cooperation in investment, finance, transport infrastructure connectivity, education, culture-sports.



At the talks between Vietnamese Standing Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu and Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Nong Rong. (Photo: VNA)

Hailing China for adding Vietnam into the list of countries for pilot group tours from March 15, he urged the two sides to resume flights soon, well deploy group tours and recover tourism cooperation to the pre-pandemic level.



Nong, for his part, affirmed that China treasures Vietnams cooperation proposals and will continue expanding imports, with particular emphasis on the licensing of more Vietnamese farm produce.



China will encourage its businesses to expand investment and work closely with Vietnams relevant agencies to deal with issues in several cooperation projects, he said.



The Chinese official proposed both sides accelerate the disbursement of Chinese aid funds to Vietnam in the fields of health care, education and improving people's livelihoods, and continue coordination in multilateral mechanisms.



The two sides also discussed cooperation between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs and agreed to effectively implement the agreement on enhancing cooperation between the two ministries in the new situation; maintain regular meetings between their leaders, and exchanges between departments and agencies to share experience in economic diplomacy; and support localities, businesses and people and in foreign investment attraction for development of each country.



On border and territorial issues, they agreed to continue coordination in managing and protecting the shared border in accordance with the three legal documents on the land border and related agreements; to accelerate the upgrading and opening of several pairs of border gates; build the Vietnam-China borderline of peace, stability, cooperation and development; seriously implement high-level common perceptions; well control disagreements; and maintain peace and stability at sea.



Vietnam consistently pursues the mechanism of negotiations and exchanges between the two countries regarding maritime issues, and satisfactory settlement of disagreements and disputes in the East Sea through peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Vu said.



He suggested both sides maintain regular communication to address arising issues, including providing humanitarian treatment for fishing vessels and fishermen at sea./.


The event was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai and his Korean counterpart Choo Kyung-ho.



The two sides discussed and reached consensus on cooperation contents in trade, energy and infrastructure, development cooperation, information-technology and investment, health care and labour.



They agreed to deal with difficulties faced by enterprises in each country and draw more Korean investments in Vietnams priority areas such as information technology and communications, LNG-fueled power, infrastructure, smart urban development, distribution and logistics.



Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai (R) and his Korean counterpart Choo Kyung-ho. (Photo: VNA)

The two sides vowed to enhance effective cooperation in official development assistance through efficient utilisation of non-refundable aid projects and the RoKs ODA loans through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and the Economic Development Promotion Facility (EDPF).



Khai asked Vietnams relevant agencies to work closely with the RoKs counterparts to build an action plan and realise the outcomes of the dialogue.



Choo, for his part, said the RoK will continue working closely with Vietnam to step up exchanges on quarantine of farm produce, animal husbandry and expand coordination in health care.



The Korean Government will make the best of large-scale infrastructure projects for Vietnam's development and encourage Korean firms to take part in, he said.



Both sides need to reshuffle the global supply chain and perform sustainable support policies, and continue extending collaboration in raw materials, Choo said.



The RoK wants to partner with Vietnam and share its experience and understanding of advanced technology, information technology, and digital transformation, he said, adding that the RoK also wishes to build eco-friendly infrastructure in Vietnam and boost bilateral cooperation in clean energy, contributing to Vietnams carbon neutrality goal.



He hoped for Khai and the Vietnamese Governments special support in administrative reform to draw more Korean enterprises.



At present, the RoK remains the top foreign investor in Vietnam with combined registered capital of 81.3 billion USD, comes second in development cooperation (3.75 billion USD), tourism and labour cooperation, and ranks third in trade cooperation with two-way trade value reaching 86.4 billion USD last year.



At the event, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Finance Vo Thanh Hung and Vice Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of Korea Kim Tae-soo signed an agreement to finance the project on upgrading the Hoa Duyet - Thanh Luyen section of the Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City railway route./.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk says he is "open to the idea" of having his social media company buy the bankrupt Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th March, 2023) Twitter CEO Elon Musk says he is "open to the idea" of having his social media company buy the bankrupt Silicon Valley Bank (SVB).

The billionaire entrepreneur replied to a suggestion on Twitter (banned in Russia) that his technology company should buy the tech lender and "become a digital bank.

"

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation announced Friday that it was taking possession of SVB, citing inadequate liquidity and insolvency. It is reportedly the second-largest bank failure in US history.

The Treasury Department said that Secretary Janet Yellen was closely monitoring the situation around the bank. She expressed full confidence in banking regulators to take appropriate actions in response to its failure.
(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 11th Mar, 2023) SHARJAH,11th March, 2023 (WAM)  The American University of Sharjah (AUS) celebrated its annual Global Day, a festival of culture and colour, on March 10.

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of AUS, inaugurated the event, which is one of the universitys most anticipated celebrations of the cultural heritage of the AUS community.

AUS is a close-knit community that embraces diversity, providing a rich and supportive environment to its students to thrive as they become outward-looking and responsible individuals ready to join the world. This has earned AUS a place among the top five universities with the highest percentage of international students, according to the Times Higher education (THE) World University Rankings (2022).

This years celebrations turned the AUS Main Plaza into a carnival, with visitors strolling in and out of the colorful pavilions of more than 30 cultural and student-interest clubs, as they enjoyed the beat of folkloric music and dance, took in the tantalising aroma and taste of delicious traditional cuisine, and observed elaborate traditional fashion from countries around the world.

The UAE Cultural Club designed its booth to reflect on the past, present and future of the nation.

We started working on this theme prior to the AUS Global Day through our Instagram account, and we brought it to our pavilion, which we split into three sections. The section on the past showcases how our ancestors lived and depended heavily on fishing, pearl diving and trade for their livelihoods. We also included traditional food and a henna stand. The present, on the other hand, reflects on how diverse the UAE market has become, while the future is all about technology and advancement showcasing robots from Dubai Expo 2020, drones and virtual reality technology.

We also have many interactive activities that will get people to imagine what the future of the UAE will look like, said student Hoor Al Ansari, President of the UAE Cultural Club.

The club also organised performances that reflected the theme of the pavilion, starting off with a celebration of the late Sheikh Zayed in a piano and guitar recital in reference to the past, a poem on the love of the UAE for the present, and a video celebrating the achievements of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah and Founder of AUS. The UAE Cultural Club also collaborated with the Saudi Arabia Cultural Club in performances to showcase the ties between the two nations.

This year, the Indian Cultural Club focused on two themes in their performances and pavilion.

Dance performances celebrated the AUS Silver Jubilee and injected cultural aspects inspired by Indias national flag.

We explained in our performances the significance of the three colours in our flag and the special Ashoka Chakra in its middle. Since the Indian Cultural Club is known for its extravagant performances every year, we wanted to communicate the information in the most engaging and captivating way possible, said student Utkarsh Chauhan, President of the Indian Cultural Club.

With approximately 90 nationalities represented among its students, AUS is a reflection of how diversity in todays world can lead to tolerance, goodwill and understanding. It also reinforces the importance of appreciating cultural and religious differences and how they impact societies around the globe.
(@FahadShabbir)

MANAMA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 11th Mar, 2023) Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), led the UAE Parliamentary Division to the Coordination Meeting of the Islamic-Asian Geopolitical Group which took place on the sidelines of the 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related meetings in Bahrain.

The meeting reviewed issues on the agenda of the IPU 's 146th Assembly, in addition to discussing the most important issues and developments on the Arab and Islamic arenas, in order to exchange views on the issues raised, and coordinate positions on them.

Ghobash stressed the importance of coordination between geopolitical groups to reach consensus on issues of common concern at the IPU meeting.

The 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global organisation of national parliaments, was officially opened on Saturday, 11th March 2023, in Bahrain.

Held in Bahrain for the first time since the IPU was founded more than 133 years ago, the IPU Assembly will run until 15th March. It is hosted by Bahrains bicameral parliament.



The General Debate will focus on the overall theme of Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance, and will provide a platform for delegates to deliberate, exchange views and galvanise parliamentary action in this area.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

NEW YORK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 11th Mar, 2023) Support provided to Syria following the recent deadly earthquakes must be directed towards finding a political solution to the civil war, now entering its 12th year, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, said on Friday.

Now is the time for us to act in unison, to secure a nationwide ceasefire, advance the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, and create the conditions necessary for the voluntary return of refugees in safety and dignity, with our strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria, and to regional stability, he said in a statement.

A grim milestone

The UN chief noted that this Saturday, 11th March, marks 12 years of grinding conflict and untold human grief in Syria.

The earthquakes, which rocked the country and neighbouring Turkiye last month, hit as humanitarian needs had reached their highest levels since the fighting began.

This latest tragedy also struck amid worsening economic conditions, taking a toll on communities already ravaged by war and displacement, he added.

Damage has been worst in the northwest, where more than four million people were already relying on aid to survive.

Ensure aid access

As we mourn all those who lost their lives and expand humanitarian operations across Syria, we must ensure continued access using all modalities and sufficient resources to meet the needs of all those affected, said the Secretary-General.

This support also includes early recovery assistance, which he said builds resilience while addressing immediate life-saving needs.

He also underscored the urgency of guaranteeing cross-border aid access from Turkiye to the northwest for 12 months.

Path to peace

The support provided in the aftermath of these earthquakes must be channelled into renewed energy on the political track, to address the fundamental issues underpinning the Syria conflict, he stressed.

The UN chief said he remains convinced that reciprocal and verifiable steps by the Syrian parties, and among key international stakeholders, can unlock the path to sustainable peace.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th March, 2023) Over 368,000 people rallied across France on Saturday in protest against President Emmanuel Macron's landmark pension reform, according to figures shared by the Interior Ministry.

Police said that 48,000 protested in Paris alone, versus 300,000 estimated by the CGT trade union, BFMTV reported.

This is below 700,000 that CGT said took to the streets of Paris on Tuesday, when over a million demonstrated nationwide.

Paris police made 26 arrests and stopped and searched over 4,000 others. Running clashes between riot police and violent protesters were reported in the French capital during the seventh day of rallies against Macron's plan to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 and make the French work longer for a full pension.
BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th March, 2023) The first international meeting of women in the energy sphere was held in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas with the participation of a representative from Russia, the Russian embassy in Venezuela informed.

"The topic of the energy crisis and the impact of sanctions on the fuel and energy industry and the Russian economy was raised at the first international meeting of women in the energy sector in Venezuela. Director of the Energy Center of the Moscow school of Management Skolkovo, Chairman of the Supervisory board of the Russian Women in Energy Association Irina Gaida spoke in a video conference format," the Russian diplomatic mission said in a statement.

In her Friday speech, Gaida outlined the causes of the global energy crisis, illustrating the absurdity of the accusations against Russia in that respect, according to the embassy.

Gaida emphasized that Russia has always been one of the leaders in the energy sphere, thus the global energy market cannot function without Russia, the Russian embassy said.
BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th March, 2023) Pope Francis told Argentine daily La Nacion that he was ready to go to Kiev, but only on the condition of going on a similar trip to Moscow.

"I am willing to go to Kiev. I want to go to Kiev. But on condition of going to Moscow. I go to both cities or neither," the pontiff said.

When told by the reporter that the visit to Moscow was "impossible," Pope Francis expressed the hope that it could be arranged.

In January, the Ukrainian ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash, expressed the hope Pope Francis could visit Ukraine in the near future.

The pontiff confirmed that the Holy See was making diplomatic efforts "to see if something can be achieved" but he denied that the Vatican had a "peace plan" at the ready. He said there was only "a desire to serve peace."

Pope Francis also described his working relationship with the Russian ambassador to the Holy See, Alexander Avdeyev, as "excellent" and the man as "very serious and professional." He pointed out that Avdeyev understood the essence of the Ukrainian conflict, being the son of a Ukrainian and a Russian.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th March, 2023) US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday to discuss recent developments in the country after unrest broke out over a proposed foreign agents bill that drew controversy among non-governmental organizations and activists, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said.

"Mr. Sullivan met this morning with the President of Georgia," Kirby said during a conference call. "They did have a chance to discuss recent developments there, including these protests against controversial legislation, and they also discussed our shared strong concerns that this legislation would have a chilling effect and impede the important efforts of hundreds of Georgians, Georgian NGOs that are working to improve the community."

The Biden administration is glad to see that the legislation has been withdrawn in Georgia's parliament, Kirby added.

The United States continues to support Georgia's transatlantic aspirations, but there are still reforms needed to be able to advance them, with which Washington will help, according to Kirby.

Later on Friday, the White House said in a statement that Sullivan and Zourabichvili discussed recent developments in Georgia, underscoring their countries' shared interest in Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration.

They talked about President Zourabichvili's advocacy for a unified and inclusive approach to achieving the reforms necessary to advance Georgia's candidacy for European Union membership."

Sullivan and Zourabichvili also discussed the sanctions introduced by Western countries against Russia over the special military operation in Ukraine. The national security advisor warned that Georgia should avoid becoming "an avenue for evasion or backfill," according to the White House.

Georgia's parliament on Tuesday adopted a controversial draft law on transparency of foreign influence by a majority vote in the first reading. Under the law, a list of individuals and entities receiving financing from abroad would be created. The move triggered mass protests and concerns among the opposition, which fears it would allow the government to suppress the work of NGOs and activists in the country.

On Thursday, the ruling Georgian Dream party announced the withdrawal of the bill from the parliament, and earlier on Friday, the parliament voted against the controversial bill in the second reading.
Representatives of Yemen's government and Huthi rebels kicked off talks in Geneva on Saturday for an exchange of prisoners, with the UN urging both sides to engage in "serious" discussions

Geneva, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Mar, 2023 ) :Representatives of Yemen's government and Huthi rebels kicked off talks in Geneva on Saturday for an exchange of prisoners, with the UN urging both sides to engage in "serious" discussions.

The new round of closed-door negotiations amid years of civil war is being overseen by the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

"I hope the parties are ready to engage in serious and forthcoming discussions to agree on releasing as many detainees as possible," UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said in a statement.

The talks, reportedly set to last 11 days, mark the seventh meeting aimed at implementing an agreement on prisoner exchanges reached in Stockholm five years ago, the UN said.

Under that deal, the sides agreed "to release all prisoners, detainees, missing persons, arbitrarily detained and forcibly disappeared persons, and those under house arrest", held in connection with Yemen's nearly decade-long conflict, "without any exceptions or conditions".

The ICRC noted in a statement to AFP that past meetings mediated by Grundberg's office had "resulted in the release of prisoners on both sides".

"In 2020, more than 1,050 detainees were released and provided with transportation to their region of origin or home country following an agreement reached by the sides," it said.

- Hoping for 'decisive' talks - The latest meeting comes almost a year after the Huthis said they had agreed to a prisoner swap that would see 1,400 rebels freed in exchange for 823 pro-government fighters -- including 16 Saudis and three Sudanese nationals.

But the warring parties have since held a series of talks in the Jordanian capital Amman that did not result in any developments.

"The ICRC is committed to supporting the implementation of future detainee releases and exchanges, and to repatriating or transferring released detainees across front lines back to their respective homes," the organisation said.

Emphasising that it was "a neutral intermediary in this process", the ICRC said it was "not involved in the negotiations on who exactly is going to be released and the identities of the detainees proposed and accepted for exchange by all concerned parties." Speaking to the official Saba news agency on Thursday, Yemeni government delegation member Majed Fadail said the aim of the talks was "to reach an understanding regarding the details" of a prisoner exchange.

In a Twitter post the same day, the leading Huthi delegate to the Geneva talks said he hoped the negotiations would yield concrete results.

"We hope that this round will be a decisive one," Abdul Qader al-Murtada said.

- Saudi-Iran detente - Grundberg said it was urgent to reach an agreement.

"With Ramadan approaching, I urge the parties to fulfil the commitments they made, not just to each other, but also to the thousands of Yemeni families who have been waiting to be reunited with their loved ones for far too long," he said.

Saturday's talks began a day after Saudi Arabia and Iran said they had agreed to restore diplomatic relations, following years of supporting opposite sides during Yemen's more than eight years of war.

A detente between the two regional heavyweights could facilitate a solution to the conflict, which has pitted the Huthis against the internationally-recognised Yemeni government propped up by Saudi Arabia, analysts say.

The Huthi rebels took control of the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene on behalf of the Yemeni government the following year.

Since then, a grinding war has killed hundreds of thousands and pushed the impoverished nation to the brink of famine.

Fighting has largely been on hold since a UN-brokered ceasefire took effect in April last year, even after the agreement expired in October.
TBI President Tony Blair (Photo: AFP)

Minister Bui Thanh Son said during the process, Vietnam wishes to continue receiving support and assistance from international partners in terms of capital, technology, and experience while ensuring a harmonious balance of interests among all parties.



Vietnam aims to attract more investment from potential partners, including corporations and investment funds from the Middle East, promote extensive and substantial global integration activities, and drive the construction of an international financial centre in Ho Chi Minh City in the near future, he said.



The host wished that international partners would support the country's economic diplomacy work in a more effective and practical manner, step up digital diplomacy and provide training for diplomatic staff and local officials in charge of foreign affairs and economic diplomacy. The minister proposed that TBI assist the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam in connecting with reputable research and training institutions in the UK in the coming time.



Blair, for his part, said the UK wishes to further deepen cooperation with Vietnam, its important partner in the region. He wished to make further contributions to Vietnam-UK ties in various areas.



He said Vietnam holds great potential to promote international cooperation in attracting resources for green growth and renewable energy development, building an international financial centre, and attracting investment from the Middle East based on specific plans and cooperation projects.



The guest suggested that Vietnam focus on improving the quality of education and building an advanced university education system as a foundation for sustainable development, as the UK and many other countries did.



In the near future, the TBI will continue with exchanges and cooperation with Vietnamese ministries and agencies in areas of shared interest, he said./.
Ukraines capital had largely restored power Friday, a day after Russia fired a barrage of missiles across the country, which damaged infrastructure and energy supplies.

The head of Kyivs military administration, Serhii Popko, said power and water had been restored in the capital, but said about 30% of city residents were still without heat. He said repair work was continuing.

Ukrainian authorities said that power was fully restored in the southern region of Odesa and that 60% of residences in the second-largest city of Kharkiv that suffered power outages were back online by Friday.

However, authorities said that significant damage to power supplies remained in the wider Kharkiv region, as well as in Ukraines northwestern Zhytomyr region.

Russias missile attacks killed at least six people Thursday in Ukraine and damaged critical infrastructure across the country.

It was the largest such attack on Ukraine in three weeks, with Ukrainian forces saying they shot down 34 of the 81 missiles that Russia fired, far less than the usual ratio, as well as four Iranian-made drones. The Russian onslaught also included the use of hypersonic Kinzhal cruise missiles.

While missile salvos have become a common Russian military tactic, such onslaughts have also become less frequent since the fall.

The British Defense Ministry said Friday that the interval between such strikes will likely grow. It said Russia needs time to stockpile a critical mass of newly produced missiles directly from industry before it can resource a strike big enough to credibly overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks were in retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian attack on the Bryansk region of western Russia. Ukraine has denied carrying out the assault.

Moscow said it hit military and industrial targets in Ukraine Thursday as well as the energy facilities that supply them.



Front lines

On the battlefront Friday, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said the fighting in the eastern city Bakhmut had escalated, with Russian forces again trying to break through Ukraine defense lines.

Russian forces have captured the eastern part of the city as well as the outskirts to the north and south but have yet to take the city.

An aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, told Italy's La Stampa newspaper that Ukraine has two objectives in Bakhmut  to reduce Russia's capable personnel as much as possible and to fix Russian forces in a wearisome battle, according to Reuters news agency.

Following these objectives, the fight in Bakhmut is completely effective, even exceeding its key tasks, Podolyak said.

Moscow says capturing Bakhmut is a step toward the Russian military seizing all of Ukraines eastern Donbas region.

In other developments Friday, Zelenskyy attended the funeral in Kyiv of one of Ukraines best-known fighters and commanders who died in fighting near Bakhmut. Dmytro Kotsiubailo, age 27, was killed a few days ago in battle.

Western support

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Friday, also attended the funeral of Kotsiubailo, along with thousands of mourners.

During a news conference in Kyiv, the Finnish leader accused Russia of carrying out war crimes and said Russian leaders must be held accountable.

Putin knows he will have to answer for his crime of aggression, Marin said.

Russia has denied deliberately targeting civilians or carrying out war crimes.

Also Friday, the White House accused Russia of stirring unrest in Moldova.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said U.S. intelligence shows that individuals with ties to Russian intelligence are planning to stage protests in Moldova in the hopes of toppling that countrys pro-Western government.

As Moldova continues to integrate with Europe, we believe Russia is pursuing options to weaken the Moldovan government probably with the eventual goal of seeing a more Russian-friendly administration in the capital, Kirby said.

Moldova is a western neighbor to Ukraine. Like Ukraine, the country was once part of the Soviet Union and has had to navigate both historic ties to Russia as well as recent moves toward Europe, including ambitions of joining the European Union.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
A dusty logjam of trucks inches across a rut in the mountains splitting Pakistan and Afghanistan, teeming with a cargo of fruit and coal  and paying the Taliban authorities for the privilege of passage.

In downtown Kabul, a patrol of accountants inspects a bazaar, billing shopkeepers for trading honey, hair conditioner and gas hobs under the snapping white flag of the country's new rulers.

Afghanistan is frozen deep in a second winter of humanitarian turmoil since the Taliban seized power in 2021, but cash is changing hands at a dizzying pace.

The Taliban administration is proving adept at collecting tax  seemingly without the corruption associated with the previous administration.

At Torkham on the border, one trucker told AFP that under the old regime he would pay 25,000 Afghani ($280) at illegal checkpoints along a 620 kilometer (380 mile) trip to Mazar-i-Sharif.

"Now we travel day and night, and no one asks us to pay," said 30-year-old driver Najibullah.

In late January, the World Bank reported "strong" revenue collection at 136 billion Afghani ($1.5 billion) over the first nine months of 2022  broadly in line with the final full year of the U.S.-backed regime.

"It has been reported quite consistently that they're doing quite well on revenue, and that too is happening when economic activity is quite subdued," an official with a foreign organization in Afghanistan told AFP.

"It was a shock."

However, in a country where the United Nations says half the citizens face severe hunger, the figures beg many questions.

At the coalface

About 60 percent of the Taliban treasury is funded by customs, the World Bank says, raised at tumbledown checkpoints like Torkham in eastern Nangarhar province, where truckers trade rubber-stamped paperwork for cash.

Incoming freight is mostly food  oranges, potatoes and World Food Program flour  but the outgoing lane is dominated by a convoy of lavishly painted trucks loaded with chromite and coal.

Neighboring Pakistan has been hammered by the global energy crisis caused by the war in Ukraine at a time when an economic crisis has withered its dollar reserves.

So, it brokered a deal to pay for Afghan coal in rupees  cutting out usual suppliers in South Africa and Indonesia.

According to a 2022 report by research group XCEPT, coal exports to Pakistan likely doubled under the Taliban government and earned Afghanistan $160 million in tax  three times what the previous administration was capable of.

But the mining industry relies heavily on child labor, with punishingly low pay and the barest safety measures.

"This has been their strategy from day one  to increase revenue no matter what," former Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry Sulaiman bin Shah told AFP.

The Taliban's lodestar has always been law and order  albeit on their ultra-conservative terms  and there are signs Kabul's coffers have benefitted from a crackdown on corruption which leeched the U.S.-backed government for 20 years.

Afghanistan climbed 24 places up Transparency International's corruption perception ranking last year, a rare case of a metric improving for the country.

"Afghanistan has that capacity, which now we are collecting," said Ministry of Finance spokesman Ahmad Wali Haqmal.

"The main problem was the corruption."

But analyst Torek Farhadi sees it another way.

"They are more effective because people are scared of them," he said.

"The Taliban have an iron grip on the administration. They have the guns, and nobody can steal any money."

Out of the shadows

The Taliban's transition from insurgents to bureaucrats is not entirely surprising.

During their 20-year guerrilla war, they established a shadow government in many areas they controlled, including courts, regional governors and a tax system to fill their war chest.

Afghanistans customs director Abdul Matin Saeed once ran shadow toll booths for the insurgency in Farah province, bordering Iran, and Balkh, bordering Uzbekistan, roving the territory on raspy motorbikes to evade capture.

"We didn't have complete control over the roads... but still we were meeting our ends," he told AFP.

This experience was "very handy" when the republic fell and he took office in Kabul, he said.

The government's ability to raise revenue has far-reaching implications.

The international community has pressured the regime over restrictions on women's rights with financial sanctions, but their ability to raise domestic revenue grants them greater independence.

It also presents a dilemma for donors  does providing humanitarian support free up the Taliban administration to pursue discretionary aims such as quashing dissent?

But perhaps the most glaring issue is the lack of clarity over how all this cash is spent.

Last year the Taliban government issued an annual budget outlining 231 billion Afghanis of spending but offered few details.

"This money goes to the functioning of the government of the Taliban," said analyst Farhadi.

"I want to see how they spent it. Where did it go?"
A bomb blast tore through a Shiite cultural center in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province Saturday, killing a security guard and wounding at least eight people.

A local police spokesman, Mohammad Asif Waziri, told VOA the blast had targeted a ceremony honoring the Afghan media in the provincial capital, Mazar-i-Sharif. He said that five journalists and three children were among those injured.

Provincial officials and religious clerics were also among the guests at the event.

Abdul Nafi Takor, the Taliban-led Interior Affairs Ministry spokesman in the Afghan capital, Kabul, said a planted explosive device caused the blast.

"I heard a big bang ... then there was chaos as everyone was trying to find a way to escape," Afghan journalist Atif Arian, wounded in the blast, told Agence France-Presse.

"Some journalists are seriously wounded," Arian added.

A mainstream Afghan TV channel, TOLOnews, reported one of its journalists was among the victims.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) demanded the Taliban quickly investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.

"Targeting journalists during an event to honor reporters is a despicable and cowardly act. Brave Afghan journalists are already reporting in extremely challenging circumstances.," said Beh Lih Yi, CPJ's Asia program coordinator.

The CPJ lists Afghanistan among the countries with the worst records of prosecuting murderers of journalists.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Saturday's attack. It comes two days after a suicide bomber killed the Balkh governor, Mohammad Dawood Muzammil, at his office in Mazar-i-Sharif, along with two other people.

The Islamic State terror group's Afghan branch, known as Islamic State-Khorasan, or IS-K, took responsibility for Thursday's bombing and vowed to carry out more attacks against Taliban officials.

Muzammil is the second-most senior official killed since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 as the United States and NATO troops departed the country after two decades of war.

A car bombing in December killed the Taliban police chief of northeastern Badakhshan province in an attack claimed by IS-K.

The Balkh governor's assassination came a week after the Taliban announced the death of the IS-K intelligence and military chief in a counterterrorism raid in Kabul.

The Taliban takeover has almost ended years of war-related casualties in Afghanistan, but IS-K has stepped up its attacks in the country, posing the de facto authorities' most significant security challenge.

Muzammil had served as the governor of the eastern Nangarhar province and supervised operations against IS-K operatives there before moving to Balkh last year. IS-K launched its operations in Afghanistan in 2015 from bases in Nangarhar and has since expanded the violence to other provinces.
After Russia invaded Ukraine, guerrillas from Belarus began carrying out acts of sabotage on their country's railways, including blowing up track equipment to paralyze the rails that Russian forces used to get troops and weapons into Ukraine.

In the most recent sabotage to make international headlines, they attacked a Russian warplane parked just outside the Belarusian capital.

"Belarusians will not allow the Russians to freely use our territory for the war with Ukraine, and we want to force them to leave," Anton, a retired Belarusian serviceman who joined a group of saboteurs, told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

"The Russians must understand on whose side the Belarusians are actually fighting," he said, speaking on the condition that his last name be withheld for security reasons.

More than a year after Russia used the territory of its neighbor and ally to invade Ukraine, Belarus continues to host Russian troops, as well as warplanes, missiles and other weapons. The Belarusian opposition condemns the cooperation, and a guerrilla movement sprang up to disrupt the Kremlin's operations, both on the ground and online. Meanwhile, Belarus' authoritarian government is trying to crack down on saboteurs with threats of the death penalty and long prison terms.

Activists say the rail attacks have forced the Russian military to abandon the use of trains to send troops and materiel to Ukraine.

The retired serviceman is a member of the Association of Security Forces of Belarus, or BYPOL, a guerrilla group founded amid mass political protests in Belarus in 2020. Its core is composed of former military members.

During the first year of the war, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko realized that getting involved in the conflict "will cost him a lot and will ignite dangerous processes inside Belarus," said Anton Matolka, coordinator of the Belarusian military monitoring group Belaruski Hajun.

Last month, BYPOL claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a Russian warplane stationed near the Belarusian capital. The group said it used two armed drones to damage the Beriev A-50 parked at the Machulishchy Air Base near Minsk. Belarusian authorities have said they requested the early warning aircraft to monitor their border.

Lukashenko acknowledged the attack a week later, saying that the damage to the plane was insignificant, but admitting it had to be sent to Russia for repairs.

The iron-fisted leader also said the perpetrator of the attack was arrested along with more than 20 accomplices and that he has ties to Ukrainian security services.

Both BYPOL and Ukrainian authorities rejected allegations that Kyiv was involved. BYPOL leader Aliaksandr Azarau said the people who carried out the assault were able to leave Belarus safely.

"We are not familiar with the person Lukashenko talked about," he said.

The attack on the plane, which Azarau said was used to help Russia locate Ukrainian air defense systems, was "an attempt to blind Russian military aviation in Belarus."

He said the group is preparing other operations to free Belarus "from the Russian occupation" and to free Belarus from Lukashenko's regime.

"We have a two-headed enemy these days," said Azarau, who remains outside Belarus.

Former military officers in the BYPOL group work closely with the team of Belarus' exiled opposition leader, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who ran against Lukashenko in the 2020 presidential election that was widely seen as rigged.

The disputed vote results handed him his sixth term in office and triggered the largest protests in the country's history. In response, Lukashenko unleashed a brutal crackdown on demonstrators, accusing the opposition of plotting to overthrow the government. Tsikhanouskaya fled to Lithuania under pressure.

With the protests still simmering a year after the election, BYPOL created an underground network of anti-government activists dubbed Peramoha, or Victory. According to Azarau, the network has some 200,000 participants, two-thirds of them in Belarus.

"Lukashenko has something to be afraid of," Azarau said.

Belarusian guerrillas say they have already carried out 17 major acts of sabotage on railways. The first took place just two days after Russian troops rolled into Ukraine.

A month later, then-Ukrainian railways head Oleksandr Kamyshin said there "was no longer any railway traffic between Ukraine and Belarus," and thanked Belarusian guerrillas for it.

Another group of guerrillas operates in cyberspace. Their coordinator, Yuliana Shametavets, said some 70 Belarusian IT specialists are hacking into Russian government databases and attacking websites of Russian and Belarusian state institutions.

"The future of Belarus depends directly on the military success of Ukraine," Shametavets said. "We're trying to contribute to Ukraine's victory as best we can."

Last month, the cyberguerrillas reported hacking a subsidiary of Russia's state media watchdog, Roskomnadzor. They said they were able to penetrate the subsidiary's inner network, download more than two terabytes of documents and emails, and share data showing how Russian authorities censor information about the war in Ukraine.

They also hacked into Belarus' state database containing information about border crossings and are now preparing a report on Ukrainian citizens who were recruited by Russia and went to meet with their handlers in Belarus.

In addition, the cyberguerrillas help vet Belarusians who volunteer to join the Kastus Kalinouski regiment that fights alongside Kyiv's forces. Shametovets said they were able to identify four security operatives among the applicants.

Belarusian authorities have unleashed a crackdown on guerrillas.

Last May, Lukashenko signed off on introducing the death penalty for attempted terrorist acts. Last month, the Belarusian parliament also adopted the death penalty as punishment for high treason. Lukashenko signed the measure Thursday.

"Belarusian authorities are seriously scared by the scale of the guerrilla movement inside the country and don't know what to do with it, so they chose harsh repressions, intimidation and fear as the main tool," said Pavel Sapelka of the Viasna human rights group.

Dozens have been arrested, while many others have fled the country.

Siarhei Vaitsekhovich runs a Telegram blog where he regularly posts about Russian drills in Belarus and the deployment of Russian military equipment and troops to the country. He had to leave Belarus after authorities began investigating him on charges of treason and forming an extremist group.

Vaitsekhovich said his 15-year-old brother was recently detained in an effort to pressure him to take the blog down and cooperate with the security services.

The Russian Federal Security Service "is very unhappy with the fact that information about movements of Russian military equipment spills out into public domain," Vaitsekhovich said.

According to Viasna, over the past 12 months at least 1,575 Belarusians have been detained for their anti-war stance, and 56 have been convicted on various charges and sentenced to prison terms ranging from a year to 23 years.

Anton says he understands the risks. On one of the railway attacks he worked with three associates who were each sentenced in November to more than 20 years in prison.

"It is hard to say who is in a more difficult position  a Ukrainian in a trench or a Belarusian on a stakeout," he said.
Members of the Rohingya Muslim community in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, say they are living with an unprecedented level of fear and hopelessness after a massive fire Sunday raced through their refugee camp, and some people are saying the fire was started by "a Rohingya gang."

About 2,000 shacks were burned to ashes and 12,000 people became homeless after the fire at the camp  home to more than 1 million Rohingya Muslims who fled violence and persecution in Myanmar and have taken refuge in Bangladesh over the past several decades.

Several people in the refugee camp told VOA that Rohingya gangs have been fighting with one another and that Sunday's fire was started by some members of the gangs.

"There was a gunfight between two Rohingya gangs that continued in the camp from Saturday night until two or three hours before the fire broke out on Sunday. As soon as one or two huts were set on fire by some people, some refugees brought water. But members of one gang did not allow the refugees to put out the fire  several witnesses reported to us," Htway Lwin, a local Rohingya community leader and human rights defender, told VOA.

"Sunday's fire incident was arson, committed by a Rohingya terrorist gang," Lwin said.

Cox's Bazar police said that several Rohingya reported they had witnessed ARSA men starting fires. ARSA, or Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, is a Rohingya rebel group claiming to fight for liberation of the Rohingya community from oppression in Myanmar.

"Several Rohingya sources have reported that they saw how the ARSA men set fire to the camp and how the group's leaders engineered the arson," said Mahfuzul Islam, police chief of Cox's Bazar.

Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, the refugee relief and repatriation commissioner, told VOA on Friday that there was a possibility of a Rohingya group being involved in Sunday's fire.

"We have set up an investigation committee consisting of several senior officials from different departments, including the police, to investigate the fire incident. We will be able to tell whether it was sabotage by any group after our investigation is over," Rahman told VOA.

Fires a frequent problem

Since about 740,000 Rohingya crossed over to Bangladesh in 2017 following a violent military crackdown against the community in Myanmar, the refugee camp in Cox's Bazar has been overcrowded, with people living in extremely cramped conditions.

Fires have been a big problem in the Rohingya camp where the shacks, made of bamboo and plastic tarpaulin, catch fire easily. Most shacks stand close to one another, and fire spreads quickly across the camp.

On March 22, 2021, a fire ripped through the Balukhali area of the camp, destroying more than 17,000 shacks, killing at least 15 people and forcing about 48,000 people from their homes.

Since Sunday, at least seven incidents of fire  including one Friday  took place in different parts of the camp, many refugees reported. One Rohingya man was caught while he was setting fire to a shack and was handed over to the police, according to Lwin.

Last month a Bangladesh parliamentary defense committee report said that between January 2021 and December 2022, at least 222 fire incidents had taken place in the Cox's Bazar Rohingya camps. According to the report, 99 fires were caused by accident, 60 cases were found to be arson and no reason for fire was found in 63 other cases.

The report added that there were 10 terrorist groups active in the camp that fought violently with one another, and people had been killed. Lwin said that in the past three months at least eight Rohingya had been killed.

Although Bangladeshi government officials say that many fire incidents were arson, they did not link them to any terrorist groups.

However, several Rohingya told VOA that the terrorist gangs fighting over control of different areas of the camp are committing arson.

"Different areas of the large camp are controlled by different groups. One group is setting fire to an area controlled by a rival group. Members or supporters of ARSA set fire to some parts of the camp several times," a 55-year-old Rohingya from Balukhali, who does not want to be identified fearing reprisal from ARSA, told VOA.

"Some Rohingya who tried to put out the fire with water were scared away by some ARSA leaders, armed with guns. We are dead sure, ARSA started Sunday's fire," said the man, whose house was destroyed by the fire Sunday.

Gang rivalry

Rohingya leader Lwin said that arson will continue as long as gang rivalry over the control of areas in the camp exists.

"The police should investigate all fire incidents including the one that took place Sunday and take strict actions against the culprits. The criminal gangs must be eliminated from the camps," Lwin said.

"Otherwise, the poor Rohingya will have to keep paying the heavy price this way by losing everything to fire again and again."
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U.S. President Joe Biden and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday sought to minimize differences over a Washington plans to subsidize American companies  a concept that has frustrated many in Europe. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports.
After hosting talks at which Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations, China said Saturday it has no hidden motives and isnt trying to fill any vacuum in the Middle East.

The agreement announced Friday to reestablish Iran-Saudi ties and reopen embassies after seven years was seen as a major diplomatic victory for China, as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States as reducing its presence in the Middle East.

The Foreign Ministry quoted an unidentified spokesperson as saying China pursues no selfish interest whatsoever and opposes geopolitical competition in the region.

China will continue to support Mideast countries in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation to jointly promote lasting peace and stability, the spokesperson said.

We respect the stature of Middle East countries as the masters of this region and oppose geopolitical competition in the Middle East, said the statement posted on the Foreign Ministry's website.

China has no intention to and will not seek to fill [a] so-called vacuum or put up exclusive blocs, it said, in an apparent reference to the U.S. China will continue to contribute its insights and proposals to realizing peace and tranquility in the Middle East and play its role as a responsible major country in this process.

Following Friday's announcement, China's senior diplomat Wang Yi said the agreement showed China was a "reliable mediator" that had faithfully fulfilled its duties as the host.

Notably, Wang also stated that this world has more than just the Ukraine question and there are still many issues affecting peace and people's lives.

China has been heavily criticized for failing to condemn Russia's invasion and for accusing the U.S. and NATO of provoking the conflict. A Chinese proposal calling for a cease-fire and peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine went nowhere, largely because of China's perceived backing of Russia.

However, in the Middle East, China is viewed as a neutral party, with strong ties to both Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

China last month hosted Irans hardline President Ebrahim Raisi, and is a top purchaser of Saudi oil. Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Riyadh in December for meetings with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations crucial to Chinas energy supplies, and China's special envoy for the Middle East  a position specially created in 2002  has made frequent trips to the region.

China sells drones and other weaponry to countries in the region, but nowhere on the scale of the United States.

In coordination with fellow authoritarian state Russia, China has sought to steadily chip away at the U.S.-led Western liberal order, taking advantage of opportunities when Washington's attention has strayed.

Earlier, it moved aggressively to build ties in the South Pacific, signing a security agreement with the Solomon Islands that could see Chinese naval ships and security forces taking up a presence in the country. The U.S., Australia and others moved swiftly to shore up ties in the Pacific, and China's efforts to ink similar agreements with other island nations ultimately foundered.

Xi, whose administration in recent days has warned of conflict and confrontation with the U.S., was credited in a trilateral statement with facilitating the Iran-Saudi talks through a noble initiative and having personally agreed to sponsor the negotiations that lasted from Monday through Friday.
A group of U.S. lawmakers recently drafted a resolution criticizing South Africas government for its close relations with Beijing, including its use of Chinese technology, and called on President Joe Biden to review Americans relationship with Pretoria.

The resolution was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives as South Africa conducted naval exercises with China and Russia in February.

There are U.S. concerns about the surveillance risks of Chinese telecommunications, but some analysts say it falls on each government to responsibly use technologies, and China is not the only player in the tech industry.

The U.S. has already banned Chinese technology company Huawei at home, saying its a risk to national security. There is also a push on Capitol Hill to ban Chinese social media app TikTok.

In sub-Saharan Africa, where less than 30% of people use the internet, most governments welcome Chinas investment in digital infrastructure  a part of the Belt and Road Initiative dubbed the Digital Silk Road. Because of Chinese government subsidies, they see it as a cheaper path to greater connectivity.

The U.S. resolution mentioned two South African companies with links to Chinese tech that the lawmakers felt were of concern. One of them, Vumacam, operates about 2,000 cameras in Johannesburg, with the technology intended to crack down on the rampant crime that plagues the commercial capital.

The U.S. concern is Vumacam has partnered with Chinese company Hikvision for the cameras hardware, the resolution said. The sale of Hikvision products was also recently banned in the U.S.

Contacted by VOA about its use of Hikvision, Vumacam responded: We can confirm that we have multiple hardware vendors and not one single vendor. ... Any hardware is susceptible to penetration risk if not properly managed, regardless of its brand or country of origin. Vumacams focus is therefore firmly on system security, and as such, Vumacams network is run by its own proprietary platform, which undergoes rigorous and regular testing.

Huawei dominates

The U.S. resolution also pointed to Telkom, South Africas partly state-owned telecom operator, which launched its 5G network throughout the country in October 2022 using technologies from Huawei technologies.

Neither Telkom, a spokesperson for South Africas state security agency, nor a spokesperson for the Government Communication and Information System responded to requests for comment.

The U.S. faces an uphill battle in vying for telecommunications influence in Africa. Washington has been trying to catch up to Chinas vast network in Africa, announcing last year that U.S.-backed telecom company Africell had invested to deliver a 5G network in Angola.

But across the continent, Huawei dominates: Its subsidiaries own up to 70% of all 4G networks.

Last year, Ethiopia rolled out its first 5G network powered by Huawei. Zimbabwe has a Huawei Smart Cities program  as do Kenya and Uganda - and has installed Hikvision cameras in public spaces. Insurgency-wracked Nigeria recently announced it was planning to buy Chinese cameras to monitor its borders.

China has signed resolutions to increase cooperation in areas like counterterrorism, safe city projects, border security and cybersecurity, Bulelani Jili, a South African cybersecurity fellow at Harvard University, told VOA. China also supplements this promise with commitments to offer finance, technical assistance and training to African governments on topics ranging from digital forensic techniques to cybersecurity.

Spying concerns

Digital watchdogs, however, often label China as one of the worst abusers of internet freedoms domestically, and observers from the West worry that African regimes with undemocratic tendencies could adopt not just Chinese tech but the way China uses it to monitor dissent.

Already in Zambia and Uganda, the governments were found to have used Chinese technology to spy on the opposition and critics. In Zimbabwe, there are concerns it will be used to do the same ahead of elections later this year.

China also made headlines in 2018 with reports of Beijing having bugged the Chinese-built African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. China stridently denied the allegations.

Responsibility of local governments

In some parts of Africa, Jili said, technology and the potential of its risks are tied to local and geopolitical factors.

What is clear is that digital surveillance devices do not simply constitute smooth-functioning systems that provide the means of socially equitable and competent policing. Rather, they are convoluted assemblages that are entangled in broader economic, legal and political arrangements, he said.

And the risks of using them with inadequate laws are great, particularly in a region with established problems at the intersections of inequality, crime, governance, race, and policing. ... The adoption of new technologies on the continent is rarely accompanied by the implementation of robust regulatory frameworks, he added.

Some China experts say the risks from Chinese tech to Africa are overblown and the focus should be on all the players in the tech arena, including European and American firms.

As well as Vumacam, U.S. firm IBM also has a contract with the city of Johannesburg for digital surveillance, said Iginio Gagliardone, an associate professor at Johannesburgs Witwatersrand University and author of the book China, Africa and the Future of the Internet.

In terms of spying on opponents, he said, theres evidence a previous Ethiopian administration spied on dissidents in the diaspora, using software from a number of European companies. Meanwhile, Israeli spyware firm Pegasus has also been used by African governments.

Whether such technology is used to clamp down on opponents is not up to China, Gagliardone argued, but rather the African governments who utilize it.

China with no doubt is an autocratic regime.  At the same time, China has not tried to impose or suggest that other countries follow in its footsteps, he told VOA.

Gagliardone said its important to hold all large and powerful actors to account when it comes to the possible misuse of tech in Africa.

The responsibility is really widespread.  If we just focus on China, we miss the bigger picture, he said.
Li Qiang, the former Communist Party chief of Shanghai, took office on Saturday as China's premier, the country's No.2 post, putting the close ally of President Xi Jinping in charge of reviving an economy battered by three years of COVID-19 curbs.

Widely perceived to be pragmatic and business-friendly, the 63-year-old Li faces the daunting task of shoring up China's uneven recovery amid global headwinds and weak confidence among consumers and the private sector.

Li takes office as tensions rise with the West over a host of issues including U.S. moves to block China's access to key technologies and as many global companies diversify supply chains to hedge their China exposure due to political risks and the disruptions of the COVID era.

The career bureaucrat replaces Li Keqiang, who is retiring after two five-year terms during which his role was seen to be steadily diminished as Xi tightened his grip on power and steered the world's second-largest economy in a more statist direction.

Li Qiang is the first premier since the founding of the People's Republic to have never served previously in the central government, meaning he may face a steep learning curve in the initial months on the job, analysts said.

Still, Li's close ties with Xi - Li was Xi's chief of staff between 2004 and 2007, when the latter was provincial party secretary of Zhejiang province - will empower him to get things done, leadership-watchers said.

"My reading of the situation is that Li Qiang will have a lot more leeway and authority within the system," said Trey McArver, co-founder of consultancy Trivium China.

SLATE OF LOYALISTS

Xi, 69, is installing a slate of loyalists in key posts in the biggest government reshuffle in a decade as a generation of more reform-minded officials retires, and he further consolidates power after being unanimously elected president, a largely ceremonial role, for an unprecedented third term on Friday.

On Saturday, Li received 2,936 votes, with three votes against and eight abstentions, according to totals projected on a screen inside the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing.

He will make his closely watched debut on the international stage on Monday during the premier's traditional media question-and-answer session after the parliamentary session ends.

Li was put on track to become premier in October, when he was appointed to the number-two role on the Politburo Standing Committee during the twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress.

Numerous other Xi-approved officials are due to be confirmed on Sunday including vice premiers, a central bank governor and other ministers and department heads.

UNEVEN RECOVERY

China's economy grew just 3% last year, and on the opening day of parliament, Beijing set a modest 2023 growth target of about 5%, its lowest goal in nearly three decades.

Li's top task this year will be beating that target without triggering serious inflation or piling on debt, said Christopher Beddor, deputy China research director at Gavekal Dragonomics.

While China has not signaled plans to unleash stimulus to jump-start growth, potential setbacks such as a collapse in exports or persistent weakness in the property sector could force Li's hand, Beddor said.

"The leadership has already accepted two years of exceptionally weak economic growth in the name of COVID containment. Now that containment is gone, they wont accept another," he said.

China's post-pandemic recovery has been uneven, with February inflation unexpectedly soft, while Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com Inc warned on Thursday that rebuilding consumer confidence would take time.

Some of Beijing's most successful private firms such as Alibaba have been battered by abrupt crackdowns and regulatory hurdles in recent years, and Li will have to work hard to restore confidence in the private sector.

Global business is also wary. For the first time in 25 years of its survey, the American Chamber of Commerce in China said early this month that a majority of responding companies said China is no longer seen as a "top three investment priority."

China is trying to present a business-friendly face. On Friday, the Xinhua news agency reported that an official with China's state planning agency had met with a vice president from U.S. chip giant Qualcomm Inc and conveyed that it will provide a good business environment for multinationals.

Also on Sunday, the NPC elected Liu Jinguo as director of the National Supervisory Commission, which oversees the country's anti-corruption work.
Russia is trying to buy anything, anywhereincluding from Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar to get weapons for its invasion of Ukraineaccording to the head of Ukraines defense intelligence Kyrylo Budanov.



In a recent interview with VOA, the top Ukrainian intelligence official said, There are certain efforts to buy through third countries. Large-scale withdrawal of weapons. Now they are trying with Myanmar.



The Myanmar junta has denied the accusation. A spokesperson for the Myanmar junta, Major General Zaw Min Tun, told VOA Burmese by phone on Wednesday, Russia is a country that sells weapons to the world. That kind of accusation is impossible and illogical. He declined to offer any further comment on the subject.



Yadanar Maung, spokesperson for the human rights advocacy group Justice for Myanmar  also known as JFM  said in a statement to VOA, The Myanmar junta and the Russian regime are key allies, complicit in each others atrocity crimes. The junta supports Russias invasion of Ukraine and has openly offered Myanmar as a base for Russian business to access Asian markets, which bypasses sanctions.



JFM says it has been monitoring what it says is a close relationship between Russia and the Myanmar junta since the coup in February 2021. The group identified 19 Russian businesses that should be sanctioned for supplying arms and equipment to the Myanmar military in its report of March 2022.



During a visit by the Myanmar junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to Russia last July, one of several trips he has made there since the 2021 coup in his country, Russia and Myanmar declared they were deepening their defense cooperation. A press statement by Russias Defense Ministry on July 12, 2022, read that "the meeting [between Myanmars military leader, Min Aung Hlaing and top Russian defense officials]  confirmed the mutual disposition to consistently build up multifaceted cooperation between the military departments of the two countries.



VOA recently reported on the juntas renewed nuclear energy ties with Russia raising concerns in the region and globally.

Russian munitions



In an assessment on Russia, the Pentagon stated that after more than a year of fighting in Ukraine and facing strong sanctions from the West, Russia would run out of serviceable ammunition sometime in 2023.



Testifying on Wednesday in Washington before the Senate Intelligence Committee, National Intelligence Director Avril Haines argued that Russia lacks the troops and ammunition to make major advances this year. "If Russia does not initiate a mandatory mobilization and identify substantial third-party ammunition supplies, it will be increasingly challenging for them to sustain the current level of offensive operations in the coming months."



Haines also said at the Reagan National Defense Forum last December, Russia doesnt have enough ability to replace those weapons on its own.



According to reporting this month by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kremlin-linked businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, a co-founder and owner of the mercenary group Wagner, also indicated problems with the ammunition supply. I am worried about ammunition and the ammunition hunger not only as far as Wagner goes, but all the units of the Russian Army.



As of last September, the Russian military was still capable of producing a lot of ammunition, said a top NATO military adviser, despite being hampered by Western sanctions. However, some of the components they need for their weapon systems come from the Western industry, said Rob Bauer, chair of NATO Military Committee.



There are reports that Russia continues to buy weapons and ammunition from countries such as Iran and North Korea; however, the Iranian government, a close ally of Russia, denied this, stating that Iran has not and will not provide weapons to be used in the invasion of Ukraine.



For Russia, almost the only country that actually supplies more or less serious weapons is Iran, Budanov told VOA. There was information that something was coming from North Korea, but we have no confirmation of that.

Russia is just trying to buy anything, anywhere, he said. Because their problems are significant. Serbia, which everyone in Russia hoped for, refused to supply weapons. There are certain efforts to buy through third countries. Large-scale withdrawal of weapons. Now they are trying with Myanmar, we will see what will come of it in time.



Myanmar opposition concerns



Myanmars shadow civilian government, the National Unity Government, also known as NUG, has expressed concern about a possible collaboration between Russia and [the] Myanmar army on the war in Ukraine, Kyaw Zaw, a spokesperson for the NUG presidents office, told VOA via zoom.



We think that Russia might use the Myanmar army and its cronies as middlemen to buy weapons from other countries because the Myanmar military does not have [the] ability to support arms for the Russian army, he said.



Despite the Western countries targeting sanctions against the Burmese military regime, Kyaw Zaw said, they are weak and ineffective due to loopholes, which Russia and the Myanmar military might be trying to exploit through cooperation.



Responding to a question about whether China or India may be working through Myanmar to send arms and ammunition to Russia, he said, There is no good reason for our government, the NUG, to accept a situation where Myanmar is being used to compete with powerful countries.



Regarding the potential for Myanmar to be implicated in Russias invasion of Ukraine, Kyaw Zaw told VOA, We are concerned about the news. We [are] worried the move may affect our country, as well as regional stability and global peace and security.



Western countries, including the U.S., have raised concerns over the potential arming of Russia through its geostrategic partnership with China. However, China had declared it wont supply Russia with weapons for its war against Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said during his news conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, in Berlin earlier this month. He suggested that Berlin has received bilateral assurances from Beijing on the issue.



JFM recently published a report about Indias exports of weapons to the Myanmar army.



The report states that the Indian state-owned arms company, Yantras exports of 122mm barrels to Myanmar follows several other known exports of weapons and weapons components from Indian companies after the Myanmar militarys attempted coup, including exports of fuses and a remote-controlled weapon station.



Russia remains a major supplier of arms to the junta, JFMs Maung told VOA. If Russia is exploring using the junta to help it resupply arms for its war in Ukraine, it shows yet again how the junta is a threat to the world that requires a global response.
Britain will pay France around 480 million pounds ($577 million) over three years to try to stop migrants traveling in small boats across the English Channel as the two allies took a major step Friday to end years of bickering in the post-Brexit era.

At a summit designed to rebuild ties, French President Emmanuel Macron greeted British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with smiles and mutual backslapping before they agreed to work more closely together.

Describing it as a "moment to reconnect," Macron said at a joint news conference that relations had been strained by Britain's departure from the European Union.

Sunak said the time had come for a new relationship, an "entente renewed," a reference to the Entente Cordiale of the early 20th century that had smoothed over diplomatic relations between the European powerhouses.

"If we are honest the relationship between our two countries has had its challenges in recent years," Sunak said. "Today we have taken cooperation to an unprecedented level."

The two agreed to move forward on nuclear energy cooperation, reaffirmed their backing for Ukraine and vowed to strengthen inter-operability of their military forces, including through the development of future missiles and air defense systems.

But for Sunak, migration was the focus as he looked to tout the deal as another achievement after agreeing to new terms with Brussels on Northern Ireland in February.

In office since October, he has made stopping small boats a priority after the number of migrants arriving on the south coast of England soared to more than 45,000 last year, up 500% in the last two years.

He has proposed new legislation to bar those arriving in small boats from claiming asylum, but for this he needs France's cooperation to intercept the boats and break the people-trafficking rings behind the flow of arrivals from Afghanistan, Iran, Syria and others.

As part of the new deal, Britain will help fund a detention center in France while Paris will deploy more French personnel and enhanced technology to patrol its beaches. Officers from both countries will also look to work with countries along the routes favored by people traffickers.

A British official said London was contributing 30 million euros over three years for the detention center, with the official adding that detained migrants would be sent back to their home countries if they were safe, or to the last country they transited through if their home countries were unsafe.

Firming ties from energy to Ukraine

"We will develop operational needs and will reinforce coordination," Macron said, while adding that to go further and address the issue of whether migrants could be returned to France would require agreement across the whole bloc.

While the number of applications for asylum in the United Kingdom hit a 20-year high of nearly 75,000 in 2022, it was still below the European Union average. And many EU members are themselves at odds over how to handle migrants, and whether they should be returned to the first EU country they arrived in.

The meeting was the first summit of Europe's two biggest military and nuclear powers - both permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - in five years.

Ties between the two counties have been strained by Brexit, and were particularly difficult during the British premierships of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, with Truss at one point declining to say whether Macron was a "friend or foe."

Sunak and Macron struck up a personal rapport at the COP27 summit in Egypt in November during their first face-to-face meeting, two weeks after Sunak became prime minister, with their warm relationship labeled "Le Bromance" in British newspapers.

The two former investment bankers, who offered each other Rugby Union shirts ahead of a crunch Six Nations match in London on Saturday, were accompanied by seven ministers on each side in Paris and met business leaders from both countries to deepen their economic relationship.

Energy partnerships

British energy supplier Octopus Energy said after the summit that it would invest 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in the French green energy market over the next two years, while the countries signed two energy partnerships, emphasizing nuclear power as a secure source of low-carbon energy.

"France and the U.K. are working together so that never again can the likes of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin weaponize our energy security," Sunak said.

With the war in Ukraine, it was also an opportunity for two of Kyiv's biggest backers to reaffirm their support.

Both leaders emphasized that for now it was imperative to ramp up military support for Ukraine and train its forces to give it an edge on the battlefield and put it in the best position for the day when talks to end the war begin.

"The priority is [the] military," Macron said.
Three former members of a Hong Kong group that used to organize annual vigils in remembrance of the victims of Chinas 1989 crackdown in Tiananmen Square were jailed Saturday for 4 months for failing to hand over information on the group, in accordance with Hong Kongs national security law. The offense carries a maximum sentence of six months.

Chow Hang-tung, Tang Ngok Kwan and Tsui Hon Kwong, leaders of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, were found guilty March 4.

Before the sentences were announced, Chow said, "We will continue doing what we have always done, that is to fight falsehood with truth, indignity with dignity, secrecy with openness, madness with reason, division with solidarity. We will fight these injustices wherever we must, be it on the streets, in the courtroom, or from a prison cell."

Magistrate Peter Law said, in handing down the sentence, "national security is cardinally important to public interests and the whole nation."

The annual Hong Kong candlelight vigils on June 4 drew massive crowds. It was the largest remembrance of Tiananmen Square on Chinese soil.

Supporters say the alliances closure has shown that freedoms and autonomy that were promised when Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 are diminishing.

The national security law criminalizes secession, subversion, and collusion with foreign forces to intervene in the citys affairs as well as terrorism. Many pro-democracy activists were silenced or jailed after its enactment in 2020.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Russias Wagner Group is in control of the eastern portion of the Ukranian Donbas town of Bakhmut, while Ukranian forces are holding on to the western part of the town, according to an intelligence report Saturday from the British Defense Ministry.

With Ukranian forces firing from fortified buildings, the update said, this area has become a killing zone likely making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westwards.

The Defense Ministry said, however, that the Ukrainian forces and their supply lines to the west remain vulnerable to Russian attempts to outflank Ukraine forces from the north and south.

Moscow has said capturing Bakhmut is a step toward the Russian military seizing all of Ukraines eastern Donbas region.

Ukraines capital had largely restored power Friday, a day after Russia fired a barrage of missiles across the country, which damaged infrastructure and energy supplies.

The head of Kyivs military administration, Serhii Popko, said power and water had been restored in the capital, but said about 30% of city residents were still without heat. He said repair work was continuing.

Ukrainian authorities said that power was fully restored in the southern region of Odesa and that 60% of residences in the second-largest city of Kharkiv that suffered power outages were back online by Friday.

However, authorities said that significant damage to power supplies remained in the wider Kharkiv region, as well as in Ukraines northwestern Zhytomyr region.

Russias missile attacks killed at least six people Thursday in Ukraine and damaged critical infrastructure across the country.

It was the largest such attack on Ukraine in three weeks, with Ukrainian forces saying they shot down 34 of the 81 missiles that Russia fired, far less than the usual ratio, as well as four Iranian-made drones. The Russian onslaught also included the use of hypersonic Kinzhal cruise missiles.

While missile salvos have become a common Russian military tactic, such onslaughts have also become less frequent since the fall.

The British Defense Ministry said Friday that the interval between such strikes will likely grow. It said Russia needs time to stockpile a critical mass of newly produced missiles directly from industry before it can resource a strike big enough to credibly overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.

The Russian Defense Ministry said the attacks were in retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian attack on the Bryansk region of western Russia. Ukraine has denied carrying out the assault.

Moscow said it hit military and industrial targets in Ukraine Thursday as well as the energy facilities that supply them.

In other developments Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the funeral in Kyiv of one of Ukraines best-known fighters and commanders who died in fighting near Bakhmut. Dmytro Kotsiubailo, 27, was killed a few days ago in battle.

Western support

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Friday, also attended the funeral of Kotsiubailo, along with thousands of mourners.

During a news conference in Kyiv, the Finnish leader accused Russia of carrying out war crimes and said Russian leaders must be held accountable.

Putin knows he will have to answer for his crime of aggression, Marin said.

Russia has denied deliberately targeting civilians or carrying out war crimes.

Also Friday, the White House accused Russia of stirring unrest in Moldova.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said U.S. intelligence shows that individuals with ties to Russian intelligence are planning to stage protests in Moldova in the hopes of toppling that countrys pro-Western government.

As Moldova continues to integrate with Europe, we believe Russia is pursuing options to weaken the Moldovan government probably with the eventual goal of seeing a more Russian-friendly administration in the capital, Kirby said.

Moldova is a western neighbor to Ukraine. Like Ukraine, the country was once part of the Soviet Union and has had to navigate both historic ties to Russia as well as recent moves toward Europe, including ambitions of joining the European Union.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
Iran has reached a deal to buy advanced Su-35 fighter planes from Russia, Iranian state media said on Saturday, expanding a relationship that has seen Iranian-built drones used in Russia's war on Ukraine.

"The Sukhoi-35 fighter planes are technically acceptable to Iran, and Iran has finalized a contract for their purchase," the broadcaster IRIB quoted Iran's mission to the United Nations as saying in New York.

The report did not carry any Russian confirmation of the deal, details of which were not disclosed. The mission said Iran had also inquired about buying military aircraft from several other, unnamed countries, IRIB reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran last July, stressing closer ties in the face of Western pressure over the war in Ukraine.

Iran has acknowledged sending drones to Russia but says they were sent before Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last year. Moscow denies that its forces use Iranian-built drones in Ukraine, although many have been shot down and recovered there.

Irans air force has only a few dozen strike aircraft: Russian jets, as well as aging U.S. models acquired before the Iranian revolution of 1979.

In 2018, Iran said it had started production of the locally designed Kowsar fighter for use in its air force. Some military experts believe the jet is a carbon copy of an F-5 first produced in the United States in the 1960s.
Only a few months into its term, Iraqs government is suddenly enforcing a long-dormant law banning alcohol imports and arresting people over social media content deemed morally offensive. The crackdown has raised alarm among religious minorities and rights activists.

Some see the measures as an attempt by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to head off potential political challenges from religious conservatives and to distract from economic woes, such as rising prices and wild currency fluctuations.

The ban on the import, sale and production of alcohol was adopted in 2016, but was only published in the official gazette last month, making it enforceable. On Saturday, Iraqs customs authority ordered all border crossings to impose the prohibition.

Although many liquor stores across Iraq continued business as usual  presumably using up their stocks  border crossings went dry overnight, except for the northern, semiautonomous Kurdish region, which hasn't enforced the ban. The price of alcohol, meanwhile, spiked because of tightened supply.

Ghazwan Isso manufactures arak, a popular anise-flavored spirit, at his factory in Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city. He sells it, along with imported, foreign-made alcohol, at 15 stores in Baghdad.

There are imported goods at the borders that are not allowed to enter, with a value of tens of millions of dollars, he said.

Isso said he is also stuck with $3 million worth of goods in warehouses  liquor produced in his factory. It's not clear yet if and when the ban on the sale of alcohol will be enforced as well, but Isso said he won't send his trucks from his Mosul factory to Baghdad for fear they'll get stopped.

For Isso, the ban is a blow to Iraqs multiconfessional social fabric. He believes it will prompt more non-Muslims to emigrate.

Alcohol is generally prohibited in Islam  the religion of most Iraqis  but is permitted and used in religious rituals by Christians, who make up 1% of Iraq's population of about 40 million.

The law is a narrowing of freedoms, Isso said, adding the ban would encourage bribes and blackmail, because alcohol will be sold the same way like illegal drugs.

Joseph Sliwa, a former Christian lawmaker, blamed the decision to start enforcing the law on extremists within Iraq's Sunni and Shiite Muslim communities. He said alcohol shop owners and producers would become vulnerable, with those in power or armed groups likely trying to squeeze them for bribes.

Like Isso, Sliwa also worried the alcohol ban could increase the use of illegal drugs.

A judge and former lawmaker, Mahmoud al-Hassan, defended the ban as constitutional and argued that it's in line with the beliefs of most Iraqis and therefore would not impact personal freedoms.

Quite the opposite, the majority of the people of Iraq are Muslim and their freedoms should be respected, he said. They make up 97% of the country.

He downplayed fears that outlawing alcohol would increase trafficking of other drugs. Drugs already exist, with or without this law, he said. Alcohol also causes addiction and social problems.

The alcohol ban comes on the heels of the contentious campaign to police social media content.

In January, the Interior Ministry formed a committee to investigate reports of what it called indecent posts and set up a website for public complaints. The site received tens of thousands of reports.

A month later, judicial authorities announced the courts had charged 14 people for posting content labeled indecent or immoral; six were sentenced to prison time.

Among those targeted were people who posted videos of music, comedy skits and sarcastic social commentary. Some showed dance moves deemed provocative, used obscene language or raised sensitive social issues such as gender relations in Iraq's predominantly conservative society.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as local and regional rights groups, said the crackdown on expression violates fundamental rights.

Iraqis should be free to express themselves ... whether it is to make jokes or engage in satire, criticize or hold authorities accountable, discuss politics or religious topics, share joyful dancing, or have public conversations on sensitive or controversial issues, the groups said in a joint statement.

Amer Hassan, a Baghdad court judge dealing with publishing and media issues, defended the arrests in an interview with the state Iraqi News Agency.

There is a confusion between freedom of expression, which is protected by the constitution, and what he called offensive content.

Hamzeh Hadad, an adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank, said the measures could be part of an attempt to distract from Iraq's unstable currency and to pander to the base of the conservative Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr, a rival of al-Sudanis bloc.

Hadad said the alcohol ban could disproportionately affect Christians and other non-Muslim religious minorities  a dwindling population in Iraq, particularly in the years since the formation of the extremist Islamic State group, which at one point controlled wide swaths of the country.

However, Hadad noted there were also powerful actors with financial interests in alcohol who might legally challenge or simply flout the ban.

Religious minorities are not the only ones pushing back against the measures.

I personally am a Muslim and am not with the law, said Mohammed Jassim, 27, of Baghdad, who says he drinks alcohol regularly. Now he and others like him "will be forced to purchase alcohol under the table from those who dare sell it illegally, he said.

Many Christians see the ban as an attempt to marginalize their community.

In the northern Christian town of Qaraqosh, a liquor shop owner who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear his business could be targeted said the government's move stings, particularly in the wake of years of deadly attacks on Christians by IS militants.

They are telling us to get out, we dont want you in this country anymore, he said.
The Italian coast guard launched rescue operations on Friday to save hundreds of migrants packed aboard several boats off the toe of Italy, less than two weeks after at least 73 drowned in a shipwreck.

"More than 1,000 people are in danger," the coast guard said in a statement.

The president of the southern Calabria region, Roberto Occhiuto, said around 1,300 migrants were aboard boats that the European Union's border force Frontex had warned could run into problems.

Three coast guard boats were trying to offload around 500 migrants packed on a vessel 70 miles (110 km) south of the Calabrian town of Crotone  close to the scene of the February 26 disaster.

The coast guard said it also had dispatched a couple of boats to rescue about 800 migrants aboard two vessels further out to sea. An Italian navy ship was also headed at full speed to the area to help out.

"The rescue operations ... are particularly complex due to the large number of people on board the boats adrift," the coast guard said.

Hundreds picked up

In a separate incident earlier Friday, the coast guard picked up almost 500 migrants close to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, local media reported.

"In the last days, we have seen an increase in attempts to cross the Central Mediterranean," Frontex told Reuters in a written statement.

"Only since yesterday, our planes and drones have detected 20 boats carrying hundreds of people heading towards the Italian shores. The weather conditions will be deteriorating in the upcoming hours."

Italy's sea rescue capabilities under scrutiny

Italy's migrant sea rescue capabilities have come under scrutiny following the February 26 shipwreck off Calabria. The body of a young boy was recovered on Friday, bringing the death toll to 73, with many migrants still missing.

Police vessels had tried but failed to intercept their wooden boat due to adverse weather, and the coast guard, better equipped to face rough seas, was not immediately activated.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's rightist government responded on Thursday with tougher jail penalties for migrant smugglers and pledges to stop their illegal boat trips, while opening up legal migration channels.

The government approved a decree at the end of last year cracking down on charity rescue boats but its declared aim of curbing migrant crossings is having scant success.

More than 3,000 people have reached Italy since Wednesday, compared to around 1,300 for the whole of March last year.

As many as 1,869 migrants from 41 boats arrived on Lampedusa on Thursday, the ANSA news agency said, calling it an all-time record for landings on a single day.
Three years since the COVID pandemic began, nearly 200 prominent world figures Saturday called for the vaccine inequity seen during the crisis to be relegated to history.

We ask world leaders to pledge never again, the current and former dignitaries said an open letter.

It was published to mark the three-year anniversary since the World Health Organization first described the COVID-19 crisis as a pandemic.

The letter, coordinated by the NGO coalition People's Vaccine Alliance, was signed by Timor-Leste President Jose Manuel Ramos-Horta, who won the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, alongside the former leaders of more than 40 countries.

Several other Nobel laureates, faith leaders, and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon were among the signatories, alongside a range of current and former U.N. agency heads.

With the end of the pandemic in sight, "the world is at a critical juncture," they wrote.

"Decisions made now will determine how the world prepares for and responds to future global health crises. World leaders must reflect on mistakes made in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic so that they are never repeated."

The letter criticized the glaring inequity that characterized the response to the pandemic, which has officially killed nearly 7 million people worldwide, although the true toll is believed to be far higher.

People's vaccines

While several highly effective vaccines against COVID-19 were developed at record speed, wealthy nations were quick to snap up most of the initial doses, leaving vulnerable people in many poorer nations waiting in vain for jabs.

Still today, fewer than a third of people in low-income countries have received at least one vaccine dose, while three quarters of people have in high-income countries, according to U.N. data.

"There are decades of publicly funded research behind COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and tests," the letter said.

"Governments have poured taxpayer money by the billions into research, development and advance orders, reducing the risks for pharmaceutical companies," it said.

"These are the people's vaccines, the people's tests and the people's treatments," it insisted.

But "instead of rolling out vaccines, tests and treatments based on need, pharmaceutical companies maximized their profits by selling doses first to the richest countries with the deepest pockets," it said.

The letter pointed to a study last year in the science journal Nature estimating that 1.3 million fewer people would have died of COVID if the jabs had been distributed equitably in 2021, amounting to "one preventable death every 24 seconds" that year.

The letter urged leaders to support the tricky, ongoing international negotiations toward a pandemic accord, to ensure that equity is a key feature in the final agreement.

This, it stressed, would require governments to agree on the thorny issue of waiving intellectual property rules automatically if international public health emergencies arise, to ensure the sharing of medical technology and know-how.

It also called for large-scale investments to develop scientific innovation and manufacturing capacity in the global south, to ensure that vaccines and treatments can be quickly developed and rolled out in all regions.

With such actions "world leaders can begin to fix the structural problems in global health that have held back the response to COVID-19, HIV and AIDS and other diseases," it said.

"It is time to embed justice, equity and human rights in pandemic preparedness and response."
Here are some of the Native American-related stories making headlines this week:

California academic may have used Native American remains as teaching tools

ProPublica reports that retired University of California Berkeley Professor Tim White routinely used a vast collection of human remains to teach anthropology and osteology.

According to investigators, White supervised a vast collection of human remains  bones sorted by body part and stored in wooden bins after he joined the faculty in 1977.

ProPublica has found that the vast majority of remains in UC-Berkeleys collection came from ancestral sites in California.

Congress passed the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act in 1990, calling on federally funded institutions to report and repatriate human remains and funerary artifacts.

White, now retired, advised the universitys repatriation decisions and argued that because there was no way to identify the origin of the bones, NAGPRA did not apply.

ProPublica and NBC earlier this year launched an investigation into why the remains of 110,000 Native American, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native ancestors are still held by museums, universities and federal agencies more than two decades after NAGPRA was passed. They report that UC-Berkeley holds the largest collection of unrepatriated Native American remains in the US.

Read more:



Harvard official says university poised to speed up repatriation of remains

In a related story, Native News Online spoke with Kelli Mosteller, a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation in Oklahoma who directs Harvard Universitys Native American Program.

ProPublica found that Harvard University still holds the remains of at least 6,165 Native American ancestors, the fourth largest collection in the U.S.

Mosteller said Harvard had previously lacked the staff to manage repatriation but has now doubled its staff to help with NAGPRA compliance.

I know Harvard has a terrible history, and they know they have a terrible legacy. But I have faith that we're moving in the right direction, because I'm on the ground watching us do the work every day, trying to right that history, Mosteller said.

Harvard in November apologized for holding and pledged to return hundreds of hair samples taken from Native American children in the federal boarding school system. https://www.voanews.com/a/native-american-news-roundup-november-13-19-2022-/6839172.html

Read more:



Patrice Kunesh to lead HHS Native American Program

The U.S. Senate Wednesday confirmed Patrice H. Kunesh as commissioner of the Health and Human Service Departments Administration for Native Americans (ANA).

Kunesh, who is of Standing Rock Lakota descent, is a nationally recognized attorney and policy advocate. She was nominated by President Joe Biden nine months ago.

I am deeply honored to be confirmed for this opportunity to serve Native peoples in this role, said Kunesh . I am so inspired by this administrations abiding respect for Native governance and cultural integrity.



The ANA was established in 1974 to promote self-sufficiency for Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Hawaiian Native tribes and to reduce dependency on public funds and social services. It also works to improve access to services and programs safeguarding the health and well-being of Native children and families, and boost youth and intergenerational activities in tribal communities.

See how lawmakers voted here:



Native American journalist and educator defends controversial tweet

Oglala Lakota Chicano journalist and University of Denver lecturer Simon Moya-Smith drew anger on Twitter and at least two media outlets this week after suggesting that prisons and laws banning homosexuality and abortion were exports from Europe.

Simon Moya-Smith, a left-wing Native-American writer, envisions a primordial progressive utopia in North America  before the arrival of the colonists, Indian tribes held hands, sang kumbaya, passed the Green New Deal, doled out abortions and sex-change surgeries like candy, an editorial in the conservative National Review reads. It references a folk song/religious spiritual adopted as an expression of racial unity during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

The Review noted that the Navajo Nation banned abortion in 2005 and stated that only a handful of tribes have legalized same-sex marriage.

As of mid-week, Moya-Smiths tweet had earned more than 7 million views and thousands of comments, many of them derogatory.

Yea they just scalped people and burned them alive, read one response. Others posted graphics depicting human sacrifice among the Aztecs.

As soon as you say anything about no prisons or no abortion, they're going to bring up the Navajo and the Aztecs, lumping us all into the same category, Moya-Smith told VOA. They like to push the narrative that when white Christians came here, they built this country, and it worked out well for everyone. But not for Indigenous people. And thats my point.

And he added, I feel like I have to put out tweets like this every now and then so people can understand how much racism is really out there.
On the third anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus is still spreading, and the death toll is nearing 7 million worldwide. Yet most people have resumed their normal lives, thanks to a wall of immunity built from infections and vaccines.

The virus appears here to stay, along with the threat of a more dangerous version sweeping the planet.

New variants emerging anywhere threaten us everywhere, said virus researcher Thomas Friedrich of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Maybe that will help people to understand how connected we are.

Saturday marks three years since the World Health Organization first called the outbreak a pandemic, March 11, 2020, and the United Nation's health organization says it's not yet ready to say the emergency has ended.

The virus endures

With the pandemic still killing 900 to 1,000 people a day worldwide, the stealthy virus behind COVID-19 hasn't lost its punch. It spreads easily from person to person, riding respiratory droplets in the air, killing some victims but leaving most to bounce back without much harm.

Whatever the virus is doing today, its still working on finding another winning path, said Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute in California.

We've become numb to the daily death toll, Topol says, but we should view it as too high. Consider that in the United States, daily hospitalizations and deaths, while lower than at the worst peaks, have not yet dropped to the low levels reached during summer 2021 before the delta variant wave.

At any moment, the virus could change to become more transmissible, more able to sidestep the immune system or more deadly. Topol said were not ready for that. Trust has eroded in public health agencies, furthering an exodus of public health workers. Resistance to stay-at-home orders and vaccine mandates may be the pandemic's legacy.

Fighting back

There's another way to look at it. Humans unlocked the virus' genetic code and rapidly developed vaccines that work remarkably well. We built mathematical models to get ready for worst-case scenarios. We continue to monitor how the virus is changing by looking for it in wastewater.

The pandemic really catalyzed some amazing science, said Friedrich.

The achievements add up to a new normal where COVID-19 doesnt need to be at the forefront of peoples minds, said Natalie Dean, an assistant professor of biostatistics at Emory University. That, at least, is a victory.

Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins, said the current omicron variants have about 100 genetic differences from the original coronavirus strain. That means about 1% of the virus genome is different from its starting point. Many of those changes have made it more contagious, but the worst is likely over because of population immunity.

Matthew Binnicker, an expert in viral infections at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said the world is in a very different situation today than we were three years ago  where there was, in essence, zero existing immunity to the original virus.

That extreme vulnerability forced measures aimed at flattening the curve. Businesses and schools closed, weddings and funerals were postponed. Masks and social distancing later gave way to showing proof of vaccination. Now, such precautions are rare.

"Were not likely to go back to where we were because theres so much of the virus that our immune systems can recognize, Ray said. Our immunity should protect us from the worst of what we saw before.

Real-time data lacking

On Friday, Johns Hopkins did its final update to its free coronavirus dashboard and hot-spot map with the death count standing at more than 6.8 million worldwide. Its government sources for real-time tallies had drastically declined. In the U.S., only New York, Arkansas and Puerto Rico still publish case and death counts daily.

We rely so heavily on public data and its just not there, said Beth Blauer, data lead for the project.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still collects a variety of information from states, hospitals and testing labs, including cases, hospitalizations, deaths and what strains of the coronavirus are being detected. But for many counts, there's less data available now and it's been less timely.

People have expected to receive data from us that we will no longer be able to produce, said the CDCs director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

Internationally, the WHOs tracking of COVID-19 relies on individual countries reporting. Global health officials have been voicing concern that their numbers severely underestimate whats actually happening and they do not have a true picture of the outbreak.

For more than year, CDC has been moving away from case counts and testing results, partly because of the rise in home tests that aren't reported. The agency focuses on hospitalizations, which are still reported daily, although that may change. Death reporting continues, though it has become less reliant on daily reports and more on death certificates  which can take days or weeks to come in.

Then and now

I wish we could go back to before COVID, said Kelly Forrester, 52, of Shakopee, Minnesota, who lost her father to the disease in May 2020, survived her own bout in December and blames misinformation for ruining a longtime friendship. I hate it. I actually hate it.

The disease feels random to her. You dont know who will survive, who will have long COVID or a mild cold. And then other people, theyll end up in the hospital dying.

Forresters father, 80-year-old Virgil Michlitsch, a retired meat packer, deliveryman and elementary school custodian, died in a nursing home with his wife, daughters and granddaughters keeping vigil outside the building in lawn chairs.

Not being at his bedside was the hardest thing, Forrester said.
Photo taken on Aug. 21, 2020 shows a logo of TikTok's Los Angeles Office in Culver City, Los Angeles County, the United States. (Xinhua)

Ferre-Pavia said she didn't see a difference in nature between TikTok and Facebook or WhatsApp. "Clearly there's a political campaign against TikTok because it's a Chinese company, that seems obvious to me."

BARCELONA, Spain, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A potential ban on the TikTok -- a social media platform owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance -- proposed by United States lawmakers citing national security concerns is "clearly" politically motivated, a Spanish expert has said.

"Clearly there's a political campaign against TikTok because it's a Chinese company, that seems obvious to me," Carme Ferre-Pavia, professor of communication studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, told Xinhua in an interview on Friday.

Ferre-Pavia said she didn't see a difference in nature between TikTok and Facebook or WhatsApp.

"What I can see is that the danger of leaks exists everywhere," the professor explained.

Ferre-Pavia points out that if there are concerns of confidential information leak from official or government devices, all social media apps should probably be forbidden from certain meetings or environments -- without TikTok being unfairly singled out.

Photo taken on Dec, 1, 2020 shows a mobile phone running the TikTok app in Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

TikTok has become one of the fastest growing social media apps in the world, especially among young people.

A bill to ban the app introduced by U.S. senators, who say it poses a threat to national security, was last week backed by the White House, which ordered that TikTok be removed from government-issued devices.

Last month, staff at the European Commission were ordered to remove the TikTok app from their phones and corporate devices to "protect data and increase cybersecurity." Government authorities in Canada soon followed suit.

TikTok has responded by announcing new security measures to protect user information in a plan known as "Project Clover," in which user data will be stored on servers in Europe, while any data transfers outside Europe will be vetted by a third-party information technology company.

Photo taken on Aug. 11, 2020 shows a mobile phone running the TikTok app in London, Britain. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

A similar project costing over 1.5 billion U.S. dollars is underway in the United States as ByteDance aims to restructure how it safeguards the data of its 100 million American users in partnership with U.S. cloud software group Oracle.

"I don't think Europe should just be in line against TikTok," said Ferre-Pavia, "European parliamentarians to ban TikTok doesn't seem to me a response that's either appropriate or proportionate," Ferre-Pavia said.

Editor: ZAD
The decision by Saudi Arabia and Iran to normalize ties after two years of lengthy discussions and at least five sessions of talks comes at a time of economic and political instability in the Middle East.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said the agreement should have positive consequences.

"We reached an understanding of good neighborly relations and respect for the sovereignty of regional states and dealing with all regional threats on the basis of our dialogue," he said. Saudi Arabia, he added, sees dialogue as the best way to deal with all those issues.

Iran Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said the agreement to restore relations with Saudi Arabia "will create major new possibilities in the region, based on the principle of neighborly security."

Iran Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, noted that "China is providing security guarantees for the agreement," which is due to take effect in two months.

Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, told VOA that the "new feature" of the Saudi-Iran agreement is China's role in the deal, which he said is "very simple to understand."

China, he said, has major economic interests with both countries and its regional ambitions won't see the light of day unless the region is stable. He added that just as the U.S. has made its (famous) pivot to the Asia-Pacific region, China has made its own pivot to the Middle East and time will tell whether that will create a new zone of conflict between the world's two major powers, the U.S. and China.

China imports 40% of the oil it consumes from the Middle East and its oft-publicized "Maritime Silk Road Initiative" involves using ports in both the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and on the eastern coast of Africa, which are frequently buffeted by regional turbulence.

Mehrdad Khonsari, a former Iranian diplomat and London-based analyst, told VOA that the agreement is a "positive sign," but he still has doubts.

"They've been holding talks sponsored by Iraq in Baghdad for the past two years and they've had five sessions of talks (without any) major breakthroughs," he said. "But the fact that they decided to restore their diplomatic ties is a positive sign  but it has to be taken with a pinch of salt in terms of how far this agreement is likely to achieve anything substantial in the near future."

Khonsari stressed that he "doesn't see Iran...in any way...accommodating the Saudis with what they have sought in terms of reducing their proxy interference in places like Iraq, Syria, Lebanon or Yemen" and that the "fundamental differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia that have existed since the inception of the Islamic Republic in 1979" with a few brief and temporary exceptions  remain.

Khattar Abou Diab noted that, since the 2015 nuclear deal called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, "Iran has used its proxy forces to destroy most of the institutions of state in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon." One must wonder, he asked, "if Iran is likely to change its style and definitively abandon its idea of exporting its revolution in the form of a transnational and trans-religious project.

Washington-based Gulf analyst Theodore Karasik told VOA that "the repercussions of the resumption of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia are likely to be more visible in the coming weeks and months but the good news is that tensions, which were building (between the two sides), seem to have eased, giving other Gulf States a sense of relief."
Thick grey smoke pours from the roof as the firefighters arrive at the brick house, one of several homes hit by Russian shelling in a residential neighborhood of Kostiantinivka.

The city in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk province has come under intense bombardment in recent days amid a Russian push to capture nearby Bakhmut, where Ukrainian forces have held on during a grinding battle that started last summer.

Ukrainian authorities say Russian forces are attacking Kostiantinivka with cluster bombs and missiles. Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk province, said one person was killed and at least three civilians wounded after several rounds of Russian shelling on Saturday.

An attack on the city a day earlier injured eight people and destroyed or damaged more than a dozen houses. The barrages have overwhelmed local firefighters, who take great risks putting out fires in buildings and cars even as the shelling continues.

The air is heavy with smoke and the sharp smell of explosives as the firefighters unfold a hose. They smash the windows of the brick house and spray water from the outside.

There are no people inside, but a dog is trapped in a cage in the backyard. A firefighter opens the gate, and the dog runs out amid the smoke and debris.

The chief of the unit calls on his team to stop what theyre doing.

Attention everyone. Air raid! he shouts.

The firefighters take cover behind the house. They sit quietly as explosions go off in the near distance. One lights a cigarette.

Its unclear whether the blasts are a new wave of attacks or secondary explosions caused by fires in the area. Either way, the explosions are getting too close, and the leader of the team orders everyone back to the truck.

As they run down the dirt road, another loud explosion rocks the neighborhood, sending a cloud of smoke toward the sky not far from the house they just left.
When U.S. officials at the U.S.-Mexico border stamped the Ukrainian passports of Mariia and her daughter last April and gave them permission to stay for a year, she figured she would return home within months.

Now with that year almost up and the war that caused them to flee still raging, their permission to stay in the U.S.  known as humanitarian parole  is set to expire April 23.

The word `worry doesnt capture what Im feeling, said Mariia, who spoke through an interpreter and asked that only her first name be used over concerns that speaking publicly would hurt their immigration case. This is something that frightens me, mainly because of my daughter and my daughters future.

The 46-year-old woman and her daughter, now 13, are among 20,000 Ukrainians in a similar situation, according to resettlement agencies. Most arrived to the United States at its southern border after fleeing to Mexico, where it was easier and faster to get a visa to enter the country in the first months following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Mariia's parole is tied to her work permit, enabling her to earn a living as a nanny, and makes her eligible for food stamps and other public assistance. Her husband flew to the U.S. to join them in July and received humanitarian parole for two years.

The Biden administration has said it is working on a fix but so far has issued no official guidance on what Ukrainians should do, according to advocates helping the Ukrainians. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment.

Jewish Federations of North America, which provided support for the agency that helped Mariias family get settled, is among the organizations that have written to the Biden administration to quickly renew humanitarian parole for Ukrainians.

Krish OMara Vignarajah, the CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said people are scrambling to figure out what to do. One option would be to apply for asylum, but a war doesn't necessarily qualify someone for that.

"Even short-term solutions like individual parole extensions are unclear since theres no uniform guidance, which leads to delays and confusion, she said.

Some Ukrainians have considered returning to the U.S. border crossings where they entered to ask for an extension, but that leaves the decision up to the port director, OMara Vignarajah said. It can also be expensive to travel and requires time off work, advocates said.

Some have been told by officials to write across the top of the government's parole form Re-Parole," since there is no option to check for an extension, according to advocates.

It highlights how ad hoc the process is, OMara Vignarajah said. These requests often go unanswered or are transferred to different agencies, and because there is no clear process in how to handle them, sometimes they are simply denied.

The government turned to humanitarian parole as a quick fix to deal with the fallout from the many world crises that have occurred as the U.S. refugee system that was dismantled by the previous administration was being built back up. Now numerous groups are facing their permission to remain in the United States expiring in coming months, including tens of thousands of Afghans.

Humanitarian parole was never meant to be over relied on at the expense of refugee resettlement or asylum protections," said Meredith Owen of Church World Service.

Liliia Lukianchuk, a Ukrainian mother of four, has applied for asylum with the help of Lutheran Social Services, but she and her husband have not gotten an answer. Their parole expires April 16, and it is tied to her husbands mechanic job in Jacksonville, Florida, where they live. She fears that if they're sent back, her 17-year-old son will end up on the front lines as a soldier.

Of course, Im worried because the worst-case scenario would be to be returned to Ukraine, but I have to be strong for my family, she said through an interpreter.

Mariia and her daughter arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border after trying to settle in four different countries. The lines at Poland's border were too long. In Hungary, they could find a hotel room for only one night at a time and were told by locals that the government was not in favor of hosting Ukrainians. They went on to Belgium, where many Ukrainians were arriving, but the local school had no room for her daughter. Then in Spain, they were told it would be difficult to find work and an apartment. That's when Mariia decided to go to the United States and was told Mexico was the best way.

Jewish Family Services of Greenwich helped her find a job, enroll her daughter in school and get settled in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Mariia said only recently did she and her daughter start feeling hopeful about rebuilding their lives.

To be honest, the first five months, my eyes to that were closed. My primary goal was to just make sure my child was OK, to calm her down and reassure her that she was safe, she said.

Tania Priatka of Jewish Family Services said Mariia's family is working with a lawyer who has advised them to wait for guidance from the government. If that doesn't happen soon, they plan to go to the nearest airport and ask Customs and Border Protection officials there for help.

For now, Mariia tries to stay hopeful, but struggles when her daughter asks what will happen.

I feel lost. I feel hopeless." Mariia said, her voice shaking as she grew emotional. "As a mother, I should be able to give my child an answer that she will be well and that she will be safe.
Russias repeated use of advanced hypersonic missiles as part of its bombardment of Ukraine may be getting the bulk of the Wests attention, but United States defense officials say it is China that has the worlds leading hypersonic arsenal.

"While both China and Russia have conducted numerous successful tests of hypersonic weapons and have likely fielded operational systems, China is leading Russia in both supporting infrastructure and numbers of systems, the Defense Intelligence Agencys chief scientist for science and technology told U.S. lawmakers Friday.

Over the past two decades, China has dramatically advanced its development of conventional and nuclear-armed hypersonic missile technologies and capabilities through intense and focused investment, development, testing and deployment, said the DIAs Paul Freisthler, testifying in front of the House Armed Services Committee.

Unlike ballistic missiles, which fly at hypersonic speeds but travel along a set trajectory, hypersonic weapons are highly maneuverable despite flying at Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.

According to U.S. defense officials, that high-speed maneuverability makes hypersonic weapons especially difficult to detect and, therefore, difficult to stop.

According to the DIA and information gathered by the Congressional Research Service, China operates two research sites for hypersonic weapons, with at least 21 wind tunnels. Some of the wind tunnels can test vehicles flying at speeds of up to Mach 12.

Chinas hypersonic arsenal includes the DF-17, a medium-range ballistic missile with a hypersonic glide vehicle that has a range of 1,600 kilometers.

It also has the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile, which also carries a hypersonic glide vehicle. During a test of the system in July 2021, the hypersonic weapon circumnavigated the globe, prompting a top U.S. defense official to compare the incident to the start of the original space race in the 1950s.

Beijing also has the DF-ZF hypersonic glide vehicle, with a range of close to 2,000 kilometers, and the Starry Sky-2, a nuclear capable hypersonic prototype.

Russias missile attack against Ukraine on Friday included about six of Moscows hypersonic Kinzhal missiles. The Kinzhal travels at speeds of up to Mach 10 and has a range of about 2,000 kilometers.

Russia also has the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, which it claims can travel at speeds of more than Mach 20 with a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, and the ship-launched Zircon hypersonic missile, with a top speed of Mach 8 and a range of 1,000 kilometers.

The DIAs Freisthler said Friday that Moscow is also developing an air-launched hypersonic missile (the Kh-95) and has announced plans to place a hypersonic glide vehicle on its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile.

The U.S. military has been developing a range of hypersonic weapons, all of which are still in testing or development. Officials have said that, unlike China and Russia, Washington has no plans to arm any of its hypersonic weapons with a nuclear warhead.
Iran is striving to expand its influence in fellow U.S. adversary Venezuela, which is hosting an Iranian cultural fair this week and seeking Iranian assistance to revive the ailing Venezuelan energy industry.

The International Fair of Venezuelan-Iranian Culture and Friendship opened March 4 in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, and runs through Sunday. It is organized by a Caracas-based group called the Center for Intercultural Exchange in Latin America, or CICL.

The U.S. research group Foundation for Defense of Democracies said in a report last December that CICL is a Latin American branch of Irans al-Mustafa International University, which the report describes as Tehrans principal institution for recruiting, indoctrinating and training foreign converts to Shiite Islam.

Videos posted Friday on CICLs Instagram page showed Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mahdi Esmaili visiting the fair.

Venezuela hosted another senior Iranian official on February 3, when Oil Minister Tareck el-Aissami met with Irans top diplomat, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in Caracas. Iranian state media said el-Aissami urged the Iranian government to share its expertise on energy and related technologies with his nation, which sits on the worlds biggest crude oil reserves but has a decaying infrastructure beset by domestic fuel shortages in recent years.

Three days later, Reuters reported that state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela planned to award a $490 million contract to the state-owned National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company in coming weeks to revamp the Paraguana Refining Center, Venezuelas largest refining complex. The Reuters report cited four sources close to the plan.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto described Iran as a very close friend at a more recent meeting with Amir-Abdollahian in Geneva on February 28, according to the Iranian foreign ministry. It cited Pinto as saying Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros government is determined to strengthen relations with Iran in all fields, including oil, energy, economy and trade.

Both nations are heavily sanctioned by the U.S. which sees them as human rights violators and sponsors of terrorism and accuses them of other malign behaviors.

The growing Iranian-Venezuelan alliance was the focus of a VOA interview with exiled Venezuelan opposition politician Julio Borges in this weeks edition of the Flashpoint Iran podcast. Borges is a senior member of the Justice First party and a one-time foreign minister of the former U.S.-backed interim Venezuelan government that comprised several opposition parties and dissolved itself in January after four years.

The following transcript of Borges interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: What kind of research have you conducted on Iran's relations with Venezuela?

Julio Borges, Member of Venezuelas Opposition Justice First Party: We have been very concerned about the relationship between Iran and Maduro. It's a relationship that started during the rule of President Hugo Chavez [who led Venezuela from 1999 until his death in 2013]. And it started as something that people made jokes about, because Iran established a plant to produce Iranian bicycles in Venezuela. But this little joke has been growing and growing. According to our research, Iran and Venezuela have developed a very solid relationship that in my view is very negative for democracy, human rights and Western values.

VOA: Reuters reported that Iran will agree to help Venezuela repair its largest refining complex at Paraguana. Can you confirm this?

Borges: Yes, we are aware that the visit of the Iranian foreign minister to Venezuela had to do with this project to repair the Paraguana Refining Center (CRP). This will be done through NIORDC, which is sanctioned by the U.S. because it has used oil to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [Irans top military force, itself designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization]. It's a project that has been handled in a very dark and closed relationship between Maduro and Iran.

At this time, we know through leaks that there is agreement for a more than $100 million contract to repair CRP, which by the way, was destroyed by Maduro himself because of many, many accidents and mishandling of this refinery.

VOA: This deepening cooperation between Iran and Venezuela has spread to many sectors of the Venezuelan government and economy. What do the people of Venezuela think about Iran's growing involvement in their daily life?

Borges: That's a very important question. People feel that Venezuela right now is like a country under different occupations. Maduro has opened the door of Venezuela to the Russians, for example, and they go freely to different places for recreation. Maduro has opened the doors for the Cubans, and they have been handling many things in Venezuela since many years ago: education, health care and even the armed forces.

The presence of Iranians and people from other countries that are different from our culture  for regular Venezuelan people, it is something strange that has nothing to do with our tradition. Its like a political occupation of our country and its trying to change our democratic values. At the end of the day, what those [political occupiers] are doing is simply using our country as a base in order to develop operations in Latin America. This is something that has to be taken seriously by Western countries.

VOA: President Maduro said recently he would like a normalization of relations with the United States. After he said that, Iran expressed some public concern saying, so to speak, no, we don't want you, Venezuela, to go down that route. Obviously, Iran and the U.S. have a very tense relationship. So, how much of an impact do you think Maduro's signals about normalization with the U.S. could affect his relationship with Iran?

Borges: I think Maduro wants to be in the best of all worlds. He wants to have a relationship with the U.S. He wants to keep this subordination to the Cubans. He wants to be a partner of the Russians and Iranians to [learn from them how to] avoid U.S. sanctions. He wants to be protected by China.

So, in my view, we have to build more pressure on Maduro for him to choose if he wants to be on the side of the democratic world, the free world, the human rights world; or if he wants to be part of autocracies and anti-democratic and anti-Western values. This [kind of choice] has to be black and white for Maduro. But he wants to be in a gray zone, which is very dangerous for democracy and human rights all over Latin America.
Georgia's young protesters, having forced parliament into a U-turn on controversial new legislation, are determined to maintain the pressure on the government, which they believe is steering the country away from Europe.

Thousands of young and mainly peaceful protesters flooded the capital, Tbilisi, this week. Many of them, speaking to AFP, insisted they were not motivated by party allegiances in the fiercely partisan country.

The overarching reason they braved tear gas and water cannons, they said, was a firm belief that the ex-Soviet country should anchor itself to Europe.

The rallies erupted Tuesday when parliament began to introduce "foreign agent" laws reminiscent of Russian legislation used to suppress media and civil society.

Under pressure from the protesters, the ruling Georgian Dream party formally voted down the bill Friday to the cheers and whistles of protesters outside parliament, holding signs that read: "We are Europe."

"We're happy the law failed, that Georgians prevailed and that they will continue to fight for their European future," said 20-year-old student Saba Meurmishvili.

Meurmishvili said police had arrested him at the rally while he was chanting anti-government slogans. He was held for two days, before a court released him with a $900 fine.

He went right back to demonstrating alongside other students, he said, to "protest this government, which is trying to bring us back to Russia.

"I want to build a European country. We are a generation born and raised in a democratic and free Georgia and we want to preserve our peace and our freedom.

We are Europe

For Meurmishvili, the protests that gripped Georgia  a former Soviet republic with a history of political turmoil  were linked to the country's vibrant civil society, not a political party.

"We try to keep our distance from all political parties," he said.

On Friday, the Kremlin accused foreign countries of orchestrating "an attempted coup."

But Russian influence appears to be waning in Georgia, whose younger generations are strongly pro-European.

Also Friday, the country's jailed ex-leader Mikheil Saakashvili praised the protesters for their role in stopping the proposed law.

"They were brilliantly resisting brutal force used against them," Saakashvili wrote on Facebook.

EU and NATO membership is enshrined in the constitution and backed by some 80% of the population; polls suggest.

"We belong in Europe and step by step we are going to become part of the EU," said Ketevan Kalandadze, a social worker.

The government bill had wanted to label any NGO or media outlet that received more than 20% of funding from abroad as a "foreign agent."

"We see this in Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and it has worked," said Ketevan, one of the protesters outside parliament.

"They have no more opposition, no more civil society watchdog organizations, no more support for NGOs," the 32-year-old told AFP.

Russia is prison

The protesters' mood was reminiscent of Kyiv during the 2014 Maidan movement, which brought pro-Western leaders to power and sparked confrontation with Russia that culminated into an all-out war last year.

Georgia has its own history of invasion by its giant northern neighbor.

In 2008, after years of tensions over Tbilisi's efforts to forge closer ties with the West, Moscow sent troops to Georgia, which was battling pro-Russian separatists in its South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions.

After the war, Russia recognized the territories as independent and stationed military bases there, lending further urgency to Georgia's bid for NATO membership.

Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, Georgia  together with Ukraine and Moldova  applied for EU membership.

At the time, EU leaders put Kyiv and Chisinau on a formal membership path, but deferred Tbilisi's candidacy, saying it should first implement several reforms.

Many protesters see EU membership as the ultimate rupture with Moscow and Georgia's Soviet past, and a guarantee for ensuring individual freedoms and economic progress.

"Europe is freedom, Russia is a kind of prison," said Alexander Zhikia, a 15-year-old student, wrapped in an EU flag.

One former diplomat at Georgia's consulate in Munich Nina Matiashvili told AFP: "We will never accept anything Russian, and we don't want to go back to the USSR. It's as simple as that."

The 34-year-old said it was the younger generation, those who grew up in independent Georgia, who had managed "to make their voices heard," she added.

"We hope the EU will support us. We want to [obtain] candidate status immediately. As soon as possible."
By Nyasha Chingono

HARARE (Reuters) - As the sweltering morning sun beat down on them, about half a dozen young Zimbabwean women stacked green tobacco leaves into sheaves while another group, some with babies on their backs, loaded the harvested crop onto a tractor.

In a largely male-dominated sector, Michelle Gwatimba, 36, who runs this small farm 200 kilometers (124 miles) north of Zimbabwe's capital Harare, is not only blazing a trail for women but also provides a livelihood for those who survived violence.

"We realized in the settlements around the farm, where we get most of our staff, there was a lot of gender-based violence," said Gwatimba, whose Tzoro Greenfields farm provides employment to over 80 families, most of them led by women.

She spoke ahead of International Women's Day being marked on Wednesday around the world with rallies and demonstrations where many women activists are calling for equal rights and better wages.

Gwatimba, who went into farming after leaving a government job in Harare as an IT technician in 2019, told Reuters she found being one of few women in the tobacco industry "intimidating... but it is so rewarding."

More than two decades since the chaotic land reform program that dispossessed thousands of White commercial farmers, Zimbabwe is witnessing a new wave of young Black farmers taking up tobacco farming, one of its biggest cash crop.

It constituted about 12% of the southern African country's total exports in January, according to official figures.

Most of the growers are contracted by private companies to produce the crop and receive seeds, fertilizers and chemicals, to help boost output.

Gwatimba, who lost 30% of her tobacco crop to hailstorms in recent weeks, said she was determined to make a success of commercial tobacco farming.

Having started farming on her late father's 60- hectare (148-acre) farm in Mashonaland Central - one of Zimbabwe's most fertile regions - she has also ventured into cultivating soya beans and cattle rearing.

Others like Chisauke Isaac, 39, have Gwatimba's farm to thank for providing her with a job to help her feed her three children.

Women's Day rallies seek equal rights, focus on Iran, AfghanistanRead full story

(Reporting by Nyasha Chingono; Editing by Bhargav Acharya and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
(St. Paul, MN) With the St. Patrick's Day celebrations anticipated today, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has ordered bars and restaurants across Minnesota to temporarily close to customers who dine in. As of noon on Monday the number of coronavirus cases in Minnesota has spiked to 54.

To protect the public's health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, events as described below should be postponed or canceled across the state of Minnesota. MDH will continue to evaluate the situation and may recommend opening earlier or staying cancelled for longer. These events include those scheduled by communities and organizations but also by individuals. The following is intended to provide general guidance for mitigation strategies. Organizers or settings may need to take into consideration unique risks and make decisions that are protective of their communities.

MDH recommends restaurants and bars close for dine-in service through 5 p.m. on March 27.

Drive-through and take-out delivery can continue and MDH recommends that restaurants focus on these services.

Within restaurants, staff should try to keep at least 6 feet of distance from each other as much as possible.

Orders should be sealed by restaurants in tamper-resistant packaging.

For the safety of delivery personnel, restaurants should encourage "contactless" delivery allowing no face-to-face contact between delivery personnel and customers. Payments to be made via digital means whenever possible. Orders to be dropped off at a designated spot with no face-to-face contact at a distance of less than 6 feet.

MDH recommends grocery stores/pharmacies/hardware stores/retail outlets with these services remain open with social distancing measures.

Social distancing should be encouraged within stores and at checkouts and signage regarding distancing of at least 6 feet between persons in the stores should be posted.

When possible, delivery of items (using same safety steps as above for restaurants), online ordering and pickup should be encouraged over in-store shopping.

MDH recommends non-essential retail outlets close, with the exception of those that choose to remain open on a limited bases to fill online or phone orders for pickup or delivery.

MDH recommends venues such as movie theaters, bowling alleys, and other recreational activities close through 5 p.m. on March 27.

MDH recommends public buildings remain open, so long as they can maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet between persons.

For all workplaces including restaurants and stores remaining open, it is important that employees assess themselves for symptoms regularly and go home right away if ill. All employees should practice careful and frequent hand hygiene, not touch their faces with unwashed hands and use respiratory etiquette.

CDC recommends postponing and canceling until further notice:

Events where 50 people or more would gather, including but not limited to:

More from this section How gas prices have changed in Minnesota in the last week

Concerts.

Conferences.

Professional, college, and school performances or sporting events.

Festivals.

Parades.

Weddings.

Other types of assemblies.

Smaller events (fewer than 50 people) that are held in crowded auditoriums, rooms, or other venues that do not allow social distancing of 6 feet per person.

Events with more than 10 people where the majority of participants are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, including gatherings such as those at:

Retirement facilities.

Assisted living facilities.

Developmental homes.

Support groups for people with health conditions.

Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.

More information is available at CDC: Get Your Mass Gatherings or Large Community Events Ready.

For information for specific subgroups of people, see CDC's guidance at:

Recommendations for People at Higher Risk and Special Populations

Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel.

MDH recommends implementing the following mitigation strategies; adapted from CDC: Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission.

Underlying medical conditions that may increase the risk of serious COVID-19 for individuals of any age:
Xi Jinping is unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC at the third plenary 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 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping was unanimously elected Chinese president on Friday at the ongoing session of China's national legislature, leading the country of 1.4 billion people onto a new journey toward modernization.

He was also elected chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) by a unanimous vote.

A total of 2,952 deputies were present at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Friday morning, to exercise their constitutional right to elect China's state leadership.

The voting was anonymous.

Thunderous applause broke out across the Great Hall of the People when the results of the elections were pronounced.

Xi, donning a dark suit with a burgundy tie, rose from his seat and bowed to the lawmakers.

Born in 1953, Xi joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in January 1974, and became the Party branch secretary of the Liangjiahe Brigade in rural Shaanxi Province, later the same year.

He then embarked on a journey across China that saw him work in different provinces and municipalities and rise from the grassroots level to the helm of the Party and the state.

Xi was first elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and named chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission in November 2012. He was elected Chinese president and CMC chairman of the PRC in March 2013.

"Over the past 10 years, we have overcome one obstacle after another, and created miracle upon miracle. Most importantly, the people are happier, feel safer than ever, and have a stronger sense of fulfillment under his leadership," said NPC deputy Chen Zhen, head of the Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The CPC has established Xi Jinping's core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and established the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The decision was made at the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee in 2021.

Experts believe the decision has been further consolidated by the elections of Xi to be Chinese president and chairman of the PRC CMC.

The solemnity of Friday's assembly was underscored by a ceremony of Xi and other newly elected state leaders pledging allegiance to China's Constitution.

After a chorus of the national anthem was sung by all present, Xi placed his left hand on a copy of the Constitution and held up his right fist.

"I pledge my allegiance to the Constitution of the PRC to safeguard the Constitution's authority, and fulfill my legal obligations, be loyal to the country and the people, be committed and honest in my duty, accept the people's supervision, and work for a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful," Xi said.

Under Xi's leadership, the world's second-largest economy is marching on a model of modernization that has not been seen before.

In the past decade, China's GDP has grown to 121 trillion yuan (about 17.37 trillion U.S. dollars) from 53.9 trillion yuan in 2012.

The Chinese economy has come to account for over 18 percent of the world economy over the past 10 years, and its contribution to the world's economic growth has averaged over 30 percent.

The country has eradicated absolute poverty and built the largest education, social security, and healthcare systems in the world.

The average life expectancy of the Chinese has increased from 74.8 to 78.2 years over the past decade, and there have been historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection.

China has also joined the ranks of the world's innovators, and achieved an overwhelming victory and fully consolidated the gains in the fight against corruption.

The country's military has been through an all-around revolutionary restructuring, becoming a much more modern and capable fighting force.

China has also created a miracle in human history, in which a highly populous nation has successfully pulled through a pandemic while maintaining social stability and steady economic development.

Observers believe Friday's elections will inject greater certainty into China's modernization drive.

"The elections will ensure that there is a steady hand at the helm, which will serve China well, particularly in this new era of new challenges," said Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor of politics at East China Normal University.

"President Xi has already led us out of poverty," said Peng Xiaying, a villager in Shenshan Village of Jiangxi Province. "Now we put our faith in him to bring an even better life for all."

Xi Jinping, newly elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC, makes a public pledge of allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. Xi was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Friday. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Xi Jinping, newly elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC, makes a public pledge of allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. Xi was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Friday. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Xi Jinping, newly elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC, makes a public pledge of allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. Xi was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Xi Jinping, newly elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC, makes a public pledge of allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. Xi was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Friday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Xi Jinping is unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC at the third plenary 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 10, 2023. Thunderous applause broke out across the Great Hall of the People when the results of the elections were pronounced. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Xi Jinping shakes hands with Zhao Leji, China's newly elected chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. Xi Jinping was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC on Friday at the ongoing session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Xi Jinping shakes hands with Li Zhanshu at the third plenary 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 10, 2023. Xi Jinping was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC on Friday at the ongoing session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Xi Jinping shakes hands with Han Zheng, China's newly elected vice president, at the third plenary 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 10, 2023. Xi Jinping was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC on Friday at the ongoing session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Xi Jinping shakes hands with Wang Qishan at the third plenary 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 10, 2023. Xi Jinping was unanimously elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the PRC on Friday at the ongoing session of the 14th NPC. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Editor: WJH
The Peoples Republic of China - which, at the China-Arab countries summit in December 2022, had called for a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran - successfully steered the two enemy countries towards agreeing to reopen their respective embassies within two months.

This agreement wraps up the negotiations started in Iraq and Oman. It is the first to take place in the aftermath of a Western-dominated world and is rooted in the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. It therefore rejects Western rules, based on double standards.

Tehran and Riyadh, which had been allies at the start of the Islamic Revolution, severed ties in 2016 after the execution of the key Saudi opposition leader, the Shiite Sheikh wNimr al-Nimr.

Beijing suddenly emerges as a key player in the Middle East, while the influence of the United States, the United Kingdom and France is in sharp decline.

The Iranian-Saudi rapprochement should make it possible to achieve peace in Yemen, to readmit Syria into the Arab League and to elect a new president in the Republic in Lebanon.

It lays the foundations for the next decade in the region and enables the completion of the regional Silk Roads project.
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)

* In China, electoral democracy and consultative democracy are advanced in a coordinated manner. The extensive, multi-level, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy boasts many channels, which can achieve the greatest possible convergence of interests.

* Whether democracy is good or not depends on whether it ensures people a better life. The whole-process people's democracy ensures that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared by the people.

* Of the new-term 2.77 million deputies to people's congresses at all levels, 2.62 million at the county and township levels were directly elected by the country's more than 1 billion voters.

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- On a sunny spring day in February, villagers and officials in Chitang Village, Taojiang County of central China's Hunan Province, gathered again in a tidy courtyard. Their topic of discussion this time was how to further expand the market of the village's main products -- tea-seed oil and bamboo shoots.

Gao Ya, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) branch in Chitang Village, listened carefully and took down villagers' ideas. Earlier this month, she took their opinions to Beijing, about 1,300 km away, for the annual "two sessions."

The ongoing first sessions of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), often called the "two sessions," offer a window into China's whole-process people's democracy, which involves a population of over 1.4 billion from 56 ethnic groups.

Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

At the annual gatherings, over 5,000 national legislators and political advisors -- ranging from farmers to state leaders -- sit together at the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing to deliberate on bills or discuss the affairs of the state, pool their wisdom, and bring Chinese people together to forge ahead.

"Whole-process people's democracy is the defining feature of socialist democracy; it is democracy in its broadest, most genuine, and most effective form," President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has said.

GRASSROOTS VOICES HEARD

Gao, 33, was elected as an NPC deputy in January at the annual session of the Hunan Provincial People's Congress. Making her debut at the national legislature, she has submitted suggestions on innovating the bamboo industry and improving the construction of forest roads.

"We will focus on developing our special industries to make villagers more prosperous," she said.

Shen Changjian, another NPC deputy from Linli County of Hunan, cares more about agricultural modernization. "We need to develop smart agriculture and deepen innovation in the seed industry," the 55-year-old vegetable grower told Xinhua.

An amendment to the Legislation Law is under review at the NPC session. The draft amendment has twice been deliberated by the NPC Standing Committee, opinions on it have been extensively solicited, and it has been revised many times.

Sheng Hong (4th R), a deputy to the National People's Congress and Party chief of a residential community in the Hongqiao Subdistrict, listens to comments and suggestions of a draft revision to the Charity Law at a civic center in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Sheng Hong, an NPC deputy and Party chief of a residential community in the Hongqiao Subdistrict in Shanghai, noticed that some suggestions put forward by her community's residents had been included in the draft.

Last November, at the legislative outreach office set up in Hongqiao by the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, a total of 45 suggestions regarding the draft amendment to the Legislation Law were collected through seminars and online opinion solicitation, and then were directly delivered to the commission, according to Sheng.

"The outreach office acts as a direct link between ordinary people and China's top legislature," noted Sheng.

In China, the growing participation of ordinary people in national and local democratic decision-making is taking place in various forms.

The people's congress system -- China's fundamental political system -- guarantees that the people are the masters of the country, which is the essence of socialist democracy.

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the second plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

Of the new-term 2.77 million deputies to people's congresses at all levels, 2.62 million at the county and township levels were directly elected by the country's more than 1 billion voters.

SEEKING BROAD CONSENSUS

The 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. Among the 2,977 deputies, 497 are workers and farmers and the share of deputies from the primary level in total is considerable.

The "two sessions" reveal much about China's democratic model that, compared to the West, weighs the representativeness of the Chinese people, according to an article published on the website of Mexico's Canal 6 Tv.

In China, electoral democracy and consultative democracy are advanced in a coordinated manner. The extensive, multi-level, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy boasts many channels, which can achieve the greatest possible convergence of interests.

Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend the second plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

The 14th CPPCC National Committee has set up a new sector for members from environmental and resource-related circles. The move will give full play to the CPPCC's role as a specialized consultative body, and is conducive to strengthening democratic oversight and advancing ecological conservation.

Setting up the new sector is "a robust measure to advance the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature, which is one of the five features of Chinese modernization," said Pan Biling, a national political advisor and president of Xiangtan University in Hunan Province.

The handling of suggestions and proposals made by national lawmakers and political advisors embodies the effectiveness of China's democracy. Last year, 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.

Meanwhile, dynamic and pragmatic consultations in various forms at the grassroots level contribute to good governance.

At a consultation meeting in a community in Hengshui City of north China's Hebei Province early this year, residents raised such problems as roof leakage in the storage room and lack of fitness facilities.

"Such things may seem trivial, but they are related to people's sense of happiness," said a retired worker Wang Lansuo. "Here everyone speaks openly to resolve the issues through discussion."

FOR PEOPLE'S BETTER LIVES

Fan Yun, a national legislator and chairperson of Shanghai Fushen Appraisal and Consulting Group, shared two stories on performing her duties which brought her a sense of accomplishment over the past five years. The first is a suggestion concerning platform economy, which contributed to the release of the national anti-monopoly guidelines in the platform economy.

The second is that her speech during an annual NPC session captured the attention of the government. It was about a remote mountain village in east China's Anhui Province, which she had visited many times to do research. Finally, a concrete road was built to connect the village with the outside world, fulfilling the desire of generations of villagers, who became better off by developing homestay and tea industries.

Whether democracy is good or not depends on whether it ensures people a better life. The whole-process people's democracy ensures that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared by the people.

In the past five years, various departments under the State Council have adopted more than 18,000 suggestions and proposals from national lawmakers and political advisors, and subsequently introduced more than 7,800 policy measures, which boosted solutions to a large number of problems related to reform and development, as well as people's urgent needs.

"China's democracy is definitely not a sham, nor an ornament, but a truly effective democratic political system with Chinese characteristics," said Fan, who has served as an NPC deputy for 15 years.

Democratic supervision is an important part of the whole-process people's democracy.

This aerial photo taken on May 19, 2022 shows a view of the Wushan section of the Yangtze River in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

For example, since 2018, the NPC Standing Committee has focused on prominent problems in the field of ecological and environmental protection, carrying out law enforcement inspections for five consecutive years. Last year, enforcement inspections of the Yangtze River Protection Law were conducted, promoting better protection of China's longest waterway in accordance with the law.

Yang Huifang, a national legislator and a teacher at the preschool special education center in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, is concerned about the mental health of the left-behind seniors and children in rural areas, hoping that institutionalized support for these groups could be provided from the grassroots level. She believes that China's modernization is an improvement of the overall level, and attention should be paid to the improvement of the quality of life of vulnerable groups.

Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, chairman of the Institute for East-West Strategic Studies in Britain, once took part in a municipal-level CPPCC session as a specially invited member in Jilin Province.

Based on his personal experience, he said that China's democratic practice is devoted to solving practical problems.

Editor: WJH
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Read More: Ex-Malaysia PM Najib Razak Faces Court for Biggest 1MDB Corruption Trial Malaysias state-owned investment fund, 1MDB, was supposed to promote development. Instead, it has spurred investigations around the world into deal-making, election spending and political patronage under former Prime Minister Najib Razak. The figures are mind-boggling: Of the $8 billion that 1MDB raised via bond sales, the US alleges more than half was siphoned off. Angry voters ousted Najib in a 2018 election that ended his partys 61 years of rule, and four years later he was imprisoned in the first of a series of trials. Goldman Group Inc. has agreed to pay more than $5 billion, including a record $2.3 billion fine in the US, and enter its first-ever guilty plea for its role in the scandal.

1. What is 1MDB?

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Its a government investment company  full name, 1Malaysia Development Bhd  that took shape in 2009 under Najib, who led its advisory board. Its early initiatives included buying privately owned power plants and planning a new financial district in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysias capital. The fund proved better at borrowing  it accumulated $12 billion in debt  than at luring large-scale foreign investment.

2. Whats the issue?

Much of the money raised was allegedly embezzled. The US Justice Department says that some $2.7 billion of the $6.5 billion Goldman helped raise for 1MDB was stolen by people connected to Najib and diverted for bribes, a luxury yacht, fine art and even funding for the Martin Scorsese movie The Wolf of Wall Street. According to a US indictment, a small coterie of Malaysians, led by businessman Low Taek Jho (known as Jho Low), diverted money from 1MDB into personal accounts disguised to look like legitimate businesses, and kicked back some of those funds to officials. There were questions about a $681 million payment that landed in Najibs personal bank account (he has said most of the money was returned). Malaysias then-attorney general cleared Najib of wrongdoing in 2016. But after losing office, Najib was charged with corruption, breach of trust and money laundering. The first trial involved $10 million deposited in his personal accounts from a former 1MDB unit. Najib was found guilty in 2020 on all seven counts and sentenced to 12 years; an appeals court upheld the conviction in December 2021, as did the countrys highest court on August 2022, which ordered him to serve his jail sentence. He still faces several other trials in relation to 1MDB. Jho Low, a fugitive, has also denied any wrongdoing.

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3. Wheres the money?

Scattered, but slowly coming in. Under a July 2020 settlement, Malaysia dropped all criminal charges against Goldman in exchange for a $2.5 billion cash payment and at least $1.4 billion from seized 1MDB assets being returned with the help of US prosecutors and Goldman. (Goldman made $593 million working on three bond sales that raised $6.5 billion for 1MDB in 2012 and 2013  far more than what banks typically make from such deals.) The banks October 2020 settlement with the US Justice Department included the largest-ever penalty for foreign bribery. Goldman units also paid $350 million to Hong Kongs financial regulator, $122 million to Singapores government and 96.6 million pounds ($126 million at the time) to the UKs Financial Conduct Authority.

In addition:

 US prosecutors struck a deal in 2020 with Jho Low to recoup almost $700 million worth of assets, including a Beverly Hills hotel and real estate in New York and London. Thats in addition to $260 million of assets, including a $126 million super yacht, seized earlier on Malaysias behalf.

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 The US reached a $60 million settlement with the producers of The Wolf of Wall Street. The production company was co-founded by Riza Aziz, Najibs stepson and a friend of Jho Low.

 Malaysia moved to seize $340 million in PetroSaudi Internationals accounts in London.

 Singapore said it would return S$35 million ($25 million at the time) forfeited by former Goldman banker Roger Ng.

4. Whats happened with the investigation?

The US Justice Department has been at the forefront, focusing on bribery, theft and money laundering. A small Malaysian unit of Goldman pleaded guilty to a single conspiracy charge. But the parent company avoided a criminal conviction under an agreement that allows the bank to put off any prosecution as long as it cooperates with ongoing US investigations and submits compliance reports. (A conviction might have cost it some institutional clients.) According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, some potential witnesses were scared to talk because they feared retaliation. Several other countries also conducted probes. Singapore and Switzerland have fined some banks for lapses in anti-money laundering controls. Malaysia also has said it is looking into allegations that China offered to help fend off probes into 1MDB in the US and elsewhere in exchange for stakes in infrastructure projects in Malaysia. A former Najib aide testified that the ex-premier offered projects to China in return for help resolving 1MDBs debt.

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5. Who else is charged?

 Jho Low, a bon vivant who said he did consulting work for 1MDB, is portrayed by US prosecutors as the central figure who set up shell companies to collect proceeds from the fund and arranged withdrawals for payoffs and for his own lavish spending. He has been charged in absentia in Malaysia and the US with money laundering and other offenses. Malaysian police have bemoaned the lack of help from other jurisdictions in finding him, after saying they had located him and were in talks with a party they suspect of protecting him. Jho Lows settlement with the US didnt include an admission of guilt or release him from criminal charges.

 Goldmans former Southeast Asia Chairman Tim Leissner pleaded guilty in 2018 to US charges including conspiracy to launder money and admitted to bribing officials in Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates to get bond deals for Goldman. He was ordered to forfeit $43.7 million and some 3.3 million shares in fitness drink company Celsius Holdings Inc. His sentencing was set for September 2023.

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 Ng was extradited from Malaysia to the US to face similar charges. He was found guilty in 2022 for his role in the looting of the Malaysian fund, with Leissner as the prosecutions star witness. Ng was sentenced to 10 years in prison in March. (The US Federal Reserve has banned both men from the financial industry.)

 Malaysia leveled charges of securities law violations against Leissner, Ng, Jho Low and 1MDBs former general counsel, Jasmine Loo Ai Swan.

 PetroSaudi International directors Tarek Obaid and Patrick Mahony were charged by Malaysia in absentia in 2020 for allegedly receiving $300 million from 1MDB through unlawful activity.

 Ex-1MDB President Arul Kanda was charged along with Najib for allegedly tampering with a state audit report into the fund. Both men were acquitted in 2023.

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 Rosmah Mansor, Najibs wife, was charged with money laundering and tax evasion. Luxury items and cash seized from properties linked to the former first couple were valued at about 1.1 billion ringgit ($259 million). According to US prosecutors, Jho Low in 2013 allegedly funneled $27.3 million that was looted from 1MDB to a New York jeweler who designed a pink diamond necklace for her.

 A Justice Department employee pleaded guilty to funneling money into the US to pay for a lobbying effort to influence the 1MDB probe, with the filing identifying the funds source as Jho Low.

6. Exactly how much money is involved?

In all, 1MDB raised more than $8 billion in bond sales and accumulated billions more in debt through loans and interest payments. Swiss investigators say about $7 billion of 1MDB funds passed into the global financial system from 2009 to 2015. Some 1MDB projects are going ahead under the new government, including the plan for a new financial district and a $34 billion property and transport hub. As for 1MDB, it has been reduced to a shell after the finance ministry took over its assets and debt.

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7. Why does it matter?

Authorities in Asia, the US and Europe have been working to coordinate their investigations into the money trail from 1MDB, as well as legal approaches toward Goldman and asset recovery. Their findings could potentially identify, and help close, loopholes in the global financial system that open the way for corruption.

8. Who else is involved?

 The Fed banned ex-Goldman banker Andrea Vella from the financial industry for life, saying the former co-head of investment banking in Asia engaged in unsafe and unsound practices by failing to ensure all of Goldmans internal committees were aware that the 1MDB bond deals involved Jho Low.

 Swiss bank BSI, which was caught up in the scandal, lost its license to do business in Singapore for breaches of money laundering rules.

 Malaysia central bank governor Muhammad Ibrahim resigned in 2018 amid questions over the role the monetary authority played in a land-purchase deal linked to 1MDB. The monetary authority set up a review of the deal.

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 UBS Group, DBS Group, Credit Suisse, United Overseas Bank and Standard Chartered are among those that have drawn penalties from the Singapore central bank for anti-money laundering lapses. They said they will strengthen controls in their businesses.

 Singapore has banned at least eight financial professionals in connection with 1MDB.

--With assistance from Hugo Miller, Greg Farrell, Edvard Pettersson and Patricia Hurtado.

(Updates Ng, Kanda cases in question 5)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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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.
One person was killed and three people were wounded as a result of a shelling attack by the Russian occupation forces on Kherson on Saturday, Head of Kherson Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Prokudin has said.

"Kherson has been shelled by the Russian army again. There are casualties. On Mykolaivske highway, preliminarily, two people were wounded by the pieces of enemy shells. One person died on the spot. A car hit by shell is on fire," he said on the Telegram channel.

Rescuers, medics, and police are working at the scene.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine (PGO) said that Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office has launched a pre-trial investigation into a criminal case on the violation of laws and customs of the warfare and a murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

According to the investigation, on March 11, 2023, the aggressor state's troops again shelled Kherson.

Three civilians were killed near a supermarket as a result of the shelling.

Also, civilian infrastructure was damaged.
Defeating Russia on battlefield in Ukraine means not fighting anywhere else in Europe, along borders of Russia  Zelenskyy says at American Enterprise Institute World Forum

Defeating Russia on the battlefield in Ukraine means not fighting anywhere else in Europe and along borders of the Russian Federation, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message to the participants of the American Enterprise Institute World Forum, which brought together U.S. senators, governors, and representatives of the U.S. expert community on March 10.

In his address, the head of state called Russia's actions in Ukraine a war of tyranny against freedom, based on hatred, the desire to erase Ukrainian identity, steal land, resources and culture.

"Ukraine will continue to defend itself in this battle ... Our invincibility and integrity, help from our friends, primarily the United States, which is the global leader in the defense of freedom, are a guarantee that evil cannot win this battle," Zelenskyy said.

He urged to speak frankly about the fact that the Kremlin does not recognize borders and never wanted to stop, conquering only Ukraine.

"The states of Europe, the peoples in Asia are the same targets for Russia as Ukraine," the president said, emphasizing that "every Ukrainian life given for freedom is the saved life of its neighbors: Poles, Lithuanians, and other free European peoples."

"Therefore, it is reasonable to defeat Russia now. Liberate Ukraine. Guarantee the security of Europe. Save from this Russian genocidal evil any other people that could be threatened by evil. Defeating Russia on the battlefield in Ukraine means not fighting anywhere else in Europe and along Russian borders," he said.

The president also noted that "all the assistance provided by Ukraine's partners is an investment in global peace, in a real security architecture for freedom."

"The world will become safer when tyranny thunders and when other potential aggressors see the full power of freedom. Our heroic warriors have already made it so that the Russian army literally ceases to be a global threat right before our eyes. We must complete this work. Freedom must win," Zelenskyy said, thanking the United States for providing assistance to Ukraine and supporting anti-Russian sanctions.
Roger Ng, the only Goldman Sachs banker tried and convicted in the global 1MDB scandal, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, a milestone in the prosecution of the massive fraud.

This is one of the biggest financial crimes in the history of the world, US District Judge Margo Brodie said before sentencing Ng in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. It was there that a jury convicted him last April of conspiring to violate US anti-bribery laws and to launder money.

Roger Ng still faces criminal charges in Malaysia and, once he finishes his term in the US, will have to return to face them. Credit: AP

Turning to the disgraced 51-year-old former Goldman managing director  who had asked the judge to mete out no jail time at all, beyond the six-month term he had already served in a squalid Malaysian facility  Brodie said he had held a great job, made good money and would have been comfortable. So the only explanation is greed, she said, and there was a critical need to deter it.

Ng, who wore a navy blazer, white dress shirt and navy tie, had asked for leniency.
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 For four years, embattled fintech hotshot John Karantzis was the biggest defender of his once $1 billion ASX company iSignthis. Through shareholder letters and fiery tweets, the maverick businessman led the company as it sought to repel allegations from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and market operator the ASX that iSignthis had provided misleading information to the market. In the minds of iSignthis defenders, the company was facing a war, and Karantzis was its major-general. A lot was at stake. iSignthis had grown large enough to be considered part of the top 300 listed companies, with a suite of products tailored to take advantage of the growing world of online transactions. This included helping groups such as cryptocurrency platforms and gaming websites to process transactions and providing oversight of anti-money laundering controls that would help weed out nefarious transactions. From left: iSignthis chairman Tim Hart, managing director John Karantzis and iSignthis director Scott Minehane. Credit:Nine But come ASICs civil trial in the Federal Court against the company and Karantzis this month, for alleged serious and ongoing breaches of their obligation to keep the market informed, Karantzis has, so far, been missing in action  despite the threat of banning orders hanging over his head. He has strenuously denied all allegations in an affidavit to the court, and currently lives in Cyprus, where he still runs a business that was spun out of iSignthis in 2022. ASICs barrister, Michael Borsky, KC, was keen to point that out to the judge hearing the case, Justice Timothy McEvoy.

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If Mr Karantzis ultimately turns out to give evidence, therell be many questions for him to answer under cross-examination, Borsky said at the start of the trial. If he does not, the inference will, of course, be available that his evidence could not have assisted his defence, or the companies and your honour will even more readily find that the alleged acts and omissions and alleged breaches of duties and contraventions occurred. Hitting the hurdle ASICs opening salvo at Karantzis stood in contrast to the good times at the company. When iSignthis floated on the ASX in March 2015 it had much promise. The company had a strong board that was led by a high-profile and respected chairman in Tim Hart  the then president of the illustrious Australian Club. It also had relationships with big-name financial services groups such as National Australia Bank and Visa. These larger financial institutions relied on iSignthis promise that its products could provide reliable and quick services that help verify customers identities that could ensure banks and credit card issuers were not inadvertently processing transactions linked to fraud, scams or other illegal activities such as money laundering. At the same time, iSignthis would provide products and services to online businesses handling large volumes of transactions. Like many fintech start-ups, iSignthis revenue was low for its first few years. The group recorded about $1 million in revenue every six months as it sought to build up its client base. Then in the first six months of 2018, its revenue suddenly exploded to a bit more than $5 million for the half year, as iSignthis entered into a flurry of contracts, some of which were allegedly backdated so that they fell within that six-month period. The jump in revenue coincided with a key milestone for iSignthis founder, directors and advisers, who had been promised the handsome share bonus potentially worth together hundreds of millions of dollars if they had reached $5 million in revenue by the end of June 2018.

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But in iSignthis next six-month report  after the hurdle had been met to win the shares for its executives  its revenue suddenly fell back to $1 million again. Already eyebrows were raised. ASIC alleges iSignthis was aware of the concern and deliberately misled its shareholders and analysts on a briefing call in August 2018 into believing that the bulk of this revenue  or 85 per cent of it  was recurring revenue rather than one-off payments and therefore reflected true, ongoing, organic growth for the company. Just the start of iSignthis troubles Soon staff from the ASX and ASIC began asking questions and by October 2019, iSignthis shares were suspended from trading, sparking a fight with the company that resulted in iSignthis lodging legal action against the ASX. By 2021, iSignthis would delist from the ASX, decamp to Europe and drop its case against the ASX. The concerns about iSignthis presentation of its revenue was just the start of the companys problems. The court heard this month that the ASX and iSignthis commercial partner, Visa, would also allege during 2019 and 2020 that some of iSignthis new customers that had helped it record the unusually high revenue were associated with alleged scams, unlicensed trading and illegal gambling operations. Michael Borsky, KC, when he was acting as counsel for Crown during the Victorian royal commission. In the iSignthis case he is acting for ASIC.

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Borsky also told the court that ASIC believes iSignthis broke the law when it failed to disclose in a timely fashion that Visa had terminated its relationship with iSignthis in April 2020, and when it did break the news, it did so in a misleading way on May 24 of that year and continued to do so for much of 2020. The court heard that Visa first contacted iSignthis on March 6, 2020, to inform iSignthis it was suspending it from being allowed to process Visa transactions. The Visa letter Borsky, reading extracts of the letter he said was signed by five Visa executives, told the court the letter contained a list of allegations against iSignthis. First, unusual transaction activity  Visas financial intelligence and analytics program  FIA program  had identified an unexpectedly high volume of cross-border transactions at iSignthis merchants by United States cardholders. Thats in addition to the FIA program which identified a high number of transactions with merchant category codes, often found to be associated with miscoded and or illegal gambling. Second, there was suspicious merchant activity identified by Visa in relation to iSignthis. And thirdly, Visa had identified that there had been derogatory news regarding iSignthis  which had raised concerns about our iSignthis governance and client portfolio. Visa was a very important partner for iSignthis. Credit:Jessica Shapiro Borsky told the court Visa referenced a news report, by this masthead, that revealed German regulator BaFin had warned iSignthis top customer over unlicensed trading.

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Borsky went on to say that Visa alleged that iSignthis had not co-operated with an attempted review by Visa in 2019 following its concerns about its client quality, and had not responded to earlier notices from Visa about worrying transactions being processed by the know-your-customer specialists. iSignthis responded to the letter offering to provide additional information, which it promptly did. But on April 17, 2020 Visa sent a termination letter that included more allegations, Borsky said. Visa explained that a robust and fit for purpose monitoring program would have resulted in investigation of suspicious activities identified by Visa in its review. This included, Borsky said: High merchant payment volume volatility that fluctuated considerably month to month ... Inexplicable consumer transaction patterns such as a single cardholder purchasing 52 travel packages, 43 games from a website that had only three games publicly available for free and 30 student travel packages all within one month, and suspicious web traffic patterns from iSignthis to gambling payment pages. Devastating news iSignthis chairman Hart, who gave evidence on behalf of the company during the trial, told the court the company honestly believed Visa was wrong in its decision and its letter included serious errors. He said the company found the allegation it had loose anti-money laundering controls misleading. Hart agreed under cross-examination that Visas termination was devastating news, and that his first instinct was to draft a press release to tell shareholders after receiving the termination letter from Visa.

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He also agreed that it would be unusual to find hairs on the hands of a person who had jumped to their death. But Morgan agreed that, in his view, the most probable cause of Russells death was an accidental fall due to intoxication. Personally, I do still feel it was misadventure. But I understand its very subjective, and I understand if others see it differently, Morgan said. A mothers pleas Kay Warren penned a plea to NSW Police in July 1998. Her son Ross, a TV newsreader, had been reported missing in July 1989, aged 25. His friends found his car in Bondi near Marks Park, and his keys were located nearby on rocks near the waters edge. Letter from Kay Warren to NSW Police dated May 26, 1999.

A police officer coordinating the investigation into Warrens disappearance said within days that police were of the opinion that the missing person has fallen into the ocean in some manner. Warrens suspected death was not reported to the coroner. As it is now 9 years since Ross disappeared, we feel it is time for a Coroners inquest to close the case, Kay Warren wrote. She was seeking a death certificate rather than an inquest, the inquiry heard. She received no reply. In April 2000 she wrote her sixth letter, this time to the NSW police commissioner. It is eleven years this July since my son disappeared, it began. A fresh investigation It was not until Stephen Page, then a detective sergeant, happened upon Warrens letters that the investigative wheels started turning once again.

He sent a report, I think first of all to Paddington [police], to try and get it investigated, Morgan told the inquiry. In June 2001, Page would be appointed commander of Operation Taradale, an investigation into the death of Russell, the disappearance and suspected death of Warren, and later the disappearance and suspected death of a third man, French national Gilles Mattaini, in the same area. Mattaini  who, like Russell and Warren, was gay  was last seen on the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk around Marks Park in September 1985. He was 27. Detective Steve Page, photographed in 2013, led an investigation into the suspected murders at Bondi, Operation Taradale, that would consume years of his life. He has since left the force. Credit: James Brickwood

Two murder findings The work of Taradale and Page, who left the force in 2004, would be praised by then deputy state coroner Jacqueline Milledge in 2005 as thorough and impeccable. Milledge found Russell and Warren died after meeting with foul play. Mattaini had died, she found, and while his manner and cause of death was undetermined, there was a strong possibility he died in similar circumstances to Russell and Warren. Milledge said threats to throw victims off the cliff face was a modus operandi of some gay hate assailants around Marks Park at the time of the mens disappearances and death, and this strongly supports the probability all three men died in this way. A reinvestigation

Despite Milledges findings, NSW Police set up the secretive Strike Force Neiwand in 2015 to reinvestigate the three Bondi cases, the inquiry heard. In 2017, Neiwand effectively reversed the coroners findings without speaking to dozens of persons of interest. Former police officer Stephen Page outside the LGBTIQ hate crimes inquiry on February 28. Credit: Rhett Wyman Loading Neiwand had alleged in internal police documents that Taradale was infected by tunnel vision and had relied on investigation confirmation bias which was a major factor that ultimately limited the validity of the coroners findings. Morgan, the investigation supervisor of Neiwand from 2016, agreed at the inquiry that those allegations were unjustified. He said investigators started with an open mind but agreed the strike force ultimately put more effort into finding evidence that might indicate suicide or misadventure than homicide.

Page, who now works in the private sector, told the inquiry: I think my reputation was absolutely professionally destroyed in those reports. The case with zero solvability Loading In 2012, a NSW police officer in the unsolved homicide team conducted a review of another cold case, the 1988 death of US national Scott Johnson. She concluded the solvability of the case was zero. The naked body of Johnson, 27, was found at the base of a cliff near Manlys North Head on December 10, 1988. A first inquest in 1989 found he died by suicide while a second inquest in 2012 returned an open finding.

Page, who was by this time a former police officer, attended Manly Police Station in March 2006 with Johnsons brother Steve to seek a reinvestigation of Scotts 1988 death because of potential parallels with the Bondi cases. In 2017, then-coroner Michael Barnes concluded after a third inquest that Scott died as a result of a gay hate attack. The inquiry heard NSW Police submitted to this inquest that suicide was the most likely cause of death. Scott Phillip White being interviewed by police in May 2020. Sydney man Scott Phillip White was charged in May 2020 with murder over Scotts death. White pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month and will be sentenced later this year. A police review

The inquiry has heard evidence that as at 2014 senior NSW police officers believed claims relating to the number of gay hate-related murders and bashings in the 1980s and 90s were exaggerated and unfounded. Against that backdrop, NSW Police set up Strike Force Parrabell in 2015 to review 88 deaths between 1976 and 2000 that had been reported in the media and elsewhere as potentially involving motivations of gay-hate bias. Loading Parrabells 2018 report found evidence of a bias crime in just eight cases. A further 19 cases were suspected bias crimes. There was insufficient information in 25 cases and no evidence of bias crime was found in 34 cases. Two cases were excluded from the review. A team at Flinders University was contracted to review the work of the police, and academics had been told in tender documents that they would need to take a collaborative approach. The academic team said in the final report that they were reluctant to endorse the bias crime indicators used by police.
The purchase of at least three, and up to five, Virginia-class submarines from the US means that billions of dollars will have to be spent upgrading the HMAS Stirling Naval Base in Perth and the Osborne shipyards in Adelaide. A new submarine base will be built on the east coast in preparation for the arrival of the first nuclear-powered subs in the early 2030s. Australia will become the seventh nation in the world to operate nuclear submarines under terms of the AUKUS deal that will be formally unveiled on Tuesday. Perths Stirling submarine base will have to be upgraded first, by 2027, so that US and UK submarines can be stationed there for extended periods of time. Adelaides Osborne shipyard will be overhauled so it can build the next-generation submarines that are expected to be based on a British design, but incorporating US nuclear technology.

United States Navy Virginia Class submarine USS Mississippi arrives at Fleet Base West, Rockingham, Western Australia. More than 1000 Australians will fly to US submarine makers General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries to be trained on how to build nuclear submarines. Port Kembla, which is in the NSW city of Wollongong, is the clear front-runner to host a new nuclear submarine base on the east coast of Australia, at an expected cost of $10 billion. Brisbane and Newcastle are the other two cities in the running to host the base. A decision is expected mid-year. Loading

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas on Thursday reminded the federal government it had given a clear commitment to build nuclear submarines in Adelaide. The Defence Department will hold confidential briefings for defence industry primes, which include defence giants BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop, Grumman, Raytheon as well as General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries, the two US companies that jointly build the Virginia-class boats. The Chinese foreign minister fired another rebuke at the AUKUS partners on Thursday night when a foreign ministry spokeswoman said the agreement would add to the risk of nuclear proliferation, exacerbate an arms race and damage peace in the Asia-Pacific region. We urge the US, the UK and Australia to abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum games, honour international obligations in good faith, and do more things that are conducive to regional peace and stability, she said. Loading

Albanese made no criticism of China, which has begun easing curbs on Australian exports during a thaw in relations recently, but he emphasised during his Friday press conference the need for defence firepower and the importance of a stronger security relationship with India. We need to ensure that Australias defence assets are the best they can be and that we build our capability, he said. At the same time, we need to build relationships. Thats what Ive been doing. Ive been doing that here in India. Were doing that throughout the Indo-Pacific. Weve done that as well  improved our relationship with China  in recent times. Morrison, the architect of the AUKUS alliance and who on Monday argued that defence spending needs to rise to 2.5 per cent of GDP, said the Albanese government had picked up the ball passed to them and ran with it. There has been a good handover. He said the mooted construction and purchase of new, British-based AUKUS submarines that used American technology  after the initial acquisition of Virginia class boats  and which would be built in Australia was not a surprise.

The suggestion it was going to be a British boat is not new, Boris [Johnson] knew that, he was very keen. We used to talk about keeping the K in AUKUS. I agreed with that, so do the Americans. We always saw this as a three-cornered partnership, Morrison said. Abbott said the momentous process of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines was now well and truly launched, [and] shows our enduring national capability to come together in a good cause and do great things for our country and that both sides of politics would have to sustain it for years to come. Dutton, who had argued for the purchase of proven American submarines rather than a new British design, said on Friday the purchase of the established Virginia-class boats to bridge the capability gap was the right call. This is one of those issues where there truly is bipartisan support. The public often say politicians fight too much or there are stances taken that are in the short-term interest. This is in the long-term interest of our country.
The Voice to federal parliament, Anthony Albaneses passion project for the first term of his government, is poised between narrow victory and heartbreaking defeat.

The published opinion polls all point in the same direction, with the Yes vote drifting lower and the undecideds rising. There is a gnawing sense of dread within Labor ranks that the referendum is doomed. Not because Australians are opposed to the idea of an Indigenous Voice enshrined in the Constitution, but because they are confused by the detail.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:

The prime minister remains optimistic because he thinks Australians will do the decent thing when they are asked to vote Yes or No later this year. And he doesnt appear to be worried about the prospect of a scare campaign from Peter Dutton.

The opposition leader is aware of Albaneses calculation, although it is not yet clear if he accepts it. Albanese doesnt need the conservative side of politics to walk alongside him. In fact, a polarised debate with Dutton running a hard No campaign might help the Yes case more than it harms it. Put bluntly, the Coalitions base is more likely to split than Labors, delivering Albanese a form of bipartisanship by default. The realignment of the electorate which brought Labor to power last May provides a plausible path to victory at a referendum without the support of the Coalition.
However, the authorities had received an anonymous tip-off with allegations of disturbing behaviour in January. The anonymous person expressed the opinion in the letter that Philipp F. could be suffering from a mental illness, without, as the person wrote, this being medically diagnosed since Philipp F. would not seek medical treatment, Ralf Meyer, the head of the Hamburg police, told the briefing. A woman lays flowers outside the scene of the deadly shooting. Credit: Getty Philipp F. supposedly harbours a particular anger towards religious followers especially towards Jehovahs Witnesses and his former employer. The tip-off prompted two police officers to carry out an unannounced check at his home on February 7.

When they met Philipp F., he was cooperative and gave no indication of mental health problems. The officers even ended up chatting about how the flat was furnished. Loading His licence was inspected and police also had to check whether his weapon and ammunition were properly stored, which they were, except for one projectile that was incorrectly lying on top of the gun safe. Philipp F. was given a verbal warning about the stray projectile. He was apologetic and the projectile was placed into the safe, after which the police felt they could not take any more action. The entire situation also showed no indications for the officers that could have pointed to a mental illness, said Meyer. On the contrary, they had a further conversation with him about a variety of things, such as the furnishing of the flat and similar things, and at the end they went out and gave him a verbal warning for the minor offence.

The victims included four men and two women, and the unborn female child. The wounded included a Ugandan and a Ukrainian citizen, and four people suffered serious injuries. The Jehovahs Witnesses said in a statement the religious community was deeply affected by the horrific attack on its members of the faith in a Kingdom Hall in Hamburg after a service. Germanys Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and the head of the Hamburg police force Matthias Tresp at the site. Credit: AP Police responded in force, with more than 950 officers deployed, partly because grainy, dark footage of the attack taken by a member of the public had made it seem like there could be a second attacker. It later emerged that the man acted alone. Tightening laws

The interior ministry has said the countrys gun controls are already very strict. However, the government has come under pressure to tighten rules, following a string of attacks in recent years and most recently after authorities uncovered an extremist network plotting an armed coup late last year. A law on tighter gun control that Berlin is preparing stipulates would-be owners undergo a psychological suitability test, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on Friday on a visit to the scene of the shooting. In Germany, people aged 18 or over with no criminal history can obtain a permit to own a gun if they fulfil certain legal requirements. These regulate the weapons safe storage and also require that the individual is psychologically fit. The authorities can conduct spot checks on gun owners to ensure they are adhering to the requirements.

Germany last changed its weapons law in 2020, when it outlawed certain large magazines. Also part of the changes was the introduction of a check by authorities every five years to see whether there is justification for possession of a weapon. Loading As part of the background check, the weapons authority must inquire with Germanys domestic intelligence agency whether the person concerned is known there as an extremist. Officials at the briefing said they were now reviewing whether such processes should be tightened. Even if the arms control colleagues pursued this tip-off professionally, and were personally convinced by the situation and assessment that they conducted, we must once again take a critical look at these procedures, above all the legal procedures and requirements for further measures, Meyer said.
So Operation Golden Orb will not solely be an investiture. It is also the culmination of a mission launched decades ago with the code name Operation PB (Operation Parker Bowles), a public relations campaign aimed at normalising their relationship, winning over Charless future subjects and persuading the late Queen that Camilla could strengthen the royal family rather than destroy it. Seeing a crown put on her head will be the pinch-me moment, says the BBCs former royal correspondent, Peter Hunt.

Though royal courtiers do not speak publicly, the view inside Buckingham Palace is that her ascent has been utterly remarkable. The couples crowning achievement, in the most literal sense.

In the 1990s, she was toxic. A mistress who was spat upon by other women in supermarkets. A marriage-breaker who had to hide away in her West Country pile after Prince Charles admitted, during an ill-advised television interview, that he had been unfaithful. The third person described by Diana in her now infamous BBC Panorama interview, as in there were three of us in this marriage. The prospective wicked stepmother, whom William and Harry begged their father not to marry, even as they acknowledged his need for her companionship. The divorcee who was ostracised for years by her future mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II, the matriarch who did not want to speak to her, see her or even hear her name uttered within earshot. The most hated woman in Britain, to use the one-time moniker of the Fleet Street tabloids.

Much of the religiosity of the service is designed to cement the idea that passing the crown, orb and sceptre from one Windsor to the next is divinely ordained. But up until late in the last monarchs reign, the notion that Camilla would be doused with the same oils as her husband would have belonged more in the realm of magical thinking.

Buckingham Palace claims it will blend the contemporary with the ancient. Still, parts of the ceremony will feel more reminiscent of the Middle Ages than the modern. At one point in the liturgy, a gold cloth positioned to conceal the new monarch from view, the Archbishop of Canterbury will anoint the Kings hands, head and chest with a sacred oil made from a secret recipe, a blend of cinnamon, jasmine, ambergris, orange flowers and roses. Then, the Queen Consort Camilla will undergo the same aromatic consecration.

Operation London Bridge, the funeral plan for Queen Elizabeth II, was executed flawlessly. Next, on Saturday, May 6, 2023, comes Operation Golden Orb, the code name for the coronation of King Charles III. Years in the planning, it will be a smaller affair than his mothers crowning, when Westminster Abbey had to be closed for five months beforehand so that space could be created to accommodate thousands of extra seats. Shorter, too, than the 1953 rite of passage, which lasted almost three hours from the first line of Sir Hubert Parrys thrilling choral introit, I Was Glad, to the last stanza of the national anthem, God Save the Queen.

I came away thinking, I really like this person,  says one former British tabloid editor of meeting Camilla two years after Dianas death. There was an authenticity to her that made me want to help her, or, at least, not be a pain in the arse. Credit:Getty Images

Born into the postwar baby boom of the late 1940s, Camilla followed a well-trodden upper-class path. Pony club. Elite South Kensington private school, which she left at 16 with one O level to her name. The obligatory Swiss finishing school, where daughters of European nobility received instruction in flower-arranging and setting a table for supper parties.

These were the social circles that Camillas family effortlessly moved in. Her father, Major Bruce Shand, a war hero held for three years as a POW by the Germans, was an upmarket wine merchant in Mayfair who also served as an officer in the Queens Bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard. Camillas mother, Rosalind Shand, who had been crowned Debutante of the Year in 1939, was a fixture in London high society. Her brother, Mark, an adventurer often likened to a raffish Indiana Jones, was one of Britains most eligible bachelors.

Even if thats folkloric, the couple were certainly aware of the genetic antecedents, as the mutual friend who introduced them, Lucia Santa Cruz, an old student girlfriend of Charless from Cambridge, described their ancestral connection. Camillas great-grandmother, Alice Keppel, had indeed been the mistress for 12 years of King Edward VII, and was thought to be his dearest paramour. As he lay on his deathbed, he even summoned La Favorita to his side.

In order to make sense of it, we need to revisit the backstory. And what a backstory it is. At their first meeting at a flat in Belgravia in 1971, when Charles was 22 and Camilla 24, she is supposed to have delivered the most brassy of opening gambits: My great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather  so how about it?

Sensational. Once unthinkable. Though royal courtiers do not speak publicly, the view inside Buckingham Palace is that her ascent has been utterly remarkable. The couples crowning achievement, in the most literal sense.

Here, the timeline gets blurry. A friendship endured, with Camilla serving as an empathetic sounding-board, in the words of the royal biographer Tina Brown, as he continued to search for a suitable wife. By the late 1970s, their friendship had once again become a romance. In 1980, Camilla accompanied the Prince when he attended the independence ceremonies in Zimbabwe, where the obviousness of their mutual affection caused a stir.

The engagement of Camilla and Andrew Parker Bowles was announced in February, 1973, while Charles was with the Navy in the West Indies. Believing he had found his soulmate, he was said to be devastated by the news. So, too, was his younger sister Princess Anne, one of Parker Bowless old flames.

Besides, Camilla was captivated by another man. Andrew Parker Bowles appeared like he had leapt, riding crop in hand, from the pages of a Jilly Cooper bonkbuster. A cavalry officer in the Blues and Royals. An intrepid horseman who had ridden as an amateur in Britains most celebrated steeplechase, the Grand National. A serial lothario, who was unfaithful to Camilla in the early years of their courtship with women whom she looked on as friends. Though she was clearly fond of Charles, it was Parker Bowles who became the prime target of her marital ambitions. Indeed, there has long been a theory among Camilla-ologists that her interest in Charles was inversely proportionate to Parker Bowless interest in her.

Even then, however, it seemed improbable that she would end up as his queen. Camilla, having had a string of boyfriends, was not thought to be virginal, a prerequisite for the consort of a future king. Unable to boast a grand aristocratic title, her bloodline was good but not blue.

Charles and Camilla began their romance not long after that meeting in Belgravia, while the Prince was serving as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy. Evidently, he was smitten. There was an easiness about their relationship. A natural camaraderie. Camilla would laugh when he impersonated characters from his favourite radio comedy, The Goon Show, a quirk that gave her an early window into the idiosyncrasies of his personality.

Charles and Camilla, pictured in 1975. The pair first met in 1971; two years later, she became engaged to Andrew Parker Bowles. Credit:Shutterstock

Despite spending her formative years in the throes of the feminist revolution, she had no great interest in pursuing a career, and came from a generation of high-born women whose education was centred on preparing them to marry well.

Grief was not the only emotion on round-the-clock display. Just as disorientating, in a country used to deference towards its monarchy, was the mood of open rebellion. The tabloids, eyeing the chance to shift blame from the predatoriness of its paparazzi to the aloofness of the head of state, put themselves in the vanguard of this emotional insurrection. Where is our Queen? howled Rupert Murdochs The Sun. Where is her flag?

Covering the death of Diana was one of my first major stories as a fledgling correspondent for the BBC, and I was dispatched to Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace to report on the mourning unfolding outside the gates. This, of course, turned out to be a very unBritish outpouring of grief. It was almost Latin American in its intensity. Taxi drivers broke down in tears as they ferried me between The Mall and Kensington High Street. On the day of her funeral, when I asked an Anglican priest how he was comforting parishioners, he burst out crying.

The blockbuster television interviews, first from Charles, then from Diana. Tampongate, the intimate phone-call recorded in 1989 and splashed over the front pages three years later, in which Charles imagined himself as a Tampax, and Camilla professed that loving him was easier than falling off a chair. The separation, also in 1992, of Charles and Diana. Camillas divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles in 1995. The legal end of Charles and Dianas marriage in 1996. That was also the year that Charles hired a new assistant private secretary, a 30-year-old public relations executive, Mark Bolland, who had worked for the newly created Press Complaints Commission. It was Bolland who became the mastermind behind Operation PB, an undertaking which must have seemed like mission impossible in the tragic aftermath of August 31, 1997.

The rest is not just history but tabloid gold. The faux fairy tale marriage of Charles and Diana. The War of the Waleses that erupted shortly afterwards. The Andrew Morton book, Diana: Her True Story, based on secretly recorded tapes in which she confided: The worst day of my life was realising that Charles had gone back to Camilla.

In her book The Palace Papers, Tina Brown posits that revenge on her husband may have been the motive. But Andrew Parker Bowles, like other men in upper-crust Britain, regarded being cuckolded by the future king of England as something of a status symbol. At a ball in 1980, he seemed unperturbed when Charles and Camilla danced amorously in plain view of the guests. HRH is very fond of my wife, he commented, and she appears to be very fond of him.

Operation PB was going well. Mark Bolland did a fantastic job for them, says David Yelland, the then editor of The Sun, speaking of a strategy which extended to inviting select Fleet Street executives to polo matches featuring the royals in Gloucestershire. Very deliberately, Yelland was seated next to Camilla, and he left a fan. I came away thinking, I really like this person. There was an authenticity to her that made me want to help her, or, at least, not be a pain in the arse. Thereafter, The Sun was supportive. You only had to be with them five minutes to realise they were going to get married. Charles was devoted to her. We didnt want to be the blocker.

Charles and Camilla make their first official appearance together in 1999 to a crowd of 200 photographers tipped off by Charles PR team. Credit:Getty Images

The couples great coming-out took place in January 1999, when they briefly appeared together late one night on the steps of The Ritz in Mayfair, after attending a birthday party for her younger sister, Annabel Elliot. Tipped off beforehand by Charless PR team, almost 200 photographers congregated on the pavement opposite.

Charless 50th, however, reminded the couple of the ramparts still left to surmount. Precisely because Camilla was included on the guest list, the Queen and Prince Phillip decided not to attend.

Remarkably, given the intensity of feeling, Camillas long-haul journey towards public acceptance resumed shortly afterwards. First it unfolded in private. The year after Dianas death, she had her first face-to-face meeting with Prince William, a half-hour chat ahead of Charless 50th birthday celebrations, after which she apparently confessed: I need a gin and tonic! Tea with Prince Harry came a few weeks later.

Grief was not the only emotion on round-the-clock display. Just as disorientating, in a country used to deference towards its monarchy, was the mood of open rebellion.

On the eve of Dianas funeral, Her Majesty managed to calm this mutinous mood with a well-judged live television address to the nation. That left Camilla as the target of the nations ire. Public enemy number one.

The Queen finally ended her boycott of Camilla in the summer of 2000, when they both attended a 60th birthday for the exiled Greek monarch, King Constantine, thrown by Prince Charles at Highgrove. But it was far from a royal blessing. Guest lists being the barometer of such things, Camilla was a conspicuous non-invitee later that month when the Queen threw her legendary Dance of the Decades party, which celebrated the Queen Mothers 100th, Princess Margarets 70th, Princess Annes 50th, Prince Andrews 40th and Prince Williams 18th. Present at Windsor Castle that night, as guests of the Duke of York, were the billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, but not the future wife of the Prince of Wales. Weirder still, Andrew Parker Bowles attended, as a guest of Princess Anne.

Such was the Queens ongoing hostility that two years later, she even tried to torpedo the relationship. According to the royal biographer Penny Junor, Charless new private secretary, Michael Peat, was transferred from Buckingham Palace with instructions from the monarch to bring it to an end.

A Gordian knot was preventing the couple from tying the knot: a tangle of public disfavour, royal protocol, ecclesiastical law, the risk aversion of palace courtiers and, above all, the antipathy of the Queen.

Its unravelling came surprisingly quickly. In 2002, the synod of the Church of England voted to allow divorced spouses to remarry in the Anglican Church, reflecting broader societal shifts in views towards broken marriages. That same year, the Queen Mother, the most vehement family opponent of her favourite grandsons desire to remarry, passed away. Without her disapproving mother around to reinforce her own bias, the Queens position gradually softened.

As royal resistance weakened, pressure was gently applied from Camillas family. Her father, Bruce Shand, who was then in his late 80s, had a quiet word. I want to meet my maker knowing my daughters all right, he apparently told Prince Charles, an unmistakable prod in getting him to pop the all-important question.

That accelerated the process. I think the feeling was, Bugger this, the status quo is bonkers. 

The couple themselves, who in 2003 started openly living together at Clarence House, were also tiring of an untenable status quo. Things came to a head in 2004, ahead of the society wedding of the year, the marriage of Charless godson, Edward Van Cutsem, to one of Britains wealthiest heiresses, Lady Tamara Grosvenor. Rather than put them together, the seating plan relegated Camilla to a pew several rows behind her partner, which made Charles find an excuse not to attend. That accelerated the process, says royal watcher Peter Hunt. I think the feeling was, Bugger this, the status quo is bonkers. 

During a New Year break at Balmoral in 2005, Charles finally proposed, and they were married in the spring. A civil ceremony held in Windsor Guildhall was followed by a church blessing at St Georges Chapel within the walls of the castle. Then came a reception hosted by the Queen. Pushed back a day because of the funeral of Pope John Paul II, at which Charles represented his mother, the wedding now coincided with the Grand National, Britains biggest race day. When the Queen came to deliver her toast, the most treacherous fences of this most daunting of steeplechases  which she had watched in a side room with Andrew Parker Bowles no less  became usefully metaphoric. They have overcome Beechers Brook and The Chair and all kinds of other terrible obstacles, said the Queen, and my son is home and dry with the woman he loves. They are now on the home straight; the happy couple are now in the winners enclosure.

The 2005 wedding. My son is home and dry with the woman he loves, the Queen said at the time, after years of antipathy. Credit:Getty Images

The handover of the trophy that truly sealed victory, however, was still 15 years away. It finally came on the first day of the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, when Her Majesty released a letter expressing her sincere wish that when Charles became the king, Camilla should be known as Queen Consort. Now there is speculation, unconfirmed as I write, that Queen Consort might simply be abbreviated to Queen.

Over the years, the two women had focused on the things they had in common, not least a shared love of horses. Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, had become a fan. The monarch had also acknowledged the blatantly obvious: Camillas great gift to Charles was a measure of personal contentment absent for so much of his childhood and adult life. She had also come to admire her daughter-in-laws loyal service, carefully chosen words included in Her Majestys letter to the British people which attested to a tireless work ethic.

Decades of savvy public relations goes some way towards explaining this turnaround. At the time of their marriage, for example, Camilla insisted on being called HRH The Duchess of Cornwall rather than the Princess of Wales, a title to which she was now entitled but which obviously ran the risk of offending fans of Diana. Ahead of the upcoming coronation, shes decided not to include in her crown the controversial Koh-i-Noor diamond that was seized by the British East India Company in the 19th century.

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Spin-doctoring alone, however, was not a cure-all.The rehabilitation of Camillas public image would never have happened without a re-evaluation of Prince Charles. Thirty years ago, some of his pet projects, like conservationism and organic farming, seemed like the eccentric concerns of an oddball heir. Now, they made him look startlingly prescient.

Attitudes towards the future king also shifted because of his fatherly bond with his sons. In Spare, Harry paints a portrait of an emotionally constipated Pa, who did not even hug his sons on the morning of their mothers death. Yet many Britons recall the warmth with which Charles greeted William and Harry outside the chapel ahead of a memorial service 10 years on. Tenderly, he kissed them on both cheeks, a public display of affection that gave the impression of him as a soft-hearted single parent.

The banality that time is a great healer is, in this instance, a truism. The longevity of their relationship has also helped. In April, Charles and Camilla will celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary, which is three more years than his union with Diana. Plainly, receiving the imprimatur of the Queen was decisive.

Camilla remained stoic when the new King expressed frustration with a leaking pen during a ceremony just days after the Queens death.

Sharing areas of commonality has helped Camilla win over large swathes of the great British public, something which has come naturally rather than being a matter of calculation. She is an addict of The Archers, the BBCs long-running radio drama about rural life, and even performed a cameo role in 2011. Like millions of Britons, she not only tunes in on a Saturday evening to watch Strictly Come Dancing, the celebrity dance-off which has become appointment viewing for the masses, but casts votes, along with Charles, on who should be eliminated. Her charity work has often focused on issues close to home: care for the aged and welfare for abandoned dogs. Her online book club, The Reading Room, recommends accessible titles, such as the Elena Ferrante novels.

Speaking in February on the second anniversary of her book club, she weighed in on the Roald Dahl row, telling authors to resist those who may wish to curb the freedom of your expression or impose limits on your imagination. Another mainstream view from a royal whose politics are said to be very middle-of-the-road.

In recent years, she has highlighted the epidemic of domestic violence and become the patron of the charity SafeLives. Her involvement began after a meeting in 2016 with a mother, Diana Parkes, whose daughter Joanna had been battered to death by her estranged husband a week before the finalisation of their divorce. Hearing the awful story reduced Camilla to tears. Ill never forget that moment, she told the BBCs Womans Hour during an interview last year, in which she described her work to raise awareness of domestic violence as my passion. Recently, she revealed that some of her friends have themselves been victims of violence and coercive control.

The view within Buckingham Palace is that her approach has been to show rather than tell, and to let her good work on domestic violence and animal welfare speak for itself. This quiet, just-get-on-with-it attitude has clearly struck a chord.

She has benefited from being the most likeable of British upper-class archetypes: the toff who is down-to-earth; the good sport who likes a laugh; the pillar of the local community with an ear for gossip.

In winning over the public, it helps that Camilla is a consummate conversationalist, almost phobic towards awkward silences. Indeed, she would not have managed to mount such an effective charm offensive without possessing natural charm. It is easy to imagine her finding common ground at, say, a church fete with all the different village folk, whatever their social status. Maybe it would be her tip for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, her thoughts on the latest novel in the Wolf Hall trilogy or that Saturday nights Cha Cha Cha round on Strictly Come Dancing. Much of her success has come from transferring the countryside argot of supposedly classless conversation into the public realm. Of bridging social divides. It helps, too, that she knows what its like to buy ones own food at a supermarket, an alien experience for most members of the royal family. She knows what normal is.

In this respect, she has benefited from being the most likeable of British upper-class archetypes: the toff who is down-to-earth; the good sport who likes a laugh; the pillar of the local community with an ear for gossip; the patriotic Best of British type; the epitome of that wartime motivational mantra, Keep Calm and Carry On.

Camillas mischievous wink behind the backs of Charles and then US president Trump during a 2019 state visit became a social-media sensation.

During a signing ceremony in the days after the Queens death, Camilla demonstrated an uncomplaining stoicism when the King thrust a leaky ink pen into her hands and then stormed off in a huff (she is the only person who can tell the workaholic King to stop working). She disclosed her sense of mischief when Donald and Melania Trump dropped by for tea at Clarence House by winking to reporters just as Prince Charles ushered the then president into a drawing room for private talks. She displayed an ability not to take herself too seriously when she invited Emerald Fennell, the actor who played her in The Crown, to an International Womens Day reception and then happily posed for photos.

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These traits, while by no means making her bulletproof, have given her a certain amount of protection from the slings and arrows fired recently by her stepson. Though she emerged personally unscathed from Harry and Meghans Oprah Winfrey interview and also their six-part Netflix documentary, she cops it in Spare, a book which appears to have been written in the midst of the princes pain rather than at the end of his healing.

When the strafing commenced, Camilla was among the early casualties, being the first member of the royal family accused of leaking stories to the press, including intimate conversations with Prince William. I have complex feelings about gaining a step-parent who I thought had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar, said Harry in one of the books most excoriating lines.

In interviews to publicise Spare, Harry escalated his attack. On CBSs 60 Minutes, he called her a villain who left bodies in the street. Sitting down with ITV News, he took a sideswipe by alluding to a Christmas lunch she attended with close friends, such as the actor Judi Dench, and also two of Meghan Markles most vicious tormentors, Piers Morgan and Jeremy Clarkson. Days after this gathering, the former Top Gear host penned his grotesque column for The Sun, calling for Meghan to be paraded naked through the streets so that people could hurl excrement at her. You know, to use my stepmothers words recently, said Harry, referring to a powerful speech she had delivered on the silence surrounding domestic violence, there is a global pandemic of violent  violence against women.

Camilla with Emerald Fennell, who played Camilla in Netflixs The Crown, at an International Womens Day reception. Credit:Getty Images

In the PR battle now raging between the Sussexes and Buckingham Palace, the newspapers are backing Camilla for obvious reasons. Polls suggest British public opinion is siding with a new Fab Four, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate  the old Fab Four, of course, being William, Kate, Harry and Meghan.

In an ever more binary world, with ever more cartoonish portrayals of its leading players, many Brits appear to prefer the caricature of Camilla over the caricature of Meghan, the Down-to-earth Duchess over the Difficult Duchess.

In recent times, and especially after the divisiveness of Brexit, the preference is for royals who make Britons feel good, important and unified. A problem for Harry and Meghan right now is that their allegations of racism, misogyny and tabloid treachery make so many Brits feel awkward.

But perhaps the reason Camilla will not be badly damaged by the allegation of courting the tabloids is because its largely true. A willingness to play their game, often on their terms, goes a long way towards explaining why shes been the recipient of good press.

Many Brits appear to prefer the caricature of Camilla over the caricature of Meghan, the Down-to-earth Duchess over the Difficult Duchess.

Those on the royal beat reckon she makes a point during public appearances of establishing friendly eye contact with reporters from the Daily Mail, the mouthpiece of Middle England. Over the years, shes developed a close friendship with Geordie Greig, an Old Etonian and former editor of the Daily Mail. Late last year, Charles and Camilla tapped another Mail executive and old Etonian, Tobyn Andreae, as their director of communications. She took the decision to walk towards the gunfire, says Peter Hunt, a move which ended up reducing the hail of bullets coming her way. For their part, Palace insiders vehemently deny that Camilla traded stories in return for favourable coverage, Harrys most damaging allegation.

That lunch she attended before Christmas  an annual affair held in her honour at a restaurant in Mayfair on Queen Street, aptly enough  spoke of how shes moved from the outer right to the heart of British life. The presenters of Strictly Come Dancing were there.

So, too, her pal Geordie Greig, now editor of The Independent. Not only was Judi Dench in the room, but another theatrical grande dame, Maggie Smith. On her table, in the prime seat next to her, was the broadcaster and entertainer Chris Evans, who for years hosted the breakfast show on BBC Radio Two, Britains most mainstream and popular radio show. As she worked the room, moving from table to table, Camilla was the central presence.

The British publics royal Fab Four no longer include Harry and Meghan, with Charles and Camilla joining long-time favourites William and Kate. Credit:Getty Images

Doubtless she will perform the liturgy of the coronation with all the solemnity that this high holy occasion demands. But my hunch is that she will also see the funny side. Operation Golden Orb, she might snigger, sounds like it comes from a Johnny English movie, Rowan Atkinsons lampoon of the James Bond franchise. Doesnt a secret recipe blending cinnamon, jasmine and ambergris belong in one of Gwyneth Paltrows Goop catalogues? Maybe they could merchandise a candle: This smells like my coronation.

At the end of the day, you could almost see her cheekily proposing a toast celebrating the successful completion of Operation PB. Mission accomplished! she might exclaim. I need a gin and tonic.

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Camilla will never be the Queen of Hearts, but the very fact that she would look upon such a moniker with a knowing wink goes a long way towards explaining why she has now become part of Britains furniture. But it is not just a sense of humour that has got her this far, but also a lot of savvy calculation, hard work and occasional ruthlessness in seeing a 25-year mission through to its completion. Shes delightful, funny and charming, says Peter Hunt, who has seen her up close, but youd never want to cross her. The former Sun editor David Yelland reckons she would prefer to walk barefoot across broken glass than fraternise with certain elements of the media. But she knows thats her job.

Much is made about the magic of the monarchy, but Camilla has performed a special kind of alchemy. By turning the toxicity of the British tabloids into something more fragrant, shes come up smelling of orange flowers and roses.

To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times.
The US also welcomed any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. Loading China, which last month hosted Irans hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, is also a top purchaser of Saudi oil. Xi visited Riyadh in December for meetings with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations crucial to Chinas energy supplies. Irans state-run IRNA news agency quoted Shamkhani as calling the talks clear, transparent, comprehensive and constructive. Removing misunderstandings and the future-oriented views in relations between Tehran and Riyadh will definitely lead to improving regional stability and security, as well as increasing cooperation among Persian Gulf nations and the world of Islam for managing current challenges, Shamkhani said.

Al-Aiban thanked Iraq and Oman for mediating between Iran and the kingdom, according to his remarks carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. While we value what we have reached, we hope that we will continue to continue the constructive dialogue, the Saudi official said. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, left, shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in an official welcoming ceremony in Beijing last month. Credit: AP Tensions long have been high between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts there. Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shiite cleric with 46 others days earlier, triggering the demonstrations. That came as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then a deputy, began his rise to power. The son of King Salman, Prince Mohammed previously compared Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Nazi Germanys Adolf Hitler, and threatened to strike Iran.

Since then, the US unilaterally withdrew from Irans nuclear deal with world powers in 2018. Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks after that, including one targeting the heart of Saudi Arabias oil industry in 2019, temporarily halving the kingdoms crude production. Though Yemens Iranian-backed Houthi rebels initially claimed the attack, Western nations and experts blamed Tehran. Iran denied it and also denied carrying out other assaults later attributed to the Islamic Republic. Houthi supporters burn a representation of the US flag during a rally to mark the seventh anniversary of the Houthis takeover of the Yemeni capital, in Sanaa, Yemen, in September 2021. Credit: AP Religion also plays a crucial role in their relations. Saudi Arabia, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day, has portrayed itself as the worlds leading Sunni nation. Irans theocracy, meanwhile, views itself as the protector of Islams Shiite minority. The two powerhouses have competing interests elsewhere, such as in the turmoil in Lebanon and in the rebuilding of Iraq following the US-led 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese militia and political group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, said the agreement could open new horizons in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Iraq, Oman and the United Arab Emirates also praised the accord. Top Pakistani diplomat Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chair of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperations Council of Foreign Ministers, praised China for encouraging dispute resolution, rather than on encouraging perpetual disputes. Loading Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, a research fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute who long has studied the region, said Saudi Arabia reaching the deal with Iran came after the United Arab Emirates reached a similar understanding with Tehran. This dialling down of tensions and de-escalation has been underway for three years and this was triggered by Saudi acknowledgement in their view that without unconditional US backing they were unable to project power vis-a-vis Iran and the rest of the region, he said.

Prince Mohammed, focused on massive construction projects at home, likely wants to pull out of the Yemen war as well, Ulrichsen added. Instability could do a lot of damage to his plans, he said. Saudi Arabia has portrayed itself as the worlds leading Sunni nation. Credit: AP The Houthis seized Yemens capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and forced the internationally recognised government into exile in Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition armed with U.S. weaponry and intelligence entered the war on the side of Yemens exiled government in 2015. Years of inconclusive fighting created a humanitarian disaster and pushed the Arab worlds poorest nation to the brink of famine. A six-month cease-fire, the longest of the Yemen conflict, expired in October.

Negotiations have been ongoing recently, including in Oman, a longtime interlocutor between Iran and the US. Some have hoped for an agreement ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins later in March. Iran and Saudi Arabia have held intermittent talks in recent years but it wasnt clear if Yemen was the impetus for this new detente. Yemeni rebel spokesman Mohamed Abdulsalam appeared to welcome the deal in a statement that also slammed the US and Israel. The region needs the return of normal relations between its countries, through which the Islamic society can regain its lost security as a result of the foreign interventions, led by the Zionists and Americans, he said. Loading For Israel, which has wanted to normalise relations with Saudi Arabia despite the Palestinians remaining without a state of their own, Riyadh easing tensions with Iran could complicate its own regional calculations. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered no immediate comment Friday. Netanyahu, under pressure politically at home, has threatened military action against Irans nuclear program as it enriches closer than ever to weapons-grade levels. Riyadh seeking peace with Tehran takes one potential ally for a strike off the table.

It was unclear what this development meant for Washington. Though long viewed as guaranteeing Mideast energy security, regional leaders have grown increasingly wary of US intentions after its chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. But the White House bristled at the notion a Saudi-Iran agreement in Beijing suggests a rise of Chinese influence in the Mideast. I would stridently push back on this idea that were stepping back in the Middle East  far from it, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. Mark Dubowitz, head of the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies, which opposes the Iran nuclear deal, said renewed Iran-Saudi ties via Chinese mediation is a lose, lose, lose for American interests, noting: Beijing adores a vacuum. But Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute, which advocates engagement with Iran and supports the nuclear deal, called it good news for the Middle East, since Saudi-Iranian tensions have been a driver of instability. He added that China has emerged as a player that can resolve disputes rather than merely sell weapons to the conflicting parties, noting a more stable Middle East also benefits the US. AP
Defense Minister of Norway Bjrn Arild Gram has announced the decision to allocate $7.5 billion to help Ukraine during the next five years.

He said this during a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Reznikov during a visit to Kyiv on March 10, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

A relevant program has been submitted for approval to the Norwegian parliament. Gram announced that Norway plans to transfer launchers, fire control points, and missiles for NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine.

Reznikov discussed with the Norwegian counterpart the issues of further consolidation of efforts in repelling the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and the implementation of bilateral projects to strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

"The high-tech assistance provided by Norway is already successfully working to protect the civilian population of Ukraine. In particular, in repelling the latest massive missile attack on critical infrastructure facilities on March 9. Our air defense soldiers used it successfully," Reznikov said.
Azerbaijans Digital Development and Transport Deputy Minister Rahman Hummetov met with Kaspars Rozkalns, Director General of the Investment and Business Development Agency of Latvia, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports citing the Ministry.

The meeting discussed the issues of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Latvia in the direction of transport relations. Besides that, negotiations were held on cargo transportation between the Baltic and Caspian seas. In this regard, the issues of finding suitable routes and transporting goods over these routes were brought to attention.

During the meeting, the establishment of relevant cooperation relations in the future regarding the digitalization of transport, including ICT, cyber security, and "smart cities" were discussed.
The government of Italy plans to hold a conference with the participation of Italian companies on April 26 dedicated to the restoration of Ukraine, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has said.

"Today jointly with the G7 Foreign Ministers I announced that the Government will organize a conference for the reconstruction of Ukraine on April 26, with the contribution of Italian companies. Our commitment to peace and freedom for the Ukrainian people continues," he said on Twitter on Saturday.
Today

Increasing clouds with a round of showers overnight and perhaps a thunderstorm.

Tonight

Increasing clouds with a round of showers overnight and perhaps a thunderstorm.

Tomorrow

A shower lingering early; otherwise, morning clouds break for some afternoon sun. Brisk and cooler as temperatures take another step back closer to seasonable levels.
COLEBROOKDALE TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A 29-year-old Berks County man is speaking out about being the victim of a robbery and kidnapping at the hands of a man police later identified as Rodney Moyer.

In the early morning hours of February 27, the victim said the kidnapper, who claimed to have a gun, took him inside the Circle K in Colebrookdale Township and ordered him to withdraw cash from the ATM.

After the money was withdrawn, the victim said he was forced to drive to the Philadelphia area.
READING, Pa. - Friday morning, the Berks County Red Cross chapter honored local heroes whose selflessness helped to make a difference in the communities they serve.

The winners picked up their awards during a special breakfast at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Reading.

Judges selected the winners from a list of nominees.

Organizers say the day of the event feels like Christmas morning.

WFMZ's own Karin Mallett once again served as emcee.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Bethlehem Detachment Marine Corps League is hosting a military style formal dinner.

Marine Corps Mess Night starts at 5 p.m. Saturday night.

It's at the Sure Stay Plus Hotel in Bethlehem.

It's in honor of the 2023 Citizen of the Year, Claude S. Rone.

He received two Purple Hearts for his service during the Vietnam War.

Claude helped rebuild a home for a veteran in Northampton last year.

And, he has been active in many other community projects and services.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Historic Downtown Bethlehem is going green for St. Patrick's Day.

The Downtown Bethlehem Association is kicking off its week-long celebration with its Bethlum Go Bragh Cocktail Trail.

The event begins at noon to 5 p.m. Saturday night.

The event is filled filled with Celtic-inspired music, food, and more.

It runs through Friday.

There will be no parade this year.
HELLERTOWN, Pa. - You can catch the Disney classic "Mary Poppins" all this weekend at Saucon Valley High School. The school's Theater program has been working months to put on an amazing show.

Alana Weirbach, who plays Mary Poppins says, "There are things flying, I mean I have my harness on right now, to flipping, splits and bubbles, and fog machines. Everything you could ask for in a Disney production."

But, the cast and crew has made this more than just a production. Director, Felica Stone says, "I've always been in the arts and as an art person myself, it was really important to me that we get back to a nonprofit organization."

So they narrowed down the cause they wanted to give to, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Stone says it's cause that's affected everyone in some way, "Our kids are really excited to give to this organization because of personal reasons or just because unfortunately in today's world we're seeing a lot of that."

So with any donation, a person can receive a bag of birdseed. Weirbach explained the connection to 69 News, "There's a scene in "Mary Poppins" where Jenny and Michael, the kids, come to outside of the bank and there's an older woman and she's asking to help feed the birds. She asked to feed the birds because she doesn't want money for herself, she wants to feed the birds and that's what she cares about."

The group tells us the funds raised will go directly to the Foundation. The show runs through a matinee on Sunday.
MOUNT POCONO, Pa. - After a fairly mild winter, snow was rushing down in Mount Pocono Friday afternoon and evening, just over a day before we "spring" our clocks forward for daylight savings time.

While Dayana Abreau cut hair in her Mount Pocono shop, Dominican Hair Salon, on Friday afternoon, she was also checking out the window, as snow continued to fall late in the day.

"I've seen it worse, so this is not that bad, like I'm used to it," she said.

Abreau says she was expecting worse, since the anticipation of a snow had her kids out of school by 11 a.m. that morning. But as someone who's lived in the area for 20 years, she's also no stranger to this kind of weather. Though, she says, it doesn't often come this late in the year.

"We were talking about March," she said. "Usually, March it doesn't snow that much."

A fact that some walking downtown didn't mind.

"At least it's coming," Melissa Cuccia, who lives in Mount Pocono, said. "We missed it."

But not everyone feels the same.

"No, I don't like the cold," Cuccia's mother-in-law, Desiree Flores, said. "I don't know what I'm doing in Pennsylvania but I don't like cold weather."

And whether they like the weather or not, these ladies at least believe this will be winter's last hurrah for the year.

"We always get some snow before we get some nice weather," Flores said.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey was in the Lehigh Valley to tour semiconductor manufacturer Infinera, and tout last year's CHIPS and Science Act.

Infinera is of the few companies currently making semiconductors in the U.S, producing optical semiconductors for broadband networks. The California-based company calls the Lehigh Valley it's second home, with assembly and packaging happening in Allentown.

"They're literally inventing the future right here," Senator Casey said.

The White House recently announced the first round of funding. Casey says the investment is imperative for national security.

"We're competing against the Chinese Communist Party and we're also having to deal with unfortunate circumstance over decades where American corporations have funded the rise of china, and we're trying to turn that around," Casey said.

"Our number one competitor is Huawei in China. While you see our facility here, it's lovely and we've been putting investment in, they're investing at 50 times our rate," Infinera CEO, David Heard.

Heard says Infinera's workforce has grown 65% in the last year, but in order to compete government investment is critical .

"We took the risk to continue to keep this supply chain in the United States and continue to grow our people as well as our products, and I think that's going to pay back," Heard said.

However, dollars still need to be appropriated in the budget process to fully fund the Act. President Biden's proposal put forward yesterday in Philadelphia would direct more than 20-billion dollars toward it.

"What we should have is a resounding chorus of consensus on these appropriations because you're either investing in America or investing in China," Casey said.
On Saturday, March 11, the Russian occupation troops shelled Zaporizhie, preliminarily using S-300 missiles, Zaporizhia Regional Military Administration has said.

"Having no success on the battlefield with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, today Russian shells (preliminarily S-300) were fired at a life support facility of the regional center, which is home to several thousand civilians, including a large number of people who were forced to leave their homes and flee from Russian occupation," it said on the Telegram channel.

In turn, Secretary of Zaporizhia City Council Anatoly Kurtiev, said in the Telegram channel that a fire broke out as a result of the attack.

"Today, in broad daylight, the enemy once again treacherously attacked Zaporizhia. It is now known that a fire broke out in one of the districts of the city as a result of the missile attack," he said.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has lifted all speed limit restrictions on the interstates in the region.

PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear.
The hygiene centers opened by the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) in Kamianets-Podilsky, Khmelnytsky region, are in demand among internally displaced persons (IDPs).

"The first hygiene centers, where the IDPs can wash, dry and iron clothes, as well as take a shower if necessary, have been launched in Kamianets-Podilsky. There are all necessary materials and equipment for these purposes here," it said on Facebook on Saturday.

From 35 to 40 people use the hygiene centers daily. There are two such facilities in the town.

The URCS also said that its hygiene centers also work in Poltava and Chernivtsi regions.

"We do our best to provide the war-affected population of the country with comprehensive assistance," it said.
A $40,000 grant from the Otto Bremer Trust will help fund basic operations at the Winona Volunteer Services organization this year.

Winona Volunteer Services works in the community to provide basic needs services like a food shelf, individually-tailored assistance and home-delivered meals.

The Otto Bremer investment will go to Winona Volunteer Services operating costs and its mission to help people address lifes challenges in a respectful and dignified manner.

This is the third grant weve received from Otto Bremer and it started, for the first time, when we lost United Way funding, said Winona Volunteer Services Executive Director, Sandra Burke. When [United Way] was no longer operating in Winona, I learned about Otto Bremer Trust. The great news is that Otto Bremer aligns with our mission. Were basic needs, we provide basic services, and thats what they do. Were just blessed to have them as a partner, and were able to run our day-to-day activities with these dollars.

Now in its 50th year of operation, Winona Volunteer Services was started as a grassroots organization by local community members. Burke said, along with a grant through Winona County, a large portion of the organizations support comes locally.

While the nonprofit receives many donations that are program specific, whether toward the food program or home-delivered meals, the Otto Bremer grant helps keep the entire mission going, said Burke.

People realize were just providing basic needs. We want to make sure people have access to food and no one goes hungry in Winona. That if there is an emergency, they can get that assistance without too many hoops to jump through. And then we also operate a clothing thrift store and were able to make sure people can get quality used clothing for a very low price, said Burke. Were just trying to help people that are either struggling to get to that next, better-paying job or are transitioning from school to the workforce  helping people as their life ebbs and flows.

Burke said Winona Volunteer Services has worked to become a nucleus for help in the community through its many partnerships in the community with Winona Health, churches, and law enforcement. The organization also works with 55 volunteers a week for its home-delivered meal programs and over 400 volunteers annually.

Winona Volunteer Services Address: 402 E. 2nd Street, Winona, MN Hours: Monday-Friday: 9 am to 4:45 pm, Saturday 10 am to 12:45 Contact: (507) 452-5591

Our dedicated volunteers are the ones showing up every day. Theyre our frontline workers and our no. 1 cheerleaders, said Burke. Its exciting because its here for the people of Winona. Through the years weve had so many community members that have volunteered and spent part of their life with this organization.

Since its creation in 1944, the Otto Bremer Trust has invested more than $1 billion in people, places, and opportunities throughout Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. The St. Paul private trust was created by business and community leader Otto Bremer with the commitment to supporting a better quality of life.
The roof and glulam arches of the flood devastated Rock Springs Memorial Community Center have been saved and moved across First Street to the
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William & Mary students have never met a stage they didn't like. In fact, the first theatre in America was built in Williamsburg in 1716, and twenty years later a group of William & Mary students put on the first student play in the colonies. Whether it's a night of comedy improv, installing a new exhibit at the Muscarelle or Andrews Gallery, or watching a friend's fusion dance team compete, W&M students and faculty immerse themselves in the experience.

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Egypt has reached an agreement to import wheat from Serbia and Romania through the port of Constanta, and is conducting discussions with the European Investment Bank (EIB) on financing the construction of a large field silo in Damietta's port, a statement by the Egyptian Supply and Internal Trade said on Wednesday.





The agreement was announced following a meeting held in Cairo on Wednesday between Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhy and a delegation from Serbia headed by former Serbian President Boris Tadic.

Serbia is a landlocked country in South East Europe.

According to the statement, Moselhy discussed with Tadic importing nearly 1 million tons of Serbian wheat which will be shipped from the Romanian port of Constanta to the Egyptian ports of Alexandria and Damietta.

The discussions with the Serbian side also tackled supplying Egypt's needs of corn to meet the needs of poultry breeders, the statement noted.

Tadics visit and agreement come as a culmination of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis visit to Serbia in July, said Moselhy.

The agreement also comes three days after Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucas visit to Cairo.

"We [Romania] will exert our utmost efforts to avoid a food crisis, and we will seize every opportunity to secure all Egyptian needs and make up for any shortages," the Romanian premier said in a joint news briefing with his Egyptian counterpart on Monday.

Wednesdays announcement should be seen within the context of Egypt's attempts to diversify the sources of the country's wheat imports in light of the shortage in wheat since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Before the conflict, 80 percent of Egypt's imported wheat came from both Russia and Ukraine.

Egypt needs to import five million tons of wheat during the fiscal year 2022/23, according to a previous statement by Moselhy.

Discussions to finance a large silo in Damietta

In a separate meeting on the same day, Moselhy discussed with the EIB delegation, headed by bank official Lionel Raphael, the construction of a large silo in Damietta's port with a storage capacity of 200,000 tons.

The discussions also touched upon constructing 5 other field silos in Sharkia, Kafr El-Sheikh, Dakahlia, Minya and New Valley with a capacity of 5,000 tons each, according to the statement.

The silos will contribute to increasing the storage capacity of wheat in both mainland and port silos once the necessary financing procedures have been undertaken, asserted Moselhy.

The locations for the planned field silos came after intensive studies of the areas that are highest in wheat production; the silos' proximity to these areas would save farmers' time , said CEO and Managing Director of Egyptian Holding Company for Silos and Storage (EHCSS) Sherif Basili.

In recent years, Egypt launched a national project to secure stockpiles of strategic foods through the construction of nearly 50 silos distributed over 17 governorates, with a storage capacity reaching nearly 1.5 million tons.

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Paul Flores was convicted in October 2022 for the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart in California.
Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, seen here in Washington, DC, in December of 2022, is lobbying virtually everyone he sees at the hospital for his release and is acting like his usual self, according to a senior adviser who has spent much of the past two days with him.
Shyann and Tyler Turner, husband and wife fired from Dana [Photo by Shyann Turner]

If you are an autoworker who would like to join the Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee, text or call 2486020936 today or fill out the form at the bottom of this article.

Shyann and Tyler Turner worked at Danas Dry Ridge, Kentucky plant for a combined 9 years before the corporation fired both of them in February within the span of two weeks. Although the couples daughters, aged 3 and 5, cannot remember a time before their parents worked for Dana, the family has been living on canned food and going without necessary medical attention for weeks. Days before Shyann and Tyler were fired, Dana paid out $14.3 million in quarterly dividends to its wealthy shareholders.

Shyann spoke to the World Socialist Web Site after reading about the mass firings at Danas driveline plant in Toledo, Ohio located 240 miles north. Tucked between the low rolling hills of rural Kentuckys Bluegrass Region, workers at the Dry Ridge plant produce parts for some of the worlds most profitable vehicles, including the Ford F-150, F-350 and Bronco, and Stellantis Ram 1500 TRX.

The Toledo and Dry Ridge plants are each within a stones throw of I-75, the main artery for the multi-billion dollar auto parts industry, but the workers at both plants are connected by more than just a highway. The Turner familys story will be familiar to Dana workers and autoworkers everywhere:

The same thing is happening here, Shyann said of the mass firings in Toledo, where over 50 workers have been terminated, often on what workers believe to be false pretenses.

They are firing people left and right in Dry Ridge, people who have been there for years. Me and my husband were on the Alternative Work Schedule (AWS) that we were guaranteed in the 2021 contract. AWS gives us days offit was the only reason why many people voted for the contract. There used to be 120 people on AWS before, now there are 14, she says. They are pushing us out the door and bringing in temps.

Shyann and Tyler both say they were fired without warning and without a disciplinary hearing. They were each denied the contractual right to come back to work under the last chance program. They believe the circumstances of their dismissals show the UAW went along with their terminations.

Tyler was fired first. A week before his termination, he filed a grievance with the UAW to force the company to return $1,500 in lost wages. He was owed a bonus for perfect attendance and was also paid straight time rather than holiday pay for working during the holidays.

Shyann was fired almost immediately after her husband on the grounds that she pointed out. However, she says the company wrongfully pointed her out for days she had been approved to take off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and also failed to inform her she had accrued other points within 7 days, which means, under the contract, that they cannot count. She was also given whole points on two days she arrived late, which should have been counted as half points.

Shyann Turner's FMLA dates according to her healthcare provider. She was pointed for unexcused absences on the 5th, 7th, 11th, 16th and 17th of February. [Photo by Shyann Turner]

I came into work on February 24 and not even an hour into the schedule, they called me into the front office and fired me, Shyann says, explaining that the UAW took no action to help her explain to the company that she was wrongfully pointed: My union rep clocked in that day, helped fire me, clocked out and went home. I never got a warning, I never got a disciplinary hearing, I never got 90 day probation, I never got last chance.

Shyann provided the UAW with a chart from her health care provider showing the days she took off under the FMLA were covered under that act. She also reminded the UAW that she cannot be fired based on points about which she was not notified within a week. Article 18 of the contract states that All Attendance related discipline will be issued within seven working days or be considered void and that all disciplinary actions will be issued in a timely manner. She was pointed for taking a day off to attend a cousins funeral on December 22 but was not informed of this point until she was fired three months later.

Shyann believes the company and UAW are collaborating to fire workers who speak up against corporate abuse and against violations of the contract.

I tell my union rep when things are going wrong at the plant, and when I see violations of the contract, she said. I feel thats why I got fired. Now the UAW says they filed a grievance, but that didnt help my husband.

Shyann showed the World Socialist Web Site an email from the chairman of the UAW which read, Per our discussion on Wednesday March 1st I suggested you file unemployment and if anything changed, we would let you know. She has not heard anything since. To make matters worse, Shyann says she cannot apply for Medicaid or food stamps, because the company still has not provided her or her husband with their termination letters.

The Dry Ridge plant is notorious for health and safety violations. On the night of June 1-2, 2021, Danny Walters, a 60-year-old Dana worker, suffered a grand mal seizure on the line after being forced to work 60 days straight. Neither the company nor the UAW ever called his wife to inform her of what happened, and as a result, he died without proper medical attention later that night. The company cut off the familys health care the next day.

Yesterday, Walters widow, Marcia Walters, issued a statement to Dana workers urging them to unite and fight against the mass firings:

Dana took my husbands joy for life and in many respects, they took his life. I am not shocked one bit that things havent changed. They lie each week to their employees about getting a day off. This corporation is unbelievably cruel to their workers. I am super happy to see workers fighting against the wrongful loss of their jobs.

Danny and Marcia Walters on their wedding day, 1996. Danny passed away on June 2, 2021 after suffering a seizure at Dana's Dry Ridge Kentucky plant. [Photo by Marcia Walters]

Shyann was informed that Dana workers in Toledo have organized a rank-and-file committee to oppose the mass firings. I want my job back too, and I will come up there with a sign to protest with them in Toledo. Its what we have to do.

On March 7, the Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee published a statement calling for a united struggle across all plants to rehire all fired workers and to give rank-and-file workers control over hiring and firing at all Dana plants. All Dana workers are encouraged to read the statement and distribute it on social media and to their coworkers.

If you are an autoworker who would like to join the rank-and-file committee, text or call 2486020936 today.
Russia's Wagner mercenary group claimed Wednesday to have captured the eastern bank of Bakhmut, the industrial town in east Ukraine where fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces has raged for months.

The announcement came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that if Bakhmut fell, Moscow would gain an "open road" for offensives deeper into the country.

Wagner chief and Kremlin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin said on social media that his forces "have taken all of the eastern part of Bakhmut", a salt-mining town with a pre-war population of 80,000.

The intense fighting around Bakhmut has been the longest and bloodiest in Russia's more than year-long invasion, which has devastated swathes of Ukraine and displaced millions of people.

Both sides have said the Bakhmut battle has cost a significant number of troops, though neither has given figures.

Ukrainian officials say around 4,000 civilians remain in the town, which has been virtually flattened, including dozens of children.

Zelensky warned in an interview with CNN what could happen if Bakhmut falls to Russian forces.

"We understand that after Bakhmut, (Russian forces) could go further" and attack nearby cities in the Donetsk region.

"They could go to Kramatorsk, they could go to Sloviansk, it would be an open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine, in the Donetsk direction," Zelensky said in an interview set to air Wednesday.

Wagner has spearheaded the attack on Bakhmut and its chief, Prigozhin, is locked in a dispute with Russia's military leadership.

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Texas has put to death far more people than any other US state that still practices capital punishment. The state is responsible for 583 of the 1,551 individuals executed since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.

In this May 27, 2008 file photo, the gurney in Huntsville, Texas, where Texas' condemned are strapped down to receive a lethal dose of drugs is shown. [AP Photo/Pat Sullivan]

So far in 2023, Texas has executed five condemned inmates, including two men over the past week. The state also provided a temporary reprieve to an obviously severely mentally disturbed prisoner who had been set to be executed in April.

On Thursday, March 9, Arthur Brown Jr. was put to death for the 1992 killings of four people in Houston, Texas. Brown, 52, maintained his innocence until he was injected with a lethal dose of the sedative pentobarbital at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. Brown was convicted and sentenced to die for killing Jose Tovar, 32; Frank Farias, 17; Jessica Quinones, 19, who was 9 months pregnant; and Audrey Brown, 21; in what authorities said was a drug robbery gone horribly wrong.

According to prison officials, as Brown lay strapped to a gurney in the execution chamber, staring at the ceiling, he said, What is occurring here tonight is not justice, its murder of an innocent man for a murder that occurred in 1992.

My co-defendant was executed in 2006 and if Im innocent he was innocent and they killed an innocent man, and the state doesnt want the truth to come out, he added. Tonight, Texas will kill a second innocent man for a murder that occurred in 1992. I have no further words.

After the toxic chemical began to flow at 6:20 p.m., Brown took two deep breaths, gasped and then began snoring, according to the local NBC affiliate. All movement stopped after six more snores. He was pronounced dead at 6:37 p.m.

The US Supreme Court declined an appeal from Browns attorneys to halt the execution earlier Thursday. They had argued that Brown should be exempt from execution because he was intellectually disabled.

In their petition to the Supreme Court, Browns attorneys wrote, Mr. Browns intellectual limitations were known to his friends and family.  Individuals that knew Mr. Brown over the course of his life have described him as consistently slow. The attorneys provided evidence showing that Brown had been in special education classes since he was a young child and was deemed educable mentally retarded in elementary school and that in third grade his IQ was measured at 70, generally indicating an intellectual disability.

In previous appeals rejected by lower courts, Browns defense argued that he was innocent and that a witness had implicated another suspect. Last week, the Texas Office of Capital and Forensic Writs called for the execution to be halted, arguing that Houston prosecutors hid evidence pointing to another suspect for decades.

They also said that Browns conviction was tainted by racial bias, saying a white juror has said since the trial that she knew immediately the black defendant was a thug and had no doubt he would kill again. On Tuesday, a Houston judge denied a request by Browns attorneys for DNA testing of evidence that they said could have exonerated their client.

On Tuesday, March 7, Gary Green, 51, was executed for the stabbing death of his estranged wife, Lovetta Armstead, and the drowning death of her daughter, six-year-old Jazzmen Montgomery, in Dallas in 2009. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010.

Like so many of those put to death in the brutal capital punishment system in America, Green suffered from an intellectual disability. According to documents from the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Green checked himself into a mental hospital about a month before the murders, Newsweek reports. He was diagnosed with major depressive disorder with psychotic features and prescribed a schizophrenia medication, the magazine writes.

The court document stated, The hospital determined that Green did not need to be committed and discharged him. Two days later, a different doctor diagnosed Green with bipolar disorder in an outpatient setting. Green responded with disbelief and anger, according to court documents, to messages from Armstead that she loved him but needed to part ways with him, and that she wanted him to move out of their home immediately.

Green thought Armstead and her children were involved in a plot against him, the documents stated, adding, During the confession, Green told police that he had heard voices in his head telling him to kill Armstead and her children, that he believed the family was plotting against him, and that he thought by killing the family he would ensure that they would all be reunited in heaven.

The US Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that execution of the intellectually disabled is a violation of the Eighth Amendments ban against cruel and unusual punishment. The nations high court has made no such ruling in relation to execution of the mentally ill, a distinction that has allowed many individuals like Green to be sent to their deaths despite exhibiting severe mental illness.

During closing arguments, one of Greens own attorneys told the jurors that the defense fully expected them to find Green guilty, and that the state had presented proof of his guilt that was undeniable. Green died at the state penitentiary in Huntsville at 7:07 p.m. Tuesday after several appeals were denied.

Also on Tuesday, a state district judge issued an order withdrawing the April 5 execution date for 39-year-old Andre Thomas. Thomas was sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing in 2004 in Sherman, Texas, of his estranged wife Laura Christine Boren, 20, their son Andre Lee, 4, and her 13-month-old daughter Leyha Marie Hughes.

Thomas cut out the hearts of the two children. He later told police that God had instructed him to commit the killings, believing the three were demons.

In separate incidents in prison, Thomas gouged out both of his eyes. His attorneys say that after he gouged out the second eye, he ate it to ensure that the government would not hear his thoughts.

Judge Jim Fallon issued the order withdrawing the execution date after Thomas lawyers had requested additional time to prepare for a court hearing to review his competency. While the mentally ill are subject to the death penalty, the US Supreme Court ruled that a person must be competent to be executed.

Fallons order gives Thomas attorneys until July 5 to file their motion asking that their clients competency be reviewed before his execution can proceed, after which the judge will decide whether the attorneys have presented sufficient evidence to go forward. If so, experts will be appointed to examine Thomas and the judge will decide whether the execution can be halted on grounds of mentally incompetency.

Thomas attorney Maurie Levin wrote in a statement, Guiding this blind psychotic man to the gurney for execution offends our sense of humanity and serves no legitimate purpose. Levin described Thomas as one of the most mentally ill prisoners in Texas history, adding that he is not competent to be executed, lacking a rational understanding of the states reason for his execution.

The American Bar Association passed a resolution in 2006 calling for exemption from the death penalty for those with severe mental illness. An almost identical resolution has been endorsed by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Despite these resolutions by legal and medical groups and advocates for the mentally ill, the 13 states most actively handing down and carrying out the ultimate punishment continue to send individuals with severe mental illness to their deaths, and the Supreme Court has not ruled such executions unconstitutional.
Testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee Thursday, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines confirmed that US President Joe Biden was stating the official position of the US government last year when he pledged to send US troops to war against China if it invaded Taiwan.

During the hearing, Utah Republican Representative Chris Stewart said, In the past, the President has said pretty clearly that we would respond with military action if China were to invade Taiwan. And then shortly after that the administration kind of walked back those comments, but it didnt occur just once, it occurred several times.

He asked Haines, has there been a change in the administrations policy regarding ambiguity?

Haynes replied, you are right in recognizing the presidents comments on this issue, adding, In this particular case, I think it is clear to the Chinese what our position is based on the presidents comments.

Heads of CIA, FBI and National Intelligence testify on global threats to U.S. security

On four separate occasions, US President Joe Biden said that the United States would go to war with China over Taiwan. In September, Biden was asked during an interview, so unlike Ukraine, US forces, US men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion?

Biden replied, yes.

After this and each of the previous statements, the White House issued a clarification, saying that Bidens remarks did not reflect the official policy of the United States.

Asked to clarify Bidens remarks in September, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Biden was answering a hypothetical question, adding, When the President of the United States wants to announce a policy change, he will do so. He has not done so.

Haines statement makes clear that Bidens remarks were in fact the official policy of the United States, and the policy of strategic ambiguity has been ended. Previously, the US was deliberately ambiguous as to whether it would join Taiwan in a war with Chinaa policy that sought to rein in Taipei as well as Beijing.

Haines was testifying alongside CIA Director William Burns, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and representatives of the NSA and DIA in one of multiple hearings held by the House and Senate this week focusing on the US conflict with China.

Their testimony was based on the annual threat assessment issued by the Director of National Intelligence that declared that China is seeking to become a major power on the world stage and is working to undercut U.S. influence.

In remarks before the House Homeland Security committee Thursday, congressman August Pfluger declared:

The US is now locked in a pure competition with the CCP in which the Chinese government is seeking to place itself at the top of the global world order while degrading Americas power militarily, diplomatically and economically.

In a separate hearing Wednesday by the House Homeland Security special subcommittee on the Chinese threat, Representative Tony Gonzales, who had just returned from a visit to Taiwan as part of a congressional delegation, declared I know what war looks like, were at war.

He went on to say,

I mean, this is a war, maybe a Cold War. But this is a war with China, with the Peoples Republic of China every single day, are invading Taiwan via their cyberspace. I spent five years as as an air crewman flying against China. I know exactly. When they come out and they intercept our aircraft. They're doing that every single day. And there's a danger in that because everything is fine until there is an accident, a spark, if you will, that turns a Cold War into a hot war.

During a House of Representatives Intelligence Committee hearing Thursday, members discussed openly what a war with China would look like. Democratic Congressman Jim Himes noted, Rand did a study in which they estimated that Chinese GDP in the event of a conflict would contract by a staggering 25 to 35 percent. US GDP could contract by 5 to 10 percent, if there was conflict in the Taiwan Strait.

That study was titled War with China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable. The study concluded:

Each sides increasingly far-flung disposition of forces and growing ability to track and attack opposing forces could turn much of the Western Pacific into a war zone, with grave economic consequences.

But, on the upside, the report noted, the war might potentially be mild, involving tolerable losses.

Belligerent threats against China at the House and Senate hearings were coupled with efforts to scapegoat China for the COVID-19 pandemic. In his opening remarks to a hearing Wednesday by the Senate intelligence committee, Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner declared, Lets be clear, despite Chinas denials, it is entirely fair for us to ask whether the virus that has killed at least 6.8 million people so far, might have been accidentally released from a lab in Wuhan.

The abandonment by the White House of strategic ambiguity goes together with the de facto ending of the one-China policy, which effectively recognized that Taiwan was a part of China and pledged not to encourage Taiwanese separatism.

Under the national defense authorization passed last year by the White House, the United States has pledged to directly arm Taiwan. It is also quadrupling the number of troops stationed on Taiwan and will be training Taiwanese troops in Michigan, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The United States, which has already provoked a war with Russia in Ukraine that has led to over 200,000 casualties on both sides, is rapidly moving to escalate its conflict with China, a nuclear-armed power and the worlds second-largest economy, with incalculable consequences for the whole of humanity.
Following the kidnapping of four Americans last week in the Mexican border city of Matamoros, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of former president Donald Trump, vowed to introduce a bill to declare Mexican drug cartels foreign terrorist organizations and prepare the use of military force in Mexico.

Two of the four Americans were killed, along with one Mexican civilian, when their vehicle was intercepted allegedly by members of the Gulf Cartel on March 3. The other two were found alive by Mexican security forces on Tuesday in joint operation with US intelligence. According to Mexican authorities, three of the four Americans had been prosecuted in the US for drug-related offenses, including drug trafficking and manufacturing.

If you continue to give safe haven to drug dealers, then you are an enemy of the United States, Graham said to Fox News. Speaking like a mafia boss himself, he added, If you dont clean up your act, were going to clean it up for you.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., listens during a confirmation hearing for Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. [AP Photo/Alex Edelman/Pool via AP]

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, condemned such statements as an aggression against Mexico and a threat to invade. Why dont you attend to your grave problem of social decomposition and mitigate drug consumption? he said in a press briefing.

At the same time, however, he has repeatedly minimized these threats by portraying them as mere political games played for electoral purposes and retorted in a bankrupt fashion that if they continue hed call for Mexican Americans to vote against the Republicans.

Grahams threats have been echoed by numerous leading Republicans and are not new. In November 2019, several Republican legislators and then president Trump also threatened to send troops to Mexico after the massacre of nine American women and children in Sonora. More generally, one of the main Republican tropes has been the fascistic amalgamation of migrant workers and cartel members as one invading army.

Trumps Attorney General William Barr told Fox News that the Mexican government is being held hostage by terrorist organizations that control Mexico and concluded that, We have to deal with this group like we dealt with ISIS by using every tool.

US military exercise at Fort Bliss, Texas near the Mexican border. [Photo: US Department of Defense]

Among other similar tweets and statements by leading Republican officials, James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, declared that the US should have a military presence across the border, claiming that Trump had ordered the bombing of fentanyl and crystal meth labs in Mexico but for some reason the military didnt do it.

In a meeting of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Wednesday, Senator John Cornyn compared the situation in Mexico to the September 11 terrorist attacks, blaming the country for the deaths of an estimated 108,000 Americans last year from drugs allegedly brought across the US-Mexico border. Just like 9-11, just like we would react to the falling out of the sky each day for a year, we would react in an overwhelming fashion, he said hysterically.

Tellingly, Cornyn cited China as the source of the precursors of fentanyl, which is behind a majority of those deaths.

The response of the White House to these pressures only confirmed that these threats are no mere electoral games by small fry, as claimed by AMLO.

On Tuesday, Bidens press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre evaded the question on whether Biden would consider using the US military against Mexican cartels. Im just not going to get into the military and how its being used, she said.

However, responding to Cornyn during the hearing Wednesday, Bidens Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines said without hesitation, I could not agree more with your characterization of it and the importance that it holds. CIA director William Burns then referenced recent successes against the Sinaloa Cartel by Mexican authorities, only to agree with Cornyn about the severity of the issue.

The United States stole more than half of Mexicos territory during the 1846-48 war, carried out two military incursions during the Mexican Revolution in 1914 and 1916, and has continuously sought to dominate the country as a source of cheap labor and natural resources for American corporations.

Given this history, the response by Biden administration officials to nod along the Republican threats to invade Americas oppressed neighbor, no differently than Hitler threatening Poland, explode any claim that the White House defends democratic rights or national sovereignty anywhere.

The Republican threats and Democrat acquiescence communicate their shared willingness to do anything necessaryup to and including an invasionto secure US imperialisms control over the political regime in Mexico.

While triggered by the kidnapping of Americans in Matamoros, the threats are part of an incipient but growing campaign in the US and European corporate media to portray AMLO as another authoritarian villain along the lines of Milosevic, Hussein, Gaddafi, Putin or Xi.

The corporate media and the Biden administration backed the February 26 protests organized by Mexicos political right against electoral changes approved by the Mexican Congress, which is controlled by AMLOs party Morena and its allies. The changes include an 85 percent reduction in the technical staff of the electoral body Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE), less funding for parties, a greater access to voters abroad, and new penalties for fraud.

In a typical article in the US press, the New York Times described the measures as a challenge to democratic institutions ahead of next years general elections.

An editorial in the Financial Times claimed that AMLO seeks to re-establish the perfect dictatorship that existed before 2000, as part of a state-centric, oil-powered economy. Such a caricature of the AMLO administration, which is entirely false for a country whose exports are overwhelmingly advanced manufacturing products sent to the United States, demonstrates the intention of preparing the public for a regime change operation.

How can there be friendshoring to a country that is growing intolerant of political opposition and a free, open society?, asks the Financial Times, whose columnist Gideon Rachman has gone on the offensive to expose AMLOs autocratic tendencies.

None of these claims hold any water. Beyond the widespread practice of buying votes, the INE was used by the right-wing political parties to perpetrate fraud against AMLO in 2006 and 2012. As reported by the World Socialist Web Site, the US State Department, Google, Facebook and Twitter openly worked with the INE to manipulate the elections against AMLO in 2018, but the ruling elite ultimately decided to install AMLO to use his populist demagoguery to divert the explosive intensification of the class struggle, especially after the mass Gasolinazo protests in 2017.

The references to a free and open society and elections are nothing but codewords for total subordination to US geopolitical interests. The nearshoring of production from China and Asia to the cheap labor platforms in Mexico and Latin America have become a core component of US war plans against Russia and China.

Under the veil of supposed concerns about drug deaths in the US and the integrity of elections in Mexico, the representatives of US imperialism are responding aggressively against AMLOs attempts to balance the countrys predominant economic ties to US capital with relations to Washingtons geopolitical rivals. AMLO has vocally embraced Chinese investments, which now represent the second highest source of foreign capital in Mexico, while challenging US foreign policy, in particular by criticizing the shipment of weapons and other escalatory measures by NATO in Ukraine and offering Julian Assange asylum.

The AMLO administration is, in fact, attacking democratic rights and laying the foundations for a dictatorship, including through a massive build-up of the military, which has a long record of violations of democratic rights, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and spying on activists, journalists and other civilians.

However, these measures have had the support of both the Trump and Biden administrations, which have worked to turn the new Mexican National Guard into an extension of the US border patrol to crack down on migrant workers. During the hearing Wednesday, CIA director Burns said Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was a key component of US operations in Mexico, referring to a provision that allows for warrantless spying on foreigners by the CIA.

As is usually the case with calls for US wars, the purported terrorists or enemies are themselves the byproduct of previous US aggressions. The recent conviction by a US court of Mexicos former security chief Genaro Garcia Luna, who accepted hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel, demonstrates this. The trial conspicuously avoided the massive evidence that the cartels maintain working relationships with both the US and Mexican governments.

Garcia Luna was the key official in Mexico behind the establishment in 2007 of the Merida Plan, under which the US government has given over $3 billion in security aid to the Mexican state. He and his right-hand man, Luis Cardenas Palominocurrently under custody for torture received several prizes and recognitions from the Bush and Obama administrations and were the darlings of the US government, as confirmed by several cables released by WikiLeaks

A 2008 U.S. diplomatic cable applauded Garcia Luna, stating that his real focus has been on vetting. It continued: Its worth noting that much of Mexicos success over the past year, scoring the arrest of major cartel leaders and making significant seizures, has been the product of close cooperation with the US, while stressing that unprecedented cooperation  would not be possible without our ability to work with vetted units supported by USG agencies including DEA and ICE.

Throughout this period, as demonstrated by witness testimony during the trial, the official line was [to protect] Chapo of the Sinaloa Cartel. And US agencies backed this policy. Journalist Anabel Hernandez, for instance, has reported that the DEA held over 100 meetings with the Sinaloa Cartel chief Mayo Zambadas own lawyer to exchange information for protection. His sons lawyer, Fernando Gaxiola explained to me that, thanks to the collaboration with the DEA, Mayo and Chapo were able to practically exterminate their main rivals, the Arellano Felix [Tijuana Cartel], she wrote.
Canadas social democratic New Democratic Party (NDP) has thrown itself unreservedly behind the intelligence agency-orchestrated propaganda campaign over alleged Chinese interference in recent federal elections.

When NDP leader Jagmeet Singh justified his right-wing confidence-and-supply agreement with the big business Liberals less than a year ago, he said it was necessary to create political stabilityby which he meant, stability for Canadas ruling elite to wage war on Russia abroad and on the working class at home. Over the past week, Singh has openly toyed with the idea of pulling the NDPs support for the Liberal government if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau does not call a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian democracy. Such an inquiry would be used as a platform by the military-security apparatus and the most right-wing and belligerent factions of the political elite to whip up animosity toward China and press for Canada to assume an even-larger role in Washingtons military-strategic offensive against Beijing.

US and Australian war ships on anti-China "freedom of navigation" mission in the South China Sea. [Photo: US Navy/MC3 Nicholas Huynh]

The NDPs rapid rallying behind the anti-China propaganda campaign only goes to show that, no less than the Conservatives and Liberals, it is a mouthpiece for the financial oligarchy that controls Canadas political life lock, stock, and barrel, and subservient to the intelligence agencies that protect their imperialist interests. Indeed, there is growing sentiment within broad sections of the corporate media, from the editorial pages of the far-right sympathizing Toronto Sun and neo-conservative National Post to the nominally progressive Toronto Star that Justin Trudeaus days as prime minister are numbered.

The lurid campaign incited by the intelligence agencies has been spearheaded in the media by the Globe and Mail, Canadas newspaper of record, and Global News. Day after day for several weeks, unsubstantiated reports based on anonymous, illegal leaks from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) have been retailed by the media as proof Beijing is intent on subverting Canadian democracy. The sustained and apparently coordinated character of the leakswhich document Beijings reputed attempts to promote select Liberal candidates over their Conservative rivals in the 2019 and 2021 electionsstrongly suggest that they are being orchestrated by high-level operatives within the national security apparatus with an interest in destabilizing, if not overthrowing, the Liberal government.

The lack of evidence and trumped-up character of the claims, many of which now date back years, is demonstrated by the fact that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has yet to open an investigation into any wrongdoing.

Although not a single document backing up the claims of Chinese interference has been made public, the media and opposition parties are effectively ordering the population to treat CSIS, and especially the element unhappy with the government that has orchestrated the leaks, as the purveyors of the gospel truth. In other words, they should forget the actual record of CSIS, which is notorious for its involvement in mass spying, torture, systematic violation of democratic rights in the so-called war on terror and lying to the courts.

The NDPs championing of the pro-war, anti-China campaign has emboldened the official opposition Conservatives and its newly minted, far-right leader, Pierre Poilievre, in their efforts to claim the Liberals have colluded in the alleged Beijing interference campaign for electoral gain and portray Trudeau as all but treasonous. On Tuesday, Poilievre delivered his most incendiary denunciation of Trudeau to date, saying the Liberal leader was working against the interests of his own country and acting against Canadas interests and in favour of a foreign dictatorships interests.

Singh first expressed support for the right-wing media and Conservatives call for a public inquiry into the interference allegations on February 27. Last Sunday, four days after a Globe editorial urged the NDP to tell Trudeau it would end their confidence-and-supply agreement unless he called a public inquiry, Singh told the Roy Green Show that he was not ruling out ending the agreement to prop up the Liberals over the public inquiry issue. Im not, remarked Singh, ruling out that it could come to a point that weve got to exercise that ability. Thats something we absolutely have the ability to do.

Speaking on Wednesday, Singh said claims that Trudeau had ignored intelligence reports were eroding public trust in Canadas institutions. Right now, the prime minister seems like hes hiding something, and he could just answer those questions by launching a public inquiry.

The NDPs role in abetting the ferocious anti-China campaign illustrates the overwhelming support within Canadas ruling establishment for Washingtons ongoing all-sided campaign of economic, diplomatic and strategic pressure on Beijing and advanced preparations for war. Although the precise source or sources for the CSIS leaks remain unclear, the hysterical campaign has served two purposes: to demonize China with the aim of whipping up a base of popular support for war; and to pressure the Trudeau government further to the right and replace it with a regime headed by the war-hawk and current deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland or Poilievre himself.

In recent months, US imperialism has dramatically ratcheted up tensions with China. Last fall, major US-based companies, supported by a vociferous media campaign, bullied the Chinese Stalinist regime with threats of the withdrawal of investments into scrapping its Zero COVID policy, a horrendous crime that has resulted in the deaths of well over a million people in three months.

In early February, the US military shot down a Chinese weather balloon and various other private flying objects amid a saturation-coverage media campaign about purported Chinese attempts to spy on North America. This was quickly followed by the pledge to triple US troops stationed in Taiwan and comments by a top US general predicting war with Beijing would begin in 2025. Last week, the inaugural meeting of the House of Representatives Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the US and the Chinese Communist Party declared Washington to be locked in an existential struggle with China.

The hysterical anti-China campaign being fomented by CSIS operatives and Canadas media and political establishment is aimed at stampeding the public behind a dramatic intensification of Canadian imperialisms role in the US offensive against China, including through massive military spending hikes and further militarization of the Arctic. A similar campaign is underway in Australia, whose ruling class, like Canadas, views its close partnership with Washington as crucial to advancing its own predatory imperialist interests.

In recent days, two of Australia's most important newspapers, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne-based The Age, have published a series of articles urging that much must be done to prepare for war with China, including introducing conscription, [Photo: WSWS, from Nine images]

NATOs escalation of its war with Russia in Eastern Europea war that Washington and Wall Street view as a stepping stone to war with Chinahas underscored that the imperialist madmen in Washington, Ottawa, and the European imperialist capitals are prepared to risk the lives of millions in a nuclear exchange.

Trudeau has responded to his ruling-class critics by touting his governments hardline stance towards Beijing, which includes the recent elaboration of an Indo-Pacific strategy developed in close consultation with Washington, and by insisting his government takes the threat of foreign interference in elections seriously. He has fully endorsed an ongoing investigation by the House of Commons Procedures and House Affairs Committee into allegations of Chinese interference in the 2019 and 2021 elections. On the motion of NDP House Leader Peter Julian, members of the committee from the Conservatives, NDP, and Bloc Quebecois voted March 2 to demand a public inquiry into the allegations.

Last Monday, Trudeau asked the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) and National Intelligence Services Review Agency (NISRA) to launch their own probes into the intelligence agencies response to the alleged interference. NSICOP consists of members of the House of Commons and Senate, Canadas upper chamber of parliament, who are sworn to secrecy about the information they receive on the spy agencies activities. NISRA is a panel of government-appointed experts responsible for overseeing the intelligence agencies. These bodies were created as a democratic fig leaf to legitimize the vast anti-democratic powers granted to the spy agencies in the Liberal governments Bill C-59.

Trudeau also announced he would be appointing a special rapporteur into foreign election interference, to make expert recommendations on combating interference and strengthening our democracy. He committed to consider proposals for the position from the opposition parties and said he would call a public inquiry if the rapporteur recommended one.

Trudeau also committed to soon announcing the parameters of a foreign influence registry that will compel all individuals and organizations deemed to be working on behalf of a foreign state to add their names to a public registry.

Trudeaus multiple announcements manifestly failed to lessen the anti-China furor within the establishment. They were pilloried by a raft of media commentators. Underscoring the dissatisfaction of a faction of the national security apparatus, further leaked documents were promptly provided to Global News.

Citing anonymous intelligence sources, the news channel reported Wednesday morning that two high-level intelligence agency reports on election interference were provided to the Liberal government in 2019 and 2022. The latter was reportedly prepared by the Privy Council Office and included the allegation that Chinese officials in Toronto funded a covert network for the backing of election candidates. Global News quoted the report as saying, A large clandestine transfer of funds earmarked for the federal election from the PRC Consulate in Toronto was transferred to an elected provincial government official via a staff member of a 2019 federal candidate. The report was largely a rehash, with additional details, of a Global News story from November 2022.

This report provided further ammunition for Poilievre, who continued at Wednesdays Question Period to suggest that Trudeau was betraying Canadian interests. At one stage, Poilievre provocatively demanded that Trudeau declare how much his party got in illegal donations funnelled from Beijing. His claim amplified a March 4 Globe opinion piece by influential commentator Andrew Coyne that suggested the real target of any inquiry should be the Liberal government. What we need a public inquiry to look into is not foreign election interference, wrote Coyne, but rather domestic complicity in foreign interference.

Such remarks, coupled with accusations about Trudeau serving a foreign dictatorship, underscore just how far the entire political establishment has shifted to the right over recent years and embraced the propaganda of far-right forces. Poilievres rantings echo claims made by the fascists who instigated and led the Jan.-Feb. 2022 far-right Freedom Convoy, which was able to occupy downtown Ottawa for more than three weeks, because sections of the political establishment, media and state security forces seized on it as a means to push politics sharply right, beginning with the scrapping of all anti-COVID public health measures.

Poilievres fulminations against Trudeau are also reminiscent of those of Corey Hurren, the Canadian Armed Forces member who justified his attempted assassination of Trudeau in July 2020 by accusing the Liberal leader of establishing a communist dictatorship in Canada.

Concerned that a further escalation of the anti-China furor could damage Canadian imperialist interests, several senior national security figures, including Wesley Wark, who has previously served on the Prime Ministers Advisory Council for National Security, have spoken out in support of Trudeaus new investigations. The main concern driving these trusted representatives of Canadian imperialisms national security apparatus is that a public inquiry, however well controlled it may be, could become a liability if it inadvertently reveals too much about the source of the anti-China campaign and raises public awareness of the imminent threat of a military conflagration with a nuclear-armed power. They view the existing committees, staffed by hand-picked representatives of the political establishment who are prevented from speaking publicly, as a more effective mechanism to exploit the current crisis to justify the ongoing preparations for war with China.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testifies before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing to examine protecting public health and the environment in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Thursday, March 9, 2023, in Washington. ( [AP Photo/Kevin Wolf]

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 Norfork Southern disaster by filling out the form at the bottom of this article. All submissions will be kept anonymous.

Political theater was on display at a Senate hearing Thursday on the East Palestine, Ohio derailment. Senators feigned outrage to cover up for their own culpability in the derailment of toxic chemical cars that poisoned an entire community. Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw was the highest-profile witness called to testify to the Senate Environment and Public Works committee.

Only hours before the hearing, another massive derailment of a Norfolk Southern train took place, this time in central Alabama. Thirty cars were involved in the wreck. There is no risk at all to the public, a railroad spokesperson claimed in a press conference later that afternoon. He then deflected when asked by a reporter about the frequency of accidents on the companys network, declaring: Derailments are a very loose term. Derailment could mean as little as one wheel off the track. So as far as an increase, decrease, I cant really get into that.

This is at least the fourth accident at Norfolk Southern alone over the previous six days, including two in Ohio, one of which killed a railroad conductor and another that involved four tanker cars (which were reportedly empty at the time). On Tuesday, a derailment of a Norfolk Southern tanker car in Verdigris, Oklahoma was caught on eyewitness video. Sparks can clearly be seen coming off the wheels of the car as it leaps the tracks.

In the early morning hours on Wednesday, a CSX train caught fire and derailed after hitting a rock slide in West Virginia. Three people were injured, and the accident spilled diesel fuel into the adjacent New River. Like the creeks in East Palestine, where vinyl chloride and other chemicals were spilled in the derailment and controlled release and burn last month, the New River is a tributary of the Ohio River, from which five million Americans get their drinking water.

This endless series of disasters on the railroads formed the backdrop for the hearing and exposed the fraudulent character of the proceeding, including blustering by various Senators and empty pledges by corporate executives to do better in the future. Meanwhile, the rampant cost-cutting and negligence which contributed to the disaster in East Palestine is continuing just as before.

The hearing was designed primarily to bolster the reputations of various senators while covering up the responsibility of Congress and the government for the disaster. The 16 members of the Committee who were members of the Senate last December voted 13 to 3 in favor of banning a national strike by 120,000 railroad workers, in which safety and understaffing would have been the key issues, and to impose a contract, brokered by the Biden administration that workers already rejected.

Sanders cast a meaningless no vote after he played a key role in the maneuvering by Democrats to use Republican opposition to adding a few sick days in order to cover for their own support. The expedited procedures used to pass the anti-strike law required, and received, unanimous support from the whole Senate. In the House, three members of the Democratic Socialists of America, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, voted for the bill.

Last month, Sanders also lept to the defense of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg over questions about his departments responsibility for the disaster, while also implying that the rail crew was to blame.

The first panel consisted of Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and J.D. Vance, a Republican, as well as Democrat Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. Various residents were invited to attend the hearing, but none of them were interviewed as witnesses. The senators instead left it to themselves to speak on their behalf. Brown and Vance have co-sponsored a bill in the Senate containing only minor safety improvements, which appear to be dead on arrival due to predictable opposition from a majority of Republicans. In the House, Republicans have refused to even hold a hearing on East Palestine.

While Casey and Brown both voted in favor of the anti-strike law, Vance did not vote only because he took office in January. He is one of a handful of extreme-right Republicans attempting to capitalize on the disaster from a right-wing populist standpoint, blaming the manifest indifference by the Biden administration on the fact that area residents were white and voted for Trump. This is absurd: both parties have long backed large corporations responsible for environmental disasters, regardless of the political leanings or race of those affected.

The most remarkable portion of the hearing was the testimony of Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw. In a vague, evasive opening statement, which was also published in the Washington Post, Shaw boasted about the progress weve made cleaning the derailment site, providing financial assistance to residents whose lives have been disrupted, and investing in the future of the community. In fact, residents have been largely left out to dry, with NS offering only to cover rental costs for one-and-a-half months for those forced to relocate, and even then only for those living within a mile of the accident site.

As for cleanup, the company, with the full support of the federal and state government, has been engaged in a cover-up, including an initial water sampling with serious methodological issues that was then used by the governor to claim that the towns drinking water was safe.

Earlier in the week, Norfolk Southern released a six point safety program, intended in part to give Shaw some talking points at the Senate hearing, which committed the company to hardly anything concrete.

The most prominent element in Shaws testimony was his provocative levels of evasiveness in response to direct questioning from senators about what the railroad planned to do. He gave no specifics on how much Norfolk Southern would spend to clean up the site or reimburse families for what they have lost.

Asked by Sanders if Norfolk Southern would commit to the long term medical needs of East Palestine, Shaw refused to make any definite commitment, declaring blandly that everything is on the table. Asked by Sanders if Shaw would support paid sick leave for all of his employees, he responded that I share your focus on our employees. I will commit to continuing to discuss with them important quality-of-life issues.

Sanders then asked Shaw about the railroads practice of Precision Scheduled Railroading or PSR, which creates dangerous conditions by keeping train crews on call 24/7. Again, Shaw sidestepped the question.

Shaw was asked by Democrat Jeff Merkley from Oregon if he would pledge to stop stock buybacks until a raft of safety measures have been completed to reduce the risk of derailments and crashes in the future. Shaw refused to make any such a pledge and only stated that he will commit to continuing to invest in safety. He even refused to endorse, at least without heavy qualifications, the rail safety bill co-sponsored by Brown and Vance.

While these responses evoked grumbling from the senators, meant for public consumption, Shaw was clearly calling the Senates bluff. He knew full well that, in spite of the hearing, Congress is fully committed to defending the bottom line of Norfolk Southern and the other railroads and helping to cover up the scale of the disaster.

This further underscores the fact that appeals to Washington and to either party will fall on deaf ears. Making whole the residents of East Palestine and other areas affected by derailments, and stopping the reckless profiteering that leads to accidents instead must be based on the independent mobilization of the working class.
With the NATO war against Russia in Ukraine now in its second year, events on campus at US universities have ever more openly assumed a pro-war character.

Two particularly sinister events took place in the week that marked the one-year anniversary of the war at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and Columbia University in New York.

At the University of Michigan, US Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman spoke on February 20 to an audience of about 400 people, most of them either academics or adherents of right-wing layers in the Ukrainian diaspora community. For almost a decade, Vindman has been directly implicated in the US war preparations against Russia, including as an advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and by co-authoring several US national security and military strategy documents that helped prepare the current war against Russia. For the past year of war, he has been part of what he called a subject matter group that regularly consults with the White House, the Department of Defense, the State Department and the Congress on the war in Ukraine.

Alexander Vindman testifying to the House Intelligence Committee on November 19, 2019 (House Intelligence Committee Footage)

At Columbia University in New York, the Harriman Institute for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies invited a leader of the neo-fascist Azov Battalion, Illia Samoilenko. The website of the Harriman Institute announced the event as a conversation with Azovstal Defender Illia Samoilenko, making no reference whatsoever to the avowed neo-Nazi orientation of the Azov Battalion. Members of the Battalion, which is now officially part of the Ukrainian armed forces, have repeatedly been photographed with swastikas. Its founder, Andriy Biletsky, has called for a crusade of the white nations of the world against the Semitic-led subhumans.

The announcement of the event with Azov Battalion leader Illia Samoilenko on the website of Columbia University. [Photo: WSWS]

These two events are not the exception, but the rule.

In over a year of war, not a single event has been organized by academics at a major university that honestly and seriously examined the historical and political origins of this warnot to speak of any events that would have opposed the extraordinarily reckless escalation of the conflict by NATO and above all the US. Rather, the events held at the most prestigious institutions in the US have been dominated by figures that are directly implicated in either the US government and military, the Ukrainian regime, or the US-backed opposition against Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia.

In other words, to the extent that meetings are held about the war on campuses, they are not serious academic or intellectual events but pro-war propaganda. Exploiting the lack of political and historical knowledge and understanding of the conflict, as well as the justified revulsion among workers and young people about the invasion and bombing of Ukraine by the oligarchic Putin regime, these events invariably cloud their own reactionary agenda as opposition to Putins war. But far from offering an anti-war perspective, they are pro-NATO and pro-war events.

The aim of these events is two-fold: First, they promote US war propaganda and thereby help create a climate of confusion and intimidation for the many students and workers who oppose the war but do not understand either the origins of the conflict or how to fight it. Second, many of these events form part of the elaboration of the strategies and policies of the imperialist war machine. A closer examination of them is therefore in order.

Promoting NATO and the Ukrainian regime of Volodymyr Zelensky

The most striking feature of the overwhelming majority of events on the warespecially at what are considered elite institutionsis that they almost invariably involve figures that are either directly related to NATO or the Ukrainian regime that was put in power by a US-backed coup in February 2014, or both.

At UC Berkeley, which has one of the most renowned departments for the study of Eastern Europe and Russia in the world, several of the relatively few events on the war that took place featured Inna Sovsun, a member of the Ukrainian parliament. Sovsun became the deputy minister of education after the 2014 coup in Kiev that overthrew the pro-Russian Yanukovich government. As part of an IMF-dictated austerity program, she implemented 10 percent cuts in education.

During the war, she has been meeting regularly with military and political figures in the US and Germany, while using her Twitter account to clamor for more weapons for Ukraine and post inflammatory anti-Russian statements such as, The war in Ukraine isnt Putins war. Its a war by Russians against Ukrainians. She was joined for discussion in the events at Berkeley by figures such as Janet Napolitano, Professor at Berkeleys Goldman School of Public Policy and the former Secretary of Homeland Security under Obama, from 2009 to 2013.

Another event at Berkeley last March was dedicated to Germanys new foreign policy. It was held just after the German government announced a massive 100 billion Euro rearmament program, tripling its defense budget and using Russias invasion of Ukraine as a welcome pretext. But far from offering anything approaching a critical historical examination of the implications of the largest rearmament of German imperialism since the fall of the Nazi Reich, the event featured Charles M. Huber, a former member of the German parliament for the right-wing CDU; Sudha David-Wilp, the deputy director of the Berlin Office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a foreign policy think tank that has been deeply implicated in the resurgence of German militarism; and Oliver Schramm, the consul general at the German Consulate General San Francisco.

The University of Michigan held a series of events involving former and current NATO policy figures. Before hosting Alexander Vindman in February, the university hosted an event on the war on October 13, 2022, with four former US ambassadors to discuss the wars implications for NATO.

On September 13, the universitys Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia featured the former Polish President Lech Waesa, who played a critical role in the restoration of capitalism in Poland. Last summer, Waesa publicly called for a NATO-instigated regime change in Moscow and the break-up of Russia. He urged NATO to either force [a] change of political system or to begin organizing an uprising, including by the 60 peoples who were supposedly oppressed in Russia. In Waesas words, the Russian population of 140 million should be brought back to less than 50 million. At the Weiser Center, Waesa gave the distinguished lecture on Russias War on Ukraine and Its Global Impact.

The arguably most important academic center for the promotion of NATO and the Zelensky regime, however, is Harvard University. The flag ship Ivy League school boasts an endowment of $53 billion and hosts the Davis Center for Russian Research, which has played a central role in the elaboration of US analyses and ideology with regard to the Soviet Union since the early days of the Cold War.

Harvard is also home to the Ukrainian Research Institute (HURI), which has close ties to and receives funding from the right-wing Ukrainian diaspora in the US and Canada. It is by far the biggest research institution on Ukraine in the US, if not the world, with an extraordinary 184 fellows, 31 associates and 27 fields of study.

The website of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University. [Photo: WSWS]

Over the past year, both the Davis Center and HURI have held a dizzying number of events on the war, including one with President Volodymyr Zelensky that was moderated by former U.S. Secretary of Defense and Belfer Center Director Ash Carter. Other events featured Alexander Vindman and Klaus Welle, the current Secretary General of the European Parliament who for several decades has played an important role in the elaboration of German foreign policy.

For the anniversary of the war in February, the Ukrainian Research Institute and the Davis Center co-organized a conference entitled Rebuilding Ukraine, Rebuilding the World that was dominated entirely by think tank and policy figures from NATO, the IMF and the Ukrainian government. Among them were the former foreign minister of Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkin, and John Herbst, who served as US ambassador to Ukraine during the US-backed Orange Revolution in 2004. Klimkin now works for the rabidly anti-Russian and NATO-affiliated Atlantic Council.

A portion of the program of the conference at Harvard University "Rebuilding Ukraine, Rebuilding the World" [Photo: WSWS]

In the opening panel, Joachim von Puttkamer, a historian at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, openly acknowledged, All our thinking circles around scenarios which imply a regime change in Russia. A closer look at Puttkamers co-panelists gives a sense of what this regime change in Russia would entail. One of Puttkamers co-panelists was Kateryna Shynkaruk, a lecturer at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, who used to work for the State Department on Ukraine policy. On the panel, she vehemently insisted that there could be no negotiated settlement with Putin.

On her social media, Shynkaruk has openly endorsed the apparent plans by the Ukrainian state to use the war to further the carve-up the Russian Federation in its existing form. In one Facebook post, she photoshopped an image to show the head of Ukraines armed forces, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, an avowed admirer of the Ukrainian Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera, beneath a map of a carved-up Russia. The map was found last December by journalists in the office of the head of Ukraines military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov. It shows the Russian Federation divided up between an enlarged Ukraine, which would take large portions of the Caucasus, and an enlarged Germany, France, China and Japan. Only a small portion of what is now the Russian Federation would remain as Russia, and a whole new Central Asian republic covering largely what are now the Urals region in Siberia would be formed. When Budanov was asked by journalists whether this map showed his goals in the war, he cynically replied, Everyone sees in it what they want to see in it. Perhaps this is just a broad marker. But perhaps it is more than that.

A post by Kateryna Shynkaruk on her Facebook account, suggesting that 2023 will see the carve-up of Russia under the leadership of Bandera-admirer Valeryi Zaluzhnyi. [Photo: WSWS]

Harvards Davis Center, along with Berkeley, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas Austin and a number of other leading US institutions, also co-sponsors a series called Decolonization in Focus, in which panelists discuss Decolonizing Russian & Eurasian Studies. The real political purpose of this series, which was coded in postmodernist jargon, was revealed in one its latest installments on March 3, Impact beyond the Ivory Tower. The Zoom event featured Erica Marat, who reported gloatingly on growing anti-Russian nationalist (decolonizing) sentiments in layers of the Kazakh population. Another speaker was Fatima Tlis, who railed against the Russian and Soviet empire both of which had supposedly perpetrated genocidal policies against the Circassians, a minority population from the Caucasus.

Both Marat and Tlis have ties to the military and the CIA. Marat works at the National Defense University in Washington D.C., an academic institution funded by the US Department of Defense. Tlis has worked as a journalist exclusively for outlets that are funded in whole or in part by the US government, such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Liberty. Last June, they also participated in a webinar hosted for the US Congress under the title Decolonizing Russia. The webinar falsely portrayed Russia as a colonial empire whose disintegration through the promotion by Washington of nationalist and separatist tendencies within the Russian Federation would supposedly constitute a progressive development. When the moderator of that event asked, Is decolonizing breaking up Russia? And if so, are there any risks associated with that? none of the panelists would give a clear answer because the only honest answer was, of course: Yes.

Erica Marat from the Department of Defense-funded National University of Defense at a June 2022 webinar for Congressmen and women "Decolonizing Russia". [Photo: WSWS]

The fraudulent promotion of this phony anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism stands in the most sinister traditions. Going back to the early days of the Cold War, US imperialism and especially the CIA have funded and promoted nationalist and separatists forces in the former Soviet Union in order to facilitate first the break-up of the USSR and then the establishment of direct imperialist control over the region after the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Following the Second World War, the newly founded CIA took over from the Nazis large portions of their foreign intelligence networks and their fascist allies, especially in Eastern Europe. This included neo-Nazi collaborators from the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, many of which had switched their allegiance from Nazi Germany to the US and Britain by 1943, but also nationalist and fascists from other nationalities, including various Muslim peoples, such as the Tatars and other ethnic minorities living in the Soviet Union.

In developing these far-right anti-Communist networks of former Nazi collaborators, the US ruling class also based itself on the concept of a so called Intermarium alliance that had been developed in the inter-war period by the Polish dictator Jozef Pisudski. The Intermarium, meaning between the Three Seas (a reference to the Black Sea, the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas), was to constitute an alliance of nationalist and far-right forces stretching from Poland, Belarus and the Baltics to the Caucasus, Ukraine and Romania. Its main goal was to destabilize and ultimately toppling the Soviet government through the promotion of nationalist and ethnic tensions. Over the past decade, the US and NATO have ever more openly re-adopted this strategy. The White House endorsed it under Trump in 2017, and the Biden administrations strategy in Eastern Europe amid the war also stands in this tradition.

Promoting and building up the US-backed anti-Putin opposition

The direct involvement of universities in the war and regime change operations of US imperialism also extends to Russia itself. This becomes clear upon an examination of events at Columbia University and New York University in New York, which have two of the most influential and best-funded centers for the study of Russia and the former Soviet Union. These are Columbia Universitys Harriman Institute, which has had connections to the CIA going back to its origins in the Cold War, and the Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia at NYU, named after the Russian oligarch Boris Jordan, who provided funds for its formation.

At both of these universities, events on the war have been dominated almost entirely by figures associated with the pro-NATO opposition in Russia as well as prominent anti-Russia war hawks from the Democratic Party and its affiliated media. Since the fall of 2022, Yevgenyia Albats, a Russian journalist who used to work for the liberal Russian Novaya Gazeta and has long-standing ties to the US-backed opposition, has been running an events series at NYUs Jordan Center. Among her invitees were:

Andrew Kramer, who used to report for the New York Times from Moscow. Kramer played a central role in the Times coverage of the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump, which centered on the Democrats insistence that Trump was endangering the preparation for war against Russia. Last summer, he was named the Times first chief of its Kiev bureau. In other words, he has long been a central figure in the US anti-Russia war propaganda machine.

Masha Gessen from the New Yorker who likewise maintains close ties to the US-backed opposition and used to head the Russian Service of the US government-funded Radio Free Liberty.

Anne Applebaum, a rabidly anti-Russian and right-wing journalist whose book Red Famine parrots the lies of the Ukrainian far-right diaspora about a supposed genocide during the Soviet famine in 1931-1933 that specifically targeted Ukrainians. Her husband is former Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski, who played a central role in Polands preparations for a war with Russia and endorsed the bombing of the German-Russian pipeline Nord Stream last year, effectively admitting that it had been carried out by NATO. Revelations since then have indicated that either the US Navy or US-backed Ukrainian forces carried out the bombing.

Last October, in a joint event by NYU and Columbia University, the 2022 Civil Courage Prize was awarded to Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned figurehead of the pro-NATO opposition to Putin in Russia. The ceremony also involved Leonid Volkov, Navalnys chief-of staff, and Maria Pevshikh, one of Navalnys closest collaborators, who met with former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just a few weeks after this event by NYU and Columbia. Navalny was granted the award for his supposed steadfast resistance to evil at great personal risk. The Civil Courage Prize, the board of which includes a former US ambassador, has previously been given to many other figures who are praised as democrats and resistance fighters because they have placed themselves directly in the service of imperialism.

As with virtually all the campus discussions of the war and Russia, the promotion of a figure like Navalny is aimed at both misleading and confusing students, and at providing a cover for the operations of imperialism.

While glorified in the Western media as a democratic opponent of Putin, Navalny, as with the US-backed anti-Putin opposition as a whole, has nothing to do with democracy. He speaks for sections of the same Russian oligarchy that Putin represents. Far from ever having been a popular figure in Russia, he has been built up systematically by the imperialist powers as part of the preparations for a regime change operation in Russia. Navalny has well-established ties to sections of the Russian elites as well as Russias neo-fascist scene. He has participated several times in Russian March, an annual event organized and attended by neo-fascists, ultra-nationalists and monarchists. He has called for the mass deportation of Muslim immigrants and has published inflammatory videos, advising people to become proper Russian nationalists. Moreover, he and his staff maintain ties to separatist tendencies in Russia.

Alexei Navalny in a nationalist propaganda video in which he is jokingly described as a "nationalist with a diploma", and dressed like a dentist. In the video, he compares immigrants to cavities and advocates their systematic mass deportation. [Photo: WSWS]

The promotion of such forces in Russia is a direct continuation of the policies and strategies pursued by the imperialist powers in Ukraine, where the US orchestrated the overthrow of two elected governments, one in 2004 and one in 2014. These revolutions were based on layers of the oligarchy, the state apparatus, and the upper middle class. The imperialist powers have sought to mobilize ultra-nationalist and even far-right forces in order to foster ethnic and other military strife in the region, break-up the entire former Soviet Union and bring its vast economic resources under the direct control of imperialism.

In these operations, the many war exiles, including disaffected and pro-imperialist intellectuals and journalists like Yevgeniia Albats, are playing an important role. In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine and especially after the partial mobilization order by Putin of September 2022, hundreds of thousands of largely wealthy and upper-middle class Russians fled the country. The CIA is now openly recruiting among these layers to advance the US regime change operation. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal last November, David Marlowe, the deputy director of operations at the CIA, told an academic at George Mason Universitys Hayden Center, Were looking around the world for Russians who are as disgusted with that [war] as we are. We are open for business.

The integration of privileged layers of academia into the US war machine

The fact that a cabal of war mongers and military planners, CIA figures and stooges of various sections of the Russian and Ukrainian oligarchy are paraded on US campuses without any meaningful opposition from academics begs a political and even a historical explanation.

Many of the campuses named above, including UC Berkeley, the University of Michigan and NYU, have traditionally been associated with left liberal politics and the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War period. Even during the mass protests against the Iraq war in 2003, many academics joined protests against this war and held public events or published articles examining the geopolitical interests of the US and the historical background to the war. But today, war plotters, CIA officials and their allies see these institutions as revolving doors and staging grounds for their recruitment operations and the promotion of war propagandaand they are barely even trying to hide it.

A war reveals and accelerates more fundamental socio-political processes that had long been at work in society. The outbreak of the NATO war against Russia in Ukraine has been the political vehicle for the full integration of a layer of privileged upper-middle class academics into the NATO war machine and propaganda.

Even serious historians of Ukraine and of fascism have seemingly abandoned all capacity of critical and historical thought, divorcing the present war from the entire antecedent history of the Russian revolution, the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the thirty years of US imperialist aggression that followed. This has created a dangerously degraded intellectual climate in which historical lies about the crimes of imperialism and Ukrainian fascism, such as those promoted by Timothy Snyder from Yale University, encounter barely any opposition or refutations from other historians.

Of course, this process did not begin in 2022. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, foreseen by no one in academia but then hailed as the conclusive proof that socialism was dead and that the end of history had come, accelerated a sharp shift to the right in layers of the middle class that had previously been associated with left-wing or left liberal politics. The thirty years of war by US imperialism abroad since 1991 were also thirty years of war on Marxism and any form of critical social thought at the universities. While the very concepts of progress, science and historical truth, were subject to relentless ideological and political attacks, the universities were transformed into centers for the promotion of postmodernism, racial and identity politics.

Underlying this climate of political and ideological reaction were fundamental shifts in class relations. While the working class, including large layers of academic workers, was subject to relentless assaults on its living standards, a small but significant layer in society, among them many professors, have enjoyed the benefits of substantial salaries and rising stock markets. The social interests of this layer are bound up entirely with the preservation of the capitalist system and the pursuit of imperialist war.

The emergence of a highly privileged layer of the upper middle class in academia was paralleled by the growing integration of the universities into the US state and war machine. All the universities cited above have intimate ties to the Democratic Party, the Pentagon, the CIA and the military.

Berkeley and the University of Michigan are part of the National Security Innovation Network, which is run by the Department of Defense. This relatively new program brings academics in direct contact with US military command structures as well as companies in the military-industrial complex. Its stated aim is to build networks of innovators that generate new solutions to national security problems.

NYU has extensive ties to CIA Democrats and is heavily involved in government-funded projects of mass surveillance. Columbia and Harvard, for their part, have long been central to the recruitment of the US ruling class as well as its military elite and the CIA. All of these institutions are run by boards of trustees comprised of individuals who are both extremely wealthy and closely tied to Wall Street and the American state apparatus.

There is little question that the events held now on campuses on the war are coordinated and organized closely with the representatives of the US government, the CIA and the military.

In direct opposition to these imperialist war events, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth and student movement of the International Committee of the Fourth International, is organizing an international series of anti-war meetings that will explain the historical and political origins of the war and elaborate an internationalist and socialist strategy to fight it.

The IYSSE meeting series spans five continents. In the US, meetings will be held in centers of the academic-military-industrial complex, including UC Berkeley, NYU, Harvard, San Diego State University and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

These meetings will address all the questions that the NATO war mongers and their hirelings in academia want young people to ignore: What are the historical roots of this conflict? What are the geopolitical and political interests of the imperialist powers? And, above all: How can this war be stopped?

We urge all students, young people and workers everywhere to attend and help build these meetings. Contact the IYSSE today and join the building of a global movement by young people and workers against this war and for socialism.
At least two people have died and some 25 million people in California are under either emergency evacuation and/or flash flood warnings after an atmospheric river storm delivered heavy rain and snow to many parts of the state beginning on Thursday evening and through Friday. As of this writing 34 counties are under a state of emergency, and forecasts estimate that rain will continue throughout the weekend.

People lay out sandbags on College Road in Watsonville, California Friday, March 10, 2023. [AP Photo/Nic Coury]

The storm, known as a Pineapple Express, due to its origins in the warm Pacific waters off the coast of Hawaii, has produced wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour and heavy rains leading to the downing of trees and power lines, flooding roads and multiple roof collapses. Despite the fact that the storm was predicted more than a week in advance, hardly any preparations were made by the state or federal governments to protect the population from the deluge.





In the town of Soquel, home to 10,000 people in Santa Cruz County, hundreds of families are trapped after the main road through the Santa Cruz Mountains washed out, forcing its closure. Its horrible, Heather Wingfield, a teacher who has a farm in Soquel, told reporters with the Associated Press. Hopefully no one has a medical emergency.



Kathryn Chandler, a Soquel resident, told the San Francisco Chronicle in an interview Friday, My whole family lives up there. Chandler was attempting to return home Friday, only to find the road had been destroyed. Local officials told the paper they hoped to have a temporary road built within 24 hours.





In Oakland, California, it is believed the storm played a major role in the partial collapse of a Peets Coffee distribution center early Friday morning. One worker, 57-year-old Martin Gonzalez, was killed in the collapse while another worker was sent to the hospital. The collapse is believed to have occurred around 3:15 a.m., according to the Oakland Fire Department.



In a statement issued Friday, Peets Coffee spokesperson Mary OConnell said Gonzalez had been employed with the company for more than a decade, I think 17 years, and that the death of the beloved, liked, well-respected employee ... it is really, really a shock for the employees, for all of us. OConnell said that the worker was a team lead and had arrived for work at 3:00 a.m., the beginning of his shift.



Had the roof collapsed 45 minutes later, OConnell said it could have landed on as many as 70 people. The break room is right in that area as well, she said. Its where people started their day. He was there getting ready for the day. Its unbelievable.



Hours earlier, Thursday night in rural Pioneer, California, about 60 miles east of Sacramento, the roof of the local Dollar General store collapsed while four workers were inside the building. According to the Amador Fire Protection District, miraculously no workers were injured. The department said the building was a total loss.

The fire department did not name a cause of the collapse, but photos posted online show piles of snow surrounding the building and a thick layer of snow on top of the buckling structure.

While the atmospheric storm on its own is a highly dangerous event, the damage it will cause, as shown with the roof collapse in Pioneer, has been exacerbated because it comes on the heels of a massive snowstorm that dropped multiple feet of snow across the state, leading to power outages and trapping thousands of people in their homes.

Collapsed roof of Dollar General in Pioneer, California [Photo: Amador Fire Protection District]

On Thursday, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office confirmed that it had responded to 13 death investigations since last months winter storm. The police said they are investigating eight of the deaths in relation to the storm. The other five deaths occurred in a hospice setting and will not be investigated.



In an interview with the New York Times, Crestline resident Rhea-Frances Tetley, 72, said she thought there were many more deaths left to be uncovered. Im sure they havent found everyone yet, she told the newspaper. I only was just able to get out of my house yesterday afternoon, and it took two strong men to dig out the driveway.



Tetley lives across the street from 93-year-old Elinor Dolly Aventatti, who the Times wrote was found dead bundled up in a chair in front of her fireplace, which had gone cold.



Barbie Hughes, 39, a local hardware clerk, was killed in late February after she was struck by a car while walking home. The day Hughes was hit, over a foot of snow had fallen in the area.



A San Bernardino resident told the World Socialist Web Site that he had never seen rain like this before. Or even snow. The ice storms were the worst. Even the mountain people arent used to this kind of weather. I dont think anywhere in California has the infrastructure to deal with this. He noted that a lot of elderly people live out here, and these deaths are just horrible.



In the mountain town of Big Bear Lake, home to just over 5,000 people, the Times noted that during a City Council meeting this week, local officials reported over seven feet of snow had fallen in the area in the last 15 days and that many tragedies occurred in town because residents were trapped in their homes without access to medical treatment.



On Friday, well after mass evacuation orders were in effect and thousands of homes and properties had been inundated with water, President Joe Biden authorized an emergency request from California Governor Gavin Newsom.



Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, multiple San Bernardino County residents reported a complete lack of support from the local government. Cedar Glen resident Mark Steven Young, 70, told the paper he had called over 20 different people or government agencies in the last two weeks while he was snowed in at his home, only to receive no response.



Kristy Baltezore, a Crestline resident, told the paper that during a welfare check she discovered that her neighbor had died. I have people calling me crying because theyre so exhausted, and theyre terrified that theyre not going to be able to save their neighbors lives because theyve been digging for days and days to get to people, she said.



I know there are people dead, Baltezore added. This is not good. We still have half our community we havent made contact with.



Pleading ignorance in order to cover for the criminal inaction which has led to the preventable deaths of over a dozen people, San Bernardino County Chief Executive Leonard Hernandez claimed in a recent video conference that county officials were not fully prepared for the storms and that there are a lot of lessons that were going to learn from this.
This week the corporate media in the United States and Australia launched a coordinated barrage aimed at preparing their populations for war against China in the very near future. Prominent articles in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age call for the introduction of mass conscription and preparations for Australia to host as many as 200,000 US military personnel.

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, left, meets Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. [AP Photo/Hilary Wardhaugh]

In the US, President Joe Biden has requested a record $1 trillion budget for military spending. This is both to escalate the US-NATO war against Russia over Ukraine and to boost the militarisation of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region in preparation for war with China, which is viewed as the main obstacle to US geopolitical dominance.

US imperialism is hurtling towards all-out war against Russia and China, in a desperate bid to resolve its historic decline, and to divert the explosive class tensions over social inequality within the United States. It is becoming increasingly clear that Russias invasion of Ukraine, provoked by the US and NATO, is only the opening stage of what threatens to be a catastrophic Third World War involving nuclear-armed powers.

Washington is demanding that its allies fall into line. This includes New Zealand, a minor imperialist power allied to the US and Australia, and a member of the US-led Five Eyes intelligence sharing network.

Successive New Zealand governments have sent soldiers to join the bloody US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and have welcomed the growing US militarisation of the Indo-Pacific over the past decade. The current Labour Party-led government has sent hundreds of NZ troops to Britain to help train Ukrainian conscripts, and has provided millions of dollars in funding for the war against Russia.

The government and the corporate media have been considerably more reluctant to openly join the belligerent US-led denunciations of China, for fear of damaging New Zealands most important trading relationship. In the year ending March 2022, China accounted for 26.8 percent of New Zealands exports, mostly dairy and other agricultural products.

With the media, politicians and military leaders in the US and Australia now declaring that war is inevitable, pressure is being applied to the New Zealand government to drop any pretence of a neutral or independent position.

On March 7, Newshubs Melissa Chan-Green asked Prime Minister Chris Hipkins whether he had been contacted by US officials regarding potential sanctions on China if they were to support military assistance [for Russia] in Ukraine. Hipkins refused to reveal what has been discussed with the US, but said New Zealand would take a very dim view of any other governments that were seen to be supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Beijing has denied Washingtons claim that it is considering providing weapons to Russia.

Three days later Newshub interviewed Scott Brown, a former US Republican senator who served as ambassador to New Zealand from 2017 to 2020. He declared that while New Zealand had to make its own decisions, China should face consequences for meddling and helping Russia. Brown, who was a US military officer during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hypocritically ranted that China was militarising islands, stealing our intellectual property and not playing by the rulesthat is, the rules set by US imperialism.

Addressing concerns about the impact on trade if New Zealand supported US moves against China, Brown said it will be up to the United States and all the other countries to backfill any loss New Zealand has in their trade.

Brown has a record of intervening publicly in New Zealands domestic politics. Following an inconclusive election in September 2017, he gave a series of extraordinary media interviews in which he made clear that Washington viewed the National Party government as too close to China and wanted the next government to take a tougher line against Beijing.

Shortly afterwards, the Labour-NZ First-Greens government was formed, with the right-wing and viciously anti-Chinese NZ First leader Winston Peters serving as foreign minister and deputy prime minister. NZ First, which is deeply unpopular in the working class, failed to win any seats in the 2020 election.

Browns reappearance sends a clear signal that Washington is closely observing NZ politics and is demanding a more decisive shift against China.

Canberra is also stepping up its collaboration with New Zealand in preparation for war. On March 9, the New Zealand Herald revealed that last October the Australian government spoke with New Zealand officials about domestic and international efforts to build resilience to economic coercion.

The newspaper quoted New Zealand academic Anne-Marie Bradya prominent anti-China hawk whose work has been funded by NATOdeclaring that China had a tendency to use trade as a weapon and New Zealand was over-exposed and needed to diversify its trade.

On the same day, Stuff reported that New Zealands spy agency, the Security and Intelligence Service, has been investigating Yuan Zhao, a senior public servant, for allegedly passing information to Beijing. Zhao, a New Zealand citizen who immigrated from China in 2006, said he was detained and interrogated at Wellington Airport last October. The SIS confiscated his phone and he was suspended from his job at the Public Service Commission.

No evidence has been released against Zhao, who maintains his innocence and has complained to the inspector-general of Intelligence and Security that he felt threatened by the SIS. The Chinese embassy denounced the allegations against Zhao, telling the media they were ill-founded, and with an ulterior motive to smear and attack China, which we firmly oppose.

Despite the lack of evidence, and the well-known close collaboration between the intelligence agencies and their US counterparts, the pro-Labour Party Daily Blog immediately declared: we have another Chinese Spy. The blogs editor Martyn Bradbury has echoed allegations made by Brady that the opposition National Party is a tool of Beijing, and demanded surveillance of NZs Chinese community. He has also regurgitated the far-right conspiracy theory that COVID-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory.

Last April, in response to the World Socialist Web Sites exposure of his militarist and anti-China propaganda, Bradbury published an inflammatory article demanding that the SIS openly investigate [the] Socialist Equality Group as Chinese enablers and for possible treason.

The Daily Blogs embrace of the SIS and frothing hostility towards anti-war socialists exposes the fraud of its claims to support a neutral foreign policy. Yesterday, Bradbury published an article supporting the Maori Partys proposal for a withdrawal from the Five Eyes. He declared: Lets be clear, not one of us wants to get tricked by America into fighting China.

The same article demanded a vastly larger military with military spending increased from the current level of less than 2 percent of GDP to 3 percent, in line with NATO and the US. The blog has aligned itself with elements in the political establishment and business elite, including Maori capitalists, who are in favour of stepped up preparations for war and the demonisation of China, while maintaining a pretence of independence.

History proves that there is no pacifist tendency in New Zealands ruling class, which sent tens of thousands of people to fight and die in two world wars, and which depends on a close alliance with the US and Australia to uphold NZs imperialist interests in the Pacific region and more broadly.

In the working class there is widespread and deeply-entrenched hostility to war, which has yet to find organised political expression. This requires the building of a socialist party, independent of all the parliamentary parties and hostile to the Labour-Greens government and its pseudo-left and liberal supporters. The fight against war is impossible without the fight to mobilise the international working class to overthrow its source: the capitalist system.
After two days of Western-back protests in Tbilisi, Georgias ruling Georgian Dream party has withdrawn a foreign agents bill that was viewed by the US and the EU as a threat to their interests. Georgia, a country of 3.7 million in the southern Caucasus, is regarded as strategically important in the NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, which has destabilized the entire region.

The protests that began on Tuesday saw violent clashes between the police and demonstrators and the arrests of dozens of people. The bill, titled On Transparency of Foreign Influence, was intended to force organizations such as media outlets and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to disclose whether they are backed by foreign money. Under the proposed legislation, organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad could be labeled foreign agents.

Similar anti-democratic measures were passed in Russia and intensified in June of last year, amid fears that Western governments, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, would ratchet up their support for so-called civil society groups and institutions.

Such organizations have been heavily funded by both the United States and the EU since the fall of the Soviet Union, and played a prominent role in staging the so-called Georgian Rose Revolution in 2003 and the Ukrainian Orange Revolution in 2004. In reality, no revolutions took place, and both cases merely marked the installation of US and NATO friendly regimes hostile to Moscow.

In 2014, Ukraines Western-funded civil society allied with the countrys far-right neo-Nazi groups to undemocratically bring down the Russian-backed government of Viktor Yanukovych and install a NATO puppet regime.

While the bill that the Georgian government sought to pass this week constituted an attack on democratic rights, there was nothing progressive about the political orientation of the protests in the countrys capital. In class composition and political outlook, they resemble those of 2003 in Georgia or 2004 and 2014 in Ukraine: they are rooted predominantly in layers of the middle class and led by the countrys pro-Western opposition. Protesters have been waving EU, US and Ukrainian flags and, from day one, the demonstrations were endorsed by US and EU officials.

The withdrawal of the bill is an indication of the intense pressure exerted by NATO and the pro-Western opposition on the Georgian government.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuaniaall NATO and EU members who have played a prominent role in escalating the war in Ukraine and promoting anti-Russian sentimentcondemned the draft law.

We call on the Parliament of Georgia to responsibly assess the real interests of the country and refrain from decisions that may undermine aspirations of Georgias people to live in a democratic country which is advancing towards the EU and NATO, the chief diplomats of each country wrote in a statement on the situation.

US State Department spokesman Ned Price made clear that the US viewed the bill as part of a larger struggle tied to the conflict in Ukraine and Washingtons ongoing proxy war against Russia.

Parliaments advancing of these Kremlin-inspired draft laws is incompatible with the people of Georgias clear desire for European integration and its democratic development, Price stated.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky threw his support behind the protesters, thanking them for waving the Ukrainian flag.

We want to be in the European Union and we will be. We want Georgia to be in the European Union, and I am sure it will be, Zelensky stated. We want Moldova to be in the European Union, and I am sure it will be. All free peoples of Europe deserve this.

The French-born Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has opposed the bill from the beginning and called for a quicker and shorter path into both NATO and the EU for Georgia. He described the introduction of the bill as part of a plot hatched in Moscow.

Clearly, Russia is not going to let go very easily, but Russia is losing its war in Ukraine, Zourabichvili said in an interview with CNN.

The ruling Georgian Dream has likewise supported the countrys integration into the EU and NATO, but it has at the same time tried to maintain good relations with Moscow. In contrast to Zourabichvili, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who is also the chair of Georgian Dream, supported the bill and called protesters part of the radical opposition. Since 2012, the party has pledged to normalize relations with Moscow over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

In 2008, then-Georgian President and darling of the United States, Mikheil Saakashvili, set off a disastrous war with Russia, after he initiated an artillery barrage on the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali. At least 162 civilians were killed.

The Georgian Orthodox Church, which plays a prominent role in Georgian society and politics, has likewise supported the foreign agents bill, as the institution views Western encroachments on its territory by other religious organizations and LGBTQ groups with hostility.

Amid the ongoing NATO-backed war in Ukraine, the protests in Tbilisi and the efforts by NATO against the bill make clear that the imperialist powers will not accept attempts by the Georgian Dream party to balance between Moscow and the West. They expect complete obedience to their plans to subjugate Russia and the entire former Soviet Union.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Wednesday the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut may fall into Russian hands in the coming days following months of intense fighting.

His remarks come as Russia's Wagner mercenary group, which has spearheaded the attack on Bakhmut, claimed to have captured the eastern bank of the industrial town that has been devastated in the longest battle since Moscow invaded.

In Stockholm, EU ministers were discussing plans to ramp up defence production and rush ammunition to Ukraine as it burns through thousands of howitzer shells each day.

Wagner chief and Kremlin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin said on social media Wednesday that his forces "have taken all of the eastern part of Bakhmut", a salt-mining town with a pre-war population of 80,000.

The intense fighting around Bakhmut has been the longest and bloodiest in Russia's more than year-long invasion, which has devastated swathes of Ukraine and displaced millions of people.

"What we see is that Russia is throwing more troops, more forces and what Russia lacks in quality they try to make up in quantity," Stoltenberg told reporters in Stockholm on the sidelines of an EU defence ministers meeting.

"We cannot rule out that Bakhmut may eventually fall in the coming days," the head of the US-led military alliance said, adding that "this does not necessarily reflect any turning point of the war".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in an interview with CNN what could happen if Bakhmut falls to Russian forces.

"We understand that after Bakhmut, (Russian forces) could go further" and attack nearby cities in the Donetsk region.

"They could go to Kramatorsk, they could go to Sloviansk, it would be an open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine, in the Donetsk direction," Zelensky said in an interview set to air Wednesday.

Russia aims for 'further offensive'

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told military officials during a televised meeting on Tuesday that taking control of the city would allow for "further offensive operations" in eastern Ukraine.

Prigozhin estimated the day before that between "12,000 and 20,000" Ukrainian troops were still defending the town.

Zelensky told CNN that his armed forces were resolved to stay in Bakhmut.

"Of course, we have to think about the lives of our military. But we have to do whatever we can whilst we're getting weapons, supplies, and our army is getting ready for the counter-offensive."

Zelensky on Wednesday hosted UN chief Antonio Guterres in Kyiv as he makes his third visit to Ukraine since Russia's invasion.

In a statement following the talks, Guterres underscored the importance of extending an expiring deal that has allowed Ukraine to export its grain.

"I want to underscore the critical importance of the rollover of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on 18 March," Guterres said.

EU defence ministers were meeting in Stockholm to discuss a plan to rush one billion euros worth of ammunition to Ukraine as pressure mounts on Kyiv's allies to bolster supplies to the war effort.

Ukraine's Western backers warn that Kyiv is facing a critical shortage of 155-millimetre howitzer shells as it fires thousands each day in its fight against the grinding Russian offensive.

"The current rate of consumption compared to the current rate of production of ammunition is not sustainable, and therefore we need to ramp up production," Stoltenberg said.

During a visit to Canada on Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen underscored a European resolve to ward off Russian aggression.

But a report by The New York Times on Tuesday claiming that US officials had seen new intelligence indicating a "pro-Ukrainian group" was behind last year's sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines could raise difficult questions among the allies.

"This is not our activity," Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told reporters in Stockholm.

'Glory to Ukraine'

As Russia said it was closer to capturing Bakhmut, Ukraine identified the man who was shot dead in a video that sparked outrage on social media as one of its soldiers.

The footage shows what appears to be a detained Ukrainian combatant standing in a shallow trench and smoking, and then being shot after saying "Glory to Ukraine".

"Based on a preliminary examination, we believe that the video may be authentic," a spokeswoman for the UN Human Rights Office told AFP on Wednesday.

In Kyiv, Guterres said the "shocking" footage was "yet another tragic reminder that the laws of war must be strictly respected".

Both sides have said the Bakhmut battle has cost a significant number of troops, though neither has given figures.

Ukrainian officials say around 4,000 civilians remain in the town, which has been virtually flattened, including dozens of children.

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The owner of Russia's Wagner Group military contractor claimed Wednesday that his troops have extended their gains in the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut, but it remained unclear how long the grinding fight might go on.

Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Kyiv for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on extending an agreement that allows Ukraine to ship grain from its Black Sea ports and permits Russia to export food and fertilizers.

The battle for the city the Ukrainians have dubbed fortress Bakhmut has become emblematic of the way each side has tried to wear down the other. Russian forces must go through Bakhmut to push deeper into parts of the Donetsk province they do not yet control, though Western officials say that capture of the city is unlikely to change the course of the war.

The battle for Bakhmut has lasted six months and reduced the city with a prewar population of more than 70,000 to a smoldering wasteland. Its not clear which side has paid a higher price.

Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose troops have spearheaded the fight in Bakhmut, said they have taken full control of all districts east of the Bakhmutka River that crosses the city. The city's center lies west of the river.

Neither Russian nor Ukrainian officials commented on Prigozhin's claim. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank that closely monitors the fighting, said Russian forces were likely in control in the areas cited by Prigozhin following a Ukrainian withdrawal.

Russian troops have enveloped the city from three sides, leaving only a narrow corridor leading west. The only highway west has been targeted by Russian artillery fire, forcing Ukrainian defenders to rely increasingly on country roads, which are hard to use before the muddy ground dries.

Zelenskyy vowed Monday not to retreat from Bakhmut after chairing a meeting with his top generals.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday that seizing the city would allow Russia to press its offensive farther into the Donetsk region, one of the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed in September.

In a blustery video statement recorded near a World War II monument in Bakhmut, Prigozhin echoed that rationale, saying the prospective Russian push would make the entire world shudder.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg acknowledged that the Russians could seize the city soon.

What we see is that Russia is throwing in more troops, more forces, and what Russia lacks in quality they try to make up in quantity," he told reporters on the sidelines of an EU defense ministers meeting in Stockholm. "They have suffered big losses, but at the same time we cannot rule out that Bakhmut may eventually fall in the coming days.

But like other Western officials, he played down the significance of Bakhmut's potential capture, arguing that this does not necessarily reflect any turning point of the war, and it just highlights that we should not underestimate Russia.

The Ukrainian military has already strengthened defensive lines west of Bakhmut to block the Russian advance, including in the nearby town of Chasiv Yar that sits on a hill. Farther west are the heavily fortified Ukrainian strongholds of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

The ISW observed that Russia was also likely short of the mechanized forces it would need to push on from Bakhmut.

On Wednesday, Russian forces shelled scores of towns and villages in the Donetsk region and other areas in Ukraines east and south, Ukraines presidential office said.

In Kyiv, U.N. chief Guterres was discussing the possibility of extending the agreement that has kept at least some of the country's exports flowing.

Ukraine and Russia are leading global suppliers of wheat, sunflower oil and other agricultural products, and Moscows Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine drove food prices higher across the world.

The current 120-day agreement expires on March 18, and Guterres said extending it for a second time is of critical importance.

Exports of Ukrainian  as well as Russian  food and fertilizers are essential to global food security and food prices, Guterres said.

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A deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to resume diplomatic ties has wide-reaching effects across the Middle East and beyond, and reduces the chance of armed conflict between regional rivals.

Heres a look at some of the countries that could be affected by the deal, struck this week in China:

YEMEN: Both Saudi Arabia and Iran are deeply embroiled in Yemens yearslong civil war. Saudi Arabia entered the conflict in 2015, backing the countrys exiled government, while Iran has backed the Houthi rebels who 2014 seized the capital, Sanaa.

Diplomats have been seeking a way to end the conflict, which has spawned one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters and turned into a proxy war between Riyadh and Tehran.

The Saudi-Iran deal may provide a boost to efforts to end the conflict.

LEBANON: Iran long has backed the powerful Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah, while Saudi Arabia has backed the countrys Sunni politicians. Easing tensions between Riyadh and Tehran could see the two push for a political reconciliation in Lebanon, which is facing an unprecedented financial meltdown.

SYRIA: Iran has backed Syrias President Bashar Assad in his countrys long war, while Saudi Arabia has backed the rebels seeking to topple him.

But in recent months, particularly after the earthquake that devastated both Syria and Turkey, Arab nations have moved closer to Assad. The diplomatic deal on Friday could make it more palatable for Riyadh to interact with Assad  and further strengthen the autocrats hand.

ISRAEL: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has wanted to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia, but the deal with Iran, his longtime nemesis, will complicate that.

It also could make Israel feel more alone if it decides to carry out a military strike against Irans nuclear program as it creeps closer to weapons-grade levels.

Already, the United Arab Emirates, which has normalized relations with Israel and long has been suspicious of Tehran, already has sought to ease tensions with Iran.

IRAN: Iran has faced withering international sanctions amid the collapse of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The Saudi-Iran deal could provide Tehran with new avenues to skirt sanctions. Already, Iran has deepened its ties to Russia and armed Moscow with bomb-carrying drones in its war on Ukraine.

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants to spend tens of billions of dollars on megaprojects to pivot the kingdom off crude oil amid threats imposed by climate change. Worrying about cross-border attacks only puts these projects in more doubt.

UNITED STATES: The Biden administration insists that it has always been in favor of any arrangement that can help reduce tensions in the Mideast, including the restoration of Iran-Saudi ties.

However, U.S. officials say they are skeptical Iran will follow through on its commitments but say they will be watching closely.

China's role in mediating the rapprochement may be a concern as it relates to the battle between Washington and Beijing for influence in the region and beyond, but the officials said it was far from clear if the Chinese efforts would be successful.

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Palestinian inmates in Israeli prisons say they will intensify their protest against measures taken by Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, according to Palestinian news agency WAFA.

For the 26th day in a row, thousands of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons continued their daily disobedience in protest against the Israeli government's treatment of prisoners, including wearing the brown prison uniform as a message of readiness for confrontation.

They have been mobilized during their exit to the prison yards, and hold sit-ins in the squares after the morning call to prayer.

Ben Gvir announced on January 8 his decision to cancel a policy which allows any lawmaker in the Israeli Knesset to visit incarcerated Palestinians in prison.

Since then, the Israel Prison Service has begun moving inmates and transferring them between the 20 prisons used exclusively for Palestinian political prisoners.

Approximately 140 Palestinian prisoners were transferred to Nafha in January. The prison is notorious for terrible living conditions, which some prisoners describe as inhumane.

The prison administration has yet to respond to prisoners' demands to stop implementing the procedures announced based on recommendations from Ben Gvir.

Moreover, the Israeli government's proposed new draft law that would allow the death penalty to be applied to any Palestinian convicted of murder on "terrorist grounds".

The law would allow for the death penalty to be used in both military and civil courts and applied through a unanimous court decision by two of three judges and without needing to consult the Military Prosecutor.

Critics argue the law is a continuation of the Israeli occupation's racist policies against Palestinians and would violate basic human rights.

According to WAFA, 4,500 Palestinians are currently detained inside Israeli occupation prisons, including 30 women and 160 children.

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The Supervisory Board of the Azerbaijan Investment Holding held a meeting, Azernews reports.

The agenda of the meeting, chaired by Azerbaijani Prime Minister and Chairman of the board Ali Asadov, discussed in detail the report on the results of the activities of portfolio companies transferred under the management of the holding in 2022, including financial results, the rules for determining key performance indicators and budget planning for portfolio companies, as well as corporate governance standards of Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC, AzerGold CJSC, Baku Metro CJSC, BakuBus LLC and Baku International Sea Trade Port CJSC, other issues.

Reports of the Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Investment Holding Metin Eynullayev and Chief Executive Officer Ruslan Alikhanov were heard.

At the end of the meeting, decisions were made on the issues discussed, relevant instructions were given to the board of the Azerbaijan Investment Holding.
Egyptian exports to China rose by 20.8 percent to $1.7 billion in the first 11 months of 2022, up from $1.4 billion in the same period in 2021, according to a statement released by Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

The trade exchange between Egypt and China increased by 2.6 percent during the first 11 months of 2022, hitting $14.9 billion compared to $14.5 billion during the same period in 2021.

Fuel, mineral oils and distillate products, cotton, and fruits made up the top 10 categories of goods that Egypt shipped to China in the first 11 months of 2022, totalling $1.3 billion, $104.3 million, and $76.8 million respectively.

Meanwhile, Egyptian imports from China totalled $13.2 billion in the first 11 months of 2022, up from $13.1 billion in the same time in 2021, representing a 0.6 percent rise.

The top 10 commodity categories that Egypt imported from China in the first 11 months of 2022 include organic chemical goods worth $868.5 million, and equipment and electrical gadgets worth $2.6 billion.

During the fiscal year 2021/2022, Chinese investments in Egypt totalled $563.4 million, a 16.1 percent rise from the fiscal year 2020/2021's $ 485.2 million.

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Where is the Beijing signing of a pre-normalisation agreement between Tehran and Riyadh coming from and where it could lead?

The news of an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to start normalising relations may have been expected in several regional and world capitals; however, it still raised eyebrows, especially in view of the fact that it was signed in Beijing on the sidelines of a key political Chinese event.

Saudi Minister for Security Affairs Mussaad Al-Aiban, Head of Irans National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, in the presence of Wang Yi, Chinas top diplomat, signed an agreement to resume diplomatic relations that had been severed in 2016 following the Saudi execution of a death sentence against a leading Saudi Shia clergyman and the subsequent attacks against Saudi diplomatic facilities in Tehran. The agreement stipulates a mutual respect for the sovereignty of both countries and allows for the resumption of security, trade and cultural ties.

Diplomatic sources in Cairo, the Gulf and Washington say that while it was expected that some sort of deal was being cooked between Iran and Saudi Arabia, given the talks that the two sides have been having with regard to the management of their proxy war in Yemen, the fact is that this agreement on the resumption of diplomatic relations is quite big news. It is more eye-catching, they say, that the signing took place in Beijing, a capital with no previous significant political role in the affairs of the Middle East  despite its large and expanding economic presence and its close and growing bilateral relations with Iran.

The Saudis and Iranians have been talking for over a year now, mostly in Oman and Iran; this much is clear, said an Egyptian government source who asked for his name to be withheld. However, he added, it is quite big to see the two countries, which had been actively denouncing one another repeatedly over the past few years, decide to move towards normalisation. We will see how things unfold because this is a layered relationship, he said.

The Yemen question

According to the announcement on Friday, the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia are expected to meet within the coming weeks  eight weeks maximum  to decide on the next move for normalisation. Gulf-based sources say that much of what could come out of this meeting depends on how both sides will manage the situation in Yemen, where Riyadh and Tehran have been supporting conflicting sides in a civil war that broke out right after the ouster of Yemens former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2011.

Yemen is almost the ultimate test for the path of this recent diplomatic shift that the Iranians and Saudis decided to take, argued Khaled Okasha, head of the Egyptian Center for Strategic Studies. And according to a Gulf-based diplomatic source, the Saudis are keen to end the war in Yemen, as it has proved to be quite taxing and has not achieved its key objectives.

If Iran plays clean in Yemen and decides to encourage its Shia allies, the Houthis, to move towards an agreement with the Saudi-supported Yemen Presidential Council, then things could move on the right track, he added.

It was in March 2015 that the Saudis led a coalition to deter the Houthis control of significant parts of Yemen. The Saudis received intelligence and logistical support from several countries in and out of the region.

Political researcher Karim Ahmed argued that at this point in time, it is in the interest of both the Saudis and Iranians to work on reaching a deal on Yemen because neither country is interested in continuing this open-ended war that has come at a great cost to the Yemeni people. He added that it is possible to see some good signs in the recent UN announcement of its plan to remove oil from a stricken Yemen tanker. A detente between Tehran and Riyadh could certainly give a boost to this scheme, he argued.

Less than 24 hours before the announcement of the Beijing deal, the UN said that it reached a deal on the purchase of a vessel that will allow for the removal of more than a million barrels of oil from a decaying super tanker that has threatened a major oil spill in the Red Sea, with shocking environmental, health and trade consequences.

A Washington-based diplomat, however, argued that one should not jump to conclusions about how far the recent announcement would impact the developments in Yemen because Iran would not necessarily be so cooperative about striking a comprehensive deal on Yemen  although it might eventually do so. A reduction of hostilities is certainly possible, but a total end to the war is another story, he argued.

A complex situation

Meanwhile, the same Washington-based diplomat said that there are more consequential questions to be asked in relation to the recent diplomatic announcement. Those, he said, certainly include the kind of tacit agreements that the two countries would reach on other areas of contested influence between Iran and Saudi Arabia, particularly with regard to Iraq and Lebanon.

It is really hard to think that Iran would forgo its influence in any of the countries of the region where it has a significant influence, he said. The issue, he argued, would be about the implicit demarcation lines of power that Riyadh and Tehran would agree to  be it in Yemen or elsewhere across the spaces of conflicting interest in the region. This is why, he said, it would be a mistake to jump into qualifying the recent announcement as a Saudi-Iranian reconciliation pact  it is too premature for this; if this is possible in the first place, he said.

Gulf-based diplomats say that it is hard to assume that a tentative agreement on non-interference  which is mainly about the Iranian influence over the Shias of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, or the indirect Saudi influence over the Sunnis of Iran  and on a de-escalation scheme for Yemen could dispel a long and profound Sunni-Shia rivalry.

The two countries have often made a point of avoiding a full-on confrontation  political or otherwise, said one. He argued that one way or the other, the bras de fer would continue, but maybe in softer ways.

Meanwhile, according to the Washington-based diplomat, it is hard to disregard the fact that the wish of both Saudi Arabia and Iran is to accommodate Chinas wish to be the dealmaker in this diplomatic agreement. The Iranians have incredible trade and political interests with China, especially in view of the failure of Tehran to reach a new nuclear deal with the West and the Saudis wish to expand their ties with the Chinese, as has been demonstrated with the Saudi hosting of an Arab-Chinese summit last year, shortly after having hosted a US-Arab summit, he said.

Speaking from Washington, the Gulf or in Cairo, diplomatic sources agreed that China is the number one winner of this Beijing-hosted signing of a Saudi-Iranian agreement. China, said one, has liberated itself from the tight-rope walk it had committed to as it worked on expanding relations with both Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Chinese were very careful not to go too far in their alliance with Iran  despite a 2021 signed strategic deal of cooperation for 25 years  to avoid upsetting Saudi Arabia, and China has been cautious in advancing its relations with the Saudis, or for that matter with the UAE, despite the strategic agreements signed with both countries, in order to avoid upsetting Tehran, he explained.

China-US rivalry

Meanwhile, the same diplomatic sources say that with the Friday announcement, China has scored on the US, which has been pushing back against the expanding Chinese influence in the Middle East  and for that matter in Africa  during the past year. Previously, they explained, Chinas presence in the region was mostly economy-oriented, but now it has taken a political profile.

According to Mohamed Fayez, a senior expert on Asian affairs at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, it has been a while now that China has been walking its path to give a political imprint to its ties with the Middle East. He explained that for over two years, China has been trying to play a direct role in the Palestinian-Israeli file and has actually been considering ideas about a security agreement for the Gulf region.

Neither attempt, he said, had really picked up. But maybe now with the Beijing signing of this Saudi-Iranian pact, Chinese diplomacy might act to re-invigorate these initiatives or to offer some new initiatives along the line of its economic cooperation schemes, including the most ambitious Belt and Road initiative.

Diplomats in Washington and the Gulf agreed that while Washington has joined the wider international community in welcoming the recent China-sponsored agreement, it is certain that foreign policymakers in the US capital now are getting more worried about Chinas next step in the Middle East, which the US has been getting less involved in, as part of its focus to put a lid on the growing Chinese influence.

In an article he published on the Washington-based Center for Strategic International Studies, Jon Alterman, a senior researcher, argued that the Joe Biden Administration has already spoken of the need for regional security dialogues and is presumably supportive of this agreement least in general lines. He added that while the US remains the preponderant military power in the Gulf, the US must also be coming to see China as a country with a powerful and rising presence in the Gulf.

Chinas presence in the region will only expand  even if slowly but surely, Fayez argued. However, he added that it is hard to think that today, China has the military or security capacity to replace the US military and security role in the region.

In remarks on his Twitter account, informed and well-connected UAE political scientist Abdoullah Abdulkhaleq said that China cannot replace the US in the region and that Iran remains the biggest threat to regional stability and Gulf security. Anwar Gergash, the Emirati Minister of State for foreign affairs, has welcomed the China-sponsored deal and said that his country hopes that the deal will help regional security and stability.

Other players, other factors

The UAE has already been ahead of Saudi Arabia in pursuing a detente with the Iranians. Last summer, the UAE and Iran announced their plan to resume diplomatic relations that were severed over six years ago.

Qatar and Oman, who are also members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, with a Riyadh headquarters, have traditionally established good economic cooperation and well-managed political relations with Iran.

Kuwait has also been avoiding any significant fallouts with Iran, especially after its liberation from a months-long Iraqi occupation in February 1991. Bahrain, with a considerable Shia population, remains very apprehensive about Iranian intentions even after the signing of the recent agreement with Saudi Arabia.

According to the Washington-based diplomat, a breakthrough in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia  and we cannot say we have one yet  does not mean a wider breakthrough in Iranian relations across the region. There are different dynamics involved, he said.

He added that at the same time, it would be wrong to assume the Iranian-Saudi rapprochement is going to cancel the slow but serious talks that Riyadh and Washington are having over a possible Saudi normalisation with Israel.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Neftali Bennett had a very critical reaction to the Saudi-Iranian agreement on Friday. Bennett blamed the move on the failed policies of the current Israeli government of Benyamin Netanyahu. However, sources in Washington and the Gulf say that Netanyahu is actually working with Washington on a possible deal that could lead to the big prize of normalisation with the Saudis.

The trouble is, the Gulf sources say, that while Washington might be willing to accommodate Riyadh in its requests for a package to sell to the Saudi public opinion as a trade-off for Saudi-Israeli normalisation, it is not certain that Netanyahu would wish to accommodate the Saudis, and for that matter the Americans, on giving something to the Palestinians to make it possible for the Saudi leaders to reassure their public on the Saudi position vis-a-vis the Palestinian Cause, and particularly that of Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, an Egyptian government source said it is simply too superficial to assume that the Saudi-Iranian deal would have a diplomatic domino effect that could produce a resumption of Egyptian-Iranian diplomatic relations that were cut since 1979, upon the early years of the rule of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.

It does not work this way; traditionally we have accommodated the Saudi concern and that of other Gulf countries with regards to the worries over Iranian hegemony, but we also have our concerns and we base our policies upon these concerns and upon our interests, he said.

A top concern for Egypt has always been the wish of Tehran to expand an Islamist-style rule across the region to support movements that pursue militant resistance to Israeli occupation  something that Cairo thinks is unhelpful to the chances of having a peaceful situation for the Palestinians under Israeli occupation. Moreover, Cairo has always maintained, throughout all attempts of a diplomatic rapprochement, that it cannot be upgrading diplomatic relations with Iran for as long as Tehran keeps the name of Khaled Al-Islamboli, a key member of the Islamic group that assassinated President Anwar Sadat in 1981, on one of the main roads of the Iranian capital.

Egypt was one of the first countries that welcomed the Saudi-Iranian agreement.

According to Okasha, this falls within the parameters of the Egyptian foreign policy scheme of pursuing political solutions to regional conflicts. We think that this is essential for regional stability and we have been pursuing this path, for example with Turkey, despite deep and profound differences of the past few years, Okasha said.

According to Okasha, in a moment of considerable international upheaval due to the war on Ukraine, and in view of the many open regional conflicts since 2011, including those in Yemen, Libya and Syria, any political agreement to dissolve a conflict is certainly a good development. Okasha added that the countries of the region, not just Saudi Arabia, will be watching closely to follow the Iranian political choices in the coming weeks and months.

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PORTSMOUTH  The Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team is among the headlining performers announced for the 2023 Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show. The list also includes a Jelly Belly-sponsored aerobatic performer and pilots from the Massachusetts and Vermont Air National Guards.

The show is set for Sept. 9-10 at the New Hampshire Air National Guard Base at Pease, home of the 157th Air Refueling Wing and a fleet of KC-46A Pegasus tankers.

"Weve got a pretty solid military lineup for this years show," said Herb Gillen, promoter and producer for the event.

The last Thunder over New Hampshire Air Shows at Pease in September 2021, headlined by the Air Force Thunderbirds, drew an estimated 50,000 people. The 2023 show could be slightly smaller due to construction on the base, according to Gillen.

The U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team is scheduled to fly at the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show Sept. 9-10, 2023.

Tickets, parking passes for Pease show available soon

Admission to the show is free, but Thunder Over New Hampshire requires attendees to register for a free parking pass ahead of the event, as space is limited. The public can begin ordering tickets and parking passes starting on Tuesday, March 21 at 8 a.m. The air shows Insights members, however, will be able to reserve free parking passes and purchase tickets in advance, beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 18.

Premium parking passes closer to the show line will be available for $75.

Information: thunderovernewhampshire.com

What to know about Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team and other aircraft

The Air Force F-16s, which each weigh close to 20,000 pounds without fuel, can reach 1,500 mph. The Pease shows will also feature Vermont Air National Guard F-35A Lightning IIs, the Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15 Eagles and the KC-135 demonstration team from Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington.

The Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15 Eagles are scheduled to fly at the Thunder Over New Hampshire Air Show Sept. 9-10, 2023.

Rounding out the lineup is the Air Force C-17 Globemaster Demo aircraft and the New Hampshire Army Guard UH-60 Blackhawk.

Never miss a story: Follow local news on the Seacoastonline mobile app or the Fosters.com mobile app

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Special performers will bring aerobatics and jelly beans to Pease

The show will also feature the U.S. Special Operations Command Para Commandos, which is an aerial parachute demonstration team, and individual aerobatic performers Rob Holland and Kent Pietsch.

A New England native, Holland now operates his own aerobatic flight school after accruing experience as a corporate pilot, commuter pilot, flight instructor and ferry pilot. Holland operates the 1,200-pound MXS-RH aircraft.

Seacoast real estate spring 2023:What home buyers can do in a tough market

Pietsch is sponsored by Jelly Belly, according to Gillen, who noted the performer comes equipped with bags of jelly beans for the crowd and has three main acts. One features him landing his aircraft on the back of a truck while it is traveling 60 mph on a runway. Pietsch, who has performed at over 400 air shows since 1973, flies an 800-pound Interstate Cadet with a 37-foot wingspan and additionally performs a dead stick routine in which he cuts the engine at 6,000 feet in the air and dazzles crowds with tricks as the plane descends.

The 2023 event will additionally include dozens of static aircraft for the public to view.

Its a great community. The folks that work at Pease are fantastic, Gillen added. Its a very patriotic community. Being with the people and seeing the faces of people, especially of the kids, light up when they get to meet a performer or see their favorite aircraft is my favorite part of the show.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 2023 Thunder Over NH Air Show at Pease: Parking passes, F-16 Vipers
Three women have been missing for two weeks after traveling from Texas to Mexico for a shopping trip, authorities said.

The women -- Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53, Marina Perez Rios, 48, and Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47 -- have been missing since Feb. 25, according to missing person posters posted by the Local Commission for the Search of Persons in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.

PHOTO: A missing poster for Marina Perez Rios. (Local Commission for the Search of Persons)

PHOTO: A missing poster for Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios (Local Commission for the Search of Persons)

Two of the women are from Penitas, a Texas town on the U.S.-Mexico border, Penitas Police Chief Roel Bermea told ABC Rio Grande Valley affiliate KRGV. The three left on Feb. 24 to go to a flea market in Montemorelos, a city in Nuevo Leon, he told the station.

Saenz is a friend of the Rioses, who are sisters, The Associated Press reported.

PHOTO: A missing poster for Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz. (Local Commission for the Search of Persons)

Penitas police started looking into their disappearance after the husband of one of the missing women contacted the department, Bermea said. Though after several days with no contact, his investigator contacted the FBI "to see what they could do," the chief said.

"We did contact the FBI to let them know the ladies were considered missing," Bermea told KRGV, adding that there's "not much we can do ourselves" in a missing persons case in another country.

MORE: 5 alleged Mexican cartel members charged in kidnapping of 4 Americans

The FBI confirmed in a statement to KRGV that it is aware of the matter but that "no information is being provided at this time."

According to the Attorney General's Office of Nuevo Leon, which is leading the investigation, U.S. authorities have not intervened in the search because the women are not American citizens, but Mexican nationals living in the U.S.

PHOTO: Investigators in Mexico conduct a search in an area between China, Nuevo Leon, and Mendez, Tamaulipas, for three women who disappeared in late February. (Nuevo Leon State Prosecutors Office)

Drones, all-terrain vehicles and canines have been deployed in the search, according to the Attorney General's Office of Nuevo Leon, which said in a statement Tuesday that search operations are being carried out daily. Investigators were looking to coordinate with authorities in the neighboring state of Tamaulipas to strengthen the search there, as the women's families believe "that the event occurred there," the office said.

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News of their disappearance comes after four Americans were kidnapped shortly after crossing the border into Matamoros, Mexico, which is in Tamaulipas just south of Brownsville, Texas, on March 3. Two of the Americans, including one who was traveling to the region for a cosmetic procedure, were rescued on March 7, though two were found dead. Five alleged Gulf Cartel members have since been charged with aggravated kidnapping and murder.

Bermea told KRGV this is the first time they are investigating a disappearance in another country.

PHOTO: In this screen grab from video, Penitas Police Chief Roel Bermea is interviewed. (KRGV)

"We're just concerned," he told the station. "We really haven't had any other incidents that I can recall of something like this happening in another country."

MORE: Everything we know about the kidnapping of 4 Americans in Mexico

The women were traveling in a green mid-1990s Chevy Silverado, authorities said. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI or the Penitas Police Department at 956-581-3345.

ABC News' Victoria Beaule and Anne Laurent contributed to this report.

3 women missing for 2 weeks after traveling from Texas to Mexico originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
April showers bring May flowers. Fortunately, this month also is showering travel enthusiasts with savings on hotels, cruises, and more.

Following a flurry of discounts and deals announced in March (some of which are ongoing, with details below), Conde Nast Travelers latest batch of offers includes stellar savings on destinations near and far, at a variety of price points. Travelers can pick from deals on bucket-list adventures (ATV touring in Iceland! A cruise to Antarctica! A Kenyan safari!) or offers in popular spring break hotspots like Los Angeles and Miami.

The savings continue with a slew of hotel deals, from off-the-top discounts on room bookings to extra-night-for-free offers across the globe. Theres something for every traveler and trip, whether you fancy wrapping up the ski season in Flagstaff, a family-focused escape to southern Portugal, or, further abroad, a glitzy trip to Dubai. Hilton also is offering guest credits from $150 per stay at more than 50 participating properties.

Finally, cruise enthusiasts have plenty to pick from, including a 30 percent off savings on two stunning new routes from Hurtigruten Norway and just-announced savings for solo travelers on dozens of routes by Scenic and Emerald Cruises. And some of the best cruise deals on offerup to 60 percent off luxury European river cruises on Uniworld and a two-for-one passenger deal on Antarctic cruises from Atlas Ocean Voyagesexpire on March 31, 2023, so act fast to take advantage of those spectacular savings

Without further delay, here is our list of the most valuable travel deals to book while you can.

Flight deals

Train deals

Tour deals

Hotel deals

Cruise deals

More deals

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Alex Erdekian.

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691610536 Getty

Flight deals

Save on round-trip flights to New Zealand with Air Tahiti Nui

Air Tahiti Nuis Explore New Zealand rate will get Los Angeles and Seattle travelers to Auckland and back on a discountstarting at $975 round-trip per personfor all flights booked by April 24, 2023, and scheduled between now and the end of June. The flights are built for comfort, with pillows, blankets, entertainment, food, alcohol, and amenity kits up for grabs, and one checked bag is included in the reservation.

Book now with Air Tahiti Nui

Get free kids flights with Frontiers membership program

Frontier Airlines Discount Den membership costs $60 per year plus a one-time enrollment fee, but new memberships come with an instant $50 voucher as a consolation, and more importantly, ongoing savings. The Discount Den is best for travelers with kids, or those who travel in groups often: Kids 14 and under can fly free on select flights, if youre flexible with travel dates, and special member rates can apply for up to nine travelers on your reservation, extending the benefits to companions. To make a profit, youll want to plan a few trips throughout the year, or travel with multiple people.

Book now with Frontier

23-year-olds are now eligible for United's young adult discount

23-year-olds, everyone thinks you're still babies! And the downside is that you often have to pay under-25 fees for car and vacation rentals (if the company or host will take you at all)but there's good news too: You can now fly for cheaper with United. The airline's young adult deal has existed since 2019, but previously only included 18-22-year-olds. The five percent-off discount, which applies for certain flights, can be booked through the United app.

Rocky Mountaineer Cameron Davidson/Courtesy Rocky Mountaineer

Train deals

Save big on Amtraks Southern California and New England journeys

Weekend trips to the California coast are easier now, with the return of Pacific Surfliner trains connecting Los Angeles and San Diego. To celebrate the route reopening on weekends, travelers will get 25 percent off trips along the train route for a brief time. More details on booking here.

If you prefer the beaches of the Northeast, Amtrak has something for you, too. Tickets on the Downeaster train, which runs five round-trips between Boston and Maine each day, are now eligible for a buy one, get one half-off deal. The special discount runs through December 2024, so you have plenty of time to enlist a travel buddyjust book at least three days in advance! More details on the Maine discount here.

Book now with Amtrak

Tour deals

Stay at the Slieve Donard in Ireland, see Game of Thrones film sets

Game of Thrones fans, heads up: the Slieve Donard, an upscale, 218-room property in Ireland, is unveiling a renovation this summerand on tap for GoT-loving guests is a package complete with a studio tour near the area where the beloved series was filmed. Nightly rates are about $213 for the Game of Thrones Studio Tour Package, which includes overnight accommodations and breakfast every morning at Slieve Donard and, of course, tour tickets. This interactive experience transports fans to Westeros via a massive collection of sets, costumes, and props from the series. Prices start at about $213 per nightsignificantly lower than standard rates, which begin at about $425.

New tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi includes airfare, accommodations, and morefor under $1,000

Seven nights accommodation in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, daily breakfast, activities and transfers, and airfare from the USall for under $1,000is a pretty impressive deal, but thats the latest offering from tour operator Indus Travels. Priced at $999, the newly announced Magic of Dubai itinerary starts in Dubai and ends in Abu Dhabi; the rate does not include a daily tourist tax of about $5. To book, visit here.

Book now with Indus

Hotel deals

Save hundreds on a spring holiday at Martinhal Sagres, a family-friendly resort in southern Portugal

The just-announced, 7-night Feels Like Summer Family Special offer at Martinhal Sagres, an upscale, family-friendly resort on the rugged southwest corner of Portugal, is an idyllic choice for a coastal getaway without the summer crowds. Starting from about $225 per night, the deal is good for two adults and one baby in a beach room and includes two three-course family meals during the stay (beverages not included); daily one-hour complimentary use of tennis or padel tennis courts; and other extras. For a larger group, rates for a two-bedroom house start at about $294. (Another huge parental perk at all Martinhal properties: free daily childcare.) With minimum nightly rates in June jumping to $475, this is a value-packed deal for families who want to enjoy a spring break holiday in Portugalarguably one of the worlds most in-demand destinations at the momentwithout breaking the bank. The offer is valid for stays from April 15 to May 19, 2023; to book, visit here.

Book now with Martinhal Sagres

Get an activity or adventure credit per stay at more than 50 Hilton properties

Just announced from Hilton, the Make My Stay offer (bonus points if you say it in your best Clint Eastwood accent) gives back to guests in the form of an activities or adventure credit during their stay. Its available at more than 50 participating Hilton properties in Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Tahiti, and most offer a $150 credit per stay (though luxury resorts can range from $350 to $1,000). Guests can spend their credit on spa treatments or dining; the deal is available now through December 31, 2023. To book, visit here.

Book now with Hilton

James Baigrie/Courtesy Miraval Austin Wellness Resort & Spa

Enjoy a $225 nightly resort credit at Miraval Resorts & Spas

If a relaxing, rejuvenating getaway is what youre craving this spring, the Wellness Days sale by Miraval Resorts & Spas is all about serenity and saving. For trips booked now through April 30, guests at any of the brands three properties can enjoy a $225 nightly resort credit that can be used toward spa services, workshops, and more. With locations in Tucson, Arizona; Austin, Texas; and Lenox, Mass., each property offers a distinct atmosphere reflective of its geography. To book, visit here.

Book now with Miraval Resorts

Get 20 percent off nightly rates and a $100 daily resort credit at Beach Enclave Turks & Caicos

This butler-serviced villa resort in Providenciales is welcoming families this summer with 20 percent off the best available rate, plus a $100 nightly resort credit (and a gift for kiddos under 12), for travelers who book between April 14 and June 30, 2023. Travel must take place from April 14 through December 18, 2023. Activities on tap for kids and teens this summer include bone fishing excursions, sailing lessons, and private cooking classes. To book, visit here or email experiences@beachclave.com.

Book now with Beach Enclave

Save 30 percent on rooms at Fairmont Mayakoba to celebrate the propertys 17th anniversary

To mark its 17th year, the 401-room Fairmont Mayakoba in Mexicos Maya Riviera is offering 30 percent off on stays from May to December 2023but hurry, as the deal expires on March 31, 2023. In addition to the discounts, guests will receive an upgrade at the timing of booking (based on availability), as well as extras including an on-site bird-watching boat tour, use of bicycles, and guided catamaran tours.

Book now with Fairmont

Mondrian LA Courtesy Mondrian LA

Sweet suite deals of 20 percent off at Mondrian Los Angeles

Level up your L.A. vacay with discounted suites at Mondrian Los Angelestheyre currently 20 percent off and also come with a $25 daily in-room dining credit and guaranteed late check out of 1 pm (early check-in is based upon availability; the deal also is subject to availability, and blackout dates may apply). The suites offer travelers a spiffy home base right in the heart of West Hollywood, and the propertys dreamy rooftop pool is a perfect way to wind down after a day of sightseeing and celeb spotting.

Book now with Mondrian Los Angeles

Save big on a southern Iceland hotel this spring

Icelands dramatic fire-and-ice landscapes make the volcanic island country a must-visit destination for adventure-minded travelers, and an excellent deal from Hotel Ranga in the southern region is a great excuse to make the trip. This spring, guests at the 51-room boutique property can take advantage of 30 percent off stays in April or May, as well as 35 percent off adventure tours like snowmobiling atop a glacier or an ATV trip with outfitter South Coast Adventure.

Book now with Hotel Ranga

Ski and save 30 percent at Little America Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona

Enjoy some late-season skiingand savingat Little America Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona, where the second-snowiest winter on record has dumped more than 385 inches so far this season. An easy, 30-minute drive from the mountain, the iconic property beckons powder enthusiasts with a Ski & Save Package on weekdays through April, with 30 percent off their purchase at Arizona Snowbowl and 20 percent off rooms.

Book now with Little America Flagstaff

Save 20 percent on rooms booked 30 days in advance at Dubais Palace Downtown

A luxe hotel located near the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain, the Palace Downtown is currently offering 20 percent of rooms booked at least 30 days in advance. All stays include tickets to Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, but onsite, youll find plenty to keep the entire family entertained, from a large swimming pool to a kids club.

Book now with Address Hotels

Extend your stay at Fontainebleaus luxury Miami Beach hotel

At Fontainebleau Miami Beach, the longer your stay, the higher your savings will be. For travel through April 6, 2023, guests can receive 20 percent off a four-night stay (15 percent off for three nights and 10 percent off for two nights). Fontainebleau will also toss in a $100 resort credit to be used on the 22-acre property, home to 15 bars and restaurants at your disposal. Guests have access to pools, a gym, fitness classes, sunrise yoga, kayaks, paddle boards, and bicycles, plus an idyllic Miami shoreline.

Book now with Fontainebleau

Regent Seven Seas

Cruise deals

Save 30 percent on two new spectacular cruises from Hurtigruten Norway

In celebration of its 130-year anniversary, longtime cruise operator Hurtigruten Norway is launching two new cruisesthe 16-day Svalbard Express (which runs in summer) and the 10-day North Cape Express (the winter route)both at 30 percent off, which can add up to about $2,000 in savings. Sailings will take place on the MS Trollfjord, which was renovated in 2023, and in addition to the deep discount, the operators Northern Lights Promise (which means that travelers get a second free voyage if they sail during the auroral season and the Northern Lights do not occur) also applies to the new routes.

Book now with Hurtigruten Cruises

Sail away with serious savings on Seabourn Cruises

Guests who book with The Sail Away Event from Seabourn can take advantage of up to 15 percent on select ultra-luxe Ocean Voyages or up to 20 percent off on Expedition Voyages. Also on offer: up to $4,000 in shipboard credit per suite on a selection of amenity packages. A sampling of the routes available: a 15-day itinerary through Greenland and Iceland; a 15-day cruise through Australia and New Zealand on Seabourn Odyssey; and a 14-day sailing through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Book now with Seabourn Cruises

With Princess Cruises summer sales, youll get up to 40 percent off cruise fares

Princess Cruises is looking ahead to summer with its sunny new promotion. For trips booked before May 2, 2023, guests can save up to 40 percent off select cruise fares if they make a $100 deposit with their reservation. Travelers who opt to add on Princess Plus for $60 per person per day will benefit from extras like Wi-Fi; premium desserts and an unlimited juice bar; and two Pure Barre, Yoga Six, or Stretch Lab fitness classes. If youre looking for an immediate getaway, you can also peruse Princess last-minute cruise deals.

Book now with Princess Cruises

Save up to $2,500 plus free airfare with American Queen Voyages

Top US river cruise line American Queen Voyages is offering a knockout 2023 winter savings event that was just extended into spring. The terms, conditions, travel dates, and other details of the deals themselves vary per ship, but the booking deadline is now April 30, 2023, and the offer code is WINTER. American Queen Voyages journeys New World destinations such as Alaska and British Columbia, Mexico and Costa Rica, the Great Lakes, and others.

Book now with American Queen Voyages

Uniworld SS Sphinx_UW-SX-Exterior-0240.jpg Uniworld

Save up to 60 percent on luxury river cruises with Uniworld

These spectacular savingsup to 60 percent offare among the highest the luxury line has ever run, but youll have to act fast, as the 10-day flash sale ends March 31, 2023. A few on-sale itineraries that caught our eye: an eight-day cruise through the Venetian Lagoon (hot tip: this is currently the one and only river cruise sailing in the lagoon), with activities including an after-hour visit to St. Mark's Basilica and biking through a coastal village; an eight-day sojourn along the storied Rhine River from Basel to Amsterdam, flanked on either side by France and Germany, with vineyards, castles, and storybook towns around every bend; and an eight-day sailing along the Rhone and Saone rivers with stops at Arles, a haunt of Van Gogh, the walled French city of Avignon, and Frances world-famous wine region of Burgundy. Oui, oui indeed. Well beyond the window of the flash sale, Uniworld also is offering its Year to Remember sale event, with up to $1,500 savings per person.

Book now with Uniworld

Jump on just-announced savings for solo travelers on Scenic and Emerald Cruises

Solo cruisers, this ones for you: Scenic and Emerald Cruises each just dropped a superb deal on dozens of their luxury river and ocean yacht sailings, with 25 percent single supplements on departures in Europe and Southeast Asia. Possible itineraries include Emerald Cruises eight-day sailing through the Grenadines and Grenada on the 100-passenger Emerald Azzurra, with solo traveler fares starting at $5,773, and Scenics eight-day Gems of the Danube River cruise that sails between Budapest and Nuremberg, with single supplemental fares starting at $5,884. Booking deadlines are based on space availability, and full payment is required 12 months or more before departure.

Book now with Scenic

Book now with Emerald Cruises

Courtesy Atlas Ocean Voyages

Your guest sails free to Antarctica on Atlas Ocean Voyages

Finally, if youre dreaming of a 2023 voyage to Antarctica, time is running out to book a two-for-one trip with Atlas Ocean Voyages (March 31 is the last day) for expeditions taking place between November 2023 and March 2024. With this deal, two guests sail for the price of one on Atlas Ocean Voyages' small, sleek, yacht-style cruises, which visit far-out, wintry destinations that include the Antarctic Circle and Peninsula, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the South Shetland Islands, where visitors will find penguins, albatross, black sands, calderas, and hot springs.

Book now with Atlas Ocean Voyages

Even more travel deals

Invest in a milestone trip

If a Kenyan safari is the adventure you need this spring, Cottars Safaris, a luxury outfitter based in Maasai Mara, has some enticing offers. One comes with a fourth night for free with a three-night stay (available at Cottars 1920s Camp or the Bush Villa), while a honeymoon offer includes 50 percent off one travelers accommodation (1920s Camp only). The deals are good during March, April, and May, as well as November 1 through December 19, 2023. Other restrictions apply, and travelers also should confirm availability before booking.

Book now with Cottar's Safaris

Save hundreds on extended stays with Cabana Camper Vans

Cabana is a modern mobile hospitality company with a fleet of luxury, high-tech camper vans for rent. For travel taking place August 1, 2023, or later, in Seattle, Los Angeles, or San Francisco, campers can save $600 on stays of 10 or more nights and $200 on stays that are five or more nights. Use promo code EXTENDEDSTAY10 at checkout. In another deal, travelers can book one-way trips from those same markets, plus Austin, Texas, for $75 a night.

Book now with Cabana Camper Vans

Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler
An 8-year-old girl who was kidnapped by her non-custodial mother has been found safe in Mexico three years after her disappearance.

The FBI's Seattle field office announced Wednesday that Aranza Maria Ochoa Lopez was returned to the United States after Mexican authorities located her in the state of Michoacan. She was safely escorted back to the States by FBI special agents. The office declined to share further details about the child's current whereabouts, stating that her "safety and privacy is of utmost importance."

RELATED: Colorado Walmart Shoppers Thwart Alleged Kidnapping Of Young Child

"For more than four years, the FBI and our partners did not give up on Aranza," said Richard A. Collodi, special agent in charge of the FBIs Seattle field office. "Our concern now will be supporting Aranza as she begins her reintegration into the U.S."

Ochoa Lopez was removed from her biological mother Esmeralda Lopez-Lopez's custody and placed into foster care in 2017 after reports of physical abuse. The then-4-year-old was reportedly covered in bruises and her mother was deemed a danger by Child Protective Services (CPS), according to The Columbian.

Missing girl Aranza Maria Ochoa Lopez is found

Aranza Maria Ochoa Lopez Photo: FBI

Lopez-Lopez was nonetheless granted two court-supervised visits a week, The Columbian reported, citing court records.

The kidnapping took place on Oct. 25, 2018, when Lopez-Lopez asked to take Ochoa Lopez to the bathroom during a supervised visit at a Vancouver, Washington mall. Instead, she took the 4-year-old to a stolen vehicle and fled to Mexico.

The FBI subsequently released a missing person poster and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to Ochoa Lopez's whereabouts, after which they were informed that the then-4-year-old had been taken to Mexico.

Then, in 2019, the child's mother was arrested in Puebla, Mexico, though authorities were unable to locate Ochoa Lopez, who was believed to be with family. Lopez-Lopez was extradited to Washington state, where she pleaded guilty to second-degree kidnapping and robbery and first-degree custodial interference in January 2021, according to The Columbian.

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Lopez-Lopez initially faced more charges, including identity theft, but prosecutors agreed to reduced charges in exchange for her cooperation with authorities searching for her daughter, the outlet reported.

Though Lopez-Lopez said she regretted her actions, Clark County Superior Court Judge Daniel Stahnke doubted that she was actually remorseful.

"You should not have taken her to a place where you no longer know where shes at," Stahnke said.

She was ultimately sentenced to 20 months in prison and 18 months supervised release.
For 2023, the N.C. Azalea Festival is keeping it local.

On Friday, the festival announced Carli Batson, a Wilmington native, Wilmington resident and former Miss North Carolina, as its 76th Queen Azalea.

Batson, a former Miss Wilmington who won Miss North Carolina as Miss Cleveland, a town in Johnston County, represented North Carolina in the 100th Miss America pageant in 2021.

More: Carli BatsonWilmington native Carli Batson wins Miss North Carolina, to compete in Miss America pageant

Carli Batson of Wilmington won the Miss North Carolina pageant on June 27. She'll go on to compete in the Miss America pageant in December.

Batson is a dancer who grew up performing in Wilmington's theater community. A graduate of Appalachian State with a major in Communications and a minor in Theater Arts, her parents are Keith and Lisa Batson of Wilmington.

"Wilmington will always hold such a big place in my heart," Batson told the StarNews in 2021. "The love from the Wilmington community is unlike any other."

Also Friday, the Azalea Festival made other announcements, including the 2023 Azalea Festival Princess, Avery Braithwaite.

Miss North Carolina Carli Batson waves to the crowd as thousands of people came out to take part and watch the 75th Azalea Festival Parade in Wilmington, N.C. Saturday April 9, 2022. [KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS]

The festival's "invited guests," sometimes called festival celebrities, are Miss North Carolina Karolyn Martin; longtime Wilmington broadcaster Frances Weller and her twin sister, philanthropist Margaret Weller Stargell; U.S. Army Korean War veteran Harold Davis; United States Navy Admiral Daryl Caudle; Wilmington native and World Series champion (with the Boston Red Sox) Trot Nixon; and the festival artist, Ana Brown.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: N.C. Azalea Festival announces 76th queen, Wilmington's Carli Batson
Angola said on Saturday it will send a military unit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, after a ceasefire it brokered between rebel militiamen and government troops collapsed.

The DR Congo's restive east has witnessed a flare up in violence since a militia called M23 took up arms again in late 2021, going on to capture swathes of territory.

Angola has played a mediator role in the conflict, but the latest ceasefire it negotiated collapsed on Tuesday on the same day it was due to take effect.

On Saturday, the country's presidency said that it "will send a unit" of its armed forces to its northern neighbour.

"This unit's main objective is to secure the areas where the members of the M23 are stationed and to protect" members of a team tasked with monitoring compliance with the ceasefire, the presidency said in a statement.

Luanda said the decision was taken after consultations with Kinshasa, adding other regional leaders as well as the United Nations had been informed.

The deployment needs approval from parliament, where the ruling party, which has been in power since the 1970s, holds a comfortable majority.

No further details about the size of the force were immediately available.

The move comes as fierce fighting was reported near the eastern city of Goma, which is increasingly threatened by M23 rebels.

The M23, whose name stands for the March 23 Movement, is one of scores of armed groups that roam eastern DR Congo, many of them a legacy of two regional wars that flared at the end of the 20th century.

In 2012, the Tutsi-led group briefly captured Goma before a joint Congolese-UN offensive drove it out.

But fighting erupted again in late 2021 after the M23 accused the Congolese government of ignoring a promise to integrate its fighters into the army.

The DRC accuses its smaller neighbour Rwanda of supporting the group, something that Kigali denies, and regional countries have deployed a joint force aimed at stabilising the region.

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Farm Bureau breakfast scheduled

The annual Marion County Farm Bureau Farmers CARE Breakfast is set for 7 to 11 a.m. on March 25 at Tri-Rivers Career Center, 2222 Marion-Mt. Gilead Road, Marion. The cost is a donation.

Several displays with information about agricultural companies will be available for participants to view. It's also a chance to talk with local farmers and learn how food is produced.

For more information about the Marion County Farm Bureau, visit marion.ofbf.org.

Portion of Marion street to be closed next week

Carhart Street between East Center Street and Wilson Street will be closed from 7 a.m. Monday until 5 p.m. Friday. City of Marion Wastewater Treatment Plant crews will be repairing a sanitary sewer issue at this location.

OhioHealth to build Center for Womens Health in Columbus

OhioHealth announced plans to build a women's center to meet the complex and changing health care needs of women throughout the different stages of life.

OhioHealth plans to build a new Center for Women's Health at its Riverside Methodist Hospital campus in Columbus.

The standalone center will will be constructed on the southeast corner of the OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital campus in Columbus.

The almost 590,000 square feet, $600 million inpatient and outpatient facility will be designed to care for women and their families by not only providing advanced maternity and neonatal intensive care services with a fourth trimester clinic, obstetric and gynecological services, but will also feature mid-life and bone health, urogynecology and female urology, and mammography services.

Virtual town hall slated for Tuesday

The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) is hosting a free Welcome to Medicare virtual town hall educational event at 11 a.m. Tuesday for Ohioans new to Medicare.

OSHIIP representatives will provide an overview of Medicare, Part A and B benefits, Part D prescription drug coverage, Medicare supplemental insurance plans, Medicare Advantage plans, eligibility, enrollment, financial assistance, important deadlines, and take questions.

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Registration is required for the virtual town hall and can be done at insurance.ohio.gov.

Upcoming meeting:

 169 Board Meeting of the Marion County Board of Developmental Disabilities, 5 p.m. Tuesday, MCBDD Manuel Board Conference Room, 2387 Harding Highway East, Marion

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion County Farm Bureau to host Farmers Care Breakfast
I think democracy thrives when everybody can participate, says California Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Culver City). In February Bryan introduced a groundbreaking state constitutional amendment that would allow the approximately 115,000 inmates incarcerated in California prisons to vote in local, state and national elections.

Bryan is advancing the legislation, Assembly Constitutional Amendment 4, at a time when many states are making it harder for citizens to vote. He calls it a needed pushback in an era of concerted campaigns in many states to limit participation by Black and other voters of color. In late February Georgia passed a measure banning absentee dropboxes and expanding the ability of Georgians to question the residency of their neighbors and their right to vote.

The Sentencing Project found that African Americans are currently disenfranchised at a rate 3.5 times higher than non-African Americans. Incarceration rates have something to do with it  according to one study, Black Americans are incarcerated at a rate nearly five times that of whites. Latinx persons are locked up in state prisons at 1.3 times the rate of whites.

Under current California law, nobody behind prison bars can vote, although they can participate thereafter. Eleven states have enacted measures that hinder the ability to vote for those who have already served their time. In 2018, Florida voters supported suffrage for ex-felons (excluding those convicted of murder or sex crimes), but the Legislature quickly responded by requiring felons to pay court fees before being able to vote, a move many interpreted as a means to keep them from voting.

In other states lawmakers have supported initiatives to enfranchise the formerly incarcerated. Texas and Tennessee are contemplating measures to restore voting rights, as are Minnesota and New Mexico. A bill in Nebraska would reinstate voting rights upon the completion of a sentence.

California would not be the first state in the nation to support a suffrage measure for the incarcerated  Vermont and Maine grant voting rights to those in prison.

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But Bryans bill faces considerable obstacles. The constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote by the state Legislature, no easy feat, after which it would go onto a ballot statewide.

Criticism of Bryans measure was immediate. Tom Lackey, a Republican assembly member representing the high desert and the Antelope Valley north of metropolitan Los Angeles, has emerged as an early opponent, tweeting, I will vote NO on #ACA4 when the #CALeg Assembly Committee on Elections hears it because prisoners should never be able to cast votes from their cells. I refuse to dismiss the voice of the victim.

The California Correctional Peace Officers Association, the union that represents prison guards, has not yet taken a public position. Should it oppose, its history of hefty campaign contributions could influence legislators votes.

Moreover, Californias debate over prisoner suffrage is likely to coincide with the 2024 presidential and state contests  and is likely to churn up acrimony about crime and criminal justice. One longtime adviser to the California Democratic Party, commenting on background, summarized a likely voter position: The Legislature should focus on the needs of Californians who are not in prison.

Bryan frames his initiative asa conversation we need to have now more than ever. It would force people to think differently about linkages between disenfranchisement and chattel slavery. It would force people to think differently about the history of suffrage in this country from allowing black people to vote, women to vote, nonproperty owners, nonwhite men, everybody to participate in the process.

The big picture, he says, is that were living in a time where voting rights are being curtailed in various states across the country. Texas and others have introduced nearly two dozen bills to restrict access to the polls, access to participating in democracy. In California we have a responsibility to continue to lead.

The ability for the incarcerated to vote connects directly to the present push for electoral racial equity  and the push to address historical inequity, says Adrianne Shropshire, co-founder and executive director of BlackPAC, an organization that engages with Black voters on policy issues.

Creative efforts to disenfranchise Black Americans are as American as apple pie, right?, says Shropshire. Whether it is Jim Crow or voter ID policies, theres a constant effort to disenfranchise Black Americans and take away our citizenship rights.

Antoinette Ratcliffe, executive director of L.A.-based Initiate Justice, one of the organizations rallying in support of ACA4, says that allowing incarcerated persons to vote creates a connection with the communities in which the incarcerated have family and friends. Voting and civic participation forges stronger ties, she says.

Bryan is approaching the fight to pass ACA4 one step at a time. My hope is that if there is an opposition to this, that opposition will wait to reveal itself until we are on the ballot. Because I think an attempt to undermine the ability for California voters to even have their say is an attempt to undermine democracy as a whole.

This story was republished with permission from Capital and Main.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: California considers giving inmates a right to vote
Along Colombia's Caribbean coast, discover the buzz of Cartagena, see the wild beaches of the Magdalena region, and explore the region's rich Indigenous history.

Sofia Jaramillo A surfer catches waves near Casa Bambu.

I floated on my back in the lapis-blue pool at Casa Bambu Tayrona, a hotel in the Magdalena region of Colombias Caribbean coast, searching for the North Star in the equatorial sky. A chorus of frogs and toads sang in the surrounding jungle as my husband joined me in the water. The pool, like the eight thatched-roof cabins around us, was elevated just a few feet above the forest floor, where blue crabs nestled amid the bamboo roots. In the distance, I could hear waves crashing on the beach.

With a splash, our teenage daughter dove into the pool. I remembered myself at her age, when, in the 1990s, I first began to examine my heritage. I had always been embarrassed that I was born in Colombia, that my father was from the South American country infamous for its civil war, drug cartels, domestic terrorism, and kidnappings. I grew up with an American mother in Minnesota, where my surname prompted probing questions and my classmates teased me about cocaine and coffee. When I first returned to visit my father in 1995, Colombia was one of the most dangerous countries on earth.

Now at Casa Bambu, amid the banana trees and birds-of-paradise, the only threats were the strong currents at the beach and the three caimans said to live in the river behind the hotel. Placards near the riverbanks warn guests to avoid the area, but when we asked the hotel manager if anyone had been attacked, she said  ominously, but with a smile  Not yet.

Sofia Jaramillo From left: A doorman at Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena, built as a convent in 1621; a view of the pool at Sofitel Legend Santa Clara.

Today, these natural wonders (or dangers, depending on your perspective) are attracting travelers to the area, a five-hour drive from Cartagena. The four-year-old Casa Bambu sits in the jungle at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. Its one of a handful of resorts that have popped up to cater to ecotourists visiting Tayrona National Natural Park, a five-minute drive away. The park  60 square miles of protected mangrove swamps, rain forest, and tropical beaches  is home to animals like howler monkeys, poisonous dart frogs, and jaguars.

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Even in the tropical heat, a chill went up my spine. I was ready to rediscover my country, too.

Our local guide, Cristian Sierra, a tall, 30-something Costeno (the local expression for a person from the coast), said he credits the 2016 peace accords, which won then president Juan Manuel Santos a Nobel Peace Prize, for addressing the violence and drug trade in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region. Not all of Colombia has benefited equally from the governments demilitarization efforts  some rural and Indigenous communities still suffer unrest. But many places, particularly Cartagena and the more touristed spots along the Caribbean shore, are welcoming places to visit.

Now that the region has become safer, the people who live there are experiencing a greater sense of pride in their culture, Sierra noted. Were rediscovering our country, he said.

Even in the tropical heat, a chill went up my spine. I was ready to rediscover my country, too.



Sofia Jaramillo From left: Tour guide Victor Alfonso Miranda Salgado, in San Basilio de Palenque; traditional drums at the studio of Kombilesa Mi, a well-known band from San Basilio de Palenque.

Colombia is made up of six regions, their borders naturally formed by mountains, rivers, and jungle. Each area has its own distinct culture, ecosystem, and climate. I was born in Popayan, a southern city in the Andes; this was the first time my family and I had explored the northern coast along the Caribbean Sea.

After waking to the sound of the sea the next morning, we were served a substantial but slow breakfast poolside at Casa Bambu  so slow, in fact, that Sierra, who had come to take us on an excursion, had to wait while we finished our eggs and arepas, fresh passion-fruit juice, and strong black coffee. This didnt bother him; he told us that this leisurely pace is part of the local culture.

At last, we loaded into the van, and our driver headed east on the Troncal del Caribe highway. About 40 minutes later, he stopped at a dirt road that disappeared into the jungle: we were at the entrance to Katanzama, an Arhuaco village. In Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta there are 42 separate communities of Arhuaco, one of the 102 Indigenous groups in Colombia, many of whom live on reservations like Katanzama.

We call them the Elder Brothers, Sierra explained, because theyve been in the area for so long.

Our guide in Katanzama was Jason Arroyo, who is Arhuaco. A slight man with a trim black beard and soft curls, he was dressed in a traditional white cotton tunic and hat. Like many Colombians, particularly Indigenous people, Arroyo carried a mochila, a traditional bag crocheted in wool or cotton in distinct patterns that vary by region.

Sofia Jaramillo From left: Fresh-cooked seafood at Cartagenas open-air Bazurto Market; a hat vendor on Marbella Beach, in Cartagena.

I remember, when I was growing up in Minnesota, being embarrassed by the lanolin smell of the scratchy brown wool mochila my mom sometimes carried; now I have one of my own. Unlike mine, though, Arroyos bag was filled with dried coca leaves, which locals legally cultivate and chew. In the same way the Arhuaco people have done for generations, Arroyo dipped a stick into his poporo, a hollowed-out gourd that held crushed seashells, and added it to the leaves in his mouth. Lime from the shells activates the coca, giving a mellow high. It was a reminder that, though the plant has been responsible for so much conflict in Colombia, it remains an important part of Indigenous culture.

More Trip Ideas: These Small Towns in Colombia Are Glamping Hot Spots With Igloo-shaped Tents, Refurbished Wagons, and Panoramic Domes Overlooking the Andes



Arroyo led us to a field of plantain, yucca, and cocoa (to be one day transformed into milk, dark, or white chocolate), the main crops of the Arhuaco. He explained how the communities live and farm in a sustainable, self-sufficient way  just as their ancestors have done for centuries. He talked slowly, a rhythm we were becoming accustomed to. Looking at the slope of Arroyos nose, I wondered if my DNA carried any Indigenous code.

After a tour of a handful of homes and meetinghouses in Katanzama, we stopped on the beach under the lacy shade of the Gliricidia trees and snacked on local plums and granola bars while blue waves crashed on the sand. Arroyos wife, also carrying a mochila, showed us how to make a bag. When our needles got tangled in the yarn, she chuckled and unpicked our mistaken stitches.



Sofia Jaramillo From left: Decor in the Sofitel Baru Calablancas lobby nods to the nearby National Aviary of Colombia; a guest cools off in the pool at Casa San Agustin, in Cartagena.

I felt simultaneously Colombian and American when we arrived at the Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort, where the attentive staff switched back and forth between addressing me in Spanish and English. My husband, daughter, and I were among the few Americans at the resort. Its one of the newest luxe additions on Isla Baru, a curve of sandy beach that faces Cartagena, which is a breezy 25-minute catamaran ride away.

The only other time I had stayed at a South American resort was when my father and his wife took me on a vacation to a small fishing village in Ecuador in the late 1990s. We had been the only guests, and the hotel restaurant had served nothing but fish and eggs at every meal. The beach where my stepmother and I attempted to sunbathe turned out to be a thoroughfare for trucks hauling fish.

This mix of magic and legend is what I love about Colombia. Its one thing about this country that hasnt changed  and probably never will.

Calablanca is nothing like that. We sipped mango mojitos and ate fresh fish tamales at Bahia, the resorts casual beachside restaurant, and ordered room service in our ocean-view suite. When we werent eating, we alternated between the manicured beach and one of three infinity pools.

From Isla Baru we drove an hour and a half north to our next hotel, the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, in the heart of Cartagenas historic center. The district, still known by locals as Cartagena de Indias (named after a port city in Spain), began as a conquistador colony in 1533 and was fortified by seven miles of wall that still stand today. As we approached the hotel, our driver wound through narrow streets and open plazas and between pastel houses with second-floor balconies, every sight a distillation of the neighborhoods colonial history.

Sofia Jaramillo A view from a rooftop in Cartagenas historic center. The San Pedro Claver monastery is on the right, and the Bay of Cartagena and modern Bocagrande district are in the distance.

The citys architecture may remind travelers  especially those with young children  of the Disney film Encanto, which has helped spur a shift in the public perception of Colombia. We heard the song We Dont Talk About Bruno blasting out of a house and saw advertising with the characters from the movie. The Colombians we talked with were proud to have their countrys culture, music, food, and landscape represented in popular American culture. Hearing the pride in their voices, I found myself wishing such a film had existed when I was young.

The Santa Clara was built as a convent in the 17th century. Now recast as a luxury resort, the building has retained much of its original architectural charm. When it was converted to a hotel in 1995, the initial restoration preserved a crypt that was, the story goes, the inspiration for Nobel Prizewinning author Gabriel Garcia Marquezs novel "Of Love and Other Demons."

As we walked into the hotel, a white-suited butler pointed out a wall in the hotels French restaurant, 1621. The room, originally the nuns dining hall, is elegantly appointed and painted gold  except for that one wall. No matter how many coats of paint are applied, he told me, mysterious patterns seep through the paint in turquoise splotches like a Rorschach test. As with many things in Colombia, there may be a logical explanation for this  or not.

Even we dont know whats true anymore, the butler said.

This mix of magic and legend is what I love about Colombia. Its one thing about this country that hasnt changed  and probably never will.



Sofia Jaramillo From left: The beach outside Casa Bambu Tayrona hotel, on the Caribbean Sea; hostess Maria Del Carmen at Restaurante Cande, in Cartagena.

That first time I visited my father in Colombia, in 1995, we rode along the Pan-American Highway between the cities of Cali and Popayan. I remember being startled to see towns segregated by race and culture: one would be home to Indigenous people, the next populated solely by Afro-Colombians. Colombias 1991 constitution recognized the country as multicultural, granting territorial and cultural rights to Indigenous and Afro-Colombian groups, a move that was then strengthened by the 2016 peace agreement. These protections, and the physical isolation of many Indigenous and Afro-Colombian towns and reservations, continue to preserve communities like Katanzama, where people live in much the same way as they have for centuries.

Related: In Colombia's Eje Cafetero, Coffee Is Just the Beginning



On our second to last day, we visited another of these preserved places. San Basilio de Palenque is an Afro-Colombian community about an hour inland from Cartagena. Recognized by unesco on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (a designation that honors living cultural expression), Palenque credits its origins to Benkos Bioho, a 17th-century African leader who escaped his colonial enslavers and established a hidden hamlet in the countryside. In 1713, San Basilio de Palenque was officially recognized as a free town  one of the first in the country to be given that title.

Sofia Jaramillo From left: Guest cabins at Casa Bambu Tayrona; a waitress delivers cocktails at Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort.

Our Palenquero guide, Nuno Bembele, led us across the hot, dry central plaza, which features a statue of Bioho, his arm stretched eastward toward Africa. Chickens, goats, and children in school uniforms stepped around the construction on the main dirt road that is only now being paved. As we crossed the square, we passed another group of tourists. Were happy when visitors come, Bembele told us. The community of 3,500 has perfected the art of catering to outsiders, who help to support the economy. Women on their verandas waved, greeted Bembele, and worried aloud about my husbands pale complexion in the midday sun.

I gazed up at the blue sky beyond the red tiled roofs. Potted plants hung over wooden balconies and trailed across whitewashed walls  the scene looked like it could have been the inspiration for the magical house in Encanto.

Bembele, along with a drummer and dancer, invited us to stop in the shade for ice water and fresh-cut pineapple. Kumo kusa ta, our hosts taught us to say, in a kind of call-and-response folkloric rap song. How are you? The people of Palenque still speak Palenquero, the traditional local language born from a mix of African and European dialects. They use songs like this to teach both Colombian and international visitors. Kusa ta bien (I am fine), we repeated clumsily. My husband and daughter took turns attempting the drumming patterns of the chalupa, an upbeat traditional rhythm. Our hosts laughed along with us  or maybe at us.

Before we left Palenque, we met two healers who gave us a lesson on medicinal plants and herbs, then served us shots of a strong homemade tonic made with rum. They sold us beaded bracelets, which they blessed with drops of scented oil, which they said promised safety, good luck, and long life. I didnt mind exchanging a few pesos for a little Colombian magic.



Sofia Jaramillo Salad and the fish of the day (red snapper) at Sofitel Baru Calablanca.

That afternoon, we arrived at our last hotel of the trip, Casa San Agustin, also in Cartagena. I plunged into the L-shaped pool and skimmed through the water, rinsing away the heat of the day. The pool is located in a courtyard between what had been three 17th-century homes built for wealthy colonial families, and as I floated on my back, I gazed up at the blue sky beyond the red tiled roofs. Potted plants hung over wooden balconies and trailed across whitewashed walls  the scene looked like it could have been the inspiration for the magical house in Encanto.

Later, we ate at the hotels award-winning Alma restaurant, where we ordered cocktails made with dark rum and coconut and scooped up tangy ceviche with plantain chips.

Cartagena comes alive when the sun sets, and after dinner we wandered through the narrow streets. Near the Plaza de Bolivar, we joined a crowd watching a group of buskers breakdance under the yellow streetlights. My daughter stopped in a shop to buy a locally made white cotton sundress  and her own brown mochila. Shes proud of her Colombian heritage.

And so am I.

See Colombias Caribbean Side

Where to Stay

Casa Bambu Tayrona: This peaceful, eight-cabin property is surrounded by tropical foliage and located two miles from the entrance to Tayrona National Natural Park.

Casa San Agustin: The architecture at this sophisticated boutique hotel in Cartagena includes 17th-century frescoes and exposed-beam ceilings.



Sofitel Baru Calablanca Beach Resort: On the Isla Baru peninsula, 187 rooms face the Caribbean Sea. Perks include four pools and a childcare center.



Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena: With impeccable service, colonial-style decor, and a rare full-size pool, this is the largest and oldest hotel in Cartagenas historic center.



Where to Eat

Alma: One of the best restaurants in Cartagena. Try the fish-and-coconut-milk ceviche and the short ribs posta negra cartagenera, which are marinated in a sweet, dark sauce.



Bururake Parrilla Fusion: At this casual, weekend-only spot in the town of Minca, in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, cooks whip up local dishes like lomo tamarindo (pork tenderloin with tamarind sauce) in an open-air kitchen.



Restaurante Cande: In Cartagena, this place serves upscale cuisine and cocktails and has live music and folk dancers performing among the tables.



How to Book

Amakuna: Helmed by T+L A-List travel advisor Boris Seckovic, this Medellin-based agency can arrange itineraries that include a tour of La Victoria Cafeteria, a working coffee farm in Minca; a visit to the town of San Basilio de Palenque; or a walking tour of Cartagena.

A version of this story first appeared in the March 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Thicker Than Water."





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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
Dark Angel guitarist Jim Durkin

Dark Angel guitarist Jim Durkin passed away on Wednesday, March 8, aged 58.



News of the guitarist's death was shared by his wife Annie on his Facebook page earlier today (March 10).



The post reads: "With a broken and heavy heart, I want to share that the love of my life, my best friend and husband, Jimmy, passed away Wednesday morning. He was not alone as I was with him along with a few close friends until the end. He will be truly missed and no one can ever replace the love I have for him. May he rest in peace.

"Ever Thine, Ever Mine, Ever Ours. My Immortal Beloved. I will see you again."

The Downey, California thrashers paid their own respects to Durkin, one of their founding members, in a subsequent Facebook post.



"We in the Dark Angel Family are deeply saddened and crushed today with the news of our brother and founder Jimmy Durkin passing away Wednesday morning," the band statement reads.

"We would like to thank his fans for their continuous loyalty and support. We will come out with a full statement very soon. We ask that you please respect the family's privacy while we mourn the loss of this great man."



Alongside drummer Gene Hoglan, Durkin was one of the main songwriters on Dark Angel's first three albums, We Have Arrived (1985), the much-acclaimed Darkness Descends (1986) and Leave Scars (1989). The guitarist exited the group in 1989 ahead of the taping of the Live Scars live album, returning as part of the group's reformed line-up in 2013.

Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson is among those who've posted condolences following the news of Durkin's death.



"Super sad to hear of the passing of our thrash metal brother Jim Durkin of Dark Angel," Ellefson wrote on Facebook. "Back in 1983 he had auditioned and played guitar at a few rehearsals with us in Megadeth after Greg Handevidt departed and just before Kerry King sat in on guitar for the 1984 shows in the San Francisco Bay area. In fact, we may have even borrowed some of Jim's Marshall amps & cabs to complete our amplifier backline for those debut shows in February, 1984.

Condolences to his family, friends and band mates.... his contribution to thrash metal will be missed by all!"
Neglect contributed to the death of a toddler in Cranston earlier this year, according to the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families.

DCYF announced the neglect and the death of the one-and-a-half year old child in a news release on Friday.

The child died on Jan. 19, a DCYF spokesperson Damaris Teixeira, said in a news release. DCYF investigators determined that neglect played a role, and that the agency has had no previous involvement with the child's family.

The agency could not provide any additional information, citing privacy laws.

Rhode Islanders are required by law to report known or suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to DCYF. To make such a report, call 1-800-RI-CHILD.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: DCYF Investigators: Neglect contributed to death of Cranston toddler
Bust out the Jameson: St. Patrick's Day is arriving early in Wilkes-Barre, where the Dropkick Murphys will make a stop for their highly-anticipated 2023 tour.

Everyone's favorite American Celtic punk band will be playing the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza with The Rumjacks and Jesse Ahern on March 14 as part of their St. Patrick's Day Tour 2023.

The Qunicy, Massachusetts boys have been playing Irish-infused punk rock for over 26 years now, putting out 11 albums and entering the pop culture zeitgeist with their hit single "I'm Shipping Up to Boston," featured in Martin Scorsese's 2006 crime drama "The Departed."

American Celtic punk rock band The Dropkick Murphys will be swinging by The Mohegan Sun Arena on March 14 for their St. Patrick's Day Tour 2023.

Their 12th studio album, Okemah Rising, is set to be released on May 12.

Fans can still snap tickets to the show starting at $35, and a special VIP upgrade  which does not include the standard ticket price  allows for early entry for a soundcheck and acoustic set, a signed VIP laminate, a group photo, and early access to merchandise.

A portion of the funds for VIP upgrades will go The Claddagh Fund, The Dropkick Murphy's charitable foundation founded by frontman Ken Casey in 2009. The organization  named after the Claddagh Ring, a traditional Irish symbol representing friendship, love, and loyalty  helps to raise money for underfunded non-profit groups which support vulnerable populations.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Dropkick Murphys come to Wilkes-Barre for St. Patrick's Day Tour
Forms of oxygen created by living organisms have been detected high above Earth's surface.

Forms of oxygen created by living organisms can be found in space around our planet, a new study has revealed, hinting at a potential new method for tracing life on other habitable planets in our galaxy, the Milky Way.

The new discovery was made by NASA's now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) , a flying telescope mounted on an adapted Boeing 747. A recently published study describes how researchers used the telescope, which is sensitive to warmth-carrying infrared wavelengths of light, to detect so-called heavy atomic oxygen in upper layers of Earth's atmosphere , the mesosphere and lower thermosphere.

Heavy oxygen is a form of oxygen that has 10 neutrons in its nucleus, compared to the eight seen in the most widespread form of oxygen present in the air around our planet. High concentrations of heavy oxygen can be found close to Earth's surface, as this atomic specimen is commonly produced by photosynthetic organisms, just like normal oxygen.

Related: Alien atmospheres: The search for signs of life

"It's tracing biological activity  that's well-proven," Helmut Wiesemeyer, a scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany and lead author of the new study, said in a statement . "So far, the altitude to which this signature extends was thought to be 60 kilometers [around 37 miles]  so, barely the lower part of the mesosphere."

However, according to the new study, SOFIA was able to detect heavy oxygen up to 120 miles (200 km) above our planet at concentrations that suggest earthly origins. Heavy oxygen can also come from solar wind , the stream of particles constantly emanating from the sun's atmosphere . The concentrations of solar heavy oxygen, however, are believed to be much lower.

"The question was, does it reach higher altitudes? And if it does, because there are no living organisms up there, the only way to reach higher altitudes would be an efficient vertical mixing [of air in Earth's atmosphere]," Wiesemeyer said.

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The findings may have potential implications for the development of new techniques for the detection of markers of life around exoplanets , planets orbiting other stars than our sun .

"The idea is to first understand what happens in front of your own door before you go into deeper studies elsewhere," Wiesemeyer said.

Related stories:

 What is astrobiology?

 The search for alien life

 Astronomers can't wait to search for signs of life and massive black-hole mergers

The presence of "made-on-Earth" heavy oxygen so high above the planet also suggests that air must be mixing with great efficiency throughout the layers of the atmosphere, something that researchers want to study further to better understand Earth's system. The discovery may also have implications for climate change research, Wiesemeyer added.

Researchers are keeping an open mind to other possible explanations of heavy oxygen so high above the planet, but if the discovery is confirmed, it would mean that Earth's biological influence spreads much farther into space than scientists previously thought.

The study was published in the journal Physical Review Research in February.
Video of an alleged murder suspect escaping from an Oregon courthouse during his pretrial last month has been released.

Footage shows 28-year-old Edi Villalobos in a Washington County Courthouse room, preparing for jury selection on Feb. 27. Deputies removed his restraints from his legs and hands, as required by state lawand soon after, Villabolos made a run for it.

He can be seen running through the courtroom doors and then the hallways before leaving through the staff-only entrance while deputies pursued him. Authorities looked for him for two hours and issued a shelter-in-place warning to residents, according to The New York Post.

Police almost caught up to him a couple of times. They later found him at around 1:45 p.m. hiding underneath a blanket in an empty apartment after someone called in a tip.

Villabolos was on trial for the murder of Artemio Guzman-Olvera on April 10, 2021. That same day, Villabolos also stabbed a second man, leaving him in critical condition.

In addition to his previous charges, which included second-degree murder, he will now also be charged with escape in the second-degree and burglary due to his escape.

Its unknown whether or not he will be restrained when he goes back to pretrial.

Those were removed because of Oregon law, Washington County Sheriffs Communications Sergeant Danny DiPietro told the Post. When someones in a trial, and any of the proceedings that goes along with it, including jury selection, Oregon law requires us to remove those restraints, and we did that, obviously.

I imagine theyre going to push for the hearing to allow restraints to be on during his trial when it comes up, he continued. But that is for the courts, the DAs office, and court security to go through that process.

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The former home of the Vincent Walters Music Academy at 225 N. Monroe Ave. in Columbus' King-Lincoln Bronzeville neighborhood, seen here in a 2021 Google photo, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A former music academy in Columbus' historic Black neighborhood of King-Lincoln Bronzeville has been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, according to Columbus Landmarks.

The Vincent Walters Music Academy was located in a home at 225 North Monroe Ave. in King-Lincoln Bronzeville. It was established in 1942 by Vincent Rodgers Walters, a graduate of Central High School who attended Virginia State and Ohio State universities. Walters, who married Modestine Brown in May 1948, operated the music academy for decades.

The legacy of the music academy is able to live on because of years of the work, perseverance, and dedication of (current owner) Jodi Spencer to save the building, said Rebecca F. Kemper, CEO of Columbus Landmarks. "This history needs to be remembered and shared in place."

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nations historic places worthy of preservation.

mhenry@dispatch.com

@megankhenry

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Vincent Walters Music Academy on National Register of Historic Places
Three boats overcrowded with migrants were brought safely to Italian ports on Saturday, the coastguard said, as thousands of marchers remembered the victims of last month's deadly shipwreck off Calabria's coast.

The rescue of more than 1,000 migrants came the same day as the body of the 74th victim of the deadly shipwreck nearly two weeks ago was found -- that of a female child between five and six years of age, according to Italian news agency AGI.

The February 26 shipwreck, which occurred just off the shore of Calabria, has drawn sharp criticism of the right-wing government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for its failure to intervene timely to save the migrants.

In Cutro on Saturday, near the site of the disaster, thousands of marchers carried a cross made of splintered wood from the shipwreck through the streets.

"This cross is a symbol of suffering today," said Domenico "Mimmo" Lucano, a former Calabrian mayor known for his activism on behalf of migrants, as quoted by news agency ANSA.

"During these emergencies, Calabrian communities are shaken, and what prevails is a spirit of solidarity that the government doesn't show," he said.

On Friday, the coastguard began a rescue operation of three boats, one south of the Calabrian city of Crotone and two further south off Roccella Ionica.

Coastguard videos showed a large fishing boat pitching violently back and forth in nightime rough seas with dozens of people visible on the deck. Other images showed inflatable rescue boats approaching another fishing vessel packed with people.

Those 487 migrants onboard the first boat were safely brought to the port of Crotone at about 0200 GMT Saturday morning, the coastguard said.

Another operation in which 500 migrants were brought to safety aboard a coastguard ship was wrapping up, it said. News agency ANSA had earlier reported that the ship had docked at the port of Reggio Calabria.

A third boat carrying 379 people was rescued by two coastguard patrol boats and the migrants transferred to a Navy ship headed to the Sicilian port of Augusta, it said.

Italy's defence ministry said it had begun to air transfers of migrants away from the crowded migrant centre on the island of Lampedusa, which it said was now over capacity.

The recent shipwreck has put the government on the defensive. On Thursday, Meloni held a cabinet meeting at Cutro, near the disaster site, and announced a new decree that included stiffer prison sentences for human traffickers, but no new measures to help save lives.

Her far-right Brothers of Italy party, which won elections last year, had promised to curb arrivals, but Italy has recently seen a sharp rise in the number of migrants attempting to reach its shores via the dangerous Mediterranean crossing.

The interior ministry says more than 17,500 people have arrived by sea so far this year, almost three times the number for the same period last year.

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NORWICH  Instead of a usual day at the office for Jenn Blais, director of marketing operations and production at Bobs Discount Furniture, Wednesday was full of hammers, heavy lifting, and doing good.

It was great to get a group of Bobs Discount Furniture women together, come down to Norwich, and help build houses for folks, she said.

A group of 39 people, mostly women, gathered in Greeneville to work on houses for Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut. This was one of many events sponsored by Habitat branches across the country for Women Build 2023, coinciding with International Womens Day on Wednesday.

The event is an opportunity for women to learn how to use construction tools and expand their skills in something not traditionally seen as an option for women. It also helps expand the volunteer base, said Tara Filip, director of mission, advancement and integration for Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut.

Habitat for Humanity's presence in Norwich

Habitat is finishing the last six of 10 homes in Greeneville by the fall. Optimally, Habitat builds take six to eight months. With these Greeneville builds, it started in 2019, but the pandemic and supply chain issues threw off the schedule, Filip said.

Weve got a lot of work to do, and need all the volunteer effort we can get, she said. Having women come on this special day is important to us to be able to celebrate together.

A group of Centreville Bank Employees install a window as a part of Eastern Connecticut Habitat for Humanity's Women Work 2023 event.

Volunteers from Bobs Discount Furniture, the Mystic Congregational Church, and the Book Club Builders, sponsored by Birk Manufacturing, joined Centreville Bank on site. Two other groups signed up, but will volunteer at another time. While staff and more experienced volunteers from Habitat oversaw things, the women from these entities did most of the work.

The book club also happens to be Filips group of childhood friends. One of them had already participated in a Habitat for Humanity build through Bank of America, so the whole group was easy to convince.

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We all went to elementary school together, she said. Our parents were best friends so we played on the beaches of Niantic together in the 70s.

More:What are the challenges in providing affordable housing in Norwich

One of those friends is Stacy Stevens, who also works for Birk Manufacturing. In the house where she was working, much of the work was done, and the book club members were doing touch-ups. She encouraged others to help with Habitat for Humanity.

Women are full-on in our workforce, and theres nothing that a woman cant do, she said.

Stacy Stevens, a part of the Book Club Builders, works on a house as a part of Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut's Women Build 2023 event.

Along with the groups, a Habitat homeowner, Flanders resident Amanda Taylor-Jones also helped out Wednesday. Being a homeowner and in the program gives her a place to live, and the ability to grow financially, mentally and physically. She also said involving women in building homes is important.

Its not expected too much, so to see so many women come down and get together for something as amazing as building a home for someone else is great, she said.

Taylor-Jones got in the program, like all Habitat homeowners, via the application process. The families make 50-60% of the area median income, and must be able to pay an affordable mortgage, be in need of shelter, and partner with Habitat on their project or others, along with other factors, Filip said.

Shifting from renting to owning is a big deal, so we do a lot of workshops and training to help transition families into becoming successful homeowners, she said.

More:Selling higher and quicker constitutes eastern Connecticut's real estate market

Centreville Bank Retail Operations Supervisors Michelle Demarco and Stephanie Kennedy carry a window while at Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut's Women Build 2023 event in Greeneville. The two work in different branches, but the day was a good teamwork-building opportunity.

Theres still more works for Habitat after these houses are done. In Norwich, theyll be partnering with Norwich to rehab foreclosed homes in the citys possession to be Habitat homes. Theres also a home in Gales Ferry almost ready for a family, and 36 units in Ledyard further in the future, Filip said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Eastern CT Habitat for Humanity's Women Build comes to Norwich
The warrant for one of two men charged in the Feb. 27 killing of 20-year-old Terrance Frisby in Georgetown reveals details of what led up to the incident but falls short of providing a motive.

The document reveals the actions of the two suspects  Kevin Stone, 61, of Georgetown and Jason Curtis, 24, of Dagsboro  leading up to the shooting.

Stone told police that Curtis was looking to buy some crack, according to his arrest warrant. The first time he met him was when he got in his car in the parking lot of Dunbarton Apartments. A few moments later, the two men went to the door of apartment 203, where police believe one of them opened fire.

Stone told police he didnt see the shooting and couldnt say if Curtis was the shooter, according to court documents.

What witnesses say happened

The Georgetown Police Department responded to the shooting at the apartment complex just off Route 113 at around 8:30 p.m. They found Frisby, a visitor to the apartment, with multiple gunshot wounds, according to a state police news release. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Dunbarton Oaks apartment complex is split up into three sections, each with multiple buildings. The sections are not connected by road but are easy to walk between.

Stones warrant says there were three witnesses in the apartment at the time of the homicide, but it includes the statements of only two, one of which said they were unable to see the doorway.

The only person in the apartment that was able to give police any substantial information was a woman who had arrived just moments before the shooting, the warrant says.

She identified Stone as one of two men who followed her as she walked across the parking lot and approached the 200 building, according to the warrant. She said she didnt know the other man, later identified as Curtis.

More:Pallet village for homeless opens in Georgetown. First of its kind shelter in Delaware.

With Stone and Curtis nearby, the woman knocked on the door of the apartment, the warrant says she told police. When the door opened, she entered and gunfire erupted behind her and Frisby fled into the apartment, collapsing in the living room, according to Stones warrant.

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What surveillance video shows

Curtis had spent time in apartment 203 earlier that day before leaving in what appeared to be a fit of anger, according to Stones warrant. Twenty minutes later, he returned and Frisby was killed, the warrant says.

Curtis first arrived at the apartment around 3:15 p.m. in a silver Hyundai Elantra, staying for an hour or so before driving to a nearby liquor store, the warrant says.

Facial recognition software at the Delaware State Bureau of Identification used images from the liquor stores surveillance video to identify Curtis, according to court documents.

More:Bridgeville man arrested in Philadelphia after police say he killed his wife

He next showed up on Dunbarton surveillance on foot, coming from the direction of the 700 building, where Stone lives, and reentering apartment 203.

Around 7:20, Curtis walked away from the 200 building, with his coat looking disheveled and the hood unzipped or torn, police said in the warrant. He appeared angry and was calmed by other people in the parking lot before leaving the area in the Elantra, the warrant says.

The car returned around 8 p.m. and parked, with Stone coming out of the 200 building (not the building he lives in) "moments later" and getting in, according to court documents.

The car then left the area and when it returned, 20 minutes or so later, Stone and Curtis got out and approached the door of apartment 203, the warrant says.

The 200 building of Dunbarton apartments. Apartment 203 is on the bottom right, with the door under the stairs.

After the shooting, Stone ran in the direction of his building, while Curtis took off in the car, court documents say.

The arrests

After both a witness and Georgetown police officers identified Stone as one of the suspects, he was arrested on a conspiracy charge Feb. 28, still wearing the clothes he was seen in in surveillance video, according to court documents.

He confirmed he was one of the men in the video, but said it was the first time he'd met the other man and did not name him, the warrant says.

More:These 2 Sussex County employees made over $150K in 2021. Search the latest salary data.

The warrant does not clarify whether Stone or Curtis was the shooter.

While in custody at Sussex Correctional Institution on the conspiracy charge, Stone was further charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and first-degree murder. He is being held on a $1,060,000 cash bond.

Curtis was arrested March 3 at a home in Berlin, Maryland. He remains in the Maryland Department of Corrections custody, pending extradition. Upon arrival in Delaware, he will be charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and second-degree conspiracy, according to police.

A trial date has not yet been set.

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Court records in Georgetown killing reveal new details
Ireland has been selected to host the Association of Film Commissioners Internationals 46th annual Cineposium Conference, which will be held in Limerick in September. The event, being held in Ireland for the first time, brings together film commissions and industry leaders from around the world to discuss policy, economic development and film production.

The right to host the event was the result of a competitive bid process open to all AFCI film commission members; it was won this year by Film in Limerick.

More from Deadline

Thanks to its generous tax incentives, stunning scenery and experienced crews, Ireland has become an international hub of film production. Oscar-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin filmed there, and so did Disneys Disenchanted, which transformed the village of Enniskerry and employed a 98% local crew. This years surprise hit Cocaine Bear also shot on the Emerald Isle, re-creating a U.S. national park in the Wicklow countryside.

This is an excellent opportunity to build on the current wave of success happening across Irelands screen industry, and to further strengthen our partnerships with international production companies and studios around the world, said Catherine Martin, Irelands Minister of Tourism and Culture. Being able to showcase Ireland as a global production hub is a fantastic way to drive more international production to all parts of the country, further developing skills and opportunities for Irish talent and our skilled crew base.

Im enthusiastic that Ireland has been selected to host Cineposium, where a diverse mix of screen sector professionals will merge to learn, build connections and explore new methods of collaboration, said AFCI Executive Director Jaclyn Philpott. Screen Ireland joined AFCI in June, 2018. Their office has consistently exemplified leadership in sustainability, workforce development programs and providing production support for filmmakers and content creators filming in the country, as well as being an active and valued member of AFCI.

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Limerick Mayor Francis Foley said that this is brilliant news for Limerick and once again shows that Limerick is home for film, a home for innovation and a vibrant place where massive organizations can collaborate on projects such as these.

Founded in 1975, AFCI provides advocacy, connectivity and education for film commissions and businesses in the screen sector to foster economic growth in an inclusive and sustainable manner. It also produces two signature events each year  AFCI Week and Cineposium  that draw attendees, speakers and exhibitors from around the world.

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Kenyas Ministry of Health has announced this week a "significant step" in the fight against Malaria as the East African nation expands its use of the worlds first-ever malaria vaccine.

The malaria vaccine -- known as Mosquirix or RTS,s/AS01 -- has seen a phased introduction in the country since a 2019 pilot program was launched. Since then, over a million doses of the vaccine have been administered to children across eight of Kenyas counties, 400,000 of which have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Starting March 7, 2023, Kenyas Health Ministry has announced it is scaling up use of the ground-breaking vaccine, extending to an additional 25 sub-counties in lake-endemic regions. The vaccine will be expanded -- free-of-charge -- to an additional 133,000 infants in lake-endemic counties and will be available at all immunizing health facilities.

PHOTO: Mothers participate in the launch of the extension of the worlds first malaria vaccine (RTS, S) pilot program for children at risk of malaria illness and death within Kenyas lake-endemic region at Kimogoi Dispensary in Gisambai on March 7, 2023. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images)

The expansion of Kenyas malaria vaccination program is a significant step in the fight against malaria, Kenyas Ministry of Health said. It complements the existing methods and efforts in malaria prevention and control, and with more children benefitting from the vaccination the country can hope to see a further reduction in malaria-related deaths and illnesses.

The expansion follows the recommendation from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Kenya National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (KENITAG) for wider use of the vaccine for children in sub-Saharan Africa and regions with moderate to high malaria transmission.

The fight against malaria has always been a two-steps-forward, one-step-back struggle, and this vaccine is definitely a step forward but it is definitely no silver bullet, Dr. Chris Plowe, adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, tells ABC News.

PHOTO: Malaria vaccine containers during the launch of the extension of the worlds first malaria vaccine pilot program for children at risk of malaria illness and death within Kenyas lake-endemic region at Kimogoi Dispensary in Gisambai, March 7, 2023. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images)

The main reason that after more than 100 years of research to develop a malaria vaccine we still have just one somewhat effective vaccine is that malaria is a big, nasty, complex parasite, said Plowe. It is much, much bigger and more complicated than the virus that causes COVID for example. It transforms itself again and again, first in mosquitoes, then in people. It mutates and changes and it is very good at hiding from the immune system and from vaccines.

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The malaria vaccine is currently in use in three African countries thus far -- Kenya, Ghana and Malawi -- and the vaccine has a total of four doses administered to the individual at 6 months, 7 months, 9 months and 24 months.

The RTS,S malaria vaccine is the first vaccine that has demonstrated it can significantly reduce malaria, says Kenyas Cabinet Secretary for Health, CS Susan Wafula.

According to UNICEF, one child under the age of 5-years-old dies of malaria nearly every minute in Africa and the disease is a leading cause of illness and death among children, particularly within sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya alone, there an estimated 3.5 million new clinical cases of malaria each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Growing up in western Kenya I and so many of my peers got very serious malaria growing up, Stella Wokabi told ABC News. If youve ever got malaria you know just how terrible this sickness is and so its such a relief to me that my baby girl can now reduce her risk of being seriously affected, like I was, thanks to this vaccine.

A child receives a shot during the launch of the extension of the worlds first malaria vaccine (RTS, S) pilot program for children at risk of malaria illness and death within Kenyas lake-endemic region at Kimogoi Dispensary in Gisambai, March 7, 2023. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images)

The prevalence of malaria is highest among residents in Kenyas lake-endemic counties such as Kisumu, Kakamega, Siaya and Homabay, due to the climate providing the perfect habitat and breeding ground for mosquitoes.

But, according to the 2020 Malaria Indicator Survey for Kenya, malaria prevalence in lake-endemic regions has dropped from 27%i n 2015 to 19% in 2020.

In the coming years, our objective is to continue to expand malaria vaccination to other parts of the country, as more supplies of the vaccine become available, said Dr. Lucy Mecca, head of the National Vaccines and Immunisation Program (NVIP).

Phased introduction in additional counties in Kenya is set to begin at the end of 2023 and the vaccination program aims to expand across Africa with at least 28 countries planning to introduce it starting this year.

Kenya's announcement to expand use of landmark malaria vaccine gives hope to millions originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Louisiana State Police (LSP) released information on the high-speed chase that ended in an officer-involved shooting on Saturday.

LSP said that at approximately 5:45 p.m. troopers were requested by Bossier City Police Department, Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office and the Haughton Police Department to investigate an officer-involved shooting.

On Saturday around 5 p.m. Haughton Police were taken on a pursuit when officers attempted to pull over Jason Michael Mattingly Jr., 31, who police say had outstanding felony warrants for domestic abuse battery involving child endangerment and strangulation.

LSP said, "upon initiating a traffic stop within the city limits of Haughton, the subject fled, and a pursuit ensued through Bossier Parish into Bossier City."

Bossier Parish Sheriff's deputies joined the chase and successfully used a tire deflation device on the vehicle. Mattingly continued fleeing and struck several civilian vehicles.

Officers and deputies continued the chase until Mattingly flipped his vehicle at the corner of East Texas and Benton Road. Police say, he then armed himself with a firearm and law enforcement officers from all three agencies fired their weapons resulting in Mattingly being shot and pronounced dead at the scene.

Through the investigation, LSP determined that Mattingly was armed with an AR-15 style fully automatic rifle.

LSP, the lead investigating agency in this incident, said the investigation is ongoing.

Bossier Sheriff's Office released the names of the law enforcement personnel involved in this incident:

Corporal Bryan Sprankle  Bossier Sheriffs Office

Officer Richard Pollitt  BCPD

Officer Gregory Russell  BCPD

Officer Matthew Boyd  BCPD

Officer Marcus Green  BCPD

Officer Patrick Edmonds  Haughton PD

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana State Police release new information on the Saturday officer-involved shooting
BOSTON  Both houses of the Massachusetts Legislature have acted on the $282 million supplemental budget proposed by Gov. Maura Healey, with each branch passing its version  including revisions  within the last week.

Now its about process  the appointment of a conference committee made up of senators and representatives to review and reconcile items in the document and then to enact it.

Gov. Maura Healey, second from left, with Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll, left, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, D-Quincy, and Senate President Karen Spilka address Healey's supplemental budget during a Statehouse press conference in January.

The governors proposal is $282 million. The Senate version kicked it up another $86 million to $368.7 million, with $814 million in bonding authorizations. The House passed the supplemental budget after adding more than a half-billion dollars for bonding projects.

What's at stake?

Funding for current programs: universal free school meals for all public school students in Massachusetts, no income restrictions; emergency shelter for immigrants and vulnerable families; funds for school districts enrolling new immigrant students; and money to replace a portion of supplemental federal funds authorized during the COVID-19 pandemics and paid to some 630,000 Massachusetts families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Supplement to SNAP

The biggest chunk of the supplemental budget, $130 million, is earmarked to provide what Healey has called an off-ramp for families receiving the additional federal SNAP benefits. The funds, about 40% of the additional federal benefit, would be paid for three months.

Universal free school meals

Another $65 million is earmarked to continue the states universal school meals program through the end of the academic year in June. The Legislature appropriated $110 million for the program in the last session. Turns out, it was short of what was needed.

Emergency housing is included in the supplemental budget, with $45 million for emergency shelter for the states vulnerable population. And $40 million to support housing for an expected influx of immigrants and refugees.

If passed, theres $22 million for the states school districts that are enrolling new immigrant and refugee students as well as students who are relocating due to housing issues.

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Funds for early ed providers

In the Senate version, $68 million was earmarked for the Early Education C3 stabilization grant program, a state program that benefits providers of child care and early education.

Under the Senate spending plan, smaller amounts would be distributed to the following programs:

$8.3 million for judgments, settlements and legal fees

$7 million for coordinated wraparound services for immigrants and refugees

$2 million to pay back victims of SNAP benefit theft

$2 million for the 114th National NAACP conference to be held in Massachusetts in 2023

$1 million for a public service campaign alerting the public to the misinformation offered by crisis pregnancy centers and their lack of medical services

$250,000 for the free abortion related legal hotline run by Reproductive Equity Now

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Massachusetts lawmakers amend, pass governor's supplemental budget
The first image has been unveiled from Miguel Gomes upcoming late 1910s drama Grand Tour, which is being sold by The Match Factory. The film is currently shooting in Italy, and stars Goncalo Waddington and Crista Alfaiate.

Grand Tour comes after the successful international sales and distribution of Gomes critically acclaimed features Tabu, Arabian Nights and The Tsugua Diaries  all titles sold by The Match Factory.

More from Variety

Grand Tour kicks off in Rangoon, Burma, 1917. Edward, a civil servant for the British Empire, runs away from his fiancee Molly the day she arrives to get married. During his travels, however, panic gives way to melancholy. Contemplating the emptiness of his existence, the cowardly Edward wonders what has become of Molly Yet Molly, determined to get married and amused by his move, follows his trail on this Asian grand tour.

The creative process for the film began with a research trip to various countries in Asia. Gomes and his team filmed the trip, making an archive of images and sounds. Grand Tour combines frames from that trip with film scenes shot in 16mm, creating a continuous cinematic time.

Grand Tour is produced by Uma Pedra No Sapato (Portugal) in co-production with Vivo Film (Italy), Shellac Sud (France) and Cinema Defacto (France), in association with The Match Factory (Germany), Rediance (China) and Creatps Inc. (Japan), and with the participation of ZDF/ARTE and RTP. Uma Pedra No Sapato is releasing the film in Portugal and Shellac in France.

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A Volusia County Emergency Medical Services ambulance shown in a file photo.

A Tennessee motorcyclist was killed Friday in a traffic crash in Palm Coast, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The man was the third motorcyclist killed so far this Bike Week, which runs through Sunday. Five motorcyclists were killed last year's event.

The crash happened at about 2:09 p.m. at State Road 100 and Bulldog Drive, according to FHP.

A 68-year-old man from Murfreesboro, Tennessee was riding his motorcycle westbound on State Road 100 in the right lane, the FHP stated. An 18-year-old Palm Coast man was driving an SUV eastbound on 100 preparing to make a left turn onto Bulldog Drive, the FHP stated.

Fatal crashesBike Week-related deaths: Since 15 motorcyclists died in 2006, things have gotten better

Biker struckFleeing biker flips off Volusia deputies, runs red light, gets hit by truck

Biker killedMotorcyclist killed, passenger injured in Flagler crash

The driver of the SUV failed to yield and turned into the motorcycle's path, which struck the SUVs right side, according to FHP.

The driver of the SUV was not injured and was wearing a seat belt. Officials said the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Motorcyclist killed in Palm Coast crash; 3rd Bike Week fatality
Nothing was going to stop Muhammad Mokaev from competing at UFC 286.

Mokaev (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) dislocated his shoulder this past December and decided not to undergo surgery so he doesnt jeopardize his flyweight fight against Jafel Filho (14-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC), which takes place on March 18 at The O2 in London. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

I decided to do (surgery) maybe after the fight, but I recovered enough to fight, Mokaev told MMA Junkie. If I make surgery, Ill probably be out for six or seven months minimum.

Mokaev admits he could barely lift his arm when his fight with Filho was officially announced. He had to make some adjustments during his training camp in Phuket, Thailand.

Related

Muhammad Mokaev responds to criticism surrounding UFC 286 opponent: 'No top 15 available for March' Muhammad Mokaev reveals dislocated shoulder, but 'will do everything to fight on UFC London' Muhammad Mokaev: I'll break Jon Jones' record for youngest UFC champ by March 2024

But one week out of his fight, the 22-year-old says hes ready, and vows that people will hear zero excuses from him if he doesnt get his hand raised.

I just believe I can beat these guys, Mokaev said. I have always struggled before my fight. Always sickness, sometimes something happens, its not always 100 percent. Not just me, all fighters I think are like this. I think 95 percent of fighters dont go inside the cage 100 percent. So, its OK. I did sparring, I feel good, and Im confident I will win this fight.

He continued, Feeling good, both hands working. So, Im not gonna make any excuses after the fight. Im saying now Im recovered.

Mokaev is also eager to stay active so he can realize his goal of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history. Unbeaten in his professional career, Mokaev has defeated Cody Durden, Charles Johnson, and most recently Malcolm Gordon by submission at UFC 280 this past October.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkies event hub for UFC 286.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk (PA)

Oleksandr Usyk has told Tyson Fury he will accept his terms for an April 29 undisputed heavyweight title fight at Wembley provided the Briton agrees to one special condition.

The much-anticipated showdown appeared to be in jeopardy after Fury, who turned down a previous date in Saudi Arabia, demanded 70 per cent of the total purse for the revised London date.

But Usyk posted a brief message on his social media on Friday in which he said he would accept Furys terms provided he makes a 1million donation to those affected by the war in Ukraine.

Usyk said: Hey, greedy belly. I accept your offer  70-30 split the fight with you on April 29 at Wembley.

But you will promise to donate to Ukraine immediately after the fight, 1million. And for every day of your delay you will pay one per cent from your purse to Ukrainian people. Deal?

Earlier, Fury had posted a video of his own laying out his terms for the contest and insisting Usyks percentage would fall by one per cent for every day the Ukrainian delayed.

Fury last fought in December when he stopped domestic rival Derek Chisora, while Usyk has not stepped in the ring since he successfully defended his titles with a second straight win over Anthony Joshua in Jeddah in August.
A Greek court in Crete sentenced a 45-year-old Egyptian man on Wednesday to 280 years in prison for human trafficking and smuggling migrants into Greece after he participated in the steering of a boat that was transporting migrants from Libya to Greece.

The man, a fisherman by trade who was identified by Greek news websites as H. El-Fallah, was charged with multiple criminal offences including unauthorised entry, unauthorised transport of 476 third-country nationals into Greek territory, endangering the lives of the passengers, acting for profit, and belonging to a criminal organisation.

According to the human rights organisation Borderline Europe, El-Fallah, who was accompanied in the trip by his 15-year-old son, made a deal with the smugglers to do chores on the boat in exchange for a lower fare because they could not afford the full cost of the trip.

The court convicted El-Fallah on human trafficking and smuggling charges because he participated in the steering of the vessel when it ran into trouble after it drifted due to strong winds in the Mediterranean.

A Greek coastal guard rescued the boat eventually and towed it to Palaiochora in Crete.

At this point, Greek authorities charged a total of seven of the migrants on the boat, including El-Fallah, with steering the vessel.

On Wednesday, the court convicted El-Fallah and the boats captain but acquitted the other defendants in the case.

El-Fallah faced a maximum sentence of 4,760 years in prison  10 years for every migrant on the boat - under the 2014 Greek Migration Law.

However, the court showed some leniency in the sentencing because El-Fallah pleaded his case arguing he was acting in an emergency situation when he helped in steering the vessel.

Some Greek migrants rights groups and rights lawyers have charged that El-Fallah, who was only trying to reunite with his older son in the UK, was used as a scapegoat in the case, vowing to appeal the verdicts.

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PORTSMOUTH  A 70-year-old Type 1 diabetic came away beyond frustrated, after spending more than 24 hours recently waiting on a gurney in a hallway in the emergency room at Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

Mark Brighton, a Portsmouth resident, said every inch of space in the emergency room had a gurney.

They called it a bed, but it was a gurney, Brighton said in an interview and a narrative he shared with Seacoast Media Group about his experience.

Brighton reported he was left waiting for answers about his medical condition, despite asking numerous times for test results.

Portsmouth resident Mark Brighton, seen Thursday, March 9, 2023, recently spent over 24 hours on a gurney in the hallway at the emergency room at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. This type of experience is happening frequently across the nation, hospital officials said.

He ended up leaving with his wife after spending more than a day on the ER gurney.

Oh my God, I cant describe how frustrating it was, Brighton said. If someone had come and talked to me about what was going on, that would have helped. But that didnt happen.

Leaders at Portsmouth Regional Hospital and hospitals around the Seacoast and New Hampshire have acknowledged patients are facing long wait times. Locally and nationally, hospitals have cited issues with staffing, patients ending up in the ER after having difficulty getting primary care appointments and numerous other factors creating a logjam.

Brighton arrived by ambulance on Thursday evening, Feb. 16, after he began feeling woozy at home.

His wife called his primary care physician, who raised the possibility he was having a stroke and recommended he go to the emergency room.

He started to go downhill during the ambulance ride to the hospital and was assigned gurney 26 when he arrived.

He reported this his condition worsened after arriving at the ER, including a drop in blood pressure.

Doctor ordered fluids, fluids never arrived, Brighton said in his narrative.

Portsmouth resident Mark Brighton has dealt with having diabetes for 60 years and has seen many changes in technology to help treat it over that time.

Running out of insulin

Brighton, who uses an insulin pump to help manage his diabetes, said he realized his pump was running low and asked for insulin, but he never received any from hospital staff.

Eventually, a friend delivered some from home after the insulin pump first ran dry, he said.

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Never miss a story: Follow local news on the Seacoastonline mobile app or the Fosters.com mobile app

Sometime Friday mid-afternoon, he was taken for an MRI, Brighton said. Despite repeated requests for results from the MRI, Brighton did not receive any until after he returned home.

Brighton did not receive any food for 24 hours before having a meal brought to him late Friday, he said.

By 10.30 p.m., nurse had administered blood thinner for second night on gurney in hallway, no beds available upstairs, Brighton said in his narrative.

At some point Friday night, Brighton said, my wife ran (a) scenario by medical professional who agreed that since there were no signs of stroke, I would be better off at home.

Checking himself out of hospital

Portsmouth resident Mark Brighton has dealt with having diabetes for 60 years and has seen many changes in technology, as seen at his home Thursday, March 9, 2023.

So at around 11 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, I unhooked monitors and started to leave, nurse told me I was leaving AMA (against medical advice), angrily responded that I hadnt had any medical advice and would not sign AMA release, Brighton said.

Seacoast Media Group sent a complete copy of Brightons narrative about his stay at Portsmouth Regional Hospital to Ellen Miller, senior director of marketing and communications at the hospital.

Big Bean Cafe coming to Exeter: Couple takes over former Tavern at Rivers Edge space

She issued a statement in response to Brightons narrative stating we appreciate when patients share their experience with us so that we may use that feedback to address possible concerns.

We have been in touch with Mr. Brighton on his concerns and apologize to him for falling short of his expectations, according to the statement.

We understand that long waits in an emergency room, even when a patient has been initially evaluated and are in a bed, are frustrating as patients wait for answers, hospital officials added in the statement.

The statement also pointed out hospitals across the country are facing staffing shortages in all areas, and emergency departments and inpatient units are hit especially hard.

Long wait in ERs across the state and nation

Steve Ahnen, president of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, said those on the front lines of health care are being challenged like never before.

"We are in a difficult place and many challenges remain," said Ahnen. "We saw many changes because of COVID, and then added RSV and the flu. We are seeing a very high demand for services, which we want to provide to the best of our abilities. We are seeing workforce shortages, and even the inability to discharge patients to other facilities (like rehabs) because beds are not available."

The Shanty Family Tavern:Portsmouth eatery's second location finally opening in Rollinsford after Dover fire

Dr. Greg Baxter, president and chief executive officer of Elliot Health Systems, said when COVID-19 hit, many staff, including nurses, sought different jobs, and some have left the field entirely.

"We are facing a tyranny of competition," said Baxter. "Resources are difficult to get. We are looking at programs like having us pay nursing students while they are in school, with a return that they commit time here. We know we need to do more."

Dr. Chris Fore, chief quality officer at Concord Hospital, said administrators are aware emergency room waits are long, at every facility.

"The impact is palpable," Fore said. "Emergency departments are the first to take on water. The inability to get patients into beds creates situations no one wants. We are all struggling with this and there have been times where patients cannot get services, and that is heartbreaking."

Ahnen said there is no state in the nation not struggling with the same type of issues in their hospitals.

"We are hoping that those who come in to the hospitals bring a heavy dose of patience and good grace," Ahnen said. "These problems are not going away tomorrow but we are proud of our staff and we are trying to get there."

Portsmouth Regional Hospital's statement noted New Hampshire's lack of behavioral health inpatient beds is also contributing to the problem.

Since COVID, ER visits throughout our state have continued to increase with patients at all acuity levels while staffing shortages create an additional challenge, according to the hospital. Additionally, New Hampshires practice of holding mental health patients in hospital ERs creates additional constraints on both staffing needs and bed availability."

In February, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that New Hampshire's use of hospital beds to indefinitely board behavioral health patients violates the constitution and she gave the state a month to come up with a plan to address the problem, the Associated Press reported.

"U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty ruled Feb. 23 that the state is violating the rights of hospitals by seizing their property," the Associated Press reported. "She declined to issue an order halting the practice, however. Instead, she gave the state and hospitals a month to submit proposed orders or a timeline for how they would develop an order together."

"The record is clear; the Commissioner's boarding practice commandeers space, staff and resources in the Hospitals' emergency departments that is needed for other patients and services," McCafferty wrote.

A high volume of ER patients

Portsmouth resident Mark Brighton, seen in his home Thursday, March 9, 2023, describes the crowded space he encountered recently in a trip to the emergency room.

Portsmouth Regional Hospital sees a high volume of patients in the ER every day," according to its statement provided in response to Brighton's experience.

Because its the only Level II trauma center on the Seacoast, Portsmouth Regional Hospital does not divert patients; instead we receive high-acuity patients from area hospitals that are on diversion or are otherwise unable to care for patients, the hospital said in the statement.

Due to our philosophical approach to care, which includes quickly triaging patients and placing them in a bed where we can monitor and keep eyes on them, some patients will be required to be in a bed in the hallway simply due to the lack of available private rooms in the ER, the hospital said in the statement.

But this is not a situation unique to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, its happening across the country as hospitals continue to face staffing shortages.

Brighton said he believes the overcrowding and delays he endured in the emergency room represent systemic problems.

The nurses I dealt with were great, he said.

He talked with two different nursing supervisors late last week and said they had a positive conservation.

Hospital staff added they are consistently evaluating our procedures and processes to determine new approaches and best practices, not only in regard to patient care, but also to the overall patient experience.

Karen Dandurant contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth diabetic man recounts 24 hours on emergency room gurney
Primoz Roglic

Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) took an impressive victory on stage five of Tirreno-Adriatico, taking over the overall lead in the process.

On the race's Queen stage- a mountain top finish on the Sassotetto climb- The Jumbo-Visma man capitalised on indecision in a select group of riders, beating Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) to the line in a mass sprint finish.



High winds effected much of the action on the final climb, with Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) being the first man to launch an attack. Caruso briefly opened up a gap of more than 20 seconds, before Enric Mas (Movistar) kicked on, taking Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) with him.



Once the duo had caught Caruso, bringing a select group with them, Ciccone and Geoghegan Hart both began to sprint although Roglic had other ideas.



Once the Slovenian launched his sprint, he timed his jump to perfection, passing the Trek and Ineos pair on the line to snatch another win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Before the race's Queen stage got underway, a decision was made to cut the summit finish at Sassotetto by 2.5 kilometres due to severe wind and rain at the top.

Lennard Kamna (Bora-Hansgrohe) was in the overall lead after stage four, but it was widely anticipated that he would come under attack on the steep final climb.

After the flag dropped, a variety of riders got up the road looking to establish a breakaway. Amongst them was Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) and Davide Ballerini (Soudal Quick-Step). Eventually as the road started to get bumpy, multiple other riders joined the move. They were Zdenek Stybar (Jayco-AIUla), Erik Fetter (Eolo-Kometa), Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Simon Guglielmi (Arkea-Samsic) and Florian Stork (DSM).

Simmons would soon drop back to the peloton. The leaders had an advantage of two and a half minutes. With 67 kilometres left to race, Guglielmi would soon follow Simmons back to the main field being led by Bora-Hansgrohe. As the leaders approached the day's intermediate sprint, they rolled over it uncontested with Stybar taking maximum points.

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The wind was heavily impacting the riders as they looked to put on rain jackets and other warm weather gear. Laurens de Plus (Ineos Grenadiers) was involved in a small crash but was soon back on his bike and riding again.

As the kilometres flew by, the breakaway was beginning to lose momentum. As they took on the San Ginesio, the first of three categorised climbs, their advantage was beginning to be drastically cut. With 48 kilometres to race the riders passed the base of the days final climb. They would then begin a loop involving more climbing, before returning to the base of Sassotetto to begin the final ascent. Fetter and Stybar were soon dropped by the leaders and back in the peloton.

With 40 kilometres left to race, Ineos Grenadiers suddenly appeared on the front of the main field. A high pace set by Michal Kwiatkowski and Filippo Ganna was causing the peloton to shatter. Jumbo-Visma, Bora-Hansgrohe and Movistar were also present, as riders began to think about the stage finale.

With 24 kilometres left of the day, it was all over for the breakaway. Ineos Grenadiers devoured the remnants of the leading group as the riders began the penultimate climb to Gualdo. As the gradient began to bite, Movistar jostled Ineos off the front of the peloton, as they looked to set up Enric Mas.

As the peloton descended towards the base of the Sassotetto climb, the wind was so severe that riders were unclipping one foot after getting caught in the gusts. Movistar continued to drive the pace looking to make things difficult for the other stronger teams.

Once the Sassotetto began, all hell would break loose as UAE Team Emirates moved to the front of the bunch and began to shred the field. Davide Formolo put in a huge turn as UAE looked to position Adam Yates. With four kilometres to go, George Bennett took over the pace setting. Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) was locked in on his back wheel.

Suddenly Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) launched a huge attack looking to set up Mikel Landa. The Italian soon brought up a big advantage of 21 seconds as he entered the snowline on the climb.

At just over a kilometre to the finish, Enric Mas launched a violent attack which soon brought Caruso back into the fold. Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) was able to follow. As the pace stalled, it enabled a large group to reform with a whole host of favourites in contention.

In the end, once Ciccone and Tao Geoghegan Hart kicked for the line, Roglic was straight onto them. Once the Slovenian passed Ciccone, there would be no stopping him as he took a second successive stage win and took over the overall lead.

STAGE FIVE RESULTS, MORRO DORO - SARNANO SASSOTETTO 166 kilometres

1. Primoz Roglic (SLO) Jumbo-Visma, in -4-38-32

2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Trek-Segafredo,

3. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers,

4. Jai Hindley (AUS) Bora-Hansgrohe,

5. Lennard Kamna (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe,

6. Aleksandr Vlasov Bora-Hansgrohe,

7. Mikel Landa (SPA) Bahrain Victorious,

8. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE Team Emirates,

9. Damiano Caruso (ITA) Bahrain Victorious,

10. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates, all same time

General Classification after stage five

1. Primoz Roglic (SLO) Jumbo-Visma, in 20-17-14

2. Lennard Kamna (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 4s

3. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE Team Emirates, at 12s

4. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team EMirates, at 17s

5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 19s

6. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at same time

7. Aleksandr Vlasov Bora-Hansgrohe, at 21s

8. Jai Hindley (AUS) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 22s

9. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Trek-Segafredo, at 24s

10. Enric Mas (SPA) Movistar, at 31s


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Nicholas Elliott and Kim Philby were British spies and lifelong friends. But Philby wasn't loyal to the United Kingdomhe was a double agent for the Soviet Union, and his defection to Moscow in 1963 shocked intelligence services.

Shop Now A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal $13.99 amazon.com

A Spy Among Friends, based on Ben Macintyre's book of the same name, is the story of Philby's defection and the impact it had on Elliott. Starring Guy Pearce as Philby and Damian Lewis as Elliott, the six part miniseries dramatizes one of the most notorious spy stories in history.

"Everybody knows about Kim Philby. Hes the rock star: poisonous, devastatingly dangerous, brilliant, adored. He hoodwinked an entire generation. Elliotts the best friend. Who knows about the best friend who was duped? Hes the sap, the second guy. The friendship is brilliantly interesting," Lewis explained.

The Cold War drama premiered in the United Kingdom in December 2022, and is hitting American TV screens this weekend. Anna Maxwell Martin, Stephen Kunken, and Adrian Edmondson also star in the show.

Where to stream A Spy Among Friends:

The miniseries will stream on MGM+, a brand-new streaming platform. "Im very happy to be bringing our Cold War tale of friendship and betrayal to MGM+. Theyre the perfect partners for us and I cant wait for people to see it," Lewis said in a statement.



Adi Marineci

There will be six episodes, and they will drop weekly on MGM+ on Sundays. Note that the final three episodes will drop at a different time:

Episode 1, "Boom-Ooh-Yatatahtah": Sunday, March 12, 10 p.m. eastern

Episode 2, "The Admiral's Glass": Sunday, March 19, 10 p.m. eastern

Episode 3, "Allegory of the Catholic Faith": Sunday March 26, 10 p.m. eastern

Episode 4, "Vodka": Sunday, April 2, 9 p.m. eastern

Episode 5, "Snow": Sunday, April 9, 9 p.m. eastern

Episode 6, "No Man's Land": Sunday April 16, 9 p.m. eastern

You can sign up for a monthly plan, which is a $5.99/month, or an annual plan, which is currently $49.99 for the year. Try it out with a 7 day free trial:

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Stassi Schroeder

Ian Maddox Stassi Schroeder and Beau Clark

Stassi Schroeder is having a boy!

On Friday, the Vanderpump Rules alum, 34, and her husband Beau Clark revealed the sex of their baby together after announcing that they were expecting their second child last week.

The couple shared a video of them finding out the news on their family podcast, The Good The Bad The Baby.

"I knew the whole entire time that we were having a boy," Schroeder shared in the episode. "I kept saying it. I felt it. It was a vibeI don't know how to f---king explain it."

RELATED: Stassi Schroeder Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2 with Beau Clark  See the Photos!

They also posted a teaser clip on their podcast Instagram account documenting the experience.

"Okay, we're headed to New York and right when we land, we're going to our favorite place in New York, Rolf's, the magical Christmas restaurant, and the Taylors are going to tell us whether we're having a boy or a girl," Schroeder excitedly narrated in the video, referring to their friends Taylor Strecker and Taylor Donohue.

Outside Rolf's German Restaurant, Clark tosses up his hands asking, "Boy or Girl, boy or girl?"

"We're here. This is where we're going to find out," Schroeder said.

"I know I'm going to cry. I'm going to cry right now," she said inside the restaurant.

At their table, Schroeder and Clark then opened the box revealing the sex of their baby.

Upon finding out, Schroeder bowed her head onto the table with her hands in front of her face, while Clark placed his on the side of his head in shock.

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Both teary-eyed, the couple hugged each other before FaceTiming their daughter Hartford Charlie Rose, 2.

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"Hi baby, I have some news for you," Schroeder told her child through the phone.

"You won't have any competition. Don't worry. It's a boy," Schroeder jokingly told her daughter in the podcast episode.

RELATED VIDEO: Stassi Schroeder Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 2 with Beau Clark  See the Photos!

Schroeder also said there "was never going to be any disappointment" about the sex of their baby.

However, she did express her excitement if she were to have another girl. "I love being a girl mom. I love the idea of being surrounded by feminine energy. Two little girls. How f---king cool is that?"

On Mar. 1, Schroeder and Clark announced they are expecting their second baby together across their Instagram accounts.

RELATED: Vanderpump Babies Rule! Every Snuggly Photo of the Cast's Cutest Costars

"Secrets stress me out. Baby #2, I love you so much already," Schroeder wrote alongside a photo of her sitting on the couch, draping one arm over her bump and the other around her daughter Hartford.

In the photo shared by Clark, Hartford sits on the couch in front of Schroeder, while he leans over toward them from behind the couch with a strip of ultrasound photos held out toward the toddler.

"Yeahhhhhh, we were totally hiding the Bump ," he captioned the set of shots, which also included a couple's picture of the two out on the town during the recent NYC trip, with Clark holding Schroeder's bump.

Stassi Schroeder Reveals She and Husband Beau Clark are Expecting Their Second Baby

Beau Clark/Instagram (2) Stassi Schroeder and Beau Clark

The couple also shared the news in an Instagram Reel on The Good The Bad The Baby podcast account.

"We had to come here first because we needed to tell y'all first," Schroeder said in the video, with Clark by her side.

"We're having..." Clark began. "... Another baby!" she concluded. "I'm pregnant!"

"You guys have been there with us through it all. We can't wait to share everything about baby #2 with you on Patreon!!!" they captioned the post.

Schroeder and Clark got engaged in July 2019, and the proposal aired during the couple's last season of Vanderpump Rules.

They were set to wed in Italy in October 2020, but because of the pandemic, the pair tied the knot that month during a small ceremony.
Months after trading for him, the Pittsburgh Steelers released cornerback William Jackson III Friday.

We have released CB William Jackson Ill and DB Carlins Platel. @BordasLawhttps://t.co/lPQF80myke  Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 10, 2023

The Steelers acquired Jackson and a conditional 2025 seventh-round pick from the Washington Commanders in November for a conditional sixth-round selection in 2025. However, Jackson never played for the Steelers, meaning the conditions of the trade werent met, so Washington will not receive the conditional 2025 selection.

Jackson, a first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016, spent the first five seasons of his career there. He signed a three-year, $40.5 million contract with Washington in March 2021. Jackson had some good moments in his first season with Washington, but not enough to justify his new contract.

The Commanders hoped for an improved Jackson in 2022, with one year under his belt in Jack Del Rios defense. Unfortunately, Jackson struggled and also dealt with a back injury. It was clear early in the 2022 season that Washington was moving on from Jackson.

Much like Landon Collins old contract, Jackson is the gift that keeps on giving, as he will count for $9 million in dead money against Washingtons salary cap in 2023. Collins will count over $5 million against the Commanders cap in 2023.

Story originally appeared on Commanders Wire
Tim Tszyu and Tony Harrison on Friday made weight for their 154-pound fight Saturday (Sunday in Australia) in Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. Tszyu weighed 153.6, Harrison 153.5.

The winner is expected to challenge undisputed champion Jermall Charlo.

The weight cut has always been my problem, but not this time, Harrison said after he was weighed. Ill put on some weight, but Im not looking to go in there 180 pounds. Whatever my body allows. I looked into his eyes and to me, hes nervous. I keep hearing people counting me out, and I dont understand why.

Im from the Motor, man. Im from Detroit. You ever seen a rottweiler fight a chihuahua? Its just a different type of dog. I just think you guys have seen your dog only bite other chihuahuas. He hasnt been in front of a rottweiler yet.

Said Tszyu: Im locked in now, and everythings out of the way. Im not nervous. Feel my heartbeat.

Tszyu (21-0, 15 KOs) is coming off his biggest victory, a unanimous decision over Terrell Gausha in March of last year.

Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) also is coming off a win, a unanimous decision over Sergio Garcia last April, but is 1-1-1 in his last three fights.

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Story originally appeared on Boxing Junkie
Free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. held a workout on Friday for teams who may be interested in his services, but the Tennessee Titans were not one of the team to attend.

According to CBS Sports Jonathan Jones, the teams in attendance were the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens.

The Titans are in the market for multiple wide receivers this offseason, including a veteran, but their lack of interest in Beckham is understandable.

After all, the 30-year-old has suffered a pair of torn ACLs in the past few years. Adding to that, weve seen this story before of the Titans adding an aging, high-profile receiver, only for it to blow up in their face.

The Jets were also present at the workout  Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) March 10, 2023

While signing Beckham would no doubt be an exciting addition, the potential negatives outweigh the positives and Titans are better off going in a different direction.

More!

Report: Ex-Titans WR Robert Woods signing with Texans Report: Titans' DeMarcus Walker has 'a ton of interest' from other teams Titans' Mike Vrabel releases statement on cutting Ben Jones

Story originally appeared on Titans Wire
As the war in Ukraine rages on, dancers from the country's most acclaimed ballet company are using their artistry to make a stand.

Armed with pirouettes, plies and jetes, dancers like prima ballerina Olga Kifyak-Fon-Kraimer are using their skills to showcase Ukraine's culture. Ballet has long been one of Moscow's most revered cultural exports, but many of the best dancers are from or trained in Ukraine.

"We dance in spite of Russia," said Kifyak-Fon-Kraimer, whose brother was killed fighting against Russia. "It's very hard. But we are Ukrainians. We are unbreakable."

Some dancers even went to the front lines, especially as theaters were shut down during the first months of the war. Oleksander Shapoval, a principal dancer at the Ukraine National Ballet, was a once-in-a-generation dancer who performed in 30 different roles over 28 seasons. In September 2022, he was killed in a Russian mortar attack.

The father of two was remembered as a "courageous romantic," a mentor and a friend.

"It was very difficult for, I think, for all (the) company," said Mykyta Sukhorukov, who has taken over Shapoval's role as the company's principal dancer.

Now, Sukhorukov is dancing the lead role in "Don Quixhote," a romantic comedy bringing laughter to audiences in Kyiv. American volunteer Paige Vienne attended the performance and said it emphasized the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

"A lot of people back home ... asked me if Kyiv was destroyed, and I said 'Absolutely not,'" Vienne said. "To continue on is really the Ukrainian spirit. It's really incredible to see that people continue to just not exist, but live."

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white and tan dogs grins with open mouth at the camera

South Suburban Humane Society

A dog abandoned in a Burger King parking lot has reunited with his owner thanks to the help of a local humane societyand we all get to see the story's sweet conclusion.

The South Suburban Humane Society (SSHS) in Illinois took in King at the end of February after someone left him in the parking lot with a note that read: "Hi, I'm King. I am a good boy. Love to hug and kiss."

But on Monday, he and his owner saw each other again after she secured a place for them to live. SSHS posted the sweet reunification to Facebook, showing King with a super-wiggly butt.

RELATED: Watch This Frisbee Dog Finish Their Halftime Routine By Pooping on the Basketball Court

The Monee Police Department found King in the parking lot, but officers couldn't find his owner, according to an SSHS Facebook post.

Emily Klehm, CEO of SSHS, told People that King was in great condition when he arrived at the shelter, looking healthy and acting like a total "lovebug" toward the staff. King's owner saw an online post about her dog and contacted the shelter.

She explained her situation to SSHS. According to the shelter's Facebook post, the pup's she had suffered a major medical episode and moved in with her family. Unbeknownst to her, one of her relatives abandoned King in the parking lot. She felt "devastated" and was trying to find a new place to live so she and King could be together again.

An SSHS staff member offered to foster the pup for a month to give his owner time to figure things out before they could resume their life together. Thankfully, that didn't take long. According to the pair's GoFundMe page, King's owner is going to live with a loved one she trusts, so she and her dog were able to reunite shortly after they'd been separated.

Burger King even offered its support, donating a care package to King and his mom and feeding the hardworking SSHS staff.
When we imagine plants and animals from the deep past, we are necessarily doing so with incomplete information. A quick comparison of dinosaur illustrations from today and a few decades ago will reveal that the way we envision extinct animals changes over time, with each new piece of information. And thats true of sharks as much as anything else.

Before we plunge any deeper into the prehistoric waters, a bit of housekeeping. That bad boy up there from Jurassic World (streaming now on Peacock!), thats a mosasaur, not a shark. It did live during the Jurassic, but it is not a shark. Mosasaurs were aquatic reptiles which filled some of the same niches as modern whales and other cetaceans. Sharks are considerably older.

RELATED: Great whites might have pushed megalodons toward extinction

The first shark-like animals emerged in the worlds oceans sometime between 420 and 450 million years ago. Sharks are older than land vertebrates, older than trees, older even than the rings of Saturn. Most of what we know about those ancient sharks comes from the fossil evidence they left behind, and they left a whole lot of them. Shark fossils are in fact among the most common fossils found all over the world, but they are limited.

Because of their mostly cartilaginous bodies, sharks dont fossilize well. The semi-hard parts of their bodies break down before they have a chance to get mineralized. The only parts of their bodies which are hard enough to be regularly preserved are the teeth. And because sharks pump out teeth like theyre being paid for it, there are a lot of them to be found. While teeth are great for letting us know when and where sharks existed, theres only so much they can tell us about what ancient sharks looked like or how they lived. That has left paleontologists to speculate and argue about the evolution of sharks and their close evolutionary cousins, the rays. Now, new fossils of the Jurassic-era shark Protospinax annectans are changing our understanding of shark and ray evolution.

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Fossil of Protospinax Annectans

Fossil of the late Jurassic shark Protospinax Annectans from Solnhofen and Eichstatt, Germany Photo: Sebastian Stumpf

The fossils described in our study were all from the area around Solnhofen and Eichstatt, two small towns in Bavaria, Southern Germany. Unfortunately, most of these fossils come from private traders and the exact quarry in which they were found usually remains a secret. However, all these quarries in the area have one thing in common: exquisitely preserved fossils from the Late Jurassic. Localities like Solnhofen and Eichstatt, which bear fossils with such a unique preservation, are collectively called 'Konservat-Lagerstatten.' Sharks and rays have a rich fossil record which is, however, predominantly known from isolated teeth. In contrast, shark and ray skeletons are only known from a handful of these 'Konservat-Lagerstatten,' which thus provide important windows into the past of this group, Patrick Jambura told SYFY WIRE.

Jambura was the lead author of a recent study describing the fossils and their place among shark evolution, published in the journal Diversity. For a long time, it has been widely believed that sharks have remained more or less unchanged for the last several hundred million years. Almost as if mother nature produced a perfect creature which has weathered the extremes of Earthly life for half a billion years, surviving four (possibly five) mass extinction events without blinking an eye.

Ya know, the thing about a shark, hes got lifeless eyes, black eyes, like a dolls eyes.  Quint, Jaws.

In addition to teeth, the Bavarian fossils preserve the outline of soft tissues, revealing the body plan of a shark which lived 150 million years ago. Surprisingly, researchers found an animal which was highly adapted and specialized for its environment. Most sharks, both modern and ancient, have sleek bodies with two dorsal fins, a heterocercal tail (one in which the bottom fin isnt as large as the top one) and several billion (maybe not that many) teeth.

By contrast, Protospinax annectans has massive pectoral fins as well as dorsal fin spines, diverging from the standard plan pretty dramatically. The species also had specialized teeth adapted for crushing hard-shelled prey like crustaceans and mollusks. Those teeth diverge from the so-called primitive sharks, further supporting the notion that P. annectans was highly adapted.

Asterodermus Platypterus

Palaeoreconstruction of the Solnhofen Archipelago 150 million years ago showing Protospinax Annectans and the Jurassic Ray Asterodermus Platypterus Photo: Manuel Andreas Staggl

When we talk about sharks, we usually have this picture of an ancient group of animals that has hardly changed through time, because they didnt need to change in order to survive. But if we are looking at fossils like Protospinax, it is obvious that this is not true  sharks have changed through time, quite significantly in some cases, and have developed different strategies to adapt to a constantly changing environment. Fossils like Protospinax highlight that this adaptability is apparently the key to their success and that this group has not been in some kind of evolutionary stasis, Jambura said.

RELATED: Steven Spielberg truly regrets demonization of sharks and harmful sport fishing caused by Jaws

In the future, Jambura and colleagues are planning to expand their work to incorporate additional species not just from the Jurassic, but from even older periods. Tracing the trajectory of sharks all the way back to the beginning could reveal how they have managed to survive for so long when so many of their contemporaries have vanished.

This way, I hope to get a better understanding of trait evolution and which traits aided sharks and rays to survive past extinction events. Knowledge that in the light of the ongoing sixth mass extinction is essential for our planning of the future, Jambura said.

There are plenty of highly adapted Jurassic-era animals waiting for you in Jurassic World, streaming now on Peacock!
Egypt's Supreme Council for Media Regulation (SCMR) has asserted that the policy of Egyptian media in terms of foreign relations is based on "firm" principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of others.

Egypt's media policy is also based on extending ties of cooperation and development and establishing peace within a firm framework of respect and common interests, the SCMR said in a statement on Saturday.

The SCMR said this policy goes in line with that of the Egyptian state and the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to "extend bridges of cooperation, communication and consultation with brotherly Arab countries, and to work on communication between countries and peoples."

The SCMR issued the statement ahead of the meetings of the 16th regular session of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Ministers of Information, which are set to kick off on Sunday and will last till Thursday. The meetings will be held in Kuwait under the presidency of Iraq.

Earlier in February, El-Sisi said that Egypt does not accept insults against Arab brethren or attempts to sow discord with them, stressing "we should not forget how our brethren have stood with us."

The president's remarks came amid a back-and-forth between various media figures in Egypt and Saudi Arabia on alleged tensions between the two countries.

I have noticed excessive enthusiasm, or should I say transgressions, on social media platforms towards our brethren on issues that have no basis in reality," he said.

According to Saturdays statement, the SCMR is working to strengthen cooperation in the media field by signing protocols with other Arab countries.

These protocols involve holding training programmes to exchange experience and consultation in media, emphasising awareness and vigilance in order to swiftly address the media challenges facing Arab countries, the SCMR said.

The council further emphasised that tackling challenges in all their forms is not solely the duty of governments, as media institutions also have a crucial role to play in this regard.

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Loretta Ross could feel the excitement in the Chicago hotel room, where she and 11 other Black women gathered during a health care conference in June 1994.

That day, the women had felt their communities and their reproductive health care needs were being sidelined, so they pulled away from the other 200 white women there for a private chat.

It was a rare moment to have this inter-organizational dialogue from the perspectives of Black women, Ross said. And that felt very exciting.

They called themselves the Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice. And in that hotel room, the term reproductive justice was born.

Thirty years later, the framework has become a driving force in the national conversation about abortion access, with a new generation of activists pushing for a broader conversation about reproductive freedom in the United States.

The reproductive justice movement goes far beyond abortion rights. It combines social justice with human rights to take into account how a persons intersecting identities affect their ability to make choices about their reproductive life.

SOUTH CAROLINA WOMAN ARRESTED: Incident draws attention to criminalization of self-managed abortions

Loretta Ross has been a reproductive justice activist for 50 years. She was one of the 12 Black women activists who coined the term "reproductive justice." She co-founded the multiracial reproductive justice organization SisterSong and was named a MacArthur fellow in 2022.

In addition to advocating for the legal right to abortion, many reproductive justice organizations push for policies that specifically help marginalized communities access reproductive health care. They help fund abortion care, transportation to out-of-state clinics, and prenatal and postnatal care. Many look at how issues ranging from police brutality, mass incarceration and the lack of access to HIV care, among other topics, affect people's ability to have and raise children.

Reproductive justice hinges on the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities, said Monica Simpson, executive director of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, a multiracial reproductive justice organization.

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What are the principles of reproductive justice?

The reproductive justice movement was founded by Black women who felt the debate around abortion rights was often driven by white women who may not have taken into account the extra barriers some communities, such as people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ folks and low-income households, face when trying to access health care. For many, advocates note, the struggle extends far beyond whether they have legal access to abortion because of a history of discrimination that could make it harder for certain groups to pay for abortion and child care and overcome language barriers or other obstacles.

Past movements also ignored systemic barriers that prevented marginalized communities from having children and raising them safely, said Marsha Jones, executive director of the Afiya Center, a Texas-based reproductive justice organization. Those challenges include access to prenatal and postnatal care, racism in healthcare settings and environmental injustice,

Reproductive justice was created by Black women during a space and a time where we weren't talking about the most vulnerable communities and their lived experiences, Jones said.

After the Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice formed, they collected signatures from Black women wanting health care reform and put out newspaper ads calling for reform packages to include concerns of Black women.

We thought it was going to have a short shelf life, said Ross, a founding member of SisterSong. We didn't expect what it would become.

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Monica Simpson, executive director of SisterSong, a multiracial reproductive justice organization, poses for a photo. Simpson said unlike the more mainstream phrase reproductive rights, the reproductive justice framework goes beyond abortion access.

What happened after Roe v. Wade was overturned?

After the Supreme Court last year struck down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that had protected abortion rights at the national level for decades, many women who supported abortion rights and wanted to fight back began looking for a movement that aligned with their goals. Google searches for "reproductive justice" spiked by almost 10 times that summer.

Since then, several reproductive justice leaders said they've gotten more funding opportunities. More are partnering with national reproductive rights and civil rights organizations. SisterSong, for example, has expanded its work with the NAACP, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, National Urban League, National Action Network and Legal Defense Fund. Activists are also getting a more direct line to the White House with Vice President Kamala Harris inviting reproductive justice groups to a February round table.

Harris acknowledged the women who coined the term reproductive justice in remarks in Austin last October, saying they understood "the need to identify, articulate and address those inequities based on race, based on income, based on location."

"Theyve not always been acknowledged, but theyve always been there, because they see and know whats happening in their own communities," Harris said.

Lupe Rodriguez, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, said she is seeing more reproductive justice groups led by people of color "getting seats at the table."

Change can feel slow but its happening," she said.

Lupe Rodriguez, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, poses for a photo. Rodriguez said the mainstream reproductive rights movement focuses on the legal right to abortion, a narrower framework than reproductive justice.

A sisterhood of activists

For many women involved in the reproductive justice movement, linking up with a group of activists who seemed to understand many of the challenges facing women in need of health care was like finding a sisterhood.

When Simpson was a high schooler in abstinence-only sex education classes in rural North Carolina, she said she had to read Cosmopolitan magazine to learn what a condom was. She felt lost and unsupported.

Meanwhile, these Black women were building this movement where eventually I would find a home and become a leader in helping other young Black girls who look like me not have the same experiences I did, Simpson said. I'm so grateful to be walking in their footsteps."

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Three years after the term reproductive justice was coined, SisterSong formed as a coalition between 16 organizations led by Black, Asian American, Latina and Native American and Indigenous women and queer activists.

The group now provides training to colleges, schools and community groups on the history and principles of reproductive justice. It also provides a fund for those who need support during and immediately after pregnancies; labor trainings on advocating for oneself in health care settings; community conversations about reproductive justice; doula skills training; and a fund for artist-activists.

For Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director of National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, who spent years working in social justice movements, including immigrant rights and labor, she said was frustrated by how siloed each movement felt, even though peoples experiences cannot be reduced to single-issue struggles. When she found reproductive justice, she said it was a huge gift.

It felt like an awakening, she said. This framework really helped me put words to that frustration and have language for the movement I wanted to be a part of.

Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director of National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, speaks at an Intersections of Our Lives news conference on April 4, 2019.

Rodriguez, of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, said a new generation of reproductive justice activists are building on the work of those before them. The Latina Institute, for example, melds civil rights, economic justice, immigrant rights and reproductive justice in its policy work, awareness campaigns, training of local Latina activists and research into Latinas' reproductive needs.

Ross, one of the founders of reproductive justice, said she remains eternally surprised and excited by where other activists have taken the framework as it expands to reflect the needs of more communities. For example, just a few years after the framework was created, it was edited to include a principle on bodily autonomy, the right to gender identity and the right to sexual pleasure.

Every iteration of reproductive justice is going to have a transformative characteristic about it because it is very flexible and adaptable, she said. When Native American women use the framework, they infuse into it discussions of sovereignty. When immigrant women use it, they're talking about citizenship rights. The framework is broad enough to build a container for everyone and their needs and vulnerabilities and identities.

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Do all abortion access activists support reproductive justice?

Despite more attention toward reproductive justice, several activists told USA TODAY that larger, reproductive rights organizations still attract the most national attention and resources. Many, they said, have co-opted reproductive justice language without honoring its history, including the voices of people from marginalized communities, and acknowledging the additional barriers certain communities face in the fight for reproductive freedom.

For years, Jones said she never saw her needs as a Black woman addressed in white-led Texas organizations, so she created the Afiya Center. In 2016, she hosted a Black Woman's Reproductive Justice summit. During planning, she received dozens of calls from Black women who spoke about feeling sidelined in reproductive rights spaces.

Reproductive justice in Texas didn't look like what I felt like the founding mothers intended, she said. It didn't center the most vulnerable. It didn't center intersectionality. It really just looked like a bunch of white women running around, screaming about reproductive justice because it looked and sounded good but not really doing the reckoning to understand what that means.

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Monica Simpson, executive director of SisterSong, a multiracial reproductive justice organization, stands with her team. Simpson said, unlike the more mainstream phrase reproductive rights, the reproductive justice framework goes beyond abortion access.

As the reproductive justice framework gains visibility, Choimorrow, of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, said its important to ensure organizations using the phrase reproductive justice have an appreciation of the terms history and meaning. She said many organizations use the term without reflecting on the anti-Blackness and racism within their own organizations.

It takes the spirit of the framework away, she said. It waters it down, and it once again uses the work of Black women while ignoring the realities they face and sidelining the folks this framework was meant to center.

Nourbese Flint, senior director of Black leadership engagement and partnerships at Planned Parenthood, said the organization "has made mistakes in the way we have approached this work."

In 2014, for example, Simpson and other activists wrote an open letter criticizing Planned Parenthood for using reproductive justice language without acknowledging the decades of work of reproductive justice activists.

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"I do think there is a history of organizations, including ours, that didn't get it right in how we talked about reproductive justice," Flint said. "There are organizations that have used the word reproductive justice but not known exactly what it means and its history."

Melanie Roussell Newman, senior vice president of communications and culture at Planned Parenthood, said that "until recently, Planned Parenthood had kept quiet during times when we should have spoken out more assertively against racism, discrimination, and white supremacy, and took up too much space in moments where fellow leaders and partners voices should have been elevated."

Planned Parenthood is a reproductive health and rights organization, rather than a reproductive justice organization, due to its emphasis on health services and reproductive rights policy, Flint said.

As a result, she said it's especially important for them to partner with reproductive justice groups. Flint said Planned Parenthood is strategizing more closely with reproductive justice groups and offering funding opportunities, including a Future of Abortion fund that has granted over a million dollars to groups led by people of color in the past year.

"The work is never done until we all see liberation," Flint said.

'IT'S TIME FOR US TO BE BOLD': Why six religious leaders are fighting to expand abortion access

Loretta Ross has been a reproductive justice activist for 50 years. She was one of the 12 Black women activists who coined the term "reproductive justice."

Contact Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Reproductive justice: Women need better health care, abortion rights
Texas authorities are advising residents to avoid traveling to Mexico during spring break "due to the ongoing violence throughout that country."

The Texas Department of Public Safety issued an advisory warning against travel to the country for spring break "and beyond."

PHOTO: In this March 14, 2017, file photo, guests attend Victoria's Secret PINK Nation Hosts Spring Break Bash in Cancun, Mexico. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images, FILE)

"Drug cartel violence and other criminal activity represent a significant safety threat to anyone who crosses into Mexico right now," Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said in a statement on Friday. "We have a duty to inform the public about safety, travel risks and threats. Based on the volatile nature of cartel activity and the violence we are seeing there; we are urging individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time."

The warning was issued a week after four Americans were kidnapped shortly after crossing the border into Matamoros, Mexico, which is in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas just south of Brownsville, Texas.

MORE: Everything we know about the kidnapping of 4 Americans in Mexico

Two of the Americans, including one who was traveling to the region for a cosmetic procedure, were rescued on March 7. Two others were found dead.

Five alleged Gulf Cartel members have since been charged with aggravated kidnapping and murder.

A source close to the investigation told ABC News that investigators believe the gunmen wrongly believed the kidnapped Americans were rival human traffickers who were in an area of Mexico categorized as "do not travel" by the U.S. government due to the increased risk of crime and kidnapping.

MORE: What to know about traveling to Mexico after 4 Americans were kidnapped

The most popular Mexican tourist destinations have been rated a level two by the State Department, where travelers are advised to "exercise increased caution" -- the same rating given to France, Germany, the U.K. and a dozen other countries.

AAA recently reported that international travel is up 30% compared to last year, and Cancun, Riviera Maya and Mexico City are listed as top spring break destinations.

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LATEST NEWS: DPS Urges Texans to Avoid Spring Break Travel to Mexico AUSTIN  @TxDPS is urging Texans to avoid traveling to Mexico during spring break, and beyond, due to the ongoing violence throughout that country. Read more at https://t.co/cvcq28wYCt. pic.twitter.com/fMD2unGWtT  Texas DPS (@TxDPS) March 10, 2023

Those who do decide to travel to Mexico are advised to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate prior to their departure, Texas authorities said.

"DPS understands many people do travel to Mexico without incident, but the serious risks cannot be ignored," the agency said. "All travelers are encouraged to carefully research any planned trips and, again, consider postponing or canceling travel to Mexico at this time."

Texas advises against traveling to Mexico during spring break originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Ah, spring in Florida.

Perfect temperatures. Well, most of the time. Those record high temperatures can't continue, can they?

Great beach weather. Except for the spring break crowd. And red tide. And sargassum seaweed.

And there's nothing in the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic being monitored by the National Hurricane Center.

But there are great white sharks out there being tracked by Ocearch.

What lies beneath coastal waters?: Beware of sharks swimming closer to shore

What white sharks are currently being tracked off Florida?

Ocearch reports three white sharks have "pinged" recently off the coast of Florida  two in the Gulf of Mexico and one in the Atlantic.

A "ping" happens when an animal's tag breaks the surface of the water, sending data to researchers. A Z-Ping is a ping with no location data.

In 2013, Ocearch was able to successfully tag and release Lydia, the first great white shark tagged off the coast of Jacksonville. The shark weighed in at approximately 2,000 pounds and measured 14 feet, 6 inches.

White shark Tancook 'pings' off Amelia Island

Tancook, a juvenile white shark, pinged at 10:38 a.m. March 7 about 60 miles east of Amelia Island, which is located northeast of Jacksonville.

The shark measured 9 feet, 9 inches long and weighed 715 pounds when it was tagged 18 months ago in the waters off Nova Scotia.

He has pinged off the coast of Florida dozens of times each of the last two winters, including just off the coast of St. Augustine on Jan. 21, 2022, and Ormond Beach on Dec. 12-13, 2021.

Tancook seems to favor Florida waters  and he's not alone.

White shark Rose 'pings' off Sanibel, Cape Coral

Rose has been wandering around about 50 miles off Sanibel and Cape Coral this week.

Rose is a juvenile, measuring 10 feet 5 inches long and weighing 600 pounds when she was tagged Oct. 4, 2020, off Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.

She pinged off Sanibel at 9:52 a.m. March 7. A Z-ping was recorded at 7:03 a.m. this morning, followed by another ping at 8:47 a.m. west of Marco Island.

Great white shark Maple 'pings' off St. George Island

Joining Rose in the Gulf of Mexico but giving her plenty of space is white shark Maple, who pinged March 6 about 43 miles southeast of St. George Island in Florida's Big Bend area.

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She must like the waters. Ocearch said Maple has spent much of the winter for the past two seasons in the Gulf of Mexico.

Maple is considered a sub-adult white shark. She was tagged Sept. 14, 2021, off Ironbound Island, Nova Scotia.

She was 11 feet 7 inches long and weighed a hefty 1,264 pounds. With those kind of statistics, maybe Rose is giving Maple plenty of space.

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White shark Keji pinged near Sarasota

A male juvenile white shark, Keji, pinged off Longboat Key near Sarasota and Tampa Bay on Feb. 27 and again Feb. 28 a little farther west. A Z-ping was recorded 10:53 a.m. March 4.

Keji, a juvenile male white shark, was tagged Sept. 22, 2021, off Ironbound, Nova Scotia.

He weighed 578 pounds and was 9 feet 7 inches long.

Anyone noticing a theme of a lot of sharks being tagged off Nova Scotia?

Are there a lot of shark attacks in Florida?

Florida has ranked No. 1 in the number of shark bites for decades. Floridas 16 cases in 2022 represent 39% of the U.S. total and 28% of unprovoked bites worldwide, according to the Florida Museum. Floridas most recent five-year annual average is 22 incidents.

None of the 16 Florida cases in 2022 were fatal.

Of the 16 unprovoked shark attacks, seven occurred in Volusia County, followed by four in Monroe County and one each in Martin, Nassau, Pinellas, Brevard and Palm Beach counties.

From 2010 to Jan. 13, 2023, New Smyrna Beach has seen twice as many shark attacks  32  as any other beach and 10 surf zone fatalities. Those statistics put New Smyrna Beach in the list of America's 10 "deadliest" beaches to visit. In recent times, sharks are not blamed for deaths on the shores of Volusia County, however.

Other Florida cities making the list of shark attacks during the same time period were:

Cocoa Beach: 7 shark attacks

Ormond Beach: 4 shark attacks

It is extremely unlikely for Atlantic swimmers and surfers to be bitten by  or even encounter  a shark.

The University of Floridas International Shark Attack File recorded a worldwide total of 73 unprovoked shark bites in 2021, 47 of which were in the United States, according to NOAA.

The numbers dropped in 2022, with 41 confirmed cases.

Is it great white shark or white shark?

The terms represent the same species, Carcharodon carcharias.

Most scientists seem to prefer to use the name white shark. Most people seem to prefer saying great white shark or great white.

Memories of "Jaws" perhaps?

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Can you catch white sharks in Florida?

White sharks are among the species that are prohibited from harvesting in state waters, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Prohibited shark species must remain in the water with the gills submerged when fishing from shore or from a vessel, and must be released without delay.

Where do white sharks live?

White sharks can be found around the world and often migrate to follow their preferred temperature of 50 to 80 degrees.

In the U.S. Atlantic, they range from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Caribbean. In the U.S. Pacific, they range from Alaska to California and Hawaii.

What is the biggest white shark ever recorded?

The biggest great white shark ever recorded is a female shark named Deep Blue.

She was spotted and filmed for the 2014 episode of Shark Weeks Jaws Strikes Back and measures in at 20 feet long and is estimated to be more than 5,000 pounds. Scientists believe shes about 50 years old.

Deep Blue has her own Facebook page, with 12,000 followers.

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 Treasure Coast Newspapers: Are white sharks in Florida waters, near beaches? 11 things to know
The influencer has been featured in the magazine each year since 2019.

Jasmine Sanders was photographed by Yu Tsai in Bali. Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Jasmine Sanders made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2019 when she posed for James Macari in Costa Rica. She was later named Rookie of the Year. The following year, the German-American model landed the cover of the magazinealongside Kate Bock and Olivia Culpoafter she was photographed by Yu Tsai in Bali.

Sanders has returned to the SI Swimsuit Issue every year since her initial feature. She worked with Tsai again in 21, this time in Tampa, Fla., while her most recent magazine photo shoot took place in Belize, again with the same photographer.

Known as Golden Barbie to her loyal social media fans, Sanders has nearly six million followers on Instagram, where she shares everything from swimwear pics to glam red carpet outfits. In addition to SI Swimsuit, Sanders has worked with notable brands like Victorias Secret, Savage X Fenty and Moschino.

Sanders told ET Canada she felt ecstatic about her magazine cover reveal.

The emotions are so high, she said at the time. Its so crazy and honestly Im just really really happy that its getting such a great response and it seems as if its doing everything that it did for me and just kind of shining a new little sparkle of light on the world right now.

Below are 10 of our favorite photos from Sanderss 2020 photo shoot in Bali.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Make sure to follow SI Swimsuit on YouTube!
Java, joe, brew, mud. Whatever you call it, coffee is the morning must-have for transitioning from asleep to awake, and the midday cure for post-lunch drowsiness. But while it's a reliable pick-me-up, sometimes it can be a little too routine. That's when I know it's time to switch up the flavors and types of coffee I drink  and interestingly, doing so benefits both my mental clarity and my tastebuds. Read on to discover five delicious ways coffee-lovers around the world enjoy their daily brew.

China: Yuenyeung

Cant decide between coffee or tea? Have both. Yuenyeng is a combination of seven parts milk tea (a blend of condensed milk and black tea) and three parts black coffee that originated in Hong Kong. It can be taken hot or cold, and should be mostly sweet with a hint of bitterness. Its name translates to Mandarin duck  Mandarin ducks find one mate and stay with them for the rest of their lives, which is representative of the beautiful, harmonious coupling of coffee and tea. A yummy sip with an adorable history. Ill drink (a yeunyeng) to that.

Turkey: Turk Kahvesi or Turkish Sand Coffee

Coffee holds deep significance in Turkish culture; it has a long history of being used in ceremonies, rituals, and traditions. To make Turk Kahvesi, sugar is added while it brews  not added to individual cups after serving. And despite the frothy surface created by its finely ground coffee beans, theres no milk or cream. Its also unfiltered, meaning you drink the grounds as well. But dont rinse your cup out when youre done  the pattern of the leftover grounds may dictate the drinkers fortune, according to tradition. One popular method of brewing uses hot sand, as many believe this method allows for more temperature control. A pan of sand is heated over an open flame, and a cezve (a special wide-bottomed pan) is filled with the water and coffee, and then placed on the hot sand to brew. See this process in action in the video below:

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Scandinavia: Kaffeost

I love coffee and I love cheese. But combining them isnt something Ive considered until now. Popular in Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Finland, Kaffeost is made by pouring hot, black coffee over cheese. Before you reach for the shredded parm, though, remember that not just any cheese will do. Kaffeost uses a Finnish cheese called leipajuusto, or bread cheese or Finnish squeaky cheese. Its neither a baked good, nor alive (luckily): Its slightly sweet and absorbent like bread, and when made with Reindeer milk, makes a squeaking noise when you chew it. The cheese gets soft and melty, and adds a subtle sweetness to your brew. Coffee expert Sean Brennan recommends letting the cheese soak for a moment, and then fishing it out to eat it.

Portugal: Mazagran

When life gives you lemons and you're feeling extra adventurous, make mazagran  lemonade mixed with coffee. Mazagran is a drink that originated in Algeria, and is now popular in Portugal. Some claim mazagran is the first iced coffee drink ever invented. Its made by pouring a shot of espresso over ice, and adding lemon juice and a sweetener of choice. The resulting flavor is said to be complex  with the bold flavors of espresso and citrus  but mildly sweet.

Brazil: Cafezinho

If you need a drink to really wake you up, cafezinho might do the trick. Cafezinho is thick, sweet, and strong  essentially, it's Brazils national drink. Its common for Brazilians to welcome friends into their homes with a cup of it, and catching up over cafezinho is an important part of the culture. To make it, dissolve sugar in hot water and add finely-ground coffee or espresso. Coffee grounds are then filtered through a flannel cloth (without squeezing it to expedite the process, as this will lead to a bitter taste). Its typically enjoyed without milk or cream, but with a good conversation.

Ready to switch up your sip routine? I know I am  pass the Reindeer cheese!
Devin Anderson, membership and coalition manager, left and Markasa Tucker-Harris, executive director, right, both from the African American Roundtable in Brown Deer on Monday, March 6, 2023.

After years of pushing the city of Milwaukee to establish a participatory budgeting process, the African American Roundtable will launch its own.

AART will invest $40,000 to create a community-led participatory budgeting process. The community-based nonprofit said it hopes the effort can give more of a voice to Milwaukee's northwest side, which it asserts has suffered economically from years of inattention.

Details are still being hammered out, but the aim is to enable residents to propose, vote and implement programs.

We are deciding to put our money where our mouth is to say, If you guys wont do it, we have money as a nonprofit to support the needs of the community, so well do it, said Markasa Tucker-Harris, AARTs executive director.

Here's what to know about participatory budgeting and what's next.

Participatory budgeting is used around the country to give residents a say in how public money is spent

Participatory budgeting is a democratic process in which residents have a say in how to spend some of a citys public dollars. Several cities use it, including Chicago, Seattle, and Eau Claire, which was the first Wisconsin city to implement the practice.

Nearly 300 reported and confirmed participatory budgeting initiatives exist at the city and county levels, including districts and wards across the U.S., according to the Participatory Budgeting Projects website.

AART is letting residents decide what projects the organization funds. It is basing its initiative on a report by Participatory Budgeting Project, which helps grassroots organizations and governments establish participatory budgeting processes.

The report details how community groups can incorporate participatory budgeting into their daily operations.

Milwaukee residents could propose and vote on improvements to their neighborhoods

A steering committee comprised of AART members would determine voting eligibility, criteria for proposals and the amount awarded to each project. AART would conduct community outreach to solicit proposals from residents.

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Proposals could range from funding a block party to strengthen community relations, to addressing food insecurity.

The steering committee would hear the proposals and select the finalists, which would then be voted on by residents.

It's hoped that proposals would be voted on over the summer. The group also will conduct educational events on participatory budgeting and support individuals in writing proposals.

The goal is to come up with projects to improve the quality of life for residents on the citys Northwest Side, an area that has seen decades of divestment, lack of effective leadership and a rash of business closures.

Devin Anderson, membership and coalition manager, left and Markasa Tucker-Harris, executive director, right, both from the African American Roundtable work at their in Brown Deer office on Monday, March 6, 2023.

We wanted to launch this project for a couple of reasons. One of which is to invest in our people, said Devin Anderson, AART's membership and coalition manager.

This initiative, Anderson said, creates a space for people to come up with ideas or projects that address a community need or help people who dont have funding to get their ideas off the ground.

We see this as answering that call to help our people who have a lot of wonderful ideas and want to support the communities they live, Anderson said. The success of this will be rooted in the projects we fund and the impact it has on our community.

Supporters of participatory budgeting say it's a democratic way of sharing decision-making power

AART has been advocating for a participatory budgeting process since 2019.

Several alderpersons sponsored a resolution to research the idea, which in 2020 passed unanimously out of the Common Council, but so far little has materialized.

Another opportunity arose with the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The ARPA funds were designated for cities to help residents impacted by the pandemic.

Ald. Milele Coggs sponsored a resolution in 2021 seeking a percentage of the pandemic relief dollars be divided among aldermanic districts and dispersed based on the principles of participatory budgeting. That effort died in committee.

The city holds public hearings and meetings, but often residents are unaware of them, they're not conducive to their schedules or they limit the time residents can speak, Tucker-Harris said.

Its a very faulty process, Tucker-Harris said. I dont believe that it has worked well. Its time for us to try something different.

Mayor's office says people already have a voice in how city money is spent

Jeff Fleming, the mayor's communications director, disagrees. He said the ARPA Funding Allocation Task Force was an outgrowth of at least of one those resolutions. The task force has held public meetings to get feedback on how the city should spend the last $92.7 million in ARPA funds.

Fleming said the city's elected representative government already provides a process for residents to engage in the budget. He noted AART has unsuccessfully called for $75 million to be cut from the police budget  something that the elected government has chosen not to do.

"I think that because they're not prevailing in the process that exists, they want to change the process," Fleming said. "We have a representative body, a legislative body in which alderpeople are elected by all of the people, not those who have a specific interest."

The African American Roundtable office in Brown Deer on Monday, March 6, 2023.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: African American Roundtable launches participatory budgeting process
When two Americans ended up dead, and two others kidnapped, amid a shootout just south of the U.S.-Mexico border, the initial questions were myriad: What happened? Who killed them? And what was the group of four people from South Carolina doing in a minivan in Matamoros?

On the last point, an explanation from relatives quickly emerged. One woman in the group, Latavia McGee, was going to Mexico for cosmetic surgery, and the other friends had joined her for a road trip.

That surgery was first described as a tummy tuck. Later, relatives and friends said the procedure was a "gluteal augmentation."

And even though more than a million Americans annually seek medical care on the other side of the border, getting a "gluteal augmentation"  in a place where the State Department warns Americans not to travel at all  certainly struck a lot of people as strange.

If you know, though, you know.

First, let us call this whole popular-empowering-controversial-notorious procedure what people call it in real life: the Brazilian butt lift, or BBL.

Next, let me tell you the same thing I told some of my colleagues this week. Whether or not you like this, whether or not you understand this, people do this, and especially, a lot of Black people do it.

If you are a woman, and especially if you're Black, and if you are on, say, Instagram, I'm going to go out on a limb not very far at all and guess that you've had this targeted at you in your social media feed. Especially if you follow beauty and pop culture influencers. You don't have to scroll too long to see it; it simply becomes a part of your algorithm.

The BBL is a thing.

It's also very expensive. And that's the next thing you learn if you are having this idea pushed at you in your social feeds week after week: It's a whole lot less expensive in Mexico.

A member of the Mexican security forces stands next to a white minivan with North Carolina plates and several bullet holes, at the crime scene where gunmen kidnapped four U.S. citizens who crossed into Mexico from Texas, Friday, March 3, 2023. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the four Americans were going to buy medicine and were caught in the crossfire between two armed groups after they had entered Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas, on Friday.

So the idea that someone  it could be anyone, but for sake of discussion, let's say it's a Black woman and her Black friends from Lake City, South Carolina  would drive across six states to the tip of Texas to have this surgery? If true, it is not shocking. At all.

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But that doesn't address the underlying question bandied about on social media: Is it worth it?

More: With 2 Americans dead in Matamoros, a cartel-scarred Mexican border town wonders what's next

More: Mexican cartel apologizes for kidnapping, killing Americans, turns over 5 it says responsible

What is this surgery?

A BBL involves harvesting fat from other areas of the body and injecting it into the buttocks and hips. (Often, that fat is removed from the belly in the process through liposuction. So those early reports that the group went to Matamoros for a tummy tuck may also be essentially correct.)

Results often mean a tiny, or snatched waist, and a curvier, fuller behind. It's the extreme hourglass aesthetic. Slim-thick.

Usually, it requires general anesthesia. Initial recovery can take weeks.

I've watched for years on social media as these clinics target Black women in ads that show before and after pictures, while touting prices that are usually half of what the cost would be in America  around $10,000-$15,000 and not covered by insurance.

It's called medical tourism. Popular destinations for a discounted procedure include Turkey, South America and Mexico. So-called recovery houses also offer patients post-op care and a place to heal.

The New York Times reported this week about the Matamoros clinic that had been expecting McGee. The clinic "reaches out to potential American clients with targeted ads on Instagram," according to an employee who spoke to a reporter, and posts before-and-after pictures of clients online. She said about half the clinic's patients are American.

So whether or not we fully understand the story of how Latavia McGee and three friends came to be in a white minivan in Matamoros in a hail of gunfire, we can accept that the idea of such a trip makes sense in a world where people travel the world  in sometimes questionable locales  for affordable cosmetic surgery.

It turned out there was a fifth person on the trip, Cheryl Orange, who later told police she had forgotten her travel documents and couldn't cross the border that day. She had stayed behind in Brownsville, Texas, when the rest of the group left on Friday morning to cross into Matamoros.

The group had planned to return in time to check out of the motel Saturday, according to the police report, though I wonder how McGee could have made such a quick turnaround after an invasive procedure. Instead, one came back wounded and two are dead.

She simply went for a cosmetic surgery, and thats it," Orange told the Associated Press. "Thats all, and this happened to them.

Whatever truly happened to McGee and her friends that day, let us agree that any broader discussion about the risks or problems with BBLs is not so much about possible cartel violence.

But let's also be clear: There is a discussion.

More: Retracing the steps of a violent kidnapping after 2 Americans found dead in Mexico

So how should we feel about this surgery?

Even if you think you don't know anything about BBLs, you have seen BBLs.

I know, I'm out on a limb there, but not very far. The look has become increasingly popular among celebrities. Think the Kardashians (though they have denied undergoing the procedure), or Nicki Minaj.

So yes, Black women do it, white women do it, Kardashian women (maybe) do it.

Whoever they are, more women are doing it. According to a 2021 survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of buttock augmentations performed globally increased by 41% from 2017 to 2021, and buttock lifts increased by 46%.

A quick search for "BBL" on TikTok will tell you a lot about what's going on.

Some women will chronicle their journeys to bigger, perkier butts, explaining the process, recovery time, cost and what doctors they would recommend.

It's a mainstream conversation if you know where to look.

Rapper Cardi B. is another one of those women you've seen with a BBL. But she has since warned women of the dangers and had most of her augmentation  she also had silicone injected in her buttocks  removed.

What's "dangerous" may be up to each person to decide. A 2017 report, published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, noted that BBLs have the highest mortality rate compared to any other cosmetic surgery.

These kinds of surgeries also raise all kinds of risks, including at clinics in Florida investigated by our newsroom several years ago.

So the procedure is widely discussed and widely debated on Instagram.

Some women defend their decision or desire to make a change. ("Treat yourself, sis! Get a snatched waist and a fat booty.") Others condemn the trend as dangerous and a slap to body positivity. ("Fake curves aren't worth the time, money or endangering your life. Love the body God blessed you with.")

This discussion goes on particularly in Black corners of the platform.

But let me be clear one more time: women of all races and ethnicities are seeking this surgery. So some of this discourse is about non-Black women culturally appropriating the often-natural body shape of Black women with curves and larger derrieres. Bootylicious.

These are Black women, like Beyonce, who were once shunned when "thin" was in. Now, people will pay money to take on the same physique that was once part of Black women's identity. (By the way, the "Brazilian" part isn't about Brazilian culture, just the doctor who first did the procedure.)

Then there's the long-term question. Any trend comes an end. Many on social media have already declared that the BBL craze is dead after speculating that the Kardashians have, ahem, downsized.

That means women may have put themselves at risk to take on a shape they only thought they wanted.

I don't profess to know what McGee wanted. And we still don't know everything about how she came to be on that street in Mexico. More than anything, I'm saddened that McGee was in harm's way if it was for a BBL. I'm saddened to think that she now knows two of her friends are dead.

Authorities say they're still investigating in Matamoros. Yes, perhaps the group would never have been there if not for a BBL. No, it also may not be fair to blame anything on that.

But put aside what happened in Mexico.

Whoever you are, if you are white or Black  but maybe especially if you are a Black woman, scrolling through your social media feed and seeing BBL posts yet again  there are plenty of other reasons to ask. Is it worth it?

Suzette Hackney is a national columnist. Reach her on Twitter: @suzyscribe.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After Mexico kidnapping, we need to have a conversation about the BBL
A hammer and chisel rest on slabs of stone in front of a black background.

A hammer and chisel rest on slabs of stone in front of a black background.

Intricate 2,900-year-old engravings on stone monuments from what is now Portugal in the Iberian Peninsula could only have been made using steel instruments, archaeologists have found. The discovery hints at small-scale steel production during the Final Bronze Age, a century before the practice became widespread in ancient Rome .

The 5-foot-tall (1.5 meters) rock pillars, or stelae, are made of silicate quartz sandstone and feature carvings of human and animal figures, weapons, ornaments and chariots.

"This is an extremely hard rock that cannot be worked with bronze or stone tools," Ralph Araque Gonzalez , an archaeologist at the University of Freiburg in Germany and lead author of a new study describing the findings, said in a statement . "The people of the Final Bronze Age in Iberia were capable of tempering steel. Otherwise they would not have been able to work the pillars." Tempering is the process of heat-treating steel to make it harder and more resistant to fracturing.

The team also analyzed an "astoundingly well preserved" iron chisel that dates to around 900 B.C. and was unearthed in the early 2000s from a site called Rocha do Vigio in Portugal, the researchers wrote in the study, published online Feb. 10 in the Journal of Archaeological Science . Not only did the chisel contain enough carbon to be considered steel (more than 0.30%), but the researchers also found iron mineralization within the settlement site, suggesting that craftspeople may have sourced the material locally.

Related: Mysterious carving of naked man discovered near Hadrian's Wall

"The chisel from Rocha do Vigio and the context where it was found show that iron metallurgy, including the production and tempering of steel, were probably indigenous developments of decentralized small communities in Iberia, and not due to the influence of later colonization processes," Araque Gonzalez said.

The researchers worked with a professional stonemason to imitate the ancient engravings with tools made from different materials, including bronze, stone and a tempered steel replica of the 2,900-year-old chisel. The steel instrument was the only one able to carve the rock, according to the study. A blacksmith had to sharpen it every five minutes, however, which suggests craftspeople from the Final Bronze Age knew how to make carbon -rich, hardened steel.

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The team also noted that the experimental carvings were remarkably similar to the original ones if they accounted for rock weathering.
A man working in California was killed after a group of four dogs mauled him, according to Riverside County officials.

The man's identity has not been released. He was working at a home that had recently been converted into a business when the attack occurred, according to People.

The victim looked to be in his 30s, according to Riverside County Department of Animals Services John Welsh, who spoke with NBC Los Angeles.

Deputies were dispatched to the property around 7:30am on Wednesday after receiving a 911 call from someone who heard screaming in the vicinity. The owner of the property was not at home at the time of the attack, according to the RCDAS.

The dogs involved in the attack include three Belgian Malinois and a Cane Corso. All of the dogs were surrendered to animal services for "humane euthanasia."

The worker had reportedly been at the property in the past without incident. The RCDAS Director Erin Gettis told NBC Los Angeles the mauling was a "horrific reminder for dog owners to be vigilant in keeping communities, dogs, and people safe."

She called the incident a "tragedy."

"Here's a guy just wanting to do some work, earn some money for his family and now he is deceased. This is a tragedy," John Welsh, a worker with the RCDAS, told ABC7.

The property was fenced in and had signs warning that the dogs were on the property, according to NBC Los Angeles.

However, a woman speaking with the outlet said the gates to the fence are often let open and claims they chased cars and individuals in the neighborhood.

"The dogs chase the cars, the high school students. They're dangerous, that's why I close my gate all the time  I have small children and that's why I close it," she said.

Police told the outlet that two other dogs had been found at the property that were not registered nor did they have a vaccination history. Officers are still determining if the owner of the dogs will face citation.
A Canadian woman spent four years fighting to get the right healthcare and finally received a cancer diagnosis. Shes now telling others to be persistent.

Laura Landry-Rudolph, 32, from Antigonish, Nova Scotia in eastern Canada, had doctors tell her for nearly a half-decade that the painful and expanding rash on her inner thigh was chafing or eczema.

She posted an emotional video on Facebook in February, saying that it was in fact cancer, which was revealed after a dermatologists biopsy.

The healthcare system is f***ed, she said at the time. Why did it take my doctors four years, four years?! Thinking it was f***ing chafing in my inner thigh? And now its spread, and now I have to find out if its in my blood.

Ms Landry-Rudolph told Global News that she spoke out to urge others to be tenacious if they feel that something is wrong.

You know your body, you trust your gut. And my message, simply, is you have to advocate for yourself and be persistent in getting the answers that you deserve, she told the outlet.

She has cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The Canadian Cancer Societys website states that its a rare kind of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The 32-year-old started having symptoms during her pregnancy with her first son. She visited the doctor and was prescribed creams. About 18 months later, the rash had grown, it was now painful, and it had begun leaking fluid.

Laura Landry-Rudolph got a cancer diagnoses after four years (Screenshot / Global News)

I was fearful that I had an infection. So I would visit [the ER], then again I was given antibiotics and no answers, she said.

During her second pregnancy, the rash had appeared on the other side of her body, on her left hip.

Then I knew in my gut that something is not right, she told Global News.

She was told by several doctors that it was chafing or eczema. She spent more than a year on a dermatology specialist waitlist. She called her family doctor about the wait, at which point she was told to call and ask herself, leading to her being booked in following a cancellation by another patient.

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Hadnt I made that call that day myself, I wouldnt be in treatment right now, she said. When I went up to see the specialist, he took one look at me and said, this is not something we see every day. So in that moment, I was distraught. I had my mother with me. I was scared, I said, I have babies. Im a young mother, Im 32 years old.

Weeks later, she saw another doctor who gave her the news.

He said, What you have is called cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. And I said, Well, what is that? And the physician responded with, I have no knowledge around this type of cancer, you can choose to Google it or choose not to. Im so sorry that I had to deliver this news to you, she said. My world collapsed. I was left in the dark, I had to go pick up my kids from daycare thinking mummy might die. I dont know what stage Im at, I dont know what type of cancer I have. All I know is I have a rare cancer that this physician has zero knowledge over.

She said four years ago, two per cent of her body was affected  today that number is seven per cent.

If it wasnt for me asking, I probably never would have gotten this diagnosis, she said. My message here is not to belittle any physicians at all, whatsoever. But, if you notice something on your body, you listen to your gut and you push to get the answer.

Nova Scotia Minister of Health Michelle Thompson, a registered nurse, told Global News that work is being done to create clearer pathways to get speciality care.

Everything were doing in terms of the investments and the pilot projects that were trying is in an effort to expedite peoples diagnosis, she added.

The Premier of Nova Scotia, Tim Houston, who took office in August 2021, said at the Progressive Conservative annual general meeting last month that none of this happened overnight and it will not be fixed overnight. But, I want you to mark my words. I may have inherited a broken system, but I will do everything in my power to fix it.
Yemens warring sides began talks Saturday aimed at implementing a U.N.-brokered deal on a prisoner exchange, the United Nations said.

The discussions between Yemens internationally recognized government and the Houthi rebels are taking place in Switzerland. They are co-chaired by U.N. envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Grundberg urged both parties to engage in serious and forthcoming discussions to agree on releasing as many detainees as possible, according to a U.N. statement.

I urge the parties to fulfill the commitments they made, not just to each other, but also to the thousands of Yemeni families who have been waiting to be reunited with their loved ones for far too long, he said.

Yemens conflict erupted in 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of the countrys north. That prompted a Saudi-led coalition to intervene months later in a bid to restore the internationally recognized government to power.

Jason Straziuso, a Geneva-based spokesperson for the ICRC, characterized the meeting as an opportunity to reduce the humanitarian suffering associated with this conflict.

If more detainees are released, it will be welcome news for families that can be reunited with loved ones, he said.

Majed Fadail, Yemen's deputy minister for human rights and a member of the government delegation, said the talks would last for 11 days, the government-run SABA news agency reported.

He said they were eager to release all war prisoners to help achieve a lasting and comprehensive peace in Yemen.

The talks are a follow-up to a 2018 agreement that demanded that both parties release all those detained in relation to the conflict without any exceptions or conditions.

The Detainees Exchange Agreement was part of a wider U.N.-brokered deal that ended months of fighting over the crucial Red Sea city of Hodeida four years ago.

Since then, the two parties have released many prisoners with a major exchange taking place in October 2020 and involving more than 1,000 detainees from both sides.

The conflict has created one of the worlds worst humanitarian disasters and has become in recent years a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Yemen talks in Switzerland began a day after Iran and Saudi Arabia announced a China-brokered deal to re-establish diplomatic ties after years of frayed ties and hostilities.

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NEW YORK  The Washington Capitals re-signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk to a three-year contract worth $9 million.

General manager Brian MacLellan announced the extension hours before his team took on the New York Islanders. The deal through the 2025-26 season carries a $3 million annual salary cap hit.

Van Riemsdyk, 31, and forward Conor Sheary were the only two pending unrestricted free agents Washington did not trade before the deadline. It was not immediately clear how close the Capitals and Sheary might be to a contract.

But they made it clear van Riemsdyk is part of their future blue line, along with Nick Jensen, who got a three-year, $12.15 million contract to stay. Van Riemsdyk has a career-high 19 points through 66 games this season.

The Middletown, New Jersey, native and Jensen have stepped up and played more minutes since No. 1 defenseman John Carlson took a slap shot to the head in late December.

Capitals re-sign Trevor van Riemsdyk to 3-year, $9M deal originally appeared on NBCSports.com
Bishop Thomas J. Tobin will not issue a general dispensation for Rhode Island's Roman Catholics to eat corned beef on St. Patrick's Day.

The holiday falls during the 40 days of Lent, when Catholics age 14 and older are obligated to abstain from eating meat on Fridays.

"Bishop Tobin believes it is important to remind the faithful of the importance of our Lenten disciplines," said Michael F. Kieloch, director of communications and public relations for the Diocese of Providence.

However, the bishop invites those who wish to obtain a dispensation to send their request to the Vice Chancellor, the Rev. Nathan Ricci, at One Cathedral Square, Providence R.I. 02903.

"The requests also serve as an occasion to remind the faithful who receive dispensation to substitute abstinence from meat with another suitable penance, work of charity or prayer," Kieloch said.

The bishop has received several requests for dispensation so far, and Kieloch said they are likely to be granted.

"Again, with the proviso that the person substitutes some other penance, work of charity, or prayer in lieu of the usual abstinence from meat," he said.

More on St. Patrick's Day:St. Patrick's Day parades 2023: When, where and what to know before you go

Rhode Island Catholics who want corned beef on St. Patrick's Day will be disappointed, as Bishop Thomas Tobin will not be granting a general dispensation.

All New England states have a general dispensation to eat meat on St. Patrick's Day  except RI

Tobin's position was featured in a story published online March 3 by The National Catholic Register. The story, The Meat of the Matter: St. Patricks Day and the Lenten Fast, was written by Matthew McDonald and detailed which dioceses have issued general dispensations. They include all the other New England states, though several require another form of penance and Maine requires choosing another day to eliminate meat during the week.

McDonald wrote that the matter causes a stir, as Catholics wonder if they should visit a nearby diocese to gain dispensation.

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin celebrates Palm Sunday Mass last year. Rhode Island Catholics must send a written request to the diocese for a dispensation to eat meat on St. Patrick's Day, which falls on Friday this year.

There used to be no meat allowed on any Friday

Many older Catholics remember when their religious obligation meant that no meat was permitted on any Friday of the year, as that was the day Jesus died. Ecumenical changes brought about by Vatican II meant a relaxing of some obligations, including the meat restriction in 1966.

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But the obligation remains for Fridays during Lent, as well as on Ash Wednesday.

As background, Kieloch cited The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' pastoral statement on penance and abstinence, which preserves "the tradition of abstinence from meat on each of the Fridays of Lent, confident that no Catholic Christian will lightly hold himself excused from this penitential practice.

RI Catholics have been allowed to eat meat on past St. Patrick's Days that fell on a Friday

St. Patrick's Day has fallen on a Friday in Lent only three times in this century.

In 2006 and 2017, Tobin excused Catholics from the Lenten obligation, as did Bishop Robert E. Mulvee in 2000. Still, Catholics were reminded to substitute some other form of penance, prayer or charitable work.

Alternatives to meat

The Rev. Henry Zinno, pastor at Bristol's Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, said Catholics have several alternatives to corned beef on St. Patrick's Day. Citing the church's tradition of vigils, he suggested having corned beef on Thursday night for a celebration. He said that's what he is going to do as he honors his Irish roots.

An accomplished chef, he also suggested a Friday dinner of mussels made with Guinness stout, or a Sole Florentine stuffed with green spinach.

"I do think what Bishop Tobin is doing is a good idea," he said. By writing in to the diocese, the reminder to sacrifice in another way can be made in a personal way."

"I'm sure the devout, faith-filled and penitential man that St. Patrick was would approve," Zinno said.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: No dispensation for RI Catholics to eat St. Patrick's Day corned beef
Dennis Quaid and Heather Graham are surviving On a Wing and a Prayer.

PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the trailer for the upcoming Prime Video film, inspired by "the miraculous true story" of Doug White and his family.

Doug was forced to take over the controls of their private plane as he and his wife and two daughters traveled home from Florida to Louisiana in 2009 after their pilot, Joe Cabuk, had a fatal heart attack.

"Despite having no experience flying the twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air 200, Doug (Quaid, 68) has to take control of the aircraft and try to guide it to a nearby landing strip," an official film synopsis reads. "With time running out, an aspiring air-traffic controller breaks protocol and contacts experienced pilot Kari (Jesse Metcalfe)."

"From his home in Connecticut, Kari manages to contact Doug directly and provide step-by-step advice as Doug struggles to save his family from seemingly certain tragedy. If anyone is to survive, it's going to take a miracle," the synopsis concludes.

Metcalfe, 44, tells PEOPLE that the film is "a really uplifting story of survival," and that he was drawn to the film in part because his character, the real-life Kari Sorenson, is from Connecticut, just like him.

"He doesn't take him himself too seriously," the actor adds. "He [doesn't consider] himself a hero, but he was certainly in the right place at the right time, with the right knowledge of the aircraft that Doug White had to land in order to save his family. So I just thought it was an intriguing character, and I always like the opportunity to be part of a true story."

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.

On A Wing And A Prayer trailer, Jesse Metcalfe

Courtesy of Prime Video Jesse Metcalfe in On a Wing and a Prayer (2023)

RELATED: 41 Days Stranded at Sea: The Harrowing, Heartbreaking Real-Life Story Behind New Movie Adrift

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Graham, who plays Doug's wife Terri, says of the "terrifying" true story that inspired the film, "It's kind of everyone's worst nightmare: that you're on a plane and then the pilot dies and you just don't know how to get down."

She adds that she was attracted to the film in part because "sometimes when really scary things happen in life, you just have to have faith."

"And even though it doesn't seem logically possible that things will work out and sometimes they still do. So I like the aspect that there's some kind of beautiful energy out there protecting us," says Graham, 53.

She also spoke to the real-life Terri while doing research for the movie. "She's really sweet and she saw the movie and she was super happy," Graham says. "And I've never met her in person, but we did a few FaceTime calls and it was just fun seeing her and trying to capture the essence of her spirit."

Having worked with Quaid before in 2013's At Any Price, Graham tells PEOPLE she was "so flattered, because he requested to work with" her for this film, as well.

"I was honored because I've been watching his work my whole life and I'm a big fan and I was really excited to work with him," she says, noting that Quaid is also a pilot in real life.

On A Wing And A Prayer; First Look

Courtesy of Prime Video/Boris Martin Dennis Quaid and Heather Graham in On a Wing and a Prayer (2023)

On the flip side, Metcalfe tells PEOPLE he "never even met" Quaid or Graham while shooting On a Wing and a Prayer, considering all their communication is via phone call.

But he did form "a really quick bond" and had "instant chemistry" with Anna Enger Ritch, who plays Kari's love interest Ashley in the film.

Ritch she was "super supportive" about "running lines together," which was a huge help since Metcalfe wasn't the most comfortable with the "technical jargon" his character is an expert in.

"It's a really compelling movie," Metcalfe raves. "It's entertaining for a movie based on a singular event like this, that you might think, 'Oh, how are you going to make an entire feature film about this one event?' "

"It's a nail-biter. It keeps you on the edge of your seat," he promises.

On a Wing and A Prayer

Prime Video Poster for On a Wing and a Prayer (2023)

RELATED: Girl, 11, Speaks Out After Dad's Bear Hug Saves Her Life in Airplane Crash

For Graham, given the stress and sadness of recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, an uplifting story like the one in On a Wing and a Prayer comes at a poignant time.

"You just want to really believe everything's going to be okay," she says. "And I feel like after I watched the movie, you just feel good. It can be a sense of faith in humanity. ... It's kind of like people helping each other and everyone's sort of looking out for each other."

"So beyond just the idea of a bigger faith-based element of just believing in God or a higher power, it's also just about the goodness of people wanting to help each other," Graham adds of the film.

Directed by Sean McNamara, On a Wing and a Prayer is written by Brian Egeston and produced by Roma Downey, Autumn Bailey-Ford and Karl Horstmann.

On a Wing and a Prayer flies onto Prime Video April 7.
Grapefruit League: Detroit Tigers (8-7) vs. Atlanta Braves (5-6)

When: 1:05 p.m. Saturday.

Where: CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida.

TV: None.

Radio: WXYT-AM (1270; other radio affiliates).

First-pitch weather forecast: Sunny, 82 degrees.

 BOX SCORE

Probable starting pitchers: Tigers RHP Matt Manning (0-1, 13.50 ERA this spring) vs. Braves RHP Charlie Morton (0-0, 3.38 ERA).

OPINION:Detroit Tigers probably won't be great, but they might not be too terrible

Tigers lineup:

SS Zack Short

2B Cesar Hernandez

LF Riley Greene

1B Spencer Torkelson

RF Austin Meadows

CF Parker Meadows

C Donny Sands

DH Justyn-Henry Malloy

3B Andre Lipcius

P Matt Manning

Game notes: Mannings most recent start was really two starts in one. After getting rocked for four runs in the first inning (and hitting infielder Justin Turner in the face) against the BoSox in Fort Myers on Monday  on just 22 pitches  Manning was pulled. Given a fresh start in the second inning, he picked up two strikeouts while allowing just one baserunner.

TRENDING:How Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson adjusted his mindset to find his confidence

The performance mirrored Mannings 2022 for the Tigers in some ways: After returning from the IL in August, Manning had five starts in which he allowed two runs or fewer and lasted at least six innings  and also had three starts in which he allowed at least four runs in less than six innings. The reason, it appears, is tied to the effectiveness of his slider; when its on, the combination of that and his fastball is tough to handle. But if its not, and Manning cant get it in the zone, hitters can sit back on the heater. (Dont take our words for it; heres what Manning told the Freeps Evan Petzold earlier this month: "It's frustrating sometimes, honestly, because there's so much stuff that I'm changing," Manning said. "I'm trying to start from the ground up but also do the little things right by getting ahead of hitters, throwing strikes, staying in the zone and not putting myself in bad situations.")

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At the plate, meanwhile, the Tigers could struggle against veteran righty Charlie Morton; just two Tigers currently in camp  with Miguel Cabrera and Jonathan Schoop playing for their national teams in the WBC  have faced him. Austin Meadows, Jake Rogers and Matt Vierling are a combined 1-for-9 against Morton, with Vierling having the lone hit, a single last August.

After Saturdays matchup, the Tigers return home to Lakeland to host AL Central rival Minnesota, while the Braves head to Bradenton to face the Pirates. Its a packed month for the Tigers; their lone off day in Grapefruit League comes Wednesday and is followed by 12 games in 11 days before the end of spring training on March 26.

UPDATES:Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling suffers knee strain; Tyler Nevin has mild oblique strain

CARLOS MONARREZ:Phil Nevin manages Angels but let his son, Tyler, find his own path with Tigers

Live updates

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Can't see the chatter? Refresh the page or check it out on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers beat Atlanta Braves, 16-7, in spring: Game thread recap
Ellis Genge will be at the forefront of Englands challenge against France and Ireland (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

Ellis Genge views the final two rounds of the Guinness Six Nations as the ultimate barometer of the advances made so far during Steve Borthwicks England rebuild.

England still have a chance of claiming the title but to stay in the hunt they must topple the worlds top two ranked sides, beginning with France at Twickenham on Saturday before facing Ireland in Dublin a week later.

The toughest assignment in the sport is being tackled while Borthwick continues to repair the damage inflicted during the final year of the Eddie Jones era.

A promising start saw a narrow defeat by Scotland followed by conclusive wins against Italy and Wales, but Genge knows the level of competition is about to shoot up.

We have the second and first best teams and it goes in order as well, the Bristol prop said.

If you beat the second best, youre probably licking your lips to get stuck into the number one side. Its a great opportunity to see where were at.

The rankings say we are sixth in the world. Were going through a rebuild. Were trying to build some foundations for whats to come.

Weve actually been quite steady. It was obviously gutting to lose to Scotland in the first game and have the opportunity to win a Grand Slam taken away from us, but then you have to re-evaluate and find new goals.

There was an opportunity to build on the first game and then you see where you are at in the last. Its all about stepping forward.

It might sound cringey but its reality, its where youre at when youve not necessarily hit rock bottom but when youre not performing as well as you can.

You want answers, you want to know why, youre trying so hard and suddenly you start to see a slight change in behaviours and performance and outcome. Thats what were getting after.

France are odds-on favourites to clinch their first Six Nations win at Twickenham since 2005, but Genge is wary of tapping into the nothing-to-lose mindset against the Grand Slam champions.

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Sometimes the free swing isnt the best way to go. Sometimes that underdog psychology can inflate teams, he said.

France have conquered every obstacle in their way over the past three years...



... except one: Twickenham #AwakenAnticipation | #ENGvFRA  Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) March 8, 2023

Ive had it a fair bit in my rugby career as a whole  that underdog psychology, being up and down in the rankings and whatever at club level, then its reciprocated at international level as well.

Its nothing new to me and I think the boys are in a good spot with that sort of stuff as well. Everyone understands where were at.

I dont think France would ever go into a game thinking England are crap, Id like to think that anyway. I think weve got a bit of respect in that sense.

Likewise, wed never go into a game thinking the other team was a pushover. There are so many shock results lately, in every line of sport, not just rugby. You cant take anything for granted.

France are a brilliant side, momentum is key for them. I guess theyll be scratching their heads thinking how are we going to stop them.
EXETER  A local man is being called a hero after a viral video shows him leading the charge to subdue a man, who threatened to kill everyone on a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston Sunday.

Jeff Neil, 52, of Exeter, a former Boston bouncer, was sitting in the row behind Francisco Severo Torres, 33, of Leominster, Massachusetts, when the incident occurred.

Police allege Torres attempted to open the emergency exit, threatened to kill passengers, and attempted to stab a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon.

Jeff Neil, 52, of Exeter, was praised as a hero for helping subdue a man that allegedly attempted to stab a flight attendant on a plane to Boston Sunday.

Neil said he stood up because it was clear Torres was not going to calm down. He was with his wife and wanted to be between her and Torres.

I knew he wasnt just going to sit and be quiet on his own, said Neil, who led a group of passengers in subduing the man.

Torres was taken into custody upon the flights landing. He was ordered by a judge following the incident to undergo a psychological evaluation and be committed for a minimum of 30 days in a psychological facility, according to the Boston Herald.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts announced Monday that Torres is being charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and using a dangerous weapon.

Previous story:Man tried to stab United Airlines flight attendant, open plane's emergency door during flight, feds say

Exeter community praises Jeff Neil after video goes viral

Locals began celebrating Neil, who has lived in Exeter with his family for 15 years, as a hero as the story made national headlines. Members of the Facebook group Exeter, NH Community Forum praised and thanked Neil for his heroism, one commenter saying he should be recognized in the next Exeter parade.

Such a solid dude and such a nice family. Not surprised at all that hed step up like this, but definitely saddened that he had to, wrote one Facebook user.

The Exeter Youth Lacrosse Association recognized Neil on their Facebook page as a father of an EYLA alum.

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Our pride is so big we have goosebumps! read the EYLA post. You have been through a lot, but you made a difference. THANK YOU for people like you!

Neil said he appreciates the kind words that people have shared, adding he and his wife are doing fine since the ordeal.

Neil said does not view himself as a hero, but merely in the right place to help. He said he took note of his position and the people around himself, and realized he was in the best place to act. He said his bouncer days go back to Hong Kong, a restaurant in Boston's Faneuil Hall.

I think anyone sitting in my seat would have done that, Neil said. I was just the right person at the right time.

More:RI woman recounts flight with man accused of trying to stab flight attendant

Video: Torres threatens bloodbath on flight

Video taken by an airline passenger shows Torres standing up and addressing the rows of airline passengers on the flight that day. Police said earlier he attempted to open an emergency exit door.

Speaking to passengers, he said he was renamed by God as Balthazar, and that he was taking over this plane.

Theres going to be a bloodbath, Torres is heard telling passengers. Where is Homeland Security with the gun, because Im waiting for them to point the gun at me to show everybody that I will die when I take every bullet in that clip.

He continued to say, And then I will kill every man on this plane.

The video eventually shows Neil standing up from his seat and approaching Torres, at which point Torres begins backing away. Torres is then seen running from Neil toward flight staff and raising his arm, which is when police say he attempted to stab the attendant with the broken metal spoon.

In a statement to USA Today, United thanked the "quick action" of the flight crew and passengers for restraining a customer that became a "security concern."

Neil, who has been interviewed by several news outlets this week, also told Boston news station, WCVB, that the right thing to do was clear.

I think its a no-brainer. I mean, at that point, hes accused of opening an emergency door, he made it clear that he didnt care if he died, he made it clear that he wanted to kill everyone on that plane and now he said hes going to take over the plane, Neil said. I dont know what else you need to hear at that point.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter man called hero after helping tackle unruly man on flight
Glendale, Arizona, is changing its name to celebrate the launch of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium there.

There's no need to bother with change of address forms if you live in Glendale, though.

The Taylor Swift-themed rebrand is temporary and symbolic, taking effect on Friday and Saturday, March 17-18, the days Swift will be at State Farm Stadium as the first act in history to sell out two shows at that venue on a single tour.

Glendale will announce the name on Monday, having teased the news in a press release littered with Swift references, complete with a nod to "Bejeweled" in the subhead.

Taylor Swift Eras Tour 2023 launch: Ultimate fan guide to her State Farm Stadium concerts

How Glendale teased renaming itself for Taylor Swift

"Ready for it?," the note began.

"Glendale is SO enchanted to meet Taylor Swift as she kicks off The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium that the city will be taking on a symbolic new name for March 17 and 18.

"There is no need to calm down, were fearless and doing something highly unusual to celebrate the fact that Taylors concerts start right here! We know all too well that shes one of the most influential artists of her generation and we are writing our own love story for her and greeting every Swiftie in style!"

Of course, none of those lyrical reference sound like city names.

So what will Glendale call itself when the Eras Tour launches? Our vote goes to Glendale (Taylor's Version).

Also, you don't have to live in Glendale to be excited about Swift's concerts. Fans all over social media are sharing the fashion looks they're putting together for the big nights. Here's a look at Swifties' best Eras Tour outfits.

Different Drum:How a pop song written by one of the Monkees made Linda Ronstadt a star

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Glendale (Taylor's Version)? City changes name for Swift's Eras Tour
Guns N' Roses will bring its massive 2023 world tour to downtown Phoenix for a Chase Field concert on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

Produced by Live Nation, the tour will headline stadiums, festivals and arenas throughout the summer and fall, beginning June 5 at Park Hayarkon in Tel Aviv and continuing across Europe through July 22 in Athens, Greece.

The tour hits North America on Saturday, Aug. 5, with a stop at Medavie Blue Cross Stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, with stops at historic venues across the country such as Fenway Park in Boston (Aug. 21) and Wrigley Field in Chicago (Aug. 24), before concluding in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Monday, Oct. 16.

Don't miss out!Green Day at Innings Fest 2023 and more must-see music in metro Phoenix this weekend

How to get tickets to Guns N' Roses in Phoenix

Tickets will be available starting with the band's Nightrain Presale beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22. General tickets for all dates go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at gunsnroses.com.

VIP packages with premium tickets, VIP bar access, invitation to the preshow Paradise City Lounge, limited edition Guns N' Roses VIP merchandise and more are available. Visit vipnation.com.

Concert review:Motley Crue was a mess at State Farm Stadium. But this band proved '80s metal still rocks

This is Guns N' Roses' first tour since We're F'N Back! in 2021

This is Guns N' Roses' first North American tour since the We're F'N Back! Tour, which played Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix on Aug. 30, 2021.

Their previous Not in This Lifetime Tour, which played what was then called University of Phoenix Stadium in 2016, is the third highest-grossing tour of all time.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Guns N' Roses' 2023 tour: Phoenix date, presale and ticket info
While many know Sydney as the city worth traversing the globe for, the less obvious choice, Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria in southeastern Australia, might be the more interesting one. Known for its metropolitan European charm, thriving nightlife, dynamic art scene, and world-famous artisanal coffee, Melbourne is among the southern hemispheres most compelling hidden treasures. Its easy to spend a few days wandering through the mural-filled alleys, letting a bartender in a secret speakeasy whip you up an award-winning cocktail, and enjoying top-notch museums and shopping. You can sip plenty of Victorian wine, find famously delicious dim sum, have your choice of Michelin-starred fine dining establishments, and try a tasting menu from the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants list. Drive a half hour out of the city and youll find beaches, wineries, hot spring spas, and if youre lucky, a few kangaroos.

See

Entrance foyer at the National Gallery Victoria featuring Ichwan Noors Beetle sphere, 2015

Part of the National Gallery of Victoria, the Ian Potter Centre focuses on Australian art. The more than 16,000 works in the permanent collection include paintings, sculptures and textile pieces from First Nations artists, making it the best place in Victoria, and perhaps anywhere else, to see Indigenous art.

More from Robb Report

Imbibe

A dessert dish served by Gimlet at Cavendish House in Melbourne.

Need a break from all that wine? Stop in at Gimlet at Cavendish House, from star Melbourne chef Andrew McConnell, a retro-inspired cocktail bar inside a 1920s Art Deco building. As its name suggests, the gimlet is a standout drinkpair one with a plate of oysters with seaweed butter and rye.

Caffeinate

Atomica Coffee storefront in Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne is famous for its coffee, and the hype is warranted. A beloved staple, Atomica Coffee was the first coffee shop in the city to roast beans in-house, while the charming hipster spot Patricia serves fresh pastries from nearby bakeries and earns its lines out the door. But take note: Whether you order a flat white (espresso with steamed milk and foam), a long black (basically an Americano) or a Magic Coffee (a Melbourne specialty made with espresso and milk), the beans here are strong and not recommended after dark.

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Pose

Views atop the Melbourne Skydeck

For the best view in the city, hit Melbourne Skydeck on the 88th floor of Eureka Tower. Billed as the highest observation deck in the Southern Hemisphere at 935 feet in the air, the spot is a little touristy, but your Instagram followers will thank you.

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Click here to read the full article.
Syria on Saturday welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies saying it will lead to more stability in the region.

Iran has been a main backer of President Bashar Assads government, while Saudi Arabia supports opposition fighters trying to remove him from power.

Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies after seven years of tensions. The major diplomatic breakthrough negotiated with China decreases the likelihood of armed conflict between the regional rivals, both directly and in proxy conflicts.

The deal was struck in Beijing amid China's ceremonial National Peoples Congress. It represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States to be slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East.

It also comes as diplomats have been trying to end Yemen's lengthy conflict, in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has wanted to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia, but the deal with Iran, Israel's arch-rival, will complicate that. It also could make Israel feel more alone if it decides to carry out a military strike against Irans nuclear program as it creeps closer to weapons-grade levels.

It was not immediately clear if the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran will help end Lebanons political deadlock. The country has been run by a caretaker government since President Michel Aoun's term ended in late October.

Lebanon has been without a president since then amid deep divisions in the country's parliament.

The powerful lebanese Hezbollah group said earlier this week it backs Christian politician Sleiman Frangieh to become the countrys next president but there have been reports that Saudi Arabia opposes the group's ally to become president.

Lebanon is at the grips of the worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history. It's rooted in decades of corruption and mismanagement by the political class that has been running the small nation of 6 million people, including 1 million Syrian refugees, since the end of the 1975-90 civil war.

Countries including oil-rich Gulf nations have said they will help Lebanon after the country implements reforms. That could release billions of dollars in investments and loans.

Syrias Foreign Ministry welcomed the agreement in a statement calling it an important step that will lead to strengthening security and stability in the region.

It added that the agreement will also lead to cooperation that will reflect positively on the common interests of the peoples of the two countries in particular and the peoples of the region in general.

After the Feb. 6 earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, killing more than 50,000 people including more than 6,000 in Syria, Saudi Arabia was one of several Arab countries that delivered aid to government-held parts of Syria.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry admitted this week that there is a consensus growing among Gulf monarchies and other Arab countries that isolating Damascus is not working and dialogue is necessary.

Syrias membership in the Arab League, a confederation of Arab administrations, was suspended in 2011 for its crackdown on protesters.

Syrias conflict, which enters its 13th year next week, has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half the countrys pre-war population of 23 million.

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TOKYO, Japan  Small-scale renewables and batteries could team up to replace large fossil-fueled plants  it just takes a whole lot of little devices to match what big, old power plants can do.

For now, truly massive fleets of decentralized clean-energy devices, also known as virtual power plants, remain a rarity. The clean energy industry needs to deliver more proof that decentralized energy can provide reliable, clean energy on a large scale.

One company is on its way to achieving this  not an electric utility or a Silicon Valley startup, but the decades-old Japanese trading house Itochu. The company manufactures a home-battery product through subsidiary NF, then sells it with the Gridshare software developed by British startup Moixa (which was acquired by Lunar Energy last year  see Canary Medias recent deep dive on what makes that software special). Since 2017, Itochu has quietly built up a fleet across Japan of 36,000 home batteries under its control, and thats just the beginning.

We want to expand to 100,000 units, said Maiko Mori, team leader at Itochus Energy Storage Business Section, when Canary Media met with her on a recent visit to Tokyo.

The current contingent totals 352 megawatt-hours of storage. That aggregated storage capacity rivals some of the largest grid-scale battery plants in existence, suggesting that thousands of tiny batteries really can add up to the scale of big central power plants. At the same time, the home-battery collection runs up against the limits of the decentralized format, at least as it currently exists in Japan.

The regulations arent yet in place to enable all those little batteries to participate in the broader workings of the grid. So the virtual power plant is doing what it can, helping each household until the pieces fall into place for the batteries to take on a more robust role in Japans energy system.

The challenges Itochu has overcome offer lessons for anyone trying to build up localized clean energy portfolios. In Japan, just like any other region trudging toward a cleaner, more decentralized energy system, the progress thus far only illustrates how much more is possible.

Story continues

The limits of the virtual power plant today

Itochus world-class virtual power plant remains limited in scope because, as Isshu Kikuma, Japan analyst at energy research firm BloombergNEF explained, the government doesn't allow power sources connecting at a low-voltage grid to export power to the grid under the current regulation.

That leaves Itochus battery fleet caught at an intermediate stage of evolution.

Its a massive fleet of batteries, said Chris Wright, who co-founded Moixa and now serves as SVP of software tech at Lunar Energy. But, he added, Were not dispatching them in aggregate as a virtual power plant right now. [] This is all behind-the-meter optimization.

That means that Itochus fleet cant deliver some of the most lucrative and valuable services for the broader power grid, such as maintaining the right frequency for the wires to operate properly or delivering electricity at moments of high demand. Granted, not many places around the world have figured out how to incorporate small, local batteries into macro-level grid operations. But Germany and parts of the U.S., for instance, have shown it can be done effectively.

In place of paying customers for their services to the grid, Itochu has made do with saving them money by smartly managing their solar production and arbitraging power by storing it at times when it costs less and dispatching it at times when it costs more.

Right now, Gridshare is working for the customers economical benefits, but it could work for the power company as well, Mori said.

Lunar Energys Head of Software Product Sam Wevers put a number on those benefits: We add 14 percent additional savings beyond the batterys default mode, he said. Batteries come from the factory with settings to maximize consumption of a households solar production or optimize around time-varying rates, which apply to most battery customers in Japan. But Gridshare internalizes each homes consumption patterns and anticipates 48 hours into the future; the AI calculations figure out strategies that a default setting isnt capable of, Wevers said.

Thats enough savings for Itochu to market a competitive edge in the battery-vendor landscape. But more roles for the fleet could be forthcoming. The latest word from the government is that rules for distributed-energy participation in large-scale grid services will go live in 2024, Wright said. Itll come online soon enough, he said; once that happens, Itochus fleet can play a nationally important role in Japans grid-decarbonization efforts.

Why does Japan need a virtual power plant?

For a virtual power plant to amount to more than confusingly worded grid jargon, it needs to solve a tangible problem for someone. In Japan, like elsewhere, the looming challenge is how to decarbonize the grid without sacrificing reliability, and virtual power plants can help.

Japans isolated island grid relies on imported fossil fuels for all the electricity it cant generate with nuclear or renewables. But Japan cut back on nuclear production after the Fukushima disaster. And renewables are more expensive to build there than in many other countries because of limited available land and rugged, mountainous terrain, said Kikuma, the BNEF energy analyst.

Rooftop solar has a huge potential due to Japan's land constraint, Kikuma noted.

Starting in 2009, households in Japan that installed rooftop solar could get paid for the power the system exported to the grid via a generous feed-in tariff. But that payment scheme only lasts for 10 years from the date of enrollment, so the first wave of adopters began rolling off the program in 2019, after which they started earning much less for sending power to the grid.

Annual residential solar installations have declined slightly since the 2019 peak of 1,165 megawatts, but the sector still added 1,000 megawatts or more in both 2021 and 2022, according to BNEF data. Thats a robust market, but every year, more households with rooftop solar find themselves losing the feed-in tariff and needing a new plan to make the most of their power production.

Japanese customers had already been interested in batteries as a backup power source in case of outages from the various disasters that periodically strike the country  most acutely, earthquakes and typhoons. But the loss of the feed-in tariff makes batteries attractive for economic reasons too, to enable using more rooftop solar generation outside of the sunny hours.

Residential battery installations have risen steadily over the last five years, according to BNEF data. In 2022, Japanese households added 313 megawatts and 877 megawatt-hours, making this one of the most active home-battery markets in the world. In fact, BNEFs numbers show that Japan installed far more home-battery capacity annually than all of the U.S. from 2017 through 2020; the U.S. market finally overtook Japan in 2021.

Itochu has capitalized on this trend. Its subsidiary NF manufactures models of the Smart Star battery pack with 9.8 kilowatt-hours or 13.1 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity. It comes AC-coupled, which makes it easier to attach to Japans many existing rooftop solar installations. Smart Star has sold 55,000 units in Japan, mostly going to Itochus fleet.

A virtual power plant, then, provides economic justification for the small-scale clean energy that Japan desperately needs, given how tricky it is to build large-scale clean energy there. If batteries eventually start taking over roles currently served by fossil-fueled plants, they will further reduce the need for carbon-emitting imported fuels. That looks all the more attractive given the global scramble for fossil gas imports in the aftermath of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

The energy-security argument in Japan is very powerful, for various geopolitical reasons, Wevers noted.

Lessons from Itochus massive virtual power plant

Still, it takes thousands of houses with batteries to add up to the capacity delivered by a typical gas-fired power plant. For virtual power plants to live up to their name and their promise, they need to operate on a massive scale.

Few initiatives have come close to that. One of the longest-running American VPPs, controlled by Vermont utility Green Mountain Power, had more than 4,000 home batteries participating as of last summer. The unexpectedly prolific, utility-led Wattsmart program in Utah enlisted 3,000 homes in just a couple of years. A new virtual power plant pilot program in Texas could end up with far more than that across the state, but its still getting started.

German home storage company sonnen has gotten further, with 120,000 battery units installed around the world; the bulk of that is in Germany, where the company operates its fleet like a decentralized utility, performing grid services and supplying customers with power at cheaper rates.

Virtual power plants, then, are still in a nascent stage globally, and the constitutionally conservative utility industry tends to resist new concepts and technologies until there's no way to ignore them any longer. What Itochu learned early on is that it couldnt wait for other power industry players to sign on; it had to go build the thing on its own.

At first, nobody was interested in this, Mori said. But we scaled to 36,000 [units]. We have deployed these batteries  [power companies] can use them at their convenience.

In other words, now that Itochu has the capability built and ready to use, more traditional providers are taking notice. Itochu is working with electricity retailers, including Tepco, Chubu, Kyushu and Tohoku, to prove that its battery fleet can respond predictably and reliably enough to save those companies money.

Its those companies job to source enough power for their customers at all times. But at some times of day, its simply more expensive to buy or produce power. Using batteries to arbitrage between expensive and cheap hours reduces the cost of keeping customers lights on, and thats attracting attention from Japans power providers, especially as electricity costs have risen.

These power companies could eventually buy the batteries themselves and lease them to households; this would give customers the benefits they want without the big upfront expense, while giving the companies more direct control of the equipment for their own uses.

We want to change the energy business, Mori said. The virtual power plant could make the Japanese energy business more resilient and bring benefits to all the parties.


(SWNS)

Nic Lim and Shae Lyn See, both 35, recently worked on Top Gun: Maverick, which is up for six Oscars at the upcoming Academy Awards, including Best Visual Effects.

The couple, from Malaysia, met more than 14 years ago during a VFX apprenticeship programme and it wasnt quite love at first sight.

Nic said: It was more like competition at first sight!

We were told that not all of us on the apprenticeship would pass the training, so we were focused on doing our best, being better than the rest, and not getting kicked off the course.

Luckily, they both excelled, passing with flying colours, and have been together - personally and professionally - ever since.

Their careers have taken them all over the world, including Malaysia, India, Singapore, China, and Montreal.

And they now work for Framestore, the British Oscar and BAFTA winning, global visual effects studio famous for bringing characters like Paddington, Rocket Racoon, and Iorek Byrnison to life.

They also helped create the worlds of Gravity, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Blade Runner 2049.

Shae said: The way I describe it to my friends is you know when you see Spider-Man behind the scenes acting against a green screen.

We replace the green screen with buildings, sky, clouds, wind, computer-generated characters, the lot, to make it look like that was the way it always was.

Both agree that Top Gun: Maverick is the highlight of their careers and were excited to work together with an incredible array of talent across the production.

Nic said: How could you not be? Real jets, aerial stunts, the US Navy helping out and Tom Cruise!

I was particularly awed by one shot where a jet that we reskinned later to be the Darkstar [the hypersonic test plane Cruise flies in the film], flew over a security hut leaving an epic shockwave in its wake, blowing the roof off.

It was the perfect marriage between real flight action, cinematography and invisible visual effects.

But the pressure of working on Top Gun: Maverick, the long-awaited sequel of one of the most iconic movies of all time was not lost on either of them, as they hoped to impress the films director Joe Kosinski and on set visual effects supervisor Ryan Tudhope.

Story continues

Shae said: We spent hours watching real explosions on YouTube to make sure our work was as real as possible.

Sometimes during the initial flash of an explosion, it lights up and then darkens the exposure of the shot, tiny details like that are essential to making everything look life-like.

Nic has a lot of respect for the FX artists he worked with on some of the films most technically challenging shots, like the gut-wrenching moment Tom Cruises plane takes a missile hit for his wingman Rooster.

He said: The backbone of a great explosion is a really good visual effects simulation.

These get rendered out and our role is to put them in our comps, integrate them into the real footage and make them look like it actually happened.

As the visual effects supervisor in charge on Top Gun: Maverick, Ryan Tudhope is nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar and will be attending the ceremony on Sunday night (March 12).

He said: It literally takes an army of amazingly talented individuals to create invisible, seamless work that when audiences are watching in the cinema they dont realise it is there at all.

It leaves fans free to experience a story, feel all the tension, excitement and emotion that a film like Top Gun: Maverick has by the truckload.

Anyone who loves film should consider a job in visual effects, there is an extraordinary range of roles.

Hundreds of Framestore visual effects artists will work on a movie like Top Gun: Maverick and we are always looking for talented people like Shae and Nic.

While I cant promise youll meet the love of your life, youll definitely meet some of the most remarkable people and experience some of the proudest moments of it.
Screenshot: Facebook

A Mexican drug cartel has been accused in the murder-kidnapping of four Black Americans. Mexican officials say they were mistaken for drug traffickers but are investigating their prior involvement with narcotics as a lead, per The Washington Post. On the other hand, US officials are considering leading a military force against the drug cartels.

The kidnapping has grown tensions as Mexico is criticized for the violence the powerful Gulf Cartel has carried out in the city of Matamoros. As expected, the abduction of Americans on foreign soil sparked conversations of retaliation, particularly among Texas Republicans, per The Dallas Morning News. Rep. Dan Crenshaw said hes seeking military intervention to go against Mexican drug cartels along the border. So far, nine more Republicans have co-signed his request to authorize the force.

Read more

Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took offense to the plan slamming the political officials as hypocrites.

Besides being irresponsible, this is also a lack of respect for Mexico, our independence and sovereignty, he said via Dallas Morning News. He previously slammed US media coverage for sensationalizing the kidnapping but going quiet like mummies when Mexicans are killed on American soil.

On the other side of the investigation, Mexican officials have their own thoughts to how exactly the four ran into trouble.

Read more from The Washington Post:

Mexican officials said Thursday they had opened a line of investigation into whether the attack might have been linked to the Americans prior involvement in narcotics activities. The Reuters news agency said it had seen a Mexican government document noting that at least three of the Americans had U.S. drug convictions. Most appeared to involve minor charges. But Shaeed Woodard, who was killed in the attack, had been found guilty of manufacturing banned narcotics with the intent to distribute, Reuters reported. Given the convictions, the Mexican document said, it cannot be ruled out that the attack against [the Americans] could be directly linked to drug trafficking operations that the gunmen thought the foreigners were engaged in, according to Reuters. An official close to the investigation confirmed the report to The Washington Post.

Story continues

The wife of Eric Williams, the survivor who suffered gun wounds to the leg, denied the allegation that her husband went to Mexico for anything involving drugs. A researcher for Human Rights Watch slammed Mexican prosecutors via Twitter for victim blaming to distract the public from their shockingly bad investigative skills.

The negative rhetoric around Mexico and its citizens has carried on from Trumps presidency. This investigation isnt making it any better.

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The Michigan legislature has voted to repeal a nearly century-old law criminalizing abortion.

The Michigan Senate passed HB 4006 on Wednesday, which revokes the 1931 ban on abortion, less than a week after it passed the state House on March 2.

The bill, which is just a single sentence, now heads to the desk of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is expected to sign it into law.

MORE: Michigan voters on abortion rights, EVs, economy ahead of election

Specifically, the bill repeals Section 750.14, which makes it a felony -- punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000 -- to administer drugs that induce a miscarriage unless the mother's life is in danger.

It also repeals Section 750.15, which makes it a misdemeanor to advertise, publish, or sell "any pills, powder, drugs or combination of drugs" that can cause an abortion.

PHOTO: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks to abortion-rights protesters during a demonstration in front of the state Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich., June 24, 2022, in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. (Lansing State Journal via USA Today Network, FILE)

The bills were passed in both chambers largely on party lines, with the vote passing in the Senate 20-18 and 58-50 in the House last week, with two Republicans joining all 56 Democrats.

"Today's repeal of this antiquated law is a victory for millions of Michigan residents who, like myself, value bodily integrity and personal freedom," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. "The people of this state can rest assured that their elected officials will not sit idly by in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, and will fight to ensure that residents' health, safety, and wellbeing is safeguarded from harmful legislation."

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, there was confusion over whether the 1931 law went back into effect.

However, a state judge ruled in September that the ban is unconstitutional, barring any state prosecutors from enforcing it.

Whitmer's office did not reply to ABC News' request for comment.

MORE: Here's what voters decided on abortion questions on Election Day

Anti-abortion groups criticized the passing of the legislation and described the repeal of the 1931 law as "radical."

Story continues

"Today's reckless vote takes us down an increasingly dangerous path, and Michiganders are watching," Barbara Listing, president of Right to Life of Michigan said in statement. "This sweeping removal of common-sense health and safety protections that have been in place for decades further demonstrates the radical pro-abortion stance to which the majority of our elected officials have come to subscribe."

The statement continued, "This position puts viable human life and women's health second to an increasingly radical agenda that knows no boundaries."

The repeal comes not long after Michigan voters said yes to a constitutional amendment that would add protections for reproductive rights in the November 2022 election.

The amendment defines reproductive freedom as "the right to make and effectuate decisions about all matters relating to pregnancy, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion care, miscarriage management and infertility care."

Michigan House and Senate pass bill repealing 1931 abortion ban originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Lawmakers are considering over a dozen bills that would expand or curtail the state's new Education Freedom Accounts program.

New Hampshire lawmakers preliminarily approved a set of bills on Thursday, March 9 that would expand the state's voucher-like school choice program.

The Education Freedom Accounts program, now in its second year, provides state aid to families who make below 300% of the federal poverty level, to spend on non-public school options such as private school tuition or homeschool costs.

The bills approved on Thursday fall short of some Republican leaders goals to open up the program to all students, regardless of family income. Instead, they lift the income threshold slightly for all families and eliminate that requirement entirely for certain students, such as those who are persistently bullied and those with disabilities.

Another bill approved Thursday updates the definition of the states school funding mechanism to allow money formally earmarked for public education to go to the Education Freedom Accounts program. This measure could address claims, such as those in a recently filed lawsuit, that the state is illegally using public school funds for the program.

The bills passed along partisan lines in a nearly evenly divided House of Representatives, where school choice has become a major policy priority for Republicans. In his proposed budget, Gov. Chris Sununu has indicated support for expanding Education Freedom Accounts.

Meanwhile, Democrats have put forth a number of bills to limit the program, pointing to its growing cost and lack of oversight from the state government. Last month, when Democrats lawmakers briefly out-numbered Republicans in a floor vote, the House passed several bills to tighten eligibility requirements.

Currently, over 3,000 students participate in the program. Many of them use their funds to attend local private schools. The New Hampshire Department of Education estimates that participation and cost of the program will double if the state lifts income eligibility requirements for certain categories of students.

These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH lawmakers give initial approval to expansion of school choice program
File image: Nine boxes of documents were retrieved from president Joe Bidens attorneys office in Boston (AP)

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has retrieved nine boxes of documents from president Joe Bidens attorneys office in Boston, the organisation disclosed, according to US media reports.

The information was revealed in a letter to Republican senators Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley, according to a report by Fox News. However, the contents of the boxes are yet to be reviewed.

The Archives had not previously publicly disclosed the number of boxes taken from Boston.

In a letter responding to the Republican senators, acting archivist Debra Steidel Wall said the federal agency learned about the transportation of records to Boston on 3 November 2022, when they contacted President Bidens personal counsel to arrange to pick up boxes from the Penn Biden Center in Washington, DC.

When NARA contacted President Bidens personal counsel on 3 November 2022, to arrange to pick up boxes from the Penn Biden Center in Washington, DC, they informed NARA that Mr Moore had moved other boxes from the Penn Biden Center to Mr Moores law firm in Boston, the letter states, according to Fox News.

Since November, the Archives has not checked the boxes for classified materials, according to the letter.

NARA staff retrieved nine boxes from Mr Moores Boston office, Ms Wall repotedly wrote.

Earlier reports from Fox said FBI agents searched the Penn Biden Center offices in November after Mr Bidens attorneys discovered documents with classified markings.

The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement is a think tank affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania, with which Mr Biden was associated for two years between 2017-2019.

Additionally, classified documents were found in Mr Bidens Wilmington, Delaware, house next to his garage. Six items with classification markings were seized after the Department of Justice searched the home.
Lawmakers from both parties have failed  twice  to give the Space Force its own Space National Guard, which they say the new service needs in order to draw on skilled personnel, just like the Army does with the National Guard.

Now, supporters of creating the Space Guard have mounted a fresh pressure campaign with a revised pitch to win over the Biden administration and other opponents: it's not as expensive as you think.

Its the latest round in a cross-party turf war that pits members of Congress and National Guard leaders against fellow lawmakers and an administration wary that standing up a separate Space Guard  which would see some current members of the Air National Guard transfer over to the new service  will result in more expensive bureaucracy.

Lawmakers from seven states and one U.S. territory that contain National Guard units with military space missions are banking that this year they'll sway the administration and skeptical senators that a Space National Guard is the best way to provide part-time forces to the fledgling Space Force. But they still have a high hurdle to clear.

Advocates are aiming to convince cynics the true cost is much lower than administration estimates that drove the initial opposition. Theyre also banking on a long-delayed report from the Air Force that outlines how to best structure the space guard and reserve mission. And one top proponent is making the case directly to the Space Forces top officer.

"I think momentum is building," Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) said in an interview. He argued that the current structure, in which members of the Air National Guard with space-related duties would stay in the Air Guard, is "not workable in the long term."

The Space Force has a complex mission, which includes keeping an eye on missile warnings, monitoring space launches and detecting nuclear detonations. So it will likely rely heavily on part-time personnel, who bring high-tech experience from their day jobs and who don't want to commit to the military on a full-time basis. But those weekend warriors are now in the Air National Guard, an arrangement that proponents of a new outfit argue complicates training and staffing of the Space Force.

Story continues

Several prominent lawmakers from both parties support creating a separate Space Guard. Crow and Colorado Republican Doug Lamborn, who chairs the House Armed Services panel that oversees military space issues, are reintroducing a Space Guard bill, while Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) are spearheading legislation in the Senate. National Guard brass are also on board. Several state Guard leaders have publicly called for the shift and Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Daniel Hokanson supports the move.

The White House and the Pentagon arent sold, however, and neither is much of the Senate, as many prefer to wait and see what Air Force and Space Force leaders propose.

Crow plans to make his case directly to Space Force brass. The Colorado Democrat said he's spoken to Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman about the issue several times, including at the Munich Security Conference last month.

"We're going to follow up," Crow said. "He agreed to take a meeting with me to discuss it."

Fear of a budget blowup

The biggest hurdle for proponents  which includes space-heavy states such as Colorado, Florida, California and Hawaii  is convincing the Biden administration that creating a new Guard branch out of the current space missions housed in the Air National Guard wont be as expensive as they fear.

Administration officials strongly oppose creating a separate Space National Guard, the White House declared last July, citing the additional overhead that would come with a new component.

The Congressional Budget Office assessed the costs of creating smaller and larger models for a Space National Guard in a 2020 report.

A smaller Space Guard  based on transferring 1,500 personnel from existing Guard units with space missions in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Guam, New York, Ohio and Wyoming  would result in $100 million in additional annual operating costs, the nonpartisan scorekeeper assessed.

The CBO also examined a larger model in which a Space National Guard is a size proportional to the Air National Guard relative to the active-duty Air Force, and could have a presence in every state and territory. CBO estimated doing so would balloon the hypothetical organization to 5,800 personnel.

The nearly $500 million annual price tag is a figure that OMB cited when arguing against creating the organization. The nonpartisan analysis group is not currently working on an update to the 2020 report, a spokesperson said in a statement.

That sticker shock is a concern that mired a push to create an active-duty Space Force years ago. But Space Guard advocates say the hefty price tag doesnt accurately capture their plans.

"I think there is a substantial misunderstanding about what it is we're trying to achieve here. We're simply trying to grandfather in the existing states and territory that have Space Guard and reserve components into a Guard, Crow said. We're not trying to create a new Guard infrastructure in every state. And that seems to be what OMB thinks we're trying to do.

Proponents, including the National Guard Bureau of the United States, argue the costs are wildly overstated, with some advocates arguing the actual cost could even be as low as $250,000 and would not require any new facilities.

Organizational disconnect

Supporters contend that, just like other branches, the Space Force needs its own part-time cadre to draw the personnel it needs to fully carry out its mission.

Lawmakers also argue that the Space Force won't truly be on par with other military branches while its Guard personnel continue as part of the Air National Guard, which they warn would undermine training, recruiting and funding.

Feinstein said doing so will fix an "organizational disconnect" between active-duty and Guard personnel in the Space Force.

"A Space Force National Guard would save money because otherwise we will eventually have to replace the capabilities we have in the Guard today with new units created from scratch inside the Space Force," Feinstein said in a statement. "A Space National Guard should have been created when Space Force was created."

Air National Guard units that are conducting space missions have an unusual relationship with the Space Force. While they fall under the Air Forces command structure, the personnel receive operational tasking orders from the Space Force.

The arrangement makes it difficult for these Air National Guard personnel to get appropriate training because that is overseen by a different service, said Lt. Gen. Michael Loh, head of the Air National Guard and former Colorado adjutant general.

I can't right now send them to basic military training with the Space Force [the service] they would actually be going off to combat with, Loh told reporters last year at the Air & Space Forces Association annual Air Warfare Symposium.

But opponents consider the move a power play by Guard and state leaders, and even some leaders who see a Space Guard as inevitable aren't convinced it's needed just yet.

On top of the potential cost, they contend a Space Guard would mean extra bureaucracy and overhead when the Space Force was intended to be as streamlined and cost-effective as possible when it was created.

Space Force brass, meanwhile, haven't publicly endorsed the concept, instead floating a hybrid model that draws on both active-duty and reserve guardians.

Senate skeptics

Some on the Armed Services Committees are waiting to see the Space Forces proposal before choosing sides. The service is expected to submit a proposal for a reserve component as part of the fiscal 2024 budget request.

"There's a little bit of hesitancy without a solid, solid plan to impose the entirety of the [National Guard Bureau] structure on top of such a small and agile service, said one congressional aide, who was granted anonymity to discuss the debate.

Plan or none, the debate is expected to play out again in annual defense policy legislation. Senate Armed Services Chair Jack Reed (D-R.I.)  whose support is needed for a Space Guard proposal to pass the upper chamber  isnt swayed yet. Instead, Reed says hes waiting to see what Saltzman and Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall recommend.

I don't sense the movement, Reed said of senators supporting a Space Guard. But we really haven't brought it up."

Only one of Feinstein and Rubios eight cosponsors, Florida Republican Rick Scott, sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

House Armed Services is likely to approve a Space Guard as part of its version of the National Defense Authorization Act, as it has done with little controversy over the past two years. But even House leaders who support the concept arent sure the time is right for a full-fledged Guard.

Decorating the Christmas tree

House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said hes fine with Crow and Lamborns proposal being included when the committee considers the defense bill in the spring, but said congressional leaders would ultimately make a call based on whether the Space Force agrees.

"This is one of those things that I want the Space Force to have what they need, but I'm gonna let them do it at their pace, Rogers said. I think it's inevitable that it's going to happen. I just don't think it's gonna happen right away."

Its unclear so far what the Pentagon will recommend or if top brass will ultimately come around to agree with a standalone Guard branch.

Saltzman stuck to the Pentagon line that a dedicated Space National Guard isnt currently needed during his Senate confirmation last September. He reiterated the services stated goal of a hybrid model that includes full and part-time guardians in a single component.

And the argument over how best to train, equip and supply part-time talent to the Space Force may get overshadowed by other more heated space debates on Capitol Hill. The Colorado and Alabama delegations are engaged in a political slugfest over the fate of the permanent headquarters of the U.S. Space Command.

But a slow and steady buildup could win again if the most vocal advocates of the newest military branch arent anxious to move ahead with a separate Guard.

It's like a Christmas tree. You start with just the tree. Then you start adding lights and then you start adding decorations, Rogers explained. We just put the tree up that first year and what we have done subsequently has just been layering on things. And that's always the way I've envisioned the Space Force growing."
The news of the rapprochement between long-time regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran sent shockwaves through the Middle East on Saturday and struck a symbolic blow for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made the threat posed by Tehran a public diplomacy priority and personal crusade.

The breakthrough, a culmination of more than a year of negotiations in Baghdad and more recent talks in China, also became ensnared in Israels internal politics, reflecting the countrys divisions at a moment of national turmoil.

The agreement, which gives Iran and Saudi Arabia two months to reopen their respective embassies and re-establish ties after seven years of rupture, more broadly represents one of the most striking shifts in Middle Eastern diplomacy over recent years. In countries like Yemen and Syria, long caught between the Sunni kingdom and the Shiite powerhouse, the announcement stirred cautious optimism.

In Israel, it caused disappointment  along with a cascade of finger-pointing.

One of Netanyahu's greatest foreign policy triumphs remains Israels U.S.-brokered normalization deals in 2020 with four Arab states, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates  part of a wider push to isolate and oppose Iran in the region.

He has portrayed himself as the only politician capable of protecting Israel from Tehrans rapidly accelerating nuclear program and regional proxies, like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel and Iran have also waged a regional shadow war that has led to suspected Iranian drone strikes on Israeli-linked ships ferrying goods in the Persian Gulf, among other attacks.

A normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, the most powerful and wealthy Arab state, would fulfill Netanyahu's prized goal, reshaping the region and boosting Israels standing in historic ways. Even as backdoor relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia have grown, the kingdom has said it won't officially recognize Israel before a resolution to the decadeslong Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Since returning to office late last year, Netanyahu and his allies have hinted that a deal with the kingdom could be approaching. In a speech to American Jewish leaders last month, Netanyahu described a peace agreement as a goal that we are working on in parallel with the goal of stopping Iran.

But experts say the deal that broke out Friday has thrown cold water on those ambitions. Saudi Arabias decision to engage with its regional rival has left Israel largely alone as it leads the charge for diplomatic isolation of Iran and threats of a unilateral military strike against Irans nuclear facilities. The UAE also resumed formal relations with Iran last year.

Its a blow to Israels notion and efforts in recent years to try to form an anti-Iran bloc in the region, said Yoel Guzansky, an expert on the Persian Gulf at the Institute for National Security Studies, an Israeli think tank. If you see the Middle East as a zero-sum game, which Israel and Iran do, a diplomatic win for Iran is very bad news for Israel.

Even Danny Danon, a Netanyahu ally and former Israeli ambassador to the U.N. who recently predicted a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2023, seemed disconcerted.

This is not supporting our efforts, he said, when asked about whether the rapprochement hurt chances for the kingdom's recognition of Israel.

In Yemen, where the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran has played out with the most destructive consequences, both warring parties were guarded, but hopeful.

A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemens conflict in 2015, months after the Iran-backed Houthi militias seized the capital of Sanaa in 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile in Saudi Arabia.

The Houthi rebels welcomed the agreement as a modest but positive step.

The region needs the return of normal relations between its countries, through which the Islamic society can regain security lost from foreign interventions," said Houthi spokesman and chief negotiator Mohamed Abdulsalam.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government expressed some optimism  and caveats.

The Yemeni governments position depends on actions and practices not words and claims," it said, adding it would proceed cautiously until observing a true change in (Iranian) behavior.

Analysts did not expect an immediate settlement to the conflict, but said direct talks and better relations could create momentum for a separate agreement that may offer both countries an exit from a disastrous war.

The ball now is in the court of the Yemeni domestic warring parties to prioritize Yemens national interest in reaching a peace deal and be inspired by this initial positive step, said Afrah Nasser, a non-resident fellow at the Washington-based Arab Center.

Anna Jacobs, senior Gulf analyst with the International Crisis Group, said she believed the deal was tied to a de-escalation in Yemen.

It is difficult to imagine a Saudi-Iran agreement to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies within a two-month period without some assurances from Iran to more seriously support conflict resolution efforts in Yemen, she said.

War-scarred Syria similarly welcomed the agreement as a move toward easing tensions that have exacerbated the country's conflict. Iran has been a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assads government, while Saudi Arabia has supported opposition fighters trying to remove him from power.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry called it an important step that will lead to strengthening security and stability in the region."

In Israel, bitterly divided and gripped by mass protests over plans by Netanyahu's far-right government to overhaul the judiciary, politicians seized on the rapprochement between the kingdom and Israels archenemy as an opportunity to criticize Netanyahu, accusing him of focusing on his personal agenda at the expense of Israels international relations.

Yair Lapid, the former prime minister and head of Israels opposition, denounced the agreement between Riyadh and Tehran as a full and dangerous failure of the Israeli governments foreign policy.

This is what happens when you deal with legal madness all day instead of doing the job with Iran and strengthening relations with the U.S., he wrote on Twitter. Even Yuli Edelstein from Netanyahu's Likud party blamed Israel's power struggles and head-butting for distracting the country from its more pressing threats.

Another opposition lawmaker, Gideon Saar, mocked Netanyahus goal of formal ties with the kingdom. Netanyahu promised peace with Saudi Arabia, he wrote on social media. In the end (Saudi Arabia) did it  with Iran.

Netanyahu, on an official visit to Italy, declined a request for comment and issued no statement on the matter. But quotes to Israeli media by an anonymous senior official in the delegation sought to put blame on the previous government that ruled for a year and a half before Netanyahu returned to office. It happened because of the impression that Israel and the U.S. were weak, said the senior official, according to the Haaretz daily, which hinted that Netanyahu was the official.

Despite the fallout for Netanyahus reputation, experts doubted a detente would harm Israel. Saudi Arabia and Iran will remain regional rivals, even if they open embassies in each others capitals, said Guzansky. And like the UAE, Saudi Arabia could deepen relations with Israel even while maintaining a transactional relationship with Iran.

The low-key arrangement that the Saudis have with Israel will continue, said Umar Karim, an expert on Saudi politics at the University of Birmingham, noting that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank remained more of a barrier to Saudi recognition than differences over Iran. "The Saudi leadership is engaging in more than one way to secure its national security.

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Garcelle Beauvais/Instagram

Garcelle Beauvais/Instagram

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast is embracing the "yeehaw" life on a girls' trip to Las Vegas!

Amid filming for season 13 of the reality show, the stars brought the drama all the way to Nevada for a glam getaway. Cast members Kyle Richards, 54, Garcelle Beauvais, 56, Dorit Kemsley, 46, Erika Giradi, 51, Sutton Stracke, 51 and Crystal Kung Minkoff, 40, documented the vacay on Instagram.

"What happens in Vegas " Richards wrote beside a photo of almost the entire group rocking cowboy hats on Thursday. Before they took off for their trip on a private jet, Beauvais also shared a snap with her co-stars along with the caption: "Up up and away #internationalwomensday "

RELATED: Garcelle Beauvais Gives Update on Filming of 'RHOBH' as Season 13 Is Underway: 'Expect Drama'

Kyle Richards/instgram

Kyle Richards/instgram

Giradi posted a close-up look of her bedazzled hat and denim ensemble along with the caption, "Denim and diamonds tonight "

RELATED: 'RHOBH' Cast Celebrates Crystal Minkoff's 40th Birthday: 'Sometimes We Play Nice'

Erika Jayne/Instagram

Erika Jayne/Instagram

As season 13 began filming, Beauvais opened up to PEOPLE about what fans can expect of the upcoming drama-filled chapter.

"I think we're gonna get back to old school Beverly Hills in terms of like glamour and fun, and you know, a little bit of a sisterhood if we can," she told PEOPLE at the Emily's List Pre Oscar's Breakfast in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

She continued: "Even though there's gonna be drama. So I'm looking forward to it. We just started filming."

RELATED: Lisa Rinna Is 'Grateful' as She Announces Exit from 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' After 8 Seasons

Fans are anticipating what tensions may unfold this time around, especially after longtime cast member Lisa Rinna announced her departure from the Bravo series in January, PEOPLE exclusively confirmed.

Rinna, 59, opened up to PEOPLE about her decision to leave the show, which she starred in since 2014, after her contract expired at the end of season 12.

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Lisa Rinna arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Screening Of Paramount Pictures' "80 For Brady" at Regency Village Theatre on January 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

"It's been very nice," Rinna adds. "It's always nice when you put your all into a job. I feel like, at the end of the day, I left it all on the floor. I gave a hundred million percent to that job. And I can always look back  and I said this to our producer, I said, 'I will never regret or feel bad about anything because I did my job. I did exactly what the job entailed.' So I feel good about that."
New Mexicos Senate Judiciary Committee gathered recently to figure out how much latitude they had to regulate guns after last years bombshell Second Amendment ruling from the Supreme Court.

Most sounded confused. Some seemed unaware that the laws they passed might not hold up in court if a similar regulation hadnt been on the books in the 18th century. One lawmaker called the ruling mind-boggling. Another asked whether their authority was now limited to regulating firearms where you have to manually load the gunpowder.

New Mexicos legislative session last month opened with gun reform high on the agenda. After a string of politically motivated shootings at the homes of Democratic legislators in Albuquerque, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) called for a series of firearm restrictions, including an assault weapons ban, in her State of the State speech in January.

Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento, California.

Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento, California.

But with a week left to go before the session ends, lawmakers are cautiously approaching gun bills and are wary of passing laws that will run afoul of a Supreme Court that has taken a firm stance on the side of gun rights. The legislature is likely to pass some gun reform before the session ends, but lawmakers say an assault weapons ban would be unlikely to hold up in court, and theyre uncertain about a proposal to raise the age to buy some types of firearms from age 18 to 21.

What I hope we dont do is lead the public into believing were doing something, knowing full well that what were doing is unlikely to really have an effect, Joseph Cervantes, the state Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, said at the hearing last month. I think thats a disservice to people.

The flagging reform push in New Mexico highlights how the Supreme Courts decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, which overturned a narrow provision of New Yorks concealed carry law, isnt just overturning gun restrictions  its also blocking them from passing in the first place.

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That Bruen ruling is going to hurt us for decades to come, said Miranda Viscoli, co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence. Its going to be the excuse of every conservative Democrat who doesnt want to pass common-sense gun laws.

The majority opinion, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, directed the federal courts to stop considering state governments safety concerns when weighing the constitutionality of gun restrictions.

Instead, judges should examine the Second Amendments text alone to judge whether a gun restriction violates the Constitution. The major exception Thomas envisioned was gun restrictions with a historical precedent, ideally those dating back to the passage of the Bill of Rights in 1791.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham delivers her State of the State address at the opening day of an annual legislative session in the House of Representatives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. Lujan Grisham called for new gun control laws and greater accountability for firearms manufacturers while denouncing recent drive-by shootings against state legislators and a national

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham delivers her State of the State address at the opening day of an annual legislative session in the House of Representatives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. Lujan Grisham called for new gun control laws and greater accountability for firearms manufacturers while denouncing recent drive-by shootings against state legislators and a national "scourge" of violence.

The Supreme Court then sent four gun cases back to the lower courts to try again. The cases, which have yet to be decided, cover magazine restrictions in California and New York, an assault weapons ban in Maryland and concealed carry rules in Hawaii  raising the possibility that the courts will soon overturn several other key reform laws common to blue states.

Facing a more conservative Supreme Court, some Democratic-led states like New York and California have pushed still harder on gun restrictions, pointing out that states with more gun control typically also have lower rates of gun violence and fewer mass shootings.

But while Democrats dominate both chambers of the New Mexico legislature and hold the governorship, guns remain popular in the sparsely populated and largely rural state. So it was a tall order when Lujan Grisham demanded a comprehensive gun reform package, topped off with an assault weapons ban  even before the chilling effect from Bruen.

However, a bill holding adults responsible for letting their firearms get into kids hands is likely to pass. Another requiring a 14-day waiting period for gun purchases may squeak through. And a bill increasing liability for gun manufacturers also still has a chance.

Lujan Grisham, for her part, has refused to admit defeat on the assault weapons ban, hinting last week during a speech to groups of school children at the possibility of calling a special session to push it through. The New Mexico legislature typically meets once every other year for two and a half months.

How many of you have a constitutional right to be safe at school? Lujan Grisham asked the kids. I think we have that right, too.

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People are flocking to Florida, and it's not just because of the sunshine and beaches. Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/Insider

There's a battle for people brewing  and the Sunshine State is winning

The sun is shining bright on Florida. The population of the aptly named Sunshine State exploded over the coronavirus pandemic: Roughly 752,000 residents moved to Florida from July 2019 to July 2022 and it is now the fastest-growing state in the US according to Census Bureau estimates.

For over two decades, the dense metropolises of the Northeast, California, and the Pacific Northwest attracted migrants from other states and abroad with jobs in high-growth industries like tech and finance. But that era has come to an end  at least for now. The flexibility of remote work, the boom in entrepreneurship, and the availability of gig work have led to a migration away from the industrial centers of the past. States like New York and California that relied on the allure of high-earning industries to attract and maintain residents are seeing people leave for fair weather and more affordable places.

While it's increasingly clear that Florida came out on top during the dramatic shake-up of the pandemic, there are also early signs that younger generations of Americans are more willing to move around for new opportunities. That means states will have to compete even more aggressively for new residents to keep their economies and budgets afloat. This interstate battle for people is already taking shape  and it isn't just cloudless skies that are tilting the scales toward Florida. The state has managed a balance of affordability, quality of life, economic opportunities, and governance that many Americans are looking for. For other states to compete, they will need to pay attention to what Florida is doing right.

A sunny disposition

While the pandemic opened up the floodgates of interstate migration, the trend toward Florida and other Sun Belt states began well before 2020. Over the past several years, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia have seen the largest gains in domestic migration  but even among this fast-growing cohort, Florida stands out. The state's population jumped by 1.9% from 2021 to 2022  a net gain of 417,000 new residents  marking the first year since 1957 that Florida held the distinction of America's fastest-growing state. California and New York, on the other hand, lost 180,000 and 114,000 residents respectively. Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, the contrast is even more stark: Florida welcomed 655,000 new people, according to Census estimates, while New Yok and California have seen their population fall by a combined 903,000.

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Some commentators have worried that Florida's growth is a sign of America's impending doom as our population ages and sails off into retirement, leaving fewer young workers to support the economy. But contrary to these concerns, both young and old people have moved to the peninsula. "Florida has different attractions for different people," William Frey, a senior fellow and demographer at the Brookings Institution, told me. The state's brand has evolved from a place for retirees to a hub for techies and entrepreneurs: In an analysis of census data by the online consumer-information service SmartAsset, two of the 10 hottest cities for millennial movers in 2021 were in Florida.

All this population growth has been a blessing for Florida's booming $1.4 trillion economy  already the fourth-largest in the country. Florida had the second-highest rate of job growth in 2022, according to the Bureau for Labor Statistics, adding about 440,000 jobs over the course of the year. The state is also tied for the sixth-lowest unemployment rate at just 2.7%, well below the national rate of 3.4% and trailing only much smaller states like Alabama and South Dakota. And for the first time since the government started collecting state-level statistics in 1990, the number of employed people living in Florida has surpassed that of New York.

This influx of new people is also inspiring more businesses and entrepreneurs to move to the state. According to data from the Economic Innovation Group, Florida had the third-highest rate of new business formations per capita in 2022, behind only Wyoming and Delaware. And the state's three main metro areas  Tampa, Orlando, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale  have also seen their economies boom thanks to the growth of industries like finance and healthcare. This has helped drive low unemployment rates and higher-than-average wage growth in those metros.

What other states can learn from Florida

While much of the conversation about state competition has centered on politics, which certainly affects where people choose to live, there are a broad swath of economic and cultural factors that influence whether people are moving in or out. Florida is winning people over for a few key reasons.

Floridians pay no income tax and fewer taxes overall than people in states like New York, California, or Massachusetts. A 2020 journal review found that taxation did have an impact on migration, particularly among white-collar knowledge workers with the ability to more easily move. But a low tax rate isn't the only thing people care about. Plenty of states including Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming have no state income-tax burdens but did not see as much migration. For those who have the flexibility, a major consideration is also a state's level of services: What do they get for what they pay?

Despite having a budget half the size of New York's and a larger population, Florida, by many metrics, is able to do significantly more with the taxes it collects. State and local spending totaled $9,300 a Floridian in 2019, less than half New York's $19,500 a resident. But compared with New York, Florida has a lower poverty rate, less wealth inequality, a quarter of the number of homeless residents, and higher high-school graduation rates. On more subjective metrics like well-being, Florida is consistently ranked highly, with Naples, Florida, topping the list for highest well-being among cities in a 2018 Gallup survey. New York ranked among the bottom 15 states.

Florida is also outshining New York and other major population centers in tackling the soaring cost of housing. The state issued 212,206 building permits for residential units in 2022, compared with just 41,254 in New York and 118,065 in California. This building boom creates a larger stock of housing that keeps prices more affordable: 17.6% of all housing in Florida has a value of less than $100,000, whereas in New York the rate is in the single digits. As a result, 69% of Floridians are homeowners compared with only 54% of New Yorkers  and fewer people in Florida are homeless.

A theory from the economist Mancur Olson suggests why states like Florida get more out of their tax spending than others and avoid the kind of political gridlock that's contributed to the soaring cost of living in places like New York and California. According to Olson, a higher concentration of narrow interest groups leads to what is known as institutional sclerosis, which stymies innovation and collective action. But instead of holding up new projects with endless reviews and delays, Florida has worked to balance community input and the need to speed up approval of critical projects. This has helped fuel its house-building boom and deliver quality-of-life improvements like the new high-speed rail network, Brightline, which is on the way to connecting the state's major metro areas.

The economist Charles Tiebout also hypothesized that people shop around for a preferred package of government taxes and spending in the same way they make any major purchase like a home or car. So not only can tax competition be a deciding factor for people who vote with their feet, but if they don't like one jurisdiction's governance, they will consider the town or state nearby. The differences between Florida and New York's economies suggest that there's an optimal tax policy and an optimal level of government spending that states should be targeting.

What's the matter with Florida

As sunny as things appear right now, there are clouds forming on Florida's horizon that could threaten its newfound status. In particular, the clock is ticking on the climate crisis: Surging sea levels and increasingly severe hurricane threats are already forcing residents out of the Florida Keys. And more of the state is facing what climate scientists call a "triple threat from water": rising sea levels, storm surges, and extreme rainfall. It is difficult to imagine a scenario in which Florida manages to avert all these crises forever while managing other risks such as the heat, which has steadily risen in recent decades.

A recent study found Florida real estate to be overvalued by more than $50 billion because of unaccounted flooding risk  a bubble that could eventually burst. The state has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to mitigate the crisis, hiring chief resilience officers, and Miami has gone as far as hiring chief heat officers to try to keep residents cool. But to keep its destination status, the state will need to develop a sustainable path to addressing these issues.

Another limitation of the state is its lack of public transportation. While the state opened up a high-speed rail last year with plans to expand it, decades of underinvestment in rail and public transit certainly handicapped economic activity and has made it harder for poorer Floridians to escape poverty.

And while Florida's cost of living ranks in the middle among the 50 states, the state's median wages are significantly lower than most states'  though they are climbing fast. And real median household income in 2021 was $59,000, $13,000 lower than in New York and roughly $30,000 lower than in the three highest states: New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Utah. Florida as a whole may be a bargain, but the steep rise in cost of living and influx of new residents in major cities like Miami and Tampa threaten to make these locales unaffordable. If efforts to reduce cost burdens or the climate crisis become a larger threat, the trade-off for prospective residents could shift. Local residents may also move to more affordable parts of Florida. But given the size of the pivot to the state, a full-on reversal of the population shift seems unlikely.

For states, it's about blocking and tackling

Florida certainly has its problems, but its recent appeal offers a glimpse into what Americans are looking for in a home state nowadays. Other parts of the US may not be able to replicate the Sunshine State's great weather or luxurious beaches, but they can learn from Florida's efforts to build a dynamic economy and effectively deliver public services.

States will have to change their decision-making if they want to keep residents  much less attract new ones. The battle for people is on, and if leaders take this competition seriously, they will be forced to provide better services and a high quality of life at a fair cost to residents. And in the end, that will mean better outcomes for all Americans.

Emil Skandul is a writer on technology and urban economics, and a Tony Blair Institute fellow.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A universal school voucher plan to use tax dollars to pay private school tuition is ready for floor debate in the Florida House.

Friday, the House Education Quality Subcommittee amended HB 1 to match the Senate companion. SB 202 is one committee stop from consideration by the full Senate.

Tuesday in an opening day speech, House Speaker Paul Renner declared the Legislature will deliver the largest expansion of school choice in the nation. The bill was ready for the full House to consider three days later.

House sponsor Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid, had introduced the proposal to provide private school vouchers for all in January.

Rep. Kaylee Tuck revised HB 1 four times during the committee and picked up Democratic allies as the proposal made its way to the floor.

Counting the cost:House puts price tag on universal school voucher plan critics find hard to believe

Concerns:As Florida voucher plan advances, critics worry it could 'cause segregation' in schools

More from Florida Legislature:Taking fire from both sides of gun debate, Florida permitless carry bill locked and loaded

Opponents complained the plan will divert billions of dollars from the public education system and fear it will lead to segregated school systems, with more affluent families leaving traditional public schools.

Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, then produced a Senate voucher plan that inserted into the proposal a review of all education regulations on public schools, and a state Board of Education recommendation of which to repeal.

The intent is to provide a level playing field for public schools to compete for students with private and charter schools, something school superintendents have long asked lawmakers to provide.

Friday, in a rare moment of bipartisanship, Tuck stood at the lectern next to Rep. Susan Valdes, D-Tampa, when Valdes presented a five-page amendment reforming the regulation of traditional public schools, and aligned Tucks proposal with Simons.

Simon took a House proposal and inserted a review of education regulations that school superintendents say handcuffs public school's ability to compete for private school students

Point:Parents will be the winners with proposed school choice assistance legislation | Opinion

Counterpoint:The illusion of choice in Floridas school choice

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Tuck told the committee that HB 1 had been revised four times since January.

When you look at the blood, sweat and tears, the weeks, months that has been put into this bill by stakeholders, families, staff especially staff. We went from a good bill to a phenomenal bill, said Tuck in a closing statement.

The committee advanced the bill to the House floor on a 13 - 3 vote with Democrats Gallop Franklin of Tallahassee, and Jacksonville's Kimberly Daniels voting with the Republican majority.

Counting the cost of the bill

The plan supporters argue private school families pay property taxes to support public schools but don't utilize the public system.

Florida currently provides more than $1.6 billion annually, about 10% of the PreK-12 budget, in education savings accounts. The money is for students to attend private schools and is distributed through three scholarship programs:

The Family Empowerment Scholarship, for low- and middle-income students. The FES also includes two education savings accounts for students with unique abilities and a new world scholarship program.

The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship  a tax deduction for businesses in exchange for contributions to the scholarship program.

Hope Scholarship  for students who have been bullied or harassed.

The proposal expands eligibility for education savings accounts worth up to $8,000 to all 2.9 million K-12 students.

The House assumes not all students would apply for scholarships and pegs costs at $210 million annually.

The Florida Policy Institute produced an estimate of $4 billion.

State economists are working on a cost estimate for the Senate Appropriations Committee.

What else does the bill do?

HB1/SB 202 also:

Extends the time from three years to five years for teachers to complete certification. Allows flexibility in how school districts distribute raises for teachers. Streamlines transportation regulations to allow for vehicles other than buses. Requires State Board of Education to review all Florida education statutes and issue recommendations to reduce regulations on public schools in November. Mandates the Board of Education to consider input from teachers, school boards, post-secondary institutions, home educators and others when writing recommendations to reduce regulations.

What people are saying

Universal choice means that every school has a chance to compete for students, and their parents can decide the best fit. Additionally, by reducing red tape that burdens our traditional public schools, these institutions, which have served our communities for generations, will have a meaningful chance to compete right alongside other school options. - Senate President Kathleen Passidomo

When we look at school choice, there's this knee jerk to automatically go to private school. Public school will still be a choice for 85% of students. That will still be a choice.  When we say that the money will follow the child, and the child is no longer in the classroom, then why are we funding the school without the student? - Rep. Corey Simon

This is a tax rebate for opting out of public education. Anybody who has been sending their children to private schools, their accountant is going to say, hey, don't forget to sign up for your $8,000 opt out of public schools' tax rebate. - Rich Templin, AFL-CIO

My high school is going to get the kids whose parents are not aware of this and dont have the ability to advocate for them. This bill is going to cause segregation  we're going backwards. - Ellen Baker, Palm Beach County school teacher

James Call is a member of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on him Twitter: @CallTallahasse

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What to know about Florida's universal school voucher bill
Franklyn McClur Instagram video screenshot

Tennessees Republican lieutenant governor, Randy McNally, allegedly replied and reacted to many Instagram stories of Franklyn McClur, the 20-year-old gay man who posts risque photos of himself on his Instagram .

Since he never asked to date me or never asked to have sex or anything, I just never took the time to really read into it, McClur told BuzzFeed News. I'm not interested regardless. So I didn't have a reason.

McClur provided BuzzFeed News with screenshots of several messages McNally sent him, but some of their contents could not be verified because they were blacked out. McClur said he had not decided whether to release the content of the DMs publicly. The messages appeared to be a mixture of emoji reactions and DM responses. McNally did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Its been a fun few days for McClur, who goes by Franklyn Superstar on Instagram, after it was revealed that McNally was constantly commenting on his provocative Instagram posts with heart and fire emojis.

Theres been a lot more kind comments than negative comments, McClur said. Its felt really good to feel so seen by so many people.

McClur has been the focus of hundreds of news stories over the past few days after the Tennessee Holler broke the story.

A screenshot Franklyn McClur provided BuzzFeed News Instagram screenshot courtesy Franklyn McClur

On Friday afternoon over video chat with BuzzFeed News, McClur, who was sitting outside in Charlotte, North Carolina, shirtless and draped in necklaces and bracelets, said he and McNally became Facebook friends in May 2020. Shortly after, McNally found McClurs Instagram and began directly messaging him there.

They were nice, McClur said, of the DMs. He was trying to get to know me, and things like that.

McClur said he often doesnt respond to messages, especially if they spam me. And [McNally] definitely has sent me a lot of messages.

He said he has only occasionally responded to McNallys DMs, answering him like five times over three years.

He sent many, McClur said. I'm just not someone to really answer too many messages. I feel overwhelmed. I love talking to people in person. But I don't like texting online very much; I find it stressful because there's always just so many people.

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A screenshot Franklyn McClur provided BuzzFeed News Instagram screenshot courtesy Franklyn McClur

The 20-year-old said that in 2020, around when McNally followed him on Instagram, he was regularly sharing moody videos but wasnt posting photos of himself wearing makeup and crop tops like he does now. In one post from October 2020, McClur shared a video of himself crying, saying that he was so tired. McNally commented on the video, saying, Dont give up. Youre life will change for the better.

In another post from around that time, McClur wrote, I try to catch my breath but I break down and cry. Not doing good, Im just doing fine, with a video of himself singing. McNally again shared a message of encouragement. Finn, just to be true to yourself, McNally wrote, but if you feel overwhelmed with anxiety or can not sleep. I can help you get in touch with someone who can work with you in dealing with that.

I was more conservative in the way I went about my life, McClur said, but still openly a Christian at the time.

And so I wasn't always posting things without my shirt, he said. So at that time, you could have maybe thought I was gay or something, but I wasnt ever posting [like I do now].

During a TV interview that aired Friday , McNally explained his comments on McClurs posts, saying that he tries to encourage people with posts and try to help them if I can.

McClur, however, told BuzzFeed News that he thinks McNallys heart and fire emojis mean he actually liked the photos.

So for what reason he liked it? McClur said. Who knows? We can ask him that. And I'm sure he would just say he was supportive, which if that's what he says, that's what I would go with if I was a person from the outside looking in.

McNally is still following McClur, who said the lieutenant governor messaged him on Thursday and thanked him for being kind to everyone.

More on this
Once again, Alec Baldwin will not be showing up at a hearing in the criminal case for the Rust shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.

Just hours before a rescheduled virtual hearing Thursday in front of New Mexico Judge Mary Marlow Sommer with co-defendant and ex-Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, Baldwin has requested and been granted a waiver from appearing.

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I understand that I am charged with the following offense or offenses under the law of the State of New Mexico: Involuntary Manslaughter (Section 30-2-3(B), NMSA 1978) in two alternatives, Baldwin said in a filing Thursday in Santa Fe County. I understand that I am entitled to personally appear before the Court at every stage of the criminal proceedings, he added. After reading and understanding the above, I request that the Court permit me to waive a personal appearance in court for the following proceedings: All Status Conferences.

Sommer granted the request, which likely had as much to do with Baldwin and his New York City-based Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan attorneys trying to dim the media spotlight on the case, as it did with the content of todays session itself.

Still, for a hearing that was originally supposed to occur March 8, the process is similar to when 64-year-old Baldwin officially entered a plea of not guilty February 23 and waived his right to appear virtually at the first hearing in the high-profile matter the next day. Reed did not waive her right to appear and was present onscreen with her lawyer Jason Bowles, the judge, and D.A. Mary Carmack-Altwies at that February 24 gathering.

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Like Baldwin looking at up to 18 months behind bars and various fines if found guilty, the 25-year-old Reed has not officially entered a plea. She is expected to be present at todays remote hearing.

With the public release of an FBI-assisted investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriffs office last November, Baldwin and Reed were formally charged by prosecutors with two counts of involuntary manslaughter on January 31 over the October 21, 2021 death of Hutchins at Bonanza Creek Ranch. Rust director Joel Souza was also wounded from the live ammo that came out of the 1880s prop gun that star/producer Baldwin was holding.

The original charges included an enhancement that came with a mandatory five-year prison stint if Baldwin and/or Reed were found guilty. Under protest and claims from lawyers from the defendants that the charge was unconstitutional, the somewhat red-faced D.A. removed the charge last month. As a resurrected Rust pledges to go into production in Montana soon-ish, Baldwin and his team are also attempting to have special prosecutor Andrea Reeb tossed from the case because of her dual role as a recently elected GOP New Mexico legislator.

The D.A. has pushed back, insisting that Reed, a seasoned prosecutor, can handle both gigs and that there is no conflict of interest.

With or without Baldwin, this afternoons status hearing will likely see Sommer and the various lawyers seek to work out when they will discuss the special prosecutor skirmish. They could also put a date for a preliminary hearing on the calendar for the next few months.

With a trial in theory to come, the commitments of the participating attorneys, the D.A and perhaps even the judge herself will determine if any of that is coming sooner or later  but bet on the latter.

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Singaporean OnlyFans creator Titus Low and his Malaysian influencer wife Cheryl Chin welcomed their baby girl this week.

In a TikTok post Thursday, Low can be seen carrying his first child, whose sex became known in a gender reveal party last November.

Call me daddy now, Low wrote in the caption.

The 23-year-old hinted at his babys arrival on Wednesday, sharing a series of Instagram Stories that showed him arriving at Thomson Medical Centre and donning a scrub suit.

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Low rose to fame by posting adult content on OnlyFans, which caught the attention of Singaporean authorities in December 2021 and landed him three weeks in jail about a year later.

The saga sparked headlines beyond Singapore, where receiving profits from a business that involves pornographic materials is illegal.

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Low and Chins relationship began a few months after the controversy broke out.

Low confirmed their engagement last June, revealing that he proposed to her just six hours after they became a couple.

After planning a wedding in 24 hours, the couple tied the knot in the same month. By September, they announced that they were having a baby.

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Low and Chin have yet to officially announce the name of their daughter.

A follow-up TikTok, which has garnered more than 3 million views, shows the infant in her bassinet.

Congratulations to you & Cheryl! I hope your wife is doing fine, one TikTok user commented.
Mar 3, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (90) sits back in net after Seattle Kraken left wing Brandon Tanev (13) scored an empty-net goal during the third period of the NHL hockey game at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets lost 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins has left the Blue Jackets "temporarily" to travel to Latvia because of an illness in his family, the team said Friday.

According to a news release, Merzlikins' grandmother is seriously ill.

The team added goaltender Daniil Tarasov to the roster on emergency recall from the Cleveland Monsters.

Tarasov has gone 2-9-1 with a 3.28 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 13 games with the Blue Jackets this season.

Get more Columbus Blue Jackets news by listening to our podcasts

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Elvis Merzlikins leaves Columbus Blue Jackets because of illness in his family in Latvia
Terrence Burgess and his family are trying to navigate the grieving process after his brother was one of two people killed by a drug Cartel in Mexico.

Shaeed Woodard, of Lake City, South Carolina, would have celebrated his birthday Thursday, Burgess said.

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At first, I was tore down, Burgess said.

Grief, especially following the horrific circumstances that happened last week, is unpredictable for the brother.

I miss the texts, Burgess said. Now its coming out. I miss the texts. Yall dont know how many texts we did. Me and my brother.

The kidnapping victims were identified as Zindell Brown, Eric James Williams and cousins Latavia Tay McGee and Shaeed Woodard, according to ABC News. The four Americans traveled to Mexico last week to seek medical care when they 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.

Woodard was among the four close friends who traveled to Mexico last week to go with Latavia McGhee for a cosmetic medical procedure.

Soon after they crossed the border on March 3, U.S. investigators believe they were caught in a drug cartel shootout and kidnapped.

Woodard and Zindell Brown were killed. McGhee and Eric Williams survived.

Thats nothing you will ever think your family would go through, Woodard said. I never in a million years thought my brother and my sister would go through something like that.

Charlotte resident and spokeswoman for the Woodard family Dearest Price said thats likely because the trip was also a surprise for Woodard to celebrate his birthday.

They were just excited to take pictures and hed never been outside of the country before, Price said. So this was the very first time. This was not a situation where you had people going back and forth to Mexico.

Price said Woodards father is still trying to make sense of the circumstances.

He didnt really have time to tell his son yay or nay that he should go to Mexico, Price said. I dont think he is living with regret. Hes just living with devastation right now.

There is the uncertainty of what lies ahead for the loved ones.

Because this happened in Mexico, part of the fear is, although they caught them, and although they have them, they are concerned about how it will be adjudicated, Price said.

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Burgess is relying heavily on faith.

You got to think about the better, he said. You gotta think about where he is at. You cant grieve forever.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security are heavily involved in the case.

There is an online portal where the FBI is asking the public to submit pictures and videos related to the murder and kidnapping.

The attorney general in the Mexican state Tamaulipas where the attack happened said Friday that six people have now been arrested in connection with that deadly kidnapping.

VIDEO: Traveling safely in Mexico
Police at the Manchester Arena (PA Wire)

A one time Manchester arena attack suspect had his British citizenship reinstated after MI5 reassessed its view of his role in the attack, according to reports.

Mohammed Soliman left the UK 12 days before the attack that killed 22 people in May 2017.

He was alleged to have bought bomb-making materials, namely sulphuric acid, for killer Salman Abedi and his brother Hashem. Hashem, 25, was jailed for life after he was convicted for aiding his brothers attack.

Soliman was later detained in Libya on suspicion of engaging in the preparation of acts of terrorism or assisting in acts of preparation under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 after leaving Manchester in April 2017.

He appealed the decision on the grounds that he was mistreated while in custody in Libya.

In July 2017, then Home Secretary Amber Rudd revoked his citizenship and he was arrested later that month.

A hearing took place at the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) and ended in July 21.

The Government avoided a court case by returning his citizenship in 2021, the BBC reports.

He returned to the UK in October 2021, and was later arrested. When interviewed by police, he said he did not know anything about the terror plot and that he had been pressured by Hashem to let him use his bank card.

Police later said he would be charged and faced no further action.

It comes after the charity watchdog opened a probe into a mosque that was criticised by the Manchester Arena bomb inquiry.

Didsbury Mosque in south Manchester had been attended by the suicide bomber Salman Abedi and his family.

The public inquiry into the attack said the mosques evidence had downplayed its link to the Abedis.

The inquiry chairman, Sir John Saunders, said the mosque had suffered from "weak leadership".

The Charity Commission said it was "actively considering the findings" of the inquiry report and had opened a "regulatory compliance case".

The Home Office said: The Government, working with our world-class police and security and intelligence agencies, will always take strongest action possible to protect national security and public safety.
Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated Saturday against a contentious plan to overhaul the judiciary as the government pressed ahead with the plan.

The nationwide demonstrations have been a regular weekly event for more than two months.

Despite the demonstrations, Netanyahu and his allies have pledged to press ahead with a series of bills that would strip the Supreme Court of its ability to review legislation and give coalition politicians control over judicial appointments.

Critics say the changes will destroy the countrys system of checks and balances and concentrate power in the hands of the prime minister and his allies.

We are protesting because if not, its like compliance and we will never agree to have democracy abolished in this country," said Einat Gival-Levi, a protester. Its really important that we raise awareness all around the world.

Hundreds of Israeli womens rights activists dressed as characters in the television series, The Handmaids Tale, marched to the center of Tel Aviv city to join the main protest.

The uproar over the legal changes plans by Benjamin Netanyahus government has plunged Israel into one of its worst domestic crises. Beyond the protests, which have drawn tens of thousands of Israelis to the streets and recently became violent, opposition has surged from across society, with business leaders and legal officials speaking out against what they say will be the ruinous effects of the plan.

On Thursday, Netanyahu had to be airlifted to the countrys main international airport for an overseas trip after throngs of cars and protesters prevented him from driving there.

The rift has not spared Israels military, which is seeing unprecedented opposition from within its own ranks.

Critics also say Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, is driven by personal grievances and that he could find an escape route from the charges through the overhaul. Netanyahu denies wrongdoing and says the legal changes have nothing to do with his trial.

The protests have been largely dominated by the countrys secular middle class. Israels Palestinian minority, which makes up some 20% of the population, have been largely absent, in part because they suffer from discrimination in Israel and and because of Israels treatment of their Palestinian brethren in the West Bank and Gaza.

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An artist rendering of a possible design for the FSU Health-Academic Health Center that will be on Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare's campus.

Florida State University President Richard McCullough and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare President and CEO Mark OBryant shared a stage Wednesday to announce a land designation and advisory committee for their new FSU Health-Academic Health Center.

McCullough and OBryant expressed how the dual announcement made the day a glorious and transformational one for both institutions as they shared the newest updates about the center to guests in TMHs Dozier Atrium.

"As we look at this collaboration as a catalyst moment, this is going to set the path for activities around research, education, care and reshaping everything we do as it relates to quality of life and health in our community, O'Bryant said.

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare CEO Mark O'Bryant speaks during a press conference to announce the transformation committee and a designation of land on March 8, 2023.

The land for the project is on the northeast sector of TMHs campus off Centerville Road, near Tallahassee Community Colleges Ghazvini Center for Healthcare Education. Once the center is built, it will include educational and medical spaces as well as research laboratories.

The announcement comes after FSU secured $125 million from Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature last year to establish the center.

Related news:FSU and TMH aim to make Tallahassee a leader in medical research

More:TMH, FSU College of Medicine in discussions to establish 'academic medical center'

TMH CEO Mark O'Bryant and FSU President Richard McCullough announced the transformation committee and a designation of land at a press conference March 8, 2023.

TMHs land grant to FSU will allow the university to get the ball rolling with the process of constructing the five-story building. From prepping the site to working with architects and constructors, McCullough says the construction process might take a couple of years.

The construction phase is expected to create about 1,200 jobs, and the center will support more than 1,500 jobs annually.

A year and a half ago, we set forward with this audacious idea, McCullough said. FSU Health is not a small vision, but a large vision  one that will continue to make this already-amazing health care that we have in Tallahassee even better.

FSU President Richard McCullough speaks during a press conference to announce the transformation committee and a designation of land on March 8, 2023.

Other TMH news:TMH says all systems restored, operations normal after cybersecurity incident

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The plan is still to have the center take up 130,000 square feet. To give an idea of the centers vastness, OBryant added that it will include a 700-space parking area.

While the new center is being planned, other accomplishments through FSU and TMHs teamwork include the recent groundbreaking of the new health care campus in Panama City Beach along with the St. Joe Company.

The campus will consist of an 80,000-square-foot medical office building that will open in 2024 and a 100-bed hospital slated to be completed in 2027, according to the university.

Related news:TMH breaks ground on new campus in area with 'incredible boom in population'

With the Panama City campus and the new academic health center underway, the projects will expand the universitys health research portfolio while they also work toward alleviating the current need for more physicians and nurses in North Florida.

In FSU and TMHs efforts of being provided with guidance during their continued partnership, they formed the Transformation Committee" advisory group of 10 community members, where FSU and TMH each made five appointments.

The committee will be chaired by Kevin Nolan  a partner at the global consulting firm Guidehouse  who will help ensure that the committee assists FSU and TMH in maximizing the value of their partnership moving forward.

Here are the five members of the committee that McCullough appointed:

Jorge Gonzalez (FSU trustee, St. Joe Company president and CEO)

Nan Hillis (FSU Real Estate Center executive board member)

Kathy Mears (Commissioner of Agricultures chief of staff)

Reverend R.B. Holmes (pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church)

Bill Smith (Capital City Bank chairman and CEO)

The other five committee members who were appointed by OBryant are:

Winston Howell (former TMH board chair, shareholder and chairman emeritus of Thomas Howell Ferguson PA)

Andrew Wong (former TMH board chair, orthopedic surgeon at Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic)

Martha Barnett (former TMH board chair)

Steve Evans (former TMH board chair)

Lee Hinkle (former TMH board chair)

Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare President and CEO Mark O'Bryant along with Florida State University President Richard McCullough present the community members of the academic health center project's "Transformative Committee" on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

Barnett says the committee is appropriately named and believes that it will have a transformative impact on the Florida panhandle as it will potentially attract people to come live and work in the Tallahassee community.

Im a lawyer by profession, but I come from a medical family, Barnett said. I have always viewed my life through the lens of someone who saw the impact that having hands-on, 24/7, personal attention and care made in the lives of people. If I can take some of my early childhood experiences and my commitment to making that kind of health care available to everyone, that would be a goal for me.

As a committee member, Barnett expects to figure out how to involve the community in order to have a better understanding of the peoples most prioritized health care needs.

Wednesdays conference marked the first time that the committee officially met together in the same room. The group currently does not have a confirmed date for when its first meeting will be held, according to Barnett.

"We've been incrementally moving down this pathway in a very organic way, OBryant said, referring to the road toward establishing the new center, but this puts more traction to that and gives us stronger wheels and a bigger engine to drive forward.

Contact Tarah Jean at tjean@tallahassee.com or follow her on twitter @tarahjean_.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU, TMH designate land, form advisory group for new health center
Randy McNally - Credit: Mark Humphrey/AP Images

Tennessee Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally has a strange habit for a powerful Republican in a state where the party has not been kind to the LGBTQ community. He simply cannot stop liking and commenting on a 20-year-old gay male models Instagram posts.

The Tennessee Holler reported on Wednesday that McNally has repeatedly interacted with the Instagram page of Franklyn McClur, who grew up in Knoxville and routinely posts provocative images of himself, often nude. Finn, you can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine! McNally commented on a close-up shot of McClurs backside in formfitting underwear.

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McNally is not hiding from the story. His office released a statement emphasizing that the lieutenant governor loves social media and takes great pains to view every post he can and that he has no intention of stopping. McNally even sat down for an interview with Nashvilles NewsChannel5 on Thursday.

I try to encourage people with posts and try to, you know, help them if I can, McNally explained. I was basically trying to encourage him.

McNally was then asked about McClur characterizing himself as not a WHORE but a HOE because one is a SLUT and the other is a PROSTITUTE and that hes the one who gets free weed for giving [a reference to a sexual act].

A lot of times on peoples posts you see the name and you see what theyve written and you press the button that says like, McNally explained.

So you didnt read that post?

I dont recall reading the part about the weed, I know that.

But what about the prostitute?

I might have read that.

VIDEO: 'I'm really, really sorry.' Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally apologizes after uproar over social media posts (More in link below.) https://t.co/Ye6QV2a8hL pic.twitter.com/noIiwfbCOd  Phil Williams (@NC5PhilWilliams) March 10, 2023

McNally acknowledged that it was probably not appropriate to like that particular post.

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The lieutenant governors infatuation with McClur isnt new. He started messaging him back in 2020, when McClur was only 17. McNally insisted in the interview on Thursday that hes never met McClur in person, although he has met some LGBTQ people who have helped his change his mind about the community. Initially I was not very kind to that community, he said. As I learned some things and met some people in that community I realized theyre still individuals and still have value.

McClur doesnt seem too concerned about the uproar around his social media behavior and seems pretty resigned to whatever the states Senate  which has the power to remove the lieutenant governor from office  wants to do about the situation. He did apologize, though. Im really, really sorry if Ive embarrassed my family, embarrassed my friends, embarrassed any of the members of the legislature with the posts, he said. It was not my intent to, and not my intent to hurt them.

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In this photo released by Nournews, Secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, right, shakes hands with Chinas most senior diplomat Wang Yi, as Saudi Arabias National Security Adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban looks on during an agreement signing ceremony between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions between the Mideast rivals, in Beijing, China, Friday, March 10, 2023. | Nournews via Associated Press

After seven years of tension, Iran and Saudi Arabia announced that the two countries have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies in their respective countries.

The two countries agreed on the deal in Beijing, China, during the National Peoples Congress, and China helped broker the agreement, The Associated Press reported.

We will continue to play a constructive role in properly handling hotspot issues in todays world in accordance with the wishes of all countries and demonstrate our responsibility as a major country, Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi said at the signing of the deal, per CNN.

Starting now, the countries will resume trade, investments and cultural relations, as well as reimplementing a 22-year-old pact where both parties agreed to cooperate on terrorism, drug smuggling and money-laundering, per CNN.

The countries will also resume trade, investment and cultural relations with each other.

Why was there tension in Iran and Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia and Iran have been geopolitical rivals for years. In 2016, Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr  an event which fueled an Iranian protest movement against Saudi Arabia. In response, the Riyadh, Saudi Arabias government, encouraged a harsh response from the West toward Irans nuclear program, The New York Times reported.

The devastating war in Yemen has been a key aspect of tensions between the two countries. Since 2014, Iran has backed the Shia Houthi rebels in the country, forcing the Saudi supported government out, according to BBC.

Some experts speculate that Saudi Arabia will withdraw from Yemen altogether.

What does religion have to do with conflict in Iran, Saudi Arabia?

Part of the historical conflict also goes back to differences in religious beliefs. Both are Muslim nations, but Saudi Arabia adheres to Sunni beliefs with a large Sunni population, while Iran views itself as the protector of Islams Shiite minority, per AP News.

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The differences between Shiite Muslims and Sunni Muslims dates all the way back to 632 A.D. when the Islamic Prophet Muhammad died. Shiite Muslims believed his successor should be someone in his bloodline while Sunni Muslims felt a pious individual who would follow the Prophets customs was acceptable, NBC News reported in 2016.

What impact will the deal have on relations in the Middle East?

From a U.S. perspective, Saudi Arabia is a key global partner and Iran is a country the U.S. and its allies consider a security threat and a source of global instability, according to The New York Times.

President Joe Biden and his administration have been working to mend relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. However, with China brokering the deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, it could complicate those efforts.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, and many western countries decided to put an embargo on Russian oil imports, the Riyahd chose to cut oil production to keep crude prices high, The Wall Street Journal reported.

For Tehran, the capital city of Iran, the deal could open up more global trade after protests led by young Iranian women erupted throughout the country starting in October. The protests called for less strict morality regulations, expressing anger after a woman was allegedly killed by morality police after she was arrested for allegedly wearing a loose hijab.

China has been making moves to become a more powerful global power for years.

For Iran its about escaping diplomatic isolation. For China, its about deepening their engagement in the region and showing its not just an energy consumer. And for Saudis its about the Americans, said Ray Takeyh, an Iran expert at the Council on Foreign Relations and former State Department official told the WSJ.
The $1.6 billion defamation case against Fox News has given the public a rare look at the inner workings of the conservative cable-news giant - including what its executives and top personalities privately had to say about their colleagues, their company and its viewers.

Emails and text messages sent among major players at the network, including figures like Rupert Murdoch and Tucker Carlson, reveal that many disbelieved the claims of election fraud aired by Donald Trump allies on Fox programs - but that they were concerned Trump-supporting viewers would flip to other channels if Fox journalists contradicted the false claims on air.

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The cache of documents was released as part of the lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, which alleged Fox "spread and endorsed" false claims - such as, that its voting machines were rigged to "flip" votes from Trump to Joe Biden - and in doing so, harmed Dominion's reputation and damaged its business prospects. Fox has argued it was covering newsworthy claims and that Dominion has used "cherry-picked quotes stripped of key context."

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FOX CORP.

Rupert Murdoch

Fox Corp. chairman

"Still getting mud thrown at us!  Maybe Sean and Laura went too far. All very well for Sean to tell you he was in despair about Trump but what did he tell his viewers?" - Murdoch in an email to Fox News chief executive Suzanne Scott on Jan. 21, 2021, referring to two of Fox's top prime-time stars, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham

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As chairman of Fox Corp., the parent company of Fox News, 91-year-old billionaire Rupert Murdoch oversees a massive media empire and is in frequent contact with the network's top executives. He is also executive chairman of News Corp., which owns the Wall Street Journal and New York Post.

Never a fan of Trump, whom Murdoch originally knew as a gossip column fixture in his own New York Post tabloid, the mogul entered a mutually beneficial relationship with the future president as he closed in on the White House. By the end of Trump's term, though, Murdoch fretted in private emails that he had gone "increasingly mad." He bemoaned the chatter of election conspiracy theories, even as they burbled up on his own network, but also worried about ratings and urged Fox executives to help Republican candidates in Georgia Senate runoff elections "any way we can."

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Lachlan Murdoch

Fox Corp. CEO, son of Rupert

"News guys have to be careful how they cover this rally  The narrative should be this is a huge celebration of the president." - Lachlan Murdoch in a message to Scott, on Nov. 14, 2020, about coverage of a Trump rally in which two Fox journalists had contradicted election-fraud claims

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Lachlan Murdoch, the chief executive of Fox Corp. since 2019, and the son of Rupert, has never enjoyed the close relationship with Trump that his father once did, but he has lately made his conservative views clear.

In texts with top executives following the election, he inserted himself into its coverage plan, urging that stories should focus on celebrating then-president Trump while also expressing concern that it was inappropriate for Laura Ingraham to attend a White House election-night watch party, adding that he preferred hosts showed "some distance and independence."

4. Paul D. Ryan

Board member

"I see this as a key inflection point for Fox  A solid pushback (including editorial) of his baseless calls for overturning electors, etc. will undoubtedly accrue pushback and possibly a momentary ratings dip, but will clearly redound to our benefit in terms of credibility." - Ryan in text messages to Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, Dec. 6, 2020

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Paul D. Ryan, a former speaker of the House and leading light of the GOP before his brand of intellectual conservatism was swamped by the MAGA movement, joined the Fox Corp. board after leaving Congress. He has urged the party to move on from the former president, saying that Republicans "lose with Trump."

In correspondence uncovered by Dominion, Ryan texted to the Murdochs in December 2020 that he thought that Fox was at a "key inflection point." In calling for pushback of Trump's baseless claims, Ryan hoped the network could appeal to center and center-right voters.

"The sooner we can put down the echoes of falsehoods from our side, the faster we can get onto principled loyal opposition," Ryan wrote. "I truly hope our contributors, along with Tucker, Laura, and Sean get that and execute."

Viet Dinh

Chief legal officer

"Let's continue to buckle up for the ride for next 24 hours. Hannity is getting awfully close to the line with his commentary and guests tonight." - Dinh in an email to a senior vice president two days after the election

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Viet Dinh is a longtime family friend of the Murdochs, and is the godfather to one of Lachlan Murdoch's sons. He is Fox Corp.'s chief legal officer, and also serves on its board of directors, after previously serving as an assistant attorney general during the George W. Bush administration.

As the highest ranking lawyer in Fox Corp., he frequently received reports from Irena Briganti, senior executive vice president for corporate communications, about the company's response to media inquiries about claims made on prime time shows. Some of those messages were written under the title, "Prepared for and at the request of Counsel in anticipation of litigation."

Raj Shah

Senior vice president

"This isn't an audience that can easily be persuaded and are willing to believe just about anything." - Shah in a Nov. 23, 2020, email to Lachlan Murdoch, Dinh and Scott analyzing conservative Twitter attacks on Tucker Carlson after he initially challenged Sidney Powell's fraud claims

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Raj Shah worked for the Republican National Committee and as a deputy press secretary in the Trump White House before joining Fox Corp. in 2019 as senior vice president. He was part of the White House team that worked to prepare Brett M. Kavanaugh for his Supreme Court confirmation hearings, and he helped arrange Kavanaugh's interview with Fox host Martha MacCallum to discuss allegations he faced of sexual assault.

Shah sent survey data to senior leaders at Fox after the 2020 election, warning them that declining favorability among its core audience was "getting pretty perilous." He called for "bold, clear and decisive action" to regain the trust "with our core audience," and wondered if that audience felt they'd been "somehow betrayed by the network."

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FOX NEWS EXECUTIVES

Suzanne Scott

CEO

"I can't keep defending these reporters who don't understand our viewers and how to handle stories. The audience feels like we crapped on [them] and we have damaged their trust and belief in us. ... We can fix this but we cannot smirk at our viewers any longer." - Scott in a Nov. 11, 2020, email to Fox News President Jay Wallace after host Dana Perino suggested on air that Dominion could sue Rudy Giuliani over election-fraud claims

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Suzanne Scott was named chief executive of Fox News in 2018 after serving as president of programming for both the Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network. After joining the network at its 1996 launch, she was deeply involved in launching several top-rated shows. She is a controversial figure inside the company, after many years working directly under co-founder Roger Ailes, who was later ousted amid a 2016 sexual harassment scandal.

After the election, she talked with both Murdochs about shaping news coverage to "keep the audience who loves and trusts us." Concerned about ratings, Scott was upset that some hosts contradicted audience views on election conspiracy theories and told Jay Wallace that the coverage needed to change.

Jay Wallace

President

"The North Koreans do a more nuanced show." - Wallace in a September 2020 email to Fox News executive Irena Briganti and Scott mocking host Lou Dobbs's fawning deference to Donald Trump

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Jay Wallace, the president and executive editor of Fox News, has been with the network since 1996 and oversees all news and editorial programming across several Fox properties. He is viewed internally as having an affinity for the news programs and was particularly close to Shepard Smith, a news anchor who left in 2019 after a public dispute with Tucker Carlson over the network's coverage.

Wallace said in his deposition that while he has ultimate editorial control over the content broadcast on Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, there is a "separation of sorts" between the news and opinion shows. When asked if he had editorial control over Carlson's show, he equivocated, saying producers on the opinion shows report to him "in some dotted line forms."

Irena Briganti

Senior executive vice president, corporate communications

"Yes tons of crazy." - Briganti in a Nov. 8, 2020, text to a colleague after watching Maria Bartiromo interview Trump ally Sidney Powell

-

Irena Briganti, who joined Fox in 1996, became senior executive vice president of corporate communications in 2018.

In internal communications following the 2020 election, Briganti referred to host Maria Bartiromo interviewing Trump-allied lawyer Sidney Powell, who went on several Fox programs spinning wild election conspiracy theories, as "one of our biggest issues right now." During the same time period, host Laura Ingraham complained in other internal communications that Briganti was behind efforts to promote Fox anchor Eric Shawn's debunking of Powell's claims about Dominion.

"She is coordinating this," Ingraham alleged to Carlson.

"Without question . . .. Irena hates prime time, trust me. That's not speculation," Carlson responded.

- - -

EDITORIAL LEADERSHIP

Meade Cooper

Executive vice president, prime-time programming

"I feel really good about Tucker and Laura. I think Sean will see the wisdom of this track eventually, but even this morning he was still looking for examples of fraud." - Cooper in a Nov. 6, 2020, text message to Ron Mitchell, a Fox executive

-

Meade Cooper, a production assistant at Fox News's 1996 launch, is an executive vice president for the network's prime time programming. At the time of the election and its aftermath, she oversaw the shows of some of Fox's biggest stars, including Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, as well as Jeanine Pirro and Mark Levin. In her deposition with Dominion's lawyers, she noted that while she is in charge of these shows, "Very rarely is an actual script run by me."

David Clark

Former senior vice president of weekend programming

"I don't know." - Clark when asked during a deposition whether anchor Maria Bartiromo is a credible source of news

-

The former senior vice president for weekend news and programming, David Clark started with Fox News in 1996. Clark testified in his deposition that he was responsible for overseeing Maria Bartiromo's "Sunday Morning Futures." Asked whether he considered that show to be a "credible source of news," Clark answered: "I don't know." When pressed, he said "I am going to answer the question yes."

Clark also sent an email to Jeanine Pirro and her producers asking the host to make clear that "Dominion denies these allegations," according to internal communications.

Bill Sammon

Former senior vice president, Washington editor

"In my 22 years affiliated with Fox, this is the closest thing I've seen to an existential crisis - at least journalistically." - Sammon in a Dec. 2, 2020, text message to colleagues

-

Part of the decision desk team that made a controversial early projection that Biden would win the Arizona, Bill Sammon came under fire from Trump's camp, according to internal communications. Jason Miller, a senior campaign aide, texted him that night "WAY too soon to be calling Arizona," and Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows called to question him about how the decision was made, Sammon said in his deposition. As Fox began to air election conspiracy theories, Sammon expressed frustration.

Sammon was later let go from his job, and according to a Nov. 20, 2020, email, Rupert Murdoch backed the decision. "Maybe best to let Bill go right away," he said, adding that it would "be big message with Trump people."

Chris Stirewalt

Former political editor

"What I see us doing is losing the silent majority of viewers as we chase the nuts off a cliff." - Stirewalt in a Dec. 2., 2020, text to Bill Sammon

-

Chris Stirewalt joined Fox News in 2010 and was a political editor during the 2020 election. He was a regular on-air commentator on election night, appearing several times on air to express confidence in the network's early and ultimately accurate projection that Biden would win Arizona.

Like Sammon, his boss, Stirewalt was also ousted in January 2021. He later testified in a deposition that "Fox could have done a better job" of telling its audience the truth about the election and that, "no reasonable person would have thought" the allegations against Dominion were true.

- - -

ON-AIR PERSONALITIES

Tucker Carlson

8 p.m. host

"We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights. I truly can't wait." - Carlson in a text message to an colleague on Jan. 4, 2021

-

Tucker Carlson joined Fox News as a political analyst in 2009, after stints at MSNBC and CNN, and in 2016, he took over a prime show that has become one of the most-watched shows in cable news.

In several exchanges, Carlson offered concerns or criticisms of Trump, at one point declaring "I hate him passionately." But he also worried how the network's news side's rejection of Trump conspiracy theories was hurting Fox's brand and ratings.

He cast doubt on some of the characters promoting falsehoods. "Sidney Powell is lying," he once wrote to his producer, referring to Powell's outlandish claims about the election. Yet he also wrote about mulling whether to air puffed-up claims about dead voters, apparently to appease viewers.

Sean Hannity

9 p.m. host

"You don't piss off the base." - Hannity in texts with Fox News host Steve Doocy

-

Sean Hannity, the 9 p.m. opinion host who joined Fox at its inception in 1996 and was one of the most outspoken hosts in publicly questioning the integrity of the 2020 election, also criticized the news side for pushing back on air against unsubstantiated fraud allegations.

In a Nov. 27, 2020, text exchange with Fox News host Steve Doocy, Hannity complained of the news division's impact on the network's viewership. "'News' destroyed us," he wrote, adding, "you don't piss off the base."

At the same time, top executives privately worried that Hannity was going too far in spreading election conspiracy theories and potentially sounding like a "sore loser."

Laura Ingraham

10 p.m. host

"We are all officially working for an organization that hates us." - Ingraham in a Nov. 16, 2020, text message to Carlson and Hannity arguing that their news colleagues were hurting ratings

-

Ingraham, the 10 p.m. opinion host, joined the network in 2007. A lawyer by training, Ingraham was a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and served as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 1992.

In texts with Carlson and Hannity, she said that when she signed with Fox she was told it was a "conservative alternative." An influential presence on-air and in the organization, Ingraham decried three Fox News reporters as "vicious liberals," and worried her brand would be damaged because they were fact-checking election conspiracy claims.

Bret Baier

Chief political anchor

"They do it differently and I think that they, you know, stir the pot in different ways, but sure." - Baier when asked in a deposition whether he thought the opinion side of Fox had an obligation to tell their audience the truth

-

Joining Fox News in 1998 as an Atlanta correspondent, Bret Baier came up through the ranks as a Pentagon and White House reporter and is lauded by Fox for representing traditional, nonpartisan news values. He is the chief political anchor of the network and is its 6 p.m. news host.

In private communications, Baier told Fox executives the situation was "getting uncomfortable," after the network called Arizona for Biden, asking them to put the state "back in [Trump's] column" and arguing that the network was "holding on for pride."

Phil Vogel, a producer for Baier's show, left the job and texted to another employee that "post election coverage of 'voter fraud' was probably the complete end," and that "I realized I couldn't defend my employer to my daughter while trying to teach her to do what is right."

Maria Bartiromo

Anchor, Fox News and Fox Business

"My audience wanted to hear what the president and his legal team were doing, and I was pressing them where the evidence is, and will they be able to prove it in court." - Bartiromo when asked in a deposition about her decision to keep hosting Trump ally Sidney Powell on her show despite a lack of evidence for her election-fraud claims.

-

A host on both Fox News and Fox Business Network since 2014, Maria Bartiromo previously reported on the stock market and prominent business figures for CNBC. At Fox, she ventured into politics and policy and became an outspoken Trump supporter. In her deposition, she testified that she had Sidney Powell on her show because of the newsworthiness she presented as Trump's lawyer.

Fox, in its defense, has argued that Bartiromo either truly believed or was open to election conspiracy theories; Bartiromo repeatedly said in her deposition that she still had questions about the 2020 election. But critics say she played a unique role in promoting Powell's claims, having the lawyer on her widely-watched show multiple times after the election.

Lou Dobbs

Former host, Fox Business

"When I was hired by Roger Ailes, I was hired, as he put it, to be Lou Dobbs." - Dobbs when asked in a deposition about pressure from Fox executives or Murdoch family members over the content of his show

-

Lou Dobbs, a former reporter who helped launch CNN in 1980, joined Fox Business Network in 2010, and his show premiered in early 2011. He became something of an unofficial adviser to then-president Trump, who occasionally patched him by phone to meetings with Cabinet officials. After the 2020 race, he hosted Powell and Rudy Giuliani to share their claims of election fraud and criticized Republican officials for not pursuing the allegations.

Tucker Carlson also texted his producer that Rupert Murdoch could not stand Dobbs's show and didn't watch it. His show was canceled in February 2021.

Jeanine Pirro

Co-host, "The Five"

"I'm not an investigative reporter. My job as a reporter was to ask the questions and then have [Powell] respond." - Pirro when asked in a deposition what evidence she had seen to support a false claim that Dominion was owned by a company founded in Venezuela to rig elections for the dictator Hugo Chavez

-

Jeanine Pirro joined Fox News as a legal analyst in 2006 and hosts a weekday evening show for the network; she was previously the host of a syndicated court show. She first came to prominence as the district attorney for New York's Westchester County in the 1990s and became friends with Donald Trump from the time her ex-husband served as his lawyer.

Pirro also hosted Sidney Powell on her show to discuss election-fraud claims. Fox has argued that Pirro, along with Bartiromo and Dobbs, sincerely believed the theories or were genuinely open to them, and thus were not acting with actual malice. In Pirro's depositions, which have been heavily redacted, she said that she hosted Powell because she was the president's lawyer alleging she had evidence of fraud.

---

The Washington Post's Matt Brown, Amy Gardner, Rosalind S. Helderman, Elahe Izadi, Meryl Kornfield and Rachel Weiner contributed to this report.

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25-year-old Megan Moroney isn't just a blond-haired small-town ingenue who loves gossiping with her hair colorist about what color Southeastern Conference college football T-shirt her latest beau is wearing.

The University of Georgia graduate is, yes, the singer-songwriter whose success of late in Music City is predicated on the viral popularity of singles "Tennessee Orange" and "Hair Salon." However, with "Lucky" -- her just-announced debut album -- out on May 5, a need exists to begin adding substance to her sudden streak to stardom.

She's been produced by Sugarland's Kristian Bush, received early co-signs from stars like Chase Rice (who booked her -- only if she could write original songs -- while she was still in college and seeing her open for a Jon Langston gig her sorority booked that she opened playing covers) and is -- like every other aspiring star in Nashville -- making the same songwriting sessions, playing the same 20-minute opening slots, songwriter rounds at Live Oak bar near Music Row, plus Whiskey Jam appearances.

Portrait of Megan Moroney at Sony Music Nashville, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023.

The keys to why Moroney -- as compared to every other noteworthy performer on the rise in Music City -- is having a moment are numerous. They also portend a career with the potential for significant depth, reach and scope.

That depth and scope are significant. Country music is a century-old genre where hackneyed, liquor-soaked star-making narratives and stereotype-driven biographies create boilerplate-made superstardom. However, in the case of Moroney's work to date, she's -- more than anything -- a pop-culture-influenced Southerner whose pop-aimed tastes are most clearly aligned with denim, rhinestones and buckets of beer.

She graduated with a music industry degree from her beloved University of Georgia while growing up surrounded by a musical family. That helps. However, more than that, the secret of "Tennessee Orange"'s success lies not in the 123-year-old rivalry between the schools. Much more simply, it starts with the slight rasp in Moroney's voice as she sings that the person she's met is blue-eyed.

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TikTok virality is predicated on the idea that it's as much what a song is saying or how it's played as the tonality in which something is presented. Thus, there's something inherently youthful and as much commonplace as it is connective about Moroney's voice that made "Tennessee Orange" virally successful via the platform.

That voice sings songs that Moroney says are "based on memorable, strong personal experiences, like feeling disgusted and thinking my parents would kill me for wearing a University of Tennessee t-shirt, or, in the case of 'I'm Not Pretty,' my ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend convincing herself that she's prettier than I am -- after lurking on my Instagram feed at 2 a.m. in the morning and accidentally liking, then unliking, an old Spring Break picture of me from 2016 in PCB (Panama Beach City, Florida)," she tells The Tennessean while sitting at Sony's downtown Nashville offices.

Her calling card past her initial success will also hinge upon just how antagonized, emo and sad 20-something women want to be about the fresh wounds of heartbreak.

Megan Moroney's Sony Nashville/Columbia Records debut album Lucky arrives on May 5, 2023

She's 25. The age is unique because it's within a window where high school and college are ripe in her memory. She's not Taylor Swift moving to Nashville at 14, nor Carly Pearce being married and signed to a label by 29.

Twenty-five means that you're old enough to recall vividly while being interviewed, traveling to Music City while a college student and trying and failing to enter downtown and Lower Broadway Nashville bars with a fake ID. It also means that you're old enough to remember freaking out when you (illegally) get into a downtown bar and almost step on Miranda Lambert. The age also highlights that you're similarly stunned when you make your Grand Ole Opry debut five years later and play on the same night at Vince Gill.

"It's all so crazy right now. I can't believe all of this is happening. It's surreal -- people know my songs sometimes before I start singing them. My fans are invested in my success. Someone pinch me," Moroney says.

Portrait of Megan Moroney at Sony Music Nashville, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023.

Moroney's schedule -- as highlighted by the video for "Tennessee Orange" -- still involves a semi-frequent schedule of (legally) hitting the bars and honky-tonks up and down Broadway.

She notes that she reminds her team that the excursions where she's "going out, living and doing what everyone is doing" are essential for her songwriting inspiration.

Those nights yield songs like "Traitor Joe." Cheating-induced heartbreak becomes something as commonplace as a bottle of "three buck chuck" from the national chain grocery store with a sound-alike name.

Regarding relatability, in a manner consistent with Hailey Whitters' slow-rising country radio hit "Everything She Ain't," Moroney's "Why Johnny" pays homage to the tribulations in the relationship between Johnny and June Carter Cash, similar to how Whitters leans into the notoriety of Hank Williams and his first wife, Audrey.

Co-written with pop/R&B songwriter Connor Matthews, "Why Johnny" deviates from the expectation of celebrating the "Walk The Line" vocalist and his performer wife. Because Moroney was not entirely well-schooled enough in the Carter and Cash family legacies, she researched the tandem to aid her process.

The work yielded a novel, next-generation take on the pair's lives.

Portrait of Megan Moroney at Sony Music Nashville, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023.

"[Johnny Cash] was an alcoholic with a pill problem while June had a whole career happening -- they were real people having real problems. Asking the question of why she stayed with him until his life changed course was cool to me because I've had a similar experience to her in my life. I wanted to know why she decided to do something that maybe I didn't do."

"I'm still as nervous playing in downtown Nashville or crowds on tour as I was when I was playing in my sorority house in college," Moroney notes.

"If you know me and my story, many things (both good and bad) happened to get me here and I just feel very lucky. I couldn't live out this dream without the support of my fans, family, and team."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Megan Moroney discusses her 'Lucky,' sudden rise to Music City stardom
BuzzFeed News; screenshots via Twitter

Prominent members of Mexican drug cartels are using Twitter to recruit new members, send warnings to rival gangs, post gory images and videos, and glorify the narco lifestyle. Some of these accounts were banned by Twitters safety team between 2012 and 2015, but they have been reinstated since Elon Musk bought the company last year.

These are the conclusions of a new report released on Thursday by the Alliance to Counter Crime Online, a coalition of organizations that research online crimes including drug trafficking, child sexual abuse, and romance scams. Now, the ACCO is calling on Twitter to block and remove narco content and to once again suspend the accounts that spread it.The groups report comes days after Mexicos Gulf cartel killed two of four American citizens whom they had kidnapped after the Americans crossed the border. On Thursday, the cartel reportedly apologized for its actions.

Social media is a tool that provides benefits to and strengthens drug cartels by enhancing organizational and operational capabilities, report author Dr. Nilda Garcia, assistant professor in the political science department at Texas A&M International University, told BuzzFeed News. These communication outlets provide major opportunities for drug cartels not only to engage in public relations strategies, gain legitimacy, incite fear, and recruit, but also facilitate the diversification of criminal activities that involve extortion, drug sales, and human smuggling online.

Some of the cartels imagery appears to violate Twitters policies around violent content. One video posted by a member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, headed by Nemesio Oseguera, one of the worlds most-wanted drug lords, features decapitated heads of rival cartel members being tossed into a bonfire. Another tweet posted by a member of La Chapisa, a faction of the Sinaloa cartel, features a victim being scalped.

Under Musks leadership, the report said, Twitters efforts to remove this content and block these accounts has declined. Some of Musks actions  like firing over 70% of Twitters employees, including content moderators responsible for keeping the platform safe  have made the problem worse, according to the report.

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Twitter shouldnt provide a platform for Mexican cartel members to spread their hate and incite violence, Gretchen Peters, executive director of the ACCO, told BuzzFeed News in an interview. We are asking them to study the problem and really examine this issue more closely.

Twitter, which reportedly doesnt have a press department anymore, did not respond to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News.

Extremists and other bad actors have flourished under Musks leadership, as thousands of previously banned accounts were reinstated, including those of far-right figures like MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and former Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon. Earlier this year, Twitter sparked outrage after it allowed members of the Taliban to buy blue verification checkmarks for their accounts. (Twitter removed the checkmarks from these accounts shortly thereafter.)

Unlike the Taliban, members of the drug cartels havent bought blue checks yet, according to the reports findings. Garcia said that she suspects that this is because gang members dont want to attract more attention and potentially get deplatformed again. Using social media can be a double-edged sword for them, she said. They have learned how not to be as vulnerable, and not attract more attention from authorities.

Since the cartels accounts arent officially verified, determining their authenticity was a challenge. To determine if accounts were legitimate, Garcia said, she looked for signs of association with other cartel accounts. She also examined the geographical location of the accounts in question.

The author of a book called Mexicos Drug War and Criminal Networks: The Dark Side of Social Media, Garcia is an expert on the Sinaloa Cartel, which she said has a strong presence on Twitter. She estimated that on the platform the cartel reached more than 140 million people from nearly a dozen countries, including the US, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico. They have a wide-ranging fan base, she said.

screenshot via Twitter

Some cartel members are more brazen than others. Rena la Rana Arzate Garcia, a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, for instance, has his Wanted by the FBI poster as his Twitter header image. The Cartel del Noreste has used its Twitter accounts to actively attract new members, posting recruitment notices right in its Twitter bios and inviting anyone interested to join the cartels Discord, the report states. (However, by the time the report was published, the Cartel del Noreste had removed such calls.)

Peters told BuzzFeed News that the ACCO planned to report the cartel links to Twitter only after sending its report and evidence to lawmakers and regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission, to prevent the platform from simply deleting them and letting the evidence disappear.

I dont even know if Elon Musk is aware of this content on his newly acquired platform, Garcia said. Maybe if he is aware, he would do something about it.

More on this
Liam Callanan of Shorewood wrote "When in Rome."

One novel at a time, Shorewood writer Liam Callanan is conquering the great cities of Europe.

In "Paris by the Book" (2018), Callanan sent a Milwaukee mother and her teenage daughters to the City of Lights, where they took over a charming bookstore.

Next Callanan stop: the Eternal City.

In his sweet new romantic comedy, "When in Rome," a 52-year-old single mother (from Milwaukee) is in Italy on a business trip when she faces up to the conflict that's gnawed at her for decades: Should she marry the man she's loved since college  or join a convent?

It has been a long time since I've read a novel about contemporary life that is so Catholic. It helps to be set in Rome, of course, where a stunning historic church is around every other corner. But Callanan also creates a memorable Catholic character in heroine Claire Murphy, whose mother died young and who was warmly nurtured by a Milwaukee community of nuns. They wouldn't let her join up until she completed college, so she went off to Yale, where she's mocked as the future nun, but where she also meets the kind Marcus Sarderson.

In a moment of crisis back then, Claire ran away from both possibilities, later gave birth to feisty daughter Dorothy (named for Dorothy Day!) and embarked on an unusual career in real estate. She became a specialist in selling churches, rectories and other properties for religious institutions, an all-too-believable line of work in the 21st century. One such mission brings her to Rome, to consult on the sale of a convent for the sisters of St. Gertrude. More or less simultaneously, she falls in love with the stunning old building and the community of three nuns still living there.

But as she ponders a vow, here comes Marcus. Discernment, discernment. Is it supposed to be this hard, Claire asks one of the sisters. Yes, is the nun's honest answer.

As a product of Catholic schooling, I've known enough nuns to appreciate they represent a full range of humanity. But in fiction, nuns are like garlic and bacon: They make it better and richer. Callanan's sisters evince that special mixture of practical competence and spiritual toughness that marks contemporary women in religious life.

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As Claire tries to forestall an unwanted sale while sorting out her own conflicted heart, she scurries around Rome from one picturesque via to another. There's even a papal cameo. Trigger warning: This novel's scenic descriptions, food references and coffee bar stops may have the susceptible Googling flights to Italy.

Callanan is a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he serves as creative writing plan coordinator. His earlier books include a novel titled "The Cloud Atlas," published the same year as the slightly more famous "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell. His amusing essay about that coincidence can still be read online at TheAwl.com.

If you go

Liam Callanan will launch his novel "When in Rome" with a 6:30 p.m. talk March 14 at Boswell Books, 2559 N. Downer Ave. Admission is free but registration is required. Visit boswellbooks.com.

More: 21 recommended books by Wisconsin writers from the 21st century

More: Carol Wobig's stories speak for Wisconsin women from small towns

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Liam Callanan's romantic comedy 'When in Rome' has nuns come to rescue
Former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he departs after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2023, Saturday, March 4, 2023, at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Prosecutors say Trump is likely to face criminal charges in a hush-money case | Alex Brandon, Associated Press

The Manhattan district attorneys office told Donald Trumps lawyers that the former president is likely to face criminal charges in relation to a scandal where he allegedly sent money to an adult film star Stormy Daniels in the final stretch of his 2016 campaign, The New York Times originally reported.

The news: Four anonymous sources familiar with the situation told the Times that prosecutors offered Trump the opportunity to testify next week before a grand jury.

The Times says that Trump is unlikely to accept the offer to testify in court, but such offers usually mean that an indictment is close.

Details: Two of Trumps defense attorneys told NBC that the former president is aware of the offer to appear before the grand jury, but the attorneys said the offer is standard and isnt a subpoena. However, they disagree with the Times claim that criminal charges could be ahead.

Related

For five years, the Manhattan district attorneys office has investigated every facet of former President Trumps life, said Trump attorney Susan Necheles to Fox News. Unable to find criminality in any aspect of his finances, the Manhattan district attorney now threatens to indict former President Trump for payments made to Stormy Daniels seven years ago. For the DAs office to charge former President Trump, a victim of extortion, with a crime because his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, a convicted liar, paid the extortionist would be unprecedented and outrageous selective prosecution.

If charged, this would be the first-ever indictment of a former president and could pose difficulties to Trumps 2024 presidential nomination, per Reuters.

About the case: The New York Times states that this case centers on a $130,000 payment to the porn star, Stormy Daniels, who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump. The payment was made in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign by Michael Cohen, Mr. Trumps former fixer, who was later reimbursed by Mr. Trump from the White House.

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Cohen, who is expected to testify in front of the jury, said that he had been long instructed to pay Daniels to keep her quiet about the alleged affair, per the Times.

Trumps response: Trump has taken to his social media site, Truth Social, to deny the affair, according to Reuters.

I did absolutely nothing wrong, I never had an affair with Stormy Daniels, nor would I have wanted to have an affair with Stormy Daniels. This is a political Witch-Hunt, trying to take down the leading candidate, by far, in the Republican Party.

The stakes: Fox News states that while hush money isnt illegal, prosecutors might argue that the donation to Daniels was an improper donation to the Trump campaign, as Daniels NDA helped his candidacy.
Shannon

A retired area police officer is now writing murder mysteries.

Tim Shannon of Brownstown Township, formerly of Ypsilanti, recently published his first book, A2 Death Knell: The Murphy Mysteries. A book-signing will be held this spring at Bridgewater By Del Webb in Brownstown Township.

The book parallels much of the time I spent doing criminal investigations for the University of Michigan Police and the network of contacts I made with other police agencies, both local, state and federal, in solving crimes, Shannon said.

A2 Death Knell is 148 pages and is a self-published fictional murder mystery set at Hill Auditorium on the U-M campus in Ann Arbor, during the height of the fall symphony season. Veteran Detective Sgt. Tim Murphy is assigned the investigation into the murder of a patron in a restroom.

Murphy follows leads throughout southeast Michigan, finding a larger web of crime and the motive behind the murder and solving the murder. There is actually a quiz at the end of the book, Shannon said.

His career inspired the book.

(The book) is fiction, yet offers the reader an inside look at my career in police work. My inspiration for the book came from the satisfaction of doing police work and the hardships of policing in an extremely political and sensitive cultural location, Shannon said. I also wanted to showcase the camaraderie established with my fellow officers, some of whom wrote true life crime books about real events they worked on. I chose fiction using a lot of real crimes, locations and people, but I wanted to protect their identities and what occurred. Its proved to be good mental health therapy, as I worked through some of the more gruesome aspects of police work, like deaths, autopsies, and sights, sound and smells.

A2 Death Knell is available in paperback for $14.99 and as an e-book for $7.99 through Amazon.

I have sold about 50 books so far. Ive written about 30 pages in a sequel to the first book with the same character, Tim Murphy, Shannon said. The Murphy Mysteries, Book II is a non-fiction account of cases I investigated as a cop.

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Hes also hoping to publish a compilation of 1861-63 letters and commentary from a Michigan ancestor named Riley Kent who wrote to a relative in New York.

He was a foot soldier in the Michigan 4th Infantry who fought in the American Civil War. It is called, Hell I Was There, Shannon said.

Shannon began his police career as a patrolman in South Lyon and later worked for the University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, where he retired as a sergeant. He spent 20 years conducting criminal investigations and was a hostage negotiator.

During his police career, Shannon taught a tactical communications course for the Monroe County Sheriffs Office. He also taught classes at the Washtenaw Community College Police Academy for 10 years and was a debriefer for the Washtenaw County Critical Incident Stress Management Team for about 20 years. After retiring, he was a private investigator for two years before entering the mental health profession. He is currently a state-licensed mental health therapist.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Retired police officer now writing murder mysteries
STUART  The City Commission Thursday unanimously named City Attorney Mike Mortell as interim city manager to temporarily succeed City Manager David Dyess.

What happened: The commission selected Mortell for the interim role for six months starting March 31. There will be a three-month check-in to determine whether the commission wants to do a broader search for a permanent manager.

Mortell will receive no pay raise from his current $187,250 salary to serve as interim city manager.

Dyess has resigned from his Stuart job to become village manager of Juno Beach in Palm Beach County. His last day in Stuart is March 30, according to city spokesperson Misti Guertin.

The commission Thursday also unanimously named former City Manager Paul Nicoletti as interim city attorney.

City of Stuart attorney Michael Mortell (left) and interim city manger David Dyess listen during a workshop discussing a Brightline station Monday, Sept. 17, 2018 at city hall in Stuart. Mayor Kelli Glass Leighton said the event was not a formal meeting, but simply a workshop for the benefit of the public. She suspected action will be taken during the first meeting in October.

Why it matters: Mortell is a former Stuart mayor who served on the City Commission for a decade before becoming city attorney in 2013. Nicoletti was city attorney from 2005-2011, then was city manager until retiring in 2017.

Their appointments come about a month after Dyess' resignation. A Florida retirement program requiring employees to leave their posts after a specific amount of service meant Dyess had to look for another job elsewhere, he said. A former Stuart police chief, he has been a city employee 33 years.

Dyess must start in Juno Beach no later than May 1, according to his contract. His salary will be $183,000, roughly a 4% raise from his current $176,342.

Notable statements:

Mortell : I didnt have any intention to change my contract because if you decided not to hire me or make me a permanent city manager, then theres really no point in me negotiating the contract  From now until at least July, I will be doing litigation, he said in reference to pending legal matters hes unable to transfer to Nicoletti.

City Commissioner Campbell Rich on the city not accepting manager applications for at least three months : I happen to know there are experienced city managers who live in the city of Stuart (and) who would have an interest in the position. And were saying, Tough?

Mayor Troy McDonald, in response to Rich: No, were not saying that. Were saying that were pursuing someone internally that we think would do a fine job taking care of the city.

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Background:

Lina Ruiz is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for Martin County. You can reach her at lina.ruiz@tcpalm.com, on Twitter @Lina_Ruiz48 or at 321-501-3845.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Stuart Attorney Mike Mortell to succeed David Dyess as interim manager
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has met with his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev via videoconference, Azernews reports.

The reason for holding the meeting via videoconference is due to the fact that Bulgarian delegation was tested positive for COVID-19.

Welcoming the President of Bulgaria, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said:

- Welcome, Mr. President. It is very nice to see you in Baku. I hope you enjoy your participation in the Forum.

First of all, thank you for attending this important event. Your personal participation raises the level of the Global Baku Forum, and I am sure that you will make an important contribution to the potential of this international event. I also remember with pleasure our meetings in Sofia  during my official visit last year and at the opening ceremony of the interconnector. Since then, things have been progressing successfully and we are seeing very tangible results of our strategic cooperation. Welcome again!

President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev said:

- Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you for your invitation and sincere hospitality. Thank you again for deepening our relationship. I am delighted that it is not only about energy. Your visit to Sofia was a turning point for developing other very important areas of our cooperation. Let us start with energy. As you know, everything has been working perfectly and without any problems since the first day when the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria was put into operation. We are happy to be buying gas from Azerbaijan. You know we are ready to go further. You are aware of our Solidarity Ring initiative. But, of course, the key point is Azerbaijan. We are ready to transport additional volumes of Azerbaijani gas by combining the capabilities and efforts of the gas pipeline operators of Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. From now on, the decision is up to you. Let me inform you that on February 1, together with President Vucic, we launched the interconnector between Bulgaria and Serbia. So you can see that opportunities are increasing almost every month. We are pleased to work with you as a strategic partner and ally in this very important area, ensuring diversification and security of supplies. It is not only about that. Thank you again for keeping your promise and opening SOCAR's office in Sofia. I look forward to attending the opening ceremony in May. This will be a very good step forward indeed.

x x x

Issues related to cooperation in energy, transport, gas supply, agriculture and other fields were discussed at the meeting.

The sides acknowledged Azerbaijan's contribution to European energy security and touched upon the issue of the construction of a new gas connector in Europe. The presidents also emphasized the importance of the first Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting held in Baku last month and noted that Azerbaijan had become an important country supplying green energy to Europe.

During the conversation, they exchanged views on the issue of cooperation in the field of transport and increasing the volume of transit cargo from Bulgaria via Azerbaijan to Central Asian countries.

President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev invited the President of Azerbaijan to pay an official visit to his country. The invitation was gratefully accepted.
After hosting talks at which Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations, China said Saturday it has no hidden motives and isnt trying to fill any vacuum in the Middle East.

The agreement announced Friday to reestablish Iran-Saudi ties and reopen embassies after seven years was seen as a major diplomatic victory for China, as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States as reducing its presence in the Middle East.

The Foreign Ministry quoted an unidentified spokesperson as saying China pursues no selfish interest whatsoever and opposes geopolitical competition in the region.

China will continue to support Mideast countries in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation to jointly promote lasting peace and stability, the spokesperson said.

We respect the stature of Middle East countries as the masters of this region and oppose geopolitical competition in the Middle East, said the statement posted on the Foreign Ministry's website.

China has no intention to and will not seek to fill the so-called vacuum or put up exclusive blocs, it said, in an apparent reference to the U.S.

China will continue to contribute its insights and proposals to realizing peace and tranquility in the Middle East and play its role as a responsible major country in this process.

Following Friday's announcement, China's senior diplomat Wang Yi said the agreement showed China was a "reliable mediator" that had faithfully fulfilled its duties as the host.

Notably, Wang also stated that this world has more than just the Ukraine question and there are still many issues affecting peace and people's lives.

China has been heavily criticized for failing to condemn Russia's invasion and for accusing the U.S. and NATO of provoking the conflict. A Chinese proposal calling for a cease-fire and peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine went nowhere, largely because of China's perceived backing of Russia.

However, in the Middle East, China is viewed as a neutral party, with strong ties to both Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

China last month hosted Irans hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, and is a top purchaser of Saudi oil. Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Riyadh in December for meetings with oil-rich Gulf Arab nations crucial to Chinas energy supplies, and China's special envoy for the Middle East  a position specially created in 2002  has made frequent trips to the region.

China sells drones and other weaponry to countries in the region, but nowhere on the scale of the United States.

In coordination with fellow authoritarian state Russia, China has sought to steadily chip away at the U.S.-led Western liberal order, taking advantage of opportunities when Washington's attention has strayed.

Earlier, it moved aggressively to build ties in the South Pacific, signing a security agreement with the Solomon Islands that could see Chinese naval ships and security forces taking up a presence in the country.

The U.S., Australia and others moved swiftly to shore up ties in the Pacific, and China's efforts to ink similar agreements with other island nations ultimately foundered.

Xi, whose administration in recent days has warned of conflict and confrontation with the U.S., was credited in a trilateral statement with facilitating the Iran-Saudi talks through a noble initiative and having personally agreed to sponsor the negotiations that lasted from Monday through Friday.

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LAS CRUCES  New Mexico State Police arrested two teenage boys Saturday after the shooting death of a third boy last week.

A spokesperson for NMSP said police arrested Daniel Ortiz, 16, and Drake Armendariz, 16, earlier this week. NMSP believes Ortiz and Armendariz killed 17-year-old Benjamin Rios Archuleta on March 3 near Dona Ana on Interstate 25.

A Las Cruces Public Schools spokesperson confirmed that Archuleta enrolled in Las Cruces High School but dropped out before the shooting. The enrollment status of the two boys arrested was not readily available.

Ortiz and Armendariz were charged with murder in the first degree, conspiracy to commit murder and shooting at or from a motor vehicle resulting in great bodily injury.

They're also charged with conspiracy to commit shooting at or from a motor vehicle resulting in great bodily injury, assault with intent to commit a violent felony, and conspiracy to commit assault with intent to commit a violent felony.

NMSP said Ortiz and Armendariz followed Archuleta and an unidentified passenger after Archuleta stopped for gas in Dona Ana shortly after 9 p.m.

Archuleta merged onto the freeway after gassing up. There, police say Ortiz and Armendariz fired a shot that struck Archuleta.

Archuleta was later transported to a local hospital, where he died.

According to the news release, police arrested Ortiz on March 7 and Armendariz on March 9. Police believe Ortiz drove while Armendariz fired the fatal shot.

Justin Garcia covers crime, courts and public safety. He can be reached via email at JEGarcia@lcsun-news.com.

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This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Two teens arrested in fatal I-25 shooting
TikTok has become a convenient scapegoat in the US-China tech war. Arif Qazi / Insider

TikTok has become a main character in the US-China tech war.

US politicians from both parties are looking for ways to ban the app or curtail its influence.

But attacks on TikTok are a distraction from the bigger task of safeguarding data for all Americans.

When the US last month spotted a Chinese surveillance balloon hovering about 66,000 feet over Billings, Montana, politicians and pundits alike used the opportunity to call out another China boogeyman: TikTok.

"A big Chinese balloon in the sky and millions of Chinese TikTok balloons on our phones. Let's shut them all down," Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah tweeted.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul similarly likened TikTok to a spy balloon that sends sensitive data to the "mothership in Beijing" when he introduced in February a bill that would require the White House to ban TikTok or any app that may be subject to the influence of China.

A few years after its arrival in the US, TikTok has become a main character in the US-China tech war. The short-video app is a common talking point for US politicians in both parties looking to stake a position on China. The Biden administration and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, referred to as CFIUS, are demanding that TikTok's Chinese owners sell stakes in its app as a condition for operating in the US, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

But the TikTok-focused attacks are also sparking policy proposals that could have serious consequences for companies caught up in the ongoing competition between the US and China, policy experts told Insider. Draft bills to ban TikTok  like McCaul's DATA Act and a more recent bill from Sens. Mark Warner and John Thune  tend to be written broadly in a manner that could end up shutting out a wide array of foreign-owned tech companies, such as fast-growing e-commerce apps Shein and Temu.

The proposed bills in Congress could even affect some American companies with business functions in China, said Jenna Leventoff, a senior policy counsel at the ACLU, who coauthored a letter opposing McCaul's bill.

Story continues

"This could apply to other large companies, like possibly Apple," Leventoff told Insider. "Apple has a lot of its technology made in China. The President or future administration could block Americans from doing business or using apps from a number of entities in China."

Apple works closely with Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn in China to make iPhones and other products in the city of Zhengzhou, though the company has recently been looking to move some production out of the country, The Wall Street Journal reported.

China could also retaliate against US companies in tech or other sectors should the US go after one of its rising stars.

"The US habitually politicizes technology and trade issues and uses them as a tool and weapon in the name of national security," a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on March 6. "Such practice violates the principles of market economy and fair competition. China will closely follow relevant developments."

An alternative path for lawmakers looking to protect Americans from foreign-owned apps would be to enact stricter data privacy laws for all companies operating in the US, experts told Insider. But US tech companies that rely on data collection for advertising sales or other business practices have fought to curb such regulations.

"The US is way behind most other industrialized nations in terms of creating sweeping data privacy regulation," said Aram Sinnreich, a communications professor at American University and coauthor of the forthcoming book "The Secret Life of Data."

"A lot of that is because of the countless millions of dollars that get spent by big tech firms like Amazon and Meta and Google lobbying the US government to allow those businesses to continue their data-extractive business models," he said.

Why TikTok has become the center of anti-China rhetoric

TikTok is a particularly effective scapegoat in Washington's anti-China rhetoric because it evokes an emotional response for many Americans. The app is integrated into many aspects of US culture, particularly for young people, sparking fears that China could wield it to influence the next generation of Americans.

"TikTok is a news-and-views type of site shaping opinions and helping others shape opinions," said Leland Miller, the CEO of the economic-research firm China Beige Book. "Nothing is bigger than TikTok and more important for a young cohort than TikTok is."

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is scheduled to testify before Congress in March. Matt McClain/The Washington Post/Getty Images.

Outside of its cultural influence, officials are worried that TikTok's Beijing-based parent ByteDance could be compelled to give the Chinese Communist Party access to US user data via its National Intelligence Law.

TikTok has hurt its own cause when it comes to its reputation around data privacy. For example, the company misrepresented how US user data was managed and then its parent company monitored the locations of reporters who exposed its practices.

But it is also scrutinized more closely than other apps with China-based owners.

Temu and Shein, for example, have shot up to the top of the Apple App Store this year, grabbing top 10 spots in Apple's ranking in recent weeks. Both platforms, like TikTok, collect data, such as a user's name, phone number, IP address, and geolocation, from US customers as part of their day-to-day operations.

Yet, DC politicians haven't sounded the alarm about user data protections for either app, or spoken about how a TikTok ban could impact them.

Stronger privacy laws are a way out, but could face pushback from Big Tech

Lawmakers could protect American users and avoid outright bans of foreign-owned apps by enacting stricter data privacy laws at home, experts and policy advocates told Insider.

"It's a national embarrassment that we don't have a basic data privacy law in the United States," said Evan Greer, director at the tech activism organization Fight For The Future, which launched a petition opposing a TikTok ban. "Every day that lawmakers waste hand wringing about TikTok is another day that we don't have a national privacy law in the United States."

Some officials, including Sens. Ron Wyden and Jon Ossoff, have acknowledged that legislation focused on TikTok is a distraction from the larger issue of safeguarding Americans' data across all apps.

Still, efforts by members of Congress to pass federal legislation around data privacy, such as the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, have faced an uphill battle.

Cutting off access to certain user data-tracking tools has been harmful to the businesses of US tech platforms in the past. Apple's 2021 user privacy changes stunted ad revenue at Facebook and Snapchat-maker Snap, for example.

But blocking companies from gathering private information from users could also be a more effective path to protecting Americans while maintaining an avenue for Chinese companies to participate in the global economy.

"We need to continue pursuing more secure technical standards and encryption," said Milton Mueller, program director of the Masters of Science in Cybersecurity Policy program at the Georgia Institute of Technology and coauthor of an Internet Governance Project report on TikTok and national security. "That kind of security is something that I think both gives the users of the internet control without undermining the basic functioning of the internet and the globalization of the internet."

This story has been updated to include a report from The Wall Street Journal that the Biden administration and CFIUS are demanding a divestment from TikTok's Chinese owners.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Correction: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect first name for one of the graduates, Joseph Fitton.

WORCESTER  In a Friday-morning ceremony held at Worcester Technical High School, 28 Worcester Police Academy recruits became city police officers while an additional four graduated to departments in other towns.

"In my 22 years with the Worcester Police Department, I have enjoyed fewer things more than watching this class grow together," Lt. John L. Bossolt said. "You are great people with almost limitless potential."

An Auburn recruit, two Hudson recruits and a Shirley recruit became officers Friday along with their Worcester classmates.

Of the Worcester recruits, 12 come from minority racial and ethnic groups, and three are women. Members of the graduating class speak Albanian, Italian and Spanish, according to a police press release.

New Worcester police officers are sworn in during the Recruit Class 09-22 Graduation held Friday at Worcester Technical High School. Twenty-eight police academy graduates will become Worcester Police officers, and four others will join other area departments.

The Worcester Police Department is staffed with 335 officers and 94 officials. Police officials and union leaders have raised concerns that there have been challenges to recruiting more officers.

The city department is budgeted for 371 officers.

Part of a large family

Officials welcomed the new officers into a larger family of officers who promise to look out for each other and come together in hard times.

"There's evil in this world, and your job now is to protect your community against that evil," Capt. Jeremiah F. O'Rourke, director of the academy, said.

New Worcester Police Officer Timothy W. Cullen has his badge pinned on by his wife, Taylor Cullen, with their son, Timothy Jr., during police academy graduation Friday at Worcester Technical High School.

O'Rourke said the recruits got to witness the impact of that evil when they went to Connecticut in October to attend the funeral services of two Bristol officers killed in the line of duty.

Over the past three years, the role of law enforcement in America has come under renewed attention and scrutiny after several high-profile incidents of Black people being killed in interactions with police, along with changing attitudes toward the root causes of crime and best practices for crime prevention.

These questions have also reached the Worcester Police Department, which is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice to assess whether the department engages in a pattern or practice of excessive force or discrimination.

Story continues

Community policing key

The principles of community policing were extolled during the graduation and the role police officers play in responding to the ongoing country's mental health, homelessness and opioid crises was acknowledged.

O'Rourke said the new officers were trained to properly communicate with people, treat them with dignity and be a neutral arbiter in decision making.

Worcester Police Academy recruit class President Dylan DAngelo speaks during the graduation ceremony Friday at Worcester Technical High School.

"Without trust, there's no sense of community," O'Rourke said. "And let's face it, most of your challenges in policing will have little to do with crime control. Most of your challenges will be dealing with mental illness, homelessness, substance-use disorder. They deserve dignity and respect."

Mayor Joseph M. Petty said the role of a police officer has become increasingly difficult.

"Like our school systems and teachers, your responsibilities have grown exponentially over the years," Petty said.

Petty said more is being asked of the police department even as he said Worcester has one of the lowest rates of violent crime of any city in the Northeast.

Keep positive mindset

Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent said the officers will be challenged with the negativity that police stations nationwide are facing, and must put on their uniforms with a positive mindset.

"It may sound cliche, but you are our future, this is your time to rise," Sargent said. "You came into today's profession because it's a calling."

Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent speaks during the ceremony.

Several speakers noted that the class would be the first to join the police department equipped with Tasers and with a fully implemented body camera program. The cameras come after a years-long effort to place cameras on officers to ensure transparency.

The class is also the first to graduate with certification from the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, created by the state's police reform law that went into effect in 2021.

This graduating class also took part in the search for missing Brookfield woman Brittany Tee.

Jack Dube was presented the Academy's academic achievement award, Aaron Petricca the marksmanship award, Dylan D'Angelo the physical fitness award, Elmer M. Diaz the "110%" award and Denise H. Kiley of the Shirley Police Department received the director's award.

The graduates

The following Worcester recruits graduated Friday: Ryan Anderson, Prince Boateng, Anthony Borci, Taylor Boucher, Alphonse Caruso, Fernando Castro, Daniel Cimpan, Trevon Cooper, Timothy Cullen, Dylan D'Angelo, Nazriel De Desus, Elmer Diaz, Jack Dube, Joseph Fitton, Kimberly Friedland, Brendan Friend, Michael Genese, Alfred Iraola, Wesley Lojko, Mason Mattero, Jacob Molstad, Michael Monfredo, Luis Ortiz, Aaron Petricca, Jonathan Rodriguez, Abdul Sebbai, Brianna Tortora, Jonathan Winbush.

Paul A. Riley became an Auburn police officer, Kayleigh D. Myerson and Cameron J. O'Toole became Hudson police officers, and Denise H. Kiley became a Shirley police officer.

The new Worcester officers will take part in Sunday's annual Worcester County St. Patrick's Parade.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester Police Academy graduates 28 officers.
TOPPENISH  On a cold and increasingly windy evening Thursday, Adrian Jackson stood with relatives and friends to remember his mother, Mona Renee Vallo.

PHOTOS: Family and friends gather to remember Mona Vallo one year after her death Family and friends of Mona Vallo, a Yakama woman who was killed in a hit-and-run in New Mexico last year, gathered to remember her in Toppenis

"I'd like to thank everybody for being here ... to help us heal and memorialize a beautiful life that was taken from us," Jackson said during the hourlong gathering at Pioneer Park. Vallo, a Yakama Nation citizen, was killed in New Mexico on March 9, 2022.

Passers-by discovered Vallos body that day on New Mexico Highway 124 -- part of historic U.S. Route 66 -- in Laguna Pueblo, according to a news release from the FBI field office in Albuquerque. Authorities said the 56-year-old mother of five and grandmother of nine suffered severe injuries consistent with a hit-and-run crash. The FBI continues to seek information in her death.

The Pueblo of Laguna is a federally recognized Native American tribe with a 500,000-acre reservation west of Albuquerque. The FBI has jurisdiction over most serious crimes involving tribal citizens on reservations.

Thursday's remembrance near the flagpole began at 7 p.m. The FBI has said Vallo may have been struck at approximately 7 p.m.

"It still hurts to this day because we have questions, but no answers," Jackson said.

Born in Toppenish, Vallo was living in Acoma, N.M., when she died. She attended White Swan High School, Yakima Valley College and Santa Rosa Junior College, according to her obituary in the Yakima Herald-Republic. Among other jobs, Vallo worked for the Yakama Nation in various roles, at the Warm Springs Boys & Girls Club and Tulalip Tribal Housing Authority, her obituary said.

About 30 people stood in a semicircle Thursday as Jackson spoke. Caseymac Wallahee, a Yakama Nation Tribal Council member, sang early in the gathering. Jackson was working Thursday evening and attended during his lunch break.

Vallo enjoyed going to the mountains, gathering, traveling, powwows, rodeos and being a member of the Independent Shaker Church, according to her obituary. She followed traditional practices and worked as a cultural specialist, among other jobs. Her family said she was preparing for Indian name-giving ceremonies when she was killed.

"This was a tough year. We try to not let it hold us down," son Cecil Jackson said. "We surely miss her."

Vallo's death is part of a decadeslong crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous people. Many cases are unsolved.

Supporting one another is important, Wallahee said.

"We all come together and try to lift each other up, especially in times like this when we're lost (and) we're looking for answers," he said. "You don't ever quite get over it, but you learn to move forward. You learn to have strength."

Sometimes when things happen like this, said Tribal Council member Esther Moses-Hyipeer, "we tend to fall back and never move forward again," she said. "That's not what I see here."

She is pleased to see continuing advances in addressing the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people. "It used to be where we didn't have any avenues," Moses-Hyipeer said.

"Sometimes you may feel alone, but you're not. Just look around," she added. "All my love to each and every one of you in moving forward. We're here for you."

Moses-Hyipeer introduced tribal police officers Bazil-Lu "Baz" Windyboy and Jessica Ramos, each of whom spoke briefly. Windyboy and Yakama Nation citizen Patsy Whitefoot were appointed last spring to the federal Not Invisible Act Commission aimed at reducing violent crime against Indigenous people. Windyboy was nominated by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office, Moses-Hyipeer said.

"This task force, this is the very thing they work on," Moses-Hyipeer said. Commission members try to find ways to help develop whatever's needed, including legislation, and bring awareness to help solve cases.

Windyboy will be speaking to tribal council members about her work on the commission. She is glad she was appointed to the commission and thanked Vallo's family for inviting her to the gathering to remember her.

"We're just trying to build a better relationship with the public, families, leadership, local police departments," Windyboy said. "Everything that we're lacking, we're just trying to make it better.

"We're trying to build communication because it affects everybody," she said.
Features/The Vanished Editor

Tammy Ayer has worked at the Yakima Herald-Republic since 2015. This is her fourth newspaper gig. Alongside general assignment reporting and profiles, she writes about the centuries-long crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, focusing on those who have gone missing, been murdered and have died mysteriously on and around the Yakama Reservation. Ayer grew up in Indiana, lived in Florida for 13 years and has a masters degree in history.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi asserted on Saturday Egypt's utmost keenness on strengthening economic and investment ties with China in various spheres.



The presidents remarks came in a meeting with the chairman of China International Energy Group (CIEG) and his accompanying delegation to review the expansion plans of the Chinese group in Egypt.

According to a statement released by the Spokesperson of the Egyptian Presidency Ahmed Fahmy, El-Sisi affirmed to the Chinese delegation the strong and distinguished relations binding Egypt and China.

El-Sisi also offered his congratulations to Chinese President Xi Jinping on his re-election for a new term.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker and Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Abbas Helmy attended the meeting.

From his side, the chairman of CIEG affirmed during the meeting that his groups investment expansion plans in Egypt come within the framework of the close ties binding the two countries.

The CIEG is planning to implement a mega project to produce green hydrogen in Egypt at a total investment between $5 to $8 billion, according to the statement.

The chairman praised the unprecedented development in Egypt's infrastructure as well as the remarkable progress in the road network, transportation, communications, new cities, seaports, and in the areas of desalination, water treatment plants, electricity as well as new and renewable energy.

He added that this progress provides new investment opportunities in Egypt, according to the statement.

According to recent figures released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, China's total investments in Egypt in FY 2021/2022 rose to $563.4 up from $485.2 million in FY 2020/2021  a 16 percent increase.

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A technical issue forced a Lucknow-bound AIX Connect flight from Bengaluru to make an emergency landing at the Kempegowda International Airport here on Saturday, according to Air Asia officials. The flight i5-2472 took off about 6.45 AM on Saturday and was scheduled to land in Lucknow by 9 AM, according to the information received. But, shortly after takeoff, it was grounded.

"AIX Connect confirms that i5-2472, scheduled to operate from Bengaluru to Lucknow, encountered a minor technical issue and elected to return to Bengaluru," the AIX Connect spokesperson said.

Also read: US President Joe Biden's Air Force One Aircraft To Get New Paint Design, Discards Donald Trump's Style

"Alternative arrangements have been made for impacted guests and we are taking steps to minimise impact on other scheduled operations," the spokesperson added.

With PTI Inputs
Lockheed Martin, a major player in the defence and aerospace industries, and Tata Group of India have signed a contract to construct fighter plane wings at their Hyderabad-based joint venture Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd (TLMAL). The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), according to Lockheed Martin, calls for the manufacturing of 29 fighter wing shipsets, with the option of producing additional shipsets, with deliveries starting in 2025.

"These wings are initially intended for the F-16 Block 70/72 jets and would be delivered to our US facility in Greenville, South Carolina, for inclusion into the production/final assembly line. However, the transfer of technology and manufacturing rigor that Lockheed Martin and Tata have demonstrated will transfer to the F-21 if/when selected by the Indian Air Force. We are proposing the F-21 for India, and these would be produced in India," a Lockheed Martin official told.

Also read: Lucknow-Bound AirAsia Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Bengaluru Due To Technical Glitch

Lockheed Martin formally recognised TLMAL as a potential co-producer of fighter wings in October 2021 after the latter`s successful production and qualification of a prototype fighter wing shipset.

Through this prototype project, TLMAL was required to demonstrate the capability to perform detailed part manufacturing and delivery of a fully-compliant fuel-carrying 9-g, 12,000 hour, interchangeable/replaceable representative fighter wing, Lockheed Martin said on Friday.

"That achievement further strengthened Lockheed Martin`s partnership with India and supports its F-21 offering to procure 114 new fighter aircraft exclusively for India and the Indian Air Force by proving additional indigenous production capability. The India F-21 represents an unprecedented strategic and economic opportunity for the US-India relationship and represents a catalyst to future advanced technology cooperation," Lockheed Martin said.

According to the Lockheed Martin official, the F-21 would serve as a force multiplier for the Indian Air Force with an unmatched capability-to-cost ratio compared to the competition.

"In addition, the F-21 is equipped with state-of-the-art systems and sensors that would allow the Indian Air Force to detect, track and engage multiple targets in a contested environment. The current and future state of warfare will be centered on gathering and sharing information across multiple domains (air, land, sea, space, and cyber) to make effective decisions as quickly as possible. The F-21 will be able to integrate across these domains and across Indian services to provide current and future relevance," the official added.

The F-21 will leverage advanced technologies from across the Lockheed Martin fighter portfolio. It is a single-engine, low-life cycle cost platform with an optimal max take-off weight between the Rafale and Tejas.

"Our F-21 offer is also `Make in India,` which addresses the goals of `Aatmanirbhar Bharat` while providing India with an improved security cooperation relationship with the United States," ythe official said.

Also, the F-21`s industrial offering will put India at the epicentre of the world`s largest fighter production and sustainment market, creating thousands of highly-skilled jobs in India, the official added. Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics had established TLMAL as a joint venture in 2010.

TLMAL is the single global source of C-130J empennage assemblies installed on all new Super Hercules aircraft. To date, TLMAL has manufactured and delivered nearly 200 C-130J empennages.

"I am proud of Tata Group`s partnership with Lockheed Martin on this prestigious project. I would like to congratulate the TLMAL team for successfully industrialising and qualifying the fighter wing in spite of the technological complexity involved. I am confident the initiative of manufacturing fighter wings in India will go a long way in strengthening the aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem in India," said N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.

With IANS Inputs
Iran and Saudi Arabia on Friday agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after years of tensions between the two countries, including a devastating attack on the heart of the kingdom's oil production attributed to Tehran.

The deal, struck in Beijing this week amid its ceremonial National People's Congress, represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East. It also comes as diplomats have been trying to end a yearslong war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.

The two countries released a joint communique on the deal with China, which apparently brokered the agreement. Chinese state media did not immediately report the agreement.

Iranian state media posted images and video it described as being taken in China of the meeting. It showed Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, with Saudi national security adviser Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban and Wang Yi, China's most senior diplomat.

"After implementing of the decision, the foreign ministers of the both nations will meet to prepare for exchange of ambassadors," Iranian state television said. It added that the talks had been held over four days.

The joint statement calls for the reestablishing of ties and the reopening of embassies to happen "within a maximum period of two months."

In the footage aired by Iranian media, Wang could be heard offering "whole-hearted congratulations" on the two countries' "wisdom." "Both sides have displayed sincerity," he said. "China fully supports this agreement."
The exterior of the new Air Force One aircraft, the first of which is anticipated to be delivered in four years, will maintain President Joseph Biden's preference for a blue and white colour scheme. The Air Force stated late Friday that the light blue on the new model of the modified 747s that transport the president will be a little bit darker and more modern in tone than the robin's egg blue on the versions of the aircraft currently in use.

Boeing is modifying two of its 747-800 aircraft that will use the Air Force One call sign when the president is aboard. They will replace the existing fleet of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft the president currently uses.

Also read: Celebrity Chef Vikas Khanna Praises Air India Plane For Having 'Most Beautiful' Cabin, Netizens In Disbelief

The choice of the plane's exterior colours follows an earlier decision by the administration to scrap a red-white-and-blue design favored by Donald Trump, Biden's immediate predecessor. An Air Force review had suggested the darker colours would increase costs and delay delivery of the new jumbo jets.

NEW: The President of the United States selected the livery design for the Next Air Force One, VC-25B, a design that will closely resemble the livery of the current Air Force One, VC-25A, while also modernizing for the 21st century. (Courtesy rendering) pic.twitter.com/HIQkbHMTct  Ryan Chan  (@ryankakiuchan) March 10, 2023

In 2018, Trump directed that the new jets shed the iconic Kennedy-era blue-and-white design for a white-and-navy colour scheme. The top half of the plane would have been white, and the bottom, including the belly, would have been dark blue. A streak of dark red would have run from the cockpit to the tail. The coloring was almost identical to the exterior of Trump's personal plane.

Formally known as the VC-25B, the new aircraft will replace the current fleet, known as VC-25A, which the Air Force said face capability gaps, rising maintenance costs, and parts obsolescence. Modifications to the successor aircraft will include electrical power upgrades, a medical facility, and a self-defense system, the Air Force said.

Delivery of the first of the new airplanes is projected for 2027, followed by the second aircraft in 2028, the Air Force said. The current generation of planes first carried President George H.

With PTI Inputs
New Delhi: IT company Tech Mahindra on Saturday announced the appointment of former Infosys president Mohit Joshi as MD and CEO designate, who will take over the charge from C P Gurnani after his retirement on December 19 this year. The announcement follows the resignation of Joshi from Infosys where he was head of the global financial services and healthcare and the software businesses, which included Finacle (Infosys' banking platform) and the artificial intelligence and automation portfolio.

"Mohit will take over as MD and CEO when C P Gurnani retires on 19th December 2023. He will join Tech Mahindra well before that date to allow for sufficient transition time," Tech Mahindra said in a statement. Separately, Infosys in a regulatory filing said that Joshi has resigned from the company. He will be on leave effective from March 11, 2023 and his last date with the company would be June 9, 2023.

Joshi will replace Gurnani who has been one of the longest serving chief executive officers of the Indian IT sector. Gurnani had joined Tech Mahindra in 2004 and later spearheaded the takeover of scam-ridden Satyam Computers and its merger with Tech Mahindra.

He has been MD and CEO of Tech Mahindra since June 2009. Tech Mahindra Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) chairperson T N Manoharan said that Joshi's appointment is the successful culmination of a rigorous selection process during which the NRC evaluated a number of internal and external candidates.

"Mohit's experience with digital transformation, new technologies and large deals will complement Tech Mahindra's strategies and continue to build on the strong growth momentum demonstrated by the company," he said. At Infosys, Joshi was also responsible for the company's internal CIO function and the Infosys Knowledge Institute. He has been a non-executive director at Aviva Plc since 2020 and is a member of its Risk & Governance and Nomination committees.

"Tech Mahindra's growth journey has been remarkable. I am delighted to be joining the Tech Mahindra family and look forward to working closely with all the associates, partners, and customers to achieve new milestones, make a positive difference and rise together," Joshi said.

Prior to joining Infosys in 2000, Joshi worked with ABN AMRO and ANZ Grindlays in their corporate and investment bank. Mohit has lived and worked in Asia, America and Europe and currently lives in London with his family.
NEW DELHI: The grandest celebration of the silver screen is about to commence! With anticipation and excitement building up, the countdown to the coveted 95th Academy Awards has begun. This year's Oscars promises to be an event like no other, bringing together the biggest stars in the industry to celebrate each other's achievements at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on March 13. But the excitement doesn't end there, as viewers worldwide will be able to join in on the spectacle as Disney+ Hotstar is set to live-stream the prestigious awards on Disney+ Hotstar at 5:30 AM IST in India.

As this year's masterpieces await their destiny at the Oscars, watch the below-nominated titles on Disney+ Hotstar and make your predictions today!

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Nate Moore has bagged 5 nominations: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyle and Best Original Song.

In Marvel Studios' 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), MBaku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. Introducing Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor, ruler of a hidden undersea nation, the film also stars Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena and Alex Livinalli. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore.

The Banshees of Inisherin

The Banshees of Inisherin is a tragicomedy film directed, written and co-produced by Martin McDonagh and has secured 8 nominations for the Oscars. It has nominations in the categories of Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Score and Best Film Editing.

Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, the film follows lifelong friends Padraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. A stunned Padraic, aided by his sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Barry Keoghan), endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Padraics repeated efforts only strengthen his former friends resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences.

The film stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who reunite with McDonagh from In Bruges, Kerry Condon, and Barry Keoghan. The key crew include Director of Photography and regular McDonagh collaborator Ben Davis, BSC, costume designer Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, production designer Mark Tildesley, and editor Mikkel EG Nielsen, ACE. Carter Burwell is composing the score. McDonaghs frequent collaborators Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin are producing for Searchlight Pictures and Film4.



The film was shot on location on Inishmore and Achill Islands on the west coast of Ireland.

Le Pupille

Le Pupille is a drama short film directed by Alice Rohrwacher and nominated for the Best Live Action Short Film Award.

A little story around a Christmas cake; a story of innocence, greed, and fantasy in a Catholic college for girls during the war years. The term 'pupil' derives from the Latin 'pupilla': little girl. Based on a letter of season's greetings that Elsa Morante, one of Italy's most celebrated writers of the 20th century, sent her good friend Goffredo Fofi, during Chrismas 1971.

Turning Red

Turning Red is a Disney animated film directed by Domee Shi that has been nominated for the Best Animated Feature Film Award. Disney and Pixar's 'Turning Red' introduces Mei Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang), a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mothers dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming (voice of Sandra Oh), is never far from her daughteran unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body werent enough, whenever she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS), she 'poofs' into a giant red panda! Directed by Academy Award winner Domee Shi (Pixar short "Bao") and produced by Lindsey Collins.

Fire of Love

Fire of Love has been nominated for Best Documentary Award. The story is about a doomed love triangle between intrepid French scientists Katia and Maurice Krafft, and their beloved volcanoes.

RRR

RRR is an action film directed by SS Rajamouli is nominated for the Best Original Song Award. The movie follows India, under the British Raj, where two revolutionaries with personal agendas forge a friendship, only to find each other on opposing sides.

Tune into Disney+Hotstar on March 13 to watch Hollywood's most glamorous night unfold at the 95th Academy Awards.
Bengaluru: Ahead of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway`s inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the JD (S) has started a campaign claiming that it was a dream project of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. Modi will inaugurate the expressway on Sunday and will also hold a roadshow and mega public rally in Mandya district.





The district is considered as Vokkaliga heartland and the JD(S) derives its strength from the region. The ruling BJP in the state is making all-out efforts to drive the vote bank of the region.Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Mandya and held a series of meetings with party leaders in this regard. The JD(S) has released full page advertisements in newspapers in Karnataka claiming that the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway is the dream project of Deve Gowda."The Bengaluru-Mysuru road stretch was so treacherous that 23 students from Tamil Nadu had died in 1983 in a bus accident near Bidadi. The students were on an academic tour and the accident took place while the bus was taking a turn.""Then PWD and Irrigation minister Deve Gowda got the four lane road constructed. Later, he appointed the expert institution to carry out Strategic Option Study for Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway," the JD(S) claims.Deve Gowda later as the Chief Minisiter of the state in 1991 began the work for Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor. In 1995, a consortium was formed and an agreement was signed between the government of Karnataka and Massachusetts Governor of America, the party further claimed.However, the ruling BJP has maintained that the project was implemented with the double engine government at the state and Centre.
New Delhi: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha is likely to join the Enforcement Directorate`s (ED) probe on Saturday in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy scam case. She was summoned to join the probe on Thursday, but she wrote a letter seeking more time after which her questioning was postponed for Saturday (March 11) 11 AM.





On Friday, she also staged a protest at Jantar Mantar and said that she never met former Delhi`s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and her name was unnecessarily being dragged into the matter.According to the ED, Kavitha is also one of the representatives of South Group in Delhi Excise matter which allegedly paid a kickbacks of Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders. She might be confronted with the Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Pillai who was arrested on Friday as Pillai is also from South Group."The South Group was represented by Abhishek Boinpally, Arun Pillai and Buchi Babu. Boinpalli facilitated the transfer of Rs 100 crore kickback in connivance and conspiracy with Nair and his associate Dinesh Arora. Now we will have to confront Pillai with Kavitha," a source said.Sisodia is currently on ED`s remand. There are possibilities that Kavitha might be confronted with Sisodia and ED grill them in connection with the alleged kickbacks of Rs 100 crore which the AAP party/leaders allegedly received through hawala channel from South Group. The source said that Kavitha will be confronted with the statement of Sisodia.
Gandhinagar: Gujarat Assembly on Friday (March 10) passed a resolution requesting the Centre to take strict action against the BBC for tarnishing the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots. The documentary was not just against PM Modi but against 135 crore citizens of the country," said minister Harsh Sanghavi.

"PM Modi dedicated his entire life to the service of the nation, weaponised the instrument of development and gave a befitting reply to anti-national elements. He worked hard to put India on the global stage," he said.

The BBC had in January this year released the documentary film titled 'India: The Modi Question," which features the Gujarat riots of 2002. The film caused controversy for alluding to the leadership of Modi as chief minister during the riots while disregarding the clean chit given by the Supreme Court.

The Ministry of External Affairs had termed it a "propaganda piece", saying it reflected a "colonial mindset". During a visit to India, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that the issue of searches on BBC offices in India was raised with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during a bilateral meeting.

Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Cleverly said that BBC is an independent organisation and is separate from the UK Government. "I didn't see the documentary but I've seen reactions in UK and India. BBC is an independent organisation and separate from the government. I enjoy a strong personal relationship with Dr Jaishankar...relationship between UK-India growing stronger by the day," said Cleverly when asked about the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In February this year, Income Tax authorities conducted searches at the offices of the British broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai. The central government, in January, issued directions for blocking YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary 'India: The Modi Question'.
Soon after the Holi celebrations ended, social media was flooded with photos and videos of the festivities. However, some videos of foreigners trapped in unholy celebrations soon went viral on social media. While the videos were shared widely on social media platforms, it came to light later that some of the videos were old, one video was of the recent case that happened with a Japanese video blogger in Delhi's Paharganj. According to reports, the Delhi Police has so far detained three youths including one juvenile in connection with the incident.

Fact-checkers verified the videos and shared that while two videos were old, one that of the Japanese woman was of this year's Holi celebrations. In the video, some boys were seen smearing colour on her forcefully and towards the end, a boy was seen assaulting her. The woman had shared the video on her Twitter but later deleted it.

The woman was scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on March 9 but could not due to a mistake in flight ticketing. She left for Bangladesh on March 10. After reaching Bangladesh, she said that she is doing well and will share more updates soon.

Just wanted to point out that a video which is now viral was shared on her YouTube channel 2 years back. It isn't recent incident. pic.twitter.com/8GQttMGyKU  Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 10, 2023

The video of Japanese vlogger being groped and assaulted was shared by herself on twitter yesterday. Tweet deleted now. pic.twitter.com/zUIXkCDwUX  Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 10, 2023

"I have just arrived in Bangladesh. I'm really sorry that I didn't know it was a serious situation. I am fine in mind and body. I will explain more tomorrow," she said on March 10.

I have just arrived in Bangladesh. I'm really sorry that I didn't know it was a serious situation. I am fine in mind and body. I will explain more tomorrow.  (@megumiko_india) March 10, 2023

Earlier, Delhi Police on Friday said they have launched an investigation after a video on social media showed a group of men allegedly harassing and groping a Japanese woman on Holi. The video showed a group of men smearing colour on a foreigner, who seemed uncomfortable around them. It also one of the men smashing an egg on her head. She can be heard saying "bye bye" in the video.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal said she was issuing a notice to Delhi Police to examine the video and arrest the perpetrators.

"Very disturbing videos getting viral on social media showing sexual harassment with foreign nationals on Holi! I am issuing notice to Delhi Police to examine these videos and arrest the perpetrators! Completely shameful behaviour!" Maliwal tweeted. Maliwal said that she won't rest until all the accused were arrested in the case.

      ,                ,             pic.twitter.com/ckDKrYry6B  Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) March 10, 2023

National Commission for Women too tweeted drawing attention to the video. It asked Delhi Police to register an FIR in the matter.

"@NCWIndia has taken cognizance. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @CPDelhi to immediately file FIR in the matter. NCW has also sought a fair and time-bound investigation in the matter. A detailed report must be apprised to the commission," the NCW tweeted.

Police said the video attached with the tweet has been posted on several digital platforms.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Sanjay Kumar Sain said the video is being analysed to ascertain the details. "Prima-facie, on the basis of the landmark seen in the video, it seems to be from Paharganj. However, it is being verified on the ground whether any such incident took place in that area or the video is old," Sain said.

No complaint or call relating to misbehaving with a foreigner has been received in the Paharganj police station. The Japanese embassy was contacted and they said they don't have any information of any such incident, the DCP said. (With agency inputs)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today summoned Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav for questioning in connection with the land for railway jobs scam. It may be recalled that Yadav family has been subject to investigation in the case. Yadav was earlier called for questioning on March 4 but he had not appeared before the CBI sleuths, following which a fresh date was given for Saturday, they said. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader was asked to appear for questioning on Saturday forenoon but he is yet to arrive at the headquarters of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here, they said.

The federal agency recently questioned RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi in Delhi and Patna respectively. The case pertains to people allegedly given employment in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family and its associates, the officials said.

Yesterday, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raid at the residence of Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in the national capital in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam case. The ED team left after over 11 hours of questioning the RJD leader at his residence in New Delhi, they said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids against many relatives of former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad at multiple locations across Delhi, the National Capital Region (NCR) and Bihar in the alleged land-for-jobs scam. The raids were conducted at the residence of Lalu Prasad`s daughter Misa Bharti among others in Delhi as well as RJD`s leader and former MLA Abu Dojana in Bihar, said sources.

Also Read: Mallikarjun Kharge Slams ED Searches At Lalu Yadav's Family Premises, Says Modi Government Trying To Kill Democracy

According to sources, the searches are being conducted at more than 15 locations across Delhi, NCR and Bihar. Multiple teams of the ED carried out the searches simultaneously on these locations that included the residential and office premises of the suspects and the beneficiaries of the alleged land-for-jobs scam.

The ED carried out these searches under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act after filing an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) taking cognisance of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case against Lalu Prasad in the matter. The federal agency carried out these searches days after a CBI team questioned Lalu Prasad in connection with the land-for-jobs case. The CBI on Tuesday quizzed Lalu Prasad for nearly five hours in two sessions.

The CBI on Monday also questioned Lalu Prasad`s wife, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, at her Patna (Bihar) residence for over five hours.The CBI has already filed a charge sheet in the case against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. (With agency inputs)
NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of making "sinister attempts to kill democracy" by misusing probe agencies against Opposition leaders, as he slammed the Centre over the ED searches on the premises of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's family.

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted searches in multiple cities of Bihar and other locations, including premises of Yadav's family and other RJD leaders, in connection with a money laundering investigation into the land for jobs 'scam' case.

The ED in its raids seized Rs 53 lakh, USD 1,900, about 540 grams of gold and bullion and 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, sources in the agency said. One of the locations searched was a house in south Delhi where Lalu Prasad's son, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav was present, they said.

Reacting to the searches, Kharge in a tweet in Hindi said, "For the last 14 hours, Modi ji has kept ED at the house of Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav."

"His pregnant wife and sisters are being harassed. Lalu Prasad ji is old, ill, even then the Modi government did not show humanity towards him," Kharge said. "Now the water has gone over the head."

"Modi government is making a sinister attempt to kill democracy by misusing ED-CBI against opposition leaders," he alleged.

Where were the agencies of the Modi government when fugitives ran away from the country with crores, he asked.

"When the wealth of the 'best friend' touches the sky, why is there no investigation?" he said, apparently referring to industrialist Gautam Adani, who is alleged by Congress to be a close friend of Narendra Modi. "The people will give a befitting reply to this dictatorship!"

Searches also covered premises linked to Lalu Prasad's daughters Ragini Yadav, Chanda Yadav, and Hema Yadav, former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana, Amit Katyal, Navdeep Sardana and Praveen Jain in places such as Patna, Phulwari Sharif, Delhi-NCR, Ranchi, and Mumbai, officials said.
IMPHAL: Violent clashes broke out in Manipur's Kangpokpi district when police tried to stop locals who organised a protest rally, alleging encroachment of tribal lands by reserved forests and wildlife sanctuaries. Defying prohibitory orders, people gathered in large numbers near Thomas in Kangpokpi town on Friday for the protest rally called by different bodies, including the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), police said.

However, an altercation broke out as police tried to disperse the protesters, subsequently leading to violent clashes.

At least five protestors were wounded as teargas shells were lobbed, while a few police personnel also sustained injuries after being hit by stones, officials said.

#WATCH | Several protesters & members of security forces in Kangpokpi district, Manipur injured as a protest rally turned violent. The incident of violence was reported.



People were protesting over the alleged injustice of state govt against land rights of tribal population. pic.twitter.com/7tAdNYvyzv  ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023

The situation was later brought under control, they said.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the protesters were challenging the constitutional provisions.

"They were challenging the constitutional provisions... The people there were encroaching reserved forests, protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries for poppy plantation and drugs business. That's the reason why the rally was organised," he said.

The protesters later submitted a memorandum to Governor Anusuiya Uikey through Kangpokpi deputy commissioner Kengoo Zuringla.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC were imposed in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts on Thursday.

Meanwhile, several organisations of the Naga community, including the Maram Union, Mao Union and Rongmei Naga Council Manipur, said that ITLF is a newly-formed body and it does not represent the indigenous people of the state.
Sales of Japanese products in Korea are recovering after a drawn-out boycott that started in 2019.

Imports of Japanese beer and cars have risen markedly, as have sales of cheap-and-cheerful Uniqlo clothes. Although sales have yet to return to levels before 2019, industry insiders say the boycott is over.

Imports of Japanese beer, which at one point dropped to 1/10 of their previous volume, surged 314.9 percent on-year in January to US$2.4 million. In 2018 they stood at $78.3 million but fell to $39.76 million in 2019 and $5.67 million in 2020, returning to $14.48 million last year.

According to the Financial Supervisory Service, Uniqlo's sales in Korea surged 20.9 percent to W704.3 billion from September 2021 to August 2022 (US$1=W1,324). They plummeted from W1.38 trillion in 2018 to W629.8 billion in 2019 and to W583.4 billion in 2020.
Meerut: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday launched a veiled attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his remark in UK. The chairman of RS, LS said that mics have never been turned off in these assemblies after he took oath. "I am Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha is a huge panchayat where mics have never been turned off. Someone goes out & says mics are turned off in this nation...yes there was a time during Emergency when mics were turned off," Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said while addressing an Ayurveda event in Meerut. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday (March 6, 2023) told British parliamentarians that functioning microphones in the Indian Parliament are often silenced against the Opposition.

#WATCH | Meerut: "I am Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha is a huge panchayat where mics have never been turned off. Someone goes out & says mics are turned off in this nation...yes there was a time during Emergency when mics were turned off": Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar pic.twitter.com/izXBuKcYEg  ANI (@ANI) March 11, 2023

Earlier on Thursday, Dhankhar said while India is having its moments of glory G20 presidency, some parliamentarians are engaged in the thoughtless unfair denigration of our well-nurtured democratic values. Vice President Dhankhar released a book on Mundaka Upanishad written by Dr Karan Singh. Addressing the gathering at the event, Dhankhar said India is the most functional democracy that has evoked global recognition. India is setting global discourse on many issues.

"How ironic how painful! While the world is applauding our historic accomplishments as a functional vibrant democracy, some amongst us including parliamentarians are engaged in the thoughtless unfair denigration of our well-nurtured democratic values. How can we justify such wanton orchestration of a factually untenable narrative," he said.

Rahul Gandhi's 'We Can't Switch Our Mics' Remark In UK

During an event organised by veteran Indian-origin Opposition Labour Party MP Virendra Sharma in the Grand Committee Room within the House of Commons in London, Gandhi used a faulty microphone in the room to make his point about what he described as a "stifling" of Opposition in India.

"Our mics are not out of order, they are functioning, but you still can't switch them on. That's happened to me a number of times while I am speaking," Gandhi told the gathering, in response to a question about sharing his experience of being a politician in India with his British counterparts.
NEW DELHI: Delhi LG V K Saxena has asked Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to direct the power department to place the DERC advisory on restriction of power subsidy before the council of ministers and take a decision within 15 days. The LG made the instruction on the basis of a DERC's statutory advisory to the Delhi government to consider "restricting" electricity subsidy to the "poor and needy consumers." However the advisory was put in abeyance.

Reacting to the instruction, the government said the Delhi LG has once again violated the Constitution and Supreme Court directives by "illegally" extending his remit.

The report which forms the base of LG's directive was prepared by Kumar while looking into the complaint of power discoms' unpaid dues to generation companies and was submitted to the LG and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in December 2022, officials said.

The chief secretary in his report said that the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) had advised the Delhi government in October 2020 to extend the power subsidy to only consumers with a sanctioned load of either up to 3KW or up to 5KW, as it will cover almost 95 per cent of the total domestic consumers and save the government up to Rs 316 crore.

The DERC had suggested that the consumers having fixed load above 5KW were not strictly "poor" and should not be extended the benefit of subsidy. When the advice was placed by the power department before the minister-concerned in November 2020, he directed to move it before the Cabinet the next year.

According to the chief secretary's report, the power department placed a note before the then power minister, Satyendra Jain, on April 13, 2021 again but it was rejected in favour of the scheme extant.

The minister, according to the report, said the power subsidy as decided by the cabinet '100 per cent waiver on monthly consumption of up to 200 units and 50 per cent discount on consuming 201 to 400 units' will continue.

Since the matter involved financial implications to the tune of between Rs 200 crore to Rs 316 crore annually, the competent authority to decide this matter was the Cabinet, the chief secretary said in his report.

As the matter came to the light, the power department started preparing the proposal for the Cabinet again to keep consumers of sanctioned load of more than 3 KW out of the subsidy net.

The chief secretary's report pointed out that the power department not only failed to lay the statutory advice of DERC for consideration of the LG but it was not even placed before the Cabinet for its consideration.

The approval of the finance department was also not taken before going ahead with the existing subsidy scheme, according to the report.

The chief secretary also referred the matter to the law department, which agreed that the matter should have been placed before the Cabinet and the LG, and that there was material departure from the provisions of the Rules.

It added that the chief secretary should invoke rule 57 of the transaction of business rules (ToBR), and personally bring it to the notice of the minister-in-charge, chief minister, and LG.

On the basis of the report, the LG has also asked the chief secretary to apprise the chief minister about the alleged lapses of the transaction of business rules by the then power minister and request him to instruct his cabinet members to scrupulously follow its provisions.

"The existing policy for granting electricity subsidy was decided by the council of ministers? the minister is not competent to take a decision in a matter which falls within the purview of the council of ministers as per ToBR," the LG in his note said.

"The chief minister may be apprised about the aforesaid lapses of the ToBR by the then Hon'ble Minister (Power) and may be requested to instruct all the Ministers-in-Charge of all departments of GNCTD to scrupulously follow the provisions of Transaction of Business of GNCTD Rules," he added.

Reacting to the development, the government said the LG by intervening in the matter was meddling illegally in its affairs.

"The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has clearly ruled that the LG has not been entrusted with any decision making powers on transferred subjects, which includes electricity. Yet he has subverted all legal principles by asking the Delhi Government to withdraw power subsidy.

"CM Arvind Kejriwal will not let that happen. The LG should stop acting like a political nominee of the BJP and let the elected government do its job," it said in a statement.
Rajasthan Election 2023: Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot has sent a clear message to his former boss - Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot - on the issue of the Pulwama Widow protests. The protest, which was the least desired by the factionalism-hit Congress in the election year, is clearly mishandled by its government so far. On the other hand, it's a shot in the arm of the opposition BJP in the state.

Pulwama Martyr Widows' Protests: What's the issue?

The wives of Pulwama martyrs -- Manju Jat, Sundari Devi, Madhubala Meena -- had been staging a protest for set of demands outside Pilot's residence for a week. However, the police forcefully removed them the protest site at 3 am on Thursday and took them to their village in an ambulance.

Manju Jat and Sundari Devi are demanding government jobs for their respective brother-in-law, but the government`s argument is that there is no provision to give a government job to such a kin. Madhubala is demanding that his husband`s statue be installed at the Sangod Square in Kota. The widows of the Pulwama martyrs are also demanding action against the policemen who `misbehaved` with them.

Sachin Pilot's stand and its significance beyond the issue

Sachin Pilot, going against the partyline, has openly supported the martyr widow's protests. Breaking his silence, Pilot said - "rules were amended earlier, they can be amended further as well"

"Politics on `Virangana` (widows of soldiers who died in Pulwama attack) is wrong. It will send a wrong message. The issue of one-two job isn`t big, rules were amended earlier, and they can be amended further as well".

Pilot, not taking Gehlot's name, suggested what should and shouldn't be done in the situation - a statement of disagreement.

"We should try to listen to them peacefully and give answers that gives them satisfaction We should do whatever work we can. This is a matter related to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, but till now there is no dialogue or way of the solution has been shown from there. However, nobody should play politics on this sensitive issue".

Changed dimensions

Pilot and Gehlot have had clear disagreements in past, with the former making his aspirations clear for the state's top job. The Gandhis, however, always sided with Gehlot but didn't abandon Pilot at the same time. However, things completely changed when Gehlot went against Gandhis' decision to make him the party head and leave the post of state CM - a post later given to Mallikarjun Kharge.

While having disagreements is normal, stating them in public, at a time when elections are on head, is not.

Pilot's stand cleared one aspect - party has differences, and the top state leadership won't leave a chance to put each other in trouble.



(Views expressed is personal opinion of the writer)

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Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday denied the ED's claim of proceeds of crime worth Rs 600 crore in the 'land for job scam'. Terming the Enforcement Directorate's claims as 'misleading rumours', Tejashwi asked the BJP government to release the list of the Panchnama (Seizure List) signed after the raid. In a tweet in Hindi he said, "Instead of spreading misleading rumours here and there or getting news planted by the BJP government by quoting sources, the list of the Panchnama (Seizure List) signed after the raid should be made public. If we make it public then what will be the respect of these poor leaders? Think."

Earlier today, the ED said it seized "unaccounted cash" worth Rs 1 crore and discovered proceeds of crime worth Rs 600 crore after raiding RJD leader Lalu Prasad's family in connection with a money laundering case involving the railways' land for job scam.

 - 2017    8000   -,    ,  ,         WhiteLand   UrbanCube    



   600                 https://t.co/nI6siUh5mu  Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) March 11, 2023

"Remember - in 2017 also, there was an alleged transaction of 8000 crores, mall worth thousands of crores, hundreds of properties, just a few months ago the UrbanCube mall of billions of WhiteLand Company was also found in Gurugram. Now before bringing the new account of the alleged 600 crores, the BJP should have given the old account to its sources" the Bihar deputy CM said in another tweet.

ED conducted searches at 24 locations in the Railways Land for Job Scam, resulting in recovery of unaccounted cash of Rs 1 Crore, foreign currency including US$ 1900, 540 gms gold bullion and more than 1.5 kg of gold jewellery.  ED (@dir_ed) March 11, 2023

ED conducted searches at 24 locations in the Railways Land for Job Scam, resulting in the recovery of unaccounted cash of Rs 1 Crore, foreign currency including US$ 1900, 540 gms gold bullion and more than 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, news agency ANI reported. It stated that an investigation is being conducted to uncover additional investments made on behalf of Prasad's family and their friends in various sectors, including real estate, in various locations.

On Friday, the ED raided numerous locations associated with Prasad's family members, including that of his son, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, in Delhi.

The federal agency recently questioned RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi in Delhi and Patna respectively. The case pertains to people allegedly given employment in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family and its associates.
Jammu: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that a delegation of J&K leaders will leave for Delhi to meet all national political parties and will brief them about the prevailing situation of the UT. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the National Conference chief at his Jammu residence. Leaders of all prominent Opposition parties attended the meeting. Abdullah said that uncertainty prevails in the U/T after the union government abrogated Article 370. "We have decided to meet the Election Commission of India over the delay in conducting elections, we are an integral part of India, so why elections are not being conducted? Its been years Jammu and Kashmir is not having democratic setup," he said.

Senior Abdullah taking on the BJP-led Center Government said, "if they ( GOI ) are claiming that the situation has improved in J&K, and in May G20 meeting is also planned in the UT, so we dont understand the delay in conducting assembly elections. He also said that Prime Minister and Home Minister himself have promised statehood so they should respectfully return it.

He said some burning issues were also discussed like property tax and APTECH taking professional exams. It is the assembly that has to take a call on property tax or any other tax. He said youths are on roads demanding justice but no one listens to them."

"We will make national leadership aware of issues like land eviction drives, recruitment scams, and levying taxes. So that they understand our issue and raise it appropriately in the upcoming parliament session," Abdullah further said.

Abdullah alleged that BJP led Government is dividing people on a religious basis. Hindus are being told that Muslims are against you and Muslims are being told that Hindus are against you. But the fact is that its a secular state and it will remain secular, Kashmir is the crown of India and it will remain the crown of India he said.

The meeting was attended by CPI (M) JK secretary M Y Taragami, JK Congress Chief Viqar Rasool Wani, and PDP leader Amrik Singh Reen. National Panthers Party Leader, Harshdev Singh, AAP leader Taranjit Singh Tony, JK Shiv Sena President Manish Sahwany.

Later, Farooq Abdullah and PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti joined a candlelight vigil in Jammu as job aspirants protest against JKSSB. Those Job aspirants are protesting for the last few days in Jammu against JKSSB's decision to hire an APTECH firm to conduct professional exams.
New Delhi: Jacqueline Fernandez flew to the USA recently to collect her award as the 'Women of Excellence' at the Annual Los Angeles Festival of Film, Fashion and Art for her international film, 'Tell it Like a Woman'. The song 'Applause' from her film was also nominated for the Oscars this year and while she celebrated that in Los Angeles, she also attended the event for South Asian Excellence at Oscars held by Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

Taking to her social media she shared pictures with the excellence from South Asia, present at the event such as Malala Yousafzai, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra, Falguni and Shane and others. She shined in a gorgeous purple saree and a bindi, carrying the ethnic Indian look at the event. She wrote, "South Asian Excellence at the Oscars!! thank you @priyankachopra for this amazing event! Never have I been so inspired by all the amazing South Asian artists representing at the Oscars! All the best to all the nominees! Shine bright!!"

She also shared pictures today morning in her new look from her upcoming film Fateh, holding a clapboard along with co-star, Sonu Sood as she announced the shoot start. She can be seen rocking spectacles with loosely tied back hair and a loose t-shirt, holding a clapboard that reads 'Fateh'. She wrote, "On my next mission, #Fateh The shoot begins today!"

While Jacqueline celebrates her film, 'Tell It Like a Woman' and her achievements globally, she is busy with her work ahead already too as she is all set to be seen in 'Fateh' and 'Crack' while her recent song, 'Deewane' continues to do well on the musical charts.
NEW DELHI: Multiple national-award winner and filmmaker Shyam Benegal is reportedly undergoing dialysis at his home after both his kidneys failed. As per media reports, the acclaimed director's health is deteriorating and is unable to visit the hospital for the procedure.

An India Today report stated that Benegal, aged 88, is unable to visit the hospital for treatment as his health has started deteriorating. One of his staff members told media that the filmmaker has not been keeping well for a while now and has been advised to rest at home. The staff members said that he was well in the past but hasn't been able to even visit his office in recent days.

Shyam Benegal has received several accolades, including eighteen National Film Awards, a Filmfare Award and a Nandi Award. In 2005, he was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in the field of cinema. In 1976, he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian honour of the country, and in 1991, he was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour for his contributions in the field of arts. He is known for his work in films like 'Zubeidaa', 'Mammo', 'Welcome to Sajjanpur' among others.

Shyam is married to Nira Benegal and has a daughter named Pia Benegal, a costume designer, who worked for many films.

As per reports, Shyam was in the process of planning his upcoming projects. He was reportedly in between the preparation of a film titled 'Mujeeb: The Making of a Nation'. The film is said to be based on the life of the first President of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Shyam and his family are yet to address these reports.

Shyam Benegal is the president of the Federation of Film Societies of India. He owns a production company called 'Sahyadri Films' and has authored three books based on his own films including 'The Churning with Vijay Tendulkar' (1984), 'Satyajit Ray' (1988), and 'The Marketplace' (1989).
Hyderabad: Senior Telugu movie actor Naresh, 60, has married his co-star of many films, Pavithra Lokesh. The couple recently formalised their relationship after living together for around two years. The newly married couple on Friday shared a video of their nuptials conducted in a traditional manner. Posting the video on their social media accounts, the couple wrote, "Seeking your blessings for a lifetime of peace & joy in this new journey of us."

Naresh is the son of the late Telugu actress, producer and director Vijaya Nirmala. Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu is his stepbrother. This is Naresh's fourth marriage and Pavitra's third. Pavitra is from Karnataka and acts in Kannada and Telugu movies as a supporting actress.

Seeking your blessings for a life time of peace & joy in this new journey of us



  

 

 

 



   

-  #PavitraNaresh pic.twitter.com/f26dgXXl6g  H.E Dr Naresh VK actor (@ItsActorNaresh) March 10, 2023

Naresh had been embroiled in a messy dispute with his third wife Ramya Raghupati after they separated and his involvement with Pavitra became public. Ramya Raghupati has reportedly refused to divorce Naresh.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 11, 2023 - 22:46 | All, World

Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations and reopen their respective embassies after years of hostility, in a diplomatic breakthrough brokered by China.

The agreement, announced Friday after five days of high-level talks in Beijing, is likely to help ease tensions in the Middle East and signals weakening U.S. influence in the region.

The two Gulf states will reopen their embassies "within a period not exceeding two months" and agreed that their foreign ministers "shall meet to implement" the deal, according to a trilateral statement.

Iran and Saudi Arabia expressed their appreciation to Iraq and Oman for hosting rounds of dialogue from 2021 to 2022, and to China for hosting the latest talks and contributing to the success of the negotiations, the statement said.

The statement was issued by Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban, national security advisor of Saudi Arabia, and Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after demonstrators attacked the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, following Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Congratulating Tehran and Riyadh for taking a major step forward, Wang said Friday that the improved ties have opened a path leading to peace and stability in the Middle East, according to China's official Xinhua News Agency.

"As a reliable friend of the two countries, China will continue to play a constructive role," said Wang, Beijing's top foreign policy official, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Saudi Arabia had kept the United States informed about the talks in Beijing, but that Washington was not directly involved.

Speaking at a press briefing in Washington, Kirby dismissed the notion that an Iran-Saudi deal in Beijing suggests a rise of Chinese clout in the Middle East.

"I would stridently push back on this idea that we're stepping back in the Middle East -- far from it," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomed Friday's deal and praised China, Iraq and Oman for promoting the negotiations.

"Good neighborly relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are essential for the stability of the Gulf region," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres, said in a statement.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said the country is "following with interest" the agreement, and looks forward to it contributing to easing tensions in the region.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his government is "closely monitoring the situation" over the Chinese-brokered deal.

"It is indispensable from the perspective of energy security to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East region," Kishida told reporters Saturday in Fukushima, northeastern Japan.

He pledged to continue diplomatic efforts to help ease tensions in the region and strengthen ties with Gulf countries.
KYODO NEWS - Mar 11, 2023 - 14:04 | All, World

China's parliament elected Li Qiang, a close ally of leader Xi Jinping and ranked No. 2 in the ruling Communist Party's apex of power, as premier on Saturday, replacing Li Keqiang.

Li Qiang, 63, will head the State Council, China's Cabinet, and his main task will be overseeing the economy, although the role of premier has been waning as Xi has concentrated power in his own hands over the years.

The elevation of Li Qiang, a former Shanghai party boss, came a day after the National People's Congress unanimously re-elected party general secretary Xi to a norm-breaking third five-year term as the country's president at a plenary session.

Li Qiang was promoted to the Communist Party's highest decision-making body -- the seven-strong Politburo Standing Committee -- last October. Li Keqiang will retire as premier after serving two five-year terms.

Li Qiang took the oath of office, pledging that he will strive to build a "great modern socialist country."

Three legislators voted against Li Qiang's appointment as premier and eight abstained, with 2,936 in favor.

Following his endorsement, the smiling new premier shook hands with Xi and Li Keqiang, respectively, during the parliament session held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Li Qiang is scheduled to hold a press conference Monday after the conclusion of the parliament session. The NPC will elect new vice premiers and ministers on Sunday.

In a report delivered last Sunday at the opening of the annual meeting of the parliament, Li Keqiang, 67, said the government had set a gross domestic product growth target for 2023 of around 5 percent.

The figure was unveiled after China missed its GDP growth target last year due to the economic fallout from its stringent "zero-COVID" policy, involving quarantines and lockdowns, and a subsequent explosion of infections that occurred when the measures were abruptly lifted late last year.

The world's second-biggest economy expanded 3.0 percent in 2022 compared with a year earlier -- one of the slowest paces of growth in several decades.

After working at an irrigation facility and a factory in his native Zhejiang Province, Li Qiang joined the Communist Party in 1983.

He served under Xi, who was head of the province in the 2000s, and is said to have gained his trust during that period.

Li Qiang's election to the premiership came despite his lack of experience in central government and questions over his handling of Shanghai's two-month coronavirus lockdown last year.

As the top party official in the nation's commercial and financial hub, Li Qiang faced criticism over the disruption caused to the lives of the city's millions of residents and its economy by the draconian antivirus policy.

On Saturday, the NPC also appointed Liu Jinguo as director of the National Commission of Supervision, an anti-corruption body, Ying Yong, 65, as procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the highest prosecutors' office, and Zhang Jun, 66, as president of the Supreme People's Court, the nation's top court.

Wang Huning, 67, the country's chief ideological theorist who is ranked No. 4 in the ruling party's top leadership, was elected Friday as chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, replacing Wang Yang, 67.

Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, 59, who was demoted from the Politburo last October, was chosen as one of the 23 vice chairpersons of the political advisory body. Hu, who was once deemed a potential successor to Li Keqiang as premier, is believed to be not very close to Xi.

In 2018, China removed the two-term limits for the president and vice president from its Constitution, paving the way for Xi, who became the country's president in 2013, to hold power for life.

Related coverage:

China's Xi secures norm-breaking 3rd term as president
KYODO NEWS - Mar 11, 2023 - 20:32 | All, Japan

Japan on Saturday marked 12 years since a massive earthquake and tsunami struck the country's northeast, claiming the lives of over 15,000 people and triggering a nuclear disaster that will take decades to clean up.

Recovery from the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and resultant tsunami that devastated Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures has progressed in the ensuing years, but some 31,000 people remained displaced as of November 2022. Cleanup plans at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex are also stoking controversy.

At 2:46 p.m., the exact time the massive quake struck the region on March 11, 2011, people across the nation observed a moment of silence, with residents in the hardest-hit areas vowing to continue passing on the lessons learned from the disaster.

More than a decade on from the disaster, the national government no longer hosts a memorial service, with municipalities in the affected areas holding events on a reduced scale.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who attended a ceremony hosted by the Fukushima prefectural government, vowed that his government will "continue to do its utmost" to ensure the reconstruction of Fukushima and the wider Tohoku region.

In his remarks, Kishida said that progress in lifting evacuation orders still in place showed Fukushima has "begun to move toward full recovery and revitalization."

The latest anniversary comes at a time when Kishida's administration is moving ahead with a controversial change to its nuclear policy that could mean reactors are operated beyond their current 60-year limit.

The most recent figures from the National Police Agency released Thursday put the death toll from the disaster at 15,900 people, while 2,523 people remained unaccounted for -- the first time in 12 years that the numbers have not risen.

Among those commemorating the deceased on Saturday were Hiroaki Sato, 49, who went with his wife and two sons to pray for his deceased father in Arahama, a coastal area in Miyagi that was devastated in the disaster. "I wanted to show him how much his grandkids have grown up," Sato said.

According to the Reconstruction Agency, as of March 31 last year, deaths related to the disaster, including those due to illness or stress-induced suicide, stood at 3,789.

Ayako Yanai, a 67-year-old living in Okuma, one of the Fukushima towns that host the defunct nuclear power plant, lost her father-in-law and her husband in 2016 and 2019, respectively, when they were evacuated within the prefecture.

But their deaths were not recognized as related to the disaster because too much time had passed. Disagreeing with the assessments, Yanai said, "Stress builds up from having to move over and over again to places you've never known. It's got nothing to do with how many years it's been."

Controversy persists over the cleanup in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster, including over the planned discharge from spring or summer of treated water stored at the crippled Fukushima plant into the sea.

Water contaminated after being pumped into the reactors to cool melted fuel has accumulated at the facility and the volume is also increasing due to rainwater and groundwater at the site flowing in.

Construction began in 2022 of an around 1-kilometer tunnel that will funnel into the ocean the more than 1.3 million tons of treated water that had amassed at the cleanup site as of Feb. 16. Already 96 percent of the available water tanks have been filled, with their capacity expected to be reached by summer or fall this year.

Opposition has come from several sources, including local people and fishing businesses, amid fears that releasing the water into the Pacific will cause reputational damage. Neighboring countries South Korea and China have also expressed concern.

But while concerns do exist, Gustavo Caruso, the head of an International Atomic Energy Agency task force assessing the safety of the water discharge, said in January that Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has "prepared thorough evidence" on how its regulatory plans for releasing the water are in line with the agency's standards.

A no-go zone continues to be in place near the Fukushima plant and decommissioning work is scheduled to continue until sometime between 2041 and 2051.

Partial reopenings have progressed in some of the last areas to remain inaccessible since the nuclear disaster.

Last year between June and August, the municipalities of Katsurao as well as Okuma and Futaba saw evacuation orders lifted in some areas.

But few registered residents are returning to their communities after years away have seen them build lives elsewhere, with a Kyodo News survey showing that just 1 percent of former residents in the reopened parts of the three municipalities had moved back as of February.

Nobuko Yamazaki, a 77-year-old living in municipal housing in Futaba, said she "can't keep up" with how rapidly the town has changed in the last 12 years. "All we can do is wait for residents to come back," she said.

Three other towns in Fukushima will be the next to see some evacuation orders lifted in spring this year.

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By Yu Ishii and Rempei Saikawa, KYODO NEWS - Mar 11, 2023 - 10:42 | Feature, All, Japan

Exports of Japanese sake have grown in step with the global Japanese cuisine boom, setting a record high for the 13th consecutive year in 2022.

The continuing boom, with shipments surging 18.2 percent last year to 47.4 billion yen (about $340 million), is also fueled by younger sake brewers targeting a more upscale market with premium products and taking steps to foster a sake culture overseas.

At a modern brick-and-mortar brewery in Tosa, Kochi Prefecture, western Japan, Hirokuni Okura, the fourth-generation president of Suigei Brewing Co., poured a glass of Daito, its ultra-premium "junmai daiginjo" sake.

"This is popular and known overseas for its pet name 'Drunken Whale,'" Okura said of Suigei. "Drunken whale" is also the literal meaning of the two characters used in the company's name.

Okura, 44, joined Suigei, founded by his grandfather, 10 years ago after working for a major beer brewer.

Utilizing his marketing experience gained at his former employer, Okura went bottle in hand to the United States, directly promoting Suigei's products.

The new label design of a whale's tail has become easily recognizable to American consumers and helped the company become a roaring success. Exports by Suigei rose to more than 200 million yen in fiscal 2021, up from just 20 million yen in fiscal 2013.

Okura focused on branding and introduced Daito, the brewer's high-end sake. "People sometimes say a wine is inexpensive even if it is priced at 10,000 yen. I wondered why sake is priced so cheaply," Okura said.

A 720-milliliter bottle of Daito costs over 20,000 yen but is finding its way into an increasing number of overseas Japanese restaurants. Customers particularly enjoy it with their meals.

Last year, Clear Inc., an emerging brewer in Tokyo, served its "Byakko" high-end brand, priced at nearly 40,000 yen per 720-ml bottle, at a Lamborghini luxury car event for wealthy people in Qingdao, China.

"Not only the taste (of Byakko) but the bottle and box were designed with a sense of luxury," said Ryuji Ikoma, the chief executive officer of Clear, which plans to begin full-scale exports of the sake this year.

Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Co., the largest exporter of Japanese sake, has continued to insist on only brewing its products in the Nada district of Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, a premier sake brewing area in Japan. In contrast, other major companies in the same industry have launched overseas production.

The number of countries and regions to which Hakutsuru ships has expanded to 56, and its export value has risen 60 percent in the past three years. A new product, a junmai daiginjo called "Niku," was developed to pair with the world-famous Kobe beef.

"Sake is usually considered compatible with seafood dishes. But we want to promote the fact that it also goes well with meat dishes," said Masayoshi Matsunaga, head of Hakutsuru's overseas business department.

According to the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association, while domestic shipments continue to decline, overseas demand has grown steadily. Exports have increased five-fold over the past decade, and the average price has more than doubled.

China was the top export destination in 2022, with the United States in second place. The drink's popularity, however, is also spreading to South Korea and Southeast Asia.

There are hurdles to further expansion of demand. China has imposed restrictions on food imports from Fukushima and nine other prefectures due to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident. Shipments of famous sake from Niigata, a region renowned for its sake production, continue to be blocked.

"Overseas, there is still little understanding of sake and in some cases, storage methods are inappropriate," Hitoshi Utsunomiya, a board member of the association, said. "We would like to further raise awareness by providing sommeliers with the correct knowledge and other innovations."

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KYODO NEWS - Mar 11, 2023 - 09:47 | All, Japan

Nearly 90 percent of people in Japan believe discrimination and prejudice against those with disabilities continue to persist, according to a recent government survey.

The survey conducted last year found 88.5 percent responded discrimination against such people either "exists" or "exists to a certain extent," despite the holding of the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, according to the results released by the Cabinet Office late February.

The figure was higher than the 83.9 percent of people who responded similarly in the previous survey, conducted using different methods in 2017 and held a year after a law to ban discrimination against people with disabilities came into force.

Among respondents who said there was prejudice and discrimination in the study, conducted in November and December 2022, 58.9 percent said they feel there has been an improvement over the last five years, while 40.4 percent responded that there had not.

The law, designed to prevent discrimination against disabled people, was enacted in 2013 and enabled Japan to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities the following year, designed to protect their human rights and ensure their fundamental freedoms.

The law was revised in 2021 and obliges private companies to accommodate people with disabilities by implementing measures such as setting up sloped access points for wheelchairs and communicating with people who have hearing impairments by means of writing.

But only 24.0 percent responded they were aware of the law, while 74.6 percent said they did not know about it.

"We want to continue promoting awareness regarding the law for eliminating discrimination," said a Cabinet Office official.

The survey was conducted by mail, with questionnaires being sent to 3,000 people aged 18 and older, resulting in 1,765 providing valid responses. The previous survey in 2017 was conducted by interview.

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Liu Weimin, chairman of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), speaks during the celebration ceremony of Ethiopia-Djibouti railway's fifth anniversary of operations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

ADDIS ABABA, March 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway, also known as the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, has won acclaim for boosting regional integration and prosperity as it marked its fifth anniversary of operations.

This came as senior Ethiopian and Djiboutian government officials, the Chinese diplomatic community in Ethiopia, and management contractors of the 752-km transnational railway celebrated the anniversary at the Lebu Railway Station on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, on Wednesday.

Ethiopia's Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide said during the occasion that over the last five years, the railway has shown remarkable achievements in the areas of operation, maintenance and capacity building.

Shide commended the railway's crucial role in streamlining Ethiopia's export-import trade, and boosting people-to-people relations between the two neighboring countries as well as technology transfer with better coordination among Chinese and local experts.

Noting that the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway Share Company is tasked with operations, maintenance and capacity building, Ahmed said "in all these areas, the company has been showing considerable growth." He said the railway's operation capacity in terms of freight carriage has grown by 100 percent, reaching 1.9 million tons of cargo annually.

Shide said the railway, by reaching its maximum capacity, is expected to become the best transport alternative for import-export commodities by providing fast, safe and efficient transportation service.

"The Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway line is an example of the ever-flourishing Sino-African relations. The sino-African partnership has passed the test of time, demonstrated its resilience, and marks a brighter and strong future," Shide said.

Djibouti's Minister of Infrastructure and Equipment Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, on his part, said on the occasion that the railway observed increasing performance despite major obstacles, and enabled motivated and highly committed young engineers and technicians from both countries.

Ibrahim said the quality of services offered to users, the safety of goods and people, availability, and local human relations are among the key factors in achieving greater performance quality.

The electrified railway has cut the transportation time for freight goods from more than three days to less than 20 hours, and reduced the cost by at least one-third.

Ethiopia, as a land-locked country in the Horn of Africa, accesses international maritime trade through ports in neighboring countries. The Ethiopia-Djibouti trade corridor is the main gateway for Ethiopia, with about 90 percent of import and export passing through it.

Ethiopia's State Minister of Transport and Logistics Denge Boru commended the railway's multifaceted significance for the two countries. "The railway mutually benefits the two sisterly countries in promoting regional economic and social integration, facilitating trade and industrial development, and bringing employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for citizens of both countries."

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan lauded the railway as "a way of peace, a way of development, a way of hope, and a way to prosperity." Zhao said the railway, as an important Belt and Road cooperation project, has demonstrated greater performance and resilience.

"The past five years have been great for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway. I am confident that, with close collaboration between all relevant parties from China and Ethiopia, as well as Djibouti, the next five years will be even better, as the railway still holds huge untapped potential," he said. 

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan speaks during the celebration ceremony of Ethiopia-Djibouti railway's fifth anniversary of operations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

Ethiopia's Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide speaks during the celebration ceremony of Ethiopia-Djibouti railway's fifth anniversary of operations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

Representatives from China, Ethiopia and Djibouti pose for a photo during the celebration ceremony of Ethiopia-Djibouti railway's fifth anniversary of operations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
Former Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva hailed cooperation between Bulgaria and Azernews, Azernews reports.

She made the remarks during the panel session within the X Global Baku Forum.

"Bulgaria doesn't only cooperate on energy matters with Azerbaijan, there is a reliable partnership between us. We have to study the experience of Azerbaijan. The country invests both in oil and gas and in renewable energy sources. We should also learn to do this," Zaharieva said.

Organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, under the patronage of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the X Global Baku Forum kicked off on March 9. The forums topic this year is "The World of Today: Challenges and Hopes".

The Forum is attended by high-ranking guests from dozens of countries, among them current and former heads of states and governments, prominent public and political figures, leading foreign experts, the leadership of the World Health Organization, the League of Arab States, and other major international organizations.
UNITED NATIONS, March 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for the elimination of "poison" of anti-Muslim bias at an event marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

"I thank Pakistan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for focusing attention - and calling for action - to stamp out the poison of Islamophobia," the top UN official said at the high-level special event marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia at the UN headquarters in New York.

The event was co-convened by the Office of the President of the General Assembly and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in its capacity as the chair of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers.

The secretary-general underscored that the world's nearly 2 billion Muslims reflect humanity in all its magnificent diversity and they hail from all corners of the world.

"They are Arabs, Africans, Europeans, Americans and Asians," he spelled out.

Noting that they often face bigotry and prejudice for no other reason than their faith, the secretary-general said that "this anti-Muslim hatred takes many forms."

"There is the structural, institutional discrimination. It manifests itself in socioeconomic exclusion, discriminatory immigration policies and unwarranted surveillance and profiling. It reveals itself in the wholesale stigmatization of Muslim communities," the UN chief said.

"And it is reinforced by biased media representations, and - shamefully - by the anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies of some political leaders," he added.

Guterres pointed out that beyond structural Islamophobia, Muslims suffer personal attacks, hateful rhetoric and stereotyping.

"Many such acts of intolerance and suspicion may not be reflected in official statistics, but they degrade people's dignity and our common humanity."

Noting that the linkages between anti-Muslim hatred and gender inequality are unmistakable, the secretary-general said that "we see some of the worst impacts in the triple discrimination against Muslim women because of their gender, ethnicity and faith."

Turning to the growing hate, Guterres said that the hate that Muslims face is not an isolated development.

"It is an inexorable part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies and violence targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority Christian communities and others," he explained.

"Discrimination diminishes us all. And it is incumbent on all of us to stand up against it. We must never be bystanders to bigotry," said the secretary-general.

"We must strengthen our defenses. This means pushing for policies that fully respect human rights and protect religious and cultural identities, particularly of minorities," Guterres said.

"We must recognize diversity not as a threat, but as a richness of our societies. This means ramping up political, cultural and economic investments in social cohesion," he said.

The UN chief called for confronting bigotry wherever and whenever "it rears its ugly head."

"This includes working to tackle the hate that spreads like wildfire across the Internet," said the secretary-general.

"We are pushing for a code of conduct to promote integrity in public information - so people can make choices based on fact, not fiction; education, not ignorance," he said, while talking about actions. 
Protesters hold banners in front of the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) headquarters against a plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, in Tokyo, Japan, March 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

In front of the TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, a large number of people holding various banners and signs gathered to express their strong opposition to the plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the sea.

TOKYO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- As Japan moves to push ahead with dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, local residents are expressing their anger and opposition.

Saturday marks the 12th year after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit northeast Japan, which is also known in the country as the Great East Japan Earthquake. On March 11, 2011, an ensuing tsunami also led to core meltdowns at the Fukushima power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), resulting in a level-7 nuclear accident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale.

"The ocean is not a dustbin!" "Do not discharge radioactive-contaminated water into the sea!"

In front of the TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, a large number of people gathered early Saturday to express their strong opposition to the discharge plan by holding various banners and signs, or handing out leaflets.



"I am strongly opposed to the discharge. The contaminated water, if stored for 100 years, will be much less radioactive according to its half-life, and there is room for these tanks in Fukushima," said Makoto Yanagida with Japanese environmental organization Tanpoposya, holding a placard.

Photo taken on March 6, 2023 shows the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima prefecture, Japan. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

"There are too many radioactive elements in the water, not just tritium. Also there is no way that TEPCO's plant can totally get rid of the tritium," he said.

A guitarist named Jonny H., who was playing an anti-discharge song at the gathering, told Xinhua that "discharging nuclear wastewater into the sea is a crime!"

"If the water is discharged, we will definitely not eat fish from Fukushima," said the musician, adding that Fukushima's aquaculture industry heavily struck 12 years ago is now recovering and the discharge would only be repeating history.

Due to the nuclear disaster, fishery in Fukushima, after decade-long testing operations, had not resumed to its full scale until March 2021. In April 2021, then Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the government's decision to release treated nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the damaged power plant into the sea.

In front of two TEPCO officials in total silence, a Sanya Labor Center member surnamed Mukai was reading aloud a petition. "The radioactive elements in the nuclear waste water will return to the human body through the food chain including algae and fish, and will again damage people's health."

A protester reads a petition against the plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, in Tokyo, Japan, March 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

"Your company's claim that there is no place to store the wastewater is groundless! It is hypocritical and irresponsible! It is a violation of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972," said the man.

At least 378 children in Fukushima have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer since the accident, said Toshiko Okada, a member of a citizens' group. "Our clean ocean and beautiful home should be given back to us," she said.

On the same day, people gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Official Residence to protest against the irresponsible dumping plan.

"The Fukushima nuclear accident must not be forgotten!" "Resolutely oppose the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water!" "Protect the sea!" "Protect the children!" The protesters' forceful chants resounded amid a gust of drums.

Sellers and workers work at a fish market in Soma city of Fukushima prefecture, Japan, March 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

On Friday afternoon, Japanese people also gathered in front of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to protest the discharge plan.

"The nuclear accident is still going on and the emergency declaration has not been lifted. Nuclear-contaminated water cannot be released into the sea and radioactive materials must be intensively managed," Mizuho Fukushima, head of Japan's Social Democratic Party, said at the gathering.

The Japanese government said in January that starting in this spring or summer, over 1 million tons of radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant in northeast Japan will be released into the Pacific. 
Students perform a song during an event to mark the 15th anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare, Zimbabwe, March 10, 2023. The Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe marked the 15th anniversary on Friday, an event which also saw the signing of memoranda of understanding for teaching Chinese at schools in Zimbabwe. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua)

HARARE, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe marked the 15th anniversary on Friday, an event which also saw the signing of memoranda of understanding for teaching Chinese at schools in Zimbabwe.

Huang Minghai, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, said that students are advancing China-Zimbabwe cultural cooperation by learning Chinese.

"The young people studying in the Confucius Institute are exploring their dreams. But more importantly, they are obtaining knowledge and skills that are needed in this modern world," Huang said in a speech.

With closer China-Zimbabwe relations, the students will get more job opportunities and realize their dreams either in Zimbabwe or in China, he said.

Over 16,000 students have learned Chinese at the Confucius Institute, which opened in 2007.

Vice Chancellor of University of Zimbabwe Paul Mapfumo said language plays an important role in advancing relations between the two countries.

"When our people are able to communicate effectively, they are able to explore areas of business, entrepreneurship, science, technology and innovation which are fundamental in the advancement of our modernization and industrialization agenda," he said.

In his congratulatory remarks, Du Peng, vice president of Renmin University of China, commended the Confucius Institute for its role in facilitating cooperation between Zimbabwe and China.

"The institute is not only a platform for language learning and cultural exchanges, but also plays an important role in promoting personnel exchanges and academic cooperation on a larger scale, to a higher level and in more fields," Du added.

Atipaishe Makwangudze, a high school student, said learning Chinese has been beneficial.

"So far I have been offered a scholarship to study in China for five years and I'm really grateful for it," she said. 
A stall owner introduces products to tourists at an ancient-style market during the Dongpo cultural singing competition in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, on Feb. 19, 2023. TO GO WITH "Across China: Young people in Hainan passionate about traditional Chinese culture" (Xinhua/Zhou Huimin)

HAIKOU, March 11 (Xinhua) -- As night falls, a festival featuring Dongpo food culture welcomes an influx of residents and tourists, including many young people to enjoy the feast of food and culture at a commercial street in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province.

Dongpo pork, Dongpo fish, and other delicacies related to Su Dongpo, a famous litterateur of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), are mouthwatering, and the poetry recitation of Su's masterpieces is fantastic.

At a food stall hung with Su's poems about food, Xu Yue, a senior student at Qiongtai Normal University, enjoyed Dongpo food and the famous works of Dongpo.

"What I see in these poems is not only the food but also Su's open-mindedness and heroic attitude towards life in the face of difficulties and adversity," she said.

Xu said Su's poems and his spirit, as the precious heritage of China's traditional culture, have had a profound influence on later literati and following generations. "I believe Su's spirit will be better spread in the future, and Chinese culture will pass on more power to us in a new form," she said.

"I've felt a strong cultural atmosphere in this festival," said Wang Wenxi, a sophomore at Hainan Normal University, donning a traditional Chinese costume.

"There are many people around me who like Dongpo culture and traditional Chinese culture. We would organize activities during festivals to promote traditional Chinese culture," she said.

As a Chinese cultural icon, Su Dongpo not only had remarkable achievements in poetry, painting, and calligraphy but was also famed as a gourmet and expert in water conservancy.

Since ancient times, Su's influence is extensive and far-reaching. In 2000, Le Monde, a French newspaper, named the world's 12 heroes who lived around the year 1000, and Su Dongpo was the only Chinese among them.

Su has a deep bond with Hainan. In his later years, Su was relegated and exiled to Hainan for three years. Su became an important initiator of Hainan's culture and was deeply loved and remembered by people here.

The first Hainan Dongpo Cultural Tourism Festival, which was celebrated on February 18, still continues in Hainan, promoting Dongpo culture through various activities, including performances of Dongpo culture, Dongpo food culture festival, and Dongpo cultural singing competition.

During the Dongpo cultural singing competition, Liu Tairan, 27, won the best original award by composing and singing two poems by Su Dongpo. As a director and music producer, Liu said he was Su's big fan and was very happy to have the opportunity to perform his song for more people.

He said Su lived 1,000 years ago, but he is not far away from modern life as he has the temperament needed in this era. "The Dongpo culture and excellent traditional culture give me cultural confidence, and also provide inspiration and materials for my creation," he said.

Peng Tong, deputy secretary-general of Hainan Su's Research Association, gave a lecture on Dongpo culture at Hainan Normal University last month. Peng said the college students were absorbed in the lecture and were passionate about Su Dongpo, while welcoming Dongpo culture to enter the campus.

As a researcher of Dongpo culture, Peng said he is very pleased to see young people love Dongpo culture and traditional Chinese culture.

"Young generation needs to gain strength and nourishment from traditional Chinese culture," he said, adding that the excellent traditional Chinese culture represented by Dongpo culture has appealed to more and more young people, and will have a profound influence on the young generation. 
A sign that reads "do not dump contaminated wastewater into the sea" is pictured during a protest near the headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) in Tokyo, Japan, March 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

TOKYO, March 11 (Xinhua) -- As Japan moves to push ahead with dumping nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, local residents are expressing their anger and opposition.

Saturday marks the 12th year after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake hit northeast Japan, which is also known in the country as the Great East Japan Earthquake. On March 11, 2011, an ensuing tsunami also led to core meltdowns at the Fukushima power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), resulting in a level-7 nuclear accident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale.

"The ocean is not a dustbin!" "Do not discharge radioactive-contaminated water into the sea!"

In front of the TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, a large number of people gathered early Saturday to express their strong opposition to the discharge plan by holding various banners and signs, or handing out leaflets.

"I am strongly opposed to the discharge. The contaminated water, if stored for 100 years, will be much less radioactive according to its half-life, and there is room for these tanks in Fukushima," said Makoto Yanagida with Japanese environmental organization Tanpoposya, holding a placard.

"There are too many radioactive elements in the water, not just tritium. Also there is no way that TEPCO's plant can totally get rid of the tritium," he said.

A guitarist named Jonny H., who was playing an anti-discharge song at the gathering, told Xinhua that "discharging nuclear wastewater into the sea is a crime!"

"If the water is discharged, we will definitely not eat fish from Fukushima," said the musician, adding that Fukushima's aquaculture industry heavily struck 12 years ago is now recovering and the discharge would only be repeating history.

Due to the nuclear disaster, fishery in Fukushima, after decade-long testing operations, had not resumed to full scale until March 2021. In April 2021, then Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced the government's decision to release treated nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the damaged power plant into the sea.

In front of two TEPCO officials in total silence, a Sanya Labor Center member surnamed Mukai was reading aloud a petition. "The radioactive elements in the nuclear waste water will return to the human body through the food chain including algae and fish, and will again damage people's health."

"Your company's claim that there is no place to store the wastewater is groundless! It is hypocritical and irresponsible! It is a violation of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972," said the man.

At least 378 children in Fukushima have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer since the accident, said Toshiko Okada, a member of a citizens' group. "Our clean ocean and beautiful home should be given back to us," she said.

On the same day, people gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Official Residence to protest against the irresponsible dumping plan.

"The Fukushima nuclear accident must not be forgotten!" "Resolutely oppose the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water!" "Protect the sea!" "Protect the children!" The protesters' forceful chants resounded amid a gust of drums.

On Friday afternoon, Japanese people also gathered in front of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to protest the discharge plan.

"The nuclear accident is still going on and the emergency declaration has not been lifted. Nuclear-contaminated water cannot be released into the sea and radioactive materials must be intensively managed," Mizuho Fukushima, head of Japan's Social Democratic Party, said at the gathering.

The Japanese government said in January that starting in this spring or summer, over 1 million tons of radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant in northeast Japan will be released into the Pacific. 
BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, newly elected president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC, made a public pledge of allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday.
VIENNA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday reappointed Rafael Grossi as the agency's director general for a second four-year term.

The IAEA said in a statement that its 35-nation Board adopted the decision by acclamation at its quarterly meeting. The reappointment is subject to approval by the annual General Conference of the agency's all 176 member states in September.

Grossi is slated to begin his second term in early December this year.

"I'm deeply honored by the Board's unanimous decision to appoint me for another term in office, and very grateful for the confidence and trust member states continue to place in me as head of this truly remarkable organization," Grossi said.

"It comes at a time when we face many major challenges, and I'm fully committed to continue to do everything in my power to implement the IAEA's crucial mission in support of global peace and development," he added.

Grossi has served as head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog since December 2019. 
HAIKOU, March 11 (Xinhua) -- A stranded dolphin spotted on Friday in south China's Hainan Province was released back into the sea after a three-hour rescue operation, according to the local fire department.

The dolphin was found stranded in the shallow water near a pier in Changjiang Li Autonomous County at around 1 p.m. on Friday. Staff from the county's fire department and local professional marine rescuers arrived soon and moved the dolphin to the shore.

The dolphin is 2 meters long and weighs about 200 kg. It suffered cuts by reefs but no fatal wound, said the rescuers.

After three hours of rescue and treatment, the dolphin was transported to about 18.5 km off the coastline and then released into the sea. 
Photo taken on Oct. 12, 2017 shows huge tanks storing contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan's Fukushima Prefecture. (Xinhua)

"Locals are working very hard to revive the Fukushima fishery. All such efforts would come to naught if even one of the millions of fish caught exceeded the radioactive limit," said Kenichi Oshima, a professor at Ryukoku University.

SOMA, Japan, March 11 (Xinhua) -- As Japan pushes ahead with dumping tons of contaminated nuclear wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean in spring or summer, local residents, especially those in the fishing industry, believe their livelihoods would again be devastated.

The plant's operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has repeatedly claimed that the treated water is diluted to national safety standards, and there is no other choice but to release it into the sea as the storage space is reaching capacity.

"We are dead against the release," said Toshimitsu Konno, head of Fukushima prefecture's Soma Futaba Fisheries Cooperative Association. "They say any nuclear power plant will dump treated water into the sea, but the type of water is different. It is contaminated water this time, but water from normal plants is not."

The group, with 846 members, is the largest in the northeastern prefecture.

"I don't trust TEPCO at all, as there has been too much information concealed so far," said Konno, adding that there were precedents of nuclear-contaminated water leakage.

Struck by a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit Japan's northeast on March 11, 2011, the power plant suffered core meltdowns, resulting in a level-7 nuclear accident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale.

The plant has been generating a massive amount of water tainted with radioactive substances from cooling down the nuclear fuel in the reactor buildings, which are now stored in about 1,000 storage tanks at the plant. Highly radioactive water will continue to be produced, as TEPCO has still not found solutions to remove the melted-down cores.

Photo taken on Nov. 12, 2011 shows the exterior of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan's Fukushima Prefecture. (Xinhua)

Twelve years after the 2011 accident traumatized Fukushima's fishing industry, local fishermen are still struggling for recovery.

"Look, it's a working day but all fishermen are taking the day off," a local fishing tackle shop owner unwilling to give his name told Xinhua, pointing to dozens of boats moored in the harbor at Soma city's Matsukawaura, one of the largest fishing ports in northeast Japan.

The man, who has run the shop near the fishing port for 25 years, said the sales are now less than half of the pre-accident volume. "Now they only go out fishing four days a week, as more catches won't find them a market anyway. During the pre-accident fishing season, they took up to one day off a week," he said.

"Who wouldn't oppose the discharge?" the shop owner said, citing the local fishing industry's slow recovery from the severe impact of the nuclear accident on local people, not to mention that many people were forced to stop their work and seek refuge elsewhere.

"TEPCO tells a pack of lies," the shop owner said with much anger. "If it's safe, why don't they use the water to irrigate the fields, grow vegetables, or just sell it in bottles?"

"Once the contaminated water starts to be discharged, everything will go back at least five years," he said, adding that the damage would be irreversible once the ocean is contaminated with radioactive materials.

"Locals are working very hard to revive the Fukushima fishery. All such efforts would come to naught if even one of the millions of fish caught exceeded the radioactive limit," said Kenichi Oshima, a professor at Ryukoku University.

People rally to protest against the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea, in Tokyo, capital of Japan on April 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

According to Konno, catches in the area are now equivalent to only 20 percent of the volume prior to the 2011 earthquake, although fish prices have recovered 70 to 80 percent of the pre-earthquake level. Dumping the contaminated water would further harm the reputation of local fishing products, despite tests for radioactive substances by much stricter standards to prove their safety.

"Once the contaminated water is discharged, our decade-long efforts have to start all over again," he said.

In the eyes of the 64-year-old man, the Japanese government and TEPCO are simply breaking their previous promises to local residents with such aggressive moves.

"The most important agreement they made with us was not to proceed with any disposal without the understanding of us people involved," he told Xinhua.

At a press briefing earlier this month, when asked whether the discharge plan will be postponed if it fails to gain the full understanding of relevant parties, TEPCO corporate officer Junichi Matsumoto dodged the question by replying that "continued efforts" will be made to "alleviate concerns" and "ask for understanding."

"The understanding should be granted by whom, in what form, and by what criteria? No one has yet been able to answer that up till now," said Konno.
BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong on Friday sent congratulations to General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese President Xi Jinping, warmly congratulating him on his election as president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the PRC.

Expressing their warmest congratulations to Xi on his election, they said they firmly believe that as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the Party, Xi will continue to lead the Party, the Chinese army and the Chinese people in achieving greater victories on the new journey of building China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful.

The Vietnamese party, the country and people have always attached importance to consolidating and developing good-neighborly friendship and all-round cooperative relations with China, which is a strategic choice and the top priority of Vietnam's foreign policy, they said.

The two leaders said they are willing to continue to promote and deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership so as to increase political mutual trust, cement mutually beneficial cooperation and strengthen popular support between the two countries.

They also wished Xi new and greater achievements in his noble post. 
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has released footage of military vehicles carrying personnel of Armenian armed forces units and illegal Armenian armed groups accompanied by the Russian peacekeeping contingent on the Khankandi-Khalfali-Turssu land road, Azernews reports per the ministry.

The video demonstrates that the military vehicles of the Armenian armed forces units and illegal Armenian armed groups on the mentioned route are accompanied by the ZTR-82A combat vehicle belonging to the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the security of the personnel brought to the combat position.

The ministry once again reiterated that the illegal smuggling of military cargo from Armenia to the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan should be stopped immediately and illegal Armenian armed groups should be disarmed and removed from the Azerbaijani territory as soon as possible.

Besides, the ministry called on the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to understand its responsibility in this process and fulfill its obligations without fail.

"Such illegal activities, which happen regularly, make it necessary to establish a border-crossing and control point of Azerbaijan at the last point of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border of Lachin road," the ministry noted.
TEHRAN, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Saturday unveiled the final prototype of a jet trainer that can help pilots learn tactics and techniques of air and air-to-surface combats, official news agency IRNA reported.

Dubbed Yasin, the aircraft can also be tasked with close air support, said Iranian Defense Minister Mohammadreza Ashtiani at a ceremony held to launch an aircraft assembly line in Tehran, according to IRNA.

Equipped with homegrown subsystems such as ejection seats, avionics, engines and landing gears, the final prototype is much upgraded and developed in tactical terms compared to the first one unveiled in October 2019, according to a report by semi-official Tasnim news agency.

A domestically-developed airborne weather radar has also been installed, said the report.

Ashtiani said the aircraft can accomplish a wide range of missions and will help significantly reduce the length of training, while improving its quality. 
The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway, also known as the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, has won acclaim for boosting regional integration and prosperity as it marked its fifth anniversary of operation.

A celebration event was held Wednesday at the Lebu Railway Station on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.

Ethiopia's State Minister of Transport and Logistics Denge Boru commended the railway's multifaceted significance for the two countries.

Djibouti's Minister of Infrastructure and Equipment Hassan Houmed Ibrahim, on his part, said the railway observed increasing performance, providing better services and ensuring the safety of goods and people.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan said the railway, as an important Belt and Road cooperation project, has demonstrated greater performance and resilience.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Black-tailed godwits fly over a white crane conservation area by the Poyang Lake in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, March 10, 2023. As the temperature gradually rises, a large number of migratory birds such as white cranes, geese and snipes have gathered in Poyang Lake area in Jiangxi Province to take off and start their journey north. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

Black-tailed godwits fly over a white crane conservation area by the Poyang Lake in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, March 10, 2023. As the temperature gradually rises, a large number of migratory birds such as white cranes, geese and snipes have gathered in Poyang Lake area in Jiangxi Province to take off and start their journey north. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

White cranes fly over a white crane conservation area by the Poyang Lake in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, March 10, 2023. As the temperature gradually rises, a large number of migratory birds such as white cranes, geese and snipes have gathered in Poyang Lake area in Jiangxi Province to take off and start their journey north. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)

White cranes roost at a white crane conservation area by the Poyang Lake in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi Province, March 10, 2023. As the temperature gradually rises, a large number of migratory birds such as white cranes, geese and snipes have gathered in Poyang Lake area in Jiangxi Province to take off and start their journey north. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)
by Anna Malindog-Uy

After its opening up in the 1970s, China's rapid growth into the second largest economy in the world, with growing global economic and political influence today, makes China not only one of the most influential countries in today's international politics and economics but an inspiration to the developing world.

In a world dominated by the Western economic paradigm of capitalism, and political ideology of liberal democracy, which in many ways have been imposed on the Global South, and are prized as the path toward modernization and economic development for many countries across continents, China is marching towards modernization and economic development on a different path, deviating from the Western-centric prototype and concept of development. China has been pursuing a development and modernization trajectory based on its own historical grounding and experience, unique internal conditions and realities, as well as cultural and civilizational foundations.

In many ways, China's rapid economic growth and prosperity is not only an inspiration for countries in the developing world, but offers an alternative economic and political model for the Global South versus the Western-centric model of development that is exemplified by the "dependence trap," where the Global South is the development aid recipients, while the North, composed of a few affluent countries (former colonial masters), is the provider of development aid with prescribed structural conditionalities and packages intended to underwrite structural reforms, continuing inequalities and inequities, fortified by asymmetries in wealth, power, and resources, which fundamentally reflect the unequal divide between the North and South.

In many ways, China's experience of development and modernization is somewhat unique to itself and was never an attempt to copy and imitate the West. Nevertheless, like many developing countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, China experienced and lived through the bitter pill of imperialism and colonization. It suffered a "century of humiliation," which refers to the period of intervention with and subjugation by Western powers. Obviously, the Global South and China have a shared and common experience of colonialism and imperialism, bringing them closer as partners in pursuing a development and modernization path more reflective of the Global South's respective conditions, realities, and historical experience.

Although China's economic development and modernization experience can not be copied because each country has its unique conditions and situation, China serves as a guide and inspires countries in the developing world to pursue development and modernization based on their distinct and unique historical experience and their indigenous, local and respective conditions and realities, preserving their independence as a sovereign nation-state beyond the dictates of a superpower or a few affluent countries. For me, this makes China a noteworthy example of a country in the developing world that is pursuing a destiny relying on its own strength and internal capabilities while relating to the world in a responsible, peaceful, friendly, and cooperative manner.

COMMON AND SHARED DEVELOPMENT

As far as China's modernization and development is concerned, some of the noteworthy characteristics, which are based on President Xi Jinping's economic thought, are the pursuit of modernization and development that is inclusive, which means shared prosperity for all by exerting efforts to narrow the gap between the poor and the wealthy, and between rural and urban communities in China.

Another goal of China's quest toward development which is worth mentioning is the concept of comprehensive and balanced development. This fundamentally means pursuing development but not at the expense of the environment, thereby pursuing sustainable development.

Likewise, comprehensive and balanced development means pursuing modernization without neglecting or disregarding Chinese traditions, culture, and values but preserving them against the backdrop of modernity and modernization. Another critical aspect of China's modernization and development that is quite important not only for China but for the rest of the world is the fact that China pursues a trajectory toward development based on harmony and peace, which are core values rooted in Confucian philosophy that the Chinese people adhere to since time immemorial.

But I think the level of development and modernization that China and the Chinese people are experiencing now will not be possible and could not be possibly achieved in such a short period of over only four decades if not because of some key and decisive factors, which include the following:

First, the decisiveness and strong political will of the Communist Party of China, the party discipline, and most of all, its decisive leadership in governance, which is most important.

Second is China's unified and cohesive coordination between the central government, provinces, cities, and counties as the country pursues a modern socialist society with Chinese characteristics.

Third, the cohesiveness of Chinese society and unity in spirit and vision for China among and between the people and its government. This is crucial for any country pursuing a more developed and prosperous society.

Most importantly, the philosophical underpinnings of China's culture and way of life which based on Confucianism, Taoism, and other famous Chinese philosophy, which basically emphasize unity, harmony, cohesion and respect for tradition and culture, compassion for fellow human beings, and the emphasis on community as against to too much emphasis on individualism.

CHINA'S GROWING GLOBAL NICHE

Moreover, to be more specific in terms of China's modernization and development strategies, it is worth mentioning that China's pursuit of high-quality development of innovation and entrepreneurship as an adopted approach by the central and regional government of China targeted at strengthening innovative entrepreneurship is no doubt a phenomenal success, which led to the rapid transition of China to a new economic development phase based on high-tech production and national breakthrough technologies. It also led to the extensive and comprehensive inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises in research and development activities and the development of new innovative structures.

Likewise, the Chinese economy has transitioned to a more technologically driven one. Also, aside from the fact that China undeniably is a very important global manufacturer, the real drivers of its economic performance over the last decade or so have been rapid growth in its huge purchasing power and fixed-asset investments -- including the country's thriving technology sector; its abundant and very competent or competitive labor force is also undeniably one of its competitive edges. All these make China economically resilient to external shocks brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed U.S. trade war against China.

On the other hand, China's goal to modernize its agriculture and make the countryside a more beautiful and prosperous place for all is another noble and principled program. Agricultural modernization is one of the critical factors toward national development, which facilitates a more sustainable, healthy, and extended period of stability and development for the country that will, in many ways, change the backwardness in rural areas and improve the plight of the farmers. In this regard, China's rural revitalization strategy that aims to achieve basic modernization of agriculture and rural areas by 2035 has somewhat surpassed the expectations of many countries. The domestic production of agricultural produce in China can fulfill the growing food demands of China's more than 1.4 billion population.

Furthermore, China has increased physical infrastructure and logistics investment by over 20 percent annually over the last 15 years. Also, the Chinese authorities have consistently supported the construction of large-scale information and communication infrastructure networks and encouraged private enterprises to innovate in cutting-edge sectors such as mobile payments, e-commerce, the Internet of Things, and smart manufacturing. This has helped foster the emergence of many locally based international technology firms, including Alibaba, Tencent, and JD.com.

CONCLUSION

In retrospect, indeed, the "Chinese-style modernization and development" are distinct and a deviation from the Western style. I think China's path to development and modernization is an inspiration and a guide for the developing world. China's path to modernization is not in a whatsoever way, an imposition or a copycat of that of the West. It has been based and anchored on the internal realities and historical underpinnings of China as a civilizational state. At the same time, it preserves its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence as a country. At the same time, it relies on its internal capacity and strength as a country, relating to the world in a friendly, peaceful, responsible, and amicable manner. I believe the characteristics of the Chinese style of modernization and development are worth emulating and serve as an inspiration to the Global South.

Also, I think that developing countries can learn the lessons, best practices and China's experience of balanced modernization and development.

On this note, the countries in the Global South, like my country, the Philippines, can be inspired by the Chinese experience of development and modernization rooted in one's country's historical experience, and without losing one's country's independence, its identity, culture, distinct values, and traditions, while avoiding the so-called dependence trap.

Editor's note: Anna Malindog-Uy is vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.
BEIRUT, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic ties will hopefully enhance security and stability in the Middle East to benefit the region and the world, said Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on Friday.

"Lebanon has always paid a heavy price for regional disputes, and therefore, it is hoped that this step will contribute to strengthening the pillars of security and stability in the region and the consolidation of positive and constructive cooperation that will inevitably benefit the countries of the region, their peoples and the world," Bou Habib was quoted as saying by the National News Agency.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions within two months after China-mediated talks in Beijing. They have also agreed to hold talks between foreign ministers to arrange ambassadors' exchange and explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations.

Bou Habib called on Arabs to engage in an Arab-Iranian dialogue based on respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and good neighborliness. 
Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

JAKARTA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported.

"The volcano erupted on Saturday at 12:12 midday local time," said head of BPPTKG Agus Budi Santoso in a written statement, adding that during the past week, the BPPTKG recorded the Merapi Mount had spewed hot lava 19 times and caused 553 volcanic earthquakes.

The authorities have urged people to avoid hazardous zone within a 7-km radius of the peak and to avoid rivers originating from Merapi, such as Krasak and Bebeng.

As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi is located at the border between Central Java province and the special region of Yogyakarta. The volcano has been on level 3 alert for the past months due to frequent eruptions. Level 3 means there is a possibility that a volcanic eruption which can seriously impact the surrounding areas could occur.

In 2010, the eruption of Mount Merapi killed more than 200 people and displaced many others. 

Volcanic materials spewed out from Mount Merapi are seen at a nearby village in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

People look at erupting Mount Merapi volcano in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

People look at erupting Mount Merapi volcano in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Agung Supriyanto/Xinhua)

Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Priyo Utomo/Xinhua)

Volcanic materials spew out from Mount Merapi in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Priyo Utomo/Xinhua)

A man rides on a road at a residential area covered with volcanic materials after Mount Merapi volcano erupted in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Priyo Utomo/Xinhua)

Plants are covered by volcanic materials after Mount Merapi volcano erupted in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. As one of Indonesia's most active volcanos, Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center reported. (Photo by Priyo Utomo/Xinhua)

This photo taken in Purwobinangun village of Sleman district, Yogyakarta, Indonesia shows Mount Merapi spewing volcanic materials on March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Budi Siswanto/Xinhua)

This photo taken in Purwobinangun village of Sleman district, Yogyakarta, Indonesia shows Mount Merapi spewing volcanic materials on March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Budi Siswanto/Xinhua)

This photo taken in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia shows Mount Merapi spewing volcanic materials on March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Priyo Utomo/Xinhua)

This photo taken in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia shows Mount Merapi spewing volcanic materials on March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Priyo Utomo/Xinhua)

(230312) -- BOYOLALI, March 12, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Plants are covered by volcanic materials after Mount Merapi volcano erupted in Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia, March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua)

A man takes photos as volcanic materials are spewed from Mount Merapi volcano in Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia, March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua)

A farmer picks red chili in her field as volcanic materials are spewed from Mount Merapi volcano in Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia, March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua)

A man holds his phone as volcanic materials are spewed from Mount Merapi volcano in Boyolali, Central Java, Indonesia, March 12, 2023. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted on Saturday, spewing volcanic ash to several villages nearby, the country's Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) reported. (Photo by Bram Selo/Xinhua)
FRANKFURT, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The German Police have freed the hostages who were held for over four hours and arrested the perpetrator in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe, local police authorities said on Friday.

The suspected perpetrator had taken several people hostage in a pharmacy at around 4:30 p.m., according to German news agency dpa.

A subsequent operation lasted several hours before police entered the pharmacy at around 9:10 p.m. and arrested a suspect, said Karlsruhe's police.

The building is currently being searched, and no injuries has been reported, according to preliminary findings. 
As Japan pushes ahead with dumping tons of contaminated nuclear wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean in spring or summer, local fishermen believe their livelihoods would again be devastated. #GLOBALink





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
KAMPALA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- China and Uganda on Friday signed a 151-million-U.S.-dollar agreement in which the Asian country will finance the expansion of the East African country's key national data infrastructure project.

Ugandan Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija and Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zhang Lizhong inked the agreement, kick-starting the fifth phase of the National Data Transmission Backbone Infrastructure and e-Government Infrastructure Project.

"On behalf of the government of Uganda, I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the government of the People's Republic of China for the long-lasting technical and financial support," said Kasaija at the signing ceremony.

Zhang said the Chinese government's concessional loan support shows China's strong confidence in supporting Uganda's economic and social transformation efforts.

Joyce Ssebugwawo, Uganda's state minister for Information, Communication and Technology, said phase five of the project is timely in addressing the connectivity gaps in the realization of a digital Uganda by 2040.

"This project will complete connectivity to all district local governments and administrative units, including schools and health centers, to ease service delivery," Ssebugwawo said. 
KIGALI, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government Friday launched an expanded One Stop Center to improve service delivery for investors seeking to do business in the country.

Clare Akamanzi, chief executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), described the expansion as a significant milestone in improving the ease of doing business in Rwanda when speaking at the launch in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

"The One Stop Center will reduce the time spent moving between institutions for licensing and enhance the investor experience. We encourage investors to take advantage of the services provided at the center," she said.

Since its inception in 2008, the One Stop Center has been processing licenses and permits for investors during the business setup phase. The expanded One Stop Center offers 23 licensing services, the RDB said in a statement.

All licenses and permits required for business setup or import and export operations will be issued at the center run by the RDB. 
President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping on his re-election as President.

Dear Mr. President,

I cordially congratulate you upon reelection as the President of the People's Republic of China.

The unanimous outcome of the elections signifies great trust and confidence in your person and support of the political line you pursue and a high appreciation of your large-scale activities and merits aimed at China's overall development and prosperity.

For Azerbaijan, China is a reliable partner and a friendly state. We attach particular significance to the relations between Azerbaijan and China based on historical traditions and a solid foundation. It is gratifying that our interstate ties have developed along an ascending trajectory day to day and reached the present level while acquiring new substances.

Our ever-expanding political dialogue, successful cooperation in economy, transportation, logistics, infrastructure, investments, energy and other domains, partnership within the "Belt and Road" and "Middle Corridor" projects and active involvement of the Chinese companies in the restoration and reconstruction works across our liberated territories are among the primary factors that characterize our close relations.

I am confident that in line with the interests of our peoples, we will continue our joint efforts to deepen Azerbaijan-China relations in all spheres, expand our cooperation, and further enhance our mutual engagement on the infrastructure projects that open broad prospects for the regional economic partnership.

Dear Mr. President, I renew my sincere congratulations and wish you robust health, happiness and everlasting success in your responsible endeavors for the prosperity of the friendly people of the People's Republic of China.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev
TUNIS, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia welcomed the decision by Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic ties, the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

Tunisia wished to see the step contribute to strengthening regional security and stability, uprooting tension, and establishing a new phase of cooperation between regional countries, the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also praised the role played by China in facilitating the Saudi-Iran agreement.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions within two months after China-mediated talks in Beijing. They have also agreed to hold talks between foreign ministers to arrange ambassadors' exchange and explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations. 
Tourists visit the Philae temple complex in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Mahmoud Fouly

ASWAN, Egypt, March 10 (Xinhua) -- On the morning of a sunny Spring day, dozens of boats were busy sailing back and forth in the Nile River, carrying groups of tourists visiting the Philae temples on an island in Upper Egypt's charming city of Aswan.

Tourists coming from different countries enjoyed the beautiful weather and the marvelous buildings of the Philae temple complex with giant ancient pylons and columns overlooking the Nile.

"It's been three days in Aswan. We went to Abu Simbel temples a little south (of Aswan). They are really beautiful places, architecture and history. It's amazing!" Aghiles Abbad, an Algerian man living in Canada, told Xinhua.

The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers.

The gradual recovery coincided with Russia's resumption of direct flights to Egyptian Red Sea resorts in August 2021, after a six-year suspension following a 2015 deadly Russian plane crash over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

In January this year, the first Chinese tourist group since the outbreak of COVID-19 arrived in Egypt, marking the return of tourists from China, one of the most significant tourist source countries, to further boost Egypt's tourism.

Groups of Chinese tourists led by Egyptian guides were seen visiting the Philae temples, taking photos and listening to the guide's introduction of the ancient structures.

"I just arrived in Aswan today from Cairo, and this is the first temple I have visited. It's really amazing and astonishing. I still cannot imagine how ancient people could build such amazing buildings," Yu Zhi'ang, a Chinese student from China's eastern province of Zhejiang, told Xinhua, adding visiting Egypt has been a dream since childhood.

Meanwhile, a group of Chinese tourists gathered at a cafeteria by the river in the temple complex. Zhu Huan, a young woman from China's central province of Hunan, described the people of Aswan as "very hospitable" and the scenery as "very lovely," adding the growing friendship between China and Egypt "boosts cultural exchanges" between the two countries.

Tourism is one of the main sources of foreign currency for Egypt, accounting for around 12 percent of the GDP. The current flourishing season brought hope and happiness to all Egyptians in the tourism sector.

"We consider it an exceptional season because it comes after a period of pandemic-related recession. This season sees a tremendous inflow of tourists, fortunately," Saadallah Sayyid Ahmed, manager of a cafeteria at the Philae temple complex, told Xinhua.

"We have been missing the Chinese tourists and we're welcoming their return," he said.

In the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil, one of Aswan's key tourist destinations, its bazaars of colorful handmade souvenirs were also crowded with tourists.

Sheila Bales, an American tourist, was having fun trying to operate a loom by imitating an Egyptian weaver at a small store before she bought a couple of colored fabrics.

"We've been here about a week and a half. The people are very interesting. I've learned a lot and seen a lot of things. So I've really enjoyed it," said Bales, who was on her first visit to Egypt.

Fernanda Danirle from Italy was shopping with her husband and Australian friend. Their 10-day visit to Egypt started with a tour to the Pyramids of Giza near the capital Cairo.

"I like everything here: the sun, the people, the place and the history," Danirle told Xinhua.

Mohamed Othman, head of a cultural tourism promotion committee, said hotel occupancy rates in monument-rich Luxor and Aswan are close to pre-pandemic ones.

"The year 2022 was excellent in terms of the number of tourists and their spending and 2023 is expected to see even higher tourist inflows," the tourism expert told Xinhua. 

Tourists take boats at a dock after visiting the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Tourists walk from a dock to the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Tourists visit the Philae temple complex in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Tourists visit the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

A tourist buys souvenirs during a visit to the Nubian village of Gharb Soheil in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Tourists visit the Philae temple complex in Aswan, Egypt, on March 9, 2023. The number of tourists in Egypt dropped to around 3.7 million in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, after it saw a boom in 2019 with over 13 million visiting the North African country, according to official data. It gradually recovered to about 8 million in 2021 and further flourished throughout 2022 to near pre-pandemic numbers. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
DAR ES SALAAM, March 11 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people have been killed by crocodiles in Tanzania's part of Lake Victoria between Jan. 1, 2023, and Feb. 9, 2023, officials said on Friday.

The officials said most of the victims were residents on Kome Islet on the lake, the world's largest tropical lake shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

The killings of the seven people by crocodiles was raised by councilors for Bushosa district council in Mwanza region during their meeting to address various issues, including development activities, defense and security.

Deogratius Ivoy, a councilor for Nyakasasa ward, said some of the killed people were fishermen and others were attacked by the crocodiles while swimming for leisure.

Damson Miyaga, a councilor for Maisome ward, said the latest attack by the crocodiles occurred on Feb. 9 when they killed a 36-year-old woman who was swimming in the lake.

The councilors appealed to the government to cull the crocodiles before they caused devastating consequences. 
DAR ES SALAAM, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Three suspected poachers have been detained by Tanzanian police after they were found in possession of six elephant tusks in the country's northern region of Manyara, police said on Saturday.

George Katabazi, the Manyara regional police commander, said the suspected poachers were arrested on Friday at 9 p.m. local time in Madunga village in Babati district in the region.

"The suspects were riding on two motorcycles that they used to ferry the tusks," said Katabazi.

He said the suspects were arrested during a joint crackdown conducted by police and game rangers from the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority (TAWA) after they were tipped off by members of the public.

Last week, an official said police were holding three suspected poachers in connection with the killing of six elephants in the East African nation's Ruaha National Park, a national park in Tanzania, between January 2022 and February 2023.

Godwell Ole Meing'ataki, assistant conservation commissioner and commanding officer for the Ruaha National Park, told Xinhua over the phone that the suspected poachers, found in possession of multiple elephant tusks, were arrested on Feb. 28 in the Iringa municipality by the Wildlife and Forest Force of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in collaboration with the police. 
PHNOM PENH, March 11 (Xinhua) -- A centuries-old Thousand Buddhas' carved sandstone pillar is on a public display at the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province, the Apsara National Authority (ANA) said in a news release on Saturday.

The large pillar with the images of carved Buddha is in Bayon style and was probably created during the late 12th century, said the ANA, which is the government agency responsible for managing, safeguarding and preserving the famed Angkor Archeological Park.

Voeun Vibol Sokhom, a tour guide at the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum, said the sandstone pillar, a rare artifact of Cambodian art, was found during an excavation and was named "Thousand Buddhas."

"The special feature of this sandstone pillar is that there are 1,008 small Buddha images carved on its four sides, which represent the happiness of the universe," he said.

He added that two types of religious sculptures were found in Cambodia -- one is artwork like that found on the 'Thousand Buddhas' pillar, and the other type is artwork from Brahmanism with images of Vishnu like those found on display at the National Museum in Phnom Penh.

According to the ANA, the pillar is rectangular, 122 cm high, 58 cm wide, and 45 cm thick. It weighs more than a half-ton.

There are 1,008 small meditation Buddha carvings on its four sides, it said, adding that at the top and bottom, there is some damage, with the surface of the stone having cracks and there are Naga head carvings on the top of the four corners.

National and international tourists can visit to learn more about the stone pillars, as well as many other Buddhist sculptures on display at the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum, which is located in Siem Reap city. 
BARCELONA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- In the past five decades, the China-Spain relations are stable, mutually beneficial and with the potential to become stronger in the future, Joaquin Beltran, professor of East Asian Studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, has said.

Speaking to Xinhua on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Spain, which fell on Thursday, the professor underlined economic, cultural, educational exchanges between the two countries that "enrich us mutually," saying they should continue and deepen these relations.

The professor highlighted the economic links between China and Spain, recalling in 1973, when the diplomatic relations were established, there was barely any trade between the two countries. But that has been changed radically in recent decades, with China becoming Spain's major trading partner, Beltran said.

Many Chinese entrepreneurs started their businesses in Spain, contributing to the Spanish economy, said Beltran.

The past 50 years witnessed not just growing economic ties but personnel exchanges, as can be seen by the tremendous growth of the Chinese expat community in towns and cities all over Spain.

"In China, a Cervantes Institute has opened, which is for spreading Spanish language and culture. And here in Spain, Confucius Institutes have opened to do the same job," said Beltran.

"Music and circus groups or museum exhibitions come to Spain from China. Spain also sends performing artists and painters (to China), and there has been an increase in these types of cultural relations," he added.

The professor also pointed out the increasing presence of Chinese students at Spanish universities, with the number returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The professor concluded that the two countries should enhance mutual understanding, saying there is still a lot of work to do. 
NICSIA, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Fitch Ratings has upgraded Cyprus' long term foreign-currency issuer default rating by one notch to "BBB" from "BBB-," according to a statement published by Fitch on Saturday.

The statement said the upgrade reflects the country's fiscal outperformance, improvement in government indebtedness, and macroeconomic resilience, among others.

According to the Fitch analysis, Cyprus' public finances last year turned a 1.7 percent deficit of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021 to a 2.3 percent surplus in 2022, with its public expenditure declining sharply and revenues rising at a faster pace than nominal GDP growth.

"The improving public finance trends more than offset the impact of support measures to business and households to counter the impact of high energy prices," the statement said.

The improvement of nominal GDP growth and the much improved fiscal performances translated into a sharp decline in the government debt to GDP ratio to 86.5 percent in 2022, from 101.1 percent in 2021, Fitch added.

Economic analysts said that the upgrade came as a bonus to the new Cypriot government under President Nicos Christodoulides, who sworn in on Feb. 28.

Former Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides said before leaving office that the expected Fitch's upgrade of Cyprus' ratings to the higher investment level would help the eastern Mediterranean island obtain cheaper borrowing by issuing its first green bond by the end of this year.

The previous government had already decided to raise up to 1 billion euros (1.06 billion U.S. dollars) through the green loan to finance climate-related or special environmental projects.

In addition, Fitch said that as the fallout from the Ukraine conflict continues, the expected slowdown in economic activity will be a drag on Cyprus's economy, resulting in a lower fiscal surplus of 1.8 percent of GDP this year, before growing marginally to 2.0 percent in 2024. 
CHICAGO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose on Friday on turbulence in the U.S. banking sector.

The most active gold contract for April delivery rose 32.60 U.S. dollars, or 1.78 percent, to close at 1,867.20 dollars per ounce.

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation closed Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) after its parent company, SVB Financial Group, on Thursday disclosed large losses from securities sales.

Closing of SVB triggered concerns about contagion in the banking sector, supporting gold.

The U.S. Labor Department reported Friday that U.S. total employment increased by 311,000 in February, significantly more than the 225,000 new jobs economists were expecting. And U.S. unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6 percent in February from 3.4 percent in January, worse than expectations but holding flat at the lowest level since 1969.

The U.S. dollar index and treasury yields fell following the release of the latest monthly U.S. jobs data, further supporting gold.

Investors are waiting for the release of the consumer price index on Tuesday for additional hints as to how much the Federal Reserve may hike rates at its next monetary policy meeting.

Gold prices rose 0.7 percent for the week.

Silver for May delivery rose 34.10 cents, or 1.69 percent, to close at 20.506 dollars per ounce. Platinum for April delivery rose 12.90 dollars, or 1.36 percent, to close at 962.20 dollars per ounce. 
HONG KONG, March 11 (Xinhua) -- An anti-war group's protest disrupting tough-on-Beijing rhetoric during a recent U.S. House hearing has highlighted growing domestic call against bilateral conflict, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported Friday.

Less than half an hour after Mike Gallagher, chair of a newly-formed select committee on the Communist Party of China, framed the U.S. struggle with China as "existential", a woman dressed in pink held up a sign bearing the words "China is not our enemy," and her phrases like "we need cooperation, not competition" made it through to the prime-time audience.

Seconds after law enforcement ushered her out of the room, a man stood up holding a "Stop Asian hate" sign. "This committee is about sabre-rattling," the protester declared. "It's not about peace. We need cooperation."

The woman was later identified as Olivia DiNucci, an organizer with Code Pink, a women-led anti-war group that made its name advocating against the Iraq war. The man was identified by Code Pink as Hector M, a Washington DC resident and friend of DiNucci.

Both protesters were arrested, according to Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans, an anti-war activist who co-founded the organization in 2002.

"China is not our enemy" is one of the three campaigns featured on Code Pink's website, along with "Peace in Ukraine" and "War is not green".

Evans started the China campaign about three years ago when she saw media coverage of the country increasingly frame it as an enemy, reminding her of narratives surrounding the Iraq War.

"The messages of our (China) campaign are that we need cooperation for the planet and the people on it...and we have to stop Asian hate because that makes Asians around the world vulnerable," she said, adding that "it's not about China, it's about war."

The disruption on last Tuesday, the third China-themed event Code Pink has interrupted in recent months, has sparked an influx of new volunteers for the organization, particularly Asian-Americans, according to the SCMP report.

Code Pink joins a small but growing list of actors publicly calling for increased dialogue between the U.S. and China to reduce the risk of bilateral conflict.

Some have called for an end to the "self-fulfilling escalatory spiral" in which politicians speak harshly on China to avoid appearing weak to voters, said the report. 
Japan to grant $170 million to Ukraine to rebuild critical infrastructure 11 March, 12:22 PM Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine (Photo:facebook.com/MinInfra.UA)

The government of Japan will grant Ukraine $170 million in financial assistance to restore critical infrastructure and encourage economic development, the Ukrainian Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development said on March 9.

Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, and Junichi Yamada, Executive Senior Vice President of Japan International Cooperation Agency, signed a grant agreement on behalf of their countries.

The document covers the following needs:

equipment for humanitarian demining

transport services

power equipment and demolition waste management

water supply and sanitation

equipment for healthcare and education

support for the agricultural sector.

Video of day

The grant agreement also contains oversight measures to ensure transparency and effective use of the funds.

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Azerbaijani volunteers, who have been carrying out a mission in the earthquake-affected areas in Turkiye, have fulfilled their duty and are returning to their homeland, Azernews reports.

The Azerbaijani delegation consisting of 150 volunteers provided various supportive humanitarian services to tens of thousands of quake victims. It should be specially noted that this will be remembered as the first voluntary activity of Azerbaijani youth organized in the direction of humanitarian aid in a foreign country, both in terms of duration and number.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center reports that on January 6, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit central Turkiye. The epicenter of the earthquake was 26 kilometers off Gaziantep with a population of about 1.06 million. The earthquake's epicenter was located 7 km below the surface. According to Turkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, three more earthquakes with magnitudes of 6.4 to 6.6 shook the province of Gaziantep in southeastern Turkiye.
Russians kill three people, injure another three in attack on Kherson 11 March, 04:25 PM Consequences of the Russian shelling of Kherson on March 11 (Photo:   / Facebook)

Three civilians are dead and three are injured after Russian invaders attacked Kherson on March 11, Kherson Oblast Military Administration (OVA) head Oleksandr Prokudin said on Telegram on March 11.

The incident took place on Mykolaivske Shose (highway). A car caught fire due to the impact of the projectile.

Rescuers, medics, and police are working at the scene.

Read also: Russia kills three civilians after hitting another public transport stop in Kherson

Prokudin later clarified on national television that there are three people known to have been injured in the attack.

The enemy projectile hit near a supermarkets parking lot, said the Kherson regional prosecutors office. Civilian infrastructure was also damaged in the enemy attack.

Video of day

Law enforcement started a pretrial investigation on the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

On March 10, the Russian army carried out 71 attacks on Kherson Oblast, resulting in three civilian deaths and five civilian injuries. The city of Kherson was shelled four times.

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Hawaii and Delaware don't share many qualities.

Hawaii far outranks us in surfers per capita. We have the edge in chickens and corporations.

But what the states do have in common is that they are the only solidly blue states that have not legalized recreational marijuana.

Twenty-one states have done so since 2012, including Delaware neighbors New Jersey, New York and Maryland. Of the 15 states in which Joe Biden won by at least 10 percentage points in 2020, only Delaware and Hawaii haven't legalized recreational marijuana. Three red states and three states considered "battlegrounds" have.

Marijuana plants are grown from seed at First State Compassion, Delaware's first licensed medical marijuana distribution center and largest cannabis growing facility. Marijuana is used in a new line of edibles.

It hasn't been for a lack of trying.

Last year, both chambers of the Delaware Legislature passed a bill that would have legalized the possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana by adults. But Gov. John Carney vetoed the bill. Efforts to overturn the veto failed.

Two bills are back before Delaware lawmakers this year that would legalize weed and create and regulate a recreational marijuana industry in Delaware. Both have taken steps toward approval in recent days.

Here's what you need to know about where Delaware's marijuana legislation stands.

When can I buy weed in Delaware?

This is what it comes down to for many onlookers.

The answer is, at best, unclear.

There's a chance legislation legalizing recreational marijuana in Delaware passes this legislative session, which ends June 30. If the legislation continues to be stymied by Carney, the best chance of it passing might not come until the end of his term in 2025. In that event, it could become an issue that guides the race for governor in 2024.

What needs to happen for Delaware to legalize recreational marijuana?

The legislation has to pass both chambers  the House of Representatives and Senate  of the Delaware General Assembly.

The governor then has to sign the bill into law. If the governor vetoes the bill, legislators can override the veto with a three-fifths majority vote in both chambers.

Legislators have decided to split the marijuana legislation into two separate bills: one to legalize small amounts of recreational marijuana for personal use and another to create and regulate the industry. The latter requires a three-fifths majority vote because it deals with revenue and taxation.

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James Baldus of Pike Creek holds a sign in support of legalizing recreational marijuana at a rally outside of Legislative Hall in Dover on Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

What happened with marijuana in Delaware last year?

A legalization bill similar to the one before lawmakers this year passed both chambers of the state Legislature but was vetoed by Carney.

House Democrats attempted to override Carney's veto, a maneuver that hadn't been attempted since 1990 and hasn't been successful since 1977. But the Democrats appeared well-positioned. The override vote needed 25 votes. When the initial legislation passed, 26 lawmakers supported it.

Three Democrats  Reps. Andria Bennett, William Carson and Sean Matthews  voted no on the veto vote, despite voting for the bill previously. Two Republicans, Reps. Jeff Spiegelman and Mike Ramone, did the same.

FAILED VETO OVERRIDE: Why Delaware lawmakers are hesitant to go against the governor

House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, who was a co-sponsor of the original bill, did not vote.

A separate bill to establish a recreational marijuana industry failed by one vote before making it to Carney.

The recent history sets up two questions for this year.

If it arrives at his desk, will Carney again veto the marijuana legislation? If Carney vetoes the bills, do lawmakers have the political will to override the governor?

Governor John Carney delivers the State of the State address in the Senate Chamber of Legislative Hall in Dover, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. Much of the governor's speech focused on education, including pay increases for teachers.

What has happened so far in 2023?

House lawmakers passed the legalization bill in a bipartisan 28-13 vote.

The legislation picked up two Democratic lawmakers  Reps. Bill Bush and Stephanie T. Bolden  who had not previously supported legalization.

For the first time, the House passed a bill to establish a recreational marijuana industry. All Democrats and two Republicans voted in favor of the legislation to form a three-fifths majority.

THE VOTE: Delaware House votes yes to create recreational marijuana industry with bipartisan support

House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, a vocal opponent, voted against the legalization bill and in favor of the industry bill.

Both bills now head to the Senate.

House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, (left) and House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, talk in Dover's Legislative Hall during the 2020 session.

What is in Delaware's marijuana legislation?

The legalization bill: House Bill 1 would remove all penalties for possessing 1 ounce or less of leaf marijuana for those ages 21 and older. This legislation would require a simple majority or 21 votes. As of now, marijuana is decriminalized in Delaware.

The industry bill: House Bill 2 would create a framework to regulate the growth, sale and possession of weed. Lawmakers say marijuana would be regulated and taxed the same way alcohol is. Delawareans would buy marijuana from a licensed retail marijuana store. The bill would allow for up to 30 retail licenses to be distributed within 16 months of the legislation going into effect. This legislation requires a three-fifths vote because it deals with revenue and taxation.

What has changed since last year? Why would 2023 be any different?

"We have some new members; we have some new energy," said Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark/Brookside, who has sponsored the legislation. "And I think a lot of (lawmakers) realize that I'm just not going to let this go."

Osienski was referring to the wave of progressives that won House seats last fall. At the start of the session, Osienski said he had talked to lawmakers on the fence and believed New Jersey setting up its industry  and raking in hundreds of millions of dollars  helped alleviate concerns.

Osienski met with Carney's staff to have an open dialogue, which didnt happen last session.

"My hope is that with continued open dialogue with the governor's office, that will help alleviate a veto," he said. "I have more support from my members  for a veto override, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that."

State Rep. Ed Osienski has sponsored Delaware's recreational marijuana legislation. He said he's had conversations with Carney's staff since the last legislative session.

Why is Carney against recreational marijuana?

At each turn in the quest to legalize recreational marijuana in Delaware, Carney's staff has reiterated that the governor has not changed his stance.

"I recognize the positive effect marijuana can have for people with certain health conditions, and for that reason, I continue to support the medical marijuana industry in Delaware," Carney said when he vetoed last year's legalization bill. I supported decriminalization of marijuana because I agree that individuals should not be imprisoned solely for the possession and private use of a small amount of marijuana  and today, thanks to Delawares decriminalization law, they are not."

"That said, I do not believe that promoting or expanding the use of recreational marijuana is in the best interests of the state of Delaware, especially our young people. Questions about the long-term health and economic impacts of recreational marijuana use, as well as serious law enforcement concerns, remain unresolved."

Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @holveck_brandon.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware marijuana: What you need to know about future of legal weed
BetterLife Pharma Inc.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES



VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BetterLife Pharma Inc. (BetterLife or the Company) (CSE: BETR / OTCQB : BETRF / FRA: NPAU) , an emerging biotech company focused on the development and commercialization of cutting-edge treatments for mental disorders, announces that it has filed an amended and restated offering document for its previously announced private placement offering (the Offering) of units of the Company (Units).

The Units offered will be offered to purchasers resident in the provinces set forth in the Offering Document (as defined below), pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions and will not be subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws.

There is an amended and restated offering document dated March 10, 2023 (the Offering Document) related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com and on the Companys website at https://abetterlifepharma.com/. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Company intends to use the net proceeds for general working capital purposes, as more particularly described in the Offering Document.

The Offering will be led by Bloom Burton Securities Inc. (Bloom Burton) as lead placement agent and Research Capital Corp. (collectively, the Agents) on a best efforts agency basis. The Offering is anticipated to close on or about March 14, 2023, or such later date as the Company and Bloom Burton may determine. The Offering is subject to the Company and the Agents entering into a definitive agency agreement and subject to customary closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange of the listing of the common shares of the Company issuable pursuant to the Offering.

Story continues

About BetterLife Pharma

BetterLife Pharma Inc. is an emerging biotechnology company primarily focused on developing and commercializing two compounds, BETR-001 and BETR-002, to treat neuro-psychiatric and neurological disorders.

BETR-001, which is in preclinical and IND-enabling studies, is a non-hallucinogenic and non-controlled LSD derivative in development and it is unique in that it is unregulated and therefore can be self-administered. BetterLifes synthesis patent for BETR-001 eliminates regulatory hurdles and its pending patent, for composition and method of use, covers treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder and neuropathic pain and other neuro-psychiatric and neurological disorders.

BETR-002, which is in preclinical and IND-enabling studies, is based on honokiol, the active anxiolytic ingredient of magnolia bark. BetterLifes pending method of use and formulations patent covers treatment of anxiety related disorders including benzodiazepine dependency.

BetterLife also owns a drug candidate for the treatment of viral infections such as COVID-19 and is in the process of seeking strategic alternatives for further development.

For further information, please visit BetterLife Pharma.

Contact Information

David Melles, Investor Relations Manager

Email: David.Melles@blifepharma.com

Phone: 1-778-887-1928

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

No securities exchange has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws regarding the Company and its business, which may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the anticipated terms of the Offering, securities offered under the Offering, the timing of the Offering, regulatory and exchange approvals, and the listing of the common shares offered pursuant to the Offering on the Canadian Securities Exchange. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as will, may, should, anticipate, expects and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. 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 Companys expectations include the failure to satisfy the conditions of the relevant securities exchange(s) and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations, including without limitation, those listed in the Risk Factors section of the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed on June 17, 2022 under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law.




SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 11, 2023 / In a move set to revolutionize laboratory test ordering, Diagu, a leading healthcare company, has announced the launch of its ground-breaking e-commerce platform, GetLabTest.com. The platform aims to ensure that the right laboratory tests are ordered for the right patient at the right time. Diagu's initial focus is on the business-to-consumer market, promising to offer patients and health care providers an innovative, accurate and personalized AI-driven diagnostic testing solution.

Diagu sp. z o.o., Saturday, March 11, 2023, Press release picture

Diagu's AI first uses the input data to detect patterns of disease and prepares an analysis that assists in guiding its recommended laboratory test selections. After completion of the tests, the AI will analyze the test results and recommend an appropriate doctor, whose task is to confirm the diagnosis, analyze the recommendations, and provide the patient with test results and a report on the state of their health and suggestions for further tests or treatment.

"We are excited to bring this unique and innovative healthcare solution to the market," said Paul Fasi, General Manager of Diagu. "We believe that with our AI system, patients will benefit from personalized diagnostic testing that is specifically tailored to their condition. This will help them to receive the right treatment faster, leading to overall improved health outcomes."

GetLabTest.com will be available in the summer of 2023 to customers in the US and the UK, with plans to expand its operation to the European market. Diagu is currently seeking partners to collaborate with in bringing this innovative platform to healthcare providers and patients alike. Medical laboratories, health systems, and physician groups can use the GetLabTest solution as a new and vastly improved channel for ordering, managing, and analyzing laboratory testing results.

"By partnering with medical laboratories, physician networks, health systems, and doctors, we aim to create a comprehensive healthcare ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders," added Paul. "Our platform will enable patients to access accurate and timely diagnostic tests while providing laboratories and physicians with new business opportunities. This will ultimately lead to better healthcare outcomes for everyone."

Story continues

GetLabTest.com offers a user-friendly interface, which empowers patients to easily order tests, access results via their personal dashboard and elect to have their test results sent to their health care providers and EHR. The platform provides patients with the flexibility to choose the tests they need and the ability to pay securely online.

The AI system behind GetLabTest.com is constantly evolving, learning from the results of all the tests that it processes to improve its accuracy and provide patients with the most accurate and up-to-date information.

With its innovative approach to laboratory testing and personalized healthcare solutions, GetLabTest.com is poised to transform the healthcare industry and improve patient outcomes.

About Diagu

Diagu is a leading healthcare company dedicated to providing patients with the best healthcare services available. With its innovative technology and exceptional healthcare professionals, Diagu is committed to transforming the healthcare industry and improving patient outcomes.

The company has developed a powerful AI-based solution available at GetLabTest.com to help doctors diagnose patients more accurately and efficiently. The system can evaluate diseases, suggest orders for further tests to ascertain diagnoses, and present optional treatment plans by analyzing vast amounts of data within a patient's medical history, including laboratory test results, previous diagnoses, and medications. The use of AI in medical diagnosis enables doctors to make more informed decisions, leading to improved patient outcomes.

One of the most significant benefits of Diagu's AI-based solution is its ability to help doctors identify potential health issues at an early stage, which can ultimately save lives. In addition to improving the accuracy of diagnoses, Diagu's AI-based solution can also reduce the time and cost to reach a diagnosis, making health care more accessible, particularly in areas where medical resources are limited. Furthermore, the solution can help doctors keep up with the latest medical research and best practices, improving the quality of care they provide to their patients.

However, it is essential to recognize that while AI can supplement doctors, it cannot replace the essential role they play in medical decision-making. Doctors are accountable for the outcomes of their patients' treatments and can be held responsible for any adverse consequences. In contrast, AI lacks the nuance and interpretation skills that only human doctors can provide. Therefore, while Diagu's AI-based solution can supplement doctors, it cannot replace the critical human element fundamental to patient care.

CONTACT:

Company: Diagu

Contact: office@diagu.com

Website: https://diagu.com

Website: https://getlabtest.com/

SOURCE: Diagu sp. z o.o.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/742617/Diagu-Launches-Revolutionary-GetLabTestcom-the-First-AI-Driven-Medical-Laboratory-e-commerce-Solution-that-Aims-to-Ensure-the-Right-Laboratory-Tests-are-Ordered-for-the-Right-Patient-at-the-Right-Time




DUBLIN, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Ireland 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.

Research and Markets Logo

Social commerce industry in Ireland is expected to grow by 47.8% on annual basis to reach US$1524.0 million in 2023.

The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 25.6% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$1524.0 million in 2023 to reach US$5981.4 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



Ireland Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028

Ireland 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

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Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028

B2B

B2C

C2C

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028

Mobile

Desktop

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Domestic

Cross Border

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028

Tier-1 Cities

Tier-2 Cities

Tier-3 Cities

Ireland 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

Ireland Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Platforms

Video Commerce

Social Network-Led Commerce

Social Reselling

Group Buying

Product Review Platforms

Ireland 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/utup0j

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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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SOURCE Research and Markets
Labor lawyers told Insider that people who are pregnant or on FMLA leave aren't automatically protected from mass layoffs. Izusek/Getty Images

Critics have slammed some companies for laying off US workers on parental leave in recent months.

But staff on protected leave aren't immune from mass layoffs, labor lawyers told Insider.

It can be discriminatory, but only if companies target employees because of their leave status.

Tech companies including Meta, Google, Amazon, Salesforce, and Microsoft have laid off tens of thousands of workers in the US over the past few months as they adapt to what they say is an uncertain economic outlook, with a potential recession looming.

Some of the stories that have caught the most attention and outrage on sites such as LinkedIn, however, are those of workers whose companies laid them off while they were pregnant or on parental leave.

One former Google employee who, at the time, was 34-weeks pregnant, told Insider that she was unsettled by its decision to lay off "a woman at her last bit of pregnancy" and said it was "almost impossible for me to look for a job." Another was laid off hours before giving birth, while one married couple with a 4-month-old baby  including a mom on maternity leave  were both let go.

"I've seen too many pregnant women and moms on leave being laid off and it's just not right," one person commented on LinkedIn, while another said they thought it was "unethical and unprofessional" to fire someone who was about to have a baby.

But labor lawyers told Insider that people who are pregnant or on paid parental or medical leave aren't automatically protected from being let go in mass layoffs, including those currently sweeping the US.

Does FMLA protect workers from mass layoffs?

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, workers at companies with at least 50 employees are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

This could include parental, foster, and adoption leave, people with a "serious health condition," and those with caring responsibilities. When they return to work after FMLA leave, the Department of Labor says that employees must return to the same job or one that is nearly identical,.

Story continues

But their jobs aren't protected in the case of mass layoffs. What it boils down to is whether a company targets an employee because of their leave status, or whether the company would have let them go regardless.

"There's no law that says you can't fire somebody on maternity leave," Matthew Blit, an employment lawyer at Levine & Blit, told Insider. "You just can't fire them because they're on maternity leave." So if your whole team is let go and you happen to be on leave, there may be little you can do.

The FMLA is an "attempt to make sure that you are not disadvantaged because you needed to take leave for a protected reason," Joe Brennan, a law professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School, said.

"But the regulations from the Department of Labor state that an employee who is on leave doesn't have a greater right to benefits or employment than somebody who's not," Brennan said. "The goal of the statute is to treat somebody who's on leave the same way that they would treat somebody who isn't on leave."

What protections do pregnant workers have?

Workers have some protections if they think they were laid off because they were pregnant.

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, workers can't be fired on the basis of being pregnant.

Meanwhile, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers can't discriminate against workers based on a disability, including one related to pregnancy, that requires a reasonable accommodation at work. A pregnant employee may be entitled to change their role in some way to account for their pregnancy such as, for example, moving from a more physical job to one with lighter duties.

But the FMLA doesn't protect workers from a mass layoff if the reason "has nothing to do with their pregnancy," Megan Carannante, a labor lawyer at Pullman & Comley, told Insider.

Proving you were laid off because you're pregnant or on FMLA is 'incredibly difficult,' but not impossible

Heather Hammond, an employment and human-resources lawyer at Gravel & Shea, said that when companies are conducting mass layoffs, managers typically use what they consider to be objective criteria, such as employees' tenure, attendance, and performance ranking to decide who to cut.

Brennan said that, for example, if the company decided to lay off the most recent hires or close a whole department, which included some staff on FMLA, this likely wouldn't be discrimination because the decision to let those staff members go was unrelated to their leave.

But companies need to look for unintentional bias, Hammond said. Brennan said that laying off people based on how many hours they'd worked over the past month, for example, would unfairly target people who had been on leave.

To prevail in a lawsuit, the worker who was pregnant or on parental leave would need to show that their status was a motivating factor for the company's decision to terminate them, Navruz Avloni, an employment and civil rights-lawyer at Avloni Law, told Insider. "Meeting this standard of proof is incredibly difficult to do in the context of a mass layoff," she said. "However, it has been done."

Read the original article on Business Insider
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama's Maritime Authority has lifted a suspension on First Quantum Minerals' operations at the port of Punta Rincon, which the Canadian company uses to export copper concentrate from its key Cobre Panama mine, company sources said late on Friday.

Two spokespersons for Minera Panama, First Quantum's Panama unit, told Reuters the suspension dated Jan. 26 had been ended, which was confirmed by a source at the Maritime Authority.

The company, which spent weeks at loggerheads with Panama over Cobre Panama, had said that once the suspension ended, it would be able to resume activity at the port quickly.

The Panamanian government and First Quantum said on Wednesday they had agreed on the final text for a new contract on the operations of Cobre Panama, which accounts for about 3.5% of the country's gross domestic product.

Because it could not work at Punta Rincon, First Quantum halted ore processing operations on Feb. 23 after reaching the maximum storage level of copper concentrate - about 100,000 tonnes - at the mine in Panama's Donoso district.

About 60% of the copper concentrate exported through Punta Rincon is destined for factories in China. The rest is exported to other markets including Spain and Germany.

(This March 11 story has been corrected to say that the maximum storage level is 100,000 tonnes, not 10,000 tonnes, in paragraph 5)

(Reporting by Milagro Vallecillos; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
Scientists re-engineer dead birds into drones that may one day spy on humans, wildlife

Scientists have developed drones using the bodies of stuffed dead birds, an advance they say could one day be used for stealthily spying on wildlife.

The study, presented recently at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics SciTech 2023 Forum, incorporates dead birds into flapping-wing drones, and may also enable spying on people for military purposes.

Flapping-wing drones, or ornithopters, are inspired by the flying process of birds and are built using mechanical components, including propellers for thrust.

Researchers, including Mostafa Hassanalian at New Mexico Tech in the US, say the new findings can be applied to re-engineer dead birds instead of solely relying on artificial materials for building drones.

In the study, scientists combined taxidermy bird parts and artificial flapping drone mechanisms to recreate some of the general appearance and motions of birds more closely.

They conducted two flight tests using drones that looked like birds, including one that looked like a real pheasant.

Researchers also used 3D flapping and aerodynamic simulators to test the aerodynamic flapping characteristics of the re-engineered models.

This allowed the implementation of flapping mechanisms and testing of the aerodynamics of the flapping wing drone, researchers wrote in the study.

Scientists however found that the models created this way were not the most efficient fliers.

They say while it is difficult to create such a drone, it is very practical for research purposes and can keep nature undisturbed.

The new findings, scientists say, can also help make existing flapping-wing drones look more natural.

Based on the results, they also found that the replacement of some gear components used in such drones can lead to reduced noise and an increase in longevity.

Researchers also found from the study that developing bendable wrists for such drones would help in making the wings more flexible in flight.

By jointly studying taxidermy and drone flight simulations, they say different flight options can be incorporated into drones that may provide an easier user experience and also help develop a more natural flight.

A final improvement would be to add legs so that the drone can perch and monitor without using much battery, scientists added in the study.
(Bloomberg) -- What was Silicon Valley Bank to the world of startups and venture capital? Practically everything.

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Conceived over a poker game between two of its founders nearly 40 years ago, the firm grew into the single most critical financial institution for the nascent tech scene, serving half of all venture-backed companies in the US and 44% of the venture-backed technology and health-care companies that went public last year. And its offerings were vast  ranging from standard checking accounts, to VC investment, to loans, to currency risk management.

The bank says on its own website: There are many ways to describe us. Bank is just one.

As the world starts to assess the fallout of the biggest bank collapse since the 2008 financial crisis, here are the various ways the bank of Silicon Valley stretched its tentacles around the tech industry and beyond.

A Banker

SVBs most obvious services involved traditional banking. It offered the usual checking accounts, credit cards and money market accounts with up to 4.5% annual percentage yield. The firm also helped merchants accept payments for sales, issue invoices, manage subscriptions and establish recurring billing.

An Investors Investor

One crucial fact to keep in mind as SVBs failure ripples across industries is that the bank was an investor in its own right. The companys venture capital and credit investment arm has directly invested in several fund managers and portfolio companies for more than 20 years. The firms that have benefited from its money include: Sequoia Capital, Accel, Kleiner Perkins, Ribbit Capital, Spark Capital and Greylock.

The banks global fund loan banking book was comprised of 56% of loans to venture capital and private equity firms as of the end of last year. How that will affect VC firms themselves is unclear.

Story continues

A Lender

SVB was a pioneer of what is known as venture debt, a type of loan offered by banks and nonbank lenders specifically designed for early-stage, high-growth companies with VC backing. The vast majority of VC-backed companies now raise debt at some point from banks such as SVB. Among its other lending solutions were mortgage lending, private stock-based lending and partner lines of credit for companies. Its lending services extended to a host of nonprofits including charter schools, private colleges and mission-based organizations.

A Wealth Manager

In addition to being a lender for startups, SVB also took care of their executives, providing private banking and wealth management services including financial and tax planning and home equity lines of credit.

A Financial Adviser

The banks securities division caters to healthcare and tech-focused companies with services including M&A advisory, equity and debt capital markets, proprietary research and sales and trading. The company features a list on its website of more than 1,000 transactions it has been involved in  including as joint bookrunner, exclusive financial adviser and sole placement agent. It has long prided itself in being a one-stop shop for startups from launch, to seed feeding, to venture rounds, to major acquisitions and IPOs. You wont outgrow SVB, the bank says on its website.

A Networker

Once a startup is a part of the SVB ecosystem, it gains access to a host of events that bring together investors, other founders and people in the startup scene. For decades, it was hard to find a major startup event that SVB wasnt a sponsor of  one of its many efforts that so deeply embedded the bank into the very fabric of startup world that some founders felt compelled to do business with the firm.

Sarika Bajaj, chief executive officer of early-stage startup Refiberd, said she chose SVB to reinforce the legitimacy of her business. Everyone was like, Oh you want to do SVB, otherwise people are sketched out if you dont, she said.

A Winery Backer

One very California-centric role that SVB played: Serving as the top financial services provider to premium wine producers, mostly in Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Central Coast regions, but also in the Pacific Northwest.

A Foreign Exchange Risk Hedger

Among the lesser known services the bank offered was managing currency risk for companies that do business internationally. SVB boasted that it could hedge against volatility across more than 90 currencies with teams that cater specifically to private equity funds, seed and venture capital, late- and early-stage tech and health care firms.

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Explainer: What Chinese modernization would mean for the world?

Xinhua) 11:01, March 11, 2023

-- "China's path to modernization reflects Chinese wisdom, Chinese civilization and history," said Keith Bennett, a long-term China specialist and vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club.

-- China always keeps the world's development and peace in mind in its modernization process. That is because Beijing fully understands that it will do well only if the world does well, and vice versa.

-- The Chinese path to modernization serves as an "example" for developing countries, especially African countries, when they have been confronted with multiple crises that hinder their development in recent years, General Secretary of the Congolese Labor Party Pierre Moussa has said.

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- For a long time in history, the world was shrouded in the myth that modernization equals Westernization. The emergence of Chinese modernization dispels it, making modernization no longer a single-choice question, but a multiple-choice one.

For the world, China's task to modernize a country of 1.4 billion people, or nearly one-fifth of the global population, is unprecedented. The Herculean pursuit not only captures global attention, but also has global ramifications.

Among a series of concepts and initiatives that China promotes in both state governance and global interactions, the Chinese path to modernization is the most popular keyword that people would like to know more about, according to an overseas survey conducted by Xinhua News Agency recently.

WHAT ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHINESE AND WESTERN MODERNIZATION?

China's path to modernization is one of peace and development, win-win cooperation, and harmony between humanity and nature, rather than external expansion and plundering.

"China's path to modernization reflects Chinese wisdom, Chinese civilization and history," said Keith Bennett, a long-term China specialist and vice chair of Britain's 48 Group Club.

"The modernization of a small number of Western countries was based on the exploitation, oppression and colonization of almost the entire world. China is not developing by exploiting any other country; China is developing itself and modernizing itself, and at the same time helping other countries to develop and modernize," he said.

China does not seek to exploit or control other nations, and it plays no role in inciting conflicts, said Mokhtar Gobashy, deputy chairman of the Cairo-based Arab Center for Political and Strategic Studies, adding that's why China has gained respect and popularity in the Arab world.

Meanwhile, Chinese modernization emphasizes both material and cultural-ethical advancement, which distinguishes it from Western modernization, said Chen Gang, assistant director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore.

The coordination of material and cultural-ethical advancement leads the way to realize all-around material abundance as well as people's well-rounded development, Chen said.

WHAT CHINESE MODERNIZATION CAN OFFER FOR THE WORLD?

China stands in the world as the second-largest economy and a responsible major country. It always keeps the world's development and peace in mind in its modernization process. That is because Beijing fully understands that it will do well only if the world does well, and vice versa.

Firstly, China is committed to making the world less poor and more equitable.

By the end of 2020, China had lifted out of poverty all rural residents living below the current poverty line and met the poverty eradication target set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule.

Commenting on China's poverty reduction drive, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said those achievements are "the biggest contribution for dramatical reduction of poverty."

More than eradicating absolute poverty, Chinese modernization promotes common prosperity, thereby shrinking the enormous wealth gap and inequality that have risen in tandem with Western modernization.

British scholar and political commentator Martin Jacques highlighted China's pursuit of common prosperity, lamenting how Western countries have never taken it seriously.

"For China to embrace common prosperity, to establish a society of greater fairness, greater equity, that is a very important message not only to China, Chinese people but to the world as well," he said.

China, on its way toward modernization, has also been sharing its development dividends with the rest of the world.

Take the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). According to a World Bank forecast, if all Belt and Road transport infrastructure projects are carried out, the initiative would generate 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars of global revenues annually to 2030. Up to 90 percent of the revenues would go to partner countries.

"The most important thing about the BRI is that developing nations could benefit from the great experience in the development of China. BRI gives them the opportunity to create an industrial society and join the modern age. This is something that in the long run would bode well for the future of humanity," said Khairy Tourk, professor of economics with the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Secondly, China is committed to making the world greener and more biodiverse.

China ranks first globally in the area of planted forests and forest coverage growth, contributing a quarter of the world's new forest area in the past decade.

From 2012 to 2021, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP declined by 34.4 percent, and energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 26.4 percent, equivalent to saving of 1.4 billion tons of standard coal.

So far, China has also emerged as a major proponent of renewable energy, and it is working hard to capitalize on the potential of a green BRI.

UNFCCC (the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) Executive Secretary Simon Stiell spoke highly of China's firm and consistent stance on actively addressing climate change, as well as its efforts to translate climate commitments into concrete actions.

At a time when the world is facing an energy crisis, China continues to make solid progress in dealing with climate change and plays an important role in advancing the global response to climate change, Stiell said.

Meanwhile, under China's presidency, the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has adopted the global biodiversity framework ahead of schedule. China has shown leadership in global biodiversity protection, Inger Andersen, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, has said.

Thirdly, China is committed to making the world more peaceful.

For more than 70 years, China has never started a war, never occupied a single square mile of foreign territory, never engaged in proxy wars, and never been a member of or organized any military bloc.

It is the only country that has incorporated peaceful development in its Constitution, and the only country among the five nuclear-weapon states to pledge no first use of nuclear weapons. China's track record on peace can stand the scrutiny of history, and its peaceful rise is an unprecedented miracle in human history.

Since China's restoration of its lawful seat at the United Nations in 1971, China has actively participated in the political settlement of major regional hot issues, including the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the Iran nuclear issue, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the Palestine-Israel issue.

In response to mounting conflicts and security challenges in today's world, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022.

And in the GSI Concept Paper released last month, China further expounded the core ideas and principles of the initiative, identified the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation and demonstrated China's sense of responsibility for safeguarding world peace and firm resolve to defend global security.

"China's idea of being a builder of world peace, contributor to global development, defender of the international order and provider of public goods are consistent with the ideals of the UN Charter," former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has 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)

AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH?

Chinese modernization is a new model for human advancement, and it dispels the myth that "modernization is equal to Westernization," presents another picture of modernization, expands the channels for developing countries to achieve modernization, and provides a Chinese solution to aid the exploration of a better social system for humanity, Xi once said.

China's rise as a global economic power shattered the long-held notion that modernization means Westernization, said David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg.

The Chinese path to modernization serves as an "example" for developing countries, especially African countries, when they have been confronted with multiple crises that hinder their development in recent years, General Secretary of the Congolese Labor Party Pierre Moussa has said.

"They could find in this model elements for the construction of a development path that can enable them to handle present and future challenges," he said.

"Modernization has never been simply Westernization," Chen said, adding that "Chinese modernization is a new development model, which can be used as a reference for other countries with similar national conditions or at a similar stage of development."

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Azerbaijani Foreign and Defense Ministries released a joint statement condemning Iran for a provocation and urging the Iranian state to provide an appropriate explanation, Azernews reports.

According to the statement, an Iranian military aircraft made a non-stop flight along the Azerbaijan-Iran state border from the direction of Zangilan District to Bilasuvar District and backwards on March 11, 2023, from 0944 to 1026.

It was noted that the plane flew between the two countries at a distance of 3-5 km from the state border, and in some cases over the state border.

"Contrary to the internationally accepted practice of warning the neighboring country in advance about approaching military aircraft to the state border, such a close proximity of a military aircraft of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the state border between the two countries and flying over the border line threatens the safety of civil aviation, and further deteriorates the bilateral relations," the statement said.

The statement emphasized that the flight of a military aircraft for more than half an hour near Azerbaijan's liberated territories is a provocation and unfriendly behavior towards Azerbaijan. It was also recalled that last year, the Iranian side also conducted large-scale military exercises along the Araz River near the borders of Azerbaijan.
(Bloomberg) -- The ripple effects of one of the biggest US bank runs in over a decade are reaching a wide variety of businesses, as companies from startups to vineyard owners raise alarms.

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Silicon Valley Bank, once a darling of the California financial system, fell swiftly on Friday, a day after investors and depositors tried to make $42 billion in withdrawals. Roku Inc., LendingClub Corp. and Eiger BioPharmaceuticals Inc. were among dozens of companies that revealed they have deposits stuck at the bank.

The stranded funds show that SVBs troubles are spreading throughout the Silicon Valley ecosystem and pose a risk to the economy at large. Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers warned that there will be severe consequences if regulators dont fashion a smooth transition for Silicon Valley Bank.

It certainly is going to have very substantial consequences for Silicon Valley  and for the economy of the whole venture sector, which has been dynamic  unless the government is able to assure that this situation is worked through, Summers said in Bloomberg Television interview.

SVB Financial Group, the banks parent, has been well-known for its links to startups and well-established technology companies in the Golden State and beyond  many of which provided millions in deposits. The US Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. insures deposits up to $250,000. More than 93% of SVBs domestic deposits were uninsured at the end of last year, the bank said in a filing.

Around 26% of Rokus cash and cash equivalents are held by SVB, or around $487 million, the streaming technology company said in a Friday filing. SoFi said it has a $40 million lending facility provided through SVB, which is unaffected by the FDICs receivership.

Story continues

SVB holds around $8.3 million of Eiger deposits, it said. And beyond Silicon Valley, even Northern Californias wineries were feeling the pain. The bank has been a prominent lender to the industry, with locations in the vineyard areas of Napa and St. Helena.

Rocket Lab USA Inc.s shares fell after the launch provider said it has deposits with Silicon Valley Bank. The company has about $38 million in its accounts, or about 7.9% of the startups cash and equivalents, it said Friday in a filing.

In contrast, SoftBank Group Corp.-backed insurance fintech Lemonade Inc. said it has less than $7,000 in cash at the bank.

Representative Anna Eshoo, a California Democrat whose district includes parts of Silicon Valley, said in a Twitter post that the FDIC should provide more clarity to depositors about when future dividend payments will be made in the short term as well as the long-term status of their funds.

Some stranded deposits at SVB may have been meant for payrolls, a concern raised by Y Combinator Chief Executive Officer Garry Tan among others. He said in a Twitter post that startups could be wiped out by the collapse.

If you have payroll and youve been tied up in Silicon Valley Bank and that money  maybe $250,000 is available on Monday  if you have 50 employees making $150,000, youre in a deficit of about $100,000 just this Monday, so everyone is quite nervous, Jenny Fielding, co-founder and managing partner of venture capital firm The Fund, said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

Vimeo Inc. and LendingClub also revealed their exposure to SVB in the wake of the collapse.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of startups that were planning to use that cash to meet their payroll next week, according to Summers, a Harvard University professor and paid contributor to Bloomberg Television. If thats not able to happen, the consequences really will be quite severe for our innovation system.

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Veterans for America First, aka Veterans for Trump, to meet with Georgia State Senator Jason R. Anavitarte on the issue VFAF President Stan Fitzgerald announced.

CUMMING, GA / ACCESSWIRE / March 10, 2023 / Recently, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law to limit "adult cabaret performances", putting age restrictions in place to ensure that children are not present at sexually explicit performances. Veterans for America First, aka Veterans for Trump, is a national organization https://veteransforamericafirst.org/ that recently launched a Georgia state chapter focusing on local conservative issues."





Veterans for America First

On April 23, the Forsyth County Georgia Senior Citizen Center in Cumming, GA, is hosting an all-ages family bingo run by drag queen Mrs. Ivana. The flyer for the event states "Join our kids dance contest".

VFAF Ambassador Cooper Guyon, who works at the state capital with GA Senator Jason R. Anavitarte, suggested exploring the possibility of legislation like Tennessee. Guyon has arranged a meeting with the Senator and the Vets organization to address the concerns of the citizens and community leaders who asked the Veterans group to get involved. "Senator Anavitarte has been a leader fighting for our conservative values," said Cooper Guyon.

"Our organization is not looking to prevent lawful gatherings; we are simply asking our state legislatures to look at the law Tennessee passed and consider similar for Georgia to further protect the children," said VFAF President Stan Fitzgerald.

Veterans for America First represents millions of conservative veterans and first responders. The organization has endorsed Donald J. Trump for the 47th President of the United States and is part of the Trump campaign coalition.

Attorney Jared Craig, the VFAF Georgia state chapter spokesman https://georgiavfaf.org/team/, will be working with VFAF Ambassador Hunter Hill on the logistics in Forsythe County assisting the community with their concerns. VFAF national media rep Angie Wong will be available for comment.

Story continues

Contact Information

Stan Fitzgerald

Chief Political Advisor for VFAF

forgetthegouge@aol.com

SOURCE: Veterans For America First

.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/743254/Veterans-for-America-First-Ask-Georgia-Legislatures-to-Consider-Restricting-Drag-Shows




When Jaime Sanders has a severe migraine, she said it feels like her eyeball is being stabbed with an icepick.

And sadly, that sensation, along with throbbing and pounding on the left side of her face, has been part of the Stafford County womans life way too often.

Ive been dealing with migraine for 42 of my 44 years on the planet, she said. Im tired of hurting.

As shes tried various treatments, most without much success. Sanders said the condition has taken away moments of her life, as a child and teen, wife and mother. While she pushed through the pain as much as she could when her three children were young, she said it wasnt the version of motherhood she had dreamed of since high school.

There were just a lot of things I couldnt do and migraine stole that from me, Sanders said. It stole my career, my ability to work. It stole my view of who I was. Everything about me became migraine. Thats all I was dealing with all the time.

As Sanders grappled with migraine, which she refers to in the singular the same way as asthma, epilepsy or other conditions that cause attacks, she also battled depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide. In addition, she has two other nerve disorders that contribute to ongoing agony in her face and head.

She had to find a way to turn her pain into purpose.

Sanders, who grew up in New York City, wrote poetry and short stories as a teenager. In 2011, she turned to the creative outlet once more and started The Migraine Diva blog at themigrainediva.com.

She also posted about her condition on a Facebook page of the same name. She found comfort in sharing her story with others who knew exactly how she felt when she was, as she described on Feb. 4, between bouts of sobbing, numbness, irritation and frustration.

More than 70 people reached out to hug her virtually after the post, including Jane Taylor, a disability rights activist in Massachusetts.

Jaime, I hear you and feel your pain and deep sadness, Taylor wrote. It is so similar to what I live with, too. Please know youre not alone and that so many love and cherish you, myself included.

Sanders also joined advocacy groups and coalitions, dedicated to research and the fair treatment of almost 40 million Americans who suffer from the condition. While she said her husband, Darnell, and three children, now ages 21 to 24, are amazing and supportive, shes comforted by knowing she isnt the only one with chronic migraine, defined as having 15 or more attacks a month.

She also hopes she can help others in some way, especially those who look like her but dont typically see themselves represented in support groups, on councils, at conferences or even in ads for migraine treatments.

I couldnt help but notice I was the only chocolate chip in the cookie a lot of the time, she said.

Sanders has shared her experience as a Black woman, remembering that her Jamaican-born father told her and her sisters as children that they were a double minority because of their gender and race.

Everything you do, you have to work triple as hard just to be seen in the same room, he told her.

She found that to be true as a woman with migraine, a condition that tends to be dismissed, she said, because its documented only by questions about a persons symptoms and degree of pain, not through medical imaging or a blood test. And, as a woman of color, she said shes come across the misconception from health care providers that Black people dont feel pain the same way as others, either because their skin is thicker or nerve endings are different.

As a woman, my pain is dismissed, but as a Black woman, my pain doesnt exist because Im not supposed to feel pain, she said.

A 2016 survey by a University of Virginia Ph.D. candidate of 222 white medical students and residents showed that about half endorsed false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites, according to a story on the medical website, Stat. And those who did also perceived Blacks as feeling less pain than whites, and were more likely to suggest inappropriate medical treatment for Black patients, according to the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Thats why Sanders makes sure her voice is heard despite the pain in her head. Last month, she was part of the annual Headache on the Hill and joined 300 people from 49 states as the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy campaigned on Capitol Hill. She talked with legislative staff members from the offices of both Virginia senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

Jamies advocacy with Headache on the Hill is inspiring, Warner said in an email. I am grateful for the hard work of constituents across the commonwealth who continue to raise awareness for issues that are personal to them.

Sanders also shares advice shes gained from personal experience. On Friday, she was a virtual presenter at the Migraine World Summit. She talked about how to prepare for a visit to the emergency room, or how to avoid it altogether. With its fluorescent lights and loud noise, it tends to be a place that migraine sufferers want to stay away from, she said.

But there are times over the years when her pain has gotten so bad that the prescribed medicines and herbal creams, massages and other therapies shes tried dont come close to the pain and she needs to go to the hospital for an IV infusion. As bad as she feels, shed like to walk into the ER in her pajamas and slippers, but said that wont help her cause.

I get dressed, put on a little mascara, comb my hair, look presentable because if they assume Im uneducated, then Im going to be treated differently, she said. I am very aware of my blackness all the time, even when seeking medical care.

Shes also trying to do something about it.

Its the reality of people of color, she said. Thats one of my biggest platforms as an advocate because I know what its like to be treated differently because of something thats outside of my control.
Wearing bunny ears made of pink gingham and posed to look like shes pushing a tiny cart full of Cadbury Creme Eggs, RedBird looks like the little piggy that went to market.

Her owners, Terry and Jennifer Wilson, hope their pet guinea pig will be as adorable to the voting public and judges as she is to them.

RedBird is in the running for the Cadbury bunny commercial. If selected, the guinea pig would be the first of her species to wear fluffy ears in ads for the iconic Easter goodies.

The world needs to get more familiar with these great little pets, said Terry Wilson, a Spotsylvania County resident until nine years ago, when he got married and moved to Terra Alta, West Virginia, with his wife.

Cadbury has been advertising its creamy Easter eggs since 1967, and for years, ran the same commercial featuring various animals, from an oinking pig to a roaring lion, pretending to be the Easter bunny.

Four years ago, the company decided to let an animal other than a rabbit wear the official bunny-eared crown.

Jennifer Wilson grew up with that commercial, and with guinea pigs, and she jokes that the pets have been part of her husbands life as long as she has.

Ever since I moved up here, he said, guinea pigs have been growing on me. Theyre definitely a big part of my life at this point.

All of Terry Wilsons family still lives in Spotsylvania, including his father, Thomas, and stepmother, Nancy.

Two years ago, Terry and Jennifer Wilson adopted two pets from the Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue, a Virginia-based group that serves Washington, Northern Virginia and Maryland. RedBird and her cage mate Pippi were among 36 guinea pigs seized from a hoarding case, and they werent in a good place.

Both were malnourished, but RedBird also was blind and downright depressed, her adopted mom said.

So depressed, she would sit facing the wall, Jennifer Wilson wrote on her nomination entry in the Cadbury contest. I fell in love with her from just her photo  that was two years ago and she is now thriving and loving life so much I have nicknamed her Happy Girl.

RedBird initially was so ill, she had to have nutrient-dense food fed to her through a syringe, and she stayed at the rescue for five months. In the video, Jennifer Wilson said the facility director had seen many sad situations over the years, but said RedBirds was the most pitiful.

Those days seem far behind, as RedBirds owners described on Friday, during a phone call, that shed just done something guinea pigs enjoy called popcorning. Thats when they jump into the air with excitement and twist around.

RedBird doesnt do that often, Terry Wilson said, because she measures her movements carefully as a result of her blindness. She makes a clucking noise as she moves, sort of like echolocation, to determine her distance from things, and thats part of the reason she was named RedBird by the rescuers. She also has rust-colored spots on her coat.

Jennifer Wilson had nominated other guinea pigs for the Cadbury crown in earlier contests without success. This year, when Cadbury announced the contest was open to rescued animals only, the Wilsons again sent in a nomination.

They were thrilled to discover almost two weeks ago that RedBird was a semifinalist.

Cadbury asked for a video, which the Wilsons happily provided of RedBird shopping and enjoying a carrot with as much enthusiasm as a rabbit.

Last week, they learned she was a finalist and started fielding calls from TV stations and newspapers. They were asked to bring RedBird and Pippi to the local library during story time, and RedBird got her own card.

Its been crazy, but its been fun, Jennifer Wilson said.

People have started recognizing the guinea pig when the group goes to such events, Terry Wilson said. This little girl could be the next Cadbury bunny.

Videos and bios of RedBird and the nine other finalists  a bunny, beaver, chinchilla, cat, two dogs, duck, miniature pony and sheep  are available online. Votes from the public will account for 40% of the animals score and can be cast through Tuesday at cadburytryouts.com/vote.
Todd and Monica Eby are happy to bring their collective artistic talent to a community they feel is both welcoming and vibrant with opportunity.

They own the new Eby Fine Art Studio in downtown Fremont.

Todd and I met in art school in Omaha and have always dreamed of having our own business together, Monica Eby said. He followed the path of graphic design, and I followed other careers including raising our three daughters. I put art on the back shelf of my life.

Both Todd and Monica Eby were born in ONeill.

Todd grew up there, but my family moved to St. Louis when I was 6 months old, Monica said. We moved around a few times, but I grew up in North Platte and graduated high school in Grand Island.

When Monica began attending college in Omaha, it was her first time in that city.

A year later Todd also moved there, and thats when we met, she said. I told my mom I had met an ONeill boy, and she recalled meeting him as an infant in his mothers arms before we moved away, not realizing that was her future son-in-law.

Todd and Monica showed signs of creative talent in their formative years. Monica started out in fashion design and Todd pursued graphic arts.

I ended up changing majors just before we met, Monica said. We both attended the Fashion and Art Institute of Dallas in Omaha.

Four years ago Monica felt what she calls a strong pull in her heart to take what she had placed on the back shelf and move it to the forefront of her life.

I just needed to see what would happen, she said. I knew it was the arts, so I got involved with a nonprofit organization called the 402 Arts Collective. Thats what began my creative journey back to my most authentic self.

In 2022, the Ebys moved into a lake house at Emerson Estates, on the south side of Fremont.

It turned out to be a God thing, Todd said. We had been living in Omaha for about 30 years, and our rent had gone up for the second time. So we felt it was time for a move.

Todd and Monica had dreamed of living in a lake house.

Its wonderful, Todd said. We have big picture windows, a sandy beach just outside our door, gorgeous views. We love it.

Once they had their new home, it was time for the Ebys to begin establishing themselves in their new community.

We jumped into the creative community and connected with Glen Ellis and Milady Coffeehouse during the Art Walk last year, Monica said. Glen just happened to be building a suite on the back side of the Milady. We looked and just knew it was for us.

The Eby Fine Art Studio is part of what is now being referred to as Fremonts Creative District.

Once we moved to Fremont, we wanted to get involved with the creative community there, Todd said. So we became members of the Fremont (Area) Art Association. They had sent out an invitation to artists to be involved in the Art Walk of August of 2022. We were connected to the Milady coffee house and presented our work. From there, Glen showed us the space we now call our lesson studio/gallery.

Because the space was still under construction, the Ebys had a soft opening in early December 2022.

We didnt have the utilities up and running yet, Todd said. But at least people could come in and see what were about.

Not knowing many people in Fremont, the Ebys have worked hard to stay available and be good contributors to the community, building relationships with parents and students who want to explore their creative side.

I adore creating and pushing the limits of my own creative voice, Monica said. But we also have a passion to teach art techniques and to see young people and adults grow in confidence, explore their own creative path.

The first class the Ebys began offering is called Intro to Drawing for kids ages 7 to 12.

We start them out with pencil drawings, Todd said, then move them on to colored pencils, then they start learning to use pastels, watercolors and finally acrylics.

Children also learn how to sculpt with clay.

We call this class Sketch to Sculpt, Todd said. Kids get to sketch the images they want to make.

On Tuesdays, Eby Fine Art has a class for homeschooled children.

Bennett Kindler, 8, is one of Monicas students.

He is doing amazing work with Monica, said Bennetts mom, Brianna. Im not one to sit and do art with my kids, so its great to have someone like Monica, whos so good at teaching. She helps him a lot with his technique.

Eby Fine Art will be featuring a booth at the Artisan Market at the May Brothers building from 9 a.m. to 3 pm. April 29 with student works for sale.

Its a great opportunity for the students to feature their work and for the community to encourage young artists on their journey of creativity, Monica said.

Those interested can register for Aha Art Summer Camps beginning in June. Classes are small, and seating is limited.

Weve been getting the word out that we not only create original artwork but also do commissions and teach art lessons to children and adults, Monica said. Fremont has been a welcoming community and is growing the creative community in the downtown area. We feel blessed to be a part of it.

Eby Fine Art is at the rear of Milady Coffeehouse, 105 E. Sixth St., Ste. 102 in Fremont. For additional information visit www.ebyfineart.com.
Saturday

HomeStore open, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart-to-heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Jessie Benton Family Dinner, 6:30 p.m., Izaak Walton Park, 2560 W. Military Ave., Fremont. The menu will feature corn beef and cabbage, potatoes, carrots, a salad, dessert, coffee or drink. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. A paid meal includes 20 free games of bingo. The dinner is open to the public.

Bob Olsens All Star Jazz Concert, 7-8:30 p.m., Fremont Opera House, 541 N. Broad St., Fremont. The concert will celebrate Olsens 94th birthday. Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased by calling Tom Adamson at 402-719-6748 or via email at tadamson@neb.rr.com. The show will feature jazz tunes, older standards and dancing music.

Rock the Block  St. Patricks Day Edition, 7 p.m., St. Patricks Auditorium, 435 N. Union St., Fremont. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase all evening. The Nebraska All Star Rock & Roll Band will be performing music from the 60s and 70s from 7-10 p.m. A reverse happy hour will follow from 10-11 p.m. Tickets will be $25 at the door. Proceeds will benefit St. Patricks Church and School.

Spiritual 12-Step Recovery Program, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Footloose  The Musical, 7:30 p.m., Fremont High Schools Nell McPherson Theatre. Advance tickets, which are $12 for adults and $6 for students, may be purchased online at fremont.booktix.com.

Narcotics Anonymous The Lie is Dead meeting, 8 p.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Sunday

Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity meeting, 10:30 a.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511.

Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to 6 p.m., 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business.

Footloose  The Musical, 2:30 p.m., Fremont High Schools Nell McPherson Theatre. Advance tickets, which are $12 for adults and $6 for students, may be purchased online at fremont.booktix.com.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Monday

TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults  male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.

Lightkeepers Womens Group, 10 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business.

Hormel Happy Hour, 3-4 p.m., Nye Square Wellness Center, 655 W. 23rd St., Fremont. An RSVP is required by calling Mary Atkinson at 402-721-9224.

Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont.

Celebrate Recovery, 6:30 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road.

Fremont Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m., Main Street Education and Administration Building, 130 E. Ninth St., Fremont. The meeting is open to the public.

Fresh Hope Mental Health Support Group, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont.

Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont.

Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont.
Two men remained at the Lancaster County jail Thursday, a day after prosecutors charged them in connection with 645 pounds of marijuana found in their rental truck.

Brandon Arrington, 30, of McDonough, Georgia, and Edward Babb of Houston both are facing four felonies: two counts of possession with intent to deliver and two counts of no drug tax stamp.

In an affidavit for their arrests, a Lancaster County Sheriff's deputy said he stopped a GMC Penske rental truck with Virginia plates Tuesday after seeing its passenger side tires cross onto the shoulder of Interstate 80 near the Lincoln Airport exit.

During the traffic stop, the deputy became suspicious the men were involved in criminal activity.

They both denied a request to search the truck, but the deputy deployed his police dog around it after seeing what he believed to be marijuana residue on the floorboard.

The search turned up 645 pounds of marijuana and 4.74 pounds of THC vapor pens in the truck's cargo area inside cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic wrap, according to court records.

On Wednesday, at their first court appearances on the charges, Lancaster County Judge Matt Acton set their bonds at $250,000.
Two men were arrested Saturday after a traffic stop on Interstate 80 uncovered 44 pounds of meth and roughly 9,000 fentanyl pills.

Seward County Sheriff's deputies stopped a Chevrolet Tahoe heading east near mile marker 382, according to a news release. Deputies say they were tipped off by suspicious behavior by the vehicle's occupants.

A search of the vehicle also found a stolen gun, authorities said in a news release.

Authorities arrested Fausto A. Castro-Mendoza of Phoenix and Jesus Villanueva of Denver on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Villanueva was also found to have outstanding warrants in Colorado.

They were taken to jail without incident.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2023
Lawmakers in the Colorado state House Spent Thursday afternoon, evening and early Friday morning debating a proposal to establish a three-day waiting period for purchasing firearms and a bill on safe injection sites.

But most of the talking was done by Republicans, who engaged in a lengthy filibuster as an attempt to persuade Democrats to either water down the bills, or get rid of them entirely.

Neither worked.

Both House Bill 1219, on a three-day waiting period for purchasing firearms, and House Bill 1202, which would allow for safe injection sites for drug users, passed on voice votes early Friday morning.

But the filibuster turned into an elaborate game of chicken and in the end, Republicans lost.

Here's why: The debate over the three-day waiting period started around 1:15 p.m. on Thursday and continued until nearly 3 a.m. Friday. Since the debate went past midnight, a final vote on the bill won't take place on Friday, under state law that requires one intervening midnight between second reading debate and the final vote. That means its first chance for final passage would be on Saturday.

Saturday also happens to be the day that Republicans will gather in Loveland to elect a new party chair. All of the Republican lawmakers are part of the state party central committee that would elect that new leader.

Democrats announced when the House finally adjourned around 7 a.m. Friday that there would be no Friday session and they will convene at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Under the rules, Republicans would be required to be at the Capitol for the Saturday session and would have to be granted approval to be excused to attend the meeting in Loveland, a highly unlikely prospect.

House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, confirmed the strategy with Colorado Politics Thursday evening.

"We have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time," Duran said. "I want to make sure we get our work done. If it takes a Saturday, it takes a Saturday ... we'll stay until we get them done."

House Bill 1219 is sponsored by Reps. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder and Meg Froelich, D-Englewood.

The Republican filibuster started off almost immediately, with Rep. Ken DeGraaf, R-Colorado Springs, reading off a 6,000-word essay by Dave Kopel, research director for the Independence Institute, on the history of waiting periods and legal decisions tied to them. Throughout the night, Republicans offered a dozen amendments, but only one succeeded.

That change was to remove the safety clause in favor of a petition clause, offered by House Minority Leader Mike Lynch, R-Wellington.

A safety clause means the bill becomes law upon the governor's signature. Its language is intended for bills that impact public safety, and while use of the safety clause is often abused by lawmakers, it appears to be a logical fit for HB 1219.

The petition clause allows a delay in the implementation in the bill  in HB 1219, that implementation date is Oct. 1, 2023. That would give citizens the opportunity to launch a ballot measure intended to block the bill.

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That's only happened twice in the last 100 years, in 1932, on a bill regarding oleomargarine, and more recently, in 2020, an effort to block Colorado's participation in National Popular Vote. Proposition 113 failed by a 52.33 percent to 47.67 percent vote.

What's notable, however, is that the two people who led the ballot measure campaign are now members of the Republican caucus in the state House: Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Rose Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs and Rep. Don Wilson, R-Monument.

The second bill lawmakers tackled early Friday morning was on safe injection sites, a shorter debate that started just after 3 a.m. and wrapped up just before 7 a.m.

HB 1202 is sponsored by Reps. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn and Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver.

Willford told the House: "You have to be alive to get well ... Their lives matter."

HB 1202 would allow cities to operate a facility where an individual can access illegal substances, including drug equipment, as well as access counseling and referral services.

Supporters say the sites save lives, help connect people to treatment services and reduce instances of people using drugs in public places. Critics counter that the approach normalizes substance abuse and potentially increases crime. They also argued that the sites will lower property values. An amendment from Rep. Mary Bradfield, R-Colorado Springs, would have sought to put 2,000 feet between a facility and a school, child care facility, playground, senior center or health care facility. That amendment failed.

Another amendment from Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Fort Lupton, would require facilities to post notices on the dangers of drug use, along with pictures of what drugs to a person's face and other parts of the body. It also failed.

I cant tell you how many times Ive heard from my residents who are finding needles in the park where children play, seeing people use drugs on trails and bathrooms, witnessing Narcan being administered behind the grocery store and losing their loved ones, Willford said during a Wednesday hearing on the measure.

She told the House early Friday morning the bill was intentionally drafted to make sure before a community says "yes," it has a chance to decide about guardrails, to talk to law enforcement and to the community.

This is a public health and local control approach to give cities the tools they need to address substance use disorders, she added.

The bill was amended at the request of Republicans to strike the safety clause and add a petition clause. A second amendment, offered by Willford, will require public hearings before the sites can be set up.

Both bills will be up for a final vote on Saturday. They are expected to pass with the Democrats' supermajority, and then head to the Senate.

The Denver Gazette's Julia Cardi contributed to this report.
The shooting incident in Tel Aviv, as a result of which at least three people were injured, is a serious terrorist attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"There was a severe terrorist attack in Tel Aviv tonight. I pray for the well-being of the wounded and express support for the police and security forces operating on the ground," he said.

Earlier, the press service of the Israeli police reported a shooting incident on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, during which three people were injured. The police called the incident a terrorist attack. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated.
Politicians delusional nonsense

My goodness!

What is happening in the Democratic Party of Denver, Colorado?

Is there so much second hand weed smoke floating around the party headquarters that its destroying their brain cells?

What in heavens name is (D) Representative Jennifer Bacon dreaming about when she says that Non-prosecution of low level crimes has been shown to reduce re-offending.

Was Rep. Bacon asleep when she made that statement? Was she hallucinating from some euphoric high induced by her own self-importance? Where on this earth did she get any substantiated proof that this is the case, or did she pull that statistic out of the Democratic bag of bulls----?

Ms. Bacon better wake up and smell the bacon!

Repeat offenders keep breaking the law until they are caught and severely punished, and even then most of them return to crime as soon as they are able.

The political atmosphere in Denver is becoming more and more polluted with delusional nonsense on a daily basis.

Tom Guenther

Denver Colorado

Coddling the criminals

Heres a novel idea. Our government seems intent on coddling criminals so lets coddle them!

Convicted criminals can be presented with a second chance, we should follow the lead of our governor. Just like refugees, give them a one-way ticket to Los Angeles or, if they prefer a cooler climate, Chicago. Regardless, there should also be the equivalent of a warrant issued; they are not to return to Colorado. If they do, and are caught, they will be banished to a camp, perhaps Camp Amache with similar historical conditions.

This could provide us a replication of our Japanese citizens experience for nothing more than being Japanese. On the other hand, these new inhabitants of Camp Amache will have earned it.

Paul Gremse

Denver

Warning of another danger

Mike Rosen recently quoted the often mentioned Eisenhower 1961 Farewell Speech referencing the military industrial complex. When this quote comes up in any conversation I am in, I ask the person that brought it up if they have ever read the full speech to see what the context was when that was said, and what else may have been said in that speech.

The answer is almost always, No, why? It appears that Rosen did read the speech and gives some context later in the paragraph, so good for Mike.

What is never mentioned in the rest of the speech covers a concern of equal urgency.

That is a nearly unlimited government funding of academia towards scientific research that would create a danger that public policy itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite. Think about what that warning might include today. One sided government research that would direct a major change in the world economy for a Existential threat to earth itself due to Global Climate Change.

Perhaps governments creating a serious blow to the global economy because of a release of an escalated virus by uncontrolled scientists. Or blindly following the current science to require untested vaccines or compliance of the public to all made up rules of conduct.

Compliance with almost all woke issues of the last 10 years. And, almost certainly, the one sided and biased information from social media that goes without regulation.

President Eisenhower was indeed an intelligent man with foresight into the U.S. future. When the defense budget is at 15% of the national total and 3.3% of GDP, for a primary obligation of the federal government, it seems the Military Industrial Complex is under control. Perhaps we should focus more on the other danger mentioned by Eisenhower. How come that never is mentioned in reasonable debate?

Brad Bernero

Parker

Affordable senior health careAs a 92-year-old retiree, I understand how important affordable healthcare is to seniors. I worked for many years at a union, manual labor job with other hard working Americans. I have seen, firsthand, how important quality healthcare is as we age, which is why its vital that we protect Medicare Advantage.

As one gets older, health complications increasingly arise. Whether its experiencing hearing loss, injuring a body part, or being more susceptible to viruses, seniors must proactively take care of themselves and their health. That is why access to affordable, quality healthcare is important, especially for the elderly and people with disabilities.

I am enrolled in Medicare Advantage, and I could not be more satisfied with the program as a supplement to my Medicare Plan. I have access to screenings and other preventative measures, which gives me confidence in knowing my care is in the best of hands. Health concerns are part of life, but I have significantly less anxiety knowing Medicare Advantage enables me to diagnose issues early.

Studies have proven that Medicare Advantage enrollees, such as me, lead significantly healthier lives, and given the various benefits offered, it is easy to understand why. In addition to normal coverage, I have access to wellness programs, telehealth services, and other resources to aid in my general health. I encourage us all to support programs, such as Medicare Advantage, that benefit so many people in our community.

Donald Walker

Denver
They are, in the words of Pulitzer-Prize winning author David Hoffman, dreamers who dared to wish for more.

They are people like Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine. Or Alexei Navalny, imprisoned opposition leader and freedom fighter in Russia. Or Mahsa Amini, the young woman whose death in Iran is fueling mass protests against the hijab laws. Or Tank Man, the unidentified Chinese man who faced down a column of tanks in Tiananmen Square.

They are sometimes relatively unknown to us here in America, like Oswaldo Paya, a dissident who dared to defy Fidel Castro in Cuba, inspiring thousands of Cubans to fight for democracy.

They are liberty's torchbearers, intrepid souls who are lighting flames of freedom all over the world, and sometimes across multiple generations, refusing to let the dream of democracy die.

I think there are people like Paya in these places, people with incredible endurance and principle, Hoffman told me. They are not often in the headlines, but they are there.

Hoffman, a longtime editor and reporter for The Washington Post, was in town at the Tattered Cover over the weekend to talk about his new book, "Give Me Liberty: The True Story of Oswaldo Paya and his Daring Quest for a Free Cuba."

Paya formed a pro-democracy movement in Cuba in the 1990s. A devoted Catholic, he championed a simple, bedrock belief that rights are bestowed by God, and not the state, Hoffman writes. Every day, he witnessed these rights trampled in Cuba. He could not stay silent.

In 1998, in the twilight of Castros rule, Paya launched the Varela Project, challenging Castros dictatorship with an unprecedented nationwide citizen petition demanding democratic reforms such as free speech and free association. The petition was perfectly legal, allowed by a little-known clause in the constitution that Paya exploited.

Paya and his fellow liberty lovers secretly collected 11,020 signatures door to door, then surprised Castro by submitting them with great fanfare to the National Assembly in 2002. They added 14,384 signatures the following year, and nuns kept 10,000 more signatures secretly hidden. All told, more than 35,000 Cubans had signed the petition.

But Paya and his movement paid a heavy price. Castro responded by ignoring the petition, arresting dozens of Payas followers and sending them to prison for many years.

After receiving multiple death threats, Paya was killed in a suspicious car wreck on a remote country road, a martyrdom chillingly recounted in the opening pages of Hoffmans book.

Payas dream of democracy did not die with him, however. Just as he inherited his thirst for liberty from Felix Varela, a 19th-century priest and philosopher who was Cubas most illustrious educator, so he passed it along to activists and protesters to come.

As recently as July 11, 2021, protesters inspired by Paya took to the streets in a massive demonstration. The ourpouring was sparked by a Facebook live video, and there are still small and local protests reverberating to this day.

Hoffman believes its only a matter of time until Cuba is free.

I think Cubans lost their fear long ago  it is one of Oswaldos legacies, Hoffman told me.

Cuba today resembles the Soviet Union in 1983  it is showing signs of deep stagnation, added the former Moscow correspondent.

There are severe food shortages; electricity blackouts; the country that once produced one quarter of all the worlds sugar now barely produces enough to satisfy its own needs. So conditions are dire. This is one precondition for change. The other is that the Cuban people have to demand change, as they did on July 11, 2021. I think the popular desire for change is now stronger than it has been at any time during the last 64 years. At some point it will break through.

Hoffman's story of Paya's journey tries to answer larger questions about the innate quest for liberty.

How do people gain the right to think and speak freely, advocate their views, follow their conscience, worship or assemble as they desire without persecution? Hoffman asks. How do they secure the right to choose their leaders and set the course for their own future? What does it take to attain such freedoms?

Hoffman said he tends to be an optimist about the democratic future. Just ask anyone who has lived for a few years under a true dictatorship  anyone who has come up against jail time for shouting something in the street, or who has struggled with bread lines or who has been targeted by the secret police for a tweet  if they like it. Given a chance, people flee them. Open societies and democracy are more resilient because they are able to self-correct, adapt and enjoy legitimacy.

Interestingly, just as I was talking to Hoffman, Freedom House released a new report that shows, after many years of stagnation and backtracking, democracy is on the march again.

This years Freedom in the World survey notes that the number of countries suffering democracy declines in 2022 was the lowest in 17 years, and was nearly matched by the number of countries experiencing improvements.

If five decades of global monitoring tell us anything, it is that the demand for fundamental rights is universal and impossible to extinguish, the reports authors wrote. Pro-democracy movements have arisen again and again in some of the worlds most repressive environments."

Hoffman is realistic about a looming global contest between democracy and dictatorship that did not exist 15 years ago. Something has changed, and we are in for a new struggle, he said. But he sees the same kind of long-term hope Freedom House does.

Oswaldo Paya showed, Hoffman writes, that no state, no matter how dictatorial, can imprison an idea forever. The quest for liberty runs free.
Mayoral candidate Wayne Williams did not violate city campaign code by partially depicting Colorado Springs Fire Department personnel, equipment and facilities in three versions of a campaign ad he is airing, city officials announced Friday evening.

"Following a review conducted by the City Clerk's Office and the Human Resources Department, reasonable grounds do not exist to establish a violation of city code  or initiate enforcement action in municipal court," a city news release states.

In a complaint filed Wednesday with the City Attorney's Office, nonpartisan resident group Integrity Matters claimed Williams violated city code by partially depicting Colorado Springs Fire Department personnel, equipment and facilities in 6-second, 15-second and 30-second versions of a campaign ad he is airing on Facebook.

The complaint alleged Williams' ad "unethically ties his campaign to city resources and gives the appearance (the Colorado Springs Fire Department), which is a city department, is in support of his campaign."

The group said it believed Williams violated a section of city code prohibiting the use of "city resources to support or oppose, directly or indirectly, a person running for office, the retention of a person who is the subject of a recall election, or an election issue."

The city on Friday disagreed.

"The review found that no city resources were used to film the equipment, personnel, buildings or logos of the Colorado Springs Fire Department contained in the advertisement," the release said.

Williams said Friday the city's decision vindicates claims he made this week that the ad did not violate city code.

"I appreciate the quick and thorough review of the allegations. As I said, my campaign contacted the Fire Department and followed the instructions we were given. I'm glad to have the opportunity now to focus on the issues of the campaign and my support for public safety, transportation and infrastructure, and economic vitality," he said.

Williams said he also was "gratified by the support of" the Professional Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 5, "but that is absolutely in their independent capacity."

Integrity Matters President John Pitchford said Friday evening he believed the city employees conducting the investigation ruled in Williams' favor out of fear of retaliation.

"These people are afraid to go up against Wayne Williams because they're afraid he's going to be their next employer," Pitchford said.

Williams said the claim was "without merit."

Concerned about a possible conflict of interest, Integrity Matters on Friday morning called for an independent investigation into their complaint. City Attorney Wynetta Massey's office oversaw the investigation conducted by City Clerk Sarah Johnson and the Human Resources Department, and both Massey and Johnson report to Mayor John Suthers, who has endorsed Williams in his run for mayor.

The group called on the Colorado secretary of state and attorney general to assist in the matter.

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Neither the City Attorney's nor City Clerk's offices immediately responded to The Gazette's requests for more information, including whether the city would honor the group's request.

Colorado Secretary of State spokesman Jack Todd said in an email that because Colorado Springs is a home-rule charter city, the secretary of state "would have no jurisdiction over a case such as this."

The state Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to The Gazette's request for more information.

Pitchford said Friday Integrity Matters should continue demanding an independent investigation into their complaint. He questioned why Williams was allowed to depict Colorado Springs fire personnel, equipment and facilities while another mayoral candidate's similar request was denied.

"This discrepancy between two outcomes  both are running for mayor, one gets special privilege while the other gets denied. Of course, it needs to be investigated," Pitchford said.

Sallie Clark also is running an ad that partially depicts firetrucks, firefighting equipment and a firehouse, though no logos are clearly visible.

She said this week she used stock footage and photos, including one depicting fire equipment from a South Carolina town, after she reached out to the Colorado Springs Fire Department, which told her she could not film in front of the fire museum located at 375 Printers Parkway.

In a Feb. 7 email to Clark, obtained by The Gazette, the Fire Department's deputy chief of support services, Steve Dubay, referred to the same section of city code regarding use of city resources to campaign.

A monument sign for the fire museum is partially depicted in all three versions of Williams' ad.

In a statement he gave to investigators, Williams' campaign manager Ryan Lynch said the team "went out of our way" to contact the Fire Department "to make sure that we were in bounds." Lynch also said he had an attorney review the ad before it aired.

"All of our shots were from the street area and (rights of way)," Lynch told investigators.

Fire Department spokesman Capt. Mike Smaldino told investigators he denied the request from the Williams' campaign to film indoors at the fire museum, but told them "they could only film in areas that could be accessed by the public and from the public view."

Integrity Matters group members said this week they believed the areas Williams' team accessed to film footage were on Fire Department training center grounds owned by the city.
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.
Sweden and Finland are making positive steps to fulfil the trilateral memorandum, which is required for them to join NATO, Ibrahim Kalin, the spokesman for the Turkish president, said on Thursday.

"We are waiting only for the full implementation of the trilateral agreement. They are taking positive steps in that direction. We will continue to monitor this process," the TRT television channel quoted him as saying.

According to the spokesman, "the speed and principles of the admission of Sweden and Finland [to NATO], jointly or separately, will depend on the steps they take."
Americans will be springing forward early tomorrow morning as we resume a tradition dating back to 1918, when the move was implemented to conserve energy in the face of a wartime economy. Year-round daylight saving time (DST) was introduced during World War II, and again in 1970, both times with the same motive. The latter experiment was an utter failure, lasting just two years.

Only a few days ago, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) reintroduced the Sunshine Protection Act of 2023, which is designed to make permanent DST.

It seems the old proverb rings true once more: everything old is new again.

Opponents of DST cite a laundry list of reasons for their agitation surrounding the biannual change, from suggesting the practice leads to sleep pattern disturbances, even citing research that purportedly suggests changing the time twice a year increases the risk of heart attacks, depression and suicide.

Rare exceptions notwithstanding, opposition to the tradition seem overwrought for a couple of reasons.

First, were talking about one hour. Three thousand six hundred seconds.

I suspect many who lament the loss of an hour in the spring have no problem staying out late for concerts or other happy occasions.

Likewise, few seem to have circadian rhythms upended by sleeping in for an extra hour from time to time.

Its been said the worst lies are the ones we tell ourselves, including the fallacy of losing an hour of sleep tonight. Its a choice. You dont have to lose an hour of sleep. Instead, decide to go to bed an hour earlier  or sleep an hour later than you usually would tomorrow. Just dont miss church.

Second, history is a great teacher. It was George Santayana who wisely observed, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Its curious why proponents of permanent DST seem oblivious to the negative sentiment of the early 1970s, when Americans grew weary of going to and coming home from work in the dark. It also did nothing to reduce energy costs, the whole purpose of the original move.

The biannual imbroglio brings to mind the old story of the Greek philosopher Demosthenes who was once teaching a listless crowd about matters of life and death.

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The teacher began telling of a man who rented a donkey to carry sticks over a mountain. Halfway through the hot and sunny journey, the man stopped for a break and sat in the shade of the animal. The owner of the burro joined him but soon discovered there wasnt room for both men.

An argument ensued as the owner of the animal contended he rented out the donkey  not the donkeys shade. The Greek academic then walked off the stage and the once-listless crowd suddenly grew restless and agitated, yelling out and wanting to know who owned the shade. Demosthenes returned.

You didnt seem to care about matters of life and death, he chided them. But you care about the trivial like the shade of a donkey!

I sometimes wonder if were guilty of the same thing, especially when it comes to the debate about daylight saving time. Here we are arguing about losing and gaining an hour  but wouldnt we be better off pondering how we spend our time overall?

Time is a finite resource. While we all have the same amount in a day, not everyone will enjoy the same number of days in their lives.

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst, wrote William Penn over 300 years ago  a reminder that times change but human nature doesnt.

Instead of arguing about the hour  how about being grateful we have any time at all?

So regardless of where you are on the spectrum of the DST debate, the words of the Roman poet Horace  contemporized over 2,000 years later by the late Robin Williams in the classic, Dead Poets Society still ring true:

Carpe diem.

Paul J. Batura is a local writer and host of the podcast, What a Life! Lessons from Legends. He can be reached via email Paul@PaulBatura.com or on Twitter @PaulBatura.
After two days of debate and filibuster, the Democrats who control the majority in both chambers of the Colorado General Assembly approved a package of proposals they say will help curb gun violence in the state.

The House on Saturday signed off on House Bill 1219, which establishes a three-day waiting period after purchasing a firearm but before delivery of that weapon.

House Republicans staged a filibuster on the bill for 14 hours, beginning early Thursday afternoon and continuing into early Friday morning. The most significant change to the bill came from a Republican-sponsored amendment to remove its safety clause, which would have allowed the measure to become law with the governor's signature. Instead, HB 1219 now has a petition clause, which would allow citizens to petition for a ballot measure for voters to decide on the law as soon as the 2024 general election.

That mechanism has only been used twice since 1932  on a bill that year on oleomargarine, and in 2020, when two Republicans now in the state House launched a campaign to overturn Colorado's participation in the national popular vote. That campaign made it to the 2020 ballot but voters approved the legislature's decision.

Lawmakers avoided a filibuster on Saturday, as third reading votes  that's when the full chamber votes on a measure  limit the amount of time someone can speak to 10 minutes each. But most of the Republicans used the maximum time allotted to make one final push for votes against the measure, leading to a debate of more than three hours.

Lawmakers split 44-20 on HB 1219, with two Democrats voting with Republicans. That included a "no" vote from Rep. Said Sharbini, D-Thornton, who also voted against the bill when it was heard in the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Wednesday, as well as from Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch.

The Senate worked on the other three bills for about 13 hours on Friday, adjourning just before midnight.

The longest debate occurred over Senate Bill 170, which seeks to broaden the list of those who can seek an extreme risk protection order  better known as Colorado's red flag law  to remove firearms from someone who is considered a danger to themselves or to others.

SB 170 adds district attorneys; health care providers, including mental health professionals; and, educators at both the K-12 and higher education levels to those who can seek the red flag petition. Currently, petitions can be sought only by law enforcement and family and other household members.

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The second bill, Senate Bill 168, allows gun victims to sue for damages in civil court firearms manufacturers, as well as dealers. The measure is a work around to a 2005 federal law, known as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which has shielded the firearms industry from civil lawsuits.

SB 170 was amended with several technical changes on Friday, while SB 168 was not amended during the debate.

That wasn't the case for the third bill, Senate Bill 169, which, as first reported by Colorado Politics early Friday, was rewritten with a major amendment offered by co-sponsor Sen. Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton.

SB 168 bans the sale or possession of firearms for those between the ages of 18 and 21. Current law allows 18-year-old individuals to purchase and possess firearms. As a rationale for the legislation, supporters pointed to mass shootings increasingly being committed by those under the age of 21, including at Columbine and the STEM school in Highlands Ranch.

The Mullica amendment addressed a host of concerns about conflicts the law would create for rural Coloradans and for young people who want to participate in hunter education programs offered by the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife. Those programs are available to those as young as 10 years old.

As introduced, the bill allowed those under 21 to use a firearm only with the supervision of an immediate family member over the age of 25. As amended in the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee Wednesday, the bill created an affirmative defense for Coloradans who must defend livestock from predators.

Mullica told Colorado Politics that language is also used in the state's safe storage law and added he is trying to be consistent with that law.

However, the bill was rewritten to remove that language, and, as changed, allows for an individual aged 18 to 21 to possess  but not purchase  a firearm for defense of livestock, active-duty military and law enforcement, for target or sport-shooting, for gunsmithing classes offered at state colleges and for those who hold hunting licenses or are enrolled in the state's hunter education programs. (Currently, only Trinidad State offers a gunsmithing program).

The three Senate bills are slated for a final vote in the Senate on Monday.

Meanwhile, HB 1219 now heads to the Senate.
A Mason City man already facing arson, burglary and drug charges is facing an additional 45 years in prison after more charges were filed on Thursday.

According to court records, 38-year-old Zachary Bruce Sankey has been charged with two counts of second-degree arson and a count of first-degree arson.

A statement from Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley said the Mason City Fire and Police Departments responded to numerous fire calls between 5:22 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. Feb. 28 at the following locations:

Garage fire at 324 S Kentucky Avenue at 5:22 a.m.; brush fire at Birch Drive and North Rhode Island Avenue at 5:30 a.m.; vehicle fire at Arona Home Essentials, located at 3701 Fourth St. S.W. at 6:25 a.m.; structure fire at Brothers Ace Hardware, located at 440 S. Illinois Ave. at 6:45 a.m.; and a structure fire at Gracious Estates, 777 S. Eisenhower Ave. at 7:15 a.m.

The new charges cite the fires started at Gracious Estates, 324 S. Kentucky Ave. and Arona Home Furnishings.

Sankey is being held on $105,000 bail at the Cerro Gordo County Jail after allegedly being caught with methamphetamine on March 7 after posting bail on March 6.

North Iowa history in photos: Mason City street scenes of the early 1900s 1937 Downtown MC.jpg Cigar and peanut wagon on Federal 1909.jpg Parade for the July 4th 1910.jpg 1920 Ford dealeship in Mason Cityr.jpg 1901 Uncle Tom's Cabin Parade MC IA.jpg 1910 Fire Department MC.jpg 1920s Birdsall's Ice Cream Store same location today..jpg 1910busy intersection standard oil wagon.jpg 1920 Commercial Bank on Federal with parked motorcycle.jpg 1915 Charles Hotel at Central Park with Trolley.jpg 1930 2nd St SE and Federal facing North Best.jpg 1915 Iowa Hardware Mutual Office Bldg old metalcraft bldg.jpg 1930s Jefferson Lines buses at the downtown depot MC.jpg 1915 State st North of delaware facing NE2.jpg 1930 East side Federal to State street.jpg 1915 Street scene at Charles Hotel with Trolleyand Olympia Billboard.jpg 1934 buildings being torn down Federal Ave 1.jpg 1918 North Iowa Fair 19th SW at Federal (Southport Mall site.jpg Mason_City_1212.jpg 1919 White Motor Cars on Federal MC.jpg
EDEN  An Eden man has been charged with intentionally abusing an infant who was found to have the powerful opiate fentanyl in its system when treated Feb. 22 at UNC Rockingham Health Center here, according to local authorities.

After treating the baby that had been brought in for emergency care, hospital officials alerted Rockingham County Sheriffs Office investigators to the infants health status, a sheriffs office spokesman said in a news release.

Subsequently, authorities arrested Caleb Jordan Richards, 24, of 1137 Harrison Crossroads Loop in Reidsville and charged him with intentional child abuse inflicting serious physical injury, a felony.

The child, who was not identified by the sheriffs office, is expected to recover.

No information about Richards relationship to the infant was immediately available. And it was not clear who brought the infant to the hospital for treatment in February.

Richards is being held in the Rockingham County Detention Facility on a $500,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court on April 3.
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has supported the Turkmen Association of International Road Carriers (THADA) in promoting digital invoices for the customs sphere of Turkmenistan, IRUs Director of TIR and Transit Services Tatiana Rey-Bellet said.

According to her, the result of this support was that in December 2022 Turkmenistan joined the e-CMR protocol (digital version of the CMR consignment note).

"At the same time, the customs and transport authorities of Turkmenistan have actively responded to the IRU's offer to cooperate with experts from other countries within the framework of a special UNECE group established to facilitate the practical implementation of digital waybills (e-CMR) based on a harmonized approach," the representative of the organization said.

Furthermore, she added that throughout 2022, the organization and the Government of Turkmenistan have maintained fruitful and close cooperation, achieving practical and tangible results in the field of international trade and transport.

"We have also laid a solid foundation to continue our collaboration in 2023 with even more ambitious goals. The transport industry warmly welcomed the gradual opening of Turkmenistan's borders for international traffic, which began in June 2022, after which the country's border crossings began to provide unhindered transit traffic," the director of the organization's department said.
Crew members from the USS Montana were in Helena this week to mingle with the public and leave behind a little something to help folks remember there is a nuclear-powered submarine prowling the ocean bearing the states name.

Commanding Officer Jon Quimby and a handful of crew members visited the Treasure State with the USS Montana Committee serving as their hosts.

While in Helena on Thursday they had a lunch at Fort Harrison at a lunch sponsored by the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce, the Helena Naval Reserve Center and the USS Montana Committee.

At 7 a.m. they said hello and fielded questions from attendees of Hometown Helena and left for a radio interview. At 5 p.m. they met with Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras and other state officials, including Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, in the old Supreme Court chambers of the state Capitol to present the commissioning pennant from the ship.

May this pennant be a permanent symbol of our dedication to protecting our nation and the dedication of our crew members to always be connected to and represent the people of Big Sky country, Quimby said, noting earlier that Montana, like the pennant, has been with the submarine every step of the way.

State officials said the governor has already determined a place where the banner will be displayed.

What a celebration, Juras said. I am just so proud of Montana and the journey through this.

Can you tell that when we get involved in Montana we go all in? she said to Quimby.

USS Montana was commissioned June 25 during a ceremony at a shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, making it the first Navy ship named after the Treasure State in more than 100 years. There were nearly 100 Montanans in attendance that day as the ship was christened by former secretary of the interior Sally Jewell..

The $2.6 billion Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine known as USS Montana SSN 794 will add the next generation of stealth, surveillance and special warfare capabilities to the Navy fleet, officials said.

Its 377-feet long and has a crew of about 140, Quimby said.

Quimby said earlier in the day that the significance of the commissioning pennant is a naval tradition that goes back to the 16th and 17th centuries, where all the ships of the fleet were sailing ships and it was difficult to tell apart. Warships began flying pennants from the main mast.

We continue that tradition and we have a commissioning pennant for every ship in the Navy, he said.

Quimby said he has visited Montana before on behalf of the submarine and received an outstanding reception from the public both times.

He said the Montana went on a sea trial in February 2022 and has been operational since then.

He said the submarine went into the shipyards in January for post shakedown availability in which all the bugs will be worked out. It will be redelivered to the Navy later this year and Montana will become part of the fleet and dock at Pearl Harbor.

Among those visiting with Quimby was Lt. Cody Popelka of Montana.

I love being on my home state boat, he said, asked to be assigned to the Montana. Its probably the coolest thing Ive ever done.

He said he is officer of the deck and monitors the ships operations and talks with the captain. He said hes the one most directly driving the boat.

Hes asked if he had trouble adjusting to a submarine after spending time in a big sky state.

Its a lot of small spaces but I really dont think about it, he said.

Popelka said his father was a submariner and lived in Billings, Townsend and Cut Bank. He said he graduated from Montana State University.

However, hes no longer the only Montanan onboard as the governor made all the crew members honorary Montanans. And in honor of the Treasure State's past of vigilante justice in the 19th century, the crew has adopted the nickname "The vigilantes of the deep."

Bill Whitsitt, chair of the USS Montana Committee, said the committee is sponsoring a USS Montana license plate and $20 a year will go to their programs. The committee is dedicated to supporting the submarine during its lifetime.

The ship is decorated with a Montana theme with state rooms named after Montana cities. Passageways are named for Montana rivers. The crew mess area, called the Big Sky Saloon, includes a Glacier Park panorama requested by Quimby.

The previous USS Montana, also called "Armored Cruiser No. 13, was commissioned in 1908 and was among the final class of armored cruisers to be built for the US Navy. She spent her active career in the Atlantic fleet and was decommissioned in 1921.

To know more

For more on the USS Montana Committee or to support the USS Montana, go to: https://ussmontanacommittee.us/
First United Methodist Church will be hosting a free concert as the Spring Tour for the University of Illinois Varsity Men's Glee Club from Champaign/Urbana area starts on Sunday, March 12, at 2 p.m. at the church located at 201 W. North St., Decatur.

There will be donations accepted for the choir.

For more information contact decaturfirstumc.org or 217-423-9711.

***

Decatur House of Prayer will be hosting a 12 hour Burn for Freedom to End Human Trafficking on March 18, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with continual prayer and worship at 1920 N. Oakland Ave., in Decatur.

There will be a panel from noon to 2 p.m. to bring awareness to Human Trafficking.

Volunteers are needed. For more information contact decaturhop@gmail.com

***

Deadline for items in Faith Notes is noon Monday for publication in Saturdays section. Send information to: Herald & Review, 225 S. Main St., Suite 200, Decatur, IL 62523, lmargerum@herald-review.com, or fax 217-421-7965. Please include a contact phone number for verification.
DECATUR  The Rev. Keenan Smith and his wife, Lorie, began a ministry they call Crosby Care at their church in Texas to provide new clothes for kids in need at the area schools.

The couple are from Decatur, and Lorie Smith is the sister of Rev. Kevin Horath, pastor of Hillside Bethel Ministries. When the Smiths had a truckload of clothes left over from their an annual Christmas giveaway, they offered to bring the clothes to Decatur on their next visit so Hillside can begin a clothing room.

Though Horath joked that they chose the coldest day of the year to unload the clothes on Friday, many hands made light work. A crew of volunteers unloaded the flatbed trailer and carried the items into the building that formerly served as the church, and later as the Hillside school before it moved into the newer main building, and now is being transformed into a youth center and will serve as the clothing room temporarily.

The distribution of those clothes will be 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 18, at the church, 3575 E. Greenhill Road. Anyone in need is welcome.

They've helped with hurricanes, fires, a chemical plant explosion, and just been a blessing to their community, Horath said of his sister and brother-in-law. They had some clothes they hadn't given away and were coming up to Decatur and said, 'Would Hillside like to give them away to their community?'

The clothes are in sizes for men, women and children, plus some shoes, mostly spring and summer wear, he said.

We said, we're just going to open our doors, take a basket of clothes they can use and take it, no strings attached, free of charge, Horath said. We'll have a table set up for prayer and a table set up with a list of resources in our community that can help people in need. Our community has done amazing things in the last days with the closing of Akorn and other things happening, so I just want to jump in on that. If we can help you, help the community, please come out and take some clothes and share them with your friends and family.

The Crosby Cares ministry in Crosby, Texas, works with the counselors at area schools to identify children in need, because the counselors know the children best, Smith said. Thanks to partnerships with local businesses, mainly Walmart, and fundraising by the Smiths' church and community groups, they're able to serve a large number of the students in surrounding small town districts. They pair the youngsters and their families with volunteers who shop with them, and depending on the amount of money they raise, buy an average of $100 worth of new clothes for the kids at Christmastime. They keep a running total to make sure each child receives exactly the same amount, and Smith said his wife excels at hitting the mark every time.

Some of the stories they hear break their hearts, Smith said. In one instance, a 13-year-old girl had never had a brand-new coat. She'd always had hand-me-downs or thrift store coats and while they kept her warm, getting to buy a brand-new coat and choose it herself was a blessing.

In another case, Crosby Cares took a family of children shopping to get appropriate outfits for their mother's funeral.

The Rev. Don Horath, retired founder of Hillside and father to both Kevin Horath and Lorie Smith, said the church's outreach ministries have thrived under his son's leadership.

The thing that is so impressive to me, is that under Kevin's leadership, we have expanded our community outreach, the elder Horath said. It's just phenomenal. We've fed people. Now we're clothing them. It's ministry on legs.

10 adorable photos of dogs from Decatur's PawPrint Ministries Enzo Eli Bellah Alice Sterling Sophie Payton Padgett Ollie Remington
DECATUR  Police have arrested one teenager and are seeking two other suspects in the shooting that left a pregnant Decatur woman dead and 4-year-old child injured.

Police said 20-year-old Janiah B. Thomas was 26.5 weeks pregnant when she died at Decatur Memorial Hospital on Wednesday after being shot in a residence in the 1300 block of North Woodford Street.

Thomas' family, in an online fundraiser on the website GoFundMe, said the injured child was her daughter, and that she was also mother of a 2-year-old son. Police and the family said the child was still receiving medical treatment Friday.

"She was an innocent bystander, sitting peacefully on the couch when she was struck by stray bullets," wrote Thomas' cousin, Rashanda Bond-Partee, on the fundraiser website, which is seeking help with medical bills, funeral costs and a trust for the children.

A 17-year-old was arrested Friday and was being detained at Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center on a preliminary charge of first-degree murder, according to Lt. Scott Rosenbery of the Decatur Police Department.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Mattavius A. Anderson, 18, and a 15-year-old whose name was not released because of state law regarding juveniles, Rosenbery said.

Both also face preliminary first-degree murder charges. Final charging decisions are made by the Macon County State's Attorney's Office.

In an interview with the Herald & Review, Bond-Partee, said the arrest was a small comfort for grieving family members.

"It doesn't bring her back, but it at least gives us a piece of hope that whoever did this gets caught and Janiah gets justice," she said.

Thomas, her cousin said, was full of life.

"She always had a smile on her face," Bond-Partee said. "She loved her children. She was a great mother. A great friend. A hard worker. She was so small, but she drove this huge forklift at Caterpillar."

Bond-Partee said the two talked frequently, and Bond-Partee would often tell Thomas to never give up on herself despite experiencing difficulties as a young mother.

"I always told her the sky is the limit," Bond-Partee said.

Another of Thomas' cousins, Jeremie Bond, said the family feels a void that will never be filled, even if all of those involved in her death are brought to justice.

"She was small in stature, but her personality was huge," Bond said. "I'd say she's 5 foot with a 7-foot smile. That's what I want people to remember."

There was nothing bad to say about his cousin, he said, and the tragedy came as a complete shock to her family.

"This is very hard," Bond said. "You would never expect it, and she's so undeserving of something like this happening to her."

Family members request the public to keep Thomas' two children in their prayers, said Bond-Partee, and to remember Thomas as someone who brought joy to all her loved ones.

"We want to keep her name alive," she said.

The investigation is ongoing, Rosenbery said. Police described Anderson as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 125 pounds, and said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information can call the Criminal Investigations Division at 217-424-2734 or CrimeStoppers at 217-423-8477.

Friday's arrest came one day after Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel pledged that his officers would work tirelessly to find those responsible for the crime.

"We will relentlessly pursue those responsible for this act of pure barbarism until they are brought to justice," Brandel wrote in a statement on the department's Facebook page. "There is no other option for our team."

The online fundraiser is available at bit.ly/janiahthomas.
BLOOMINGTON  The path that led Lisa Holder White to the bench of the state's highest court started out with wisdom from a reliable source: her mother.

"I wanted to be a lawyer, and my mom always gave the advice to us girls to bloom where you're planted," said Holder White, a Decatur native who was sworn in last year as the first Black woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court. "Every position that I held, every opportunity that I had, I worked hard to bloom."

Holder White shared her story with Central Illinois women and law officials Friday, where she was the keynote speaker at a luncheon held by the Women in Leadership group of Rotary District 6490 as part of their 2023 Speaker Series at Rob Dob's Restaurant in Bloomington.

She was born and raised in Decatur, where she grew up with two sisters and often spent time in her mother's beauty parlor, Shade of Color Beauty Salon.

After graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1993, Holder White served an assistant states attorney in Macon County before going into private practice. In 2001, she became the first Black judge in the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

"After my first sentencing hearing where I sentenced someone to prison, that was the topic of conversation in my mom's Sunday school class," said Holder White, a Republican who now lives in Sangamon County. "It's been a very interesting and beneficial journey for me."

In 2013, she was appointed to the Fourth District Appellate Court, becoming its first Black justice.

That same year, she was named Woman of the Year in a ceremony hosted by the Decatur YMCA and the United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois. She also has received the Joe Slaw Civil Rights Award from the Decatur branch of the NAACP.

As for becoming a Supreme Court Justice, Holder White said she never planned on it, especially with the redistricting of Illinois, and Decatur being moved from the Fourth Judicial District to the Fifth in 2022.

Then one day, her office received a call from now-retired Justice Rita B. Garman to have lunch, and the two talked about Holder White taking Garman's seat on the state's highest court.

"As far as I'm concerned, my entire career has been more about a calling versus a career," Holder White said. "It's something that I feel compelled to do."

Holder White then explained the state's judicial system in a presentation highlighting the three courts and giving insight into how cases reach the Supreme Court, including the controversial SAFE-T Act  which will have a hearing Tuesday  and the recent gun ban legislation.

Julie Dobski, former governor of the rotary district that hosted Friday's event, said the series is all about women in leadership sharing their lives and challenges while offering advice to others for inspiration and guidance.

"That's what women want to know, that there are people that they can call and people they can talk to if they have other questions," Dobski said. "Rotary is about helping each other and mentoring each other, that's really what it's about."

Photos: Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 49F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 49F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to help energy-starved Italy transform into a regional energy hub during his visit to the Italian capital on Friday.

After meeting with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Netanyahu said he wanted to increase natural gas exports to Europe via Italy.

Such a move would be welcome in Italy, which has struggled to replace natural gas imports from Russia.

Netanyahu and Meloni did not reveal the specifics of the import scheme.

"Italy has said it wants to be a hub for the supply of energy to Europe," said Netanyahu. "We think exactly the same thing, and we have gas reserves that we will start exporting, and we would like to expedite more gas exports to Europe through Italy."
Appalachian State University is making progress on its renovations at the Hickory campus in anticipation of the first classes starting in five months.

The App State Hickory Campus Advisory Council, a group of representatives from App State, Hickory and parts of the surrounding area formed to guide development of the new campus, heard updates at a meeting Friday afternoon.

App State Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Management Nick Katers told the group of the challenges the workers faced in upgrading the building, which was formerly the site of the headquarters for Corning Optical Communications.

When we started, none of the pneumatic thermostats worked in this building, Katers said. Most of the lights were burned out or not functional at all. The roof was in need of significant repair and had a few leaks in it and the building automation system was running on Windows 98.

The 225,000-square-foot building was built in 1963, with additions in 1972 and 1986. The university received $9 million in the state budget for the first phase of renovation.

Workers have since made a number of improvements to the property, including resurfacing the parking lot, putting in energy-efficient LED lighting on the first and fifth floors, removing wallpaper and repainting parts of the first floor.

The first floor will serve as the main academic area during the first year, featuring about 10 classrooms, a library and testing center.

The university is in the process of adding new carpet, paint and technology in seven of the first 10 classrooms. Katers said the university will be contracting with Hickory-based David E. Looper & Co. for the construction of three new classrooms, as well as some electrical and plumbing work. There is the possibility of new restrooms, as well.

The building required major updates to its information technology, with workers removing wires throughout the building because almost none of the IT infrastructure in this building was useful for a modern academic setting, Katers said.

By the time classes begin in August, we will have completely replicated the student experience from Boone, which will include high-speed wired and wireless internet and student spaces that have the latest in collaborative technology, he said.

Another major change in the works is the replacement of the 30-year roof with a new roof that can be equipped with solar panels. Katers said the bid for the new roof was recently approved and work is slated to begin in two months.
" " Decluttering a house as you age can be good for you and your loved ones. But it can be hard to have that conversation with elderly parents. kali9/Getty Images

Cleaning out the home of a loved one who has recently died or entered a nursing home is something most people dread, especially if they have no idea what to do with the all the items their loved one has accumulated.

Enter the Swedish death clean. It may sound morbid, but it can actually lighten the burden of grieving loved ones. Popularized in the book "The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning," by 80-something artist Margareta Magnusson, Swedish death cleaning is basically decluttering in your later years so that someone else doesn't have to do it for you.

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Magnusson herself is Swedish, but has lived all over the world. Her book was an immediate sensation in Sweden, and garnered serious interest in the U.S. once it was published there in 2018. In the book, Magnusson explains that the Swedes call it dostadning (a combination of the word "do," which means death and "stadning," which means cleaning).

So is this another integral part of Swedish culture that Americans could do well to emulate?

Ann-Charlotte Gavel Adams, professor emerita of Swedish studies at the University of Washington, emails that dostadning is not listed in any Swedish Academy dictionaries. She first heard of the concept 10 years ago from a man in his 70s, who was clearing out his artworks and books so that his sons wouldn't have to do it when he passed away. "He is still alive though. He used the word in a humorous tone," she says, adding, "I think the Swedes are as uncomfortable discussing death as Americans."

Even so, the concept has clearly struck a nerve in both countries. Boston-based professional organizer Rhea Becker, aka, "The Clutter Queen," added Swedish death cleaning to her list of services after reading Magnusson's book. "I have worked with so many relatives of people who never streamlined their belongings through Swedish Death Cleaning, only to leave a massive amount of stuff to the unfortunate next generation," she says in an email.

Author and motivational speaker BJ Gallagher has been on the receiving end of this accumulated stuff not once or twice, but three times in the last eight years. One of those homes was her mother's residence, where she lived for four decades.

"Along the way, I decided I wanted to start liquidating my own estate  before I become elderly and/or incapacitated  because I don't want my son to have the same headache dealing with my household at the end of my life," she explains in an email interview. "I decided that the greatest gift I can give my son is 'the gift of no burden'  so that's what I've been doing the past couple years  long before I ever heard the term Swedish death cleaning."

First on the chopping block was her art, clothes and jewelry because they all have significant value and aren't simple curbside donations. "I've used eBay and social media to sell these items  with great success. I made $30,000 last year selling my clothes, jewelry, and art  and it feels so great to lighten up and clear out space in my closets and in the rooms of my home," she notes.
The Cabarrus County Board of Education could soon be a partisan political body.

N.C. Rep. Kevin Crutchfield (R-Cabarrus) is considering introducing a bill that would make the change.

While the final decision has not yet been made, I am considering introducing legislation to help recognize the Cabarrus School Board race for what it is  partisan, Crutchfield said when asked about the issue. Our school board is critical to our childrens education. I want to make sure that our school board which is responsible for setting educational policy, managing the financial affairs of the schools, providing adequate school facilities, and ensuring every child is provided the opportunity to receive a sound basic education properly reflects the values of the community.

N.C. Rep Diamond Staton-Williams (D-Cabarrus) is not in favor of such a move.

I do not believe a partisanship school board is warranted. I believe it would negatively impact our standing in the community, Staton-Williams said.

N.C. Rep. Dr. Kristen Baker (R-Cabarrus) did not respond to a request for her position on the issue.

Crutchfield said he believes going partisan will give voters more opportunities to learn about the school board candidates.

Nonpartisan school board races cause much confusion and lack of participation, and thus this important election is often not at the top of most voters lists, Crutchfield said. Primary elections give the voters the opportunity to decide from a pool of candidates; provide voters a greater opportunity to learn about the candidates; as well as higher profile elections (that include a primary) increase voter turnout and down-ballot voter participation. I believe that by recognizing our school board race as partisan we work to help increase voter participation for our school board members, create a more informed voter base, and provides for a school board that properly reflects the values and goals of the larger population of the county.

Another bill might make the change

Carol Moreno Cifuentes, Policy and Programs manager for Democracy North Carolina, said another bill might make the change quicker.

Many educators have expressed concerns over these partisan election shifts, and the impact that it could have on representation across the state. H88: Omnibus Local Elections would shift board of education races from nonpartisan to partisan in Ashe, Cabarrus, Henderson, McDowell, and Mitchell counties, Cifuentes said.

HB 88 is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Rules Committee which was to meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The committee meeting was to be live streamed at http://bit.ly/3IRg9U1

In recent years, North Carolina has seen more than a quarter of the states 116 local school boards shift from nonpartisan races to ones in which candidates are identified by party affiliation, Cifuentes said.

Cifuentes said HB 88 is a local bill and would not be subject to a veto from the governor.

N.C. Sen. Paul Newton (R-Cabarrus) is a member of the Senate Rules Committee.
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 115 Kannapolis, located at 615 S. Main St. in Kannapolis, will hold a Rummage & Book Sale on Saturday, March 25, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Auxiliary invites all readers to come out and support our sale, plus have a coffee and enjoy a baked good.

The American Legion Auxiliary is the oldest patriotic womens organization in America. Our mission is to advocate for, help, and honor United States military, veterans and their families, and support The American Legion. Members are part of a national organization that has worked tirelessly since its inception on Nov. 10, 1919.

All proceeds from the sale will support local programs that fulfill our mission.
It is with great concern that I write this letter. This week the North Carolina Senate passed a bill that would make our Cabarrus County School Board elections partisan. Senator Paul Newton supported this bill.

Since this was completely under the radar I doubt that many readers have heard about it. We the citizens of Cabarrus County were not informed, There was not a chance to have public discussion, we did not have a say.

it is obvious that our N. C. House representatives were aware of the bill because it actually originated in the House Representatives. I respect each of our elected representatives and understand they deal with complex issues. In this case I do not think they represented the citizens.

I have never heard a citizen, parent, teacher or student say they thought we needed more partisanship on the school board. Our current school board seems to be off to a good start of focusing on students and improving education. We all agree on the importance of education and we do not need to let the divisions in our state and country be reflected any more than possible on our local education decisions.

There is another important reason to oppose this legislation that gets to the heart of democracy and freedom. Currently in North Carolina the largest group of registered voters are registered as unaffiliated.

If our School Board elections become partisan it will be almost impossible for an unaffiliated citizen to run for the local board of elections because they would have to get more than 2,500 verified signatures of registered voters in Cabarrus County to get on the ballot. Whereas a Democratic or Republican can simply file for election and be on the ballot. This does not represent free and fair elections which are guaranteed in our constitution and is not what our forefathers intended for a democracy.

It also disenfranchises forty percent of our citizens to seek a local elected office. The final vote will probably be this coming Tuesday or Wednesday. I urge you to contact our representatives now and ask them to have Cabarrus County removed from the bill! Later it could be put to a vote and let the citizens decide this important issue. Please call or email today.

State Senator Paul Newton

919-733-7233

Rep. Kevin Crutchfield

Rep. Kristin Baker

Rep. Diamond Staton- Williams has stated that she opposes this bill

Scott and Teresa Padgett

Concord

Retired career educators
Last year, 4,518 data breaches were reported globally with threat actors exposing or stealing 22.62 billion credentials and personal records, ranging from account and financial information to emails and Social Security numbers, a new security report has revealed.

According to the new State of Cyber Threat Intelligence report from risk intelligence firm Flashpoint a growing body of evidence demonstrates just how extensively cyber threats are overlapping, intersecting, and relatingfrom the resilient nature of the illicit communities where cybercriminals operate to the to the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) cyber threat actors use to execute their attacks.

Flashpoint examines why these threatsfrom the online spaces in which cybercriminals operate to the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they use to execute their attacksare cyclical and what that means from an intelligence and security perspective.

Consider the cycle of illicit communities, which is marked by the motions of takedowns (Raid Forums), resurrections (AlphaBay), and new venues (Libre) which may then be taken down, according to the reports intro.

Call it a game of cat-and-mouse, of chicken-and-egg. To aim to understand where this cycle begins and ends, however, is to miss the point. Like other cycles in the threat landscape, the cycle of illicit markets should be viewed as a converged, self-serving mechanism whose continuity is fuelled by competition, evolving technology, communication preferences, law enforcement partnerships, know-how and other intangibles, and much more.

And, like most modern organisations, threat actors employ multiple teams or individuals, with varying motivations and targets, as well as various tools to streamline the tasks that contribute to their main goalthe compromise of a victims systems.

Acording to Flashpoint, organisations cannot afford to view, prepare for, mitigate, and prevent these threats in silos, as though one threat (and the cycle it exists in) is separate from another.

Multiple disjointed feeds and solutions make identifying, prioritising, and mitigating persistent and evolving threats difficult and costly. Since threat vectors are converging, CISOs should aim to unify and rally their security and intelligence teams behind a single source of truth that integrates workflows between their Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI), Fraud, Vulnerability Management (VM), and IT Security teams, as well as other functions, Flashpoint says.

It is through this lens that we examine the trends, data, analysis, strategies, and insights that will impact the ways in which security and intelligence teams tackle challenges in 2023, Flashpoint concudes.
SPRINGFIELD  An appellate court threw out one charge and sent another back to trial court for a Coles County man convicted of sexually assaulting a child, citing multiple problems with the original case.

Tony W. Hawkins, 54, was sentenced in December 2019 to 57 years in prison on two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child: 32 years on the first count, 25 years on the second count. He was accused of forcing a child younger than 5 into sex acts.

On Friday, a three-judge panel of the Fourth District Court of Appeals reversed the trial court's decision on the first count and sent it back to the lower court for further proceedings. The justices found that the child in the case should not have been allowed to testify over closed-circuit television, rather than inside the courtroom with Hawkins, because prosecutors had not provided sufficient evidence as to why that was necessary.

Additionally, the appellate court agreed with Hawkins that the second count had not been filed properly. His conviction on that count was vacated, meaning he cannot be retried on that count.

Reached by phone Friday night, Coles County State's Attorney Jesse Danley  who did not hold the office at the time of the initial charges  said he was still assessing the impact of the appellate court ruling.

Its unfortunate, Danley said. That was a tough-fought case.

Danley added that then-Assistant State's Attorneys Jenifer Schiavone and Joy Wolf put in a lot of time catching up on and prosecuting this case, which had been started by then-Assistant State's Attorney Tom Bucher under a prior administration.

We have a child victim here who deserves justice, Danley said. I dont have any doubt in my mind that he committed the crimes and neither did the jury.

Hawkins was first charged in the case in December 2016, when prosecutors filed three counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child against him.

In January 2018, prosecutors said they had reached a negotiated resolution with Hawkins, according to a case history related as part of the appellate court ruling. Hawkins was to plead guilty to misdemeanor battery and avoid incarceration; prosecutors said their primary goal was to ensure the child remained covered by an order of protection, something the parties said was tied to Hawkins' conviction. A judge, after hearing from both parties, rejected the plea agreement.

In December 2018, the trial court empaneled a jury. The day after jury selection, prosecutors said the child had made a "new disclosure," and ultimately elected to dismiss the charges with the intention that new charges would be filed, according to the appellate court.

Later that day, prosecutors filed the two counts of which Hawkins was ultimately convicted by a jury. Then, on the first day of the September 2019 trial, one of the charges was amended, changing language related to a sex act.

Hawkins argued that the second set of charges violated a legal requirement that prosecutors must bring all known charges against a defendant at the same time, if the offenses all stem from the same event. He said the allegations were not, in fact, based on new information, citing earlier statements made in the case.

The appellate court agreed and vacated one count because of this reasoning. Justice Peter C. Cavanagh wrote in the opinion that prosecutors "knew about the allegations ... at the time of the filing of the charges in the previous matter," and should have charged the offense at that time.

Additionally, the appellate court sided with Hawkins' argument that the child in the case should not have been allowed to testify remotely. The trial court judge had granted the prosecution's request for this, basing the decision on prior testimony of the child's mother and her statements about how the child had reacted to a previous court hearing at which Hawkins was not even present.

Hawkins argued that prosecutors had not sufficiently proven the necessity of the child testifying remotely. The appellate court agreed, saying the trial court "abused its discretion" and noting that there was a "complete absence of evidence or case-specific findings establishing (the child) would be traumatized if she had to testify in the presence of (Hawkins)."

Hawkins is currently in custody at Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Because the first count was sent back to the trial court, further proceedings in Coles County are an option, Danley said.

If it can be retried, it will be retried, but there are a lot of other factors that go into these, Danley said of cases involving child victims. He noted the young age of the victim, who would potentially need to serve as a witness again. Its about the victim; its not about us.

READ THE APPELLATE COURT RULING

Editor's note: This document contains descriptions and subject matter that readers may find disturbing.

Today in history: March 11 1941: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1954: Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy 1985: Mikhail S. Gorbachev 1997: Paul McCartney 2006: Slobodan Milosevic 2012: Sgt. Robert Bales 2017: Preet Bharara 2020: Harvey Weinstein 2021: Uber
CHARLESTON  Jackson Myerscough, 9, is preparing to embark on a family vacation to Hawaii, arranged by Make-A-Wish Illinois, following his successful fight against acute myeloid leukemia.

Jackson's third-grade teachers and classmates at Carl Sandburg Elementary School wished him a joyful "aloha" Friday afternoon for the trip by throwing him a surprise party. They were decked out in Hawaiian leis as they ate cupcakes and presented him with a book full of encouraging letters.

"The kids were very eager to write their letters (on Thursday) and draw the pictures," said learning behavioral specialist Amy Wood, who helped with the party.

Wood said the book cover, created by teacher Paige Harrington, included a portrait of Jackson on the body of a superhero alongside an "aloha" message. The youngsters' letters offered Hawaiian travel tips, such as "build sand castles" and "see dolphins."

Jackson's mother, Cynthia Myerscough, said visits to beaches and dolphins are planned for their spring break trip next week. She said her ocean, wildlife and dinosaur loving son will get to swim with dolphins and tour "Jurassic Park" film locations, among other activities, thanks to Make-A-Wish.

"This is a wonderful organization that helps so many kids," Myerscough said of Make-A-Wish.

Myerscough said after Jackson was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in March 2019, she initially declined Make-A-Wish's services because she had thought they were just for terminally ill children.

Later, Myerscough said, she learned that Make-A-Wish helps fulfill the wishes of children with critical illnesses and she then welcomed this nonprofit organization's support.

Jackson spent nearly the entirety of six months undergoing cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, at the Riley's Children's Health hospital in Indianapolis, Myerscough said.

Local wish granter volunteers Diane Ratliff and Brenda Henry have been there for Jackson ever since he was released from Riley's and began outpatient care, Myerscough said. She added that they have provided gifts on special occasions, "just because" ice cream and many other kind gestures.

"They have been incredible throughout the whole thing," Myerscough said of the Make-A-Wish team.

Myerscough said Charleston school district teachers and staff also have been very supportive during Jackson's cancer treatment and return to classes. She said they continue to keep watch on Jackson, who is in remission, as he faces limb pain and side effects of his compromised immune system.

That support was evidenced again Friday afternoon by the surprise "aloha" party at Carl Sandburg, Myerscough said.

As they prepared for going to Hawaii, Myerscough asker her son how he feels about the community, his friends, family and teachers supporting him and celebrating his survivorship and wish trip with him.

They are the best, they are cool and kind. I am so so lucky," Jackson replied.

Gallery: Photos, video of the Carl Sandburg Elementary Halloween costume parade 'Creepy Carrots!' 'Hulk Smith' hand shake Jellyfish on parade Rounding a corner Costumed procession Watch now: See Carl Sandburg Elementary costume parade
DECATUR  Maroa-Forsyth eighth-grader Khadijah Abdul-Rahman will be heading to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in the Washington, D.C., area after successfully spelling the words "carpal" and then "hydroponic," securing her spot.

On Saturday, 22 spellers from the region competed on the Richland Community College Shilling Auditorium stage for the chance to go on to the national bee, with Bee Week beginning May 25 and finals broadcast Thursday, June 1, on the ION network.

The pronouncer providing the words for the spellers was Stu Ellis.

You are the experts, he said before the competition. And you are all winners in our view.

Another Maroa-Forsyth Middle School eighth-grader, Juan Soto, placed second.

Abdul-Rahman competed in the Macon County and regional spelling bees last year, placing fifth in the regionals. Preparation for this years competitions was the same, according to the eighth grader. Just extra, Abdul-Rahman said.

This year marks the 45th annual Regional Spelling Bee.

But the Regional Office of Education has been doing it for 25 years, said Jill Reedy, Macon-Piatt regional superintendent. We do Macon County, Piatt County and regional (spelling bees).

Ten counties, including Shelby, Effingham, Coles and Richland, were represented during Saturdays competition.

As an educator, Reedy said she gets excited about the spelling bees. My heart is pounding for them, she said. This is the big one.

Standing on the stage competing at the regional level is an accomplishment, according to the bee organizers.

These kids work really hard for it, Reedy said. When you go to Washington, D.C. (spelling bee), they have ESPN cameras lined up.

Judges for the competition included Ollie Inez Taylor, NCDA-certified career services provider; retired Decatur Public School teacher Malcolm Moore; and spelling bee coordinator Mary Lynn Mann.

Before the competition, Ellis warned the spellers the list of words contained several homonyms. For example, the definition was needed for the word "reign," to differentiate it from "rain" or "rein."

That will be a challenge, Ellis said before the competition. Not for you, but for me. I have to make sure that you understand the word that you are being asked to spell.

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Fluke, a leading provider of safe, rugged, and reliable industrial tools and integrated software, has launched its innovative solar tool, Solar Multifunction Tester 1000 (SMFT-1000), in the Middle East market at Middle East Energy 2023.

Equipped with best-in-class hardware and software integration, the SMFT-1000 streamlines PV installation, commissioning, and maintenance procedures. In addition, the tool also eliminates installation time by up to 20% and documentation time by up to 50%, enabling professionals to manage PV systems efficiently and accurately.

The I-V curve is one of the most common methods of determining how solar modules or solar strings operate in different working areas. The versatile SMFT-1000 enables I-V curve data to be compared instantly to measured data while in the field, displaying pass/fail visuals in real-time on the devices high-definition colour screen for easy detection without the need for a laptop or tablet. The tester can also be used for measurements of open voltage, short circuit or operating current, insulation tests, polarity checks, diode and earth bond testing. In addition, AC/DC power measurements to improve efficiency can be performed on the inverter.

Safe solutions

Zaid Asfour, Regional Sales Manager Middle East at Fluke, said: The introduction of the SMFT-1000 to the Middle East market is a significant development for Fluke, as it confirms the company's commitment to providing cutting-edge safe solutions to its customers in the region. Flukes PV testing tools are designed to operate reliably in extreme environments and are tested to survive errors that can occur in fieldwork, meeting all recommended safety requirements.

With the launch of our all-in-one PV tester, SMFT-1000 in the Middle East, we seek to leverage the increasing potential of the solar energy market. SMFT-1000 enables PV professionals to compile and analyse data as per industry standards, and provide a comprehensive and visual client report, making solar site installation and commissioning testing hassle-free.

Fluke has a strong presence in the Middle East, and the introduction of the SMFT-1000 to the market further strengthens the company's position as a leading provider of electronic test tools and software in the region. The company remains committed to delivering innovative solutions to its customers in the region, and the SMFT-1000 is just one example of this commitment.

Visitors to Flukes stand at MEE 2023, which get under way on March 7, will get an opportunity to closely observe the demonstration of SMFT -1000 and test the hardwares performance under the guidance of experts.-- TradeArabia News Service
MATTOON  Traveling to practice on controlled structure fires at the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign can be a financial burden for volunteer departments, so the institute periodically brings blazes to them.

That's what occurred on Saturday as the Lincoln Fire Protection District burned an acquired small house at 5355 Lerna Road, southeast of the Mattoon city limits, so its volunteers and cadets could train under the supervision of Fire Service Institute instructors.

East Central Illinois Regional Representative Tim Meister said the institute funded this training exercise through a grant from its Cornerstone Program, supported by the Illinois State Fire Marshal's Office. Cornerstone Program courses are delivered at no cost to firefighters and their departments.

"We can bring our certified instructors to that local department, wherever they are," Meister said. "We will come to you and you don't have to send your firefighters to us."

In Lincoln Fire's case, the structure fire took place in small house just south of the Family Worship Center church. The house was stripped ahead of time of materials that would be environmental hazards if burned, and its basement and attic doors were sealed shut as a safety measure for those training.

Dominic Baima, public information officer and volunteer firefighter with Lincoln Fire, said this department has sent firefighters throughout the region to train on controlled fires in acquired structures, so they appreciated having the opportunity to host one in Coles County.

"Having one in your own backyard isn't super common," Baima said.

Lincoln Fire is a 50-member volunteer fire department that covers 125 square miles of Coles County. The department has stations near Charleston, Lerna and Mattoon.

Meister, who is also assistant chief with the Charleston Fire Department, said each of the house's six rooms were cleared of furnishings in advance so the only thing in them that would burn in this controlled situation would be the paint, plus pallets and straw brought in for the training.

Wall holes in each room were sealed to prevent fire spread within the structure. Firefighters were set to conduct different training scenarios in each room before the entire structure was set alight for containment and extinguishing.

"The goal at the end of the day is for the house to be completely gone," Meister said.

Close PHOTOS: Firefighters battle grass fire along Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail
No one wants to throw cold water on peoples spirits, especially when the weather is as unpredictable as it is in March.

But this reminds us of the critical warning that goes with observances that center on socializing.

Dont drink and drive.

Illinois does not rank among the countrys top 10 for either the most money spent on St. Patricks Day or the number of drinks consumed. But Illinois is regarded as the second-most social state based on the percentage of residents who reported going out with friends or coworkers on that day. We only trail Florida.

This years day being a Friday practically doubles the opportunity to enjoy and the chance to make a life-altering mistake. St. Patricks Day is the countrys peak point for driving under the influence arrests. The police are on extra patrol. Even if they dont send out a reminder when they are.

The idea is not to escape the polices notice for inebriated driving. The idea is the reminder of the possibilities if a person gets behind the wheel and puts the police in a position where they have to make an arrest.

Make a plan, and make another plan. Even with the best intentions and the best-laid plans, a person can still end up driving while intoxicated. Have several different backup plans. Not only designate a driver but have a backup sober driver. Pre-program taxi or Uber drivers into your phone.

St. Patrick was born in Britain to a Romanized family. At age 16, he was taken prisoner by Irish raiders and carried into slavery in Ireland. After six years in servitude, he had a vision (which he credited to God) of his escape and returned to his home. Another vision led him to a 15-year journey to becoming a minister.

Patrick was never actually canonized by the Catholic Church because he lived prior to a formal canonization process. Patrick was likely proclaimed a saint by popular acclaim.

Patrick's Day started to honor Saint Patrick on the anniversary of his death. Christians held a great feast for which Lenten food and alcohol restrictions were temporarily removed, which is why drinking has become synonymous with the holiday.

Even though it became more about culture and turned into a universal party, it doesn't really represent true Irish culture anymore, let alone celebrate a religious man.
Daylight-saving time starts at 2 a.m. Sunday. It will give us an extra hour of sunlight in the evenings, but it also means that sunrise will be an hour later. The sun rose at 6:36 a.m. Saturday and set at 6:25 p.m. Sunday it will rise at 7:34 a.m. and will set at 7:26 p.m. So, remember to turn your clocks and other time devices that dont set themselves forward one hour.

The beginning of DST, according to an article on NationalGeographic.com, dates back to 1895 when George Hudson, an entomologist in New Zealand, proposed a two-hour daylight-saving time to provide two additional hours of sunlight in the evenings to go bug hunting. Despite the early push, New Zealand didnt begin observing DST until 1927.

Meanwhile, the idea of daylight-saving time was gaining steam across the globe. In 1902, William Willett, a British builder, suggested to Parliament that the country observe DST so daylight wouldnt be wasted. They refused, but he continued to push for it until he died in 1915. Among the people who supported the measure were Winston Churchill and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

In 1916 Germany was looking for ways to save energy during World War I. The German government implemented Willetts idea. After that, all the countries fighting in the war started observing DST.

During World War I, the United States began observing DST on March 9, 1918. The legislation authorizing DST also authorized the Standard Time Act which created the time zones in the United States. The U.S. went off DST about 18 months after the end of World War I, Nov. 11, 1918.

During World War II, the U.S. went on year-round DST, which was called war time, in February 1942. Even the time zones got in on the act, becoming Eastern War Time, Central War Time, and so on. The law was repealed in 1945, less than a month after the end of the war.

Over the years, according to an article on History.com, DST became a confusing array of some places switching to it and others not.

In 1965, there were 23 different pairs of start and end dates in Iowa alone, and St. Paul, Minn., even began daylight saving two weeks before its twin city, Minneapolis. Passengers on a 35-mile bus ride from Steubenville, Ohio, to Moundsville, W.Va., passed through seven time-changes.

In 1966, tiring of confusion in time and broadcasting, Congress got in on the act, again. It passed the Uniform Time Act, setting a national standard. It set DST to start on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October.

In 1973, during the OPEC oil embargo against the United State, President Richard Nixon signed the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act of 1973, which made DST year-round, to help conserve energy, one of the early reasons for switching to it during the war years. Year-round DST started in January 1974 and ended in April 1975.

The start and end dates have changed a couple of times over the years. In 1987, the start date was moved to the first Sunday in April and it continued to end on the last Sunday in October. It changed again, 20 years later in 2007, when the start date was moved to the second Sunday in March and the end date moved to the first Sunday in November.

Will daylight saving time end in November? Well see. There is a bill in Congress to make daylight savings time year-round, permanently. So far, it hasnt gone anywhere. Well let you know if it passes. If we fall back, it will be on Nov. 5.
A proposal to expand the Winston-Salem City Council to include two at-large members is back before the North Carolina General Assembly, which did not act on a similar bill in 2021.

Although a city study panel recommended the change in 2020, the measure still rankles some city leaders who believe the expansion is an unwarranted intrusion of Raleigh into city governance.

I am really angry about people in Raleigh who can decide how we should be organized in this city, Annette Scippio, council member for East Ward, said in on Friday. I think that is very unfair.

N.C. Rep. Donny Lambeth introduced the expansion bill, known as HB334, on Thursday. Lambeth, a Republican, represents District 75 in the state House. The district covers much of eastern Forsyth County, although it does have about 12% of the citys population.

The city council currently has eight members, elected solely by the voters in each ward. Lambeths bill would still divide the city into eight wards, with the addition of two members elected by all the citys voters. The change would take effect for the 2024 city elections. Council members and the mayor serve four-year terms.

Lambeth and former Rep. Debra Conrad, a Republican, sparked outrage among some members of the Winston-Salem City Council in March 2019 when they introduced a bill to reduce the city to five wards and have the other three slots on the eight-member council filled by at-large elections. On top of that, the ward division proposed by the GOP lawmakers would have forced three Black Democratic female members of the city council into one ward.

Accusations of racist or partisan political intent followed: The council was  and is  thoroughly controlled by Democrats, who have a 7-1 advantage over the GOP. The racial makeup of the council is evenly balanced, with four white and four Black members.

The dispute was settled when Mayor Allen Joines, a Democrat, and Lambeth reached an agreement in May 2019 to put the bill aside and create an 11-member study commission to look at the citys ward structure and election cycle.

That panel proposed the two at-large additions to the council that Lambeths bill now would put into effect. Lambeth and GOP Rep. Lee Zachary of Yadkin County proposed a bill with identical wording in 2021, but the bill never made it out of committee.

Joines said Friday that Lambeth gave him a heads up that he was filing the bill.

This is something that the city council has not requested, Joines said. We feel like we are doing pretty good the way it is. But that was the recommendation of the independent study commission that we put together.

Counting the mayor, who sits with the council in session, it makes the council pretty large, going from nine to 11, Joines said. It makes my job a little bit tougher in terms of getting consensus on items. It takes some more phone calls.

Lambeth and other local GOP lawmakers have denied any racist or partisan intent behind the change. In 2019, Lambeth said the intent was to bring the city in line with other large North Carolina cities such as Charlotte and Raleigh, which also have at-large council members. The Greensboro City Council has eight council members, five elected by district and three elected at large.

Scippio said shes been wanting advocates of the change to spell out why it is needed, but hasnt gotten an answer. Scippio said the citys biggest issue is poverty, and that the poverty is centered in the citys Black neighborhoods. The city needs leaders who will help open doors for low-income people, she said, but she doesnt think two additional at-large council members will help that effort.

The ward system has worked, she said. I want more unity in our community than division. I would like to know how two at-large votes would bring that about. I dont see it as essential and necessary.

Lambeth did not respond to a request for a comment on Friday. The local bill, if passed, would not mark the first time that the General Assembly has changed council election procedures: In 2016, city elections were switched from odd- to even-numbered years and now coincide with the Presidential election cycle.

That changed sparked debate between those who said more people got a chance to vote because of the higher turnout in Presidential election years, and those who said it made it much more difficult for council candidates to gain any visibility amid all the higher-profile contests.

Although the talk of the change to at-large seats is now a few years old, Joines said he doesnt know of anyone wanting to run for one of the new seats.

Its a bigger undertaking than running for a ward, obviously, he said.
A frantic Hollywood-style car chase played out at a North Carolina airport when a motorist drove onto the tarmac, then barreled through windows into the terminal, according to the New Hanover County Sheriffs Office.

It began around 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 9, at Wilmington International Airport, and concluded minutes later with one man under arrest, the sheriffs office said in a news release.

A vehicle ... breached the fence line at the airport and drove onto the tarmac, the sheriffs office reported.

The vehicle then retreated from the tarmac and the driver was engaged by deputies with the New Hanover County Sheriffs Office. The vehicle ultimately ended up inside the terminal after crashing through doors and windows.

Details of how the car was stopped were not released, but a photo shows the front end was heavily damaged as it sat in the terminal.

The driver was identified as Tray Anthony Dvorak and investigators have not released a motive.

Dvorak was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, speeding to elude arrest, trespass on airport property, disorderly conduct and resisting/obstructing/delaying a government official, the sheriffs office said. Bond was set at $50,000.

A Facebook page reports Dvorak lives in Wilmington.

Airport officials reported the security breach on Twitter late Thursday and noted no one from the public was injured.

The incident had minimal impact to operations, and the terminal was expected to be fully operational on Friday, officials said.
A Wilkesboro woman received a prison sentence Friday after she pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge involving six co-defendants, authorities said.

Whitney Leigh Estep, 32, pleaded guilty in August 2022 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Greensboro said.

Judge William L. Osteen Jr. of U.S. District Court sentenced Estep to serve 15 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. In addition to the prison time, Osteen placed Estep on three years of supervised release.

According to court records, a federal grand jury indicted Estep and six co-defendants in June 2022 after an investigation of a multi-state organized criminal conspiracy.

Beginning in 2020, local, state and federal agents investigated a drug-trafficking organization rooted in Mexico, court records show. Investigators determined that Estep was sent by a member of the organization to obtain cocaine and deliver it to other individuals in the organization.

In March, investigators visited Esteps home, which was the location of multiple meth deals prosecuted in another case, court records show. Estep admitted to investigators that she had worked with others, transporting money and providing marijuana in return.

The money was then sent to the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico, and Estep admitted to investigators that she knew that thousands of dollars were involved in drug trafficking, court records show.

Investigators later confirmed that Estep had wired money to Mexico.
Students in a fourth-grade class at Banoak Elementary School were given an assignment that contained a statement about former President Donald Trump that was not part of the school system's approved curricula, according to Catawba County Schools.

The worksheet said: It can be said that Donald Trump has xenophobia because of his fear of people from other countries other than the United States.

Director of Marketing and Communication Kim Jordan said the district was informed of the worksheet on Thursday afternoon.

The use of the worksheet was an isolated incident using a teacher-selected outside resource and is not nor ever has been part of the district-approved curricula, Jordan said. The incident has been addressed and corrected. The worksheet has been removed and will no longer be distributed to any students at any school within our district.

Jordan said whether the teacher was reprimanded is confidential personnel information at this time but restated that the incident was addressed.

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Anger at the past and fear of the future motivate us, whether we know it or not. Both sources of angst are generally rooted in what we dont know. Of the future, we know nothing, and of the past, we understand embarrassingly little more. Thus, we set ourselves up to having our emotions manipulated by others.

February and March treat us to stories of Black Americans and women making history, groups which, historically, have been ignored more than studied. Black history is American history, says one bumper sticker. Another: Well-behaved women seldom make history. Every group has a story to tell and an interest in getting others to hear it. Thats a good idea. Who among us does not want their story heard?

And, yes, history is our story, all of us. This year, 2023, is a wonderful occasion for paying attention to historical anniversaries related to the founding of America, the country we love for its potential and opportunity regardless of how we feel about its past, especially with our 250th anniversary of declaring independence only three years away. But truth be told, those waiting for 2026 will have missed the party. The real Revolution was during the long 74, as it is known, from what we have labeled the Boston Tea Party in December 1773 to the shot heard round the world on the village greens of Lexington and Concord, Mass., on April 12, 1775. The ensuing seven years were the fighting.

So, in placing those real-Revolution commemorations on our calendars, what related anniversaries might we observe this year? Quite a few actually, especially those with strong connections to how we came to be North Carolina and who we are around this part of it.

It was 360 years ago in 1663, that King Charles II issued the Carolina Charter to eight Lords Proprietors, giving birth to what became our state.

Nearly a century later, 270 years ago, Moravian settlers walked up and beyond Town Fork Creek in November 1753 to establish Bethabara at an abandoned cabin. Historic Bethabara Park opens on April 1 with an invitation to celebrate those early roots.

Those Moravians traveled south from Bethlehem, Pa., along the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road through the valley of Virginia, that route only beginning its storied history 270 years ago as well. Its long history is celebrated locally in Lewisville along a remnant of the route and next year with the new state historic park at Shallow Ford.

That famous ford was crossed 275 years ago in 1748 by early settlers to the Carolina backcountry, including Morgan Bryan, whose granddaughter, Rebecca, married Daniel Boone just across the Yadkin River. This fall, local groups will celebrate the Bryan Familys arrival.

Rebecca and Daniel Boone departed North Carolina 250 years ago, in 1773, headed for Kentucky. But their emigration was interrupted by the murder of their first-born son, James, 15, on Oct. 10 as the Boones approached Cumberland Gap. Commemorations are planned.

James was a victim of the tensions between native peoples and encroaching white settlers, a tension King George III, at age 25, had tried to settle 260 years ago by issuing his Proclamation of 1763, dividing British America between his children.

Lands west of the Appalachians were reserved for native people, and European colonists were restricted to lands whose waters flowed to the Atlantic Ocean.

This proclamation made outlaws of those early settlers who moved into the overmountain regions of North Carolina, those who would muster to the states authorized militia in 1780 and march to Kings Mountain to turn the tide of the American Revolution.

That battle led directly to

the British surrender at Yorktown and to the Treaty of Paris 240 years ago in September 1783, ending the war.

We cannot live in the past, of course; the world changes. But understanding our history can help inform us how we came to be as we are.

Hope to see you at Historic Bethabara Park on April 1 and at other historical events in our neck of the woods throughout 2023. Its a good year for learning our founding history. Less anger, less fear. More understanding.
North Carolina has witnessed a spate of glowing and upbeat news reports and commentaries in recent days after Republican legislative leaders announced last week that they had reached an agreement to expand the states Medicaid program.

Multiple local and national outlets described the state as, after more than a decade of delay, now on the glidepath to providing access to health care for 600,000-plus uninsured people of modest income.

Kevin Siers  the gifted and always acerbic editorial cartoonist for the Charlotte Observer  was moved to create a downright heartwarming image in which Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore were portrayed as winsome characters from an old Peanuts cartoon smiling and shaking hands over a sign that reads the doctors are finally in.

Meanwhile, beleaguered health care advocates  worn down by years of disheartening defeat and ever-cognizant of the need to avoid getting on the wrong side of powerful politicians with a demonstrated willingness to punish critics and opponents  were quick to claim a long-denied victory, while issuing statements of thanks and praise to GOP leaders.

Even Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper described the agreement as monumental step.Altogether, it was enough to make a body swoon with hope and optimism that light had dawned on a weary world, and that Berger and Moore had, at long last, beaten their frequently destructive political swords into plowshares.

All that was left was to make arrangements for a kumbaya signing ceremony.At the risk, however, of acting the part of the proverbial skunk at the picnic, I must report that such gleeful celebrations are almost certainly premature.

While its understandable that so many people have looked at the Berger-Moore announcement with their hearts, a more thorough examination through unblinking eyes reveals some huge problems with the GOP agreement.

First, of course, is how the deal came about  that is, as a result of closed-door negotiations that involved only Republicans. While Cooper has expressed a measure of optimism about the announcement, the fact remains that he was not involved in the dealmaking.

And that fact has given rise to another truck-size problem  namely, the Berger-Moore caveat that theyll only deign to go along with expansion if it takes place several months from now, and as part of a comprehensive state budget bill.

Think about what that means.

For each of the last several years, hundreds  and in many cases, thousands  of North Carolinians have suffered preventable premature death because of the failure to expand Medicaid. By delaying expansion yet again  say, for example, until a few weeks into the new fiscal year (an optimistic estimate)  the GOP plan has cruelly and unnecessarily condemned hundreds more North Carolinians to a similar fate.

The delay will also mean adding to the billions of dollars in federal funds the state has forgone.

And, of course, the fact that the deal is contingent on final passage of a budget highlights another huge problem: the fact that Medicaid expansion will only become law if Cooper agrees to an array of unrelated Republican priorities that will no doubt be included in the omnibus bill  or if he sees his veto overridden.

Each year, the budget bill is packed with all manner of controversial appropriations and dozens of substantive law changes unrelated to state spending. On numerous occasions in recent years, GOP leaders have packed the measure with hugely important law changes that have scarcely been discussed in public at the Legislative Building, and on which debate was effectively prohibited.

Whats to stop them from doing the same this year?

Could Medicaid expansion end up being dependent on an agreement to limit abortion rights? How about big new tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy? New redistricting maps?

Dawn Baumgatner Vaughan of Raleighs News & Observer reported recently that the abortion assault may be a bridge too far even for the GOP, but other issues might well not be. She notes that provisions further increasing legislative powers at the expense of the governor are considered a real possibility.In short, Republican lawmakers are setting themselves up to use Medicaid expansion as a bargaining tool  a political cudgel with which to further entrench their own power, while further advancing a far-right policy agenda thats increasingly out of step with the generally moderate views of most North Carolinians.

And thats just wrong.

The bottom line: Medicaid expansion needs to happen now and without unrelated conditions. Unfortunately, the GOP plan is about playing cynical political games with the lives of vulnerable people.

And much as they might wish it werent the case, all North Carolinians would do well to wake up to this distinctly unpleasant truth.
The franchisee that owns all of the Lincoln Burger King restaurants as well as others in Southeast Nebraska has filed for bankruptcy protection.

Meridian Restaurants Unlimited, which is based in Ogden, Utah, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah on March 2.

Chapter 11 is a form of bankruptcy that allows a company to reorganize its debts and keep operating.

In a statement, James Winder, Meridian's managing partner and chief restructuring officer, said the company has been meeting with its creditors and Burger King corporate officials for some time, and, "Financial restructuring is the natural next step as we take the company from surviving the pandemic to thriving in the post-pandemic environment.

But the company also said it doesn't plan to close any locations or cut its workforce.

In its bankruptcy filing, Meridian listed both its assets and debts as being in a range between $10 million and $50 million.

The company, which owns the nine Burger King locations in Lincoln, as well as locations in Beatrice, Hastings and York, said in court filings that it had "suffered significantly from a loss of foot traffic, resulting in declining revenue without proportionate decreases in rental obligations, debt service and other obligations." It also said it has seen a 33% increase in wages over the past few years and a 22% increase in the cost of supplies.

Meridian said in the filing that its original founder had acquired many Burger King restaurants with lower-than-average sales, hoping to improve their results. Instead, according to court documents, those stores' smaller profit margins made them more sensitive to recent rises in labor and other costs. The company said some of its restaurants operate at a loss and have done so for several years.

Meridian acquired the Nebraska Burger Kings and several in Kansas in 2018 from Horizon Holdings. The company owns a total of 119 Burger King restaurants in 10 states.

One of Meridian's Lincoln locations made national news in 2021 after several employees quit at once and changed the marquee sign to read, "WE ALL QUIT. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE."

Employees who spoke to the Journal Star at the time said they were forced to work under difficult conditions, including working in the restaurant with a broken air conditioner during the summer that Meridian failed to fix for two weeks.

Lincoln's most requested restaurants Jamba Juice Einstein Bros. Bagels Church's Texas Chicken Jason's Deli Hard Rock Cafe Peets Coffee Dave & Busters Shake Shack Bob Evans Potbelly Sandwich Works Cafe Rio Portillo's Giordano's Pizzeria P.F. Chang's China Bistro Uno Pizzeria and Grill Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits Joe's Crab Shack Jack in the Box Bennigan's Big Mama's and Papa's Pizzeria Taco Cabana Hardee's California Pizza Kitchen A&W White Castle Tastee Inn Whataburger In-N-Out Burger Waffle House The Cheesecake Factory
UAE-based Alec Energy said it has joined hands with North American solar pioneer Solar Earth to introduce the worlds most rugged pavement integrated photovoltaic (PIPV) solutions into the Middle East region.

Solar Earth panels are skid resistant and unlike their traditional counterparts, they have been designed to be extremely rugged - able to withstand up to 5 tonnes of weight and harsh weather conditions.

Consequently, these panels enable public and private sector entities to take traditional sunk costs infrastructure and provide a return on investment, by transforming these into dual-use, revenue-generating surfaces.

Alec Energys decision to introduce the technology in the GCC followed months of comprehensive evaluation and feasibility studies to ensure a right fit for the needs of the region.

Touted as the Toughest Solar on Earth, these solutions will enable governments and private enterprises to confidently carry out wide scale solarization of every hardscape infrastructure such as pavements, roads, plazas, and parking lots, turning these into clean energy generating assets, said a top official.

"While the GCC has been blessed with a perennial abundance of sunlight, the constraints of traditional solar panels have limited the ability to unlock the immense potential of this clean energy source," remarked Basar Kayali, General Manager of Alec Energy, while speaking at an event held to mark the launch of the new technology.

The launch ceremony held at the Alec Groups modular construction facility in Dubai, was attended by Gabriel Jabbour, Trade Commissioner for the Consulate General of Canada in Dubai as well as other senior officials.

As a demonstration of the capabilities of the pavement integrated photovoltaic (PIPV) solution, Alec Energy utilised 24 sq m solar cells connected to a 22kW electric vehicle charger to recharge a Tesla car.

At the event, Alec Energy also commenced the construction of a 461 kilowatt peak solar plant at the modular construction factory for the generation of enough energy to meet all the needs of its main office building.

"Today, together with Solar Earth, we are redefining what photovoltaic solutions are capable of and thereby enabling an entirely new range of possibilities for their deployment. In doing so, we are helping usher in the new era of solar energy production, one where it is no longer restricted to large solar farms and commercial facilities alone, but can be seamlessly incorporated into the vast amount of commercial, municipal, residential, and other infrastructure that has already been built," he added.

Damarys Zampini, representative of Solar Earth, said: "With countries across the GCC clearly outlining intentions to achieve Net Zero by as early as 2050, regional governments are turning to the private sectors to help pioneer advancements in the future of responsible energy production. We are thrilled to see the UAE taking the lead in innovation, clean energy, and net-zero action."

"Our partnership with Alec Energy, and the landing of our first shipment in the UAE, sets the tone for COP28 and the country's commitment to doing, not just talking, about its Net Zero goals," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Before it was gutted by fire in 2016, Ideal Grocery was a mainstay among Lincoln grocery stores since 1920.

* * *

When I was young we lived in a house on 23rd street between E and F. Ideal was our grocery store. We only had one car and dad took it to work. Ideal was within walking distance and was handy. Before the parkway was built, there was a bridge over Antelope Creek, which ran to the west of Ideal. I would walk up D Street and cross the bridge and find my way to Ideal. They had hamburger 4 pounds for $1. They had a great meat counter even back then. The neighbor kids would get a pound of liver for a quarter and take it to Antelope Creek put it on a string and catch crawdads for bait. Everyone always knew you had to have been to Ideal by the green-colored bags. They were very thick and one year we made scarecrow costumes for my brothers kids out of them. My sister-in-law and I sewed patches on the bags and made head and arm holes. They lasted the whole evening.

I even babysat for the produce managers children. What memories!

-- Janet Jensen Albers

* * *

In the 1940s my family moved to a big stone house on the southeast corner of 27th & Randolph. Soon after that my father started a business on that corner that ended up a store. This required both parents working there.

My sister and I did the grocery shopping on Saturday morning, of course shopping at Ideal. Along with the grocery list was a highlight to buy a dozen cake doughnuts from their new machine (one of the first in Lincoln).

Glen (Curly) Wagner helped us get good produce. The butcher was most helpful to the two kids. Everyone treated us kindly, just as they do now. If we were lucky a high school sacker helped us home (one block) with our groceries, which we thought was great.

Thank you, Ideal, for many years of great service.

-- Jacquline Meister

* * *

In 1946, we came to Lincoln so my husband could attend the University on the famous G.I. Bill. We rented a small duplex from Pauley Lumber Company at 29th & E streets. We had no car, so wed would walk to Ideal Grocery store for our groceries and push them home in the Baby Buggy and later in the Taylor Tot carrier. Lyle Hans was so helpful and nice to us! Our trips were almost daily, as we only had an icebox and our budget allowed $1.50 a day for food.

I am almost 92 years old now and living in the house my husband designed and built for us 64 years ago. Our five children are grown and all have grandchildren of their own and my husband has passed away. I still enjoy shopping at Ideal Grocery.

-- Connie (Mrs. Harold) Fouts

* * *

I grew up shopping at Ideal Grocery. My dad (Howard Boyd) was a partner and head of the Meat Department for 35 years until retiring in 1983.

As a little girl, I remember going shopping there with my mom and my best memory was the donut lady and eating a fresh, warm doughnut while we shopped. As I got older, mom would drop me off at Ideal on a summer day or Saturday and Id do the grocery shopping for our family and then get a ride home at lunch time with my dad.

After I grew up, married and had children of my own, I would take them to Ideal with me. My oldest daughter remembers seeing grandpa behind the meat counter, sliding the packages down the front of the meat case one by one into her hands.

Gardner Moore and his successors created a wonderful family environment to work and shop in. The minute you walked in the door, it almost felt like coming home. Customer service was (and still is) their number one commodity. Its sometimes hard to find that in todays world.

-- Connie Boyd Shaw

* * *

I and my father before me have shopped Ideal for close to 70 years. Three things have not changed in that time: the friendliness of the employees; their conscientiousness, and their ability to quickly learn and remember your name.

In days past, the sackers/carry-out kids that worked after school and on weekends would sometimes become full-timers and be there for years (the Ellenwood boys, e.g).

One of my many happy memories is from the 1950s, when my neighborhood buddy Bobby Brodekey and I would ride our bikes down to Ideal and go right to the wonderful, amazing Do-Nut making machine that sat in one of the center aisles. We would marvel at its gyrations and the beautiful deep-fried, tasty pastry it made.

We would make general nuisances of ourselves until Jack Moore or Lyle, in order to get us out of there, would give us each a brand-new, fresh, hot Do-Nut!

-- Lee Unland

* * *

Some of my favorite memories of Ideal center around the annual Fall Frozen Food Sale. Things were always crazy and fun those weeks. As a new wife, I was assigned to help pass out free popcorn to customers. It was a very fun job! I enjoyed talking to people and helping them find what they were looking for. As the years passed, each of our sons had opportunities to pass out the popcorn as well, two of them with a matching-age cousin, and one with a best friend. Our boys learned so much by interacting with Ideals wonderful customers and friends!

-- Pam Moore

* * *

Ideal Grocery was always a most unusual store for its friendliness and offer to obtain almost any product you asked about that they did not carry.

It began when one entered the door and you would be addressed by your first name. As you moved into the store other staff would greet you as well by your first name. You knew you had reached the intimate stage when you were invited into the cave where product was stored and the office location. Thats where the annual order for my clients Christmas Baskets was offered and agreed to.

We became good friends with the Jack Moores and all their children and were treated to the Ideal Spot outside Estes Park, Colo. We traveled the world with them.

-- Tom Miller

* * *

I always parked on the south side of the store with entry out of sight. Dog always sat in the car. One day I left the window of the car rolled down. I was all the way in the back of the store when I heard one of the guys yelling Tilly! She had jumped out of the car and let herself in on the electric doormat! I went running to the front of the store. They wanted me to leave her in my cart, but of course I took her out to the car. Obviously, I never left the windows that far open again.

-- Linda Lee
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals last week affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the parents of an Omaha bar owner who killed himself after being charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a Black man during unrest in May 2020.

In a ruling two years after protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by police officers, U.S. District Judge John Gerrard dismissed David and Glenda Sue Gardner's lawsuit alleging their son, Jake Gardner, killed himself because authorities had violated his constitutional right to a fair trial.

"Gardner's parents are undoubtedly bereaved, and, of course, they have every right to be. The events that led to this case were tragic for Gardner's family and for (James) Scurlock's, and the loss of a child is devastating under any circumstances. But not all tragic circumstances ultimately lead to legal liability. This is one of those instances," Gerrard ruled in May.

After Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine reviewed the evidence in Scurlock's shooting death May 30, 2020, and decided not to charge Gardner, who shot Scurlock while allegedly protecting his business from rioters. Instead, Kleine deferred the case to a grand jury.

Led by special prosecutor Fred Franklin, the grand jury ultimately charged Gardner, 38, with manslaughter.

His parents appealed Gerrard's decision.

In a one-paragraph decision Thursday, Judges David R. Stras of Minnesota, Bobby E. Shepherd of Arkansas and Ralph R. Erickson of North Dakota, said simply: "Following a careful review, we conclude that the district court did not err in dismissing the case."
BELLEVUE  The last wreckage of Offutt Air Force Bases terrible flood is gone. Now the rebuilding can begin.

Some of Offutts top leadership gathered Thursday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the 55th Security Forces Squadrons new $68.4 million campus, which will include a new headquarters building, firing range and military working dog kennels. The old ones were destroyed in the flood of March 2019.

After four years of cleanup, assessment, planning and demolition, the groundbreaking marks the start of one of the largest pieces of the bases reconstruction, which is expected to cost about $1 billion and continue until 2028.

This is a huge milestone, said Maj. Eric Armstrong, who heads the 55th Wings construction project management office.

He said more construction will begin quickly, with contracts expected to be awarded by May for the Nuclear Command Control and Communications (NC3) Alert campus and the SATCOM/MILSTAR campus.

The NC3 campus includes a new headquarters building for the unit that operates the E-4B Nightwatch fleet, and ready rooms for E-4B and E-6B Mercury alert crews. The SATCOM/MILSTAR campus will include critical communications links for the Offutt-based U.S. Strategic Command.

The 55th Security Forces Squadrons members are the heirs to the revered SAC Elite Guard, which boasted of providing airtight security on Strategic Air Command bases during the Cold War. They provide Offutts police force, staffing the entrance gates and protecting the aircraft of the 55th Wing and the 595th Command and Control Group.

This is an organization that protects assets that cannot meet harm, Col. Jasin Cooley, commander of Offutts 55th Mission Support Group, told a crowd of about 200 airmen and civilians who gathered for the groundbreaking.

The units headquarters near the south end of Offutts runway filled with water 9 feet deep after the Missouri and Platte rivers overwhelmed levees that had protected the base for decades.

We filled sandbags. None of it did any good, recalled Tech. Sgt. Shane Crone, a 4-year veteran of the squadron, and one of just a few who were with the unit at the time of the flood.

When the deluge receded, it left behind a muddy, stinking mess.

The 55th Security Forces lost everything in the flood, Cooley said. Six-hundred and fourteen people had to find a new place to operate. Consider for a moment what its like to lose everything, your history, your heritage.

At first, Crone said, morale dropped when airmen saw the devastation. The squadrons members scattered to several sites across the base, including the basement of the World War II-era Martin Bomber Plant, an airplane hangar, and a reconditioned airmans dormitory.

More challenges followed. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 sent many members home to work. And the relocation of Offutts flight operations to the Lincoln Airport for 18 months in 2021 and 2022 meant some airmen had to relocate there for four days at a time.

In the face of all that adversity, Crone said, a funny thing happened.

It brought the squadron together again, he said, reminding him of the tight-knit Minuteman missile squadrons hed served in before his Offutt assignment.

Thursdays groundbreaking was accompanied by freshly fallen snow, but construction will start as soon as the weather clears and continue to November 2024. The campus will be ready for occupation a few months later.

The new buildings are being built atop pads resembling giant anthills that are 10 feet higher than the floodplain that surrounds them. Offutts levees have also been raised by 2-3 feet. Engineers believe those measures will raise the buildings above any future floods.

Four years ago: Photos, videos from catastrophic flooding in Nebraska Flooding in Nickerson, 3.13 Flooding in Wahoo, 3.13 Flooding in Nickerson, 3.13 Flooding in Ashland Area, 3.14 Flooding in Ashland Area, 3.14 Flooding, Ashland Flooding, Hooper Flooding, 3.14 Flooding, 3.14 Flooding, 3.14 Flooding, 3.14 Fremont flooding Rescued in boat Spencer Dam Highway flooding Genoa bridge Stranded cattle Flooding, 3.15 Flooding, 3.15 Tuxedo Park in Crete Platte River flooding at I-80 Flooding near Plattsmouth, 3.16 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Peru flooding, 3.17 Rescuing calf in Fullerton Nebraska City flooding Cooper plant Water flowing over levee L575 across the river from Nebraska City in Percival, Iowa Steinhart Grain Terminal at Nebraska City By the numbers
In Lincoln, the Dawes name is often associated with Billys Restaurant, Dawes Street and Dawes Middle School, all of which relate to Charles Gates Dawes who owned several properties in downtown Lincoln and became vice president of the United States in 1925.

His cousin James Dawes, however, only lived in Lincoln during his two terms as Nebraskas governor but, in fact, was the one who urged Charles to move to the young and prospering capital city.

Depending on the source, James William Dawes was born Jan. 4 or 8 in 1845. After attending Western Reserve Academy for two years and Milwaukee Business College for six months, he began studying law with a cousin and, in 1871, was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar. After marrying another cousin Francis (sometimes Frances) Anna Dawes, he moved to Crete, Nebraska, initially intending to establish a mercantile store but instead formed a law partnership as Dawes & Foss.

Dawes was a delegate to the Nebraska Constitutional Convention in 1875. Then, in 1876, in Fremont, Dawes was chosen chairman of the Nebraska State Republican Party, partially in a revolt against a corrupt ring of the party.

In September Dawes was named as a candidate for the state senate, further splitting the Republican Party. As Saline County was reformed as the 20th Senatorial District in 1876, Dawes was elected to the Nebraska state Senate with his term beginning the following year.

On the third ballot at the state Republican convention in April of 1882, Dawes received the Republican nomination for governor, although the Omaha Herald said the nomination had been decided even before the convention.

After receiving the nomination, the Saline County Union reported a large crowd greeted him at the Crete depot where a bonfire and band introduced an hour of rigorous hand-shaking. At the November election, Dawes garnered 43,495 votes to J. Sterling Mortons 28,562 with E. P. Ingersoll receiving a smattering.

In January of 1883 nearly the whole town went to Lincoln to see him inaugurated as Nebraskas fifth or sixth governor depending on how terms were calculated. There being no official governors residence at that time, the Dawes family moved to 1610 K Street. On Arbor Day of his first year in office, Dawes planted trees on his five acres of land on the [Doane] College section and was noted as being the first governor to make an appropriation for the Nebraska State Historical Society.

At the Republican state convention in August of 1884, although there was some opposition, it was insufficient to prevent Dawes again being nominated. J. Sterling Morton, obviously beginning his own run for governor, reported the internal opposition, to Dawes, amounting to revolt ... [was] easily overcome ... illustrating the prime advantage to boss rule.

As the November election grew closer, Morton mounted a vigorous and picturesque campaign, accusing Dawes of corruption and swindling the state in school land leases. Dawes was completely vindicated of the charge, but Morton continually reported the claims in invective and denunciation throughout the campaign.

Charles Gere, editor of the State Journal, and though a personal friend of Morton, came to Dawes defense in editorials. The election was overwhelmingly won by Dawes who garnered 72,835 votes to Mortons 57,534. In Crete, Dawes fans congregated from all over the country. The University of Nebraskas marching band arrived on a special train. Anvils were fired and a two-mile-long parade, with Doane College students, 73 mounted horsemen and torch-bearers, marched to the campus and back to the packed opera house where Dawes spoke.

In 1887, at the end of his second term, Dawes moved back to Crete, residing at 941 Grove St. and resumed his law practice. That year his cousin Charles Dawes arrived in Lincoln on a mission to collect a debt for his future father-in-law. Charles was then encouraged, by James, to remain in Nebraska and take advantage of the local growth and excellent economic climate.

Although Charles lived in Lincoln less than 10 years, he bought and sold the southeast and northwest corners of 13th and O streets as well as other downtown real estate, living much of his time here at 13th and H Streets, todays Billys Restaurant.

In 1898 James Dawes enlisted in the U. S. Army, serving as a paymaster until he retired in 1909 and settled near Milwaukee. James W. Dawes died in October of 1918 and was buried in Milwaukee. Often considered a son of Crete, Dawes was on the Board of Doane College for 37 years and is additionally remembered through Dawes County which was named in his honor in 1885.
Bell-issimo, Lincoln's community handbell choir, will present a concert of Irish and Celtic music at 6:30 p.m. Sunday in honor of St. Patrick's Day at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 6001 A St.

Before the handbell portion, come a little early and hear Irish tunes played on piano by Bell-issimo's own Pamela Rust. Such well-known favorites as Irish WasherWoman, The Rakes of Mallow and Danny Boy, along with several other pieces, will be featured. A reception will follow.

The concert is free, but a freewill offering will be taken.

Bell-issimo was formed in 2001 by artistic director Nancy Youngman, who still directs the group. Auditions take place each year for every ringer, and this year's group features ringers from 11 different churches.

One of the main focuses of this choir is to be visible in the community outside of the traditional church service setting, and Bell-issimo has performed several rock/pop concerts at Vega and the Royal Grove, along with appearing with Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra. Many Nebraska communities have hosted the choir, which was also featured for a Christmas Extravaganza in Bossier City, Louisiana.
Join Conservation Nebraska and the Nebraska Water Center for a program about important water issues titled "Water Quantity, Flooding and Drought in Nebraska" presented by Dave Aiken, UNL professor of agricultural economics.

A native Nebraskan, Aiken graduated from Hastings College and received his law degree from George Washington University in 1975. After law school, he joined the University of Nebraska Department of Agricultural Economics, where he has worked on many issues relating to Nebraska water rights and agricultural law. He teaches undergraduate courses in agricultural law, and in environmental and natural resources law.
RACINE  The city and its police officers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract  more than two years after the previous contract expired.

The Finance & Personnel Committee will vote on the new contract Monday, and the City Council will vote March 21.

The Racine Police Association members also must vote whether to approve the new contract.

City officers have been working under a contract that expired Dec. 31, 2020, because of a benefits dispute between the city and its public safety departments.

The tentative contract offers:

A 15% raise implemented over four years, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021.

A $2,000 retention bonus.

An additional paid holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

320 hours of paid parental leave.

A 3% wage differential for those who live in the city.

Student loan repayment assistance for city residents.

Mortgage down payment assistance for city residents.

In addition, the council approved a $5,000 recruitment bonus on March 7.

With the exception of the wage increase and bonuses, the additional benefits were previously approved for the citys non-union workforce.

The citys goal is to have a workforce that lives in Racine and to off-set the higher cost of doing so.

A statement released by the city read: These incentives recognize the vital role that police officers play in the community and aim to attract and retain high-quality public safety workers.

Mayor Cory Mason said he was looking forward to bringing the contract to the City Council and urged the aldermen to support it.

I am thrilled we have reached an agreement with the Racine Police Association after hard negotiations from both teams, he said. The contract recognizes the important and difficult work of our police officers and compensates them appropriately.

As we continue to face public safety challenges, this agreement demonstrates our commitment to working together to keep the community safe and healthy.

Alderman Natalia Taft, who is chairman of the Finance & Personnel Committee, said the contract struck a balance between supporting our public safety workers with competitive wages and benefits while also ensuring the citys long-term fiscal sustainability.

This agreement is a significant step forward in both retention and recruitment of public safety officers and staff who share our commitment to making sure Racine is a safe, secure and healthy community, she said. I have tremendous respect for the tireless efforts of our police officers in keeping our community safe, especially during these challenging times.

Dispute

The benefits dispute goes back to action taken by the City Council in 2019 that made changes to employee retirement benefits in order to reduce legacy costs at a time when there were significant budget constraints for the city.

The union-represented public safety employees balked at the changes and argued retirement eligibility and benefits should be negotiated in the contract.

The city said that state law prohibited such matters from being negotiated under Act 32, which former Gov. Scott Walker advanced in 2011.

Both sides agreed to put the dispute before Wisconsin Employee Relations Committee, which ultimately sided with the city almost 18 months later.

City fire and police have appealed that decision and the matter is making its way through the courts.

The tentative agreement includes language acknowledging there is an appeal of the WERC decision and further discussion would be necessary depending on the direction the appeal takes.

The Racine Police Association did not comment on the tentative agreement.

However, Kevin Kupper, president of the RPA board, previously said that what members were looking for was a wage increase without stipulations.

The wage increase was important to RPA members because it could help stop the exodus of officers leaving for other departments with higher pay, but Kupper did not think members would agree to the wage increase in exchange for a stipulation they dismiss their court case.

Kupper said the benefits were important to officers because there were many years when they did not receive a substantial pay increase, but they did receive certain benefit considerations.

To illustrate the point, in the tentative contract, officers will receive a 15% wage increase over four years. Whereas, officers received only 12.5% increase in wages between 2011 and 2020.

RPA members include patrol officers, investigators, criminalists and traffic investigators.

The city has not negotiated a contract with the Staff Officers Association, which covers lieutenants and sergeants, and they will continue under the contract that expired on Dec. 31, 2020.

In Photos: Drive-by Memorial Day Parade at Ridgewood Care Center Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by Memorial Day Celebration Drive-by A drive-by Memorial Day parade
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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Doosan Bobcat, a company within Doosan Group and a leading global compact equipment manufacturer, has announced its global branding strategy to create business and growth opportunities for the Doosan Bobcat product portfolio.

Doosan Portable Power (DPP), an industry-leading global manufacturer of air compressors, mobile generators and light towers; and Doosan Industrial Vehicle (DIV), a supplier of quality material handling equipment, including forklifts, will rebrand their product offerings under the Bobcat brand.

The rebranding of the portable power and industrial vehicle equipment lines - two key business areas for Bobcat - looks to further strengthen overall brand equity, market recognition and consumer recall of all product offerings.

The transition will create a cohesive customer experience and grow the organizations footprint, thus making the brand accessible to more customers and in more places.

"Bobcat is an iconic brand that changed the world with the invention of the compact equipment industry, and we are excited to unleash the brand in bold, new ways," remarked Scott Park, Doosan Bobcat CEO & Vice Chairman.

"Doosan Portable Power and Doosan Industrial Vehicle have long legacies of developing high-quality products. Bringing these strong Doosan brands into the Bobcat portfolio allows us to further expand these business lines, while also growing our overall Doosan Bobcat business and providing even more solutions to help our customers accomplish more," he noted.

Bobcat has broadened its product portfolio significantly within the past five years, launching more machines during this period than previously in its entire history. The brand has successfully expanded its offerings with new technologies and innovations and expanded product lines, such as grounds maintenance equipment, which includes compact tractors, small articulated loaders, mowers and turf equipment.

Laura Ness Owens, Doosan Bobcat Vice President of Global Brand, said: "The Bobcat brand empowers ambitious and passionate groundbreakers to accomplish more. Across the globe, big challenges get smaller because of our equipment; from breaking down walls to building up communities, were proud to provide people with what they need to be successful in their endeavours."

"By expanding the Bobcat brand to the portable power and industrial vehicle industries, Bobcat can help even more customers, in more ways than ever," he stated.

With this refreshed identity, the DPP and DIV product lines will, respectively, undergo design and aesthetic changes in alignment with current Bobcat branding.

The rebranded products will be on display at key global trade shows in March and April 2023:

DPP will display a portion of its product line-up rebranded in Bobcat trade livery at Conexpo 2023 in Las Vegas this week (March 14-18).

DIV will showcase rebranded Bobcat forklifts as part of the in-booth display at ProMat 2023 in Chicago, (March 20-23) as well as at LogiMAT in Germany, (April 25-27).

Bobcat-branded material handling equipment and portable power products are expected to be available through Doosan Bobcats extensive, global dealer network at a later date. Bobcat and these rebranded product lines will proudly remain part of the broader Doosan Group portfolio, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
KEARNEY  A Kearney man has been arrested after 440 grams of methamphetamine was found in his vehicle.

According to court records, Colten L. Wright, 25, of Kearney, has been charged in Buffalo County Court with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute (more than 140 grams of methamphetamine), possession of a deadly weapon during commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. All charges are felonies.

During an arraignment hearing in Buffalo County Court, Judge Gerald R. Jorgensen Jr. set Wrights bond at $250,000 cash or surety. He is currently being held in the Buffalo County Jail.

The arrest affidavit outlines the case against Wright:

An investigator with the Nebraska State Patrol and Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Team became aware in Nov. and Dec. 2022 that Wright was allegedly involved in the sale and possession of large amounts of methamphetamine in Holdrege and Kearney.

On the morning of March 9, the investigator was notified of Wrights vehicle in Kearney and had stopped at two different residences that are associated with drug activity. On March 10, Wrights vehicle was located at Kearney Drive-In Self Storage, 2921 N. Avenue. After contacting management of the facility, it was determined Wright was not a renter at the facility. Members of TRIDENT, Kearney Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol made contact with Wright inside the storage facility.

After detaining Wright, officers observed a small amount of a white, crystal-like substance that was consistent with meth on the drivers seat. The substance was field tested and showed a positive presumptive result for meth.

During a probable cause search of Wrights vehicle, investigators located 440.06 grams of suspected meth in five different bags, two digital scales, 40 black and silver Ziplock-type bags, assorted drug paraphernalia and a .25 caliber pistol with six rounds in the magazine. A portion of the substance in the bags was tested and was presumptive positive for meth.

A criminal history check on the Nebraska Criminal Justice Information System determined Wright is listed as a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing weapons.

A preliminary hearing for Wright is scheduled for March 29 in Buffalo County Court.
Even if you haven't tried artificial intelligence tools that can write essays and poems or conjure new images on command, chances are the companies that make your household products are already starting to do so.

Mattel has put the AI image generator DALL-E to work by having it come up with ideas for new Hot Wheels toy cars. Used vehicle seller CarMax is summarizing thousands of customer reviews with the same "generative" AI technology that powers the popular chatbot ChatGPT.

Meanwhile, Snapchat is bringing a chatbot to its messaging service. The grocery delivery company Instacart is integrating ChatGPT to answer customers' food questions.

Coca-Cola plans to use generative AI to help create new marketing content. While the company hasn't detailed exactly how it plans to deploy the technology, the move reflects the growing pressure on businesses to harness tools that many of their employees and consumers are already trying on their own.

"We must embrace the risks," said Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey in a recent video announcing a partnership with startup OpenAI  maker of both DALL-E and ChatGPT  through an alliance led by the consulting firm Bain. "We need to embrace those risks intelligently, experiment, build on those experiments, drive scale, but not taking those risks is a hopeless point of view to start from."

Indeed, some AI experts warn that businesses should carefully consider potential harms to customers, society and their own reputations before rushing to embrace ChatGPT and similar products in the workplace.

"I want people to think deeply before deploying this technology," said Claire Leibowicz of The Partnership on AI, a nonprofit group founded and sponsored by the major tech providers. The group recently released a set of recommendations for companies producing AI-generated synthetic imagery, audio and other media.

"They should play around and tinker, but we should also think, what purpose are these tools serving in the first place?" she said.

Some companies have been experimenting with AI for a while. Mattel revealed its use of OpenAI's image generator in October as a client of Microsoft, which has a partnership with OpenAI that enables it to integrate its technology into Microsoft's cloud computing platform.

But it wasn't until the November 30 release of OpenAI's ChatGPT, a free public tool, that widespread interest in generative AI tools began seeping into workplaces and executive suites.

"ChatGPT really sort of brought it home how powerful they were," said Eric Boyd, a Microsoft executive who leads its AI platform. "That's changed the conversation in a lot of people's minds where they really get it on a deeper level. My kids use it and my parents use it."

There is reason for caution, however.

While text generators like ChatGPT and Microsoft's Bing chatbot can make the process of writing emails, presentations and marketing pitches faster and easier, they also have a tendency to confidently present misinformation as fact.

Image generators trained on a huge trove of digital art and photography have raised copyright concerns from the original creators of those works.

"For companies that are really in the creative industry, if they want to make sure that they have copyright protection for those models, that's still an open question," said attorney Anna Gressel of the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, which advises businesses on how to use AI.

A safer use has been thinking of the tools as a brainstorming "thought partner" that won't produce the final product, Gressel said.

"It helps create mock ups that then are going to be turned by a human into something that is more concrete," she said.

That also helps ensure that humans don't get replaced by AI. Forrester analyst Rowan Curran said the tools should speed up some of the "nitty-gritty" of office tasks  much like previous innovations such as word processors and spell checkers  rather than putting people out of work, as some fear.

"Ultimately it's part of the workflow," Curran said. "It's not like we're talking about having a large language model just generate an entire marketing campaign and have that launch without expert senior marketers and all kinds of other controls."

For consumer-facing chatbots getting integrated into smartphone apps, it gets a little trickier, Curran said, with a need for guardrails around technology that can respond to users' questions in unexpected ways.

Public awareness fueled growing competition between cloud computing providers Microsoft, Amazon and Google, which sell their services to big organizations and have the massive computing power needed to train and operate AI models.

Microsoft announced this year it will invest billions more dollars into its partnership with OpenAI, though it also competes with the startup as a direct provider of AI tools.

Google, which pioneered advancements in generative AI but has been cautious about introducing them to the public, is now playing catch up to capture its commercial possibilities including an upcoming Bard chatbot. Facebook parent Meta, another AI research leader, builds similar technology but doesn't sell it to businesses in the same way as its big tech peers.

Amazon has taken a more muted tone, but makes its ambitions clear through its partnerships  most recently an expanded collaboration between its cloud computing division AWS and the startup Hugging Face, maker of a ChatGPT rival called Bloom.

Photos: Amid ChatGPT outcry, some teachers are inviting AI to class
Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson is pleased to announce the sheriff s office received $237,772.59 in grant funding through the State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, Office of Emergency Communications, Public Service Answering Points Grant Program.

The funds will be crucial in moving Vernon County forward toward implementing Next Generation 911. NG911 https://oec.wi.gov/nextgen911/ greatly improves call routing and broad-based interoperability. Among many other enhancements to public safety, 911 callers will eventually have the ability to communicate with public safety communications professionals via text messaging and video.

Locally, this important work toward Next Gen 911 began under the leadership of Sheriff John Spears and the award was announced in December during his administration.

Torgerson said in a press release he would like to thank everyone working on the grant, with a very special recognition to Sgt. Bruce Olson.

Olson, a lifelong resident of Vernon County, has been with the Sheriffs Office since 1991 and has managed the communications center since being promoted to sergeant in 2001 by Sheriff Gene Cary and Undersheriff/Chief Deputy Jim Hanson. Olson currently supervises eight communications professionals. Besides daily operations, which often includes taking overflow calls, Olson oversees the rigorous training program for new dispatchers. Olson is also responsible for compliance with the Vernon County Rural Addressing Ordinance requiring constant communication with all municipalities and other county departments mentioned below and the Office of Treasurer, Karen DeLap and her staff.

Sheriff Torgerson said the following also helped with the grant: Cari Redington, Vernon County Administrator; Amy (Holte) Oliver, Vernon County Grant Officer; Monique Hassman, GIS Coordinator, Vernon County Land Information Office; Conner Simon, Vernon County Information Technology Director; Brandon Larson, Vernon County Emergency Management Director; Vernon Communications Cooperative: Rob Budworth, Network Technician and Matthew McGarry, Director of Operations, and countless other VCC staff for providing 911 service for 23 years; Grant Grywalsky, Grant Specialist, State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, Office of Emergency Communications; Jessica Jimenez, Project Manager, State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, Office of Emergency Communications; and Erik Viel, Director, State of Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, Office of Emergency Communications.

Torgerson said he appreciates the Vernon County Board of Supervisors for approving the grant and providing the 20 percent local funding. Current District #11 Supervisor Charles Jacobson, who retired from the Sheriff s Office in 2022 with over 30 years of service, was instrumental in implementing Vernon Countys very first 911 system under the leadership of Sheriff Geoffrey Banta and Undersheriff Jerry Fredrickson.

More information will be released as Next Generation 911 is implemented.
WASHINGTON  Heres a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.

House votes

VA online records requests: The House has passed the Wounded Warrior Access Act (H.R. 1226), sponsored by Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., to require the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to make a tool on its website for veterans to make requests for records related to their claims and benefits status at the VA. Aguilar said the current claims filing process is cumbersome and time-consuming, and the website tool would be a commonsense solution that cuts this red tape and will help American veterans. The vote, on March 7, was unanimous with 422 yeas. Yeas:

Tiffany, R-WI (7th); Van Orden, R-WI (3rd)

Mobile telecommunications and cybersecurity: The House has passed the Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act (H.R. 1123), sponsored by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Calif., to require a report on the cybersecurity of mobile telecommunications networks from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Eshoo said the report was needed because we lack a comprehensive assessment of what vulnerabilities exist on these networks, what issues have been resolved, and where mobile cybersecurity policymaking should be focused. The vote, on March 7, was 393 yeas to 22 nays. Yeas:

Tiffany, R-WI (7th); Van Orden, R-WI (3rd)

Syria war: The House has rejected a resolution (H. Con. Res. 21), sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., that would have required the withdrawal of all U.S. soldiers from Syria. Gaetz said: We have tried this time and again to build a democracy out of sand, blood, and Arab militias, and time and again the work we do does not reduce chaos. Oftentimes it causes chaos, the very chaos that then subsequently leads to terrorism. An opponent, Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, said: Our small deployment of U.S. servicemembers is remarkably effective at working with local partner forces to achieve results and ensure the enduring and complete defeat of ISIS. The vote, on March 8, was 103 yeas to 321 nays. Yeas: Tiffany, R-WI (7th); nays:

Van Orden, R-WI (3rd)

Treating VA medical waste: The House has passed the VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act (H.R. 753), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to require the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to put regulated medical waste treatment systems at VA health care facilities. Bost said installing on-site waste incinerators could save the VA tens of millions of dollars per year and create a safer and cleaner environment at our VA hospitals. The vote, on March 8, was unanimous with 426 yeas. Yeas:

Tiffany, R-WI (7th); Van Orden, R-WI (3rd)

Government and censorship: The House has passed the Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act (H.R. 140), sponsored by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., to bar employees in the executive branch of the federal government from directly or indirectly censoring speech, with penalties imposed if employees censor speech. Comer said: Federal officials, no matter their rank or resources, must be prohibited from coercing the private sector to suppress certain information or limit the ability of citizens to freely express their own views on a private-sector Internet platform. A bill opponent, Rep. Daniel S. Goldman, D-N.Y., said it would allow Russia, China, and other countries adversarial to the U.S. to continue using social media platforms unfettered to wreak havoc on our democratic institutions, including the integrity of our elections. The vote, on March 9, was 219 yeas to 206 nays. Yeas:

Tiffany, R-WI (7th); Van Orden, R-WI (3rd)

Regulating waterways: The House has passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 27), sponsored by Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., to disapprove of and void an Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency rule issued this January that defines Waters of the United States (WOTUS). Such waters would be subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act. Graves said: Returning to a more costly, burdensome, and broad WOTUS definition could have a massive impact on local communities and Americans ability to do their jobs and manage their own private property. A resolution opponent, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said: This resolution represents a giant step backward for clean water, increases uncertainty for farmers, homebuilders, roadbuilders, and all American families. The vote, on March 9, was 227 yeas to 198 nays. Yeas:

Tiffany, R-WI (7th); Van Orden, R-WI (3rd)

Senate votes

Virginia judge: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Stewart Ballou to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. A magistrate judge in the district since 2011, for the previous two decades Ballou had been a private practice lawyer in Virginia. A supporter, Sen. Timothy Kaine, D-Va., said: Judge Ballou enjoys broad and deep support across the Virginia legal community. The vote, on March 7, was 59 yeas to 37 nays. Nays: Johnson, R-WI; yeas:

Baldwin, D-WI

California judge: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Andrew G. Schopler to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Schopler was a federal prosecutor in the district from 2004 to 2016, then assumed his current role as a magistrate judge in the district. The vote, on March 7, was 56 yeas to 39 nays. Nays: Johnson, R-WI; yeas:

Baldwin, D-WI

New York judge: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Arun Subramanian to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Subramanian has been a lawyer at a New York City law firm since 2008, specializing in commercial litigation. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called Subramanian an expert in consumer protection, with years of experience defending those injured by unfair, illegal practices. He also defended victims of child trafficking and pornography. The vote, on March 7, was 59 yeas to 37 nays. Nays: Johnson, R-WI; yeas:

Baldwin, D-WI

D.C. criminal laws: The Senate has passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 26), sponsored by Rep. Andrew S. Clyde, R-Ga., to disapprove of and void a Washington, D.C., Council law that made various changes to the Districts criminal laws, including reducing punishments and expanding the right to a jury trial for misdemeanor cases. A supporter, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the D.C. law was going even softer on crime and putting violent convicts back on the streets even more rapidly even as crime rates have climbed to high levels. An opponent, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said: The Congress should not be overriding the will of the people of D.C. as reflected in their elected representatives. The vote, on March 8, was 81 yeas to 14 nays. Yeas:

Johnson, R-WI; Baldwin, D-WI

IRS commissioner: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Daniel Werfel to be Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner for a term ending in late 2027. Werfel was the IRSs acting commissioner late in the Obama administration, and previously was the Office of Management and Budgets controller. For the last nine years he has been at the Boston Consulting Group. A supporter, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said Werfel would bring transparency to the job. That includes how the IRS will spend funding to improve taxpayer services, upgrade information technology, and crack down on those wealthy tax cheats. An opponent, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said Werfels answers to inquiries about his nomination did little to inspire confidence in his willingness to take back control of this agency and stop what Blackburn called harassing audits of taxpayers. The vote, on March 9, was 54 yeas to 42 nays. Nays: Johnson, R-WI; yeas:

Baldwin, D-WI

Second California judge: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of James Simmons to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for Southern California. A county court judge in San Diego since 2017, Simmons was previously a prosecutor for the California government there. The vote, on March 9, was 51 yeas to 43 nays. Nays: Johnson, R-WI; yeas:

Baldwin, D-WI

Appeals court judge: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Maria Araujo Kahn to be a judge on the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Since 2006, Kahn has successively been a county superior court, state appeals court, and state supreme court judge in Connecticut; previously, she was an assistant U.S. attorney in the state. The vote, on March 9, was 51 yeas to 42 nays. Nays: Johnson, R-WI; yeas: Baldwin, D-WI
The ROTC Eagle Battalion at UW-La Crosse outpaced 45 other teams to claim victory Feb. 24-25 in the Northern Warfare Challenge.

Teams from throughout the Midwest traveled to the Coulee Region to compete in what organizers describe as the hardest race in ROTC. This years event began with several challenges at Fort McCoy  rifle marksmanship, knot-tying, treatment of a hypothermic casualty and fire-starting  and ended with a 17-mile ruck march through La Crosses Hixon Forest trail system.

Winning the Northern Warfare Challenge was a great accomplishment for the Eagle Battalion, said Brian Knutson, chair of UW-Ls Military Science Department. With the trail covered in snow, with a thick layer of ice underneath, the course was even more challenging.

Also new this year was a partnership with the River City Running Club, which hosted a ruck run community event allowing participants to see the cadet teams in action.

Overall, Knutson said he is proud of the Eagle Battalions performance during the competition and of all the hard work people put in behind the scenes.

This was a whole program effort, with all of our cadets and cadre manning checkpoints, monitoring team safety on the course, supervising each portion of the competition and coordinating with La Crosse Parks and Rec and Fort McCoy for the use of trails and facilities, Knutson said. We could not be prouder of all the cadets and cadre in the Eagle Battalion for creating such a great event to show off our great schools, parks and city.

The Reserve Officer Training Corps program offers students the opportunity to develop leadership traits imperative to success in both the military and civilian sectors. The Eagle Battalion, as they are collectively called, consists of cadets from UW-L, Viterbo University and Winona State University. Upon completing their undergraduate degree, cadets commission into the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant.
NEW YORK  Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen is scheduled to testify Monday before a Manhattan grand jury investigating hush-money payments made on the former president's behalf, said two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Cohen is a key witness in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation and his testimony is coming at a critical time, as prosecutors close in on a decision on whether to seek charges against Trump. Prosecutors sometimes save their most important witnesses until the end stages of a grand jury investigation.

Cohen has been meeting regularly with Manhattan prosecutors in recent weeks, including a day-long session Friday to prepare for his appearance before the grand jury, which has been hearing evidence in the matter since January.

Cohen declined to comment to reporters as he left the meeting, saying he'd be "taking a little bit of time now to stay silent and allow the D.A. to build their case."

The Manhattan district attorney's office, which thus far has declined to comment on the investigation, also declined to address whether Cohen would testify before the grand jury.

Prosecutors appear to be looking at whether Trump committed crimes in arranging the payments, or in how they were accounted for internally at Trump's company, the Trump Organization.

One possible charge would be falsifying business records, a misdemeanor unless prosecutors could prove it was done to conceal another crime.

Prosecutors last week invited Trump to testify before the grand jury  another sign that phase of the investigation is winding down. Inviting the subject of an investigation to appear before a grand jury is typically one of the last steps before a potential indictment.

Trump has the right to testify under New York law, though legal experts say he is unlikely to do so because it wouldn't benefit his defense and he'd have to give up a cloak of immunity that's automatically granted to grand jury witnesses under state law.

Cohen served prison time after pleading guilty in 2018 to federal charges, including campaign finance violations, for arranging the payouts to porn actor Stormy Daniels and model Karen McDougal to keep them from going public. Trump has denied the affairs.

Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 through his own company and was then reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as "legal expenses." McDougal's $150,000 payment was made through the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer, which squelched her story in a journalistically dubious practice known as "catch-and-kill."

The Trump Organization "grossed up" Cohen's reimbursement for the Daniels payment for "tax purposes," according to federal prosecutors who filed criminal charges against the lawyer in connection with the payments in 2018. Cohen got $360,000 plus a $60,000 bonus.

Federal prosecutors said during Cohen's criminal case that Trump was aware of the payments to the women. The U.S. attorney's office in New York, however, declined at the time to seek a criminal charge against the then-sitting president.

Cohen, now estranged from Trump, has met with prosecutors 20 times through several iterations of the hush-money probe. In January, he gave his cell phones to Manhattan prosecutors so they could extract evidence, including voice recordings of conversations he had with a lawyer for Daniels as well as emails and text messages.

Other members of Trump's inner circle have met with Manhattan prosecutors in recent weeks, including his former political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks.

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WASHINGTON  Three days after federal agents searched former President Donald Trump's Florida home for classified documents, FBI Director Christopher Wray emailed his workforce urging them to tune out criticism from those who "don't know what we know and don't see what we see."

The work was done by the book, the director wrote in his Aug. 11 email. "We don't cut corners. We don't play favorites."

The internal message was an acknowledgment of the unprecedented nature of the search and the subsequent pummeling the bureau had been receiving from Trump and his supporters. It also was a recognition that the FBI had been navigating a moment so fraught that the normally taciturn Wray felt compelled to address employees about the ramifications of the investigation.

The pressures on Wray and the FBI have grown since then and are only likely to intensify. In its long history, the FBI has rarely been at the center of so many politically sensitive investigations. Agents are simultaneously examining the retention of classified documents by Trump and President Joe Biden. And they're scrutinizing efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the 2020 election ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol.

The probes, overseen by Justice Department special counsels, are unfolding in a hyper-partisan environment as the 2024 presidential election nears and as Congress launches its own investigations of the FBI. All the while, the bureau has been subjected to regular attacks from Trump, his supporters and influential right-wing pundits, with the former president saying FBI "misfits" are less credible than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Wray acknowledged the FBI was enduring tough times. But he downplayed the impact the "noise" had on day-to-day work, insisting the opinions he most valued were those of "the people we do the work for and those we do the work with."

"I look not just at the one or two investigations being discussed breathlessly on social media or cable news but at the impact we're having across the country to protect the American people," he said.

Adding to the tension: Republicans are using their newly minted House majority to investigate the investigators, accusing the FBI of abuses ranging from unfairly targeting Trump to suppressing free speech. They've highlighted disputed, uncorroborated whistleblower complaints against supervisors that the FBI for privacy reasons says it's constrained from fully responding to.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a Wray critic and chair of the House Judiciary Committee, told the AP he supported rank-and-file agents but was concerned about the leadership.

For Wray, the turbulence is more a continuation of a recent trend than something new.

He was appointed by Trump in 2017 after the chaotic firing of his predecessor, James Comey, and as the FBI investigated ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign. Furious over that probe, Trump lashed out at Wray for the remainder of his term and openly flirted with firing him.

The director fastidiously ignored the verbal assaults, adhering to a "keep calm and tackle hard" mantra that he has repeatedly conveyed to agents but that can seem incongruous with a climate that is decidedly not calm. His approach did not change as the bureau initiated investigations involving the current and former presidents.

"We're not well-served by wading into the fray, taking the bait and responding to every breathless allegation," Wray told the AP. "So we will continue to push back and correct the record when we appropriately can. But as long as I'm director we're going to follow the FBI's long history and tradition of letting our work do the talking."

The AP spoke to about two dozen current and former FBI officials for this story. Most spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss FBI matters publicly. Many of those interviewed said they were distressed to see the FBI entangled in politics, lamenting not only the barrage of attacks the bureau faces but also Justice Department policies and actions, like a memo directing the FBI to address threatening rhetoric at school board meetings, that they believe have injected the bureau into the partisan fray and invited criticism.

Some who are personally supportive of Wray and respect his approach to the job contend he and the FBI could more forcefully punch back against false narratives and do better in explaining its work to the public. That's admittedly a complicated calculus for the FBI given that Comey was widely criticized for public statements about the Hillary Clinton email probe, an experience that exists as a cautionary tale for the more circumspect Wray.

Greg Brower, who worked with Comey and Wray when he was the FBI's top liaison to Congress, said he believes Wray strives to do what's right without regard to pressure and was unlikely to adapt his style to satisfy critics. Though not inclined to second-guess Wray, he said it could be argued that Wray's "conventional" style should be modified for unconventional times and that aggressive pushback was needed to prevent false narratives from taking hold.

"It does appear sometimes that the narrative that the bureau's opponents are creating, the very often false narrative, it takes on a life of its own and becomes reality for all intents and purposes. It causes the bureau to be completely mischaracterized in a way that's hard to undo," Brower said.

For his part, Wray said he tries to communicate as much as he can about the FBI's work, but no matter how much he does so, "the focus is on the manufactured controversies of the day or the one or two cases that get all the attention."

He believes a key part of his job is to step up outreach to his 38,000-member workforce. Besides the message after the Mar-a-Largo search, he held an employee town hall in December, taking questions about public perception of the FBI, agent safety and allegations of politicization. He also frequently visits the bureau's 56 field offices to speak to agents and local law enforcement.

Biden, Trump, and Pence: how their classified documents scandals are the same (and different) Biden, Trump, and Pence: how their classified documents scandals are the same (and different) The basics How this happened What happens next?
PENITAS, Texas  Two sisters from Texas and a friend are missing in Mexico after they crossed the border last month to sell clothes at a flea market, U.S. authorities said Friday.

The abduction of four Americans in Mexico that was caught on video March 3 received an avalanche of attention and was resolved in a matter of days. But the fate of the three women, who haven't been heard from in about two weeks, remains a mystery and has garnered relatively little publicity.

The FBI said Friday it is aware that two sisters from Penitas, a small border city in Texas near McAllen, and their friend have gone missing. Penitas Police Chief Roel Bermea said their families have been in touch with Mexican authorities, who are investigating their disappearance.

Beyond that, officials in the U.S. and Mexico haven't said much about their pursuit of Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47; Marina Perez Rios, 48; and their friend, Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53.

The episode stands in stark contrast to the government and media frenzy over the abduction of four Americans on a road trip to Mexico for plastic surgery. They were caught in a drug cartel shootout in the border city of Matamoros, and video showed them being hauled off in a pickup truck. The two survivors were found Tuesday in a wooden shack near the Gulf coast.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the three women crossed into Mexico on Feb. 24, a Friday. Penitas is just a few hundred feet from the Rio Grande River.

One of the women's husbands spoke to her by phone while she was traveling in Mexico, the police chief said, but grew concerned when he couldn't reach her afterward.

"Since he couldn't make contact over that weekend, he came in that Monday and reported it to us," Bermea said. The three women haven't been heard from since.

Bermea said the women were traveling in a green mid-1990s Chevy Silverado to a flea market in the city of Montemorelos, in Nuevo Leon state. It's about a three-hour drive from the border. Officials at the state prosecutor's office said they have been investigating the women's disappearance since Monday.

This week's massive search for the four kidnapped Americans involved squads of Mexican soldiers and National Guard troops. But for most of the 112,000 Mexicans missing nationwide, the only ones looking for them are their desperate relatives.

Authorities say they lack manpower, equipment and training; things are so bad that authorities aren't even able to identify tens of thousands of bodies that have been found.

Photos: Many worry Mexicos Maya Train will destroy jungle
Authorities have identified a woman who died days after she was shot in January in Iowa County.

Nicole C. Bliesner, 35, of Spring Green, was found shot Jan. 25 after authorities responded to a call at 4382 Percussion Road in the town of Wyoming, Iowa County Sheriff Michael Peterson said in a statement.

Bliesner died from her injuries on Jan. 30, the Sheriffs Office said.

Timothy D. Sontic, of Hillpoint, is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a weapon.

Sontic remains in the Iowa County jail on $250,000 cash bond, with his next court date set for May 24at 9:30 a.m., Peterson said.
Lightstorm, a pioneer in building an utility-grade resilient fiber network, has announced the expansion of its global footprint by starting operations in the Middle East.

It will make multi-million-dollar investment in the region to boost its digital infrastructure in the region.

Lightstorm has also signed collaboration agreements with several key players in the region, including Kalaam and Gulf Data Hub (GDH), to provide state-of-the-art digital infrastructure to enterprises in the region, said the company in a statement.

Its partners will benefit from the group's presence in the region, while it offers a crucial advantage to its customers looking to expand and grow in the MEA region.

The world-class digital infrastructure will foster the growth of digital businesses, contributing to the growth of the regions economy.

Since its inception in 2021, Lightstorm has set up a state-of-the-art SmartNet network using a utility-grade 35,000 km of fiber connecting +50 datacenters across five major economic hubs in India.

On the other hand, SmartNet Indonesia was launched last year and will connect 40+ data centers in the JABO region with a new underground fiber of more than 900 km. Lightstorm is backed by I-Squared Capital, which has $30+ billion in assets under management.

"We are thrilled to start our operations in the MEA region. This is a strategically important region for us, and we look forward to providing a best-in-class digital infrastructure to our customers here, so they can ensure a superior customer experience for their users," remarked Amajit Gupta, Group CEO and MD, Lightstorm.

"We have partnered with Kalaam and GDH, to provide a world-class experience to hyperscalers and digital businesses. Our initiatives will further boost the digital infrastructure in the region and will contribute to the `We the UAE 2031 vision of the UAE Government," he noted.

"Its partners will also benefit by offering Polarin, self-serve Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform which is built on the pillars of transparency, services at a click of a button and scalability. It is designed to offer a user experience for a network that is fully aligned with the cloud," he added.

As Indias first carrier-neutral network infrastructure platform, Lightstorm is working with several hyperscalers, including two of the top five brands in the world.

It is a pioneer of the first-of-its-kind utility-grade resilient fiber, SmartNet in several countries in the South Asia and South East Asia region.-TradeArabia News Service
KYIV, Ukraine  Bound for the battlefield, sounding harried and anxious, the Russian soldier placed a hasty phone call  to a Ukrainian military hotline.

"They say you can help me surrender voluntarily, is that right?" asked the serviceman, explaining that he was soon to be deployed near the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson.

"When Ukrainian soldiers come, do I just kneel down, or what? Do you promise not to film me while this is happening?"

In fluent Russian, the hotline operator calmly assured him he'd be given detailed instructions on how to safely lay down his weapon and turn himself in.

"When you get to the front lines, just call us right away," she said.

At a crucial juncture in an extraordinarily bloody war, Ukraine's military is focused on one task: removing Russian soldiers from the battlefield. But faced with a foe whose ranks are known to be riddled with unwilling fighters, Ukrainian military strategists realized there might be more than one means to that end.

With that, the "I Want to Live" outreach was born, aimed at providing invading forces with step-by-step information on how to abandon the ranks. Initially run by Ukrainian police, the program has had a ramped-up, military-operated version in place since mid-September.

On Russian-language social media, Ukrainians have spread the word about the program's website, intended as a portal for the surrender-curious or their loved ones. It has attracted more than 13.3 million visits  7.6 million of those from Russian territory, organizers said.

Russian soldiers also provide personal data through a chatbot on the encrypted messaging app Telegram  information Ukrainian authorities use to winnow down those who are serious about turning themselves in. The chatbot, together with the hotline, has drawn nearly 10,000 contacts, according to organizers.

Citing security reasons, Ukrainian officials declined to disclose how many surrenders have been brokered via the program. But hotline operators field calls around the clock from Russians who are soon to be mobilized, are in the midst of being deployed or are already on the battlefield. Callers might be jittery or stoic, defensive or remorseful, coolly businesslike or floridly emotional  sometimes all of those in a single conversation.

"So, this is not fake?" one Russian soldier asked.

"It is not fake," the Ukrainian operator replied.

The 10-member hotline team, all active-duty service personnel with backgrounds in psychology, is tasked with providing callers with clear, concise instructions, while being alert to signs that the outreach might be a "probe" by Russian intelligence, meant to elicit information about Ukrainian methods and intentions.

However tense the backdrop, those dealing directly with would-be surrenderers try to "calm them down," said Vitaly Matvienko, a junior lieutenant who serves as spokesman for the program, which is run by the department for prisoners of war.

"Hi, I'm listening," goes a typically low-key operator salutation in an audio sampling of recent calls provided by the Ukrainian military. In the recordings made public, callers' voices are distorted to shield their identities.

Hotline operators initially worked out of military headquarters in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, but were later moved to a secret location because they are now seen as a high-profile potential target, Matvienko said. The military refused to make operators available for interviews but said they are male and female, a range of ages and all able to chat easily in colloquial Russian.

When it comes to surrenders in the field, both sides are aware that the moment carries enormous risk for all involved, he said.

"In general, it's a very dangerous process," said Matvienko. But strict protocols, clearly laid out in advance, improve the odds of everyone staying alive.

Russians who want to turn themselves in are told to wave a white cloth, remove the magazines from their guns, point the barrels to the ground and eschew body armor and helmets. They are assured that in the event they want to be sent home in a prisoner swap, their paperwork will reflect that they were captured, not that they gave up voluntarily.

If it's a bring-your-own-tank surrender, which happens not infrequently, the turret is to be turned in the opposite direction. If it's a group surrender  also a fairly common occurrence, with a Russian squad often fearing retribution from commanders but agreeing to act jointly and surreptitiously  the highest-ranking soldier must identify himself.

If a surrendering soldier runs out of options for separating himself from his unit, the hotline offers help.

"We can coordinate with special units that will extract you safe and sound," one operator told a worried caller.

Like so much in this conflict, the "I Want to Live" program employs both high-tech methods and simple communication tools.

Russians facing deployment can communicate with the Ukrainian side using the Telegram chatbot, and before leaving for the front, they're urged to procure and hide a basic flip phone  not a smartphone  and use that to call the hotline.

Ukrainians say they've heard from Russian soldiers already on the battlefield who learned of the hotline by word-of-mouth or from a scrawled-on slip of paper passed from hand to hand.

In Russia's battle to subdue Ukraine, now in its second year, one of Moscow's greatest advantages is the sheer number of troops it can throw into the fight, Western military analysts say  which is why Ukraine is willing to try novel tactics to reduce those numbers.

In addition to the 190,000 Russian soldiers who took part in the initial multipronged invasion that began in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin last year ordered the mobilization of 300,000 more, many of whom are now in Ukraine. And another major mobilization is expected as Russia seeks to mount a spring offensive.

In liberated Ukraine city, civilians still pay price of war
Saudi Arabia and Iran Resume Diplomatic Ties in Agreement Brokered by China

March 10, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)In an agreement brokered by China and announced in Beijing today, representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran announced they will reestablish diplomatic ties no later than two months from today, and affirmed their respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in the internal affairs of states. This action was taken, according to the trilateral statement, in response to the noble initiative of His Excellency President Xi Jinping, President of the Peoples Republic of China, of Chinas support for developing good neighborly relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The trilateral statement was issued after Wang Yi, Director of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Partys Central Committee, met with both delegations. According to Global Times, he congratulated them for taking this historic step, which he said not only represented a victory for dialogue and peace, bringing very good news to an unsettled world, but also demonstrated a successful application of President Xi Jinpings Global Security Initiative.

As a kind and trustworthy mediator, Wang said, China has fulfilled its responsibility as a host and will continue to play a constructive role in promoting the proper handling of global heated issues in accordance with each sides willingness. The head of the Iranian and Saudi delegations had nothing but praise for Chinas major country diplomacy. The Chinese leader emphasized that the agreement shows that Ukraine isnt the only problem in the world and that there are others involving peace and peoples livelihoods that require global attention and proper handling. No matter how difficult a problem may be, maintaining a spirit of mutual respect to seek dialogue can help each side reach a settlement, Wang said. By reaching this agreement the two countries have taken an important step for Middle East peace and set an example for settling disputes via dialogue.

Todays announcement was the culmination of talks held between March 6-10 in Beijing, as well as previous discussions during 2021 and 2022. The delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was headed by His Excellency Dr. Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State and National Security Advisor, and the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran headed by His Excellency Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to the trilateral statement, leaders of both delegations agreed that their respective foreign ministers will meet to arrange implementation of the accord and discuss means of enhancing bilateral relations.... The three countries expressed their keenness to exert all efforts towards enhancing regional and international peace and security.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SATURDAY MARCH 11, 2023

The Culture of the Silk Road Is the Path to Peace

March 10, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)The Global Security Initiative delivered an important victory to humanity yesterday, with the announcement, from Beijing, of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran made the announcement that they would reestablish diplomatic relations two months from now. This was done, as the Saudi Press Agency official statement opened the Joint Trilateral Statement by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Peoples Republic of China, In response to the noble initiative of His Excellency President Xi Jinping, President of the Peoples Republic of China, of Chinas support for developing good neighborly relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.... Consider the role of the United States in Iran, from the CIA-orchestrated coup in 1953 until 1979. Consider the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, from the end of World War Two until now. Then, think more deeply about the colonial relationship of the British Empire to both Iran and the Arab world, over centuries, and over the period since especially the 1916 Sykes-Picot Treaty. What has just happened to the Anglospheres geopolitical Great Game?

To understand the strategic realm in which this success is actually locatedthe complex domain of universal historywe refer to Lyndon LaRouches 1983 proposal, Saudi Arabia in the Year 2023, Part 1: Overcoming 1,000 Years of Looting and Subjugation of the Arab World. During the reign of Caliph Harun Al-Rashid, at Baghdad, Mesopotamia is estimated to have supported a population of 30 or more million souls, ten million more than today. At that time the Caliphate was the most advanced culture in the world, in respect to scientific knowledge.... As the Roman Empire collapsed of its own moral decay, to the west, the great Gupta renaissance had arisen in India to the east.... [I]t was Al-Farabi, who returned to Europe the well-tempered, 12-tone, octave musical scale, and chiefly Ibn Sina who gave Europe medicine and much of its impetus for rigorous scientific knowledge, as the case of Englands Roger Bacon of the 13th century illustrates. To speak of Arab culture today, or to speak, more broadly, of Islamic culture, we must include the fact of the Arab renaissance of now more than 1,000 years ago.

One cannot expect State Department cretins like cookie monster Victoria Nuland, or the offal of the once-not-only-evil-but-competent British Civil Service, to understand LaRouches strategic point, which an Arnold Toynbee would have recognized immediately. The diplomacy of durable regional security requires that Indian, Persian, Arab and, differently Islamic cultural heritage must be, not only understood and valued, but mobilized as the creative substrate and basis for, not merely regional peace, but progress and prosperity. The 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization, today possessed of the most productive economy in the world, and a leadership that has acted worldwide, for a decade, on its proposal of win-win cooperation, has just proven that, indeed, a Coincidence of Opposites can be achieved in even the most difficult of circumstances. This is a proof of principle for what can be done worldwide. That includes in the Russia/NATO conflict, misnamed the Ukraine conflict, as the Feb. 24 Chinese 12-point peace proposal, Chinas Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis, suggested.

The forces of the international Schiller Institute are intervening in many nations, particularly in the Anglospheres France, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, and the United States, in what is beginning to take shape as an authentic mass strike process. This does not merely refer to rallies, demonstrations and elections, but a palpable change in social consciousness that suddenly sweeps the world like a force of nature. The mass strike is not artificially made, not decided at random, not propagated, but that it is an historical phenomenon, which, at a given moment, results from social conditions with historical inevitability, economist Rosa Luxemburg tells us. The intelligence of mankind seems, of a sudden, to become greater, when and where it is successfully engaged by those that have prepared for that moment. The most alert, who tend to be young people, are satisfied only with frontier thinking, profound ideas that demand a re-thinking of the very purpose of life itself. Today, the conference, To End Colonialism: A Mission for All Youth will, starting at 10 a.m. EST, will feature many such young people whose self-assigned mission is to initiate a worldwide permanent Socratic dialogue among thousands of their contemporaries. In this way, by mastering the Socratic method of Cusa, Leibniz, Gauss, Riemann, and of LaRouche, they will be intellectually armed to assault and overthrow the Empire of the Mind with which the culturally decadent high priesthood of academia has enmeshed them, but cannot hold them.

We are now seeing the potential for such a process, even as the world faces thermonuclear war. The multiple appearances of Schiller Institute representatives, led by Helga Zepp-LaRouche herself, in various media outlets in China, the United States, and social media, as well as interviews done in the past few days with Independent United States Senate candidate Diane Sare, have, in the last 24 hours, successfully put into circulation the truth about the Ukraine warthat its real intention is the dismemberment of Russia, as discussed, for example, by the U.S. Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and in the June 1, 2022 Bloomberg news article, Is Breaking Up Russia the Only Way To End Its Imperialism? Yesterday, portions of this picture were discussed by organizer Jose Vega on the One America News Network and with host Jimmy Dore on his show.

The action that has been advanced yesterday with the joint China-Iran-Saudi Arabia announcement, and the pre-mass strike intervention process that is now creating an incipient solidarity among the populations of the trans-Atlantic sector against war and for economic development, both derive from the same method of thinking. Look at it from another perspective, in the form of the deep-cleaning antiseptic of truth that Seymour Hersh provided the world through his Nord Stream pipeline expose. The truth-effect keeps spreading, and will keep spreading, with our assistance, and with every lie that is told about what obviously happened.

The ridicule to which the enemies of humanity are now being submitted, as they try to convince the world that Moby Dick blew up the pipeline, is the necessary antidote to their persistent lies about nearly everything. Humor neutralizes the lies that have driven the captive populations of the Anglosphere nations to the psychological point, either of insanity, or an even more insane moral indifference. When people read the Nord Stream pipe-dream story in the newspapers, including the very New York Times where Seymour Hersh was once a reporter, claiming that reinforced steel pipelines encased in concrete, sitting at a depth of 260-360 feet (80-100 meters) in the Baltic Sea, were booby-trapped with, not one, but four explosive charges, and this was done by two divers from a 5-man and 1-woman yacht team, financed by a shadowy Ukrainian oligarch, to be much later detonated by remote controleven the most dedicated users find themselves asking whether it might be time to reverse marijuana legalization.

Speaking of sobering up, the just-announced bankruptcy of Silicon Valley Bank, preceded by San Diegos Signature Bank, means that, as with the precursor tremors that antedate an earthquake, the savvy should demand the shutdown of speculative commodities markets and Samuel Bankman-Fried-like scams this weekend. As a wise man once said, you can only kick a can down the road so many times before it becomes a bucket.

On the Schiller Institute campaign regarding lifting the Syrian Caesar sanctions and removing American troops from their illegal occupation of that nation, H.Con.Res.21, introduced by Congressman Matt Gaetz calling for American troops to be withdrawn from Syria, was defeated. Note, however, that there were 103 Congressmen and Congresswomen that voted for it. Unlike with the disgraceful resolution to uphold the murderous Caesar sanctions, passed a few days before H.Con.Res.21 and only opposed by 2 representatives in the entire House, the Gaetz resolution was even supported by Robert Ford, the ambassador to Syria under Barack Obama, obviously no political ally of Gaetz. We owe our soldiers serving there in harms way, a serious debate about whether their mission is, in fact, achievable, Ambassador Ford said. On sanctions, Ford said, I would say its disingenuous for those who justify the Sanctions to say that they dont harm ordinary Syrians living in government-controlled territories. They obviously do. Allies of the Schiller Institute, specifically those involved in the Feb. 19 Rage Against the War Machine Rally, announced Operation War-Hawk Removal, a campaign to remove those who voted for both the sanctions and maintaining American troops in Syria from political office.

It were well to consider replacing them, and to repopulate American politics with independently-thinking persons concerned about the fate of humanity. Patriots who also consider themselves world-citizens of one humanity should take a moment to reflect upon what China has done with Saudi Arabia and Iran, and not only desire but seek to do likewise.
Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering services and solutions with a major presence in the Middle East region, has appointed Mohit Joshi as the MD & CEO designate of Tech Mahindra.

Joshi will take over as MD & CEO when CP Gurnani retires on December 19, 2023. He joins Tech Mahindra from Infosys, where he was the President of the company.

An industry veteran with over two decades of experience in the enterprise technology software and consulting space, Joshi has worked with the largest corporations in the world in driving digital transformation and building thriving businesses.

Lauding the appointment, the Tech Mahindra board members said he will join the company well before December 19 to allow for sufficient transition time.

At Infosys, Joshi was head of the Global Financial Services & Healthcare and the Software businesses, which included Finacle (the banking platform) and the AI / Automation portfolio.

He also led sales operations and transformation for Infosys and executive responsibility for all large deals across the company. He was also responsible for the companys internal CIO function and the Infosys Knowledge Institute.

Joshi has been a non-executive director at Aviva since 2020 and is a member of its Risk & Governance and Nomination committees.

In 2014, he joined the prestigious Young Global Leader programme at the World Economic Forum, Davos and is also a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO).

Welcoming him into the fold, TN Manoharan, Chairperson of Tech Mahindra NRC, said: "Joshis appointment is the successful culmination of a rigorous selection process during which the NRC evaluated a number of internal and external candidates. His experience with digital transformation, new technologies and large deals will complement Tech Mahindras strategies and continue to build on the strong growth momentum demonstrated by the company."

Previously, Joshi also held the office of the Vice Chair of the Economic Growth Board of the CBI (Confederation of British Industry).

Prior to joining Infosys in 2000, he worked with ABN AMRO and ANZ Grindlays in their Corporate and Investment bank. He has lived and worked in Asia, America and Europe and currently lives with his wife and two daughters in London.

On his new role, Joshi said: "Tech Mahindras growth journey has been remarkable. I am delighted to be joining the Tech Mahindra family and look forward to working closely with all the associates, partners, and customers to achieve new milestones, make a positive difference and #Risetogether."

Tech Mahindra is part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate.-TradeArabia News Service


VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.

Today we are talking about Thomas Jefferson. Although he took office in 1801, he is still one of the countrys best-known and most popular presidents. You can see a memorial honoring him in Washington, DC.

Jefferson is often linked to the countrys history of self-government, separation of church and state, and public education.

Over time, Jeffersons name also became linked to the continuation of slavery until the Civil War, and to the loss of land for Native Americans.

Founding father

Jefferson was born in 1743 and grew up in the hills and low mountains of Virginia. His familys wealth enabled him to get an excellent education.

Jefferson also learned to ride horses, dance and explore the natural world.

In the 1770s, Jefferson supported the American Revolution against Britain. He is probably most famous for being the lead writer of the Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson went on to hold many positions in the countrys new state and national governments. He served as governor of Virginia, a minister to France, secretary of state for President George Washington, and the vice president under President John Adams.

Virginia planter and slave owner

Jefferson played an important part in the creation of the U.S. But he often wrote to friends about how he most wanted to retire from public service and return to his home in Virginia.

In the 1760s, he designed a house there that he called Monticello  the word means little mountain in Italian.

About 130 slaves lived on Monticellos grounds at any time. They worked in Jeffersons home, farms, and on special projects, such as making cabinets and nails.

Jefferson owned about 600 slaves during his life. Yet he said he disliked slavery. He believed God would judge slave owners severely.

And, of course, Jefferson himself wrote in the Declaration of Independence all men are created equal and have the right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Yet Jefferson did not use his political power to end slavery. He expected future generations would permit slavery to end slowly across the country.

Jeffersons words and actions on slavery are contradictory. This conflict is especially evident because Jefferson likely had a long relationship with a slave at Monticello.

Her name was Sally Hemings. Evidence suggests that Jefferson was the father of her six children of record.

Third U.S. president

In 1801, Thomas Jefferson left Monticello to become the third U.S. president. His inauguration was the first held in Washington, DC.

Jeffersons government was a break from the earlier administrations. The first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams, supported a strong federal government. Jefferson, on the other hand, wanted to limit federal government.

As president, Jefferson cut the national debt. He reduced the military. He disliked the power of the Supreme Court over the laws Congress made. And he rejected appearances that made the U.S. president look like a European king.

One of the lasting images of Jefferson is of him receiving guests in old clothes and slippers.

But as president, Jefferson also appeared strong and powerful when dealing with foreign nations. Jefferson increased American naval forces in the Mediterranean to guard against threats to American ships.

And he permitted U.S. officials to buy a huge piece of land from France, even though the Louisiana Purchase added to the national debt and exceeded the power the Constitution gave the president.

In general, historians consider Jeffersons first term as president a success. Voters did, too, because he easily won a second term.

But those last four years were difficult. Jeffersons popularity suffered, especially when he stopped all American trade with Europe. Jefferson aimed to limit U.S. involvement in a war between Britain and France.

Instead, critics say he ruined the American economy.

Legacy

Critics also attacked both Jeffersons political ideas and his personal qualities. George Washington worried that Jefferson would weaken the strong federal government he had worked hard to create.

And even friends suggested in their letters that Jefferson was too idealistic.

Jeffersons opponents also accused him of not being a Christian, although he said he was. However, he did not believe the government should make rules about religion.

He wrote that the government should worry only about acts that hurt other people. He said it does not harm him if his neighbor says there are 20 gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

Jeffersons thinking on the separation of church and state remains important  and, in general, popular  in the U.S. today.

However, Jefferson is linked to problems faced by Native Americans. He tried to get Indian nations to enter into treaties that ultimately took away their land. He wanted Native Americans to become more like European-Americans. His policies made them depend on the federal government.

And Jefferson took no major action to end slavery, either in his personal life or as a public official.

At the end of his life, Jefferson wrote proudly about his accomplishments. He said he wanted to be remembered for three things: writing the Declaration of Independence, supporting religious freedom, and creating the University of Virginia.

For the most part, he is.

Jefferson also supported free public education, especially for those who could not pay for school.

But his time at Monticello had many sorrows. His wife, Martha, had died in 1782 after difficulty in childbirth. Most of his children also died before him.

In addition, the cost of improving and caring for Monticello, as well as the money he spent on fine wine and good food, had ruined him financially.

Eventually, one of his daughters had to sell her fathers beloved Monticello and the slaves who lived there to pay his debts.

Jefferson died in his bed at the age of 83. The last detail of his life  which Americans love to tell  is that he passed away on Americas birthday, exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story. Caty Weaver and George Grow were the editors.

Did you enjoy learning about America's founders? Give us your suggestions in the Comments and on our Facebook page.

Editor's note: A photo caption was corrected to say that the reconstructed cabin at Monticello shows the home of Sally Hemings' brother and sister-in-law, not of Sally Hemings. Monticello is currently restoring a room historians believe Sally and and her children lived in for a time.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

contradictory  adj. involving or having information that disagrees with other information

significant  adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect

slippers  n. light, soft shoes easily put on and taken off and worn indoors

picks my pocket  v. steals

Test your understanding of the story and develop your listening skills by taking this listening quiz.
Researchers have found the earliest direct evidence for horseback riding. The evidence comes from 5,000-year-old human skeletons in central Europe.

The research study was published last week in the publication Science Advances.

Horseback riding was a development that changed history. It was the fastest a human could go before the railroads, said David Anthony. He is a co-writer of the study and an archaeologist at New Yorks Hartwick College.

The researchers examined the bones of more than 200 ancient people in museum collections in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The bones came from the period known as the Bronze Age between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago. The researchers looked for signs of horse rider syndrome.

Martin Trautmann, another writer of the study, explained the condition. He said there are six markers that show whether a person rode an animal. They include wear marks on the hips, thigh bone and pelvis, said Trautmann, an anthropologist at the University of Helsinki in Finland.

The researchers identified five humans who likely rode horses. They are estimated to have lived between 4,500 and 5,000 years ago. They belonged to a Bronze Age people called the Yamnaya.

Alan Outram is an archaeologist at Britains University of Exeter. He was not involved in the research, but he praised the methods the scientists used. He said, There is earlier evidence for harnessing and milking of horses, but this is the earliest direct evidence so far for horseback riding.

Domesticating wild horses on the plains of Eurasia was a process, not a single event, the researchers said. Archaeologists have previously found evidence of people drinking horse milk. There have also been signs of horses controlled by harnesses dating back more than 5,000 years. But that does not mean humans rode the horses.

The Yamnaya culture developed in what is now part of Ukraine and western Russia. The Yamnaya are important because of their expansion across Eurasia in only a few generations. They moved west to Hungary and east to Mongolia, said University of Helsinki archaeologist and study co-writer Volker Heyd. The spread of Indo-European languages is linked to their movement, and they reshaped the genetic make-up of Europe, Heyd said.

Their relationship with horses may have partly made this movement possible, the researchers suggested.

David Anthony, the Hartwick College archaeologist, said, Horses expand the concept of distance  you begin to think about places previously out of reach as being reachable.

That does not mean the Yamnaya people were warriors on horseback. The horses they rode were likely not used in battlefield situations, Anthony said. But horses may have helped the Yamnaya more effectively send communications, build alliances and control the herds of cattle that were important to their economy.

Im Ashley Thompson.

The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

archaeologist n. a scientist who studies past human life through objects and bones

museum n. a building where things of cultural or scientific value are shown and knowledge about them is spread

syndrome n. a usually medical condition that has certain identifiable signs

pelvis n. the large that links the upper half of the body and the lower half

anthropologist n. a scientist who studies human development from the earliest times to the present

harness v. to attach a device to certain animals to control them for work

domesticate v. to train an animal to accept the control of human beings

concept n. an idea

___________________________________________________________________

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It has been 35 years since members of the Nebraska Legislature had a pay raise and 17 years since term limits took effect.

If lawmakers are wondering why, they simply need to check the actions of some of their colleagues. Omaha Senator Machaela Cavanaugh told fellow senators and a TV audience she was going to be mean because a fellow Omaha senator introduced a bill (restricting transgender surgery) she doesnt like.

But its not just the one anti-transgender bill she doesnt like, shes going to oppose every one of that senators proposals. No, wait a minute, now she says shes going to oppose every bill that comes up. The filibuster queen.

How juvenile. Act like an adult. If you dont like a bill, gather information supporting your case and share it through proper channels outlined in the rules of the Legislature.

Recently, Omaha Senator Meghan Hunt proposed an amendment that would prohibit Nebraska kids from going to church camp. She said shed add it to a controversial bill she didnt like. That move received national attention.

Weve seen your giggles and your pats on the back during floor debate senators. Youre really going to show somebody what youre made of. And its not just the two lawmakers I have mentioned.

But, back to that pay raise and those term limits. You wonder why the public doesnt support your desire to have those increased? Its because they see and hear and read about your petty antics. Believe me, Ive seen my share of those over the years.

But this isnt new territory for Senator Cavanaugh. Back in 2021, during the second week of a special session to deal with redistricting, several women of the legislature put the male-dominated Unicameral on notice. Instead of talking about redrawing maps, Machaela Cavanaugh gave up her office at the Capitol out of anger and her commitment to the working moms of Nebraska.

That incident stemmed from the overthrowing of the mothers room at the state capitol. A male staffer seemingly took over the room to make it his own office. The former mothers room, a quiet and private space, consisted of four chairs for soon-to-be and breastfeeding moms.

It is devastating, disappointing, and disheartening. Pro-life state, my butt, if you cant support working mothers in this building. Man, its like talking out of both sides of your mouth, Cavanaugh said.

Recently, Cavanaugh said of the bill she despises, If LB574 gets an early floor debate and moves forward, it will be very painful for this body. And if people are like, Is she threatening us? Let me be clear: Yes I am.

Taking cues from the Ernie Chambers playbook, Cavanaugh is filibustering a bill that has the same sponsor as the one she hates. Ernie would often attack a bill on the agenda that was up for debate before the bill he disliked. But certainly not every bill.

Well see how long this current Cavanaugh tactic lasts. Lincoln Senator Danielle Conrad suggested just skipping over the current bill.

We dont need to dig in here. This is not going to set some sort of terrible precedent. This is commonplace in our body to say, Weve hit a roadblock, she said. This gives us a chance to remove the roadblocks  let other business proceed.

Cavanaugh agreed to the idea. But senators voted against the compromise, 32-10.

At one point, Rules Committee Chairman Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard said he was ready to file a motion to adjourn sine die which would end the session for good. That would also leave the state without a budget and pass over a number of measures favored by the Governor.

But Cavanaugh said shes not done yet.

Take your names off that piece of poop LB574. Talk to the speaker  demand good governance. Be better. Be who the children of Nebraska deserve because they do not deserve this, she said.

I appreciate people who are passionate about their work, especially if theyre rational. I cant begin to understand what motivates the senator, but I do have some timely advice from the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Fight for the things you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you, she said.

J.L. Schmidt has been covering Nebraska government and politics since 1979. He has been a registered Independent for more than 20 years.
Eleven-year-old Augie Reeder was one of the youngest people in the room March 4 while competing at the annual state Mathcounts competition.

And by the end of the day, he was one of four students in the state advancing to the national competition.

When he ended up being in the top three, it was just an incredible experience, Augies dad, Chris Reeder, said. Its so exciting. Its really cool to be able to see him do something he enjoys so much and does so well.

The Eagle School sixth grader finished in third place and is now practicing with three other students in Wisconsin and will compete with them in Orlando in May at the national competition.

Jeffrey Xu from Pilgrim Park Middle School in Elm Grove, Sami El-Hajjar from University School of Milwaukee and Sanjay Dagam from Brookfield Academy are part of the Wisconsin team with Augie.

I am super excited, Augie said. And strangely, when it happened, it didnt feel like a big deal to me, I just felt tired because it was a super stressful competition.

Augie has loved math for as long as he can remember. When he was younger, his parents wrote math problems on a dry-erase board on his ceiling so he could work through them as he fell asleep.

When he was 3, he really liked math and so we had bath crayons and so I would write problems on the bath walls while we were having bath, and he would solve them. And he got bored with that pretty quickly, so we moved into basic algebra by the time he was 4, Chris said. Ever since he could read, hes loved math.

For me its just really fun, Augie said. I just love math.

He reads books about math, such as Ben Orlins Math Games with Bad Drawings, and he likes math games.

At Eagle School, a private school for gifted and talented students on Madisons South Side, Augie is a grade level ahead for his age. Hes currently studying geometry, which is about three grade levels ahead in math, and is learning such things as proving the Pythagorean Theorem.

Augie is also part of French Club and is competing in the Wisconsin Science Olympiad, a state science, technology, engineering and math competition.

He likes drawing maps of airports and playing and creating idle games, a type of online video game in which money or goods increase at a set rate and continue to grow without a lot of input from the player. He said he loves them because he loves big numbers.

I really like drawing and reading, but for me, the drawing is less drawing than it is like, inventing, he said.

One day, Augie hopes to use math in his career, maybe as a science teacher or a research mathematician.

When I grow up, I want to do math as much as I can, have fun, and maybe make some new mathematical discoveries, he said.

While dressed in an outfit adorned with pi symbols, Augie works through some of his geometry questions for school with ease, hardly needing to write any notes down. He said he can visualize numbers in his head.

My mind keeps track when Im doing mental math, Augie said. Like OK, do this, do this, do this, boom. Its almost like Im really just thinking of them as concepts, but like visualizing them almost like text. Even though I dont actually see text and Im not imagining text. Thats sort of what its like for me when Im doing mental math.

Path to nationals

To make it to the Mathcounts state competition, Augie was a finalist in the regional competition in February. The preparation for the competition begins in November.

Once at state, Augie and 104 other students from 35 schools competed through multiple rounds of math wizardry in which they solved an array of math problems both in writing and orally and that touched on areas including probability, statistics, geometry and linear algebra.

The program is designed to enhance the math skills of our students and promote excellence in mathematics, according to a Mathcounts information sheet. The goal is to draw attention to math skills at the pre-college preparation level. This will hopefully encourage students to take all the math courses they can through high school. We dont want any of our talented students to be left out of an exciting career because of a lack of enough math courses.

The team of Wisconsin students will meet virtually this Sunday for their first practice as they prepare for nationals in May.

The national competition is a four-day event in which teams from every state will compete against each other in multiple rounds. The teams will first compete in a written round as both individuals and teams, and the highest scorers will advance to the countdown round, which will narrow the field down with fast-paced matchups until a national champion is crowned.

Augie said he was nervous for the national contest, but excited at the same time, because it wont be all work. Theyll fly out of Milwaukee, and there will be buffets, a math party, dinner at Disney Springs and matching team polo shirts.

Meet Madison's top spellers of 2023 Molly Abel Akins, Simon Vincent Bautista Isabel Branchesi Carter Buchanon Noah Cavanaugh Jo Conti Seralyn Cure Anja DeWald Hugh Downey Grace Haun Silvia Hayden Kelsey Henderson Sophia Holden Jay Jadhav Emmanuel Johnson Vivian Kaufman Cameron Khuy Ava Kramer Henrik Kroning-Knutson Noah Maldonado Risako (Risa) Miura Arnav Nandanwar Ruby Niosi Amy Noh Lars Olson Edward Riek Emma Ruiz Pratham Sanghavi Freya Sherer Nora Smarrella Katelyn Starkenburg Benjamin Tekin Ava Thompson Elicia Traverse Peter Vanduyne Aiden Wijeyakulasuriya Lily Wu
Observing China's whole-process people's democracy at "two sessions"

Xinhua) 11:03, March 11, 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/Zhai Jianlan)

* In China, electoral democracy and consultative democracy are advanced in a coordinated manner. The extensive, multi-level, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy boasts many channels, which can achieve the greatest possible convergence of interests.

* Whether democracy is good or not depends on whether it ensures people a better life. The whole-process people's democracy ensures that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared by the people.

* Of the new-term 2.77 million deputies to people's congresses at all levels, 2.62 million at the county and township levels were directly elected by the country's more than 1 billion voters.

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- On a sunny spring day in February, villagers and officials in Chitang Village, Taojiang County of central China's Hunan Province, gathered again in a tidy courtyard. Their topic of discussion this time was how to further expand the market of the village's main products -- tea-seed oil and bamboo shoots.

Gao Ya, secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) branch in Chitang Village, listened carefully and took down villagers' ideas. Earlier this month, she took their opinions to Beijing, about 1,300 km away, for the annual "two sessions."

The ongoing first sessions of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), often called the "two sessions," offer a window into China's whole-process people's democracy, which involves a population of over 1.4 billion from 56 ethnic groups.

Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) walk towards the Great Hall of the People for the opening meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, March 4, 2023. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

At the annual gatherings, over 5,000 national legislators and political advisors -- ranging from farmers to state leaders -- sit together at the Great Hall of the People in the heart of Beijing to deliberate on bills or discuss the affairs of the state, pool their wisdom, and bring Chinese people together to forge ahead.

"Whole-process people's democracy is the defining feature of socialist democracy; it is democracy in its broadest, most genuine, and most effective form," President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has said.

GRASSROOTS VOICES HEARD

Gao, 33, was elected as an NPC deputy in January at the annual session of the Hunan Provincial People's Congress. Making her debut at the national legislature, she has submitted suggestions on innovating the bamboo industry and improving the construction of forest roads.

"We will focus on developing our special industries to make villagers more prosperous," she said.

Shen Changjian, another NPC deputy from Linli County of Hunan, cares more about agricultural modernization. "We need to develop smart agriculture and deepen innovation in the seed industry," the 55-year-old vegetable grower told Xinhua.

An amendment to the Legislation Law is under review at the NPC session. The draft amendment has twice been deliberated by the NPC Standing Committee, opinions on it have been extensively solicited, and it has been revised many times.

Sheng Hong (4th R), a deputy to the National People's Congress and Party chief of a residential community in the Hongqiao Subdistrict, listens to comments and suggestions of a draft revision to the Charity Law at a civic center in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Sheng Hong, an NPC deputy and Party chief of a residential community in the Hongqiao Subdistrict in Shanghai, noticed that some suggestions put forward by her community's residents had been included in the draft.

Last November, at the legislative outreach office set up in Hongqiao by the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, a total of 45 suggestions regarding the draft amendment to the Legislation Law were collected through seminars and online opinion solicitation, and then were directly delivered to the commission, according to Sheng.

"The outreach office acts as a direct link between ordinary people and China's top legislature," noted Sheng.

In China, the growing participation of ordinary people in national and local democratic decision-making is taking place in various forms.

The people's congress system -- China's fundamental political system -- guarantees that the people are the masters of the country, which is the essence of socialist democracy.

Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) attend the second plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th NPC at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

Of the new-term 2.77 million deputies to people's congresses at all levels, 2.62 million at the county and township levels were directly elected by the country's more than 1 billion voters.

SEEKING BROAD CONSENSUS

The 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. Among the 2,977 deputies, 497 are workers and farmers and the share of deputies from the primary level in total is considerable.

The "two sessions" reveal much about China's democratic model that, compared to the West, weighs the representativeness of the Chinese people, according to an article published on the website of Mexico's Canal 6 Tv.

In China, electoral democracy and consultative democracy are advanced in a coordinated manner. The extensive, multi-level, and institutionalized development of consultative democracy boasts many channels, which can achieve the greatest possible convergence of interests.

Members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attend the second plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

The 14th CPPCC National Committee has set up a new sector for members from environmental and resource-related circles. The move will give full play to the CPPCC's role as a specialized consultative body, and is conducive to strengthening democratic oversight and advancing ecological conservation.

Setting up the new sector is "a robust measure to advance the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature, which is one of the five features of Chinese modernization," said Pan Biling, a national political advisor and president of Xiangtan University in Hunan Province.

The handling of suggestions and proposals made by national lawmakers and political advisors embodies the effectiveness of China's democracy. Last year, 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.

Meanwhile, dynamic and pragmatic consultations in various forms at the grassroots level contribute to good governance.

At a consultation meeting in a community in Hengshui City of north China's Hebei Province early this year, residents raised such problems as roof leakage in the storage room and lack of fitness facilities.

"Such things may seem trivial, but they are related to people's sense of happiness," said a retired worker Wang Lansuo. "Here everyone speaks openly to resolve the issues through discussion."

FOR PEOPLE'S BETTER LIVES

Fan Yun, a national legislator and chairperson of Shanghai Fushen Appraisal and Consulting Group, shared two stories on performing her duties which brought her a sense of accomplishment over the past five years. The first is a suggestion concerning platform economy, which contributed to the release of the national anti-monopoly guidelines in the platform economy.

The second is that her speech during an annual NPC session captured the attention of the government. It was about a remote mountain village in east China's Anhui Province, which she had visited many times to do research. Finally, a concrete road was built to connect the village with the outside world, fulfilling the desire of generations of villagers, who became better off by developing homestay and tea industries.

Whether democracy is good or not depends on whether it ensures people a better life. The whole-process people's democracy ensures that development is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared by the people.

In the past five years, various departments under the State Council have adopted more than 18,000 suggestions and proposals from national lawmakers and political advisors, and subsequently introduced more than 7,800 policy measures, which boosted solutions to a large number of problems related to reform and development, as well as people's urgent needs.

"China's democracy is definitely not a sham, nor an ornament, but a truly effective democratic political system with Chinese characteristics," said Fan, who has served as an NPC deputy for 15 years.

Democratic supervision is an important part of the whole-process people's democracy.

This aerial photo taken on May 19, 2022 shows a view of the Wushan section of the Yangtze River in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

For example, since 2018, the NPC Standing Committee has focused on prominent problems in the field of ecological and environmental protection, carrying out law enforcement inspections for five consecutive years. Last year, enforcement inspections of the Yangtze River Protection Law were conducted, promoting better protection of China's longest waterway in accordance with the law.

Yang Huifang, a national legislator and a teacher at the preschool special education center in Quzhou County, Hebei Province, is concerned about the mental health of the left-behind seniors and children in rural areas, hoping that institutionalized support for these groups could be provided from the grassroots level. She believes that China's modernization is an improvement of the overall level, and attention should be paid to the improvement of the quality of life of vulnerable groups.

Jean Christophe Iseux von Pfetten, chairman of the Institute for East-West Strategic Studies in Britain, once took part in a municipal-level CPPCC session as a specially invited member in Jilin Province.

Based on his personal experience, he said that China's democratic practice is devoted to solving practical problems.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Qatar Airways has launched a new brand campaign in collaboration with world-renowned Indian actor, Deepika Padukone, naming her the airlines Global Brand Ambassador.



The campaign launch is the culmination of the airline's endeavour to redefine Qatar Airways Premium experience, particularly through showcasing the world-class Qsuite along with the unparalleled surroundings of The Orchard, which are core to Hamad International Airports expansion.



The timeless acoustic track Aint Nobody accompanies the campaign that connects Padukones journey with Qatar Airways to a new level of luxury and elegance. She encapsulates the premium experience available to customers of Qatar Airways, transiting through the best airport in the world, Hamad International Airport.



Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said: At Qatar Airways, we constantly strive for excellence. This collaboration brings together refinement and grace, and Deepika showcases beautifully on how Qatar Airways offers award-winning premium experiences both in the sky and on the ground to its customers. Deepika is an obvious choice as she has the right global appeal and charisma for our brand. We are truly delighted to have Deepika on board Qatar Airways as our Global Brand Ambassador.  TradeArabia News Service
Ousmane Kabre can never meaningfully pay back the woman in his native Burkina Faso who invested in his education as a teenager.

Kabre is instead opting to pay it forward by opening doors to higher education for other African students. A new partnership between Kabres education technology company, Yam Education (which translates to intelligence in his local language) and his alma mater, Madison Area Technical College, will allow students to take six of its business and entrepreneurship courses on Yam Education software.

As part of the licensing agreement, students can download MATCs curriculum from six business classes, such as Small Business Development and Marketing Principles, through Yam Education software. Itll be accessible in locations with little to no internet bandwidth and students can complete coursework on their phone through an app, as many young people lack access to a desktop or laptop computer, Kabre said.

Students can enroll in the program online. Still in its pilot phase, Kabre said the marketing effort will include sending recruiters to high schools in Burkina Faso and advertising through social media.

High demand

Bringing higher education to peoples fingertips releases the pressure valve for students, as there are more seeking out higher education in parts of Africa than there are university resources to accommodate them. In lecture halls of 3,000, students can be seen camping out overnight to get as close as they can to the one professor with a microphone, Kabre said. With the COVID-19 pandemic requiring a pivot to online education, Kabre saw a better way to learn.

In Africa, for example, our people were using WhatsApp to study  thats not the way to study, WhatsApp is a platform for communication, Kabre said. We can do better, and in fact, we can do even something much bigger that can really cover more areas, and also partner with institutions to have good content.

For MATC, also known as Madison College, its partnership with Kabre fits neatly into one of its established initiatives. As part of its Africa Initiative, MATC sees the continent as an area of growth, both in terms of curriculum and international student enrollment. About 70% of sub-Saharan Africas population is under the age of 30, but theres a skilled labor gap  less than 10% of traditionally college-age people there are enrolled in a post-secondary program and there are not enough universities to meet demand.

MATC signed partnerships with Kenya-based Rift Valley Institute of Business Studies and the University of Gambia last fall and is collaborating with UW-Madison to craft an African Studies certificate that could launch as early as this fall.

The discussion weve had over the past few months (is) how can we assist those countries here in Africa to see some of the educational programs that we have? MATC President Jack Daniels said. It also fits within our mission of providing training, and weve done a great job here in the state of Wisconsin in terms of providing the types of skill-based training folks need for jobs.

Bringing it home

Kabre was an entrepreneur at the age of 12.

Awake each morning at 4 a.m., he spent years delivering bread from a local bakery to homes as a means to support his family. After finishing high school, Kabre went to ask six of the families on his delivery route for financial assistance in furthering his education. Five said no.

But one said yes. She cited Kabres years of bringing bread to her door and seeing his dedication to his dreams.

That education Kabre so desired wasnt necessarily attainable in Burkina Faso. Kabre came to Wisconsin in 2010 after deciding he wanted to go to UW-Madisons business school. With limited research abilities, hed seen it listed as one of the top 20 business schools in the world and became enamored with Wisconsin Red.

Kabres initial research failed to warn him how cold it gets in Wisconsin, he joked. But he honed his English before graduating from MATC in 2013 and advancing to UW-Madison where he got both bachelors and masters degrees in accounting. Kabre has since founded the nonprofit Leading Change  Africa which empowers students by providing them with scholarships so they can study at U.S. universities and implement their knowledge in their native countries.

But the reality is, its not feasible for all African students who want a better education to get it in the U.S., Kabre said. The next step is bringing the education to them, so students can obtain degrees without having to leave home and navigate sometimes complicated immigration processes.

Theres an interest in keeping education local as Burkina Faso is in need of more jobs, and subsequently, more workers. The West African county is rated as one of the poorest in the world, and 40% of its population lives in poverty.

They are giving us the opportunity to reach more people who didnt have a chance to go to the school as I did. So it means a lot because its a dream coming true, Kabre said. Im only one person that youre hearing my story, but my story is not that unique. We have more students in the world who have even greater stories to tell, but they didnt have a chance to go to MATC.

Future iterations

Theres room for the partnership to grow beyond business classes.

Areas of interest include sustainability and agriculture, but pretty much everything is on the table, said Bryan Woodhouse, MATC vice president of corporate and regional affairs. The challenge would be making sure some industries, such as cybersecurity, are kept up to date so students using Yam software arent learning outdated information last taught at MATC three semesters ago.

This could also serve as a entryway into other MATC degrees, Woodhouse said, as the digital certificate students would earn upon completion would reflect an entire semesters worth of courses as being done. And while time differences might be a challenge  Burkina Faso is six hours ahead  those students could choose to continue with a full-fledged online degree program, Woodhouse said.

Its really a starting point for us, he said. (Kabre) is all about helping young people start their own businesses. So it made a lot of sense to start with a small business program, or at least a set of courses, but then also provide a pathway into Madison College.
TWIN FALLS  The wind was expected; the snow was not.

And for a Friday that was predicted to reach a high of 50 degrees, things got a bit crazy.

The National Weather Service had issued a high wind warning Thursday to prepare folks. But then snow squall warnings were issued at about noon, warning motorists of dangerous driving conditions.

Winds of 30 to 40 mph blew through Magic Valley, gusting up to 75 mph. Gusts at Joslin Field, Magic Valley Regional Airport, hit close to 100 mph, reported Jackie Frey, Twin Falls County Office of Emergency Management coordinator.

The wind tore up trees, caused power outages, and perhaps contributed to hundreds of pounds of bricks and cement falling off a vacant downtown Twin Falls building.

A police officer at the scene said she was just glad that no one was walking on the sidewalk below when the debris came down.

A semi-trailer blew over at about 8 a.m. near milepost 173, blocking the eastbound lanes of Interstate 84, and another semi tipped on U.S. Highway 93, blocking all lanes of travel at milepost 32. A semi was on its side in the median Friday afternoon near milepost 206, and a row of tow trucks were preparing to pull it out.

The big surprise was the snow. To be more specific, a snow squall, a brief, intense, period of snow that can reduce visibility and cause roads to quickly get icy. One was reported seen near Burley, impacting I-84.

The fast-moving squalls can cause roads to flash freeze, making travel difficult and potentially dangerous within minutes, the National Weather Service says.

Snow was even heavier in Wood River Valley. The city of Hailey reported that avalanches partially blocked the Big Wood River, according to its Facebook page.

Keeping power on was a problem, as multiple weather-related power outages were reported on the Idaho Power website. Most of the outages affected less than 50 customers, but an outage in Twin Falls at 11:15 a.m. affected more than 8,000 customers.

Lights at several Twin Falls schools flickered, Twin Falls School District spokesperson Eva Craner said, but schools were kept in session. Even if the power had gone off for a short time, light from windows provides enough for students and teachers to get by.

Josh Palmer, Twin Falls spokesperson, said police responded to some non-injury crashes and other employees took care of isolated incidents of street flooding. Several snowplows sanded roads.

Then there was the usual removal of tree limbs and other debris from roadways.

It was relatively minor considering those wind gusts were really strong, Palmer said.

And later in the afternoon, the sun came out and weather warmed  just a typical day of Idaho weather.
Students gleefully squirted hues of green paint into small trays before starting in on their carefully stenciled outline of flowers. This might sound like the beginning of a typical art class. This class, however, was anything but typical.

Jyothi Sunkesula, from India, wanted to give back to her Idaho community. So with a little help from the nonprofit Culture for Change, she started a six-week course on the one thing she loved to do, fabric painting.

Sunkeskula learned the artful skill from her aunt who also started up a learning center. Her hope is that the class will connect with the art and culture and become a mind-, body- and soul-soothing experience.

PHOTOS: Culture for Change sponsors fabric painting class Painting on fabric Painting on fabric Painting on fabric Painting on fabric Painting on fabric Painting on fabric Indian Fabric Painting
Buhls Mahannah family to receive Century Farm Award

The Mahannah family, which has been farming near Buhl for more than 100 years, will be recognized this month with a Century Farm Award from the Idaho State Historical Society and the Idaho Department of Agriculture.

Matt and Kara Mahannah will receive the award during a private event with family and friends on March 18 in Castleford, along with a commemorative Century Farm sign.

The Mahannah Farms was acquired in 1919 by CB Mahannah, Matts great grandfather, and his father, Ben, ran the farm until 2008 when Matt and Kara became owners. They have two children, Aubrey and Gabe, who have been involved with the operations of the farm since they were youngsters, according to a news release.

The Century Farm Award honors families that have continuously owned and actively farmed the same land their ancestors farmed more than 100 years ago. The partnership program, created as part of Idahos Centennial Celebration, has recognized more than 450 farms and reaches across the state since 1990, according to the release.

Convention of States meetings set for Twin Falls

The Convention of States, a national grassroots effort to call a convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, will hold informational meetings in Twin Falls on March 23-24.

The COS, launched in 2013, is seeking to unite 34 states to call a convention to propose constitutional amendments that would place term limits on legislators and federal officials, impose fiscal restraints on government spending, and reduce the size and scope of the federal government, according to its website.

While two-thirds of states are required to call a convention, as stated in Article V, the Constitution requires ratification by three-fourths, or 38 states, for any proposed amendments.

The Twin Falls meetings will be Thursday, March 23, at 6:30 p.m., and Friday, March 24, at 8 a.m. at the American Legion Hall, 447 Seastrom St. Seating is limiting. To RSVP or for more information, call or text Neil Harpster at 208-731-1991 or email Neil.harpster@cosaction.com.

Gooding will be Capital for a Day on Friday

Idaho Gov. Brad Littles next Capital for a Day event will be in Gooding on Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gooding Basque Center, 285 Euskadi Lane.

Little and members of his cabinet will be in attendance to answer questions from residents.

Capital for a Day is a great opportunity for myself and my administration to hear from Idahoans about the needs of their community, Little said in a news release. It is an honor to share this tradition with the good people of Gooding and learn how we can better serve them.

Also:

St. Lukes Magic Valley in Twin Falls and St. Lukes Jerome are seeking volunteers for various roles, from working in the gift shop to shuttle drivers to comfort care. For more information and to complete a volunteer application, go online to www.stlukesonline.org/about-st-lukes/donate-or-volunteer/magic-valley-foundation/volunteering

, or call 208-814-0861.

The city of Hailey

has closed Heagle Park, trails near Heagle Park and into Draper Preserve, and the Toe of the Hill Trail following multiple small avalanches in the Della Mountain and Carbonate areas. Residents are advised to stay out of those areas until further notice.

The

Sun Valley Museum of Art

in Ketchum will close for building upgrades from March 18 through late June following its current exhibition, The Color of Sound, which explores the relationship between art and the neurological phenomenon of synesthesia.

 Times-News
Last year I asked a brewery owner what excited him in his portfolio. The response was swift.

Canned cocktails, he said.

Thats right. The beer guy was most optimistic about ... premade cocktails.

Turns out, hes not alone.

In a wild time where beers dominance of the alcoholic beverage industry has waned by the year (look no farther than the rise of hard seltzer), ready-to-drink cocktails have assumed their place in the boozy pantheon.

The number of RTD cocktails, as theyre known for short, has grown exponentially in recent years. Many are packaged in 12-ounce aluminum cans. But they also come in smaller cans. And large bottles. And small bottles. And cans shaped like bottles. And boxes. And pouches.

Craft distillers have waded in. So have major spirit brands, including Tanqueray gin (introduced last year), Jack Daniels whiskey (also introduced last year) and Absolut vodka (yup, you guessed it). Large breweries are making RTD cocktails  Anheuser-Busch bought San Diegos Cutwater Spirits in 2019  and so are smaller breweries, including Boulevard, New Holland and Dogfish Head.

I spent a couple of weeks tasting through a large swath of whats out there  or what felt like a large swath every night around 9 p.m.  and I have thoughts. But before the thoughts, let me tell you the guidelines. There had to be guidelines; there are so many ready-to-drink cocktails at this point and, frankly, a lot of them are junk.

The guidelines

I tasted only the boozy cocktails aiming to replicate the layered, nuanced experience of what would be served in a bar with a serious cocktail program. That doesnt mean the cocktail itself needed to be serious  playful is wonderful in this realm  but there needed to be intention behind the liquid.

I wasnt after wispy vodka sodas with a smattering of flavor; anyone can make one of those. I wanted fully formed cocktails. Most of what I tasted  about 50 RTD cocktails in all  was above 10% alcohol, and plenty of it surged well past that threshold (consider a delicious 24.6% rum Old-Fashioned  keep reading).

I also ignored the things that seem mostly like a vehicle for combining alcohol and sugar to generate an easy buzz. There are plenty of those on shelves. I skipped them all.

As for my grand conclusions? There are a lot of good ready-to-drink cocktails out there. Many are very good. And I absolutely love the concept.

Draft cocktails have always bugged me as a bit of a rip-off; if I walk into your bar and spend $8 or more for a cocktail, I dont want something premade. I want something fresh. I want an experience. But paired with from-the-fridge convenience, that same premade cocktail cant be beat. As a consumer, Im not interested in the bars convenience; Im interested in my convenience. RTD cocktails offer it.

Of the dozens of ready-to-drink cocktails on shelves, here are the ones to savor  and those to avoid.
I would like to address some of the concerns expressed and debunk some misinformation and flat-out lies being circulated about the Lava Ridge Wind Project.

First, let me back up a bit and bring in an even bigger issue: Climate change. We are already seeing some of the negative impacts of the changing climate. If we do not stabilize the amount of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere, the intensity of these impacts will increase.

Further, even if we do stabilize and eventually reduce the amount of carbon dioxide going into the atmosphere, warming will continue for several years. Everything and everybody is being impacted by climate change and will be impacted more severely in the future.

There are 5 alternatives for the proposed Lava Ridge Wind Project. Here's a look. At more than 1,000 pages long, the Draft EIS presents four versions of a wind energy project that could dominate the south-central Idaho landscape.

Projects like the wind farm being proposed at Lava Ridge will help reduce the impacts of climate change. Bottom line: EVERY individual, including those protesting Lava Ridge and the things they are claiming that they are protecting from its impact, will be even more severely impacted by climate change.

I am fully aware Lava Ridge, by itself, will not stop climate change. However, it is one crucial step in the right direction.

Stabilizing and eventually reducing the CO2 in the atmosphere, thus mitigating the impact of climate change, will require that we ALL pitch in and do our part. However, there are some people who are fighting against clean energy, and using untrue claims to do it.

A couple of weeks ago, a man who was interviewed in a segment aired on FOX News, made the following statement: They will be sending all this energy out of state and not benefiting Idaho.

First, Idaho Power can purchase the electricity just like any other utility. My question to the man in the interview would be how much of the milk and milk products like yogurt and cheese produced in Idaho are sold out of state? How many thousand bushels of barley are sent to out of state breweries? How many tons of beef raised and processed in Idaho end up on plates in other states?

Another concern about Lava Ridge is the claim the wind turbines will impede rangeland firefighting efforts, especially aerial attacks. Several pilots have responded to this. One pilot commented that the towers are big enough that they are easily seen and any pilot with any level of experience will have no problem avoiding them.

Further, the roads between the towers will be well maintained and even improved from their condition before the projects existence. The roads will provide a system of fire breaks and will make ground attacks much easier.

Next is the sudden, deep concern about bird livelihood. Yes, some birds will be killed. Some birds are killed by cars. Some are killed by people out shooting at anything that moves. Some birds are killed by the fires started by people shooting at exploding targets out in drought-parched rangeland!

Another person interviewed in a misinformation-riddled piece expressed concern about the collapse of the aquifer. Im not sure what that means. Several geologists have testified that the construction of the towers poses no significant danger to the aquifer.

I am more concerned about the depletion of the water in the aquifer due to the massive influx of people into the area and all the groundwater they will require. It is especially troubling that massive amounts of groundwater is and will be used to maintain overwatered and overfertilized lush green lawns so that, It doesnt look like I live in a desert!

There is no one single silver bullet, and no carbon reduction effort is perfect. It is going to take nearly everybody taking lots of small (and often large) actions. Little things like not idling your car as you sit in line to pick up your school kids so they dont have to walk five blocks home, driving slower fuel efficiency declines rapidly after about 65 mph, and bigger commitments like homeowner solar systems, electric vehicles  and the Lava Ridge Wind Project.

Humanity is faced with numerous hazards today. Massive human population growth, global warming and climate change, plastic waste and micro plastic fibers that are found in nearly every living organism, and political turmoil, pose very real and dangerous threats to our livelihood and environment.

Let me end with Benjamin Franklins comment at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence: We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
After several days of relative calm, fighting erupted between Congolese army and M23 rebels when they clashed on two fronts in the flashpoint province of North Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the past four days, leaving several civilians dead and injured, officials said.

The fighting broke out on Monday and continued on Tuesday (6-7 March), despite a regional ceasefire deal brokered by Angola that was due to take effect the same day. The Tutsi-led group has captured swathes of territory in eastern DRC since re-emerging from dormancy in late 2021, claiming the government had ignored a pledge to integrate them into the army. Karuba, about 30 kilometers west of Goma, has just fallen into rebel hands, according to a security source. We attacked them in the night but this morning they launched a counter-attack, and, at the moment, the fighting is continuing, the source added.

The renewed fighting coincided with an urgent appeal by UN chief Antonio Guterres for the M23 rebels to honor the ceasefire and move towards fully withdrawing from the conflict-ridden country. Despite the clashes, the M23 rebels in a statement on Tuesday announced what they called an effective ceasefire at midday to open the way for direct dialogue with the Kinshasa government. Both sides accuse the other of triggering the fresh round of clashes. The DRC accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, who have displaced over half a million people in their long campaign, a claim that is supported by independent UN experts, the United States and several other western states.
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When half of their six children were diagnosed with what was then believed to be Type 1 diabetes, David and Ellen Pursell decided their family would participate in research related to the health condition. This family photo from several years ago includes, seated, from left, Peggy, Ramsey and Chrissy. Standing, from left, are Vaughan, Ellen, Martin, David and Parker. Credit: David Pursell.

Individuals with Type 1 diabetes have a smaller pancreas than people without diabetes. This is surprising because insulin-producing beta cells account for just a small fraction of the pancreas, so the loss of beta cells in Type 1 diabetes would not be expected to reduce pancreas size.

Now, a study of one family from Alabama has led Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers to discover that insulin deficiency, independent of the autoimmunity associated with Type 1 diabetes, is the principal factor leading to a markedly smaller pancreas.

Four members of this family of eight have monogenic diabetes from a rare mutation in the insulin gene, leading to insulin deficiency without autoimmunity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pancreas showed a reduced size and altered shape in the individuals with diabetes. This was similar to what had previously been observed in individuals with Type 1 diabetes. These new findings are published in Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association.

"This is a wonderful story about the power of a single family to inform us about the process of a disease that affects millions of people," said Daniel Moore, MD, Ph.D., associate professor of Pediatrics in the Ian Burr Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. "There are not many families, especially not large families, who are known to have exactly this form of diabetes, who could come forward to help us answer this question. But they responded to the call, and they've provided a really clear answer to a fundamental biologic question."

About two decades ago, David Pursell and his wife, Ellen, agreed that he and three of their six children who were diagnosed with diabetes would participate in research with the hope more could be learned about the disease. It was as simple as giving a little blood.

They were surprised years later when a researcher from the University of Chicago's Kovler Diabetes Center called to tell them that advances in science had revealed that the four actually had monogenic diabetes due to a mutation in the insulin gene instead of Type 1 diabetes.

Last year, the Pursells were contacted by VUMC researchers who were collaborating with Siri Greeley, MD, Ph.D., and colleagues at the Kovler Diabetes Center's Monogenic Diabetes Registry. The Vanderbilt research team asked if the family could travel to Nashville to have precise measurements of their pancreas taken at the Medical Center.

The VUMC research team, which includes Moore, Jordan Wright, MD, Ph.D., Jon Williams, Ph.D., Melissa Hilmes, MD, and Alvin C. Powers, MD, along with colleague Jack Virostko, Ph.D., at The University of Texas at Austin, had previously found the reduction in pancreas size was present at the time of Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. The Vanderbilt investigators had also organized an international team, the Multicenter Assessment of the Pancreas in Type 1 Diabetes (MAP-T1D), to develop a standardized MRI imaging protocol to assess pancreas volume and microarchitecture.

"We know the pancreas is much smaller in individuals with Type 1 diabetes, but there haven't been good models to understand exactly what's going on," said Wright, an instructor in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism and first author on the manuscript. "This is the first time we can actually demonstrate in humans that insulin is a major factor in determining pancreas size and the loss of it leads to a much smaller pancreas."

David and Ellen and their now adult children, Peggy Rice, Vaughan Spanjer, Chrissy Adolf, Ramsey Nuss, and twin sons Parker and Martin Pursell, each had their pancreas size measured using the standardized Vanderbilt MRI protocol. David, Chrissy, Parker and Martin have monogenic diabetes.

"When we talked to the doctors at Kovler, they asked if we'd be interested in participating in some trials or research and we said, 'Of course, anything we can do,'" said David Pursell. "When we learned our diabetes was not caused by an immune response due to our islet cells being attacked by antibodies, then we thought maybe we've got the chance of getting an islet cell transplant.

"But also, we're obviously all in this together. If, by virtue of our family volunteering for this research we can help anyone else, we felt like it would be worth it."

More information: Jordan J. Wright et al, Insulin Deficiency From Insulin Gene Mutation Leads to Smaller Pancreas, Diabetes Care (2023). DOI: 10.2337/dc22-2082 Journal information: Diabetes Care
Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), in collaboration with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said that the third edition of the Dubai Metro Music Festival is set to return from March 6-12.



The week-long celebration of global music, which reflects Dubais cosmopolitan spirit and creative vibrance, will see five metro stations  Union, Mall of Emirates, Burjuman, Dubai Financial Centre, and Sobha Realty- transforming into stages for live musical performances by some of the worlds most innovative musicians.



The Festival is one of the key events highlighted in the latest #DubaiDestinations campaign, which invites residents and visitors to explore the diverse art and cultural experiences offered by the emirate during the #DubaiArtSeason. This years event is dedicated to the theme of sustainability in line with the UAEs announcement of 2023 as the Year of Sustainability. Musicians will be joining the festival to showcase their talent using instruments made from recycled materials.



Commuters will be treated to captivating musical performances by 20 local, regional and international musicians representing unique sparks of creative talent in a wide range of instruments, genres and styles.



Rowdah Al Mehrizi, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communication, Corporate Administrative Support Services Sector, RTA, said: The Roads and Transport Authority is committed to supporting creative events that enhance the way people engage with Dubais urban environment. We are very happy to renew our partnership with Brand Dubai to launch the third edition of the Dubai Metro Music Festival as part of our common objective of providing enriching cultural experiences to residents and visitors.



By adding enchanting musical and cultural notes to the experience of commuters on the Dubai Metro, the Festival supports our shared mission to enhance the happiness of the community.



Highlighting the success of previous Dubai Metro Music Festivals, she said past editions have been a joyous celebration of music and an opportunity for the community to interact with some of the worlds most accomplished and promising musicians.



Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, said: The Dubai Metro Music Festival reflects the dynamism and vibrancy of Dubais cultural environment and its emergence as a focal point for creative excellence. By bringing together talented musicians from all over the world, the Festival enhances Dubais cultural ambience and further strengthens its growing profile as a global cultural hub that brings together some of the worlds most exceptional creative talent.



The Festival is aligned with the vision of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to transform Dubai into one of the worlds best cities to live and visit. The Festivals third edition features a new line-up of incredibly talented performers whose performances brings unique styles, instruments and musical traditions to the event.



Al Suwaidi added that Brand Dubai is delighted to partner with the Roads and Transport Authority once again to organise creative events that enable people to experience the citys destination offerings in new unique ways.



Diverse artists

A mix of traditional and experimental musicians, classical instrumentalists and fusion musicians will entertain Dubais cosmopolitan community at the Festival. Participating musicians will showcase their talent in string, percussion, wind, acoustic and other unusual instruments, including ones made of recycled objects.



This years Festival brings together artists from Egypt, India, France, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Cuba, the UK, Lebanon, Canada, Netherlands, Jordan, and Australia.



The show also features special performances by Eman Al Raeesi, an Emirati electrical guitarist, and self-taught Saudi musician Shadi L.Harbi, who will be playing the oud.



Variety of instruments

Some of the traditional instruments featured this year include the Qanun (a form of string instrument), piano, flute, oud, drums, saxophone, Santur (an ancient instrument), guitar, and harmonica. Musicians will also be performing on the electric guitar, hand pans and homemade instruments.



Exciting performances

The Dubai Metro Music Festival will introduce audiences to new instruments like the flute beatbox, new musical styles like folk beatboxing, and unique performances that include a puppet show that combines music with simulations of Umm Kulthum's performances, a musical show featuring instruments made from recycled materials, a performance by the youngest DJ in the Middle East, music played by a woman performer with a mirror head and a two-guitar show.



The public will be able to watch the live performances from 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm every day. All the performances will be rotated across the duration of the festival to cover all five metro stations.  TradeArabia News Service
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Urology involves some of the most intimate medical conditions, yet patients don't necessarily always prefer to be treated by a urologist of their own gender, new research has found.

In some situations, male and female patients would prefer a male urologist but in othersif they have a painful condition, for exampleboth men and women would choose to be treated by a female doctor.

The study, by researchers from University Hospital Munich, is being presented today at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Milan.

Based on a survey of over 1,000 patients, the team found that around two thirds of patients expressed some preference as to the gender of their urologist.

Lead researcher Dr. Alexander Tamalunas, from University Hospital Munich, said, "Previous researchincluding a survey we ran a few years agofound that only around a third of patients have a preference as to whether their urologist is male or female. But these results were based on a single question on the subject."

"Our recent study is more nuanced, looking at whether patients attribute different skills to certain genders or what their choice would be depending on their own symptoms or in certain situations. That leads to a much higher number expressing a preference."

The study analyzed questionnaires from 1,012 patients visiting the hospital during 2021, around three quarters of whom were male and just under a quarter female. Three patients were non-binaryan insufficient number to allow the researchers to draw statistically significant conclusions as to the preferences of this group.

The cohort included patients of all agesalthough the majority were over 60and from all educational and economic backgrounds. Patients were being treated for a range of conditions, and were asked about the impact of these on their lives, as well as whether they felt a male or female urologist would understand them better.

Overall, two thirds of patients expressed a preference for a urologist of a particular gender in at least one scenariodouble the numbers found in previous research. In general, where patients expressed a preference, it was for a urologist of their own gender. However, there were certain scenarios where that didn't hold true.

Both male and female patients preferred to see a male urologist when their conditions were either: embarrassing; limited their daily activities; or caused them concern or inconvenience. However, both male and female patients with any condition with painful symptoms were more likely to choose a female urologist.

For both consultations and surgery, around a third of patients expressed a preference for a particular gender. Of these, the split was about 60:40 in favor of a male urologist for consultations, but this changed to 80:20 for operations.

Men were more likely to deem male urologists as having more practical skills than females, whereas women were more likely to think that a female urologist would be more empathetic.

Both men and women said urologists of their own gender would understand their body better and that it would be easier to talk to them about their condition.

Urology remains a male-dominated profession, but this study highlights the need for a more equal mix of male and female clinicians, say the researchers. University Hospital Munich has fairly equal numbers of male and female doctors in their urology department, but that's not the case in all hospitals, according to Dr. Tamalunas.

"Urology involves very sensitive issues, such as erectile disfunction, incontinence and genital infections, and these conditions are highly personal and sometimes embarrassing to patients," he said.

"Patients will already find it hard to speak openly to urologists about these conditions and this may be exacerbated by cultural sensitivities in some communities. It's vitally important that any additional barriers which we can controlsuch as the gender of the consultantare removed and for that we need to encourage and support more women in the profession."

According to Dr. Carme Mir Maresma, from the EAU Scientific Congress Office, these findings confirm her own experience.

"Patients' preferences for their urologist tend to depend on their condition," she said. "I mainly treat patients with cancer, who are often very ill, and they don't usually care about the gender of who is treating them, so long as they are well qualified. Patients with conditions that are not life-threatening may be more likely to express a preference."

"However, there are probably also cultural factors at play and it would be interesting to see this research replicated in other countries, to understand their influence."

"Urology is becoming more gender balanced, with fairly equal numbers of men and women at lower levels of the profession. Although men still tend to hold the majority of senior positions, I think that this will change over the next ten years."
FRIDAY, March 10, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A growing number of Americans are feeling the effects of the health care staffing crisis in the United States, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll has revealed.

According to the results of the poll, conducted Feb. 16 to 21 among 2,048 adults aged 18 years and older, more than a third (35 percent) of people noticed or had been affected by health care staffing shortages at the time of the poll, up from 25 percent last November.

These shortages have hampered people's ability to receive medical care. More than four out of five U.S. adults (84 percent) have tried to get health care in the past six months, and of those, nearly three in four (73 percent) experienced delays or challenges in getting the care they need, the poll shows. Furthermore, more than half of the poll's participants (52 percent) said they are worried they will not be able to get needed medical care because of staffing shortages.

"We've had a health care workforce crisis in this country for a long time. It predated COVID," Sophia Tripoli, director of the Center for Affordable Whole Person Care for Families USA, a nonprofit health consumer advocacy group, told HealthDay. "But I think the pandemic public health emergency has really amplified all of the shortages and the staffing issues."

The American Hospital Association (AHA), a health care industry trade group, agreed. "Navigating workforce pressures were a challenge for hospitals and health systems even before the COVID-19 pandemic, but these challenges have been exacerbated as many hospitals and health systems continue to face significant financial constraints, including higher expenses for labor, supplies, equipment, and drugs," the AHA said in a statement. "In addition, hospitals are increasingly paying higher wages to keep and recruit enough staff while other staff leave the health care field due to burnout and retirement."

Tripoli chalks up many of the ongoing problems to the corporatization and consolidation of American health care, as independent hospitals and clinics were scooped up by regional chains and health care networks. "We've seen a lot of data after these mergers and acquisitions about reductions in wages and changing conditions for the workforce as private equity comes in and looks at where they can maximize revenue," Tripoli told HealthDay. "It's been problematic in terms of the quality of care, in terms of the number of hours the workforce is expected to work. It really is a major driver in burnout."

Tripoli suggests that the United States could use a task force or commission to analyze health care workforce trends and come up with solutions, similar to the work of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission regarding public insurance plans. "We really do need to have that sort of entity that is charged with looking specifically at the health care workforce and making sure that we're meeting the needs of American families in today's modern society," Tripoli said.
The decommissioning of McKinley Lake dam in the Rattlesnake Wilderness will get a review by the City of Missoulas Public Works & Mobility Department and Missoula Parks & Recreation, with public and private partners, at an informational public presentation on a project Wednesday, March 15, 2023, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Missoula City Council Chambers at 140 West Pine Street, Missoula.

The dam was part of the Citys acquisition of Mountain Water Company in 2017, and City staff has been maintaining the dam since then. Ongoing erosion issues at the dams spillway has prompted the city to move forward with the decommissioning project at this time. The McKinley Lake dam decommissioning is a pilot project that will help the City as it considers the future of the nine remaining wilderness lake dams that fall under City ownership.

These lakes have not been used as a water source for the city since 1983, and the dams are expensive for Missoula Water to maintain and repair. The City completed a 2018 feasibility study, which provided options for the future of the dams, including decommissioning some or all dams, reconstructing some dams in order to store water for augmenting Rattlesnake Creek stream flows, or improving these dams to meet U.S. Forest Service standards.

Details on how to participate in the meeting online or over the phone, as well as Teams meeting links, are provided on the projects Engage Missoula page at: https://www.engagemissoula.com/rattlesnake-wilderness-dams.
A Columbia Falls man was jailed in Missoula following accusations that he held a woman at gunpoint for an extended period of time on Thursday.

Lance A. Gendreau, 33, is charged with one count each of aggravated kidnapping and assault with a weapon, two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs and one count of intimidation, all felonies. If convicted of the most serious charge, Gendreau faces a possible maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

At Gendreaus initial appearance on Friday, Missoula Justice of the Peace Alex Beal ordered bail be set at $500,000.

On Thursday, Missoula 911 got a call about a woman who was allegedly held at gunpoint after one of her friends reportedly stole from the suspect, later identified as Gendreau.

According to an affidavit filed in Missoula County, officers found a car suspected to belong to him. Its license place returned to Gendreau, who was arrested.

He initially denied having a gun, according to charging documents, but jail staff found a 9 MM gun with a round in the chamber on his person. Staff also located a baggie with two pills and suspected methamphetamine.

Police made contact with the accuser, who recounted what allegedly happened between her and Gendreau. Charging documents state that while she was speaking with police, the woman was crying and constantly looking outside to see if Gendreau was around.

She told law enforcement that she and a friend met Gendreau at a vacation rental house on Rollins Street. The friend left the house, and Gendreau subsequently became upset over something and went into a room. The woman heard the sound of a gun cocking, and she told officers she knew Gendreau had a pistol on him because she had seen it earlier in the evening.

Gendreau came out of the room, contending that the womans friend stole from him, and accused the woman of being in on it. Gendreau allegedly threw a glass object at her, which skimmed her head before it broke on the wall.

Gendreau then pointed the gun at the accuser and threatened her with physical violence, charging documents allege. He demanded the womans help with locating the friend.

According to the affidavit, Gendreau forced the woman to get in his car at gunpoint. The two drove to locations looking for the friend. At one point, the woman unbuckled her seat belt, but Gendreau accelerated the car, stopping her from leaving. She eventually got away from Gendreau and called 911.

Missoula Deputy County Attorney Brittany Williams is prosecuting the case, and the public defenders office is representing Gendreau.

Gendreau is barred from contacting any witnesses or accusers in the case. An arraignment hearing is set for March 20 in Missoula County District Court.
Veterinarian Sam Mitchell has rarely seen a deluge of puppies and kittens like the one currently taking over the Humane Society of Western Montana.

New canine patients like 9-month-old Milo, a mixed-breed puppy, have been pouring into the Humane Society with increasing frequency, Mitchell said. Missoula's pet community also feels the risk of a parvo uptick and a recent case of leptospirosis.

All that gets compounded by a widespread veterinarian shortage  one that likely could take a decade to level out.

There already was a shortage (before the pandemic), explained Marta Pierpoint, executive director at the Humane Society of Western Montana. Now its extreme. Were starting to see the effects.

Education constraints, industry shifts and impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic all contribute to the alarming trend.

Mitchell, who leads shelter medical care at the Humane Society, said the number of vet schools nationwide is insufficient.

They havent really increased in a meaningful way their class size, Mitchell added. Thats despite a 2018 study that indicated veterinary medicine needed more than 6,000 new vets to enter the workforce.

In Montana, there are no veterinarian education programs, even though cows outnumber people in Big Sky Country more than 2:1.

Quality of life in the field presents another challenge. Prior to the pandemic, veterinarians across the country reported dissatisfaction on the job, related to long hours, student debt and excessive standards for entry. When the pandemic forced providers to retool their operations, many in the industry simply retired.

Everybody shouldve seen this coming, Pierpoint observed.

The corporatization of veterinary medicine has impacted the availability of care as well. Increasingly, small independent vet clinics are being purchased by larger corporations. Mitchell said vet schools champion private practices as a path to financial stability after vet school, but the chain clinics have reduced that option while student debt is soaring.

At Washington State University, the closest vet school for Montanans, the resident total cost to attend is $202,673. The average indebted student graduates with $118,230 in debt, according to the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.

It changes the field quite a bit, Mitchell said.

Even vet technicians are in short supply, Pierpoint noted. In Missoula, where a local joke once claimed every new resident got a water bottle and a Labrador on arrival, the impacts of the shortage can feel outsized.

The ramifications include increased costs and, as a result, decreased access to care. Lower-income and rural populations are particularly at risk for going without veterinary attention, Pierpoint pointed out. Those risks are felt across western Montana, particularly on reservations, where the Humane Society conducts outreach missions every summer.

People who are already disadvantaged are worse off, Pierpoint said. Its inequitable.

The lack of care, especially spay and neuter services, is leading to a growing animal population, which puts additional strain on providers like the Humane Society. Pierpoint and Mitchell confirmed theyre seeing growing numbers of puppies and especially kittens at their facility on U.S. 93.

The Humane Society provides clinics in Missoula as a stopgap measure, but Mitchell and Pierpoint agreed large-scale interventions need to take place to address the lack of veterinary providers.

There has to be a suite of solutions, Pierpoint stressed.

Pierpoint and Mitchell would like to see lowered tuition, increased pay and growth in the vet tech education pipeline. Pierpoint also pointed out the need to recognize the role of providers like the Humane Society in the landscape of veterinary care within communities. She said shelter medicine programs like the Humane Societys are a complement to private practices, not competition.

Luke Anderson, an emergency veterinarian in Missoula, echoed the sentiments of Mitchell and Pierpoint. He said he and his colleagues are feeling the vet shortage, and its leading to gaps in vaccinations and pet dentistry more than all other forms of care.

Thats dangerous, Anderson explained, because bacteria in an animals mouth can travel into the blood and then into the heart, lungs and liver.

Other issues include less preventative care and challenges prioritizing patients. In his work as an emergency vet, Anderson constantly has to balance the urgent needs of animals on the spectrum of critical care.

The vet industry faces a challenge figuring out how to prioritize care, he said.

Anderson suggested pet owners should be proactive and aware that wait times for appointments are longer than usual. In the case of emergencies, he said many vets maintain open appointments every day, and the valleys two emergency vet clinics are available too.

He also urged patience and understanding, and he was hopeful the industry will find a remedy to the shortage.

Businesses will evolve to meet the needs of the community, Anderson said. But it takes time.
Support for transgender people drew more than 50 people to a snowy protest at the University of Montana on Friday as the state Legislature advances multiple bills affecting LGBTQ people.

The protesters also took the opportunity to call on the university to more fervently support its transgender and queer students on campus.

We are here to protest the Montana state Legislatures multiple anti-trans and anti-queer bills and were here to protest the University of Montanas lack of solidarity with trans and queer students, said Alexander Realini, vice president of the campus Lambda Alliance. They want to keep us down and make us quiet, but were here to show that we will not be silenced.

Despite the persistent snowfall and sudden gusts of Hellgate Canyon wind rushing across the Oval (what the organizers joked as transphobic weather), a steady trickle of students and members of the campus community joined the protest. Some brought handmade signs with slogans supporting transgender and queer students. Others declared that transgender people belong in Montana.

Jaycee Long Time Sleeping, president of the One Persons club at UM, spoke about her experience coming out at age 13 and the transphobia shes experienced since.

Ive been all over in this journey of me coming out and being trans, Long Time Sleeping said. "Ive faced a lot of hate. Ive been through many trials that a lot of people cant handle. Every day you wake up, youre fighting for something that you are. I just believe that you need to be strong, you need to have a big heart and you also have to hold your ground.

Throughout her life, shes been fired from jobs and has been kicked out of different places for being transgender, she said.

I have been told I couldnt go to this bathroom, I cant go to that bathroom, I couldnt do this, I couldn't do that, but you know what? I did it anyway, said Long Time Sleeping. I would put my hair up in a high bun, wear my highest heels and walk wherever I wanted. I am living proof that you can be whoever you want to be and go wherever you want to go.

There are currently bills in the Legislature that ban gender-affirming care for transgender children, allow medical practitioners to decline services based on their moral or religious beliefs, ban children from drag shows and allow teachers and classmates to misgender transgender students or call them by their deadname (the name they were given at birth).

The most disgusting thing about that is that these legislators arent even doing it because theyre standing up for something they believe in, said Kyle Ward, a former UM student who spoke at the protest. They dont legitimately hate every single one of us, theyre doing it because its politically expedient for them. These legislators, these conservative politicians and transphobic grifters, are targeting us because it seems easier than doing their actual jobs.

Ward has lived in Montana for seven years and said they were finally speaking publicly after years of feeling too afraid of embarrassing myself in front of my peers and potential backlash they might receive.

But you, unlike the grifters and unlike the conservatives who are trying to snuff us out, are standing up doing the scary thing, doing the hard thing to do whats right and Im proud to be here, Ward continued.

The protesters also called on the university to do more to support its transgender students.

If youre like me and you are a student and employee of the university, youre probably looking at UM to give you some guidance, and youre probably hearing jack sh--, said Beckett Redinger, a senior at UM from Colorado Springs. I am feeling like I have heard nothing that makes me feel actually safe, actually valued, and I know that the university doesnt care about trans people.

Redinger works for the university and its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. When he asked the crowd if they believed that the university fully backs and supports transgender students they shouted back a resounding no.

As the result of a multi-year effort, UM has produced a diversity, equity and inclusion plan to serve as a playbook to guide the action needed to achieve inclusive excellence, said Dave Kuntz, the universitys director of strategic communications. While we recognize there is more work to do, the university stands in solidarity with Montanas trans community and will continue to take proactive action to ensure everyone is empowered on our campus.

Anne Harris, a local counselor and director of the Montana Family Center, wrapped up the speakers at the protest. Harris transitioned 30 years ago and has worked as a counselor since then.

This week, she spoke with four mothers of transgender children in Montana that they need to prepare to take cover, that we need to do suicide training for those children because they are now going to be at risk given the legislative session. Harris said three of those parents reside in communities with fewer than 1,000 people.

Harris is also a member of the University Congregational Church, located near campus. The church has flown a pride flag since Nov. 2015. The flag was torn down sometime this week and the flagpole was damaged, she said.

Harris added that the Montana Family Center will be doing a statewide campaign to train allies through open and affirming churches in small communities.
The Miami Dolphins have been extremely busy as the 2023 league year is approaching.

Theyve restructured the hefty contracts of Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead and Bradley Chubb. Theyve told Tua Tagovailoa that theyre picking up his fifth-year option. Even Byron Jones found out his fate of being a post-June 1 cut.

With that said, the Dolphins still have 30 players set to hit free agency when the league year begins on March 15, including defensive back Eric Rowe.

Rowe, 30, followed Brian Flores to Miami back in 2019 and has played in South Florida on two different contracts since then. With the elevation of Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones, Rowes role became less impactful in recent seasons, but his versatility to play cornerback and safety really helped in 2022 when the onslaught of injuries came.

Prior to his time with the Dolphins, Rowe was originally a second-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles out of Utah in 2015. He played only one season there before being traded to the New England Patriots where he worked with Flores.

This past season, Rowe played his fewest snaps since signing with Miami back in 2019, and he was even made a healthy scratch, causing a bit of a stir, at one point.

In Vic Fangios new defense, the Dolphins will likely rely heavily on safety play, making Rowes return not entirely improbable. However, theres a good chance that theyll want to continue getting younger at the position or pay a more impactful safety, like pending Buffalo Bills free agent Jordan Poyer.

It will all depend on the contract that Rowes looking for this offseason. If hes going to have a $5 million cap hit each season, its probably not worth it. However, if hes willing to come back for less, Miami may give him a shot.

More!

Dolphins free agent preview: What's next for OT Greg Little 5 WRs the Dolphins should consider signing in 2023 Dolphins are picking up Tua Tagovailoa's fifth-year option

Story originally appeared on Dolphins Wire
The son of Gloria Satterfield, the now-dead housekeeper of disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh is demanding his mothers body be exhumed for possible signs of foul play.

Satterfield died under allegedly suspicious circumstances after a supposed accidental trip and fall at Murdaughs estate in 2018. Her family was told at the time that Satterfield had fallen down a flight of stairs, according to a statement from their lawyers.

Satterfield was rushed to Trident Medical Center in North Charleston where she suffered a stroke, went into cardiac arrest and died on Feb. 26, 2018, according to an arrest warrant in the case.

RELATED: California Mother And Boyfriend Convicted Of 2018 Murder And Torture Of Her 10-Year-Old Son

One of Satterfields sons, Michael "Tony" Satterfield, is now speaking out following Murdaughs murder convictions last week, putting pressure on authorities who are reinvestigating her death to exhume and re-examine her body for any signs of foul play.

"[We want] to see if there's any foul play or anything," Michael Satterfield told NewsNations Chris Cuomo during a televised interview on Tuesday.

Alex Murdaugh listens to testimony

Alex Murdaugh listens to testimony during his trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Feb. 10, 2023. Photo: Getty Images

Murdaugh was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive sentences of life in prison without the possibility for parole in the 2021 slayings of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and youngest son, Paul Murdaugh. Throughout the trial, Murdaugh maintained his innocence.

Attorney Eric Bland, who represents Satterfields two sons, fielded questions from Cuomo alongside his client this week. Bland explained that exhuming and re-examining Gloria's body could provide investigators with vital new clues pertaining to her cause of death.

"She flipped twice obviously," Bland said. "She had significant closed-head injury and open-head injury with 12 broken ribs. The real issue is gonna be if somebody was told before Paul and Maggie died  or Alex goes off to jail, Alex obviously isn't going to say anything  if they know something."

Story continues

The Satterfield family attorney, however, did express some doubts that the former longtime Murdaugh housekeeper was murdered.

"I don't think anybody would try to kill her and then let her get in an ambulance to go to a hospital to get medical treatment only to survive and say, 'Look, I didn't get pushed down the stairs by dogs, it was by human hands,'" Bland said.

Alex Murdaugh's New Mugshot

Alex Murdaugh's New Mugshot Photo: South Carolina Department of Corrections

Mystery, however, had swirled around Satterfields death long before Murdaugh had been accused of murdering his family.

"The police have some doubts about Alex's story, Bland said. He told an insurance adjuster exactly what he thought happened, which is that the dogs pushed Gloria down the stairs. It's gonna be difficult when they exhume her body, Chris, to really determine were those done by human hands or by the fall.

"Everything around Alex is danger, lies, deception, Bland added. We know that he capitalized on Gloria's death financially and used it as an opportunity to enrich himself at the expense of the boys who were exploited in this process."

The Satterfield family had previously filed a wrongful death suit against Murdaugh  and were awarded millions of dollars  however, the disgraced legal scion allegedly pocketed the money.

After Satterfields death, authorities suspect Alex Murdaugh directly encouraged her sons to file a wrongful death lawsuit against him, referring them to his close friend, attorney Cory Fleming.

Bryan Kohberger sits with his attorney

Fleming ultimately secured a $4.3 million settlement with the insurance company for the Satterfields, however, her sons, Michael and Brian, were never paid out, according to the arrest warrant.

To date, Tony and Brian have not received any monies from any claims or settlements with Murdaugh and his insurance carriers following their mothers death  Not one dime, Bland wrote in a lawsuit against Murdaugh.

In September 2021, months prior to Murdaughs arrest in the double murder, South Carolina authorities announced theyd re-opened the investigation into Satterfields death. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson later slapped Murdaugh with an 18-count indictment for alleged financial crimes related to the alleged defrauding of Satterfields family. Murdaughs friend and fellow lawyer, Cory Fleming, was also charged in the botched insurance scam plot.

No one has been criminally charged with homicide in direct connection with Satterfields death.



Oxygen.com has reached out to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for further comment.

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Prior to her death, Satterfield had worked for the Murdaugh family for 25 years. Bland previously described Satterfield as a fabric of the family.

Last week, Murdaughs brother, Randy Murdaugh, publicly cast doubt on his brothers claims in relation to Maggie and Pauls killings, telling the New York Times, hes not telling the truth.

He knows more than what he's saying. Hes not telling the truth, in my opinion, about everything there, Randy told the newspaper.

Satterfields son said Randys comments are further justification to exhume his mothers body.

I guess it means a lot," Michael Satterfield added.
Amman's Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) has received the title of Best Airport by Size and Region: Middle East for airports serving five to 15 million passengers for the fifth time in its history, in addition to the newly introduced title of Most Enjoyable Airport in the Middle East.



The accolades were awarded by Airports Council International World (ACI World) based on the 2022 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Survey, which is part of the worlds leading airport customer experience measurement and benchmarking program.



As the operator of QAIA, we have always prided ourselves on having a customer-centric approach in everything we do. Since the Terminal Buildings inauguration 10 years ago, we have been keen to listen carefully to the evolving needs and expectations of our passengers so that we may create a welcoming atmosphere that makes them feel at home, deliver a memorable customer experience and ensure a lasting positive impression of Jordans prime gateway to the world, commented Airport International Group CEO, Nicolas Claude.



We are privileged that the efforts of the entire airport community have been acknowledged by those who matter most - our passengers - whom we thank once again for choosing us as one of the best airports for customer experience worldwide. Congratulations to our teams, partners and stakeholders on these fantastic wins.



Putting the traveler at the centre is more important than ever, and it is the way forward. We are proud of the team at QAIA for winning the Best Airport by Size and Region: Middle East and Most Enjoyable Airport in the Middle East Awards. This shows that the whole airport community has come together to put the passenger first, stated ACI World Director General, Luis Felipe de Oliveira.



The ACI ASQ initiative is unique as the airport industrys only global benchmarking program measuring passenger satisfaction while passengers are at the airport. Implemented at close to 400 airports worldwide, the ASQ program delivers an in-depth assessment of the quality of the customer service experience.



The resulting database allows for a comprehensive analysis of the customer service experience at each participating airport. This years results recognize ASQ Award winners as being the worlds best airports for the quality of their customer experience as selected by their passengers.  TradeArabia News Service
Bettendorf schools have officially hired a new director of human resources, Maile Mejia, and director of finance and business services, Robert Beckwith.

The two accepted the positions following the school board's approval of superintendent Dr. Michelle Morse's hiring recommendations Thursday evening.

Succeeding Jill Matherly, Mejia has served the district since July 2014, most recently as the assistant director of human resources. She has also served as director of nutrition services and human resources and benefits specialist in her tenure.

Mejia earned her bachelor's degree from Western Illinois University, with an emphasis in human resources. She's also obtained a master's of organizational leadership degree from St. Ambrose University and is currently studying for her Senior Professional in Human Resources Certification.

"Maile has long been a great asset in our Human Resources Department and the district," Morse said in a news release announcing the hires. "She brings an ability to create connections with our staff and vast experience through her different roles within the district and our human resources team."

Robert ("Bob") Beckwith will succeed Brietta Collier, marking the district's fourth finance director since 2017. He will officially begin his new position this summer, with an anticipated start date of May 1.

Beckwith graduated from Millikin University in Decatur, Ill with a degree in marketing and finance. He has also earned a master's degree in school business management from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, along with a "Chief School Business Officials" endorsement.

Beckwith formerly served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Rock Island-Milan School District, stepping down February of this year. He has an extensive history serving in finance and business positions for school districts across Illinois, including Sandwich, Naperville, Downers Grove and Lemonth-Bromberek.

"We are excited to have Bob join our administrative team," said Morse. "The finance director is a very important leadership position in the school district. Bob comes to Bettendorf with extensive knowledge of school finance, budgeting processes, and a strong understanding of the position's requirements."
A crowd of roughly 30 people, mostly fast food workers, rallied near Napas Imola Avenue Jack in the Box restaurant Friday morning to protest the recent dismissal of a former worker who alleges she was fired in retaliation for speaking up about workplace violence there.

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The crowd, organized by Fight for $15 Nor Cal  part of a political movement that advocates across the country for a $15 minimum wage  gathered early in the South Napa Marketplace parking lot before walking over to the Jack in the Box restaurant. Protesters chanted protest slogans while walking through the store, many brandishing yellow signs with red lettering that said Justice for Iliana Garcia, fired after filing a CalOSHA complaint. Shame on Jack in the Box.

Garcia, the former worker, was fired on March 6, a few months after she filed an initial complaint about the violence to the California Division of Occupational Health and Safety on Dec. 15 of last year. This is according to a second complaint Garcia filed with the agency on Friday. (Fight for $15 is serving as the representative for Garcia in contacts with the state and the company.)

In the Friday complaint, Garcia states that she worked at the 850 West Imola Avenue Jack in the Box for about four years, and told management repeatedly, for more than three years, that the restaurant needed security guards and cameras in the store because of the violent actions workers there were regularly exposed to.

Garcia said that in the past year, a man put a gun to her head at the drive thru window, another threw liquid in her eyes that made them burn, and a third repeatedly hit her car with a bat in the parking lot. Each day, the complaint states, "people scream at us and threaten us and demand free food, and they come to the parking lot to buy and sell drugs.

Garcia also said in the complaint she was threatened by a coworker who told her any day you could wake up lying in the street. The store manager told her they would handle it, but Garcia was still often scheduled to work at the same time as the coworker, according to the complaint.

Additionally, Garcia cites supplementary Napa Police Department data from 911 calls made from the Jack in the Box January to November last year. The reports include several instances of assault, robberies, and people getting angry and causing disturbances or trying to break into the store.

Also in the complaint is a rundown of how Garcia was fired. The complaint notes that on March 3, another employee, on an order from the store manager, told Garcia to put her employee number in the cash register the employee was working at even though Garcia was working the fryer. Garcia was worried she was being set up to be accused of stealing  the complaint states there have been problems with theft at the store for about a year  and Garcia punched out and left instead, according to the complaint.

Garcia was told by the store manager the next day to sign a piece of paper she didnt understand because it was in English, a language she is not fluent in, and was then sent home. She wasnt allowed to take a picture of the paper, and the manager told her it wasnt a warning, that it just said the manager talked with Garcia about what had happened the previous day, according to the complaint.

And on March 6 Garcia was informed by the district manager that she was fired because of what happened the previous Friday, the complaint states.

The company that owns the franchise, Reshiv Inc, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment by press time.

Garcia is hoping CalOSHA, after investigating, will require the Jack in the Box to restore her job and pay her back pay and penalties. She also wants them to ensure the employer not retaliate against workers for speaking out against safety, the complaint states.

At the protest Friday, Garcia said that working at the Jack in the Box could be a good job, but the pay there needs to be raised, and management needs to care about safety. The problem is that they dont care, she said.

In this moment, I feel good, Garcia said at the protest in Spanish. When I was working here, I felt offended, humiliated.

Garcia and other workers also referenced the fast food industry-backed referendum on whether the state can create a 10-member state Fast Food Council, which would have authority to set minimum wages and working conditions  such as health, safety and training  at fast food restaurants in California.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the act that would establish the council into law last year, but a referendum campaign gathered signatures and successfully blocked the law from coming into effect for now. California voters are set to decide whether or not the council should be established next year.

PHOTOS: Protest at Napa Jack in the Box Jack in the Box protest 3 Jack in the Box protest 1 Jack in the Box protest 2 Jack in the Box protest 4 Jack in the Box protest 5 Jack in the Box protest 6 Jack in the Box protest 7 Jack in the Box protest 8 Jack in the Box protest 9 Jack in the Box protest 10 Jack in the Box protest 11 Jack in the Box protest 12 Jack in the Box protest 13
A dancing devil. Sunflowers. Butterflies and fruit trees. Vineyards. A bucking horse and a family farm. Chips and salsa. The list goes on.

More than 400 pieces of new and original art are now on display at the Napa County Historical Society and the St. Helena Historical Society.

Yet this isnt work created by a famous painter or textile artist.

It was made by locals.

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Over the past three years, Latino community members from American Canyon to Calistoga have produced 403 quilt, or colcha, squares, capturing their culture through icons, color and statement.

Those works are now on display in an exhibition that shines a light on a thread of the Napa Valley's narrative its organizers say is often under-told.

The first-of-its-kind exhibit is Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads, a project of the Napa Valley Latino Heritage Committee, with resident Mexican artist Arleene Correa Valencia.

This past October, the individual squares were installed inside the Napa County and St. Helena historical societies. About 300 squares are displayed in Napa and some 100 in St. Helena.

Some of the artists remain anonymous or provided only a first name. A number shared personal memories and feelings.

In honor of my mother, I made for her the flag of Puerto Rico, wrote one colcha artist, Gliselle Chavez-Sieffert of the piece Isla del Encanto," or land of enchantment.

In the quilt scene theres a woman in nature, wrote another participant, Eileen Rivera. The Latinx community respects the environment, animals, and plants. Theres also a folktale element to the square, which further unveils our relationship to the world and environment.

Nancy Rivera explained her choice for her colcha square.

All the colorful fabric made me think about all the colorful dresses and the importance of dressing up for special holidays/church in the Latin culture, Rivera wrote. I wanted to celebrate the colors and uniqueness of our culture and share something colorful and happy from our community.

Student K. Moore-Jordan explained that his quilt block represents my love of Latino music and its entry into the hip-hop category.

My design is inspired by the state of Guerrero, Mexico, wrote colcha designer Berenice Posada. I was born in a town with a very beautiful climate that is always sunny, with green trees, flowers, butterflies, and a large assortment of fruit and other trees.

Daniela C., another student, wrote that her quilt square represents both sides of my family showing what they would do to earn money. On the right is an apple which shows that when my mom was 8 years old she started picking apples in Yakima, Washington. On the left it is a Mexican dessert that is a concha. My dad and his 11 brothers would work for a bakery and would make them. Now he owns a bakery and the pastries. Now in 2021 my mom and dad own a bakery.

My quilt square is of a bucking horse, explained student Daniel M. I used this design because I have a ranch here in Napa. I have a horse and I am taming it to be a riding horse.

Student Chelsy C. explained her choice of design: My quilt square is about chips and salsa. I made this because my family loves to try new recipes. I decided to make this piece of quilt to represent my family.

My quilt square represents a diablo, wrote student Sabastian E.S. My parents grew up in Oaxaca. Once I saw them dance. Thats when I knew I wanted to be a diablo. My moms side of the family is a diablo mask in a heart. My dad works at a vineyard. I put vines covering the diablo mask to represent my dads side.

Latinos unidos, amigas forever, wrote Connie Diaz, another contributor.

Debbie Alter-Starr is the co-chair of the committee and the coordinator of the Hilos Visibles quilt project.

I know the power of art for the people who make it and who see it  how it reaches into other parts of our brains and our hearts, wrote Alter-Starr, who is also a clinical social worker. This matters a lot more than people may realize. Sometimes what starts with art creates an opening for a conversation about personal history in unexpected and fresh ways that surprise even the person creating the art.

Alter-Starr said she especially appreciated that the art featured in this exhibit is often multigenerational.

She sat with people as they created their art in places such as the community room of a low-income housing development in Napa, a Dia de la Familia event hosted by the Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, at the St. Helena Catholic Church, and during Meet Me in the Street in American Canyon.

My favorite memories and photos are the ones of parents and/or grandparents working with children on a square together or side by side, having conversations, sometimes the adult hand on the childs hand to help press a piece of fabric onto the square to make it stick, she wrote.

We also had a number of neurodiverse individuals participate in this activity and creating art made it accessible to some of them in ways that written storytelling or recordings would not have been accessible, she noted.

Sheli O. Smith, the executive director of the Napa County Historical Society, said the exhibit represents a number of firsts for the nonprofit. Its the first exhibit produced entirely in two languages, as well as the first to be completely viewable online. Hilos Visibles is also the Napa nonprofit's first exhibit to focus exclusively on textiles, and the first joint installation between the Napa and St. Helena historical societies.

I have to say I'm most proud of (this exhibit) because it takes us to that story that's under-told, said Smith. Napa Valley has a number of migrant populations to thank for where it is today. One of them is the Hispanic population. And I don't think that that story gets told often enough.

Hilos Visibles has been so popular that it has been extended to the end of April, said Smith. On March 18, the Napa Valley Heritage Committee will host a reception with Congressman Mike Thompson at the Goodman Library, at 1219 First St. in downtown Napa, to honor the community artists.

The St. Helena exhibit will also remain on display.

As Hilos Visibles enters its final weeks, plans for the next Napa historical society exhibit are already underway.

The theme? Napas pioneering women.

If you go Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads hilosvisibles.org Napa County Historical Society (Exhibit ends April 29) Goodman Library, 1219 First St., Napa napahistory.org 707-224-1739 Open Tuesday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission St. Helena Historical Society Heritage Center Museum, 1255 Oak Ave. St. Helena shstory.org 707-967-5502 Open the first Saturday of the month, noon to 4 p.m. Free admission March 18 reception with Hilos Visibles Community Artists Napa County Historical Society Saturday, March 18, 1 to 3 p.m. Hosted by the Napa Valley Latino Heritage Committee RSVP: HilosVisibles.eventbrite.com, hilosvisibles@gmail.com or 707-480-7436

Photos: Napa Valley community members work on quilt squares for Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads exhibit Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 4 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 5 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 6 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 3 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 1 Hilos Visibles/Visible Threads 2 Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Margarita Garcia Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Hilos Visibles Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares Napa New Tech students make heritage quilt squares
Sudan army agrees to open passage for urgent humanitarian cases

130 Ukrainian servicemen back as part of prisoner exchange

Finland launches Europe's most powerful nuclear reactor

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
Bali's tourism board plans to launch a campaign urging foreign visitors to respect local cultural customs, Travel Weekly reports.

Bali Tourism Board Chairman Ida Bagus Agung Partha Adnyana said that ten large billboards in this regard will be installed in Balis popular resorts and areas. These writings will initially be in English, and later also in some other languages.

The point is that tourists respect Balinese cultural customs by dressing well and neatly, following in an orderly manner, carrying out traffic activities and not doing things that are outside the provisions, the official said, The Daily Mail reported.
German police have arrested a man who took hostages in a pharmacy in Karlsruhe city.

"At 21:10, the special forces entered the pharmacy. The male suspect was arrested. The building is currently being searched. According to preliminary information, there are no victims," the police said in a statement.

Earlier, the police had cordoned off the surroundings of the aforesaid pharmacy.

The media had reported that the hostage taker demanded millions of euros in exchange for the release of the hostages.
According to experts, the truth about the origin of the coronavirus pandemic will be known after many years at best, or it may remain a secret forever

The US House of Representatives voted unanimously to declassify intelligence on the origins of COVID-19.

The respective bill, which passed with 419 votes in favorand none against, will be sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.

The House debates on the matter went on essentially and did not last long. Their bottom line was that Americans have questions about where the deadly virus originated and what can be done to prevent future such outbreaks.

The American public deserves answers about all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Republican Party member Mike Turner, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

According to him, this includes questions about how this virus was created and, in particular, whether it was a natural phenomenon or the result of laboratory activity.

The declassification request specifically addresses information related to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, in China. The document points to a potential link between research conducted there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

US intelligence agencies disagree on whether the virus was leaked in a lab or whether it passed from animals to humans.

According to experts, the truth about the origin of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than a million Americans, will be known after many years at best, or it may remain a secret forever.
President Joe Biden has said that he has not yet decided to sign the bill which obligates the US administration to declassify all materials on the origin of the coronavirus.

Republican Party Senator Josh Hawley's aforesaid bill has been passed by both chambers of the Congress and will have to be signed into law by Biden.

"I haven't made that decision yet," the US president told reporters when asked whether he will sign that bill.

The US special services say that they have not come to a clear opinion about the origin of the coronavirus and are considering two theories into the origin of the recent coronavirus pandemic: a leak from a Chinese laboratory, or the transmission of this infection from animals to persons.

It was reported earlier that after the Senate, the House of Representatives of the Congress also passed the bill which requires the US administration to declassify all intelligence data on the origin of the coronavirus.
The Lachin corridor linking Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh will have been blocked for three months on March 12. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Azerbaijani authorities and Russian peacekeepers to allow reporters freedom of movement so that they can cover this blockade and its serious humanitarian impact, RSF noted in a report. The latter continues as follows:

Nagorno-Karabakh is turning into a news and information black hole because purported Azerbaijani environmental activists have been blocking all traffic along the Lachin corridor, the only road linking Armenia to the enclave, for the past three months, thereby causing a major humanitarian crisis. Only Azerbaijani journalists from state or pro-government media can cover the demonstrations on the corridor. The few independent local media are not allowed through the checkpoints.

The few journalists who have been escorted to the point where the road is blocked have not been able to report freely. When David Lopez Frias, a reporter for the Spanish newspaper El Periodico de Espana, visited Azerbaijan in late February, he spent an evening on the Lachin road accompanied by guides from Azerbaijans state-owned Global Media Group, who let him interview the protesting "environmentalists without any problem, but not any Russian peacekeepers. It was not possible either to meet with any members of the Armenian population, on the other side of the Russian checkpoints.

Futhermore, the Azerbaijani state news agency Azertac published an interview with Lopez in several languages in which he was deliberately misquoted. It quoted him as saying: Vehicles pass here without any problems. You just see people demonstrating to protect nature. When RSF contacted Lopez, he said: I said the exact opposite. I clearly saw a blocked road.

This barefaced lie by a government-controlled media outlet is further evidence of a desire on the part of the Azerbaijani authorities to manipulate national and international public opinion. They not only violate the 2020 ceasefire agreement by supporting these eco-activists but they also prevent any accurate coverage of the Lachin corridor blockade and its terrible humanitarian repercussions. RSF reminds the Azerbaijani government and Russian peacekeepers of their international undertakings and urges them to restore free access to the region for journalists.

On the Armenian side, independent media have no access to the corridor or the enclave, and rely on photos and video provided the Azerbaijani state media and the local TV channel in Nagorno-Karabakh, and on what residents say, which is often hard to verify. Few media outlets have correspondents in the enclave. The news site Civilnet has a bureau with four journalists in Stepanakert, the enclaves capital, but no other independent media outlet does.

(...)

The purported purpose of the blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijani eco-activists since 12 December is to prevent work at a gold mine. But many investigations point to the Azerbaijani governments total involvement in the blockade. Several international actors have blamed President Ilham Aliyevs government and the International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to remove the blockade. Only Red Cross humanitarian convoys are currently allowed through the corridor.
The minister of national defense of Turkey stated that the country has been a NATO member for more than 70 years and expects its allies to fulfill their obligations, TASS reports.

According to Hulusi Akar, these obligations apply also to the US authorities in the context of the F-16 fighter jet deal.

"We [i.e., Turkey] have been a member of NATO for 71 years, we fulfill our obligations, and we expect our allies to fulfill their obligations. Judging by all the statements by the White House and the Pentagon, the matter of the sale of F-16s to Turkey and the modernization of the existing planes is moving towards the positive. However, there are separate negative expressions from the US Congress," Akar noted.

As per the Turkish defense minister, Ankara expects a more balanced approach from Washington and the US Congress regarding the F-16s, as the decision on the sale of these US-made fighter jets to Turkey will benefit NATO.

Akar added that this deal will make the Turkish side stronger, which means it will help NATO as well.
The Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Saturday issued a comment regarding the recent statement by Toivo Klaar, the European Union (EU) Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia.

In the comment, the Artsakh MFA said it took note of Klaar's post on social media on Thursday.

However, as per the Artsakh MFA, his statements regarding the situation related to the blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan in an earlier interview with the Azerbaijani media on Wednesday raise serious questions regarding their compliance with the status of a neutral mediator, which the EU special representative claims.

Speaking about the supposed legitimacy of Azerbaijan's approach to the Lachin corridor, the EU special representative clearly ignores the general context of the events taking place.

And the context is that Azerbaijan has been illegally blocking the Lachin corridor for almost three months, violating not only the obligations assumed by the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, but also grossly violating the fundamental rights of the people of Artsakh. Under the pretext of the need to control the Lachin corridor, the armed forces of Azerbaijan resorted to a terrorist operation on March 5, killing three police officers of Artsakh and seriously injuring another.

The Artsakh MFA noted that it should be emphasized that all of Azerbaijan's arguments regarding the blocking of the Lachin corridor, including the theory that the corridor is allegedly used for military purposes, were dismissed by the UN International Court of Justice after a thorough investigation, and this court obligated Azerbaijan to ensure the unhindered movement of people, vehicles, and cargo through the Lachin corridorin both directions. The Artsakh MFA recalled once again that the decisions of the International Court of Justice are legally binding, and this was announced also by the high-ranking representatives of the EU.

Such expressions supporting the illegal ambitions of Azerbaijan are perceived by the latter as an indulgence of the criminal policy of ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, and this is based on the denial of the inalienable rights of the people of Artsakh to life, self-determination, freedom, and peaceful development.

As per the Artsakh MFA, Azerbaijan strives to create conditions in which nothing will prevent it from establishing control over the entire territory of Artsakh by force and completing its criminal plans to devoid Artsakh of its Armenian population.

According to the Artsakh MFA comment, if the EU special representative is really concerned about the actions that escalate the tension in the region, the ministry advises him to pay attention to Azerbaijan's military provocations, aggressive and belligerent statements, as well as the deployment of new Azerbaijani military units and other military infrastructures in the Azerbaijani-occupied territories of Artsakh.
Union Minister of State for Electronics & IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar has held consultations with stakeholders on the soon-to-be introduced Digital India Bill, an official said on Friday. Officials said that for the first time, design, architecture and goals of a Bill are being discussed with stakeholders at its pre-introduction stage. These consultations are part of the Digital India Dialogues in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's consultative approach to law and policy making, a statement noted. Making a presentation on the objectives and goals of the Bill, Chandrasekhar said the proposed Bill aims to help India achieve the goal of becoming a trillion-dollar digital economy and becoming a significant trusted player in the Global Value Chains for digital products, devices, platforms and solutions. The Minister said that the proposed Digital India Act aims to help develop India as a globally competitive innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem while at the same time protecting the rights of its citizens. The Minister listed some of the guiding principles for the proposed legislation, which include managing the complexities of the Internet and rapid expansion of the types of intermediaries addressing the risks of emerging technologies, protecting citizen's rights, managing and setting guardrails for the varied intermediaries on the Internet. Stating that the tech ecosystem in general and the Internet in particular has evolved significantly after Information Technology Act (IT Act) came into being in 2000, Chandrasekhar said that the new law has to be evolvable and consistent with changing market trends, disruption in technologies, and keep in mind protection of "digital nagriks" from user harm. "Internet that began as a force of good has today become vulnerable to various types of complex user harms like catfishing, cyber stalking, cyber trolling, gaslighting, phishing, revenge porn, cyber-flashing, dark web, etc, and there is an urgent need for a specialised and dedicated adjudicatory mechanism for online civil and criminal offences," the Minister observed. Reiterating that the Digital India Bill is an attempt by the government to bring in global standard cyber laws, Chandrasekhar said: "We want to ensure the Internet is open, safe, trusted and accountable, and accelerate the growth of innovation and technology and create a framework for accelerating digitalisation of the government and to strengthen democracy and governance." The Minister also spoke of promoting free market access and fair-trade practices and ease of doing business and ease of compliance for start-ups and delivery of public services through online and mobile platforms in a simple, accessible, inter-operable and citizen-friendly manner in the same thread. --IANS kvm/pgh ( 430 Words) 2023-03-10-23:12:03 (IANS)
New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI/ATK): According to a recent report released by DappRadar, a web3 data platform, NFT trading volume reached 2 billion dollars in February. Though the NFT sales in the market decreased by 32% from January, the trading volume saw a whopping rise of 120%. In 2014, Kevin Mckoy, a digital artist, made a video clip and registered it on the Namecoin blockchain. He then sold it to Anil Dash, an American technology executive, for 4 dollars. It was the first ever NFT created and sold. Now, the global market size of the NFT is expected to reach more than 211 billion dollars by 2030. The global market capitalization of the NFT market has seen a massive hike in the last year. In 2020, the NFT market cap was at 85 million dollars, and it jumped to a whopping 20 billion dollars, a 23,449% rise in 2021. But, the market started to fall in 2022. In September 2022, NFT trading volume collapsed by 97% since the beginning of the year. The terrible fall of Terra and its UST, LUNA tokens in May crashed the NFT market. Since then, the market has never registered 2 billion dollars in trading volume till last month. Yuga Labs - The Empire Of The NFT Market Yuga Labs is a US-based blockchain technology company that develops NFTs and digital collectibles. Founded in 2021, the company launched the famous Bored Ape Yacht Club, the largest NFT project at that time. Following the success of BAYC, Yuga Labs launched two more projects in 2021 called Bored Ape Kennel and Mutant Ape Yacht Club. In 2022, the company acquired CryptoPunks and Meebits, two prominent NFT projects in the crypto community, and also launched Otherside, a metaverse project. In the same year, the company introduced its cryptocurrency name Apecoin which acts as a utility token. It is the top NFT token by market capitalization. Yuga Lab has built an empire using this strong community. According to the report by the DappRadar, Yuga Labs NFT collections contributed 30% of the Ethereum-based NFT trading in February. Its newly released game Donkey Dash, played a major role in raising the NFT trading volume to more than 2 billion dollars in a single month. Bitcoin Ordinals - New Age NFT Bitcoin developers have worked for almost a decade to bring non-fungible tokens to the blockchain. Finally, their hard work paid off after the launch of Ordinals in early 2023. This new Ordinal protocol has brought new users to the Bitcoin blockchain, with non-zero bitcoin addresses hitting 44 million on Feb 14. The Ordinals allow the users to send and receive Satoshi, the smallest denomination of the BTC, that carries optional extra data like text, audio, video, etc. Adding this type of data to Satoshi is called an inscription. The end product of this inscription is called Ordinals or Bitcoin NFT. The hype created around the Bitcoin Ordinals helped the BTC market to cross $25,000 in mid-February and also took the NFT market to the next level by registering more than 90,000 inscriptions within one month. Dogetti - The Rising NFT Mafia Dogetti is the new dog-themed meme-coin in the crypto market. The coin has been attracting more investors in its presale stage with its unique features and new announcements. DogettiNFT is a part of the Dogetti ecosystem. These NFTs are unique digital assets which can be artwork, collectibles, or memes. These NFT token holders can breed, grow and sell their digital assets on the market in exchange for fiat or other cryptocurrencies to make a profit from it. DogettiNFT also allows the token holders to adopt a puppy which can be used as a digital companion. Dogetti is planning to introduce Metaverse and Play2Earn, the most advanced and popular projects in the crypto world, into its ecosystem. But, the decision to include these projects will be finalized by the users voting on the proposal. DETI, the native token of the Dogetti ecosystem, is recording the fastest sales in the first stage of its presale. The users can avail 25% bonus on purchasing this token by using the code WISEGUY 25. Investors are advised to buy the DETI token early, as Dogetti is planning to increase the token price by 300% in the second stage of the presale. For More on Dogetti (DETI):Presale: https://dogetti.io/how-to-buy Website: https://dogetti.io/ Telegram: https://t.me/Dogetti Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Dogetti_ This story has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK)
Australia's national science agency -- the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), India's initiative for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and think tank NITI Aayog have signed a letter of intent to encourage joint cooperation to drive innovation activities in areas of national challenges and shared priorities of both countries. The move comes during the India visit of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as he met the Indian Prime Minister Narendra on 10 March 2023 in New Delhi, according to a statement of NITI Aayog. The meeting between the Prime Ministers spanned areas of mutual interest and explored avenues of strengthening bilateral engagement in a range of key areas with innovation as one key item. The LoI between AIM and CSIRO calls for a greater collaboration in areas of mutual interest and strategic priorities and serves as a general framework for cooperation intended to facilitate the development of more programme-specific interventions, informed the government through a release. The core of the bilateral engagement is the India-Australia Innovation and Technology Challenge (IA-ITC) -- a programme envisioned to bring together the innovation ecosystems of India and Australia. According to the NITI Aayog statement, this will address our shared environmental and economic challenges by supporting cohorts of start-ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on their commercialisation pathways and bring to market innovative tech-based solutions spanning across circular economy, energy transition and food system resilience etc. The programme intends to leverage the complementary capabilities and resources of the innovation ecosystem of both countries. A circular economy entails markets that give incentives to reusing products, rather than scrapping them and then extracting new resources. The IA-ITC builds on the success of the India Australia Circular Economy (IACE) Hackathon 2021, which witnessed university students, startups, and SMEs from both India and Australia develop innovative tech-based solutions for circularity in food-system value chain. "We are thrilled to partner with CSIRO on fostering innovation and co-developing the India Australia Innovation and Technology Challenge," said Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director - AIM, NITI Aayog. "This partnership and the IA-ITC programme in particular is an exciting opportunity for India and Australia to collaborate at different levels of the ecosystem involving startups, SMEs, business incubators and accelerators, VCs and the industry. This will open new horizons in knowledge sharing and co-creation given CSIRO's vast experience with Science and Technology programmes." "CSIRO is excited to partner with AIM and work towards solving shared global challenges. AIM has an impressive track record of fostering and leveraging world-class innovations and entrepreneurs. We look forward to combining our strengths and expertise to create scientific breakthroughs that make real-world social, economic and environmental impact," said Jonathan Law, Executive Director for Growth, CSIRO. According to the statement, AIM and CSIRO are currently working on the design and development of the IA-ITC programme delivery model to ensure the IA-ITC is sustainable, innovative, impactful and aligns with the strategic interests of both India and Australia. The official launch of the programme is expected to be in July 2023. (ANI)
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Saturday said it arrested Vinay Vivek Aranha, a partner in the Rosary Education Group, in a case pertaining to submitting fabricated documents of property as mortgage with Cosmos Cooperative Bank in Pune, to obtain multiple loans, totalling Rs 46 crore. The probe agency said Aranha allegedly diverted loans from the stated purposes of the loans and utilised the same for his extravagant lifestyle, causing a loss of Rs 45 crore to Cosmos Bank. According to the statement, he was produced before the City Civil and Sessions Court in Mumbai and the court has granted his custody to ED till March 20, 2023. ED initiated the investigation on the basis of the first information report (FIR) registered by Pune Police on the basis of a complaint of Shivaji Vithal Kale of Cosmos Bank against Vinay Vivek Aranha and Vivek Anthony Aranha (both partners in the group) wherein it was alleged that the accused persons had obtained a loan of Rs 20.44 crore from Cosmos Bank by submitting fake documents of property. The investigation revealed that Vinay Aranha was the key person of Rosary Education Society and he had availed as many as seven loans amounting to Rs 46 crore for the stated purpose of refurbishment and redevelopment of schools. However, instead of using these loan amounts, in connivance with his friends and associates, he transferred an amount of Rs 21 crore to Paramount Infrastructure, Shabbir Patanwala, Ashwin Kamat and Deepti Enterprises. The amount so deposited was not used for the stated purposes, but was soon withdrawn in cash and handed over to Vinay Aranha as per his directions. In this way, of the total loan amount, around Rs 17.66 crore was withdrawn in cash by Vinay Aranha and has been spent on undocumented expenditures. The probe agency said he made large payments to celebrities to host gala events (in the name of Vinay Aranha foundation) for self-aggrandisement and also purchased luxury cars. During the course of its investigation, he was evasive and non-cooperative and did not respond to multiple summonses from ED. The summons issued were returned undelivered with postal remarks "Refused". It was found that he was submitting bogus medical certificates to ED to avoid appearance before ED. The agency said further investigation is being done. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI/PRAADIS TECHNOLOGIES PVT LTD): Praadis Education has launched a new campaign called "Knowledge is Power" which aims to empower students with the knowledge they need to navigate the competitive world and stand with their head held high. This campaign is designed to help students realize and utilize their full potential and to provide them with the resources they need to prove themselves in their academic domains. Every child deserves an equal opportunity to receive a quality education and it is crucial that we ensure that no child is left behind because of a monetary barrier. The team at Praadis Education believes that knowledge is the key to success and progress. In the absence of which, it becomes impossible to keep up with the changing times, make informed decisions, solve complex problems, or sail through the challenging situations. Not to mention, it also provides us with the confidence we need to face the world and pursue our dreams. Hence, in the interest of providing students a fair chance to pursue their dreams, Praadis Education initiated this exclusive campaign committed to helping students with great talent and potential. The campaign offers a chance for students to win scholarships for the new session at Praadis Education. These scholarships are designed to help students who may not have the adequate financial resources to pursue their academic goals.The scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit, and students will be required to submit their academic records and other relevant information to be considered for the scholarships. The team at Praadis Education understands that every student has their unique strengths and weaknesses, and the scholarships will be awarded to students who have shown exceptional performance in their academic careers. This scholarship has so much in store for children. Once you win the scholarship, Praadis Education will award you a free subscription to its 'Learning App', that provides a range of resources to facilitate student learning. These resources include access to online study materials, tutoring services, and other interesting and engaging content. A team of mentors committed to providing students with the support they need is an added bonus with this scholarship. The "Knowledge is Power" campaign is a reflection of the values and beliefs of Praadis Education. The team understands that, it is crucial to prioritize learning and constantly update our knowledge and skills to keep up with the changing times. Only then can we truly make the most of our lives. If students are given, what they need in terms of knowledge, at the right time, they can achieve great things. The campaign is a testament to the team's commitment to helping students succeed and create a life of their dreams. Praadis Education is excited to see the impact that this campaign will have on the lives of many. The "Knowledge is Power" campaign is an excellent opportunity for students to realize their academic aspirations. Praadis Education believes, it is our responsibility to invest in our children's future and provide them with the education they deserve to have a chance at creating a successful and meaningful life for themselves. This story is provided by PRAADIS TECHNOLOGIES PVT LTD. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRAADIS TECHNOLOGIES PVT LTD)
Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary, Logistics, DPIIT, has requested states and Union Territories to interact with business associations and stakeholders on a regular basis to identify issues related to reducing logistics cost and bringing efficiency. The special secretary of department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) was speaking during a series of regional workshops, which were organised to facilitate the wider adoption of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP) platform across all the states/UTs to sensitise the state officials about it. She suggested that an inter-departmental services improvement group may be formed to address logistics-related issues and action plans may be formulated for bringing down logistics cost duly identifying priority areas for taking up multimodal infrastructure related interventions, according to a statement from the ministry of commerce and industry. The first regional workshop for Central and Western Zone was organised on February 20, 2023, in Goa. The second regional workshop with nine states/UTs of the southern region was organised on March 10 and 11 in Kochi, Kerala. These southern states are Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andaman and Nicobar, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Mapping of freight flows in order to have a demand-driven approach to logistics efficiency for the next 5-10 years, attracting private investments in logistics-related infrastructure and involving start-ups for solutions to promoting logistics efficiency were also mentioned in her remark, according to the statement. She also stressed upon the use of technology and green initiatives during planning of the logistics ecosystem including both planning for infrastructure development for new India and developing an efficient logistics ecosystem. NMP is a transformative approach that enables integrated planning and synchronised implementation for multimodal and last mile connectivity across the country. It was launched by the Prime Minister on October 13, 2021, with a vision to break departmental silos in the government and institutionalise holistic planning for stakeholders across major infrastructure projects. On the first day of the regional workshop in Kochi, a demonstration of best use cases in using the NMP was made by the central ministries. Experience, best practices and vision of using the NMP/SMP platform was shared by the nine participating States/ UTs. On the second day of the regional workshop in Kochi, there were discussions on National Logistics Policy, state logistics policies, Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) and city logistics plan. For augmenting port connectivity and multimodality through PMGS, a presentation was made by the Cochin Port Authority followed by panel discussion with four major ports of Cochin, Kamarajar Vishakhapatnam and New Mangalore port. A site visit to Kochi was also organised to study Port Connectivity and Coastal projects. State/UT Logistics Policy has been notified by 18 states. Development of Logistics Ease Across Different State (LEADS) 2023-24 report has also commenced with the objective of analysing the logistics ecosystem of various States/UTs as per a framework, and rank states/UTs on logistics ease. During the workshop, states and UTs also presented an overview of their Logistics Policy. Tamil Nadu presented a focus on reduction of cost of logistics for export-import as well as domestic trade in the State which is expected to be reduced by 5 to 6 per cent. Karnataka presented its focus on improving the State's performance in logistics. Andhra Pradesh highlighted their objective to address infrastructure gaps in logistics & supply chain and to promote trade from the East Coast. Telangana underlined its objective of developing a robust logistics ecosystem through MMLPs, dry ports, Cold storages etc. Andaman and Nicobar Islands presented its focus on reducing logistics cost by enhancing efficiency by enabling multimodal connectivity. (ANI)
It's been three days since actor Satish Kaushik left his mortal abode all of a sudden. His dear friend Anupam Kher found it very hard to come to terms with it. In his latest Instagram video, 'The Kashmir Files' actor broke down while he was speaking to his fans and followers. Anupam said that he made the video to 'get rid of the sense of loss'. The death of his decades-old friend 'killing' him. Anupam said in the video, "I was thinking about what to eat. I almost picked up the phone and was about to dial Satish's number. Friendship of 45 years...It's deep... it becomes a habit. A habit, which You don't want to let go." Anupam added, "We dreamt together. We started our lives together at the National School of Drama in July 1975. He went to Bombay before me. We used to fight, quarrel, get jealous of each other, but above all, we used to call each other around 8-8.30 A.M in the morning every day." Anupam captioned the video, "Letter to my FRIEND!! My dearest #SatishKaushik!You will always be part of my life..... But I need to move on.... In order to keep your memory alive...... j'iNdgii to aage bddh'aanii pdd'tii hai.... maiN j'iNdgii ko aage bddh'aa rhaa huuN mere dost..... tum hmeshaa mere jiivn kaa ek ahm hissaa bne rhoge... #Friends #FriendShip #LifeGoesOn" https://www.instagram.com/p/CpnM4EtpgL_/ The 'Saaransh' actor made it clear that he has to move on in life and this video, in a way, will help him to get this 'loss' drive away from his system. "I feel if I share my thoughts with you (fans), I will feel better. I could concentrate on my work. My father passed away. But life moved on. Life has to move on. Satish was a good man. He was a friend of friends. He will always stay in my heart. I will do things that will make him proud. I am sure, he will still get jealous of me. Bolega, tune mujhse accha kiya. (He will say, I have outperformed him). I will move on." Sonu Nigam, Ashok Pandit, Isha Koppikar and many other celebs reacted to this video with consoling messages for Anupam. Anupam broke the news of Satish's demise on social media in the wee hours of Thursday. The actor died at 66 following a cardiac arrest in Delhi on Wednesday late night. Sharing the news, Anupam tweeted in hindi, "death is the ultimate truth of this world!" But I never thought in my dreams that I would write this thing about my best friend #SatishKaushik while alive. Such a sudden full stop on a friendship of 45 years!! Life will NEVER be the same without you SATISH! Om Shanti!" (ANI)
Amitabh Bachchan paid a tribute to Satish Kaushik in his latest blog. In his Friday blog, Amitabh mentioned, "And we have lost another .. A delightful company, a most accomplished artist and in the prime of his career .. Satish Kaushik .. Working with you was so inspiring .. and such a learning .. My prayers." The actors worked together in 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan." On Thursday, Abhishek Bachchan visited Satish's house to pay his last respect. In a viral video, he was seen hugging Anupam Kher tightly. Anupam broke the news of his dear friend's demise on social media. Big B took to his blog to share on Sunday that he has broken his rib cartilage during the shoot and stated that he is currently taking rest at his home in Mumbai. "In Hyderabad at shoot for Project K, during an action shot, got injured, rib cartilage popped broke and muscle tear to the right rib cage. Cancelled shoot, did doctor consult & scan by CT at AIG Hospital in Hyderabad and flown back home," posted Amitabh Bachchan. He suffered injury during an action sequence of the film. He unfortunately suffered a muscle tear to his right rib cage. "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 ..I rest at Jalsa and am mobile a bit for all the essential activities .. but yes in rest and generally lying around ..." Amitabh wrote. (ANI)
The actor took to Instagram to share the news with fans and followers. Sharing pictures with the pet, Amit captioned the frames, "My Brando has gone ... I loved you for your whole life and I'll miss you for the rest of mine." RIP.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpo8ZaYpBDm/

Many celebs shared their consoling messages for Amit. Daisy Shah wrote, "Sending you lots of love n strength!" Manjari Fadnis wrote, "I m so sorry Amit." Ejjaj Khan wrote, "Ohhh."!

Amit's Instagram is full of pictures of Brando and another pet. His emotional attachment to the pet could be felt.

On the work front, Amit finished shooting for 'Pune Highway' in January. In November 2022, Amit announced the project writing, "A new cinematic journey begins. Pune Highway crossfades from an award-winning play to a dream of becoming a film to a screenplay by @rahuldacunha @bugskrishna, who also co-directs this fabulous drama-thriller."

"With a powerhouse of talent @jimsarbhforreal @anuvabpal@manjarifadnis @ketakinarayan @shishir52 @sudeepmodak @swapniilsa and more. Through the magical lens of@ @deepmetkar and a fabulous crew behind it all. Drop D Films & Ten Years Younger Production @tyyproductions partner on this exciting new film. Wish us luck as we start driving on that highway of thrills, drama and discovery; Pune Highway," he added. Rahul da Cunha has created the 'Pune Highway'. (ANI)
Commenting on the probe into the death of noted Bollywood actor-director Satish Kaushik (66), Delhi Police said on Saturday that in their inquiry conducted so far, nothing suspicious or foul play has come on record. According to the police, at 2:22 a.m. on March 9, a medico-legal case information was received from the Fortis Hospital in Gurugram at the Kapashera police station which said Satish Kaushik was brought dead to the hospital from Pushpanjali in Bijwasan, Delhi. "Thereafter, the body of Kaushik was shifted to the DDU Hospital in Delhi for inquest proceedings. As per the inquiry conducted so far, Kaushik along with his manager Santosh Rai came to Delhi on March 8 and stayed at his friend Vikas Malu's farmhouse in Bijwasan," said Rajeev Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest). His manager Santosh told the police that they celebrated Holi till 3 p.m. on March 8 and thereafter took rest. "No party was held in the evening or night. At about 9 p.m., Kaushik had dinner and then after taking a walk, he went to his bedroom and started watching movie clips on his iPad. At about 12 midnight, he called for his manager Santosh, who was staying in the adjoining room, and complained of uneasiness and chest pain," the officer said. Thereafter, he was rushed to the Fortis hospital in Gurugram, where he was declared brought dead by the doctors. "During inquiry and inquest proceedings, the place where Satish Kaushik was staying was thoroughly inspected and photographed. Nothing suspicious or objectionable was found from the spot or from the room of the deceased, except some medicines," Kumar said. The police also examined all the witnesses who accompanied Kaushik and recorded their statements. "The CCTV footage from the spot has also been seized and is being scanned. As per the post-mortem report, the preliminary cause of death is cardiac arrest caused by coronary artery blockage associated with coronary artery disease and the manner of death appears to be natural," the officer said. However, a final call will be taken after the perusal of histopathology study report of the heart and FSL pertaining to the blood. "The local police are in touch with Kaushik's family which didn't raise any suspicion about his death. In the inquiry conducted so far, nothing suspicious or foul play has come on record. However, the police proceedings are going on," the officer added. --IANS ssh/arm ( 419 Words) 2023-03-11-21:24:01 (IANS)
A recent publication in the European Heart Journal, a publication of the European Society of Cardiology, provides the first evidence that ozone levels above the World Health Organization (WHO) limit are significantly associated with an increase in hospital admissions for heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke (ESC). Even ozone concentrations below the WHO threshold have been related to deteriorating health. "During this three-year study, ozone was responsible for an increasing proportion of admissions for cardiovascular disease as time progressed," said study author Professor Shaowei Wu of Xi'an Jiaotong University, China. "It is believed that climate change, by creating atmospheric conditions favouring ozone formation, will continue to raise concentrations in many parts of the world. Our results indicate that older people are particularly vulnerable to the adverse cardiovascular effects of ozone, meaning that worsening ozone pollution with climate change and the rapid ageing of the global population may produce even greater risks of cardiovascular disease in the future." Ozone is a gas and the main air pollutant in photochemical smog. Ozone pollution differs from the ozone layer, which absorbs most of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Ozone pollution is formed when other pollutants react in the presence of sunlight. These other pollutants are volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides emitted by motor vehicles, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and biomass and fossil fuel burning facilities. Previous studies have suggested that ozone pollution harms the heart and blood vessels, but there is limited and inconclusive evidence about its influence on the risk of cardiovascular disease. This study examined the association between ambient ozone pollution and hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease. Data on daily hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease from 2015 to 2017 in 70 cities in China were collected from the two main national health insurance systems. During the study period, the two databases covered approximately 258 million people across 70 cities, equivalent to more than 18 per cent of China's population. The types of cardiovascular disease included coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure, plus subtypes such as angina, acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, ischaemic stroke and haemorrhagic stroke. Daily eight-hour maximum average concentrations of ozone, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), inhalable particles (PM10), sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide were obtained for each city from the China National Urban Air Quality Real-time Publishing Platform.* During the study period, there were 6,444,441 hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease in the 70 cities and the average daily eight-hour maximum ozone concentration was 79.2 mg/m3. Exposure to ambient ozone was associated with increased hospital admissions for all cardiovascular diseases studied except haemorrhagic stroke, independent of other air pollutants. For example, each 10 mg/m3 rise in the two-day average eight-hour maximum ozone concentration was associated with a 0.40 per cent increase in hospital admissions for stroke and 0.75 per cent for acute myocardial infarction.** Professor Wu said: "Although these increments look modest, it should be noted that ozone levels may surge to higher than 200 mg/m3 in summer, and these increases in hospitalisations would be amplified by more than 20 times to over 8 per cent for stroke and 15 per cent for acute myocardial infarction." The researchers also estimated the excessive admission risk for cardiovascular disease associated with ozone concentrations at or above the WHO air quality guideline (100 ug/m3) compared to levels below 70 mg/m3. Ozone levels below 70 mg/m3 are mostly naturally occurring and not due to human activity. Compared to two-day average eight-hour maximum concentrations below 70 mg/m3, levels of 100 ug/m3 or higher were associated with substantial increases in hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease, ranging from 3.38 per cent for stroke to 6.52 per cent for acute myocardial infarction. Nevertheless, lower concentrations of 70 to 99 ug/m3 (vs. below 70 mg/m3) were also linked with increases in hospital admissions, ranging from 2.26 per cent for heart failure to 3.21 per cent for coronary heart disease. From 2015 to 2017, 3.42 per cent, 3.74 per cent and 3.02 per cent of hospitalisations for coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke, respectively, were attributable to ozone pollution. When each year was analysed separately, the proportions rose with time. Ozone was responsible for 109,400 of 3,194,577 admissions for coronary heart disease over three years. Professor Wu said: "This suggests that 109,400 coronary heart disease admissions could have been avoided if ozone concentrations were 0 ug/m3. This may be impossible to achieve given the presence of ozone from natural sources. However, we can conclude that considerable numbers of hospital admissions for cardiovascular disease could be avoided if levels were below 100 mg/m3, with further reductions at lower concentrations." In an accompanying editorial, Professor Thomas Munzel and co-authors said: "Projections for Europe suggest that ozone will play a more dominant role as a health risk factor in the future due to climate change with rising temperature and, accordingly, increasing photochemical formation of ozone. The strong link between climate change and air quality means that reducing emissions in the long term to tackle global warming will play a key role in alleviating ozone pollution and improving the air that we breathe." (ANI)
The incident caught on the closed circuit camera of the fastfood major's outlet in the Kompally area of Hyderabad has gone viral on social media.

In the video, the 8-year old boy, accompanied by his parents, can be seen having a snack when a large rat scampers out of the restaurant washroom into the dining area. When it climbs up the boy's shorts, his father jumps to the rescue and plucks the rat from the child's shorts and tosses it away.

The child was immediately rushed to a local hospital where he was treated for two rat bites on his left leg.

The boy's father, an army officer, filed a complaint a day after the incident on March 9.

--IANS pvn/arm

( 165 Words)

2023-03-10-23:00:04 (IANS)
"We will take a review of all corporations and, if needed, non-performing and loss-making corporations will be closed. It is clear that we do not want corporations which become a burden on the government," Sawant said.

According to him, loss-making corporations are a burden on the government in the current financial situation.

Sawant said this while speaking to reporters after receiving a dividend cheque of Rs 86,20,260 from Economic Development Corporation (EDC) chairman Sadanand Tanawade.

Sawant commended the work done by EDC, and said: "It is not only in profit, but supporting the government in many ways by also implementing our schemes."

He said that other corporations should also perform like EDC.

"Corporations should be profit-making and self-sustained. Every corporation has scope to do good work, but many fail to explore that scope," he said.

He said that the state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation, which is in loss, will function well after the Budget.

"It will not be in loss. We have given them a task to revive the transport system of Goa," he said.

--IANS sbk/pgh

( 210 Words)

2023-03-10-23:24:03 (IANS)
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that India sent medicines to 150 countries during covid crisis without increasing the price and compromising on the quality of the medicines. Minister was speaking at the inauguration of the International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment in Delhi on Friday. "During the Covid crisis, India sent medicines to 150 countries without increasing price and compromising on the quality," Union Health Minister said. India offered support to more than 150 affected countries in the form of vaccines, medical equipment and medicines during the pandemic, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh said in a Keynote address at the 26th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in Canberra, Australia in January. The Deputy Chairman had said that India facilitated the evacuation of stranded foreign nationals from different parts of India to around 123 countries. Mandaviya said that India fulfils 65% of the world's vaccine requirement. "Today, if there is any country in the world which is providing affordable medicines, then it's India," he informed. Harivansh further added that India took an exclusive initiative "Vaccine Maitri" to supply COVID-19 Made-in-India vaccines to various countries across the world. Under this initiative, as of the first week of December 2022, India has supplied more than 282 million vaccine doses of COVID-19 to 101 countries and two UN entities. "Since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic in India, we followed a 'whole of Government' and 'whole of society approach'. We took several measures for containing the spread of the virus, addressing major gaps in the availability of life-saving healthcare facilities, shoring up livelihoods and restoring normalcy in the areas such as education and employment," he had added. On the steps taken by the Indian government during the COVID-19 pandemic, he had said, "As regards enacting relevant legislations, the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 was amended by Parliament to provide for adequate safety and protection of healthcare personnel handling patients and the epidemic. The Essential Commodities Act, of 1955 was amended to ensure that there are no shortages of foodgrains and also to keep the commodity prices under check during a pandemic. These changes helped to ensure food security to vulnerable sections of the country through the Public Distribution System." (ANI)
Alleging misuse of power by the BJP-led Central government, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making a sinister attempt to kill democracy by misusing ED-CBI on opposition leaders, adding that the public will give a "befitting reply to this dictatorship". In a tweet in hindi, Kharge said that PM Modi has kept ED sitting at the house of the Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav for the last 14 hours. "His pregnant wife and sisters are being harassed. @laluprasadrjd. Yes, he is old, he is ill, even then the Modi government did not show humanity towards him. Now the water has gone over the head," he tweeted. The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted a raid at the residence of Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in the national capital in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam case. The ED team left after over 11 hours of questioning the RJD leader at his residence here in New Delhi, they said. In a subsequent tweet, kharge wrote, "Modi government is making a sinister attempt to kill democracy by misusing ED-CBI on opposition leaders" "Where were the agencies of the Modi government when the fugitives ran away with crores from the country?" Kharge questioned. Kharge asked why is there no investigation when the wealth of a "best friend" skyrockets? "The public will give a befitting reply to this dictatorship!" Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and said that the opposition in the country is "oppressed" and "harassed" by the BJP for raising their voices. "The double engine sarkar which actually stands for "Pradhani and Adani Sarkar," works in the interests of only a few, and therefore the opposition is oppressed and harassed for raising their voices." "More than 100 CBI raids, 200 ED raids, over 500 income tax raids, and 500 to 600 people have been questioned under the NIA. All of them are either politicians, members of our party, or business houses that don't subscribe to the BJP's diktats," she added earlier on Thursday. (ANI)
"Strongly condemn the attack on the INC-Left front delegation visiting violence-hit areas of Tripura, with the police being a mute spectator. We will never be intimidated by the BJP goons, and will stand up against their undemocratic & cowardly behaviour at every instance," Venugopal tweeted.

Congress leader also shared the purported attack of the video along with the tweet.

Earlier on Friday, the joint team of Congress and Left Front MPs who were on a visit to Bishalgarh to meet affected families of post-poll violence were allegedly attacked by a mob.

"A delegation of Congress leaders was attacked by BJP goons today in Bishalgarh & Mohanpur in Tripura. Police accompanying the delegation did NOTHING. And tomorrow BJP is having a victory rally there. Victory of party-sponsored violence," Jairam Ramesh tweeted.

According to Congress, BJP workers attacked the Congress and Left Front MPs in Nehalchandranagar of Bishalgarh. Several cars were vandalized."Congress and Left Front MPs met those attacked by BJP goons in Mohanpur," tweeted Congress.

"Attack manifested on Tripura State Congress Chief MLA Birajit Sinha, MP Abdul Khaleque, AICC Incharge Ajoy Kumar and other Left leaders by BJP goons when they visited Bishalgarh to meet with families who were victims of post-poll violence in Tripura," said Tripura Congress chief Birajit Sinha.

Sinha said the security personnel escorted the Congress delegation acted like mute spectators.

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. (ANI)
In a horrific incident reported in Pune, seven people, including the husband and in-laws of a 28-year-old woman were booked for allegedly forcing her to indulge in black magic rituals, officials said on Friday. Senior Police Inspector Dattatraya Bhapka of Visharant wadi Police station said the accused against the will of the victim took the menstrual blood of the woman as a part of a Aghori Practice. "Following the complaint from the victim woman a case was registered against her husband, her mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and nephew under sections 377 ( Unnatural offences), 354 ( molestation ), 498 ( Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman) and relevant sections of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil, and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, officials said. Police informed that the woman in her complaint alleged that she was subjected to mental and physical harassment since their marriage in 2019 in Beed district. "In her complaint, she alleged that in August 2022 some of the accused including her brothers-in-law, nephew and a neighbour forcefully took the menstrual blood of the woman as a part of some black magic act and filled in a bottle using a cotton". Police further added that the victim woman in her complaint said that the accused brother-in-law was supposed to get Rs 50,000 in return for the menstrual blood of a woman. Police further said that incident of menstrual blood took place in August 2022 in the Beed district of Maharashtra, the native place of in-laws. "Woman has her maternal home in Pune and after receiving her complaint, Pune police had registered the FIR in Vishrantwadi Police station and transferred the case to Beed police for further investigation," official familiar with the matter said. In January 2023, in a shocking incident, a woman was forced by her in-laws and husband to eat the powder formed by the bones of dead human as a part of a black magic ritual advised by the local Tantrik Baba to conceive a child. (ANI)
The Delhi Police has launched an investigation after a video on social media showing a group of men allegedly harassing and groping a Japanese woman on Holi went viral, officials said on Friday. Police said they have taken cognizance of the video and the video is being analysed to ascertain the requisite details. In the video, a few people are seen playing holi with a foreign girl who seems 'uncomfortable' with their actions. The girl has made a tweet from her Twitter handle that she has reached Bangladesh and fit in her mind and body, they said. Officials said that ACP, Paharganj and SHO, Paharganj have also been asked to collect the details of Japanese foreigner staying in the area and to establish the identity of the boys seen in the video through beat/division officers and local intelligence, they said. "Prima-facie, on the basis of the landmark seen in the video, it seems that the video pertains to Paharganj, however, it is being verified on the ground whether any such incident took place in that area or the video is old," officials said. No complaint or call relating to any kind of misbehaviour with any foreigner has been received in PS Paharganj. An e-mail has been sent to the Japanese embassy requesting help in establishing the identity of the girl or any other detail about the incident, they said. Police said that the boys seen in the video have been identified after meticulous efforts through field officers and local intelligence. "Three boys including one juvenile have been apprehended and enquired. They have confessed/admitted about the incident/happening seen in the video. They all are residents of the nearby area of Pahar Ganj and went that way in the enjoyment of Holi," the official said. Police said action has been initiated against them under Delhi Police Act. "However, further legal action will be decided on merits and in accordance with the complaint by the girl, if any," they said. (ANI)
The inspector has been identified as R Sivasanker. The police chief has issued a show cause notice to this officer, to which, the latter has replied.

As part of disciplinary action, Sivasanker had been suspended from service four times and departmental action was taken against him 11 times since 2006.

Sivashankar had faced departmental action for charges such as the illegal acquisition of assets, sexual abuse cases, illegal trespassing etc.

An action has been taken under section 86 (3) of the Kerala Police Act. (ANI)
Ahead of the assembly elections, Karnataka Housing Minister V Somanna has hinted of leaving the BJP after his name was not included in the party's election management committee. Somanna is said to be mulling exiting the BJP to join the Congress. According to sources, the ruling party has decided not to include Somanna in its election management committee to avoid embarrassment to the party. Minister Somanna was also absent from the party's first Jana Sankalpa Ratha Yatra flagged off by Nadda earlier this month. Somanna said, "I am not stagnant water. I'm flowing water. The people of the constituency have seen me as their own son. I have not spoken a word about anyone. I spoke about some issues with the state president and the chief minister. The people of my constituency have treated me as their son. I am 72 years old now, I don't have anything to do now. I'm flowing water." When asked about not being allowed in the campaign committee, he said, "I will not talk about this." Earlier on Friday, the Karnataka BJP announced the appointment of a campaign committee and management committee for the upcoming state assembly elections. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has been given the chairmanship of the campaign committee. Previoulsy there were reports that former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa may be given the post of Chairman of the Campaign Committee. However, the BJP, which has put a lid on all this, has given Bommai the post of president, while retaining BS Yediyurappa as a member. A team of 25 members has been formed and former Karnataka minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has also been given a chance. On the instructions of BJP national president JP Nadda, national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh have formed the committees. Apart from BS Yeddyurappa, BJP state president Naleen Kumar Kateel has appointed 25 members and BY Vijayendra has also been given a chance to become a member. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has been appointed as Election Management Coordinator. 14 members including Shobha Karandlaje have been appointed in the Election Management Committee. Elections to the 224-member Karnataka assembly elections are slated to be held this year. (ANI)
Opposition Leader in the Kerala State Assembly and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan on Friday sought a reply from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI-M's state secretary MV Govindan on fresh allegations levelled by Swapna Suresh. Opposition leader Satheesan said if the allegations against the duo are false they should take legal action against her. "Government also sent a middleman to influence Swapna Suresh earlier. In the present case, there is no need to disbelieve Swapna primarily. The government is afraid that Swapna will reveal more. The Principal Secretary (M Sivasankar), who had excessive powers in the Chief Minister's office, is now in jail. The Additional Private Secretary to the Chief Minister (CM Raveendran) was summoned for continuous questioning. There is more evidence about this in the hands of Swapna," he said. "Chief Minister and the party secretary should respond to this. Legal action should be taken against Swapna if she is wrong," Satheesan said. "Earlier, when Swapna accused the Chief Minister, not even a defamation notice was sent. There was no legal action," he added. Earlier on Thursday, Swapna Suresh CPM secretary Govindan Master offered her a hefty amount of Rs 30 crore to leave the country and settle anywhere else. She even accused him of threatening her with dire consequences if she did not stop speaking about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "I started revealing the truth after I came to know the true colour of M Shivshankar (former principal secretary to the Kerala CM). I got an anonymous phone call from a person called Vijay Pillai. He came for a settlement talk. He said to move out of Bangalore and leave the place. CPM party secretary Govindan Master had told him to threaten me and leave the place. They asked me to stop speaking about Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter and businessman Yussaf Ali. They offered me Rs 30 crore," she alleged in a Facebook live post. Swapna said that she has no "personal agenda" against the Kerala Chief Minister, however, Master threatened to "finish" her life and gave her 2 days to decide. However, middleman Vijesh Pillai refuted all the allegations. Talking to the media on Friday, Pillai said, "Swapna Suresh's allegations are false. I don't know CPI (M) state secretary MV Govindan directly and have only seen him in the media. There was no mention of the Chief Minister in our meeting. Swapna has to prove the allegation that I threatened her." Earlier in October last year, Swapna Suresh alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan is taking up projects in the state for his daughter Veena Vijayan and for the future generations of his family in the guise of development. "Chief Minister's projects making undue commissions and for building an empire for his daughter or for his family or for the future generations of his family in the disguise of development. It should not be Kerala's FON, it shouldn't be Kerala Fibre Optical Network, it should be Veena or Vijayan Fibre Optical Network," Swapna had told ANI. Swapna Suresh, a former employee of UAE Consulate, is one of the prime accused in the gold smuggling case. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs had in July, 2020, seized 30 kilograms (66 lb) of 24 carat gold worth Rs 14.82 crores from a diplomatic bag at Thiruvananthapuram Airport. The bag was meant to be delivered to the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. Following the seizure, M Sivasankar, the principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, was also suspended and removed from his post after preliminary inquiry confirmed that he had links with Swapna Suresh. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the post-budget webinar on 'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM VIKAS)' at 10 am today. "In a short while from now, at 10 AM, the Prime Minister will speak on how this year's Budget gives great importance to skilling and the opportunities it will create for the people," Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet. According to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, it is part of a series of 12 post-budget webinars being organised by the Government of India to seek ideas and suggestions for effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget. 'PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman (PM VIKAS)' aims at improving the quality, scale and reach of products/services of artisans/craftspeople by integrating them with the domestic and global value chains. The webinar will have four breakout sessions covering the following themes -- Access to affordable finance, including incentives for digital transactions and social security, Advanced skill training and access to modern tools and technology, Marketing support for linkages with domestic and global markets and Structure of the scheme, identification of beneficiaries and implementation framework. Besides Ministers and Secretaries of the concerned Central Government Ministries, a host of stakeholders drawn from the industry, artisans, financial institutions, experts, entrepreneurs and associations along with officials of State governments and attached offices of the Ministries of MSME and Textiles would attend these webinars and contribute through suggestions for better implementation of the budgetary announcement. (ANI)
Partha Pratim Das, Superintendent of Police of Karimganj district said that the vehicle was coming from Mizoram's side and police intercepted the vehicle at the Kontekchera area under Bazaricherra police station.

"Last night at around 10:30 pm, we received information that a vehicle is coming from Mizoram's side carrying drugs. Accordingly, we set up Naka to check on the route and intercepted a vehicle. During the search, we found 100 soap cases of drugs containing 1.300 kg from the secret chambers of the vehicle. We have apprehended three persons," Das said.

The police official further said that the vehicle was coming from Champhai of Mizoram.

A case has been registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in this regard.

Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
Thirty years ago, on March 12, 1993, a dozen bomb explosions across the city ripped the city of Bombay apart, killing 257 Mumbaikars and injuring over 1,400. The attacks were carried out by Dawood Ibrahim and his organised crime syndicate. However, despite the name of Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence agency being written in every charge sheet, the central government of India did not investigate the the Pakistan spy agency's grievous culpability in the attacks nor pursue action its officials or come out with a white paper on the attacks. The military-style attacks on Mumbai were executed by so-called 'non-state actors', which allowed GHQ Rawalpindi to exercise 'plausible deniability'. Now an exclusive streaming on news OTT platform News9 Plus reveals the face behind the Mumbai 1993 attacks, the mastermind who had planned these attacks. "I don't have any doubt in my mind that Lieutenant General Javed Nasir ordered the 1993 Mumbai bombings by the Dawood Ibrahim gang," says Owen L. Sirrs, Adjunct Professor at the University of Montana, USA. According to Sirrs, a former US Defence Intelligence Agency official and author of the well-regarded 2017 book Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Talking Points: Covert Action and Internal Operations, Lt Gen Nasir was the Director General of the ISI during the Mumbai attacks. "I think this operation was done with the knowledge of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the time, because he was handpicked by Sharif as his director general of ISI. He wouldn't have done that with an individual who would go rogue," Sirrs says. Calling it India's first brush with catastrophic terrorism, Vikram Sood, former head of the Research and Analysis Wing, says the 1993 Bombay blasts took everybody by surprise. "The Mumbai serial blasts of 1993 were India's first experience of catastrophic terrorism. We had not seen something like it before. It was meant to be dramatic. It was meant to prove a point. There was a clear Pakistani fingerprint, but everybody was caught by surprise. This is the honest truth," he said. Former Mumbai Police Commissioner MN Singh told News9 Plus that the Pakistani hand is obvious. "We learned from the people we arrested that they had been trained in Pakistan; they went from Mumbai to Dubai and from there took a Pakistan International Airlines to Islamabad. They were trained by people from the Pakistan Army. They supplied weapons. They provided training. They provided shelter. None of them was checked when they landed in Islamabad. They passed immigration and security without being stopped. When the ISI is involved, you don't need a passport," he said. Dr Prem Mahadevan, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Security Studies in Zurich, Switzerland calls the attack an act of war against the Indian State. "This was meant to be part of a larger campaign of urban terror carried out through India - an act of war. People have talked about 26/11 as an act of war. This is essentially part of a long-standing covert campaign to destabilise India," says Mahadevan. "General Nasir was considered to be an activist general in terms of his ideological leanings. His name came up in connection with the support of jihadism in Central Asia. He was linked to the LTTE. He was also linked to the insurgency in Myanmar. This is not something that an intelligence chief would do unless he had orders from above," he said,. So frustrated was Washington by Nasir's conduct that Christina B. Rocca, assistant secretary of state for South Asia recommended in 1992 that Pakistan be added to the control list of 'suspected state sponsors of terrorism'. Nasir was eventually sacked in May 1993 but is still at large, three decades after the attack. In the early 1990s he supplied Bosnian Muslims with assault rifles and anti-tank weaponsafter violating a UN arms embargo. In 2011 the Pakistan government refused a summons from the International Tribunal of the Hague to extradite him in that case. Now 87, Nasir is a preacher with the Tablighi Jamat, an organisation he has been associated with since 1986. Thirty years after 1993, what can India do to bring somebody like Nasir to book? "He is somebody who espouses a radical pan-Islamic viewpoint. I'm a strong proponent of something called the white paper. You make a case and you broadcast that case using your white paper as the foundation in different fora. In your diplomatic engagements bilaterally with the United States. Pick any number of countries and make this part of your emphasis on Pakistani State-sponsored terror," is the advice from Owen L. Sirrs. "And you then use that white paper and take it to the United Nations," he recommends. (ANI)
After questioning former Bihar chief ministers Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday summoned Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in connection with the land-for-jobs case. "CBI has summoned Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav today, March 11 in connection with the land-for-job case. This is the second summon issued to him, the first being issued on February 4," an agency official told ANI. Tejashwi is the third person of the Yadav family who will be questioned in the case. Earlier, his parents (Rabri and Lalu Yadav) were questioned. On March 7, Lalu Yadav was grilled by CBI for nearly six years in two sessions at his residence in Pandara Park, Delhi. The CBI team had video-recorded the questioning of RJD chief Lalu Yadav in connection with the land-for-job case, in Delhi. Lalu Yadav is suffering from prolonged illness, especially for his kidney-related ailments. After a Kidney transplant in Singapore, he returned to Delhi recently and he is continuously monitored by health experts in Delhi. Lalu Yadav's family had asked CBI officials to maintain adequate distance and use masks during questioning. "Lalu Yadav has a kidney transplanted recently and it is necessary to maintain sufficient distance and wear a mask because Lalu Yadav is at risk of infection and allergy," sources had said. On March 6, CBI questioned former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi's residence in connection with the land-for-jobs case in Pandara park residence of his Rajya Sabha member and daughter Misa Bharti residence. Earlier, a CBI official had said that the central agency had served notice to Yadav a few days ago and is likely to question Lalu Yadav soon. 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. The 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. Recently on February 27, while taking cognisance of the CBI chargesheet, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court issued summons against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with an alleged land-for-job scam. (ANI)
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday came in support of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his family ahead of KCR's daughter K Kavitha's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi liquor policy case. AIMIM chief Owaisi slammed the Modi government for targeting kCR for his leadership in Telangana's inclusive development. "BJP MPs have called for economic boycott of Muslims; they've asked people to keep weapons at home. But Modi govt is busy targeting Telangana CM and his family for his leadership in Telangana's inclusive development," Owaisi tweeted. Owaisi's remark came ahead of KCR's daughter K Kavitha's questioning by the Enforcement Directorate today in connection to the Delhi liquor policy case. According to sources, Kavitha will be made to sit face-to-face with Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai, who was arrested in connection with the liquor policy case on Monday night. The MLC termed the summons as "tactics of intimidation" by the Centre against the Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and the BRS, adding that the party will continue to fight and expose the Centre's failures and will raise its voice for a brighter and better future for India. "I would also like the ruling party at the Centre to know that these tactics of intimidation against the fight and voice of our leader, CM KCR, and against the entire BRS party will not deter us. Under the leadership of KCR Garu, we will continue to fight to expose your failures and raise voice for a brighter and better future for India," Kavitha said in a tweet. On March 8, the BRS came down heavily on the Centre after the ED summoned Kavitha in connection with its ongoing probe in the Delhi excise policy case, saying that the central probe agencies have become an extended arm of the BJP. Referring to the summons as "politically motivated", BRS leader Ravula Sridhar Reddy had said that except ED and BJP, nobody really understands the case registered in connection with the new-withdrawn new Delhi excise policy. In its investigation, ED has come to know that Pillai is one of the key persons in the entire scam involving payments of huge kickbacks and the formation of the biggest cartel of the South Group. South Group comprises Telangana MLC Kavitha, Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Group), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (MP, Ongole), his son Raghav Magunta, and others. The South Group was being represented by Pillai, Abhishek Boinpalli and Butchi Babu, the federal agency investigation has revealed. Pillai along with his associates was coordinating with various persons to execute the political understanding between the South Group and a leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Pillai has been an accomplice and was involved in the kickbacks from the South Group and the recoupment of the same from the businesses in Delhi, ED investigation reveals. The ED had earlier said that the South Group gave kickbacks of Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders. Pillai is learnt to be a partner of 32.5 per cent in Indo Spirits, which had got an L1 licence. Indo Spirits is a partnership firm of Arun Pillai (32.5 per cent), Prem Rahul (32.5 per cent) and Indospirit Distribution Limited (35 per cent), wherein Arun Pillai and Prem Rahul represented the benami investments of Kavitha and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy and his son Raghava Magunta. Kavitha, who is a member of the Telangana Legislative Council, was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the same case in December last year. The excise policy was passed in Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Cabinet in the middle of the deadly Delta Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. The Delhi government's version is that the policy was formulated to ensure the generation of optimum revenue, eradicate the sale of spurious liquor or non-duty paid liquor in Delhi, besides improving user experience. The CBI had filed a case against alleged corruption in the 2021-22 excise policy. The excise policy was subsequently withdrawn by the AAP government. Sisodia was among 15 others booked in an FIR filed by the CBI. Excise officials, liquor company executives, dealers, some unknown public servants and private persons were booked in the case. It was alleged that irregularities were committed including modifications in the Excise Policy and undue favours were extended to the license holders including waiver or reduction in licence fee, an extension of L-1 license without approval etc. (ANI)
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday expressed grief and anguish over the demise of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC)'s working president R Dhruvanarayana by saying that it is a huge loss for the party. "Deeply anguished and pained by the passing away of R Dhruvanarayana. He was not just a grassroots political, but the finest human being. His demise is not just the loss for @INCIndia, but a huge personal loss for me as well. My thoughts are with his family and followers," Kharge said in a tweet. Dhruvanarayana, 61, a former member of Parliament passed away at a hospital in Mysuru this morning. Doctors at DRM Multi Speciality Hospital in Mysuru confirmed the demise of the Congress leader. "R Dhruvanarayana complained of chest pain, and his driver brought him to the hospital at around 6.40 am. But he didn't survive," Dr Manjunath, a doctor at the hospital said. Condoling the demise of the Congress leader, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the late leader was a softspoken person and a voice of the State in Parliament. CM Bommai also announced that the deceased Congress leader's last rites would be performed as per the State's honour. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi condoled the demise of Dhruvanayana and called this a huge loss to the party. "Saddened by the sudden demise of former MP, Shri R Dhruvanarayan. A hard-working & humble grassroots leader, he was a champion of social justice who rose through the ranks of NSUI & Youth Congress. His passing is a huge loss to the Congress party. My condolences to his family," Rahul Gandhi tweeted. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala also expressed condolence over the demise of Dhruvanayana. "No words can describe the irreparable loss of our ever-smiling friend, our leader & easily the most dedicated foot soldier of Congress, Sh. Dhruvanarayan. Dedicated to the cause of the poor, an avid champion of downtrodden, we will miss u forever my friend. RIP," he tweeted. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also mourned the demise of the Karnataka unit Congress leader. "Shocked at the passing away of KPCC Working Pres. R. Dhruvanarayana ji. He will be remembered for his commitment to the Congress through thick and thin, and his illustrious tenure in Parliament. My condolences to his family and well-wishers in this time of grief," he said in a tweet. (ANI)
Delhi Police on Saturday after recieving the post mortem report of Satish Kaushik again visited the farmhouse where the verteran actor had partied on Holi before he passed away earlier this week. After they recieved the late actor's postmortem report, Delhi Police reached the farmhouse again and analysed CCTV footage, according to police sources According to sources the probe into the 66-year-old actor death will be based on the postmortem report. According to sources, the doctors, present during the autopsy have not found anything suspicious over the death of the actor. "The reports of blood samples and heart of the deceased actor are still awaited and will be in within a fortnight," Delhi Police said. Earlier in the day, Delhi Police sources said that a crime team of Delhi's South-West district police visited the farmhouse, where the deceased actor was staying. As per sources, the probe team recovered some 'medicines', from the farmhouse, where a party was organized by an industrialist. "The medicines are being examined," Delhi Police sources said. "A party was organized in the farmhouse, which belonged to an industrialist," Delhi Police sources said, adding that the industrialist is wanted in another case. "Police are going through the guest list to ascertain those who were present at the farmhouse," they added. Satish Kaushik passed away in Gurugram on March 8. A day ago, on March 7, the actor-filmmaker had attended the Holi bash of Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar in Mumbai. Photos and videos from the party went viral after news of his sudden demise broke. Kaushik was in Delhi to attend the Holi party of a close friend when he reportedly fell sick, sources said. Anupam Kher was the first to share the news of his close friend's demise on social media. "Actor Satish Kaushik passes away," Kher tweeted along with a picture of both actors. In a tweet in Hindi, Kher wrote, "I know "death is the ultimate truth of this world!" But I never thought in my dreams that I would write this thing about my best friend #SatishKaushik while alive. Such a sudden full stop on a friendship of 45 years!! Life will NEVER be the same without you SATISH! Om Shanti!" A versatile actor, writer, director and producer, Kaushik made his mark in the Indian film industry with his captivating performances and unique sense of humour. He gained recognition in the 1980s and 1990s for his work in popular films such as 'Mr India', 'Saajan Chale Sasural', and 'Judaai'. Over the years, Satish established himself as one of the most sought-after character actors in Bollywood, often playing supporting roles that were integral to the plot. He was also known for his work as a writer and director, having directed films such as 'Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja' and 'Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain'. (ANI)
Commenting on the resolution passed by Gujarat Assembly against BBC, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said if the documentary is wrong then it should be challenged but what will happen by passing a resolution. "If the documentary is wrong then it should be challenged and there ways to act upon. But you (in an apparent reference to BJP) conducted raids against them and intimidated them which is not correct," stated CM Baghel while talking to media in Raipur on Saturday. If the documentary is wrong then action needs to be taken, what will happen by passing a resolution, said the CM, elaborating that if it is not wrong then accept it. Earlier on March 10, Gujarat Assembly passed a resolution requesting the Centre to take strict action against the BBC for tarnishing the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with its documentary on the 2002 Godhra riots. In February this year, Income Tax authorities conducted searches at the offices of the British broadcaster in New Delhi and Mumbai. The central government, in January, issued directions for blocking YouTube videos and Twitter posts sharing links to the controversial BBC documentary 'India: The Modi Question'. Shedding details about the issues discussed with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CM said on March 10, met with the PM Modi and attracted his attention on several issues including census, reservation, GST, coal and metro between Raipur and Durg. "I have requested the PM to take up decisions on these issues," he said.Responding to a query on his frequent meeting and closeness with the Prime Minister, he said the "PM is for all of us and it is necessary to meet him in the interest of the state. Proposing the demands is also essential and when those are not fulfilled, it is also necessary to fight. It is the matter to protect the interest of the state, not a personal fight. It's good that the Prime Minister gives time to discuss issues." CM Baghel also took a dig at the fact that a team of BJP visited Chhattisgarh for conducting a survey regarding the candidates, he said "I have already said that out of 14 that are left, none of them have confirmation to get the ticket (in coming assembly elections). I have said this to Ajay Chandrakar and Brijmohan Ji that why they were giving stress to their throats, nothing will change. There is no guarantee whether they will get a ticket or not." CM Baghel on Friday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. During the meeting, CM Baghel discussed issues like the conduct of an early census, GST dues, and coal royalty with the Prime Minister. The Chief Minister said that he has sought cooperation from the Prime Minister for the light metro service to be started from Nava Raipur to Durg. He informed that the meeting of the fourth Standing Finance Working Group of G20 is going to be held in Chhattisgarh in the month of September. "A discussion was held with the Prime Minister regarding its preparation," he said. Baghel said that he has assured the Prime Minister of world-class arrangements for the guests of G20. (ANI)
Earlier in the day, CM Dhami called on Union Minister for Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey in the national capital.

CM Dhami urged Union Minister to set up Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in the State at the earliest.

He also requested assistance for investment in electric vehicles and battery products in Uttarakhand, said the official reports. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Karnataka on March 12 where he will dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation. The 118 km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8,480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes. Earlier on March 10, informing about the PM's visit to Mandya, Prime Minister's Office said, "The rapid pace of development of infrastructure projects has been a testament to the vision of the Prime Minister to ensure world-class connectivity across the country. Moving ahead in this endeavour, Prime Minister will dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation". The project involves 6-laning of the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta-Mysuru section of NH-275. The 118 Km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes. It will act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in the region, the release added. Highlighting the benefits of the Mysuru-Khushalnagar 4 lane highway, the release read, "Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for Mysuru-Khushalnagar 4 lane highway. Spread over 92 Km, the project will be developed at a cost of around Rs 4130 crores. The project will play a key role in boosting connectivity of Kushalnagar with Bengaluru and will help halve the travel time from about 5 to only 2.5 hours." Earlier Nitin Gadkari had given details of the connectivity project on Twitter. "The construction of the #Bengaluru_Mysuru_Expressway, which encompasses a portion of NH-275, also entails the development of four rail overbridges, nine significant bridges, 40 minor bridges, and 89 underpasses and overpasses," Gadkari tweeted. In a separate tweet, Gadkari stated that this connectivity project will enhance the tourism potential in the area. "This ambitious project aims to improve accessibility to regions such as Shrirangpatna, Coorg, Ooty, and Kerala, thereby bolstering their tourism potential," Minister tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Karnataka on March 12 where he will dedicate and lay the foundation stones of projects worth around Rs 16,000 crores, a release from the Prime Minister's Office said. (ANI)
Three persons have been arrested in connection to an attack on the joint team of Congress and Left Front MPs in State's Nehalchandranagar, Tripura Police said on Saturday. According to police, the joint delegation was allegedly attacked by a mob, while they were on a visit to Bishalgarh to meet affected families by post-poll violence. Tripura Police safely escorted the delegation. "In connection with the incident involving delegation of MP, MLA and local leaders on March 10, 2023, at NC Nagar, Bishalgarh, it is informed that the accompanying Police party has safely escorted the delegation," Sepahijala Police said in a statement on Saturday. "A specific case has been registered in this regard and 3 involved persons have been arrested. Further raids are continuing to arrest the remaining persons. Security to delegation has been enhanced," the statement added. The joint team of Congress and Left Front MPs who were on a visit to Bishalgarh to meet affected families of post-poll violence was allegedly attacked by a mob on Friday. "A delegation of Congress leaders was attacked by BJP goons today in Bishalgarh & Mohanpur in Tripura. Police accompanying the delegation did NOTHING. And tomorrow BJP is having a victory rally there. The victory of party-sponsored violence," Jairam Ramesh tweeted. According to Congress, BJP workers attacked the Congress and Left Front MPs in Nehalchandranagar of Bishalgarh. Several cars were also vandalized. "Attack manifested on Tripura State Congress Chief MLA Birajit Sinha, MP Abdul Khaleque, AICC Incharge Ajoy Kumar and other Left leaders by BJP goons when they visited Bishalgarh to meet with families who were victims of post-poll violence in Tripura," said Tripura Congress chief Birajit Sinha. Sinha said the security personnel escorted the Congress delegation acted like mute spectators. Reacting to the incident, Congress General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal strongly condemned the attack and said that the party will never be intimidated by the "BJP goons". "Strongly condemn the attack on the INC-Left front delegation visiting violence-hit areas of Tripura, with the police being a mute spectator. We will never be intimidated by the BJP goons, and will stand up against their undemocratic & cowardly behaviour at every instance," Venugopal tweeted. (ANI)
Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar said on Saturday announced that all senior citizens above 80 and people with disability will get a vote-from-home option in the Karnataka Assembly elections. The term of the 224-member Karnataka Assembly is set to end on May 24. "The term of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly is till May 24, 2023. So, the new Assembly has to be in place, and elections have to be completed before that," said Kumar. Kumar further said that form 12D will be available within five days of the notification so that any 80 plus or PwD voter, desirous of voting from home, can be facilitated. "For the first time, we are going to provide in Karnataka the facility to all 80 plus and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) voters, if they so desire, to vote even from their homes. There is a form 12D which will be available within five days of the notification so that any 80 plus or PwD voter, desirous of voting from home, can be facilitated," the CEC added. In the 2018 Assembly elections, BJP won 104 seats and emerged as the single largest party, while the Congress and JD(S) bagged 78 and 37 seats, respectively. The three-member Election Commission of India is on a three-day visit to Karnataka to review preparations. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel are in Bengaluru to review the poll preparedness for forthcoming Assembly Elections in Karnataka, the ECI had said in a tweet. (ANI)
Rajasthan Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore along with several other leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were detained by police on Saturday during a massive protest in Jaipur. BJP leaders and workers were protesting against CM Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state over the matter of outcry by widows of jawans who lost their lives in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. Heavy police were deployed in Jaipur in view of the massive protest. Protesting BJP leaders and workers raised slogans against CM Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan and accused it of insulting the widow of jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack. Some of them could also be seen climbing up on barricades erected by the police to prevent untoward incidents. "The government turning their backs on widows after making promises, taking four years' time, misbehaving with them and beating Kirodi Lal Meena who was on his way to see the widows is the symbol of government's undemocratic means...We will put up a peaceful protest," BJP leader Rajendra Rathore said. "We have initiated the protest today and we will continue it. The kind of behaviour the state govt is showcasing is an insult to democracy, we will take the protest against the govt further in all corners of the state," Rathore said. "If this is the government's reason (job appointment should not be given to brother-in-law, right is of children) then why ministers of the government went in public and announced that children are young, the job appointment will be given to brother-in-law," Rathore added. Reacting to the BJP's protest, Congress leader and Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, "We respect Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, he's a senior leader, it is not a BJP vs Congress thing. Rajasthan government is with the families of martyrs. BJP is politicising the issue, they might have received orders from the top brass." "We all respect Kirodi Lal Meena, he picks up issues of the public but BJP needs to stop playing politics...When this matter became serious the BJP came into the picture," said Khachariyawas while speaking to ANI. On Friday, BJP leader Kirori Lal Meena was rushed to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) hospital in Jaipur after he reportedly sustained 'injuries' during a clash with police. While BJP workers staged a protest outside the hospital. Meena and some party workers were detained by police on Friday on their way to Jaipur. They were supporting the protesting widows of Pulwama attack soldiers, in favour of their demands. BJP MP Kirori Lal Meena, who accompanied the protesting widows at the spot, alleged that the widows of the soldiers killed in the Pulwama terror attack were insulted by the state government. Protests by the Pulwama widows intensified on Thursday as they sought justice from the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government by putting grass in their mouths. They staged a protest in front of Sachin Pilot's residence on Wednesday and marched towards the Chief Minister's residence where the police stopped them. The widows had earlier alleged that the police personnel had misbehaved with them. (ANI)
After receiving the detailed post-mortem report of veteran actor Satish Kaushik, the Delhi Police is examining seven hours of CCTV footage at the farmhouse in Delhi where the actor celebrated Holi. According to police, the detailed post-mortem report of Kaushik confirms that the death was a "natural" one and occurred due to cardiac arrest. According to the post-mortem report, the cause of death was cardiac arrest due to coronary artery blockage which is associated with coronary artery diseases. Death appears to be natural in manner. The viscera has been preserved and photography, videography has been done, the police said. The police have so far not found anything suspicious. Satish Kaushik had a medical history of hypertension and sugar, the police said. Days after the demise of the 66-year-old veteran actor, a crime team of Delhi's South-West district police visited the farmhouse, where the deceased actor was staying, sources said on Saturday. As per sources, the probing team recovered some 'medicines' from the farmhouse. The medicines have been sent for examination and the report is yet to come. According to sources, no banned medicine has been found, however, it is being ascertained which salts were found in the medicine. The police are waiting for the viscera report. Only after the report is examined, it will be known what Satish Kaushik had eaten. According to sources, the owner of the farmhouse is Vikas Malu. Vikas Malu is the owner of the Kuber Group and a family friend of Satish Kaushik. Vikas owns Malu Farm House in the Pushpanjali Farm House area of Bijwasan, Delhi. According to police, the party held at the farmhouse on the day of Holi was attended by 20 to 25 guests. Satish Kaushik celebrated Holi with his friends, and danced, after which he went to sleep at around 9:30 pm and at around 12 am his health deteriorated. He called the manager and told him that he was having difficulty in breathing. His manager took him to Fortis Hospital in Gurugram where he died at 1.43 am despite being given Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). According to the police, the second wife of Vikas Malu had filed a rape case last year against him. The second wife had also filed a case against the daughters of Vikas Malu in the rape case along with Vikas Malu. On the other hand, the minor son of Vikas Malu's first wife had lodged an FIR against Vikas Malu's second wife under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act. The video is also with the police, the police said. After receiving complaints from both sides, the police registered FIRs against both parties but did not arrest them. On the other hand, on the orders of the court, the police opened a Lookout Circular (LOC) on the orders of the court, written by Vikas Malu. But later, on the orders of the court, Vikas Malu's LOC was closed, but before that, his passport was deposited with the police. In this case, the police are in contact with Vikas Malu. (ANI)
"Short circuit is likely to be the reason for the fire at the Banquet Hall. Fire brigade team is present on the spot," informed officials.

Firefighting efforts are underway to douse the fire.

Earlier on March 10, a fire broke out at a shop next to Mesco School in the Mumbra area of Maharashtra's Thane, informed the officials.

Reportedly, the fire broke out on the ground floor of the building and spread to the upper floors. (ANI)
A Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai on Saturday sent Sadanand Kadam, a close aide of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and former Maharashtra minister Anil Parab to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till March 15 in connection with the alleged Dapoli Sai Resort scam. ED sought 14 days custody of Kadam who was produced before the court on Saturday. ED told the court that it issued three summons to Kadam since he did not appear before the agency. ED said it took Kadam to its office and started recording his statement. The agency told the court that he was giving evasive replies. The agency said in 2017 Anil Parab wanted to buy land hence he contacted Sadanand Kadam. Kadam helped Parab to buy the land and the deal was finalized at Rs 1.80 crore. Parab transferred Rs 1 crore through banking and Rs 80 lakh unaccounted cash through Vibhas Sathe. "When we questioned Vibhas Sathe, he confirmed it. But when we questioned Sadanand, he denied such transactions. In May 2017, the transaction took place but the land was registered in 2019. They did not want to show that the land is with Anil Parab," ED told the court. Kadam's lawyer told media that the court allowed Kadam home food and medicine . Kadam appeared before ED on Friday for questioning. He was arrested after questioning by the central agency. Earlier on Friday, ED conducted a search at his residence and issued him a summon to appear before the agency.In February this year, Kadam challenged the Income Tax department after it had provisionally attached Sai Resort under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act (PBPTA) in December 2022. Anil Parab has a resort in Dapoli which is allegedly illegal and Parab is accused of corruption in building the resort. Earlier in 2022, the ED had also called Parab in the alleged money laundering case in the Dapoli resort case. It is alleged that the rules of the Union Environment Ministry have been ignored to build the resort, due to which the Environment Ministry declared it illegal and also complained about this in the Dapoli court. Based on the same complaint, ED registered Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and started an investigation into the matter. In 2021, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya lodged a complaint against then Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar against Parab, accusing him of illegally constructing a resort in Ratnagiri during the COVID-19 lockdown. Meanwhile, back in June last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) quizzed Parab in connection with an alleged money laundering case. He was summoned by the central agencies following raids at his properties in Pune and Mumbai in May 2022 after the agency filed a case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). In September 2021 too, Parab appeared before the ED in Mumbai for questioning in connection with the bribery and money laundering case against former Maharashtra home minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Anil Deshmukh. (ANI)
Other demands include declaring hospitals as protected areas, ensuring the high court directions on hospital attacks are followed, and withdrawing cases against doctors for protesting against the attack.

"The doctors and health workers are concerned over the increasing attack against doctors and health workers. Recent surveys show that attacks against doctors or health workers occured each week. The latest incident was the attack on a senior cardiologist at Fathima hospital, Kozhikode. It was a murder attempt," Indian Medical Association (IMA) Kerala State president Dr Sulfi Noohu said.

Reportedly, the Kerala High court directed the city police commissioner to investigate the issue and on the basis of that, six persons were arrested. (ANI)
The accused man has been identified as Nitin Godara (29), a resident of Dhulsiras Village Dwarka.

According to police, on March 8, two personnel of Police Station Dwarka South were patrolling in Sector-10, Dwarka market. At around 8:30 pm, a few people in a car were playing loud music and they were asked to turn the volume down.

The car was then leaving and it came towards head constable Jagdish who managed to avoid it. The head constable received minor injuries and did not require any hospitalisation, the police said.

Both the head constables then followed the offending vehicle and held the driver, Nitin Godara.

The driver was found to be in an inebriated state and his medical examination was conducted, the police said.

A case under stringent sections of law has been registered, police added. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and other opposition parties and said that they are playing the "victim" and "emotional card". Targeting BRS MLC K Kavitha, he said, "K Kavitha is continuously accusing the government here but she should be clear as to what is her relation with Arun Pillai and Bachchu Babu. She is just playing the victim card trying to mislead the public by not telling the truth and avoiding investigation." The BJP held a press conference today, retaliating against all the regional parties which are involved in corruption and are constantly accusing the government of political hatred. Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha on Saturday appeared before the officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the national capital in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. Bhatia said, "When taking action, sometimes they play the victim card, sometimes they are playing the emotional card. The public is asking why they don't answer the public's questions. All the corrupt are being caught one by one." Targeting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), he said, "Arvind Kejriwal's corrupt puppet Manish Sisodia got any relief from the CBI court? Yesterday an order has been given by the CBI and ED court for questioning in ED's custody. ED custody has been given for them. The court has also said that a custodial investigation is necessary for Manish Sisodia. It is not political malice, it is not a facility of any investigating agency. We need to go to the root of it and the former ministers who are involved in the liquor scam." "The court has said that Manish Sisodia is not answering any question and he is not even cooperating with the investigating agencies. Firstly, custodial interrogation is necessary and secondly, he is not even answering the questions," he added. Attacking the RJD government in Bihar, Gaurav Bhatia said, "RJD has become synonymous with Jungle Raj and corruption in Bihar. RJD did not even leave fodder for animals. It is completely involved in corruption. They are following the 'give land and get job' technique." "Earlier, Nitish Kumar repeatedly accused and said that action should be taken against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav. There is a tweet of JDU on September 27, 2021, by Nitish Kumar, in which it has been said that the leader of the opposition should tell that the Laluwad ideology from which you come, the same ideology has cheated all the farmers of Bihar, got the land written on the pretext of giving them jobs and committed a great sin by opening Charwaha School in it," the BJP spokesperson said. "Earlier you were saying that action should be taken on this, today action is being taken.You are not called 'Palturam' by the public just like that. You sometimes take a stand and if it is convenient, you turn around. Nitish Kumar had made serious allegations of corruption against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, and Tejashwi Yadav and demanded action on them," he added, Demanding a debate on all these issues, he said, "Why is it not being talked about today? If you people say that all this is happening due to political malice, then why don't you go to court and get all these cases quashed?" Launching an attack on Congress, he said, "Open old newspapers, and you see Congress scams - full of 2G scam, Coalgate scam, CWG scam, brother-in-law, and land grabbing of farmers.The hope of the public is that whoever is corrupt, that corrupt should realize how strong is the law. That is why PM Narendra Modi has been blessed so that these corrupt people know that they are not above the law." (ANI)
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on his sixth visit to poll-bound Karnataka this year on Sunday, he would dedicate to the nation the electrification of the Hosapete-Hubballi-Tinaighat section of the railway network and the upgradation of Hosapete station for boosting connectivity in the region. "Developed at a cost of over Rs 530 crore, the electrification project establishes seamless train operation on electric traction," a statement from the Prime Minister's office said. The redeveloped Hosapete station will provide convenient and modern facilities to travellers. It has been designed to resemble the Hampi monuments, the statement said. He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various projects of Hubballi-Dharwad smart city. The total estimated cost of these projects is about Rs 520 crore, it said. The PM will also inaugurate the 10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway on March 12. The 118 km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8,480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes. The project involves 6-laning of the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta-Mysuru section of NH-275. The 118 Km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes. It will act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in the region, the release added. In Hubbali-Dharwad, the prime minister will dedicate IIT Dharwad to the nation. The foundation stone of the institute was laid by Prime Minister Modi in February 2019. Developed at a cost of over Rs 850 crore, the institute currently offers four-year B.Tech programmes, inter-disciplinary five-year BS-MS programmes, and M.Tech. and PhD programmes. The Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation the longest railway platform in the world at Sri Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Station. The record has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records recently. The 1,507-metre-long platform has been built at a cost of about Rs 20 crore. (ANI)
The rules were amended earlier, they can be amended further as well, said Rajasthan former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot after a protest by the widows of the soldiers killed in the 2019 Pulwama attack intensified against the state government for the alleged non-fulfillment of promises made to them. "Politics on 'Virangana' (widows of soldiers who died in Pulwama attack) is wrong. It will send a wrong message. The issue of one-two job isn't big, rules were amended earlier, and they can be amended further as well," Pilot said while talking to the reporters on the second day of his visit to his constituency of Tonk on Saturday. "We should try to listen to them peacefully and give answers that gives them satisfaction. We should do whatever work we can. This is a matter related to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, but till now there is no dialogue or way of the solution has been shown from there. However, nobody should play politics on this sensitive issue," Pilot added. He further said that those who made supreme sacrifice for the nation are pride for the whole nation. Rajasthan Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore along with several other leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were detained by police on Saturday in Jaipur during their protest against CM Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state over the matter of outcry by widows of jawans who lost their lives in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. Heavy police were deployed in Jaipur in view of the massive protest. Protesting BJP leaders and workers raised slogans against CM Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan and accused it of insulting the widow of jawans killed in the Pulwama terror attack. Some of them could also be seen climbing up on barricades erected by the police to prevent untoward incidents. "The government turning their backs on widows after making promises, taking four years' time, misbehaving with them and beating Kirodi Lal Meena who was on his way to see the widows is the symbol of government's undemocratic means...We will put up a peaceful protest," BJP leader Rajendra Rathore said. "We have initiated the protest today and we will continue it. The kind of behaviour the state govt is showcasing is an insult to democracy, we will take the protest against the govt further in all corners of the state," Rathore said. "If this is the government's reason (job appointment should not be given to brother-in-law, right is of children) then why ministers of the government went in public and announced that children are young, the job appointment will be given to brother-in-law," Rathore added. Reacting to the BJP's protest, Congress leader and Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, "We respect Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, he's a senior leader, it is not a BJP vs Congress thing. Rajasthan government is with the families of martyrs. BJP is politicising the issue, they might have received orders from the top brass." "We all respect Kirodi Lal Meena, he picks up issues of the public but BJP needs to stop playing politics...When this matter became serious the BJP came into the picture," said Khachariyawas while speaking to ANI. On Friday, BJP leader Kirori Lal Meena was rushed to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) hospital in Jaipur after he reportedly sustained 'injuries' during a clash with police. While BJP workers staged a protest outside the hospital. BJP MP Kirori Lal Meena, who accompanied the protesting widows at the spot, alleged that the widows of the soldiers killed in the Pulwama terror attack were insulted by the state government. Protests by the Pulwama widows intensified on Thursday as they sought justice from the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government by putting grass in their mouths. Sundari Devi, the wife of Jeetram who lost his life in the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, while talking to ANI said that she had written many times to the ministers and CM Gehlot asking for a job for her brother-in-law, but has not received any response from any of them. "It's been 4 years, and we kept writing to ministers and the CM for a job for my brother-in-law and a college in the name of Jeetram, but nothing has happened in this regard so far," she said. (ANI)
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) workers along with Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor Vijayalaxmi Gadwal on Saturday protested against Telangana Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) chief Bandi Sanjay over his remarks on BRS MLC K Kavitha. In response, Bandi Sanjay's office said the statement used by the BJP leader is a common phrase used in the Telugu language which means if someone does a crime, would you appreciate or punish. "Some statements made by Bandi Sanjay about 3 days ago are being blown out of proportion. This is a common phrase used in the Telugu language which means if someone does a crime, would you appreciate or punish," the office of Telangana BJP president said in a statement. The statement further said that this is a diversion tactic to create unrest in the state as CM's daughter is summoned by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi Excise policy. Notably, K Kavitha is being questioned by the ED today in Delhi, in the liquor policy case. "BRS, which is well aware of the dialect, is deliberately portraying it as an insult to a woman's modesty. This is a diversion tactic to create unrest in the state as CM's daughter is summoned by ED in Delhi Excise policy," the statement added. Earlier on Wednesday, BJP's Telangana president hit out at Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha over her statement that the people of the state won't bow before the Delhi rulers. Speaking on the sidelines of an event at the state BJP office on Wednesday to mark International Women's Day, Sanjay asked the MLC what the people of Telangana had to do with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. "Did Kavitha indulge in an illegal liquor deal for the sake of the Telangana people? Is that ill-gotten money being spent on crop loan waivers or payment of salaries to employees or towards unemployment allowance?" Sanjay asked He said while the people of Telangana have never had any reason to bow their heads in shame, they were now forced to do so in the light of Kavitha's alleged involvement in the liquor policy case. "Kavitha's wicket is down in the liquor scam and very soon several more in the BRS will be clean bowled. There is no question of sparing those involved in the liquor scam and gambling activities," Sanjay said. The BJP state president alleged further that the women in Telangana were being subjected to insults and humiliation in the KCR regime. He accused KCR of not according to requisite respect to women. (ANI)
On the basis of profiling done by the officers of Kochi Customs AIU batch and Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch (SIIB), a passenger coming from Sharjah to Kochi Airport was intercepted at the green channel.

"During the examination of the passenger, one rectangular strap containing gold compound weighing 224 grams and one capsule-shaped packet containing gold in paste form weighing 265 grams concealed in the rectum were recovered," the customs official said.

The accused has been identified as Nassar, a native of Valanchery in the Malappuram district.

Further investigations are going on in the matter.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Kerala Customs department arrested a crew member of Air India Express for smuggling over 1.4 kg of gold at Kochi airport.

A senior Customs official said that a resident of Wayanad, who worked as a cabin crew member of Air India Express airlines was held by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs department at Kerala's Kochi airport on Wednesday.

"The arrested accused was on a Bahrain-Kochi flight. The accused kept the gold wrapped around his hands and covered it under his full sleeves uniform," said a senior customs official.

Air India spokesperson confirmed that a member of the crew on an Air India Express flight IX 474 has been taken into custody following an incident involving smuggling. The said individual has been placed on suspension with immediate effect. (ANI)
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary, Nara Lokesh, on Saturday said that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government is imposing a heavy burden on the people in the shape of various kinds of taxes and once the TDP comes to power again, all this burden will be reduced. Lokesh was given a rousing reception by the locals at Angallu and the people gathered in large numbers to have a glimpse of the TDP national general secretary. Later, the youth, women met him personally and told him that they were facing difficulties since the prices of essentials are skyrocketing. As the power connection bill is high, the pension that they have been getting has been withdrawn, some old persons informed Nara Lokesh. "Tell me if a single section is not affected by this selfish Government. Since the prices of petrol and diesel are heavy in the State, the prices of essential commodities are beyond the reach of the common man," Lokesh observed. He added that once the TDP is back in power, the prices of all the essentials will be brought down and the tax burden too will be reduced. He also promised to revive the pensions for all those who are now not getting them due to various reasons. The local Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) visited the campsite at 4 am early on Saturday and left the place after the land owner has shown the records. Later, at Kantevaripalli of the Thamballapalle Assembly segment, Salivahana community leaders met Lokesh and narrated their problems to him. The representatives of the Kuruba community too met him at Nandireddyvaripalli. Suspending his yatra, Yuva Galam, for two days the TDP general secretary left for Hyderabad in view of the election code. The Yuva Galam will be revived on March 14 at Kantevaripalli for the 42nd day. (ANI)
The seven member delegation of opposition visited violence affected areas in Tripura on Saturday and submitted a Memorandum to the Governor of state Satyadeo Narain Arya related to post-poll violence in the state and said that complete lawlessness has been prevailing from March 2. "Many party offices of the left panicked and the Congress were crushed down or set on fire. In a word, complete lawlessness has been prevailing in the state from last 2nd March onwards. The police in many places though are trying to take control of the situation, but they don't dare to arrest any perpetrator because they have an attachment with the ruling BJP. In some places, rather the police act as abettor to the attackers. That is why, though thousands of incidents of attacks have been reported so far, hardly there is a report of arrest of any culprits," read the Memorandum. After interacting with the violence affected people they said that the situation was beyond imagination and far more shocking than it could be apprehended. "What we witnessed and heard from the members of victim families were beyond imagination and far more shocking than we apprehended. The victims informed us that the entire state sparked an unprecedented backlash of terror and intimidation just at the moment the BJP got a majority in the counting of votes of the Assembly election on March 2, 2023. In the name of celebration of victory by the ruling, its unruly workers let loose unbridled attacks with inhuman ferocity on the people particularly targeting the opposition leaders, workers and supporters that resulted in the loss and destruction of a huge number of properties. Inhuman physical attacks were carried out on hundreds of opposition cadres and supporters whoever they came across," it read. Referring to the attack on the joint team in State's Nehalchandranagar, they said that they were compelled to abandon visits to different places to avoid further provocation. "For avoiding the recurrence of a similar unwanted situation that we witnessed at Nehal Chandra Nagar, Bishalgarh, we are compelled to abandon our today's programme of visits to different places to avoid further such provocation," it read. According to Congress, BJP workers attacked the Congress and Left Front MPs in Nehalchandranagar of Bishalgarh. Several cars were vandalized. "The worst and most shocking incident took place at Nehal Chandra Nagar, Bishalgarh where our team was almost gheraoed by the irate BJP followers when we were visiting some gutted shops at the marketplace. Immediately the Team reached the spot within minutes the miscreants started hurling stones and brick-bats towards us indiscriminately by chanting the slogan of "Joy Shriram" and "Bharat Mata Ki Joy". However, we narrowly saved our lives and escaped from the clutches of the irate BJP followers. Several vehicles of our group members were damaged," it read. "Attack manifested on Tripura State Congress Chief MLA Birajit Sinha, MP Abdul Khaleque, AICC Incharge Ajoy Kumar and other Left leaders by BJP goons when they visited Bishalgarh to meet with families who were victims of post-poll violence in Tripura," said Tripura Congress chief Birajit Sinha. Sinha said the security personnel escorted the Congress delegation acted like mute spectators. 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. 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 ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978. The BJP contested 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 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)
In a Facebook post on Saturday, gold smuggling case prime accused Swapna Suresh said that the Karnataka Police has taken action based on her complaint against Vijesh Pillai who allegedly tried to threaten her to flee the country after giving up the evidence against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family. In a Facebook post, Swapna said, "Karnataka police have swung into action in my complaint.They registered a crime against Vijesh Pillai, recorded my statement, took me to the hotel where Vijesh Pillai stayed and the meeting took place and collected evidence." "The hotel management informed the Karnataka police that Vijesh Pillai stayed in the hotel with another person. Who is that anonymous person who remained in the background," Swapna questioned. Swapna Suresh, on Thursday, made explosive claims that she was receiving death threats from CPM secretary Govindan Master who threatened her with dire consequences if she did not stop speaking about Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. She further alleged that Master offered her a hefty amount of Rs 30 crore to leave the country and settle anywhere else. Swapna said that she has no "personal agenda" against the Kerala Chief Minister, however, Master threatened to "finish" her life and gave her 2 days to take a decision. In a stern message, Swapna said that she will fight and warned the Chief Minister against "threatening" her. She said, "I want to tell the CM on his face, I am going to fight till the end. I have people who trust me. If I am alive, I will expose your entire business empire and don't ever think or dare to threaten me. I'll expose to the world your real face". "I am not ready for any compromise and I am going to fight till the last breath. He (Vijay Pillai) clearly told me that Govindan Master will finish my life. I will give the full details such as photographs of the person to the media. I am not going to run away from Bangalore. I am here itself. Please pray for my life," Swapna added. She further alleged, "Vijay Pillai threatened me and asked me to leave the country. I have no personal agenda with CM Pinarayi Vijayan or his family, nor want to destroy his political career. I was clearly told that CPM secretary Govindan Master will finish my life. This person told me that he will give me 2 days to take a decision. I have sent details of his phone numbers and email address to my advocate." (ANI)
"Received an intimation from the Honourable Prime Minister's office that the Defence Ministry would provide full support and the office of the Honourable Prime minister will monitor the situation (of forest fires) closely," said Rane.

Taking to Facebook, Rane said, "As the Goa state's Minister of Forests, I can't begin to express my gratitude to the Honourable Prime Minister and we will update the Prime Minister's Office daily on the condition of the fires."

Earlier on March 9, the Indian Air Force deployed one Mi-17 helicopter for fighting raging forest fires in Goa, using Bambi Buckets, stated an official release.

As per the reports received from the field, since March 5 and till March 11, 48 fire spots have been detected of which 41 fires have already been doused and seven are reported to be active. (ANI)
They also discussed reviewing the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement, particularly with the ZRA and KNA who are allegedly influencing the agitations after the eviction notices were issued to the forest encroachers, he added.

On Friday violent clashes broke out in Manipur's Kangpokpi district when police tried to stop locals who organised a protest rally, alleging encroachment of tribal lands by reserved forests and wildlife sanctuaries.

Defying prohibitory orders, people gathered in large numbers near Thomas in Kangpokpi town yesterday for the protest rally called by different bodies, including the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), the police said.

On Thursday, prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC were imposed in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts. (ANI)
Trinamool Congress leader Santanu Bandopadhyay, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday in connection with the multi- crore teacher's recruitment scam in West Bengal, was remanded to three-day ED custody by a special PMLA court here on Monday. Although the ED counsel had made a plea for 14-day custody of Bandopadhyay, the principal nodal officer of Hooghly district Zilla Parishad, the judge granted remand till March 13. Bandopadhyay on Saturday claimed that he has been framed in this matter and that it had been done purposefully by those who are already in judicial custody in relation to the multi-crore scam. However, he did not name anyone specific on this count. Meanwhile, ED sources said that the agency has got definite proof that Bandopadhyay had direct links with Trinamool Congress legislator and the former president of West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), Manik Bhattacharya, who is currently in judicial custody along with his wife and son for their alleged involvement in the recruitment scam. The ED has recovered two identical list of candidates for primary teachers' recruitment, first from the residence of Bhattacharya and the second from the residence of Bandopadhyay. In the two identical lists of 319 candidates, 20 are currently employed as primary teachers in different state-run schools. The investigating officers are considering summoning them for questioning to find out whom they paid the money to ensure their appointments. As per the statements made to the ED by Tapas Mondal, another accused middleman in the scam, Bandopadhyay used to directly send recommendations for appointment of primary teachers to Bhattacharya. --IANS src/arm ( 279 Words) 2023-03-11-20:20:02 (IANS)
A day after Bihar and Tamil Nadu Police claimed that all videos of attacks on migrant workers in southern state are fake, political strategist Prashant Kishor (PK) claimed that he had uploaded two videos on Twitter and challenged the cops of both the states to register FIR against him. "There are truths about some people who have uploaded fake videos for the provocation but that does not mean violent incidents are not taking place against Hindi-speaking people in Tamil Nadu. I have uploaded two videos where Hindi-speaking people were beaten by local Tamil youths. One such incident had happened in the train in Kongu district. I challenge Bihar and Tamil Nadu police to declare my two videos fake and register FIR against me," PK said, during the 161st day of Padyatra at Maharajganj in Siwan district on Saturday. "In the last few days, some people have played fake videos on social media. Bihar and Tamil Nadu police have taken action against them," he said. "Some incidents happened in the Kongu area and top leaders of Tamil Nadu are provoking local youths to beat Hindi origin people. They are addressing rallies in assemblies and it has been happening for months. If big leaders give provocative speeches, it would impact local people. Those who understand Tamil Nadu, know that Hindi-speaking people are getting harassed in Kongu region. I want to say that those who are giving provocative speeches should be penalised," Prashant Kishor said. Earlier on Friday, Bihar Police released an official statement, saying that all the videos uploaded on the social media are fake. "No incidents of violence with Bihari people had happened in Tamil Nadu." Bihar Police registered two FIRs against four persons in connection with the 'fake' videos and arrested two of them. --IANS ajk/uk/ ( 310 Words) 2023-03-11-20:58:02 (IANS)
National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Saturday stressed again that Jammu and Kashmir is an intergral part of the india and reiterated the demand for restoration of its statehood. Addresing a press conference at Jammu, former chief minster questioned why elections were not being held in Jammu and kashmir. "It is very strange" "Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. The people of J&K belong to this nation. We want statehood to be restored & elections to be held," he said. Farooq termed the decision of the centre to downgrade the state into a union territory a "tragedy". "First time in the history of the nation, a proud state was reduced to a UT, it was a tragedy," Farooq Abdullah, NC chief said. NC Patron said that India is a democratic country where the laws of constitution should be adhered by everyone. On being asked why elections were not being held in Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq said:" I do not have the magical wand to tell media why elections were not being held here.Donot ask me this question". Former CM said that a delegation of opposition leaders is going to meet national leaders in the National Capital very soon. "We will decide weather the delegation will call on Prime Minister Modi and Home Minster Amit Shah". Farooq slammed BJP-led Centre for failing to deliver 50,000 Jobs to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir as promised earlier. "How many jobs have you delivered". From bulldozer politics to corruption to property tax being imposed in J&K, Farooq took a dig at BJP government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "What is all this?" "Youth in kashmir are being forced to move outside for job opportunities. Don't they have a right to employment here?" Farooq alleged that Youth of kashmir were langushing in different jails across India."We do not know their whereabouts. "We are going to meet national leaders to apprise them about these issues. We will also raise such issues inside the Parliament". "We want to seek a solution to solve the probelms of our people," he said. (ANI)
Informing the media about Shah's visit, state BJP general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar on Saturday said that Shah will be arriving here on a one-day visit.

The Home Minister will first visit the Akhandalamani shrine at Aradi in Bhadrak district and then address party workers of seven assembly segments of Bhadrak Lok Sabha constituency at Saanlapur in the district, she said.

Later, Shah will also hold an important meeting with senior party leaders and other office-bearers of Odisha BJP here in Bhubaneswar. Following the meeting, the BJP leader will return to New Delhi.

--IANS bbm/uk/

( 132 Words)

2023-03-11-21:02:01 (IANS)
On the call of Rajasthan BJP President Satish Poonia, saffron party workers on Saturday staged a protest here against the 'misbehaviour' of the police with the widows of three Pulwama martyrs. Poonia, deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore, MP Ghanshyam Tiwari and many other took part in the demonstration. After the demonstration that lasted for about two-and-a-half hours, the BJP leaders and workers, including Poonia, courted arrest. Later they were released from the Vidyadhar Nagar police station. However, during the protest, factionalism within the BJP once again came to the with supporters of Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena raised 'Satish Poonia Hai Hai' slogan, which was countered by the Poonia camp that chanted 'Poonia Zindabad'. Meena's supporters are unhappy that the state BJP did not support their protest supporting the widows of Pulwama martyrs strongly. The wives of Pulwama martyrs -- Manju Jat, Sundari Devi, Madhubala Meena -- were protesting outside Congress leader Sachin Pilot's residence for the past one week. However, the police forcefully removed them the protest site at 3 a.m. on Thursday and took them to their village in an ambulance. The next day, Meena was stopped when he was going to meet the three women. As his health condition deteriorated, Meena was admitted to the hospital. Manju Jat and Sundari Devi are demanding government jobs for their respective brother-in-law, but the government's argument is that there is no provision to give a government job to such a kin. Madhubala is demanding that his husband's statue be installed at the Sangod Square in Kota. The widows of the Pulwama martyrs are also demanding action against the policemen who 'misbehaved' with them. --IANS arc/arm ( 290 Words) 2023-03-11-21:08:02 (IANS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to attend the G20 summit in September in Delhi, reports citing officials said. As per reports, the Kremlin is working to clear Putin's schedule to make it possible for the Russian President to participate after he had to skip the last two summits. Reports said that even as the Kremlin is currently considering this, no decision has been taken in this regard. No official confirmation has been issued in this regard, even though India has formally invited Putin and the Kremlin has accepted it. The report also said that the Kremlin is preparing for an annual economic forum in Vladivostok, which was scheduled for the eve of the September 9-10 summit. But it was shifted to a week later to give Putin greater flexibility and open the possibility that senior officials from India and China might attend the forum, the report said, citing sources. While India has invited Putin to the G20 Summit, the Kremlin has officially accepted the invite. However, last year, due to pressure from the US and its allies regarding the conflict, Putin withdrew his invitation to the conference in Indonesia and sent Sergei Lavrov in his place. Reports said that the Kremlin has, however, felt a little less alone in the group since November. Earlier in March in Delhi at the G20 foreign ministers conference, Russia and China rejected language on the conflict that had been agreed upon at the leaders' summit in Indonesia less than six months prior. --IANS kvm/pgh ( 267 Words) 2023-03-11-22:34:03 (IANS)
The West Bengal government has communicated to the Centre that if permitted, the state government will arrange for cultivation of poppy seeds under strict vigilance and restricting the production to state-run agricultural farms only. On Thursday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced on the floor of the Assembly that she has written to the Centre seeking permission for poppy cultivation in West Bengal considering the increased demand of it as a favourite Bengali palate against the sky-rocketing price of the product in the market. A senior state government official said that in the communication to Union Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, the state government has outlined the detailed infrastructure available in the state so that poppy cultivation can be done to prevent its misuse in manufacturing of psychotropic and narcotics substances. "In the letter, the state government has provided the details of the state-run agricultural farms which can be used for the purpose of poppy cultivation under strict vigilance," the official said. According to the state Agriculture Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, there are currently 160 state-run agricultural farms, some of which can be utilised for poppy cultivation under strict vigilance of the state machinery. "The demand for poppy as a palate is maximum in West Bengal. So if the state is allowed poppy cultivation, the dependence on imported poppy will come down to a great extent. This will also economically benefit the state and the country," he said. The Chief Minister had on Thursday also sought the support of the opposition BJP in pushing the demand on this count. Currently, poppy cultivation is allowed only in three states -- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The West Bengal government's contention is that the cultivation of this particular variety of seed is allowed in three states where the demand is much lower compared to that in West Bengal. This is not the first time that the West Bengal government has demanded permission to cultivate poppy. Banerjee had raised the matter at the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Bhubaneswar, which was chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah. However, no positive decision has come on this count so far. --IANS src/arm ( 373 Words) 2023-03-11-22:56:02 (IANS)
Russian success in Ukraine would align with China's goals of reshaping global politics and power and could help facilitate China's own rise as an economic and military leader, reported Asia Times. In the backdrop of China's goals of reshaping global politics and power that would bolster its superpower status, Beijing might arm up Russia's war, wrote Michael A Allen, Professor of Political Science, Boise State University in Asia Times. In February 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. They issued a joint document calling for reshaping global politics. The lengthy statement details shared values and a vision for a world without the United States as a major leader, and where China and Russia gain more control and influence. Research has shown that countries intervene in conflicts when they think their interests may be affected and when they can make a difference. This could be a factor that pushes China to become more involved in Russia's battle. China is considering sending weapons, ammunition and drones to Russia, according to information the Biden administration declassified at the end of February 2023. China's military aid would directly support Russia's war in Ukraine, reported Asia Times. This public disclosure, emerging less than a month after the US Navy shot down a Chinese balloon that allegedly was being used for spying purposes, further heightened existing tensions between the US and China. It also comes as Russia is facing mounting costs in its war on Ukraine - both financial and in human lives. These setbacks have pushed Russia to seek help where the government can find it. Russia has tried to secure weapons and other military support from allies such as North Korea and neighbouring country Belarus, wrote Allen. However, China has not publicly announced a decision to give military aid to Russia, but, Allen is certain that Russia would welcome any assistance China would offer. China's decision about whether to get involved in the Ukraine war will be carefully calculated, factoring in potential long-term benefits, risks and the influence of Western powers. "But I think that China's choice in supporting Russia or not chiefly comes down to two considerations: how the Ukraine conflict will affect China's overall growth in world politics, and its interest in invading Taiwan," said Allen. Despite the costs of war, China is considering supplying Russia military hardware for a few reasons. Since Russia first launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, China has appeared to maintain a "pro-Russia" neutrality. That is, China is officially neutral and not contributing to the conflict, reported Asia Times. Moreover, China's and Russia's foreign ministers met on March 2, 2023, and China's government released a statement that reiterated this point, saying that the two countries "have maintained sound and steady development, setting a new paradigm for a new type of major-country relationship." Another reason China may want Russia to succeed in Ukraine is that a Russian victory would give China more external support in any plans to overtake Taiwan or other territories. If Russia had won the Ukraine war as quickly as it initially planned, this might have paved the way for China to attempt a similar invasion of Taiwan, reported Asia Times. In the past few months, the Biden administration and other Western powers have warned China that it should not get involved in the Ukraine conflict. In March 2023, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz publicly warned China that there would be consequences if it gets involved. (ANI)
In a temporary relief to former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Friday suspended his arrest warrant for two weeks issued by a local court in a case registered against him in Quetta, reported Geo News. A non-bailable arrest warrants was issued against Khan by a local court in hate speech case pertaining to inciting public against state institutions. The suspension comes amid the arrival of a Quetta police team in Lahore to arrest the PTI chairman as per a court order, reported Geo News. The Quetta judicial magistrate issued non-bailable arrest warrant for the PTI chief following a case registered at the Bijli Ghar police station. The case was filed against Imran Khan for maligning the national institutions. The Balochistan police registered a case against the PTI chairman on the complaint of a citizen - named Abdul Khalil Karak. Justice Zaheer-Ud-Din Kakar of the BHC heard the plea filed by Iqbal Shah of the Insaf Lawyers Forum (ISF) on behalf of the PTI chief, reported Geo News. The plea maintained that the offence wasn't committed in the jurisdiction of Bijli Police Station where the case had been registered and requested the court to dismiss the FIR. Justice Kakar, while suspending the warrant, also issued the summons for the Balochistan police chief, SP legal and the station house officer of the Bijli Police Station. The hearing was then adjourned for two weeks, reported Geo News. A day earlier, a local court in Quetta issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the PTI chief in a case registered against him under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA). The judicial magistrate issued the arrest warrant and directed authorities to present the former prime minister in court. In the speech on Sunday, the PTI chief had come down hard on the "state institutions" after a team of Islamabad police had arrived at his Zaman Park residence to arrest him in the Toshakhana case. The deposed prime minister -- who was ousted from power in April last year -- vented his rage while addressing party workers and supporters at Zaman Park residence in Lahore who participated in the "Jail Bharo Tehreek" (voluntary arrest movement). In his fiery speech, the PTI chairman said that he had neither kneeled before any institution or person nor would let the nation do so. Imran Khan is facing a total of 37 cases filed against him in different parts of the country, reported The News International. These include litigation, police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) cases and also proceedings launched by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the PTI chief. (ANI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday discussed opportunities for deepening New Delhi-Canberra economic cooperation with Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell. "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism Mr. Don Farrell, today in New Delhi to discuss opportunities for deepening India-Australia economic cooperation," tweeted Ministry of Finance. The two ministers also discussed issues of mutual interest, including macroeconomic conditions, opportunities for boosting investment from Australia to India and harnessing renewable energy, digitisation and technology revolutions underway in India. They also discussed Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and other economies issues and highlighted the rich potential for India and Australia. "FM Smt. @nsitharaman and Minister Farrell exchanged views on ongoing consultations on the India-Australia Bilateral Investment Treaty #BIT," tweeted Ministry of Finance. Highlighting the rich potential for India and Australia , the Ministry of Finance stressed on collaborating to promote solutions that increase interoperability between the national Digital Payment platforms to ensure resilient payment system. India and Australia are collaborating on a comprehensive strategic partnership to strengthen economic, trade, and security relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday. "Our teams are working on a comprehensive economic agreement," Modi said in a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese following bilateral talks in New Delhi. Albanese said they agreed on an early conclusion of their "ambitious" Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, which he expects to be finalized later this year. The Australian prime minister landed in India on Thursday for a four-day visit. He is accompanied by Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell, and Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King, as well as senior officials and a high-level business delegation. Meanwhile, Australia and India also announced a landmark bilateral Audiovisual Co-production Agreement, further strengthening economic and cultural ties between our two nations. The agreement was signed on Friday by Trade Minister Don Farrell and Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur aiming to encourage collaboration and creative exchange, leading to more Indian-Australian co-productions showcasing the best of both cultures, landscapes and people. The initiative will also provide projects in both countries with access to government funding including grants, loans and tax offsets. Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell saidthe agreement recognised India's role as a cultural powerhouse and would provide opportunities for each country's best screen talent to collaborate and create content. "India is an important economic and cultural partner to Australia, and our governments have been working hard to bring our two film industries closer together." "This Agreement will bring our actors, producers and filmmakers together and in turn, bring our people closer together." The agreement will capitalise on India and Australia's thriving personal and cultural links. The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne is the largest annual celebration of Indian cinema outside of India. Australia's screen industry is widely recognised within India for its unique cultural perspectives. (ANI)
Pakistan's collapsed private equity company Abraaj Group's founder Arif Naqvi lost his final battle against extradition from London to the United States over the charges of fraud, Dawn reported. In the US, prosecutors allege that Naqvi was the mastermind behind defrauding the investors, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as their government-run agency "Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)." After this, Naqvi challenged the approval of his extradition in 2021 in the London High Court, but Judge Jonathan Swift refused the Pakistani national's permission to bring a judicial review against the 2021 approval of his extradition to the United States by the then-home secretary Priti Patel. Lawyers representing the US government, however, maintained that Naqvi has been given assurances that prosecutors will not oppose bail before he stands trial if the extradition takes place, reported Dawn. US government lawyer Mark Summers argued that the judge in Naqvi's case, District Judge Lewis Kaplan, is the same who granted bail to FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, arguing that it is a "strong indication" that he too will be granted bail. Naqvi's lawyers, however, believe that allowing or denying bail is the judge's discretion and that the US authorities will change their mind if he is extradited. Judge Swift denied the appeal and ruled on Wednesday that there had been no "material change" in prison conditions since the 2021 ruling approving Naqvi's extradition. The judge also said that his suicide risk could be 'adequately managed' if he was held in a US prison. Naqvi is currently on bail after lodging Euro 15mn security pending the extradition proceedings. He is living with his family at his apartment near Hyde Park, according to Dawn. The businessman who is the founder of the collapsed Abraaj Group was arrested in the UK on April 10, 2019, and was granted conditional bail for USD 20 million. US prosecutors accused the Abraaj Group founder of misappropriating more than USD 250 million in a widening investigation into the world's biggest failed private equity firm, as per Dawn report. (ANI)
India and Australia called for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to be effective, substantive and fully consistent with international law, according to the joint statement released by both countries. In the joint statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese reiterated the importance of adherence to international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South China Sea. These remarks came after Albanese paid an official visit to India where he met PM Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday. "The Prime Ministers underlined the importance of being able to exercise rights and freedoms in all seas and oceans consistent with international law, particularly the UNCLOS, including freedom of navigation and overflight," according to the joint statement. "They underscored the importance of disputes being resolved peacefully in accordance with international law without threat or use of force or any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo, and that countries should exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes affecting peace and stability," the statement added. PM Modi and his Australian counterpart also reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation through the Quad. The Australian PM looked forward to working closely with India to advance the Quad's positive and practical agenda, including welcoming PM Modi to Australia for the 2023 Quad Leaders' Summit Both the PMs are looking forward to continuing to work together with Quad partners in the Indo-Pacific, to advance their shared vision for a region that is free, open, inclusive and resilient, and to deliver on commitments from the 2022 Quad Leaders' Summit. "The Prime Ministers welcomed progress on Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which will seek to strengthen regional economic cooperation and integration to address new and emerging opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including in supply chains and the clean energy transition," the statement read. "They appreciated the Quad's ongoing efforts to implement the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative, which will help enhance maritime domain awareness and support regional partners to counter challenges such as Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and to respond to climate and natural disasters," the statement added. PM Modi and PM Albanese reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN-led regional architecture, including working closely together through the East Asia Summit (EAS). They noted the close cooperation between India and Australia under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) aimed at better management of shared maritime domain by enhancing cooperation in preserving maritime ecology, reducing the impact of marine pollution, ensuring sustainable use of marine resources and reducing the impact of climate change. In this regard, they agreed to continue their close cooperation under various multilateral mechanisms such as ISA, Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure (CDRI), EAS and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). (ANI)
On Friday (local Time), many prominent Afghan women diaspora members including Tamana Ayoubi, Fariba Sadig, Saleh Wasel, and Ali Baqeri protested at the entrance of the UN building in Vienna.

The AKIS was at the forefront of this protest.

Demonstrators raised slogans against the Taliban and also the interference of Pakistan in fghanistan Affairs.

They also spoke about the inhumane way Pakistan treats Afghan Refugees, especially women and children. Around 100 Afghan women participated in this demonstration. At the end of the protest, they also submitted a memorandum to UN authorities, urging all member states to act decisively on this issue.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, at least 20 years post they were ejected by US troops. Women's rights have been neglected, ever since, under their harsh rule.

In November, last year, the Taliban intrusively disrupted a women's press conference held in the Dasht-e-Barchi area and also arrested several women journalists, reported Khaama Press.

Taliban disrupted the event and took the women human rights protestors to an undisclosed place.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in mid-August last year, it rolled back women's rights advances and media freedom revoking the efforts on gender equality and freedom of speech in the country.

Taliban banned women from attending university last December, nine months after the Islamist group barred girls from returning to secondary schools amid a brutal crackdown on women's rights since it seized power in 2021.

Taliban also announced a ban on female NGO workers - prompting multiple major foreign aid groups to suspend their operations in the country.

Not only in education, but Taliban had also rolled back women's rights advances and media freedom revoking the efforts on gender equality and freedom of speech in the country.

According to a report by the South Asian Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) over 45 per cent of journalists have quit since the terrorist outfit assumed power. (ANI)
At least three policemen have been suspended for using force against Aurat March participants and for hitting them with baton, following a scuffle between the two sides, a Pakistani newspaper has reported. After Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah took notice of the ncident, summoned, and reprimanded Islamabad Police Chief, the low-ranking officers were suspended hours later, Dawn reported on Wednesday. According to a police spokesperson, the constables were suspended on allegations of using batons on protesters during the annual Aurat March, which started at the National Press Club and finished at D-Chowk on Constitution Avenue to celebrate International Women's Day. Although he acknowledged that senior police and administration officials were present at the scene when the scuffle broke out at the march's beginning point, the spokesperson claimed that the police officers didn't receive any orders to use force from their higher ups. The spokesperson said that there was no particular justification for the police action. He remained silent when asked if the suspended officers would face legal repercussions. He added that the deputy inspector general for operations had been asked to submit a report after Islamabad Police expressed regret for the event. He said that the DIG had been tasked with finding and taking legal action against individuals responsible for employing force against protesters. Three police officials had been suspended, the interior ministry added in a tweet. He also said that other people responsible for misbehaviour will also be identified and appropriate action would be taken against them. In a previous tweet, Sanaullah had threatened to take "strict legal action" against those in charge of the "mistreatment" of marching civilians. The minister stated that he had taken strict notice of the treatment given to marchers, and he added that the Islamabad police chief had been called to discuss the situation. The National Press Club's neighbouring road was earlier blocked by the capital police with containers and barbed wire. Some 100 women and civil society activists arrived at the press club using massive loudspeakers that were mounted on a moving vehicle. The marchers were asked to proceed without the vehicle as police had confiscated it. The participants defied the order, nevertheless, and this resulted in some tense confrontations between the marchers and the police. Both sides began pushing back against each other during the verbal exchanges, and then suddenly some police officers started hitting some of the women participants with batons. The DIG operations and SSP operations quickly responded to the information and arrived at the scene where they were able to diffuse the situation. A report publised in Dawn read, Climate Change Minister, Sherry Rehman, also arrived to the location in the meanwhile. A fight broke out when journalists and TV crews attempted to interview Rehman but were prevented by other march participants. But, as participants and the police intervened, the situation quickly came under control. Afterwards, the Aurat March made its way to the D-Chowk, where it peacefully dispersed. Almost 200 female Jamia Hafsa students and teachers marched towards Express Chowk from the G-7 neighbourhood at the same time. Some of them were carrying sticks. According to officials, Jamaat-i-Islami also held a rally from Aabpara to China Chowk, and the police also stopped them near Polyclinic Hospital. Nonetheless, entrance to China Chowk was granted to the participants following talks, Dawn reported. (ANI)
Pakistan's oil reserves are running low, and the petroleum it purchases is being smuggled into Afghanistan, despite the fact that its "informal trade" in oil with Iran, another neighbour, is booming, reported Asian Lite International. A net importer of oil, it has been able to fend off the fuel crisis because industry demand has decreased over the past year. Because it hasn't had the money to pay for the accessories it imports, the sector has slowed considerably. One of its main sources of income, textile production and exports, have decreased. A report publised in Asian Lite International read, analysts point out that this unfavourable circumstance is a result of poor foreign policy decisions that were taken in the midst of domestic political unrest and an economic crisis. Pakistan is a net loser in fuel oil imports at a time when the Ukraine conflict has made the situation worse for most economies worldwide. It did not help that, despite American warnings, its former prime minister Imran Khan was in Moscow last year on the day that Ukraine was attacked. After Khan was removed from government, the Americans were dissatisfied, and the Soviets were hungry for money, Pakistan was unable to play the victim card as it was cash-strapped. Even worse, Pakistan has been unable to obtain waivers from the coalition led by the United States that is engaged in a proxy war with Russia, unlike Saudi Arabia, India, and Turkey. These nations were able to stand up for their foreign policy goals despite US laws like the Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Pakistan is a net energy importer and has a sizable population. It has relied on other Gulf countries rather than Iran, a significant oil producer, for reasons that are still not apparent. Experts suggest that it may be due to its emphasis on the Sunni Gulf states while downplaying Shia Iran. Although sharing a physical border, relations between Pakistan and Iran have remained tepid. It suggests that either Pakistan's and Iran's long-term foreign policy objectives have not yet coincided or that Iran is still Pakistan's secondary concern, according to Asian Lite International. Changes were sought through a recent trip to Iran by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, during which the two countries discussed the operationalisation of border food markets and barter commerce. On this front, there is a potential irritant as well. Pakistan is being sued by a disgruntled Iran for neglecting to build infrastructure for the Iran-Pakistan (IP) Pipeline on its soil. The project has remained a pipe dream and, at the worst possible time, is simply making matters worse. Citing a report of The Express Tribune which quoted officials, Asian Lite International reported, Pakistan faces a new legal threat on this matter valued USD 18 billion. Periodic agreements have been made under the 2009 intergovernmental framework. A third agreement was signed in Turkey in August 2019 between Iran and Pakistan, mandating the completion of the pipeline project by 2024 and Pakistan's purchase of 750MMCFD (million cubic feet per day) of Iranian gas produced from the Farzad gas field. Asian Lite International also cited a report of Pakistan Today-Profit, that if Pakistan did not uphold its end of the bargain, Iran might bring a lawsuit and assert claims in a French international court. A National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs also urged the administration to move the pipeline project forward. If gas can flow from Pakistan to other South Asian economies, transnational gas projects can be successful. Pakistan is a default partner in any energy drain project in the post-colonial republics of Asia due to its antagonistic relations with India, a significant gas consumer, and the transit character of Pakistan's geography. Pakistan does have options, but they are limited by its ability to finance and maintain projects at the rate demanded by partners. Pakistan's present petroleum situation is still precarious overall and is unlikely to get much better very soon, Asian Lite International reported. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, who was in India from March 7-10, the Prime Minister's Office said on Saturday. Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister's Office tweeted, "US Secretary of Commerce @SecRaimondohad a fruitful meeting with PM @narendramodi yesterday." Raimondo also met Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and held delegation-level talks on Friday. A Commercial Dialogue was held and several Memorandums of Understanding were signed between India and the US. During the joint statement, the US Secretary of Commerce said that both India and the US have recognised they have to be a quality supplier and consumer of goods and services. While announcing that many companies in the US are interested in investing in India, Raimondo said, "Many of the actions India has taken under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, even over the past couple of years, make India an even more attractive place to do business. More transparency, the rapid move to a digital economy, absolutely zero tolerance for corruption, all of those things make India an even more attractive partner." India and the US signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the semiconductor supply chain and innovation partnership, re-launched with a strategic outlook with a focus on supply chain resiliency and diversification and new emerging areas, after a gap of three years. The last India-USA Commercial Dialogue was held in February 2019. Since then, due to the pandemic and other factors it could not be held. Earlier, India-US CEO Forum was soft-launched by the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister and US Secretary of Commerce on November 9, 2022, via video-conference for which identified key priorities were 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 MoU seeks to establish a collaborative mechanism between the two governments on semiconductor supply chain resiliency and diversification in view of the US's CHIPS and Science Act and India's semiconductor Mission. It aims to leverage the complementary strengths of both countries and facilitate commercial opportunities and the development of semiconductor innovation ecosystems through discussions on various aspects of the semiconductor value chain. The MoU envisages mutually beneficial research and development, and talent and skill development. (ANI)
Pakistan's Supreme Court Justice Munib Akhtar on Saturday virtually addressed the 18th meeting of Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The Supreme Court of India is hosting the meeting of Chief Justices and Chairperson of the Supreme Courts of SCO from March 10-12. Earlier, Pakistan had said that it will not attend the meeting and The Express Tribune cited Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch attributing "unavoidable commitments on the scheduled meeting dates." In her statement, Baloch said, "As one of the active members of the SCO, Pakistan regularly participates in all SCO activities and constructively contributes to their outcomes." "Due to his unavoidable commitments on the scheduled meeting dates, the Honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan will not be able to participate in the SCO meeting of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts scheduled from 10-12 March 2023. He has accordingly conveyed his regrets to his Indian counterpart, who is the current chair/host of the meeting," the statement by Baloch said, according to The Express Tribune. India has also invited Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to the SCO foreign ministers meeting to be held in Goa in May this year. Pakistan has yet to decide whether the foreign minister will attend. On Friday, while responding to a media query in the press briefing, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson said, "Regarding participation in the upcoming SCO Council of Foreign Ministers, as I have said earlier, the matter is under consideration and as and when this decision is taken, we will share it with everyone," according to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry. "On austerity, as I said last time, in compliance with the instructions of the Government of Pakistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also undertaking an exercise to comply with the austerity directives and is taking all measures necessary to cut down on our expenses," she added. Prior to the summit, the Supreme Court of India released a statement where it said that Chief Justices and Chairpersons of the Supreme Courts of SCO member States have been invited to attend the meeting. The meeting is likely to witness discussions on Smart Courts and the future of the Judiciary; Facilitating Access to Justice; Institutional Challenges facing the Judiciary: Delays, Infrastructure, Representation, and Transparency. The meeting will involve a joint interaction with the Chief Justices, Chairpersons, Judges from the Member and Observer States and representatives from SCO Secretariat and SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) and will conclude with the signing of a joint statement. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Judges of the Supreme Court, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph among others participating from India. (ANI)
Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar on Saturday refuted allegations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the provincial administration was responsible for the murder of its party worker Ali Bilal, The Express Tribune reported. Anwar said that Ali Bilal's death was an "accident case" and "unfortunately misinterpreted." The PTI had claimed that party worker Ali Bilal died of police violence and torture after personnel launched a crackdown on party workers and supporters protesting near former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's residence, as per the news report. The post-mortem examination of the body revealed that Bilal died due to massive blunt trauma to his body, including a skull fracture and intracranial hemorrhaging, as per the news report. The post-mortem examination further added that PTI worker received 26 injuries to his body, including serious injury to the head. Speaking at a press conference with Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Usman Anwar said that the evidence "clearly" showed the case was an "accident" and that no person attempted to murder the victim and blame it on the police. He further said that the prime suspect looked "tense" in the CCTV footage. The police official said that the accused tried to "save the victim at one point and take him to the hospital" and added that the interpretation of the incident was rather "misfortunate," The Express Tribune reported. The police official further said that the people in the vehicle were not criminals and they tried to save Ali Bilal after assaulting him. However, false videos were circulated on social media to negatively showcase the police and government, as per the news report. Anwar said the car involved in the accident was traced through 31 CCTV cameras and added that his administration was not involved in the incident. He said that the PTI should refrain from levelling "baseless allegations". On Thursday, Imran Khan said that one of his workers was killed, while several others were seriously injured in police crackdown, reported Dawn. Lashing out at Punjab police for brutality and "custodial murder" of a supporter, Ali Bilal, Imran said that the actions of the caretaker Punjab government were tantamount to "blocking democracy." In a strong reaction to the event, Imran said, "Ali Bilal unarmed, our dedicated and passionate PTI worker murdered by Punjab police." "Shameful, this brutality on unarmed PTI workers who were coming to attend election rallies. Pakistan is in the grip of murderous criminals. We will file cases against IG, CCPO and others for murder," he added. (ANI)
Former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar said that a complaint has been filed with the Cyber Crimes Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for recovery of his 'hacked' WhatsApp account on Friday, Dawn reported. The complaint was filed 'online' with the Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) by his son, the ex-CJP said. However, talking to Dawn, the former CJP said that the FIA had not registered the case on his son's complaint so far nor did the investigation agency acknowledge the filing of the complaint. He also admitted that the FIA had not contacted his son after the filing of the complaint, Dawn reported. When asked if the hacker had leaked some information from his personal chat, Nisar replied negatively. The former CJP said that the identity of the hacker had not yet been confirmed so far and he was unaware of his future actions. Earlier this week, Nisar, during an interview with a private television channel, had said, "My WhatsApp has been hacked for two days and it has not been recovered so far. It is apprehended that my mobile data can be used for some specific purpose. Those who have hacked my mobile will face humiliation," Dawn wrote quoting former Supreme Court of Pakistan Judge Mian Saqib Nisar. He went on to say that earlier an audio had been made by combining "my different videos. Interfering in someone's private life falls in the domain of theft". Sources in the FIA said that the agency would follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) on the complaint of the son of the former CJP. The sources said that the agency received enormous complaints through its online portal and other forums, but it lacked the required staff to process all those complaints. Moreover, they said, the FIA was not equipped with modern gadgets to counter cybercrime. (ANI)
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday criticised Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Anwar after they said that the death of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker Ali Bilal was an "accident case," The Express Tribune reported. PTI chairman Imran Khan took to his official Twitter handle and lashed out at Naqvi and Anwar. He said that these two would have been jailed for lying and insulting the intelligence of Pakistan. He tweeted, "In any civilised country, these two shameless people would have been jailed not just for lying so blatantly but for insulting the intelligence of our nation. This is what happens when the country is taken over by dangerous duffers who believe everyone is as dumb as them." In a tweet, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry wrote, "Arshad Sharif's martyrdom cover-up, murderous attack on Imran Khan cover-up and now Ali Bilal Zal Shah's murder. Now cover up is no shame or modesty." PTI leader Shahbaz Gill also criticized Naqvi and Anwar in a tweet and said "Zille Shah's sigh and their smiles, all in front of you." PTI claimed that party worker Ali Bilal died of police violence and torture after personnel launched a crackdown on party workers and supporters protesting near PTI chief Imran Khan's residence earlier this week, as per the news report. PTI leaders' reactions come after Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar refuted allegations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the provincial administration was responsible for the murder of its party worker Ali Bilal, The Express Tribune reported. Anwar said that Ali Bilal's death was an "accident case" and "unfortunately misinterpreted." The post-mortem examination of the body revealed that Bilal died due to massive blunt trauma to his body, including a skull fracture and intracranial hemorrhaging, as per the news report. The post-mortem examination further added that the PTI worker received 26 injuries to his body, including serious injury to the head. Speaking at a press conference with Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Usman Anwar said that the evidence "clearly" showed the case was an "accident" and that no person attempted to murder the victim. He further said that the prime suspect looked "tense" in the CCTV footage. The police official said that the accused tried to "save the victim at one point and take him to the hospital" and added that the interpretation of the incident was rather "misfortunate," The Express Tribune reported. Anwar said the car involved in the accident was traced through 31 CCTV cameras. Mohsin Naqvi said that his administration was not involved in the incident. He said that the PTI should refrain from levelling "baseless allegations." He called out the PTI leadership for blaming Punjab's caretaker government for Bilal's death, as per The Express Tribune report. Mohsin Naqvi refuted allegations of instructing the Punjab Police to act against PTI workers. He said that the Punjab IGP would visit Ali Bilal's father and the Punjab government would provide financial assistance to the victim's heirs. (ANI)
At least one person was killed and eight others injured in a bomb blast in a Shiite cultural centre in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province on Saturday, VOA News reported. Speaking to VOA, a local police spokesman, Mohammad Asif Waziri said that the blast had targeted a ceremony honouring the Afghan media in the provincial capital, Mazar-i-Sharif. Waziri said that five journalists and three children were among those injured. Provincial officials and religious clerics were among the guests at the event. Taliban-led Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Nafi Takor said a planted explosive device caused the blast. TOLO News reported that one of its journalists was among the victims. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, as per the news report. The blast has been reported two days after a Taliban-appointed governor in northern Afghanistan's Balkh has been killed in the blast that took place in his office, as per the news report. Balkh's Security Department's appointed spokesman, Mohammad Asif Waziri confirmed that Mohammad Dawood Muzamil, the Taliban-appointed Governor, was killed in that explosion, as per the TOLO News report. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Twitter expressed sorrow over the killing of the provincial governor. A statement from the department of security of Balkh said that a person wearing a suicide vest blew himself up on the second floor near the office of the provincial governor, according to TOLO News. The witnesses said the blast occurred inside the provincial governor's office. The governor is one of the most senior officials to have been killed since the Taliban retook control of the country in August 2021 following the withdrawal of US forces. As per the VOA News report, Islamic State terror group's Afghan branch, known as Islamic State-Khorasan took responsibility for Thursday's bombing and vowed to carry out more attacks against Taliban officials. (ANI)
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday announced that he will be leading Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) election rally in Lahore on Sunday at 2 pm (local time) as he criticized the authorities for "killing" his party worker, Geo News reported. "I will lead the election rally to show them that we are not domesticated animals," Imran Khan told his PTI workers during his address via video link. It will be the first rally that Imran Khan will lead in over four months as he was mobilising the party from his Zaman Park residence, as per the news report. Former Pakistan PM had been at home as he was recovering from an injury he sustained last year. Khan was shot in the legs on November 3 as he waved to crowds from a truck-mounted container while leading a protest march to Islamabad to pressurise the government into announcing an early election. The PTI planned on holding its rally on Wednesday. However, the interim Punjab government imposed Section 144 (banning public gatherings) in light of "security threats", resulting in a clash between police and the party's workers, as per the Geo News report. PTI leaders have claimed that the Punjab Police was involved in the death of party worker Ali Bilal. However, Punjab Chief Minister and Inspector General have refuted the party's claims. Earlier, Imran Khan on Saturday criticised Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Anwar after they said that the death of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker Ali Bilal was an "accident case," The Express Tribune reported. PTI chairman Imran Khan took to his official Twitter handle and lashed out at Naqvi and Anwar. He said that these two would have been jailed for lying and insulting the intelligence of Pakistan. He tweeted, "In any civilised country, these two shameless people would have been jailed not just for lying so blatantly but for insulting the intelligence of our nation. This is what happens when the country is taken over by dangerous duffers who believe everyone is as dumb as them." Imran Khan's statement comes after Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar refuted allegations of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the provincial administration was responsible for the murder of its party worker Ali Bilal, The Express Tribune reported. Anwar said that Ali Bilal's death was an "accident case" and "unfortunately misinterpreted." The post-mortem examination of the body revealed that Bilal died due to massive blunt trauma to his body, including a skull fracture and intracranial hemorrhaging, as per the news report. The post-mortem examination further added that the PTI worker received 26 injuries to his body, including serious injury to the head. Speaking at a press conference with Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Usman Anwar said that the evidence "clearly" showed the case was an "accident" and that no person attempted to murder the victim, as per the news report. He further said that the prime suspect looked "tense" in the CCTV footage.The police official said that the accused tried to "save the victim at one point and take him to the hospital" and added that the interpretation of the incident was rather "misfortunate," The Express Tribune reported. Mohsin Naqvi said that his administration was not involved in the incident. He said that the PTI should refrain from levelling "baseless allegations." He called out the PTI leadership for blaming Punjab's caretaker government for Bilal's death, as per The Express Tribune report. Mohsin Naqvi refuted allegations of instructing the Punjab Police to act against PTI workers. (ANI)
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief and former Pakistan PM Imran Khan on Saturday said that the way Pakistan is moving, Indian TV channels are making fun of Pakistan and are happily announcing how the country is moving towards destruction. PTI chairman Imran Khan was addressing a gathering for Isaal-e-Sawaab of Zill-E-Shah where he alleged that the current leaders have huge properties in Pakistan and abroad and they do not care about the people of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan has no rule of law and the way the country is proceeding, the children of Pakistan have no future. "The way they are treating the nation, there is no future for you and for your children. Pakistan cannot run like this, just look at the television channels of India. How they make fun of Pakistan's condition. They (Indian channels) are announcing happily that Pakistan is moving towards destruction," Imran Khan said. He also said that at the time of Independence, Indians mocked Pakistan that it will not be able to survive and soon merge back into India. He asked what danger Pakistan faced when it was formed. "What danger did Pakistan face when it was formed? The Indian leaders were saying that they will not be able to survive and they will dissolve back into us. Why did we strengthen our security? Why did we strengthen our army? We stayed hungry to feed the army. That army played important roles and saved us. They gave us confidence. They protected us," he added. Imran Khan said, "Pakistan was formed because we wanted to be an independent nation. We wanted to be a nation that would have a rule of law. We have everything but rule of law. Zille Shah's killing is the proof." Imran Khan lashed out at the Pakistan government after the alleged killing of Ali Bilal, nicknamed Zille Shah. The Express Tribune reported that the country on Wednesday was left shocked after horrific images of the body of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) worker Ali Bilal, nicknamed Zille Shah, in Lahore began circulating on social media, not long after the PTI's rally to launch its election campaign was called off. Soon "Zille Shah", "Ali Bilal" and "Black Vigo" began to trend on Twitter and other social media platforms. Soon, more and more details of Bilal's death began to surface, including closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of a private 4X4 vehicle, which can be seen dropping Bilal at a hospital where he was pronounced dead. According to the post-mortem report, the victim had 26 marks of torture on his body. PTI Chairman Imran Khan then shared a video of Bilal being taken away in a police van claiming that he was killed in police custody. "This video clearly shows that Ali Bilal, also affectionately called Zille Shah, was alive when taken to [the] police station. So he was killed while in police custody, such is the murderous bent of the present regime & Punjab police," the former prime minister tweeted. PTI claimed that party worker Ali Bilal died of police violence and torture after personnel launched a crackdown on party workers and supporters protesting near PTI chief Imran Khan's residence earlier this week, as per the news report. Mohsin Naqvi refuted allegations of instructing the Punjab Police to act against PTI workers. He said that the Punjab IGP would visit Ali Bilal's father and the Punjab government would provide financial assistance to the victim's heirs. (ANI)
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at (AMJ) commemorated a significant occasion on March 4, 2023, not just for its community in the UK but also for the entire global jama'at of this spiritual tradition. His Holiness Sahibzada Mirza Ahmad Masroor Sahib, the 5th Caliph, opened a new complex at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden, a neighbourhood and town in Merton, the southern borough of London, England, the UK. He planted a tree and revealed the inauguration plaque on that sombre occasion, Bitter Winter reported. The administration offices, two sizable multipurpose halls, and guest rooms for the neighbourhood are all housed in the new five-story structure. After a fire on September 26, 2015, which left almost half of it damaged, it was reconstructed into a stunning structure that interpreted Islamic design using a contemporary Western minimalism approach and combined beauty with usefulness. A sum of 1.20 million pounds was spent on the project, all of which came from believers' free and private donations. One of the biggest mosques in Western Europe, Baitul Futuh is located on 2.1 hectares and can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers, acting as a spiritual hub for the neighbourhood. In fact, the fifth Ahmadi Caliph is still alive today and resides in the UK. He is referred to as "huzoor," an Urdu title that is derived from an Arabic word that can mean "Eminence" or "Excellence"; it is typically used to refer to saints and is equivalent to the "His Holiness" title most usually used by Ahmadis. A report published in Bitter Winter read, Masroor was forced to leave Pakistan when he was chosen as the next Caliph in 2003 after being imprisoned in 1999 as a result of the state's ongoing persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan during the first part of the 1980s. He now resides in the Islamabad complex of the village of Tilford in Surrey County, England, which also houses the Mubarak ("Blessed") Mosque and the global headquarters of the AMJ. At London Baitul Futuh, he frequently leads the congregational prayer. Other significant local occasions of global significance take place in Baitul Futuh, most notably the National Peace Symposium, which yearly presents the Ahmadiyya Muslim Award for the Promotion of Peace. Awarded to individuals so honoured by the Caliph since 2010, it was established in 2009 to honour an individual's or an organization's commitment to global peace and contains a prize money of 10,000 pounds. The new Baitul Futuh building was officially opened on March 4 in conjunction with the 2023 National Peace Conference, with the theme "Foundations for Real Peace." The Award was given to two people. Barbara Hofmann, a Swiss humanitarian and charitable worker who founded and serves as CEO of the non-profit Association en faveur de l'Enfance Mozambicaine-The Association for the Children of Mozambique with headquarters in Beira, Mozambique, received the 2019 Prize, which was later cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Akiba Tadatoshi, a Japanese mathematician and former mayor of Hiroshima, who is well-known for his views and activism in support of peace and against nuclear weapons, received the 2023 Prize. According to Bitter Winter, many authorities spoke in front of hundreds of individuals from dozens of nations and various religious affiliations after the Surah al-A'raf, verses 56-59 of the Holy Quran, were recited and their English translation was read. The UK AMJ's National Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fareed Ahmad Sahib, then read a letter from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Sir Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Paul Scully MP, Minister for Technology and the Digital Economy, and Fleur Anderson MP, the Shadow Paymaster General, saluted the audience after being introduced by Rafiq Hayat, UK AMJ Amir (the Arabic word for "emir," used by AMJ to mean National President). The keynote address was delivered by His Holiness the Fifth Caliph after Hoffman and Akiba had given their acceptance speeches. It was a stirring speech of particular intensity and value for all those who value and defend freedom of religion, belief, and creed (FoRB), which naturally results in a profound appreciation of world peace. There were two primary concerns of Caliph. He began by denouncing Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. He said that defensive combat should only be permitted in the most dire situations--as taught by Islam--especially when there is a deliberate effort to undermine religious freedom or religion itself. We should all strive for peace, he continued. "Third parties should attempt to bring two at conflict states together and towards a peaceful resolution. It is up to other countries to band together and employ appropriate and legal force to stop the oppressor if the aggressor continues to pursue war, Bitter Winter reported. However he went on to say that "unjust retribution or revenge ought not be exacted once their cruelties end." He said that no one should allow "the animosity of any nation or party" to hinder them from upholding the genuine ideals of justice and equity, as the Quran's chapter five, verse nine, taught. As a result, punishing sanctions or other unfair policies that hinder a country's ability to recover from conflict and restrict its freedom and prosperity must be avoided at all costs. The Caliph emphasised that there was no justification for the aggressive behaviour of the Russian government, but that we should never conflate a nation's administration with its citizens, especially after hostilities have ended and everyone should work towards peace and reconstruction. Second, the global leader of the Ahmadis stated that as Muslims are required to pray five times every day, it is obligatory for everyone to read the first chapter of the Holy Quran. In the second verse, Allah the All-Powerful declares that he is the Lord of every world and every nation. He not only provides for and maintains Muslims, but also Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and, in fact, people of all faiths and beliefs. By His grace and compassion, he provides for their fundamental necessities and gives them life. Naturally, this is written from a Muslim perspective, and the terminology and ideas used here are from the Islamic tradition, yet the significance of the Caliph's ideas transcends bounds of confession in order to convey a universal message. "Muslims are taught that the primary tenet of Islamic teaching is that a devout Muslim must never injure the people of other faiths or beliefs, cherish any sort of enmity, or speak ill of them in any way, as we are all the creation of God Almighty," continued His Holiness. Indeed, it is our belief and teaching that those who do not recognise Allah's grace and reject his own existence have their necessities met. Not only does he provide for them but also he also allows them to enjoy the rewards of their labour. This is how we think of the all-merciful God that we worship. Those who believe in a gracious God cannot possibly wish to disturb the tranquilly or wellbeing of others. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community therefore works to promote peace and harmony on a global scale solely in order to draw closer to such a kind and loving God. Notwithstanding the fact that all religious groups have the potential to engage in violent behaviour, he continued, "Any Muslims or so-called Islamic groups who inflict cruelty or conduct barbaric atrocities break their religion precepts and are totally culpable to be condemned in the greatest terms." The value and universality of this message should not be mistaken with a lax relativist strategy or a cursory interreligious discussion that leaves everyone feeling unsatisfied. Instead, it is a forceful call to people of all faiths from a religious leader who is profoundly anchored in his own faith, which cannot be overlooked by both believers and others who value FoRB, whether they are religious or not, Bitter Winter reported. (ANI)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the "extraordinary effort" to make his Australian delegation feel welcome in India. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Albanese called the experience of hearing The Triffids and The Go Betweens on the sitar "extremely touching." He tweeted, "Thank you to Prime Minister @narendramodi for the extraordinary effort to make my Australian delegation to feel welcome in India. Having the pleasure of hearing The Triffids and The Go Betweens on the sitar was unexpected and extremely touching." Anthony Albanese who was on a visit to India from March 8-11 met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday. Welcoming Prime Minister Albanese and his delegation, the President said that India and Australia enjoy a very friendly relationship. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries has given a boost to the bilateral engagements. She expressed confidence that his visit would instil greater momentum in India-Australia ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Friday held a meeting at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi.The Australian PM on Friday also met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Addressing a joint press conference with PM Modi after bilateral level talks were held at Hyderabad House, Anthony Albanese said that Australia's relationship with India is multifaceted. He said that high-level contact between the two countries has further strengthened cooperation across many sectors. "I look forward to hosting PM Modi in Australia for the Quad Leaders summit in May and then returning to India in September for the G20 Leaders summit. The frequent high-level content between Australia and India has further strengthened cooperation across a range of areas including trade & investment, climate and energy, defence and security, and between the people of our two countries." In his remarks, he said that India and Australia are working towards a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, emphasising that people-to-people connect have been the foundation of ties between the two countries. The Australian PM further said that he is hopeful that the agreement will be finalised this year. (ANI) Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that PM Albanese's visit to India underlines his enthusiasm and commitment to India-Australia ties. He further said that both leaders were satisfied with the "all-round progress" in various areas of the partnership between the two nations across fields including trade. "Both leaders (PM Modi-PM Albanese) assessed very clearly & noted with great satisfaction the strong all-round progress across a range of areas, including science and technology, strategic & security domain, renewable energy partnership in critical minerals, trade & economic engagement," the Foreign Secretary said during a press conference. (ANI)
The push comes after Micronesia President David Panuelo penned a letter hoping to switch recognition from China to Taiwan.

Taiwan has always strived to establish good relations and conduct exchanges with like-minded nations through diplomacy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on Friday, in response to Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) President David Panuelo 's letter imploring lawmakers to switch recognition from China to Taiwan, reported Taiwan News.

In the 13-page letter, Panuelo detailed the impact of China's political warfare and gray zone activities in FSM, as well as the egregious behavior of Chinese diplomats in the country.

The letter also claims that FSM would receive USD 50 million, an additional USD 15 million annually, healthcare, scholarships, and training programs from Taiwan "if and when" it switches diplomatic recognition from Beijing to Taipei, reported Taiwan News.

Foreign Minister Joseph Wu confirmed that though there were some discrepancies in the letter, he had "indeed contacted and exchanged views" with Panuelo.

In the future, Taiwan is willing to use its model of diplomacy to aid in FSM's development and benefit the well-being of its people.

MOFA said it welcomes the expansion of bilateral relations between FSM and Taiwan, reported Taiwan News.

Contrary to China's false promises and grandiose but impractical "One Belt, One Road" projects, Taiwan has always adhered to the spirit of practical diplomacy, mutual assistance, and "Taiwan can help" to help improve people's livelihoods to create a win-win situation, MOFA said.

Taiwan and like-minded countries share core values such as democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, the foreign ministry said.

As a responsible member of the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan will continue to work with partners around the world to unite and strengthen democratic resilience, jointly combat the expansion and coercion of authoritarianism, and maintain a rules-based international order, as well as promote freedom, openness, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, it added. (ANI)
In an incident in March 2018, officials in Sarasota, Florida, received a call about an alligator in a backyard pool. Sarasota County Sheriffs Office via AP

An 11-foot alligator broke through a screened-in porch to get in a pool in Volusia County, Florida.

Lynn Tosi said the alligator left a massive hole behind in her screen.

Alligators become more active when the weather gets warmer and while breeding from April to June.

An alligator in Florida was apparently set on taking a dip this week.

The 11-foot-long gator emerged from the woods, burst through the screen of an enclosed porch in Volusia County, located northeast of Orlando, and dove right into the pool, the owner of the home told local outlet WFTV.

"He busted right through there, kind of like the Kool-Aid Man, you know," Lynn Tosi told the outlet, adding the alligator left a big hole behind in her porch screen. She alerted Florida Fish and Wildlife officials and a professional was sent to remove the alligator.

"The professional coming to take him out was actually pacing and got on the phone and was really surprised by what they were up against," she said.

Alligators in Florida tend to be most active from April to June, during the mating season, so local residents typically know to look out for them. Alligator activity often picks up in March, when the weather gets warmer and they begin seeking out more prey, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Officials warn people to be especially careful around ponds and lakes.

"It's that time of year. We're kind of used to it around here," Tosi told WFTV, adding she will also be careful around her own pool from now on as well.

An American alligator on a golf course in Sarasota. Stephanie Starr/EyeEm/Getty Images

Officials in Volusia County have received several reports related to alligators in the past week, including a man in Daytona Beach who said he was bitten by an alligator after he opened his front door, and another who shot an alligator that attacked his dog.

Last May, another 11-foot alligator was also spotted in the backyard pool of a home in Deep Creek, Florida. Officials at the time said that particular alligator had also torn through the screen to get to the water.

In February, an 85-year-old woman in a retirement community in St. Lucie, Florida, was killed by an alligator while trying to rescue her dog. Earlier this week a home inspector in North Carolina stumbled across an 8-foot alligator in the attic of a home.

Read the original article on Insider
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill talks about a multiagency officer-involved fatal shooting at the Salt Lake County District Attorneys Building in Salt Lake City, on Friday, March 10, 2023. Gill announced all 11 officers involved were legally justified in using deadly force in the shootout that killed Anei Gabriel Joker, 20, who was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl and shooting at her residence. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Nearly a dozen officers involved in a tense standoff that culminated in a shootout between police and a wanted gang member  resulting in the death of the gunman and three officers being injured  were legally justified in using deadly force.

That conclusion was reached by Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill in an announcement Friday.

On Dec. 1, 2021, a task force consisting of officers from multiple agencies went looking for Anei Gabriel Joker, 20, who was wanted for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl and then shooting at the girl's residence after she reported the incident to police.

Police spotted Joker in the front passenger seat of an SUV near 4100 South and 3600 West. When the SUV pulled into the parking lot of a 7-Eleven, 4110 S. Redwood, officers boxed in the vehicle after two other adults got out. Two more adults exited the vehicle after it was surrounded, leaving only Joker and an infant inside.

During the ensuing standoff, police learned that the 9-month-old child was still in the vehicle. A Unified police sergeant obtained Joker's phone number and called him. When the sergeant asked Joker what it would take to get the baby out of the car, Joker asked for a lighter.

"(The sergeant) offered to give him a lighter if he let (the baby) out of the Yukon and Mr. Joker agreed," the report states, while again reaffirming that Joker "only released the infant in exchange for a lighter."

After about 50 minutes of negotiating, the baby was put in the very back of the SUV and the back hatch opened while Joker remained in the front passenger seat. Two officers approached the vehicle and carried the baby to safety,

After the exchange, Joker "asked for 10 minutes to smoke a blunt and make phone calls before coming out," according to the report. But 10 minutes later, Joker said he still wasn't ready to come out of the SUV because he couldn't reach his mom.

As the standoff progressed, Joker posted a video on Snapchat that he recorded while sitting in the SUV showing him surrounded by officers with the word "shootout" typed across the screen, the report says.

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Approximately 90 minutes after Joker pulled into the 7-Eleven, and after continuing to refuse commands to surrender, police fired 17 pepper balls into the vehicle. Pepper balls are small plastic balls filled with a powdery irritant  similar to pepper spray  that is released upon impact to create a "pepper cloud." A person's eyes and throat become irritated, with the hope that person will then surrender.

"Eight seconds after the first pepper ball, Mr. Joker opened the front passenger door, turned toward the officers and fired his weapon toward the officers standing astride the Yukon," according to Gill's report.

Just as Joker was stepping out of the vehicle, West Valley police detective Riley Mauch, who was standing behind and to the side of another officer holding a ballistic shield, noticed the gun in Joker's hands and began yelling, "Gun!"

"Don't do it, Joker, don't do it!" Mauch yelled at him.

In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Mauch was shot in the chest and leg. A Unified police officer was also hit by what prosecutors called "an object" in his thigh, and another Unified police detective's abdomen was grazed with a bullet fragment or another "object," the report states. A bullet remains in Mauch's leg today. He underwent two surgeries and was released from a local hospital a few days later, according to police.

An autopsy by the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office reported 40 gunshot wounds or "defects" on Joker's body, with 25 confirmed gunshot wounds.

Crime tape and a heavy police presence surround a 7-11 in Taylorsville on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

The investigation determined Joker may have fired up to five rounds, but only one casing from his gun was found. In surveillance video, Joker can clearly be seen pointing a gun at officers, and then a casing is seen flying into the air as his hand with the gun recoils. Based on other evidence, Gill says investigators believe Joker fired more than once, although they cannot account for the missing casings, and they do not believe one of the two shots that hit Mauch came from "friendly fire."

Gill said 11 officers from six agencies were determined to have used deadly force on Joker. All 11 of them declined to be interviewed for Gill's report. Many of them, however, were wearing body cameras. Several of those videos were released by police in 2021.

During a press conference on Friday to go over some of those videos in more detail and discuss his office's findings, Gill explained that part of the reason it took so long for this shooting report to be completed was because he had to put together an ad hoc team to investigate. At least one officer from every agency used for investigating officer-involved shootings was involved in this incident, he said, forcing the district attorney's office to come up with an alternative plan.

Gill also renewed his plea to gun owners to properly store their weapons. Over the past year and a half to two years, there has been a rash of unsecured guns being stolen, he said, such as those left inside unoccupied, and sometimes unlocked cars. Investigators say the gun Joker used to shoot at police was reported stolen out of a car in Salt Lake City 10 days earlier.

"It befuddles me that we continue on leaving guns unsecured in, oftentimes in unlocked cars," Gill said. "We all have a responsibility to our community as lawful gun owners. Please secure and safeguard those weapons."
An 11-year-old died and his mother was wounded early Saturday morning after allegedly being shot by a 30-year-old man, according to the Dallas Police Department.

At 2:15 a.m. Saturday, police responded to a shooting call in the 6400 block of Royal Lane.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a woman and an 11-year-old boy with gunshot wounds, according to the preliminary investigation. Dallas Fire-Rescue arrived and took the woman to a local hospital in stable condition. The boy died at the scene.

Further investigation identified Jakeith Huntley as a suspect in the shooting. Huntleys relation to the victims is currently unknown.

The identities of the victims were not released by police.

Huntley was located by Glenn Heights authorities and was taken into custody.

Huntley was charged with capital murder and taken to the Dallas County Jail.

The investigation is ongoing.
Any belief that the Oscars award the right films, directors and performances has faded over the years.

While every ceremony has a smattering of correct decisions  trophies handed to the right people for the right films  more often than not, the pervading feeling is one of pessimism caused by a deluge of undeserving recipients.

The Oscars are a far cry from what they claim to be  a celebration of the previous years cinematic offerings. But his does not stop people from trawling the internet the following morning in the hope that maybe, just maybe, the winners list impresses rather than disappoints.

With the 2023 ceremony taking place in March, we have highlighted 17 films that really should not have been awarded Oscars.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

A Beautiful Mind is one of the mustier Best Pictures winners of the century so far. While its win was a coup for DreamWorks  the film was the studios third victor in a row it was far from a deserving recipient, especially considering Ron Howard won Best Director over Robert Altman and David Lynch for Gosford Park and Mulholland Drive, respectively.

Chariots of Fire (1981)

While Chariots of Fire is precisely the type of film the Academy usually takes under its wing, the fact it won was a big surprise, considering everybody present had expected Reds to win the top prize. The Warren Beatty film would have been a far worthier winner, too.

CODA (2021)

The first half of CODA probably ranks as the worst 45 minutes of any film that has ever won Best Picture. Its filled with frustrating characters who commit frustrating actions, and it makes for  you guessed it  an immensely frustrating watch. The final half improves, but its too little too late. CODA meant well, but it could have been so much more if it had a bit more clout to it. It was lucky to win.

Cold Mountain (2003)

Cold Mountain lucked out by being nominated in what was a particularly weak year for Best Supporting Actress. Renee Zellweger recovered from failing to win for Chicago the previous year and, in doing so, earned the unremarkable drama its Oscar-winning tag.

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(Miramax Films)

Crash (2004)

Viewers of the Oscars have grown used to unexpected victories, but none was more famously ill-judged than when Paul Haggis drama Crash beat Ang Lees Brokeback Mountain to Best Picture.

Dances with Wolves (1990)

Its less that Dances with Wolves is a bad film  more that Kevin Costners epic scooped a total of seven Oscars in the same year that Goodfellas was nominated. It won just one  Best Supporting Actor for Joe Pesci.

The Danish Girl (2015)

Alicia Vikanders performance in The Danish Girl is by no means weak, but it was nothing on Rooney Maras affecting turn in Todd Haynes film Carol. Had Tom Hooper not won five years before for The Kings Speech, it seems unlikely that the drama would have picked up many, if any, nominations.

(Universal Pictures)

Going My Way (1944)

The musical Going My Way may have been the biggest cinematic hit of its year, but it certainly wasnt better that classic noir Double Indemnity, which it beat to win Best Picture. In fact, its nowhere near director Leo McCareys greatest film; he won six years before for The Awful Truth and would be nominated again for The Bells of St Marys two years later.

Grand Hotel (1932)

Theres a reason why Grand Hotel is the only film to ever win Best Picture without receiving a nomination in any other category. A film thats worth a watch, sure, but nothing more.

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Its ironic that a film with the word greatest in its title has gone down as one of the worst winners in Oscars history. A prime example of when the Academy voted for spectacle over quality.

Green Book (2018)

To those who dont care about awards ceremonies, Green Book is a crowdpleaser that boasts decent performances from Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. To everyone else, its the damp squib that somehow came out of nowhere to snatch Best Picture from under Romas nose.

The Imitation Game (2014)

The Imitation Game won Best Adapted Screenplay, which begs the question: what the hell was this extremely average film doing having any nominations at all?

The Iron Lady (2011)

Meryl Streep has won enough Oscars for the world to know shes evidently one of the finest actors wholl ever live. Her win for The Iron Lady, though, was one Oscar too many. Although Viola Davis has since spoken out against the film she was nominated for that year  The Help  it was easily the better performance.

(20th Century Fox)

Out of Africa (1985)

Sydney Pollacks drama boasts decent performances from Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, but remains interminable in stretches.Thankfully John Barrys score and the beautiful scenery saves it from being a complete waste of time, but its a far cry from being the best film of 1985. Out of its fellow nominees, Witness would have been the worthy winner.

The Pianist (2002)

It might finally be accepted that disgraced film director Roman Polanski shouldnt be handed accolades, but back in 2003, this was still what the Oscars were doing. He won Best Director for The Pianist, an award the French-Polish filmmaker could have done without.

A Place in the Sun (1951)

A Place in the Sun is a fine little film, but fine little films shouldnt be winning Oscars  especially when they see off competition from more deserving opposition. In this case, director George Stevens beat John Huston (The African Queen), William Wyler (Detective Story) and Elia Kazan (A Streetcar Named Desire) to the Director prize.

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

You have to hand it to Shakespeare in Love; it played the Oscars campaign trail perfectly, overtaking war favourites Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line to win the evenings biggest prize. However, this doesnt mean its success has gone down as anything more than evidence of poor judgement from the Academy.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Its often good to hold your hands up and admit that a film is nowhere near as good as you recall. Sadly, Slumdog Millionaire is one of those. While the win no doubt put smiles on the faces of commuters reading the morning papers the next day, the shine has worn off its success in recent years. The rightful winner  The Dark Knight  wasnt even nominated for Best Picture, an omission that led to the Academy increasing the number of Best Picture nominees.
Bug N Out Lounge located at 2299 S. 57th St. in West Allis was the site of a fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy.

A 17-year-old Milwaukee boy has been charged in the shooting death of 12-year old Ronnel Smith in West Allis last month.

Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office filed charges Friday against Lawrence Griffin in the Feb. 25 incident at the Bug N Out Lounge, where two children were shot. Griffin was arrested by West Allis and Milwaukee police last week.

According to a criminal complaint:

Griffin and Smith both attended a large social gathering, made up of mainly teenagers, at the Bug N Out Lounge on Feb. 25.

Surveillance camera footage shows Griffin approach Smith and try to snatch designer eyeglasses off his head. Griffin failed to get the glasses but subsequently pulled out a handgun, causing a frantic rush of people.

Smith attempted to leave the venue, but Griffin pulled Smith toward him and fired the gun, striking Smith fatally and another 17-year-old boy in the wrist.

Griffin was arrested after being a passenger in a fleeing car on March 3. He ran from the car, while discarding items, but was caught by police. Among the items recovered were a handgun and magazine.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office determined the markings the gun made on a test-fired cartridge matched the markings on the cartridge found by police at the Bug N Out Lounge.

In addition to first-degree intentional homicide, Griffin was charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm by a felon. Earlier this year, Griffin was convicted of three counts of battery by prisoner and one count of assault. He was sentenced to five years of probation.

If convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, Griffin could be sentenced to life in prison.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee teen charged in fatal shooting of 12-year-old Ronnel Smith
3 American Women Believed Missing in Nuevo Leon, Mexico

By Polo Sandoval, Melissa Alonso, Emma Tucker and Andrew Millman, CNN

(CNN)  Three American women are believed to be missing in Mexico after they crossed the U.S. border from Texas to sell clothes at a flea market over two weeks ago, police told CNN on Saturday.

Marina Perez Rios, 48, her sister Martiza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47, and their friend Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53, crossed into Mexico on February 24, Roel Bermea, the Penitas, Texas police chief, told CNN on Saturday.

From left: Martiza Trinidad Perez Rios; Marina Perez Rios; and Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz.

From left: Martiza Trinidad Perez Rios; Marina Perez Rios; and Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz. COURTESY PENITAS POLICE DEPARTMENT

The group was heading to the city of Montemorelos in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon to sell clothes at a flea market, Bermea said. The flea market is about a three-hour drive south from the US border.

RELATED: 2 Kidnapped Americans Found Dead 2 Survived

The three women went missing one week before four Americans were kidnapped on March 3 in the Mexican border city of Matamoros, which is roughly 300 miles east of Montemorelos.

Two of the Americans, Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, were killed and their bodies were delivered Thursday to US diplomatic authorities, according to a Mexican official. The two survivors  LaTavia Washington McGee and Eric Williams  returned to the US Tuesday to be treated in a hospital.

Six people in total have been arrested in connection to the violent March 3 abduction, including one on Tuesday, Tamaulipas Attorney General Irving Barrios Mojica said Friday.

An apology letter was issued Thursday by the Gulf Cartel, which is believed to be responsible for the kidnappings, and the group handed over five of its members to local authorities, according to images circulating online and a version of the letter obtained by CNN from an official familiar with the ongoing investigation.

U.S. officials offer assistance

Marinas husband spent all weekend calling the women. When he hadnt heard from them by Monday, he turned to investigators for help, according to authorities.

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The chief said the department confirmed the women crossed the border at the Anzalduas Port of Entry on February 24 in a 1995 Chevy Silverado.

RELATED: Is Mexico a Safe Travel Destination?

Once the crossing was confirmed, the FBI was notified, Bermea said.

CNN has reached out to the FBI for comment but has not heard back.

Its unclear whether Mexican authorities are investigating the matter.

A State Department spokesperson told CNN Saturday the department is aware of reports of three U.S. citizens missing in Mexico.

The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad. We stand ready to provide appropriate assistance to U.S. citizens in need and to their families, the spokesperson said.

When a U.S. citizen is missing, we work closely with local authorities as they carry out their search efforts, and we share information with families however we can, the spokesperson said.

The chief urged the public to call local authorities with any information that could lead to the whereabouts of the women.

The-CNN-Wire

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PENITAS, Texas (AP)  Two sisters from Texas and a friend are missing in Mexico after they crossed the border last month to sell clothes at a flea market, U.S. authorities said Friday.

The abduction of four Americans in Mexico that was caught on video last week received an avalanche of attention and was resolved in a matter of days. But the fate of the three women, who haven't been heard from in about two weeks, remains a mystery and has garnered relatively little publicity.

The FBI said Friday it is aware that two sisters from Penitas, a small border city in Texas near McAllen, and their friend have gone missing. Penitas Police Chief Roel Bermea said their families have been in touch with Mexican authorities, who are investigating their disappearance.

Beyond that, officials in the U.S. and Mexico havent said much about their pursuit of Maritza Trinidad Perez Rios, 47; Marina Perez Rios, 48; and their friend, Dora Alicia Cervantes Saenz, 53.

The episode stands in stark contrast to the government and media frenzy over the abduction of four Americans on a road trip to Mexico for plastic surgery. They were caught in a drug cartel shootout in the border city of Matamoros, and video showed them being hauled off in a pickup truck. The two survivors were found Tuesday in a wooden shack near the Gulf coast.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the three women crossed into Mexico on Feb. 24, a Friday, according to Bermea. Penitas is just a few hundred feet from the Rio Grande River.

The husband of one of the women spoke to her by phone while she was traveling in Mexico, the police chief said, but grew concerned when he couldn't reach her afterward.

Since he couldnt make contact over that weekend, he came in that Monday and reported it to us, Bermea said. The three women havent been heard from since.

Bermea said the women were traveling in a green mid-1990s Chevy Silverado to a flea market in the city of Montemorelos, in Nuevo Leon state. It's about a three-hour drive from the border. Officials at the state prosecutors office said they have been investigating the womens disappearance since Monday.

This week's massive search for the four kidnapped Americans involved squads of Mexican soldiers and National Guard troops. But for most of the 112,000 Mexicans missing nationwide, the only ones looking for them are their desperate relatives.

Authorities also lack manpower, equipment and training  things are so bad that authorities arent even able to identify tens of thousands of bodies that have been found.
Police lights. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images

Three Texas women have been missing in Mexico since February 24, according to police.

The women traveled to Montemorelos, Mexico to sell clothes at a flea market, police say.

The women's families are in contact with Mexican police, according to the Penita Police Department.

Three women from Texas are missing after they crossed the border into Mexico to sell clothes at a flea market in a border city, police say.

Two sisters, Marina and Maritza Rios, and Dora Saenz, have all been missing for around since February 24, according to the Associated Press.

The FBI said it was aware that Marina Rios and Maritza Rios had been missing on Friday, according to the AP. The FBI did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on Saturday. The sisters are from Penitas, a small border community in Texas near McAllen, the outlet reported.

The Penitas Police Chief, Roel Bermea, said that the families of Saenz, and Marina and Maritza Rios are in contact with Mexican police who are investigating the disappearance of their loved ones, according to the AP. Bermea said one of the women's husbands spoke to her by phone during the trip to Mexico, but he became worried when he couldn't reach her later.

"Since he couldn't make contact over that weekend, he came in that Monday and reported it to us," Bermea told the AP. The women were traveling to the border city of Montemorelos, which is about a three-hour drive from the border.

The Penitas Police Department did not immediately return Insider's request for comment on Saturday.

The three women's disappearance follows the brutal abduction of four Americans who traveled with their friend to Mexico for a cosmetic surgery last week. The kidnapping, which happened on March 3, left two of the friends dead.

The group crossed into Mexico in a white van with North Carolina license plates when they were shot at and abducted, according to a statement from the FBI.

A letter obtained by the Associated Press that claimed to be written by the Scorpions faction of the Gulf cartel denounced the attack and apologized to the Americans and their families. The letter promised to "turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline."

Read the original article on Insider
A 5-month-old kitten saved a family of six from a burning house fire in Forest Park Saturday, March 4.

>> TRENDING: Two-alarm fire burns commercial building in Miami Co.

Allysa John-Hall was woken up by her kitten, Nina, at around 5 a.m., WCPO reported. She initially thought that her kitten wanted to play.

The kitten was just in my face, John-Hall informed.

She subsequently arose from her bed and let her kitten outside. However, when she returned back into her house, she realized that her home was filled with smoke.

I put her outside and I come back in, and Im like, Its awfully smokey, she claimed. I open back the door and it was just smoke. It came fast. It was just black, black smoke I couldnt see.

John-Halls husband Marc woke up after the other five members of the household began moving around. He then immediately ran down to the basement to make sure no one was there, WCPO wrote.

I got hit with black soot. I mean I came out and I was just covered and the heat was just so intense, Marc said. I mean I thought I was on fire.

The two parents and four children escaped their burning house with the kitten leading the way, WCPO stated.

Forest Park Fire were dispatched to the familys home on Imprint Lane to fight the residential fire.

Flames were reportedly shooting up from the basement and smoke was spreading to every room, WCPO wrote.

While the mother focused on getting her children in the car, the kitten walked away, out of sight.

I was like, Where is she? Maybe she got scared. Maybe shes hiding, Allysa said.

The family later found out that the kitten went back inside to the spot she slept in every night in one of their sons bedroom.

That was her place, Marc said. She just went back to where she was comfortable I think.

They buried the kitten in the backyard while claiming that she left a lasting impact, WCPO said.

Crews later determined that a malfunctioning water heater started the fire.

The family home still stands following the fire, but has sustained extensive damage with the basement destroyed, and the kitchen and right-side of the house significantly damaged.

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Red Cross provided aid to the family with a week-long stay at a hotel.

The family says that although the incident was heartbreaking, they are still grateful.

Thankful for our health that were all alive and well, Marc said.
Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference 2022 in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2022. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

For many Republicans, the term woke has become synonymous with all that is bad about liberal politics.

Speaking last week at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), former South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley declared that wokeness is a virus more dangerous than any pandemic.

Also addressing the conference, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., attacked deeply weird, nauseously woke people who hate George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head.

Last month, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., argued that Sec. of Transportation Pete Buttigieg is too focused on "woke initiatives, presumably in reference to the Department of Transportations new efforts to incorporate racial and economic equity into its programs.

But for Democrats, who have been on the receiving end of a seemingly never-ending stream of insults, the GOP use of woke is overly broad to carry much weight.

On Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., complained that her Republican colleagues on the House Oversight Committee were attacking the U.S. Office of Personnel Management as too woke, for initiatives allowing disabled employees to work remotely and for paying interns.

Theres no definition of what woke is, Ocasio-Cortez said.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., at a hearing before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Capitol Hill on Feb. 8 in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

In the last few years, Heritage Foundation scholars have criticized as woke everything from the Federal Reserve factoring climate change into its assessments of risk to financial institutions to the Department of Defense opening all combat jobs to women.

It is a quick way to signal to others that whatever those people over there are saying is not real, not substantial: This is something thats easily dismissed, you shouldnt pay attention to it, Meredith D. Clark, who is now a professor in the School of Journalism and the Department of Communication Studies at Northeastern University, told Colorlines in 2021.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the slang terms primary meaning as being aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice), with a secondary definition being politically liberal (as in matters of racial and social justice) especially in a way that is considered unreasonable or extreme.

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So how did a term that originally circulated in left-wing circles as a compliment so quickly become an amorphous right-wing term with negative connotations? According to the Washington Post, woke originated in the 1930s among Black nationalists in groups such as the Nation of Islam, who urged African Americans to wake up, metaphorically, from having been mentally conditioned into philosophical slumber by centuries of oppression, intimidation, miseducation and social frustration.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan holds his first news conference in 12 years at the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C., on April 11, 1984. (Bill Snead/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The first audio recording of someone using woke in this way dates back to 1938, when the legendary blues musician Lead Belly told an interviewer that Black people in the South best stay woke, keep their eyes open, lest they fall victim to racist violence or police misconduct. The first known written use of woke in a newspaper was a 1962 New York Times article on Black slang titled If You're Woke You Dig It.

It was after 2010 that woke jumped the fence into mainstream parlance, Columbia University linguistics professor John McWhorter wrote in a 2021 Times op-ed. In the wake of the killing of unarmed Black youths such as Trayvon Martin, Twitter users exhorted Americans to stay woke, meaning vigilant, about racism and police brutality. By 2016, the term had been so widely adopted by young people that MTV.com included it in a guide to new slang for readers, defining woke as being aware  specifically in reference to current events and cultural issues.

Shortly thereafter, conservative thought leaders began criticizing wokeness as performative virtue-signaling that encourages social division, rather than pragmatic problem-solving.

There is no measure or moderation to wokeness, wrote New York Times columnist David Brooks. Its always good to be more woke. Its always good to see injustice in maximalist terms.  The problem with wokeness is that it doesnt inspire action; it freezes it. To be woke is first and foremost to put yourself on display.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 28. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Critics of wokeness, such as McWhorter, began to argue that hypervigilance towards racism and other forms of bigotry leads to overreactions that stifle debate. In recent years, wokeness has been co-opted by conservatives as a generic shorthand for overtly progressive ideas. As McWhorter has noted, politically correct underwent a similar evolution, starting in the 1980s as a compliment, to mean language that is most accurate and not offensive, but soon becoming mostly used as a sarcastic put-down of hyper-sensitivity.

I think [woke is] an unusable word  although it is used all the time  because it doesnt actually mean anything, Tony Thorne, the author of Dictionary of Contemporary Slang, recently told the New Yorker. The references to woke before 2016, 2017, 2018 were kind of straightforward. It means socially aware, empathetic. Then the right, the conservative right, seizes hold of this word.

Clark told Yahoo News that woke is used when conservatives want to avoid specifying exactly whom theyre opposing. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a leading Republican prospective presidential contender, has proposed the Stop WOKE bill, which would limit some classroom discussion about race and gender. Clark said that DeSantis is able to avoid explicitly attacking Black parents for wanting Black history taught, because instead, he can say that wokeness and the left are getting out of control  a more politically appealing framing.

Clark added that those on the left also sometimes use elliptical language to avoid directly referencing race. When we talk about at-risk kids or things happening in the inner city, these are often coded phrases that are referring to Black and brown people, she said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just after signing HB 7, "Individual Freedom," also dubbed the "Stop Woke" bill, at Mater Academy Charter Middle/High School in Hialeah Gardens, Fla., on April 22, 2022. (Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Liberals have also used vague language to condemn their opponents. For example, President Biden started referring to the Trump wing of the GOP as ultra-MAGA, after months of research by a liberal polling firm and political action committee determined that this was the term that most reduced the likelihood of voters supporting a Republican candidate. But the new phrase has no clear and universally accepted definition.

Some conservative intellectuals also take issue with the profligate use of woke because it dilutes public attention from the belief on the left  in their view, mistaken  that systemic racism is responsible for a wide array of social ills that must be redressed.

'Woke', as used by GOP elites and normies, is just the catch-all 'socialist' or 'communist' label of yesteryear, Zach Goldberg, a policy analyst at the right-leaning Manhattan Institute, said in an email forwarded by a spokesperson. And most of the public likely just understand it as 'left-wing radicalism'. I think this is unfortunate, as it distracts from what I contend is the essence of wokeness: the belief that outcome disparities between groups  be they races, sexes, or 'genders' etc.  are largely if not entirely the product of oppressive social forces and structures. Everything else  such as the fixation on microaggressions and 'harmful' language  is downstream from this basic tenet.

Despite the efforts to stigmatize the term, a USA Today/Ipsos poll released Wednesday found that 56% chose the definition of "woke" as to be informed, educated on, and aware of social injustice, as opposed to 39% who chose a more negative definition, to be overly politically correct and police others words. A majority of Republicans chose the latter definition, however.
Adam Driver during an interview with Seth Meyers on March 9, 2023. Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty Images

Adam Driver said his son "hates movies" and has no interest in watching his films.

The actor went on the "Late Night with Seth Meyers" to promote his new film "65."

He also said that his son won't watch "65," even though it features dinosaurs, which he loves.

It's safe to say at least one person isn't in any rush to see Adam Driver's new film "65."

During a recent appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," the "Star Wars" actor said his son isn't a fan of movies and has "no interest" in going to see "65," which premiered in cinemas on Friday.

Driver shares his son, who he has not named publicly, with his wife Joanne Tucker. The couple, who are expecting their second child, met while studying at Julliard in New York City and tied the knot in 2013, People Magazine reports.

Speaking to Myers about his son, Driver said that he has tried occasionally to watch movies with his son. "And he's like 'Oh, that's cool. I hate movies.' He hates movies," the actor said.

Driver explained that the first film he showed his son was "Mary Poppins," to which he gave an unenthusiastic review. "He's like 'Eh, it was ok,'" he said.

Adam Driver speaks onstage during Deadline Contenders Film: New York on November 5, 2022 in New York City. Bryan Bedder/Deadline via Getty Images

However, Driver was much more hopeful about capturing his son's interests with "65." According to IMDB, the film stars Driver as an astronaut who crash-lands on earth 65 million years ago and has to survive against the threat of dinosaurs.

Driver said his son is a huge fan of dinosaurs, which is why he ended up saying yes to doing the film in the first place. However, despite being incredibly passionate about dinosaurs  so much so that he is able to name a variety of species  his son told Driver he isn't going to watch the movie in the end because he thinks it's "too scary."

"I basically made this thing for him to watch that he has no interest in watching," Driver said.

Read the original article on Insider
One African hidden gem that should be on everyones bucket list is Mozambique. Located in the southeast of Africa, Mozambique is not as popular with tourists as South Africa and Tanzania. However, this Southern African country has beautiful beaches and a wide range of wildlife.

Mozambiques Own Hidden Gem

Mozambique is the perfect place to visit if you want to see more of the continent. It also comes with its own hidden gem: The Bazaruto Archipelago. The Bazaruto Archipelago, a group of islands in the water off the coast of Inhambane Province, is a great way to enjoy your stay in this African hidden gem. Paradise Island is the most well-known of these islands.

The archipelago offers islands with unspoiled beaches, clear waters and an abundant marine life. Divers and snorkelers often visit the archipelago because the seas around the islands are full of fish, coral and more.

This African hidden gem is well-known for its high-end resorts. It is also home to some of the most beautiful sunsets in all of Mozambique. The Bazaruto Archipelago is a travelers paradise. Its a great place to get away from the business of everyday life. There are many things to do from snorkeling in crystal-clear waters to exploring untouched beaches. There is something for every person in the family to enjoy.

Benguerra Island

One of the most stunning islands in the Bazaruto Archipelago is Benguerra Island. It is located inside a national marine reserve in the clear Indian Ocean.

Scuba divers looking to spot humpback whales, dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and flamingos are in the perfect place. When planning a trip to the area from July to October, travelers can easily reach the island by plane. The Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) is a non-profit, solar-powered ocean observatory that accepts visitors.

The exquisite island cabins on Benguerra are an essential part of the environmental philosophy. This area maintains and preserves the island environments. That helps the lush forests, grasslands, marshes, freshwater lakes and enormous dunes. Several endangered marine species also are benefiting from the dedication to protecting the island.

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Santa Carolina Island

Santa Carolina is a small island between Mozambiques mainland and Bazaruto Island.

It is different from other islands because it is made entirely of rock. Its waterways are very deep. There are coral reefs right off three of Santa Carolinas beaches.

Magaruque Island

Magaruque Island also is part of the Bazaruto Archipelago and is surrounded by crystal-clear waters perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. Visitors also can explore the islands sandy beaches and hike through its nature trails.

The island provides an unlimited supply of fish, so fresh seafood is always available. Prepared in the Mozambican and Portuguese styles, fresh seafood can be found on the menus of many restaurant, which pay homage to the regions natural beauty.

The island also has a permanent deep water channel that makes snorkeling a breeze. Since Magaruque Island is only a 20-minute boat ride away from Big Blue. Its the perfect day trip destination for families with young children. Its a great place to witness local fishermen living in harmony with the environment, and the island itself is stunning.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden is sticking with a blue-and-white color scheme for the exterior of the replacement Air Force One aircraft, the first of which is expected to be delivered in four years.

The Air Force said late Friday that the light blue on the new model of the modified 747s that transport the president will be a little bit deeper and more modern in tone than the robin's egg blue on the versions of the aircraft currently in use.

Boeing is modifying two of its 747-800 aircraft that will use the Air Force One call sign when the president is aboard. They will replace the existing fleet of two aging Boeing 747-200 aircraft the president currently uses.

The choice of the plane's exterior colors follows an earlier decision by the administration to scrap a red-white-and-blue design favored by Donald Trump, Biden's immediate predecessor. An Air Force review had suggested the darker colors would increase costs and delay delivery of the new jumbo jets.

In 2018, Trump directed that the new jets shed the iconic Kennedy-era blue-and-white design for a white-and-navy color scheme. The top half of the plane would have been white and the bottom, including the belly, would have been dark blue. A streak of dark red would have run from the cockpit to the tail. The coloring was almost identical to the exterior of Trump's personal plane.

Formally known as the VC-25B, the new aircraft will replace the current fleet, known as VC-25A, which the Air Force said face capability gaps, rising maintenance costs and parts obsolescence. Modifications to the successor aircraft will include electrical power upgrades, a medical facility and a self-defense system, the Air Force said.

Delivery of the first of the new airplanes is projected for 2027, followed by the second aircraft in 2028, the Air Force said.

The current generation of planes first carried President George H.W. Bush, who served from 1989-1993.
An investigator with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has explained a key mystery in Alex Murdaughs double murder trial.

Colleton County Sheriffs Office Detective Laura Rutland was among more than 70 witnesses who testified in the disgraced attorneys bombshell six-week trial. Ms Rutland, the first state witness to take the stand, was chosen to work the case because she was one of the few law enforcement agents in the area who didnt have connections with the powerful legal dynasty.

Members of the jury only needed three hours of deliberation earlier this month to find Murdaugh guilty of his wife Maggie and son Pauls June 2021 murders. Murdaugh, sentenced to two life sentences without parole, has already appealed the conviction.

In an interview with Fox News, Ms Rutland elaborated on a detail that came up during her cross-examination by the defence but largely faded out of the trial after she was unable to offer an explanation. A week on from Murdaughs conviction, the veteran detective described the gruesome crime scene at the familys Moselle hunting property and explained why hair strands were found in Maggies hand.

I just wanted to clarify that when she had suffered her injuries, and the bullet exited the back of her head, it created a large hole, which displaced that part of her skull, including her scalp and her hair, Ms Rutland said.

So, all around her body, there were small clumps of the back of her hair in the grass around her body. Some had fallen near her hands and her arms. And when we removed her body, some of the hair that was on her fingers, it was just a few strands went with her.

Prosecutors said Murdaugh shot Paul twice with a 12-gauge shotgun while he stood in the feed room of the dog kennels.

Colleton County Sheriffs Office Detective Laura Rutland elaborated on a detail that came up during her cross-examination by the defence but largely faded out of the trial after she was unable to offer an explanation (NEWS19 WLTX screenshot)

After killing Paul, prosecutors said Murdaugh then grabbed a .300 Blackout semiautomatic rifle and opened fire on Maggie as she tried to flee from her husband. Maggie was shot five times including twice in the head after she had fallen to her knees.

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Ms Rutland also spoke about Murdaughs bizarrely clean clothes when law enforcement arrived at the scene, despite his claims that he had tried to turn Pauls body over to check his pulse.

In addition to the biological matter around his body, there was also a lot of water, Ms Rutland told Fox. And [the jury was] able to see that on Sergeant Greens body cam. It was just so odd that even Alexs shoes were as clean as they were, including the soles of the shoes.

She added: Anybody walking around Pauls body would have had that watery, bloody mixture on their shoes.

Ms Rutland said hair found on Maggies hands was her own after she suffered a gunshot wound to her scalp (Maggie Murdaugh/Facebook)

Ms Rutland said she was glad the jury was able to come to terms with a decision after reviewing weeks of complicated evidence.

My captain and I just happened to come out of a side door where the jury was being escorted... and they wanted to shake our hands, she said. Ill never forget that moment. I was very impressed with the jury and appreciative of their service to Colleton County.

On Thursday, Murdaughs legal team announced that they had filed an appeal. The double murderer had 10 days to send a notice of appeal following his conviction.

Today Jim Griffin and I filed our notice of appeal for Alex Murdaugh, Dick Harpootlian, one of Murdaughs attorneys, tweeted. This is the next step in the legal process to fight for Alexs constitutional right to a fair trial.

Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison after conviction in double murder trial

However, prominent legal expert Duncan Levy told The Independent that even if Murdaughs appeal is successful, hes still destined to spend his life behind bars after he admitted to a string of financial crimes under oath at his trial.

I dont see any basis for an appeal. When he took the stand he erased any real chance of error as he said it in his own words, said the former assistant district attorney in the Manhattan DAs office.

He will spend the rest of his life in prison  theres no getting out of this at this point.
Surprise medical bills are nothing new in the U.S., and they've become so commonplace in the 13 years since the landmark Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law that Congress recently passed legislation aimed at banning the practice.

Sometimes a simple coding mishap can result in a major headache for a patient, as was the case for Anthony, a 29-year-old based out of Norwalk, Conn.

When Anthony visited his doctor for a routine annual checkup  which his insurance plan through Cigna advertised as 100% covered without a copay  he ended up receiving a bill for $132.09.

This was because his doctors office coded the visit as an office visit instead of an annual checkup or preventative care. In an effort to clear up the confusion, Anthony called both Cigna and his doctors office, and Cigna assured him that it was simply listed under the wrong code and would be covered if the doctors billing department corrected it.

I submitted a complaint to Westmed, and they forwarded it to the billing department, Anthony told Yahoo Finance. They rejected my request several times. According to them, the office staff had the final word on the billing code. I was able to talk to the office staff directly too, but Im not sure who was responsible for selecting the billing code there.

Medical Radiology Manipulator Ludovic Foy prepares a woman before her lung cancer screening on December 16, 2021. (Photo by Pascal POCHARD-CASABIANCA/AFP)

The experience, he added, has been "very frustrating" and time-consuming, especially after he reached out to multiple offices to try to solve the issue.

Wasted a bunch of time, and, frankly, I got scammed," Anthony said. "In the end, I got no explanation why they used the wrong code, and the bill was sent to collections. Its going to hurt my credit score and in the U.S., that also means my ability to find a place to rent or even buy a house if I ever get the chance. Its the kind of thing you lose sleep over.

'They think short-term'

A loophole in the ACA  commonly known as Obamacare  is part of the reason why this issue persists in the U.S.

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Under the ACA, insurers are required to cover preventive services such as cancer screenings, immunizations, and well-woman visits without cost-sharing, meaning that the individual receiving the services is not required to pay anything.

A study published in 2021 in the journal Preventive Medicine found that in addition to premium costs meant to cover preventive care, Americans with employer-sponsored insurance were still charged between $75 million and $219 million in total for services that ought to be free to them.

In this March 23, 2010 photo, President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The ACA specified those rules around what should be covered, but then how thats actually operationalized is left up to individual insurers  what procedure codes are covered under the umbrella of each of those services in same or spirit, who qualifies, how often they can get them is up to each individual insurer, Paul Shafer, assistant professor of health, law policy, and management at Boston University School of Public Health, told Yahoo Finance.

Furthermore, last September, Judge Reed O'Connor  who previously ruled that the ACA was unconstitutional, a decision that was later overturned by the Supreme Court  issued a ruling that it was also unconstitutional for the ACA to require insurers to cover preventive services without copayments.

If that ruling were to stand, at least 40% of adults indicated in a new Morning Consult survey that they would not be willing to pay for a majority of the preventive services covered by the ACA mandate.

While the primary goal of preventive visits is to prevent longer-term issues from arising down the line  thereby eliminating potential costs  insurers dont always see it that way, especially if a provider lists a different code on a patient's file.

They think short-term  and Im talking in particular about the publicly-traded companies, Wendell Potter, president of the Center for Health and Democracy and former executive at Cigna and Humana, told Yahoo Finance. Theyre the ones who are dominant in this area. They know theres a good chance that a person whos enrolled in a Cigna plan now might in the second half of this year be enrolled in a United plan, or even next month could be enrolled in a United plan or a Humana plan. People change jobs, and when they change jobs, that often requires that they have to work with a new carrier with a new network of doctors. And all of that goes with that.

Essentially, insurance companies grow by taking market share from each other, and Potter and other industry experts refer to this as churn.

Former CIGNA executive Wendell Potter moderates a forum on denied coverage by insurance companies March 10, 2010 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Consequently, Potter said, they choose to have a short-term focus and dont have the interest really in doing what is right for someone down the road because they are just making a bet that they likely will not have that person enrolled for a long period of time.

The No Surprises Act, which became law in 2021, was intended to prevent patients from receiving surprise medical bills. However, it also comes with another loophole: The law protects patients receiving care from out-of-network providers and out-of-network emergency services, but it doesn't apply in circumstances where the care is being provided by in-network providers, regardless of whether or not it should be free for the patient.

Policymakers and employers and the media, to a large extent, are missing some important parts of our health care system that need more scrutiny, Potter said. We are really focusing on a few specific areas where patients in particular are at a great disadvantage. Increasingly, this is an area where we find people are having problems when there is a dispute or glitch in refusing to pay a claim.

Not-so-free procedures

Because of these loopholes, patients often find themselves billed for routine procedures that typically are fully covered by their health insurance.

Several individuals, who asked to remain unnamed due to privacy concerns, shared with Yahoo Finance the forms they were required to sign in order to be seen for routine physicals and other preventive exams.

In one of the forms, an individual was told that if they discussed any new or chronic medical issues with their doctor, their insurance would be billed for both an office visit and a preventive health exam.

For another individual, their form indicated that if they discussed new acute conditions or a worsening chronic condition, if a diagnostic test was ordered, or if a treatment changed, they would also be subject to two separate bills.

There are a lot of gray areas but generally, those shouldnt be billed, Jenifer Bosco, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, told Yahoo Finance. In the worst case, some providers do engage in whats referred to as upcoding where they will try to bill for things or get reimbursed at a high rate for things that really should be either preventive or should be billed at a lower rate.

For example, a preventive colonoscopy meant to screen for cancer is required to be covered at 100% by health insurance providers. However, if a polyp is discovered and removed from the patient during that screening, that procedure becomes a surgery rather than a screening and is billed as such.

It makes zero sense charging the cost of something or the cost to the patient for something while theyre literally mid-procedure, Bosco said. You can essentially bill two visits for the same time, which I think intuitively just doesnt make a lot of sense to most people. If youre going in for one visit, how can you be charged for two and also be losing that free preventive visit at the same time?

According to the Preventive Medicine study, patients were saddled with a total of $12.8 million for preventive colorectal screenings in 2018, while wellness visits incurred charges of up to $73.1 million.

It feels a little bit like a bait and switch, and thats not on the doctors, Shafer said. Thats just how weve set up the reimbursement guidelines and everything else. Its frustrating.



Adriana Belmonte is a reporter and editor covering politics and health care policy for Yahoo Finance. You can follow her on Twitter @adrianambells and reach her at adriana@yahoofinance.com.

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AccuWeather meteorologists say another atmospheric river is imminent across California by early week, causing residents to brace for an additional round of flooding rainfall, high-elevation snow and strong winds.

Many eyes are on the main powerhouse of energy that will drive into the West Coast through Tuesday. Still, even in the days leading up to this event, conditions will be anything but dry in parts of California.

Bursts of energy into Monday will produce rounds of heavy snow across the Klamath Mountains, southern Cascades and the Sierra Nevada. The heaviest snow is expected to impact areas above 6,500 feet. Forecasters say that above this elevation, snowfall amounts can range on the order of several feet, resulting in road closures and enhancing the risk of avalanches in the area.

Strong southerly winds will spread across Northern California into Monday, with gusts up to 45 mph possible across the terrain. In locations where blowing winds and steady snowfall overlap, meteorologists warn that visibility can be drastically reduced and travel impacted.

"Frequent showers will track into Northern and Central California through Monday, thunderstorms prowling around the central valleys and foothills on Saturday," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.

Forecasters say that the flooding concerns around San Fransisco will ramp up Monday night into Tuesday; however, given the threshold for flooding can be low from previous rounds of rain and showers early this weekend as the next atmospheric river event arrives. Residents may take advantage of any lighter showers or breaks in the rain between Saturday and Monday to prepare for additional steady rainfall.

Rainfall amounts around San Francisco can range in the neighborhood of 2 inches from late Monday into Tuesday evening before the rain tapers off in the Bay Area later Tuesday night.

As this surge of moisture tracks into California from Monday to Wednesday, the resulting impacts will range from road washouts and extended road closures to heavy snow above 7,500 feet and the danger of avalanches. In residential locations across higher elevations, heavy snow can inundate buildings and homes, elevating the risk of roof collapse.

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In zones across the state where rainfall totals are the highest and in locations that have a low water threshold from previous storms, the risks to lives and property will range from moderate to high. The risk to lives and property will also be high for areas across the higher elevations forecast to receive hefty snowfall accumulations early this week that faced plentiful snowfall last week and early this weekend.

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From Monday to Wednesday, rainfall amounts can total 2-4 inches across areas north of San Francisco from Santa Rosa and Redding, California, to portions of coastal southwest Oregon. In the western foothills of the Klamath Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, rainfall totals can climb to 4-8 inches during this time with the AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches.

The heaviest rain is expected to make its way into California by late Monday night and Tuesday when the heart of the storm will shift onshore.

In the mountains, snow levels will gradually rise by Monday to above 7,500-8,000 feet. Forecasters point out that the upcoming atmospheric river is following on the heels of a hefty mid-elevation snowpack that accumulated from previous events, which can spell trouble as temperatures climb.

"Since snow levels are rising much higher than what has occurred in recent storms, a major flooding risk will quickly arise as rain falls at these elevations," explained Buckingham.

The heaviest round of snow can fall above 8,000 feet early Tuesday morning through Tuesday night, mainly across the Sierra Nevada.

In the aftermath of this potent storm, a brief stretch of dry weather will likely arrive and give Californians a reprieve from the active pattern. Many locations across the Golden State will note this break from Wednesday night to midday Thursday, with intervals of sunshine possible Thursday morning across interior areas.

The stormy pattern will ease some by late week and the upcoming weekend. However, a front can shift into parts of Northern California, Oregon and Washington by late Thursday and Friday. This front can bring a swath of light rain or showers to locations such as Redding, California; Eugene, Oregon; and Seattle by late week.

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.
An area police department was awarded funding by Gov. Mike DeWines Office to help address violent crime in the community.

Twelve law enforcement agencies in the state were awarded a total of $1.3 million in grants as part of the most recent round of the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Program.

>> Driver accused of deadly, fiery Huber Heights crash indicted on additional charges

Among the agencies awarded is Enon Police Department, which was awarded over $26,800, according to a media release.

The grants aim to help agencies pay for retention and hiring bonuses to help maintain staffing levels, recruit new officers and continue services to investigate and prevent violent crimes, the media release states.

Since the program started in 2021 around $80 million has been awarded to 170 Ohio law enforcement agencies.
























KINGSTON - An Army sergeant from Newburgh has been charged with murder in the New Year's Day shooting of a man in Plattekill.

According to the Ulster County District Attorney's office, Junando Dawkins, 29, of Newburgh, was extradited from North Carolina, where he was taken into custody at Fort Bragg as he was about to deploy overseas.

Dawkins was arraigned Friday on an indictment charging him with one count of second-degree murder and three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies.

Ulster County Surrogate Court Judge Sara McGinty ordered Dawkins held without bail in Ulster County Jail, pending further court action.

According to the district attorney's office, Dawkins is accused of the murder of Daniel Spotards, a 41-year-old father of two whose body was found by a local sanitation worker at the end of his driveway in the town of Plattekill on Jan. 2.

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The resulting investigation showed that Spotards had been shot multiple times on Jan. 1. No motive for the shooting was given.

Dawkins faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison if he is convicted of the murder charge.

The name of his attorney was not immediately available.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, Poughkeepsie Journal and The Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @mikerandall845.

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Army sergeant from Newburgh accused of murder in Plattekill
In 1911, the Ashland Times covered some proceedings at council meetings that hinted at problematic relations between the towns foreign-born residents and their neighbors.

That September, a group of over 100 residents of the northwest section of Ashland presented a petition to City Council requesting more police protection due to the presence of foreigners in their neighborhood, which encompassed Arch, Erie and Ohio streets.

Sarah Hootman Kearns

Leo Kocher of Arch Street stated on Saturday nights the Hungarian residents habitually brought in eight or 10 cases of beer and the uproar and carousing lasted until the following morning.

The petitioners complained many people were afraid to walk the streets at night, and one stated his daughter had been followed home by one or two men. The complainants said some of the lower class of foreigners are like hogs and at times they go around partially clothed.

More:Ashland County's rising population brought changes over time

Council tabled the matter at that time, but Councilman Swineford agreed the residents were entitled to protection and suggested more street lights were needed.

Hungarian community responds: Conduct is 'gentlemanly,' beer was bought and paid for

A week after the Times printed the account from the meeting, a short letter to the people of Ashland appeared in response. The letter, signed by J.F. Hauswirth and others, minced few words in its defense of the Hungarian community.

Hauswirth, who himself had immigrated in 1905, said the petition had been brought before council out of jealousy. He stated his neighbors did not need additional police, as we are gentlemen enough to conduct ourselves in a gentlemanly manner. Regarding the complaint about the foreigner drinking beer, he said the bought and paid for it themselves, so dont be jealous neighbor, because you dont get any.

This advertisement appeared in the 1915 centennial edition of the Times-Gazette.

According to the 1910 census, Joseph Hauswirth was born in 1884 and lived on Arch Street with his wife, Mary. He worked as a baker at the French Bakery owned by Daniel Boeh. He had come from Austria-Hungary in 1905 and had already taken out first papers.

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The Hauswirths became naturalized citizens in 1913. Joseph was born in Wukovar (or Vukovar) when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Vukovar is a city along the Danube that is now located in Croatia.

By 1935, the Hauswirths had moved to Eastern Avenue and Joseph owned the Hauswirth bakery. The bakery was first located in a building on the northeast corner of Main and Center streets, but later moved to 106 E. Main. Joseph died in 1962 and Mary in 1976.

But to go back to the events of 1911, City Council responded to the petition in several ways. First, it proposed hiring one new policeman and letting the marshal decide where his services were needed. Council also agreed to have the lighting committee add several lights in the Hungarian neighborhood.

However, council voted at its next meeting not to add any officers, as money was tight. They noted the upcoming election, and thought it best to leave the matter up to the new administration.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Hungarian good times in 1911 didn't settle well with Ashland neighbors
Protesters hold a sign of a turtle on March 4 in Atlanta to honor Manuel

Protesters hold a sign of a turtle on March 4 in Atlanta to honor Manuel "Tortuguita" Teran, an activist shot and killed by police.

An activist killed by Georgia state troopers while protesting the planned development of a police training center had their hands up at the time of the fatal shooting, according to lawyers for their family.

Manuel Teran, 26, was among dozens of people protesting at the intended site of the facility, dubbed Cop City by critics, outside of Atlanta when they were shot in January. Teran, who also went by the nickname Tortuguita, was nonbinary and used they/them pronouns.

Though authorities have so far maintained that Teran had a gun and fired on officers before they shot back, striking Teran 13 times, lawyers representing Terans family said the activist had their hands raised when fired upon.

In a statement released to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday, civil rights attorneys Brian Spears and Jeff Filipovits said an independent autopsy commissioned by the family showed Teran was facing multiple individuals during the shooting and had their hands and arms raised in front of their body.

Manuels left and right hands show exit wounds in both palms, the statement said. The autopsy further reveals that Manuel was most probably in a seated position, cross-legged when killed.

A protest sign for Teran is displayed in Atlanta on March 4.

A protest sign for Teran is displayed in Atlanta on March 4.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Teran was fired on after an officer was shot in the abdomen and fired back in self-defense. A bullet that struck the trooper was linked to a gun found at the scene and belonging to Teran, according to the GBI, but there is no body camera footage of the shooting.

Lawyers for Terans family said they have filed a civil lawsuit against the GBI demanding access to records, including an autopsy report from the bureau that it refuses to release.

During its investigation, the GBI has selectively released information framing its narrative while actively preventing Manuels family from obtaining any information, Filipovits said in the statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The GBI will not even tell us what type of evidence it has. Now, it says that the city of Atlanta cannot release the public records sought by Manuels family.

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Critics of the new facility argue that the 85-acre (34-hectare) site would be turned into a training ground for urban warfare, while also wasting millions in taxpayer money and damaging the environment.

Earlier this week, more than 20 activists were arrested on suspicion of domestic terrorism, though the probable cause that authorities used for the charge may be shaky. More from The Intercept:

Police cited arrestees having mud on their shoes  in a forest. The warrants alleged they had written a legal support phone number on their arms, as is common during mass protests. And, in a few cases, police alleged protesters were holding shields  hardly proof of illegal activity  which a number of defendants even deny.

Attorneys for Terans family plan to hold a press conference Monday to discuss details of their lawsuit against the GBI and the newest autopsy findings.

Belkis Teran, the activists mother, spoke at a rally Thursday demanding justice for her child.

Tortuguita is alive in our hearts, the mother said. My prayer is that the blood of my son will speak in all our hearts. We are going to win.
Storms stemming from an atmospheric river have forced thousands of evacuations and killed at least two people in California, state officials said Friday.

Nancy Ward, the director of the California Office of Emergency Services, said at a press conference that 9,400 people were under evacuation orders, while 54,000 people had lost power and the coroners office had confirmed two storm-related deaths so far.

The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast that onshore flow, when air moves from over the sea to over land, will produce coastal rain and snow at high elevations in California through Monday. Heavy rain and melting snow will continue widespread flooding at elevations under 5,000 feet along the states central coast, San Joaquin Valley and southern Sierra Nevada foothills through early Saturday.

The NWS said the rain at lower elevations and snow at higher elevations will shift toward the northern half of California, northwest Nevada and Oregon through Monday, though the intensity will be somewhat less.

The agency issued a slight risk of excessive rainfall over these parts of California that is active through Sunday morning. It said flash flooding will remain mostly localized, and urban areas, roads, small streams and burn scars will be the most vulnerable.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) requested a state of emergency declaration from the White House for 34 counties for assistance with the storms, which President Biden granted Thursday.

The emergency declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts.

The storms are being brought by an atmospheric river, a relatively long, narrow region in the atmosphere carrying a massive amount of water vapor. Atmospheric rivers often release the water vapor as rain or snow when they make landfall.

California has been battered with storms recently that have brought record-low temperatures and ice and snowfall. The state has received so much precipitation recently that nearly half of it has been brought out of its ongoing drought.

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But the storms have caused tens of thousands to lose power and stranded some in their homes as they did not have time to shovel themselves out of the snow that came.

In the most recent storms, one person died and another was injured after a warehouse roof partially collapsed in Oakland on Friday likely as a result of the weather, CNN reported.

Almost 35,000 people remained without power as of Saturday morning, according to the power outage-tracking website PowerOutage.us. Most of the outages, almost 19,000, were in Monterey County in central California.

The NWS said heavy rain will continue over Northern California on Monday, causing the agency to issue a slight risk of excessive rainfall in these areas from Sunday to Monday morning. The rain is expected to create localized areas of flash flooding.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Shanquelle Robinson died on October 29 while she was on vacation in Mexico. WCNC Charlotte

Attorneys for Shanquella Robinson, who was found dead in Mexico last year, are raising concerns about her case.

Sue-Ann Robinson and Ben Crump believe that the FBI could do more to provide answers for the family.

"There seems to be no activity on behalf of Shanquella," Ben Crump told Yahoo News.

Attorneys for the family of Shanquella Robinson, the woman who was found dead in Mexico last year after a group vacation, blasted the FBI's response to her case compared to how the agency handled the four US citizens who were kidnapped earlier this month.

Speaking to Yahoo News, attorney Sue-Ann Robinson  no relation to the family told the outlet that the FBI "in the current case demonstrates that the U.S. authorities and the federal police agencies are not doing all that they could do in Shanquella's case."

Robinson and prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is also representing the family, said the federal agency swiftly used its resources including offering a $50,000 reward to solve the case.

"There seems to be no activity on behalf of Shanquella," Crump told Yahoo News.

Robinson and Crump have called for diplomatic intervention from President Joe Biden and the US Department of State, as Insider previously reported. No arrests have been made so far in connection to the incident.

"The FBI can issue the same reward they just did if they're seeking information," Robinson said. "They can say, 'Hey, we're offering a $50,000 reward for anybody who has information on this case.'"

Shanquella Robinson of North Carolina was discovered dead in October 2022 in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico after attending a vacation with friends. The group told her mother that she "had alcohol poisoning" but it was later revealed via autopsy report that the business owner had a broken neck and that her spine was cracked. A blogger who runs The North Carolina Beat released a video of the 25-year-old being brutally beaten by another woman, which ignited calls for justice on social media.

Prosecutors previously said that they issued an arrest warrant for one of the six friends who were on the trip, and acknowledged the incident as a "direct attack." In addition, Mexican authorities have requested the US citizen in question, who they did not publicly name, to be extradited  a move experts told Insider is rare.

Read the original article on Insider
Bangkok was born of the river. It began in the 15th century, a tiny jungle trading post set at the waters edge. Centuries passed, the outpost grew, and by the early 1800s Bangkok had taken its modern form.

Today, with over 20 million tourists annually, its one of the most visited cities on Earth. Over the past several years, the waterfront district known as Bang Rak has boomedincluding one street in particular. Charoen Krung, Bangkoks oldest paved road, completed in 1864, is now a fantastic stretch of inventive cocktail bars and jet lagworthy restaurants, where Michelin has been very busy sprinkling stars. Here, the top destinations to add to your itinerary.

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Yu Ting Yuan at Four Seasons

Chef Liu Guokun glazing char sui at Yu Ting Yuan

Theres no bad seat in this culinary theater of modern Cantonese cuisine, opened in 2020 and awarded Thailands only Michelin star for Cantonese, in 2021 (which it kept for 2022). Executive chef Qiu Xiaogui has developed a delicate, colorful dim sum experiencecoursed or a la cartefrom yellow chrysanthemum tea leaves steeping in clear pots to crispy, golden duck carved in the glass-front kitchen. The room is resplendent, with a design by Jean-Michel Gathy that includes towering windows looking out over a courtyard reflection pool and six-foot flower arrangements that add bold color to the black-marble floors and dark pendant lights.

Stella and Cote at Capella Bangkok

An assortment of liquid refreshments at Stella.

Capella, adjacent to the Four Seasons, was a massive arrival when it opened in 2020. It now draws well-heeled travelers for drinks at its extravagant bar, Stella (the wise will reserve seats well in advance). Stellas gilded decor is unapologetically maximalist: The room shimmers with chandeliers and marble, a striking white peacock perches on a banquette, and cocktails arrive in glittering crystal glasses. Try the City of Khai, a spicy, well-balanced mix of Issan rum, galangal and rice powder, and allow it to whet your appetite for Capellas Michelin-star restaurant, Cote. Dinner tasting menus come in five-, seven- and nine-course options, each dish inspired by the French and Italian Riviera with local touches, whether its coriander in the mascarpone or makrut lime juice on the oysters.

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Jua

Jua, set down a quiet alley off Charoen Krung in Bangkok.

The name translates to turning up a card, a nod to the buildings former life as a gambling house. It feels like a discovery down a quiet alley off Charoen Krung, with its bright white walls, terrazzo bar and minimalist stools. Sake and whiskeythe liquid mainstays of every great izakayaare served neat or in cocktails such as the Suntory Highball with soda and orange. Chef Chet Atkinss rotating list of yakitori, from pork belly with gochujang to salted chicken gizzard, is exemplary, yet its the shared plates that truly display his aplomb, from a beef cheek with a veal teriyaki jus to fried chicken with togarashi-spiced egg salad.

80/20

A colorful dish prepared by Michelin-star restaurant 80/20.

Having retained its Michelin star for the past four years, 80/20 now heralds the return of Andrew Martin, who previously worked at the boundary-pushing Thai restaurant and assumed the role of head chef in 2021. One of his first moves: eliminating lunch to focus solely on his tasting-menu dinners, an energetic pleasure amid raw concrete, hip-hop and a buzzy open kitchen. Martin keeps it personal, stopping at every table to chatusually about his culinary appreciation for insects. Adventurous eaters can try the roasted pork belly, which features a giant water bug called maeng da, a local delicacy, grilled in its shell, the flesh scooped out and mixed into the chili paste that tops the meat.

Aksorn

One of Aksorns delicious plates.

Australian-born David Thompson is one of the most celebrated chefs in Thailand. In 2001 he earned a Michelin star for his London restaurant, Nahm; he later brought it to Bangkok, and by 2014 it sat atop Asias 50 Best Restaurants list. After leaving that restaurant in 2018, he opened Aksorn, mid-pandemic, inside a small, trendy creative-retail hub called Central: the Original Store. The top floor was a bookshop in the 1950s, and Thompson was inspired by dusty editions of Southeast Asian cookbooks, selecting recipes from the 1940s through the 1970sthe decades when Bangkok exploded both commercially and creatively. His vibrant flavor combinations, from five-spicebraised duck eggs to river prawns with green watermelon, are best enjoyed at a table on the roof terrace, where you can watch the lively bustle of Charoen Krung below.

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It might be of some concern to shareholders to see the Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) share price down 15% in the last month. On the other hand the share price is higher than it was three years ago. However, it's unlikely many shareholders are elated with the share price gain of 25% over that time, given the rising market.

Since the long term performance has been good but there's been a recent pullback of 11%, let's check if the fundamentals match the share price.

View our latest analysis for Bank of America

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

During three years of share price growth, Bank of America achieved compound earnings per share growth of 5.5% per year. In comparison, the 8% per year gain in the share price outpaces the EPS growth. This indicates that the market is feeling more optimistic on the stock, after the last few years of progress. It is quite common to see investors become enamoured with a business, after a few years of solid progress.

The graphic below depicts how EPS has changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. We note that for Bank of America the TSR over the last 3 years was 34%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

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A Different Perspective

While the broader market lost about 8.3% in the twelve months, Bank of America shareholders did even worse, losing 23% (even including dividends). However, it could simply be that the share price has been impacted by broader market jitters. It might be worth keeping an eye on the fundamentals, in case there's a good opportunity. On the bright side, long term shareholders have made money, with a gain of 1.0% per year over half a decade. If the fundamental data continues to indicate long term sustainable growth, the current sell-off could be an opportunity worth considering. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Bank of America better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Bank of America (at least 1 which makes us a bit uncomfortable) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Bay Mills Community College (Photo/Courtesy)

Bay Mills Community College, a tribal college in Brimley, Mich., has partnered with Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), located in Traverse City, Mich., in an effort to increase the number of dental assistants serving northern Michigan, and Native American patients in particular.

The formal partnership was announced on Friday, March 10, 2023 in a press release. The agreement will allow Bay Mills students to transfer to NMCs dental assistant program after their first year. NMCs yearlong dental assistant curriculum allows them to sit for the state exam to become a registered dental assistant (RDA).

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Our communities need more dental professionals of any kind. This seems like a really good fit, said Diana McKenzie, dean of science and allied health at Bay Mills, which enrolls about 600 students. About 62 percent are Native American.

The announcement came towards the end of Dental Assistants Recognition Week (also known as DARW) which is held the first full week in March every year. The American Dental Assistants Association says the week is the perfect time to acknowledge and recognize the versatile, multi-talented member of a dental team.

NMCs program is the farthest north among six accredited dental assistant programs in the state of Michigan.

With a registered dental assistant, a dentist can see about 60 percent more patients. They can do more clinical procedures under the dentists supervision, said Dr. Jessica Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), a now-retired Traverse City area dentist who hired NMC graduates in her practice.

Dr. Rickert is also the first female Native American dentist in the United States, and remains the only one in Michigan. She now consults with insurer Delta Dental of Michigan and leads Anishinaabe Dental Outreach,whose goal is to improve dental health in Native communities. She saw an opportunity to connect NMC and Bay Mills to better serve the Upper Peninsula, where the shortage of dental professionals is especially acute.

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Among more than 315,000 dental assistants nationwide, Dr. Rickert said only 0.7% are American Indian or Alaska Native.

The scarcity of timely dental care is causing serious hardship, Dr. Rickert said of Michigans Upper Peninsula. They have a wonderful program at NMC. Dental assisting is such a great career, and its really fulfilling and its necessary. Lets make this happen.

Dr, Rickert said the Michigan Dental Association, the American Dental Association and other sources offer scholarships to students of color.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
Its hard to believe it has been six years since the viral moment a father was photobombed by his wife and two children during a live interview. Now, professor Robert Kelly has marked the anniversary of the hilarious video.

Back in 2017, American professor Robert Kelly was being interviewed by the BBC from his home on the issue of South Korean politics when his daughter, Marion, walked into his office. The four-year-old wearing glasses burst open the door and danced her way into the room, as Professor Kelly attempted to push his child away.

Then, she was joined by her nine-month-old brother James, who was in a baby walker. They were quickly followed by Kellys wife, Kim Jung-a, who rounded up the children and tried her best not to be seen on camera. The mother of two was seen on her hands and knees as she dragged them out of his office, but the adorable damage had already been done.

The interview instantly went viral as viewers declared it possibly the best video of the year.

Six years later, Kelly has recognised the anniversary of the hilarious interview on Twitter. Todays the sixth anniversary of the BBC Dad video, he tweeted on 9 March 2023. The father of two quote-tweeted a 2022 thread from last years anniversary of the BBC Dad video, in which he gave updates about his now-10-year-old daughter Marion and seven-year-old son James.

Thanks for all the kind sentiments over the years about our family, he added.

In the Twitter thread marking last years fifth anniversary of the viral interview, Kelly shared that he and his wife remain deeply grateful for all the kindness about our kids over the years.

Happy 6th anniversary to the greatest moment in the history of the internet pic.twitter.com/QYAunxfrUR  Declan Cashin (@Tweet_Dec) March 10, 2023

The professor of political science at Pusan National University in South Korea also took the moment to address some rumours that the viral interview was staged. If youre a BBC Dad Truther who still thinks we staged the whole thing to get famous, we did not, he wrote.

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Along with the thread, Kelly shared several family snapshots over the years, including two current photos of his children. Thank you again for all your kind words over the years, he said.

Todays the sixth anniversary of the BBC Dad video



Theres not too much more to add, I think, so I just re-tweeted my brief thread from last year. The pictures included are still pretty accurate to our appearance.Thanks for all the kind sentiments over the years about our family https://t.co/q1vrNEGTmV  Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) March 10, 2023

Speaking to the BBC shortly after his familys viral appearance, Kelly said he was flattered by the videos positive reaction. The professor, alongside his wife and two children, said at a press conference in South Korea that he was happy our family blooper  our family error on television  brought so much laughter to so many people."

of it, I hope you've found it a good follow beyond the occasional picture of my kids. Thank you.



If you're a 'BBC Dad Truther' who still thinks we staged the whole thing to get famous, we did not. 



Here is what the kids look like now. Marion is 9; James is almost 6.



2 pic.twitter.com/34hTdSAtBl  Robert E Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) March 9, 2022

Kelly revealed that he spotted his daughter in the reflection on his computer screen when she walked in. "I was hoping that maybe my daughter might sit down and read a book or something, even for 30 seconds until we could just cut the interview, but once my son came in on the little roller, then it was sort of... there was nothing I could do," he told the BBC.

He also admitted that he was concerned the moment had harmed his career, adding: "We [he and his wife] were mortified. We assumed that no television network would ever call me again to speak."
By Mike Stone and David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Biden administration will modify, but continue with, an Air Force One paint scheme that closely resembles the current white with two shades of blue, which dates back to President John F. Kennedy's administration, the Air Force said on Friday.

A red, white and blue paint scheme for the presidential aircraft, known as Air Force One when the president is on board, was proposed by Donald Trump when he was president, but was scuttled after a study showed it would create too much heat.

The current "robin's egg" blue will be slightly "deeper", the engines will be a darker blue and the belly will not be polished metal because the jet's alloy does not allow that, the Air Force said.

The contractual decision for a Air Force One paint job "was not required until this year," the Air Force said.

The Boeing Co 747-8s are designed to be an airborne White House able to fly in worst-case security scenarios, such as nuclear war, and are modified with military avionics, advanced communications and a self-defense system.

Last summer, the Air Force said Boeing was set to deliver the next-generation Air Force One 747s in 2026 and 2027, the latest delay. The Air Force said Friday they are now projected to be delivered in 2027 and 2028.

Boeing has racked up $1.9 billion in losses on the $4.3 billion program that is now at least three years behind schedule.

Back in 2018, Boeing received a $3.9 billion contract to build two 747-8 aircraft for use as Air Force One, to be delivered by December 2024. Boeing is heavily modifying a pair of 747s for the project.

(Reporting by Mike Stone and David Shepardson in Washington; Additional reporting by Valerie Insinna; Editing by William Mallard)
WASHINGTON  Biden administration officials on Friday argued that safeguards enacted after the 2008 financial crisis would protect the U.S. economy in the wake of Silicon Valley Bank shuttering.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with banking regulators on Friday to discuss the sudden developments, according to the Treasury Department, and said the federal government was well-equipped to handle the situation.

"Secretary Yellen expressed full confidence in banking regulators to take appropriate actions in response and noted that the banking system remains resilient and regulators have effective tools to address this type of event," the department said in a readout of the meeting.

Yellen met with top officials from the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Earlier in the day, before the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank was announced, Yellen told House lawmakers during a budget hearing that "there are recent developments that concern a few banks that Im monitoring very carefully. And when banks experience financial loss, it is and should be a matter of concern."

Janet Yellen testifies during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images)

During Friday's White House briefing, one of President Joe Biden's top economic advisers contrasted Silicon Valley Bank's closure with the financial crisis of 2008.

Our banking system is in a fundamentally different place than it was, you know, a decade ago, Cecilia Rouse, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, told reporters. The reforms that were put into place back then really provide the kind of resilience that wed like to see. So we have every faith in our regulators.

When pressed further about potential economic and financial fallout, Rouse said that the reforms implemented after 2008 involved putting in place stress tests for banks and other tools that regulators can use to protect the banking system.

Cecilia Rouse speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House (Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images)

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation on Friday took over and closed Silicon Valley Bank to protect deposits, naming the FDIC as its receiver. The FDIC has formed a separate entity where all of the bank's insured deposits will be available by Monday morning.

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The closure is the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis and the second-largest on record after Washington Mutual collapsed during that industry-wide meltdown, according to FDIC data.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, whose district includes Silicon Valley, said Friday that he had reached out to the White House and the Treasury Department to discuss the bank's failure.

"I emphasized the importance of doing whatever is legally permissible & appropriate to support the Bank which is central to the startup & tech economy," he said on Twitter.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, a fellow California Democrat, tweeted that he's working with his colleagues from the state on protecting all depositors at Silicon Valley Bank, which at the end of December was the nation's 16th largest.

"We must make sure all deposits exceeding the FDIC $250k limit are honored. Banking is about confidence," he said. "If depositors lose confidence on the safety of their deposits over 250k then we are in trouble."

The shutdown came after a tumultuous morning for the bank, during which trading of its shares was halted after they fell by double-digits before markets opened. That downslide came on the heels of a more than 60% decline Thursday.

Worries over a run at SVB led Wall Street investors to dump other bank stocks. Shares of other prominent West Coast lenders took sharp nosedives Friday, including First Republic Bank, PacWest Bancorp and Western Alliance Bancorporation.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A rendering of President Joe Biden's new Air Force One US Air Force

President Joe Biden will keep with tradition and feature a blue and white Air Force One fleet.

The news comes years after former President Donald Trump proposed that the colors change.

Trump's changes would have resulted in additional heat on significant plane parts, the Air Force said.

President Joe Biden decided that Air Force One will have a blue and white livery design similar to its predecessors, the Air Force announced Friday.

One key difference in these planes  modified Boeing 747s known as VC-25B  is that they will instead feature a "slightly deeper, more modern tone" of blue than the robin's egg blue used by former presidents, according to a statement from the Air Force.

Additionally, the engines will also use a darker blue and the plane will no longer have a polished metal section "because modern commercial aircraft skin alloys don't allow for it."

A crowd of people stand on the tarmac of theTopeka airport as the new United States Air Force One presidential aircraft taxis up in Topeka, Kansas, Thursday, Sept. 6, 1990. The Boeing 747, assembled in Kansas, made its maiden voyage with President George Bush on board as he travels to the Midwest for a political fundraising event. Cliff Schiappa/ AP

The new planes  there are two, though whichever is carrying the president at the time has the Air Force One call sign  are part of the Presidential Aircraft Replacement program to replace the current fleet, which are facing the end of their 30-year planned life cycle, according to the Defense Technical Information Center.

The first new aircraft is expected in 2027, and the second in 2028.

The news comes after his predecessor, President Donald Trump, proposed in 2019 that all new presidential aircraft don a white and navy blue color scheme, with a red stripe down the middle.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: A model of the proposed paint scheme of the next generation of Air Force One is on display during a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the Oval Office of the White House June 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. The two leaders were expected to discuss the trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Alex Wong/Getty Images

"I like the concept of red, white, and blue," Trump said in 2019. "The baby blue doesn't fit with us."

According to the Air Force statement, the design was rejected after a thermal study found that the new design would result in additional quality testing by the Federal Aviation Administration because of the additional heat from the dark blue color of the proposed plane's underbelly.

On January 20, 2021, shortly after Biden was inaugurated as president, then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Biden has not "spent a moment" thinking about the Air Force One color.

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Air Force One, the plane of the president of the United States, is seen during takeoff, June 1968. AP Photo

The original blue and white color scheme, sometimes referred to as "Jackie Kennedy Blue" was first chosen by President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jackie Kennedy, and the colors have been an Air Force One mainstay. The design itself was created by industrial designer Raymond Loewy.

Every Air Force One plane since has kept with tradition and featured a blue and white design.

In this Oct. 27, 1988 file photo, President Ronald Reagan, at podium, addresses supporters during an airport rally for presidential candidate, Vice President George H.W. Bush in Springfield, Mo. James A. Finley/ AP

As noted by the Associated Press, the current planes first carried President George H.W. Bush.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Callum Woodhouse appeared before a court for criminal damage and possessing a knife in a public place. (SWNS)

A former binman who was sacked for kicking the head off a child's snowman has avoided jail for smashing a police station door after being caught with a knife.

Callum Woodhouse, 21, was sacked after being captured on CCTV destroying a 6ft-tall snowman in Hereford during his rounds in January 2021.

He boasted of being the snowman killer after attacking the frozen creation while emptying bins.

Woodhouse has now appeared before a court for criminal damage and possessing a knife in a public place.

Watch: Binman sacked after being caught kicking over a child's snowman

JPs heard Woodhouse had gone into a police station to make an enquiry at the front desk at 2.30pm on 10 February.

But he flew into a rage when he felt he wasn't getting any help before kicking and smashing a glass door, the court was told.

It was said Woodhouse was restrained and arrested and when asked if he was carrying any weapons, he revealed he had a kitchen knife inside his sock.

Prosecutor Melanie Winterflood said he made no comment in his police interview and he had one previous conviction for battery dating back to January 2020.

The court heard Woodhouse had been seen by mental health professionals, but that he had gone to the police station as he felt he needed more help.

Marilena Di Vitantonio, defending, said: "He was unable to get that help and kicked out at the door in frustration.

"He would welcome a community order with open arms as he feels he needs help and no-one is listening."

Woodhouse, of Kingstone, Herefordshire, pleaded guilty to both charges and was handed a 132 day prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of 135 and a 154 victim surcharge at Hereford Magistrates Court.

Woodhouse previously claimed he had apologised to the family after he Kung-fu kicked their son's snowman leaving him in floods of tears.

He said: I messaged them on the day it blew up [on social media] but they blocked me.

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Im out of work now, just for kicking a snowman.

Im going to be a dad now. Ive lost my job, f***ed over a snowman. I have a family to feed."

Thousands of people signed a petition calling for Woodhouse's reinstatement after he was sacked.
Police have released a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to about the incident. (British Transport Police/SWNS)

A 10-year-old boy was sexually assaulted in front of his mother at Leicester Square Tube station in central London.

The schoolboy was walking with his mum through the busy underground station when a man groped him as he walked up the stairs, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

His mother chased after the suspect as he fled but she could not catch him, the force added.

BTP have released a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to over the incident which happened at around 4.30pm on 16 February.

A 10-year-old boy was sexually assaulted at Leicester Square Tube station. (Getty)

A spokesman for the force said on Friday: "Do you recognise this man? Officers investigating a sexual assault at Leicester Square Underground station are releasing this image in connection.

"At around 4.30pm on Thursday February 16, a 10-year-old boy was walking up a set of stairs at the station with his family when a man sexually assaulted him and ran away.

"The victims mother chased the man through the station, but didnt catch him.

"Officers believe the man in the CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation. If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact BTP."

Anyone with information can contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 474 of 16 February, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Boyne Falls students and staff gathered in the media center on March 9 to find out the school has been awarded a $10,000 media center makeover. Students are pictured with teacher Ted Beyer (left), who submitted the application for the award, and Neil Drzewiecki, Meemic Foundation for the Future of Educations advocate.

BOYNE FALLS  Whenever Boyne Falls math teacher Ted Beyer has the opportunity to apply for special grants for educators through the Meemic Foundation, he always does. Usually, those donations amount to smaller but necessary items, like office supplies or specific projects.

An award Beyer received on March 9, however, is much larger. Beyer applied for and received a $10,000 media center makeover grant from the Meemic Foundation for the Future of Education, and the school came together to celebrate the news.

Mr. Beyer is devoted to this place. He is beloved. He does so much for these students, said Boyne Falls Superintendent Cindy Pineda. This is just another example of how he takes care of this school and our students.

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Long time Boyne Falls math teacher Ted Beyer (left) is pictured with the Meemic Foundation for the Future of Educations advocate Neil Drzewiecki, who presented the $10,000 award to Beyer and superintendent Cindy Pineda.

The Meemic Foundation for the Future of Educations advocate, Neil Drzewiecki, of The Drzewiecki Agency in Gaylord, said it was exciting to be part of the fun during the school announcement on Thursday morning, as he arrived bearing a large cardboard check under one arm and some treats for staff under another.

We are so pleased to present this award to Boyne Falls School, Drzewiecki said. This is the largest grant award I have delivered in the five years I have owned my agency.

Beyer nominated his school for the grant back in October 2022. Boyne Falls is one of 10 schools in Michigan to receive the prize. Pineda said the district will utilize the funds for new furniture and to create special spaces for students to gather in the media center. She expects the upgrades to be completed over the summer.

This is not something for just one teacher or one classroom, this is something that will benefit all of you, Pineda told her students during the grant announcement.

Were excited for Boyne Falls Public School and hope that the new furniture will provide a vibrant educational environment that enhances the learning experience for their students and teachers, said Meemic Foundation Executive Director Pamela Harlin. We truly care about our schools and are dedicated to infusing valuable resources like furniture, technology, books and other supplies into classrooms throughout Michigan.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Boyne Falls school receives $10,000 for media center makeover
In 1836, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the president and general who dominated the political scene in Mexico, rose into Texas with his army, with destruction on his mind. He was determined to put down the uprising of the Texas colonists. He had spent months campaigning across Mexico to put down other rebellions, stepping down from the presidency to do it. Nevertheless, he was at the height of his power in Mexico; and for his opponents, including Texas, he was at the height of his cruelty.

When he reached San Antonio, he found he found the small outpost on the edge of the town defiantly standing their ground. The Alamo was once part of a Spanish mission complex. Determined to eradicate any opposition, Santa Anna settled in for a siege on February 23. The Texans put up a furious resistance though they were outnumbered perhaps as much as 10:1. Santa Anna watched his own casualties increase. Col. William B. Travis sent word out, asking for reinforcements, but none were coming. On March 6, he ordered a final assault, signaling to the Texans there would be no quarter. More than 180 Texans died defending the Alamo, but Santa Anna had three times as many casualties.

Three weeks later, Santa Anna repeated his depredations. More than 400 Texas troops, led by Col. James Fannin, had surrendered at Goliad. On March 27, Santa Anna ordered their execution. Each man was to die for defying him. The general had overseen these tactics since he was a young officer; but even in the years before the Geneva Convention and the fair treatment of prisoners, the Goliad Massacre was still condemned an atrocity.

Texas forces led by Gen. Sam Houston were preparing for Santa Annas march eastward. But Santa Annas arrogance would be his downfall. At the Battle of San Jacinto, near modern-day Houston, on April 27, he allowed his troops to rest for the afternoon while Houston gathered his forces. In a surprise assault, Houston overpowered the Mexican army, forcing their surrender. Santa Anna, however, had escaped. Instead of standing with his men, he turned and ran. A Texas patrol found him some time later, disguised as a private. After his captured troops in their stockade gave him away under cries of Presidente, the Texans realized who they had captured.

Santa Anna was brought before Houston, still in the privates uniform and totally humiliated. He agreed to recognize Texas independence and order the withdrawal of all Mexican troops in Texas. Mexico refused to recognize the treaty, and Santa Anna was sent to the United States.

After he was allowed to return in 1837, he found himself powerless. When France attempted to invade Mexico in 1838, the new government allowed him to take command of an army unit. Called the Pastry War after debts owed to French citizens, Santa Anna fought several battles with the French. During one fight, he was shot in the hand and the leg. The leg was amputated, and Santa Anna ordered it be buried with full military honors. In spite of a peace treaty that forced Mexico to pay off the French, Santa Anna was now seen as a hero again. Afterward, he led a coup against the government, leading Mexico again for four months before stepping down once again. Santa Anna was at the center of Mexicos political chaos in this period, and he still looked to another attack on Texas as revenge for his humiliation during the Texas Revolution.

Ken Bridges is a writer, historian and native Texan. He holds a doctorate from the University of North Texas. Bridges can be reached by email at drkenbridges@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Mexican leader Santa Anna's impact on Texas can't be denied, part 2
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is flying to the United States on Sunday to meet U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in order to finalise details of a submarine pact aimed at countering China.

Britain will also publish an update to its security, defence and foreign policy, known as the Integrated Review, on Monday, setting out how it will respond to a world of increasing threats.

Since the last update in 2021, Russia has invaded Ukraine and tensions with China have risen.

Britain, the U.S. and Australia announced the AUKUS (Australia-UK-US) plan in 2021 as part of efforts to counter China's growing military footprint in the Indo-Pacific region; the meeting in San Diego on Monday is expected to decide next steps for Australia to receive nuclear-powered submarines.

Sunak praised the AUKUS alliance on Saturday and said such partnerships exemplified Britain's approach.

"In turbulent times, the UK's global alliances are our greatest source of strength and security," he said.

"I am travelling to the United States to launch the next stage of the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme, a project which is binding ties to our closest allies and delivering security, new technology and economic advantage at home."

Under the initial AUKUS deal announced in 2021, the United States and Britain agreed to provide Australia with the technology and capability for nuclear-powered submarines.

Britain has said the deal, the first time the United States has shared its nuclear-propulsion technology since it did so with Britain in the 1950s, will help create new jobs in Britain and boost sluggish economic growth.

(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
The Pittsburgh Pirates shut out the New York Yankees 3-0 at LECOM Field on Saturday, March 11.

The Pirates batters got on base often but outside of a third-inning outburst, they werent able to bring anyone around to score, leaving 17 runners on.

It didnt matter, however, as Pittsburghs pitching staff starred, including 13 strikeouts of Yankees batters.

Johan Oviedo had his best outing of spring training. To this point in his career, the young pitchers success has hinged on his control, which he had a handle on today. Oviedo threw 31 strikes on 41 pitches, punching out three Yankees and allowing two singles. He wasnt facing the full force of New Yorks lineup, to be sure, but its a step in the right direction after some early meltdowns.

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (Leon Neal/PA) (PA Wire)

Several major businesses including Amazon, Sainsburys and Coca Cola have backed the new Brexit deal on Northern Ireland trade in an open letter.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak struck a deal with Brussels last month in an attempt to end the post-Brexit deadlock in Northern Ireland.

The agreement, known as the Windsor Framework, will create a new green lane for traders, scrapping all trade restrictions between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and new freedoms for medicines, chilled meats and pets to move over the Irish Sea.

It also rewrites parts of the existing protocol to allow Westminster to set VAT rates in Northern Ireland.

In an open letter, business leaders are from the Confederation of British Industrys Presidents Committee and Northern Ireland Council said the framework represents a huge opportunity for both the Northern Irish and Great British economies.

They also call on politicians to use the momentum to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland as quickly as possible.

It comes after a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP said he would advise party colleagues to oppose the new Brexit deal on Northern Ireland trade if further movement is not secured.

Gregory Campbell said the Windsor Framework was better than the Northern Ireland Protocol, but it was still "not what we need to see".

The DUP, which collapsed power sharing in Northern Ireland in protest at the Protocol, has yet to come to a decision on whether to back the deal and return to devolution.
Photo: The Canadian Press Marineland is shown in Niagara Falls, Ont.

The Ontario government says Kiska, the last captive killer whale in Canada, has died.

A spokesman for the solicitor general says Marineland, a Niagara Falls, Ont., theme park where Kiska lived, told the province the killer whale died on Thursday.

Brent Ross says the province's Animal Welfare Services officers were on-site as Marineland performed a necropsy on the orca.

Kiska is believed to be 47 years old and was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979.

She was captured alongside Keiko, who became famous in the movie Free Willy, and the pair lived together for a few years at Marineland in the 1980s.

Marineland's owner declined to comment when reached by phone.
The girlfriend of Alex Murdaughs only surviving son has complained to police about being allegedly harassed by the media following the disgraced attorneys bombshell double murder trial.

Buster Murdaugh and his girlfriend Brooklyn White have filed a total of three reports with the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office over the ongoing intrusion into [their] life by reporters, news station WTOC reports.

The couple, who reside in a Hilton Head condo, was often seen at the gallery every day throughout the six-week trial which led to Murdaughs conviction for the 2021 murders of his son Paul and wife Maggie. But even after the highly publicised trial ended, Buster and Ms White say the press has continued to follow them and invade their privacy.

According to an incident report filed this week, Ms White told police that she saw a reporter looking into the windows of her car as she was leaving her home on 6 March. She claimed that she recognized the reporter because he had allegedly been stalking her and Buster for weeks at the Colleton County Court House in Walterboro.

Ms White reportedly told law enforcement officers that the ordeal was increasingly unsettling and frightening to her.

Ms White, who works as an attorney for Olivetti McCray and Withrow, said that the reporter in question ran a video account where she said he had published footage of him reportedly harassing Buster and asking him questions.

She also alleged that in the aftermath of the trial, she spotted several reporters photographing and following her as she walked her dogs in her neighbourhood.

Buster and Ms White had previously filed a report after the New York Post published an article with photos that showed his face through a crack in the blinds of their condo. Buster also showed police camera footage that captured a Dodge Challenger car parked outside the home.

Buster Murdaugh and Brooklynn White are asked to stand so witness Chris Wilson can see them during Alex Murdaughs double murder trial

Law enforcement told him that more patrols would be implemented in the area. However, the couple called the police again when another driver, who they believed was a member of the media, followed them as they took a walk.

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The driver was stopped and let go with a warning, but deputies noted in an incident report obtained by WTOC that he had a camera bag in the passengers seat.

While some members of the Murdaugh family have spoken out after Alex Murdaughs double life sentencing, Buster and Ms White have remained silent about the jurys conviction.

Last week, Murdaughs attorneys explained they decided against having Buster plead for leniency during Murdaughs sentencing so as to not put him through unnecessary trauma after he experienced more than anybody that we can imagine has ever been through.

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, per Fox News.

Judge Newman, he is a very stringent punisher when it comes to crimes and sentences. That was never in dispute.

Alex Murdaugh is led to the Colleton County Courthouse by sheriffs deputies for sentencing on 3 March (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Buster had followed the family tradition and worked at his fathers since-dissolved firm while he was a student at South Carolina Law School, but he was later expelled due to a plagiarism incident, according to the Wall Street Journal.

His girlfriend, Ms White, obtained her bachelors degree in political science from the University of Alabama before graduating University of South Carolina School of Law in 2021. Shes been working at the Olivetti McCray and Withrow firm as an estate planning lawyer since.

On Thursday, Alex Murdaughs legal team announced that they had filed an appeal. The double murderer had 10 days to send a notice of appeal following his conviction.

Today Jim Griffin and I filed our notice of appeal for Alex Murdaugh, Dick Harpootlian, one of Murdaughs attorneys, tweeted. This is the next step in the legal process to fight for Alexs constitutional right to a fair trial.
Let's talk about the popular Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP). The company's shares saw significant share price movement during recent months on the NYSE, rising to highs of US$218 and falling to the lows of US$191. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Union Pacific's current trading price of US$196 reflective of the actual value of the large-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Union Pacifics outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change.

See our latest analysis for Union Pacific

What's The Opportunity In Union Pacific?

Union Pacific appears to be overvalued by 23% at the moment, based on my discounted cash flow valuation. The stock is currently priced at US$196 on the market compared to my intrinsic value of $159.89. This means that the opportunity to buy Union Pacific at a good price has disappeared! But, is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Since Union Pacifics share price is quite volatile, this could mean it can sink lower (or rise even further) in the future, giving us another chance to invest. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for how much the stock moves relative to the rest of the market.

What does the future of Union Pacific look like?

Investors looking for growth in their portfolio may want to consider the prospects of a company before buying its shares. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. With profit expected to grow by a double-digit 14% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Union Pacific. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

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What This Means For You

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in UNPs positive outlook, with shares trading above its fair value. However, this brings up another question  is now the right time to sell? If you believe UNP should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards its real value can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on UNP for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its true value, which means theres no upside from mispricing. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for UNP, which means its worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

Keep in mind, when it comes to analysing a stock it's worth noting the risks involved. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for Union Pacific you should be aware of.

If you are no longer interested in Union Pacific, you can use our free platform to see our list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential.

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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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE:VSH) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in four days. The ex-dividend date is usually set to be one business day before the record date which is the cut-off date on which you must be present on the company's books as a shareholder in order to receive the dividend. The ex-dividend date is of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. In other words, investors can purchase Vishay Intertechnology's shares before the 16th of March in order to be eligible for the dividend, which will be paid on the 30th of March.

The company's upcoming dividend is US$0.10 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of US$0.40 per share to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Vishay Intertechnology has a trailing yield of 1.9% on the current share price of $21.41. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. As a result, readers should always check whether Vishay Intertechnology has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.

See our latest analysis for Vishay Intertechnology

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Vishay Intertechnology is paying out just 13% of its profit after tax, which is comfortably low and leaves plenty of breathing room in the case of adverse events. That said, even highly profitable companies sometimes might not generate enough cash to pay the dividend, which is why we should always check if the dividend is covered by cash flow. It distributed 36% of its free cash flow as dividends, a comfortable payout level for most companies.

It's positive to see that Vishay Intertechnology's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

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Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. That's why it's comforting to see Vishay Intertechnology's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 27% per annum for the past five years. Earnings per share have been growing very quickly, and the company is paying out a relatively low percentage of its profit and cash flow. This is a very favourable combination that can often lead to the dividend multiplying over the long term, if earnings grow and the company pays out a higher percentage of its earnings.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Vishay Intertechnology has delivered an average of 5.8% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past nine years of dividend payments. Earnings per share have been growing much quicker than dividends, potentially because Vishay Intertechnology is keeping back more of its profits to grow the business.

Final Takeaway

Is Vishay Intertechnology worth buying for its dividend? We love that Vishay Intertechnology is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. These characteristics suggest the company is reinvesting in growing its business, while the conservative payout ratio also implies a reduced risk of the dividend being cut in the future. It's a promising combination that should mark this company worthy of closer attention.

With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. To that end, you should learn about the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Vishay Intertechnology (including 1 which shouldn't be ignored).

A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield dividend stocks.

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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By Steve Gorman

(Reuters) -More than a quarter-century after college freshman Kristin Smart vanished in what became one of California's most notorious unsolved crimes, the man ultimately convicted of killing her was sentenced on Friday to serve 25 years to life in prison.

The prison term imposed on Smart's one-time classmate, Paul Flores, the maximum sentence under California's current penal system, was announced by the San Luis Obispo County district attorney in a statement.

"Today, our criminal and victim justice system has finally delivered justice for Kristin Smart," District Attorney Dan Dow wrote.

Flores, 46, was found guilty by a 12-member jury in Monterey County Superior Court in October 2022 at the end of a three-month trial. He was arrested and charged with Smart's death in April 2021.

A separate jury acquitted the defendant's father, Ruben Flores, who was accused of helping to hide Smart's body, of being an accessory to murder after the fact.

Smart was 19 when she went missing on May 25, 1996, from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, about 150 miles (240 km) northwest of Los Angeles. She had last been seen returning to her dormitory from an off-campus party at about 2 a.m.

Prosecutors accused Flores of killing her during a rape or attempted rape. Smart's remains have never been found, although investigators said they have searched 18 locations for her body.

For many years the leading suspect in Smart's disappearance, Flores had told investigators he left the same gathering with Smart but parted company with her about a block from her dorm.

New evidence and witnesses uncovered by freelance journalist Chris Lambert's 2019 documentary podcast, "Your Own Backyard," helped investigators crack the case, according to prosecutors and Sheriff Ian Parkinson.

In response to delays in the investigation of the case, state lawmakers passed legislation requiring colleges and universities to share information more quickly about missing students with off-campus police.

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After Flores' October conviction, Sheriff Parkinson vowed that the case would remain open until Smart's remains are found and returned to her family.

Before pronouncing sentence, Judge Jennifer O'Keefe said Flores had continued to drug and assault women in "predatory behavior" that "has spanned your adult life," according to an account of the proceedings published by the San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper.

"You deserve to spend every day you have left behind bars," she was quoted as saying.

Addressing the court for the prosecution, Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle called the defendant a "true psychopath," adding that while Flores maintains his innocence, "we know he lies," the Tribune reported.

Defense lawyer Robert Sanger, whose motion for a new trial was denied at the start of the hearing, declined to give a final statement on behalf of his client before sentencing, according to the Tribune.

"This is a parent's worst nightmare - the disappearance and death of their child," the slain student's father, Stan Smart said during the hearing.

(Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler, Grant McCool and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
The Delta-Mendota Canal, part of the federal Central Valley Project, runs along the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley. California water officials have approved a plan to divert more than 600,000 acre-feet of floodwaters from the San Joaquin River to recharge groundwater and supply wildlife refuges. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

With torrential rains drenching California, state water regulators have endorsed a plan to divert floodwaters from the San Joaquin River to replenish groundwater that has been depleted by heavy agricultural pumping during three years of record drought.

The State Water Resources Control Board approved a request by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to take more than 600,000 acre-feet from the river and send much of that water flowing to areas where it can spread out, soak into the ground and percolate down to the aquifer beneath the San Joaquin Valley.

The amount of water thats set to be rerouted under the plan is more than the annual supply for the city of Los Angeles. Some of the water will also be routed to wildlife refuges along the San Joaquin River starting next week, officials said.

The plan is intended to address potential flood risks, capitalize on Californias near-record snowpack and capture some of the high flows from the latest extreme storms to store water underground.

We are taking steps to maximize groundwater recharge in a way that the state of California has never really done before, said Erik Ekdahl, deputy director of the State Water Boards water rights division. This is an immense opportunity to help recharge these depleted aquifers.

State officials said their order allows the Bureau of Reclamation to manage flood flows from Friant Dam and change points where water is diverted along the San Joaquin River.

Where water sinks into the ground and replenishes the aquifer, it could help address declines in water levels that have left families with dry wells in rural areas across the Central Valley. Stabilizing water levels could also help alleviate the widespread problem of collapsing ground triggered by overpumping, which has caused costly damage to canals and other infrastructure.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said after the three driest years in state history, California is taking decisive action to capture and store water for when dry conditions return.

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Newsom has sought to prioritize capturing stormwater and recharging groundwater as central pieces of his administrations strategy for adapting to more intense water extremes with climate change. On Friday, the governor's office announced that he had signed an executive order enabling the capture of water from the latest round of storms.

The Bureau of Reclamation manages the dams, reservoirs and canals of the Central Valley Project and sends water to contractors including large agricultural irrigation districts and other agencies. The state order allows the federal government to deliver floodwater from the Mendota Pool, a small reservoir on the San Joaquin River, to be used for replenishing groundwater.

The water, which would otherwise have flowed down the San Joaquin River, will be available for irrigation districts and other agencies to divert for replenishing groundwater for more than four months. Under temporary contracts with the federal government, they will be able to send water through canals to areas with permeable soils that allow for groundwater recharge.

Some floodwaters will also pour into wildlife refuges, among them the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, Mendota Wildlife Area and Los Banos Wildlife Area.

The State Water Board said in its order that the changes allow for capturing high flows that would otherwise go unused, easing pressures on flood-control infrastructure and helping to address chronic declines in groundwater levels.

Environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Bay Institute objected to the plan, saying in a letter that the water diversions would allow for lower flows in the San Joaquin River than called for under a 2006 legal settlement, and would likely be harmful for Chinook salmon.

While the order does not completely dry up the San Joaquin River, it will divert most of the water that was supposed to flow down the river under the court-approved settlement agreement, primarily to benefit corporate agribusinesses in the Westlands Water District, said Doug Obegi, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Yet again, agribusinesses win while the environment gets less than its fair share of water.

Amanda Fencl, a senior climate scientist for the nonprofit Union of Concerned Scientists, said the plan raises questions about who will benefit the most, especially since many water contracts in the area are held by agricultural irrigation districts.

Its critical to recharge aquifers, especially when theres an influx of rain, Fencl said. But theres still an open question to me about whether other water users like households on domestic wells and community water systems will get to benefit.

State officials disagreed with the objections raised by environmental groups, saying the water diversions wont harm the environment and the flows left in the river will meet requirements.

There's still going to be a lot of water moving down the San Joaquin, Ekdahl said. The amount of water that will be rediverted here is still relatively low compared to how much water will be flowing in the system.

The Newsom administration and the federal government drew criticism from environmental groups for another decision last month, when they petitioned the State Water Board to temporarily waive water-quality rules in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in an effort to store more water in reservoirs. The board ended that waiver on Thursday, saying the latest rains and snow make it no longer necessary.

Newsom set a goal last year, as part of his water supply plan, to increase average annual groundwater recharge by about 500,000 acre-feet. The State Water Board said that since December it has signed off on diverting about 790,000 acre-feet of water for groundwater replenishment as well as supplies for wildlife refuges.

Most of the water pumped from wells in the Central Valley supplies farms that produce a wide variety of crops, from almonds to tangerines.

Scientists found in a recent study that the depletion of groundwater in the valley has accelerated in recent years. They estimated that groundwater losses since 2003 have totaled about 36 million acre-feet, or about 1.3 times the full water-storing capacity of Lake Mead, the countrys largest reservoir.

As state officials have increasingly prioritized aquifer recharge, they have pointed out that there is vast storage space available underground, and that replenishing groundwater is one of the simplest and most economical ways to take advantage of wet years.

Local water agencies have started to plan recharge projects as they begin to implement plans to curb excessive pumping, as required under the states 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

There has also been a growing focus among water management officials on finding ways to ease the permit process to use storm water for aquifer recharge, and to invest strategically in infrastructure to move water to areas where permeable soils make for fast paths to the groundwater.

The State Water Board said the single request from the federal government cleared the way for large-scale recharge without the need for approving numerous smaller permits.

The water thats used to replenish the aquifer will help local agencies move toward goals of addressing overpumping under the groundwater law, said Thomas Harter, a professor of water resources at UC Davis.

Harter said 600,000 acre-feet is a significant chunk, and it's certainly an important stepping stone toward future wet years and getting to these goals. He said the water stored underground can allow for eventual cutbacks in well-water use to be somewhat less severe than the reductions would otherwise need to be.

To the degree we can increase the supply, and we can only do that by capturing these large flood flows and storing them, that's our main card in this game, Harter said. It's not going to take away the need to reduce the demand, but it will lessen the need to do that.

Ann Willis, California regional director for the group American Rivers, said she thinks the newly approved plan is a good approach to recharge severely depleted groundwater.

It expedites the regulatory process to take advantage of these higher flows when they're available, Willis said. This is a positive thing that we're doing this, and I think we're going to learn a lot from it.

She said the minimum river flow required under the permit seems too low to support a healthy San Joaquin River, but flow gauges have recorded rising flows above that level.

I think right now we have plenty of water to do both  both recharge and environmental flows, Willis said. But that isn't always true. And we should be mindful about which one of those objectives we prioritize when there isn't enough water to go around.

While the state takes advantage of the storms to store water underground, efforts to rebuild depleted groundwater reserves will take time, said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. She said state officials are working with local agencies to expand these efforts and improve the permitting process for more recharge projects.

We hope that over the course of these next series of storms, we can identify those projects and get those recharge systems activated, Nemeth said. We know drought conditions will return to California, and it's really these moments that we have to capture, so that we can be resilient in the event of future dry conditions.

Times staff writer Hayley Smith contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Anna Mehler Paperny and Ted Hesson

CHAMPLAIN, New York and WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Bookseller Zulema Diaz fled her native Peru after being kidnapped, beaten and robbed, hoping to find safety in the United States. Instead, she said she experienced homelessness and sexual harassment as she worked off-the-books on a hospital cleaning crew.

So when Diaz, 46, heard New York City was distributing free bus tickets, she said she hopped on a bus for Plattsburgh, a town close to the Canadian border, then took a taxi to the irregular crossing at Roxham Road to enter Canada and file an asylum claim.

A sharp increase in asylum seekers entering Canada through unofficial crossings -- including many whose bus fares were paid by New York City and aid agencies -- is intensifying the pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reach an agreement with President Joe Biden to close off the entire land border to most asylum seekers.

Canadian immigration minister Sean Fraser discussed irregular migration with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in Washington, D.C., last week. Trudeau has said he would raise the issue when Biden visits Ottawa on March 23-24.

Many of the arrivals abandoned plans to seek asylum in the United States, deterred by long processing times and restrictive definitions for asylum, according to aid officials and interviews with asylum seekers.

On a snowy day in late February, about three dozen asylum seekers, some wheeling suitcases, others carrying backpacks, trudged along a snow path from New York State to Quebec.

For Diaz, the city's payment of the roughly $150 fare to Plattsburgh offered an extra incentive for a decision she had been weighing for months.

"This presented itself like a miracle," she said. After arriving in the U.S. in June last year, she was given a January 2024 date to appear in U.S. immigration court.

"I felt protected in the United States, it just takes a long time to process the documents."

Story continues

New York City has been providing bus and plane tickets to homeless people who can demonstrate a source of support in other cities and countries since 2007. Refugee aid groups began offering free bus tickets to migrants in August last year but said they stopped in November for cost reasons. New York City said it began its effort in September.

The office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams would not say how many tickets the city and partnered charity organizations purchased for migrants. Reuters requested comment from mayoral spokespeople Kate Smart and Fabien Levy; the mayor's immigrant affairs office; the Department of Homeless Services, and SLSCO, the contractor that handles the ticket distribution.

Smart said migrants choose their destinations.

"To be clear, New York City has not sent people to anywhere in Canada," Smart said. "We want to help asylum seekers stabilize their lives whether in New York City or elsewhere."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on processing times in the U.S. asylum system. The Biden administration has called on Congress to overhaul immigration laws.

Almost 40,000 asylum seekers entered Canada through irregular border crossings from the United States last year -- nine times higher than in 2021, when pandemic restrictions were still in place, and more than double the nearly 17,000 who crossed in 2019. Almost 5,000 entered in January alone, according to the most recent figures from the Canadian government.

Canada accepted more than 46% of irregular asylum claims in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, according to Canadian government data. U.S. immigration courts approved 14% of asylum claims in the same period, according to U.S. government data.

At the end of last year, Canada had more than 70,000 pending refugee claims. The United States had about 788,000 pending asylum cases in U.S. immigration court.

Nigerian, Haitian and Colombian nationals accounted for nearly half of the irregular claims in Canada, according to previously unreported data from the Immigration and Refugee Board.

'PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED'

While the Safe Third Country Agreement allows U.S. and Canadian officials to turn back asylum seekers in both directions at formal ports of entry, it does not apply to unofficial crossings like Roxham Road.

A Canadian government official who was not authorized to speak on the record told Reuters the U.S. has little incentive to agree to expand the agreement to the entire 4,000-mile border.

Asylum seekers in the United States wait more than four years on average to appear in immigration court, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. It takes at least six months after filing a refugee claim to get a work permit, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"People are discouraged with the long, long timeline they have for getting working papers and asylum hearings," said Ilze Thielmann, director of Team TLC NYC, which aids migrants arriving in New York.

In Canada the average processing time for refugee claims was 25 months in the first 10 months of 2022. Thats up from 15 months in 2019, according to the Immigration and Refugee Board.

Raymond Theriault, 47, said he left his home in the Nicaraguan mining town of Bonanza aiming to connect with relatives in Canada, where he said his late father was born.

Theriault said he had struggled to find steady work and that local officials blocked him from opening a small seafood restaurant after he criticized the government.

After crossing into the U.S. at El Paso in November, he visited a daughter in West Virginia entering Canada at Roxham Road last month. In New York City, he paid $140 for a bus ticket to Plattsburgh.

Now at a government-paid hotel in Niagara Falls, he said he is happy with his decision to go to Canada.

"There is more support, they're more humanitarian," he said. "In the United States ... if you die of hunger, that's your problem."

The Quebec government has said the increase in asylum seekers is straining its capacity to house people and provide basic services. The federal government said it has relocated more than 5,500 asylum seekers to other provinces since June, the first time it has done so.

In his downtown Montreal office, refugee lawyer Pierre-Luc Bouchard said he has never been so busy.

"I have limited resources. I can't take everybody," he said. "My staff is getting tired of saying 'No.'"

RISING NUMBERS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS

Irregular crossings into the United States are also increasing.

U.S. Border Patrol said it apprehended more than 2,200 people crossing between ports of entry in the four months since October, nearly as many as in all of fiscal year 2022. The force said it deployed an additional 25 agents to the stretch of border that includes Champlain, New York, where most migrants were apprehended.

Immigration experts said closing off the border to asylum seekers could push migrants to take even riskier routes. Last year an Indian family of four froze to death in Canada's province of Manitoba as they were trying to cross the border into the United States.

"Youre just going to see people making more risky and dangerous choices and were going to see more tragedies happen," said University of Ottawa immigration law professor Jamie Chai Yun Liew.

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny in Champlain, New York and Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Denny Thomas and Suzanne Goldenberg)
Justice Russell Brown of the Supreme Court of Canada. Supreme Court of Canada Collection

Canadian Supreme Court Justice Russell Brown is on paid leave after he got into fight while on vacation.

Brown allegedly drunkenly followed guests from the hotel bar back to their rooms, per a police report.

The Justice was reportedly punched twice in the face during an altercation with one guest he followed.

Russell Brown, a justice of Canada's Supreme Court, is on indefinite paid leave following an altercation that occurred while he was on vacation after he is alleged to have drunkenly attempted to follow hotel guests back to their rooms, according to a police report reviewed by Insider.

On January 28, Brown was a speaker at a gala at the luxury Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, celebrating a former colleague's receipt of the Sandra Day O'Connor Justice Prize from Arizona State University. Following the celebrations, the reportedly inebriated judge approached a group in the hotel lounge and sat with them.

Among those in the group was a man identified in the police report as Jonathan Crump, who told the Vancouver Sun that Brown began bragging about his importance as a Supreme Court justice and read aloud from the speech he had delivered earlier in the evening.

Crump did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"He said the male was creepy. Crump said the male 'was touching' his female companions, and kissing them on the hand," according to the police report, which included statements from witnesses who told police they'd asked Brown to stop his behavior. "Crump said when they all began to walk back to their hotel rooms the drunk male said he was going with them and followed them."

The police report continued: "To protect the women and to prevent the drunk, creepy, unwanted male from entering the hotel room uninvited Crump punched the male a few times."

Crump affirmed the contents of the police report to the Vancouver Sun, saying: "I told him: 'You're clearly intoxicated and the girls are creeped out by you. He shoved me . I pushed him back, then punched him in the face twice and he fell to the ground."

Story continues

The punching, according to the police report, "appeared reasonable and necessary," given the circumstances, and no crime was determined to have occurred and no arrests were made. Though police attempted to contact Brown at the time of the incident, he did not respond when they knocked at his hotel room and his version of events was not included in the report.

The Canada Supreme Court received a complaint from Crump on January 31, according to a statement released by the court, and placed him on paid leave the following day, pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation by the Canadian Judicial Council.

Representatives for the Council declined to answer Insider's request for comment about the incident while the investigation remains ongoing.

Brown said in a statement to the Vancouver Sun that he originally intended not to comment on the incident "while the Canadian Judicial Council's process runs its course," but in light of the "false statements in the media" by Crump he felt "compelled to respond."

Brown's statement indicated that he had left the lounge at the same time as the group he was accompanying and Mr. Crump "suddenly, without warning or provocation," punched the Justice "several times in the head," adding that he did not defend himself and that the incident caused him "embarrassment" and "created complications for the court."

"I am hopeful that the council will resolve this matter expeditiously," he added.

Representatives for Paradise Valley Police Department, which handled the complaint, declined Insider's request to comment on the case.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Monterey County Superior Court judge on Friday sentenced Paul Flores to 25 years to life in state prison for killing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart  the maximum sentence for first-degree murder.

Mr. Flores, you have been a cancer to society, Superior Court Judge Jennifer OKeefe told Flores during Fridays sentencing hearing.

For 25 years you have lived free in the community and continued to drug and assault women, she said. This predatory behavior has spanned your adult life.

You deserve to spend every day you have left behind bars, OKeefe told Flores.

Cal Poly student Kristin Smart was 19 when she went missing after an off-campus party on Memorial Day weekend in 1996. On Oct. 18, 2022, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Smart after walking her back to the red bricks dorms after the party.

A Monterey County jury convicted the San Pedro man of first-degree murder on Oct. 18 after hearing evidence in a 3-month-long trial. A separate jury acquitted Flores father, Arroyo Grande resident Ruben Flores, of helping his son conceal the crime.

Paul Flores had been a person of interest in Smarts disappearance since 1996, the year she disappeared. He was the last person to see the Cal Poly freshman alive as she walked home to her dorm from an off-campus party in San Luis Obispo.

Prosecutors believe Flores took Smart back to his room in order to have sex with her, and allege he murdered Smart during a rape or attempted rape.

Smarts family kept her memory alive ever since, advocating for justice for their daughter and posting billboards around the county.

One of those billboards sparked curiosity in Orcutt resident Chris Lambert, whose Your Own Backyard podcast explores Smarts case.

Law enforcement and the Smart family have credited Lambert with bringing forth new witnesses and reigniting interest in the case.

Judge Jennifer OKeefe sentenced Paul Flores to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of Kristin Smart, at Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas on March 10, 2023.

SLO County DA, sheriff react to Paul Flores sentencing

Reacting Friday to news of Flores sentencing, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow spoke of justice.

Today, our criminal and victim justice system has finally delivered justice for Kristin Smart, for the Smart family, and for our San Luis Obispo County community, Dow said in a news release. Today, justice delayed is not justice denied.

Story continues

We thank the Smart family and our community for the tremendous trust and patience they placed in the investigation and prosecution of this terrible crime, Dow said.

We recognize the jury for their focused attention to the evidence, he said, and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office for their tireless effort in building this case.

District Attorney Dan Dow speaks to the media surrounded by Kristin Smarts family outside the Monterey County Courthouse on March 10, 2023, after Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Dow said Flores sentence is the result of a tremendous collaborative effort of more than a dozen local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies over the span of 25 years, but most importantly, the perseverance of the Smart family.

Chris Peuvrelle, who prosecuted the case as a deputy district attorney with the District Attorneys Office, paid tribute to the family and thanked the community for its support.

After nearly 27 years of unspeakable anguish, the Smart family has finally seen their daughters killer sentenced. Their strength and determination serve as an inspiration to us all, Peuvrelle said.

The prosecution team is grateful for the support of the entire San Luis Obispo community during the case, Peuvrelle said. The community stood together, never gave up, and supported us to see that justice was done. We hope that victims everywhere know that there are people in the justice system who will stand up to make sure their voices are heard.

Paul Flores sentencing held at Monterey Superior Court in Salinas will continued at 1 p.m. Paul Flores, left, Robert Sanger, defense attorney, Crystal Seiler, Deputy District Attorney and Chris Peuvrelle, District Attorney for the San Luis Obispo County District Attorneys office.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson also issued a statement Friday about Flores sentence.

It was a long time coming, but it is a decision that is right and just, Parkinson said in the statement.

Our thoughts right now are with the Smart family, Parkinson continued. Today is not about us and what we did, but about them and what they do now. How they move forward.

We want to remind the community this case is not over yet. And it wont be over until Kristin has been returned to her family.

Kristin Smarts family speaks out





Before the sentence was handed down, family and friends offered impact statements, and a video of home movies of Kristin Smart growing up in her 19 years of life was played for the court. They included pictures of her as a baby, videos of her playing with her siblings and her high school graduation.

The video brought nearly everyone in the courtroom gallery to tears, with Paul Flores jurors sobbing, the Smart family hugging one another in support, and other friends and family of the Smarts passing tissues to one another.

Several members of the Smart family gave emotional impact statements, including her parents and siblings, her siblings spouses, her cousin and her childhood best friend.

The judge also said she received several impact letters from the San Luis Obispo community, who said Kristins murder incited fear and stripped innocence from San Luis Obispo County.

Stan Smart, Kristin Smarts father, speaks in court before Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, at Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas on March 10, 2023.

Stan Smart, Kristin Smarts father, was among the family members who asked OKeefe for the maximum sentence allowed by law.

Stan Smart talked about how his daughters disappearance following an off-campus party during Memorial Day weekend in 1996 negatively impacted each family members outlook on life  putting considerable stress on his marriage to Denise Smart, Kristins mother, and leaving her siblings, Matt and Lindsey, scarred emotionally.

This is a parents worst nightmare  the disappearance and death of their child, Stan Smart said, describing it as devastating to our whole family. We shared her hopes, her dreams, her aspirations as she became a beautiful young adult, and now she will never be able to have a full life.

Kristin was destined for great things, Smarts brother said. She was building her legacy ... until she was taken away from her friends and family far too soon.

Matthew Smart said the family has been waiting more than 26 unthinkable years for justice to be done.

For 26 years theres only been one suspect, Smart said. There has never been a need for a lengthy trial, only a confession from Paul Flores.

As such, Theres been no joy in Pauls conviction, Smart said, or his sentencing.

We have waited long enough for this day, he said.

Kristin Smarts sister Lindsey Smart speaks in court before Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison at Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas on March 10, 2023.

Lindsey Smart, Kristins sister, broke down when speaking about how the murder affected her.

She was only 14 when her sister disappeared. Two weeks later, there was an empty seat at her middle school graduation, Lindsey Smart said.

Shes struggled with how to tell her children about their aunt, and has continued to deal with the post-traumatic stress that was compounded during the trial.

I have full body reactions on the street, often prompting me to sprint home, she said after breaking down in tears. When the worst thing happens to you, it feels like its impossible to subject yourself to something else.

Kristin Smarts mother Denise Smart speaks in court before Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison at Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas on March 10, 2023.

Denise Smart, Kristin Smarts mother, spoke about how frustrating it was when it seemed like no one cared about her daughter after she went missing.

She said the days that followed her daughters disappearance were gut-wrenching, and chastised Flores and his family for hiding the location of Kristins body and never taking accountability.

Watching Paul Flores sit stone-faced and remorseless behind his mask was emblematic of the hiding he has done for the last 26 plus years, she said.

Torturing a family by continuing to withhold the location of their sister and daughter is a cruel and visceral pain that no one should ever have to bear, she said.

The Smarts said that their family is still determined to locate Smarts body, which has never been found.

We continue to fight to ensure that justice is served for Kristin, that she is brought home to rest, Matthew Smart said.

Judge denies motions for new trial, acquittal

Before issuing the sentence, OKeefe denied a total of three motions filed by defense attorney Robert Sanger.

The first was a motion seeking a new trial for Flores based on newly discovered evidence regarding cadaver dogs behavior.

According to Sanger, that new evidence revealed that cadaver dogs could (react) to blood, old bones or human vomit. It could be any combo of these things.

OKeefe said Friday that everything that (Sangers) request is being based on is pure speculation, and denied his request for a new trial.

Paul Flores, left, appears with defense attorney Robert Sanger in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas on Friday, March 10, 2023. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for murdering Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.

OKeefe also denied Sangers motion asking the judge to overturn the jurys guilty verdict.

The court finds that substantial evidence supports the conviction in this case, OKeefe said. Acquittal is denied.

Finally, OKeefe denied Sangers other motion that requested a new trial for Flores.

Sanger had argued that Peuvrelle made a prosecutorial error during his closing argument and alleged that Peuvrelle misstated the standard for reasonable doubt.

OKeefe decided that Peuvrelle, now a Monterey County assistant district attorney, didnt misstate the reasonable doubt standard.

She noted that attorneys are allowed to make fair comment on the evidence, including reasonable inferences during closing statements.

She also explained that the witnesses and evidence presented by the prosecution were credible.

The courtroom gallery was completely full with Smarts family and friends.

Dow, Parkinson, San Luis Obispo County Assistant District Attorney Eric Dobroth and several members of Paul Flores jury were also in attendance.

Paul Flores parents, Ruben and Susan Flores, were in the gallery with Ruben Flores lawyer, Harold Mesick.

From left, defense attorney Robert Sanger, San Luis Obispo County deputy district attorney Crystal Seiler and Chris Peuvrelle, Monterey County assistant district attorney, appear in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas on Friday, March 10, 2023, ahead of a sentencing hearing for Paul Flores for the murder of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.

What happens next?

For first-degree murder, Flores faced a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison or life without parole.

Flores faced a maximum prison sentence of 25 years to life with parole because he committed the crime before he turned 25, triggering the California Youthful Offender law.

If he had been over 25 when the crime occurred, he would not be eligible for parole.

Under the current penal code, the death penalty is also a sentencing option. However, Gov. Gavin Newsom put a moratorium on capital punishment sentences in 2019.

Flores has been detained in San Luis Obispo County Jail since he was convicted.

Patrick Stewart, the husband of Kristin Smarts sister Lindsey, gives a statement before Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, at Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas on March 10, 2023.

Flores will be next sent to a reception center for processing. There, he will receive a classification score that weighs length of sentence, stability, education, employment and behavior.

That score would determine the type of facility to which Flores could be sent. The score can change over time depending on behavior and other factors, which could cause him to be transferred to a different state prison.

On Friday, Flores was ordered to pay a total of $10,000 in restitution to his victims.

He must also register as a sex offender for life, as he assaulted and killed Smart with the purpose of sexual gratification and sexual compulsion, OKeefe said.

In addition, he must provide specimens of his saliva and blood to authorities.

Flores will be eligible for parole in about 15 years with the time hes already served and if he has good behavior.

At that time, a parole board will hold a hearing to decide whether Flores should be granted parole. If he is not granted parole, the board will review his case in the coming years at intervals it will determine: three, five, seven, 10 or 15 years.
NEW YORK (AP)  The Washington Capitals have re-signed defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk to a three-year contract worth $9 million.

General manager Brian MacLellan announced the extension Saturday, hours before his team took on the New York Islanders. The deal through the 2025-26 season carries a $3 million annual salary cap hit.

Van Riemsdyk, 31, and forward Conor Sheary were the only two pending unrestricted free agents Washington did not trade before the deadline. It was not immediately clear how close the Capitals and Sheary might be to a contract.

But they made it clear van Riemsdyk is part of their future blue line, along with Nick Jensen, who got a $12.15 million, three-year contract to stay. Van Riemsdyk has a career-high 19 points through 66 games this season.

The Middletown, New Jersey, native and Jensen have stepped up and played more minutes since No. 1 defenseman John Carlson took a slap shot to the head in late December.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Students during the February 24 protest at Marymount University board meeting Courtesy of Grace Kapacs

Trustees at Marymount University, a Catholic liberal arts school in Virginia, voted to nix nine majors.

Some of the majors that will no longer exist include English, math, and theology.

One student told Insider that the university is ignoring student concerns about the decision.

A small liberal arts university in northern Virginia is facing scrutiny from students and faculty alike after announcing it will nix nine common majors from its offerings in an effort to better prepare students for "in-demand careers."

Marymount University trustees unanimously voted last month to cut nine undergraduate majors and one graduate program from the Catholic university's offerings. The impacted subjects include Bachelor's degrees in English, history, math, art, economics, philosophy, secondary education, sociology, and theology and religious studies, a spokesperson with the college told Insider in an email.

Nicholas Munson, director of communications at Marymount University, said the 20-0 board vote was preempted by "definitive research" that found the majors all had consistently low enrollment and graduation rates among students.

There are 74 students across the 10 programs, 22 of whom will graduate in May, Munson said. Current students majoring in the subjects will be grandfathered in and allowed to graduate with their chosen degree, and courses from the cut majors, particularly in humanities, will also remain part of the core curriculum at the school, Munson added.

According to Marymount enrollment numbers shared with Insider, none of the majors currently have more than 15 students enrolled, and at least two  theology studies and secondary education  have zero students. The university enrolls about 4,000 students at its Arlington campus.

But despite the low enrollment numbers among the majors, students at the university have thus far responded with outrage and anger over the cuts, which sophomore Grace Kapacs said are antithetical to the school's founding mission as both a religious institution and liberal arts university.

Story continues

"Nobody seems to be happy or content with the decision," Kapacs, a 19-year-old communications major who helped spearhead an opposition campaign of protests and social media activism, told Insider. "Nobody had alluded to the fact that we would be cutting anything as big as majors."

Faculty, alumni, and students  ranging from conservative Republicans to liberal Democrats and anarchists, Kapacs said  protested outside the board's February 24 meeting hoping to sway the decision. Kapacs said that while it was unclear whether or not university leadership was convinced by the protest, it was important to get their message across.

And even though many of the students protesting will be able to complete their degrees, the concern is about what lies ahead, Kapacs said.

"They're more so concerned about the future and what that will look likeIt's also their legacy," Kapacs said.

Kapacs said the majority of the campus community didn't learn about the proposed losses until one week before the board made its final decision, and students are frustrated about the lack of clarity about where all money for all the lost majors will be allocated.

Munson said the changes to the school's offerings are not "financially driven, but the university does plan to reallocate resources from the cut programs to others that "better serve our students and reflect their interests," though he did not offer specifics about where exactly the newfound money would go.

In Kapacs opinion, students and faculty don't feel like their concerns are being listened to and the campus community has changed drastically as a result. Kapacs described it as a "negativity in the air."

In a campus-wide message obtained by Insider, the university's president Irma Becerra assured students that despite the changes, the university was acting in the best interests of the students.

"We are not eliminating the humanities or social sciences from our curriculum, nor are we turning our back on our Catholic traditions," Becerra said in the nearly eight-minute message. "Quite the opposite."

Becerra also predicted that other liberal arts colleges like Marymount would make the same "difficult choices" in the future. In recent years, the decline in liberal arts majors has become a topic of concern, as the number of students graduating nationally with liberal arts degrees is on the decline.

However, for students like Kapacs, these majors are still worth saving.

"When you have someone majoring in anything, they feel passionate about it, they love it," Kapacs said. "You never want to say goodbye to something you love."

Read the original article on Insider
Photo: Cliff MacArthur/provincialcourt.bc.ca.

A Vancouver provincial court judge has called anonymous attacks on a journalist "cowardly," "predatory" and unacceptable in a civilized society.



Judge Peter LaPrairie made the remarks as he sentenced Richard Sean Oliver to a year of probation for sending journalist Jody Vance more than 100 abusive emails. The 53-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of criminal harassment.



Oliver had disagreed with her reporting in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.



He began sending emails to Vance and forwarding them to her colleagues, supervisors and show guests. The emails, sent from multiple addresses, were sent between March and September of 2020.



Vance said the decision shows there is room for Canada to changes laws significantly.



Im just one of many, many who have been suffering at the hands of people who feel its their right to harass others.



LaPrairie said the emails were misogynistic and became "aggressive and threatening in nature."



They reference her family and in particular her son. There are altered photos of Ms. Vance included in the emails, the judge said, noting they were "disturbing."



Mr. Oliver may have disagreed with media coverage of the COVID pandemic but there is no place in a civil society for misogynistic, threatening and demeaning emails of this nature, said the judge.



LaPrairie said Vance feared for her safety and that of her family, particularly her son, as the tone of the emails grew worse.



Vance responded three times, asking the sender to stop. He didnt.



She then told her employer and eventually the police, who identified him and told him to stop. Oliver did stop but he continued sending emails to Vances colleagues and guests.



LaPrairie called sending angry emails a cowardly way to vent his frustrations on Ms. Vance, who was merely carrying out her duties as a journalist.



The frequency and tone of the emails to Ms. Vance constitutes an aggravating factor, LaPrairie said.



The judge called Olivers actions "predatory."



In passing the conditional sentence, LaPrairie told Oliver he was not to contact Vance and other journalists, including now-CBC Kamloops reporter Marcella Bernardo and Globals Keith Baldrey.



Oliver was also told he was to take counselling as advised by his probation officer. He's also prohibited from possessing weapons. The judge told Oliver if he violated those conditions, he would be back before the court for sentencing.



Outside court, Vance told Glacier Media she felt significant closure with the decision.



The mission that has sparked within me has only just begun, she said. This is a precedent-setting case in that the judge very much heard what was being laid out in the court  just a sampling of what this individual sent to me.



Harassment of journalists



Receiving abusive anonymous emails is for many reporters just part of the job.



Bernardo said the decision is a welcome precedent for multiple reporters who are routinely subject to such abuse.



What I appreciate is the judge pointed out today that people who send emails anonymously are cowards, the longtime Vancouver radio reporter said. Im very proud of how Jody has handled this. When I was getting emails from this particular person, I didnt know how to handle it.



She said she didnt know if the sender was dangerous or not, something she called disconcerting.



Bernardo said the abuse got worse as the pandemic continued with people accusing us of being stooges for Dr. Bonnie Henry or not understanding what science was.



In my case, I was called a murderer, Bernardo said.



Journalism and trauma



A recent report from the Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma on media workers' mental health and trauma found harassment increased during the pandemic. That was on top of the stresses of covering difficult and distressing events.



The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a diminished sense of well-being and heightened feelings of isolation, while also exposing people to more harassment and creating real fears about financial stability and job security, the report said. A surprisingly high rate of people  more than half  have sought medical help to deal with work-related stress and trauma.



A survey included with the report found journalists have been increasingly targeted and intimidated online for doing their jobs.



The Taking Care survey found 56 per cent of Canadian media workers reported being harassed or threatened on social media, and 35 per cent said they also experienced face-to-face harassment while working in the field.



Workers with the highest profiles or most visible job roles are most likely to report worsening online harassment. Those break down as:
A grandfather was killed and his wife injured by their grandchild inside a home on Sunnyside Drive in Cayce, according to the Cayce Police Department.

The juvenile, whose gender and age have not been released, allegedly shot at the grandmother, according to the Cayce Police Department. While she was not struck by gunfire, she was injured, police say.

The juvenile was arrested Friday afternoon after a call was made to the police at approximately 3 pm.

No cause has been finalized as our officers continue to investigate, the Cayce Police Department said in a statement.

Given the young age of the offender, law enforcement has indicated that no further information will be released about the juvenile at this time.

The matter will be adjudicated through the Family Court system and the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, according to the statement.

The Lexington County Coroners Office had not released the name of the victim on Saturday morning.

Law enforcement has asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact Crime-Stoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or the Cayce Police Department at 803-794-0456.

This is a breaking news story. Check back here for updates.
Blondie performs in Amsterdam in 1977. Gie Knaeps/Getty Images

Welcome to The Check-In, our weekend feature focusing on all things travel.

Climate change is affecting turbulence

Keep those seatbelts fastened  climate change is making flights bumpier.

In the last few months, several flights have made headlines after experiencing severe turbulence, renewing discussions about a link to global warming. A 2019 study published in Nature found that climate change is accelerating the jet stream, making wind speeds faster. The atmosphere is then "more susceptible to the particular instability that causes clear-air turbulence to break out," study co-author Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, told NPR. Clear-air turbulence is "completely invisible to the naked eye, to the radar, to satellites," Williams said, and is more dangerous because it can happen with no warning, meaning passengers might be standing up or not wearing their seatbelts when it hits.

Flying above the clouds

Robert Alexander/Getty Images

Williams' research found that by 2050, pilots will likely encounter at least twice as much clear-air turbulence. While turbulence can cause injuries and damage to planes, it is "almost unheard of" for it to cause a crash, NPR says. To stay safe, experts say keep your seatbelt on throughout the flight, safely stow away your carry-on bags, and follow all instructions from the flight crew.

From Barbie to Thomas, all your favorite toys are coming to Mattel Adventure Park

If you've ever dreamed of being a Barbie girl in a Barbie world, you'll get your chance at Mattel Adventure Park, the first-ever Mattel theme park set to open later this year in Glendale, Arizona. The rides and attractions are designed with all ages in mind, and will include a Hot Wheels double-looping roller coaster, an electric-battery powered Thomas the Tank Engine train, and a Barbie Beach House serving drinks on the rooftop. The park is being designed to incorporate outdoor and indoor spaces with lots of A/C, to help on those hot desert days.

Story continues

A rendering of Mattel Adventure Park

Courtesy of Mattel Adventure Park

Museums dedicated to punk rock, Chicano art, and Broadway enter the cultural landscape

From the West Coast to the East, several new museums are telling the stories of important cultural touchstones, using artifacts and technology to put a modern spin on history. Here's a look at a few of these spaces, where the aim is to get visitors to walk away feeling enlightened  and looking forward to coming back.

T-shirts worn by Debbie Harry, guitars played by NOFX...it's all on display at The Punk Rock Museum, set to open on April 1 in Las Vegas. The museum says it has the world's most "expansive, inclusive, and intimate" display of punk artifacts, including flyers, instruments, and handwritten lyrics, plus a room filled with donated guitars and basses that visitors are encouraged to play. Tickets will also be available for guided tours led by the people who lived through it, including musicians from L7, Anti-Flag, and TSOL. If after all this you feel like having a drink, getting some ink, and tying the knot, the museum also has an associated bar, tattoo parlor, and wedding chapel  this is Vegas after all.

A jacket that belonged to guitarist Johnny Thunders

Courtesy of The Punk Rock Museum

Get your jazz hands ready  this is something for Broadway fans to get excited about. The 26,000-square-foot Museum of Broadway in New York City is the first permanent museum entirely dedicated to the Great White Way. Open since November, it's an interactive and experiential museum, with props, costumes, and artifacts all on display  why yes, that is Patti LuPone's wig she wore during the original 1979 production of Evita. Visitors go through the space on a timeline, so they can witness Broadway as it rises up beginning in the 18th century, and in one special exhibit, they can take a behind-the-scenes look at how a show is developed. Maybe a trip to the museum will inspire the next big Broadway musical.

Masks from the Broadway production of

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Since 2021, the 56,000-square-foot National Museum of African American Music in Nashville has been delivering on its promise to celebrate and preserve the history of Black music in the United States. Through its six interactive exhibits, the museum dives into more than 50 musical genres and styles pioneered by African Americans  One Nation Under a Groove documents the history of Rhythm and Blues, while A Love Supreme focuses on the emergence of jazz from New Orleans. In The Message gallery, visitors learn about the origins of hip hop and rap and the technology behind the beats, and can even make their own music.

An exhibit at the National Museum of African American Music

Courtesy of the National Museum of African American Music

Artists have long been drawn to Chicano Park in San Diego, home to more than 80 murals and several sculptures that pull from the rich culture of Logan Heights, the city's oldest Mexican-American neighborhood. The Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center was born out of a desire to preserve San Diego's Chicano history and educate people about Chicano, Latino, and Indigenous culture. It opened its doors in October with its first exhibition, "Pillars: Stories of Resilience and Self-Determination," offering a collective historical narrative on Logan Heights.

A mural at Chicano Park in San Diego

AP Photo/Gregory Bull

Plan accordingly: Upcoming events to add to your calendar

The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C., home to a collection of more than 5,500 works, is reopening on Oct. 21 following a full renovation and restoration of its 1908 building. The improvements include making the gallery space bigger and creating an area for researchers and education programs. The NMWA opened in 1987, after founders Wilhelmina Cole Holladay and Wallace F. Holladay committed themselves to advocating for women artists and building a space to showcase their work.

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An agreement struck by Iran and Saudi Arabia on Friday to re-establish relations has shifted concerns back to the state of the U.S. role in the Middle East  especially since the deal was brokered by Washingtons main adversary, China.

The diplomatic agreement, reached after four days of talks with senior security officials in Beijing, eases tensions between the Middle East powers after seven years of hostilities.

Both Iran and Saudi Arabia announced they will resume diplomatic relations and open up embassies once again in their respective nations within two months, according to a joint statement.

Alex Vatanka, the director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute, said the Iran-Saudi Arabia deal was an important agreement for the region but questioned whether it would put an end to any violence, including in war-torn Yemen.

It remains to be seen if they can have a meaningful dialogue. Opening up embassies is not the same as having a meaningful dialogue, Vatanka said. There will be a steep journey ahead.

Saudi Arabia, a dominant Sunni Muslim country, cut ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters stormed the nations embassy in Iran after the execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric along with the execution of other prisoners.

Both nations have also been on opposing sides of the deadly civil war in Yemen, with Saudi Arabia supporting Yemens government and Iran backing the opposition Houthis.

The news on Friday was a diplomatic and political success for Beijing, which also recently published a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.

Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi quickly hailed the agreement as a victory on Friday and said his country would continue to address global issues, according to statements carried by several Chinese newspapers.

But the agreement undercuts the posture of the U.S. in the region. The U.S. has downsized in Syria after withdrawing forces in 2021 from Afghanistan.

The deal also comes as Saudi Arabia is demanding certain security guarantees, a steady flow of arms shipments and assistance with its civilian nuclear program in order to normalize relations with Israel, a major U.S. ally, the White House confirmed on Friday.

Story continues

Speaking to reporters, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. was informed about the Saudi Arabia-Iran talks but played no role in them.

Kirby welcomed the normalization of relations between the two countries should it ease violence in the Middle East.

To the degree that it could deescalate tensions, all thats to the good side of the ledger, Kirby said, adding the U.S. is not stepping back from its role in the Middle East.

Vatanka, from the Middle East Institute, said both Iran and Saudi Arabia have been seeking to ease tensions for the past couple of years.

While he was surprised by Chinas role as a mediator, Vatanka said the deal does not constitute a major loss for Washington in the long-term.

It symbolically makes the United States look like its not able to be a key player, he said. But its not going to be a Chinese-dominated Middle East.

China is a large buyer of Saudi oil and maintains close relations with Iran.

Conversely, the U.S. has had strained relations with Iran for decades and a similar normalization agreement would have been next to impossible for Washington to mediate.

Some experts have cautioned that China is beginning a new era of diplomatic engagement in the Middle East, where it before mostly had economic ties.

Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative in the Middle East Programs for The Atlantic Council, warned of an emergence of Chinas political role in the region.

It should be a warning to U.S. policymakers: Leave the Middle East and abandon ties with sometimes frustrating, even barbarous, but long-standing allies, and youll simply be leaving a vacuum for China to fill, Panikoff wrote in a Friday analysis.

Middle East politics has become more strained for the U.S. as Israel clashes with Palestinians seeking a free state in Israeli-occupied Gaza and the West Bank. The ongoing civil war in Syria, violence in Yemen, heightened tensions over Iranian support for Russia and a scrapped nuclear deal with Tehran have added to complications.

President Biden also traveled to Saudi Arabia last summer amid high gas prices in the U.S. and was seen fist-bumping Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been criticized for overseeing human rights abuses and for the killing of the U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. A few months after the visit, the White House was angered when the Saudi-led oil alliance OPEC+ slashed oil production output.

Still, during comments on Friday on the economy, Biden appeared welcoming of the diplomatic agreement. Better relations between Israel and their Arab neighbors are better for everybody, the president said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
While the risk of an immediate crisis was reduced this week when US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy signalled near-term plans to meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on US soil rather than in Taipei, the threat of an overwhelming response by the mainland Chinese military persists after he failed to rule out a future trip to the self-governing island.

But Beijing believes it may have a fix.

On Tuesday, McCarthy ended weeks of will-he-go speculation with word that both the Tsai sit-down and a subsequent trip to Taiwan remain in play.

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.

McCarthy's Taiwan moves are being closely scrutinised in Washington, Beijing and Taipei. After then-speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip in August, the People's Liberation Army launched dozens of military sorties and missiles, shut down shipping lanes, staged a mock seaborne embargo, cut diplomatic channels and restricted trade, causing global markets to swoon.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, seen in February, and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party reportedly support delaying any McCarthy visit to Taipei until after Taiwan's elections in January 2024. Photo: Reuters alt=Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, seen in February, and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party reportedly support delaying any McCarthy visit to Taipei until after Taiwan's elections in January 2024. Photo: Reuters>

In an apparent bid to keep US-China relations from deteriorating further, however, China in recent months has shopped a possible workaround, according to several of those approached.

Using "track two" channels - ideas routed through analysts and former officials to preclude a domestic backlash or formal rejection - it dusted off a 26-year-old playbook employed when then-speaker Newt Gingrich visited Taiwan in 1997.

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A quarter-century ago, then-US Vice-President Al Gore was dispatched to Beijing at roughly the same time Gingrich.

This allowed the hierarchy-conscious People's Republic of China to save face, arguing to its hardliners that it received proper respect and a better visit. Beijing has recently suggested that a parallel trip by Vice-President Kamala Harris might be considered.

"I have received the suggestion several times from our PRC friends that if McCarthy visits Taiwan, then the executive branch should send a parallel signal of reassurance about its commitment to the US-PRC relationship a la Gore-Gingrich," said Ryan Hass, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former director for China, Taiwan and Mongolia at the National Security Council.

Yun Sun, director of the Stimson Centre's China programme, said the Chinese seemed quite keen on the idea before one of their surveillance balloons drifted over the US and knocked relations further off course.

She added that the idea reached Secretary of State Antony Blinken's hands, without detailing when or who was involved.

US House Speaker Newt Gingrich (right) speaks with Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui at a meeting in Lee's office in Taipei on April 2, 1997. Photo: AP alt=US House Speaker Newt Gingrich (right) speaks with Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui at a meeting in Lee's office in Taipei on April 2, 1997. Photo: AP>

The Chinese embassy in Washington said the US should not meddle in its internal affairs but did not otherwise respond to questions about any track-two initiative. The US State Department and the vice- president's office did not immediately respond.

The latest twist in the Tsai-McCarthy saga follows various threats, posturing and back-door initiatives since McCarthy signalled last summer his intent to visit Taiwan. House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul followed that up last month, noting that the speaker planned to visit Taipei later this year or in 2024.

McCarthy told reporters Tuesday that a US meeting with Tsai and a subsequent trip to Taipei were not mutually exclusive. "That has nothing to do with my travel, if I would go to Taiwan," he said. "China can't tell me where and when I can go."

The Financial Times, citing sources, reported a day earlier that McCarthy favoured a US meeting with Tsai.

McCarthy's decision to push off any near-term visit was helped by Beijing's nemesis, the government of Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which signalled to McCarthy that it did not welcome his visit before the island's January 2024 presidential election, according to one Washington analyst.

Any PLA show of force following the trip could help the opposition Kuomintang party, which has long argued that its less-fractious ties to Beijing reduce the risk of a deadly clash.

Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province to be eventually united with the mainland, by force if necessary. Although few countries recognise the island as an independent state, including the United States, Washington is bound by law to support Taipei's military defence, something Beijing opposes.

"For China, this is sovereignty. For America, this is democracy," said Jeffrey Moon , president of China Moon Strategies and formerly with the National Security Council.

Analysts said that Beijing's indirect offer is a likely non-starter given growing US distrust of China and how much has changed geopolitically since the late 1990s. More than 80 per cent of US respondents in a September 2022 poll by Pew Research, well before the balloon incident, had an "unfavourable opinion" of China.

But the very fact that China made the informal "observation" was encouraging, several added, evidence of a willingness to take a more active role in easing tensions - even as the backchannel idea suggested that Beijing may be out of touch with the US mood.

"This was very coordinated messaging," said Bonnie Glaser, Asia director with the German Marshall Fund of the United States. "It's actually a more constructive reaction than their reaction to Pelosi, puts the ball a little more in their court."

One problem is the political capital US President Joe Biden would have to expend on a vice-presidential trip. While Biden has an interest in better relations with China, he has a much bigger interest in getting re-elected, and sticking his neck out for Beijing is politically costly.

"Why would the Democrats want to send one of the two people likely to be on the 2024 presidential ticket to China when Beijing has recently rebuffed US concerns regarding the balloon and support for Russia, among other issues?" asked Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

"I can't imagine that enough progress would be made to justify sending the US vice-president to China in the near future."

US Vice-President Kamala Harris travelling to Beijing might offset any trip McCarthy might make to Taiwan, but it's not clear she would take on the assignment. Photo: Bloomberg alt=US Vice-President Kamala Harris travelling to Beijing might offset any trip McCarthy might make to Taiwan, but it's not clear she would take on the assignment. Photo: Bloomberg>

Even if Biden was tempted, getting Harris on board is another issue, analysts said. Although a trip to Beijing could bolster her foreign policy credentials in any future presidential run, it would saddle her with another unpopular assignment.

As vice-president, Harris has already been asked to tackle thorny immigration and voting rights issues, even as many give her underwhelming marks on her performance.

And if she did agree, she might use the platform to criticise China on its home turf, hardly the visit Beijing welcomes.

"I doubt Harris would have any interest in serving as the foil to McCarthy, who would bask in accolades while Harris would invite barbs for cozying up to the Chinese," a former State Department official said.

Fears remain that if McCarthy does travel to Taiwan during Congress' August recess or after the Taiwan election, China could stage an even greater show of force than followed Pelosi's visit to avoid appearing weak. It could also react strongly if Tsai gives a US speech seen as inflammatory.

In a mirror image of US distrust, Beijing has felt increasingly encircled and isolated as it watches Washington strengthen military links with Tokyo, London and Canberra; bolster diplomatic alliances, funnel more weapons to Taiwan and organise a unified front against Russia, China's "no limits" partner, after its Ukraine invasion.

At the extreme, a PLA military reaction could involve temporarily occupying Kinmen or another small Taiwanese island.

Less drastic would be a version of its August playbook with more missiles, more jet fighters probing further into Taiwan airspace with more live-fire exercises shutting down Taiwan's ports longer.

By extending the exercises south, Beijing could also drive home its displeasure over a recent agreement allowing a larger US military presence in the Philippines.

"I think China's response will be more escalatory but less risky," Cooper said. "It will be Pelosi-plus, but a small plus."

McCarthy's itinerary could shape the response. If the speaker went relatively quietly, Beijing could be fairly restrained. If he brought a large delegation, made a high-profile speech and directly challenged China's authority, the risks increase.

McCarthy's tenuous grip on his very raucous Republican caucus could also play to Beijing's favour - he might lose the speakership before a meeting with Tsai in Taiwan even happens.

"Another possibility is that his schedule gets too busy," Moon noted. "You can't leave the roost unattended very long because the chickens will get out of control."

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left) and Tsai during a meeting in Taipei on August 3, 2022. Soon after, the PLA ran unprecedented military exercises in the Taiwan Strait. Photo: Taiwan Presidential Office via AP alt=US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left) and Tsai during a meeting in Taipei on August 3, 2022. Soon after, the PLA ran unprecedented military exercises in the Taiwan Strait. Photo: Taiwan Presidential Office via AP>

Any McCarthy trip would probably be less jarring for Beijing than was Pelosi's, which occurred a quarter-century after the last trip by a speaker, not a few months.

Pelosi was also a senior member of the ruling Democratic Party - Gingrich and McCarthy are both in the opposition - and was disliked, given her outspoken criticism over Tibet, Xinjiang and the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

"This year ... the mental groundwork is laid," said Sun.

While Beijing may have misread the room, Sun added, it saw a narrow window to stabilise relations between Biden's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Indonesia in November and the 2024 US presidential election.

The White House is expected to remain largely on the sidelines regarding any Tsai-McCarthy meeting or the growing number of Congressional delegations travelling to Taipei. After failing to deter Pelosi, it can hardly ask opposition leaders to stand down.

A further contrast with 1997 is that China is now a lot more powerful and Gingrich was willing to cooperate then, visiting China as well as Taiwan and acceding to Beijing's request that he not fly directly between the two.

In the current political climate any Beijing stop by McCarthy would be roundly condemned at home as kowtowing to the Chinese Communist Party. And any Beijing attempt to discourage him following its mild late-January warning could well backfire.

"The worst thing the Chinese could do is tell McCarthy he can't go. They've basically already done that," said Cooper. "That boxes McCarthy in because he can't look like he's listening to Beijing."

Taiwan, for its part, welcomes the growing US support, even as some fear collateral damage. "Can you love us too much is the question," said Michael Fonte, the Washington director of the ruling Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party Mission in the US.

"Taiwan certainly appreciates all the US attention, but is wary of being a ping pong ball that gets bounced back and forth."

One former US State Department official noted that, while Beijing saw the Gore trip in 1997 as a successful counterweight to Gingrich's, the two were planned separately and Gore was not particularly happy with his role.

US Vice-President Al Gore with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in Beijing on March 26, 1997. Photo: Reuters alt=US Vice-President Al Gore with Chinese President Jiang Zemin in Beijing on March 26, 1997. Photo: Reuters>

During his Beijing stop, then-Chinese Premier Li Peng surprised him with a champagne toast: footage shows a clearly uncomfortable Gore spilling his drink, trying to avoid having the moment recorded.

But Beijing - and many analysts - credited the Gore-Gingrich pairing as a key to stabilising relations and ending China's diplomatic isolation after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

"It is sunshine after the rain," then-president Jiang Zemin gushed following the two 1997 trips.

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.
(Getty Images for Good Eggs)

Christina Hendricks has announced her engagement to camera operator George Bianchini.

The Mad Men star posted a photo of herself and Bianchini to Instagram on Friday (10 March) to mark the occasion.

We proposed to each other and we said yes!!! Hendricks, 47, wrote. I will love and care for him forever.

In the photo, Hendricks is wearing a black polkadot cutout dress, while Bianchini looks dapper in a blue suit.

Hendricks and Bianchini worked together on NBCs Good Girls in 2018. The show ran for four seasons until 2021.

People reported that they were first romantically linked the same year, after Hendricks and Bianchini attended American fashion designer Christian Sirianos exhibit together in Georgia.

Stars such as Alison Brie, Tan France, and Kat Dennings congratulated the couple in the comments section of Hendricks post.

Two Broke Girls actor Dennings wrote: Christina!!! I love you, so happy for you both along with several heart emojis.

Queer Eyes France echoed Dennings message, writing: Im so, so happy for you both.

Hendricks on-screen sister in Good Girls Mae Whitman, and her Mad Men co-star January Jones also expressed their delight at the engagement news.

Hendricks was previously married to Body of Proof actor Geoffrey Arend, with the pair announcing they were separating in 2019 after 12 years together.

Her statement at the time read: 12 years ago we fell in love and became partners. We joined our two amazing families, had countless laughs, made wonderful friends and were blessed with incredible opportunities.

Today we take our next step together, but on separate paths.
Two Fresno brothers who are accused of killing one man and wounding another will be put on trial for murder, a Fresno County Superior Court judge ruled Friday.

Ryan Segura, 31, and Anthony Segura, 32, are charged with the shooting death of 25-year-old Kenyatta Williams and the wounding of his brother, Charles Williams, 27.

The shooting took place last year on Dec. 8 at a southeast Fresno apartment complex.

Defense attorneys Gerald Schwab and Alex Martin tried to convince the judge that the District Attorneys Office didnt have enough evidence to prosecute their clients. Schwab said police did not find the murder weapon, there are no witnesses identifying either brother as the shooter and no one has confessed to the crime.

The evidence introduced by prosecutor Kaitlin Drake during the three-day preliminary hearing was all circumstantial, Schwab said.

Judge Alvin Harrell III agreed that much of the evidence was circumstantial, but said that when pieced together it was overwhelming.

It all fits together like a puzzle, he said.

Harrell said one of the key pieces of evidence is home surveillance video showing what is believed to be Ryan Segura slipping into the courtyard of a neighboring apartment complex. Segura walks out of the frame of the video, but a few seconds later, five loud gunshots are heard and Segura is seen running to a waiting car.

Detective Michael Beruman testified that he believes Ryan Segura walked up to a fence separating the complexes, aimed his gun over it and fired five shots in rapid succession. He then ran to a light-colored Oldsmobile driven by his brother Anthony. Police found five spent casings near the fence.

A second video clip shows a man wearing similar clothes to the suspect getting out of a light-colored Oldsmobile near the scene of the shooting. The suspect steps out briefly, then gets back in the car that drives away.

Drake said detectives showed stills from the video to the Seguras mother and she identified Ryan as the person who got out of the car that belonged to Anthony.

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What remains unclear is the exact motive for the shooting. During their investigation, police became aware that the Seguras are cousins to Christopher Hall. At the time of the shooting, Hall shared an apartment with his girlfriend on the second floor, directly above the unit where the shooting happened.

Hall acknowledged in an interview with Beruman that hes had issues with the family who lived below him. Earlier that day, Hall called police because he was concerned someone in the downstairs apartment had a gun and was going to use it against him. Police responded but no gun was found.

Hall also told detectives that Ryan Segura visited him the day of the shooting and his cousin might have had a disagreement with one of the shooting victims.

Hall denied having any involvement in the shooting during his testimony on Thursday.

The Seguras next court hearing is March 23 in Department 33. They will remain in the Fresno County Jail with bail set at $2 million each.
The inside of the plane after Lufthansa Flight 469 hit "severe turbulence" en route to Frankfurt, Germany. Dr. Rolanda Schmidt

You may experience more turbulence on future flights, especially transatlantic routes.

Climate change has altered the jet stream and led to more unpredictable clear-air turbulence.

For a safe flight, experts say to stay seated when the seatbelt light is on and buckle up at all times.

A Lufthansa flight that had to land shortly after takeoff is just the latest example of extreme turbulence.

Each year, pilots report an average of 5,500 encounters with severe or greater turbulence. And that number has increased in recent years, thanks to climate change.

Several other events have occurred in 2023 alone. The pilot had to abort landing due to severe turbulence on one Southwest flight, while extreme turbulence injured 25 people on a Hawaiian Airlines flight. On the Lufthansa flight, several people on board were injured.

And though death due to turbulence is very rare, a passenger on a business jet died during severe turbulence on March 4.

Experts believe severe turbulence may increase in years to come as patterns of severe weather continue around the globe.

Why is turbulence getting worse?

Severe plane turbulence can be extremely dangerous for passengers and flight attendants. Joe Justice/Scrum Inc

Turbulence is any irregular and unexpected change in air movement that affects an aircraft's altitude and motion.

It can range from a mild jolt or bump to severe pitching and rolling that causes nausea or injuries, like your head slamming against the seat.

Primary causes of turbulence for commercial jets and airliners include storms, atmospheric pressure, and jet streams.

Generally, pilots use their eyes, radar, and reports from other planes to detect storms and other signs of upcoming turbulence before the plane starts to jolt. This gives them time to turn on the "fasten seatbelts" sign and instruct passengers to take their seats.

But pilots also have to contend with clear-air turbulence, which is turbulence that has no visible cause.

Clear-air turbulence can set the plane shuddering and shaking before the pilot can issue a warning, which makes it especially dangerous  and it's this type of turbulence that's increasing due to climate change.

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The link between climate change and clear-air turbulence

In this still image taken from video provided by WNBC-TV News 4 New York, emergency medical personnel tend to an injured passenger from a Turkish Airlines flight at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, Saturday, March 9, 2019. WNBC-TV News 4 New York via Associated Press

A main culprit of clear-air turbulence is wind shear, which is a sudden change in the speed and direction of the wind, particularly within jet streams.

"When the wind is blowing from the west at 100 miles per hour at 30,000 feet and also blowing from the north at only 30 mph at 20,000 ft, or directly underneath, it can be quite turbulent for an airplane moving between those two altitudes," said Stephen Bennett, chairman of the American Meteorological Society's Committee on Financial Weather and Climate Risk, and co-founder and chief climate officer of The Demex Group.

In a nutshell, high wind shear makes for an unstable jet stream and faster wind.

Both of these play a major role in clear-air turbulence, and changing global temperatures have already increased wind shear by 15% since 1979.

Plus, clear-air turbulence tends to develop around upper-level jet streams, where planes typically fly. These fast-flowing bands of wind are strengthening with global warming, said Isabel Smith, meteorologist and PhD student at the University of Reading and lead author of a 2023 article on clear-air turbulence trends over the North Atlantic.

She's currently researching the shifts in clear-air turbulence driven by climate change.

Smith said the increase in greenhouse gasses traps heat in the troposphere, the layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface. But this heat should have been released into the stratosphere, which is the next layer up. As a result, globally the troposphere warms while the stratosphere cools at a rapid rate.

"This increases the temperature gradient between the two layers, which strengthens the jet stream, which in turn creates a more unstable wind flow and increases clear-air turbulence," Smith said.

Weather researchers further predict clear-air turbulence will double by 2050, with severe turbulence increasing the most.

"The highest altitude flights over the North Atlantic will encounter the most significant increase in severe turbulence," Bennett said.

Airlines could take longer, more expensive routes to avoid turbulence

Planes may have to reroute and take longer paths in the future to avoid turbulence, which could increase cost. Instagram / Alan Cross

Clear-air turbulence causes a large percentage of weather-related accidents on flights. And turbulence in general is the leading cause of injury among flight attendants.

Even though experts predict the effects of climate change will only worsen, you most likely don't need to worry about increasing turbulence on future flights.

"While it may seem like flying could become more dangerous because of climate change, it's just not that simple," Bennett said  in part because systems for air routing will likely adjust so flights avoid highly-turbulent areas.

"I also expect that newly emerging technology will make it easier to detect clear-air turbulence in the decades ahead," Bennet said. "Even considering the impacts of climate change, it's actually likely that flights will become safer over time as opposed to more dangerous."

Smith added that severe turbulence remains very uncommon.

"If you fly across the Atlantic from, say, New York to London, just 3% of the atmosphere is likely to have light turbulence within it. Only 1% of the atmosphere has moderately severe turbulence, and a few tenths of a percent have severe turbulence," she said.

"This percentage is increasing, so you may encounter more turbulence in the future. But this is much more likely to be light turbulence, which won't cause any serious injuries," Smith said.

She adds, however, that airlines always try to avoid turbulence as much as possible. Thus, increasing turbulence will likely lead to more convoluted flight routes, which could mean longer travel and wait times, along with increased aircraft fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

In fact, avoiding turbulence may cost airlines an additional $22 million dollars each year, with extra emissions of 70 million kilograms of CO2, Smith said. Planes could also spend about an extra 2,000 hours in the air annually, a research letter found.

As for flying safely, Bennett and Smith offer the same advice: Always keep your seatbelt on when seated, even when the seatbelt sign is off.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photo: Pixabay - file photo

B.C.s Civil Resolution Tribunal has dismissed a complaint from a Vancouver man alleging intolerable noise due to poor patio soundproofing.

Paul Morgan owned a unit directly below a common property patio. The patio, while common property, can only be accessed through another unit and was used exclusively by that units owners and occupants.

Morgan alleged patio noise due to a lack of soundproofing caused significant and intolerable noise, tribunal member Leah Volkers said in a March 9 decision.

Morgan said hes complained about the patio noise since 2007. He claims the strata has refused to investigate his complaints, enforce its bylaws, or maintain the common property patio as required by the Strata Property Act (SPA).

He asked the tribunal for $5,000 in damages and for orders the strata hire a professional acoustic engineer or consultant to inspect levels when the patio is in use and install noise-reduction material below the patio.

The strata, meanwhile, said it has made best efforts to comply with its obligations under the SPA and its own bylaws.

Volkers said the strata had hired an engineer so that issue was resolved.

Morgans lawyer had written to the strata about pounding, hammering and thumping while the resident was walking on the patio, thunderous sounds while dragging furniture, and the sound of a television and sound system.

The strata manager sent a June 2021 letter to Morgan advising the strata had determined that the noises from the patio were regular daily living and structural noises that are not unusual nor amplified noises for a wood-frame, multi-residential building.

The alleged noises continued and the strata asked Morgan to create a log.

In August 2021, the strata agreed to examine the situation and a re-alignment of the patio deck was suggested. Further work was also done.

The next month, Morgan complained of noise from several people on the patio, and said it was preventing him from going to sleep.

Ten days later, the strata said repairs were completed. Soon after, Morgan filed his tribunal complaint.

Morgan said the strata failed to investigate his complaints or take any action to enforce the bylaws and address the alleged patio noise. He claimed that failure was significantly unfair.

I find Mr. Morgan had an objectively reasonable expectation that the strata would reasonably investigate his complaints and enforce its bylaws, Volkers said.

However, Volkers said, Morgans complaint was about the lack of soundproofing material, and that the patio causes noise. She said it was, therefore, not about those using the patio and the strata failing to use enforcement options against those people.

She said the SPA only provides for enforcement of contraventions by such people.

I find Mr. Morgan has not identified any failure on the stratas part to enforce the bylaws, Volkers said. Therefore, I also find the strata was not significantly unfair in enforcing its bylaws.

Volkers found the strata had taken steps to address the issue.

I find overall the strata reasonably investigated Mr. Morgans complaints based on the evidence before me, she said. I find the strata was not significantly unfair in how it responded to Mr. Morgans noise complaints.

The claim was dismissed.
The News Corp headquarters in New York City.

Have you ever dreamed about furthering environmental goals in the corporate spaceor, more specifically, working for one of the worlds most prolific climate deniers, at a company helping churn a crusade against the very existence of a job like yours? Great news: Rupert Murdochs News Corporation, aka News Corp, is hiring a director of sustainability!



The job description, posted on the News Corp site this week, calls for someone to supervise News Corps approach to environmental responsibility with the goals of minimizing the companys environmental impact, growing our businesses sustainability and inspiring others to take action. Duties include managing carbon footprint data gathering, identifying new ways to cut emissions to meet corporate goals, and preparing reports to outside organizations and stakeholders; the salary range is listed as between $150,000 and $350,000. Nice work, if you can get italthough, given News Corp is valued at $9.24 billion and Murdochs personal worth was estimated at more than $17 billion last year, its chump change compared with the Succession levels of cash at play here.

Read more

Murdoch, through his various media properties in the U.S., the UK, and Australiaincluding Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and Australias Sky Newshas been one of the most prolific spreaders of climate denial in recent decades. Reports suggest Murdoch himself privately believes climate science, but theres no doubt that his properties still make bank off of spreading denial and questioning climate action. (Just last month, Tucker Carlson went on a rampage about how climate change is now a state religion.) So much for inspiring others to take action!

This isnt the first time that Murdochs companies have gone counter to the political claims they make in their papers and on their TV networks: almost all of Fox Newss staffers got vaccinated against covid-19, for instance, while the network was pushing vaccine denial, according to a 2021 analysis from the Guardian. And the listing for this particular job isnt that surprising, if youve been keeping up with how News Corp has been trying to reform itself on climate. In 2021, News Corp appeared to pivot on climate change, earning widespread news coverage for an editorial campaign urging the world to get to net-zero emissions by 2050. (A Vice investigation found that the company had been quietly tracking its own internal carbon footprint since 2006.)

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The new position is an especially funny job posting to put up now, given the fever pitch that the right wing has reached with its battle against ESG, or environmental, social, and governance. Murdoch entities like Fox News (which is not owned by News Corp but is part of a sister company), the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post (both of which are owned by News Corp) have in recent months helped spread GOP talking points about the evils of environmentally conscious investments and woke capitalism. (This position reports to the companys Global Director of ESG Initiatives, per the job descriptionwonder how that gig is working out for them.)



I reached out to News Corp with questions about how the job is going to function, given the hostility toward ESG displayed by News Corpss own properties. Chief Communications Officer James Kennedy responded simply with a link to this webpage, which touts the companys sustainability initiatives.

While I was writing this article, I took a quick look at the WSJs editorial pages, which have historically been linked with Murdochs personal views. In the month of March alone, the editorial board has already written a defense of coal-fired power; a screed about Bidens ESG veto; a criticism of energy efficiency tax credits in Italy; and a piece urging Biden to approve the controversial Willow oil project in Alaska. (And thats just the editorial side: one of the op-eds the WSJ published in the past few weeks was anti-ESG warrior Vivek Ramaswamys announcement of his bid for the presidency.) The New York Post has also kept itself busy running editorials, op-eds, and columns on the evils of ESG.

Were all for editorial independence here at Gizmodo, but youve got to wonder just how awkward that company holiday party is going to be.

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Sign up for Gizmodo's Newsletter. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.
Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen will testify before a grand jury in Manhattan next week as New York investigators appear to potentially be close to filing an indictment against the former president.

The New York Times reported Friday that people with knowledge of the matter said Cohen will testify as part of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs investigation into payments that were made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about their affair.

Cohen told reporters last week that he expected to be called to testify in the probe very soon. He has met with investigators more than a dozen times during the investigation.

Cohen pleaded guilty to multiple charges including campaign finance violations in 2018 for paying $130,000 in campaign funding for Daniels. He was sentenced to a few years in prison but was released early as the COVID-19 pandemic took effect.

Cohen has said former President Trump directed him to make the payment, while Trump has admitted he reimbursed Cohen for the payment but said it was unrelated to the campaign.

Cohen will likely be a major witness in Braggs case if prosecutors move forward with an indictment. Trumps defense would likely attack Cohens credibility, as another one of the charges Cohen pleaded guilty to was lying to Congress.

The Times reported that Cohen being scheduled to testify before the grand jury could be a sign that an indictment is coming soon.

Another potential sign came after Trump was invited to testify before the grand jury next week, as an invitation often signals a decision on whether to file an indictment is imminent.

A spokesperson for the district attorneys office declined to comment to the Times, while Cohens attorney, Lanny Davis, said that he is only able to say that they are cooperating with the investigation and that they appreciate Bragg and his teams professionalism.

The Times reported that almost every major figure involved in the situation will have testified before the grand jury once Cohen does next week, except for Daniels herself.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Lasell University student is now facing charges after scamming more than $500,000 while on the clock. Ariel Foster, 19, worked at a jewelry store at a mall in Burlington, Massachusetts.

19-year-old college student hit the jackpot of robberies she is accused of stealing over $500,000 from her job at jewelry store to buy a Tesla, Hawaii vacation, and more pic.twitter.com/hEfQhEBBK7  Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) March 10, 2023

The post College Student Accused Of Stealing Over $500K For Tesla, Louis Vuitton And Lavish Hawaii Trip appeared first on Blavity.

According to WCVB, the Lasell student allegedly spent thousands of dollars on a Tesla, Louis Vuitton items, and a luxurious trip to Hawaii. Authorities were notified on Feb. 22 to check in at a jewelry store in the Burlington Mall for a reported credit card machine breach.

Police reported on three different days Foster scanned items for paying customers in February but had increased the prices on each total. The cost of each item was refunded to a credit card belonging to Foster. Foster closed out eight transactions that concluded a total loss of $547,187.

It was a situation of fraudulent returns where she would have an item she would mark up over price, and return the difference to a credit card in her name and then deposit to herself the money to different bank accounts, police Chief Thomas Browne said.

An investigation led authorities to her bank transactions which showcased that Foster made several large transactions between Feb. 2 and Feb. 22, including the purchase of a $35,000 Tesla, a round trip flight for $6,000 through Delta Airlines, more than $20,000 on a hotel in Maui, Hawaii and about $5,000 in Louis Vuitton purchases.

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Authorities arrested Foster at her Lasell dorm and charged her with larceny over $1,200.

According to WCVB, Lasell University still has Foster enrolled as a womens track and field member.

We are aware that a Lasell University student was arrested on Wednesday. The responsibility of all students to comply with local, state and federal laws applies both on- and off-campus, the school said in a statement.

Foster is scheduled for court Wednesday, March 15, in Woburn District Court.
Willa Productions

The period of time from the mid-20th century up until right now has often been called the Information Age. Its defined by the massive amount of technological progress over the last century, which has brought anything and everything we could ever want right to our fingertips. News, pop culture, weather, pornif we desire it, we can have it at the speed it takes to type in a request on our phones.

But perhaps more than any one piece of real data, humanity has been characterized over the last decade by its ability to sift through deception. What is and is not real continues to be the question that hovers above all of politics. Meanwhile, the rise of artificial intelligence suckers in an entire Twitter feed of impressionable users every five minutes, handing over their facial map to see what they might look like as a renaissance painting.

A more appropriate way to categorize this current state would be the Disinformation Age, where nothing is ever quite what it seems. Deepfake technology is the most pertinent calling card of this new era. That tech, which collects facial mapping data from a wealth of photos of the same person, allows one persons face to be plastered upon someone elses body. Despite being the subject of social experiments and absurd meme videos, deepfake technology has become an epidemic that presents real dangers, both political and personal.

The latter is a subject of Another Body, a new documentary out of SXSW, that chronicles one womans intense reaction to finding out that her face had been deepfaked onto several porn videos. While examining the legal ramificationsor lack thereofof this kind of violation, the film itself implements deepfake technology to protect the identities of both the victims and perpetrators, giving us a taste of just how insidiously smart the tech really is. By taking an intimate approach to exploring a problem that grows larger every day, Another Body becomes a terrifying analysis of our crumbling sense of autonomy, in an inextricably digital age.

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(Disclosure: Allegra Frank, a Daily Beasts Obsessed editor, is a member of the SXSW documentary jury. She was not involved in coverage of any documentaries or editing of the story.)

"Another Body." Willa Productions

At the start of the film, were introduced to Taylor Klein via a video diary, shortly after shes found out that her face has been deepfaked onto porn videos, on sites like Pornhub and Xhamster. Taylor, the latest in her familys long line of engineers, had only just graduated college when she received a Facebook message from a classmate, linking her to one of the videos. It was just shocking, seeing my face looking at the camera, basically making eye contact with me, she explains.

But it wasnt just Taylors face that had been compromised. Her full name, hometown, and college were all present, either in the porn video titles or details of the specific accounts hosting the content. She began to be inundated with messages from men on social media, sending lewd and lascivious correspondence about them living nearby, or wanting to meet up with her when they were in town. Naturally, she became worried for her own safety, while already trying to handle the emotional and physical toll of being the victim of nonconsensual pornography.

Shortly into Another Body, Taylor reveals that the person weve been watching in video diaries, professionally lit confessionals, and photos, is not the real Taylor. In fact, Taylor doesnt exist. All of the footage weve seen of Taylor so far is the real-life target of this instance of abuse, but her name and face have been changed to protect her identity. Instead, an actors face was deepfaked onto Taylors, in order to bring her story to the public.

How Pornhub Became Public Enemy Number One for Christian Crusaders

This revelationwhich is not a spoiler to the film itselfpresents a disturbing sense of surreality. Audiences see just how seamlessly the films deepfake artist, Fernando Sanchez Liste, is able to cycle between different faces. Each one fits perfectly atop the body that weve been watching already; the average person wouldnt question its authenticity if they werent told it was artificial.

While not all deepfakes are as indisputable as the ones professionally made by the graphic effects artists for Another Body, their ease of application is the films defining predicament. If its this simple to toss someone elses face onto another persons body, wouldnt the potential ramifications be so clear that the government and law enforcement would do everything in their power to stop the spread?

Unfortunately, as the film notes, deepfakes have become their own epidemic. Millions have already made their way online, and no one is safe. Whats more, only a handful of states currently have laws against deepfakes as a form of nonconsensual pornography. While 48 states have adopted laws against revenge porn, only three states have specific deepfake laws: Texas, Virginia, and California. Only the latter two of those three states specify legal consequences for nonconsensual deepfake pornography.

Taylor Klein did not happen to live in either of those two states, meaning that her chase for justice would have to be entirely self-guided. We were basically playing phone tag with the police for a couple of weeks, Taylor says. [The detective] asked, What have you done to cause someone to do this to you? And after a decent dose of victim blaming, Taylor explains that the detectives simply told her that the deepfakes were wrong, but that there is nothing that can be done, as the perpetrator didnt break any laws.

Twisted Deepfake Ads on Facebook, Instagram Use Emma Watsons Face: Report

Bolstered by her desire to control how others perceive her, Taylor embarks on her own quest to find out who deepfaked her. Along the way, she finds out that shes not the only person in her class grappling with this. Another engineering student, Julia, had also been deepfaked in several porn videos. Once the two of them discover that theyve both had their faces stolen, they posit that it was done by a mutual friend of theirs, and link up in the darkest recesses of the internet to search for answers.

Occasionally, Another Bodys insularity can feel frustrating. It doesnt probe far enough into the reasons why the ramifications of deepfakes are so damaging, beyond Taylor and Julias intense personal distress. The film touches on the potential consequences that Taylor or Julia could potentially face in the real world due to their deepfakes, but only skims the surface of the potential damage. Sex workers already face discrimination both systematically and socially, from employers, banks, families, politicians, and friends. Even if sex work is nonconsensual via a deepfake, the victims of them are liable to face that same discrimination.

Despite remaining focused on Taylor and Julia, Another Body still transcends the coldness of all of the technology that its directors implement to tell its story. These victims are very real, and even if we never see their true faces or know their real names, it doesnt mean that their lives werent consumed by synthetic images of themselves. Another Body takes the time to ponder whether self-control and identity are merely illusions in the Disinformation Age. Whats real and what isnt, and how do we sift through the rubble of our personhood to find the connection between the two? Despite our faces being fodder for the world, its our determination for the truth that remains humanitys most powerful asset when it comes to navigating whatever may lie ahead.

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Then-L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez addresses the City Council chambers in 2020. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

For the record:

10:55 a.m. March 12, 2023: An earlier version of this column said that if Isaac Kim won the District 6 seat, he would join John Lee as Asian Americans representing the San Fernando Valley. Councilmember Nithya Raman is Asian American and also represents parts of the Valley.



Its hard to figure out where the heart of a city council district is when its shape reminds you of brass knuckles.

Thats what passed through my mind as I crisscrossed District 6, the collection of San Fernando Valley neighborhoods once lorded over by Nury Martinez before her career imploded because of the racist things she said about Black people and Oaxacans on a leaked recording. On April 4, voters will choose her replacement from a field of seven first-time candidates.

The roster offers constituents a Choose Your Own Adventure that reflects a huge chunk of District 6's dizzying diversity. Do they want another homegrown Mexican American to represent them in the form of Marisa Alcaraz, Imelda Padilla or Marco Santana? A Central American in Douglas Sierra? Do they want to go with an immigrant, Armenian-born Rose Grigoryan? A Black woman in Antoinette Scully? Pick Isaac Kim to sit alongside two other Asian Americans, John Lee and Nithya Raman, and represent the Valley?



They have all participated in forums in person and online to try and appeal to voters. But Sierra, Grigoryan, Scully and Kim lag far behind in fundraising compared to Alcaraz, Padilla and Santana, who can each tap into different factions of L.A.'s political class.

Alcaraz is deputy chief of staff for South L.A. Councilmember Curren Price; Padilla is president of the L.A. Valley College Foundation board and a former organizer for Pacoima Beautiful, the community group where Martinez once served as executive director and which Padillas sister now runs. Santana was a former staffer for two Valley bigwigs, former state Sen. Bob Hertzberg and current Rep. Tony Cardenas  though the latter recently endorsed Padilla.

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If no one wins a majority of the votes cast, the top two finishers will move on to a June runoff. With so many competing yet intertwining narratives, there was no way I could find one spot that encompassed all the aspiring council members  or could I?

A dispensary and an Arco station greeted me at District 6s eastern gateway, the 5 Freeway North Roscoe Boulevard exit in Sun Valley. I drove past modest single-family homes and industrial sections of the blue-collar Latino enclave as I headed toward Arletas residential niceness. Panorama City was a whirl of apartments, shopping plazas and strip malls. Van Nuys was more working class, while Lake Balboa was the one neighborhood where I sensed vestiges of the Valleys history as the domain for L.A.'s white suburbanites.

Everywhere I went, I saw the best of Los Angeles  and the challenges for whomever ultimately ends up representing District 6.

A sign admonishes visitors to the Van Nuys Airport public observation area (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

There was a cornucopia of ethnic grocery stores and restaurants but not enough parks. I spotted Van Nuys Airport, which many residents want to shut down because of its noise and air pollution. I took a moment to offer a prayer at the Kaiser Permanente in Panorama City where my father went to claim the body of his cousin, who passed away from COVID-19 in 2020. I noticed no campaign signs among the dozens of posters on light poles with phone numbers in case you might want to sell your car or home.

My grand tour ended in North Hills, where Roscoe Boulevard meets the 405 Freeway. It's a straight shot from here east and south through most of District 6. Within walking distance are job-makers such as Van Nuys Airport, the Anheuser-Busch brewery and the Galpin auto dealership empire.

A small homeless encampment stood on the sidewalk on Roscoe's southern side. Also lounging around were something I didn't expect: bears.

The mural Bear Facts/Los Osos was painted in 1999 on both sides of the 405 underpass by students from nearby James Monroe High School. It wasn't the most inspiring thing I've seen, and it was partly obscured by the encampment's tents, but I smiled. The bears slept. They hunted for salmon. They frolicked in snow, hung out in meadows, stood in the woods.

Im no bear expert outside of Yogi and Care, but they looked like grizzlies to me. Thats when I thought of ex-Councilmember Martinez.

Before her downfall, she fashioned herself as the mama bear of the eastern San Fernando Valley  a no-nonsense native committed to uplifting a community she felt the rest of Los Angeles ignored and demeaned. The daughter of Mexican immigrants attended area schools from kindergarten through Cal State Northridge, then went from activist to bare-knuckled politician.

Her trajectory was fast and impressive: mayor of the city of San Fernando, Los Angeles Unified School District trustee, then a 2013 special election win to become District 6 council member. In 2020, she became the first Latina to serve as City Council president.

Though a Democrat, Martinez was unafraid to push back against progressives she felt were trying to impose their values on her Valley. When homeless advocates decried her 2021 vote to ban camping near schools as cruel, she swung back by saying that District 6 residents couldnt show up to council meetings to voice their support because they were working.

Latinos are frustrated; theyre tired, Martinez told my colleague Benjamin Oreskes last fall. They dont want to deal with these encampments anymore.

This was the Martinez on display during the infamous leaked tape  always for her constituents and Latino political power, always against anyone or anything that stood in her way, always her own worst enemy.

Her anti-Black barbs against rivals ranging from former L.A. Councilmember Mike Bonin to L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascon came during a conversation with ex-Councilmember Gil Cedillo, former Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, and current Councilmember Kevin de Leon. In the secretly recorded chat, each of them alleged a conspiracy that outsiders were trying to lessen Latino political power through redistricting.

At one point, Martinez complained about how proposed maps would take the Van Nuys Airport and the Anheuser-Busch brewery away from her district.

What kind of districts are you trying to create? she complained. Because youre taking away our assets. Youre just going to create poor Latino districts with nothing?

In the end, those neighborhood institutions stayed.

If Martinez had shown any humility, she could've roared her way to higher political office. Instead, like the California maybe-grizzlies before me on Roscoe Boulevard, her career went extinct.

All the District 6 hopefuls should make a pilgrimage to the mural. They should ask the people at the encampment what help they need. They should figure out how to freshen up the bears, who  no pun intended  bear signs of fading away.

Then they should remember Martinez, like I did. All her tough talk against the homeless did little to solve the issue. Her Latino-first politicking has also gone extinct in a City Council where alliances are forming along class, not race, like never before.

And every night until election day, the council candidates should utter the following prayer, keeping Martinez and the mural in mind:

There but for the grace of God go we.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Mississippi legislation that critics have slammed as a Jim Crow bill has taken a turn after the state Senate passed it Tuesday with a couple of amendments that would both expand its scope and maintain a level of city government jurisdiction over Jackson.

City leaders and Democrats serving in the state legislature have fumed recently as the state House last month passed House Bill 1020, which was set to establish a separate court system for part of the city and grant the state-run Capitol Police the authority to patrol the area instead of the Jackson Police Department.

Supporters of the proposal have heralded it as a way to address rampant crime and an overrun court system in Jackson, but critics have said it calls back to the Jim Crow era, a period from the late-19th century to mid-20th century when state and local laws in the South enforced segregation and racial discrimination.

Opponents pointed out that the legislation established the court system mostly for the citys white neighborhoods, which have the lowest crime levels of anywhere in Jackson. The state Senates actions Tuesday appear to be an attempt at addressing those concerns.

The amended bill that the Senate passed would expand the Capitol Polices jurisdiction to include the entire city of Jackson. The House bill would have the Capitol Police only oversee a certain segment of the city but supplant Jackson polices authority for that area.

Those who have objected to the House bill have also gone after its plan to let the chief justice of Mississippi Supreme Court appoint four judges to be responsible over four-year terms for overseeing this separate district. This plan would replace a process of choosing judges through election, which Jackson has done for years.

The Senate bill, which passed along party lines in a 34-15 vote, would have the chief justice temporarily appoint one judge to serve alongside the four elected judges for the Hinds County Circuit Court until December 2026, at which point Jackson constituents would elect a judge to that position.

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Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba (D) has rebuked the House bill as amounting to apartheid and plantation politics, noting that it would give a white state official the responsibility to appoint judges who have jurisdiction in a predominantly Black city.

More than 80 percent of Jacksons residents are Black, which means it has the highest percentage of Black residents of any major city in the United States, according to The Associated Press.

Lumumba has said the House bill is an attack on Black leadership. He argued that state lawmakers have ignored the requests that city leaders have made to address crime issues and are instead forcing their influence on the city. Some of these requests have included violence interruption training and ballistics technology to assist in investigations.

Some Democrats and local officials have indicated that the bill the state Senate passed is an improvement on the House version, but both are still unacceptable.

It is vastly improved from where it started, but it is still a snake, state Sen. John Horhn (D) reportedly said during debate over the Senate bill.

Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens testified before the state Senate Monday that the Senates proposal appears to give assistance to Jackson, but his office opposes both this version and the House one, USA Today reported.

Owens said he took issue with the Senate version not tackling the causes of the backlog in the legal system, which he said include a lack of funding for the public defenders office, state crime laboratory and Jackson police.

Gail Lowery, the public defender for Hinds County, testified that her offices attorneys make significantly less than those for the district attorneys office because her office is funded by the county, while Owenss office receives funding from the state, according to USA Today.

Lowery said she has not been asked what resources she needs.

Nobody at this point has asked me or my staff any questions about what our real needs are or to paint a picture about what were struggling with to provide constitutional protections to the accused, she said.

With the two bodies of the state legislature having passed separate bills, the approved Senate version is now heading back to the House for approval with its amendments. The House can either vote to pass the approved Senate version or move into conference with the state Senate to reconcile the differences between the two variations.

Jackson-based CBS affiliate WJTV reported that state Rep. Trey Lamar (R), who introduced the House bill, said he is prepared to collaborate with the Senate to work on the differences. He said he expects the bill will go to a conference process and hopes to have a final product to present to the legislature soon.

We have met, and the governor is, like I think most everybody here, including Republicans and Democrats, regardless or in spite of what the national news is portraying, are in lockstep that wed like to see a safer capital city, he said.

Lamar has rejected claims that the bill has any racial motivation and said addressing crime in Jackson is his only goal.

The city saw a decrease in its homicide rate last year but still had the highest of any major city in the U.S.

Even if the House and Senate are able to work out the differences between their versions and Gov. Tate Reeves (R), who has denounced the crime rate in the city and Jacksons leaders, signs it into law, the legislation could still face challenges from legal battles.

Jackson NBC affiliate WLBT reported that the NAACP and Legislative Black Caucus might file lawsuits against the bill if it becomes law.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Reuters

As a result of Silicon Valley Banks (SVB) sudden implosion on Friday, a bevy of companies have started releasing filing information, sending out calls for help, and putting holds on their companys payroll systems. Roku, Vox Media, and Etsy are among them.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) seized SVBs $209 billion in assets on Friday, ordering the bank closed after the crash. SVB is the 16th-largest bank in the country, and this crash has become the biggest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis. SVB, which was formed in 1983, was used by a handful of startups.

All insured depositors will have full access to their insured deposits no later than Monday morning, March 13, 2023, the FDIC said in a statement. The FDIC will pay uninsured depositors an advance dividend within the next week.

Insured deposits include anything under $250,000. However, a handful of companies had millionsand some had billionsinvested in the company.

Below is a round-up of companies which have reported an impact on their finances as a result of the SVB crash.

Roku

In a filing, Roku reports that SVB held roughly $487 million of the companys cash. Roku, which sells streaming devices and releases original content, has around $1.9 billion, which means SVB held about 26 percent of the companys assets. The Companys deposits with SVB are largely uninsured. At this time, the company does not know to what extent the company will be able to recover its cash on deposit at SVB, Roku wrote in a filing.

Vox Media

Vox Media, the publisher of New York magazine, The Verge, and Group Nine Media, reportedly had a substantial amount of funds held in SVB, a person close with the matter told The New York Times. The company credit cards, which SVB issues, also reportedly stopped working. Vox has reportedly said the company wont face any disruption, which includes its payroll. Penske Media, which recently placed a reported $100 million investment in Vox, says it is ready if the company required additional capital but didnt foresee any issues.

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Etsy

Merchants on Etsy have started receiving communications from the e-commerce company that they wont be receiving scheduled deposits. This delay was caused by the recent developments regarding Silicon Valley Bank, the emails to sellers read, who Etsy uses to facilitate disbursement to some sellers. We are working with our other payment partners to issue your deposit as soon as possible.

On Saturday, an Etsy spokesperson told The Daily Beast, At Etsy, supporting our sellers is our highest priority, and we understand how important it is for these small businesses to be able to receive their funds when they need them. We recently experienced a delay in issuing payments to some sellers related to the unexpected collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Our teams have been working around the clock to implement a solution, and we expect to pay sellers via our other payment partners within the next several business days.

Well, this is just great.



If you, like me, run a business that sells on Etsy, you may not see a deposit if you have them set to pay out daily because of the Silicon Valley Bank crash.



Really regret buying so many groceries today  pic.twitter.com/WTEYDDrY6e  Maridah (@maridahdotcom) March 11, 2023

Roblox

Online game platform Roblox held 5 percent of its $3 billion with SVB, the company said in a filingwhich equates to roughly $150 million. The video company said SVBs collapse will have no impact on usual operations.

Circle

Cryptocurrency firm Circle had a massive $3.3 billion invested with SVB, the company revealed in a tweet. Thats around 8 percent of the companys total $40 billion, which is held elsewhere.

1/ Following the confirmation at the end of today that the wires initiated on Thursday to remove balances were not yet processed, $3.3 billion of the ~$40 billion of USDC reserves remain at SVB.  Circle (@circle) March 11, 2023

Like other customers and depositors who relied on SVB for banking services, Circle joins calls for continuity of this important bank in the U.S. economy and will follow guidance provided by the state and Federal regulators, Circle wrote in another tweet.

Camp

Camp, a start-up selling themed experiences and toys for children, sounded the alarm on its social media pages and website after the SVB crash. The company currently has a sale related to SVBs collapse, since it had most of our companys cash assets held with the bank, according to CNN. Camp has been posting memes highlighting the sale, writing our bank got shut down by regulars, so were asking that you RUN, dont walk to our BANKRUN sale. Co-founder Ben Kaufman said that as a result of the sale, theres been an outpouring of customer support which will hopefully see us through, per Fox Business.

Compass Coffee

D.C.-based Compass Coffee has faced an impact in payroll, according to an email from CEO Michael Haft seen by Fox Business. The coffee company was severely impacted by the collapse, though it is hopeful employees will receive payments over the weekend, Monday at the latest.

Slumberkins

Slumberkins, a company that makes toys and educational material for children, shared a statement on Instagram that it had been turned upside down after the SBV collapse. The business, which has also worked to produce series with Apple TV+, said a majority of the companys cash was held with SVB.

The cash held there was our capital that enabled us to operate the business, continue to launch new collections and content, and develop the tools and resources that are being loved by so many children, families, and schools, Slumberkins wrote. It is unclear when, or if, we will be able to access the majority of this cash going forward.

Rocket Lab USA

Aerospace manufacturer Rocket Lab USA held a good amount of its cash with SVB. The space company held $38 million, or 7.9 percent of its total cash, with SVB, per a filing.

Ambarella

Ambarella, a semiconductor company that focuses on AI camera products, took a hit from the SBV crash. The firm held deposits of approximately $17 million in total value, which is around 8 percent of its total $206.9 million reported at the end of January.

Oncorus

Biotech company Oncorus faces the loss of some of its funds as a result of the SVB crash. The company held about 23 percent of its total current cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments in the bank, which is a total of $10 million, according to Fast Company.

Sangamo Therapeutics

Another biotech company, Sangamo Therapeutics, had approximately $34.4 million in deposits at SVB, Fast Company reports. The pharmaceutical company offers technologies in gene therapy, cell therapy, and more.

Eiger Biopharmaceuticals

Yet another pharmaceutical firm, Eiger Biopharmaceuticals, faces issues after the SVB crash, Fast Company reports. Eiger reported cash deposits of around $8.3 million with the bank, around 7 percent of its total cash and cash equivalents.

Wrapbook

Entertainment production payroll company Wrapbook was affected by the collapse of SVB. In a statement made to Twitter, the company said that the crash would cause payroll to be delayed and would impact the processing of checks.

Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest bank in the USA, collapsed earlier today and its $175B in deposits are now under control of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  Wrapbook (@wrapbook) March 11, 2023

Weve sent email communications to all companies and their workersand will continue to operate transparently as this issue is resolved, the company shared. A bank failing is an extreme external event. We apologize, on behalf of all of us at Wrapbook, for any challenge this puts on you.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Atlanta police confirmed with Channel 2 Action News that they serving an arrest warrant near the site of the proposed Atlanta police training facility on Saturday.

This comes after neighbors in the area told Channel 2 that police had been in the area since around 7 a.m.

Channel 2 also received information from a group that claimed the following:

Earlier this morning, 22 people have been detained by Atlanta Police Department and Homeland Security during a raid at the site of the Lakewood Environmental Arts Foundation (LEAF), a community resource that has distributed fresh food to the local community for the last 6 years.

The agencies entered the house with AR15s, aimed long guns at those who were detained and refused to provide an arrest warrant, saying it was offsite. One person has been arrested for an old traffic ticket highlighting the desperation of the state to find any reason to make arrests to repress the movement to Stop Cop City.

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

Channel 2s Justin Carter was at the scene on Meador Avenue where he spotted dozens of APD units leaving the area just before noon.

APD was unable to provide any information on how many people were arrested or detained.

TRENDING STORIES:

Channel 2 also reached out to APD asking them for additional information, at this time police say there is no additional information available.

All of this comes after organizers held a rally at Gresham Park last Saturday stating it was the kickoff for a week-long event where thousands of visitors are expected to tour the forested area.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
Photo: . A Surrey man has received an 18-month conditional sentence for his part in dealing fentanyl on the North Shore.| Cindy Goodman file photo / North Shore News

A Surrey man who was part of a dial-a-dope operation selling fentanyl on the North Shore has been handed an 18-month conditional sentence and placed under house arrest for six months.

Gurpinder Vicky Johal, 27, was handed the sentence to be served in the community after pleading guilty March 7 to possessing fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking in North Vancouver on July 27, 2021.

The drug dealing first came to light while North Vancouver RCMP were conducting surveillance on a rooming house at 462 East 11th St. because of that addresss association to previous drug activity, said Crown counsel Lisa Dumbrell. At 11 a.m., police saw a white Jetta driven by Johal approach the area, stop briefly and interact with someone who then walked away.

Police then started surveillance on the car, following it around the North Shore through several brief stops including some in West Vancouver.

Just after 11 a.m., police watched the Jetta stop on Keith Road near Fullerton, where a man left a nearby address and got into the rear passenger seat of the car. One minute later, the man left the car, the prosecutor said.

Surveillance continued until the Jetta went back to the alley behind house on East 11th Street where a man appeared to be waiting, also getting into the back seat of the car and leaving a minute later.

Police eventually moved in on the car when the drug dealers went through the Tim Hortons drive-through at 2177 Dollarton Hwy, blocking the exit and arresting Johal and a second man in the car, who had dropped a bag of drugs on the floor of the car, said Dumbrell. Both men were taken back to the detachment and the car was towed and searched.

Inside the car, police found a car rental agreement from Enterprise, along with cell phones, about $1,000 in cash, a baton and bags of drugs.

The drugs included 13 baggies of fentanyl benzodiazepine with a total weight of 1.6 grams, six baggies fentanyl with a weight of .6 grams, five baggies of fentanyl benzodiazepine with a weight of 1.2 grams and 48 bags of cocaine with a weight of 15.4 grams, said the Crown. The drugs were estimated to have a value of about $2,100.

Dumbrell said the fact the pair were dealing fentanyl is an aggravating factor in the case. Your honour is well aware of the catastrophic impact that has had on many in our community, she said. Dumbrell described the dial-a-dope operation as on the sophisticated side, adding the car rental agreement indicated a plan to be involved for some time.

As the driver, Johal played a secondary role in the drug dealing, she added.

A second man arrested in the case has not yet been sentenced.

Defence lawyer Conor Muldoon said Johal has no mental health or addiction issues but does have ADHD which likely led to some of his bad decision-making.

He added Johal was only 25 at the time of the offence.

Judge Robert Hamilton placed Johal on house arrest for the first six months of his 18-month conditional sentence, with exceptions for medical care, work and school. He must also complete 75 hours of community work service. Johal was also banned from possessing firearms for 10 years.
Jeremy Hunt is considering an emergency move to rescue British tech start-ups - GETTY IMAGES

Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, was on Saturday night considering stepping in to bail out British tech start-ups caught up in the bankruptcy of a US bank.

The Bank of England was due to place Silicon Valley Bank UK, the British subsidiary of a large American institution, into insolvency on Saturday night.

It took control of the bank on Friday night after the shock collapse of its US parent.

In Britain, start-ups spent Saturday frantically seeking emergency financing from investors, fearing that they would be unable to pay staff and suppliers.

More than 210 technology companies wrote to the Chancellor warning of an existential threat to the UK tech sector and saying businesses risked being sent into involuntary liquidation.

This crisis will start on Monday and so we call on you to prevent it now, said the letter, signed by founders and chief executives from companies including Adzuna, ClearScore and Curve.

Under the Prudential Regulation Authoritys (PRAs) insolvency process, deposit holders will only have access to the 85,000 protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme until creditors are repaid.

The Bank of London, a two-year-old lender, is among the banks circling SVB UKs assets, and is working with advisers at Perella and Paul Hastings.

The Treasury will have to ride to the rescue in one form or another, said one source involved in negotiations. Another said that tomorrow would be a bloodbath without intervention.

A Treasury spokesman said: The government recognises that tech sector companies are often not cashflow positive as they grow, and that they rely on cash on deposits to cover their day to day costs.

In the US, a major cryptocurrency  USD Coin  saw its value drop sharply after its parent company, Circle Internet Financial, said it had $3.3bn (2.7bn) deposited in the collapsed SVB. The value of USD Coin, which is intended to trade at exactly $1, fell to a low of 87 cents on Saturday morning before recovering.

Story continues

In Britain, start-ups spent Saturday frantically seeking emergency financing from investors, fearing that they would be unable to pay staff and suppliers. More than 210 technology companies wrote to the Chancellor warning of an existential threat to the UK tech sector and saying businesses risked being sent into involuntary liquidation.

This crisis will start on Monday and so we call on you to prevent it now, said the letter, signed by founders and chief executives from companies including Adzuna, ClearScore and Curve.

Under the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)s insolvency process, deposit holders will only have access to the 85,000 protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme until creditors are repaid.

The Bank of London, a two-year-old lender, is understood to be among the banks circling SVB UKs assets, and is working with advisers at Perella and Paul Hastings.

The Treasury will have to ride to the rescue in one form or another, said one source involved in negotiations. Another said that Monday would be a bloodbath without intervention.

Mr Hunt spoke to Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey on Saturday morning while Treasury officials held a roundtable with tech industry representatives in the afternoon.

People involved in the talks said that one option would be for the British Business Bank (BBB), the taxpayer-owned investment body, to take control of some of SVB UKs loans to start-ups, with other assets sold off to private banks. Another said that the Treasury or BBB could provide a backstop so that start-ups were able to access funds.

The Bank of England intervened late on Friday night, saying it would freeze activity until the bank was put into insolvency. Tech leaders were privately furious at the central banks statement, which said SVB UK has a limited presence in the UK and no critical functions supporting the financial system.

The start-ups letter to Mr Hunt said the statement showed the Bank displays a dangerous lack of understanding of the [tech] sector and the role it plays in the wider economy.

SVB UK said: We are announcing that following conversations with the PRA there is an intention, barring any intervening event, to put Silicon Valley Bank UK Limited into insolvency from Sunday evening. We are determined to work on the behalf of our clients.

Bank of London did not comment. Its interest was first reported by Sky News.
Representative Dan Crenshaw (R., Texas) on Friday accused Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of lying about the presence of fentanyl in the country and of putting the drug cartels before his own people.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said earlier this week he planned to propose legislation to designate cartels as foreign terrorist groups, setting the stage for the U.S. to use military force. Lopez Obrador rebuked that proposal in a press conference on Thursday, saying it showed a lack of respect for Mexico [and its] sovereignty. He also called Republicans hypocrites and said fentanyl is not Mexicos problem, but Americas.

Here, we do not produce fentanyl, and we do not have consumption of fentanyl, Lopez Obrador said. Why dont they take care of their problem of social decay?

Crenshaw responded to Obradors comments during an appearance on Fox News on Friday: Look, Im for the Mexican people. Im for the American people. Im against the cartels. I would think that the president of Mexico, AMLO, would also be against the cartels.

Hes clearly not against the cartels. Hes clearly defending the cartels at the detriment of his own people, Crenshaw added. You know, the cartels have killed a lot of Americans, whether [] through lacing drugs with fentanyl or just murdering them when they go down to get a medical appointment, but theyve killed a lot more Mexicans.

He went on to accuse Lopez Obrador of telling a flat-out lie in claiming theres no fentanyl dealing in Mexico. He also called the Mexican president an outright liar.

Lopez Obrador also threatened this week to launch a campaign against Republicans among Mexicans and other Hispanics who live in the U.S. We are going to issue a call not to vote for that party, because they are inhuman and interventionist, he said.

Crenshaw responded to Lopez Obradors threat, quipping that hes super worried about it.

The war of words comes after members of a Mexican cartel kidnapped four Americans in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, last week. Two of the Americans and an innocent Mexican bystander were killed in a shootout.

More from National Review
David Moyes is hoping home advantage can benefit West Ham this weekend (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Wire)

David Moyes wants his embattled West Ham side to make the most of home advantage when they host Aston Villa on Sunday.

Moyes remains under pressure with his side in the thick of the relegation battle and coming off a 4-0 humbling away to Brighton last weekend.

A 2-0 win away to AEK Larnaca in the Europa League on Thursday has improved the mood somewhat but the battle for Premier League survival is the main priority and Moyes needs to get points on the board as speculation over his position continues.

Nine of West Hams opening 12 fixtures of 2023 have been away from home, but the London Stadium has brought comforts, with the Hammers taking seven points from the last nine available in the league at home.

To get a positive result this weekend, we need to play as well as we have done in our recent other home games, Moyes said.

Our home form seems to be much better than our away form at the moment, but hopefully we can keep that going. Weve got a chunk of home games coming up in the weeks to come. Aston Villa is our next game and we need to focus on that.

The 4-0 loss to Brighton came after victory by the same scoreline against Nottingham Forest, and Moyes wants his side to find some consistency after an up and down run of results.

I think the confidence levels are fine in our players, he said.

Were coming back from a good win in midweek and we won our last home game. We also drew with Chelsea in the one before that and beat Everton before that too, so were back at home for only our fourth home game this year. But were looking forward to it.

Its consistency from the team. That is what were after. We want consistency in that we play well and we keep the standards up like we have over the last two or three years. The whole team, we all need to look for better consistency.

Manuel Lanzini started in Larnaca on Thursday, his ninth start in Europe this year. But the 30-year-old Argentinian has not started a Premier League match since the opening-day defeat to Manchester City, and has only seven league appearances in total  something he is desperate to change.

I want to be important in every game for the team because that is what I train for, Lanzini said on the clubs website. Now, I am starting in the Europa matches but I want to play more in the Premier League.

I am happy to be in the starting XI. The West Ham fans are crazy. It is always a pleasure to play for them.
Sleep scientists told Insider taking too many supplements isn't the best way to deal with disrupted sleep during daylight saving. Getty Images

Melatonin and magnesium supplements might promote sleep, but they aren't the best solution during daylight saving.

Instead, sleep scientists recommend getting to bed early and cutting back on caffeine and alcohol.

If you must take a supplement, opt for melatonin over magnesium.

Daylight saving is around the corner, which might disrupt your sleep  and for more and more Americans, that means turning to a supplement for a little extra help.

The number of Americans reporting taking over-the-counter melatonin doubled over the last decade, and TIME reported that magnesium supplements, popularized by TikTok, are the recent sleep craze.

Yet neither melatonin nor magnesium supplements are necessary to get your sleep in order during daylight saving, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a board-certified sleep and internal medicine doctor and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), and Dr. Joshua Barzilai, medical director of sleep medicine at Indiana University Health, told Insider.

In general, both doctors said getting to bed 15 to 20 minutes earlier in the days leading up to daylight saving is a better option than reaching for the pill bottle, as lifestyle changes are a safer  and cheaper  solution to irregular sleep.

"Taking supplements beyond the recommended daily allowance hasn't shown to be beneficial in other ways, and I always say that, because times are tough and money is hard to come by," Dasgupta said.

Daylight saving can seriously mess with your sleep.

Daylight saving, which falls on March 12 in 2023, sets clocks forward by one hour.

Though sleeping an hour less might not sound harmful, setting clocks forward can mess with our sleep enough to disrupt mood and concentration, Insider previously reported. In fact, studies show accidents, strokes, and heart attacks spike after the switch, which is why Dasgupta and AASM are lobbying to get rid of daylight saving for good.

"Everyone needs to be very careful as we go into this transition," Dasgupta said. "I think preparation is the best thing to do when we talk about going into daylight saving."

Story continues

Both sleep doctors said getting to bed 15 to 20 minutes earlier in the days leading up to daylight saving is the best way to minimize sleep disruption. Cutting back on drinking and caffeine and getting enough exercise can also ease the transition, Dasgupta said.

If you have kids, Dasgupta said to encourage extra play outdoors to "tire them out" by bedtime.

Though lifestyle changes are enough to get you through daylight saving, melatonin can help, too.

If you're still itching for a supplement to get through daylight saving, opt for melatonin, which promotes sleep by regulating your body's circadian rhythm, or its daily sleep-wake cycle.

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the brain that builds up throughout the day, and peaks just prior to getting sleep, Barzilai said. Melatonin comes from a region in your brain called the penal gland, which produces melatonin during the day and then releases it at night, helping put you to sleep, Barzilai said.

Since the hormone can help set our internal clocks, Barzilai said taking melatonin supplements 30 minutes before bedtime can initiate sleep.

But you don't need to overdo it on the melatonin pills. Melatonin supplements are relatively harmless in adults (their primary side effect being grogginess), but they aren't effective after 10 milligrams, Barzilai said, and Dasgupta said his maximum dose is 3 milligrams.

Magnesium promotes good sleep if you get enough of it on a regular basis, rather than from one-off supplements.

Magnesium helps with muscle relaxation by blocking the calcium in your body from contracting your muscles, Dasgupta said, allowing for a more calm state for sleep. He added some small studies show magnesium decreases feelings of anxiety, another way the nutrient can calm you down at nighttime.

Dasgupta said Americans should prioritize getting magnesium from their food, not supplements, because many contain more than the recommended daily value. The human body can't process excess magnesium, he said, so taking a bunch of magnesium pills won't help you sleep better.

Overdoing it on magnesium may also cause health problems. A common side effect of too much magnesium is diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems, Dasgupta said, and too many can even cause toxicity, which can lead to low blood pressure, lethargy, depression, and confusion, as Insider previously reported.

Both doctors also said to disclose which supplements you are taking to your doctor, as both melatonin and magnesium can interact with prescription medications, making the drugs less effective.

Read the original article on Insider
A student eats a school lunch on February 04, 2022 in New York City. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Unpaid school meal debts are rising amid a national food insecurity struggle, the Associated Press reported.

About 850 school districts reported having a total of $19.2 million in debt from unpaid meals.

It comes as increased SNAP benefits and school meal waivers from the government have come to an end.

A rising school meal debt is spotlighting how food insecurity is impacting America's children.

Schools rarely turn away hungry students, and the increasing debts for unpaid school meals paint a troubling picture as federal funds for food programs cease, according to the Associated Press.

In 2021, some 33.8 million people across the nation lived in food-insecure households, including 5 million children, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

"It's hard to focus in class when I'm hungry. Food helps me pay attention to what I'm learning," 10-year-old Fabian Aguirre told the AP. Aguirre said he eats the school breakfast but often finds himself hungry in class before lunch, especially if he didn't have anything to eat at home in the morning.

During the pandemic, Congress made school lunches free to all students, but that aid expired last year. The COVID boost to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits also ended recently, sending some recipients off a "hunger cliff," Insider previously reported.

The return to the prior system  in which families in need filed paperwork to demonstrate why they needed reduced-price lunches  caught some families who had gotten used to paperless free lunches off guard, according to the Associated Press.

National PTA President Anna King told the outlet that "families were left scrambling and confused" when the free meals ended since many hadn't filled out or weren't aware of the necessary paperwork to continue the benefits.

A recent School Nutrition Association report surveyed over 1,000 school districts to assess the impact of the end of the federal waivers. A majority of districts who reported they charge for meals said the loss of the waivers preceded an increase in unpaid meal debt, according to the report.

Nearly 850 school districts reported having school meal debt of $19.2 million in total, according to the report.

Read the original article on Insider
Throughout this year, 185 civilians were killed by landmines in Ukraine, and several hundred were injured. Photos of tractors that have run over a projectile during harvesting are often seen on social media.

These are the realities of liberated regions. Ukraine is now one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world, and this problem is going to last decades.

It only takes a few days of shelling to make an area inappropriate for growing crops, and it takes months for bomb disposal experts to remove explosives from it.

Currently, Ukraine has neither the time nor a sufficient number of specialists. To continue harvesting, farmers hire bomb disposal experts on the black market, often leading to tragic accidents.

Farmers are not the only ones who suffer. During their retreat, Russian forces often mine communications and critical infrastructure in cities to make it difficult for Ukrainian businesses and local residents to return.

Completely clearing the country of all landmines will cost billions of dollars and will require a lot of equipment and specialists.

A problem for decades to come

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, in August 2022, Russian troops fired 40,000-60,000 shells at Ukrainian positions every day. Some of them did not explode.

According to various estimates, up to 20% of the ammunition released does not work. Moreover, if the Russians stay in a certain area for a long time, they place mines in forests and fields.

In Ukraine, all areas where fighting took place are considered to be contaminated with explosives. According to the estimates from the Bomb Disposal Experts Association, this amounts to 139,000 square km. In other words, one-fifth of the country's territory needs inspection.

Fields near the village of Dovhenke in Kharkiv Oblast

PHOTO MAXAR

According to the assessment by the Ukrainian Agrarian Business Club, about 2 million hectares of fields have been mined in the liberated regions. Each year that these lands lay idle will cost the country's economy up to US$800 million. There are six million hectares under temporary occupation, which will also require inspection after the areas liberation.

Story continues

Mine clearance does not guarantee that farmers will return to work on these lands. The soil still needs to be levelled and recultivated, in order to restore soil fertility. In June, the Kyiv School of Economics estimated the total cost of such works at US$40 million.

The Kharkiv holding company Agrotrade (cultivates 70,500 hectares, the owner is the commander of the Khartia volunteer unit Vsevolod Kozhemiako) said that reclamation of a hectare of land after mine clearance costs an average of US$100.

Livestock was also affected by the war. The lack of safe land to grow fodder is forcing farmers to reduce livestock and lay off employees. It will take years to restore the industry.

It is more difficult to deal with mines in regions that have been under Russian occupation for more than half a year. For instance, in Kherson, Russian forces laid mines at critical infrastructure and communications facilities and even at civilian buildings.

Interactive map with accident density

SOURCE: IMSMA.ORG

Ukrainian bomb disposal experts have to check every metre of the land that has been liberated before it becomes usable. Until then, businesses will not be able to work on it.

Complete clearance of landmines in Ukraine may take decades. After the Yugoslav wars, Albania was able to clear its territory of landmines only ten years later. This is despite the fact that 15,000 square km were considered dangerous in that country - ten times less than now in Ukraine. Another example is Croatia. In the 1990s, 13,000 square km were considered dangerous there. The country still cannot completely clear its land of explosives.

Shortage of bomb disposal experts

Mine clearance for civilians is divided into two types: operational and humanitarian.

Operational mine clearance is the clearing of areas where explosives have been found by bomb disposal experts of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the National Guard or the Armed Forces. This type of mine clearance is suitable for emergencies.

Humanitarian mine clearance is the inspection of all potentially dangerous areas in accordance with international standards, the destruction of explosives and quality control.

This is a complex, time-consuming and expensive process, but it is the only one that guarantees the safety of landowners.

In Ukraine, humanitarian mine clearance is carried out by eight operator organisations. Over the past year, many specialised organisations have emerged that want to work in Ukraine, but they have to undergo a complex certification procedure. This slows down the entry of new operators into the market.

The head of one of the subsidiaries of Ukroboronprom, a conglomerate of manufacturers of weapons and military hardware in Ukraine, has said that certification takes 6 to 12 months. During this time, operators collect documents, train bomb disposal experts, buy equipment, and work out the rules of operation. The long certification process is only the beginning of the difficulties, as humanitarian demining is expensive.

The Mine Clearance Association says that clearing a square metre of land can cost US$3-4. No farmer is able to finance such work. "One farmer said: even if we sow this land with marijuana, we won't be able to recoup the costs of mine clearance in a few years," said Tymur Pistriuha, head of the Mine Clearance Association.

According to Ruslan Berehulia, head of the Ministry of Defence's Environmental Safety and Mine Action Department, the government has not yet allocated money for humanitarian mine clearance, so the cost of this is being covered by foreign donors.

The cost of complete humanitarian mine clearance in Ukraine is difficult to calculate. The media talk about US$400-900 billion. However, this would be the cost of humanitarian mine clearance if all the potentially dangerous 139,000 square km were covered with mines.

In reality, this figure is much lower. The cost of mine clearance is determined after a non-technical examination, and not all Ukrainian fields are densely covered with mines. Some of the land may not require the work of bomb disposal experts.

In the summer of 2022, the Military Feodal project, which aggregates information for humanitarian mine clearance, gave a more conservative estimate of about US$5 billion. Now this amount is higher.

Ukraines State Emergency Service bomb disposal experts at work

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

Meanwhile, the amount of foreign aid to Ukrainian operators in 2022 was measured in millions. This is not enough to expand the staff of bomb disposal experts, buy equipment and speed up the process.

As a result, there is a queue for free mine clearance. Not all farmers are eligible, as operators do not work within a 20-30-kilometre zone from the front line.

In addition, the fields for demining are chosen not on a first come, first served basis, but on a priority basis. Demining Solutions said that the priorities are determined based on the instructions from the National Mine Action Authority and proposals from local authorities.

Unable to wait for months for their turn, farmers look for bomb disposal experts themselves.

In the spring of 2022, Agrotrade Holding, which owns land in Chernihiv Oblast liberated in April, faced a problem: unexploded shells and mines were lying in the sown fields. They could have gone deep into the ground and become overgrown with rapeseed by summer. Then the fields would be unusable for years.

"The military was standing next to our fields and we asked them to clear the roads. Then we launched our spraying drones and used them to look for unexploded ordnance. The military blew it all up, and we cleaned it up," says Olena Vorona, Chief Operating Officer of Agrotrade Group.

The company thanked the military for their help with pick-up trucks and fuel. As a result, the cost of clearing 10,000 hectares of landmines cost the company about US$60,000. According to Vorona, other farmers did the same.

The company maintains that there were no accidents after such mine clearance.

A black market for explosives experts

Not everyone is that lucky. There have been incidents of farming equipment exploding after driving over mines in fields that were supposedly cleared from mines by uncertified explosives technicians.

"One mans combine harvester blew up in Kyiv Oblast. He called us, complaining that someone had cleared his field from mines, but he still drove over one," members of the Military Feodal project said.

The remnants of a tractor that exploded while at work in a field

PHOTO: AGRAVERY.COM

The urgent need to clear away mines across the territories that had seen the presence of Russian forces has resulted in the emergence of a black market for explosives technicians. Those who offer their services on this market act quickly, but there is no guarantee that they will carry out quality work. Farmers, however, are prepared to take the risk in order to save their businesses and jobs.

According to data released by an agricultural firm, uncertified explosives technicians on the black market charge around 5,000 hryvnias (approximately US$135) per hectare for inspections, and US$1,0003,000 per hectare for clearing away mines, depending on the density of the mines.

Experts are sceptical about these black market technicians. "If a farmer hired someone on the black market and then wants to pass a compliance check or lease their land, they would not be able to verify that the land is safe," Military Feodal warns.

Legal market is shaping up

A legal market for experts in clearing mines is also beginning to take shape in Ukraine. Certified firms specialising in clearing away mines for a charge have started to appear. One of them is a subsidiary of Ukroboronprom.

Ukroboronprom told Ekonomichna Pravda that the prices charged for certified inspections and clearing away mines can vary wildly depending on the number of mines, the type of terrain, and the areas safety.

The front of this tractor sustained serious damage after the tractor drove over the mine

PHOTO: AGRAVERY.COM

Technicians from the state-owned firm will work nearly at cost. Still, not all farmers will be able to afford their services.

During the Traversing a Minefield conference, business owners proposed that the state share their costs. Otherwise, farmers would have to look for alternative ways to clear their property of mines.

What next?

The year 2022 was a difficult one for humanitarian mine clearance. The frontline kept shifting, there was a lack of funding, some of the technicians were studying for their certificates. Recently the process has picked up pace.

Before the full-scale war, only four mine clearance operators were registered in Ukraine. Now there are 10, two of which work to inform the public about mine risk and safety. Several other mine clearance operators are still in the process of being certified.

Agricultural workers sometimes take humanitarian mine clearance in their own hands. Nibulon, an agricultural firm, is currently working to register as a mine clearance operator, and is raising funds to buy the necessary equipment.

The number of experts in the field is growing. The State Emergency Service said that a year ago they employed 600 explosives technicians, and that currently the number stands 1,000. The SES plans to increase the number of technicians to 1,500.

Certified operators are also expanding. A year ago, Demining Solutions used to employ 10 technicians, and now employs 50. The Ukroboronprom subsidiary counts 30 explosives technicians among its staff, and hopes to increase their number to 100.

The Association of Explosives Technicians says that it will take dozens of year to clear the territory of Ukraine from mines

PHOTO: DEMINING SOLUTIONS

Still, there are not enough technicians to inspect all areas of concern. On the other hand, the growth of international support Ukraine has seen over the past year might speed things up.

The US government, for instance, has said that mine clearance in Ukraine is one of the greatest such challenges since World War II and has allocated US$11 million to mine clearance efforts. Canada has allocated US$11 million, and the EU has allocated 25 million (approximately US$26 million). The money will be used to purchase equipment, train expert teams, and offer grants to certified operators.

Farmers problems will gradually be solved. Experts at Demining Solutions say that the Ukraines National Mine Action Authority [established in November 2021  ed.] has said that clearing farming lands from mines would be its top priority in 2023.

Farmers have to submit a request on the Military Feodal website, which will forward the information they provide to the relevant authorities. Mine clearance experts will use this information to schedule their work.

The Association of Explosives Technicians believes that it might take dozens of years to clear the territory of Ukraine of mines. However, the expertise gleaned from other countries, such as Croatia, and modern technologies can significantly expedite the process.

The government faces several tasks: to find additional funding, such as charitable donations, to purchase equipment; to reinforce control over illegal and uncertified explosives technicians; to establish clear rules for operators; and to shape the humanitarian mine clearance market and make it accessible to farmers and agricultural firms.

Bohdan Miroshnychenko for Economichna Pravda



Translated by Elina Beketova, Anton Strii and Olya Loza

Edited by Dasha Narog and Susan McDonald
PerkinElmer (NYSE:PKI) has had a rough three months with its share price down 14%. However, the company's fundamentals look pretty decent, and long-term financials are usually aligned with future market price movements. Specifically, we decided to study PerkinElmer's ROE in this article.

Return on Equity or ROE is a test of how effectively a company is growing its value and managing investors money. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder's equity.

View our latest analysis for PerkinElmer

How Is ROE Calculated?

The formula for ROE is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for PerkinElmer is:

6.9% = US$513m  US$7.4b (Based on the trailing twelve months to January 2023).

The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that for every $1 worth of shareholders' equity, the company generated $0.07 in profit.

What Has ROE Got To Do With Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or "retain", we are then able to evaluate a company's future ability to generate profits. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don't necessarily bear these characteristics.

A Side By Side comparison of PerkinElmer's Earnings Growth And 6.9% ROE

At first glance, PerkinElmer's ROE doesn't look very promising. We then compared the company's ROE to the broader industry and were disappointed to see that the ROE is lower than the industry average of 14%. However, we we're pleasantly surprised to see that PerkinElmer grew its net income at a significant rate of 34% in the last five years. Therefore, there could be other reasons behind this growth. For instance, the company has a low payout ratio or is being managed efficiently.

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Next, on comparing PerkinElmer's net income growth with the industry, we found that the company's reported growth is similar to the industry average growth rate of 31% in the same period.

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. Its important for an investor to know whether the market has priced in the company's expected earnings growth (or decline). Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. Is PerkinElmer fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

Is PerkinElmer Using Its Retained Earnings Effectively?

PerkinElmer's three-year median payout ratio to shareholders is 5.0%, which is quite low. This implies that the company is retaining 95% of its profits. So it seems like the management is reinvesting profits heavily to grow its business and this reflects in its earnings growth number.

Additionally, PerkinElmer has paid dividends over a period of at least ten years which means that the company is pretty serious about sharing its profits with shareholders. Our latest analyst data shows that the future payout ratio of the company is expected to drop to 3.9% over the next three years. As a result, the expected drop in PerkinElmer's payout ratio explains the anticipated rise in the company's future ROE to 8.4%, over the same period.

Conclusion

On the whole, we do feel that PerkinElmer has some positive attributes. Despite its low rate of return, the fact that the company reinvests a very high portion of its profits into its business, no doubt contributed to its high earnings growth. Having said that, the company's earnings growth is expected to slow down, as forecasted in the current analyst estimates. Are these analysts expectations based on the broad expectations for the industry, or on the company's fundamentals? Click here to be taken to our analyst's forecasts page for the company.

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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Democrats in the House and Senate reintroduced legislation this week that would expand access to home- and community-based services (HCBS) and address barriers faced by millions of disabled people nationwide who use these services.

The Home and Community Based Services Access Act, initially introduced in 2021 with the support of disability organizations, would mandate the services as a Medicaid benefit and increase funding for them. It would also incentivize states to expand these programs and eliminate long waitlists. In conjunction with the Better Care Better Jobs legislation, wages would be increased for care givers.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in the Senate and co-sponsored by 16 other members of the Democratic caucus. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) introduced the House version, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.).

The legislation would also work toward improving the stability, availability and quality of direct care providers, which could help boost the economy after a decades-long workforce shortage crisis exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

The bills arrive in the same week as President Joe Bidens proposed budget, which would allocate $150 billion for Medicaid HCBS over the next 10 years.

Following the deinstitutionalization movement and the landmark Olmstead case barring segregation of disabled people from community life, HCBS provided support to disabled people that allows them to live in their communities rather than in institutional settings.

Nobody should be stuck in a facility who would rather live in their home and community! This bill would ensure choice in aging and disability care, and remove the institutional bias of #Medicaid#CareCantWaithttps://t.co/yqRdobzZQZ  Nicole Jorwic (@NJorwic) March 10, 2023

Thank you, @POTUS, for uplifting the 7 million older adults and disabled people who receive HCBS through Medicaid, every single one of which would be at risk with the proposals to cut Medicaid from the GOP. #CareCantWait#SaveMedicaidhttps://t.co/y5xW4LfmWR  Tory Cross (@queer_spice) March 7, 2023

For people with disabilities services are a must  simply put, we would be stuck without the help each person needs to do what they want in life. Lolita, an advocate from DC #CareCantWait#WeActWednesdaypic.twitter.com/THLodf7Ik7  The Arc of the United States (@TheArcUS) March 1, 2023

According to the Kaiser Foundation, most people 65 and older and disabled people younger than 65 have Medicare, but it doesnt cover most long-term support and services. Medicaid is required to cover long-term care and services in institutional settings, such as nursing homes, but the Medicaid HCBS benefits are not mandatory.

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Optional waivers are available to allow individual states to provide Medicaid HCBS rather than solely offering long-term care services in institutional settings, along with other benefits.

The waivers and programs differ state by state, David Goldfarb, director of long-term supports and services policy at disability nonprofit The Arc of the United States, told HuffPost, as do eligibility requirements. Many are placed on waitlists for these services, and, even if they do receive them, they might not get the exact services they need. According to the Kaiser Foundation, 656,000 people in the U.S. were on waiting lists for services in 2021, although the foundation notes that data is an incomplete measure of unmet need due to states differing eligibility screenings for waitlists and other factors.

Its potentially more because many people may have given up, they may be in an institution, Goldfarb said. Theres likely more people that would benefit if we ended these waitlists. But hundreds of thousands of people want to receive care at home, and they are often in an institution and not able to participate in society the way theyd like to.

Because of the staffing shortage, some people cant find PCAs. Ellie Vargas said that without PCAs, her mother has had to fill in.

My mother is 65 years old. She can't do this anymore, you know? ... It's just been horror story after horror story." pic.twitter.com/N4SUtDrhRd  Meghan H. Smith (@meghansmith55) March 2, 2023

One of my PCAs is a young college student who is working part time (studying to be a nurse), but because the wage is so low, when she asked her school for suggestions on affordable NYC housing, they told her that her best bet is to go through the shelter system #FairPay4HomeCare  Michele Kaplan (Rebelwheels NYC)  (@RebelWheelsNYC) February 17, 2023

Its tricky & often unhelpful to try ranking priorities among disability issues. But the fact that so many disabled people totally qualified for hands-on support services cant get them just because of funding makes this a good candidate for TOP DISABILITY ISSUE. #CripTheVotehttps://t.co/6hEWHKfhtL  Andrew Pulrang (@AndrewPulrang) March 10, 2023

Maura Sullivan, a Massachusetts resident and single mom of two autistic young adults, has been affected by these shortages. Sullivans eldest son, Neil, 21, attends a residential school in Massachusetts and visits home on the weekend, more often than usual due to staffing shortages at the school. Her younger son, Tyler, 19, lives at home.

Her family was lucky to have had access to school-based services for her kids during the pandemic, she said. But with the intensifying workforce crisis, home support outside of school hours has not been consistently available, which has limited her sons abilities to be involved in the community.

Direct-support professionals have to learn ... a whole new communication system [for my sons]. They need to learn augmentative communication and nonverbal communication, and, through that, take the time to bond and develop trust, Sullivan told HuffPost.

When that happens, and when theres someone available to do that, its beautiful. And when they leave just a couple of months after learning all of that because they dont get a living wage, its devastating, and its so hard on my sons, she said, emphasizing that increasing pay for HCBS workers is critical.

Sullivan is in the process of supporting Neil in the transition to adult HCBS, which she describes as a very scary time because of staff shortages. She also worries for her younger son, who will likely live at home for the foreseeable future and might not have access to day programs and community services. Sullivan said shes concerned because many of the programs have closed in their area, and community services and other opportunities have long waitlists.

Even if we raise rates now, it will take time to reopen 20-plus day programs that have closed and consolidated here in Massachusetts [and] to get thousands of individuals back into services and support, she said. So I see this as such a long term-problem that I know my sons will be right in the middle of as theyre moving into adulthood.

Goldfarb notes that states often view HCBS as extra since they are already mandated in nursing homes. And, in states where they are offered, the services often arent fully funded. Expanding Medicaid might be difficult with the current divided Congress, Goldfarb said, adding that Republicans are focusing on not raising the debt ceiling.

This is very much a long-term project to work on, Goldfarb said. Theres a continuing effort to try to provide access, and were really excited about this one.

Related...
Interview: Panasonic determined to contribute to China's high-quality development -- Panasonic VP

Xinhua) 12:20, March 11, 2023

TOKYO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- China is an important market driving the overall performance of the Panasonic Group, said Tetsuro Homma, executive vice president of Panasonic Corporation.

The company will continue to contribute to China's high-quality development in the future, said Homma, also group regional head for China and Northeast Asia, in a recent interview with Xinhua.

He said Panasonic continues to have high expectations for the Chinese market as he believes that its business development goals in China should be consistent with the country's high-quality development.

Homma recalled that Panasonic's business in China started around 1978, and the company's cooperation with China has gone through 45 years.

He said that Panasonic came to China with the promise of "making contributions to Chinese society" and experienced the process of making joint progress and synchronous development with Chinese society where the living standards and consumption capacity of Chinese people have been greatly improved after more than 40 years of reform and opening up.

Panasonic has also witnessed the country's various efforts to improve the investment environment, and the progress has been rapid and significant, Homma said, noting that a series of policies and laws such as the Foreign Investment Law have been enacted to ensure that foreign investment is fully protected.

In recent years, Panasonic's business in China has maintained a good momentum of development with 70 branch companies currently operating in China and a total of about 52,000 employees, he said.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Panasonic's business in China has seen a strong development due to the effective measures taken by the Chinese government at all levels to curb the viral transmission and minimize its impact on enterprises, Homma said.

According to Homma, as of March 2022, Panasonic's business in China achieved double-digit growth for both fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the profit of the entire Panasonic Group, which was the largest outside Japan.

Maintaining double-digit growth for two consecutive fiscal years is rare elsewhere because there are few markets in the world with such promising development prospects as China, he added.

Panasonic has been hiring about 600 engineers annually in China in recent years, Homma said, and China is the only market other than Japan where the company hires so many engineers because China produces many well-educated young talents every year.

Considering the size and the future of the Panasonic Group against the backdrop of Japan's shrinking population, especially the declining young-age population, Homma said that the resources of Chinese engineers are very important, and the company has spent 20 years training more than 9,000 engineers in China.

In order to continue to expand the scale of production in China and maintain sustainable development, Panasonic will keep expanding its team of engineers in the future, he said.

Having high expectations for the Chinese market, Panasonic has formulated a very solid development plan, Homma said, adding that the company is currently expanding new business in 14 Chinese cities, including building new factories, research and development centers and marketing bases.

The company will align its business development goals in China with China's high-quality development goals, and continue to promote its business in areas such as low-carbon environmental protection, green economy, smart life and healthy living, he said.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
Photo: The Canadian Press An Indigo bookstore is seen Wednesday, November 4, 2020 in Laval, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

A union representing 200 employees of Indigo Books & Music Inc. is calling on the retailer to disclose more information about the scope of its recent data breach and offer additional support to staff affected by the cyberattack.

United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 1006A said Saturday that it is "increasingly alarmed" by new information that has come to light about a Feb. 8 cyberattack on Canada's biggest bookstore.

Current and former Indigo workers learned this week that their medical and immigration data were part of the breach, which the Toronto-based retailer previously said also included their names, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, home addresses, social insurance numbers and direct deposit information such as bank account numbers.

Indigo blamed the attack on a ransomware software known as LockBit and warned current and past workers that their information may end up on the dark web, an underground portion of the internet used for illicit activity. It said it had not uncovered any evidence of customer information being breached.

But a letter UFCW sent to Indigo this week said several other key concerns had still not been addressed.

"The companys communication leaves several questions unanswered, including most importantly, whether the company is aware of any unauthorized use of the potentially affected personal information," it read.

The union representing workers at four stores in the Greater Toronto Area also asked Indigo to explain what measures it is undertaking to better safeguard data and provide additional support for workers who may face identity theft or other damages because of the attack.

Indigo offered staff two years of credit monitoring last month when it first revealed the breach.

The union called the credit monitoring offer "commendable," but said workers deserve more information about what other steps the company will take to protect them should their data fall into unauthorized hands and be used for nefarious purposes.

"The current circumstances demand nothing less from Indigo than a genuine commitment that it will take all reasonable steps to remedy any, and all effects on employees arising out of the information breach," the union said.

"We trust that Indigo will do the right thing in the circumstances and put the best interest of its employees first."

In response, Indigo said it takes the privacy and security of current and former staff seriously and is working to ensure they receive up-to-date information about the attack.

"We continue to work to strike a balance between the necessity for timely updates and the necessity for accurate updates, and continue to work to address questions and concerns as soon as we are able," the company said in a written statement.

It added that it has been working with third-party experts to strengthen its cybersecurity practices and enhance data security measures.

The hack resulted in Indigo's website and payment systems being abruptly booted offline.

The bookstore and home goods chain managed to quickly restore its payment systems and soon after launched a temporary, browsable-only website.

Indigo eventually allowed customers to purchase select books through the site and has since been gradually uploading more inventory.
Ahead of a widely expected presidential campaign, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis introduced himself to an eager audience of Iowa Republicans on Friday with a message that leaned into the antagonism toward the left that has made him a popular figure among conservatives.

We will never surrender to the woke mob, he said at the Rhythm City Casino Resort in the eastern Iowa city of Davenport. Our state is where woke goes to die.

With Iowa caucuses less than a year away, Republicans in the state are taking a harder look at DeSantis, who is emerging as a leading rival to Donald Trump. The former president, who is mounting his third bid for the White House, will be in Davenport on Monday as early signs warn that some Republicans may be looking for someone else to lead the party into the future.

Trump mocked DeSantis trip on social media, asking why would people show up?

And White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre took issue with the Florida governors threatening language that criticized young transgender people and their parents.

When ... these MAGA Republicans dont agree with an issue or with policy, they dont bring forth something thats either going to have a good faith conversation. They go to this conversation of woke. ... What that turns into is hate; what that turns into is despicable policy.

DeSantis appeared alongside Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and was heading to the capital city of Des Moines later in the day to meet with a small contingent of GOP lawmakers and to promote his newly released book, The Courage to be Free.

The visit is an early test of DeSantis support in the state that will kick off the contest for the Republican nomination next year. Trump remains widely popular among Iowa Republicans, though positive views of the former president have slipped somewhat since he left the White House. Now, 80% say they have a favorable rating of him, down slightly from 91% in September 2021, according to a Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll released on Friday. Eighteen percent have unfavorable views of Trump.

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The polls movement suggests Iowa Republicans are not singularly committed to Trump for 2024 and are open to considering other candidates. Though slightly behind the well-known Trump, DeSantis gets a rosy review from Iowa Republicans  a 74% favorable rating. Notably, DeSantis has high name recognition in a state over 1,000 miles away from his own; just 20% say they arent sure how to rate him.

Sandy Bodine said she was impressed with DeSantis as the ballroom emptied out after Fridays morning event.

Hes very articulate, uses common sense it seems in governing, the retired human resources worker for 3M Co. said.

Bodine would consider attending the 2024 caucuses and supporting DeSantis, though she is registered to neither major political party and has never caucused before. Regardless, Trump is out of the running for Bodine, who is from nearby Clinton.

I dont like Trump, she said. She unfortunately voted for Biden in 2020, she said. Hes not a statesman and we need a statesman. I can see DeSantis as a statesman.

But others in the crowd suggested they would stick with the former president. Retiree Al Greenfield, of Davenport, said he came out of curiosity but I dont particularly care for the Florida governor. He doesnt have the experience, said Greenfield, whos 70. He doesnt know the swamp.

Greenfield is ardently for Trump and plans to caucus for him next year.

Nearby stood Diana Otterman, of Bettendorf, who was still considering her options.

Gov. DeSantis is a wonderful man. Im for DeSantis, but Im also for Trump. I havent decided yet, the 70-year-old retiree said. So well see how God works it out and how the people vote.

While DeSantis was making his presence known in Iowa, several prominent former Trump supporters called on him to take the next step and announce hes running.

More than ever our country needs strong leadership, someone that gets things done & isnt afraid to stand up for whats right, tweeted former Pennsylvania Rep. and Republican gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta. Come on, Ron, your country needs you!

Barletta had accused Trump of disloyalty after the former president endorsed a rival in his gubernatorial primary.

DeSantis visit coincided with a trip to the state by former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who announced her 2024 candidacy last month. Trumps stop on Monday will be his first visit to the state since launching his latest presidential bid.

In recent weeks, DeSantis team has begun holding conversations with a handful of prospective campaign staffers in key states. Late last month, he gathered privately with donors, elected officials and national conservative activists to discuss his views, which include limiting how race and sexuality are taught in schools.

DeSantis is expected to announce his candidacy in late spring or early summer, after the conclusion of the Florida legislative session in mid-May.

The anticipation is reminiscent, to an extent, of the support in Iowa for George W. Bush ahead of the 2000 election, though with significant differences, said veteran Iowa GOP activist David Oman.

DeSantis is seen, as Bush was, as a next-generation, the big-state Republican governor who won reelection resoundingly, said Oman, who was among Iowa Republicans who helped recruit Bush to run.

Bush swooped into Iowa amid fanfare in June 1999 and sailed to victory in Iowa caucuses the following year en route to the 2000 GOP nomination and the White House. Not insignificantly, Bush enjoyed the hands-on campaign outreach in Iowa of his father, former President George H. W. Bush, who had built lasting relationships during his 1980 and 1988 Iowa caucus campaigns.

Theres another former president in this cycle. Only he is not interested in helping a first-time candidate, Oman said, referring to Trump. W was the overwhelming favorite in Iowa. I believe there is not an overwhelming favorite this time.

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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 Mulheron 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.
As some world leaders hailed the restoration of ties between long-standing enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia, there were growing fears in Washington that the deal could help spell the end of the United States pre-eminence in the region and beyond.

Chinas top diplomat, Wang Yi, called it a victory for dialogue and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres celebrated the announcement, expressing his appreciation to China for brokering the deal. The U.S., meanwhile, said through a National Security Council spokesperson that Chinas successful agreement appeared to mirror the failed negotiations the White House pursued with both countries in 2021.

Aaron David Miller, who served as a Middle East policy adviser at the State Department for 25 years, said it was really stunning that the Saudis had cut a deal with the Chinese and the Iranians.

I think it demonstrates that U.S.s influence and credibility in that region has diminished and that there is a new sort of international regional alignment taking place, which has empowered and given both Russia and China newfound influence and status, said Miller, who is now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Tehran faces international criticism for providing weapons to Russia to aid its invasion of Ukraine, continuing efforts to enrich uranium that could allow it to develop a nuclear weapon, punishing its people for taking part in anti-government protests and for escalating tensions with Israel. These are all items the U.S. has elevated on the world stage as an indictment of the Iranian government.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomes President Joe Biden to Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 15, 2022. (Bandar Aljaloud / Saudi Royal Palace via AP file)

The agreement was announced months after President Joe Biden visited Saudi Arabia, just weeks before the U.S. midterm elections, to appeal that it help keep gas prices down. Instead, Riyadh came to terms on a separate deal with Russia and other oil-producing states to lower production. The Biden administration saw it as a stab in the back and promised that the Saudis would face consequences.

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But it appears the Saudis felt vulnerable, Miller said. When youre dependent on one great power, you seek to align with another to cut deals with your adversaries, he noted.

Chinas victory lap

While some policy analysts and former officials said the China-brokered deal appeared to indicate a shrinking role for the U.S. on the world stage, others said that Washington never had a chance to mediate such an agreement because it has no means of dialogue with Iran. The U.S. has no relationships with Tehran, sidelining it from negotiations and talks.

China will undoubtedly take a victory lap, much to the chagrin of the U.S., said Jonathan Lord, the director of the Center for New American Securitys Middle East Security Program, in spite of the fact that Saudis and Iranians have wanted to make a deal for some time.

China is clearly going to trumpet their role on the international stage as an arbiter and negotiator between nations, he said, but it was very clear that there was both intention and effort by both the Iranians and Saudis for years to get to this place.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (Kevin Frayer / Getty Images)

That China hammered out this agreement is not necessarily a threat to the U.S., said Thomas Countryman, who served as assistant secretary of state for international security and nonproliferation during the Obama administration. Because China has economic and diplomatic ties to Riyadh and Tehran, it would make sense they could come to terms with the two nations.

The thing that concerns me is that in the current climate in Washington, anything China does will be seen as a sign of perfidious intent and a demonstration that China is seeking to dominate the world, Countryman said. The fact is it was only somebody like China who could have brokered this rapprochement.

While it will certainly enjoy the international esteem, Beijing also is serving its domestic interests.

China will likely use this opportunity to bolster its energy security through a strengthened relationship with the two oil-producing countries. Beijing is dependent on Iran and Saudi Arabia for oil, while the U.S. and Europe have moved to find energy assurances elsewhere, said Brian Katulis, the vice president of policy at the Middle East Institute.

Its not just symbolism, he said. It matters to (China) quite a lot to have access to those energy resources.

A peace to build defense

Iran and Saudi Arabia also have much to gain. The two longtime rivals in the Middle East have fought a proxy war in Yemen through the Iranian-tied Houthi rebels, and the Saudi Arabian-aligned government that has also received support from the U.S. government. The two countries proxies are at odds elsewhere in the region, including in Lebanon and Iraq.

Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran may see fewer tensions because of the accord, experts said. Many hoped that it would decrease violence in Yemen and lead to fewer spats between the two countries.

Undoubtedly, the Saudis see the deal as a means to try and reduce Irans ability to threaten it, or at least limit some of the Iranian trouble-making incentives, said Dennis Ross, a former Middle East envoy who has worked for both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Ross said he didnt think the deal changed anything in terms of the two countries fundamental relationship. A restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations reflects a mutual interest, but its within a relationship of profound distrust, he said.

While there will likely be less conflict, the two countries are also expected to use the de-escalating tensions to build up their own defenses. Lord said that Saudi Arabia had worked assiduously to build their military capacity to defend itself against the types of attacks Iran is capable of. In its ongoing dialogue with the U.S. about normalizing relations with Israel and other issues, Riyadh even raised expectations to build up its nuclear capabilities to mirror Irans.

But having an agreement with Iran could perhaps give Riyadh cover to pursue the U.S.s efforts of normalizing ties between the Saudis and Israel without incurring a physical response from Iran.

I think perhaps this buys down the risk, potentially a bit, and gives them a little bit more latitude to explore, quietly, greater opportunities with Israel, (the U.S. and other regional partners), Lord said.

While helpful to the Saudis position, perhaps, Israel is unlikely to be very happy. Iran has long been considered a particularly staunch nemesis of Israel, and has worked hard to normalize relations with Arab Gulf kingdoms -- notably through the 2020 Abraham Accords.

Image: Naftali Bennett (Abir Sultan / Pool via AFP - Getty Images file)

Naftali Bennett, Israels former prime minister, criticized the Saudi-Iranian deal and placed the blame for it on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government. He said it was a dangerous development for Israel, as the country seeks to build a bulwark against Iran.

This is a fatal blow to the effort to build a regional coalition against Iran, he said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Prince Edward has been announced as the Duke of Edinburgh, a title that previously belonged to his late father, Prince Philip.

King Charles III conferred the title on the former Earl of Wessex in celebration of Edwards 59th birthday on Friday (10 March). Doing so also honours the wishes of their late parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Philip.

But, while it was long expected that the dukedom would be passed to Edward after Philips death, the King was reportedly reluctant to give the title to his youngest brother.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement today that Charles was pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon the Prince Edward, adding that the title will be held for Edwards lifetime.

The dukedom was last created for Prince Philip in 1947, upon his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, who held the title of Duchess of Edinburgh before acceding to the throne in 1952, the statement continued.

The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to continue Prince Philips legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential.

However, it has taken the King six months since he ascended the throne to confer the title to Edward. He became the new monarch after Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022.

Heres everything you need to know about what the title change will mean for Edward and his family.

What are Prince Edward and Sophies new titles?

Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, were given the titles of Earl and Countess of Wessex when they married in 1999.

Prince Edward and Sophie pose with their children Lady Louise and James as they take part in the Great British Beach Clean on September 20, 2020 (Getty Images)

They will know be known and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

Edwards old title has been passed down to his 15-year-old son, James. James was previously the Viscount Severn, but is now the new Earl of Wessex.

The couple also have a daughter, Lady Louise. She will remain as such.

The Succession page on the royal familys website has been updated to reflect the title change.

Why has it taken six months for King Charles III to give the title?

It was reported in 2021 that Charles was reluctant to hand their fathers title to his youngest brother.

Story continues

After Philips death that year, the Duke of Edinburgh title was inherited by Charles, who was previously the Prince of Wales.

When Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, Charles acceded the throne and became King. The Duke of Edinburgh title was then reverted to the Crown.

It was the late Queen and Philips wish that Edward should inherit his fathers title when the time came. In 1999, Buckingham Palace said in a statement: The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales have also agreed that the Prince Edward should be given the Dukedom of Edinburgh in due course, when the present title held now by Prince Philip eventually reverts to the Crown.

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie, Countess of Wessex attend the Duke of Edinburgh Award's 60th Anniversary Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 16, 2016 (Getty Images)

But a source close to Charles told The Times in 2021, when Charles held the title: The prince is the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and it is up to him what happens to the title. It will not go to Edward.

Last year, it was also reported that the King was in favour of a slimmed-down monarchy, which would have included Edward not inheriting the title.

A source told the Daily Mail: The King wants to slim down the monarchy [so] it wouldnt make sense to make the Earl the Duke of Edinburgh

Its a hereditary title which would then be passed on to the Earl and Countess of Wessexs son, James, Viscount Severn.

It appeared that Edward knew about his eldest brothers reluctance. During an interview with the BBC to mark what would have been their fathers 100th birthday, he was asked: You will be the next Duke of Edinburgh, when the Prince of Wales becomes king, that is quite something to take on?

Edward answered: It was fine in theory, ages ago when it was sort of a pipe dream of my fathers and of course it will depend on whether or not the Prince of Wales, when he becomes king, whether hell do that, so well wait and see. So yes, it will be quite a challenge taking that on.

Will Prince Edwards son inherit the title when he dies?

No. The dukedom will not pass to James when Edward dies  paving the way instead for one of the Prince and Princess of Wales children to potentially be given the title in the future. The most likely candidate is their youngest son, Prince Louis, as their eldest, Prince George, will be heir apparent when William becomes king.

Prince Edward and Sophie pose with their children Lady Louise and James as they take part in the Great British Beach Clean on September 20, 2020 (Getty Images)

James will become the Earl of Wessex and Forfar when the title of the Duke of Edinburgh reverts to the Crown, the Palace said.

Edward will also remain for his lifetime the Earl of Forfar, another of his titles, but will use the Duke of Edinburgh because it is the more senior Scottish title.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -More than 10,000 Dutch farmers protested in The Hague on Saturday against government plans to limit nitrogen emissions, a policy they say will spell the end of many farms and hit food production.

Many symbolically held the national flag upside down during the demonstration, which took place ahead of March 15 regional elections and followed similar protests by farmers in Belgium this month over nitrogen emission rules.

Elsewhere in the city, thousands of environmentalists blocked a major thoroughfare in an unauthorised protest against tax rules they say encourage the use of fossil fuels. Police used water cannon to disperse a group of about 100 of the activists late in the afternoon.

The pro-farm protesters carried banners reading "No farmers, no food," and "There is no nitrogen 'problem'" during the peaceful demonstration organised by the Farmers' Defence Force group.

Relatively large numbers of livestock and heavy use of fertilizers have led to levels of nitrogen oxides in the soil and water in the Netherlands and Belgium that are higher than European Union regulations allow.

Farm groups say the problem has been exaggerated and that the proposed solutions are unfair and ineffective.

Next week's regional elections are significant because they will determine the make-up of the Dutch Senate, and because regional governments are responsible for translating national government goals - such as nitrogen caps - into concrete plans.

Environmentalists led by the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion scaled a wall next to the road they had blocked to hang a banner reading "Stop fossil subsidies".

Protesters are demanding an end to fuel tax exemptions for oil refineries and coal plants, introduced to avoid double taxation, as well as exemptions for the aviation and shipping industries that were agreed at the EU level.

(Reporting by Toby SterlingEditing by Helen Popper)
Miley Cyrus attends an event at LACMA in Los Angeles in 2021. (Richard Shotwell / Invision/Associated Press)

For the record:

9:56 a.m. March 15, 2023: A previous version of this story misidentified the ninth song on Miley Cyrus new album. The song is titled Muddy Feet.



Did Miley Cyrus accuse ex-husband Liam Hemsworth of cheating in her new album, "Endless Summer Vacation"?

Her fans seem to think so.

"Muddy Feet," the ninth track on Cyrus' new album that dropped late Thursday night, has all the makings of a revenge track. Its beat is brooding and gloomy. It airs out a list of damning evidence, such as the scent of "perfume that I didn't purchase" and a trail of mud throughout the house. And each verse repeats an angry mandate to kick a partner out of her house and her life.

"I don't know / Who the hell you think you're messin' with / Get the f out of my house with that s / Get the f out of my life with that s / And I don't know," Cyrus sings in the first verse.

Sia joins Cyrus on the chorus, exclaiming, "And you smell like perfume that I didn't purchase / Now I know why you've been closing the curtains / Get the f out of my house / You're comin' 'round / With your muddy feet / I'ma about to do some 'bout it / Yeah, I'ma have to do some 'bout it."

The former Disney star and Hemsworth married in 2018 after dating on and off for about a decade. But after seven months, the pair filed for divorce. Even then, cheating rumors began to swirl around the "Hunger Games" actor, prompting Cyrus to address the speculation in a tweet in August 2019 around the time of their separation.

I can admit to a lot of things but I refuse to admit that my marriage ended because of cheating, Cyrus wrote on Twitter. Liam and I have been together for a decade. Ive said it before & it remains true, I love Liam and always will.

Although Cyrus has moved on and dated other people since the divorce, her relationship with Hemsworth remains her longest and most visible.

When Cyrus released her new album's chart-topping single "Flowers" in January, fans pounced on the idea that the breakup song was referring to Hemsworth and reignited rumors of infidelity.

Story continues

"Muddy Feet" has renewed speculation about Hemsworth, with fans on Twitter once again trying to connect the dots.

"Did Miley just confirm that Liam cheated on her multiples times at her house on #MuddyFeet omg," asked one user.

"liam thought flowers would be the end of him but wait till he hears muddy feet," another tweeted, including a screenshot of Cyrus showering Hemsworth with a hose from their 2010 film, "The Last Song," on the set of which they first met.

"oh Liam Hemsworth you will crumble for your sins, Miley went into muddy feet mad mad! CALL HIM OUT MOTHER . Miley Cyrus Muddy Feet instant classic," another user exclaimed.

Although Cyrus has yet to address this new round of rumors, the "Wrecking Ball" artist gave a window into her songwriting process in the Disney+ special "Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions)."

"When I write a song, I try to be really descriptive in my lyrics and paint a picture of the moment in time that the song stemmed from," Cyrus said during the special.

As with all songs on the new album , Cyrus is listed as a writer on "Muddy Feet." She likened the songwriting to "an intimate, honest conversation" with friends.

"If you're a friend of mine and you're close to me and you listen to this album, it sounds like a conversation with me," she said on the Disney+ special. "There's subtle shade, there's honesty and truth and there's some wisdom and there's some humor, and there's some heaviness and depth."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Although Twitter CEO Elon Musk and former Donald Trump strategist Steve Bannon tend to sit on the same side of the political aisle, the two men don't seem to like each other very much.

Tim Pool, a right-wing podcaster, recently asked Bannon to comment on the CEO of Razer, Min-Liang Tan, encouraging Mr Musk to buy the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank. The tech-focused lender crumbled on Friday, making it the second-largest bank failure in US history.

Mr Musk replied that he was "open to the idea.

Mr Bannon scoffed at the idea, which Mr Pool called "a bit silly, and launched into a rant about the Tesla CEO's alleged deference to Beijing.

The former Trump strategist tore into Mr Musk, claiming he has refused to reinstate the Twitter accounts of "true" anti-Chinese government personalities  himself included  since he took over the site.

"Really?" Congressman Matt Gaetz, who was also on the episode, asked, apparently shocked.

"He's owned by the Chinese Communist Party," Mr Bannon said.

He claimed that Mr Musk's "only thing of real value" was Tesla, and that the "Shanghai joint venture"  Tesla's planned Gigafactory 3 plant in Shanghai  is "one hundred per cent controlled" by the Chinese government.

@ElonMusk is a total and complete phony. He is owned  lock, stock, and barrel  by the Chinese Communist Party, and he acts like it.



Steve Bannon on @Timcast IRL



Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/UhwKPvBUSu  Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 11, 2023

"Elon Musk is a total and complete phony," Mr Bannon said. "He is owned  lock, stock, and barrel  by the Chinese Communist Party, and he acts like it."

Story continues

Mr Pool also claimed that Mr Musk had been pressured by the Chinese government to stop promoting the "lab leak" coronavirus origin theory, and that he had bent to that pressure.

Mr Bannon noted that Mr Musk had not deleted his original tweets, but also did not add any additional tweets after the alleged pressure from the Chinese.

Mr Gaetz clipped the potion of the interview in which the former Trump aide blasts Mr Musk and shared it to Twitter, tagging the company's CEO and asking him for his thoughts.

Mr Musk made it clear he had no warm feelings for Mr Bannon either.

"I used to think Bannon was smart & evil, but now I realise I was wrong about the first part," Mr Musk wrote in response.
Elon Musk says hes open to the idea of Twitter buying Silicon Valley Bank, which abruptly failed on Friday, leaving many worried this weekend about what ramifications might unfold next week.

The billionaire responded Friday night to a suggestion that Twitter should buy SVB and become a digital bank, from Min-Liang Tan, CEO of Razer, which sells gaming computers.

Musk replied, Im open to the idea.

Others also indicated their support. I think Twitter could use a financial leg, Mikael Pawlo, head of branding at Swedish fintech firm Bokio, tweeted Friday. Would make total sense for the entire Musk ecosystem to buy the ruins of SVB and could also create a viable business model going forward for Twitter.

What an opportunity, tweeted Kevin Paffrath, CEO of HouseHack, a real-estate and A.I. startup. 2-3 years to get a banking charter otherwise. Just make sure you go through those toxic assets with a fine-tooth comb.

Musk, who helped launch PayPal, took over Twitter for $44 billion in late October. He aims to add payments to the platform, which an acquisition of SVB would presumably help with.

Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app, he tweeted earlier that month. Chinas WeChat offers an example of such an app, featuring payments in addition to messaging, streaming, and video chats, among much else.

Twitter has been applying for regulatory licenses and creating software to introduce payments on the platform, the Financial Times reported in late January.

Fortune reached out to Twitter for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.

Of course, not everyone is thrilled with the idea of Musk having another distraction. Investors in Tesla, notably, have been frustrated with Musks focus on Twitter. Musk sold billions worth of Tesla stock to help finance his takeover of Twitter and has been preoccupied with reshaping the platform.

In December, Leo Koguan, one of Teslas largest individual shareholders called for a leadership change, tweeting: Elon abandoned Tesla and Tesla has no working CEO. Tesla needs and deserves to have working full time CEO.

Story continues

On Friday, a self-described Tesla investor with the Twitter handle @sanssoli responded to Paffraths opportunity comment by writing, And sell another $20 billion worth of $Tesla stock. No thanks!

Meanwhile, as Musk ponders becoming a banker, he might also become a landlord. According to the Wall Street Journal, Musk is planning to build his own town along the Colorado River outside of Austin, Texas. Workers at Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company would reportedly be able to live in new homes there at below-market rates.

Some of them, perhaps, might also be customers of Silicon Valley Bank, which has branches nearby.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

More from Fortune:






Emma Raducanu (left) and Jack Draper advanced at Indian Wells (PA Wire/Steven Paston/PA)

Emma Raducanu eased into the last 32 at Indian Wells with a 7-6 (3) 6-2 victory over Magda Linette.

Raducanu overcame injury doubts and illness to beat Danka Kovinic in her opener at Indian Wells, and the British No 1 had to call for a physio after battling back from an early deficit.

Polands Linette, 21st in the WTA rankings and 55 places higher than Raducanu, took the first break of the match for a 3-1 first-set lead.

But Raducanu fought back from 4-1 down to level at 4-4 before calling for a physio at 6-5 ahead.

Both players, somewhat bizarrely, lost their serve to love as the opening set went into overtime.

Raducanu, who beat Linette in their only previous meeting at the 2022 Korea Open, won the tie-break 7-3 to establish an advantage after 62 minutes on court.

The odds were really stacked against Linette when Raducanu broke serve to lead 3-1 in the second set.

She comfortably closed out victory against this years Australian Open semi-finalist and will now meet either Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic or Brazils Beatriz Haddad Maia in the last 32.

Jack Draper beat Dan Evans 6-4 6-2 in an all-British second-round match.

It was a big win for Draper, 27 spots below the 29th-placed Evans on the ATP rankings and marks an upturn in his fortunes after illness and fitness issues in recent months.
Recording of new facts of damage and destruction continues every day

This figure was announced by Ruslan Hrechanyk, First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection, at a meeting of the Verkhovna Radas Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management in Kharkiv on March 10.

Read also: Zelenskyy calls environmental devastation in Ukraine ecocide by Russian invaders

Every single act of damage is being registered daily, he said at the meeting.

"We count every destroyed tree. And we count every hryvnia Russia owes to us for what it has been doing," he said.

Read also: Satellite photos show extent of damage to environment in Ukraine from Russian invasion

Preliminary estimates of the damage caused to the Ukrainian environment have already exceeded UAH 2 trillion ($55 billion), said Hrechanyk.

"This includes land contamination, air pollution, burnt forests, destroyed facilities, he explained.

Read also: Russian invasion causing colossal damage to Ukrainian environment

Russia is inducing climate changes, (as well as) nuclear crisis with its actions at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, a humanitarian one.

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
Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester Citys winner (Zac Goodwin/PA) (PA Wire)

Erling Haalands second-half penalty was enough to earn Manchester City a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Haalands league-leading 28th top-flight goal this season was redemption for a squandered opportunity before the break that saw the Norwegian striker fire over the crossbar from close range.

Palace did well to frustrate the visitors for 78 minutes but were undone after Michael Olise brought down Ilkay Gundogan to earn the spot-kick.

The result snapped a four-game unbeaten streak at home for the hosts, who remain in search of their first win in 2023.

City swiftly took control after kick-off, Rodrigo testing Vicente Guaita with a fierce volleyed effort to force a quick reaction from the Palace keeper before Jack Grealish wound his way through centre and dragged an attempt just wide of the left post.

Wilfried Zaha missed an early opportunity to put Palace ahead when he misfired from close range but from there the Eagles seemed to settle into the contest, and soon had another good chance when Olise collected the ball from inside his own half.

He went on an aggressive run before crossing to Zaha, whose left-footed effort was not sharp enough to beat Manuel Akanji who stepped into the line of fire to make the block.

The hosts did well to defend another City onslaught, Jeffrey Schlupp winning an aerial battle to deny Haaland the chance to nod in an opener.

City should have gone ahead when Nathan Ake latched onto Silvas pass and squared to the Norwegian  who began the afternoon with six more goals to his name than Palace had collectively scored all season.

Instead the moment turned into a rare reminder of the strikers fallibility when he blazed over, and two more scrambling saves from Guaita kept the hosts firmly in the half despite City enjoying the lions share of possession.

City had eight attempts before the break to Palaces two and piled on the pressure after the restart.

They came close to breaking the deadlock after 10 minutes when Grealish won a free-kick in a dangerous position at the edge of the area. Phil Foden stepped up and fired a rocket at goal, forcing another excellent stop from Guaita who dove and pushed the ball past his far post on 57 minutes.

Story continues

That marked the end of Fodens evening as he was soon replaced by Julian Alvarez, who tried to make a quick impression when he picked up a fine pass from Silva, pivoting around two Palace shirts at the edge of the area only to became the next City player to instead sky a solid chance to break the deadlock.

City continued to control the pace and flow but Palace remained largely resistant through 77 minutes, when Olise earned the critical punishment.

Haaland stepped up and made no mistake as he fired past Guaita, nearly making it two when he could not head home Grealishs cross.

Substitute Eberechi Eze missed his moment to make a difference and Zahas pass just eluded Naouirou Ahamada as the hosts ran out of time to equalise.
A24

On Feb. 26, Everything Everywhere All at Once dominated the Screen Actors Guild Awards, winning best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best actress, and the big award of the night, best motion picture cast. Thats a record-breaking four acting wins for one film at the ceremony. Combine that with the top prizes at the Producers Guild and Directors Guild Awards, and Oscar domination is all but guaranteed.

Thats an exciting prospect, and not one many would have predicted when EEAAO came out all the way back in March 2022. Its odds of making any awards impact at all felt slim. Early calendar releases rarely remain in the awards conversation, let alone one starring primarily Asian actors.

Put simply, theres a lot of EEAAO thats worth celebrating. Its an adventurous, enthusiastic, highly unusual film. People often lament the lack of creativity in American cinema these days, wondering why all they see are endless barrages of sequels and remakes. But EEAAO is a thrilling reminder that original storytelling still exists, and that it can be profitable. Its the highest-grossing film released by big-deal indie distributor A24 to date, earning over $100 million. Thats an incredible number for an independent film.

The Michelle Yeoh Moment With Everything Everywhere All at Once Is Already Changing Hollywood

A lot of peoplemyself includedare overjoyed by the prospect of Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis walking away with long-coveted Oscars, along with the countless other accolades the film is sure to receive. But there remains a nagging problem that lies at the heart of EEAAO, best summarized in two words: Big Nose.

If you havent seen the film, you may not understand what Im referring to. Even if you have, so much happens that youd be forgiven for forgetting any small detail. Big Nose is a character in the film played by Jenny Slate, whos introduced on-screen by Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) reacting in shock when she sees her. She says of the character, Wow, what a big nose. From there, Evelyn tells her husband to give a pile of dry cleaning to the customer with the big nose.

Story continues

Actress Jenny Slate arrives at the 20th Annual Critics Choice Movie Awards in Los Angeles, California, Jan. 15, 2015. Kevork Djansezian

Whats the big deal, you may be wondering. Lots of people have big noses! Thats certainly true. But one of the most long-standing antisemitic tropes is that Jewish people are identifiable by their supposedly big noses. And Jenny Slate is a Jewish actress.

To me, as a viewer, this was immediately appalling. Yet the conversation around the film rarely involves or interrogates the fact that one of the characters in the film is a walking Jewish American Princess stereotype, known only by a facial feature closely tied to prejudiced beliefs. Frankly, the lack of discourse around Big Nose'' may be due to the larger narrative surrounding the filmits overwhelmingly positive. EEAAO has become the film to root for this awards season, and pointing out its flaws goes against that.

While I have no interest in taking down the filmI really did enjoy it, for the most partI cant just let antisemitism go unchecked.

Mark Wahlbergs History of Hate Crimes Resurfaces After Everything Everywhere All at Once SAG Win

The trope of the big-nosed Jews dates back centuries ago. It was especially common during World War II, when Nazi propagandists would draw caricatures of Jews with big, hooked noses to dehumanize them. In a researched article on the tropes history, one academic explains that it is a technique used to stir up a sense of disgust and repulsion towards Jews, either collectively or individually, and is often found alongside other antisemitic motifs.

Since then, many Jews have reclaimed the untrue stereotype of the big nose. Yes, some of us have large noses, but there is no correlation whatsoever between Jews and big noses. Having a large nose has been a great source of shame for some Jewish people, due to its usage by hate groups to tear us down. But icons like Barbra Streisand have led the charge toward being proud of having a larger nose. As she said in a 1977 Playboy interview, The first thing someone would have done would be to cut my bump off. But I love my bump.

Meanwhile, Slate herself has said that she doesnt have any problem with her character. They explained it to me right away, so I never felt it was antisemitic, she said, in a recent interview with The Independent. I thought it was funny. Slates opinion is entirely valid, and Im glad she felt supported and not stigmatized. Im an enormous fan of her work, and I was delighted to see her in EEAAO. But it doesnt make the way her character is conceived and treated sit any better with me.

In a later scene, Big Nose is seen in an amusing brawl with Evelyn in the multiverse, where she uses her dog as a weapon. Bizarrely, we learn that the dog has a nameJohnnybut we still dont know anything about Johnnys owner. The scene between the two of them provides an opportunity for Evelyn to grow from her prejudiced comments, but instead, a dog ends up receiving more humanity than Slates character.

What we see in EEAAO is nothing close to a reclamation of having a bigger nose. In fact, its the opposite: Evelyn defines Slates character only by the size of her nose, diving headfirst into a well-worn antisemitic trope.

It feels disingenuous, especially since Evelyns character rehabilitation is so essential to what makes EEAAO special. Evelyns prejudice is part of who she is, and the film goes a long way to allow Evelyn to make amends with the people she has wrongedespecially her daughter Joy, played by Stephanie Hsu. A core part of the movie lies in their evolving relationship, which illustrates the power of how seeing things in a new light can expand our minds and ourselves. Evelyn thinks of Joy as a disappointment, something she tells her without hesitation. Shes also deeply uncomfortable with the fact that Joy is a lesbian.

Evelyn and Joy better understand and accept each other by the films end, with Evelyn in particular learning to care for and respect the people around her in new ways. But when it comes to her treatment Slates character, Evelyn experiences no such growth. Evelyns multiple remarks about Big Nose are left to hang like a toxic cloud over the film, with no resolution.

Its especially frustrating, because Slates character is so over the top that Evelyn could have picked up on so many different things. Evelyn could have mocked how loud and obnoxious she was being on the phone, while also talking to Evelyn at the same time. Or what about her gaudy clothes? The easiest and funniest target is hiding in plain sight: She has a dog in her stroller. The fact that she walks her dog around like a baby is an infinitely more amusing thing to mock, and its surely something that Evelyn wouldnt hesitate to make fun of. So why the nose?

All of these issues are punctuated by the films end credits, which list Jenny Slates character asyou guessed itBig Nose. This was likely done because its the only name shes called by in the movie; people likely wouldnt recognize who the character was in the film if they assigned her a random name. But the decision to not even dignify Slates character with a name feels particularly callous, refusing to give the character a shred of humanity.

Seeing Big Nose appear in the credits felt like a sick joke, a gut punch that a movie that does so many things wellincluding showing how growth and tolerance can make the world a better placeexcept for Jews.

AWARDS-OSCARS/NOMINEES-LUNCH Daniel Kwan with Daniel Scheinert, known as Daniels, directors and writers of Everything Everywhere All At Once, attend the Oscars Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California, U.S., Feb. 13, 2023. Lauren Justice/Reuters

Credit where its due: Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (a.k.a. the Daniels) profusely apologized for the name upon initial criticisms, back when the film was released. One of the weird blind spots that happened was that in Chinese culture, everyone who is white is called Big Nose, explained Kwan in an interview with Digital Spy last May. Its nothing to do with the Jewish people, which now were realizing, Oh, fuck. The Daniels also explained that there was more to Slates character, and there was a redemption filmed, but it ended up on the cutting room floor. For the digital release of the film months later, Slates character's name was changed from Big Nose to Debbie the Dog Mom.

Thats nice to hear, and Im glad that the Daniels expressed understanding and remorse and took a (minor) step to help rectify the issue. But that doesnt make the Big Nose character any less troubling, and it certainly doesnt absolve the film of including the stereotype. Whether the cut footage would have alleviated the antisemitic undertones is impossible to know, and the fact that the stereotypes meaning in Chinese culture differs from that elsewhere doesnt make it sit any less uncomfortably. In an era that so regularly calls out discrimination, its disappointing to see this issue largely swept under the rugdisappointing, but not surprising.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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LOW MOUNTAIN, Ariz. (AP)  Remembered as an inspirational, humble leader with a passion for education and commitment to his people, former Navajo Nation President Peterson Zah was honored Saturday with a funeral procession that stretched for 100 miles (160 kilometers) from western New Mexico into eastern Arizona.

People lined roads on the reservation to say their final farewells to a monumental leader who made education, family, culture and Navajo language the hallmarks of his life. He fought tirelessly to correct wrongdoings against Native Americans.

He led with compassion and a crystal-clear vision of what is right for the people first," said Robert Joe, Zah's nephew who served as the master of ceremonies at a public reception Saturday afternoon. "He always put the people before him to do what was right and for the interest of the people.

Crsytalyne Curley, Zah's granddaughter who is now the speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, said Zah spread hope throughout the whole Navajo Nation.

Zah died late Tuesday in Fort Defiance, Arizona, surrounded by his family and after a lengthy illness. He was 85.

Zah was buried in a private service at his family's cemetery in Low Mountain, Arizona, where he was born.

The procession passed through several Navajo communities, with people holding their hands to their hearts and displaying signs that declared Zah would be missed. The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority hoisted flags from utility trucks along the route.

All of Indian Country mourns with you today, said Stephen Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community. We mourn the loss of his brilliant mind, his personality, his wisdom. ... We are truly mourning the passing of an era.

Zah was the first president elected on the Navajo Nation  the largest tribal reservation in the U.S.  in 1990 after the government was restructured into three branches to prevent power from being concentrated in the chairmans office. At the time, the tribe was reeling from a deadly riot incited by Zahs political rival, former Chairman Peter MacDonald, a year earlier.

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Zah, who also served a term as tribal chairman, vowed to rebuild the Navajo Nation. Under his leadership, the tribe established a now multi-billion-dollar permanent fund after winning a court battle that found the tribe had authority to tax companies that extracted minerals from the vast reservation.

President Zah never lost sight of his purpose: to stand up for the dignity and respect of the Navajo people, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden wrote in a letter to Zah's family Saturday.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said in a statement that Zah transformed the Navajo Nation, and with it, our state.

Sometimes referred to as the Native American Robert Kennedy, Zah was known for his charisma, ideas and ability to get things done, including lobbying federal officials to ensure Native Americans could use peyote as a religious sacrament.

Zah also worked to ensure Native Americans were reflected in federal environmental laws like the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.

He was well-known for his low-key but stern style of leadership, driving around in a battered, white 1950s International pickup that was on display outside at the public reception Saturday.

Several speakers said Zah was instrumental in their determination to attend and graduate from Arizona State University or other institutions of higher learning.

To say Peterson Zah was a champion of education is like saying there are a lot of stars in the sky. Its an understatement," said Charles Monty Roessel, a former director of the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Education who is now president of Dine College in Arizona.

He understood the transformational power of education because he saw it in his own life, Roessel said.

Buu Van Nygren, president of the Navajo Nation, said Zah had recently met with tribal leaders to emphasize the importance of continuing to prioritize educational opportunities for their children.

He made sure education was at the forefront of everything he did," Nygren said. He touched many, many generations of young Navajo leaders like myself.
The 2023 Oscars are right around the corner, which means that the biggest Hollywood stars are descending on Los Angeles as we speak.

But if the nominees dont go home with the coveted golden statuette, they will at least be getting a very generous gift bag worth US$126,000 as a consolation.

Each year, nominees are gifted extravagant presents, including free trips to foreign countries, all manner of cosmetic treatments, luxury products and more.

In 2022, the goodie bag by Distinctive Assets  which is not associated with the official Oscars gift bag  reportedly included an entire plot of land in Scotland.

According to the Guardian, this years presents also includes a plot of land, this time in Australia. However, the size of the plot and exact location are unknown.

Recipients of the Everybody Wins gift bag will also get a three-night stay for eight people in a restored Italian lighthouse, valued at US$9,000, and a US$40,000 getaway to a Canadian estate called The Lifestyle.

Lash Fary, the founder of Distinctive Assets, told Forbes: Obviously, [the nominees] can afford to go where they want. Its not about the fact that this is free. Its about the fact that weve found a unique place that has built-in privacy for a celebrity.

I mean, its a hillside lighthouse on an island off the coast of Italy. Its very private.

Nominees like Cate Blanchett, Michelle Yeoh, Austin Butler, Brendan Gleeson and more will also walk away from the award ceremony on Sunday 12 March with US$25,000 worth of project management fees for home renovations, courtesy of Maison Construction.

Cosmetic procedures are also a popular inclusion in these lavish gift bags. Nominees can treat themselves to US$41,000 worth of treatments like Dr Thomas Sus Art Lipo arm sculpting, Dr Alan Baumans hair restoration and a facelift by Dr Konstantin Vasyukevich, plastic surgeon to the stars.

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Other luxury wellness products that the bag will contain include NaturGeeks function wellness immunity boost, C60 Purple Power edible massage oil, Blush Silks pillowcases, and Harmless Harvest coconut water.

Fary also told Forbes that this years gift selection highlights diverse brands, with 56 per cent of the companies included being owned by women and minorities.

The bag includes a loaf of Japanese milk bread by Ginza Nishikawa, worth US$18, and a pack of Clif Thins, a 100-calorie snack bar, worth US$13.56.

Fary said in a statement: While this gift bag does, as always, have an impressive value, that is neither our focus nor goal.

This is a straightforward win/win. These nominees are in a unique position to help participating brands immeasurably by simply wearing, using and talking about these products.
The Atlanta community gathered to remember the citys first African American television reporter.

Lorenzo Lo Jelks family members, friends, and supporters honored him Saturday at Antioch Baptist Church in northwest Atlanta.

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He passed away at the age of 83.

Jelks was part of the WSBTV family and helped pave the way for many other journalists.

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Jelks joined WSB-TV in 1967, making him the first Black television reporter in Atlanta, paving the way for many more broadcasters after him. He stayed with WSB-TV until 1976.

To have that honor of working in that kind of environment just thrilled me so, Jelks told Channel 2s Karyn Greer.

Born in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jelks got his start in radio. He ran a weekly music radio show as a high school student in 1955.

He graduated from Clark College, now called Clark Atlanta University, in 1961 and was operations manager at WIGO-AM, a R&B station, in Atlanta when he get the call from WSB-TV.

I remember [WSB-TV News Director Ray Moore] saying, Here we are talking about all these situations on air and we dont have a single Black person working here, Jelks recalled during WSB-TVs 75th Anniversary celebration.

During his first year at WSB-TV, Jelks was not seen on air. Instead, he was only identified by his name on the screen. The next year, when Jelks was seen on air, station management was able to remind critics they had been hearing from Jelks for a year.

[Were] so grateful that hes had an opportunity to be celebrated so much in the last several months of his life, and thank you all for your kindness, friendship and support of him, Jelks family said in a statement to Channel 2 Action News.

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Jelks was inducted into the Atlanta Press Club Hall of Fame last year.

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The victims family and Arlington police spoke at a news conference Friday urging the public to come forward with any information about the unsolved Feb. 14 killing of a homeowner who was shot by a burglar.

Ali Ismail, 36, was fatally shot after pulling into his driveway in the 1400 block of Prentice Street as he was coming home from work early on the morning of Feb. 14. He was a father to six children with one on the way and owned a trucking company, Panda Logistics.

Ali Ismail, 36, was fatally shot outside his Arlington home by a man who had been trying to break into cars in the neighborhood, according to police.

Were standing here today with his family because they deserve answers,  said Tarrick McGuire, assistant police chief at the Arlington Police Department. Were also standing here because they deserve justice and we will work together with this community to ensure that they get the justice that they deserve. But to make that happen we not only need the media to assist us in this process, we also need those who are within our community.

Police released surveillance video the day after Ismail was killed, showing two suspects walking on Prentice Street. In the video the men were seen pulling on door handles of multiple vehicles in the neighborhood in an attempt to burglarize them, according to police.

The Arlington Police Department released surveillance video of two suspects they believe were involved in the fatal shooting of Ali Ismail.

One of the two men from the video is believed to have shot Ismail, according to police. Both suspects seen in the video are wanted.

We want closure to this situation. The family is still shocked, said Ismails cousin, Jamal Ali, at the press conference. Its a nightmare. Anyone who knows or sees anything, please reach out to the police and share with us any information you have to bring closure to this situation. This could be your son, this could be your father, this could be your husband, a nephew, a relative of yours. I want you to take a moment to imagine that you could be in that situation.

This killing was a shock to us. This hasnt happened to us in this community, so as the first time we witness this, its really horrific, said Osman Salat, a close family friend of Ismail. You can imagine how the family is feeling. The loss of the father, the breadwinner, a husband. He was everything to them. Right now that family is without a father, somebody who cares for them, somebody who will take them to school every morning.

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Ismails trucking company had to pause operations, according to Ali.

Not just the kids but even the community is impacted, Ali said.

Salat, who knew Ismail for over 10 years, described Ismail as a hard-working guy who was always doing the right thing.

As a community we are devastated and we share grief with the family and we would like the community and anybody else who knows anything about this killing or anyone with information to share it with the police department, Salat said. We appreciate the work the police department is doing. We hope that with the effort they are putting in, the time, everything, and the resources, we hope something will be found out pretty soon. And we are willing to help them. We want every father, every mother, every child in the community to be safe and we really feel that this family is without justice. We need to make sure we find the people who did this and the family can have a closure and move on with their life.

In the three weeks since the shooting, our homicide unit has worked diligently and tirelessly to identify suspects in this case, McGuire said. They have gone to surrounding neighborhoods, they have recanvassed areas, talking to citizens and those within the immediate area. Multiple times they have knocked on doors to seek additional information regarding this case, to try to locate any additional suspects or footage regarding this case.

Police do not have video of where the suspects fled after trying to burglarize cars.

The surveillance video that Arlington police released does not provide a great look at the suspects faces, McGuire said at Fridays conference.

We continue to ask residents who live in the area to check their surveillance video and to provide any additional information to the police department, particularly during the times of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. of February the 14th, McGuire said..

Rain that morning affected the departments ability to recover physical evidence from the cars that the suspects are believed to have touched, he said.

The police department has received a handful of tips from the public following the shooting but detectives have exhausted those leads, McGuire said.

Police said they have not received new tips within the last couple of weeks.

We believe someone out there knows something. Not possibly just in the Arlington community but the entire Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, McGuire said. We need them to do the right thing. We need them to step forward and help bring closure and justice to this family.

This case is a top priority for our police department, he said. We have been successful in the past with arresting persons that have been involved in that type of activity. This is behavior indicative of a property crime. Very seldom do you see a property crime result in a violent crime such as this where someone loses their life.

Ali organized a GoFundMe to help cover debts and to provide financial support for Ismails wife and kids. The GoFundMe has raised $214,735 of a $300,000 goal.

Were coming together as a community to focus on one day at a time because the process is still shocking to everyone, Ali said. Right now were focusing on taking care of their bills, day-to-day stuff, but its going to be an ongoing process for us.

Oak Farms Dairy is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of the person or people who shot Ismail.

Police are not aware of any case where there have been similar repeat offenses in the area near Prentice Street, according to McGuire. Police are continuing to closely patrol the area within a three- to four-mile radius.

Anyone with information about the suspects or the murder of Ismail can reach out to Detective Julia Hall at 817-459-5325 or can remain anonymous by submitting information to Crime Stoppers at 817-459-8477.
The terminal building at Bult Field airport in Monee, a possible site for the South Suburban Airport, on March 8, 2023. The proposed South Suburban Airport would turn Bult Field into a cargo airport, to take advantage of the enormous growth in warehouses, intermodal facilities, rail and highways in Will County. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

A long-discussed proposal for a new Chicago-area airport in the south suburbs is again gaining traction, now with a focus on air cargo as e-commerce warehouses and logistics facilities have flourished in the area.

Proponents envision an airport that could take advantage of demand for quick delivery and the proliferation of Amazon warehouses, train facilities and highways in Will County. At least one developer is already interested in building out the airport and nearby warehouses, a project that would mark the culmination of the decadeslong effort to get an airport built near Peotone.

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But the plan has for years faced objections. Opponents, including environmentalists and Will County farmers, say the airport would be a waste of rich agricultural land and public money, cause environmental problems and encourage urban sprawl. Nearby airports already have cargo facilities. And, after decades of talk, some are skeptical the airport will move forward at all.

The Peotone airport has always been a solution in search of a problem, said Kevin Brubaker, deputy director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

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A bill pending in the Illinois legislature intends to get the ball rolling on the project by directing the state to start the process of soliciting proposals from developers. The goal is to determine the viability to build the airport, state Rep. Will Davis, a Democrat from Homewood who sponsored the bill, said during a hearing on the concept Wednesday.

We see it as economic development for our region, he said. Not only our region but also the entire state of Illinois. And right now were losing out to a couple of our neighboring states.

The concept has also garnered support from both Chicago mayoral candidates. Brandon Johnson said during a candidate forum Thursday that transportation could serve as an anchor for an economic hub for the South Side of the city and the south suburbs, and Paul Vallas said it should be paired with expanded transit and connected to the central business district.

Asked at a recent unrelated news conference about his support for a third Chicago-area airport, this one focused on cargo, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said ensuring there is interest from cargo carriers would be key to the project.

What you dont want is, If you build it, they will come, right? he said. Just building the thing and hoping that people will show up to essentially pay for the airport having been built. You need to make sure that youre building it because you have interest from cargo carriers who are committing to make that a cargo airport.

The airport has been discussed for decades, and was first proposed as a third passenger airport for the Chicago area. It has progressed in starts and stops over the years as plans changed.

[ Chicago projects that won mayor support but were later sidelined ]

The concept calls for expanding a small general aviation airport known as Bult Field. The Illinois Department of Transportation owns the site and has purchased most, though not all, of the rest of the land needed to expand. The state also allocated money to build a new interchange on I-57 that would connect the expressway to the airport, but IDOT is still in the early stages of the road project and does not have a timetable to start construction, spokeswoman Maria Castaneda said.

Bult Field in Monee, a possible site for the South Suburban Airport. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Farm buildings and homes near the runway at Bult Field in Monee, a possible site for the South Suburban Airport. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Still, industrial developer Paul Ahern, owner of Tandem Development Group, sees potential for the site. He wants to build warehouses to complement the airport, and said hes part of a team that plans to bid on developing the airport itself if the opportunity arises.

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Will Countys rail lines, intermodal facilities and highways make it a logical choice for a cargo airport, he said. Major retailers such as Amazon have warehouses nearby. And Illinois central location in the United States makes it a draw for overseas companies that want products made in America or need to ship expensive items such as pharmaceuticals, electronics or machinery parts.

Ahern pointed to the growth of Chicago Rockford International Airport, where he helped develop a cargo center. Opened during the Great Recession, the building sat vacant for several years as he struggled to recruit air cargo tenants, and ultimately the airport purchased the property. But as the logistics in the area matured and the recession receded, the airport boomed, he said.

(Rockford is) an international success, is the best way to put it, Ahern said. So I decided, knowing the growth of the industrial sector down in Will County, You know, a third airport as a cargo airport makes a lot of sense.

Opponents point to the prevalence of other cargo airports nearby. But Ahern said he sees enough demand to go around.

Gary Chicago International Airport in Indiana is looking to expand air cargo service by increasing its staging area so it can accommodate more large aircraft, though there are no plans to add another runway, an airport spokesman said.

To the north, at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, a new, 288,000-square-foot air cargo facility is in the works, and could be finished in late 2024 if given final approval. CBRE, the firm handling leasing for the project, is marketing the facility as a legitimate option for cargo tenants looking to avoid the much higher congestion and costs associated with centering operations out of OHare (International Airport).

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And in Rockford, the airport is undergoing an expansion that moved forward after an attempt was denied Wednesday to pause construction through an ancient prairie and habitat for the endangered rusty patched bumblebee.

The Rockford airport has been successful and growing for decades, said state Sen. Steve Stadelman, a Democrat from Rockford. The airports location close to Chicago but outside the major areas of congestion has been a draw, he said.

It seems to be a huge growth area as e-commerce expands, he said.

Rick Bryant, an adviser to U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, a supporter of the Peotone airport, said another airport in the south suburbs could be viable even with the other nearby expansions. Air cargo carriers can operate out of two hubs in a major metro area, located at opposite ends of the area and bypassing the congestion of the urban center.

Dozens of air carriers already operate out of northern Illinois airports, including some out of both OHare and Rockford. OHare has more than two dozen air cargo carriers, including FedEx, Air China Cargo and DHL. Carriers out of Rockford include Atlas Air, Nippon Cargo and Cargolux.

The south suburban airport could also eventually draw shippers such as Amazon and UPS. Amazon has opened 20 fulfillment and sorting centers in the state, 20 delivery stations and other fulfillment centers for Prime Now and Amazon Fresh, according to the company.

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UPS operates out of nearby airports, running about 40 arrivals and 40 departures each weekday. Most of those  about 32  are from Rockford, about six are out of OHare and two from Gary.

Both companies declined to comment on the proposed new airport.

At the legislative hearing Wednesday, Reggie Greenwood, executive director of the Chicago Southland Economic Development Corp., said demand for a new cargo airport is driven by the explosion in e-commerce and manufacturing brought back to the U.S. from overseas.

Since 2018, e-commerce has made up an increasing share of retail sales, rising from 10.7% of sales in January 2018 to 16.6% in December 2022, according to U.S. Census Bureau data provided by the National Retail Federation.

Recently, e-commerce giant Amazon was among the tech companies that implemented massive layoffs. The decision was part of a broad cost-cutting move to trim its growing workforce as sales dip from pandemic spikes and fears linger of a potential recession.

But Greenwood said the area has experienced an industrial boom in recent years. He also pointed to potential benefits of the airport, saying it would create jobs in an area with a large population of people of color and keep investment in the state.

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The economic impact of such a development would be immense, he said.

Estimates from aviation consultant R.A. Wiedemann and Associates, commissioned by the Southland economic development corporation and based on analysis of other cargo airports, say the airport could generate between 900 and 2,500 on-site jobs.

But to attract cargo carriers and logistics companies, the airport will need road access and warehouse space, according to the study.

Chris Kessler, director of policy at the environmental nonprofit Openlands, told lawmakers the airport would be an environmental disaster. The project would involve paving over wetlands, degrading miles of streams and destroying flood plains, he said.

It would also likely destroy family farms, and bring industry into an area that doesnt have the infrastructure to handle it, he said.

The low-flying planes and pollution and strain on our natural resources that would follow will have a devastating effect on the region, especially the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Kessler said, reading a letter from the organizations president.

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Brubaker, from the ELPC, said the airport would induce sprawl. He, too, said it would bring industrial growth into the region, spurring the destruction of flood plains and wetlands.

Why build all of that to create something we dont need? he said.

The president of the nearby village of Crete, Michael Einhorn, said hed been hearing about the proposed airport for nearly all of the more than three decades hed been in office. He said he would hold off on making a decision about the airport until he saw a concrete plan.

This has just been going on for so long, its really hard to get charged up about, he said.

Chicago Tribune reporter Alice Yin and The Associated Press contributed.

sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com

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jgorner@chicagotribune.com
Family of 13-year-old Jayden Robker, who went missing more than a month ago in Kansas Citys Northland, said a body found Friday matches the description of the teen.

They are awaiting autopsy results to know for sure.

Several police agencies responded Friday morning to a wooded area near North Broadway and Northwest Englewood Road, where Gladstone police confirmed a body had been discovered. Authorities spent hours Friday combing the wooded area near a pond where the body was found.

Authorities said they would not be releasing the victims name until Saturday at the earliest.

Jayden went missing Feb. 2.

He was last seen at Northwest Plaza Drive and Northwest Plaza Avenue in the Northland. His family said he left their home after school that day to ride his electric skateboard. They say no one in the family had seen him since.

Police conduct an investigation Friday, March 10, 2023 in Gladstone.

A media release on Jaydens disappearance wasnt posted until four days after he went missing. The boys mother, Heather Robker, and a spokesperson with the Kansas City Police Department said the reason it wasnt posted immediately, in part, was because they couldnt find a current photo of him right away.

Capt. Corey Carlisle, a spokesman for the KCPD, said despite the delay in information exchange in getting the news release out, detectives immediately began investigating the case the night when he was reported missing.

On Sunday, dozens of people gathered to participate in a canvass aimed at increasing awareness about Jaydens disappearance. On Wednesday, the FBI announced it was offering a $5,000 reward for information about his whereabouts.

An ambitious, energetic teen

Jayden has three younger brothers and two younger sisters, his mother told The Star last week. He was often there to greet his siblings as they got off the school bus, then played hide-and-seek and watched movies on their tablets at home.

Robkers eldest loved to spend his time playing Pokemon and skateboarding, and lately, her husband had been teaching him to box.

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Recently, Jayden had conjured up the idea to start his own car washing business, in the hopes of making and saving his own money, said Robker, who described her son as ambitious, energetic, bubbly and funny. She said he saw his valuable Pokemon cards as an opportunity to kick-start his savings account.

So on Feb. 2, when Robker came home to squeeze in a nap between her day job and her night job, her husband told her that Jayden was off riding his black skateboard. She believes he went out that day hoping to sell some of his Pokemon cards to help start that business.

When she woke up for her night shift, Robker was alarmed to see Jayden hadnt returned to their home near the intersection of Northwest Plaza Drive and Northwest Plaza Avenue.

In the weeks since he went missing, family and friends organized searches for the missing teen, hoping to bring him home.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin's latest statement about possible military aid for Ukraine has apparently come as a surprise to some in the Finnish government.

During her March 10 visit to Kyiv, Marin said that Finland could consider providing Ukraine with Hornet fighter jets.

Following that statement, Finland's Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen said that Finland can't spare the Hornets, because it will need them "to protect itself" in the coming years.

Finlands Air Force Commander, Major General Juha-Pekka Keranen, ruled out the delivery of Hornet jet fighters to Ukraine until receiving U.S.-made F-35 fighters in return.

Both officials said the government hasn't been discussing the delivery of Hornets to Ukraine.

Finland currently has 62 Hornet jets likely to be retired, according to Helsingin Sanomat, while 64 F-35 fighters will be purchased to replace the Hornet fleet.

Ukraine has been asking Western allies for fighter jets that would help it achieve the air supremacy over Russia, to no avail so far.

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins told Der Spiegel on March 4 that he was sure that combat aircraft would be delivered to Ukraine by Western countries, calling it a matter of time before the decision is made.

If the Ukrainians need fighter jets, they should get them, he said, adding that Ukrainians have repeatedly proven that they quickly learn to operate new equipment.

Critics argue that allies reluctance to supply F-16, Typhoon and Dassault fighter jets and long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine will prevent Kyiv from launching a counteroffensive and liberating the rest of Ukrainian territory.
A major breakthrough in international diplomacy was announced Friday when Saudi Arabia and Iran revealed that they had agreed to resume normalized relations in a deal brokered by China.

The countries announced the deal in a joint statement, saying Iran and Saudi Arabia, the two largest Middle Eastern nations by area, will resume diplomatic relations and each reopen embassies in the other country within two months.

The plan will return Saudi Arabia and Iran to normalized relations after the kingdom cut ties with the other nation in 2016, and will likely have lasting effects throughout the Middle East and the rest of the world.

Here are five things to know about the Chinese-brokered deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran:

It reduces tensions in the Middle East between two regional powers

Iran and Saudi Arabia may have only officially broken off diplomatic relations in 2016, but tensions between the two countries are deeply rooted in history and religion.

Saudi Arabia has historically followed the Sunni branch of Islam, while Iran has followed the Shia branch. The split between the two branches dates back to the seventh-century, when it arose amid debates over who the rightful successor to the Prophet Mohammed was, according to the nonpartisan think tank Council on Foreign Relations.

In a more recent source of tension, the Iranian Revolution in 1979 brought Ruhollah Khomeini to power, and he ruled as ayatollah, bringing together government and religious leadership under Shia Islam. The new Iranian government began supporting Shiite groups in other countries in the region, while Saudi Arabia was prompted by the revolution to strengthen its Sunni connections, according to the council.

Since then, Iran and Saudi Arabia have not directly fought each other but have engaged in a series of proxy conflicts.

Saudi Arabia supported Iraq during its war with Iran in the 1980s. In more recent years, Iran has supported the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is a member of a sect that arose from Shia Islam, while Saudi Arabia has supported rebels seeking to overthrow him in the Sunni-majority country. Saudi Arabia has also supported a Sunni government in exile in the civil war in Yemen, while Iran has backed the Houthi rebels, who are Shia.

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As Saudi Arabia and Iran improve their ties, the normalization of their relations could impact these conflicts, too.

It demonstrates Chinas growing influence on the world stage

Another factor of the deal in addition to the agreement itself is the fact that China was the one responsible for moderating it. The agreement came after four days of previously undisclosed talks in Beijing.

China has been pushing to challenge the U.S. role as the worlds superpower for years, and their success in securing the agreement weakens the U.S. position in the region.

The United States has had longstanding but recently tense relations with Saudi Arabia, especially since the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who criticized the Saudi regime. U.S. intelligence assessed in 2021 that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation to kill or capture Khashoggi.

The U.S. has had fraught relations with Iran for decades since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, making it likely impossible for the U.S. to arrange such a deal between the two Middle Eastern powers.

China has meanwhile bought substantial amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia and stayed close to Iran.

Some international affairs experts have said the agreement signals China is getting more involved in diplomatic engagement of the Middle East.

It should be a warning to U.S. policymakers: Leave the Middle East and abandon ties with sometimes frustrating, even barbarous, but long-standing allies, and youll simply be leaving a vacuum for China to fill, said Jonathan Panikoff, the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative for the Atlantic Council, in a Friday analysis.

It could complicate normalization of Saudi-Israeli relations

Another international agreement that could be brewing is one to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, but the Saudi governments deal with Iran could make accomplishing that more difficult.

Israel has recently increased its ties to several of its Arab neighbors, in large part through the 2019 Abraham Accords that saw Israel normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Sudan and Morocco soon after followed in establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that he wants to secure normalized relations with Saudi Arabia, but Iran has long been an adversary of Israel.

Israel has been one of the fiercest critics of Iran and its nuclear program, with its government under Netanyahu opposing the 2015 nuclear deal that saw restrictions placed on the program in exchange for the U.S. lifting sanctions on the Iranian regime.

The closer ties between Saudi Arabia, with whom Israel wants a better relationship, and Iran, one of its top adversaries, could make a deal more complicated.

People familiar with ongoing discussions told The New York Times that Saudi Arabia has laid out its demands for recognizing Israel, which include a security pledge from the U.S., the development of a civilian nuclear program and reduced restrictions on U.S. arms sales.

President Biden seemed to declare support for the Saudi-Iranian deal in comments Friday, saying that Better relations between Israel and their Arab neighbors are better for everybody.

It may bolster Assads government in Syrian Civil War

The Syrian government applauded the deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran after it was announced, saying that it would help bring stability to the Middle East.

The agreement could give a strategic advantage to Assads regime as he tries to stay in power amid an ongoing and lengthy civil war.

Fighting broke out in 2011 in the country following Assads strong and violent crackdown on protests during the Arab Spring. The war has become a multi-sided conflict and a proxy war between Iran, supporting Assad, and Saudi Arabia, supporting the rebels.

Countries tried to isolate Syria following its violent response to the protests, suspending the country from the Arab League, but the Syrian Foreign Ministry said a consensus is growing among Arab countries that isolating Syria is not working and that engagement is necessary.

Assads forces have meanwhile been able to recapture most major cities and hold most of the country, though rebel groups still hold a portion. Some experts and officials have said only a political solution can end the conflict, but any pullback in support of the rebels by Saudi Arabia following the deal with Iran could help Assad close in on retaining power.

It could help lead to end of the war in Yemen

The civil war in Yemen has been the other major still-ongoing conflict that has seen Saudi Arabia and Iran engage in a proxy battle.

Both the Yemini government and the Houthi rebels have claimed to be the legitimate authority in Yemen. The war has caused a massive humanitarian crisis as tens of thousands of people have been killed and millions have been suffering from hunger and illness.

The war has waged on for more than eight years, but much of the international community has signaled an interest in bringing it to an end. Former Yemini President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi stepped down from office last year to transition the government to a council that could find a political solution to the conflict.

Saudi officials have also pushed for ending the war and said earlier this year that progress was being made.

Some members of Congress have also advocated for a war powers resolution to end U.S. support for the Saudi intervention in Yemen. Biden ended U.S. assistance to Saudi-led offensives in the country in 2021, but the U.S. still sells arms for the conflict and shares intelligence.

The two key backers of the sides in the conflict, Saudi Arabia and Iran, agreeing to normalized relations could help the government and rebels reach an accord to end the violence.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Man and his daughter, their faces in shadow - Alessandra Schellnegger

The police tugged a black hood over Seypiddins head, shoved him into a car and sped away.

Locked in solitary confinement in China, he was interrogated daily for hours about his activities as a student in Egypt  who hed met, what hed done.

Officers threatened his parents to get him to cooperate. They hinted that he might otherwise someday die in an accident  a car crash, food poisoning.

Sometimes, hed hear people screaming from other cells.

There were days I thought about killing myself; I was under so much pressure, said Seypiddin, a Uyghur whose name has been changed to protect his identity.

A month later, he was released as suddenly as hed been detained.

I desperately wanted to get away; I was so afraid I might be brought in and interrogated again, he told The Telegraph. [China] no longer felt like home anymore; it felt like one big prison.

Seypiddin raced back to Cairo, hoping to be free from the Chinese state. He never dared to return home again.

It was 2004, and he was 28  years before Chinas crack down accelerated against the Uyghurs, an ethnic Muslim minority, prompting the US government and UK Parliament to call it a genocide.

Indeed this was just Seypiddins first brush with the authorities. Over nearly two decades, they would continue to haunt him, though he was thousands of miles away from China.

Even after obtaining asylum in Europe, Seypiddin, now 46, still doesnt feel free. In recent months, the Chinese police have been harassing him, calling and sending messages asking about his activities.

I cant really believe that weve come here, and I dont yet feel strong emotional relief, he told The Telegraph from his new home, over a plentiful spread of apples, biscuits, tea and noodles.

More than a million Uyghurs have been penned in extra-legal re-education camps by the Chinese state in the countrys north-west region of Xinjiang, with detainees subject to torture including beatings and electrocution.

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The Telegraph has uncovered evidence that China, under international pressure, has scaled back some of the camps from around 2020.

But some detainees have been shuffled into other parts of a vast system  for instance, sentenced to prison for so-called religious crimes, such as studying the Quran, or put in a forced labour programme. Others have been coerced into work for little or no pay.

Some have been released, though Xinjiang residents have indicated to The Telegraph that they feel theyre watched constantly by facial recognition cameras, police and informants.

Asked to spy in exchange for his release

Eighteen years ago, before surveillance technology proliferated, Seypiddin already felt hed lost his freedom.

After landing back in Cairo, Chinese police officers would call periodically, asking him to report his whereabouts and interactions with other Uyghurs.

Often the calls would come after hed hung out with Uyghur friends in Egypt  a sign, he thinks, that the Chinese secret police were surveilling the diaspora.

Spying on the Uyghur community in Egypt had been a condition of Seypiddins release from solitary confinement, and the police even offered him a job after he finished studies abroad.

Seypiddin played along, in order to get his passport back to flee China for good.

So he dutifully took their calls and gave vague answers for about a year, before finding the courage to toss his phone in favour of a new number.

Passport on an Islamic prayer rug - Alessandra Schellnegger

For a while, the harassment stopped. He learned Arabic, married, had children and earned enough as a small-time trader selling prayer rugs and Qurans from Egypt to China.

Sometimes hed chauffeur Uyghurs who visited Egypt for tourism and business.

But the Chinese authorities kept coming back.

In 2011, when his wife, Ayshe  also a pseudonym  and children went home to Xinjiang for her brothers wedding, their relatives started getting calls from the police.

Officers wanted them to hand over their passports, forcing them into hiding  a challenge with a newborn. Eventually, they managed to flee back to Egypt.

In the years that followed, it became harder to stay in touch with relatives at home. By 2016, calls were no longer connected, and he feared that trying to get in touch by other means would put them at risk.

Soon, mass arrests started at home, so I was afraid to contact them and they were afraid to do the same, he said.

Sending money to relatives abroad, visiting other countries and having WhatsApp on a phone was enough for authorities to lock up Uyghurs.

Seypiddins sister and brother-in-law were detained and sent to camps.

Some of his Uyghur friends in Egypt, pressured by Chinese authorities to return  where they were sure to be arrested  began fleeing to Turkey. But Seypiddin stayed put.

I didnt believe the Egyptian government would sell us to the Chinese, he said. I was sure that China wasnt actually that strong, that there was no way they could reach me.

He was wrong. In 2017, Egyptian authorities started rounding up and deporting Uyghurs to China.

Seypiddin and his family just happened to be out during the first raids. In fact, he was nearly home when he saw Uyghurs being herded into a giant police truck in the street and got a call from a friend warning him to stay away.

An Egyptian officer even looked straight at him, telling him to get out of the way.

It was pure coincidence based on how we looked, said Seypiddin, who could pass for Egyptian, with his shaved head and moustache.

For the next five years, they were in hiding, living in constant fear, and moving ten times to avoid being detected. He slept with his shoes next to the bed in fear of a nighttime raid. Friends kept ropes to abseil out the window if the police came.

Suitcases under a bed - Alessandra Schellnegger

Seypiddin tossed anything that might give them away  such as embroidered Uyghur textiles or traditional hats, called doppa. But he couldnt let go of everything, insisting his children continue studying the Uyghur language with a tutor online.

Egypt was my new homeland. I had felt free and safe  my children were going to good schools, said Seypiddin. To lose that hit me very heavily.

The more time that passed, the more danger Seypiddin and his family faced as targets for deportation, though this pushed to the top of the pile his asylum claim, granted last year.

On a recent call with his brother, Seypiddin held up a piece of paper saying they were safe in Europe; he didnt dare utter the words given pervasive surveillance.

His brother  who sometimes calls from other parts of China as his job occasionally allows him to leave Xinjiang  cried.

Seypiddins mother died a few years ago, potentially due to health complications from her detention  though he didnt learn of her death until much later, given the communications blackout.

And he suspects his father has been detained again  his brother said hed been taken to hospital, a euphemism among Uyghurs for being locked up.

Chinese police keep pinging him with text and voice messages asking how hes doing  cordial in tone, but chilling, as theyre sent through his brothers phone, a sign that the authorities are keeping close watch over family in China.

But hes doing his best to move on, looking for schools for his children, who hes taught to say, if asked, in their new country that theyre This is the second part of a series on Uyghurs in exile. The first, on the dangerous exit route taken out of China, can be found here Uyghurs from East Turkestan  what many like to call their homeland, rather than by the Chinese name of Xinjiang.

These last years have been very tough, he said. Im completely exhausted.

Additional translation and reporting by Rune Steenberg

This is the third part of a series on Uyghurs in exile. The first, on the dangerous exit route taken out of China, can be found here. The second, on children who lose their parents to the camps, is here.
Dont expect to see Florence Pugh take an on-screen holiday any time soon.

At the London premiere Wednesday for her upcoming movie A Good Person, the actor discussed her tendency to play very intense parts. Pugh stars in the film as a woman who becomes addicted to opioids after a car crash. Shes also a producer on the movie, which was written, directed and co-produced by her ex-boyfriend Zach Braff.

Its no secret that I only pick very intense roles, Pugh said during a Q&A session, per Variety. This isnt the first time Ive been reduced to tears pretty much every single scene that Ive been in. I like finding the ugliness in humans. I love being raw.

Florence Pugh, left, said it would be

Florence Pugh, left, said it would be "strange" for her to appear in a movie similar to the lighthearted comedies of Nancy Meyers, right.

Pughs emotionally intense roles in movies like Midsommar, Little Women and Dont Worry Darling have prompted fans to joke that the film industry wont let the actor be happy.

But it sounds like a happy performance is not what Pughs after. At Wednesdays Q&A, she cited movies in the style of director Nancy Meyers, known for lighthearted rom-coms like The Holiday and Father of the Bride, as the kind of project where she wouldnt feel at home, acting-wise.

I think it would have been strange if [Braff] wrote a Nancy Meyers thing for me to be like, So... youre not going to cry in this movie, she said. Id be like, Oh God!

Related...
Almost half of public high school students in Florida start their school day before 7:30 a.m., despite years of studies showing later start times are better for teens. Now, lawmakers want to make changes to the school-day hours.

House Speaker Paul Renner mentioned the issue during his opening remarks on the start of the 2023 regular session:

Quality sleep is also critical to childrens learning and mental health, so we will pursue appropriate school start times as a zero-cost way to improve both academic scores and mental well-being, Renner said Tuesday, indicating that later school start times is a high priority for the House this session.

Now, theres two bills filed that would prohibit public middle and high schools from starting too early in the morning: HB 733 is sponsored by Rep. John Paul Temple, of Sumter and part of Hernando counties. And SB 1112 is sponsored by Sen. Danny Burgess, representing parts of Hillsborough and Pasco counties.

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The proposed legislation says that by July 1, 2026, Florida middle schools cannot start classes earlier than 8 a.m. and high school classes cannot start earlier than 8:30 a.m. The start times would also apply to charter middle and high schools, according to the bills.

The legislation also requires that school boards inform the school community, including parents, teachers, students, and others about the academic impacts of sleep deprivation on middle and high school students.

A staff analysis reports that, based on data from the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability reports, on average, traditional public high schools begin at 7:47 a.m. in Florida, with 48% of high schools starting before 7:30 in the morning.

Traditional public middle schools in Florida start at 9:06 a.m. on average, with 83% of Floridas middle schools starting at 8:30 a.m. or later, according to the staff analysis.

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The non-traditional charter schools averages are different. Charter high schools begin at 7:44 a.m. on average and charter middle schools start at 8:09 a.m. on average, according to the staff analysis.

The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP) supports the effort, according to a press release from the organization Wednesday.

Speaker Renners dedication to improving the lives of children and adolescents in Florida through his proposal on school start times is praiseworthy, FCAAP President Thresia Gambon, said in a written statement Wednesday. By recognizing the critical importance of sufficient sleep for academic success, health, and safety, he is taking significant steps towards improving the lives of our children and adolescents.

Related: Amid Surge in Stress During Pandemic, Sleep the Magic Pill to Restoring Teens Mental Health, Experts Say

The FCAAP says that earlier school start times contribute to insufficient sleep, disrupting adolescents circadian rhythm.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports adolescents with improper sleep patterns are more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression, be overweight, and perform poorly in school.

According to the CDC:

During puberty, adolescents become sleepy later at night and need to sleep later in the morning as a result in shifts in biological rhythms. These biological changes are often combined with poor sleep habits (including irregular bedtimes and the presence of electronics in the bedroom). During the school week, school start times are the main reason students wake up when they do. The combination of late bedtimes and early school start times results in most adolescents not getting enough sleep.

Other states like California have issued later start times, but according to the National Education Association, a nationwide teacher union, the move has been controversial.

The NEA said in a December post:

Many educators, district leaders, and parents believe the shift will present significant operational and logistical challenges, complicate the scheduling of after-school extra-curricular activities, and disrupt the schedules of working parents. Both the California Teachers Association (CTA) and the California Schools Board Association opposed the measure on these grounds, also citing the erosion of local control and a failure to respect parental decisions and community input.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
A Florida woman earlier this month lobbied to designate today, March 10, as Sugar Daddy and Mommy Appreciation Day.

According to WFLA in Tampa, Ashley Cream addressed the board after it discussed amending the city code regarding the storage of flammable liquids.

She was joined by an elderly man who stood up from a wheelchair and walked beside her to the podium.

READ: Deputies: Woman, 29, shot and killed by her boyfriend in Orange County

You guys may not be aware, but Florida has the largest per-capita population of sugar daddies in the U.S., Cream said, the station reported.

She pointed out that Miami, Palm Beach and Boca Raton have the most concentrated populace of these aged benefactors, according to the station.

Sugar daddies both gay and straight  and yes, even sugar mommies  are responsible for college educations, cars, homes, rents, jets, Birkin (bags), and the occasional body enhancement, Cream said, gesturing to her chest, the station reported. But not me, though. Im all-natural.

READ: Wells Fargo glitch shows negative balances, missing direct deposits

Cream said the aged benefactors support the local economy, according to the station.

Cream asked that March 10 be Sugar Daddy and Mommy Appreciation Day to honor those who have given us so much, according to the station.

Board Member Arnold Sevell told her, Thats a City Council issue, the station said.

READ: Why are so many cases against felons accused of gun possession being dropped?

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.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, left, speaks during a hearing with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill on March 9, 2023, in Washington, DC. The committee met to discuss concerns about public health and the environment in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, is at right. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

Politicians often complain about government regulations as a big pain in the neck. So I was relieved in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, to see some bipartisan good sense break out.

Having grown up many moons ago next to the old Baltimore & Ohio tracks between Cincinnati and Dayton, I sympathize with the residents of East Palestine whose lives were disrupted.

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The spill created doomsday images of billowing black smoke when a controlled burn was set to avoid an uncontrolled explosion. More than 7 miles of stream waters were affected, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and an estimated 3,500 fish, among other animals, were killed.

Political figures as varied as Ohios Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, former President Donald Trump and, later, President Joe Bidens Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg descended on the scene as rounds of finger-pointing broke out to assess who was to blame.

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Meanwhile, other derailments were reported. About 28 cars in another Norfolk Southern train derailed March 4 in Springfield, Ohio. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Another Norfolk Southern train derailed Thursday in Calhoun County, Alabama, hours before company CEO Alan Shaw faced lawmakers to answer questions about the derailment in East Palestine.

Yet, it turns out, multiple derailments in a short span arent as unusual as I thought. Last year, for example, there were more than 1,000 train derailments in the U.S., according to the Federal Railroad Administration. That means the country is averaging roughly three derailments per day.

Nevertheless, the recent events brought on a renewed push for tightened safety measures and, yes, regulations.

A refreshingly bipartisan group of senators has proposed legislation to mandate that the Transportation Department tighten safety rules for freight rail.

The measure sponsored by Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and J.D. Vance, a freshman Republican, would strengthen notification and inspection requirements for trains carrying hazardous materials. It would also increase fines for safety violations by rail carriers and authorize $27 million for research on more safety improvements.

The bipartisan nature of the bill, also co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Josh Hawley of Missouri, indicates that it may get somewhere in the Senate, where it needs 60 votes to advance, although its fate in the Republican-led House appears less certain.

Vance, who comes from the same factory town where I grew up with an earlier generation  and which served as backdrop for his bestselling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy  offered an insight to Axios into why politicians have grabbed onto this issue.

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The three of us, in our own ways, recognized instantly: This is fundamentally our voters, right? Vance told Axios, referring to himself, the former president and their mutual pal Fox News host Tucker Carlson. These are sort of our people.

I understand. Although Im still disappointed that Vance, who struck me as a thoughtful Trump critic, became a political candidate who sought Trumps endorsement. After he received it, he soared to the top of a crowded field and won. Too bad, in my view, but in politics its hard to argue with success.

But I am a longtime fan of Sherrod Brown.

It shouldnt take a massive railroad disaster for elected officials to put partisanship aside and work together for the people we serve  not corporations like Norfolk Southern, Brown said in a statement that reflected his successful center-left populism. Rail lobbyists have fought for years to protect their profits at the expense of communities like East Palestine and Steubenville and Sandusky.

With that, Brown expressed the pragmatic politics that have helped him hold his Senate seat since 2007 in a former swing state that, since voting for Barack Obama twice, has been moving decidedly to the right.

Theres a lesson here, I believe, for Democrats who puzzle over how and why they have lost so much of their reputation as a party of the working class.

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In Rust Belt states like Ohio, heavy with working class folks who feel left behind by changing times, right-wing candidates have won by appealing heavily  some would say pandering  to working-class resentments.

Brown, in my view, has stayed positive by emphasizing ideas over ideology. I wish more politicians did that. We shouldnt need a disaster to bring us together.

cpage@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @cptime
Tieghan Gerard, a food influencer known as Half Baked Harvest, is facing backlash for what some are saying is a lack of respect for a cultures cuisine  as well as appropriating it for her platform and not responding to criticism.

Gerard posted a video of her recipe, 25 Minute Banh Mi Rice Bowls, on Instagram Tuesday, showing viewers how to make coconut rice, ginger-sesame ground chicken, pickled vegetables and cucumber salad. She mispronounced the name of the Vietnamese dish and grouped together various Asian ingredients as banh mi.

People were quick to comment on the inaccuracy of the recipe and her incorrect pronunciation. You guys are going to love these banh mi rice bowls, she said, pronouncing the dish as bon-my, when its pronounced as bun-mee.

Commenters said they were confused by the name of Gerards recipe since it was a rice-based dish using non-Vietnamese sauces and seasonings like Thai basil and sambal chili paste. Banh mi, meaning bread, is a short baguette generally topped with sliced meat, pickled carrots and daikon, chiles and cilantro.

The ginger/sesame/honey flavors are definitely leaning more heavily into Japanese and Thai cuisine than Vietnamese. Especially the inclusion of Thai basil, one commenter said on the video, which garnered 1.8 million views.

Hundreds of comments called out Gerard for the dish and her silence around the mispronunciation.

I love you, your content and recipes. However, please acknowledge the mistake/ youve made here and not just sweep it under the rug. People make mistakes and that is OK. Ignoring after knowing what is right is NOT, one person commented. You have a platform, make it right.

How are you still not addressing this feedback? Makes what you said about listening to your followers seem super disingenuous, another said.

Gerard, who has 5.2 million followers on Instagram, hasnt acknowledged the backlash and has continued posting videos and stories on her account.

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Why not call it Vietnamese-Inspired Rice Bowl or Sweet and Spicy Rice Bowl? You can always mention your influences in the post description, one commenter said.

Gerard did not respond to NBC News request for comment.

This isnt the first time Gerard has faced backlash for misappropriating Asian cuisine. In February 2021, she was called out for posting a recipe titled Weeknight ginger pho ga (Vietnamese chicken soup), TODAY.com reported.

Fans criticized the dishs name on Instagram, saying it was not pho but rather a quick noodle dish with chicken and sesame chile sauce. Gerard changed the recipes name on Instagram and her website to easy sesame chicken and noodles in spicy broth, but her websites URL still says chicken-pho.

It was never my intention to offend or hurt anyone or the culture. I will make sure to be much more conscious when deciding on recipe titles in the future and be sure to do more research, she previously said in a statement to TODAY.com about her noodle dish recipe.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump should quit the presidential race if he's indicted, one of the former Republican president's potential competitors says.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is considering a GOP presidential bid, said an indictment would be a "distraction" and Trump should end his campaign to recapture the White House if he's formally charged with a crime.

"It's out of respect for the institution of the presidency of the United States. And, that's a distraction that is difficult to run for the highest office in the land under those circumstances," Hutchinson said in a sit-down interview with USA TODAY.

Hutchinson said Trump should not have run again and the myriad of investigations into him are all the more reason he should not pursue a second term.

"I know he's going to say that they're politically motivated and all of those things, but the fact is, there's just a lot of turmoil out there with the number of investigations going on."

Asa Hutchinson, right, speaks in Little Rock, Ark. in 2021. The former Arkansas governor is one of several current and former governors who could challenge Donald Trump for the GOP nomination.

Hutchinson's comments came as prosecutors in Manhattan signaled that they are closer to deciding whether to indict Trump in a case involving a hush-money payment the former president's legal fixer made to former porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had an affair with Trump. Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has agreed to testify in the case. Prosecutors also invited Trump to give testimony.

Trump is also under investigation for his pressure campaign on Georgia officials to overturn his 2020 electoral loss to Joe Biden. The Department of Justice has also launched probes into his conduct and conversations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Trump's handling of classified information after he left office.

Trump has denied wrongdoing in those cases and others. He told reporters earlier this month that he "wont even think about leaving" the presidential race if he is indicted. Probably, itll enhance my numbers," Trump said.

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But Hutchinson, a former federal prosecutor, said, "When you're looking at Trump. It's going to be a circus."

"It doesn't mean that he's guilty of it or he should be charged, but it's just such a distraction that would be unnecessary for somebody who's seeking the highest office in the land," Hutchinson said.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with then Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 20, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) ORG XMIT: DCEV325

Former Trump attorney to testify:Former Trump attorney Cohen to testify before NY grand jury in porn star hush money probe

'I won't even think about leaving': Trump at CPAC says indictment wouldn't push him out of 2024 race

Trump support down in Iowa: Donald Trumps Republican support erodes in Iowa, even as many remain committed

Francesca Chambers is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. Follow her on Twitter @fran_chambers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump should quit 2024 race if indicted, potential GOP contender says
Local police say they believed Melissa Vanderwall left the area in the months between the theft and her arrest. Joliet Police Department

Melissa Vanderwall, 47, was caught on surveillance footage leaving the Walmart she worked at with $135,000, police say.

The cash was emptied from cash recyclers used to restock registers, according to reports.

Vanderwall turned herself in on Monday, months after a warrant for her arrest was issued for the crime.

A former Walmart manager in northern Illinois is in police custody months after reportedly walking out of the store with over $100,000 months ago, officials said.

Melissa Vanderwall  a 47-year-old former night manager for a Walmart store in Joliet, located about 45 miles southwest of Chicago  is accused of emptying $135,988 into a shopping bag and leaving the store on November 27. She turned herself into the Joliet Police Department on Monday for her alleged crimes, Chicago's WGN9 reported.

The alleged theft was caught on surveillance footage, and resulted in a warrant being issued for Vanderwall's arrest. Officials say the money came from cash recyclers that are typically used to restock cash registers.

Vanderwall reportedly ended her shift early after filling the shopping bag with cash, according to reports. She's being charged with theft and burglary, and was jailed on a $100,000 bond on Tuesday, court records show.

According to Patch.com, local police were called to the scene the same day the crime took place, and an arrest warrant was issued just two days later.

"Detectives were actively investigating this case, and it was believed she had left the area," Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English told Patch.

It's unclear why Vanderwall chose to turn herself into police on Monday morning.

When asked about how much of the stolen money his department was able to recover, English didn't go into details in effort to protect the "prosecutorial integrity of the case."

Read the original article on Business Insider
A man was shot by his friend on Friday evening, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.

At around 6:40 p.m. Friday, police responded to a report of a male who was shot on the 2100 block of Handley Drive.

Police arrived at the scene and confirmed that a friend of the victim shot him. The suspect fled the scene, according to police.

The victim had a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital.

The investigation is ongoing.

The identities of the suspect and the victim have not been released by police.
By Benoit Van Overstraeten and Forrest Crellin

PARIS (Reuters) -The French Senate on Saturday night adopted President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension reform plan in the wake of a seventh day of demonstrations that were not as large as authorities had expected.

One hundred and ninety-five members of the upper house of the French Parliament voted for the text, whose key measure is raising the retirement age by two years to 64, while 112 voted against.

The protests - and rolling strikes that have affected refineries, public transport and garbage collections - aimed to pressure the government to withdraw the pension plan, which it said is essential to ensure the pension system does not run out of money.

"After hundreds of hours of discussions, the Senate adopted the pension reform plan. It is a key step to make a reform happen that will guarantee the future of our pension system," Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne wrote on Twitter.

She added she was "totally committed to ensure the text will be definitively adopted in the coming days".

Now that the Senate has adopted the bill, it will be reviewed by a joint committee of lower and upper house lawmakers, probably on Wednesday.

If the committee agrees on a text, a final vote in both chambers is likely to take place on Thursday, but the outcome of that still seems uncertain in the lower chamber, the National Assembly, where Macron's party needs allies' votes for a majority.

If the government fears it won't have enough votes in the lower house, it is still possible for it to push the text through without a parliamentary vote, via a so-called 49:3 procedure.

An additional day of nationwide strikes and protests was planned for Wednesday.

FEWER THAN EXPECTED AT SATURDAY'S MARCHES

According to figures from the interior ministry, 368,000 demonstrators marched through various cities on Saturday. Authorities had expected up to 1 million people to take part.

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As with the previous protests, Saturday's events were free of any major scuffles with the police.

On Tuesday, 1.28 million people took to the streets, the highest turnout since the start of the protest movement, according to government figures.

In a joint statement, the French unions, maintaining a rare show of unity since the protest movement was launched at the end of January, called on the government to organize a "citizens' consultation" as soon as possible.

The unions plan to keep up pressure "and to keep on proving that the vast majority of the population remains determined to say no to the proposed bill," they said.

Opinion polls show a majority of voters oppose Macron's plan, while a slim majority supports the strike actions.

LOWER POWER SUPPLY DUE TO STRIKES

"A lot of things can still happen next week," Marylise Leon, deputy secretary general of the CFDT union, the country's largest, told Franceinfo radio. "Will the text be voted in the National Assembly? We have to rally. It's now or never."

A spokesperson for TotalEnergies said that strikes continue in the oil major's French refineries and depots, while public railway operator SNCF said national and regional services would remain heavily disrupted over the weekend.

In Paris, garbage continues to pile up on the streets, with residents seeing a growing presence of rats, according to local media.

National power production in France was reduced by 7.1 gigawatts (GW), or 14%, at nuclear, thermal and hydropower plants on Saturday due to the strikes, a CGT union spokesperson told Reuters.

Maintenance was also blocked at six French nuclear reactors, including Penly 1, the spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Tangi Salaun, Forrest Crellin and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Frances Kerry and Grant McCool)
Citing cost concerns, Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester has struck an agreement with the New Hampshire attorney generals office to close its labor and delivery services two years early. It is the 11th hospital in the state to cease those services since 2000, worrying public health leaders.

Its truly troubling to me, said Sen. Suzanne Prentiss, a West Lebanon Democrat who helped pass a bill last year to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for birthing centers located outside of hospitals. This is a gap of access to care. For labor and delivery of your baby, if you choose a hospital, there is going to be a gap of access to maternal health.

The agreement with the Attorney Generals Office leaves just 15 hospitals and six free-standing clinics, with midwives, delivering babies in the state despite rising birth rates. The Concord Birth Center also plans to close this year.

Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester is ending its labor and delivery services because its losing money on that care.

Previous story:Frisbie Hospital's plan to send baby deliveries to Portsmouth approved in $2.75M deal

Births being sent to Portsmouth. Where is money going?

Ellen Miller, spokesperson for HCA Healthcare, said the hospital will continue to provide all pre- and post-natal care, as well as gynecological services including gynecological surgery. Only births, which numbered fewer than 100 last year, will be transitioned to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, she said.

As part of the agreement announced Tuesday, HCA Healthcare, which owns Frisbie Memorial Hospital, will provide the Greater Rochester Community Health Foundation $2.75 million for its charitable purpose, including providing people in Strafford County help accessing labor and delivery services. The organization awards grants to organizations that provide care to people in the county.

In an emailed statement, Betsey Andrews Parker, chairperson of the GRCHF board of directors, was nonspecific when asked which labor and delivery services that will include. She said the organization is developing a strategy for awarding those grants, which it will post on its website.

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GRCHFs mission is to improve the health and well-being and reduce the burden of illness of people residing in Strafford County and surrounding communities, her statement said. As a grantmaking institution, GRCHF will provide resources to community-based nonprofits that provide health and social services including making grants to organizations that provide services to pregnant people and their families.

According to the foundations website, it offers grants to nonprofits that serve Strafford County-area residents with access to care, which can include care for mental health, substance use disorder, food security, housing, senior services, transportation and logistics, culturally appropriate care, awareness of services, care coordination, and patient motivation.

More Rochester news:Fownes Mill condos adding 51 units. Here are details on rentals.

The attorney generals offices statement includes comments from Tim Jones, Frisbie Memorial Hospitals chief executive officer.

The reduced number of babies delivered at the hospital and across the region, and the departure of OB-GYN caregivers, necessitates the shift of labor and delivery services to our sister Portsmouth Regional Hospital facility and other community caregivers, Jones statement said.

The state did not identify the community partners or whether pre- and post-natal care will continue to be available at Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

When you close an OB unit, its not just where you deliver your baby, Prentiss said. Its where you are getting your prenatal care and care after your baby is born.

Prentiss is concerned the decline of OB-GYNs will continue as a result of the states abortion law, which calls for jail time and a fine for providers who violate it. Legislation that would remove those penalties received a tie vote from the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday; it now goes to the full House.

When HCA Healthcare acquired Frisbie Memorial Hospital in 2020, the Attorney Generals Office Charitable Trusts Unit required it to maintain labor and delivery services for at least five years unless it could show doing so led to a financial loss.

The agreement does not state the amount of money HCA Healthcare has lost on labor and delivery care.

When the organization announced in July it would ask for the states permission to end labor and delivery services, Diane Murphy Quinlan, director of the Charitable Trusts Unit, told the Bulletin her office would be evaluating whether the hospital made a good faith effort to avoid those losses.

Other providers whove ceased labor and delivery services have cited financial losses as well. The owner of the Concord Birthing Center told the Bulletin in July shed decided to close because of a huge increase in the price of malpractice insurance and insufficient reimbursement rates from insurance carriers and state Medicaid.

In an effort to help hospitals and birthing centers maintain labor and delivery services, Gov. Chris Sununu signed legislation in June increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates to hospitals and birthing services by 25 percent.

State public health advocates have cautioned that continuing to close labor and delivery services is an economic loss to a community but also poses increased risk for people who need those services. Portsmouth Hospital is about 20 miles from Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

We  heard in testimony this past session how communities need to have basic services for their entire population in order to attract new residents to their community, Trish Tilley, director of the Division of Public Health Services at the state Department of Health and Human Services, told the Bulletin in July when HCA Healthcare announced it would seek permission to cease delivery care at Frisbie Memorial Hospital. Its hard to attract young families if you dont have a hospital that provides comprehensive care, including labor and delivery.

Jones said in his statement that HCA Healthcare has invested nearly $27 million in upgrading Frisbie Memorial Hospital to ensure the best care for Rochester-area residents. Miller said those investments have included a new roof and new HVAC system, built a behavioral health pod in the emergency department, a new breast imaging center, as well as replacement and additions of new equipment for various clinical services.

The hospital also recently opened an inpatient acute rehabilitation center, Miller said, and will be investing additional money in that.

Rochester Mayor Paul Callaghan called the hospital a good community partner in a statement Wednesday. Frisbie Memorial Hospital continues to invest and meet the ever-changing needs of our community, he said.

This story was originally published by New Hampshire Bulletin.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Frisbie Hospital is NH's 11th maternity ward closure in 20 years
Russian forces, consisting of mercenaries from the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), have taken control of most of the eastern part of the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast over the past four days, and the front line now runs through its centre along the Bakhmutka River.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence review, as reported by European Pravda

Details: UK Intelligence notes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces hold the western part of Bakhmut and have destroyed key bridges over the Bakhmutka River, "which runs through north-south through a strip of open ground 200m-800m wide, between built up areas".

"With Ukrainian units able to fire from fortified buildings to the west, this area has become a killing zone, likely making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westwards," the UK MoD stated

At the same time, UK Intelligence notes that Ukrainian forces and their supply lines west of Bakhmut remain vulnerable to constant attempts by Russian forces to outflank the defenders from the north and south.

Bakhmut has been the scene of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine in recent months. The Ukrainian command decided not to retreat from the city, explaining that this defence would allow them to exhaust the most capable Russian forces.

Background: At the same time, as previously noted by UK Defence Intelligence, the Ukrainian defence of Bakhmut continues to degrade the forces on both sides.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said regarding the Ukrainian defence of Bakhmut that the city may fall into Russian hands in the coming days. Still, it would not necessarily be a turning point in the war.

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St. Patricks Day festivities returned to the city on Saturday, bringing young families, couples and college students downtown for the historic river dye and parade.

Thousands of spectators decked out in their best green attire stood behind police guardrails blocking off the parade route on Columbus Drive between Balbo Drive and Monroe Street as things got underway about 12:30 p.m.

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Politicians, Unions, and a big potato rallied the crowd while blue skies and somewhat tolerable 38 degrees kept viewers sticking around to the end.

The theme of the 68th annual parade  sponsored by Chicago Plumbers Local 130 UA  was Recognizing Workers Rights.

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Union groups, high schools, and corporations made up a majority of the floats and displays, but the tiny ponies, Big Idaho Potato, and Oscar Meyer Wiener car garnered the biggest applause.

Bagpipes playing When the Saints Go Marching In signified the beginning of the parade.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot took the lead sporting her classic fedora in what will be her last St. Patricks Day as mayor for  at least  four years. Mayoral candidate Brandon Johnson and Gov. J. B. Pritzker were not far behind, waving and smiling as they marched. Paul Vallas, another mayoral candidate, was also on hand.

It wouldnt be a Chicago St Patricks Day without Plumbers Local 130 starting the parade. Happy St. Patricks Day! pic.twitter.com/w4r6aszVWS  Paul Vallas (@PaulVallas) March 11, 2023

First responders did their best to guide the crowds into position while police horses with green bows stood watch. No masks were in sight, a sign that the public feels COVID-19 is fully over. The parade came back last year after waylaying the parade for two years.

Were just excited to see what were going to see, Karina Rocha said. We dont know what to expect.

She and her daughter Madeline live in Chicago but COVID-19 and other life events have made this Madelines inaugural St. Patricks Day parade.

I like the horses, and Im excited, Madeline said. She declined to give the Tribune her age.

Many  like Madeline  were experiencing their first Chicago St. Patricks Day. Others with more experience could not help but reflect on how the parade has changed.

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Its so much more corporate, Megan Moon who last came to the parade 30 years ago told the Tribune. It used to be people, now it feels like its companies more.

She brought her two kids, Alex and Hunter who both marveled at Oscar Meyers large hot dog car.

College students came into town either to party at the bars, watch the Big Ten tournament at the United Center, or check out the river dye.

Whats better than getting the community together and celebrating St. Patricks Day? Vince Caruso who attends the University of Kansas said.

Another traditional fixture is the Parade Queen. Casey Doherty and her court waved from a float decked out in green frills.

While most people who attended the parade are only Irish for the day, for some this day runs deep, said Christian Baker, who is originally from England and his wife Sarah Geraghty, originally from Ireland. They live in Chicago now.

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We always think its such a great atmosphere on St. Patricks Day in Chicago, Geraghty said. Weve never seen anything like it anywhere else weve been.

Geraghty added that tales of Chicagos celebrations are told far and wide.

I think the whole world knows, she told the Tribune. Its seriously got an amazing reputation around the world as one of the best places to celebrate St. Patricks Day.

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 >

Before the parade was the famous river dye to kick off the day. By 9 a.m., Wacker Drive and the North Side river esplanade between Columbus Drive and Orleans Street were filled shoulder to shoulder as locals and tourists got in position.

An hour later, members of the Chicago Plumbers Local 130 Union zigzagged their skiffs from bank to bank, dumping red powder into the murky green waters, giving the iconic Chicago River a neon green glow that lasts for 48 hours. People come from far and wide to see the plumbers do their work.

Timelapse video of the Chicago River being dyed green for St. Patrick's Day on Saturday, March 11, 2023. (Peter Tsai/Chicago Tribune)

It reminds us of a Brazilian Carnival, Renato Arrudo said, translating for the group. Arrudo is here to study at Northwestern University.

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A Brazilian native, he had to bring his family and friends out to see one of the biggest days in the beautiful city of Chicago.

With the two large events downtown, the police presence was heavy. Yet, unbeknownst to the thousands of river watchers, just blocks away from the plumbers boats a crime scene unfolded when two people were shot.

Earlier, red and yellow caution tape blocked off Dearborn Street between Lake and Randolph streets. A police officer told a couple trying to get through that there was a crime scene investigation happening but the road would be opened back up shortly. Both victims were listed in good condition.

Candy, beads, and empty plastic containers of alcohol littered the roads by the time the parade ended peacefully about 3 p.m.
A Black man voting.

As the Fulton County District Attorney continues to investigate former President Donald Trump and seems likely to press charges against him, her job may be in danger.

A new law being pushed through by Georgia Republicans would give a partisan board the power to remove prosecutors in the state is suspected by many as being targeted at Willis. Many fear that Georgia Republicans will attempt to use this new law to remove Willis in an attempt to halt her prosecution of Trump.

The post Will Georgia Republicans Try To Fire Fani Willis Before She Can Charge Trump? appeared first on Blavity.

The New York Times reports that Republican legislators in Georgia have submitted proposals to create an oversight panel of current and former lawyers and prosecutors who will be able to review the work of current prosecutors in the state. This board would also have the power to remove prosecutors if they find them to have engaged in willful misconduct. Critics of these proposals point out that Republicans would be able to choose the members of the panel and that the standards for removing a prosecutor are vague and subjective, meaning that Republicans could use the new law to fire prosecutors who are making decisions they dont like.

The timing of the bill seems like a direct response to developments in the case that Willis has been building against Trump. A member of the grand jury that was convened to weigh the evidence and recommend possible indictments gave several interviews in which she hinted that multiple people will be criminally charged. Her comments have raised expectations that Trump himself may be one of the people facing criminal charges from the 2020 case. Such charges could come this summer, which would not only put Trump in serious legal danger but also disrupt his campaign to return to the White House.

After years of seeming to avoid accountability for a variety of misdeeds, it seems increasingly likely that Trump will soon face charges, possibly in several casesv. In addition to Willis case in Georgia, Trump is also being investigated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for possible crimes related to his payment of hush money to Stormy Daniels to cover up an alleged affair with the adult actress. Trump is also being investigated federally for taking classified and sensitive documents when he left office and refusing to return them for over a year until his Mar-a-Lago resort was raided by federal agents. Trump is also being investigated for causing the January 6 Capitol Hill insurrection; the January 6 committee recommended that the US Attorney General charge trump as the instigator of the violent riot.

It remains to be seen whether Trump will ultimately be charged with his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. Republicans seem intent to rally around the former president and protect him, even if they have to change the law to do so. On the other hand, this investigation and others may be too far down the road to be turned back. Either way, both critics and supporters of the former president will be watching intensely to see what happens in Georgia.
Deutsche Bahn

Since Jan. 1, anyone shipping aid to Ukraine has to cover the full transportation fee  up to EUR 6,000 ($6,394) per container.

Read also: Ukrainian Railways signed memorandums with Polish State Railways and Deutsche Bahn. What does that mean?

According to the report, free shipping was scrapped due to a dispute with the German Transport Ministry over how the initiative was to be financed.

Deutsche Bahn reportedly made several requests for additional state funding to cover the costs. Throughout 2022, the company spent EUR 5 million on shipping humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Read also: German MP says Merkel shares responsibility for war in Ukraine as ex-chancellor blocked Ukraine from NATO

The dispute was not resolved before 2023, so Deutsche Bahn had to announce a temporary suspension of free transportation.

The rail bridge was DB Cargos initiative; the Federal Government welcomes it, the Transport Ministry told Spiegel.

Read also: Russia should return to Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, says German FM

The government continues to discuss how and to which extent the rail bridge will be supported in the future.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Alex Murdaugh's attorneys have filed a notice of appeal for the former lawyer's convictions and sentences, a week after he was found guilty of murdering his wife and younger son, court records show.

The notice was filed in the South Carolina Court of Appeals on Thursday.

PHOTO: Alex Murdaugh stands after he was found guilty on all four counts at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., March 02, 2023. (Usa Today Network/via Reuters)

MORE: Alex Murdaugh sentencing: Disgraced SC attorney gets life in prison

Murdaugh, 54, was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of murdering Margaret "Maggie" Murdaugh, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22, who were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds near the dog kennels at the family's estate in June 2021.

The life sentences for each murder will run consecutively, Judge Clifton Newman said.

PHOTO: Alex Murdaugh is sentenced on the murders of his wife Maggie and his son Paul Murdaugh, Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., on March 3, 2023. (ABC News)

Murdaugh has maintained his innocence throughout the high-profile trial.

"Im innocent. I would never hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never hurt my son, Paw-Paw," he said during his sentencing hearing on Friday.

Jurors returned a verdict after deliberating for nearly three hours.

Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an interview on "Good Morning America that cellphone video placing Murdaugh at the scene minutes before the crime "absolutely" made a difference in the guilty verdict.

MORE: Murdaugh murders and mysteries timeline: Key events in the South Carolina family's scandals and deaths

The video contradicted Murdaugh's claim that he was never at the kennels that day.

During his testimony, Murdaugh admitted to lying to investigators about his alibi on the evening of the shootings and blamed it on his addiction to painkillers, which he said caused "paranoid thinking."

Prosecutors argued that years of lies and theft were about to catch up to Murdaugh and the murders were a way to divert attention.

The trial has documented the downfall of a once-powerful attorney from a family that for generations exuded power over the state's Lowcountry region. In the months following his wife's and son's murders, Murdaugh resigned from his law firm, which sued him for allegedly funneling stolen money from clients and the law firm into a fake bank account for years. He was also disbarred amid money laundering charges.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Alex Murdaugh's attorneys file notice of appeal in double murder case originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced a bill Friday to allow congressional employees who can legally own firearms to carry them to and from House buildings for protection and store them in the Capitol while at work.

A release from Steubes office states that the bill would require Capitol Police to install and operate storage lockers at the pedestrian entrances to each House office building for the firearms safe storage.

My bill is simple: any employee who is lawfully permitted to carry a firearm, stun gun, or self-defense spray will be able to bring those weapons on their commute to a House Office Building and safely store the weapon until they are ready to depart the building, Steube said in the release.

The release notes that many House employees commute to and from their offices by walking and claims that many of them have been victims of violent crime happening across Washington, D.C.

It states people in D.C. can use certain weapons, including self-defense sprays, stun guns and concealed firearms, for self-defense, but D.C. and federal law prevent people from carrying them inside federal buildings.

Steubes office said the congressmans proposal comes after the House voted to block a D.C. law that would revise its century-old criminal code from going into effect.

The D.C. Home Rule Act allows Congress to pass a disapproval resolution to prevent a D.C. law from going into effect if majorities of both houses agree and the president signs it.

The Senate overwhelmingly approved the resolution on Wednesday by a vote of 81-14. The bill is headed to President Biden, who is expected to sign it.

Republicans and some Democrats criticized the bill for provisions that would lower penalties for some crimes like carjackings and robberies. Biden mentioned the carjackings provision as part of his reasoning in supporting the bill.

Steube slammed D.C. for its total lawlessness in the release.

Data from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department shows violent crime dropped by about 7 percent from 2021 to 2022, while homicides dropped by 10 percent in that time. But the city recorded more than 200 homicides in each of the past two years.

U.S. News and World Report found that D.C.s violent crime rate and property crime rate were lower than the national rate in 2020.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/LinkedIn

A GOP strategist who accused CPAC leader Matt Schlapp of sexual misconduct and defamation in January is himself now the target of a sexual battery claimthough charges were never filed and he tells The Daily Beast a recording exists that clears his name.

Carlton Huffman, 39, is the man at the center of the allegations, with a judge recently ruling that he must stay away from a former housemate in Raleigh, North Carolina, for one year after she claimed Huffman performed unwanted sex acts on her and another woman, according to court documents reviewed by The Daily Beast.

The woman claimed the assault happened overnight on Valentines Day, which was just the second day Huffmans accuser, a 19-year-old woman, had lived with him in a Raleigh apartment.

Herschel Walker Staffer: Matt Schlapp Groped My Crotch

A yearlong order of protection was issued Feb. 27 for Huffmans former housemate. The second woman, who is 22 years old, was granted a 10-day order of protection but a judge then dismissed her complaint, The Washington Post reported.

Speaking by phone, Huffman told The Daily Beast on Friday that a recording exists of both women telling authorities the sexual contact was consensual, with them never saying no or stop during the act.

Im innocent of any criminal wrongdoing, Huffman told The Daily Beast. The Raleigh Police Department thoroughly investigated the matter and said no crime was committed and the case was, and is, closed.

The Raleigh Police Department did not immediately respond to questions left in a voicemail, but the Post reported that police in Raleigh labeled the case as investigated and closed, with no pending charges for Huffman.

The women said they felt unsafe in Huffmans apartment because he kept a gun there, the Post reported.

The older accuser told the Post she was offended by Huffmans portrayal of himself as a sexual battery victim in recent months.

Accusers Wife: Matt Schlapp Destroyed Our Marriage

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The accusations came to light a few weeks after Huffman filed a lawsuit in Virginia alleging sexual battery and defamation by Schlapp, who has denied all claims.

Huffman, a former Herschel Walker aide, anonymously sued Schlapp in January seeking $9.4 million in damages. An Alexandria Circuit Court judge ruled this week that Huffman must identify himself in order for the lawsuit to proceed, and he obliged on Wednesday.

Huffman alleges that he was assaulted by Schlapp in October when the conservative organizer was in Georgia for a Walker campaign rally. He claimed in the suit that Schlapp groped his genital area in a sustained fashion as he drove him from Atlanta bars to his hotel near the airport.

Its to my shame that I didnt say anything, Huffman previously told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I wish I had said, What the hellstop!

Huffman claimed that Schlapp later asked him to join him in his hotel room but he declined.

Schlapp has acknowledged that he and Huffman went to two bars together on Oct. 19 but denies the rest of Huffmans story.

We are confident that when his full record is brought to light in a court of law, we will prevail, a spokesman for Schlapp, Mark Corallo, told the Journal-Constitution.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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(Bloomberg) -- The worst rail accident in Greeces history is starting to hurt Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as he gears up for a general election this year.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Citizens took to the streets last week in the biggest protest in a decade after a devastating train crash on the line from Athens to Thessaloniki killed 57 people. A first poll since the accident hints at a possible dent in Mitsotakiss support among voters with questions raised over the states ability to run and upgrade the rail network.

The government has said that the elections will take place in spring but a reported plan to hold the ballot on April 9 has been delayed following the deadly accident. The country wont hold an election before Easter Sunday, which falls a week later for the orthodox church on April 16, a person familiar with the matter said. The deadline for the ballot to take place is July.

Read More: Greeces Deadly Train Crash Follows Long Delay in Critical Fixes

At a cabinet meeting held this week to discuss the tragedy, Mitsotakis said that the government still aims to pass about 10 laws before the general election, the person said. That ends any scenario for a ballot anytime soon.

The train tragedy is also adding to the uncertainty over the outcome of the elections. Mitsotakiss New Democracy party had a consistent lead of around seven percentage points before the train crash. The only poll published since the accident showed his advantage cut to around 4.5 percentage points.

Public confidence in the government has been dealt a severe blow, as shown in the first poll following the tragic accident. No one would have expected that, after effectively managing successive crises since 2020 Mitsotakis credibility would now greatly depend upon his ability to show that his government can reverse decades-old state failures and omissions on the functioning of the railways, said George Pagoulatos, director of the Athens-based Eliamep think tank

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While support for Mitsotakis seems to be dented, the main opposition parties arent gaining either. The poll showed support falling slightly for Syriza and the socialist Pasok while smaller parties rose in voting intentions.

Read More: Greece Aims to Restart Railways by Late March After Fatal Crash

Regardless of when the vote happens, Greeces proportional representation system will make it hard for a single party to form a government straight away. That will most likely mean a second ballot a month later, under a semi-proportional system that makes it easier to form a majority.

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A Green Bay man was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of conspiring to distribute more than 28 pounds of methamphetamine.

Michael Chapman, 32, traveled to California last year to obtain methamphetamine and then used the U.S. Postal system to mail the packages to his co-conspirators in Green Bay, according to court documents.

A news release from the U.S. Department of Justice states that U.S. District Judge William Griesbach wanted to send a strong message of deterrence to Chapman and "anyone else who might seek to distribute drugs in Northeast Wisconsin."

Chapman will serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.

Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Green Bay man sentenced to 10 years for using the USPS to mail drugs
By Hannah Lang

(Reuters) -Greg Becker, the chief executive officer who presided over the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank, joined the company three decades ago as a loan officer.

The executive cut his teeth during the dotcom bubble and later steered the startup-focused lender in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis. He became president and CEO of SVB Financial Group in 2011.

The company's operations abruptly came to a halt on Friday as California banking regulators moved quickly to shut it down in what became the largest bank failure since the financial crisis. Just 24 hours earlier, Becker had personally called clients to assure them their money with the bank was safe.

The executive sent a video message to employees on Friday acknowledging the "incredibly difficult" 48 hours leading up to the bank's collapse.

"It's with an incredibly heavy heart that I'm here to deliver this message," he said in a video seen by Reuters. "I can't imagine what was going through your head and wondering, you know, about your job, your future."

Becker, who served on the board of directors at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, departed the board effective Friday, a spokesperson for the regional Fed bank said.

In January, Becker said the economic outlook was improving after a downbeat 2022.

We're optimistic because our crystal ball is a little clearer," Becker told CNBC. While he expected public markets to stabilize, "we still think in the first half there is going to be more volatility."

Becker graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor's degree in business, according to Silicon Valley Bank's website. From there, he worked at a bank that served what he called "traditional companies." When his manager left to work for Silicon Valley Bank, Becker followed, he said in 2021 on a Bloomberg podcast.

Representatives for Silicon Valley Bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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The banker described his first few years at SVB as "the highest of highs and the lowest of lows" as the lender navigated the tech rout of the late 1990s.

"We took losses. It was a challenging time for us... I look back on it fondly. I learned a lot about the institution. I learned a lot about how to lend money," he said.

Before becoming president and CEO of SVB Financial Group, Becker co-founded SVB Capital, the company's investment arm. He also served as the chairman of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group from 2014 to 2017 and was a member of the U.S. Commerce Department's Digital Economy Board of Advisors from 2016 to 2017. Becker cycles in his free time and has five grown children.

Silicon Valley Bank's website calls Becker a "champion of the innovation economy." In a video for the BBC in December, Becker said his best career advice was for job seekers to build a skill-set around the innovation economy in fields like computer programming and project management.

"When you think about your opportunity, if you are under-represented (and have) those skills, it truly is endless," he said.

(Reporting by Hannah Lang in Washington; Editing by Lananh Nguyen, Josie Kao and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
A federal jury deliberated a little over an hour Friday before convicting a Chicago attorney of embezzling more than $8 million from a Bridgeport neighborhood bank that later collapsed.

Robert Kowalski, 60, was convicted on all counts of embezzlement, bankruptcy fraud and income tax fraud after a 3 -week trial before U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall.

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Kowalski, who took the ill-advised step of representing himself in the complex case, and faces a total maximum sentence of 82 years in prison. At the request of prosecutors, Kendall ordered him taken into custody following the verdict.

Sentencing was set for June 2.

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Kowalski is among 14 defendants charged in an alleged multiyear embezzlement scheme that preceded the failure of Washington Federal Bank for Savings, a family-run institution that had been a mainstay in the citys Bridgeport neighborhood for more than a century.

Kowalski, who was a large debtor of the bank when it was closed by regulators in December 2017, was accusing of conspiring with the banks president, John Gembara, to rack up millions in collateral-free loans, then lying about and concealing assets and income in bankruptcy proceedings and on his tax returns.

Police records show Gembara, 56, was found dead on Dec. 3, 2017, in the Park Ridge home of a bank customer where he had been staying. An autopsy report showed Gembara was found seated in a chair in his bedroom with a rope tied to the banister and around his neck. His death was ruled a suicide by the Cook County medical examiners office.

The sprawling investigation has already led to one other high-profile trial. Patrick Daley Thompson, the then-11th Ward alderman and scion of the Daley political dynasty, was convicted last year of two counts of lying to federal regulators about loans he had with Washington Federal and falsely claiming mortgage interest deductions on his tax returns.

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Thompson, who by law was forced to step down immediately after his conviction, was sentenced to four months in prison and released in December.

Kowalskis trial, meanwhile, came after years of bizarre pretrial hearings that saw him locked up for violating his bond and filing dozens of motions alleging investigators were hiding evidence and colluding with the judge to railroad him.

Prosecutors said in their opening statement last month that Kowalski used his friendship with Gembara to turn Washington Federal into his own piggy bank, getting collateral-free loans to bankroll his real estate developments and using letters of credit from the bank to fool other creditors.

Kowalski, meanwhile, tried to pin the blame on Gembara, saying his friend ran a scheme that allegedly involved years of bad loans, shifting collateral, forged signatures and even cash buried by one of his customers somewhere in the Cayman Islands.

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He didnt start out to be a bad man, but his plan was terrible, Kowalski said in his opening statement to the jury. It wasnt George Bailey in Its a Wonderful Life. 

Eight people have pleaded guilty to roles in the scheme. Several others are awaiting trial, including William Mahon, a then-top official with the citys Streets and Sanitation Department charged with willfully filing false tax returns and failing to disclose a $130,000 personal loan hed received directly from Gembara.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
A Grindr banner is seen outside of the New York Stock Exchange when the company went public in November 2022. Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Grindr was sued on Friday in California for more than $66 million in damages by a Canadian teen who was raped by four men he met on the platform when he was underage.

According to the lawsuit filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the now-19-year-old from Nova Scotia  referred to in the lawsuit only by the pseudonym John Doe  was raped by four men over a four-day period in April 2019 after connecting with them on the gay hookup app when he was 15.

The suit accuses Grindr of actively attempting to recruit children to use its product through marketing and then connecting them with adults for sex. It also says the company willingly ignores the presence of underage users on the app.

If Grindrs going to claim that it's a safe space for the LGBTQ community, then it needs to actually be one, Carrie Goldberg, a New York City attorney who specializes in sex crimes and the nonconsensual sharing of sexual materials who is representing the plaintiff, told BuzzFeed News. That's the whole gestalt of this case.

Grindr spokesperson Patrick Lenihan condemned the lawsuit as being without merit and drew parallels to current right-wing rhetoric that accuses LGBTQ people of grooming children .

These meritless and obviously homophobic accusations against our company are rooted in historical bigotry toward the LGBTQ community and we wont stand for it, Lenihan said in a statement.

In response, Goldberg said she was dumbfounded and rattled by Grindr accusing her firm and her client of employing anti-gay rhetoric. This lawsuit  was about protecting the rights of gay people to be able to date safely, she said. Any suggestion otherwise is just wrong  and its below the belt.

According to its terms of service, Grindr users must be 18 or older in order to create an account. New users must attest to their age, but there is no requirement to submit identification for verification. Last year, Grindr partnered with an artificial intelligence company to moderate content on its platform in part to try to detect underage users.

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Grindr is an industry leader in protecting LGBTQ people online and across the world, Lenihan said, and we will continue to advocate for best practices and industry alignment to defend our users safety and privacy.

One 2018 Northwestern University study , which Goldberg cites in the lawsuit, found more than half of sexually active gay and bisexual adolescent boys under 18 used Grindr to find partners.

In 2017, Goldberg represented another client, Matthew Herrick, in an unsuccessful lawsuit against Grindr. Herrick, a New York City resident in his 30s, sued the platform after he said his ex-boyfriend pretended to be him on the app over a six-month period and sent more than 1,000 men to his home with the expectation of sex and drugs .

Herricks lawsuit was dismissed by a federal district court in 2018. The US Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit subsequently ruled against his appeal , finding that Grindr was protected by Section 230 of Title 47 of the United States Code, which generally protects tech companies from liability over third-party content generated by users of their platforms. The Supreme Court also declined to review Herricks appeal .

Goldberg told BuzzFeed News that she believed Does case differed from Herricks because it fell under a sex-trafficking exception to Section 230 . She also suspected prior California case law would prove more supportive in this instance.

Sopa Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

The lawsuit filed Friday describes how Doe, then a high school student who was not yet out as gay, downloaded Grindr in order to make friends with other underage boys. He then exchanged explicit photographs and messages with the four adult men, who raped him in their homes or in parks, according to the complaint.

After the teen testified at their criminal trials, three of the four men were subsequently convicted of sexually interfering with a child and imprisoned for periods ranging between 24 and 54 months, per the lawsuit. The fourth has not been located.

Accusing the company of being aware that its product is facilitating children being raped, the lawsuit equates Grindr to other organizations like the Boy Scouts of America and the Catholic Church that have turned a blind eye on systemic child sexual abuse exploitation.

It accuses Grindr of marketing to children by virtue of maintaining accounts on Instagram and TikTok, social media platforms where many brands  from other dating apps to alcohol companies  also have accounts.

The lawsuit also highlights two TikTok videos, which have since been removed by Grindr, in which adult content creators pretend to be students outside a high school or in a physical education class. The lawsuit claims the latter explicitly takes place in an elementary school, middle school, or high school class.

With this video on TikTok, Grindr is directly marketing to children and targeting them with messaging that indicates both that Grindr should be used in school, and that it should be used by children, the lawsuit states.

Grindrs TikTok account , which has more than 138,000 followers, is routinely taken over by adult content creators who post videos on the companys behalf.

The lawsuit claims Grindr could have prevented Does abuse by employing a third-party age verification service, requiring a government ID to use the app, or blocking its use at schools, among other things.

Lenihan, the Grindr spokesperson, said Apple, Google, and the entire tech industry need to work together to develop better age gate technology that also respects user privacy.

Doe is suing Grindr for defective design, defective manufacturing, defective warning, negligence, and negligent misrepresentation. He is also bringing a claim for civil action under a section of the US Code that deals with human trafficking.

Grindr
Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraines Ground Forces, said that the defense of Bakhmut was necessary for the start of the spring counteroffensive, which is "not far off," the Ground Forces reported on March 11.

Kremlin-backed paramilitary Wagner Group forces have reportedly taken control of most of the eastern part of Bakhmut, according to the U.K. Defense Ministrys daily intelligence update published on March 11, but they face a new challenge with the Bakhmutka River that divides the city in two and now marks the front line.

Ukrainian forces have demolished key bridges over the north-south rive, which runs through a strip of open ground 200-800 meters wide, according to the U.K. Defense Ministry. The area has become a killing zone and highly challenging to cross for Wagner forces, in the line of fire of Ukrainians from fortified buildings to the west, the update reads.

However, Ukrainian forces and supply lines to the west remain vulnerable to the continued Russian attempts to outflank them from the north and south, according to the report.

Yet, Ukraines Defense Ministry acknowledged on March 10 that the battle for Bakhmut is becoming more difficult as Russia keeps up its offensive and continues trying to break through the defenses of our troops.

Eight-month-long battle for Bakhmut has reduced the eastern Ukraine city into rubble.

Ukraines reports of tough battles in the Bakhmut area come a day after the military leadership warned that every move and decision can radically change the situation, and the battle remains very difficult.

Russia has been intensifying its offensive on the Bakhmut front since mid-January, slowly capturing settlement after settlement to encircle the city.

Capturing Bakhmut would mark Russias biggest victory since early summer when it seized the last Ukrainian strongholds of Luhansk Oblast.


Haitian musician Jean Jean-Pierre says most people he knows who live in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, avoid leaving their homes unless they need food or other essential supplies.

The reason? Violence. Murder. Gangs.

"When you do go out you are so aware of everything  a car behind you, a motorcycle behind you. You never know if a vehicle just wants to pass you, or pass you and force you to stop for a kidnapping because it happens so often," said Jean-Pierre, 69.

"They catch you and demand $200,000. Where do I get $200,000 from?"

The Caribbean nation has long been in turmoil.

But over the last few years on every metric from territory controlled by gangs to kidnappings, from homicides to the number of police killed, from social unrest to economic conditions, the situation has deteriorated.

The recent chaos could complicate U.S. foreign policy on drug trafficking and immigration and a United Nations report released recently concludes that increasingly sophisticated weapons being smuggled into Haiti from the U.S.  and more specifically, from Florida  are adding to the chaos.

Why is Haiti such a mess?

Gangs now control much of the capital Port-au-Prince following President Jovenel Moise's 2021 assassination. His killing was orchestrated by a group of foreign mercenaries, mostly Colombians and a few Haitian-Americans, according to charges brought by the U.S. Justice Department. The gangs use commercial terrorism, sexual violence, massacres, extortion and kidnappings to accumulate power and fund their operations. Acting President Ariel Henry, a former neurosurgeon, has appealed for armed foreign intervention to help stabilize the country.

There are few signs it's about to happen.

An estimated 200 gangs now hold sway in Haiti, around 100 in Port-au-Prince alone, according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, a Switzerland-based group. The U.N. says 60% of the territory in the capital is controlled by gangs.

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The U.S. repatriated more than 21,000 Haitians in 2022, according to data collected by the International Organization for Migration, a U.N. agency. They are being returned to a country where thousands have been displaced and murder is common.

The U.N. says kidnappings recorded by Haiti's police in 2022 soared by 105%, to 1,359 victims, compared to the year earlier. Homicides were up 35%, to 2,183. Accounts of gangs using sexual violence to humiliate and consolidate power are proliferating. There are about 9,700 active-duty police officers in Haiti, but the U.N. says a "significant number of them" may in fact be members of gangs.

"Haiti is a failed state," said Daniel Foote, a former U.S. envoy to Haiti who resigned from the role in September 2021. His resignation was driven, in part by frustration over what he said was a "deeply flawed" U.S. policy toward the country, including an "inhumane, counterproductive decision to deport thousands of Haitian refugees."

The U.S. detained 7,175 Haitian migrants in 2022, a nearly 700% rise since 2019, according to data from the U.N.'s Office on Drugs and Crime.

Foote said that successive U.S. administrations have mostly looked at Haiti through a national security prism that focuses on immigration  in terms of how many Haitians are trying to get to U.S. soil, the so-called boat people. "What they don't realize is that with the gangs in control  without a credible counterforce  a trafficking hub has been created right in the Caribbean. Drugs, arms, people  these are going through Haiti to the U.S. whether it's via Haitian gangs or Mexican and Venezuelan ones."

The Gangs of Haiti: Who's in control?

Haiti: a timeline

Haiti's history and development have been blighted by colonization, by foreign interventions, catastrophic natural disasters and disease epidemics, nonfunctioning political systems, organized crime and corruption.

1492: Explorer Christopher Columbus lands, names the island Hispaniola, or "Little Spain."

1496: Spain establishes a settlement at Santo Domingo, now the capital of the Dominican Republic.

1697: Spain gives the western part of Hispaniola to France. This becomes Haiti.

1791-1803: Gen. Toussaint Louverture, a former slave, leads a rebellion to conquer Haiti. Louverture abolishes slavery and proclaims himself governor-general of all of Hispaniola.

1804: Haiti becomes independent. Jean-Jacques Dessalines declares himself emperor.

1806: Dessalines is assassinated. Haiti is divided into a Black-controlled north and mixed-race-ruled south.

1818-43: Pierre Boyer, a white France-born military commander, unifies Haiti. Black people are excluded from power.

1915: Amid civil unrest, the U.S. invades Haiti over concerns about its investments in the country.

1934: U.S. withdraws troops from Haiti, but maintains fiscal control.

1956: Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, a French Martiniquan, seizes power in a coup. He is elected president a year later.

1971: Duvalier dies. He is succeeded by his son "Baby Doc," who declares himself president for life.

1986-1988: "Baby Doc" flees Haiti amid popular discontent with his rule. Leslie Manigat becomes president. He is then ousted in a coup led by Prosper Avril, a senior military commander. Avril installs a civilian government.

1990: Jean-Bertrand Aristide is elected president. It is effectively Haiti's first entirely free and peaceful vote.

1991: Aristide is ousted in a coup led by military commander Raoul Cedras. The U.S. imposes economic sanctions.

1994: Aristide returns to Haiti. U.S. forces oversee a transition to a civilian government.

1995: United Nations peacekeepers replace U.S. troops.

2000: Aristide was elected president for a second time.

2001-2004: Aristide's government survives two attempted military coups. He is then forced back into exile.

2004: More than 5,000 people across Haiti and the Dominican Republic die in flash flooding and a tropical storm. Meanwhile, armed gangs are blamed for rising levels of violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

2008: Food riots take place as Haiti's Parliament dismisses Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis.

2009: The World Bank and International Monetary Fund cancel $1.2 billion of Haiti's debt  80% of the total.

2010: As many as 300,000 people are killed in a magnitude-7.0 earthquake, the worst in 200 years. The U.S. takes control of Haiti's main airport to ensure an orderly arrival of humanitarian aid flights. International donors pledge billions in aid. That same year, a cholera outbreak kills an estimated 6,000 people, triggering violent protests.

2011: Michel Martelly, a former pop star with strong military ties, wins the presidential election.

2012: As cost of living protests accelerate, Hurricane Sandy decimates crops and leaves 20,000 people homeless.

2016-2019: Jovenel Moise, a businessman, is elected president. He is plagued by corruption allegations. Category 4 Hurricane Matthew strikes Haiti and kills hundreds of people.

2021: After surviving a coup plot, Moise is assassinated in his home. Ariel Henry becomes acting president.

SOURCES Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; Haiti's U.S. Embassy; BBC; Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Haiti is a 'failed state' where gangs control 60% of Port-au-Prince
Abolitionist Harriet Tubman was honored Thursday with a monument in Newark, New Jersey.

The 25-foot work replaced a Christopher Columbus statue that the public condemned amid a wave of social justice activism in 2020, according to CNN. The site itself was renamed last year from Washington Park to Harriet Tubman Square.

The wood-and-steel monument was designed by architect Nina Cooke John and is partially made of ceramic tiles from locals, according to The Guardian. A listening wall inside has audio vignettes about Tubmans life, narrated by Newark-born musician and actor Queen Latifah.

Cooke John, who also recorded local stories to use in the installation, told NJ.com that the Tubman accounts, written by Newark author Pia Wilson, aim to connect the stories of the past to the stories of today.

The memorial itself is named Shadow of a Face, after a line from Runagate Runagate, a 1962 poem by Robert Hayden that references Tubman.

Thursdays unveiling was attended by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. The mayor made mention of George Floyd, the unarmed Black man whose murder by Minneapolis police in 2020 spurred months of protests and widespread reappraisals of figures like Columbus  whose exploitation, abduction and enslavement of Indigenous people is a matter of historical record.

Architect Nina Cooke John poses in front of her monument in honor of Harriet Tubman in Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday.

Architect Nina Cooke John poses in front of her monument in honor of Harriet Tubman in Newark, New Jersey, on Thursday.

To have something that started as a response to George Floyd and his murder ... people all around the country pulling down statues that represented a history that was oppressive, we wanted to take it a step further, Baraka said Thursday, per The Guardian.

We wanted to build something, he continued. And as a result of that, this is what we got.

While Tubman was born in Maryland, she reportedly shepherded runaway slaves through a Presbyterian church in Newark when she was active in the Underground Railroad, an network of abolitionist allies and secret infrastructure that helped lead enslaved people to the North.

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The church in question was reportedly built in 1836, but has since been demolished, per The Guardian. It once sat on what is now Frederick Douglass Field at Rutgers University.

While Tubmans face has yet to grace the $20 bill as previously planned, even a localized site like this might be more effective in inspiring citizens. The Newark Museum of Art has already agreed to incorporate stories related to slavery in some of its galleries, per CNN.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and actor, musician and Newark native Queen Latifah attended Thursday's ceremony.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and actor, musician and Newark native Queen Latifah attended Thursday's ceremony.

Tubmans great-great-great-grandniece Michele Jones Galvin spoke about her ancestors principles and courage in her celebratory speech at the unveiling on Thursday.

In the spirit of Harriet Tubman, the monument ... will memorialize her heroism, will inspire future generations to take action when they see injustice and will instill the value of service to the most vulnerable in our society, Galvin said at the unveiling, per The Guardian.

Related...
Harriet Tubman Monument Unveiled in New Jersey

Known as Moses for her efforts, Harriet Tubman helped 700 or more enslaved people escape north to freedom via the famed Underground Railroad.

By Liam Reilly and Kia Fatahi, CNN

(CNN)  A monument honoring famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman was unveiled in Newark, New Jersey, this week, replacing a statue of Christopher Columbus removed in 2020 amid social injustice protests, officials said.

The 25-foot-tall monument, titled Shadow of a Face, was revealed Thursday at the heart of the citys recently renamed Harriet Tubman Square, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced in a statement.

In a time when so many cities are choosing to topple statutes that limit the scope of their people's story, we have chosen to erect a monument that spurs us into our future story of exemplary strength and solidity, Baraka said.

We have created a focal point in the heart of our city that expresses our participation in an ongoing living history of a people who have grappled through many conflicts to steadily lead our nation in its progress toward racial equality.

Harriett Tubmans life

Harriet Tubman Monument Unveiled in New Jersey

MPI/STRINGER/GETTY IMAGES

Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland and eventually escaped to Pennsylvania. From 1850 to 1860, she made more than a dozen trips to Maryland to help enslaved people reach freedom through the Underground Railroad, a secret network of routes and safe houses, according to the US National Parks Service.

The name of Tubman's monument was inspired by the 1962 poem Runagate Runagate by Robert Hayden, which references the abolitionist. The monument was selected in June 2021 following a national open call and multiphase selection process, Baraka said.

Monument designer and architect Nina Cooke John said she wanted to incorporate the Newark community into the monument.

One way I wanted to bring about their connection is really to meet the community with the prompt, What is your story of liberation? What is your story  big or small  of really overcoming multiple obstacles that we all have to overcome, Cooke John said in an interview published by the Harriet Tubman Monument Project.

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Compassion, courage

Harriet Tubman Monument Unveiled in New Jersey

EDUARDO MUNOZ/REUTERS

Michele Jones Gavin, Tubman's three-times great-grand niece, said the monument will commemorate the activist's heroism and inspire future generations to take action in the face of injustice.

Lets forever remember Harriet Tubman, for her compassion, courage, bravery, service to others, her patriotism, and her commitment to faith, family, fortitude, and freedom, Gavin said.

The Columbus statue Tubmans memorial replaces was removed amid a nationwide racial reckoning following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 at the hands of Minneapolis police.

The movement spurred the removal or renaming of dozens of monuments, including those of Confederate leaders and other controversial figures in US history.

Columbus has long been a contentious figure for his treatment of the Indigenous communities he encountered and for his role in the violent colonization at their expense.

A monument and audio experience

Harriet Tubman Monument Unveiled in New Jersey

TED SHAFFREY/AP

Architect Nina Cooke John stands with the Harriet Tubman monument she designed, titled Shadow of a Face

The monument includes two sections: a portrait wall and a mosaic of tiles, all contained within a circular learning wall inscribed with stories of Tubmans life and Newarks history of Black liberation, the mayor's statement said.

The portrait wall features a larger-than-life depiction of Tubman while the mosaic features stories from Newark residents.

Not only are their stories physically a part of the monument, but they can also come to the monument and feel that ownership because they were really a part of creating it, Cooke John said in her interview with the Harriet Tubman Monument Project.

Seeing their stories being a part of other stories of people from Newark in this mosaic that's on the wall and is attached to the backside of the wall that has Harriet Tubman's face, the central figure which grounds us in the larger-than-life story of Harriet Tubman.

Residents also recorded some of their personal stories for the monument's audio experience, according to the mayors statement. The audio experience includes the story of Tubman's life, narrated by entertainer Queen Latifah. Audio clips will also be included in school curricula, in collaboration with the Newark Museum of Art.

To complement the monument, galleries at the Newark Museum of Art will incorporate stories related to slavery and the slave trade, Silvia Filippini-Fantoni, deputy director for learning and engagement at the Newark Museum of Art, said in a video interview published by the Harriet Tubman Monument Project.

Want to see the monument?

Harriet Tubman Square is near the intersection of Washington and Broad streets in downtown Newarks arts district.

The monument is close to the Newark Museum of Art at 49 Washington Street. Click here for public transportation options to the area.

The-CNN-Wire

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Portrait of Hattie McDaniel. Tracy A Woodward/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy in 'Gone with the Wind,' became the first Black person to win an Oscar in 1940.

Some members of the Black community criticized her for not pushing harder against racial stereotypes in Hollywood.

Her nuanced legacy reveals the difficulties early Black trailblazers faced amid limited opportunities and discrimination.

Hattie McDaniel was born in 1893 to formerly-enslaved parents in Wichita, Kansas, though some sources cite her year of birth as 1895. She was the youngest of 13 children.

Hattie McDaniel publicity still. John Kisch Archive/Getty Image

Source: Vanity Fair

McDaniel had an early start as a performer, joining a local minstrel troop and her brother Otis' carnival company in high school.

McDaniel, shown playing a tune on the piano in her portrayal of the title role in "Beulah," a radio program. Bettmann/Getty Images

Because gigs as a performer and songwriter didn't pay much, McDaniel took jobs as a maid and laundress on the side to make ends meet.

Source: Colorado Virtual Library

Show business in the early 1900s was a man's world, but McDaniel and her sister Etta launched an all-female 'black-face' minstrel show in 1914 called the McDaniel Sisters Company.

McDaniel often donned a maid's uniform for the various roles she played throughout her career. Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

There, McDaniel developed her trademark character: an assertive "Mammy" that poked fun at the racist archetype of a sassy maid.

Source: Vanity Fair; Colorado Virtual Library

McDaniel embarked on a radio career in the mid-1920s. In 1931, she performed on radio as 'Hi-Hat Hattie,' a bossy maid who quips back at her employers.

McDaniel would continue performing on radio, including the hit program 'The Beulah Show' on CBS. CBS via Getty Images

Source: Kansas Historical Society

McDaniel played the role of a maid at least 74 times throughout her career, including in films like "I'm No Angel," "China Seas," and "Murder by Television."

Shirley Temple, Evelyn Venable, and Hattie McDaniel in a scene from the movie "The Little Colonel." Donaldson Collection/Getty Images

McDaniel nabbed her first speaking part in the 1932 movie "The Golden West," in which she played a maid.

Source: Harper's Bazaar; Smithsonian Magazine

In 1937, McDaniel won the fierce competition for the part of Mammy in 'Gone with the Wind,' even reportedly beating out Eleanor Roosevelt's own maid.

Vivien Leigh and Hattie McDaniel in "Gone with the Wind." Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

McDaniel went to her audition dressed in a maid's uniform and ultimately secured the part.

Source: Vanity Fair; Harper's Bazaar; Smithsonian Magazine

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From the moment the casting was announced, however, McDaniel was criticized by members of the Black community for seemingly acquiescing to racial stereotypes in the roles she played.

Early posters for "Gone with the Wind" omitted McDaniel's character. Bettmann/Getty Images

"We feel proud over the fact that Hattie McDaniel won the coveted role of 'Mammy,'" wrote the influential Earl Morris in The Pittsburgh Courier. "It means about $2,000 for Miss McDaniel in individual advancement... [and] nothing in racial advancement."

In response, McDaniel remarked, "I'd rather play a maid and make $700 a week than be a maid and make $7.''

Along with other actors, McDaniel pushed back against the use of racial slurs in "Gone with the Wind," and successfully had offensive terms omitted from the final script.

Source: The New York Times; Vanity Fair; The Atlantic

On February 29, 1940, McDaniel made history by becoming the first Black person to win an Academy Award for her role in 'Gone with the Wind.'

Hattie McDaniel with her 1940 Best Supporting Actress Oscar award for "Gone with the Wind." John Kisch Archive/Getty Images

"I sincerely hope that I shall always be a credit to my race and the motion picture industry," McDaniel said in her acceptance speech.

Source: Vanity Fair; Harper's Bazaar; The Atlantic

But during the Oscars ceremony, the award-winning actress was seated separately from her colleagues, at the edge of the room.

Actress Fay Bainter presents McDaniel with her Academy Award. Bettmann/Getty Images

McDaniel was also barred from attending the Atlanta premiere of "Gone with the Wind" due to Jim Crow segregation.

Source: Vanity Fair; Harper's Bazaar; Smithsonian Magazine

Despite backlash from the Black community, McDaniel continued to play domestic maids, including in the 1946 Disney film 'Song of the South.'

McDaniel plays a maid in 'Song of the South.' LMPC via Getty Images

"Song of the South" was heavily criticized for its depiction of Black Americans in a post-slavery era.

McDaniel achieved two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and shared her success by donating generously to causes like the NAACP.

McDaniel's nephew, Edgar Goff, at a celebration honoring McDaniel, who was the 29th inductee in the Black Heritage Series by the United States Postal Service. Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

She was also posthumously inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1975. In 2006, McDaniel became the first Black Oscar winner honored with a US postage stamp.

Source: ABC News; Hattie McDaniel Estate; Colorado Women's Hall of Fame

McDaniel died of breast cancer in October 1952, but the Hollywood Forever Cemetery owner refused to allow her to be buried there.

A memorial to McDaniel was created at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery after her death. Amy T. Zielinski/Getty Images

McDaniel had said that she wanted to be buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where white film stars like Douglas Fairbanks and Rudolph Valentino rested. But the original owner of the cemetery refused, and McDaniel was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, her second choice, after her death in 1952.

The current owners of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery later honored McDaniel with a cenotaph.

"Aunt Hattie, you are a credit to your craft, your race, and to your family," the cenotaph reads.

Source: Vanity Fair





Correction: March 11, 2023  An earlier version of this story misstated McDaniel's birth year. It is disputed whether she was born in 1893 or 1895, not 1983.



Read the original article on Insider
In Kyiv, the district heating supply damaged due to the Russian attack has been fully restored.

Source:Vitalii Klitschko, Kyiv mayor on Telegram

Quote: "Work of the district heating supply in Kyiv has been fully restored.

Municipal workers are still working on removing air in the heating systems of individual houses. At the same time, the heat generating equipment operates in optimal parameters."

Details: Klitschko added that the capital's power and water supply also function as usual.

Background: In Kyiv, stabilisation shutdowns of electricity that used in some areas in the morning are now cancelled.

At the same time, on Saturday, 5% of Kyiv residents were left without heating after the Russian missile attack on 9 March.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
All you need to celebrate St. Patty's Day

 Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

St. Patricks Day is just around the corner, meaning its time for good food, even better drinks and getting into the holiday spirit. Whether youre planning on staying inside or heading out, weve got you covered with this list of everything you need to celebrate St. Patricks Day.

Make smart choices without hours of googling. Subscribe to The Checklist newsletter for expert product advice and recommendations.

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Dutch Oven

Cook up some tasty corned beef in our favorite Dutch oven.

If you're planning on making corned beef, a traditional staple of St. Patrick's Day, you'll need high-quality cookware and we know just who can get the job done: the Dutch oven. This large pot can cook a variety of foods without hassle. Our favorite Dutch oven is this one sold by Made In thanks to its comfortable handles, consistently wonderful cooking and affordability.

$199 from Amazon

Slow cooker

Our favorite slow cooker can help you make a variety of hearty meals for the holiday.

Another way to make corned beef  as well as dozens of other delicious dishes  is to use a slow cooker. As the name suggests, the food made in a slow cooker typically takes hours until it's ready to eat. This means you can throw ingredients in early in the day and go about the rest of your day while the food cooks. It's the multitasker's favorite appliance! The best slow cooker we've tested is the Cuisinart 6-Quart 3-in-1 Cook Central Multicooker thanks to its handles that make the pot easy to handle when hot, temperature control and ease of cleaning.

$157 from Amazon

Green food coloring

With food coloring, it's quite easy being green.

Serving green food is a great way to add a little flair to your St. Patrick's Day Party. If you don't want to serve your guests a whole lot of spinach, apples, and grapes, you can use this food coloring to give any food you desire a funky green color. Green eggs and ham, anyone?

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$3.38 from Amazon

Serving dish

Get a platter good enough for the delicious food you're serving.

After you've finished cooking your St. Patrick's Day dinner, you'll want a serving platter to make dishing your meal out to your guests easier. Dowan's oven-safe, ceramic serving platter is one of the highest-rated ones on Amazon, with over 1,200 five-star reviews. Reviewers love the platters because they're large, affordable, durable, dishwasher safe and stackable. The platters come in a pack of three.

$34 from Amazon

Drinkware

Drink with some St. Patrick's Day flair using either a green solo cup or a pint glass.

If you're having a St. Patrick's Day party, chances are there'll be drinks, whether of the alcoholic or non-alcoholic variety. The simplest method to get the drinks in your mouth is to drink straight from the tap or bottle. For the more sanitary method that we recommend, use these green Solo cups to tie in with the theme of your party. If you're looking for something a bit fancier, check out these Guinness pint glasses.

$32.30 from Amazon

$23 from Amazon

Party supplies

Gatherfun has all the supplies you need to throw a fun St. Patrick's Day bash.

Gatherfun's party supply pack has everything you'll need in one order, so you can skip the trip to Party City. Paper plates, paper cups, napkins, tablecloth and a banner are included in the pack, all adorned with shamrocks, leprechaun hats and green designs. If that wasn't enough, then know that the plates, cups, and napkins come in large quantities, meaning you won't be at risk of running out of supplies for your guests.

$30 from Amazon

Apparel

Capture the luck of the Irish in St. Patrick's Day-ready attire.

Whether you're heading to a parade or celebrating with friends, make sure to look your St. Paddy's best with an eye-catching green outfit. Tipsy Elves has plenty of options to choose from, including clover-adorned button downs, funny slogan tees, leprechaun leggings and more.

Shop Tipsy Elves

Air mattress

This comfortable air mattress will be a lifesaver is someone needs to sleep at your place for the night.

We know St. Patrick's Day parties can get a little wild, so if you plan on having a rager, party responsibly and make sure there's an air mattress for anyone who isn't fit to drive home. Sure, it's a Sunday, but it's better to get to work late and safely. This air mattress from SoundAsleep has over 38,000 five-star ratings, with reviewers loving how comfortable it is.

$150 from Amazon

Fanny pack

A fanny pack makes for a convenient way to carry all of your belongings (and your drink).

If you're heading out this St. Patrick's Day, instead of stuffing your pockets with all your essentials or lugging them around in a purse, you can opt to use a fanny pack. For St. Patrick's Day, not just any fanny pack will do, which is why we recommend picking up this emerald green, four-leaf clover fanny pack. It even comes with a holder for your drinks! If the design isn't quite to your liking, there are five others to choose from.

$20 from Amazon

Shamrock home decor

These cute wooden shamrocks make for the perfect home decor for the season.

It doesn't take a lot to give your home some St. Patrick's Day cheer. These wooden shamrock decorations sold by the Fovths Store can go a long way in making your house more festive for the holiday. They come in a pack of three with different sizes and colors  green, green with black plaid and green with white plaid. These look great on tables, shelves, walls or counters.

$12 from Amazon

Shamrock window decals

Adorn your windows with these clover decals.

Window decals are a fun way to show off your holiday spirit not just to those who enter your home, but to those who pass it. Akerock sells these 109-piece shamrock window decals that are sure to catch the attention of passersby. Reviewers love the decals for their bright colors, their adhesiveness and their double-sided designs.

$12 from Amazon

Shamrock lights

The shamrock lights have a mesmerizing green glow.

Who says Christmas is the only holiday when you can decorate with lights? These clover string lights make for an excellent decoration  their green makes for a mesmerizing glow. You can either drape them around objects and furniture in your house or hang them on your window so that they can be seen from the outside.

$15 from Amazon

St. Patrick's Day Flag

Spruce up your lawn with a flag.

Another way to decorate the exterior of your home is by putting up this St. Patrick's Day flag on your lawn. This flag by Akeydeco features a simple, cute design that wishes passersby a Happy St. Patrick's Day. The flag comes with two grommets to affix to a flagpole or sign pole.

$15 from Amazon

Dress-up accessories

These accessories are the perfect finishing touches to any St. Patrick's Day outfit.

Whether you're heading out or staying in for your St. Patrick's Day festivities, you won't want to go without these dress-up accessories. If you're hosting your own party, they can be used as party favors, while they can help you complete your goofy and jolly look if you're heading out. The set comes with beaded necklaces, clover glasses, bracelets, green mustaches and temporary tattoos.

$22 from Amazon

Leprechaun stickers

These leprechaun stickers are sure to be a hit with kids.

If you have young kids around for St. Patrick's Day, they'll love these adorable floor stickers in the shape of leprechaun footprints, four-leaf clovers, horseshoes and gold coins. Place the footprints in sequence to create a trail for the kids to track. Where does it lead? What does it mean? You decide.

$16 from Amazon

Green flannel

Go out in style with quality flannel.

If you're looking to add a bit of green to your wardrobe for the occasion, we suggest wearing a nice, flannel shirt. Not only will you look stylish, but you'll stay warm too, which is crucial if you plan on doing a pub crawl. Alex Vando's plaid shirt has over 1,8000 five-star reviews, with buyers loving the value as well as the quality fabric.

For even more warmth and style, you can go for this green flannel jacket instead. Mix and match with other St. Patty's inspired clothes to come up with a knockout look that's sure to make you the talk of the party. Reviewers love this jacket for its warmth and chicness.

$26 from Amazon

$30 from Amazon

Ancestry

Is "kiss me, I'm Irish" apparel in your future?

If you want to see if you have Irish heritage somewhere on your family tree, we recommend using AncestryDNA. It's a great way to delve deeper into your heritage thanks to its extensive records as well as its DNA testing. Perhaps an accurate "kiss me, I'm Irish" apron is in your future.

Sign up for Ancestry

Claddagh ring

Want a beautiful and meaningful ring to complete your St. Patrick's Day outfit

Claddagh rings, named after a village in Ireland, are traditional Irish rings that are used to symbolize love, loyalty, and friendship. It's no wonder that they're often used as friendship and wedding rings. If you're looking to wear a Claddagh ring of your own for the holiday, check out this one from the Biddy Murphy Store. Reviewers love this ring for its beauty and quality materials.

$27 from Amazon

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

This article originally appeared on Reviewed: St. Patrick's Day: Celebrate with these essential items
Sheriff Chris Hilton has brought the IGNITE merit-based curriculum program to the Sandusky County Jail, making the jail the first in Ohio and the first small jail in the nation to implement IGNITE.

FREMONT - The culture is about to shift in the Sandusky County Jail. Sandusky County Sheriff Chris Hilton hosted a ribbon cutting last week to launch the IGNITE program which will help inmates receive the education and resources they need to step into a promising future.

IGNITE, an acronym for Inmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally Through Education, is a National Sheriffs Association (NSA) program. It utilizes a merit-based curriculum that helps enrollees complete educational goals and connect to post-incarceration employment opportunities.

Thanks to Hiltons efforts, the Sandusky County Jail is the first jail in Ohio and the first small jail in the nation to implement IGNITE.

IGNITE promises to shift the culture in the jail to an atmosphere of hope. Inmates who volunteer to participate in IGNITE will gain not only the foundation to help them avoid recidivism, but also the security of knowing that they are viewed as people who are valued and full of potential. That security can give them the confidence they need to grasp the productive life they want.

Sheriff Christopher Swanson of Genesee County, Michigan, shares IGNITE success stories with the standing-room-only crowd that gathered for the IGNITE Launch Party at the Sandusky County Jail on March 2.

Michigan sheriff calls IGNITE a culture change

Remove that value, and its replaced with hopelessness, and those are the most dangerous people, said Sheriff Christopher Swanson of Genesee County, Michigan. Its not a program. Its a culture change.

Swanson connected Hilton with IGNITE during the 2022 NSA convention in Kansas City. Hilton was drawn to the program but concerned about obstacles, including funding and manpower. Swanson and Jessica Vanderpool from the NSA encouraged him to learn more before he made a decision.

Hilton sent a team consisting of Chief Deputy Edward Hasting, Capt. Justin West and Sandusky County Jail Administrator Major Jody Hatfield, to the Genesee County Jail to see IGNITE. in action. There, they witnessed inmates attending a number of classes, such as a nutrition class that taught them about the effects of food on mental health, and a virtual reality welding class.

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The team returned inspired to help Hilton bring IGNITE to Sandusky County and provide life-changing opportunities to the jails inmates.

What I learned is amazing. I look forward to it working here, Hatfield said. People look at them as inmates, but theyre people. Theyre us. We know its going to work. Everybodys excited. The inmates are as excited as we are.

IGNITE Program Coordinator Carlee Fairbanks, center, stands with Meghan Beal, left, and Jessica Vanderpool, both of the National Sheriff's Association. Fairbanks brought life to the IGNITE program in Sandusky County, which will help inmates step into brighter futures. The program was brought to the jail by Sheriff Chris Hilton.

Sheriff makes one change to IGNITE curriculum

Hilton hired Carlee Fairbanks to serve as the IGNITE Program Coordinator, and he made one change to the IGNITE curriculum.

Everyone that participates will have to go through mental health and addiction education first, he said. Once they have that foundation, well go on to other things.

Bringing that change to the program inadvertently solved Hiltons funding obstacle. When Mircea Handru, executive director of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties, learned that Hilton was incorporating mental health education into the curriculum, he offered to help.

The Mental Health and Recovery Services Board gave us $90,000, Hilton said. Once that hurdle was passed, I turned it over to Carlee and she ran with it.

Fairbanks said the program is ready to launch with the help of many community partners. They include Rob Monak, Workforce Development Organizer for Ironworkers Local Union No. 55. Monak said Local 55 will gladly help qualified IGNITE graduates transition into an apprenticeship program.

The way we look at it is that its what you do, not what youve done, Monak said.

Visionaries like Monak are exactly the kind of partners Hilton is looking for as he launches IGNITE and helps inmates work toward a better life.

Its not a program. Its a path, Hilton said. Were trying to find a different path. Were going to put people on a different path. This path is going to lead us somewhere weve never been.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Hilton adds inmate education program at jail
The Elgin Police Department is one of 54 in Illinois have received accreditation from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Only 54 police departments in Illinois have received accreditation from the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, and now Elgin has been added to their ranks.

We, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, are very proud of the chief and the Elgin Police Department for this accomplishment and we believe you should be as well, said Elgin resident Steve Casstevens, an association board member and retired Buffalo Grove police chief who presented the award at Wednesdays Elgin City Council meeting.

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The association created the Illinois Law Enforcement Accreditation Program 10 years ago as a way for police departments to demonstrate they have achieved the highest standards and best practices in law enforcement, Casstevens said.

This is the accreditation authority for the state of Illinois, he said. (Its) significant for your police department and your community.

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The programs staff reviewed and assessed the Elgin departments policies and standards in areas that included community policing, police pursuits, use of force and record keeping. Its a process that takes more than a year to complete, he said.

Tier 1 accreditation, which is what Elgin attained, has been achieved by just 54 police departments, Casstevens said. That number represents just 5% of all police agencies in Illinois, he said.

Its important for us as a statewide association to publicly recognize departments that are striving to reach these high goals, Casstevens said.

One assessor wrote in the final report that Elgins assessment was a highlight of his 37-year law enforcement career. In his opinion, there hasnt been an agency that has stood out as highly as Elgins, he wrote.

Police Chief Ana Lalley lauded the departments staff for the recognition.

(The) members of the police department are beyond exceptional, Lalley said Wednesday. Im very proud of what the members do each day. This award just shows how great they are. ... (Theres a) commitment to always doing better, thinking better, being better, changing and innovating.

Achieving accreditation status helps strengthen the departments professional image and lets the community know the department is continuing to work on being better every day, the chief said.

She also cited the accreditation team, Deputy Chief Adam Schuessler, Katie Johnston, and Sgt. Mike Martino, for their work in achieving the ranking.

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Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
By Jessie Pang and James Pomfret

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Three former members of a Hong Kong group that organised annual vigils to mark China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, were jailed on Saturday for four and a half months for not complying with a national security police request for information.

Chow Hang-tung, 38, a prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and former vice-chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, was among those convicted by a magistrate's court.

The two others were Tang Ngok-kwan and Tsui Hon-kwong.

The magistrate, Peter Law, said "national security is cardinally important to public interests and the whole nation," while imposing a custodial sentence that fell short of the six months maximum jail term for the charge.

The now-disbanded Alliance was the main organiser of Hong Kong's June 4 candlelight vigil for victims of China's Tiananmen Square crackdown. Every year it drew tens of thousands of people in the largest public commemoration of its kind on Chinese soil.

Some key details of the case, including the overseas organisations and individual alleged to have ties to the Alliance were redacted, after the prosecution applied for "Public Interest Immunity".

Speaking before sentencing, Chow was defiant, while criticising what she described as the "political" nature of the case, and the decision of the court to withhold key facts.

"We will continue doing what we have always done, that is to fight falsehood with truth, indignity with dignity, secrecy with openness, madness with reason, division with solidarity. We will fight these injustices wherever we must, be it on the streets, in the courtroom, or from a prison cell," said Chow from the dock, in a speech that was interrupted several times by Law.

The Alliance was accused by the prosecutor Ivan Cheung as a "foreign agent" for an unidentified organisation after allegedly receiving HK$20,000 ($2,562.69) from it.

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A defence lawyer, Philip Dykes, said "not knowing the identity" of the alleged foreign government or entity, was highly unusual and made any mitigation difficult given the foreign agent allegation.

Law said while pronouncing the verdict on March 4 that the prosecution need not prove the subject organisation was a "foreign agent" and that non-disclosure of materials would not undermine a fair trial.

The national security law, which punishes acts including subversion and collusion with foreign forces, has been criticised by some Western governments as a tool to crush dissent.

The Hong Kong and Chinese governments say the law had brought stability since it was enacted in 2020 in response to mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.

(Reporting by Jessie Pang and James Pomfret; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Intertwined in this are issues of race as Houston has a large Black and Hispanic population.

HOUSTON (AP)  In four years of Houston schools being under threat of one of the biggest state takeovers ever in the U.S., teacher Arnetta Murray says the district has come a long way.

As Houston braces for a decision from the state on whether it will seize control of public schools in Texas largest city, Murray thinks the fight isnt just about failing grades.

I think that we focus on changing the narrative and doing different and sharing that, Hey why is Gov. (Greg) Abbott attacking Houston? said Murray, 57, who teaches special education at a middle school where most students are classified as economically disadvantaged. Why is it? Is it money? Is it politics?

People hold up signs at a news conference on Friday, March 3, 2023, in Houston while protesting the proposed takeover of the citys school district by the Texas Education Agency. (Juan A. Lozano/AP Photo)

Classrooms are not the only place where Houston officials and residents are scrambling to hold the line against potential takeovers that the citys Democratic leaders see as driven by politics in a state where Republicans control the Statehouse and governors office. Election fumbles and accusations that local leaders unlawfully reduced spending on law enforcement are also igniting potential interventions from Republicans, who have been losing ground around Houston over the last decade.

Intertwined in this are issues of race as Houston has a large Black and Hispanic population.

Houston is the largest city in the U.S. where potential takeovers of local institutions are roiling heavily minority communities, including St. Louis and Washington, D.C. Its also an extension of a broader fight in the U.S. of statehouses flexing control over municipalities.

Whats different in Houston, local leaders say, is the range of efforts aimed at controlling how Americas fourth-largest city  home to over 2 million people  runs classrooms, elections and budgets.

Republicans reject accusations of politics, saying they have a duty to act.

What youre seeing is just specific fights about, quite frankly, what is the best public policy, said Republican state Sen. Paul Bettencourt of Houston, who is a carrying a bill that would allow the state to take over a local elections office for cause.

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Do you want to have defunded police or not? Do you want to have competent elections administration or not? Do you want to have an uncorrupt school board of your largest district or not? Thats really what the fights are about, he said.

Renee Cross, the senior executive director of the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, said it could be 10 to 20 years before the tension eases up between the GOP-run state government and Texas Democratically run large metropolitan areas, including Houston.

Until the Legislature is a little more diverse in terms of partisanship, I think were going to continue to see these efforts, Cross said.

Texas State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, along with other Houston area leaders, including Mayor Sylvester Turner, on the right, speak at a news conference on Friday, March 3, 2023, in Houston while protesting the proposed takeover of the citys school district by the Texas Education Agency. (Juan A. Lozano/AP Photo)

It is unclear when the state will make a decision about the Houston Independent School District, which with nearly 200,000 students is the eighth-largest in the U.S. Teachers and administrators have been on edge since Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a City Council meeting this month that a takeover could be imminent, citing conversations with Houston legislators.

The decision is up to the Texas Education Agency, which said in a statement that it was still determining next steps that best support the students, teachers, parents, and school community. A spokesperson for Abbott, who appoints the states education commissioner, did not return a message seeking comment.

A takeover of Houston schools would be one of the largest ever in the country, said Beth Schueler, an assistant professor of education and public policy at the University of Virginia.

The state began considering the move in 2019, following allegations of misconduct by school trustees, including inappropriate influencing of vendor contracts, and years of chronically low academic scores at one of its roughly 50 high schools. Since August 2016, the district has had three superintendents.

The district sued to block intervention, but changes in state law in response to the lawsuit and a ruling by the Texas Supreme Court in January cleared a path for the takeover.

When the districts board of trustees voted to officially end their lawsuit Thursday, one board member, Elizabeth Santos, tearfully said: It is time for the community to come together and win by uniting our voices at the Legislature and our neighborhood schools and at the ballot box.

Local leaders acknowledge the district has had problems but say a takeover now would ignore recent improvements, including reducing the number of low-rated schools from 50 to 10.

But some Houston residents still have concerns.

People hold up signs at a news conference on Friday, March 3, 2023, in Houston while protesting the proposed takeover of the citys school district by the Texas Education Agency. (Juan A. Lozano/AP Photo)

Nikki Keyser, a local community activist, said she does not think the current superintendent, Millard House II, is right for the job, believing the interim superintendent he replaced was responsible in part for recent strides and should have been given the job.

When youre held accountable for your behavior, these are the things that happens with our childrens district and the only people that are suffering are our parents and our children, said Keyser, executive director of the Simply H.E.R. Movement, a nonprofit which helps provide food and housing to needy residents.

The takeover fight that has gotten the most attention in the U.S. is in Mississippi, where the states predominately white legislative body is pushing for an expanded role for state police and appointed judges inside the majority-Black capital of Jackson.

Hispanics are the largest demographic group in Harris County, which is home to Houston. It also has a large Black population. When Republicans approved new voting restrictions in 2021 that outlawed expanded voting options that Houston had put in place, Democrats called it an attack on minority voters.

Turner is finishing up his final term as mayor, and the leading contenders in the officially nonpartisan election to succeed him are all Democrats.

He took part in a recent rally for the district, where some said the recent confrontations with the state were at least partly due to partisanship.

We are dealing with people functioning on the extremes and therefore they believe they can come in and take over the largest school district in the state of Texas  and people are going to be all right with that? Turner told The Associated Press. No, I beg to differ.

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A 42-year-old Houston man has been charged with kidnapping, accused of holding a woman captive in a locked trailer for several years, according to court records. The woman was rescued by deputies on Wednesday.

Abraham Bravo Segura did "intentionally and knowingly abduct" the victim, and held her in "a place where the Complainant was not likely to be found," court documents said.

During a probable cause hearing on Thursday, a Harris County prosecutor alleged the woman was "locked" in the boarded-up trailer for "approximately four years," according to courtroom video obtained by KTRK-TV.

While Segura was at work, the victim was able to call the police for help from inside the trailer in North Houston, according to KTRK.

All the trailer's exits were blocked with burglary bars on the windows, and Harris County Sheriff's deputies found three handguns inside, KTRK reported.

On Wednesday night, when authorities arrived at the trailers, bolt cutters didn't break through the boarded-up trailer, and the fire department had to use power tools to cut through the bars, the station reported.

At the hearing, Segura disagreed with the allegations against him and asked the hearing officer more than once "if he could defend himself," reported KTRK. He said the "story is one-sided."

Segura is in Harris County jail on a $150,000 bond, according to jail records. The bond conditions state he cannot have contact with the victim or family, and he would have to wear a GPS monitor upon his release, court records said.

His next court appearance is March 13.

Examining the impact of the Silicon Valley Bank failure

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Latvia is sending cars that have been confiscated from drunk drivers to Ukraine.

The first transport cars were sent this week to "where they are most needed," said Latvian authorities.

Latvia said it would provide two dozen seized vehicles to Ukraine each week.

Cars that have been confiscated from drunk drivers in Latvia are being sent to Ukraine in a new scheme to support the country's war effort.



Earlier this week, eight cars were taken on the back of a trailer from an impound lot in Latvia to be transported to "where they are most needed," Latvia's State Revenue Service said in a tweet.

The government tasked the transport of the seized cars to the Agendum group  a Latvian NGO that delivers vehicles to Ukraine  who will donate them to the Ukrainian military and hospitals.

"It's actually very scary when you realize how many cars are driving around with drunk drivers," Reinis Poznaks, founder of the NGO Twitter Convoy in association with Agendum, told Reuters in an interview.

"No one expected that people are drunk-driving so many vehicles, they can't sell them as fast as people are drinking. So that's why I came with the idea  send them to Ukraine," Poznaks said.

Poznaks also tweeted a picture of the cars being transported and said, "The journey from our garage to Ukraine begins today. One car will redeem not only alcohol but also ideological karma."

The eight cars are just the first to be dispatched to Ukraine, as two hundred cars were seized from drivers with blood alcohol levels over 0.15% in two months, according to Reuters. Authorities in the country said they would give the organization two dozen cars every week.



The Baltic nation has one of the highest drunk driving rates in Europe, according to the BBC.

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Last month, the Latvian parliament passed a law allowing the transfer of state-owned vehicles  usually sold or recycled  to Ukraine, according to Euronews.

The cars will be delivered to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence army units, the Vinnitsa Regional Clinical Hospital, and the Kupyansk Council Territorial Medical Association, according to a government statement.

"Once again, we have demonstrated our unity in our support for Ukraine. I believe that every act of support, big or small, brings us closer to victory in this senseless war," Arvils Aseradens, Latvia's Minister for Finance, said.

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Silicon Valley Bank's HQ in Santa Clara, California Getty Images

Silicon Valley Bank's collapse has left hundreds of startups facing a cash crunch and payroll crisis.

A popular toy store held a 40% off sale to raise funds.

Their best hope for paying staff is a buyer being found for SVB before markets open on Monday.

Hundreds of startups face a massive cash crunch if the search for a buyer for Silicon Valley Bank drags into next week.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) took control of SVB Friday after it was shut down by California regulators when a failed $2.3 billion capital raise sent its stock crashing.

It leaves hundreds of startups that deposited their cash with the bank in turmoil, as they try to continue operating while millions in funds are locked up.

In the meantime, signs of stress among SVB's entrepreneurial clients are beginning to emerge.

Startups scramble for cash

The need for startups to make payroll is one being echoed across the VC ecosystem.

In a tweet, founder Nikita Bier said: "The number of growth stage companies that had their cash at SVB is huge. Making payroll next week is going to be a s---show."

Sam Lessin, a partner at Slow Ventures, told CNBC Friday a founder he had spoken to planned to cover payrolls personally and "figure it out from there."

Even startups that didn't bank directly with SVB have been hit by its collapse. My Insider colleagues April Joyner and Madeline Renbarger reported the healthtech startup Flow Health used Rippling, which held an account with SVB, as its payroll provider.

"We literally have no way of paying employees right now," Flow Health CEO Alex Meshkin told Insider.

Some startups took drastic steps on Friday to try and bring cash in. The popular toy store Camp told its customers it was in distress after its funds got trapped by the collapse.

"All of our cash was at SVB and we are trying to build up our balance at Chase," Camp CEO and cofounder Ben Kaufman told Insider via Twitter direct message.

The company announced a 40% off sale in a bid to raise cash from its customers, instructing them to use the tongue-in-cheek code 'BANKRUN' at the checkout.

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The ripple effects of SVB's demise are likely to be extensive. According to its website, the bank supported nearly half of US venture-backed startups at the end of December.

In a tweet, startup accelerator Y Combinator's CEO Garry Tan said SVB's collapse was "an *extinction level event* for startups and will set startups and innovation back by 10 years or more."

He told The Wall Street Journal that a survey Friday of its 3,000-odd active companies found almost 400 had a relationship with SVB and more than 100 feared they couldn't make payroll in the next 30 days unless the situation was swiftly resolved. Tan urged people to contact their member of Congress to voice their concern.

A buyout offers a way out

Depositors with SVB have $250,000 of their cash with the lender insured, and that cash should be accessible no later than Monday. The rest is uninsured. Given many founders and startups had millions with SVB, that puts huge sums at risk. Roku for example had close to $500 million deposited with SVB.

The FDIC said on Friday that uninsured depositors will receive a receivership certificate for the remaining funds, but it's unclear when they'll get access to the cash, or how much of it will be returned. Moody's estimated that customers will get back about 80 to 90 cents of every dollar of uninsured deposits.

These startups' best hope is for a buyer for SVB to be found before markets reopen Monday. If no one wants it, the FDIC will to liquidate the bank and sell off its assets to try to make depositors whole again.

"The FDIC will love to have the bank bought off their hands, and I am sure they will work furiously over the weekend to arrange a shotgun marriage," said Sandeep Dahiya, associate professor of finance at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, told my colleague Hayley Cuccinello.

In an interview with The Information, Kristine Dickson, CFO of community lender Lead Bank, said it was would be "2,000 times better" if a buyer was found for SVB versus it being dissolved.

"It is a million times better to go that direction, so that is what they will be focused on this weekend," she said.

Prospective buyers are likely to be poring through SVB's accounts while they mull a purchase. Major banks such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan as well as regional lenders including Citizens Bank have been suggested as potential saviors for SVB.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The city of Huntington Park settled with Jose Luis Maldonado Aguilar, who was illegally detained and handed over to immigration officials by police in July 2019. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

After Huntington Park police arrested Jose Luis Maldonado Aguilar on suspicion of public intoxication, they didn't book him with a crime.

Instead, they detained him until immigration officials could pick him up.

During his 46 days at an immigration detention center in the high desert, he lost his job as a construction worker, and several of his cars were repossessed, according to his attorneys. His family almost became homeless.

Maldonado, 45, sued the city and its police department, claiming that they violated the California Values Act, a state law preventing local police from questioning and holding people on immigration violations.

In a settlement reached Wednesday, Maldonado will receive $10,000. The city agreed to end detentions based on requests from immigration enforcement agencies.

As part of the settlement, the city is also donating $74,100 to an immigrant advocacy organization, the Council of Mexican Federations in North America, and will hold an annual forum to educate the public about immigration enforcement.

Huntington Park, a city of about 54,000, is 97% Latino.

According to records obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union and cited in the lawsuit, Huntington Park Police Department transferred at least 29 people to immigration officials "on the sole basis of an immigration detainer request" from January 2018 to August 2019.

The city was operating under a de facto policy of detaining individuals based on immigration detainer requests" from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the lawsuit said.

In nearby Los Angeles, the LAPD has long had a tolerant posture toward immigrants in the country without documentation. Special Order 40, adopted in 1979, prohibits officers from initiating contact with anyone for the sole purpose of learning their immigration status and rules out arrests for violating immigration law.

Maldonado's attorneys said he was not available for interviews.

Jose is thrilled that something is in place that will prevent other people from being separated from their families and losing their jobs and, you know, having their family live in fear of never seeing them again because the police department acted illegally, said one of his attorneys, Ellen Leonida of the San Francisco law firm BraunHagey & Borden, which represented Maldonado free of charge.

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Huntington Park Mayor Eddie Martinez, city council members and Police Chief Cosme Lozano did not respond to requests for comment.

Roger A. Colvin, an attorney who represents the city and Police Department, said police officials were in the process of implementing the California Values Act," which took effect in 2018. Maldonado was arrested on July 15, 2019.

Rather than engaging in a long and costly court case, the city self-reflected and wanted something positive to come from this, Colvin said. That result was achieved in the settlement.

After Maldonado was arrested, he was held overnight by Huntington Park police, even though they never booked him for a crime, after immigration officials requested that he be detained.

Eventually, immigration officials arrived, handcuffed Maldonado and took him to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center.

Maldonado, who is in the country without proper documentation, was eventually released and not deported, but the 46 days he spent at Adelanto brought him and his family to the brink of financial ruin.

In Huntington Park on Friday, Henry Lozano said that $10,000 didn't seem to be adequate compensation for what Maldonado went through.

But if it stops people from being deported, which is madness, then I guess thats good," said Lozano, a baker from South Gate who was shopping at Northgate Gonzalez Market.

Down the street at Salt Lake Park, Huntington Park resident Sonia Chaidez said about half of her extended family lacks papers, and there is always a terror someone could be sent away.

People just want to work and live their lives, said the 37-year-old waitress. If youre not committing serious crimes or are a danger to society, why should you be deported?

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
At the risk of sounding too dramatic, Chandler Levack's nostalgic and heartfelt film I Like Movies, starring Isaiah Lehtinen, Percy Hynes White and Romina D'Ugo, brought us more joy and excitement than we've had watching any movie in a long time.

Set in Burlington, Ont., in 2003, 17-year-old Lawrence Kweller (Lehtinen) is teenage cinephile, or as many would refer to him, a film bro who can often be snobby about his movie knowledge. When Lawrence isn't watching movies, he's tuning in to Saturday Night Live and making his own movies with his best friend Matt Macarchuck (White). Lawrence has one solid goal after high school graduation, going to film school at NYUs Tisch School of the Arts, which his single mom Terri (Krista Bridges) isn't particularly supportive of, especially because of the high tuition fee.

Lawrence's plan to pay for film school in New York is to work at the local Sequels video store, under manager Alana (Romina DUgo), who at one point was a working actor. The two don't necessarily see eye to eye at the outset, but they develop an interesting bond and friendship as Lawrence gets closer to graduation.

I really wanted to make a film and it wasn't happening for me, and I was in my 30s and I think I was becoming sort of a bitter, resentful film critic, Levack told Yahoo Canada about beginning the process of making I Like Movies. "There was this grant through Telefilm called Talent to Watch where you could get $125,000 to make your first feature.

So I was like, OK think of an idea that you could do for $125,000, that could mostly take place in one location. Use it as a great experience to work with amazing actors and write something that's kind of just a showcase for actors. That made me start thinking about my last year of high school when I worked at Blockbuster, and I felt like that could be a really fun environment to set a movie in.

"Fun" is an understatement when you watch the final product of Levack's film. First and foremost, while nostalgia has become an increasingly hot and attractive tool in entertainment recently, Levack has nailed down how to do it right. With references to things like the Big Shiny Tunes CDs, the release of the Paul Thomas Anderson movie Punch-Drunk Love (starring Adam Sandler), and of course the incredibly detailed set of a 2000s video store, I Like Movies really transports you back to that time in a way that's endearing, but still feels unique.

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L to R: Actor Isaiah Lehtinen (Lawrence) and director Chandler Levack on the set of I LIKE MOVIES. (Photo by Tom Wood)

'I wanted to do justice for the Lawrence's in the world'

It's clear from I Like Movies that Levack and Lehtinen were able to tap into that sort of inexplicable movie-making magic that just works. Lehtinen highlighted that he quickly realized that they were "on the same wavelength," both seeing themselves in Lawrence.

From the moment that I got the first script, ... I read it and it made me cry, Lehtinen said. I had never seen my adolescent experience portrayed in such a substantial way.

I am a little bit of a sad, jaded and bitter person who digs their heels into loving media. ... I love movies but I'm more obsessed with other things and it was just kind of like transposing that onto cinephilia. I wanted to do justice for the Lawrence's in the world, the Lawrence's of different things.

With so many elements of Lawrence connected to Levack's personal experience when she was 17, the filmmaker did find it easy, "in a strange way," to write this story with a teenage boy as the lead.

I guess there is something about the way that we allow young men, or just male characters in general, to kind of be more anti-heroes and be pricklier, and get away with more d-ckish behaviour, in a way that we don't allow female characters to be," Levack said. There's been a whole conversation over the past few years of unlikable women characters in media and the way that we've scrutinized those characters."

"The media is so much crueler, and meaner and harsher, to both the women that play those characters, but also the portrayal of the characters. So I felt like I got off easy with Lawrence. I feel like if Lawrence had been played by a young girl, maybe the reception of the film wouldn't have been as kind, which is a little bit messed up. But at the same time, I really wanted to create these very complex female characters where his coming-of-age is actually guided by the women in his life, and really allowed him to kind of be on a path of healing.

For Romina D'Ugo, she loved that Alana was "fairly put together" in the story, but as it progresses we start to see through the character's "armour," exposing that she's more troubled than maybe even she believed.

She gives this young kid his first job and she's leading this crew of staff, and I think it's a beautiful ode to humans out there doing their best, who have baggage and troubles, and a hard time, but just trying to keep it together," D'Ugo said. "Then along the way, making some really inappropriate decisions and having to live with them.

Romina D'Ugo (Alana) in I LIKE MOVIES. (VHS Forever Inc.)

'I Like Movies' exemplifies the way to craft characters with traumatic backstories

What's interesting about Lawrence and Alana is that they're at different points in their life, with different life experiences, but there are elements of their personalities that make them, as Levack describes, like "mirror images of each other.

Both of them say things that are projected at the other that they could be saying to themselves, Levack said. Lawrence kind of wants to be an adult and she kind of wants to be a teenager again, or seeing herself as a teenager kind of projected through his ambitions and dreams."

Also, I feel like it's really interesting to watch a movie about a teenage boy and a woman in her 30s that doesn't have this romantic, sexual undercurrent behind it necessarily. It really is just this very complex friendship.

In terms of crafting characters with trauma, Levack's movie really emphasizes the complexity and individuality of that within her characters.

I feel like sometimes when people have a traumatic backstory in a movie, that's all it is, and that's the only defining characteristic that they have," she said. "They're just instantly kind of a victim."

"I guess for me, having lived through certain elements of them,  you're still responsible for your own actions in life, and you're still responsible for the way that you treat other people. I just wanted to have that be reflected in the way that life usually is, where it's kind of seeded into everything, and sometimes you're having these strange explosions of emotion or anger, or sadness or melancholy. And you don't really understand what it's actually about until it's far too late.

L to R: Andy McQueen (Brendan), Alex Ateah (Shannon), Isaiah Lehtinen (Lawrence) and Romina D'Ugo (Alana) in I LIKE MOVIES. (VHS Forever Inc.)

Welcome to the 'Canadian film renaissance'

Canadians, in particular, have a lot to celebrate in I Like Movies, with so many references and images that are specific to the Canadian experience, particularly the Greater Toronto Area.

I feel like in a weird way, Canadians are always apologizing for our own culture, Levack said. When we set a story in Canada, it's always like a little joke or a wink or something, but we don't actually kind of take ownership over these locations.

Canadian movies are either an amorphous Chicago or New York, or they're like a fishing village in Newfoundland, and there's nowhere in between. Unless we're talking about Quebec cinema, which ... does have this regionality and specificity that's missing, I think, from a lot of Canadian cinema.

The beauty of a film like I Like Movies is that it proves you don't need to be Canadian to enjoy a Canadian movie, which Levack and D'Ugo saw in places like Santa Barbara, California, where the movie had its U.S. premiere.

It was interesting to see how it still really resonated with people in the States, but they didn't understand any of the references that, here, destroy, Levack said. I went to a film festival in Norway. I went to a film festival in Taiwan recently, ... it seems like even though it's so hyper-specifically Canadian, there's something about the specificity of those details that actually makes it more universal.

D'Ugo also highlighted that most of the films we see that follow characters trying to "make it" in film and television are most often American, not Canadian.

The truth is that in Canada, there is this decision or this opportunity to try being in the States, whether it's New York or LA," D'Ugo said. "Where do you set up shop? And just being an actor is a gamble, but I really appreciate that it's so transparent that the characters in the film touch upon the fact that we're basically trying to figure out ... where it's better to be when you're doing your art."

"At the end of the day, I think it sort of speaks to these heightened beliefs that we have in our lives of what success looks like. But if you're doing what you love, and you're putting your own experience into it, that's the point. That's the point of making art.

As Lehtinen stressed, we're in the "Canadian film renaissance" right now.

I think Canada's the funniest place in the world," Lehtinen said. "Its just such a weird, strange place and we just kind of end up turning out the strangest people."

"I would love for the world to embrace the identity of a Canadian comedy. ... It'll happen in due time.

I Like Movies opens March 10 in Toronto (Bell Lightbox), Burlington (SilverCity), Hamilton (Playhouse), Vancouver (International Village) and Montreal. The film opens March 11 in Winnipeg and throughout the spring in other Canadian cities.
A 26-year-old Meridian man was sentenced to up to life in prison for brutally killing his 57-year-old cellmate in 2021, according to a news release from the Ada County Prosecutors Office.

On Friday, 4th District Judge Samuel Hoagland sentenced Colton J. Reagan to life imprisonment, with 30 years fixed. Reagan waived his right to appeal the sentence as part of a plea deal to first-degree murder last December.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 11, 2021, prison officials at the Idaho State Correctional Institution south of Boise responded to Reagans cell and found his cellmate, Gerald B. Cummings Jr., unresponsive. According to the initial news release from the Ada County Sheriffs Office, Cummings sustained injuries that appeared consistent with a beating.

Prison staff performed life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, but Cummings was pronounced dead just after 3:30 a.m.

The Idaho Statesman previously reported that Reagan was incarcerated at the time for felony convictions of possession of a controlled substance and grand theft. The Ada prosecutors office said Reagan refused to participate in the rehabilitative programming offered during retained jurisdiction and was then sentenced to a prison term. He would have been eligible to be released in 2027.

The prosecutors office also said Reagan had documented violent conduct while in custody.

I extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Cummings family, Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said in a press release. Thank you for the hard work done on this case by my trial team and the Ada County Sheriffs Office.
The Idaho woman who was a legislative intern when she was raped by former Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, a Lewiston Republican, has filed a lawsuit against him and former Rep. Priscilla Giddings.

Von Ehlinger, who was convicted last year, is in custody at the Idaho Correctional Institution in Orofino serving a 20-year sentence, with eight of those years fixed, meaning he is not eligible for parole until spending at least that much time in prison.

After a 12-person jury found von Ehlinger guilty last April, he tried and failed to acquit his rape conviction on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence. After he was sentenced, he appealed his conviction to the Idaho Supreme Court in September. That appeal is ongoing.

Giddings, a far-right former legislator from White Bird, lost her bid for lieutenant governor in the 2022 Republican primary to Scott Bedke. Giddings, first elected in 2016, was removed from a legislative committee in November 2021 and censured after she shared a Redoubt News article that identified the victim.

Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, glances up briefly as Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke prepares to start a reconvening of the Idaho House of Representatives Monday, Nov. 15, 2021 at the Statehouse in Boise. One of the first orders of business was to vote on accepting a report from the Idaho Ethics and House Policy Committee reccommending censure Giddings. After nearly two hours of debate the motion was passed 49-19.

Identified as Jane Doe or the initials J.V. in court documents, the former intern has made 11 claims for relief against the two ex-legislators, including invasion of privacy, defamation, negative and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and assault and battery claims against von Ehlinger, among others. She was 19 at the time of the March 2021 sexual assault; von Ehlinger was 39.

In the 27-page lawsuit, the former intern claims that Giddings and von Ehlinger participated in behavior to punish and discourage her from participating in a House Ethics Committee hearing and otherwise cooperating with law enforcement during the investigation.

J.V. also alleges in the new lawsuit that the two legislators violated her equal protection rights as a legislative employee, calling their efforts to reveal her identity and refute the sexual assault claims a campaign of harassment.

This isnt the first lawsuit J.V. has filed. It appears she settled a suit against the Idaho Legislature in November, after the lawsuit was dismissed and a $200,000 payment was made to someone with her initials, according to Idaho Reports.

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After reporting that von Ehlinger had sexually assaulted her, Defendants von Ehlinger and Giddings, acting individually and in concert, engaged in a campaign of harassment against Plaintiff, a female survivor of sexual assault, in violation of her equal protection rights, according to the complaint.

J.V. said the harassment included releasing her identity, as well as personal information about her and her family to the public, and relaying defamatory information. J.V. said von Ehlinger shared false information reporting that she engaged in consensual behavior with him.

The complaint also indicates that Giddings  via her legislative email  sent out an update that included defamatory and insulting comments about J.V. and called the Ethics Committee process reminiscent of so many national Me too witchhunts. Giddings also called J.V. a tramp and testified that she believed the former intern was under the influence of drugs.

The Idaho Statesman has reached out to Giddings for comment on the lawsuit.

J.V. also accuses von Ehlingers then-attorney David Leroy of sending multiple reporters an unredacted copy of von Ehlingers written response to the ethics panel on April 16, 2021  which contained not only alleged defamatory statements, but intimate details about J.V. This was after being asked by J.V.s attorney and an attorney representing the legislative committee to redact any personal information.

Two days later, Leroy told attorneys for J.V. that he wasnt representing von Ehlinger anymore and said that he made a mistake in releasing the unredacted report and (I) profoundly apologize to your client, according to the complaint. He then emailed Giddings the next day and said that if she sent the far-right Redoubt News site the unredacted response, that hed suggest she ask them to delete it immediately, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, J.V. endured severe emotional distress, loss of reputation, and loss of an internship position and its benefits, among other things.

J.V. attempted to testify in court during von Ehlingers trial, but after a few minutes she abruptly left the courtroom and the jury wasnt allowed to consider her testimony. In the moments leading up to J.V.s exit, she began to recount the rape.

She walked out of the courtroom, saying, I cant do this.

With her lawsuit, the former intern is seeking relief, including compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, costs and interest.
Haven Middle School Principal Christopher Latting is one of six finalists for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership Award. - Original Credit: Handout (Evanston/Skokie District / HANDOUT)

Haven Middle Schools Principal Christopher Latting is one of six finalists chosen from over 130 nominations across the state for the 2023 Golden Apple for Excellence in Leadership Award.

The award, according to a news release from Evanston/Skokie School District 65, awards leaders who showed significant and sustained positive impact on the school, created a culture of inclusivity, and delivered dramatic student growth.

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This recognition represents an opportunity for our school community to celebrate the hard work, dedication and collaboration that the students, staff, families and community partners have poured into Haven, Latting said in the news release. This is also a moment of great pride for me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be recognized among such talented and accomplished school leaders.

Latting served as a middle school teacher, assistant principal and principal in Joliet prior to joining the District 65 team in 2020. He managed the students transition from online to in-person learning as the COVID-19 pandemic ramped down.

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According to the news release, Latting has focused on upgrading the school environment with visual improvements, setting clear expectations for student behavior with training for teachers and staff and creating partnerships with local organizations such as City of Evanston Youth and Young Adult Outreach.

Latting brought on one assistant principal, a social worker and a school counselor per grade level to help staff and students, along with four liaisons to work with family and community engagement efforts. The release also said he helped create a new class called AVID which serves traditionally underrepresented students and teaches career and college readiness as well as executive functioning to help students after they leave Haven.

Students have also been given the chance to participate in leadership roles at Haven with the introduction of student ambassadors who, according to the news release, work with teachers and staff to give students a say in how their school operates.

One of Mr. Lattings greatest strengths is that he is unapologetically centered around his students. Hes visible within the school community and has worked so hard in the wake of the pandemic to foster meaningful relationships within the Haven community, Superintendent Devon Horton said in the news release. He is incredibly deserving of this recognition and we are so fortunate to have such a caring and passionate leader in District 65. He is the right individual to be at the helm and championed an incredible and much needed transformation that has brought the community together.

Two winners will be chosen later this spring and receive $10,000, of which $5,000 will be given to the school program of the winners choosing. Winners also join the ranks of the Golden Apple Academy of Educators.

Principal Ben Collins of Maine South High School in Park Ridge was also named as a finalist.
While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of Universal Health Realty Income Trust (NYSE:UHT).

Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. In short, ROE shows the profit each dollar generates with respect to its shareholder investments.

See our latest analysis for Universal Health Realty Income Trust

How Is ROE Calculated?

The formula for return on equity is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Universal Health Realty Income Trust is:

9.2% = US$21m  US$229m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. One way to conceptualize this is that for each $1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made $0.09 in profit.

Does Universal Health Realty Income Trust Have A Good ROE?

By comparing a company's ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, Universal Health Realty Income Trust has a better ROE than the average (6.7%) in the REITs industry.

roe

That's what we like to see. Bear in mind, a high ROE doesn't always mean superior financial performance. Especially when a firm uses high levels of debt to finance its debt which may boost its ROE but the high leverage puts the company at risk. You can see the 2 risks we have identified for Universal Health Realty Income Trust by visiting our risks dashboard for free on our platform here.

The Importance Of Debt To Return On Equity

Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking.

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Combining Universal Health Realty Income Trust's Debt And Its 9.2% Return On Equity

Universal Health Realty Income Trust clearly uses a high amount of debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 1.50. Its ROE is quite low, even with the use of significant debt; that's not a good result, in our opinion. Investors should think carefully about how a company might perform if it was unable to borrow so easily, because credit markets do change over time.

Conclusion

Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. All else being equal, a higher ROE is better.

But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. You can see how the company has grow in the past by looking at this FREE detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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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pilot in a flight simulator - Jon Super for The Daily Telegraph

The tactical controller looked up the valley, watching the trees sway in the winter breeze. A small dark speck, silhouetted against the sky, rapidly grew to full size.

A Eurofighter Typhoon flashed overhead with a roar, scattering a crowd of curious civilians who had gathered around a crashed Apache attack helicopter.

"Show of force complete," radioed the controller. Two feet to his right, the jet pilot was flipping a switch to turn off the Typhoons lights as he flew up Lake Windermere, briefly scratching his nose under the VR headset.

The conflict scenario that played out at BAE Systems' Warton base this week involved no boots on the ground, no helicopters, no jets and no civilians. Instead it took place inside a metaverse with all but a handful of roles being played by computers.

Although the metaverse concept is most heavily promoted by Facebook owner Meta, alternatives to the socially awkward virtual offices that Mark Zuckerberg thinks are the future of workplaces have found a niche within the defence sector.

With estimates pegging the global market for military metaverse technology at up to 17bn by the year 2030, the ability to build a large-scale virtual world which can be used to conduct and analyse a full-scale war has obvious benefits.

Metaverse technology can allow hundreds or even thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen to train on a scale that would otherwise cost millions of pounds to stage for real.

The Warton metaverse, named Project Odyssey, is a private initiative part-funded to the tune of 2m by BAE Systems, although a recent Ministry of Defence contract for populating the world of training seems closely related to it.

Seven tech startups from around the UK have pooled their technical expertise over the last 12 months to make Project Odyssey operational.

Tim Colebrooke, a training strategy manager with BAE Systems, says the project is ahead of the rest of the world in terms of what it can achieve: This kind of capability is not available in the UK at the moment. The United States military has similar capabilities but its not a single synthetic environment like this one.

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Mimi Keshani, co-founder of tech startup Hadean, explains that the tech underpinning the metaverse part of Project Odyssey has been successfully tested with around 60,000 computer-generated "entities" active at one time.

Flight simulator room at BAE Systems - Jon Super for The Daily Telegraph/Jon Super for The Daily Telegraph

This compares well even with online multiplayer games which typically only support a few hundred AI-generated characters and human players at any one time.

Ms Keshani says Hadean gained experience of working with games such as Minecraft and Eve Online before looking at the defence sector.

What we realised is the tech that supports a commercial metaverse - the online game environment - is exactly the same infrastructure that's required for synthetic training environments, says the Hadean co-founder.

In the Warton metaverse an armoured convoy from Bluelandia (better known to Britons as the Lake District town of Kendal) is driving to support beleaguered colleagues in the disputed land of Orangia (or Windermere), while helicopters from Redlandia (Penrith) carry out an airstrike against them.

Philip Pauley, director of digital twinning company Pauley, puts on a pair of augmented reality glasses and looks across the exercise operations room.

A 3D digital vision of the battlefield is projected in front of him, helicopters and fighter jets twirling above the ground as the vehicles plough onwards to their destination.

Meanwhile, the tactical controller from Bluelandia has taken a knee as he prepares to call in the Typhoon fighter jets for a second low pass.

The binoculars he puts to his virtual reality headset are real but the view from their lenses is visible on instructors computer screens thanks to advanced visualisation technology.

Craig Haslam, a former Royal Marine joint tactical air controller who is now chief executive of startup D3A Defence explains: Using simulation for this we can change the geographical locations as we need. We can train in dense wooded terrain or deserts, we can train it wherever we need to.

Digital simulation is an increasingly attractive alternative to running live military exercises, for reasons of space as well as cost.

BAE Systems Mr Colebrooke, who served in the RAF as a Tornado navigator, explained that while in his day air weapons ranges needed to be around 250 miles long, modern air-to-air missiles require blocks of sky "the size of the UK" to test to their full potential.

Combining those live weapons ranges with ground and sea units is expensive and time-consuming, to the point where Britain only does it twice a year during its Joint Warrior exercises around Scotland.

What you're seeing today is a collection of disparate simulators traditionally used to train individuals, says Mr Colebrooke. Were able to bring all of that together in a single synthetic environment.

All of those simulators you're looking at are seeing the same common operating picture, the same version of the world, he enthuses.

A short distance from the Project Odyssey building stands an English Electric Lightning, guarding the entrance to Warton airfield. The 1960s interceptor looks rather forlorn in the driving sleet of a chilly March afternoon.

Yet as the Mach 2 fighter jet was once the pinnacle of British science and technology, so the humming computer servers in the building behind it hold similar promises for the modern era.
Key Insights

Institutions' substantial holdings in Mastercard implies that they have significant influence over the company's share price

50% of the business is held by the top 19 shareholders

Ownership research along with analyst forecasts data help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock

Every investor in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are institutions with 88% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Institutional investors endured the highest losses after the company's market cap fell by US$14b last week. However, the 7.5% one-year returns may have helped alleviate their overall losses. We would assume however, that they would be on the lookout for weakness in the future.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Mastercard.

Check out our latest analysis for Mastercard

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Mastercard?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

Mastercard already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Mastercard's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Mastercard is not owned by hedge funds. Our data shows that The MasterCard Foundation, Endowment Arm is the largest shareholder with 11% of shares outstanding. With 8.2% and 6.8% of the shares outstanding respectively, The Vanguard Group, Inc. and BlackRock, Inc. are the second and third largest shareholders.

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After doing some more digging, we found that the top 19 have the combined ownership of 50% in the company, suggesting that no single shareholder has significant control over the company.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Insider Ownership Of Mastercard

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Mastercard Incorporated. As it is a large company, we'd only expect insiders to own a small percentage of it. But it's worth noting that they own US$342m worth of shares. It is always good to see at least some insider ownership, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

With a 12% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Mastercard. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Mastercard .

Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

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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Over the course of the past month, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representatives visited Ukrainian prisoners of war held in the Russian-occupied cities of Donetsk and Horlivka, in Donetsk Oblast. The ICRC mission is now trying to get to Luhansk Oblast.

Source: Ukraines Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on Telegram

Details: Women of Steel, a non-governmental organisation established by wives and mothers of Ukrainian soldiers, facilitated a meeting with families of soldiers serving in the Azov Assault Brigade (military unit no. 3057) at the coordination headquarters.

A spokesman for the coordination headquarters said that Ukraine does not know where some of the Azov fighters are held: after the Russian terrorist attack on Olenivka prison camp, the prisoners who were previously held there were taken to a number of different prison camps and are now held in isolation from other Ukrainian prisoners of war. Those who come back to Ukraine [through prisoner swaps between the two countries - ed.] have little to no information about where other Azov members are held.

The spokesman also noted that over the course of the past month ICRC representatives were able to visit detention facilities in Donetsk and Horlivka. They are now trying to find a way to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Luhansk Oblast.

"Efforts are being undertaken to find a third country to facilitate a prisoner swap that would see the return of Azov fighters to Ukraine. We hope that Turkiye might help, because it has real leverage over the Russian Federation. Ankara has already set a precedent by participating in one of the swaps," the post shared by the coordination headquarters reads.

Previously: On 9 March, CNN reported how Russias siege of the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant in the strategic city of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine, ended in spring 2022. This was the result of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.

More on this story: An Island of Hope: How the Azovstal defenders got out and where they are now

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
Left: Tom Sandoval in Season 1 of Vanderpump Rules in 2012. Right: Tom Sandoval in New York City in 2022. Tommy Garcia / Bravo / NBCU Photo Bank / via Getty Images; Scott Gries / Bravo via Getty Images

Like any red-blooded American woman this week, my entire brain has been consumed with the Vanderpump Rules scandal, also known as the Scandoval.

I will always remember where I was when I saw the fateful TMZ headline last Friday: TOM SANDOVAL & ARIANA MADIX CALL IT QUITS  Allegations He Cheated With Costar Raquel Leviss. The article alleged that Tom Sandoval, one of the Bravo reality shows original cast members, had cheated on his girlfriend of nearly a decade, Ariana Madix, with their younger costar Raquel Leviss.

Since then, my life has been cleaved in two: before, when I had other hobbies and interests, and after, when all I do is read about Sandoval and Levisss affair. Now I know everything (like that Levisss first name was listed as Rachel in recent court documents and that the pair allegedly wore matching lightning bolt necklaces as a love symbol). I feel like Im Cocaine Bear , except the cocaine is VPR gossip and the bears cocaine rage is me abandoning my baby to her playmat to mainline Reddit posts as fast as my thumb can scroll.

My desperation for any and all new information has driven me to new lows. Yesterday, I listened to former castmate Kristen Doutes podcast about the drama (Doute was fired in 2020 for allegedly calling the police on a Black castmate; she also used to date Sandoval in the early 2010s). Its embarrassing because I am far from a Doute stan, but it gave me the new details I craved, like how exactly Madix discovered the affair. The most intriguing detail, though, was just a throwaway line. At one point in the podcast, Doute disparages her ex and his behavior, citing his age.

Dudes almost 41 years old, Doute said. Youre gonna bang twentysomething-year-olds and groupies?

The comment activated the part of my lizard brain that has been storing all these theories and allegations for the past week. Among them, I remembered, was a (totally unverified and uncorroborated) theory that Sandoval has been lying about his age.

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Tom Sandoval on March 1, 2023, in West Hollywood, California Andrew J. Cunningham / Getty Images

When you google Sandoval , he is listed as being born on July 7, 1983, which would make him 39. Thats his age on Famous Birthdays , and its whats listed in the many , many articles written about him since the scandal broke. Old articles written about him also line up with him being born in 1983. A June 2020 GQ feature described him as being 36, a July 2019 article referenced the cast celebrating his 36th birthday , a November 2014 Daily Mail article called him 31, and a November 2021 Page Six article said he was 38.

Tom Sandoval Turns 33: See Photos from Birthday Party, Bravo TV wrote in a blog post for the show in 2016. No one missed the chance to toast Tom, who decided to rock some braids in his hair for the party.

The Reddit post I had found suggested that he was actually a year older, citing a post from a gossip account, @bravoandcocktails , which claimed Sandoval had graduated from high school in 2000, which would have made him 17 at his high school graduation if he was born in 1982, but a less-typical 16 if he was born in 1983. A local news article from Sandovals hometown, St. Louis, also cites his high school graduation year as 2000.

The anonymous poster then claimed that on a Sunday episode of the pop culture podcast Everything Iconic, host and author Danny Pellegrino, who coauthored a cocktail recipe book with Madix and Sandoval, implied Tom wasn't 39.

I looked it up, and two public records databases list his age as 40, with one stating he was born in July 1982. (Sandoval has not responded to a request for comment.)

But this isnt proof of any intentional lies. All the websites and interviews that cite Sandovals age as 39 could simply have been incorrect, using inaccurate information found on the internet as a basis for their reporting. I couldnt find a clip of Sandoval actually saying his age on the show (it may exist, but 10 seasons is a lot to get through), so it might not be coming from him at all; its possible that all of these people have just been wrong about his age for years.

At worst, if he was really born in 1982, Sandoval might know that his age is wrong all over the internet and isnt correcting it.

Its such a small difference that it barely matters. Who cares if Sandoval was born in 1982 or 1983? The only reason I can think of is that someone born in July 1983 would have been 29 rather than 30 when Vanderpump Rules premiered on Jan. 7, 2013. For some people, maybe it would have made a difference to be in your 20s, rather than a washed-up 30-year-old.

The most likely reason for any alleged fudging? Probably none at all. But its fun to think about. Since the Scandoval, we have seen that Sandovals life was a delicate house of cards; he has been accused of lying to his partner and most of his best friends. A rumored tiny difference in age is just another little morsel for fans to dissect. 
Yesterday at around noon in Los Angeles, investor Mark Suster of the venture firm Upfront Ventures began urging "calm" on Twitter. Silicon Valley Bank had bungled its messaging on Wednesday around an effort to strengthen its balance sheet, and startup founders were beginning to fear that their deposits at the tech-friendly, 40-year-old institution were at risk. "More in the VC community need to speak out publicly to quell the panic about @SVB_Financial," wrote Suster, saying he believed in the bank's health and arguing that the biggest risk to startups, the VCs to whom the bank has long catered, and to SVB itself would be "mass panic."

As we know now, Suster was already too late. The industry was nervous, and the bank's CEO Greg Becker, serenely addressing the bank's customers in a Zoom call late yesterday morning, managed to scare them further when he uttered the words: "The last thing we need you to do is panic."

By this morning, after trading of Silicon Valley Bank was halted to stop the shares' free fall -- they'd already plunged more than 80% between Wednesday and Thursday -- the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation closed the bank. Then it moved it under the control of the FDIC, which is figuring out next steps as the bank's customers grapple with how to pay their bills in the interim.

Today, we asked Suster about his advice yesterday and whether or not he regrets it. During our talk, he also echoed a growing number of others in the startup world who've begun pointing the finger at what they insist was a small number of VCs who set off alarm bells across the startup ecosystem -- bringing down SVB but also, potentially, triggering a contagion. Here's that interview, edited lightly for length and clarity.

TC: You were on CNBC this morning, where you said that you believe portfolio companies should have been diversifying where they hold their money all along. But my understanding is that Silicon Valley Bank required many startups to have an exclusive relationship with it.

MS: SVB generally doesn't require exclusivity unless you take out debt. The problem is that a lot of people take out debt, and we've been warning [portfolio companies] about this for a year.

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What percentage of your startups do you think have diverse banking relationships?

About half have a relationship with SVB. Maybe half of those have alternative accounts.

You were very visibly supporting SVB yesterday as everyone else was racing for the exits. Is SVB an investor in your venture firm?

No.

Did Upfront get its money out of SVB?

No.

Are you worried because you didn't get your money out?

No. I heard about $12 billion exited from SVB yesterday, and SVB has a little under $200 billion in assets, so that's 6.5% to 7% of [its assets] that left in one day. That's not catastrophic, but the Fed knew that was going to accelerate. They don't want a bank run, so my guess is that the Fed, in a perfect situation, would like someone to buy SBV, and I suspect they are talking with every bank and doing a review as we speak.

Are you surprised no one has stepped forward yet?

Imagine you have a whole bunch of people evaluating buying a bank. How do you evaluate it when you don't know how much is fleeing? How do you catch a falling knife? By [shutting down SVB this morning], the Fed stopped that knife from falling; now, I think we'll see an orderly sale by Sunday. JPMorgan, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, [someone will step in to buy it]. Then I believe panic will stop, because if you are pulling out of SVB because you are worried about SVB, that will no longer be a concern.

How will SVB be valued by a buyer? Its market cap was about $6.3 billion when it was shuttered this morning.

A bank's valuation is correlated but mostly uncorrelated from its assets. You have debt holders and equity holders, and if a company goes bankrupt, debt holders get money before the equity holders. What people were betting with SVB is that the common stockholders weren't going to get anything because SVB was going to go bankrupt; [its market cap and assets] became uncorrelated because they didn't think SBV would survive.

What matters is: are there assets and is there value here? SVB is lender to a very cash-rich and well-run tech industry and these clients are coveted. SVB doesn't just serve startups but VC funds and PE funds. Imagine that in one fell swoop you get access to them? It's why a bunch of firms are working with the Fed, trying to figure out [what's what] right now, including a bunch of hedge funds and other large PE funds, as well as banks.

Would a big bank face antitrust issues here, trying to acquire SVB?

The Fed has one objective, and that is to avoid contagions. Every other regional or not-scaled bank right now is being hit. That's why they will force something to happen by Monday.

You don't think bankruptcy is the next step? Isn't that what happened with Washington Mutual? Buyers want to buy the good assets and leave all the liabilities with the government, don't they?

This isn't officially bankruptcy, but it's as close as you get. Will [a buyer] give money to equity holders? I think those shares could go to zero; an acquirer might well decide they don't want to bail out equity holders, but shareholders are different from depositors.

Speaking of which, is Upfront extending bridge loans to any startups that have lost access to their money for now at SVB?

This is 24 hours old. We will likely start those conversations next week. We told our CEOs that if you are in a position where you need a bridge loan in the next two weeks, you should assemble your board, because this is a decision that needs to be reached by a board of directors. If people believe in your prospects, it shouldn't be hard to get money for one to two payrolls. If they don't, it may accelerate your demise, but [going out of business] was probably going to happen anyway.

I have to wonder if you were publicly trying to calm your peers while privately advising founders to move their money out of SVB, just to be on the safe side.

I assure you I did not. Every single VC I know was telling people, 'We think your deposits are safe with SVB. It would be prudent to take some money because you could have a liquidity crisis for a week, but we don't think a run on the bank makes sense.' Experienced, professional VCs of Silicon Valley understand that a bank run damages everybody.

Are you saying the partners at Founders Fund and Coatue and Y Combinator are not experienced, professional VCs? They were among the firms that reportedly advised their startups to get their assets out.

No. I said a handful of people were telling people to run for the door and congratulating themselves for it. Leave aside what this does to SVB. If the Fed didn't step up, how many bankruptcies would there be and other knock-on effects? These VCs are congratulating themselves. I'm seeing emails from VCs to their LPs -- of which I am in some firms -- and they are forwarding these things like, 'Aren't I super smart?'

How many of your companies won't be able to make payroll because of this shutdown?

My guess is this is solved by Monday or Tuesday and it will impact very few people. If it extends beyond a week or two, it will impact a lot of companies across the industry. Anyone who has payroll today or Monday needs investors to do quick bridge loans from investors or to delay payroll for 48 hours.

Can this really be resolved so quickly?

What gives me confidence is the Fed knows [the implications if it doesn't].

Who is hit hardest here immediately?

Employees of SVB who had large amounts of money in the company's equity because they believed in their employer. Equity holders.

Who stands to benefit from this situation? Where are you going to move your money?

I think you're likely to see people trust bigger banks rather than smaller banks. That's what I would advise personally. I personally already spread my money across bank accounts because I'm subject to FDIC limits and a cautious person. I'm already heavily in T-bills and other, safe high-yielding assets. As for Upfront, we bank with SBV and we have accounts tied to Morgan Stanley. We'll probably open two or three accounts with other banks next week.
Polk County Jail

The right-wing activist who calls herself Iowa Mama Bear pleaded guilty Friday to making a false report of sexual abuse against the family of her former business partner. Kimberly Reicks, 40, will be sentenced later this month for just one of the two counts she faced under a deal with prosecutors, according to the Des Moines Register.

Reicks and the victim, Emily Peterson, rose to national prominence as campaigners against masks, vaccines, and drag queens but had a falling-out.

Thats when, according to a criminal complaint, she allegedly called the Iowa Department of Human Resources, claiming to be a neighbor, and reported that Petersons teen son was molesting a siblingwhich authorities say was untrue.

She was accused of making a second call to the agency after she and Peterson dissolved their business partnership.

Reicks told The Daily Beast in January that she made sure she looked good for her arrest.

I did my hair and makeup, went in at like two oclock in the morning, smiled for my mugshot, she said. I never saw a mugshot like that.

She also said she was planning to go to trial and predicted she would be acquitted.

While both Reicks and Peterson called themselves Iowa Mama Bears and both were invited to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signing of a bill banning all school mask orders, after the split Reicks took over the organization.

She is currently appealing a judges ruling against a lawsuit she filed against the Ankeny School District, alleging that her daughter faced retaliation because of her anti-mask stance.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Irans mission to the United Nations said on Saturday, 11 March that the country has reached a deal to buy advanced Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.

Source: European Pravda with reference to IRIB, an Iranian broadcaster

Details: IRIB reported that Irans mission to the UN said that the Su-35 fighter planes were "technically acceptable" to Iran and Iran has finalised a contract for their purchase after the expiration of restrictions on Irans ability to purchase conventional weapons (under the UN Resolution 2231) in October 2020.

The Iranian broadcaster also stated that the Russian fighter jet was "one of the most powerful fourth-generation fighter jets in the world".

The details of the agreement  including its total value and the number of fighter jets Russia will supply to Iran  were not publicly disclosed. IRIB did say, however, that Iran was in talks to purchase fighter jets from several other, unnamed, countries.

Earlier, Israeli media reported, citing their sources, that Russia might supply 24 jets to Iran.

Moscow and Tehran have strengthened their defence industry partnership in the last few months, as Russia continues to wage a full-scale war against Ukraine. CNN reported that Russia has been capturing some of the US and NATO-provided weapons and equipment left on the battlefield in Ukraine and sending them to Iran, where the US believes Tehran will try to reverse-engineer the systems.

Iran obtaining Russian Su-35 jets might significantly destabilise the regional power balance, with far-reaching consequences for the entire region.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
We've heard the radio ads. We've seen the tweets. Many small business owners and others even ended up being flooded with spam calls about how an employee retention credit  worth up to $26,000 per worker  can be a real game changer.

If you're hungry for cash, you might be primed to imagine that this tax break can work for anyone who was forced to keep working during the pandemic. Pretty good deal.

But it can't be real, right?

Yep, if it sounds wacky, it probably is  and you might lose a bunch of money along the way.

One problem chasing the big money promoted in a tweet or a radio ad is that it could mean that you'll end up handing out big money in upfront fees to fast talkers who don't tell you the real deal. And you could run into trouble with the Internal Revenue Service.

Taxpayers won't benefit from pandemic-related tax relief, such as the Recovery Rebate Credit, on their 2022 tax forms.

If you claim the credit when you shouldn't, you could have to pay it back  plus interest and penalties. Some small businesses could end up owing hundreds of thousands of dollars or more if they file an improper claim.

The IRS is warning, once again, that some outside companies are aggressively marketing tax credit schemes on radio and social media. Worse yet, people could be arguing with their tax professionals about why they suddenly deserve these credits when, no, they actually don't.

The IRS stated: "Tax professionals note they continue to be pressured by people wanting to claim credits improperly."

What is the employee retention credit?

It's a refundable tax credit for businesses that continued to pay employees while the company ended up being shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic or had a significant decline in gross receipts from March 13, 2020, through Dec. 31, 2021.

For 2020, qualified employers were able to claim up to 50% of $10,000 in qualified wages or health plan expenditures per employee  or a maximum of $5,000 per employee.

For 2021, up to 70% of those expenses up to $10,000 could be claimed for a maximum of $7,000 per employee.

The credit applies to the last three quarters of 2020 and to the first three quarters of 2021.

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Combine the two years and you could get a up to $26,000 per employee, as advertised.

More:Is the IRS really texting you? No, it's one of many tax scams.

More:There's no secret way to get free money or a big refund, IRS warns

More:Michigan property tax bills to head higher in 2023, thanks to inflation

Why it won't work for many

Key word: businesses. Upfront, you need to know this credit does not apply to individual employees. It's a credit that's available to a business, not all taxpayers.

Like many tax rules, especially those created for pandemic-related relief, we're talking about complex guidelines here.

For example, the IRS notes that eligible employers cannot claim the retention credit on wages that were already reported as payroll costs to get Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness or that were used to claim other credits.

Jon Williamson, senior manager for tax policy and advocacy at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, said many gray areas exist when it comes to actually being able to qualify for the credit. Some credit and incentive firms, he said, use a very loose definition regarding the terms and requirements for the tax credit to make it seem like more businesses qualify when they don't.

The pandemic-related credit is no longer being offered for business activity in 2022 and afterward. But ongoing ads prompt some businesses to amend their previous returns for 2020 or 2021 to take advantage of the generous credit in the CARES Act.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, enacted on March 27, 2020, provided for an employee retention tax credit to encourage eligible employers to keep people on their payroll despite the difficult economic conditions.

Many companies already claimed the credit. But outside firms continue to push the possibility in radio ads and social media as an option for others.

Taxpayers are warned to watch out for bad preparers. Fraud schemes have included situations where a preperarer shows a legitimate return to the taxpayer but then files a different false return that generates a substantial refund that the preparer pockets. File photo: A 2014 photo shows the Internal Revenue Service headquarters building in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)

"There's a nonstop barrage of advertisements claiming these funds are available if you paid employees through the pandemic," Williamson said.

The ads seem to indicate that the credit is a sure thing when it's not.

Two separate and distinct tests exist, he said. One involves seeing whether gross receipts fell during this time, including sales; the other looks at the impact of a government shutdown.

For example, Williamson said, a credit and incentive firm might make the argument that every business was impacted by government shutdowns during the pandemic. But that's too general.

When it comes to the tax credit, he said, you have to look at how the government shutdown affected the operations of the business. A case for a "shutdown" claim can made if the business can prove it was hurt by a full or partial suspension of operations in the pandemic.

Who isn't going to qualify?

Take, for example, a business that actually saw higher gross receipts during the pandemic. Maybe the business shut down its offices and sent employees home but employees productively worked from home. The employees were efficient and able to do the same work as before the pandemic; no business operation was disrupted, and the business kept making money. Such a business wasn't impacted by the shutdown under the definition of an employee retention credit, Williamson said, and it likely isn't going to qualify for this credit.

Generally speaking, it's clearer that a business would qualify, he said, if a company can show a significant drop in its gross receipts when the government limited "commerce, travel or group meetings" due to COVID-19 in 2020 or the first three quarters of 2021.

You never want your gross receipts to decline, he said, but if you saw a 75% decline due to the pandemic, you'd have a higher comfort level claiming the employee retention credit.

"That's a purely numbers-based fact that's hard to question," he said.

As for someone who kept working? No, they do not get a credit now or ever.

"Many times when you attach the word 'employee' to a credit, I can see where some confusion comes in," Williamson said. But again, it's a credit for the employer, not the employee.

The credit itself clearly has been abused by fraudsters, said Mark Steber, chief tax officer at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.

"I suspect most professionals who are offering to help or assist with the employer retention credit are very much legitimate and expert in this area," Steber said.

"But not all and some are just simply criminal."

Fraudsters look for all sorts of ways to engineer tax refunds that aren't on the up-and-up, he said, including wrongly tapping into stimulus programs or abusing a tax credit several years ago that was once offered to new homeowners.

"Tax benefits and cash associated with them sometimes draw in bad players," Steber said.

Maybe it sounds like it should be obvious, but you really should not expect to find solid, complete tax advice on Twitter or TikTok. The IRS has warned of other schemes to avoid this tax season, too.

One scheme now being promoted on social media, according to the IRS, encourages people to use tax software to manually fill out their own Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. You pick the employer, you pick the income and create the fictitious number for taxes already withheld from that phony job.

People are told, according to the IRS, to file the bogus tax return electronically in "hopes of getting a substantial refund  sometimes as much as five figures  due to the large amount of withholding."

The taxpayer is responsible for making any false claims.

Yeah, it's not a smart idea.

You don't want to claim any credit or tax refund for which you're not eligible.

The IRS issued a similar warning in October warning to be "cautious of advertised schemes and direct solicitations promising tax savings that are too good to be true."

In some cases, the IRS warned, you could end up overstating your wage deductions.

The IRS warned that promoters are aggressively misleading people. You've got to be skeptical and review the guidelines.

If a tax professional raises questions about the accuracy of such a claim and tries to warn you against claiming the employee retention credit, then, you should listen to his or her advice, according to Acting IRS Commissioner Doug O'Donnell.

"The IRS is actively auditing and conducting criminal investigations related to these false claims. People need to think twice before claiming this," O'Donnell said in a statement.

The IRS said taxpayers can report tax-related illegal activities relating to employee retention credit claims on Form 14242.

If a business or individual claimed the credit when they now realize they should not have done so, the IRS and tax professionals recommend filing an amended return to correct any overstated wage deduction.

Contact Susan Tompor: stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @tompor. To subscribe, please go to freep.com/specialoffer.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Employee retention tax credit ads may be scam, IRS warns
James Van Der Beek receives a sweet treat each year from his former TV mom, Mary-Margaret Humes, for an even sweeter reason.

In an Instagram story Friday, the actor said his Dawsons Creek co-star began sending him cookies for his birthday after the death of a parent in July 2020.

Every year since my mother died ... [Humes] makes me cookies and sends them to me on my birthday, he wrote in a text overlay on the post. I have the best TV momma on the planet.

The Instagram story featured a video of Van Der Beeks children excitedly opening a package of the cookies. The actor can be heard telling his little ones, with a laugh, to take one each.

Humes played mother Gail alongside Van Der Beeks Dawson on the teen drama, which ran from 1998 to 2003. She celebrated the shows 25th anniversary on Instagram in January, writing, Happy Anniversary to the original cast and crew and to all who jumped on board for the ride in the years that followed.

"Dawson's Creek" stars Mary-Margaret Humes and Mary Beth Peil at a celebration for the show's 100th episode on Feb. 19, 2002, in New York City.

Van Der Beek paid tribute to his real-life mother in an Instagram post announcing her death in 2020.

The actor described her as a creative spirit and a magical grandma.

She was my mom. She gave me life, he wrote. She taught me how to tumble. Drove me to my first auditions. She believed in me based on nothing but her own intuition and she passed on a craziness that has been crucial to not just my success, but my own personal happiness.

Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, have six children together ranging in age from 12 to 1: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

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Master Trooper James R. Bailey, who served with the Indiana State Police for more than fifteen years, was killed when a suspect in a high-speed chase crashed into him as he tried to stop him on March 3, 2023, on Interstate 69, just south of Auburn, said Indiana State Police. - Original Credit: Provided by Indiana State Police (Indiana State Police / HANDOUT)

AUBURN, Ind.  A prosecutor filed a murder charge Thursday and requested a sentence of life without parole against a man accused driving his car over an Indiana state trooper in northeastern Indiana.

DeKalb County Prosecutor Neal Blythe also filed two counts of resisting law enforcement and one count of operating with a controlled substance resulting in death against Terry Sands II, 42, of Marion in connection with the March 3 death of Indiana State Police Master Trooper James Bailey, 50, of Auburn.

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A hospital blood draw from Sands showed the presence of marijuana, a probable cause affidavit said.

Sands was fleeing police in his car when it struck Bailey, the affidavit said.

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DeKalb Superior Court Judge Adam Squiller entered a preliminary plea of not guilty on Sands behalf and ordered Sands to be held without bond.

Sands said he intends to hire an attorney to represent him in the case.

Baileys funeral will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Garrett High School with burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery in Garrett. Visitation will be held 2-8 p.m. Friday at County Line Church of God in Auburn.

Gov. Eric Holcomb has directed flags to be flown at half-staff in the state on Saturday.
Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda appear together at a 2019 charity gala in L.A. (Tibrina Hobson / Getty Images for Homeboy Industries)

Jane Fonda says that even though Lily Tomlin is a genius, she has no business being anyones psychedelic shaman.

This week, longtime besties Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin sat down with Stephen Colbert to talk about their new film, Moving On, but ended up dishing on the secret to their 40-year friendship.

Spoiler: It isn't the peyote.

"I've always had really good experiences with peyote, but the time we took it together, it was horrible," Fonda said Thursday on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert."

"I was totally paranoid ... it was the worst, she continued. I love it, but I wouldn't do peyote unless you were with a guide."

"Like a shaman," Tomlin added. "As I am."

Colbert then asked if Fonda and Tomlin thought he needed some peyote and if it might help loosen him up a little bit.

"I think you need a little peyote, yeah. And I'll be your guide," Fonda said, emphasizing the I while gesturing to Tomlin and giving her shaman skills a big thumbs-down.

Fonda has been candid about her willingness to experiment with drugs over the years. In a 2018 appearance of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, the Oscar-winning actor was nonchalant in discussing that although shed dabbled in drugs including ayahuasca and molly, she doesnt like any of them. I like cannabis to get to sleep, she said.

And in a 2015 interview with GQ, she said peyote is pretty wild and that a downside is you throw up a lot.

When asked what the upside was, she said, Well, you have visions. Its not my drug of choice; Ive never had any profound visions, but many of my friends have. You see incredible shapes and colors and patterns, and sometimes you have cosmic breakthroughs. I havent.

Fonda added, "I've had breakthroughs on drugs, but I wouldn't call them cosmic."

While the film icon has proved that shes a boss whether shes acting, doing aerobics or popping party favors, her friends may be wise not to try to keep up.

Chelsea Handler revealed her own cautionary tale of hanging with Fonda to InStyle in 2021, saying, "One thing I learned from doing Quaaludes at Jane Fonda's house was don't do Quaaludes.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A new single, Justice for All, featuring former President Donald Trump, from the J6 Prison Choir, reached No. 1 on iTunes top songs on March 11.

The J6 Prison Choir is comprised of a group of men who were convicted after their participation in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The song includes the choir singing The Star-Spangled Banner from jail before it climaxes with the prisoners chanting USA! USA! The Justice for All track has the performance of the national anthem interrupted by clips of President Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

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According to CNN, the J6 Prison Choir requested that former President Trump record his part for their upcoming song. Out of support for those incarcerated, Trump agreed and recorded the audio at his Mar-a-Lago residence.

Following the 2021 attack, the Justice Department has since revealed that over 985 people were arrested for their alleged participation. More than half of those arrested have pled guilty to their participation in the riot.

The songs dominance on the iTunes sales chart does not necessarily augur for it becoming a hit on the Hot 100 or any streaming chart, since paid downloads now represent a minuscule fraction of the music market. Politically based songs often register high No. 1 on iTunes, where it usually takes only a few thousand sales a day to command the chart. Kid Rocks Biden-bashing We the People went to No. 1 on iTunes in early 2022, as did, from the other end of the political spectrum, YGs FDT (Fuck Donald Trump) in 2020.

Since the Jan. 6 insurrection, Trump has been recommended to the Department of Justice by the January 6th Committee for his involvement in disrupting the transfer of Presidential power to sitting President Joe Biden. Following the 18-month investigation the former President has announced he will run for re-election in the upcoming 2024 election cycle.

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Justice for All tops the iTunes chart, outperforming Miley Cyrus latest single, Flowers, from her new album Endless Summer Vacation. Ahead of Cyrus eighth studio album, the pop stars single reached over 100 million streams on Spotify, in just one week.

Justice for All debuted on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube on March 4.

At present, Justice for All does not appear on Spotifys list of the 50 most streamed songs of the day in the U.S. Spotifys page for the tune indicated on Saturday afternoon that it had been played by 79,987 users a total of 141,294 times since its release a week ago. The tune has more traction on YouTube, where as of Saturday afternoon the songs music video had been viewed 408,000 times in nine days.

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Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for the Reconstruction of Ukraine

Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, and Junichi Yamada, Executive Senior Vice President of Japan International Cooperation Agency, signed a grant agreement on behalf of their countries.

Read also: Japan and South Korea may supply weapons to Ukraine in the future, says Foreign Minister Kuleba

The document covers the following needs:

equipment for humanitarian demining

transport services

power equipment and demolition waste management

water supply and sanitation

equipment for healthcare and education

support for the agricultural sector.

The grant agreement also contains oversight measures to ensure transparency and effective use of the funds.

Read also: Ukraine and Japan agree $50 million debt deferment

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
Donald Trump, Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the at the Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida. Davidoff Studios/Getty Images

Jeffrey Epstein hinted at his fallout with Donald Trump in an unaired interview, according to his brother.

"He stopped hanging out with Trump when he realized Trump was a crook," Mark Epstein told Insider.

Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were friends for years, and the nature of their fallout remains hazy.

Jeffrey Epstein said in an unaired interview that he distanced himself from former President Donald Trump after realizing Trump was "a crook," according to his brother, Mark Epstein.

Mark Epstein told Insider he viewed a clip of the interview, conducted by Trump's former White House advisor Steve Bannon, after his brother forwarded it to him in the spring of 2019.

At the time, Bannon was conducting filmed interviews with the now-dead pedophile financier. Bannon sent Jeffrey Epstein a Dropbox link to a clip, which he forwarded to his brother. The link is no longer active, according to Mark.

"Jeffrey showed me the link to one of these interviews," Mark Epstein said. "And in that interview, Jeffrey said he stopped hanging out with Trump when he realized Trump was a crook."

Insider has not been able to independently view the video. Bannon could not be reached for comment.

Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on sex-trafficking charges and died in jail several weeks later while awaiting trial. A compensation fund formed after his death concluded he sexually abused at least 136 people overall.

Epstein and Trump were reportedly acquaintances between the 1980s and 2000s. The two ran in elite Manhattan social circles, and Epstein's home in Palm Beach was a short drive from Trump's Mar-a-Lago club, where he was a frequent guest. Footage obtained by NBC News in 1992 shows them partying together, talking about women, and cracking jokes.

Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's accusers, has testified that his associate Ghislaine Maxwell first picked her up at Mar-a-Lago when she was 16 years old before introducing her to Epstein. At Maxwell's own criminal trial, in 2021, one accuser testified that Maxwell introduced her to Trump at Mar-a-Lago when she was 14 years old. Other accusers said Maxwell and Epstein often namedropped Trump.

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The nature of the fallout between Epstein and Trump, however, remains hazy. The Miami Herald reported that Epstein was booted as a member from Mar-a-Lago in 2007 after he harassed the daughter of a member. Trump has publicly said little about his relationship with Epstein, although he said "I wish her well" upon the news of Maxwell's arrest.

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon sits during his appearance at New York Supreme Court after a hearing in New York City. Steve Hirsch/Pool via REUTERS

For the documentary project, Bannon recorded more than 16 hours of footage, Mark Epstein said. In November of 2018, the Miami Herald ran a series detailing how Jeffrey Epstein secured a secret, lenient plea deal with federal prosecutors in Floria 2007, even after law enforcement concluded at the time that he had sexually abused more than 30 girls.

"Steve Bannon was working with Jeffrey to try to help Jeffrey rehabilitate his reputation," Mark Epstein told Insider.

Bannon and Epstein had become close in 2017, after Bannon left the White House, according to the journalist Michael Wolff. Bannon lived lavishly off Epstein's vast wealth, using his Paris apartment and butler in 2018.

Bannon released a trailer in 2021 for his apparent documentary about Epstein, titled "The Monsters." The entire documentary has not yet been released.

Both Bannon and Trump now have their own legal issues.

The Manhattan district attorney's office has pending criminal charges against Bannon, alleging he participated in a scam nonprofit organization that raised funds to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. Trump pardoned Bannon on federal charges for the same scheme before he left office. Bannon's lawyers in the federal case are suing him for allegedly not paying his bills. Bannon was also found guilty last year of contempt of Congress for defying a House January 6 committee hearing subpoena.

Trump, for his part, is facing a potential indictment from the Manhattan district attorney's office for a hush-money scheme ahead of the 2016 election, a rape case headed to trial in April, and a litany of other legal woes.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BERLIN (AP)  The Jehovahs Witnesses expressed shock Saturday over the deadly shooting at one of the group's halls in Hamburg, Germany, but thanked German authorities for preventing more bloodshed through their swift intervention during the attack.

A gunman shot dead six members of the Hamburg congregation and wounded eight others, including a woman who lost her unborn child, before killing himself late Thursday. The shooting drew widespread condemnation and calls for a tightening of Germany's firearms laws.

In a statement, the Jehovahs Witnesses in Germany confirmed that the man police identified as the gunman was a former member who left the church voluntarily two years ago.

We do not know the motive for this terrible crime, it said. Like the rest of the world, we were shocked and bewildered when we read (...) that the gunman reportedly bore particular anger not just toward the Jehovah's Witnesses but also toward other religious groups and his former employer.

Officials identified the shooter only as 35-year-old Philipp F., in line with German privacy laws, and said that his departure from the church was "apparently not on good terms. The investigation into his motives was ongoing.

A website registered in the man's name stated that he grew up in a strict religious evangelical household the Bavaria state town of Kempten.

Police said Philipp F. had only legally acquired a gun in December and was visited by officers two months later after an anonymous tip suggested that he might be psychologically unfit to own the weapon and was angry at the Jehovahs Witnesses.

Officers found the man to be cooperative and decided there were no grounds to take away his weapon, police said.

In its statement, The Jehovahs Witnesses in Germany expressed its deep sympathy for the families of the victims and the survivors, and said its focus was on providing pastoral care to everyone affected by the tragedy.

At the same time, our sincere thanks go to the police, who undoubtedly prevented even more deaths and injuries due to their quick intervention, it said.

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The Hamburg congregation that was holding a service when the attack happened currently has about 60 members and is one of 47 in the port city, which is home to almost 4,000 denomination members, according to the statement.

The Jehovahs Witnesses claim a worldwide membership of about 8.7 million, with about 170,000 in Germany. The religious movement was founded in the United States in the 19th century and is headquartered in Warwick, New York.

Members are known for their evangelistic efforts that include knocking on doors and distributing literature in public squares. The denominations practices include a refusal to bear arms, receive blood transfusions, salute a national flag or participate in secular government.
Jeremy Hunt

Jeremy Hunt has been accused of undermining Brexit by agreeing to international corporation tax rules as he faces a fresh backbench rebellion ahead of the Budget.

A group of prominent Conservative MPs, led by former prime minister Liz Truss and ex-Cabinet minister Priti Patel, have warned the Chancellor not to rush ahead and surrender sovereign tax rights.

It is the latest sign of Tory unrest ahead of the Budget, with Mr Hunt continuing to come under intense pressure to abandon his rise in corporation tax from 19 to 25 per cent.

But on Saturday Mr Hunt brushed aside criticism as he sought to defend his approach. He told the Telegraph that the Government was taking any steps we can afford to make it easier for businesses to invest.

In a letter to the Chancellor, the MPs are urging him to pull out of an international agreement that corporation tax should never be reduced below 15 per cent.

They point out that there was little point withdrawing from the EU if the Government was going to ratify the agreement, brokered last year by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

As a party elected to ensure Britain Takes Back Control from the EU, it is remarkable that we should be asked to rush ahead and surrender sovereign tax rights under the OECD initiative, especially while so many questions about the measure remain unaddressed, they say.

We are united in our belief that we risk doing damage to the UKs economic competitiveness by pressing ahead with the current implementation timeline.

The letter, which is also signed by Greg Smith MP and Stephen Hammond MP, points out that other countries are dragging their feet when it comes to implementing the 15 per cent corporation tax floor.

Ms Patel said MPs are deeply concerned that the Chancellor will use the Finance Bill to slip through corporation tax measures, adding: We are going to cut our nose off to spite our face and hurt our ability to grow the economy and business.

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Blow to competitiveness

The Chancellor has also been warned by leading figures in the insurance industry that pushing ahead with the corporation tax floor of 15 per cent ahead of other countries will have a major impact on the UKs competitiveness.

It comes as a new analysis forecasts that the UK will miss out on over 50 billion boost to business investment each year if they fail to introduce a "gold standard" replacement to super-deduction.

The research, carried out by the consultancy Oxford Economics for the Confederation of British Industry, found that if the Treasury does not introduce a full expensing regime for businesses, Britain will lose 52 billion per year by 2030/31 of business investment.

The CBI argues that the UK has been plagued by low levels of business investment since the pandemic. The group is urging the Government to introduce a permanent mechanism that allows businesses to deduct the full cost of investments from their profits as soon as they spend the money.

'Double blow'

Brian McBride, the CBI president, said the double blow of the super-deduction expiring and the higher rate of corporation tax coming in would send a worrying sign about Britains status as a place to do business.

Under the super-deduction, an emergency measure put in place following the Covid crisis, businesses can cut their tax bill by 130pc of the value of qualifying investment.

Mr Hunt is expected to use next weeks Budget to set out a new capital allowances regime for businesses to offset the rise in corporation tax and the end of the super-deduction measure.

Three former chancellors - Lord Hammond, Kwasi Kwarteng and George Osborne - have warned that pressing ahead with a rise in corporation tax would be a mistake.

Separate analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that Mr Sunak's decision to freeze tax thresholds will cost taxpayers 78 billion by 2028.

A Treasury source said: "UK sovereignty is not undermined, our corporation tax rate is still the lowest in the G7 and important tax levers that boost investment are not be part of the global minimum rate".
JPMorgans (JPM) offensive this week against two lawsuits tying the bank to late financier Jeffrey Epstein are savvy legal and public relations moves, legal experts say.

On Wednesday, the banking giant filed third-party complaints against its former investment banking chief, James Jes Staley, in response to the suits that claim the bank knew Epstein was trafficking and abusing girls and financially benefited from its relationship with Epstein  allegations that JPMorgan denies.

It looks so much better for them to be throwing [Staley] under the bus, University of Iowa corporate law professor Robert Miller said about JPMorgans new filings. And this is a much more aggressive way of throwing him under the bus.

One of the suits that now includes Staley as a third-party defendant was brought against the bank by a woman who says she was abused in Epsteins decades-long trafficking scheme. The other was filed against the bank by the U.S. Virgin Islands attorney general.

Jane Doe claims that after befriending Epstein, Staley observed victims personally, and promised to use his clout within JPMorgan to make Epstein untouchable.

In detailing the rationale behind the third-party complaints, a JPMorgan spokesperson said: The plaintiffs have made troubling allegations concerning the conduct of our former employee Jes Staley, and if true, he should be held responsible for his actions.

Kathleen Harris, an attorney for Staley from Arnold & Palmer, declined to comment on JPMorgans claims.

In JPMorgans complaint the company says the former executive breached his fiduciary duty as a company employee by engaging in inappropriate conduct in his personal dealings with Epstein. The actions, the bank says, were concealed from JPMorgan and outside the scope of Staleys employment, making him liable to reimburse the company if any damages result from the pair of underlying cases.

At the time, we could not have imagined any of our employees would engage in the type of conduct alleged, JPMorgan said in response to a request for more detail concerning the actions against Staley. If these allegations against Staley are true, he violated this duty by putting his own personal interests ahead of the companys.

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A sign outside the headquarters of JP Morgan Chase & Co in New York, September 19, 2013. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

JPMorgans filings are on solid legal footing, aside from their bold nature, Rutgers Law School professor Jay Feinman told Yahoo Finance. If the plaintiffs prevail against JPMorgan, Staley may be liable to JPMorgan under a variety of legal theories, he said.

Generally, an employees legal duties to an employer are those of an agent and fiduciary, requiring the employee to act honestly, to abide by the law, and to act in the best interest of the company.

JPMorgan has to prove that Staley breached that fiduciary duty, and as a consequence, is liable to the plaintiffs, Feinman said about a scenario where either of the plaintiffs prevail.

Miller added that by litigating its claims against Staley together with the claims of the plaintiffs, JPMorgan is in a better position to argue that Staleys alleged wrongdoing violated his fiduciary duties.

If Staley hijacks his agency in order to pursue girls with Jeffrey Epstein, then he is pursuing his personal interests and not JPMorgans interest, Miller said. And thats a breach of his fiduciary duty.

In 2019, Epstein was found dead of an apparent suicide in a New York jail where he was awaiting federal trial on sex-trafficking charges.

JPMorgan has requested that both of the cases against it be dismissed, arguing that their claims are misplaced and without merit.

Staley resigned as CEO of Barclays last year after British regulators announced an investigation into his ties with Epstein.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on Twitter @alexiskweed.

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A Jackson County judge ruled Friday that David G. Jungerman, who was found guilty in the shooting death of a Brookside attorney, is not competent to be sentenced and will be committed to the Missouri Department of Mental Health.

Jungerman, an 85-year-old millionaire, was convicted last year of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Oct. 25, 2017, shooting death of Tom Pickert, who had just returned home after walking his sons to school.

Circuit Court Judge John M. Torrence said that Jungerman was not competent to proceed with sentencing, where he would have been asked to answer a series of questions.

Jungerman will be sent to a state-run mental health facility, with hope that he regains his competency at some time. I dont think theres another choice, Torrence said.

Prior to Fridays hearing, Torrence ordered a mental evaluation of Jungerman. Four separate examiners from the states department of mental health determined that Jungerman suffers from an unspecified neurocognitive disorder, Torrence said.

Jungermans competency will be reviewed after six months. At that time, it would be determined whether sentencing could then proceed.

The sentencing was initially scheduled for Nov. 18 but the hearing was delayed while his defense attorneys raised concerns about his competency. Under Missouri law, a first-degree murder conviction carries a minimum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Following the hearing, defense attorney Dan Ross said the judge followed the law. The facts are what they are and the law is what it is.

Ross had previously said that Jungerman lacked the capacity to understand the court proceedings against him or to assist in his own defense. But he was ruled competent during the trial.

Chief Deputy Jackson County Prosecutor Dion Sankar said the sentencing should have proceeded because there was no need for Jungerman to assist his attorneys.

During the criminal trial that lasted nearly two weeks, prosecutors said Jungerman shot Pickert because of a $5.75 million judgment Pickert won against Jungerman in a civil lawsuit.

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Pickert was representing a homeless man Jungerman shot in 2012 because he thought the man was stealing copper from Jungermans baby furniture business in Kansas City.

Prosecutors played audio recordings of Jungerman admitting that he gunned down Pickert. Jungerman joked with Leo Wynne, one of his employees, about the shooting.

In the recording, Jungerman told Wynne: When I think about it, I grin. That (expletive) has caused me a lot of problems Leo.

But Ross said prosecutors and police had settled on Jungerman as a suspect based on an alleged motive and failed to seriously look for other suspects. Ross said Kansas City homicide detectives falsified evidence, including surveillance video that did not fit their motive, narrative or timeline.

Jungerman emerged as a suspect in the killing within hours of the shooting because of his association with Pickert. However, the homicide went unsolved for months.

KCPD said at one point that Jungerman, who was the focus of intense media coverage, was not a suspect.

A week before the shooting, Jackson County court officials had started the process of seizing Jungermans real estate to pay the $5.75 million judgment. The court filed paperwork that would prevent Jungerman from selling or transferring the property.

Prosecutors said Jungerman shot Pickert with a .17-caliber firearm, a weapon commonly used by farmers and ranchers to kill pests.
The Kirkland Police Department arrested a 38-year old man from Granite Falls who has allegedly stolen cars across western Washington for over a decade, said the KPD.

Police arrested the man after he stole a car from a Kirkland home in October.

Video surveillance showed a man stealing a Mercedes Benz from a private driveway. The car was tracked by the owner via GPS to the Lake Roesiger area where it was found unoccupied. The man was identified through the KPDs investigation.

Over the last several months, the man has been linked to car thefts in Skagit County, Snohomish County, and King County; thefts of packages in King and Snohomish counties; and stealing from businesses in Bellevue and Kirkland.

On Feb. 28, KPD detectives, with the assistance of the Snohomish County Sheriffs Office, arrested the man at a local business.

He was booked into King County Jail for Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, 2nd Degree Theft, and 2nd Degree Burglary. The man also had felony warrants in Whatcom County and Island County for Motor Vehicle Theft-related charges.
Some Indiana towns operate administratively under the direction of a town manager while others function with department heads reporting to their respective town council.

The town of Griffith has operated under a wholly different arrangement since 2020.

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It has Town Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd  in a relatively undefined role and absent a formal job description  performing a variety of duties for the town government.

Principally, a town council members role is a part-time position with compensation one would normally consider part-time pay. Its not a full-time job. But for Ryfa it is  and he confirmed that it is his sole means of employment.

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He explained that he is essentially working as a full-time town council president.

However, its a position much more lucrative in comparison to his fellow council members, or neighboring communities for that matter, an investigation by the Post-Tribune reveals.

Griffith declines full accounting of compensation

According to Griffiths 2023 Salary Ordinance, council members will earn $560.83 biweekly, or $14,581.58 this year, on the basis of 26 pay periods. Ryfa receives the same biweekly pay, which includes a 4% raise  just as all Griffith employees received this year  with the exception of police officers, who received 8% raises. The raises were approved unanimously by the five-member council.

In addition to a council members base pay, Ryfa, as council president, receives an additional $1,581.42 biweekly  tallying $41,119.92 in 2023, per the 2023 Salary Ordinance. Accordingly, Ryfa will receive a salary of $55,698.50 this year. His salary is 3.8 times higher than what his fellow council members approved for themselves.

According to Gateway, which tracks local government spending in Indiana, Ryfa was the highest paid town or city council member in Lake County in 2022, at $53,556.10.

Compensation for Griffiths elected officials doesnt stop there. The town also pays 11.2% of an elected officials salary (as it does for employees) to Indianas Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF), Clerk-Treasurer Gina Smith verified.

In Ryfas case, the towns PERF contributions could potentially add another $6,238.23 to his yearly compensation. But its unknown if he is enrolled in the retirement savings plan.

Griffith elected officials are also eligible for health insurance through the town  at a bargain basement monthly premium cost of $10. In fact, all town employees are eligible for the same deal on insurance.

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In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, Smith produced a document calculating the monetary value of its CORE and Choice insurance plan options  what the town pays monthly to cover an employee, spouse and children, or the actual monetary value of the policy.

Under CORE, the employee-only premium (the lowest in cost) is valued at $798.95 per month and ranges up to $2,416.86 for employee, spouse and children coverage, according to Smiths figures. The Choice plan is valued at $870.63 for an employee per month, and up to $2,680.30 for employee, spouse and children coverage.

If Ryfa opted for the more expensive plan to cover himself and his family, it would add a $32,163.30 valuation to his annual compensation. On the low end, the valuation would be $9,587.40 for only himself on the CORE plan.

Ryfa could be receiving compensation (salary, insurance, retirement contribution) of more than $94,000 in 2023, but the true figure is unknown because neither town officials, nor Ryfa, are fully accounting for his compensation.

Access to Public Records Act implicated

Smith contacted the Public Access Counselors office in Indianapolis to determine whether the town could release individual health insurance plan elections. Smith said that Indiana Public Access Counselor Luke Britt advised that she was not obligated to disclose an individuals insurance information.

Smith declined to say which insurance plan, if any, Ryfa is under. Nor did Ryfa respond to a message seeking an answer as to his total compensation, including whether he receives PERF contributions.

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The counselor advised individual health care information is to be kept in house, Smith responded in an email.

Britt told the Post-Tribune that while the town is not obligated to disclose which insurance plan a municipal employee or elected official chooses, a public entity not releasing an elected officials total compensation is another matter. But he thought it was even more imperative to release a full compensation figure, especially given Ryfas remuneration for his expanded role.

Britt said he found it unusual that an elected official would be only required to pay $10 a month for their health insurance.

They (Griffith) must have a heck of a plan, or the town is making up for it somehow, he said.

Britt said that the Access to Public Records Act is implicated by Griffith not disclosing an elected officials total compensation.

With respect to not disclosing retirement benefits compensation, Britt said, Im not aware of any authority that would exempt PERF either. If the town pays for it, and it enriches an employee, it should be considered compensation.

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When informed on March 8 of Britts opinion regarding the release full compensation figures, Smith did not volunteer any more information.

Ryfa explains role, justifies pay

In an interview with the Post-Tribune at Griffith Town Hall, Ryfa detailed his various daily activities on behalf of the town  including the types of matters he stays out of  while noting his accomplishments and justifying a salary and compensation thats well beyond his counterparts in neighboring Highland and Schererville.

As Ryfa recalled, Griffith was faced with a unique and unfortunate situation in terms of needing leadership and management. In fact, he and a majority of the council realized the imperative to hire a town manager, but balked when the estimated cost to staff the office reached about $150,000. They felt it was something the town could not afford, he said.

Ryfa has now been in office 15 years, as council president since January 2020 when agreed to take on various administrative duties on essentially a full-time basis  with the added compensation. At the time, Councilman Tony Hobson, R-5th, reasoned that this arrangement would cost much less than hiring a town manager plus an assistant.

Griffith is fortunate that we have somebody who can devote full-time hours to the job of being town council president, said Ryfa, asserting that he does not want to be a town manager. Yes, the hours are needed. This is about improving the town, helping Griffith. You have a hands-on council president.

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Ryfa said his work day can consume any number of projects, activities and representation, such as contract management, bid preparation, purchasing, supervision of public construction projects, fiscal controls, investments, and liaising with other boards and commissions, including serving on the Griffith Plan Commission.

Recently, he was instrumental in negotiations to bring Menards to the former Kmart site at Ridge Road and Cline Avenue. He also helped spearhead removing Griffith from Calumet Township and landing it in North Township.

He asserts that downtown storefronts are filling up, and cited a rise in town property values from an average of $116 per square foot to $141 per square foot.

Putting in anywhere from 20 to 50 hours a week, Ryfa is involved in producing Griffiths many festivals, including Central Market music events on Friday evenings at Central Park, along with Rhythm & Blues Fest, Park Full of Art and Octoberfest. Hes also a fixture during the four-day Rock n Rail Fest held over Labor Day weekend.

Meanwhile, there are certain activities that Ryfa avoids. While he is the elected leader of the Town Council, he does not consider himself a department head or someone who dictates to them. He denied that he has ever involved himself in personnel issues. By his intentions, hes filling in a variety of critical administrative gaps, albeit without a formal job description or human resources oversight.

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I am accountable to the citizens of Griffith and to the other council members, Ryfa said. I cant make any decisions, win any votes, without the approval of the majority of the council. I dont see why anybody would have a problem with it.

A look at Griffiths neighbors

Griffiths neighbor to the west, Highland, hired Richard Underkofler as its town manager in 2006 but the relationship was short-lived, Clerk-Treasurer Mark Herak said. Underkofler resigned in 2007, just short of two years on the job.

Herak said thats when he and former councilmen Dan Vassar and Konnie Kuiper ran as a slate that promised to eliminate the town manager position. They also reasoned that residents thought former Clerk-Treasurer Michael Griffin handled the job well prior to Underkoflers tenure.

Between the clerk-treasurer and town council, Highland still runs fine without a manager, says Council President Tom Black, R-4th. But if it were up to him, he said, A town manager wouldnt be a bad addition. Our residents dont want a town manager, so until they do, well manage without one.

Herak, who campaigned against the town manager position, now wishes Highland had one.

As clerk-treasurer, I now wear three hats: clerk-treasurer, town manager and event planner, he said. If I could shed even one of those positions, Id be able to do things like look for grants, which would pay for my position. But again, the residents dont want it right now.

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Referring to Highlands past experiments with a town manager, Ryfa said that in addition to affording one, its difficult to find someone qualified for the job.

Highland tried to have a town manager and it didnt work out, he said.

Comparatively, Highlands town council president had a salary of $18,936 in 2022, and council members earned $17,184. Unlike Griffith Town Council members, Highlands council no longer receives health insurance  a form of compensation that has been converted to salaries.

Highlands population is 23,672 compared to Griffiths 16,331, according to the 2021 U.S. Census Bureau estimate. Highland also has a much larger retail footprint, as does neighboring Schererville.

Schererville Town Council members receive an annual salary of $13,121 plus an additional $15,869 for serving on the towns Utility Board, which comes to $28,990 per year. Schererville, having a 2020 census count of 29,646 residents, rotates its council president year-over-year.

Councilman Tom Schmitt, D-4th, is council president this year. Schmitt, who has been in office 17 years, including four as council president, said he is now retired and this is the first year he has elected to use the towns health insurance. He said the monthly premium is no different from what employees pay, volunteering that he pays $365 per month to cover himself and his wife. The valuation of the insurance, ostensibly, could be similar to Griffiths.

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Schmitt said he doesnt perform town administrative duties and concentrates on managing the business of the council. Schererville employs both a town manager and operations manager.

I see the council president as someone who leads the council, sets the agenda and works with our town manager and operations manager to help the rest of the council make informed decisions, Schmitt said. Thats the only difference I see from the other council members. Im not over any department heads.

Council members support Ryfas role

Ryfa has been unanimously reelected as council president since 2020, a time when he was awarded the additional stipend with the understanding that he would be putting in full-time work as council president.

Council member Mellissa Robbins, R-2nd, said she doesnt see Ryfa as a de facto town manager, nor does she favor hiring a town manager at this time. Ryfa asserts he is not a town manager, but does have a unique role that fills in many important gaps in helping advance the town. Robbins emphasized that Ryfa is accountable to the Town Council in that he reports on meetings he may have with our engineers, attorneys, vendors, department heads, etc.

She added, Mr. Ryfa, as well as other council members, help market the town, and he has introduced new business to the Redevelopment Commission and Town Council for consideration.

Council member Jim Marker, R-1st, who has been known to cast a dissenting vote on the all-Republican body, struck a neutral tone in issuing a statement on matter:

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Mr. Ryfa has helped the town in a number of ways, and maybe people dont know enough about all he does for Griffith, nor why he would warrant a salary so much more than his fellow Town Council members. But I would expect any resident who walked through the door of Town Hall to receive an accurate answer to that question. Theyre entitled to that  and authentic accountability from all elected officials and employees. In the past, I have supported the arrangement of Mr. Ryfa taking on added administrative duties for the town. But like any steward of the public trust, its also my responsibility to routinely review and evaluate whether our processes and practices continue in the best interests of our residents.

Political implications

All Griffith Town Council seats are up for election this year. Because no Democrats are on the May primary ballot, it would appear that the entire council will be back for another four years in office  the exception being Marker. The lifelong Griffith resident is the lone council member to have a primary challenger, which is coming from Tony Terzarial, a member of the Griffith Park Board.

Griffith resident Michael Ball, chairman of the Griffith-Calumet Township Democratic Precinct Organization, said he has had a difficult time finding Democrats willing to run for office in Griffith over the past few elections.

Ball, an employee of the Griffith Public Works Department, declined to comment on any perceived exceptionalism involving Ryfas role and compensation. But he believes the matter could give Democrats, should any decide to run for office in Griffith, a potential hot button issue to gain a crack in the door.

Jim Masters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. Freelance reporter Michelle Quinn contributed to this article.
By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - Kiska, the last captive killer whale in Canada, has died, the Ontario government said late on Friday, adding it was informed of the death by the theme park where Kiska lived.

"The ministry was advised by MarineLand that the whale named Kiska passed away at MarineLand on March 9, 2023. A necropsy was conducted by professionals retained by MarineLand," Brent Ross, a spokesperson of the Canadian province's solicitor general ministry, said in an emailed statement.

MarineLand is a theme park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Kiska, who was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979, was around 47 years old.

MarineLand said Kiska's health had declined in recent weeks.

"Marine mammal care team and experts did everything possible to support Kiska's comfort and will mourn her loss," local media quoted the theme park as saying.

Canadian non-profit group Animal Justice, which advocates for animal rights, called for a probe into MarineLand's treatment of the killer whale.

Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) described Kiska as the "world's loneliest orca" whose life was marked by "tragedy after tragedy" after all five of her calves died before they were seven years old.

"Animal Welfare Services was onsite to determine compliance with the Standards of Care," Ross said. MarineLand has been inspected 160 times since January 2020 as part of Animal Welfare Services' work to ensure the standards of care are being met under the law, Ross added.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Los Angeles County should prosecute Paul Flores for the alleged rapes he committed in their county, Kristin Smarts family said at a press conference Friday following Flores sentencing in Salinas.

Monterey County Superior Court Judge Jennifer OKeefe sentenced Flores to 25 years to life, following two failed attempts by Flores attorney to deem the trial unfair.

A Monterey County jury convicted Flores on Oct. 18, 2022, after hearing evidence in the 3-month-long trial. A separate jury acquitted Flores father, Ruben Flores, of helping his son conceal the crime.

Flores has been a person of interest in Smarts disappearance since 1996, the year she disappeared. He was the last person to see the Cal Poly freshman alive after walking home from an off-campus party in San Luis Obispo.

Prosecutors believe Flores took Smart back to his dorm in order to have sex with her, and allege he murdered Smart during a rape or attempted rape.

Two women testified during the trial that Paul Flores raped them in the years that followed Smarts death.

Both alleged rapes  along with another that has DNA evidence connecting a rape kit to Flores  were committed in Los Angeles County. Other Los Angeles County women have also accused Flores of rape, and videos of Flores having sex with unconscious women and child pornography were found on Flores computer.

(The women who testified) are truly the unsung heroes here, and Im so grateful for them and I equally want their justice, Lindsey Smart, Kristin Smarts sister, said at an impromptu press conference outside Monterey County Superior Court. While it did take us 26 years, I dont want it to take 26 years for them.

The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office told The Tribune in January that it would not prosecute any rape or child pornography charges against Flores. The office said the rape kit could not be prosecuted because the woman blacked out during her alleged assault, so it could not be proven whether or not she consented.

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Denise Smart, Kristin Smarts mother, said that Friday was a day of relief rather than a day of joy because Kristins voice was finally heard.

She said the two next steps for the family is to find justice for the other women Flores is alleged to have assaulted and to find her daughters body.

Its also time for Los Angeles to give voice to the women who ... lost part of their lives. Their voices have not been heard, Denise Smart said. Justice is for everyone.

Justice wont be served until body found, family says

San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said there is no sentence that is sufficient to bring justice for Kristin Smart because it wont bring her back.

Kristin is gone, forever gone. But we will never give up looking for her and seeking to find her and bringing her back to the family, Dow said.

Lindsey Smart said she and her mother will do whatever it takes to keep Paul Flores behind bars, change the law to punish those who hide bodies and refuse to give up the location, and find Kristin Smart.

Stan Smart, Kristin Smarts father, said he hopes Flores has second thoughts while in state prison and comes forward with the location of his daughters body.

Smarts family kept her memory alive ever since she disappeared, advocating for justice for their daughter and posting billboards around the county, some which still remain today.

One of those billboards sparked curiosity in Orcutt resident Chris Lambert, who began publishing the Your Own Backyard podcast in 2019, which explored Smarts case.

Law enforcement and the Smart family have credited Lambert with bringing forth new witnesses and reigniting interest in the case by bringing it to a national spotlight.

It feels surreal, Lambert said of the sentencing, noting that he was only 8 when Smart first disappeared. He said the case feels like its gone on for his entire life, especially in the past five years.

Flores sentencing also marked the end of San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office Det. Clint Coles career. Cole began investigating the Smart case in 2019 as a cold case detective and was the lead detective through Flores sentencing. He is now retiring.

It feels amazing, Cole said of Flores life sentence occurring on his last day with the Sheriffs Office.
Some tuxedo options inside Tuxedos by Mike on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Olga Markosyan is very busy.

She works as a designer and tailor for TUXEDOS By Mike, a shoe-box-sized shop on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. In 30 minutes, she helps a man named Paolo find a suit for a wedding, makes alterations to the outfit, takes phone calls, places a date on her large paper desk calendar and answers questions for the article you are reading.

Olga Markosyan, a seamstress and designer at Tuxedos by Mike, left, prepares a tux for Francesc Garriga, a correspondent for Catalunya Radio in Spain, as he prepares for the Oscars. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

From the outside, a handful of colorful suit jackets appear in the glass storefront. When you walk inside of the cramped store, you are met with an explosion of tuxedos and tuxedo paraphernalia. (Markosyan estimates there are about 2,000 suits in the store.) There are outfits hanging from the ceiling. On the L-shaped reception desk at the front are stacks of fedoras, a rack of suit pocket handkerchiefs and at least five pairs of shoes. The desk itself doubles as a display case for cufflinks.

Still, your eyes are drawn first to the walls, covered with suit jackets in seemingly every color and design you could think of: Glittery. Paisley. Sequins. Houndstooth. Velvet. Floral.

Markosyan, who came to L.A. from Armenia not too long ago, says shes outfitted everything from a Jennifer Lopez production to members of the Church of Scientology. But right now, shes preparing to take on dozens of people who will attend Sundays Academy Awards. She says she helped around 100 customers for the event last year.

Working the shop solo can be difficult in normal circumstances. So, in preparation for the heavy workload the Oscars brings, she has uploaded a document to the stores Google Maps page warning customers not to come in for 11th-hour awards show purchases.

Francesc Garriga tries on the tuxedo he plans to wear to the Oscars. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Some shoe and hat options inside Tuxedos by Mike on Sunset Boulevard. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Please dont wait for the last minute. There is no place to stand up, she says, explaining that a line usually forms down the street. I wanna keep time for my customers. There is not enough time  for the weddings, for the parties  because of the Oscars.

While Americas eyes are on the gowns, trophies and social media moments, local businesses eye the revenue. Every year, awards season injects a substantial amount of cash into Southern Californias economy; a 2013 report by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation estimated the economic impact at $130 million. From January to March, big money is spent on hotels, limousines, restaurants and tourism. Among the beneficiaries are the shops that sell tuxedos to event attendees  and not everyone is seeking out luxury fashion designers. Local tuxedo vendors say that awards season drives huge sales on top of their usual income from weddings and proms, on the order of 20% to 30% of their annual revenue, according to tuxedo shops interviewed by The Times.

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That doesnt mean the influx is easy to handle. Fittings, alterations and the staffing needed to pull it all off is a tricky business.

Some shops order suits months in advance to stock up. Macy's said in a statement to The Times that the company increases tuxedo inventory across the U.S. in December for New Year's events. However, in SoCal, the company keeps the tuxedo inventory higher through March. The grind begins in earnest when nominations are announced. Shops hire additional staff, expand their hours and stay late to prepare orders for the following day. Many shop owners keep measurements of regular clients so that they can provide them with well-fitting suits in a pinch.

A table shows off some fan mail, inside Tuxedos by Mike on Sunset Boulevard. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

During the years when awards shows had strict COVID-19 protocols like isolation and testing, attendees were better about making arrangements ahead of time. As those protocols have become more lax, the panicked purchases have returned.

Shop owners dont always know who is wearing their suits, as more prominent clients have teams that make the purchase for them. Zarik Kazanchian, owner of Kiraz Bridal & Tux in Glendale, says she prefers not to know so she doesnt feel the additional pressure of dressing a famous client.

She says men arent the best at purchasing outfits in a timely manner: It's just the way it is. We're used to that. It's not just for awards season; my grooms are the same way a lot of times. It's universal. Vrej Grigorian, owner of Gregory's Tux & Suits in North Hollywood, recalled that just ahead of the recent Screen Actors Guild Awards this year, there was a guy that came in literally two hours before the awards who needed a tux.

Handling every request so quickly can be difficult, and not every person has the best attitude about the process. They expect you to have it all right there and then, says Marielee Seda, a manager at Mens Wearhouse in Beverly Grove. They can be impatient. Some of them, they do work with you and they understand that its kind of their fault its last minute, so theyre patient and I appreciate that. But the ones that arent kind of drive me crazy.

The tardiness of the orders cant be wholly attributed to shopper procrastination. Shop owners say many people find out theyre attending events at the last second. Some shoppers are international travelers who may not have had the chance to pick up a suit before traveling to the U.S. Shop owners can't predict what each awards season will bring, but they can always bet on seeing stragglers just ahead of the show.

Everybody wants their tuxedos, and we have like five or six people waiting. And we're trying to help everyone, but sometimes they get very impatient and nervous, says Abi Yescas, owner of Ryders Tuxedo Shop in the Miracle Mile neighborhood. They have to be somewhere by 5. They're here trying to get a tuxedo at three.

Returns can be a deflating experience. People who come in on behalf of those set to attend the awards show make several purchases, only to return them after the event.

They come in and they say, OK, he's not sure if he wants to wear a blue paisley jacket or a more conservative black jacket. So I've got to buy the blue jacket and the black jacket and then three different bow ties and two different shirts and everything, Grigorian says. Then, the following Monday, they will come back and return all the stuff that they did not wear. And so your revenues are more like $700 rather than $3,000 that they walked out with.

He also says that many clients fail to return suits promptly. There have been cases where the Academy Awards are in March and they haven't returned their suit until May, Grigorian says. Shop owners said people occasionally have returned tuxes in terrible shape, or with unexpected items in their pockets like money.

In the long run, the stress may be worth it: Awards seasons impact on the tuxedo industry lasts long after the Oscar for best picture is handed out. It informs what looks stores will order for their stock locally and beyond, as people attending weddings and galas will want to replicate them.

When you are in the fashion industry, awards season is something you look forward to, says Kazanchian. Once the community sees what the celebrities are wearing, it helps with how to style our clients for their upcoming events. It's a forecast.

Pulling off awards season is also a community effort. It isnt uncommon for shops to refer clients to tailors and other stores who can deal with their additional needs. For instance, Yescas store is conveniently located next to a dry cleaner that helps with pressing and alterations.

But the local effort also involves helping customers find self-esteem. We have to work really hard for them to understand that they look good. They do look good, but they don't think they look good, Yescas says. It's because you don't wear tuxedos every day. They are used to wearing just jeans, nothing formal. She adds: I won't send them out to the Oscars if something doesn't look good.

Yescas says clients feel an additional pressure to look like they deserve to socialize with societys most beautiful people. Consequently, many clients leave the store in an attempt to find another look that delivers the confidence they seek. They usually end up returning to buy the outfit.

After everything, they go, Oh, I looked great. Everybody was happy. My wife was happy, Yescas says. And then they start to believe you.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Contrary to its cute and cuddly appearance, servals are categorized as dangerous animals per the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. Cincinnati Animal CARE

A wild cat named Amiry was found in a Cincinnati tree by rescuers earlier this year.

The animal, which looks like a mini leopard, had traces of cocaine in its system, a rescue group said.

The revelation was made public weeks after the release of the semi-fictional movie "Cocaine Bear."

A big tree cat named Amiry was found perched in a Cincinnati tree earlier this year with cocaine in its bloodstream, according to an animal rights group.

The revelation, which comes weeks after the release of the semi-fictionalized movie "Cocaine Bear," was shared by the animal rescue group Cincinnati Animal CARE on Thursday.

Rescue staff were left puzzled at how the animal ended up on cocaine and in a tree at 2 a.m. on January 28, according to CBS.

"I cannot speak to how he was exposed to cocaine at this time," CARE's Ray Anderson said, according to CBS. The West African tree cat  called a serval  was reported by a concerned pedestrian and suffered a broken leg while being taken down from the tree.

The initial call to animal control rescuers described the animal as a leopard. Servals have a leopard-like yellow and black fur print and weigh up to 40 pounds. While they are illegal to domesticate and own in Ohio, Amiry's owner  whose identity has not been shared  has turned the animal over and cooperated with investigators, and will not be charged, according to CBS.

Animal rights groups recommend against owning the animals as pets, especially as there are just over 150 in the US, according to the San Diego Zoo. Increasingly, "Savanna cats" a cross between a Serval and a domestic cat created in the late 1980s have become more popular as house pets.

"We're extremely proud of the work done in this case by the Dog Wardens and Medical Staff and are immensely appreciative to the Cincinnati Zoo for getting Amiry the care he needs," CARE said in a Facebook post. "We ask that our community please be respectful of the Zoo's privacy at this time as they are working diligently to determine next steps."

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This is not the first time an exotic animal rescued in Cincinnati has tested positive for drugs. In 2022, CARE also took in Neo, a Capuchin monkey, who had amphetamines in his system at the time of rescue. Amiry is now at the Cincinnati Zoo after initial treatment with CARE.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Cincinnati PD did not immediately return Insider's requests for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
SheKnows

When Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles (now King Charles III) divorced back in the 1990s, it was one of the biggest scandals at the time. The couple officially separated in 1992, and Charles publicly admitted to his infidelity in 1994 (a la the iconic revenge dress), and then the divorce was finalized in 1996.
Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital President Michael Wiggins is stepping down to take a role as president of Dell Childrens Medical Center in Austin, Texas, the hospital said Friday. He joined Le Bonheur in 2019.

Le Bonheur Surgeon-in-Chief James Trey Eubanks will serve as Le Bonheurs interim president. The Methodist Le Bonheur healthcare system will conduct a national search for Wiggins' successor.

It has been my honor to serve Le Bonheur and the Memphis and Mid-South community, Wiggins said. The Le Bonheur team is truly one of the best and most dedicated group of pediatric experts in the entire country. I continue to be impressed by their professionalism, compassion and expertise on behalf of children. I know they will continue to be a beacon of hope for all children who need them.

Michael Wiggins is departing Le Bonheur Children's Hospital's to become President of Dell Children's Medical Center.

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He now returns to Texas. He came to Le Bonheur four years ago from Childrens Health in Dallas.

I want to thank Michael for his service and dedication to children during his time at Le Bonheur. He is leaving Le Bonheur in a strong position with dedicated staff who will continue working every day to do our very best for kids in our community," said Michael Ugwueke, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare president and CEO.

Eubanks has been with Le Bonheur for more than 20 years and in addition to his role as surgeon-in-chief, he has served as chief of the medical staff for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.

I am confident that Trey will serve Le Bonheur as a strong leader during this transition and continue our commitment to providing the highest level of care for children that our community has grown to expect from Le Bonheur, Ugwueke said.

Corinne S Kennedy covers healthcare, real estate and economic development for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached via email at Corinne.Kennedy@CommercialAppeal.com

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Le Bonheur President Michael Wiggins leaving for job at Dell Children's
Three months after attacks on two electric transmission substations took out the power in much of Moore County for four days, investigators still are trying to piece together any leads that might bring them closer to an arrest.

Progress appears slow and is hampered by a lack of evidence for investigators with the Moore County Sheriffs Office, the State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. Officials have declined to discuss their work in detail, saying they dont want to jeopardize the investigation.

Part of the delay, law enforcement officials say, has come from Duke Energy itself, which they say has stalled on providing some documentation to detectives. Investigators had to get a court order forcing Duke to release certain personnel records, said Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields.

Mainly what we were looking at was trying to get some personnel records and other records, such as people they might have had trouble with, terminated employees and things of that nature, Fields said.

Everything I get, I have to get a court order to get it, he said. Thats understandable. Do I like that? No, I dont, it just puts a lot of pressure on a lot of things. Thats the way theyre going to play ball, and thats the way were going to have to play.

According to Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks, the utility company followed its process whenever personnel information is requested.

Its just to protect the privacy of information, he said.

As the investigation stretches on, the Moore County Sheriffs Office still has a dedicated group of investigators on the case.

I have designated a team to work with this, Fields said. That team is working with the federal folks and the state folks together trying to formulate and do as much as we possibly can to gather information. Weve not stopped, and the FBI has not stopped.

Hate groups investigated

Those investigators continue to do interviews and follow tips that come in. Speculation has run far and wide that the Dec. 3 shootings at substations in West End and Carthage were the work of a white nationalist organization or some other hate group, especially after two white nationalist banners spewing hate messages were hung from U.S. 1 overpasses on Dec. 18 and Dec. 25.

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However, no such groups have been connected to the attacks, Fields said.

The Sheriffs Office confiscated the banners and is waiting on the SBI crime lab for any DNA results.

The white supremacy group, were still waiting on the lab to send some of that information. That takes time, Fields said. Were still looking at the Proud Boys group; theres a whole lot of groups were looking at.

A poster released by the FBI seeing information or suspects of the shooting of electrical substations in Moore County.

Making faster progress is legislation in the N.C. General Assembly that would increase the penalties for those convicted of future attacks. And lawmakers continue to question Duke Energy concerning overall security for their vast network.

According to a report last month by WSOC-TV in Charlotte, the FBI issued search warrants asking Google to supply any data that can identify known cell phone users within a certain area during a specific window of time. Search warrants also were issued to mobile phone service providers T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon.

Increasing penalties and protections

As the investigation continues, a bill that seeks to make substations less vulnerable to sabotage has stalled in the General Assembly.

Filed in January by State Rep. Ben Moss, House Bill 21 would require power companies to provide security systems at substations to protect against vandalism and other security threats. Companies also would be required to continuously operate the security systems 24 hours a day.

Since the attack, Duke Energy has posted cameras at its West End and Carthage substations, as well as several others. Officials have also said theyre working on a plan to harden such facilities from future attacks.

The proposed legislation passed an initial reading on Jan. 30. It was then referred to the House Committee on Energy and Public Utilities, which has yet to schedule a hearing.

Right now its just sitting there waiting to be heard in committees, said Moss, whose district includes Moore and Richmond counties. Its frustrating.

An aerial view of an electrical power substation in West End where crews are working to repair damage after two deliberate attacks on electrical substations in Moore County Saturday evening. One energy expert in Charlotte was surprised to see the attack resulted in thousands of people losing power given that a similar event 10 years ago did not result in a large loss of power.

Despite the slow progress, Moss said the bill has been received favorably by his fellow lawmakers and constituents. The measure has bipartisan support from more than 20 sponsors.

The bill makes perfect sense and a lot of people have taken an interest in it, Moss said. I still get emails (about it) from people all throughout the United States. Actually, a lady just left my office who wanted to come in and talk about the bill. Im staying positive and hoping it will make it through the committee process.

In a previous interview with The Pilot, Moss said bullet-resistant fencing and security cameras could help deter would-be vandals. Cameras were not in place at either of the two substations attacked in Moore County.

Fields said the facilities lack of security systems has made the criminal investigation all the more difficult.

Another Republican lawmaker representing Moore County is involved with a separate bill filed in response to the attacks.

State Sen. Tom McInnis, a Pinehurst resident, is one of the primary sponsors of Senate Bill 58, which would strengthen penalties for people convicted of intentionally damaging the property of a public utility, including energy companies but also those involved in providing phone, broadband or cable service. The proposal is moving along faster than House Bill 21, having already cleared multiple committees in the Senate.

Under McInnis bill, those convicted of an attack on critical infrastructure would face increased prison time and a fine up to $250,000.

What we have now doesnt carry a lot of charges, or punishment if you will, or fines, Fields said. Sen. McInnis bill is going to increase that. Some of these are misdemeanor crimes, trespassing stuff, and he wants to strengthen some of them to felonies. The damage to the infrastructure will be felony charges, and it needs to be.

Moss said he supports the Senate bill, but believes additional measures should be taken.

Its a little bit easier of a sale in my mind versus strengthening security measures, he said. I dont disagree that the penalties need to be increased, but more needs to be done. Increasing penalties is not going to solve this issue.

He added: The main focus of my energy is protecting our energy.
The Scouts have taught me so much

My name is Cash Reynolds and I am a Star Scout in the local BSA Troop 402B here in Sturgis Michigan. Now I have been in Scouts for eight years and I am going to finish with my Eagle, hopefully, within the next year.

One of the requirements is doing the Communication Merit Badge in which our Scout leader, Rocky Smith, is the councilor. The requirement is to write the editor of a magazine or local newspaper to express your opinion or share information on any subject you choose. It has to be delivered through email, fax or mailed in. Here is my information I would like to share in this email.

The pack and troops meet every Tuesday night at Radiant Life Church which is at 907 N. Nottawa St. here in Sturgis. The time of the meeting is 6:30-8 p.m.

We are really lucky because we are both boys and girls, so we are called a family unit we are one of few like this and the only one in St. Joe County at the troop level. The ages are 5 to 17 and again both boys and girls. Now I could go on and on about what we do like most people think is camping, fishing and stuff like that, but we do so much more.

Last fall, we went to a nuclear power plant near Morris, Illinois, and saw things we only see on television or the internet. Plus, one of the biggest things I have learned is to be opened-minded toward people and leadership skills that will take me places.

Again, thank you for your time and keep up with the great work.

Cash Reynolds

Troop 402b

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Letter: The Scouts have taught me so much
Chinese envoy calls for int'l discussion to address AUKUS-related proliferation risks

Xinhua) 12:21, March 11, 2023

VIENNA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for advancing open, transparent, inclusive and sustainable intergovernmental discussion at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to address the proliferation risks posed by the AUKUS nuclear submarine cooperation.

Li Song, China's permanent representative to the IAEA, said at a meeting of the agency's Board of Governors that the AUKUS nuclear submarine collaboration poses serious nuclear proliferation risks, undermines the international non-proliferation regime, stimulates arms race, and threatens the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region.

In September 2021, the United States, Britain and Australia announced the AUKUS deal, under which Washington and London will assist Canberra in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. China and many other countries have repeatedly expressed concerns over the transfer of high purity uranium involved in the pact.

The essence of the AUKUS cooperation is the transfer of tons of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from the United States and Britain, both nuclear-weapon states and signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to Australia, a non-nuclear-weapon state, Li said.

He added such a "textbook case" of nuclear proliferation violates NPT's objectives and principles, and undermines the IAEA's existing safeguard system and the international non-proliferation regime.

He urged the AUKUS countries to abandon the Cold War mentality and zero-sum mindset, fulfill their international obligations and contribute more to regional peace and stability.

It is up to all IAEA member states to seek proper solutions through intergovernmental discussions regarding whether and how to conduct safeguards on the AUKUS nuclear submarine collaboration, as the matter concerns the interests of all the member states and the integrity and effectiveness of the NPT, he said.

Stressing that China respects the right of all other member states to express their views, Li said that China firmly opposes any country trying to impose its own views on others.

"The U.S., the UK and Australia, while preaching the so-called 'highest non-proliferation standards,' are labeling normal intergovernmental discussions as 'politicized' and rejecting multilateral discussions. Is this what they call the 'rules-based international order?'" he said.

Noting it is essential to keep the intergovernmental discussion going at the IAEA as the AUKUS countries are about to announce concrete plans for their nuclear submarine cooperation, Li said that only true multilateralism can effectively safeguard the integrity and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime.

Li called on the IAEA member states to actively participate in the intergovernmental discussion process to help safeguard the global non-proliferation regime.

He said he believes IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and the agency's secretariat will play their due roles in the process and assist the member states in maintaining and advancing the process.

He also urged the AUKUS countries not to settle on relevant safeguards arrangements with the IAEA secretariat or start nuclear submarine cooperation before a consensus is reached among the agency's member states.

The AUKUS countries should respond to the international community's concerns with concrete actions, fulfill their non-proliferation obligations, and maintain candid and transparent communication with other member states on the basis of equality and mutual respect, he added.

Representatives from Russia and other developing countries spoke in support of China's position on the AUKUS issue at the IAEA board meeting.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
By Yew Lun Tian, Laurie Chen and Joe Cash

BEIJING (Reuters) -Four years before Li Qiang gained notoriety as the force behind the two-month COVID-19 lockdown of Shanghai, the man who became China's premier on Saturday worked quietly behind the scenes to drive a bold revamp of the megacity's sclerotic stock market.

Li's back-channelling - sources said he bypassed the China Securities Regulatory Commission, which lost some of its power under the new set-up - demonstrated what became a reputation for pragmatism as well as close ties with President Xi Jinping.

In late 2018, Xi himself announced Shanghai's new tech-focused STAR Market as well as the pilot of a registration-based IPO system, reforms meant to entice China's hottest young firms to list locally rather than overseas.

"The CSRC was very unhappy," said a veteran banker close to regulators and Shanghai officials, declining to be named given the sensitivity of the matter.

"Li's relationship with Xi played a role here," enabling him to present the scheme directly to the central government, without going through the CSRC, the person added.

The CSRC did not respond to a request for comment.

Previously the Communist Party chief in Shanghai, Li was confirmed as premier during the National People's Congress, charged with managing the world's second largest economy. He replaced the retiring Li Keqiang, widely perceived to have been sidelined as Xi tightened his grip on management of the economy.

Leadership watchers say Li Qiang's closeness to Xi is both a strength and a vulnerability: while he has Xi's trust, he is beholden to his long-time patron.

Trey McArver, co-founder of consultancy Trivium China, said Li is likely to be much more powerful than his predecessor.

Xi expended significant political capital to get him into the role, given Li's lack of central government experience and the Shanghai lockdown, McArver said.

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"Officials know that Li Qiang is Xi Jinping's guy," he said.

"He clearly thinks that Li Qiang is a very competent person and he has put him in this position because he trusts him and he expects a lot of him."

Li, 63, did not respond to questions sent to China's State Council Information Office.

PRACTICAL PRAGMATIST

A career bureaucrat, Li was revealed as the pick for China's number two role in October when Xi unveiled a leadership line-up stacked with loyalists.

At that time, Li had been known for overseeing the harrowing COVID lockdown earlier last year of Shanghai's 25 million people, which shut the city's economy and left psychological scars among its residents. That made him a target of anger but did nothing to derail his promotion.

Li was also instrumental in pushing for China's unexpectedly sudden end to its zero-COVID policy late last year, Reuters reported this month.

People who have interacted with Li say they found him practical-minded, an effective bureaucratic operator and supportive of the private sector - a stance that would be expected in someone whose career put him in charge of some of China's most economically dynamic regions.

As Communist Party chief between 2002 to 2004 in his home city of Wenzhou, a hotbed of entrepreneurialism, Li came across as open-minded and willing to listen, said Zhou Dewen, who represented small and midsize enterprises in the city.

"He took a liberal approach of granting private companies default access to enter the market, except when explicitly banned by law, rather then the traditional approach of keeping private companies out by default," said Zhou.

Craig Allen, president of the U.S.-China Business Council and a former U.S. official, said Li sought to level the playing field for foreign businesses, pointing to the speed with which U.S. carmaker Tesla was able to get its Shanghai factory there operational in 2019.

"Clearly nothing got in the way once a decision was made. There was a clarity of a kind in his decision making, an authority, and that really helps," said Allen, describing Li as comfortable in his own skin.

Still, several observers caution against putting too much weight on Li's experience in a business hub such as Shanghai, since Xi has steadily tightened Communist Party control and taken the economy in a more statist direction.

"Now Li is a national leader, working under a market-sceptic boss, and he has to balance growth with a range of social, technological, and geopolitical goals," said Neil Thomas, senior analyst at Eurasia.

NO WALLFLOWER

Even by the opaque standards of Chinese politics, there is little public information about Li's background or personal life.

Born in Ruian county in what is now Wenzhou, the 17-year-old Li went to work in 1976 at an irrigation station in his hometown, a desirable job in what turned out to be the final year of Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution.

Li entered Zhejiang Agricultural University in 1978, the year that campuses were reopened in China and competition for places was fierce. He received master's degrees from the central party school in Beijing and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

It was in Zhejiang, home to some of China's biggest private companies - where Xi was provincial party secretary and Li was his chief of staff between 2004 and 2007 - that the two men would have built their personal bond.

American author Robert Lawrence Kuhn, who met Li and Xi together in 2005 and 2006, said the two shared an easy rapport.

"Unlike most other staffers of top leaders, Li was no wallflower," Kuhn told Reuters.

"In the presence of Xi, he felt comfortable and confident enough to put himself forward to engage me, which tells me he is not worried his boss might think he is trying to steal his limelight," Kuhn said.

However, leadership watchers said there are limits to what Li will be able to do.

"Li can make some repairs here and there, but he won't tear down the wall and build something new," said Chen Daoyin, former associate professor at Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, and now a commentator based in Chile.

(Reporting by Yew Lun Tian, Laurie and Chen Joe Cash; Additional reporting by the Shanghai newsroom and Julie Zhu in Hong Kong; Editing by Tony Munroe and Lincoln Feast)
Have you checked out the Annual Community Quilt Show happening at the Cheboygan Area Public Library? Come see the amazing quilted items created by members of your own community.

The quilt show is free to attend and viewable during regular library hours which are Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Quilt Show will conclude at the end of March. Be sure to visit while you can. Curious about learning a new skill like quilting or maybe you want to discover a new style of quilting? The Cheboygan Library has many books about quilting for varying skill levels and types of quilting. Check out books or magazines to learn more about a craft or skill that interests you.

Ready to meet some slithering friends? Now is your chance! The Straits Area Audubon Society and the Cheboygan Area Public Library are bringing the Snakes Alive! program to the Cheboygan Library on March 13 at 6 p.m. During this program, several snakes will be used to educate the public on their species and there may be a chance for audience members to touch or hold them.

Snakes Alive! is an educational program that Jim and Carol McGrath share through their organization Nature Discovery, located in Williamston, Michigan, which resides east of Lansing. The McGraths have been educating both adults and youths about natural science through education programs at libraries and schools for more than twenty years.

With over 40 species of Michigan snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs and salamanders, Nature Discovery is home to the largest collection of live Michigan Reptiles and Amphibians in the state. Nature Discovery is dedicated to enhancing awareness and sensitivity toward Michigan's diverse living resources through natural science education. To learn more, visit naturediscovery.net.

March is Reading month. March was designated reading month to celebrate Dr. Seuss. Born March 2, 1904, Dr. Seuss was an author and illustrator of many popular childrens books. Celebrate this month by visiting the Cheboygan Library. Ask a student how they are celebrating March is Reading Month at school. Help young readers reach reading goals. Discover the many new books in our childrens section. Check out the new VOX books. VOX books are picture books with an audio reader attached for read-along reading. Children can simply push a button to listen and read (no computer or tablet is required).

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Reading aloud to children even after they have learned to read on their own is essential for building better readers. Hearing a story read aloud benefits children. They learn inflection, expression and build fluency. Consider reading aloud, taking turns reading a picture book or share reading pages in a chapter book. Time spent together reading is an investment. You can find magic wherever you look, sit back and relax all you need is a book.  Dr. Seuss

Take and Read! Free to participate and open to 8th-12-graders. Teens receive a free book each month. The Books and Bites reading club meets the last Thursday of the month at the Cheboygan Library from 3:30-5 p.m. for book chat and a bite to eat. Bring a friend! Sign-up is required, stop by, call or sign up on the Bookclubs app.

Reading is so important to grow minds young and old. Reading promotes mental stimulation, can reduce stress, enhances social skills, expands vocabulary, helps to improve memory, and promotes better sleep. Reading aloud is not just for children. Consider joining or forming a book club. Readers meet to discuss books, share favorite passages, offer interpretations or make predictions. Book clubs bring people together. There are also virtual book clubs and celebrity book club recommendations. However you choose to celebrate reading month, the Cheboygan Public Library has many resources to offer, visit us in person or online at cheboyganlibrary.org.

 Paula Jewell is program director of the Cheboygan Area Public Library.

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Library Lines: Slither in to check out snakes
TRIPOLI (Reuters) - U.N. Libya envoy Abdoulaye Bathily said on Saturday that if a clear road map and electoral laws are in put in place by June, national elections could be held by the end of the year.

A political process to resolve more than a decade of conflict in Libya has been stalled since an election scheduled for December 2021 collapsed amid disputes over the eligibility of major candidates.

Bathily last month announced a new initiative to break the deadlock by creating a steering committee to enable the elections, seen as critical to any lasting peace.

On Saturday, he told a news conference in Tripoli that the two legislative bodies, the House of Representatives and the High State Council, had agreed to form a joint committee of six members each to draft electoral laws, adding: "There is no reason for any more delay."

However, the two chambers have spent years negotiating about the political system without moving closer to elections that would in effect replace them.

The House of Representatives was elected in 2014, while the High State Council was formed as part of a 2015 political agreement and drawn from a parliament elected in 2012.

Libya's interim government, put in place in early 2021 through a U.N.-backed peace plan, was only supposed to last until the election scheduled for December that year, and its legitimacy is now also disputed.

"Successive interim arrangements, endless transition governments, legislative bodies whose terms of office have expired are a source of instability," Bathily said.

Libya has had little peace since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising ousted the autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. Since 2014, political control has been split between rival eastern and western factions, with the last major bout of conflict ending in 2020.

(Reporting by Reuters Libya newsroom; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
James Norton attends the Hermes Men's AW23 runway show on January 21, 2023 in Paris, France. Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hermes

James Norton said society is still "wary" of male nudity because people are afraid of the penis.

The actor, who starred in "Little Women," said men are far more "obsessed" with penises than women.

"We're scared of the penis," Norton told The Telegraph while discussing his view on sex scenes.

James Norton said society is still very "wary" of male nudity, so much so that people are "afraid of the penis."

Speaking to The Telegraph's Chris Harvey, the British actor detailed his views in an interview published Friday on nudity while discussing an upcoming theatre role. Norton, who previously starred in "Black Mirror" and "Little Women," has been cast in the stage adaptation of Hanya Yanagihara's 2015 book "A Little Life." According to the outlet, the novel features violence, sexual and emotional abuse, self-harm, and nudity.

Giving his thoughts on the book-turned-play's nude sex scenes, Norton said society is overly concerned about nakedness, particularly with men.

"There's still a block when it comes to male nudity, about the penis, and what it looks like, and its size and its shape  and all these things of which we as a culture are still very wary," Norton said.

"We're scared of the penis. Men, I think, we're far more obsessed with it," he added. "I mean, women I've asked are like, 'I don't care, you know, it's just a penis, whatever.'"

James Norton, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, and Emma Watson attend the "Little Women" on December 7, 2019 in New York City. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Despite the heavy-hitting content of his upcoming project, which also features "Bridgerton" star Luke Thompson, Norton said the atmosphere during rehearsals was light-hearted.

"Our rehearsal room is a really light, fun place," Norton said. "Horror-movie sets are often the most fun because you're trying to offset the dark."

He added that he and the rest of the cast had the mindset of doing good work, but not letting it infringe on their well-being.

"I sense that the four of us are from the school of: let's draw a line," he said. "Do good work, but at the point at which it infringes upon your life, and your friendships and relationships  so that you can't go home and you can't sleep and you can't function in society  stop."

"A Little Life" will run at various theatres across London from March 18 until August 5.

Read the original article on Insider
A 2021 arson suspect from McKees Rocks was taken into custody in Denver Thursday.

According to Allegheny County police, Andre Quinones, 30, was wanted for charges related to an August 2021 duplex arson.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >> Police looking for man accused of setting fire to Stowe Township duplex

On Aug. 12, 2021 at around 6 p.m., crews were called to a duplex for reports of a fire in the 1300 block of Island Avenue in Stowe Township. A woman was home at the time of the arson and managed to escape without being hurt, but four firefighters were injured when part of the porch collapsed on them.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, all four firefighters had burns, one had a leg injury and another had five broken vertebrae.

The duplex was destroyed in the fire, officials said.

Investigators determined that Andre Quinones, 28, of McKees Rocks, was responsible for setting the fire. In addition to the warrant for arson-related charges, Quinones was also charged in connection to a physical altercation that took place earlier in that day. The victim in the arson was also involved in the physical altercation.

Officials said that late last month, an anonymous tip was submitted to the U.S. Marshals Service in Denver that an arson suspect from Pennsylvania was possibly in Denver.

Deputy U.S. Marshals initiated the investigation, observing and identifying Quinones at a home.

On Thursday, officials saw Quinones leaving the house and followed him to a storage unit facility where he was taken into custody.

Quinones was transported to the Denver Downtown Detention Center. He is currently awaiting extradition in addition to possible other charges.

This case proves that no matter how far you run from your crime, whether it be to another city, another state, or even another country, you will eventually be caught and brought to justice, said Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Katrina Crouse. Our Colorado Violent Offender Task Force works tirelessly to get dangerous fugitives off the street in an effort to make our communities safer. We thank our outstanding law enforcement partners for their help in this apprehension and we also want to recognize the brave tipster who provided invaluable information in this case. Our thoughts are with the firefighters who suffered injuries as a result of this arson.

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Members of United Teachers Los Angeles rally Dec. 5 in front of L.A. Unified headquarters. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

The Los Angeles teachers union plans to join an anticipated three-day strike  possibly within two weeks  with thousands of L.A. Unified's non-teaching workers, actions that would likely shut down schools amid an explosion of labor discontent.

The labor action would be led by Local 99 of Service Employees International Union, which represents 30,000 cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, special education assistants and others. Local 99 would be joined by United Teachers Los Angeles, which represents about 35,000 teachers, counselors, therapists, nurses and librarians.

Local 99 has reached an impasse with the district in months-long negotiations for an across-the-board 30% raise and more for the lowest earners. It will announce the timing of its three-day walkout during a rally Wednesday with the teachers union. A settlement would avert a strike.

"Over three days we can show the district that we are fed-up with their disrespect and not afraid to take strong action to demand respect for our work," Local 99 stated in a Saturday email to members. "This is a lawful strike to protest the districts unfair practices, including threats, interrogation and surveillance of members who participated in last months strike vote."

An unfair practice charge strike  of a specific duration  can take place without going through the steps of the traditional negotiation process, both unions say.

United Teachers Los Angeles is also in the throes of labor negotiations, seeking a 20% wage increase over two years and a long list of initiatives. On Friday, the union sent a letter to L.A. Unified Supt. Alberto Carvalho saying it was terminating its contract with the district, a legal maneuver that would allow its members to join Local 99's strike, according to information posted online by the union.

The joint rally with Local 99 is intended to demonstrate the force of union solidarity, ratcheting up pressure on the district. If Local 99 does not reach an agreement, teachers would stay home or picket alongside them, the union said in an online post.

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"Terminating the contract takes away from LAUSD executing a frivolous legal argument that they raised in 2019 that terminating the contract must occur before ... UTLA as an organization can engage" in a strike, a union FAQ states. The union was referring to an attempt by L.A. Unified to delay or halt what became a six-day teachers strike in January 2019.

Local 99 had previously terminated its contract with the district, clearing the way for its walkout. Local 99 said in a statement that it was canceling its contract "to protest LAUSDs harassment of workers who participated in union activities, including a vote to strike last month. The cancellation of the contract also ends a 'no-strike' provision, moving workers one step closer to a possible strike to protest the districts unlawful practices."

While attention typically focuses on teachers because of their vital role and political clout, the contribution of Local 99 members also is essential. Students rely on the meals cooked and served by Local 99 members. Its members drive buses, provide supervision during breaks and before and after school, keep restrooms stocked and cleaned and help take care of students with disabilities. But many of the job categories are low-paying  in L.A. Unified and elsewhere.

The average annual pay for the unit with instructional aides, including those for special education, is $27,531. The average for the unit that includes bus drivers, custodians and food-service workers is $31,825. Teacher assistants on average make $22,657. Those in the unit that includes after-school program workers average $14,576.

The vast majority, about 24,000 Local 99 members, work fewer than eight hours a day. About 6,000 work eight-hour jobs. Many union members are part of households with school-age students, including many in L.A. Unified.

The teachers union was firm in telling members to support a Local 99 strike.

"You do not go into work," UTLA advised. "You should join the [Local 99] picket line at your school site. If there is not a picket line at your school site, you should join one at a nearby school. There will be rallies during the strike and everyone should plan on attending those as well."

In a statement Wednesday, L.A. Unified acknowledged the possibility of a strike: "SEIU Local 99 provided 10 days notice of their intent to end their contract with Los Angeles Unified. This action takes them one step closer to a strike, which would cause a significant disruption to instruction, and would adversely impact our entire system."

The district posted on social media that its offers to employees are fair. In a tweet, Carvalho said, "I deeply care about our dedicated staff and students' wellbeing. We must continue meeting with our labor partners to keep our schools open for students, who should always be our first priority. Im hopeful that we can reach an agreement as soon as possible."

In touting the benefits of its wage proposal to Local 99, L.A. Unified said its minimum wage of $20 per hour would surpass by at least 25% what is required by Los Angeles County, as well as California.

"To reach a swift conclusion and come to an agreement that is fair to our hardworking staff while maintaining our ability to serve students, Los Angeles Unified presented a historic, comprehensive offer," the district stated.

The UTLA letter to the district accuses it of unreasonably clinging to a multibillion-dollar reserve and negotiating in bad faith. The letter says L.A. Unified has "barely budged in its position over such crucial issues as class size, staffing ratios, compensation, Special Education, the Black Student Achievement Plan, Community Schools, and more."

Teachers are seeking a 10% raise for each of the next two years. The district has offered a raise of 5% per year plus two one-time bonuses of 5%. Carvalho has indicated that there is room to offer more but suggested that the union must compromise on other issues.

The teachers union has a complex "Beyond Recovery" platform that goes well beyond salaries and benefits. UTLA is demanding a guaranteed continuation of programs to elevate Black students' education and efforts to provide low-income families with housing  although it's not clear which of these planks the union would be willing to strike over.

It's uncertain whether the district could keep campuses open if both unions walked out simultaneously. During the 2019 teachers strike, campuses remained open  providing food and supervision  but instruction was limited, and attendance was low.

"We are concerned about the devastating impact more missed learning would have on students and their families," said Ana Teresa Dahan, managing director of the local advocacy group GPSN. "And we also worry about what a strike does to the income of workers who are already barely making ends meet, if at all.

"We recognize that this is a critical moment for SEIU 99  which is trying to lift their members out of poverty," she added. "We are hopeful the leaders on both sides have the will and a way to resolve this for the students, families and employees who have the most at stake in this situation."

Union leaders are optimistic that they will have strong parent support, as they did during the 2019 strike. But some parents are expressing concern.

I think this is difficult," said Maria Sanchez, a parent at Marlton School, which serves students who are deaf or hard of hearing. "As it is, were having a hard time without enough bus drivers and teachers. This entire situation will only get harder.

The unions and district "must put differences aside and act in the best interest of students to reach a fair agreement quickly," said Christie Pesicka, a spokesperson for a parents group that has been critical of the teachers union. "I fear more disruptions will be the final straw for many families  further exacerbating an already plummeting enrollment and educational crisis."

The next negotiation session between the district and teachers union is scheduled for Friday. A Local 99 spokesperson said it has no bargaining session scheduled, but the two sides remained involved "in the mediation/fact-finding process facilitated by the state of California."

"We are currently awaiting dates from the California Public Employment Relations Board to begin the fact-finding process," said Local 99 spokesperson Blanca Gallegos.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez speaks at Indian River State College during a press conference announcing the launch of Floridas local government cybersecurity grant program on Friday, March 10, 2023, in Indian River County. The ongoing state measures to protect towns and counties from online threats targeting local governments brought speakers like Sheriff Eric Flowers and Indian River State College President Timothy Moore to speak on the matter during the press conference.

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY  At a planned stop near Vero Beach Friday, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, announced ongoing state measures to protect towns and counties from online threats targeting local governments and a looming deadline to tap into a $30 million grant to help bolster local defenses.

Leadership of the Florida Cybersecurity Task Force, along with Sheriff Eric Flowers and Indian River State College President Timothy Moore spoke about local cyber vulnerabilities and digital workforce demands in Indian River County and across the Treasure Coast.

Flowers said he was envious of his 10 predecessors who had no concern for threats to ever-growing digital infrastructures.

They didnt lose any sleep at night on whether-or-not Russia or North Korea was going to sneak in the back door and attack their agency, said Flowers. Not only are we fighting  the bad guys here on our own territory who are committing crimes in our own community, but now were watching out for North Korea, were watching out for China, were watching out for Russia and thats all new."

Sheriff Eric Flowers speaks at Indian River State College during a press conference alongside Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez announcing the launch of Floridas local government cybersecurity grant program on Friday, March 10, 2023, in Indian River County.

Those attacks, he said, occur ever single day and some he said had been aimed at local government institutions.

Everything we do touches the IT world now and every time we do, we add another opening to the outside world that makes us more vulnerable, he said.

Because of that, he said he welcomed Nunezs announcement of access to the $30 million grant program, whose funds she said could be used to pinpoint local vulnerabilities to digital services and provide town and county departments access to a full suite of support services."

Access to the grants opened Feb. 16 and ends March 31, according to Florida Digital Service.

Created in 2019, the Florida Cybersecurity Task Force is a unit within the state Department of Management Services, whose secretary, Pedro Allende, spoke at the event. It operates within the Florida Digital Service, established in 2020 and led by state Chief Information Officer James Grant, who also spoke Friday.

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Indian River State College

Indian River State College President Timothy Moore speaks at the college during a press conference announcing the launch of Floridas local government cybersecurity grant program on Friday, March 10, 2023, in Indian River County.

President Timothy Moore said the college would soon provide for workforce demands to thwart the pernicious threat of online attacks with the creation of a Cybersecurity Center in Okeechobee County.

The school is seeking from the state access to 205 acres off State Road 70 and County Road 441 to build the center, which is partly funded from a $1 million grant awarded by the state in November.

He said it works in conjunction with the two-year tuition-free education for local graduates offered through the state's Promise Program.

Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.

If you are a subscriber, thank you. If not, become a subscriber to get the latest local news on the Treasure Coast.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez pitches cybersecurity initiative at IRSC
Rep. George Santos on Friday rejected allegations of fraud from a convicted Brazilian man who said the New York Republican was the brains behind a credit card skimming scheme in 2017.

"Im innocent. I never did anything of criminal activity and Im no mastermind of anything," Santos told reporters when asked about a sworn affidavit from Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha that was obtained by Politico and published Thursday. "The story's false."

Trelha pleaded guilty in 2017 to a charge of "access device fraud" in federal court in Seattle for a scam involving a card skimmer that lifted card numbers and passwords from ATMs. He served about six months in jail before he was deported back to Brazil, court records show.

According to court filings, Trelha told police at the time of his arrest that his role was to install the skimming devices and then send the information recorded to the leaders of the operation in Brazil.

In the March 7 affidavit whose recipients reportedly included the FBI and Secret Service, Trelha claimed Santos was his partner and the person who taught him how to clone ATM and credit cards and how to use skimming devices.

The Secret Service confirmed to NBC News it had received Trelha's sworn declaration, but declined further comment.

When reached for comment, an FBI spokesperson said: In keeping with our usual practice, the FBI neither confirms nor denies, or otherwise comments, on information we may or may not receive from the public.

Santoss involvement in the ATM fraud case was first reported by CBS News.

Rep. George Santos at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Francis Chung / POLITICO via AP file)

Trelha said in his affidavit that he was coming forward today to declare that the person in charge of the crime of credit card fraud when I was arrested was George Santos, noting he'd recently seen Santos on television.

Since being elected in November, Santos has acknowledged having lied about his background, his finances are the subject of multiple law enforcement probes and he's being investigated by the House Ethics Committee.

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Responding to questions about the ATM allegations, Santos said he'd been "an asset for law enforcement in Seattle. I assisted them with the case. I assisted in them bringing down a range of criminals and Im very proud of that."

He also said he'd spoken to unidentified law enforcement Seattle on Thursday. Asked by NBC News if he'd been assured he would not be charged in the case, he said, "I didnt say that."

"I spoke to them about the case. We were going over the case yesterday. I havent been guaranteed anything but Im very confident I can fight this one. Its very easy," he said on Friday.

The FBI field office in Seattle said it does not comment on the roles of informants in their investigations.

An attorney who assisted Trelha with his sworn declaration did not respond to a request for comment.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Among those who taught at the Academy of Arts and Design, Tsinghua University, Zhu Danian (1916-95) and Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010) were two prominent artists themselves who formed distinctive styles, and who contributed greatly to the development of the 20th-century Chinese art.

Zhu once studied ceramic art in Japan and was a trailblazer of modern Chinese ceramics design. He also produced monumental mural works and paintings marked by details of delicacy and intense colors.

Wu was trained in China and France. His wide-ranging practices of painting expanded the realm of Chinese ink traditions, and built a bridge between the abstraction art of the West and the minimalism of Chinese art.

The two donated their works to Tsinghua, which are currently on display in rotation at a gallery named after them both, at the Tsinghua University Art Museum, where one get to understand how the two figures found their respective ways in pursuit of beauty.
Charles Sutherland and vandalism

A former school librarian accused of vandalizing libraries by spray-painting the groomer anti-LGBTQ+ slur is now facing charges of possessing child pornography as well.

Charles Sutherland of Takoma Park, Md., was arrested last June and charged with malicious destruction of property and multiple hate crimes in connection with vandalism at two public libraries in Marylands Prince Georges County, TV station WUSA reports. Libraries in the towns of Greenbelt and New Carrolton were defaced with groomer in spray paint on their entrances early in June, during nearby Washington, D.C.s Capital Pride Week. The Greenbelt library had hosted a Pride event featuring a drag performer shortly before the vandalism occurred.

The slur is often used against LGBTQ+ people. Right-wing forces claim the community is grooming children for sexual abuse.

In an interview with police last year, authorities say he made several comments expressing his disdain for the LGBTQ Community and the Prince Georges County Memorial Library System while expressing no remorse for what he did, according to The Washington Post.

Police said Sutherland confessed to being behind the vandalism, according to the station. He also agreed to a search of his home, which is in neighboring Montgomery County.

In the search, officers discovered he had a child-size doll, several smaller dolls, and diapers at his home, even though he has no children, nieces, or nephews, WUSA reports, citing a charging document. The document says he told police he had child porn on his computer, and in January forensics investigators found seven files of it. He now will face misdemeanor charges of possessing child porn.

Sutherland had been a librarian at Northview Elementary School in Bowie, Md. He was placed on administrative leave when he was arrested in June.

He is scheduled to be tried in Montgomery County in April on the child porn charges, radio station WTOP reports. In August, he is set to go to trial in Prince Georges County on the property destruction and hate-crimes charges.

At the time of the vandalism, a representative of the Prince George's County Memorial Library System said the system would continue to be inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. We are really here to make sure that the message comes across clear that our libraries are here for the LGBTQ+ communities, and that will not be changing, and we are steadfast in that support, spokesman Nick Brown told WUSA.
George Santos and an ATM

Gay U.S. Rep. George Santos, who represents parts of New York, has been accused of being behind a credit card skimming scheme in Seattle back in 2017, according to a man who was convicted of the fraud.

Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha made the allegations in a sworn declaration to authorities on Wednesday, Politico reports. After his conviction, Trelha was deported to Brazil in 2018.

I am coming forward today to declare that the person in charge of the crime of credit card fraud when I was arrested was George Santos/Anthony Devolder, he wrote in the declaration that was sent to the FBI, the Secret Services New York office as well as the U.S Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of New York.

Trelha declared that he decided to come forward after seeing Santos in the news, the outlet reports. He never told law enforcement about Santos, he wrote, because he feared that Santos would help authorities deport his friends.

Santos has previously referred to Trelha as a family friend, according to CBS News.

Santos taught me how to skim card information and how to clone cards. He gave me all the materials and taught me how to put skimming devices and cameras on ATM machines, Trelha said in the declaration.

The scheme involved taking ATM numbers from tourists visiting Seattles Pike Place Market, then sending them to Brazil.

Trelha had previously rented a room in Santoss apartment in Florida, Politico reports. In the declaration, Trelha said that Santos used a warehouse in Orlando to keep the equipment used to skim the cards.

He had a lot of material  parts, printers, blank ATM and credit cards to be painted and engraved with stolen account and personal information. Santos gave me at his warehouse, some of the parts to illegally skim credit card information. Right after he gave me the card skimming and cloning machines, he taught me how to use them, Trelha said.

Trelha then went to Seattle where he was caught on camera taking away the skimming device.

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After his arrest, Trelha said that Santos promised to help him make bail and to find him a lawyer. He said Santos did neither of those things.

Santos has repeatedly lied about his past  including attending college, working at top companies, owning properties, and ancestry. Hes also under investigation for his finances by local and federal authorities. Brazil is also investigating him again in a fraud case. The House Ethics Committee announced its own investigation into Santos for alleged sexual misconduct and other unlawful activity.

While Santos says he did lie about parts of his biography, he maintains that he never broke the law.

The lawmaker has been questioned by the Secret Service as part of the investigation into the scheme previously, according to CBS News. The Secret Service investigates crimes against the countrys financial system.

Trelha said Santos was behind the operation, but Santos has said that he was an informant in it.

Santos was never charged in the case.

The investigation into the ATM skimming scheme remains open, according to Politico.
Al and Elaine Cavaletto hold one of their favorite pictures of their daughter, Monica Lynne Leech, in 1999. A suspect in the fatal shooting of Leech during a bank robbery in 1997 has been arrested. (Los Angeles Times)

A suspect in the fatal shooting of a teller during a 1997 bank robbery in Thousand Oaks has been arrested, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office announced Friday.

The suspect was identified as 55-year-old Kevin Ray James of San Bernardino.

Little information about the arrest was disclosed Friday with officials set to hold a news conference about the case on Tuesday in Thousand Oaks.

The case has haunted law enforcement and the family of 39-year-old Monica Lynne Leech, who was shot and killed in the robbery at Western Financial Bank.

On the morning of April 28, 1997, two masked men dressed in long jackets and yellow hardhats entered the bank on Thousand Oaks Boulevard. The men berated bank employees, including Leech, forced them into a small room and handcuffed them.

Leech was shot in the back of the head, execution style.

Why Leech was shot with such violence has baffled investigators and others who were present at the robbery.

Why Monica? Thats one of the things thats so hard to deal with. Why in the world did they do that," former bank manager DeeDee Smith told The Times in 1998, a year after the incident. It was the violence  just the sheer violence of it.

The Sheriff's Office said in 2021 that Leech had obeyed the suspects' orders and had not resisted.

After the shooting, the suspects fled the scene in a white 1994 Ford Explorer with around $9,000.

In 2021, the Sheriff's Office said that new DNA evidence and technology "bolstered optimism that a suspect will be located, arrested and prosecuted."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The longtime Republican campaign aide who has leveled sexual misconduct allegations against Matt Schlapp, the influential leader of the Conservative Political Action Conference, was accused last month of sexual battery.

Carlton Huffman, 39, was recently ordered by a judge to stay away for one year from a Raleigh housemate who alleged he performed unwanted sex acts on her and another woman, according to court documents filed in Wake County Superior Court.

The Feb. 27 protective order was issued about one month after Huffman filed a lawsuit in Virginia alleging sexual battery and defamation by Schlapp. Schlapp has denied the claims.

Huffman was accused of performing sex acts on two women, ages 19 and 22, inside his Raleigh apartment without their consent. The younger woman had recently moved into the apartment with Huffman before the alleged incident on Feb. 15. The women said they felt unsafe in part because they knew Huffman had a gun in the house.

Raleigh police said the case was investigated and closed; an incident report shows no charges were filed.

The 19-year-old woman was granted the year-long restraining order against Huffman, while the 22-year-old obtained a protective order for 10 days; a judge then dismissed her complaint. In an interview with The Washington Post, the 22-year-old  whom The Post is not naming as an alleged victim of sexual violence  said she was offended by Huffmans portrayal of himself in recent weeks as a sexual battery victim.

Huffman told WRAL News, which first reported the protective order, that he was innocent of improper conduct. His attorney, Tim Hyland, declined to comment.

Huffman sued Schlapp anonymously in mid-January, seeking $9.4 million in damages. An Alexandria Circuit Court judge on Wednesday said he needed to identify himself in the lawsuit to proceed, leading Huffman to come forward publicly.

Schlapps lawyer argued that by proceeding anonymously, Huffman was trying to avoid scrutiny of his own record  which includes expressing extremist views on a white supremacist blog and radio show more than a decade ago.

In the lawsuit, Huffman says that as a staffer for Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker, he was asked to drive Schlapp when he came to Atlanta for an Oct. 19 campaign rally. According to Huffman, Schlapp groped his crotch in the car after they went to two bars that night. Schlapp acknowledges going to bars with Huffman but denies the rest of his account.

Leigh Tauss contributed to this report.
James Powell talks to his attorney before a VCSO bailiff escorts him back to a holding cell during a break in his first-degree murder trial, Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the S. James Foxman Justice Center.

A man accused of shooting a father who told him to leave an Oak Hill party was found guilty Friday of second-degree murder and aggravated battery.

James Z. Powell was charged with first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree attempted murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in the 2019 shooting of Joel Tatro. Powell, now 19, was 15 when he shot Tatro, the homeowner who told Powell he was not invited and had to leave the gathering.

The jury found Powell not guilty of attempted first-degree murder. That charge stemmed from accusations Powell shot at Dylan Talbert, a friend of the Tatro's son.

Prosecutor at murder trial:Oak Hill man died of gunshot wound, not COVID-19

Joel Tatro dies:Oak Hill man dies 3 years after being shot, paralyzed by teen at kids' party

Community help:Community rallies to help Joel Tatro, paralyzed Oak Hill father shot at home

The jury of five men and one woman deliberated for about five hours before returning its verdict.

Powell, who did not testify, did not appear to show any reaction as he stood next to his attorney in the courtroom.

Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano set sentencing for May 17 at 1:30 p.m. at the S. James Foxman Justice Center. Powell faces up to life in prison, but would be entitled to a sentence review after 25 years at which time he could be released because he was a juvenile at the time of the offense. He also faces up to life in prison on the aggravated battery charge.

Tatro was shot early on the morning of Feb. 16, 2019, while hosting a gathering for his children and their friends at his East Church Street home in Oak Hill. The shooting left Tatro paralyzed and he died on March 7, 2022, at the age of 50.

The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as COVID-19 with complications from the gunshot. But the prosecutors argued it was the gunshot that killed Tatro, who was paralyzed by the shooting and suffered health problems until his death.

Prosecutor: James Powell refused to leave, then pulled a gun

Assistant State Attorney Kevin Sullivan said no one was suggesting that Powell started that night with the intention of crashing the party and causing trouble. According to testimony, Powell was invited to the party by a female guest. But Powell and his group were not invited by Joel Tatro, the homeowner, or Tatros son, Wyatt.

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When Powell and his group were told to leave, Powell instead continued to argue that he had been invited, Sullivan said. Joel Tatro then walked out and said he owned the property and told Powell and his group to leave. But Powell still continued to argue, Sullivan said.

Powell pushed Tatro and then Tatro pushed him back, Sullivan said.

Then Powell said You dont know who you are (expletive) with, Sullivan said.

Joel Tatro

Powell then pulled out a 9 mm handgun, racked the slide to put a bullet in the firing chamber and shot Joel Tatro, according to testimony.

And while the defense said Powell and his group did not try to hide the car they drove that night, the gun has never been found, Sullivan said.

Sullivan also said race was not an issue in the case. Powell is Black. Sullivan said none of the states witnesses testified that anyone used racial slurs. And while some of the defense witnesses testified that racial slurs were used, one of the youths in the car with Powell said he never really heard it, Sullivan said.

Defense attorney Richard Zaleski Jr. said the day of the party, Powell was just hanging out with his buddies when they got an invitation from two girls, including one who was invited to the party at the Tatros.

The girls and two other people arrived in one car and Powell and his group arrived shortly after. Powell and his friends were still by their car when Talbert, a friend of Wyatt Tatro, told them to leave. Powell and Talbert got in a confrontation, Zaleski said.

He said Powell was trying to explain he had been invited but never got the chance because things escalated quickly.

Joel Tatro had been drinking and confronted Powell, getting in Powell's face and calling him "boy," Zaleski said.

He said Powell put his hands up and said "Get out of my face" when Joel Tatro grabbed Powell by the arms and threw him back.

James Powell stands next to his defense attorney on Friday. Powell, 19, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Joel Tatro of Oak Hill.

Zaleski said Wyatt Tatro came out of the house with a shotgun and approached the group. That was in contrast to Wyatt Tatros testimony that he got the shotgun only after Powell shot his father.

Zaleski said James Powell raised his gun and Joel Tatro grabbed it, put his thumb over the barrel and tried to disarm Powell.

What happens at that point, as the man is grabbing and twisting the gun, it discharges, Zaleski said. He falls immediately to the ground.

Sullivan told jurors that it didn't matter that Joel Tatro had grabbed the gun. The fact that Powell had aimed it at his head and had his finger on the trigger was enough for them to find that Powell also pulled the trigger.

Both families declined comment after the verdict.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida teen who shot Joel Tatro found guilty of second-degree murder
Six leading Match of the Day commentators have added to the growing boycott of Saturdays programme after Gary Lineker was stood down by the BBC.

A joint statement from the group, which includes regular commentators such as Steve Wilson and Conor McNamara, said the commentators had decided to step down from the broadcast it would not be appropriate to take part in the programme.

It added to the revolt that has followed the BBCs decision to pull Lineker from his presenting duties after ruling the former England internationals criticism of the governments asylum policy had breached their impartiality guidelines.

Ian Wright and Alan Shearer have announced they will not appear on Match of the Day as planned out of solidarity, while Micah Richards, Jermaine Jenas and Alex Scott also ruled themselves out of appearing on the show.

It has forced Match of the Day to take the unprecedented step to announce the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry - but the match highlights are now at risk of not having any commentary either.

More follows
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  House Speaker Kevin McCarthy rallied Republicans in his home state Saturday, urging California GOP delegates to be hopeful despite their dismal showing in recent years.

McCarthy, addressing the state party for the first time since he clinched the speakership with a 5-seat majority, pointed to November as evidence that Republicans can be relevant in California, where the GOP hasnt won a statewide race since 2006 and Democrats have a supermajority in the Legislature.

Do not believe we cannot win here, McCarthy told delegates. We won a majority in the House by defeating the speaker in this state by winning five more Congressional seats in California.

McCarthys speech comes as California Republicans could be poised to play an important role in the March 2024 primary, which is early enough in the year that the states large delegate pool could influence a potential race between former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The speaker avoided presidential politics in his speech at a downtown hotel, though he did take cracks at Rep. Adam Schiff, who is running to replace retiring Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Gov. Gavin Newsom for his support of a high-speed rail system planned to eventually cut through the states Central Valley.

The only thing I think Gavin spends more time on than high speed rail is spending time on his hair, McCarthy said.

The speaker, who is from the Central Valley city of Bakersfield, is in familiar territory in Sacramento, where he served in the Assembly as the Republican leader before he was elected to Congress. His influence is welcome to a party that has fallen on hard times in California.

He may be the highest-ranking Republican in the nation, said California Republican Party Chair Jessica Millan Patterson, who was picked for the job by McCarthy in 2019. But as a California Republican, he will always be one of us.

While the speaker and Patterson avoided talk of the presidential race, it was clearly on the minds of many at the weekend convention.

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Trump was by far the dominant name at the convention, with vendors hawking bedazzled Lets Go Brandon hats, MAGA flags and rhinestone-encrusted purses shaped like stilettos and guns emblazoned with Trump. But many spoke fondly of DeSantis.

I know what I get with Trump, said Susan Walsh, a delegate from Nevada County who was attending the convention with her dog, a Portuguese podengo named Trump. I want DeSantis to stay [in Florida], just in case I need to flee.

Marty Miller, a resident of nearby Lincoln, Calif., was the only vendor offering DeSantis merchandise on Friday, including a blue DeSantisland t-shirt written in Disney font.

A native of Florida, Miller said California Republicans are open to DeSantis, but many are waiting to see what Trump does.

They like Trump, he said. But hes got to keep his mouth shut.
Canton art student Christopher Brooks new this picture of his grandfather, Rev. Willie Wilder.

CANTON  When Christopher Brooks was 2, he loved Hot Wheels.

When he turned 8, though, he not only loved Legos but he began creating structures out of them.

Today, the 16-year-old McKinley High School sophomore finds himself in great demand as a portrait artist who produces pristine, photographic-like images.

"I started in kindergarten," said Christopher, who is studying Advanced Placement drawing at McKinley. "About five or six years ago, I started doing realistic drawings."

Wilder said his chosen medium for portraits is pencil, but he's venturing into oil painting.

"What I do like about oil is it blends better," he said.

Christopher Brooks, 16, of Canton did this self-portrait. Christopher is in growing demand as a portrait artist.

Canton arts loses big patron:Ohio art community mourns loss of Stark County arts advocate

Christopher loves the process of creating a portrait.

"It's interesting; it really is," he said. "One, you're in the middle of something, you look back and see how much progress you've made."

Seaira Calloway, left, talks about her son Christopher Brooks' talent as a portrait artist. Christopher is seeing growing demand for his art.

Where did Christopher Brooks get his talent?

His mother, Seaira Calloway, is proud of his gift, which she says he got from his dad.

"It makes people smile," she said. "He didn't get it from me. I hope he will pursue it as a career. Either that, or culinary because he's also really good at cooking."

Christopher said it takes about two weeks to complete a portrait. His commissions have included wedding portraits, and portraits for extended family members.

One of his works is on display in McKinley's Early College Building.

Art teacher Joe Tilstra said Christopher is exceptional.

"He is probably one of the best students I've had in a long time; he's very talented," he said.

In terms of his skills, Christopher doesn't need much instruction.

"I only point him in the right direction," he said, adding that Christopher is one of the youngest-ever students in the AP art curriculum, which is eligible for college credit. "He's very outgoing, and loves to interact with other students and talk about their work."

Christopher Brooks holds a portrait he drew of the rap group NWA.

'He won't give anyone a picture unless he's happy with the details.'

Calloway said she believes art keeps her son motivated.

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"He's not into sports. This is what he likes to do," she said. "It's his attention to detail. He won't give anyone a picture unless he's happy with the details."

Tilstra said Christopher could easily make a living as an artist. Last week, Desere Larry Mayo, an artist from Wisconsin who's a 2002 McKinley graduate, spoke to Tilstra's students.

"We try to include what he's doing outside of school with his work portfolio," he said.

Artist's grandfather makes historyMen of Steel: Breaking racial barriers at the Canton's Timken Co.

A commissioned work in progress by Christopher Brooks.

Calloway said her son also has been a good role model for his younger brother, Artez Brooks, 13, and little sister, Da'Miya Harris, 8.

"I'm proud of him," she said. "He's a good kid."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

Christopher Brooks drew this detailed portrait of the late rap music star Nipsy Hussle.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Christopher Brooks enjoys growing demand for his skill as artist
A narcotics trafficker pleaded guilty Wednesday to international cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

>> TRENDING: U.S. Senate, House unanimously vote to declassify origins of COVID-19

Raul Flores-Hernandez, also known as El Tio, 70, led a drug-trafficking organization based in Mexicos Jalisco State that trafficked cocaine into the United States between the 1980s to 2017, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorneys Office, Southern District of California stated.

Flores-Hernandez leveraged business connections to transport cocaine from Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia to Mexican ports, then smuggled the narcotics by land into the United States, the spokesperson continued.

The United States worked with Mexican authorities to arrest Flores-Hernandez and extradite him to the United States from Mexico, the spokesperson added. He was arrested July 2017 and extradited February 2021.

Flores-Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine into the United States.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, the spokesperson informed.
The resident orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing twice postponed its national tour in 2022 due to the pandemic, but as the country has optimized its COVID-19 response, the delayed tour will resume.

From March 13-24, the China NCPA Orchestra will perform eight concerts in five cities: Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Changsha. Conductor Lyu Jia will preside.

"We are thrilled, fully prepared and eager to begin the tour and finally perform for people again," says Ren Xiaolong, managing director of the orchestra.

According to Ren, the orchestra have prepared more pieces than it did for its last national tour, and included a greater variety of styles from different places and times.

European classical music will be represented by Symphony No 7 in E Major by Austrian composer Anton Bruckner, Prelude to Act I from Lohengrin by German composer Richard Wagner and Symphony No 2 in D Major, Op 73, by German composer Johannes Brahms.

Chinese pieces will also be showcased during the national tour, including Reflet d'un temps disparu by Chen Qigang, Pipa Concerto No 2 by Zhao Jiping and Village Backyard, Op 89, by Ye Xiaogang.

Lyu selected for the performances a number of German and Austrian works because he believes they "are the very foundation of classical music".

Asked about playing Bruckner's Symphony No 7 in E Major, Li Zhe, the orchestra's principal violinist, says that it is a large and challenging piece: "There are four movements without breaks, which means we are going to play 85 minutes from the first note to the last."

In his sixties, Bruckner completed his seventh symphony; its premiere in 1884 was a great success. In the piece, the composer paid tribute to Wagner, who had died the year before. Bruckner opened the second movement with Wagner tubas, a kind of horn designed in the 19th century by the great German master.

"By including this along with the other two pieces by Wagner and Brahms, we hope to display our growth and achievement in interpreting German and Austrian composers over the past 10 years," says Li.

Zhao's Pipa Concerto No 2 was co-commissioned by the NCPA and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. It debuted in 2013 in Sydney, Australia. In 2014, the China NCPA Orchestra premiered it in Beijing.

During the upcoming tour, pipa player Zhang Qiang will join the China NCPA Orchestra to perform the piece.

"The composer is from northern China, and the audience may be able to detect his use of folk songs and other musical elements from the region. In Pipa Concerto No 2, Zhao was also inspired by pingtan, so the piece is a fusion of the musical styles of northern and southern China," says Ren.

Pingtan is a type of folk art from Suzhou, in East China's Jiangsu province, which combines storytelling and balladry in the local dialect. Performers are usually accompanied by traditional stringed instruments, such as the sanxian and pipa, as well as woodwinds.

During the tour, the audience will be treated to two different versions of Chen's Reflet d'un temps disparu. The piece, written in 1995 and premiered in 1998, is based on the well-known ancient Chinese melody Three Variations on the Plum Blossom, which was originally conceived for the guqin, a zitherlike instrument.

Chen's piece, originally written for the cello and orchestra, will be performed by erhu player Ma Xianghua, who first performed the work in 2001 during the Beijing Music Festival. Cellist Li-Wei Qin will round out the duet.

"Two different musical instruments  erhu and cello  allow the piece to sound unique. The audience will also gain a new perspective on the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument," says Ma.

During the tour, a new piece, titled Yuan Du (From the Vessel of Ancient Souls), will also be staged. Composed by Yao Chen, its global premiere was on Feb 17 at the NCPA.

The new piece is based on veteran Chinese artist Han Meilin's Tian Shu (Book of Heaven) series of calligraphy works, which are inspired by ancient Chinese characters and graphic folk art symbols.

The China NCPA Orchestra was developed to meet the demands of the venue's tight performance schedule, especially for its own operatic productions, and to work with international artists.

Chen Zuohuang, the NCPA's founding music director, served as its first chief conductor.

Lyu took over in 2012, in the orchestra's second season. In 2022, he celebrated his 10th anniversary at its helm.
An estimated 1.2 Americans travel to Mexico seeking medical treatment each year, according to Patients Beyond Borders. Alfredo Estrella/AE/AFP via Getty Images

Medical tourism is drawing attention after the kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico last week.

Some 1.2 million Americans seek medical treatment in Mexico each year  mostly due to lower costs.

One expert said it's possible to participate in medical tourism safely, but people have to research carefully.

News of the kidnapping of four Americans in Mexico has drawn new attention to the phenomenon of medical tourism, a hugely profitable industry that draws millions of Americans each year, despite well-publicized risks to health and safety.

On March 3, four Americans were abducted shortly after crossing the Mexican border from Brownsville, Texas, into Matamoros, Tamaulipas. The group was fired upon and kidnapped by armed gunmen, and two of the Americans were later found dead, according to the FBI.

A friend of the group, Cheryl Orange, has told media outlets that the group entered Mexico so that one of them could undergo cosmetic surgery. That patient is one of the estimated 1.2 million Americans to travel to Mexico seeking medical treatment each year, according to the organization Patients Beyond Borders.

Patients Beyond Borders has calculated that, on average, Americans can expect to save 40% to 65% on medical treatments in Mexico. Cosmetic surgery is among the most popular treatments Americans seek out in foreign countries, according to the group, along with cardiovascular, orthopedic, and even cancer treatments.

One 2020 survey of American medical tourists in Mexico found that dental procedures were the most sought-after medical service, and 92% of the people surveyed cited cost as the reason they participated in medical tourism.

Lydia Gan, who heads the Medical Tourism Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, said medical tourists can face great risks traveling abroad for procedures if they fail to properly research the countries and medical facilities they're visiting.

Gan said the Mexico kidnapping should be viewed as an "isolated case." The greatest risk medical tourists face is "not knowing your environment," she told Insider.

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A member of the Mexican security forces stands next to a white minivan with North Carolina plates and several bullet holes, at the crime scene where gunmen kidnapped four U.S. citizens who crossed into Mexico from Texas earlier this month. AP

When selecting travel destinations, Gan recommended people always review the State Department's travel advisories about the areas they're visiting. Currently, the State Department has issued a "do not travel" advisory to the Mexican state of Tamaulipas due to the heightened risks of crime and kidnapping.

Gan, herself, has traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, for medical treatment and said she felt "very safe" due to the extensive research and precautions she took before traveling.

"Typically, if I go to a country for treatment, I spend about a month doing research on the country, and definitely have a contact person there that I can work with," Gan said.

She said Americans can even seek out medical tourism travel agents to further reduce their risk. These organizations can arrange travel for patients between airports, medical clinics or hospitals, and hotels, and can even assist in seeking out accredited doctors and hospitals.

Gan said Americans can find superior care to what they'd receive in the US  for a fraction of the cost. She said patients should seek out medical facilities that are accredited by the Joint Commission International to ensure they are on par with American standards of care.

"A lot of these hospitals have doctors that are US or UK board certified, and have been trained in the US or the UK," Gan said. "The nurse-to-patient ratio is usually 1:1, and you get more attention. You're not just a statistic. People just have to do their homework."

Read the original article on Insider
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's top diplomat on Friday criticized comments by former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, who had called for increased U.S. involvement in Mexico to tackle drug cartels, saying Mexico "will never allow its sovereignty to be violated."

Following an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal by Barr last week, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard penned his own response in the newspaper, stressing joint cooperation over U.S. military involvement in Mexico.

Barr's opinion piece compared Mexico's "narco-terrorist" cartels to the jihadist Islamic State and backed a Republican proposal to give the U.S. president the power to send the military to fight against the cartels.

"The voracious demand for drugs in the U.S., along with the widespread availability of military-style weapons there, largely explains the cartels' power to wreak havoc," Ebrard shot back.

In recent days, calls for U.S. intervention in Mexico have ramped up after two Americans were killed and two others kidnapped in the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas, presumably by a drug cartel.

"This is a national security threat for both countries and we need bipartisan pressure on the President of Mexico to put a stop to this," Texas Republican Dan Crenshaw tweeted.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador rejected the calls for U.S. intervention Thursday, calling them "irresponsible."

Ebrard said the proposal by Barr, who served in Donald Trump's term, "would lead to even more violence and victims on both sides of the border" and wipe out cooperation between the two countries.

Instead, Ebrard stressed the two partners were already working to develop a framework which would address the production of synthetic drugs, particularly fentanyl.

"We need an effective drug policy, and the illegal flow of weapons into Mexico must stop," Ebrard added.

(Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Chris Reese and Grant McCool)
Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Michael Cohen, Donald Trumps former lawyer and intermediary in the Stormy Daniels hush-money affair, is scheduled to testify before a Manhattan grand jury on Monday about payments made to the adult film performer, according to a report on Saturday.

Related: Trump porn star payment a zombie case that wouldnt die, ex-prosecutor says in book

Cohens appearance before a grand jury convened by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg comes as prosecutors are believed to be nearing the end of an investigation into payments totaling $130,000 that Trump made to Daniels shortly before the 2016 election to stop her discussing their alleged affair.

Cohen has been meeting regularly with Manhattan prosecutors in recent weeks, according to the Associated Press, which reported that the lawyer had been in an all-day sit-down on Friday in preparation for his testimony next week.

He declined to comment as he left the session, saying hed be taking a little bit of time now to stay silent and allow the DA build their case.

On Friday, the New York Times cited four sources saying that Trump had also been offered to testify in the probe that could make the 45th president the first former president to be indicted. Trump is considered unlikely to accept the offer.

However, Trump used social media to deride the investigation, describing it as a Scam, Injustice, Mockery, and Complete and Total Weaponization of Law Enforcement in order to affect a Presidential Election!

The criminal probe into payments to Daniels is partially piggybacked on a parallel New York State criminal case that found the Trump Organization guilty on multiple charges of tax fraud and falsifying business records in December.

Possible charges against Trump personally arising from the Manhattan DA investigation include alleged crimes committed in arranging Daniels payments, charges relating to how they were accounted for by the Trump Organization and falsifying business records.

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The Manhattan district attorneys probe appeared to go off the rails last year when the newly elected district attorney slowed the investigation and lost two prosecutors.

The investigation was later resurrected and resumed its efforts focusing on hush money payments made to Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Daniels was paid by Cohen through his own company and then reimbursed by Trump, through the Trump Organization which logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.

McDougals $150,000 payment, arranged by Cohen, was made by the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer, which later killed the story in what was called a catch-and-kill operation.

Cohen, now a co-operating witness, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign-finance violations related to the Daniels payments. He was sentenced to three years in federal prison, ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, and later disbarred from working as an attorney.

Federal prosecutors said during Cohens criminal case that Trump was aware of the payments to the women but the US attorneys office in New York declined to pursue criminal charges against Trump who was by then the US president residing in the White House.

Cohen, who worked as Trumps attorney and fixer from 2006 to 2018, is now estranged from his former boss. Earlier this year, he handed over his cell phones, including voice recordings of conversations he had with a lawyer for Daniels, emails and text messages to the Manhattan district attorney.

Cohen is not the only former member of Trumps former inner circle to have met prosecutors. Former political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks are also believed to have visited the district attorneys lower Manhattan offices.
Michael Cohen and Donald Trump. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Michael Cohen is set to testify next week before the Trump "hush money" grand jury in Manhattan.

It could be a final step before a vote on an indictment charging Trump with falsifying business records.

If indicted, Trump would become the first former president to ever face criminal charges.

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's fixer-turned-nemesis, will be the final witness to testify next week before a Manhattan grand jury weighing possible felony falsifying business records charges against the former president, Insider has learned.

Details of the timing of Cohen's testimony were first reported by The New York Times.

Cohen is expected to present a detailed chronology of a 2016 "hush-money" payment made by Trump to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, an account corroborated by documents, phone records, and email communications, Cohen has said.

Trump advisors Hope Hicks and Kellyanne Conway have also appeared at the district attorney's offices in recent days.

Next week's testimony could be the last step before a possible felony indictment against Trump for an alleged scheme to impact the 2016 election by secretly funneling Daniels $130,000 to ensure she stayed silent about an affair she claimed to have with Trump a decade earlier, according to two people with knowledge of the prosecution's intentions.

Bragg must authorize his prosecutors to request a grand jury vote before an indictment could be voted on. It's unclear if or when that will happen.

Trump may be accused of falsely designating the payment as a "retainer" to Cohen when it was really an undeclared campaign expenditure, one 0f the people told Insider, asking to stay anonymous to discuss the sensitive matter.

Cohen met all day Friday with Manhattan prosecutors working on District Attorney Alvin Bragg's hush-money inquiry  assumedly in preparation for his testimony.

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He seemed in high spirits on the way into the DA's offices in the morning, calling Trump a "liar" who would never, himself, testify before the grand jury but appeared somber and tired on the way out six hours later. After some two months of very public arrivals and departures from the DA's office  and statements praising Bragg and criticizing Trump  Cohen and his lawyer were circumspect on Friday afternoon.

"We were very impressed with the professionalism of this group of prosecutors, and thank Mr. Bragg and the entire team," said attorney Lanny Davis, who accompanied Cohen to the DA sit-down.

"Aside from that, we will have no comment about anything from this point on," he told reporters waiting outside the DA's office. "Other than we're sorry we kept you all waiting so long."

Asked by Insider if he was tired from the long day, Cohen said, "Yeah, it's been a long day. I'm looking forward to spending the weekend with family."

He added, "I'm really going to be taking a little time now, to stay silent, and allow the DA to build their case and to do the things that they need to do."

Cohen declined to say when  or even whether  he would be coming back to the DA's offices but in recent weeks, he has said publicly that he believes an indictment is coming "soon."

A lawyer for Trump declined to comment on the grand jury or on the possibility of an indictment. Bragg's office has remained mum on the grand jury process and the continuing probe.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Donald Trumps former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen will appear in front of a Manhattan grand jury on Monday, with a criminal indictment against Trump looking increasingly possible.

Several people with knowledge of the inquiry told the New York Times that Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg has already questioned at least seven other people in connection with a hush-money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels on behalf of the former president. Cohen, who made the payment to Daniels, is a key witness in the probe and potentially the last to appear before the grand jury.

Every major player will have appeared after Cohens testimony, with the exception of Stormy Daniels herself, who may not be called.

Prosecutors are widely expected to make a final decision on whether to criminally indict Trump shortly thereafter.

In another indication that an indictment is close, prosecutors offered Trump the chance to testify next week, according to the Associated Press.

The $130,000 payment in question was made to Daniels in the final days of the 2016 presidential election by Cohen, who in turn was reimbursed by Trump. Daniels claimed she had a sexual affair with the former president he wanted to keep secret. Prosecutors have focused on whether Trump falsified internal records to hide the reimbursement from voters.

New York law considers falsifying business records to be a crime, but it is only a misdemeanor. However, the misdemeanor can be elevated to a felony if it is done to commit or conceal a second crime, which in this case could be a violation of campaign finance laws. Hush money is not illegal per se, but prosecutors could argue that the payout effectively became an illegal donation to Trumps campaign under the theory that his candidacy benefited from Daniels silence.

Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a witch hunt.

This is not the only active criminal probe into the former president. In Georgia, Trump is being investigated by the Fulton County district attorney for allegedly interfering in the 2020 election. He is also being investigated federally by special counsel Jack Smith for alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results as well as for his handling of classified documents.

More from National Review
Michelle Williams, whose career spans television and film, has received her fifth Oscar nomination ahead of the 95th Academy Awards.

If Williams were to win March 12 for her role in "The Fabelmans," she would receive her first Oscar from her decades-long career.

29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Arrivals (Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic / Getty Images)

The Fabelmans is a semi-autobiographical story of Steven Spielbergs adolescence. Williams portrays Mitzi Fabelman, an encouraging mother to her son, Sammy, who dreams of becoming a filmmaker. The role has garnered her a best actress nod at the 2023 Academy Awards, bringing her total nominations to five.

The record for most acting nominations is held by Meryl Streep, with 21, followed by Katharine Hepburn and Jack Nicholson, each with 12.

Williams breadth of work, ranging from Dawsons Creek to Brokeback Mountain, makes her a formidable match against this years nominees, including Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett.

In preparation for Sundays ceremony, heres a look at Williams Oscar-nominated roles.

'Brokeback Mountain' (2005)

Le secret de Brokeback Mountain Brokeback Mountain 2005 Real Ang Lee Michelle Williams Heath Ledger. Collection Christophel  Focus Features / River Road Entertainment Stock Photo Download preview Save to lightbox Add to cart Le secret de Brokeback Mountain Brokeback Mountain 2005 Real Ang Lee Michelle Williams Heath Ledger. Collection Christophel  Focus Features / River Road Entertainment (Collection Christophel / Alamy Stock Photo)

Nominated for: Best supporting actress

"Brokeback Mountain tackles an intimate relationship formed between two cowboys in 1960s Wyoming. The film, starring the late Heath Ledger as Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal as Jack, garnered Williams her first Oscar nomination for her role as Alma, Ennis' wife.

Williams and Ledger started dating after meeting on the set of "Brokeback Mountain" and welcomed their daughter, Matilda, in 2005. Gyllenhaal is one of Matilda's godparents, according to People.

'Blue Valentine' (2010)

WILLIAMS,GOSLING, BLUE VALENTINE, 2010, (AJ Pics / Alamy Stock Photo)

Nominated for: Best actress

Blue Valentine stars Williams as Cindy, an aspiring doctor, and follows the tumultuous build-up and gradual decline of her marriage to Dean, played by Ryan Gosling.

Surprisingly, some of the scenes in the film were improvised between Williams and Gosling, leading to more emotionally intense and intimate scenes.

'My Week with Marilyn' (2011)

Nominated - Performance by an actress in a leading role, Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn (The Weinstein Company) Still of Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn (PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy Stock Photo)

Nominated for: Best actress

Williams donned curly hair and bright pink lipstick to transform into Marilyn Monroe in this biographical drama about the late icon.

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The film, based on a book by Colin Clark (played by Eddie Redmayne), chronicles the making of the 1957 romantic comedy The Prince and the Showgirl" and highlights an intimate period of time within Monroes storied career.

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck in

Nominated for: Best supporting actress

Williams fourth Oscar nod was for her portrayal of a young mother who experiences an unimaginable tragedy.

Manchester by the Sea, which was co-distributed by Amazon, was the first streaming film to pick up an Oscar nomination for best picture.

The Fabelmans (2022)

THE FABELMANS (2022) PAUL DANO MICHELLE WILLIAMS STEVEN SPIELBERG (DIR) UNIVERSAL PICTURES/MOVIESTORE COLLECTION (Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo)

Nominated for: Best actress

Revolving around Steven Spielbergs love for filmmaking, The Fabelmans could nab Williams' her first Oscar win pending Sunday's ceremony.

Williams' character, Mitzi, is based on Spielberg's mother, Leah Adler, who passed away in 2017.

Williams told Town & Country that Spielberg asked her to play his mother by telling her about his life and his family. The answer was a resounding yes, she said.

I loved being her," she told the outlet. "I loved loving my family through her."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - A Michigan man was arrested and charged with illegal ownership of firearms after he made death threats against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and President Joe Biden, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday.

Federal agents, after receiving an online tip this week from YouTube owner Google, uncovered threats posted on YouTube, which also included threats to members of the LGBTQ community and FBI agents, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

An investigation led to Randall Robert Berka II, who lives in Sebewaing, Michigan, and was illegally in the possession of firearms after having been committed to a mental institution and while a daily user of marijuana, the Justice Department said. Berka, 30, illegally possessed four firearms, three long guns and a pistol, the Justice Department said.

Berka faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The Justice Department said that among statements Berka posted were: "im going to kill these democrats biden deserves to die" and "im gonna kill lgbt freaks."

At his initial court appearance on Friday, a federal judge ordered Berka to be detained pending another hearing on March 15, CNN reported.

Whitmer has been threatened previously, including a plot to kidnap her in 2020. Late last year, a right-wing militia member was sentenced to over 19 years in prison and another ringleader sentenced to 16 years over the foiled plot.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)
A pile of $100 bills. Getty Images

A Michigan woman almost threw out her winning scratch-off ticket, per state lottery officials.

"I scratched the tickets when I got in my car and thought they were both non-winners," she said.

The woman double-checked her ticket and realized she won $1 million.

A Michigan woman nearly lost out on $1 million after she almost threw her scratch-off ticket in the trash, state lottery officials said.

The woman, identified as a 30-year-old, purchased her Sizzling Hot 7's ticket from a convenience store in Ovid, Michigan, according to a state lottery statement. She snagged two of them due to it being a "newer game."

"I scratched the tickets when I got in my car and thought they were both non-winners, so I put them in a bag with some other garbage to throw away," the woman said, per the Michigan Lottery.

The next day, the woman decided to check the tickets again before dumping them, according to the statement. She said her "heart started racing" when she realized she won $1 million and immediately called her loved ones.

According to Michigan lottery officials, she picked the lump sum payment option of $693,000. She plans to use her winnings to buy a new home.

"I am so glad I decided to look the ticket over again before throwing it away," she said.

Read the original article on Insider
For Luca Pozzi, general manager of Manuli Hydraulics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., the Chinese market is the largest in the world and its potential remains enormous, so he has never lost confidence in expanding the Italian firm's presence in China.

"Of course, the environment will be more competitive, but we remain very confident due to the specific projects we have launched here," Pozzi said. China's optimization of its COVID-19 response has been fundamental for the company's business development, he said, as they can ink deals while meeting their partners face-to-face.

Manuli, which mainly produces hydraulic hoses, entered Suzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province in 2005, and has since been on the fast track of development. "Our hose plant in Suzhou is running on a high capacity and we expect the total volumes this year to remain stable compared to last year," Pozzi said.

"We focus on quality and cost efficiency, and the dedicated R&D branch in Suzhou continues to support innovative solutions for our Chinese and Asian clients," he said, noting that they are considering investing in the energy field to become more sustainable.

Suzhou, which was called the "Venice of the East" by Marco Polo, has deepened its relationship with Italy. Home to about 150 Italian companies, it has become a city with one of the largest concentrations of Italian investment overseas.

"Suzhou has an ideal environment to run operations since there is a big manufacturing industry, with an established offer of suppliers and services," Pozzi said. "The administration is well prepared and can support you when it comes to technical and environmental projects."

"A good business environment and highly efficient government are among the favorable factors for choosing China to develop our business," said Flavio Zaghini, CEO Asia of Piovan Group, a leading automation system production company.

Italy-based Piovan has been in the Chinese market for over 20 years. In 2021, it added to its footprint in the country by signing an agreement to build a new factory in Suzhou, which will be completed by 2024 and become the headquarters for all of the group's branches in the Asia region.

"We are confident that our investment in China will be one of the key factors for our growth in the next years," Zaghini said.

Paolo Ottaviani, general manager of Viani Trade Consulting Co., Ltd., has also cast his vote of confidence in the Chinese economy.

The Italian established the firm in Jiangsu's Yancheng City in 2018, aiming to provide consulting services for foreign investors. He takes the initiative to introduce China's business environment and policies to potential investors in Italy.

"I hope to be a bridge between China and Italy and promote a win-win situation through cooperation," Ottaviani said. He said he believes that China will continue to promote high-standard opening-up and that there is great potential for investment.

China will intensify efforts to attract and utilize foreign investment, according to a government work report unveiled on March 5 at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress, the national legislature.

The country will expand market access, continue to open up the modern services sector, ensure foreign-funded companies receive the same treatment as domestic firms, improve services for foreign-funded companies, and facilitate the launch of landmark foreign-funded projects, the report said.

And more foreign companies are eyeing opportunities in China, hoping to gain growth drivers in the world's second-largest economy amid global uncertainties.

Foreign direct investment into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, expanded 14.5 percent year on year to 127.69 billion yuan in January this year, according to the Ministry of Commerce. In U.S. dollar terms, the FDI inflow increased 10 percent year on year to total 19.02 billion U.S. dollars.

"Despite the pandemic and international troubles, our business worldwide has been very good in recent years," Zaghini said. "And we are confidently preparing to face future challenges."
JACKSON, Miss.  A Mississippi man allegedly upset about the COVID-19 vaccination program has been sentenced to two years in prison for threatening federal health officials, federal prosecutors said.

Robert Wiser Bates, 39, of Ridgeland, placed phone calls to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta in July 2021 and left threatening voicemails for the agency's director, Rochelle Walensky, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.

Hate Crime:Mississippi man sentenced to 42 months in prison for cross burning

An investigation found Bates made similar threats towards Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the National Institutes of Health, LaMarca's office said.

Bates pleaded guilty Dec. 19 to charges of making threats in interstate commerce.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi man gets 2 years for threats to CDC officials
By Crispian Balmer

ROME (Reuters) -More than 1,300 migrants have been rescued in three separate operations off the southern tip of Italy, the coastguard said on Saturday, two weeks after at least 74 people died when their boat hit rocks near the coast.

Growing numbers of migrant arrivals have piled pressure on Italy's conservative government, which took office last October promising to reduce the flow only to see a sharp increase insuch landings this year from both North Africa and Turkey.

The coastguard said one of its vessels had taken 500 migrants off one boat more than 100 miles (160 km) out to sea, and subsequently took them to the city of Reggio Calabria.

A further 379 migrants were removed from a separate vessel in the same vicinity and will be brought to land shortly.

"The rescues (were) complex due to the boats being overloaded with migrants and the unfavourable sea conditions," the coastguard said in a statement.

Another packed fishing boat carrying 487 migrants was escorted into the Calabrian port of Crotone, lashed to a tug to help give it stability.

Local officials said a further 200 people had been picked up off the coast of Sicily and would be ferried to Catania later in the day, while the airforce was flying migrants out of a packed reception centre on the island of Lampedusa.

More than 17,000 people have reached Italy so far this year, including around 4,000 this week, compared to 6,000 in the first 2-1/2 months of 2022. Hundreds have also died trying to cross the Mediterranean and reach Europe.

INVESTIGATION

The body of a young girl was recovered on Saturday close to where a migrant boat broke apart on Feb. 26, bringing the death toll from that one disaster to 74. Seventy-nine people survived the shipwreck, but around 30 are still missing, presumed dead.

In all, the United Nations estimates 300 migrants have died in the central Mediterranean so far this year.

Prosecutors are investigating whether Italian authorities should have done more to prevent the disaster. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has rejected the suggestion and looked to pin the blame entirely on human traffickers.

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Her cabinet on Thursday introduced tougher jail terms for people smugglers and promised to open up more channels for legal migration. Late last year, it cracked down on charity rescue boats, accusing them of acting as a taxi service for migrants.

The charities denied this was the case. The measure has led to a sharp reduction in the number of rescue ships patrolling the Mediterranean, without apparently dissuading migrants from putting to sea.

Enrico Borghi, a senator with the centre-left Democratic Party, accused the government of bungling the crisis.

"(It) thinks it can solve such a profound problem through media posturing, the criminal code and fake efforts at appearing tough," he wrote on Twitter. "The result: landings have tripled with the Meloni government."

Meloni herself issued a statement on Saturday, saying the only solution lay with a joint European effort to strengthen the EU's borders and enhance cooperation with expulsions.

(Reporting by Crispian BalmerEditing by Mark Potter and Frances Kerry)
Photo: Spencer Platt (Getty Images)

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared covid-19 a pandemic three years ago, on Mar. 11, 2020. The declaration has not lapsed, and though most cases are mild, more than 20 million people are currently ill with covid.



Since vaccines were rolled out beginning in late 2020, more than 13 billion vaccine doses have been distributed around the world, though not evenly. High- and upper middle-income countries have administered more than 200 doses per 100 people, while lower-middle income ones have administered 140 per 100 people, and low-income only 37 per 100. The gap was especially marked in 2021.

Read more

The consequences have been deadly. In a letter published by the nonprofit Peoples Vaccine Alliance on Friday (Mar. 10), 200 global leaders call out the results of the inequity, highlighting a disheartening statistic: 1.3 million lives could have been saved with more equitable global vaccine distribution in the first year of the vaccine rollout. In other words, a more equitable covid vaccine rollout could have saved a life every 24 seconds.

Millions died for the greed of rich countries

The Peoples Vaccine Alliances, a coalition with the goal of free vaccines for all, made the calculation based on a study published in October 2022 in Nature. The researchers behind the study modeled the impact that a more equitable distribution of vaccines had on covid in 2022 and calculated the damage caused by a lack thereof the previous year.

That those lives were not saved is a scar on the worlds conscience, reads the letter, whose signatories include former UN secretary Ban Ki-Moon, former Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and Nobel laureates Joseph Stiglitz and Richard Roberts.

The letter includes a call for specific steps to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring again: support the World Health Organizations pandemic accord; invest in scientific innovation outside wealthy nations; remove intellectual barriers that prevent sharing life-saving know-how; and increase public investment in medical innovation.



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But whether the global health community is willing to learn any lessons from its past mistakes and adopt these ambitious but reasonable measures remains to be seen. For starters, it will require commitment from current heads of governmentsall of whom, with the exception of East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta, are missing from the long list of Peoples Vaccine Alliance signatories.

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Click here to read the full article.
PATERSON  Several dozen people protesting the fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks converged Friday night on a restaurant owned by one of the cops involved in the incident, banging and kicking the business closed metal security gate.

Several protesters stomped on a mini motorcycle that had been left on the sidewalk outside the restaurant, leaving the damaged vehicle in the curb.

Protesters demanding justice for Najee Seabrooks and Paterson police on Grand Street in Paterson on Friday, March 10, 2023. Seabrooks, a member of the violence intervention group the Paterson Healing Collective, was fatally shot by Paterson police after a standoff while he was barricaded inside his home.

Waves of Paterson police officers rushed to the scene at 322 Grand St. until about 50 cops  some wearing riot helmets  formed a human barricade in front of the business as steady rain fell. A series of face-to-face confrontations then took place along a phalanx that stretched for about 20 yards as protesters taunted, cursed and challenged the police.

Where are the pigs that shot my brother? asked one protester.

Protesters demanding justice for Najee Seabrooks and Paterson police on Grand Street in Paterson on Friday, March 10, 2023. Seabrooks, a member of the violence intervention group the Paterson Healing Collective, was fatally shot by Paterson police after a standoff while he was barricaded inside his home.

You look like you want to do something, another protester yelled at an officer.

Most of the cops said nothing in response to the angry crowd.

One of the protesters  a large man wearing a New York Yankees cap  pointed out various officers he knew personally, asking them why police would shoot somebody who worked as a violence intervention specialist.

We want yall to be here, said the man in the Yankees cap, who declined to give his name to a news reporter. We want you to hear what we have to say.

The tense standoff lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes and ended when one of Seabrooks relatives got on a bullhorn and told the protesters that the dead mans mother had called and asked everyone to go home.

Our view:Can Najee Seabrooks' fatal shooting be the moment to change Paterson's police? | Editorial

The protest had started about two-and-a-half-hours prior to the restaurant confrontation, with a rally outside Patersons main library branch on Broadway. About 100 people had gathered for the event  fewer than half the number who attended demonstrations on Tuesday.

The group marched from the library to Paterson police headquarters, as police officers blocked traffic allowing them to walk the six blocks along one of the citys main thoroughfares. At headquarters, officers stayed inside as the protesters chanted and shouted profanities about police.

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The crowd then headed to Joes Grand Street Chinese Restaurant, a business owned by the family of one of the Paterson officers, Qiad Lin, involved in Seabrooks' death. The Attorney Generals Office has identified Anzore Tsay and Jose Hernandez as the officers who shot Seabrooks. The state said Lin, Hector Mendez and Marios Vdovjak used less lethal force against Seabrooks.

Protesters demanding justice for Najee Seabrooks and Paterson police on Grand Street in Paterson on Friday, March 10, 2023. Seabrooks, a member of the violence intervention group the Paterson Healing Collective, was fatally shot by Paterson police after a standoff while he was barricaded inside his home.

After the release of the officers names on Wednesday, photos of at least two of them began circulating on Instagram by someone posting them anonymously as xposethecopsandcorrupt. One post mentioned that Lin owned a restaurant in Paterson.

Burn his [place] down, wrote one person who commented on the post.

Police on Friday night apparently had gotten word that the protesters were marching toward the restaurant. One Paterson officer stopped his vehicle in the middle of Grand Street and banged on the restaurant's window to warn people inside.

The business had been open minutes before the marchers arrived and several customers left with their takeout orders just as protesters turned the corner from Main Street onto Grand. The first wave of nearly a dozen cops arrived minutes after the protesters. In a matter of minutes, dozens of additional officers flocked to the scene.

One person in the crowd teased the cops about getting overtime because of the rally.

Another yelled up to the people living in the apartment above the restaurant that they might as well move out because we gonna be here every night.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Najee Seabrooks shooting: Rally at cop-related Paterson restaurant
The newest In-N-Out Burger opens this week in the central San Joaquin Valley.

Its in Delano, about 77 miles south of Fresno just off Highway 99 at 505 Woollomes Ave.

It opens at 10:30 a.m. Friday.

The fast food burger restaurant is a California favorite that often inspires long lines in its drive-thru and loyal customers willing to wait in them.

Its cheeseburger is its most popular menu item, with customers often ordering off the not-so-secret secret menu. (Animal style  with lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions, mustard and extra spread  is a popular favorite.)

The Irvine-based company is low-key and privately-owned by the Snyder family that founded it. It doesnt usually loudly publicize its grand openings, preferring instead to just open its doors, a company representative told The Bee.

The restaurant will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. most days, and until 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Delano location will employ 80 workers with a starting wage of $19 an hour.

It has one drive-thru lane, seating indoors for 82 people and covered patio seating for 36 people.

The company, which does not franchise, has more than 385 locations.

Another location is in the early stages of planning in Madera, with a local restaurant torn down in January to make way for it.
Note: We've brought you a front-row seat to Florida rocket launches since 1966. Journalism like our space coverage takes time and resources. Please consider a subscription.

---

The latest rocket launch schedule for Florida's Space Coast, which includes Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. All times Eastern.

For questions or comments, email Emre Kelly at aekelly@floridatoday.com.

April 18: SpaceX ViaSat-3 Americas

Company / Agency: SpaceX for ViaSat

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon Heavy

Location: Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center

Launch Time: 7:29 p.m. EDT

Trajectory: East

Weather: TBD

Landing: None

Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space

About: A three-core SpaceX Falcon Heavy will launch the ViaSat-3 Americas and Arcturus communications satellites for California-based satellite operators ViaSat and Astranis from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX will not attempt to recover any of the Falcon Heavy first-stage boosters. Should schedules hold, it will be the 19th mission to fly from Florida this year.

Late April TBD: ULA NROL-68

Company / Agency: United Launch Alliance for the National Reconnaissance Office

Rocket: Delta IV Heavy

Location: Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Launch Window: TBD

Trajectory: East

Weather: TBD

Landing: None

Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space

About: A three-core United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket will launch a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office no earlier than April 20. This will be the second-to-last flight for Delta IV Heavy before its retirement.

May 8: SpaceX Axiom-2

Company / Agency: SpaceX for NASA and Axiom Space

Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

Location: Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center

Launch Time: 10:43 p.m. EDT

Trajectory: Northeast

Weather: TBD

Landing: TBD

Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space

About: SpaceX will launch NASA's second private astronaut flight to the International Space Station contracted with Axiom Space. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who will lead the mission as commander, and private spaceflight participant John Shoffner, Ax-2's pilot, will be joined by mission specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi, the second and third Saudi citizens to fly to space and the first to visit the ISS, for the 10-day mission to the orbiting laboratory.

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May TBD: ULA Vulcan Centaur inaugural flight

Company / Agency: United Launch Alliance

Rocket: ULA Vulcan Centaur

Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Launch Time: TBD

Trajectory: Northeast

Weather: TBD

Landing: None; Vulcan is expendable

Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space

About: ULA's new Vulcan Centaur rocket, which will replace Atlas V to become the only vehicle in its fleet, will fly its inaugural mission from Cape Canaveral with Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander. The lander, selected by NASA to help advance research ahead of putting two astronauts on the surface sometime before 2030, is expected to touch down on the northern part of the moon.

NET July 21: NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test

Company / Agency: Boeing for NASA

Rocket: United Launch Alliance Atlas V

Location: Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Launch Time: TBD

Trajectory: Northeast

Weather: TBD

Landing: None; Atlas V is expendable

Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space

About: The first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft remains set for later this spring, though a target launch date has yet to be determined. The mission, known as CFT-1, will include astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Rocket launch schedule: Upcoming Florida launches and landings
(Adds missing word)

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea decided to take important, practical war deterrence measures at a ruling party meeting presided over by leader Kim Jong Un, state news agency KCNA said on Sunday.

The meeting preceded large joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea that are due to start on Monday. The exercises have angered North Korea.

But KCNA said the party discussed and decided on "important, practical measures" in the midst of stepped-up actions by the United States and South Korea. It did not provide specifics on the measures.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
The Russian military leadership is forcing those mobilised from the occupied territories of Ukraine to obtain Russian passports, otherwise they threaten to cease payments.

Source: report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Quote: "The Russian criminal authorities continue measures of forced passportization of the population of the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.

Thus, the military leadership of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation requires all those mobilised from previously occupied territories to sign long-term contracts for military service in the Russian army. For that to happen, it is necessary to provide a copy of the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, among the rest of the documents.

This way, the occupiers are trying to force them to give up the citizenships of the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples Republic in favour of Russian citizenship. Otherwise, servicemen and members of their families are threatened with the denial of all established payments and social protection provided for servicemen of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation".

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
On the same day Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw assured a U.S. Senate panel the company will clean up the mess from its train derailment in Ohio last month, a trade group issued a national advisory about potentially loose wheels on rail cars, and another Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama.

Shaw testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works over one month after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials went off the tracks in East Palestine. An initial report from the National Transportation Safety Board found the train derailed after the crew was alerted to an overheated wheel bearing.

"Norfolk Southern will clean the site safely, thoroughly and with urgency," Shaw told senators. "You have my personal commitment: Norfolk Southern will get the job done and help East Palestine thrive."

But Shaw faced pointed questions from the panel about the company's response and whether they'll support efforts to increase rail safety in the wake of the incident.

Within hours of the testimony, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama and a national railroad trade group urged U.S. railroads to take certain cars out of service after Norfolk Southern found loose wheels on its car involved in a second derailment in Ohio last week.

Here's what we know:

'The right thing'

The first Norfolk Southern derailment spilled toxic chemicals into the environment, but state and federal officials say the air and village water system are now safe. Still, residents remain worried about their community and have reported headaches, rashes and other health issues.

Throughout the hearing, Shaw touted Norfolk Southern's efforts to assist East Palestine and address those concerns.

The company has so far spent $21 million and established a community liaison to communicate problems to Shaw's office. It's also working with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to create a regional training center for first responders in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to help them safely respond to rail emergencies.

Story continues

Mar 9, 2023; Washington, DC, USA; Alan Shaw, Norfolk Southern Corporation President and CEO, testifies before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee during a hearing on protecting public health and the environment in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio, Thursday, March 9, 2023 in Washington,

But Shaw was only willing to make so many commitments. He declined to say whether Norfolk Southern would compensate residents for long-term medical needs ordecreased property values. Instead, he repeatedly said the railroad would do "what's right" and broadly suggested everything is on the table.

The right thing to do is say, Yes, we will,'" Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said.

Ohio, Pennsylvania officials address communication issues

Testimony from Ohio and Pennsylvania officials highlighted communication gaps that hindered the initial response to the derailment.

Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., cited a letter from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro that criticized Norfolk Southern's handling of the incident, particularly a lack of communication with emergency responders. Shapiro said the railroad failed to convey its intention to release and burn all five cars containing vinyl chloride, instead of just one.

Company officials have said the controlled release was necessary to prevent a far more catastrophic explosion. But Eric Brewer of the Beaver County Department of Emergency Services in Pennsylvania said Norfolk Southern's sudden change of plans caused confusion among everyone involved.

"The decision to go from the one tank car to the five was jaw-dropping just because of the impact it had," Brewer said.

Aside from the company, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, expressed concern that the EPA didn't provide enough answers to people in the immediate aftermath. She said news releases and online fact sheets don't go far enough to convey data to residents about the safety of their air and water.

The initial delays in messaging and response has meant that the residents still do not trust the results enough to feel safe, and trust is essential in these situations," Capito said.

A worker keeps watch near the East Taggert Street railroad crossing as cleanup from a Norfolk Southern derailment continues on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 in East Palestine.

Will Norfolk Southern support rail safety bill?

Ohio's U.S. Sens.//, Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican J.D. Vance spoke at Thursday's hearing about bipartisan legislation they introduced that would strengthen oversight of trains carrying hazardous materials and increase penalties for railroads that break the rules.

Shaw said Norfolk Southern supports "legislative intent to make rail safer" and applauded some parts of the bill, including better standards for tank cars. But the measure also includes a requirement that at least two crew members staff rail operations, something Norfolk Southern previously lobbied against.

It's also unclear whether Vance will be able to generate enough Republican support for the legislation. He expressed frustration with some members of his party who are skeptical of piling more regulations onto the railroad industry.

Do we do the bidding of a massive industry that is in bed with big government, or do we do the bidding of the people who elected us to the Senate and to the Congress in the first place?" Vance said. "I believe we are the party of working people, but its time to be the party of working people."

Brown noted that the East Palestine derailment isn't Norfolk Southern's only trouble.

Nearly 30 cars on one of its freight trains derailed near Springfield over the weekend, although that train was not carrying any hazardous materials. Days later, a Norfolk Southern worker died after being struck at a railroad crossing near a Cleveland steel plant.

Right before Thursday's hearing kicked off, another Norfolk Southern train went off the tracks in Alabama.

What's going on?: Trains keep derailing all over the country. Here's what we know.

Norfolk Southern officials say there's no public threat with Alabama derailment

The 37-train car derailment in Calhoun County, Alabama had no hazardous materials on board, Norfolk Southern Spokesman Connor Spielmaker said Thursday.

Two of the cars were considered "residue" cars because they previously contained hazardous materials but they were not jeopardized, he added.

"There is no hazardous material leak," Spielmaker said at a news conference in Oxford, Alabama on Thursday. "There is no risk at all to the public."

It could take several days to remove the rail cars as the cause of the accident is under investigation, he said.

No injuries or road blockages occurred, said Myles Chamblee, director of the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency.

Railroads remove rail cars after Norfolk Southern finds 'loose wheels'

Also on Thursday, Norfolk Southern said found loose wheels on a series of rail cars involved in a derailment on March 5 near Springfield, Ohio  the second in the state in five weeks.

In a statement, Norfolk Southern said after it discovered "additional cases of unusual wheel movement," it let accident investigators and the rest of the railroad industry know.

"Although the investigation into the cause of the accident is still underway, we immediately notified the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration and began inspecting other cars from this series on our network," Norfolk Southern said. "We issued orders to remove these cars from service until their wheelsets could be replaced, and we have taken steps to remove this specific model and series from service until they can be fully inspected."

In response, the Association of American Railroads trade group issued an advisory urging to take certain cars out of service after the second derailment.

The trade group said the problem was linked to new wheelsets that were installed on specialized steel coil cars beginning in August. The association said all of the cars with those wheels should be inspected and have their wheels replaced immediately.

Railroads nationwide initially identified 675 cars affected by the advisory and pulled them off the tracks, Association of American Railroads spokeswoman Jessica Kahanek told the Associated Press.

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau. Contributing: Associated Press.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Ohio train derailment: CEO grilled; rail cars pulled for wheel issue
Norfolk Southern (NSC) CEO Alan Shaw faced heated criticism on Thursday from the Senate over the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that left toxic chemicals in the area.

"I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact this derailment has had on the residents of East Palestine and the surrounding communities," Shaw said in his opening statement to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. "I am determined to make this right."

Shaw pledged that Norfolk Southern would remain in East Palestine to assist in the clean-up process "for as long as it takes." Norfolk Southern and several state and federal agencies are still in the "emergency response" phase of the cleanup, which will continue for as long as "obvious, known contamination remains," according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Norfolk Southern Corporation President and CEO, Alan Shaw, testifies before a US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on March 9, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Chemicals that were spilled and burned off following the derailment  especially vinyl chloride and phosgene  have remained a top concern, as many of them are known carcinogens and irritants, particularly over long exposure.

The Norfolk Southern CEO said that when it comes to paying the health care bills of those affected by the derailment, "everything is on the table," though he did not reveal any specifics about the company's commitment.

So far, Norfolk Southern said it has committed at least $13 million to help the communities affected, including $1 million for initial relief, a $445,000 scholarship fund, and reimbursement for fire equipment used by emergency responders during the event.

According to Anthony Hatch, senior transportation analyst at ABH Consulting, the financial impact to the company won't be significant, but it has been a PR nightmare for the company.

"It's a reputational hit," Hatch told Yahoo Finance Live recently. "And it's just unfortunate that it comes after a period of which there were service issues and the supply chain issues that they were part of, very contentious labor negotiations that they just finished."

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Hours before the hearing, another Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama. There were no people harmed or toxic chemicals involved. In 2022, railroads logged 1,168 train derailments, according to the Federal Railroad Administration, down 10% from 2013.

Energetic pressure relief from a vinyl chloride tank car, East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 4. (Source: NTSB)

Norfolk Southern CEO grilled on safety

While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation over the particularly catastrophic incident in Eastern Ohio, its preliminary report pointed to a wheel bearing that overheated as the cause of the derailment.

"The preliminary report found that the Norfolk Southern crew was operating the train below the speed limit and in an approved manner," Shaw said in his prepared statement. "Yet, it is clear the safety mechanisms in place were not enough."

Some senators, including Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), questioned the risks inherent to Norfolk Southern's use of precision-scheduled railroading (PSR), a model of operations aimed at cutting costs through fixed schedules, leaner staff, and longer trains.

The Norfolk Southern CEO pushed back against that criticism, noting that the company has shifted "away from a near-term focus solely on profits," but didn't commit to abandoning PSR or offering workers guaranteed paid sick days.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) speaks during a hearing with the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill on March 09, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Under pressure from regulators and lawmakers  Ohio Sens. Brown and J.D. Vance (R) proposed a new bipartisan rail safety bill earlier this month  Norfolk Southern released a six-point safety plan that primarily focused on beefing up sensors.

Some experts contend that while better detection would be an improvement, PSR and staffing are the larger issues to be grappled with.

"In the short term it makes the bottom line look good, but in the long term its rolling the dice on safety," Jeremy Ferguson, SMART Transportation Division president, said on Yahoo Finance Live. "The impact on safety is that they have cut back on the workforce across all crafts when it comes to car inspections, when it comes to the amount of crews available to operate the trains... We've had a variety of issues because you're trying to do much more with much less."

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)

Others, such as Hatch, argue that some of the recent scrutiny around railroad safety may be overdone, particularly when considering the alternatives for transporting hazardous materials, such as using highways and trucks.

"Their safety record is actually pretty remarkable  99.99% get through," he said of Norfolk Southern. "I guess instead of being thankful that it could have been worse, we're sort of attacking them as being unsafe. And that seems unfair."

Similarly, Joseph Schofer, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University, said that while the East Palestine derailment serves as "a wake-up call" for the industry, it's still too early to draw sweeping conclusions from the disaster.

"My concern going forward is: What are the causes?" Schofer told Yahoo Finance in an interview. "What's fundamental here, and what should motivate changes?"

"As I watch the news coverage," he continued, "it looks like every politician, from the local level to the federal level, is trying to jump in front of the camera and say, 'I'm gonna save your lives.' But we really don't have a good sense of the scope of the problem and whether what we're seeing, particularly the several events in Ohio, are in any way connected."



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At the Michigan Immigrants Rights Center, our phones ring nonstop with calls from people from around the world desperately seeking freedom, safety and family reunification. Our nonprofit law office hears from mothers, fathers  persecuted people  because we are the only free call for legal help from anyone held in immigration detention in our state.

Lately, we've taken a number of calls from folks brought up from the southwest border to the Calhoun County Jail. That's one of four Michigan counties  along with Monroe, St. Clair and Chippewa  that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contracts to house asylum seekers detained at the southern border.

Susan Reed

They are there for no reason other than that they came to the border between the U.S. and Mexico and exercised their clear legal right to apply for asylum. Most of the people jailed in these Michigan counties have cleared the first legal standard in this process, establishing that their lives are in danger in their home countries. Despite that asylum seekers are in civil, not criminal, detention in these county jails, there is no special accommodation; they live in the same conditions as other inmates.

If you think that this country's immigration policy has changed since 2020  because the Trump Administration is over  or if you believe that the "Biden Border" is open, you don't have the whole story.

Bad policy, stacked on a crumbling foundation

The course the Biden Administration is charting closely tracks numerous anti-asylum proposals, designed by notoriously anti-immigration Trump aide Stephen Miller, that were advanced for the first time during the Trump Administration. Those proposals rest atop the crumbling foundations of an immigration system that serves neither immigrants nor the country, nor our local communities. We could do much better, and all benefit, but we fail to recognize the full humanity of people who move. We fail to understand migration as a natural, normal, inevitable part of the human condition.

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Biden visits southern border

Several damaging Trump Administration policies that the Biden Administration is clinging to, including the "transit ban"  requiring migrants to seek asylum in a country they travel through  have already been found to be illegal.

The Title 42 policy  expelling asylum seekers, without process, under cover of COVID-19 precautions  is a longstanding misuse of a public health regulation. But it has become a security blanket for anti-migration leaders who otherwise insist that the pandemic is over. (Only the proposed end of the COVID-19 emergency declaration by the Biden Administration seems like it might be able to possibly end this practice in the near future.)

Migration is not a problem to be solved

Whenever I publicly express any degree of positive regard for asylum seekers, I'm told I'm naive, despite more than 20 years in direct relationship with those seeking our nation's protection, and moving to Michigan. Roman Catholic Bishop Mark J. Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso knows asylum seekers well, too. Seitz wondered aloud to the Associated Press, "Why do we tend to look at (asylum seekers) and say, 'I think they're probably criminals' instead of to look at them and say 'I think they're probably people in need'?"

I would answer Bishop Seitzs question by saying that its because many are so unwilling to see ourselves in them. Michigans leaders fret about population loss in key demographic categories, but very few think of appealing to those seeking freedom and safety. The burden of what others imagine about asylum seekers might be the heaviest one they bear.

Instead of regarding the phenomenon of migration as a natural, inevitable, and even beautiful part of human existence, were told that its a problem to be solved. Any policy that doesnt end or sharply restrict migration once and for all is not considered a good one.

But that's not how we gauge other policies. We dont assume that the local food pantry is a failure, even though no matter how much food it distributes, humans still need to eat every single day.

A Guatemalan family waits with fellow immigrants to board a U.S. Customs and Border Protection bus to a processing center after crossing the border from Mexico on April 13 in La Joya, Texas. A surge of immigrants, including record numbers of children, making the arduous journey from Central America to the USA has challenged U.S. immigration agencies along the southern border.

No matter what the current administration does to emulate the approach of the last, immigration restrictionists have shown they will still cry foul. Maybe it's time for this administration to give up on trying to get this dubious credit from anti-immigrant groups  and try fully respecting human rights, international law, and our own Refugee Act of 1980.

Seeing ourselves in others

It has been 36 years since the last immigration reform bill passed. If we all saw ourselves in those who migrate, we would respond pragmatically to changing global conditions. But even popular, practical, and bipartisan targeted immigration bills like the DREAM Act, Farm Workforce Modernization Act, and Afghan Adjustment Act failed to move to the presidents desk in the last lame duck session in Congress. Their future in the 118th Congress looks even dimmer.

The Trump Administration is over, but the ordinary, everyday harm we are collectively still doing to immigrants and refugees continues. Locally, as of December 2022, 10,198 Michigan immigrants are in deportation proceedings at the Detroit Immigration Court  more than ever before.

People of goodwill were eager to support our legal work on behalf of children and families during the high profile "family separation" human rights crisis in 2018. Many wrongly assume that the pressures we face as a legal resource center for immigrant communities have waned.

A group of clergy that included Rabbi Miriam Terlinchamp of Temple Sholom in Blue Ash walk along the banks of the Rio Grande bearing witness to migrant passage and the border wall.

As much as we wish that were the case, the phone is still ringing. But our encounter with the people on the other end of that line gives us hope, as do the person-by-person wins we can achieve as lawyers and legal workers for immigrants and refugees.

Our one-year-old Detroit Immigration Court Helpdesk program is seeing some self-represented immigrants finally winning their asylum cases, with our support, and at long last starting new lives. At the state level, undocumented and other immigrant leaders are organizing to regain access to drivers licenses and state identification through the Drive Michigan Forward coalition.

Other high priorities for immigrant communities at the state level include increased support for language access,, assistance with naturalization, and equal workplace rights for immigrants including equal access to the workers compensation system. We tend to our community needs and find joy in the ways individuals and families can flourish.

The rhetoric of resentment and fear, though cruel and wasteful, cant shatter that strength.

Susan Reed is the attorney director of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Biden administration clinging to damaging Trump immigration policies
The history of police brutality in our country against African Americans, Hispanic, Muslim, LGBTQ and poor white Americans has been documented by scholars, writers, videos, police records, fellow officers and victims. This unwarranted or excessive force has ranged from verbal abuse and assault and battery to mayhem, torture and murder.

In 1960, Detroit NAACP Director Arthur Jefferson stated, "The problem of police brutality is one of the most serious problems confronting Negroes in Detroit."

In his 1963 speech in Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed, "We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality."

The key factor explaining the predominance of African Americans as the primary victims of police brutality is the anti-Black racism among members of most police departments and their leaders, and political subservience.

I can make this statement because of my 26 years in the Detroit Police Department, including four as chief, my experience as an educator, and because I have studied the history of the great number of complaints by people of color against law enforcement officers across America  and because at the age of 14, I was a victim of police violence. If one earnestly examines this record, including traffic stops, verbal confrontations, arrests and fatal interactions, one must conclude that there exists a true disparity in fair and equal enforcement.

Yet despite my experience, some will argue with my conclusion. That is why we must take an unprecedented step and form a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to establish, without a doubt, the facts of the Black experience in America.

Moving forward from common ground

In 1979, the city of Greensboro N.C. was divided. So city leaders established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, believing that confronting and reckoning with the past is necessary for a successful transition from conflict, resentment and tension, to peace and connectedness.

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In our city, the Reparations Task Force approved by voters in 2021 will examine how government policy has harmed Detroit's Black residents.

In a conversation with South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, he expressed to me that America must do as his country had done, and establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate human rights violations committed by law enforcement agencies. He believed that uncovering the truth would actually help to heal our country and relationship with the police. The commission emphasized gathering evidence and perpetrators  not prosecuting individuals for past crimes and offenses.

Efforts to do this at the federal level have stalled.

Of course, some will believe such a proceeding will only remind us of the past. Others will see it as a step forward that can be extremely effective. However, to this point, we have done very little to remedy a systemic problem that continues to exist.

Ample evidence, little change

The 1991 Rodney King incident was the first internationally televised video that this generation witnessed of the severe use of force by police. The video showed King, an unarmed Black man, being beaten after evading police. This incident was covered by news media around the world, and caused a public furor.

Ike McKinnon in the chapel on the University of Detroit Mercy campus in Detroit, August 19, 2021.

Even more egregious was the 2020 slow killing of George Floyd when a Minneapolis officer knelt on Floyd's neck and back for more that nine minutes, killing him.

There have been many more confrontational incidents between police officers and minority and poor communities, the most recent  as of this writing  being Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn.

After each tragedy, there is an outpouring of anger, grief and calls for change. However, there have never been substantial efforts that will prevent more violence.

America must take drastic steps to stem the tide of these continued incidents.

'The presence of justice'

Every war, atrocity and abuse creates an injustice that cannot be undone. However, we can gain knowledge of that history  we can learn from it, and figure out how things went wrong.

One path is reparation and compensation for intergenerational losses and derailed trajectories. This is politically controversial, and on a large scale, not viable as a short-term repair. A second path is to take the knowledge and to learn dispute resolution, identifying what people need, and righting perceived wrongs.

It's important to understand that peace is not merely the absence of violence, but the presence of justice. A community versed in dispute resolution is an attainable goal, and that goal is attainable through truth and reconciliation.

Isaiah McKinnon is a retired Chief of Police of the Detroit Police Department, retired associate professor of education at University of Detroit Mercy and former Deputy Mayor for the City of Detroit.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Opinion: To end police violence, we must have truth and reconciliation
H. Philip West Jr. was executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island before his retirement. He is the author of "Secrets & Scandals: Reforming Rhode Island, 1986-2006."

Howls of indignation ring out against the "The 1619 Project," "Caste," "The Warmth of Other Suns," and virtually any books that explore the shameful history of racial oppression in America. A recent Journal column ("RI's education elitists display contempt for American ideals," Commentary, March 4) dismissed efforts to teach Americas bloody racial history as woke, divisive, and unprofessional. Bans against uncomfortable content have been enacted in seven states, and efforts are underway in 16 more, including Rhode Island, where one bill would explicitly ban 1619 Project materials. Rather than study the facts, white polemicists fan flames of racial resentment for political gain.

But, as John Adams declared before a Boston jury in 1770, Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.

More: RWU class looks at how race shapes the law. Could it change how law is taught nationwide?

Two Black women won Pulitzer Prizes for helping Americans grasp facts that have been routinely and systematically erased from our history.

For her book "The Warmth of Other Suns," Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson interviewed more than a thousand people who fled the Jim Crow caste system in Southern states. Wilkerson writes that nearly every Black family in the American South  had a decision to make. They were sharecroppers evicted from farmlands, typists wanting to work in an office, yard boys scared that a single gesture near the planters wife could leave them hanging from an oak tree. The National Lynching Memorial researched more than 4,075 lynchings between 1877 and 1950, mostly in 12 Southern states. In response to white terrorism, Black families fled north. More than six million became refugees within our borders.

Story continues

Brown University established a memorial to slavery on the front campus. The Brown family was involved in the slave trade.

In "Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents," Wilkerson explores common functions of caste systems in India, the United States, and Nazi Germany. She writes: A caste system endures because it is often justified as divine will ... and passed down through generations. She notes correctly: Like the cast on a broken arm, like the cast in a play, a caste system holds everyone in a fixed place.

In 1913 a prominent Southern educator, Thomas Pearce Bailey, published what he called the racial creed of the South, including this central tenet that explains the ferocious white backlash against President Barack Obama: Let the lowest white man count for more than the highest Negro.

More: PVD's reparations: National model or 'trivialized' budget line that won't create change?

More: Prejudice a cruel fact in R.I. history

Nikole Hannah-Jones had already received prestigious journalism awards when she assembled scholars of history, law, religion, sociology, and related fields to examine facts that had vanished from American history as if they never happened. Participants pondered an origin story beginning with the sale of captive Africans to Jamestown settlers in 1619 rather with the Mayflowers landing at Plymouth in 1620.

Hannah-Jones remembers high school courses where she learned nothing about Americas cornerstone date, which she says was The year white Virginians first purchased enslaved Africans, the start of American slavery, an institution so influential and corrosive that it both helped create the nation and nearly led to its demise... Her 1619 Project authors catalogued ways that an economy built on the hereditary enslavement of human beings corrupted law, commerce, medicine, religion, and politics.

Isabel Wilkerson compares uncovering Americas hidden history to a familys discovery that alcoholism, depression or the BRCA markers for cancer run in their genes. She writes how important it is to learn about our family disease. Once we know the facts, we may be able to change the outcomes. Instead of falling into rage and despair, we may begin to hope for recovery.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The importance of learning about our past misdeeds | Opinion Column
Oregon lawmakers want to make it easier to remove racist language from house deeds. VisualField via Getty Images

A bill in Oregon's state legislature would make it easier to remove racist language from house deeds.

A 2018 version of the bill that was passed has been criticized for not fully removing the language.

Residents who testified in support of the bill said they feel uncomfortable signing documents with racist language.

A bill introduced last month in Oregon's state legislature would make it easier for homeowners to remove racist and discriminatory language in deeds, many of which date back over 100 years.

The legislation was introduced last month, and a public hearing was held on the bill this week. It's the second attempt at a bill with this intended purpose, as a 2018 version that passed was criticized for being inefficient and not getting rid of the language entirely, KPVI reported.

The new bill would create an archive for old versions of the property documents, allowing them to be entirely replaced with new versions that don't have the offensive language, KVAL reported.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that the offensive clauses were used by developers in the early 1900s to exclude people of color from their neighborhoods.

"No Negros, Chinese, or Japanese shall own or occupy property in this neighborhood unless they are a worker or a servant," one clause read in a deed discovered by a real estate agent in 2018, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

While the language can no longer legally be enforced due to the Fair Housing Act passed in 1968, residents who provided testimony for this week's hearing said they are not comfortable signing documents with the language.

"The distinction I would make, is that the racially restrictive language that remains in these documents is not only an ongoing racial scar but a legal document that requires I sign if I am to purchase my home," Oregon resident Gerrit Koepping wrote in his testimony.

He continued: "I am affixing my name to a statement of horrific racism. Not only am I doing so, but so are the people who purchase my home from me and the people who purchase their home from them. This language of racial hatred will last forever."

Story continues

Koepping told The Oregonian that he and his wife were stunned to find a clause forbidding people of color from owning property in their neighborhood while signing documents for the house they bought in 2018.

The sponsor of the bill Rep. Daniel Nguyen, said at the hearing that the legislation is not a legal requirement that every racist clause must be found and removed, but it is an option for homeowners who wish to remove the language from documents associated with their home, KPVI reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero / The Daily Beast / Alamy

Life is Beautifulor, if youre practicing Italian, La Vita E Bellamay be one of the most obvious Oscar-bait movies of all time. In fact, the Italian Holocaust tragicomedy probably informed a lot of the 21st centurys most Oscar-thirsty films. Its a bittersweet, laugh one minute, sob the next movie about the power of family. But its so heartwarming. I wont hear otherwise!

Roberto Benigni, who directed, wrote, and starred in the film, was known for making huge scenes while the movie garnered critical and awards acclaim. When Life is Beautiful won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998, Benigni kissed the feet of Martin Scorsese, the jury president that year. Naturally, when the Oscars rolled around about a year later, Benigni was overjoyed to hear his name announced as a winnertwice.

Before we get into that, though, Id be remiss if I didnt plug Life is Beautiful, one of my favorite films. Benigni stars as Guido (is there any Italian name better than that?), a goofy Jewish waiter living in fascist Italy in 1939 who falls head over heels for princesa Dora (Benignis real life wife Nicoletta Braschi). Though their romance is a comedy of errors, they finally get married and have a baby, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini).

Theyre an eccentric family, with quirks like getting by using one bicycle as a mode of transportation. But they love each other so much! And we, as audience members, love them like were a part of the family! Thats what makes it so hard to watch the historical fiction play out: Guido, Dora, and Giosue are sent to a concentration camp, where they fight to keep their family together and alive.

Its harrowing, yes, but the comedic aspects propel Life is Beautiful into a moving ode to the power of love and family, especially spotlighting the sacrifices a parent makes in order to keep the essence of childhood alive. Benigni, a child at heart, proved just how important this was while dancing on the tops of chairs at the 71st Academy Awards as he won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Story continues

The Oscars are usually limited to small pleasantries and a bit of light comedy fodder from the host. But here was Benigni, an outspoken Italian goofball, prancing atop the backs of Steven Spielberg, Dame Judi Dench, and Tom Hanks. This was the lighthearted foolishness of the famed Ellen selfie mixed with the gonzo Moonlight/La La Land shakeup, years before either iconic Oscars moment would take place.

The Time High School Musicaland Beyonce!Infiltrated The Oscars

All eyes were on Benigni. (Well, of course they were, because he had just won an Academy Awardbut those eyes were fixated on the jolly Italian fellow.)

Before making his way to the stage, Benigni hopped around like Peter Rabbit. He swung his arms in the air, calling for more cheers and claps from the crowd. He gave a smile wide enough to be seen from the upper rafters of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where the Oscars were held in 1999.

Normally, we see some tears and hugs with family members when a winner gleeful strides up to the stage. But to see someone at the peak of their career, glowing, so happy to be alive, brimming with childlike whimsywell, this reaction meshes perfectly with the themes of Life is Beautiful.

Benigni used both feet to jump up each step to retrieve his award from legendary Italian actress Sophia Loren. To spring as if there were an imaginary pogo stick beneath you is one thing; to do this in front of Sophia Loren is another.

Marisa Tomei for My Cousin Vinny Is the Rare Perfect Oscars Win

The actor delivered a powerful speech thanking his wife and the young actor of the film, and gave special recognition to the victims of the Holocaust who inspired the film. Unfortunately, though, he was so shaken up by his first win that he was too mind-blown to speak when he won again for Best Actor. No chairs were harmed in the second winhe stayed down this time.

This is a terrible mistake because I used up all my English. I dont know! Benigni said. I am not able to express all my gratitude, because now, my body is in tumult because it is a colossal moment of joy so everything is really in a way that I cannot express. I would like to be Jupiter! And kidnap everybody and lie down in the firmament making love to everybody, because I dont know how to express.

What a lovely man. I dont think anyone will ever match the same level of excitement Benigni brought to his Oscar wins, but I sure hope to see that level of Oscars joy again this year.

Read more of our picks for My Favorite Oscars Win

Three 6 Mafia winning Best Original Song

Parasite winning Best Picture

Marisa Tomei winning Best Supporting Actress

Days of Heaven winning Best Cinematography

Read more of our picks for The Oscars Moment I'll Never Forget

The emotional 2009 acting tributes

John Travolta's 'Adele Dazeem' gaffe

Anne Hathaway and James Francos hosting disaster

The time High School Musical infiltrated the Oscars

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Hollywood is gearing up for the Oscars with the 95th Academy Awards this Sunday 12 March at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Everything Everywhere All at Once has the most nominations and is considered the frontrunner for best picture having won a string of top prizes at the guild awards that precede the Oscars.

Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert are tipped for best director, and former child star Ke Huy Quan is expected to pick up best supporting actor. First-time nominee Michelle Yeoh could also become the first Asian best actress winner.

In a field of ten best picture nominees, Netflixs German anti-war film All Quiet on the Western Front could sneak an upset having picked up the best film trophy at the BAFTAs.

Host Jimmy Kimmel has said that he will address last years The Slap incident involving Will Smith and Chris Rock, noting it would be ridiculous not to. The academy will have its first-ever crisis team in place to react to any similar surprises.

The Independent will have all the latest from the [champagne-coloured] red carpet to the final award, including a performance from Rihanna, nominated for best original song for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

What you need to know

Oscars 2023 gift bag revealed

08:00 , Inga Parkel

Each year, Oscar attendees are not only pampered with an entire three-course meal during the ceremony but theyre also treated to some goodies to take home.

Ha, who are we kidding? Some goodies is a complete understatement.

Find out what exactly is in this years Oscar gift bags:

2021 Oscar gift bag (Distinctive Assets)

A facelift, a $25,000 home renovation and... 3 nights at a private lighthouse

Where to watch all the 2023 Oscar-nominated films

07:00 , Inga Parkel

Props to anyone trying to watch all of the 2023 Oscar-nominated films ahead of Sundays ceremony!

Story continues

If youre among the select few who can miraculously spare an entire day or two to speed run through the 10 Best Picture nominees before the awards show, then this list is for you.

Ready, set, watch!

Oscar Nominations

First-time Prime Video members can even watch Everything Everywhere All at Once for free

Oscar nominations 2023 in full

06:00 , Inga Parkel

In case youre in need of another refresher, heres a list of all the 2023 Oscars nominees.

Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24)

Every nominated movie in one place  from Everything Everywhere All at Once to The Fabelmans

17 films that should never have won Oscars

05:00 , Inga Parkel

Any belief that the Oscars award the right films, directors and performances has faded over the years.

While every ceremony has a smattering of correct decisions  trophies handed to the right people for the right films  more often than not, the pervading feeling is one of pessimism caused by a deluge of undeserving recipients.

The Oscars are a far cry from what they claim to be  a celebration of the previous years cinematic offerings. But this does not stop people from trawling the internet the following morning in the hope that maybe, just maybe, the winners list impresses rather than disappoints.

The Independents Jacob Stolworthy has highlighted 17 films that really should not have been awarded Oscars.

Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl' (Universal Studios)

...and what should have won instead

The 19 most problematic films ever made, from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Forrest Gump

04:00 , Inga Parkel

In an Oscars adjacent deep-dive, The Independents Louis Chilton selected some of the most controversial movies ever released.

And surprise, surprise, some of the titles include Oscar-nominated films!

Read more:

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump, Harrison Ford in Temple of Doom and Brad Pitt in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (Paramount/Lucasfilm/Sony)

From Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Forrest Gump

All the food and drink the 2023 Oscar nominees will dine on

03:00 , Inga Parkel

The official Oscars dinner is, as one would expect, a lavish affair. On Sunday night 12 March, Hollywoods greatest stars will sit down around the table after the award winners have been announced and feast on all manner of culinary delights.

Read more:

Wolfgang Puck, Master Chef at the 95th Oscars Governors Ball preview at The Ray Dolby Ballroom on March 07, 2023 (Getty Images)

The extravagant dinner will be overseen by veteran Oscars chef Wolfgang Puck

James Cameron reflects on hubristic Oscars mistake after Titanic win in 1998

02:00 , Inga Parkel

James Cameron reflected on his hubristic speech after winning Best Director at the 1998 Academy Awards.

Camerons speech was poorly received by Oscars viewers, with the Avatar director revealing that he knew hed made a mistake after seeing Warren Beattys face backstage.

James Cameron (Getty Images)

Director told onlookers he felt like king of the world

Goldie Hawn doesnt think the Oscars are no longer elegant'

01:00 , Inga Parkel

Hollywood icon Goldie Hawn thinks the Oscars have lost their touch.

Read more:

Goldie Hawn (Getty Images)

Im not old-fashioned, but sometimes jokes are off-colour, Hawn said

Why is there a petition to remove Donnie Yen from presenting at this years Oscars?

00:00 , Inga Parkel

Thousands of people from Hong Kong have signed a petition to have actor Donnie Yen removed as an Oscar presenter due to his support for the Chinese government.

Read more:

Donnie Yen (Getty Images)

Hes helping to whitewash the Chinese regime, petition owner said

Sharon Stone recalls awful first Oscars where no one would dress her

Friday 10 March 2023 23:00 , Inga Parkel

When nobody wanted to dress her, Stone decided to take matters into her own hands.

Sharon Stone (AFP via Getty Images)

The Basic Instinct star dressed herself for her first time at the awards ceremony

Why is the Oscars carpet not red this year?

Friday 10 March 2023 22:00 , Inga Parkel

While many things about the Academy Awards have changed throughout the years, one thing has remained constant over the past six decades: the red carpet.

However, this year, for the first time since 1961, this is changing. But why?

Read more:

Oscars preparation (AP)

We chose this beautiful sienna, saffron color that evokes the sunset, creative consultant said

Who votes for the Oscars?

Friday 10 March 2023 21:00 , Inga Parkel

The Oscars has long been regarded as the highest film award ceremony. But, you may be wondering: who makes up this so-called Academy, the group in charge of voting for the Oscars?

And more importantly, what sets the Oscars apart from all of the other film awards (Golden Globes, SAG Awards, etc.)?

Find out here:

The Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, and Tonys (Getty Images / Shutterstock)

Top Gun: Maverick should win the Oscar for Best Picture

Friday 10 March 2023 20:00 , Inga Parkel

Inexplicably, one of the biggest films from last year is a bit of an underdog at this weeks Oscars despite a handful of nominations.

The Independents Adam White makes a case for why he thinks Tom Cruises blockbuster sequel should win the Oscar for Best Picture

Tom Cruise, a man whose intergalactic fame has outlasted seven US presidents and hundreds, if not thousands, of fly-by-night movie stars (Paramount)

Moment Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars

Friday 10 March 2023 19:30 , Inga Parkel

The 13 most confusing Oscar screw-ups of all time

Friday 10 March 2023 19:00 , Inga Parkel

Ahead of this years Oscars, The Independents Adam White has gone through more than 30 years of ceremonies to find 13 of the most frustrating Academy Award screw-ups in the acting categories.

Clockwise from top right: Rami Malek, Daniel Day-Lewis, Michael Caine and Meryl Streep (Fox/Miramax/Pathe)

From awarding Rami Maleks all-teeth performance as Freddie Mercury to Julianne Moore winning Best Actress for the wrong movie, the Oscars have always inspired confusion and frustration

What are the Oscars doing to prevent another slap fiasco?

Friday 10 March 2023 18:00 , Inga Parkel

This year, for the first time ever, the 2023 Oscars will welcome a team of crisis management professionals, the event that the awards show is rocked by another fiasco.

But exactly how can/will the team prevent something similar?

Read more:

Oscars (Getty Images)

Because of last year, weve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars, the Academy CEO said

The most iconic Oscars dresses of all time

Friday 10 March 2023 17:30 , Inga Parkel

Since its inauguration in 1929, the Oscars has been eagerly watched by devoted cinephiles but, over the years, it has also become one of the most anticipated events for fashion aficionados.

Among Hollywoods brightest stars walking the red carpet in front of millions of viewers, the strongest candidates set themselves up to be sartorially scrutinised and battle it out for the evenings most hotly contested accolade; that of the best dressed.

As award season nears its close, The Independents Sarah Young looks at all the gowns that have earned a special place in fashion history.

Oscars best-dressed (Getty)

From Audrey Hepburn to Gwyneth Paltrow

Top Oscars records that could be broken this year

Friday 10 March 2023 17:00 , Inga Parkel

The Oscars have always been considered the grandest night in film but this year, in particular, could be extra special  with a number of chances for the awards body to make history.

Read more:

Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh and John Williams (Getty Images)

This years award show has the chance of making history multiple times

Oscars 2023 predictions

Friday 10 March 2023 16:30 , Peony Hirwani

Will it be an Everything Everywhere All at Once sweep? Or could Tar prove to be the one to beat? Adam White has looked over the major categories to try and figure them out.

Who will win and who should win at Sundays Oscars?

Battle for Best Picture: Ignore the snobs  Avatar deserves to win the Oscar for Best Picture

Friday 10 March 2023 15:45 , Peony Hirwani

James Camerons hit sci-fi sequel has been all but written off in this years Oscar race. Its a rank injustice, argues Louis Chilton  this earnest blockbuster is pure cinema.

Ignore the snobs  Avatar: The Way of Water deserves to win Best Picture

Oscars boss reacts to Chris Rocks scathing Netflix special

Friday 10 March 2023 15:00 , Peony Hirwani

The Academys chief executive has reacted to Chris Rocks scathing comments in his recent Netflix special, in which he addressed the moment he was slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars.

Asked about the timing of the specials release ahead of this Sundays Oscars ceremony, and whether it would put the incident back into public consciousness, Kramer told US outlet Deadline: I think whats important for us is that were moving forward.

At the Nominees Luncheon... Janet Yang very clearly owned that we, as an Academy, have to be better prepared and have to be much more nimble and clear in our response to things.

I really want to focus on that.

He added: I think its great that Chris spoke his truth. I cant speak to the timing of that, but we are ready to move forward.

Read more:

Oscars boss reacts to Chris Rocks scathing Netflix special

Slapgate wasnt a one-off  the Oscars have always been mired in scandal

Friday 10 March 2023 14:15 , Peony Hirwani

With the Academy Awards happening on Sunday, Geoffrey Macnab looks back at Oscar history and says the awards have always been turbulent and continue to reflect the biases of those who greenlight the movies.

Slapgate wasnt a one-off  the Oscars have always been mired in scandal

How is the academy going to handle the fallout from The Slap in 2022?

Friday 10 March 2023 13:30 , Peony Hirwani

The unfortunate headline-dominating moment from last years ceremony is back on peoples minds as the Oscars draws nearer.

How are organisers handling The Slap?

Annabel Nugent reports.

With Will Smith out, who will present the Oscar for Best Actress?

The 10 worst Oscar Best Picture winners of all time

Friday 10 March 2023 12:45 , Peony Hirwani

The Independents Geoffrey Macnab chooses the more ridiculous films to have ever won Hollywoods most prestigious award.

The 10 worst Oscar Best Picture winners of all time

The 13 most confusing Oscar screw-ups of all time

Friday 10 March 2023 12:00 , Peony Hirwani

From awarding Rami Maleks all-teeth performance as Freddie Mercury to Julianne Moore winning Best Actress for the wrong movie, the Oscars have always inspired confusion and frustration.

Ahead of this years Academy Awards, my colleague Adam White explores the most egregious mistakes in recent Oscar history.

Daniel Day-Lewis over Bradley Cooper?!  the 13 most confusing Oscar mistakes

Oscars 2023 predictions

Friday 10 March 2023 11:30 , Peony Hirwani

Will it be an Everything Everywhere All at Once sweep? Or could Tar prove to be the one to beat? Adam White has looked over the major categories to try and figure them out.

Who will win and who should win at Sundays Oscars?

10 worst Oscar acceptance speeches of all time

Friday 10 March 2023 11:15 , Peony Hirwani

Some are too saccharine, others too long  and the worst are when an actor only thinks of themselves.

My colleague Louis Chilton writes.

The 10 worst Oscar acceptance speeches of all time

How to watch the 2023 Academy Awards

Friday 10 March 2023 10:30 , Peony Hirwani

The 95th Academy Awards are on Sunday 12 March at 5pm PT (8pm ET), with the red carpet arrivals expected to begin from around 2pm PT.

As well as following along with us live, heres how you can watch the entire show in the US and UK.

How to watch the Oscars 2023

James Cameron recalls trousers falling down during Titanic Oscars speech

Friday 10 March 2023 09:45 , Peony Hirwani

James Cameron has recalled an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction he suffered at the Academy Awards in 1998.

The strap on [then-wife] Linda [Hamiltons] dress broke, so Im trying to hold up the back where the strap broke, he told The Hollywood Reporter.

And my tux came together at the very last second. The tailor was supposed to meet us at the Four Seasons before we went over to the Oscars. The guy never showed up, and my pants are three inches too big. So with one hand, Im holding up my pants, and with the other, Im holding up Lindas dress. That was our entire fricking evening.

Read more:

James Cameron recalls trousers falling down during Titanic Oscars speech

Jimmy Kimmel to return as host for 2023 Oscars

Friday 10 March 2023 09:00 , Peony Hirwani

Jimmy Kimmel will be returning to front the 95th Oscars in 2023, marking the talk show hosts third time presenting the ceremony.

Kimmel first hosted the awards in 2017, the year that La La Land was mistakenly announced as the Best Picture winner over Moonlight, the true winner. The second time he hosted was in 2018.

Ellie Harrison has the full story.

Jimmy Kimmel to return as host for 2023 Oscars

The 2023 Oscar nominations in full

Friday 10 March 2023 08:15 , Peony Hirwani

Ahead of the Oscars ceremony, which will take place on this weekend, nominations for all 23 categories were announced by Riz Ahmed and M3GAN star Alison Williams.

Check out the full list below.

The 2023 Oscar nominations in full

Why did Will Smith slap Chris Rock at the Oscars last year?

Friday 10 March 2023 07:30 , Peony Hirwani

During the 94th Academy Awards on 27 March 2022, Will Smith strode onto the stage and struck presenter Chris Rock in the face.

Tom Murray unpacks what went down.

Why did Will Smith slap Chris Rock at the Oscars last year?

Oscars organisers decline Zelenskys request to speak at 2023 ceremony

Friday 10 March 2023 06:45 , Peony Hirwani

Organisers and executives at the Academy Awards have reportedly declined Volodymyr Zelenskys request to speak at this years ceremony.

Since Russias initial invasion of Ukraine last February, President Zelensky has given high-profile addresses at awards ceremonies including the 2022 Grammy Awards and the Golden Globes in January.

However, reports today claim that the Ukrainian president was denied the opportunity to appear via telecast at Sundays Oscars.

Nicole Vassell reports.

Oscars bosses decline Zelenskys request to speak at 2023 ceremony

The 10 most baffling Oscar victories

Friday 10 March 2023 06:00 , Peony Hirwani

Helen OHara unveils some of the greatest injustices at the Academy Awards

The 10 most baffling wins in Oscars history

Sacheen Littlefeathers sister not happy about In Memoriam segment

Friday 10 March 2023 05:00 , Tom Murray

Sacheen Littlefeathers sisters have said including her in its 2023 In Memoriam segment would perpetuate the Academys biggest blunder.

Littlefeather, who died in October 2022, was famously known for rejecting the Best Actor statuette intended for Marlon Brando on live TV at the 1973 Oscars.

Littlefeathers biological sisters allege that her claims of Native American ancestry were lies.

Read more:

Sacheen Littlefeathers sister condemns her inclusion in Oscar In Memoriam segment

Anonymous Oscars voter dishes on favourites

Friday 10 March 2023 03:55 , Tom Murray

This week, as we build up to the big night, one anonymous Academy voter spoke to press about their thoughts on the Best Picture category.

They found they were absorbed from the beginning watching Avatar, noting that was something that didnt happen with most of the other movies.

Read more:

Anonymous Oscars voter shares thoughts on Best Picture nominees

James Camerons sinking trousers

Friday 10 March 2023 02:45 , Tom Murray

James Cameron returns to the Oscars this year with Avatar: The Way of the Water nominated in the Best Picture category.

Lets hope hell be better prepared than his 1997 appearance when he suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction.

The tailor was supposed to meet us at the Four Seasons before we went over to the Oscars. The guy never showed up, and my pants are three inches too big, Cameron explained.

Read more

James Cameron recalls trousers falling down during Titanic Oscars speech

Who will present the Best Actress award in Will Smiths place?

Friday 10 March 2023 01:50 , Tom Murray

It is an Academy tradition that the recipient of Best Actor from the previous year presents the Best Actress award, and vice versa.

However, Smith is of course banned from Academy events for 10 years after the infamous slap of last year.

With Will Smith out, who will present the Oscar for Best Actress?

The 13 most confusing Oscar decisions of all time

Friday 10 March 2023 00:55 , Tom Murray

The Oscars have produced some truly baffling moments over the years, including a lot of films and stars who really shouldnt have won.

Adam White explores the most egregious mistakes in recent Oscar history.

Daniel Day-Lewis over Bradley Cooper?!  the 13 most confusing Oscar mistakes

What did Michelle Yeoh do?

Thursday 9 March 2023 23:50 , Tom Murray

Michelle Yeoh caused a little bit of controversy this week with an Instagram post that mentioned Cate Blanchett. The two have both been nominated for Best Actress this year.

On Instagram, Yeoh shared excerpts from a Vogue article about representation at the Oscars, one of which read: Detractors would say that Blanchetts is the stronger performance... but it should be noted that she already has two Oscars... Meanwhile, for Yeoh, an Oscar would be life-changing.

Yeoh quickly deleted the post after receiving criticism online.

Read more:

Goldie Hawn has no time for the Oscars these days

Thursday 9 March 2023 22:52 , Tom Murray

One person who probably wont be tuning in on Sunday is Oscar-winner Goldie Hawn. The Hollywood icon said in a recent interview that the Academy Awards are no longer elegant.

Im not old-fashioned, but sometimes jokes are off-colour. And Im missing reverence, she said.

Read more:

Goldie Hawn explains why the Oscars are no longer elegant

Living writer Kazuo Ishiguro recalls eureka Bill Nighy moment

Thursday 9 March 2023 21:27 , Tom Murray

Kazuo Ishiguro and his star Bill Nighy are both Oscar-nominated for Living.

The celebrated Japanese-British author wrote the script for the movie, which was adapted from Akira Kurosawas Japanese film Ikiru.

Ishiguro recently revealed that he had the brainwave to cast Nighy in the movie while sharing a taxi with the author.

Ishiguros wife, Lorna MacDougall, told her husband: Just leave Bill alone  hes got enough work.

Read more:

Kazuo Ishiguro recalls eureka Bill Nighy moment ahead of 2023 Oscars

Woman King director says shell never get over Oscars snub

Thursday 9 March 2023 20:39 , Tom Murray

Among the biggest snubs at this years Oscars was that of The Woman King, Gina Prince-Bythewoods historical drama starring Viola Davis.

The film follows an elite unit of all-female warriors active in the historical kingdom of Dahomey. Unlike the Golden Globes, Baftas and SAG Awards, Davis was not nominated in the Best Actress category for the Oscars. In fact, the film failed to pick up a single nod.

Ill never get over it, because what happened was egregious and... it speaks to such a bigger issue in our industry, Prince-Bythewood said in a new interview.

Read more:

The Woman King director Gina Prince-Bythewood says shell never get over Oscar snub

Why did Will Smith slap Chris Rock at the Oscars last year?

Thursday 9 March 2023 19:45 , Tom Murray

Last year was undoubtedly the craziest night in Oscars history. While no one could forget what happened, Ive written a piece explaining *how* it happened and the ensuing aftermath.

Read more here:

Why did Will Smith slap Chris Rock at the Oscars last year?

Volodymyr Zelenskys request to speak at this years ceremony denied by Oscar bosses: report

Thursday 9 March 2023 19:02 , Tom Murray

The Ukrainian presidents request to deliver an address at this years Oscars have reportedly been denied.

According to sources speaking to Variety, WME agent Mike Simpson appealed to the Academy to include Zelensky in its much-anticipated broadcast, but was denied.

The report also states that this is the second year in a row that the president, who was formerly a comedic actor, had made an unsuccessful request to speak at the Oscars.

Read more:

Oscars bosses decline Zelenskys request to speak at 2023 ceremony

10 greatest Best Picture winners

Thursday 9 March 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

But hey, sometimes the academy nails it, and a truly great movie triumphs in the Best Picture category.

The Independents Geoffrey Macnab selects 10 films that are considered classic motion pictures to this day.

The best Best Picture winners at the Oscars

The 10 most baffling Oscar wins

Thursday 9 March 2023 18:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Speaking of snubs and surprises, there have been some truly baffling winners over the years.

Helen OHarra catalogues some of the most bizarre victories and who got bested in each case.

The 10 most baffling wins in Oscars history

This years biggest snubs and surprises

Thursday 9 March 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Now that weve seen who is nominated, who got snubbed and who got a surprise nod from the academy in their category?

Jacob Stolworthy and Louis Chilton take a look at the unexpected in this years nominations.

The 7 biggest snubs and surprises in the 2023 Oscar nominations

How is the academy going to handle the fallout from The Slap in 2022?

Thursday 9 March 2023 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The unfortunate headline-dominating moment from last years ceremony is back on peoples minds as the Oscars draws nearer.

How are organisers handling The Slap?

Annabel Nugent reports.

With Will Smith out, who will present the Oscar for Best Actress?

Who is hosting the ceremony?

Thursday 9 March 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Jimmy Kimmel will be returning to front the 95th Oscars in 2023, marking the talk show hosts third time presenting the ceremony.

The late-night talk show host is considered a safe pair of hands to handle the movie industrys biggest night, however, the first time he hosted is probably still firmly imprinted on the memories of some of Hollywoods leading stars...

Elli Harrison explains.

Jimmy Kimmel to return as host for 2023 Oscars

Who is nominated in the 2023 Oscars?

Thursday 9 March 2023 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Nominations for all 23 categories were announced by Riz Ahmed and M3GAN star Alison Williams.

Leading this years pack is Everything Everywhere All at Once, with 11, and German film All Quiet on the Western Front, which follows close behind with 10.

Jacob Stolworthy guides you through the full list:

The 2023 Oscar nominations in full

First up - logistics: When and how to watch

Thursday 9 March 2023 15:43 , Oliver O'Connell

The 95th Academy Awards are on Sunday 12 March at 5pm PT (8pm ET), with the red carpet arrivals expected to begin from around 2pm PT.

As well as following along with us live, heres how you can watch the entire show in the US and UK.

How to watch the Oscars 2023

Welcome to our live coverage of the Oscars 2023

Thursday 9 March 2023 15:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Welcome to The Independents rolling coverage of the 95th Annual Academy Awards.

Well be taking you through the nominees in all the most-watched categories, priming you with the best in Oscars trivia, and keeping you up to date on the red carpet, controversies, celebrations, touching moments, and of course a full rundown of all the winners.

Stay tuned!
NEWARK  By responding to the dramatic rise in overdoses and overdose deaths, first responders often experience a lot of trauma.

At a recent event at Ohio State University-Newark, the college, OhioCAN (Change Addiction Now) and Newark Homeless Outreach made sure that their importance to the community was acknowledged.

Among those participating in a recent event recognizing first responders at Ohio State University-Newark were (from left), Mallory Meeker, Charlotte Gutridge, Angie Honaker, Chief Tom Synan, Charlie Thompson, Trish Perry, David Ruderman and Linda Mossholder.

"First responders see the toll addiction can have on those struggling and those left behind. It is important we recognize their daily efforts to save lives, change the tide of addiction and be the link that brings a community together," featured speaker Tom Synan, police chief of the village of Newtown and founder of the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition, said in a press release on the OSU-Newark website.

Synan said he created the response coalition in 2014 after hearing of the death of a young man he had known for years  the third generation of drug deaths in a single Newtown family. He cautioned against giving up on individuals who had overdosed repeatedly. In his time as a police chief, he said he would often be asked, Why did you revive them again?

Its the only group that people say that about. Nobody says that about drunk drivers or suicidal people. What I tell them is that theres a whole family around that person: a mother, a father, a sister, a brother attached to them. You can discount the one but not the other.

The Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition provides a bridge from the work of first responders in saving lives to the continuing care needed to treat a chronic medical condition. The fire and EMS that respond cant fix that condition, but they can be the link to the continuing care model, Synan said. It all starts with first responders.

Newtown police chief Tom Synan (center), who spoke at an event at Ohio State-Newark honoring first responders, is flanked by a pair of Newark firefighters.

At the event, individuals in recovery from addiction provided testimonials and thanked the Newark first responders who had saved their lives  sometimes many times.

In the OSU-Newark article, Mallory Meeker described overdosing in the parking lot of the bank where she worked in 2021 and being brought back by Narcan. One of those Narcans Trish hands out saved my life, she said, referring to Trish Perrys efforts through Newark Homeless Outreach to provide Narcan to the community.

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I cant tell you how many times Ive been Narcaned and sent to jail  and it saved my life, Meeker said. Only because first responders were willing to provide that life-saving treatment, she is here today, she said. She believes it was divine intervention. God knew I wasnt going to be quiet about how the city of Newark saved me, she said.

Charlie Thompson, now a Delaware city resident, described struggling with addiction for years, repeatedly encountering one Newark police officer who would ask, When are you going to get it together?

Five years ago, Thompson passed out while using drugs with friends. They abandoned him by a dumpster. When I woke up, the people I thought were my friends werent there. Theyd dumped me in an alley. But strangers and the EMTs were there for me, he said in the article. One of the first people he saw after being revived was the officer who had been urging him for years to get clean.

Dr. David Ruderman, associate professor at Ohio State-Newark, describes how he became involved in teaching poetry to participants in the Licking County Day Reporting Program, which provides an alternative to prison and jail for people who had low-level felony convictions.

It was the last time he used drugs. I got my life back and can be productive now, he said. I have my kids back and a house, not a tent in the woods, and it was because of those people who helped me.

In the article, OSU-Newark associate professor Dr. David Ruderman described how he became involved in teaching poetry to participants in the Licking County Day Reporting Program, which since 2017, has provided an alternative to prison and jail for people who had low-level felony convictions.

Ruderman began teaching the class after one of his poetry students commented that the writing workshops were similar to recovery meetings in how they created a safe space for sharing. I realized poetry can help people in recovery demonstrate that were all the same. The point is to have a safe space to share, not to be kick-ass poets, he said.

One of his Day Reporting students introduced his poem with details from his biography  a brother and other family members lost to drug abuse or suicide. Another students poem expressed gratitude that first responders had decided she was Narcan worthy and brought her back to life.

In 2021, 106,699 overdose deaths were recorded nationally, resulting in an age-adjusted rate of 32.4 per 100,000 in the United States. In Ohio, 5,083 residents died of accidental drug overdoses in 2021, breaking the record of 5,017 overdose deaths in 2020. That 2020 record was an increase of 25% from the previous year.

Newark Homeless Outreach is a project of OhioCAN in Licking County. According to Perry, its mission is to embrace, educate and empower those whose lives have been impacted by substance use and/or homelessness. A group of dedicated and passionate volunteers meets every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at 10 Buena Vista Ave. in Newark to serve anyone who is hungry or in need of food or other items. Mostly community-funded and supported, Newark Homeless Outreach serves 80-120 people each week with a hot meal, hygiene items, harm reduction supplies, medical supplies, clothing, take-away items and other donated items.

OhioCAN invites community members to consider participating in its annual fundraiser, "Steps of Change: Walk a Mile in My Shoes," on May 20. More information can be found on the Newark Homeless Outreach Facebook page, by emailing Newark Homeless Outreach at newarkhomelessoutreach@gmail.com, or by calling Perry at 740-405-5682.

dweidig@gannett.com

740-704-7973

Twitter: @grover5675

Instagram: @dfweidig

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: OSU-Newark, Newark Homeless Outreach recognize first responders
Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC), has said that the outskirts of Bakhmut are littered with corpses of Russian invaders, and no one takes them away.

Source: Danilov on air during the 24/7 national joint newscast

Quote: "Our military is defending the glorious city of Bakhmut; our military is standing tall, this is our fortress. And what they are doing now we can't even imagine how useful it will be for the country and our army soon. Much scum, which has invaded our territory, is being shovelled there.

As Colonel-General [Oleksandr] Syrskyi reported, all the beams and the territory around the city are littered with the corpses of Russians and "Wagnerites". It's as if plant seeds were sown there. No one takes them away because no one needs them."

Details: Danilov stressed the importance of the defene of Bakhmut, which has been going on for ten months now.

"Imagine where these terrorists would be today, in what cities they would already be stationed, had our guys not defended this particular city. It would be such a moral uplift for them that in the end, the 'second army of the world' could take the district centre of Bakhmut and thus solve the issue that they could not solve for a while," the NSDC secretary said.

"Just as the fascists lost at Stalingrad, so they (the Russians  Ed.) will lose at Bakhmut," he said.

Danilov also noted that huge queues are recorded leaving the occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts for Russia.

Quote: "Those collaborators who helped [the Russians] are now waiting in line to leave the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. They feel that soon, it may be "hot" there, and many things could happen [Ukrainian troops are now] not so far from Donetsk, Luhansk, and our other glorious cities. They (collaborators  ed.) feel everything that happens there, and shortly, they will feel much more."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
In 1982, David Holladay was 16 years old and about to come out to his mother. They lived in a small town in Oklahoma and attended a Baptist church. This was the era of Rock Hudson and Elton John and Billie Jean King, people whose names, he said, were never far away from something derogatory.

When Holladay considered his future as a gay person, he saw it only as the fog of the unknown.

What Holladay didnt know then was that a movement was brewing that he and his family would be a part of for decades to come. He hadnt yet heard of PFLAG, the first LGBTQ ally organization for queer people and their families. But Holladay would eventually realize that by coming out, he wasnt only doing something for himself but also for his parents: He was giving them an opportunity to stand beside him.

They realized this isnt about people demanding a huge spotlight or attention, he said of his parents first introduction to the gay rights movement. These are just human beings trying to make their way in the world, and one of thems my kid.

The parents of gays and lesbians were just beginning to gain visibility in the 1980s. They were slowly building a coalition that started with one mom in the early 70s: Jeanne Manford, an elementary school teacher from Queens, New York, who walked alongside her gay son, Morty, during the 1972 Christopher Street Liberation Day march (the precursor to New York Citys massive LGBTQ Pride March). Her sign was a call to action for others like her. It said: Parents of Gays: Unite in Support for Our Children. Manford is known as the first parent to walk in a pride march.

Jeanne Manford marches with her son Morty in the New York City Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade (PFLAG)

As Manford and her son walked, people whistled and clapped. She initially thought they were cheering for the guy behind her, but she soon learned otherwise. They screamed! They yelled! They ran over and kissed me. Would you talk to my mother? Wow, if my mother saw me here.  They just couldnt believe that a parent would do that, Manford recalled in an interview years later.

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The experience changed both Manfords life and the course of allyship in America. The next spring, in March 1973, Jeanne and Morty Manford co-founded what was initially called Parents of Gays, or POG, in a church in New Yorks Greenwich Village neighborhood. About 20 people attended.

POG would eventually become Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and then, in 2014, it would become simply PFLAG. Now, 50 years after its founding, PFLAG has more than 400 chapters across the country and more than 200,000 members.

The organization celebrated its semicentennial at a gala in New York City this month. In attendance was Suzanne Manford Swan, daughter of Jeanne and sister of Morty. (Jeanne died in 2013 and Morty in 1992.)

For 50 years, people have walked into PFLAG meetings worried about their loved ones. There, they learn that the people they love are still the same people they always knew and loved, Swan said in prepared remarks, calling the organization a beacon of hope, love and acceptance for millions of people around the world. She also called on members to recommit ourselves to the work that still lies ahead.

Suzanne Manford Swan at PFLAG's National 50th Anniversary Gala in New York. (Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images for PFLAG)

The work is especially crucial for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer young people who do not have parents to advocate on their behalf. Many LGBTQ people still fear that they will be rejected by their parents, and queer youths are overrepresented among young people experiencing homelessness. And while these youths have higher rates of suicide than their non-LGBTQ peers, a survey published by The Trevor Project in 2019 found that LGBTQ youths who had at least one accepting adult in their lives were 40% less likely to have attempted suicide in the preceding year.

The Manfords founded PFLAG in a political environment in which homosexuality was still considered a mental disorder by psychiatrists. It was the years following the Stonewall uprising of 1969, and bars were still being raided. Gays and lesbians were being institutionalized against their will, and sodomy laws were strengthened to apply only to gay people and deny them custody of their children. Morty Manford, an activist in his own right, was a founding member of the Gay Activists Alliance and, in addition to co-founding PFLAG, worked to push gay rights legislation in New York, focusing on discrimination in employment, housing and places of public accommodation.

Jeanne Manford, behind the 'NYC' of the banner, and Dick Ashworth far right, with placard reading, 'We're proud of our gay children,' march during the 1981 Gay Pride Parade in New York. (Alan Raia / Newsday via Getty Images)

Jeannes activism was spurred two months before she walked in the parade. Morty had been protesting a meeting of a homophobic parody group, and he was beaten by a firefighter who threw him down an escalator. When the police called Jeanne to tell her Morty had been arrested, the officer added, And you know hes a homosexual? This question was meant to humiliate Morty and alienate him from his mother.

Yes, I know, Jeanne said. Why are you bothering him?

Morty was hospitalized for several days. Two months later, he asked his mother to march with him, and Jeanne responded that shed march if she could carry a sign. Reflecting on her activism years later, Jeanne said she was driven to do something because, Ive always felt that Morty was a very special person. And I wasnt going to let anybody walk over him.

A parent's call to action

If coming out is an invitation for activism, David Holladays parents were there to answer the call.

Fortunately for me, when David came out I was in a large law firm in Oklahoma CIty. I was a partner in that law firm, so I didnt have to be silent if I chose not to, Don Holladay, Davids father, said.

But there wasnt a clear path to how to proceed. It was a fairly lonely landscape, Don said. Our biggest ally was the library. They would find out about PFLAG from a Dear Abby column.

The Holladay family at Oklahoma Pride. (Courtesy PLFAG Norman)

The Holladays formed a local PFLAG chapter in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1994. Davids mother, Kay, went back to school for a masters degree in public education, ran for the city council and became a PFLAG board member. Don has gone on to advocate on behalf of LGBTQ people in his state and was the lead attorney in the fight to legalize same-sex marriage in Oklahoma.

You cannot love someone the way you love your children and listen to rock throwers who arent throwing at you, but theyre throwing at your child, and not do anything about it. That just doesnt make sense, Don said.

When Kay heads to pride marches, she always makes sure to bring her sign, a fitting evolution of the one Jeanne Manford proudly carried: I love my gay son," it says, "...and his husband."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Missing Student Cold Case - Credit: David Middlecamp/"The Tribune of San Luis Obispo"/AP

Nearly 27 years since Cal Poly student Kristin Smart went missing after attending a party near campus, former classmate Paul Flores has been sentenced to 25 years to life without parole for her murder. The sentencing came on the heels of Defense Attorney Robert Sangers failed attempts to secure a retrial and reverse Flores guilty verdict.

During the sentencing hearing for Flores in Monterey County Superior Court, Smart family members and friends gave their victim impact statements.

More from Rolling Stone

Paul chose to take a life, my sister Kristins life, a beautiful life, Matthew Smart told the court, per the San Luis Obispo Tribune. And now he must pay.

This is a parents worst nightmare  the disappearance and death of their child, said Stan Smart, Kristin Smarts father. We shared her hopes, her dreams, her aspirations as she became a beautiful young adult, and now she will never be able to have a full life.

Flores was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Smart in October of 2022, while his father, Ruben Flores, was found not guilty of being an accessory to the crime.

Smart went missing in May 1996 at age 19 after a party near California Polytechnic State University; Flores was the last person to see her that night. The investigation into Smarts disappearance was initially hampered after campus police refused to take a missing persons report from a dorm mate. After the student called Smarts parents, however, authorities began searching for her  albeit a week later. Flores was interviewed by the Cal Poly police investigators at the end of May 1996, but they didnt search his room until June 10. At that point, his room had been cleaned out. Still, when the room was searched again on June 29, a team of cadaver dogs signaled the smell of human decay. Flores and his parents have long kept quiet about Smarts disappearance, maintaining his innocence. She was declared dead in 2002 and her body has yet to be found.

Story continues

Local authorities stayed on the case for decades, though, most recently spurred on by the 2019 launch of the popular true-crime podcast, Your Own Backyard, hosted by local musician Chris Lambert. True crime podcasting is not something that particularly captivated me, Lambert previously told Rolling Stone. But it was a local story and the thing that stood out to me is that nobody was talking about it anymore. I didnt understand why. How are we not all talking about this every day until shes found?

Lambert has been covering the case for years now, culminating in the 2021 arrest of Flores on one count of murder in connection to the case. After Flores arrest, Sheriff Ian Parkinson stated that Lamberts podcast helped move the investigation forward. What Chris did was take a local story and turn it into an international story.  It did produce some information that I believe was valuable, he said. Denise Smart, Kristins mother, previously told Rolling Stone. We feel like the stars aligned when the podcast aired. It encouraged the previously reluctant to come forward.  This obviously gave law enforcement new leads to follow and connect with what they already were holding close.

Previously released documents detailed a March 15th, 2021 search by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office of Ruben Flores Arroyo Grande property that included ground-penetrating radar that uncovered a soil disturbance under the deck as well as four soil samples that tested positive for human blood. An April evacuation also tested positive for blood; authorities also uncovered fibers consistent with the color clothing Smart was last seen wearing. No remains have been found.

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Click here to read the full article.
Belgian band Stake

Post-metal? Post-rock-meets-sludge-metal-grunge? Whatever you want to bill them as, Stake are great company when we meet guitarist Cis Deman and vocalist / guitarist Brent Vanneste backstage at Arctangent festival.

With a sound that's increasingly bold with the styles it blends, we wonder how the band orchestrate the tones behind it live. Taking a closer look at Cis and Brent's festival dust-engrained pedalboards is a great place to start

Brent Vanneste

Stake pedalboard

Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner

Stake pedalboard

Brent: "So, we always start with tuning the guitar  it's very important."

Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb

Stake pedalboard

"Actually my pedalboard is pretty shity but for me it's more about the guitar and the amp. The only thing I really need are a good 'verb and I still think this is one of the best guitar 'verbs. I tested a lot of them and for me this one keeps working the best if you combine it with the gain of a good amp, like my JCM 800. This is perfect for what we are doing."

Boss Digital Delay DD-5

Stake pedalboard

"I lost my analogue delay about a week ago at Sziget Festival so I think it's still at the airport. I found this Digital Delay from Boss and it's doing the trick as well. I still miss my pedal but we're going to have to do it like this today.

"A good reverb and a good delay, and just use the drive of your amp  for me that's the most important distortion"

Boss / JHS Pedals JB-2 Angry Driver

Stake pedalboard

"Then I add the Angry Driver. It's a pretty good pedal. I used to use the MXR Micro Boost but this one is doing the trick as well. For me it's more about having a good fat lead sound through a JCM 800 or something like that, but you need the extra boost all the time so this is an important part. But it could be another one as well.

"So I'm not too nerdy about my pedals but the reverb is my most important one."

Mooer Bass Sweeper Filter

Stake pedalboard

"I really like this one as well. It's like an automatic envelope filter and it makes your sound very attacky and synthy [makes envelop filter noises]. So I really love it. I should glue it back to my pedalboard to be shown where it's not f*****g it up."

Story continues

Walrus Audio Aetos power supply

Stake pedalboard

"A lot of people were laughing at me before this because I had this metal structure on a wooden piece, everything was loose. My friends and bandmates were getting a bit angry so they fixed the pedalboard and power supply for me. I'm very happy with this nice present and I'm having less issues now onstage."

Stake pedalboard

Cis Deman

Stake pedalboard

"I'm going to start with the ES-8 from Boss. This makes sure I'm not doing the pedal dance through all my pedals.

Stake pedalboard

"I'm still actually dancing but just on this bit  little dances on these little buttons.

"I also use it as for channel switch on my JCM 800. My drive from my JCM 800 is my main distortion sound."

TC Electronics PolyTune

Stake pedalboard

"To make sure I'm a little bit in tune!"

Morley Bad Horsie Wah

Stake pedalboard

"I've had this for ten years, I guess. I use it a lot for little bits here and there. It's easy because it switches off when I lift my foot from it  that's why I'm using it."

MXR Six-band EQ

Stake pedalboard

"I use that as a boost for solos and stuff like that."

Boss OC-3 Super Octave

Stake pedalboard

"I use it to have a bit more octave in my Telecaster sounds which makes it really heavy if you mix it with this one"

Dr No Effects PowerDriver

Stake pedalboard

"This bad boy; my favourite pedal on the 'board. I use it as a drive constantly. If this pedal was a dog poo I'd still stamp on it."

Electro-Harmonix Soul POG

Stake pedalboard

"As you can see, everything is dusty from the festivals before. This Soul POG I use together with the octaver to colourise my sounds a bit in the atmospheric things. I actually don't use the drive, but I got it cheaper with the drive than without the drive."

Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb

Stake pedalboard

"I use it a lot in clean sounds and this is actually the pedal I've been using for 15 years. II often mix this with the DD-500."

Boss DD-500

Stake pedalboard

"I use this for slapback delays and the reverb [from the RV-5] makes things very atmospheric in the clean sounds."
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a road rage incident and asking the public for more information.

According to state police, the incident happened on Business 66 and state Route 22 in Hempfield and Salem townships at around 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Police said the two vehicles involved were a gray Mercedes seda and a white Ford Ecosport. They were closely following each other while weaving in and out of traffic and driving at excessive speeds.

State police are asking for any witnesses with any information on the incident to come forward and contact Trooper Feryus at Pennsylvania State Police Kiski Valley at (724) 697-5780 or at jferyus@pa.gov.

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Three years into the pandemic, a select group of people have achieved something some once thought impossible: They have never tested positive for Covid. Scientists around the world are searching for the genetic reasons these people have dodged Covid  despite repeated exposure to the virus.

Were they born with a form of super immunity? What's behind their Houdini-like success at escaping infection?

"Mostly luck," said Adam Zimmerman, 40, of Rockville, Maryland, laughing. Neither Zimmerman nor his wife and children have tested positive for Covid.

Is Adam Zimmerman a

"We took whatever mitigation steps we could and then hoped for the best," Zimmerman said, noting that his family is up to date with their vaccines. "So far, so good."

Since March 11, 2020, more than 676 million people around the world have had a confirmed infection. Nearly 60 percent of the U.S. population has had Covid, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There could be millions more missed cases because the individuals never had symptoms.

Even though millions of people have been vaccinated and followed precautions similar to the Zimmermans, they still got sick from Covid, either because of breakthrough infections or waning immunity.

Yet scientists believe it is possible that some people have never been infected because they entered the pandemic equipped with a kind of biological armor against the virus that causes Covid.

Now they want to unravel the mysteries hidden in the immune systems of true "Covid dodgers."

Is it possible to be immune to Covid?

"We are searching for rare genetic variants that make people resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection," said Dr. Jean-Laurant Casanova, a pediatric immunologist, geneticist and professor at Rockefeller University in New York. "If we were to discover them, the impact would be significant."

Casanova is working with an international team of scientists in a project called the Covid Human Genetic Effort.

"There's a couple of genes that have our attention," said Dr. Andras Spaan, a clinical microbiologist on the team. "One of them, of course, is ACE2," a gene known to help Covid infiltrate the body.

Story continues

In theory, some people may have DNA that does the opposite: preventing ACE2 or other genes from allowing a Covid invasion. If researchers can zero in on a protective genetic factor, it's possible that they could develop drugs to prevent infection and further spread of the virus.

The team has recruited approximately 1,000 people worldwide, using saliva samples to study volunteers' DNA.

Not surprisingly, many of the study's early recruits eventually tested positive for the virus, especially after the highly contagious omicron took hold in 2022.

Some never became infected, Spaan said, "even with omicron and repeated, intense exposure."

Rachel Zucker-Wong, 29, of San Francisco has a similar story. She recalled a time in September 2021, as the "hypertransmissible" delta variant was driving cases nationwide, when she sat next to a man at a wedding dinner who she later learned had Covid.

Rachel Zucker-Wong never tested positive for Covid, even though she says it seems like

"We were sitting right next to him. We were hugging him. We were all toasting," Zucker-Wong said. "And I never got it."

In fact, she has never tested positive, despite her husband getting Covid and her repeated exposure to the virus as a nursing school student.

Brian Peach worked as a nurse in the Covid intensive care unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida early in the pandemic, before Covid vaccines were widely available.

"We were in patients' rooms constantly, giving them medications, supporting their blood pressure," said Peach, also an assistant professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Central Florida. "We'd be in there suctioning their breathing tubes and doing regular oral care to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonias."

He's never tested positive, and is fascinated by the thought of having some kind of protective DNA.

Brian Peach nursed Covid patients in an intensive care unit early in the pandemic. (Courtesy Brian Peach)

"I'd love to know if I have something in particular that's helped me, other than the vaccines," Peach said.

It's not unheard of: There are people whose genes protect them from other viruses, such as HIV. That discovery has led to a handful of cases in which people living with HIV have possibly been cured with a stem cell transplant from naturally resistant donors.

Early in the pandemic scientists in the United Kingdom intentionally tried to infect people to see what would happen.

The Human Challenge Programme was small, including just 36 healthy young men and women. Researchers at Imperial College London squirted a tiny bit of the virus up the participants' noses and then waited. (Participants were all carefully monitored for any complications, but none occurred.)

Half of the participants became infected, experiencing mild symptoms. The other half, despite literally having Covid placed into their nasal cavity, remained infection-free.

As the pandemic progressed, however, most participants eventually developed the infection, said Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London who led the research.

That is, any natural-born Covid immunity was unlikely.

"We don't think that there was anything inherent that was preventing them from being infected," Openshaw said. It was "probably some chance event" that shielded the participants.

Perhaps "the very low concentration of the virus that was given got caught up in a lump of mucus and was expelled rather than managing to penetrate and cause infection," Openshaw said.

Exposed to Covid, but no symptoms

As the search continues for an elusive immunity gene, asymptomatic infections may be the real story.

That is, people never knew they had Covid because their body stopped the virus from making them sick  no cough, no fever, no trouble breathing.

One study conducted early in the pandemic, when routine testing was common, suggested that more than 40% of cases could be asymptomatic. The CDC stopped trying to track the percentage of asymptomatic cases when regular testing became less common.

Openshaw finds asymptomatic cases "absolutely fascinating."

"What is it that clears the virus before it gets a foothold?," he asked.

That's exactly what Jill Hollenbach, a professor in the department of neurology, as well as the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, is trying to discover.

"Some people just don't have symptoms at all," Hollenbach said. "There's something happening at a really fundamental level in the immune response that is helping those people to just completely wipe out this infection."

Hollenbach's lab is focusing on human leukocyte antigen, or HLA. The molecule sits on the surface of all of the cells in the body, basically acting like an overzealous guard dog.

HLA constantly shows the immune system what it finds near cells. Usually, they're harmless bits that are supposed to be in the body. Immune systems are generally unfazed by this.

Sometimes HLA holds up something that the immune system doesn't recognize, such as a virus like Covid. That's when it is supposed to launch an attack.

But HLA's abilities vary widely from person to person, and Hollenbach needed to find which version of HLA is especially adept at prompting the immune system to rid the body of Covid.

She turned to the National Donor Program, which includes roughly 13 million people  all with neatly logged HLA types.

HLA genes are the same that must be matched in people seeing an organ or stem cell transplant.

Hollenbach's team then followed about 30,000 people from that registry from the beginning of the pandemic until April 2021, when the vaccines became widely available.

More than 13,000 ultimately tested positive. Ten percent were totally asymptomatic.

"We were pretty stringent in our definition of asymptomatic. You don't even have a scratchy throat," Hollenbach said.

Strong immunity, a common genetic thread

Her team discovered a common genetic thread: a gene called HLA-B*15:01. People who have this HLA version were more than twice as likely to have an asymptomatic infection, Hollenbach found. That protection was increased by more than eight times if a person had two copies of the gene.

Her research was published on a preprint server, and is currently under consideration with a peer-reviewed journal, Hollenbach said.

People who have asymptomatic infections may be useful to study in other ways, as well. Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale University, suggests the tantalizing possibility that they might never be infected with Covid again.

"That would be important because that's really what we want to achieve in the population," Iwasaki said.

People who are infected but never show symptoms may develop a "strong mucosal immune system," Iwasaki suggested.

That is, when they breathe in bits of the virus, an army of immune cells quickly assembles in their mouth and noses. Those cells remember to be on the lookout for the virus if the person is exposed again.

"That could indicate that these people have developed very robust local immune responses that prevent future infections," Iwasaki said. Future research using saliva samples may be able to tell whether those mucosal immune cells do indeed hold onto the memory of Covid.

Hollenbach said that it appears people whose immune systems include the form of the HLA gene also have a fantastic ability to remember prior infections, jumping into action immediately when it finds something menacing that's been there before.

Hollenbach believes this is why kids have generally been spared the worst outcomes of Covid. Their little bodies are already extremely familiar with respiratory viruses.

"They basically spend years just completely snotty from ages 1 to 7," she said. "They're experiencing these seasonal coronaviruses at a really rapid clip, passing them around all of the time."

The idea is intriguing to other experts.

"There's a lot of work going on to try to see whether cross-reactive immunity stimulated by common cold coronaviruses could be a factor that causes differences in the way in which people respond to Covid," Openshaw said.

It may be a reason that Sue Nowatzke, a semi-retired nurse in Ames, Iowa, has remained Covid-free.

Sue and Duane Nowatzke, seen here with grandson Kal, have remained healthy over the entire pandemic. Kal did test positive, but recovered quickly. (Courtesy Sue Nowatzke)

"Ever since I was a kid, I easily caught any kind of respiratory crud," said Nowatzke, 64. "And when I worked in the hospital, I was always sick."

The last time Nowatzke remembers being ill was in December 2019. Since then, "I can't even remember a sniffle," she said.

She has never tested positive, despite repeated exposures to Covid while working as a nurse in June 2021.

Her husband, Duane, 68, has also never tested positive, but they aren't sure it's because of some innate ability to fend off Covid. They say they've relied heavily on masking and staying up to date on vaccination.

"They come up with a shot, we get it," Duane Nowatzke said.

Is Covid infection inevitable?

As scientists search for genetic factors that may render a lucky few immune to Covid, experts encourage caution.

"You never want to be like, 'I haven't gotten Covid, therefore I am invincible,'" said Dr. Michael Angarone, an infectious diseases specialist at Northwestern Medicine.

Some believe it's inevitable that the entire population will become infected sooner or later. While masking and vaccines are effective, they're not foolproof.

"There's very few people left that I know of who have not had the infection," said Angarone. "Even the people I know who were washing their groceries and whatnot ended up getting infected."

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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A South Jersey police officer was shot while on duty Friday afternoon, and a man was killed, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

The shooting involved an "encounter" between the officer and an adult male civilian around 12:45 p.m. in the area of Doman Avenue in Deptford.

A police union identified the officer as Bobby Shisler, a four-year member of the Deptford force.

"Bobby has a long road to recovery," said the New Jersey State Policemens Benevolent Association.

In a Facebook post Saturday, the union expressed thanks to an unnamed citizen "who helped save (Shisler's) life" and to "the three officers who applied a tourniquet and rushed him to the hospital."

A GoFundMe campaign to benefit Shisler and his family had raised more than $35,000 by noon Saturday.

The officer was taken to a hospital and was undergoing treatment late Friday afternoon, the Attorney General's Office said in a statement. It did not specify what department the officer is with.

Police union, departments release statements

Entrance to Deptford Township Municipal Building, 1011 Cooper Street. PHOTO: March 8, 2023.

The State PBA, which represents several local police officers including Deptford and Westville, asked for prayers "for the officers and all the members in Local 122."

"One of our officers with the Deptford Police Department has been shot this afternoon," the union said in a Facebook post on Friday. "The officer was rushed to Cooper University Hospital by fellow officers."

Washington Township Police Department Chief Patrick Gurcsik said in a statement on the Gloucester County department's Facebook page that his department was "praying for our Deptford brother who was shot today in the line of duty."

"Our police officers face unprecedented danger every day," the post continued. "Theres no time of day safer than others. No day of the week safer than the next."

Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins received word at 3:55 p.m. that the officer was in stable condition at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, according to a Facebook post from that department.

Story continues

Details on investigation

The Attorney General's Office is the lead law enforcement agency for any shooting involving police.

It said an investigation was ongoing "and no further information is being released at this time."

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Phaedra Trethan has been a reporter and editor in South Jersey since 2007 and has called the region home since 1971. Contact her at ptrethan@gannettnj.com, on Twitter @wordsbyPhaedra, or by phone at 856.486-2417.

Support local journalism with a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: South Jersey police officer shooting: Latest news, what we know
By Alexander Villegas

JULIACA, Peru (Reuters) - In a small bedroom of a tin-roofed home in Peru's southern city of Juliaca, Asunta Jumpiri holds the torn red and black sweatshirt of her 15-year-old son, whose dark eyes stare back at her from half a dozen framed photos around the room.

Her son Brayan was wearing it when he was shot in the back of the head on Jan. 9, the deadliest day of violence Peru has seen in over twenty years that has cut a deep scar in the country's Andean south.

Brayan had come into town with his mother, 9-year-old younger brother and pregnant older sister to visit the doctor. Brayan then asked to go to an Internet cafe and they arranged to meet up later at a nearby crossroads, his mother recounted.

Instead, Brayan was caught up in the protests. Security camera footage obtained by Reuters shows the moment he was shot, identifiable by his distinctive red-black sweatshirt.

Brayan died of his wounds three days later on Jan. 12 in hospital after surgeons tried to clear a blockage in the brain. His autopsy showed he had a fractured skull and died from head trauma caused by a firearm projectile.

"Do you think we're going to forgive?" Brayan's mother, Jumpiri, told Reuters at her home. "No, we're not going to forgive. I'm willing to fight. I'm willing to die. For Peru I'm willing to fight. I'm not afraid now that my son is dead."

Peru, home to some 35 million people, huge copper reserves and the ancient Incan city Machu Picchu, is grappling to restore stability after months of anti-government protests and clashes that have left 49 people dead, with roads blockaded around the country and calls for the president and Congress to step down.

Growing calls for justice pose a hurdle to restoring peace, broken by the dramatic Dec. 7 ouster of leftist President Pedro Castillo.

Since the first protest death in mid-December, prosecutors have opened at least 11 investigations into the deaths of some of the people killed during clashes with security forces.

Story continues

The prosecutor's office in Juliaca said they were not authorized to discuss the investigations and police declined to comment.

There has been a lull in clashes since their peak but anger is simmering.

Zarai Toledo, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Inter-American Policy and Research (CIPR) who has studied social conflicts in Peru, says the current wave of protests is unlike any she's seen since the country's return to democracy, and the lack of perceived accountability is dangerous for democracy.

"The country is super unpredictable, but this level of repression can help us argue that those that have been the victims of repression will not stop," Toledo said.

SCARS OF VIOLENCE

Brayan was one of 19 people killed in Juliaca. Scars of the violence are scattered around town, etched into the streets and buildings: charred shells of cars, burning tires and broken glass litter the roads. Anti-government banners hang from overpasses calling for the president to step down.

Family members of the victims have joined together, getting legal support and forming an association to spur authorities to action. Theyre coordinating with families and organizations around the country representing those killed during the protests to file a lawsuit against President Dina Boluarte and other members of the government.

Boluarte has said there will be no "impunity" when it comes to protest deaths, but families say they've seen little progress.

Rosa Luque criticized the authorities for not doing enough to collect evidence after her 18-year-old son, Heliot Luque, was shot and killed at around 5.30pm on Jan. 9. He died from a single gunshot to the chest, his autopsy shows.

"Aren't they supposed to be the authorities and isn't it their duty to do that?" Luque said.

Hundreds of protesters have been arrested, with several sentenced to jail, as the government has taken a tough line on protest violence, including threatening stiff jail terms for people supporting what it calls "terrorist" acts online.

"They don't immediately investigate the deaths, but the (protesters) who do damage or lead things, they're already in prison. Our dead aren't worth anything," said Dionisio Aroquipa, whose 17-year old daughter, Jhamlith Nataly, died on Jan 9.

Investigators found a 9 millimeter (mm) bullet lodged in her body according to an autopsy report seen by Reuters.

"We're asking for justice, for an in-depth investigation. I want to know who it was that pulled the trigger," Aroquipa said.

(Reporting by Alexander Villegas; editing by Adam Jourdan and Claudia Parsons)
Pictured (left to right) is the winning Petoskey team of Owen Ruckman, Carter Kowalewicz, Nathaniel Haines, Mason Cross, Conner Meengs, Dane Smith, Juan Espinoza, Ainslee Glass, Emmet Sisson, Brady Olson, Quincy DeMarco, Luke Ingalls, Aiden Cleary and Jase Williams. Not pictured are Natalie Overton, Tsipurrah Chu and Simon Gelb.

PETOSKEY  Petoskey High School finished the Char-Em Quiz Bowl season on a high note, winning its fourth tournament of the year on March 3 at North Central Michigan College.

After a rigorous morning round robin, both Petoskey C and Petoskey A teams finished first and second in their division with 5-0 and 4-1 records, respectively. Waiting to meet them in the afternoon semifinals from the other division were Harbor Springs A and Boyne City A, both with 4-1 records.

Both Petoskey teams won their semifinal matches for a rematch, only to have the Petoskey C team remain undefeated for the day and the overall champion.

Both Harbor Springs teams finished in the top five with Harbor Springs A winning the Consolation bracket trophy over Boyne City A. Also finishing high was Ellsworths A team in sixth place followed by Charlevoixs B team.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey High School wins final Char-Em Quiz Bowl tournament
 Flash

In a style like a colorful kaleidoscope with patterns changing at every twist, South by Southwest (SXSW), a conglomerate of film, interactive media, music festivals and conferences, kicked off on Friday in Austin, the capital city of U.S. state Texas.

For the film festival, the opening night film will be Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, directed and co-written by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.

"This year marks another epic reunion of global creatives, dreamers, innovators, and storytellers from the world's of tech, film, music, and beyond," said the organizer on the SXSW website.

"Interactive, intelligent, and of course weird," Sadie Kreitz, a 24-year-old social media specialist, described SXSW in her eyes in an interview with Xinhua on Friday.

"It is a big group of smart people coming together to talk about big issues in their specific field," she said. "I love that all of these things are coming together so we can all be in one place and all collaborate."

"Energy, art and fun," a couple from Europe commented on SXSW to Xinhua in downtown Austin.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said earlier this week the city is prepared.

"There is a need for heightened vigilance when it comes to safety and security," he said.

Large events like SXSW add to the city's vibrancy and bolster the local economy, but they also strain local resources, he reportedly told a local news conference.

The ten-day interactive feast across numerous creative industries is expected to attract about 300,000 people this year.

The annual festival can be traced back to 1987. Around 2000, SXSW started to focus more on emerging technologies and has earned the reputation as a breeding ground for new ideas and creative technologies.
This undated photo released by the Redmond Police Department shows the stalking suspect, Texas trucker Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38. A podcaster and her husband were found shot to death in their suburban Seattle home, along with Khodakaramrezaei, who had been suspected of stalking the podcast host for months, in a case that police who had tried to serve a protection order described as their worst nightmare. Police had been trying to serve a protection order on Khodakaramrezaei before Friday, March 10, 2023, killings. | Redmond Police Department via Associated Press

Early Friday morning, a couple was found dead in their home near Seattle.

Podcaster Zohreh Sadeghi, 33, and her husband, Mohammad Milad Naseri, 35, were victims of a murder-suicide-shooting. Police say Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, 38, broke into their home, per The Associated Press.

The suspected shooter and Sadeghi had originally met in 2021 on an online chat group for Farsi speakers and had expressed interest in her podcast. The two chatted for some time online and even met in person, reported AP. Last year, when the fan started threatening Sadeghi in the fall of 2022, the couple filed paperwork for a restraining order.

In one of the reports, she reported over 100 contacts in a single day, Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe said, per CNN. There were instances where the individual did show up at the (home) previously bearing gifts.

Khodakaramrezaei was originally from Texas and was working as a truck driver in the area of the home, which made it difficult for police to locate him for the retraining order, reported CNN.

AP reported the suspected shooter entered through a broken window, where he allegedly shot both Sadehgi and Naseri, and then himself. Sadehgis mother was also in the home but escaped unharmed to a neighbor's house, where she called the police at approximately 1:45 a.m. Friday.

This is the absolute worst outcome for a stalking case. This is every victim, every detective, every police chiefs worst nightmare, Lowe said Friday during a media briefing, per AP.

This is the absolute worst outcome for a stalking case. This is every victim, every detective, every police chiefs worst nightmare, Lowe said Friday during a media briefing, per AP.

He said this was the worst nightmare for stalking cases and cautioned that just because paperwork has been filed, a piece of paper does not protect a person when someone is intent on causing them harm. It only gives officers the ability to enforce the order.

Related
Anderson police are looking for a man they say entered the U.S. Bank on Childress Drive in Anderson on Friday, March 10, 2023.

Anderson police are looking for a man they said allegedly attempted to rob the U.S. Bank at 2750 Childress Drive in Anderson on Friday.

A man wearing what looked like a medical mask entered the bank before 5:04 p.m., according to the Anderson Police Department. He handed a bank employee a note demanding money, but left the bank after he was "unsuccessful," police said.

The bank employee described him as between the ages of 25 and 35, white, about 6 feet tall with long brown hair. He wore a gray colored long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

Anderson police are looking for a man they say entered the U.S. Bank on Childress Drive in Anderson on Friday, March 10, 2023.

Police said they searched the area but couldn't find the man the bank employee described.

They posted the bank's surveillance footage photos on social media and are asking for the public's help identifying him.

Anderson Police asked that anyone with information about the man email tips@ci.anderson.ca.us. Include "case number 23A002396" in the subject line.

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Police searching for man they say tried to rob bank in Anderson
Pope Francis has said that he would like to visit Ukraine, but will only do so if he can visit Moscow afterwards.

Source: European Pravda, citing Pope Franciss interview in La Nacion, an Argentinian newspaper

Details: "I am willing to go to Kyiv. I want to go to Kyiv. But on the condition that I go to Moscow. I go to both places or neither," Pope Francis said.

He acknowledged that he cannot visit Moscow at present, but said it was "not impossible". "I hope we will be able to do it. But I make no promises," he added.

He also said that he invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to a Papal Audience in the Vatican.

"In the end, he postponed it after the latest bombings and said he was not calling it off but postponing it to a time when he could travel," Pope Francis said.

Background: After his visit to Canada in July 2022, Pope Francis said that he would like to also visit Kyiv but explained that before that, he would like to visit Moscow in order to facilitate peace.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
(Netflix)

If you were online in February 2020, you might remember a certain corner of the internet catching fire. That month marked the start of a campaign against Pornhub, accusing the site of disseminating illegal, non-consensual content. The movement, known as Traffickinghub, describes itself online as aiming to [shut] down Pornhub and [hold] its executives accountable for enabling, distributing and profiting from rape, child abuse, sex trafficking and criminal image based sexual abuse.

The allegations were shocking. The individual stories they highlighted, distressing. One featured a woman who says she was raped at 14 years old, after which videos of the attack ended up on Pornhub. I sent Pornhub begging emails, she told the BBC in 2020. I pleaded with them. I wrote, Please, Im a minor, this was assault, please take it down. She says the videos were taken down after she threatened legal action, posing as a lawyer via email.

Traffickinghub went viral. In December 2020, a report in The New York Times by columnist Nicholas Kristof brought the topic to further mainstream awareness. An online petition launched at the same time as the campaign, calling for Pornhub to be taken offline entirely, has now received more than a million signatures.

Money Shot: The Pornhub Story, a new documentary to be released on Netflix on 15 March, takes a thorough look at Pornhub and the backlash against it. It engages with the issue in a complex, nuanced manner, featuring voices that often seem to be missing in conversations about regulation in the porn industry: those of the performers and sex workers who share legal, consensual content on the platform, and depend on it to make a living.

Gwen Adora, an adult performer and content creator on platforms such as Pornhub and OnlyFans, witnessed the campaign gain traction with trepidation in 2020. I feel for the people involved in that story, she tells The Independent in an interview ahead of the documentarys release, about people featured in abusive content, or whose content was shared on the website without their consent. Telling their personal stories is a huge thing, especially about such a vulnerable topic.

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Adora worried about calls to moderate the industry more heavily, which we as performers know does not work, and which she says would only harm other marginalized communities trying to exist and thrive online. Siri Dahl, another performer featured in the documentary, explains in the film that without the stable income provided to her by the content-sharing platform OnlyFans, she might have to consider working with studios with whom she doesnt have an established relationship, or whose on-set practices she doesnt fully trust.

The virality of the Traffickinghub campaign also meant that the subjects of pornography and sex work were discussed on a broader scale than usual. Adora found herself having to explain to people that its not completely black and white, and theres a lot more nuance to the story.

Its just tough to see your industry, something that youre personally involved in, painted as something that is profiting off of and encouraging activities that are so dark, she says. Its tough.

Suzanne Hillinger, the director of Money Shot: The Pornhub Story, was first approached by Netflix about making a documentary about Pornhub in early 2021. She asked herself: What are the unanswered questions? Who do I think are the missing voices in it?

I didnt want to just do a film that was sort of the WeWork story of Pornhub, she tells The Independent. (The corporate troubles of WeWork, the provider of coworking spaces, have been chronicled in multiple documentaries, books, and write-ups.) I wanted to figure out what story was being missed.

I think that its really easy to tell a story that has really clear bad guys and really clear good guys, and the world does not work that way, she adds. ... So I wanted to tell a really nuanced, gray story about sex workers grappling with the fact that in order to make a living online, they have to interface with these platforms that they dont know if they can trust.

This isnt to say that Money Shot: The Pornhub Story goes easy on the titular website. It doesnt. Pornhub falls under plenty of scrutiny; a particularly gripping sequence features a participant, contributing anonymously, stating they used to work as a moderator for the platform and describing what they say was a lack of means and capacity to vet videos properly.

At the end of the day, these social media platforms [and] pornography platforms are there to make money and get clicks, Hillinger says. Are they doing whats best to keep people safe? Is it even possible?

The documentary also contextualizes the Traffickinghub campaign. Laila Mickelwait, one of the driving voices behind the movement, was previously a director of abolition at Exodus Cry, a faith-based organization that states on its website it first began as a prayer meeting and pursues the goal of abolishing trafficking and commercial exploitation.

Exodus Cry uses abolition in the sense used by antisex work groups, meaning the abolition of the sex trade, including prostitution and porn, by means of the criminal law, Melissa Gira Grant, a journalist, author, and former sex worker whose writing has covered the industry extensively, wrote in The New Republic in December 2020.

From there, a question emerges: should the campaign to further regulate an industry really be driven by the same people who have advocated for its abolition?

Dahl says in the documentary that as a performer, she was not pleased with Pornhub early on. Piracy was a massive issue on the site, which let users upload the content of their choosing, even if they sometimes did not have rights to it. So Dahls first experiences with Pornhub consisted in a game of Whack-A-Mole getting my stolen stuff taken down constantly. There is a sense of frustration at the systematic association of pornography with exploitation when, as Dahl explains, pornography, when produced properly, is concerned with performers consent, boundaries, and bodily autonomy. That concern, in fact, is one of [Dahls] favorite things about the industry.

To Dahl, who says most of her work now comes from OnlyFans, the problem is not with Pornhub specifically, but with the internet at large. In a call with The Independent, she brings up Section 230, a piece of legislation that limits the liability of services such as Pornhub, which host content generated by third-party users. The Supreme Court recently heard two cases seeking to increase the responsibility of online platforms in some cases. That debate extends far beyond the realm of pornography, to video-sharing services such as YouTube and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

Dahl finds the idea of Section 230 being gutted terrifying.

I dont think that people who arent sex workers or closely aligned with adult work and sex work online  civilians, as we like to call them  realize how catastrophic that would be for the entire internet, she says. It would very well be the end of my ability to make a living, if Section 230 were gone. She mentions the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), previously known as Morality in Media, an organization founded in 1962 and described in 2014 by ThinkProgress as perhaps the nations loudest voice against adult pornography, with a coalition that reads like a whos who of conservative Christian organizations.

Its really scary and incredibly frustrating to see groups like Exodus Cry and NCOSE pushing to make these changes [to the industry], Dahl says. They have to have an understanding of the sort of domino effect that that could cause across other parts of the internet. But theyre so focused on getting rid of all porn that its like, Oh, well, the collateral damage, who cares? Which is not great.

Dani Pinter, a senior legal counsel for NCOSE, is also interviewed in the documentary. During our phone call, Hillinger mentions the work that [Pinter] is doing to represent survivors of abuse, and describes her as a really fantastic attorney. I think her role is complicated, Hillinger adds, because I think NCOSE is a complicated organization that she works under.

Throughout the documentary, the industry and the stakes of the campaigns against it are broken down by multiple participants, including Noelle Perdue, a porn writer and producer. Perdues had a lot of practice explaining the industry to people who dont participate in it. When I ask her how she might contextualize the anti-porn campaigning of the past few years, she says she tries to approach the task with a lot of patience, because those campaigns have put a lot of thought and a lot of money into specifically targeting young, liberal people.

There was a noticeable rebrand that is discussed in the documentary, to pivot away from sort of conservative-leaning, older generations and towards this new generation of liberal or centrist people, Perdue tells The Independent. And they were really effective in that pivot, obviously.

When trying to discuss those issues, Perdue might ask people to move away from generalizations (for example, porn is bad, or porn is exploitative), and get them to define the words theyre using.

She narrows it down until she and her conversation partner can get on the same page and understand each other.

Oftentimes, its a very reasonable concern, she says. Maybe they read an article that said that people who worked in studio porn were exploited by their managers, and they no longer have the rights to their content or their image, and that was really traumatizing. And thats something that I can address more reasonably, where I can say, Absolutely. The exploitation of younger people by managers in the industry  thats a real problem. And thats actually something that the porn industry is addressing. She finds that people often lack enough knowledge of the industry to make specific criticisms, so giving them that information allows them to participate in the conversation in a more effective way than generalizations do.

Hillinger hopes people come away from the documentary understanding that this is not a Pornhub problem, this is an internet problem. She wants platforms hosting third-party content to invest more in moderation, to make the internet a safe place for people using it however they want to use it, as long as its legal and consensual. Moderation, she says, is incredibly expensive to do right. You need a lot of moderators, not just computer-generated moderation. [You need] people with real skills, who are highly trained.

She argues that porn is never going to go away.

Its always going to exist on the internet. And I think it needs to be recognized as a job that people pay for, she adds. These people can earn a living doing what theyre doing. Theyre not deviants. Its a job. They need to be treated and taken care of by the platforms who make money off of their backs, as a very, very valuable workforce.

Dahl hopes that viewers understand that sex workers are human beings after watching and that people will think a little harder after watching this documentary about maybe questioning the motives of groups that push for censorship of adult content.

Adora hopes people leave with an open mind to further listen to sex workers, and willing to trust us with our own industry.

I hope that people leave with a curiosity about the industry, and a feeling of responsibility to engage genuinely with an industry that in all likelihood they already engage with in the privacy of their own bedrooms, Perdue says. I would love it if people were more curious about pornography and about the porn industry beyond these kinds of moments of solitude.

The Independent has approached Pornhub for comment.
Netflix

Netflix tries to steal back some eyeballs from one of its biggest online video-streaming competitors with Money Shot: The Pornhub Story, a documentary about the creation and travails of the internets pre-eminent X-rated emporium. Viewers hoping for salaciousness or titillation, however, will be sorely disappointed by Suzanne Hillingers feature (March 15), which eschews nudity (much less hardcore material) to an almost disingenuous degree in favor of a skin-deep and saggy look at the 21st-century porn wars.

Money Shot: The Pornhub Storys title comes from the term for an adult films climax, but it also more subtly refers to the revenue side of the business. Whereas porn content was traditionally available via theatrical films, VHS tapes and magazines, the rise of the web begat a host of sites thatusing YouTube as a modelallowed users to upload whatever they wanted. Of those pioneers, Pornhub quickly became the biggest and most successful, attracting 3.5 billion visitors a month and, in the process, ranking as the 10th most visited site in the world. Unsurprisingly, the national media spotlight followed, making its name synonymous with digital erotica.

Pornhub is owned by MindGeek, a private Luxembourg-based company whose center of operations is in Canada. According to former employee Noelle Perdue, it was a hilariously boring office space, full of gray carpets and cubicles, and run by executivesCEO Feras Antoon, COO David Tassillo and co-founder Bernd Bergmairwho cared more about spearheading a thriving tech giant than a porn empire. The key to their success was a data-harvesting system that allowed them to tailor content to consumers in a way that far outpaced their non-porn rivals (because they simply had more material with which to work), as well as a paradigm-disrupting focus on unauthorized distribution. Anyone could post clips to Pornhub, and while those uploaders didnt earn anything for their effortsverification was mandatory in order to profitPornhub itself benefited greatly from this tidal wave of free, unsanctioned videos, courtesy of increased traffic that led to enormous ad revenue.

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Netflix

By 2011, adult film stars and producers realized that, with their films now rampantly stolen and shared on Pornhub, they had no choice but to partner with the sitea shift that eventually resulted in an authorized channel called Modelhub that allowed actors and actresses to earn a living from their work. Money Shot: The Pornhub Story casts Modelhub and the similar OnlyFans as empowering venues for sex-worker independence, as is the case with Gwen Adora, a self-employed camgirl who discusses her one-woman show and the freedom it gives her in comparison to working for a larger outfit. Considering that, as performer Wolf Hudson claims, you can make over $10,000/month on Modelhub (more than twice what a studio might pay for like-minded services), it was no surprise that vets and newbies alike flocked to these new platforms.

Trouble, however, was brewing, and it finally peaked when activist Laila Mickelwait launched #Traffickinghub, an online campaign intended to shed light on the fact that Pornhub was home to countless videos of minors. Mickelwait made so much noise that she attracted the attention of The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who was horrified by what he found (and was shown) on Pornhub. In response, he penned a headline-making story (The Children of Pornhub) about one of its many victims: Serena K. Fleites, an eighth-grader whose private nude videos (shot when she was 14) became a persistent mainstay on the site, meaning Pornhub made money off them through ads. Kristof suggested a trio of solutions to this problem: only let verified users upload; prohibit downloads; and expand moderation. Once Mastercard and Visa severed ties with them, Pornhub relented on all three.

Louvre Calls in Lawyers Over Pornhubs Hardcore Re-Enactments

For performers like Siri Dahl, the credit card companies decision was a devastating blow, and she and others (including Cherie DeVille) make clear that this was all due to an erroneous conflation of legitimate pornography and illegal videos of criminal misconduct and abuse. Money Shot: The Pornhub Story wades into these contentious waters, trying to separate the lawful from the illicit, and whether Mickelwait and her organization Exodus Cryas well as The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), formerly known as Morality in Mediaare crusaders concerned about sex trafficking, or evangelical Christian moralists intent on eradicating the industry altogether. Meanwhile, it also details a civil lawsuit filed on behalf of 30 women by lawyer Michael Bowe that dubs Pornhub a Sopranos-style criminal enterprise, and which he says is committed to incentivizing the industry to clean up its act.

Netflix

Director Hillinger raises these topics from what feels like a distance; though she chats with a handful of relevant players on both sides of the Pornhub divide, theres little depth to her inquiry. Porn performers defend themselves and express a desire for autonomy (which they believe is now threatened), critics slam Pornhub and its culture of underage sexual exploitation, and the film more or less leaves it at that. Not taking an unduly biased stance might be theoretically admirable for a documentary intent on navigating thorny terrain. Yet Money Shot: The Pornhub Story is all surface chit-chat about serious issues, to the point that its hard to develop a strong opinion about this matter other than that genuine porn and illegal material are two different things, and that it would be best for all involved if platforms weeded out the latter entirely, regardless of the cost to their bottom linewhich is hardly a groundbreaking takeaway.

Further complicating ones reaction to Money Shot: The Pornhub Story is a pervasive sense of dishonesty. NCOSE senior counsel Dani Pinter comes across as intently committed to underplaying (if not outright concealing) her organizations religious underpinnings, thereby calling into question their true motives. The proceedings primarily non-explicit depiction of professional porn is similarly misleading, epitomized by footage of Dahl making cutesy penis-review videos and chatting chastely with two co-stars on camera about what turns them on (their answers: sensual making out and kissing). Refusing to provide an accurate and trustworthy snapshot of what both these opposing factions are really about, the film comes across as a superficial expose afraid of getting dirty.

How a Billionaires Text Led to Pornhub Scrubbing Millions of Unauthorized Videos

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Premier League players will not speak to Match of the Day today in a show of support for Gary Lineker, joining the growing boycott of the programme led by pundits and commentators.

The BBC has informed clubs that they will not request players to fulfil their broadcast commitments after the Professional Players Association (PFA) raised concerns.

As reported by The Independent on Friday night, clubs were in debate over whether their managers and players appearing on Match of the Day would almost constitute a political act.

Premier League players also wanted to stand in solidarity with Lineker, as well as former professionals Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, and the PFA have confirmed players will not be put in the position of speaking to Match of the Day.

Fines could have been issued for failing to fulfil broadcasting duties, but the PFA were supportive of the stance made by the players.

A statement from the PFA said: We have been informed that players involved in todays games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match of the Day.

The PFA have been speaking to members who wanted to take a collective position and to be able to show their support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonights programme.

During those conversations we made clear that, as their union, we would support all members who might face consequences for choosing not to complete their broadcast commitments.

This is a common sense decision that ensures players wont now be put in that position.

More follows
Disgraced royal Prince Andrew stepped down as a working member of the royal family last year, over his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein (EPA)

Prince Andrew has reportedly been approached by two American broadcasters with offers to take part in a new, tell-all interview in the United Kingdom.

According to a new report, the disgraced Duke of York is considering telling his side in hope of a chance for redemption, over three years after Andrews interview with Emily Maitlis about his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein on Newsnight.

The duke was also accused of sexually assaulting Virginia Guiffre, one of Epsteins victims, when she was underage in the US. Andrew has consistently and vehemently denied the accusations.

Andrew was stripped of his military titles and asked to step down as a working royal last year, after he paid Guiffre a multi-million pound settlement to stop the case going to court.

On Friday (10 March), The Mirror reported Andrew now feels there is little else to lose in giving a fresh interview  citing a source close to the duke.

Nothing is off the table, they claim. Andrew has been made to give up his job and now potentially his home.

Earlier this month, it was reported Andrew was resisting King Charles wishes for him to move out of the 30-room Royal Lodge and into Frogmore Cottage  where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle used to reside.

Andrew has lived in the property in Windsor Park with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson since 2004.

The Mirror also reported Ferguson, who is currently promoting her novel A Most Intriguing Lady in the US, has met with journalist Daphne Barak.

Barak was the first person to interview Andrews former friend Ghislaine Maxwell since she was sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping Epstein abuse teenage girls.

The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.

Earlier this week, Ferguson said it was so sad to watch Andrews demise during an appearance on Good Morning America.

Hes been very steadfast for the girls, Ferguson said, referring to their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Eugenie. We are woman that also have had to see the demise of a very strong man and that has been really difficult to see.

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Andrews ex-wife recently also addressed reports that the duke may have his 249,000 annual allowance cut from April onwards.

As a result, the duke reportedly told his friends, he will not be able to cover the costs of maintaining the Royal Lodge.

While noting this is a matter for the duke and His Majesty, Ferguson said she was proud to be able to financially support Andrew and the rest of the family through my work.
Prince Edward has referred to his wife Sophie as duchess for the first time after receiving the title of Duke of Edinburgh on his 59th birthday.

King Charles conferred his late fathers title to brother Edward in accordance with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philips wishes on Friday (10 March).

Shortly after the title change was announced, Edward greeted crowds at the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and addressed a gathering at the City Chambers, marking one year since Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking to the audience, Edward remarked it had been a very special and slightly overwhelming day for him and his wife, the new Duchess of Edinburgh.

Thank you very much indeed for welcoming us to Edinburgh today on, indeed, a very special and slightly overwhelming day for  now  my wife, the duchess, the duke said, prompting loud cheers from the audience.

Sophies former title was Countess of Wessex, equal in rank to Edward  the former Earl of Wessex. Their son, 15-year-old James, Viscount Severn is the new Earl of Wessex.

The duchess opted to wear a turquoise blue dress, with a cream coat for the occcasion.

Announcing the new title for Edward, Buckingham Palace in a statement on Friday said: His Majesty The King has been pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon the Prince Edward, on the occasion of HRHs 59th birthday today.

The title will be held for HRHs lifetime. The dukedom was last created for Prince Philip in 1947, upon his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, who held the title of Duchess of Edinburgh before acceding to the throne in 1952.

The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to continue Prince Philips legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential.
 Flash

China firmly opposes the U.S. placing 24 Chinese companies and one individual on its Specially Designated Nationals List on the so-called Iran-related excuses to impose sanctions on them, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said Friday.

The United States should immediately rectify its wrong practices and cease unreasonable suppression on Chinese enterprises and individuals, the spokesperson said, adding that China will take necessary actions to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and individuals.

The United States has repeatedly imposed sanctions on Chinese enterprises on the so-called grounds related to Iran or Russia, the spokesperson said.

The abusive use of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction by the United States does not align with the international law, seriously undermines the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and individuals, interrupts the normal economic and trade exchanges between other countries, threatens the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains, and hinders the recovery and development of the world economy, said the spokesperson.
Putin missed the last two G20 summits

Bloomberg reports that the Kremlin is clearing the autocrat's schedule around the date of the event, citing people familiar with the planning.

Putin has skipped the last two G20 summits amidst growing pressure over the war in Ukraine. Sources familiar with Putin's schedule, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Kremlin is currently planning for him to attend the next summit, though a final decision has not yet been made.

Read also: Tangible results we can expect from EU-Ukraine Summit, NV analysis

This week, the annual Vladivostok economic forum, scheduled for the eve of the G20 summit, was notably pushed to a week later "due to the schedule of international events." This, according to Bloomberg, would make Putin's trip to India possible.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment, the outlet wrote.

India has formally invited Putin for the G20 leaders summit on Sept. 9-10 and the Kremlin has accepted.

Read also: European Council invites Zelenskyy to Brussels summit

Previously, before the G20 summit in Bali in November 2022, the Kremlin also refused to provide a clear answer as to whether Putin would attend in person. Eventually, the Russian dictator refused to participate in the summit at all, even refusing an online appearance. The Kremlin justified this decision with alleged scheduling issues and Putin's "need to be in Russia."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was sent to Bali instead, but he faced a cold reception from the G20 member states and fled the summit before it was over. Only the representatives of India and China negotiated with him.

The recent G20 foreign ministers meeting held in New Delhi at the beginning of March saw bitter divisions over Russias war on Ukraine and ended without a joint communique as Russia and China blocked the joint statement agreed to at the previous G20 summit in Bali.

Putins future international travels could be severely limited should Ukraines expected war crimes cases against the Russian dictator prove successful.

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
NEW YORK (AP)  It wasn't critics, political foes or their bosses that united Fox News stars Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham when they gathered via text message for a gripe session shortly after the 2020 election.

It was their own network's news division.

They're pathetic, Carlson wrote.

THEY AREN'T SMART, Ingraham emphasized.

What news have they broken the last four years? Hannity asked.

The Nov. 13, 2020, conversation was included among thousands of pages of recently released documents related to Dominion Voting Systems' $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox for its post-election reporting. Like much of what was uncovered, the exchange ultimately may have little bearing on whether Fox will be judged guilty of libel.

Instead, the material offers insight into how Fox's stars and leadership responded at a time of high anxiety and how giving its audience what it wanted to hear took precedence over reporting uncomfortable truths.

The revelations have bolstered critics who say Fox News Channel should be considered a propaganda network rather than a news outlet.

Yet while Fox's news side has seen the prominent defections of Shepard Smith and Chris Wallace in recent years, it still employs many respected journalists  such as Jennifer Griffin, Greg Palkot, John Roberts, Shannon Bream, Bryan Llenas, Jacqui Heinrich and Chad Pergram.

They're left to wonder whether the raft of recent stories about Fox  from the Dominion documents and from Carlson's use of U.S. Capitol security video to craft his own narrative of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack  will make their jobs more difficult. Will fewer people want to work with them because of the dominance of Fox's opinion side?

Fox says it has increased its investment in journalism by more than 50% under Suzanne Scott, Fox News Media CEO, and usually leads its rivals in ratings during major breaking news stories.

We are incredibly proud of our team of journalists who continue to deliver breaking news from around the world and will continue to fight for the preservation of the First Amendment, the network said in a statement.

Story continues

The post-election period in 2020 offered a stern test. The network's election night declaration that Joe Biden had won in Arizona, ahead of any other news organization, infuriated its viewers. Many were sympathetic to former President Donald Trump's claims of significant voter fraud even if, then as now, there has been no evidence of that.

After she covered a Nov. 19 news conference with Trump lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, then-Fox reporter Kristin Fisher said her boss in Washington, Bryan Boughton, called to say he was unhappy with her report. She said she was told she needed to do a better job of respecting our audience, according to documents released in the case.

I believed that I was respecting our audience by telling them the truth, Fisher, who now works at CNN, testified in a deposition on the Dominion case.

She later claimed that airtime was taken away from her in retaliation.

Heinrich drew the ire of Fox opinion hosts by tweeting a fact-check on some of Trump's claims. In a text message, Carlson profanely said she should be fired; Fox said she was later promoted to White House correspondent.

She has serious nerve doing this, Fox publicity chief Irena Briganti said in an internal memo released among the court papers, and if this gets picked up, viewers are going to be further disgusted. Her job is to report, not to taunt the president of the United States.

During a Nov. 14 text conversation, Scott and Lachlan Murdoch, the executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corp., talked about how a Trump rally should be covered on the network.

News guys have to be careful how they cover this rally, Murdoch said. So far some of the side comments have been slightly anti, and they shouldn't be. The narrative should be this huge celebration of the president.

In another message, he called Fox correspondent Leland Vittert smug and obnoxious. Vittert now works at NewsNation.

A week after the election, a Fox Corp. senior executive, Raj Shah, said in a memo that bold, clear and decisive action is needed for us to begin to regain the trust that we're losing with our core audience.

Dominion argues, as part of its lawsuit, that nervousness about what its viewers wanted led Fox to air allegations that the voting machine company was complicit in fraud that hurt Trump, even though many people at the network didn't believe them. In his own deposition, Fox founder Rupert Murdoch agreed the election had been fair and it was not stolen.

Fox counters that it was airing newsworthy charges made by the president and his followers.

Concern over the Arizona backlash spread to the news division, according to court documents. Fox News anchor Bret Baier said defending the call made him uncomfortable and suggested instead awarding the state to Trump. Roberts also sent a memo saying hed been getting major heat over the decision.

In 2012, Fox stood strongly behind its decision desk when network commentator and veteran GOP aide Karl Rove questioned its correct call that Barack Obama had won in Ohio, essentially assuring him of reelection against Republican Mitt Romney.

In a memorable television moment, Megyn Kelly marched down the hall to hear the decision desk's explanation for why the call was made.

Eight years later, signs of timidity at Fox appeared in the days after its Arizona call. When other news organizations ultimately declared Biden the president-elect on the Saturday morning after the election, Fox waited about 15 minutes.

On Nov. 20, 2020, Rupert Murdoch discussed with Scott in a private memo whether two Washington executives key to the Arizona race call should be fired, saying it would send a big message to Trump allies. The executives, Bill Sammon and Chris Stirewalt, lost their jobs two months later.

A Fox spokeswoman characterized the discussions about the Arizona call as part of a typical postmortem that happens after big news events. Despite intense scrutiny, Fox stood by its call. Even though Sammon and Stirewalt were forced out, Fox kept consultant Arnon Mishkin, who has run its decisions desk, for the 2024 election.

Scott, answerable to corporate bosses, noted in her deposition that she considered herself a television producer.

I don't consider myself a journalist, said the head of Fox News Media. I consider myself a TV executive. I hire journalists. I hire news people.

Longtime Fox News Channel chief Roger Ailes wasn't a journalist, either  his background was in politics. To some longtime Fox watchers, though, Ailes recognized that Fox's opinion side drew strength from a solid news side, and he kept stronger barriers between the two.

Some of the information revealed in recent weeks illustrates how, in many ways, Fox has become less of an agenda-setter than an outlet that follows its audience, said Nicole Hemmer, a Vanderbilt University professor and author of Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.

To date, no one in Fox management has talked about the Dominion case to its journalists, leaving some wondering whether there is anyone standing up for them, said one Fox journalist, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of professional retribution.

In a brief filed Friday, Fox said that many of the exhibits that Dominion has introduced were internal communications, often inflammatory and headline-grabbing, but irrelevant to any issue in dispute.

There is some fine journalism still being done at Fox News today, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. She cited the transition of Fox News Sunday from Wallace to Bream.

The fallout from the Dominion case, however, leaves open the question of whether Fox journalists will be allowed to do their jobs unconstrained by other forces, she said.

It would be useful for Fox News, at this point, to make a clear statement that the news division has complete and total autonomy and that a clear line is drawn between it and the rest of Fox, Jamieson said.

____

Associated Press writers Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta, Jonathan J. Cooper in Phoenix, Gary Fields in Washington, Jennifer Peltz in New York and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.
(SXSW)

For a time, they were everywhere  a Canadian psychiatrist and his soft-spoken patient, unassuming harbingers of doom at the hands of the devil. Larry Pazder and Michelle Smith exploded onto talk shows and into headlines after the 1980 publication of the co-written memoir Michelle Remembers, detailing the patients recovered recollections through therapy about childhood torture inflicted by a Satanic cult.

Basically, what I remember was a 14-month period of my life at age five where I was given to a group of people whom at first I wasnt aware of what they were doing, other than, to a child, they were adults doing things that I couldnt understand and that frightened me, Ms Smith said in one television interview. They sacrificed animals and they used fetuses of babies in their ceremonies, she told a different outlet.

And she warned  perhaps most distressingly  in yet another TV interview: I think, today, its very, very wise to take a good hard look at where you place your children ... into whose care you place your child.

What followed on the heels of the book and the media tour was a hellish hysteria that spread across the world. Stories of recovered memories and vile abuse abounded, many striking eerily similar chords; there was talk of abduction, sacrifice, sexual abuse and, mind-bogglingly, even the use of baby wax made from murdered infants.

Arguably most infamous were the 1983 McMartin preschool accusations in California, in which bizarre allegations of physical and sexual abuse  along with witchcraft and supernatural abilities  were levelled against the family operating the facility. Ms Smith and Dr Padzer consulted on the case.

The McMartin charges were eventually dismissed, and the Canadian authors of Michelle Remembers faded into the background along with the worldwide Beelzebub brouhaha.

Michelle Smith and her therapist, Larry Pazder, cowrote the 1980 book Michelle Remembers about her alleged recovered memories of childhood abuse by Satanists; he later divorced his wife and married the former patient (Courtesy of 666 Films)

But there was far more to the story  and a trail of broken lives left in the memoirs wake.

Theres hundreds of articles where Michelle and Larry, theyre on TV, theyre on radio telling their side of the story; not a single person spoke to the family, says filmmaker Sean Horlor, whose new film Satan Wants You premieres on Saturday at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas. Never before had they shared their side of the story ... for the very first time, you hear from Larrys ex-wife, his daughter and Michelles sister actually saying, Wait a minute  this is what really happened.

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As the psychiatrists ex, Marylyn, and daughter, Theresa, tell it, Ms Smith was a constant presence in their lives even before the book, ringing at all hours and even following the family on trips.

Within a few short years of the books publication, the Padzers divorced  and he went on to marry his former patient.

Horlor, the director of the film, actually grew up in Victoria, the same city where Ms Smith and her new husband resided; they lived 10 minutes down the road from us in a big house by the ocean, he tells The Independent. His aunt even trained as a nurse under Dr Padzer.

Everyone talked about this in Victoria ... it wasnt until we started making the film, though, that I knew that it had blown up and that they had a role in this [global panic,] Mr Horlor says. I had no idea that their book affected millions and millions of people around the world.

Then he actually read it.

The book is shocking  truly, he says. It is a horror story. It is a religious horror story  the Popes involved, they go to the Vatican. Its based on this like two years of daily therapy, where she is just reliving these childhood memories on Larrys couch, and theyre recording it.

And its not just like bad childhood memories  its like, you know, My parents are members of a Satanic cult; they sacrifice animals, they murder a woman, they give Michelle away to the devil in a graveyard ... this is the research starting point.

Michelle, then married to a man named Doug Smith, had been treated for several years by Dr Padzer before miscarrying in 1976; she called him for further help after having particularly vivid and terrifying dreams. Around the same time, his wife recalls in Satan Wants You that she and Dr Padzer had seen the TV movie Sybil, chronicling a young woman suffering extreme abuse at the hands of her mother.

Before he started on his book, I was at home, and I was sitting there watching that show Sybil ... he said, I want to do the same thing, his wife, Marylyn, says in the documentary. He said, I dont want to be just an ordinary psychic; I want to be famous  and he said, Ive got a patient just like that, and thats when he phoned her.

And it just took off from there.

As he treated Michelle under hypnosis  lying with her on the therapy couch and eventually on a mat on the floor  the psychiatrist recorded her fragmented memories of horrific torture. He gave her the familys home phone number and she began ringing incessantly; Marylyn and Theresa recall how Michelle either hounded or followed them to family events and vacations.

But he did believe her, Marylyn says in the film. Theres no two ways about it. He believed everything.

Dr Padzer was having the recordings transcribed and, a devout Catholic, involved the local parish priest in the story, then the bishop, who travelled with the psychiatrist and Michelle to Rome to tell her hellish tale to the Pope.

His wife, concerned at how much Michelle and preparations for the book were consuming her husbands life, at one point even reached out to the local priest, using her husbands equipment to record the call. When she pressed him for when the book would be published and why it was so important, the film details how he claimed people would be shocked and there would be an explosion.

He was right, and their celebrity took off; time and time again, on screens and in papers across the world, they recounted galling details of the abuse. Tabloids branded her the Bride of Satan.

The book, which detailed everything from eating excrement to the dismemberment of fetuses, is credited with sparking a global Satanic panic (Courtesy of 666 Films)

Michelles family, back in Victoria, were flabbergasted; her mother had passed away years earlier, but the patients estranged father tersely denied the allegations to reporters at the time with horror.

I dont believe that my mom was that type of person that would turn her child over to a Satanic cult; it was not part of my childhood, Michelles sister, Charyl, says in the film, clearly still staggered by the claims.

She adds: In the book, Michelle says that my mother was this horrible person ... but I dont understand why Michelle would even think that. What is wrong with her?

She points out that her mothers remains are interred at a church, and that her late parent had used faith to help cushion life with a volatile and alcoholic husband.

But claims like Michelles were taking off exponentially, and they were becoming more and more fantastic. Other women started coming forward, telling tales of birthing babies they were forced to murder; the topic was discussed publicly everywhere from CNN to Oprah during the 1980s. Cases were investigated and prosecuted based on wild allegations with little or no evidence, some people serving years in prison or under public scrutiny before vindication.

Dr Padzer  who died in 2004  and Michelle began doing the speaking circuit as he became viewed as an expert in ritual satanic abuse; all of a sudden, therapists seemed to be treating adult and juvenile survivors of Satanists everywhere all of the time.

Im a cynical person, FBI agent Ken Lanning says in the film, describing himself as then the bureaus expert on Satanism, the occult, cults ... the whole package.

I spent 30 years in law enforcement; I assume that people are lying unless I know otherwise, he says. But a lot of therapists have the opposite bias. They assume that everybodys telling the truth unless they know otherwise, and actually, this becomes a huge aspect to these allegations of Satanic ritual abuse, particularly whats called the adult survivors, and thats what Michelle would be. The things in the adult survivor cases, it was even more weird than it was in the younger kids at daycare centers.

He describes attending a conference in Virginia around 1987 in which Dr Padzer was a featured speaker while Michelle sat to the side.

Dr Padzer indicated that he thought most of the college cases were a bunch of nonsense, but then he said something that I was tremendously interested in: Im going to tell you how to identify the real cases, Mr Lanning says in the documentary. So I said, man, this could be really valuable information, because I was never one of those people that believed they were all true or they were all false. There can be a middle ground in here.

He would start to describe these rituals and began to talk about Michelle, but cops tend to ask a lot of questions, so the cops in the audience began to raise their hands ... and I just kind of began to notice that, every time somebody asked a question, Michelle never said a whole lot, and he would always answer the question.

Smith grew up one of three daughters and the family moved frequently throughout her childhood in Victoria, Canada, because of her fathers gambling and alcohol abuse, her sister says in the documentary (Courtesy of 666 Films)

After a while, after this happened half a dozen times, I just raised my hand, Mr Lanning says. I said, Im curious  when people ask, this all happened to Michelle; how come she doesnt give the answer, she turns to you? He just said some version of  I dont remember his exact words  something like, Well, when she first came to me, she had no conscious memory of it, and then through this therapy, this story began to come out over a year or mores time and then he recorded it, wrote it all down and documented it, and then ... most of it left her memory. And he was not the keeper of the story.

I decided that that greatly reduced the value of what he was telling me, so I put my pen down and didnt take as many notes after that.

The lunch break provided another jolt to the FBI expert.

Somehow, it just came out  he didnt try to hide it  but it came out that Michelle was now his wife, Mr Lanning says. And that was another factor that kind of caused me to think, well, thats kind of an inappropriate kind of doctor/patient kind of a thing. How did that affect this story that hes now telling?

Both the psychiatrist and Michelle had, in fact, divorced their spouses and married each other. Michelles husband was blindsided and the split was awful, her sister says in the film; a devastated Marylyn had actually filed for divorce, fed up by the entire situation and, particularly, a magazine photo of Dr Padzer treating Michelle in just her bra.

Many who knew the doctor and patient personally were taken aback by their marriage, though some  such as friend Cheetie, one of the typists transcribing Dr Padzers recordings  had picked up on romantic feelings on Michelles part.

I think Michelle loved Larry; she worshipped him, Cheetie says in the film. She worshipped him, but him and Michelle were exact opposites, and I cant figure out why Larry married her. I really cant ... Would it come from needing to protect her? I know he felt a need to protect her and look after her, but marrying her is a whole different ballgame.

As the Nineties began and progressed, Satanic Panic was fading, therapists whod recovered memories and treated alleged victims were facing lawsuits, and Dr Padzer and Michelle were living their wedded existence in Victoria before he passed away in 2004 at the age of 67.

The psychiatrists ex-wife, meanwhile, had been horrified to learn that people had been put behind bars in a hysteria stoked by her former spouse  and had dedicated herself to debunking the entire memoir. She conducted interviews and found evidence that Michelle had been in school, for example, at times when shed claimed the abuse by Satanists was occurring.

She was saving everything that had to do with this, Satan Wants You co-director Steve J Adams says of Marylyn. She was collecting news articles. She was collecting evidence to show that it didnt happen.

When the filmmakers reached out to her, she just started talking.

Directors Sean Horlor and Steve J Adams are screening the premiere of Satan Wants You, featuring interviews with relatives of the psychiatrist and patient, at SXSW in Austin (Grady Mitchell)

For Marylyn and her daughter, the filmmakers believe and hope the documentary provided a little bit of catharsis, actually, getting it out.

You could just really tell that this really affected her life and it was lifelong; it wasnt something that has disappeared -- and talking to her about it, all the memories came back right away.

Michelle herself declined to be involved in the project, they said, though they feel her decision was a huge motivation for Cheetie to actually participate and say, You know what? I know you are going to talk to all sorts of people, and I want to make sure that Michelles point of view is represented in your film, and Im here to speak for Michelle.

The patients sister Charyl, however, says she believes Michelle is living in hell, because the story has haunted my family for years. We pretend that were a family, but theres always a feeling of: How could you do the damage that you did by telling this story that wasnt true?

But the directors noticed other pervasive feelings among the film participants: fear and dread that the world has learned nothing from the near-laughable Satanic panic decades ago.

General consensus ...is, Oh no, here we go again, they tell The Independent, referring to QAnon and proliferating conspiracy theories like Pizzagate. And its like, 40 years on from Michelle Remembers and the Satanic Panic, and yet here we are, in the present day with the same rumors happening, the same people using satanic conspiracies to accuse people of crimes they never committed  gunmen showing up at places to shoot people.

Theres a huge motivation, not just to tell this interesting story from the past, but it is relevant. Its happened before happened recently. I guarantee you it will happen again.
Empty railroad tracks. andykatz/Getty Images.

The freight rail industry is facing major safety questions after a hazardous waste spill in East Palestine, Ohio. Here's everything you need to know:

How large is the rail industry?

Almost half of all intercity freight transportation and one-third of U.S. exports move by rail, over 140,000 miles of privately owned tracks crisscrossing every state except Hawaii. Trains transport more than two-thirds of shipments of coal, and a major portion of grain, cars, and chemicals. About 4.5 million tons of toxic chemicals are moved by train every year. Every day, an average of 12,000 rail cars carry hazardous materials through American towns and cities, including major cities, with a lot of traffic to Pittsburgh, Houston, and Detroit. An estimated 25 million people live in an oil-train blast zone  the one-mile evacuation zone in case of an oil fire. The industry is largely controlled by seven rail corporations that own or operate nearly all of the country's long-distance tracks  down from 63 Class I railroad companies 50 years ago. In the West, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe control the routes, while in the East, it's CSX and Norfolk Southern  the company responsible for the East Palestine incident. Kansas City Southern, Canadian National, and Canadian Pacific traverse the country north to south.

Was the East Palestine derailment an anomaly?

The size of the spill and subsequent burn-off received an unusual amount of attention, but derailments occur almost every day. Another Norfolk Southern derailed in Ohio last week, and a train carrying 30,000 gallons of propane derailed in Florida; neither caused a spill. From 1990 to 2021, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics recorded about 54,500 incidents  an average of 1,704 annually  with about 5,500 injuries. Most derailments are minor, with no damage to cars, and overall, the number of them is declining  although Norfolk Southern's accident rate is climbing. Over those 31 years, 131 people, or 4 per year, died as a direct result of derailments. Trucks, which transport the largest percentage of hazardous materials, actually cause far more injuries and deaths.

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When are accidents dangerous?

When derailed trains are carrying hazardous materials, as in East Palestine. After that derailment  caused when one car's wheel bearings overheated and burst into flame  Norfolk Southern conducted a controlled burn-off of 1.6 million pounds of vinyl chloride and other toxic chemicals, raising serious, ongoing concerns among residents about possible health impacts. In 2022, hazardous materials were released in about 10 train incidents. Pittsburgh may be particularly vulnerable: up to half of the Bakken shale oil refined on the East Coast passes through the city, and in the past five years, eight trains have derailed in the region, with about 176,000 people living in the one-mile blast zone. "The railroads are playing Russian roulette with Pittsburgh," said Glenn Olcerst, founder of the advocacy group Rail Pollution Protection Pittsburgh. "We are a prime candidate for a major derailment and explosion."

Is the industry heavily regulated?

Thanks to industry lobbying, companies are free to make many of their own safety decisions. In the past two decades, the four largest railroads and their trade association spent more than $480 million on federal lobbying. In 2017, the Trump administration reversed an Obama-era regulation mandating that trains carrying explosive liquids adopt an electronic braking system, which sends the signal to brake to every car at the same time. Most trains rely instead on a Civil War-era braking system that passes the signal through the train one car at a time and can take two minutes to stop a long train. Today's 150-car trains are about 9,000 feet long  more than double the average length in 2017.

What role do train workers play?

A diminished one. Since 2016, rail companies have eliminated almost 60,000 jobs through automation. Under current union rules  there is no federal requirement  most trains have only two workers to monitor trains that stretch for more than a mile. Railroads hope to reduce that to one worker  just the engineer  which the unions say would be dangerous. The industry has also exerted influence on rules about labeling dangerous materials  the highly flammable materials in the East Palestine incident, for example, didn't meet the official definition of a "high-hazard flammable train." In 2020, the Department of Transportation began allowing highly explosive, liquefied natural gas to be shipped by freight trains without additional safety controls. "The Palestine wreck is the tip of the iceberg and a red flag," said Ron Kaminkow, a former Norfolk Southern engineer. "If something is not done, it's going to get worse, and the next derailment could be cataclysmic."

What's the industry's defense?

It denies that it skimps on safety, and points to the overall decline in derailments. The rail companies insist they can ensure safety by relying on automated systems that scan cars and tracks for problems as trains are in motion. But cost-cutting is not without risk: From 2016 to 2021, government inspectors found almost 13,000 violations relating to hazardous materials, up about 33 percent from the previous five years. In 2015, Norfolk Southern president James Squires told investors, "We believe that the new braking systems are unjustified from a cost-benefit perspective."

New opportunities for reform

In the wake of East Palestine, the Biden administration, Democrats, and some congressional Republicans are calling for strengthening rail regulations. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg proposed a series of reforms for the railroads, including providing paid sick leave, using new inspection technology alongside  not instead of  human inspections, and alerting emergency response teams anytime hazardous materials are being transported through a state. A bipartisan group of senators led by J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) last week introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2023. The act would mandate stricter safety requirements for trains transporting hazardous materials and require two-person crews on trains. The new rules would also increase the frequency of inspections, and give rail companies a strong incentive to comply by raising the fine for violations to 1 percent of a railroad's annual operating income. "It shouldn't take a massive railroad disaster for elected officials to put partisanship aside and work together for the people we serve  not corporations like Norfolk Southern," Brown said.

This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here.

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Rachel Sennott in Los Angeles earlier this month. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

As Parker Posey was to Sundance in the '90s and Greta Gerwig to SXSW in the mid-aughts, no one embodies the current sensibility of the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival quite like Rachel Sennott. With a persona that is ditzy but knowing, somehow earnestly cynical, tuned in but offbeat, she is at the festival this year with two new films.

Bottoms, described as the story of two queer high school girls who start a fight club to pull in cheerleaders, was co-written by Sennott and her Shiva Baby collaborator Emma Seligman. Its Saturday night premiere is among the most anticipated events of the festival. I Used to Be Funny, written and directed by Ally Pankiw and playing the narrative feature competition, is the story of a young woman dealing with trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder and shows a previously unseen dramatic side to Sennotts talents.

Having been to the 2018 festival with the short film version of the anxiety-inducing comedy Shiva Baby  the feature version played the 2020 festival, which had its in-person edition canceled in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic  Sennott was also there last year with her scene-stealing performance in Bodies Bodies Bodies.

For a phone interview ahead of the festival, Sennott was on the line from, as she put it, Tennessee, randomly, where she is shooting the upcoming Holland, Michigan, directed by Mimi Cave and co-starring the formidable trio of Nicole Kidman, Gael Garcia Bernal and Matthew Macfadyen

She was very excited to be returning to SXSW.

It honestly means so much, said Sennott. When I first went there, I think I just opened up my eyes so much to indie filmmaking and also realizing that movie makers were just people who wanted to make something with their friends. It was really inspiring for Emma and I and very motivational for writing Bottoms.

And I felt it last year for Bodies where I was like, Oh my God. I only want to watch any movie ever with this room of people, Sennott said. It completely changed the experience where everyone sowanted to watch a movie and laugh and cheer. The energy, it's something that I've really missed in the past couple of years. I love watching films that way and I feel like both Bottoms and I Used to Be Funny are meant to be experienced that way with other people.

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Despite missing out on an in-person festival premiere, the feature version of Shiva Baby went on to become a pandemic-era art house hit, earning Sennott a Gotham Award nomination for breakthrough performer and winning the Spirit Awards John Cassavetes prize, which recognizes low-budget films.

While Shiva Baby and Bodies Bodies Bodies firmly established her comedic persona, Sennott is energized, if a bit anxious, about showing off other aspects of her talent at this years festival, starting with the fact that she shares writing credit on Bottoms.

This is the first movie that I've written that has been made, said Sennott. There's an added pressure because all of a sudden not only are you worried about what people think of your performance, every line you're like, Did they like that? Did they like this?'

For I Used to Be Funny, there are really funny moments in that script, but there's also more dramatic moments and I think it deals with serious subject matter and, not that I haven't done that, but I think on this specific level or this subject matter, I haven't.

In I Used to Be Funny, which premieres Monday, Sennott plays Sam, an aspiring stand-up comedian who has shut down in the aftermath of a traumatic incident and the young girl Brooke (Olga Petsa) she used to nanny for going missing. Told with a bold, cut-up storytelling sensibility, the film draws from Sennotts comedic persona while finding her exploring new emotional depths.

I wanted to show what's taken away from women. Their sense of humor, their connection to the world, their joy, its stripped away and no one starts out that way, Pankiw said. The world just kind of makes them that way.

Often when you meet people with PTSD or who have been traumatized, that's the version you meet first, like the earliest iteration of Rachel in the film, Pankiw said. And it's such a shame that most people don't get to know the person that people were before their trauma. Rachel does such a good job of bringing so much vibrancy to the character and such a charm and such an inherent sweetness and you see all of that and that she was all these things and that she was pure potential. It's like a reverse sort of likability.

Pankiw, who makes her feature debut with the film, has directed episodes on series such as Shrill and The Great as well as many music videos, including Silk Chiffon by Muna featuring Phoebe Bridgers. She first saw Sennott do stand-up and recalls thinking, This girl is so funny and brilliant and charming. I just sort of filed her away in my head for future reference.

After seeing Shiva Baby at Outfest while she was trying to get the project that became I Used to Be Funny off the ground, Pankiw discovered both she and Sennott were represented by the same agency, WME.

I think I had written the character a little bit harsher, and Rachel just has this sweetness to her, she just can melt your heart, said Pankiw. It was such a miracle that we got her and she also brought a lot of that element of the character to the forefront that I think it really needed. I often joke that she did this film for me and I would now get hit by a bus for her.

Sennotts character in I Used to Be Funny is an aspiring stand-up comedian who has found it difficult to perform since her traumatic event. Sennott and Pankiw collaborated on the stand-up routines in the film. Pankiw recalled Sennott rehearsing in the kitchen of the apartment she was staying at in Toronto for the production, using a spatula as a microphone as she worked on the material.

For Sennott it was a new challenge to do stand-up in character.

Honestly, it was so wild, she said. I'm writing jokes that are about my nannying job and living in Toronto or being from Canada or whatever. And I did it in front of real people. There were these two girls who knew who I was and they were kind of like, You're Canadian? after the show. And I was like, No, I'm a liar. I'm just a liar. 

Bottoms found Sennott working with not only her Shiva Baby collaborator in Seligman, but also co-star Ayo Edebiri, with whom she had a short-lived Comedy Central series, Ayo and Rachel Are Single. Seligman and Sennott wrote the part in Bottoms with Edebiri in mind and pitched her on it before they had even completed a draft of the script.

To finally get to the place where we were all making it together was like, Whoa, Sennott said. Ayo and I did so many little sketches together in school and we made this little Comedy Central series for no money and we did stand-up in basements and so to get to perform together again, but actually on a movie with a budget where we're fighting each other and there's stunts was really cool.

Not to sound corny, but I was like, We did it! We're here! " said Sennott. We were in New Orleans with the stunt coordinator kicking each other in the face. We did it.

For Pankiw, Sennotts truest gift is how she makes it seem like she isnt doing anything at all, the naturalistic hanging-out vibes she brings to a role.

What she's doing is she's tricking people into thinking that what she does is effortless, but she is an incredibly gifted technician as an actress, said Pankiw. And I think because people have seen her mainly in comedic roles, unfortunately sometimes the misconception is that's very easy if someone is like their character. But I think she's more of a chameleon than people know."

Originally from Connecticut, Sennott went to college in New York City, began her career there and finds she is still very much identified as a New Yorker, even though she has been living in Los Angeles.

I feel like I give off New York, Sennott said. I do really like L.A. It's growing on me and I gotta tell you the experience of grocery shopping in L.A., unbeatable. Sorry, New York, but grocery shopping in L.A. is incredible.

Sennott is trying to take in how much has happened to her and her career over the last few years, from the success of Shiva Baby to shooting her first scene with Nicole Kidman  A f legend, she enthused  to anticipating the response to both I Used to Be Funny and Bottoms.

I honestly feel like COVID in the last couple of years, my emotions are like in a delay, said Sennott. Because so much of it happened in a way where you don't realize it on a day-to-day basis. And then it happens in these random little bursts where I feel it in those moments.

I feel grateful [Shiva Baby] got to have this online groundswell of this community of mostly young women who were supporting the movie, Sennott said. If I ever see a 25-year-old girl with a Twitter account who's like, I loved your movie, I'm like, You are the reason that anyone saw it, so thank you. 

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Colodaro Rep. Lauren Boebert gained 18,679 follower in the 24 hours before Elon Musk took over Twitter. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Rep. Lauren Boebert revealed that her 17-year-old son Tyler is about to have a son in April.

She praised high rural teen birth rates as evidence that these communities "value life."

Boebert herself dropped out of high school to have her first child as a teenager.

Rep. Lauren Boebert revealed that her 17-year-old son Tyler is about to have a son in April, which will make her a grandmother at 36.

The Colorado Republican praised the high rural teen birth rates as she said it was evidence these communities "value life."

"I'm going to tell you all for the first time in a public setting that not only am I a mom of four boys but come April, I will be a 'gigi' to a brand new grandson," Boebert said while speaking Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event earlier this week.

She said that she and her husband Jayson "are so excited to welcome this new life into our family."

Boebert dropped out of high school to have her first child when she was a teenager and later got her GED in 2020.

"Now my son, when I approached him and told him, 'Tyler, I'm going to be a 36-year-old grandmother,' he said, 'Well, didn't you make Granny a 36-year-old granny?'" Boebert said.

"I said, 'Yes, I did.' And he said, 'Well, then it's hereditary,'" she said jokingly.

The virulently anti-abortion Republican said that when she found out that her son's girlfriend was pregnant, her main concern was whether they would "choose life."

"There's something special about rural conservative communities  they value life. If you look at teen pregnancy rates throughout the nation, well, they're the same in rural and urban areas," Boebert said.

"However, abortion rates are higher in urban areas, and teen mom rates are higher in rural conservative areas because we understand the preciousness of the life that is about to be born."

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Since 2007, the teen birth rate has dropped by about half nationwide and in urban counties, compared with falling by a little more than a third in rural counties, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PBS reported.

Boebert said that she and her husband will do everything to support her son and girlfriend and "make sure that they are amazing parents, that they have the love and support that they need."

Read the original article on Business Insider
 Flash

Observers believe that three voices should be heard in order to form a stable China-U.S. relationship, which is significant to the planet's future as stressed by China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

First, the voice of seeking mutual beneficial and win-win development of China-U.S. relationship should be heard.

"Although some U.S. politicians incite 'decoupling' between China and their country, economic and trade ties which have long played the role of 'ballast stone' in bilateral relations still exist, and the bilateral trade volume is still rising," said Yang Guangbin, a political advisor as well as the head of School of International Studies, Renmin University of China.

Data shows that in 2022, the total trade in goods between China and the U.S. reached a record high of 690.6 billion U.S dollars. Last year, the American Chamber of Commerce in China expressed its firm opposition to the complete "decoupling" and supported the increase in tariff exclusions on Chinese goods. The chamber pointed out that the China market has a strong R&D and innovation ecosystem and is an important income source for many leading American enterprises.

"China is becoming the largest market in the world and an important application destination for all kinds of cutting-edge and emerging technologies," said Wang Hao, associate professor of the Center for American Studies (CAS), Fudan University.

American high-tech enterprises will inevitably lose the important overseas market of China if the U.S. insists on tech decoupling with China, Wang added.

He said that China is a key link in global supply chain and "decoupling" with China means the reconstruction of the whole global supply chain system, which will sharply raise the cost of production, sale, logistics and other links.

"The violation of economic laws by the U.S. for political and strategic purposes will inevitably make countries bear the cost and have a significant negative impact on the global economy," he said.

Second, the rational and pragmatic voice from U.S. think tanks should be heard.

Zhao Mei, a CPPCC member, pointed out that the politics and economy of the U.S. is undergoing unprecedented changes, and bilateral exchanges have been blocked due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in both sides don't understand each other well.

"We need to restart exchanges, enabling domestic scholars go out and invite foreign scholars home to enhance mutual understanding," said Zhao.

Zhao said that there are still some insightful Americans who keep active communications with China. "As scholars, we should deepen our understanding of and research on the U.S., work together to increase trust and dispel doubts, and put bilateral relations back on the right path," said Zhao.

Third, both sides should pay attention to the voice of two peoples seeking affinity and friendship.

"The American people are as warm, friendly and honest as the Chinese people. They all pursue a happy life and a better world," said China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang.

Lin Songtian, a political advisor as well as the President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), said before difficulties facing the China-U.S. relations, it is particularly important and urgent for local and non-governmental organizations of the two countries to actively carry out face-to-face exchanges, visits and dialogues, so as to find out common interests and challenges, thus creating conditions for bilateral relations to be back to a rational path.

"People-to-people exchanges are a significant base for China-U.S. political relationship," said Wang Hao.

He suggested that both sides should recover personnel exchanges as soon as possible, deepen and expand bilateral cooperation in terms of climate change, food security, nuclear issues of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Iran, and other regional and global issues, so as to hedge competition to the maximum extent and avoid the relationship between the two countries being completely dominated by competition.
A proposal to phase out gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers drew forceful pushback and even threats to leave the state on Thursday night.

Bill H 5549, which would require that all lawn-care devices used in the state have zero emissions by 2028, looks unlikely to become law in its current form. Nonetheless, the owners of landscaping companies and machine dealerships packed the House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources to register their disapproval, with some waiting until nearly 10 p.m. to testify.

"It will kill jobs in the state, plain and simple," said Ethan Hattoy, the general manager of Hattoys Nursery, Landscaping and Garden Center in Coventry.

Here's what the bill says:

More:Noisy neighborhoods can be hazardous to Rhode Islanders' health. How it's being addressed.

Using a leaf blower, Corey Mokos clears debris from Cobble Hill Road in Lincoln after a crew had taken down most of the white oak tree in the background.

The bill basics  equipment, timeline, fines

Introduced by Rep. Rebecca Kislak, D-Providence, H 5549 would apply to lawn care devices including lawn mowers, leaf blowers, mulchers and chippers.

The bill would ban the sale of gas-powered devices by Jan. 1, 2025, and outlaw their use as of Jan. 1, 2028. All lawn care devices sold or used in the state would need to be zero-emissions.

The legislation also calls for a rebate program for the purchase of emissions-free devices "as available funds permit."

Fines for violations would start at $50 and go as high as $500 for subsequent offenses. Date-stamped, geotagged videos would be considered legal evidence of a violation.

Kislak said that the goal was to transition toward electric alternatives, and indicated that she was open to making changes to the bill.

"I see this as a conversation," she said. "I don't know what the ideal transition or deadlines are ... I'm really open to talking about how we get from here to there."

Sen. Samuel Zurier, D-Providence, introduced similar legislation targeting gas-powered leaf blowers last year.

Electric bills:Get a notice about a community electric program in the mail? Here's what to know about it.

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Why go after lawn care devices?

The high-pitched whine of leaf blowers and weedwhackers can be a major irritation to people living in affluent places like the East Side of Providence, where landscaping crews are a constant presence and houses are close together.

"Especially now with so many of us working from home, it makes it extremely hard to concentrate," Kislak said.

That might sound like a first-world problem, but supporters of the bill say that it's not just about the noise  it's also the pollution. According to New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, the amount of carbon monoxide alone produced by a leaf blower in an hour is the equivalent of what would come out of a car's tailpipe over eight hours.

"Operators are often persons of color and seasonal workers, bringing environmental justice to the forefront," the Rhode Island Medical Society's Climate Change and Health committee wrote in a letter to the committee.

Why landscapers are opposed to the ban

The argument against the bill was summed up in written testimony from Allen Peck, the superintendent of Wilcox Park in Westerly.

"This bill would hurt small businesses due to the cost of the battery powered equipment, and the technology is not advanced enough yet to make most jobs efficient and cost effective," he wrote.

Other landscapers testified that electric devices might work fine for homeowners who spend a few hours cleaning up their yards on the weekends, but can't meet the needs of the industry.

Opponents also raised concerns about the potential costs involved, including buying multiple batteries or outfitting their trucks with charging stations.

Hattoy said that the electric equivalent of the $7,000 lawn mowers that his company uses would cost $37,000. It would also be less efficient, he said, so more labor would be required to do the same jobs.

"Even if you gave me this equipment for free, our costs will still go up," he said.

Middle ground? There's potential for compromise

Glenn Graeve of Graeve Landscaping testified that he'd switched to an electric mower after noticing that his asthma was getting worse.

"The results to my health were astounding," he said.

Graeve now offers a special service, Lawns Gone Electric, using emissions-free equipment. Customers are charged 20% more, and "happy to pay, because they don't have to hear me mowing their lawn," he said. In two years, he said, his investment in electric equipment  including a $35,000 lawn mower  has already paid off.

Graeve suggested limiting the bill's focus to string trimmers and mowers. "I just do not feel that the technology is there yet for tree or hedge work, snow removal, excavating or leaf removal," he said.

Gas-powered leaf blowers are "far more powerful" than their electric counterparts, but should be allowed only for cleanup between November and January, he suggested.

Another potential compromise was proposed by Shannon Cuthill of New Leaf Landscaping, who suggested the state could introduce a pilot program and test the exclusive use of emissions-free lawn care equipment on state properties.

Both suggestions got a positive reception from the committee.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Gas-powered leaf blower, lawnmower ban could come to RI by 2028
The Rhome Police Department is asking for the publics help to find a driver suspected of causing the death of a motorcyclist. Police also hope to speak with a witness to the road rage crash.

At about 7:15 a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a major crash on U.S. 287 between Pioneer Parkway and Texas Highway 114 in Rhome.

The driver of a 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycle was forced off the road by a driver of a pickup truck hauling a trailer, in what investigators believe was a case of road rage, police said in a news release.

The motorcyclist, 55-year-old Jerry Wayne Newton of Decatur, was transported to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. He did not survive his injuries, according to Rhome police.

Rhome, a city in Wise County, is about 25 minutes away from Fort Worth.

The driver of the suspect vehicle fled the scene.

Immediately after the crash occurred, another truck driver stopped to help, according to police. The truck driver was described as a white man wearing an orange vest who was carrying a medical bag.

The witness spoke to a Wise County dispatcher on the phone and described the suspect vehicle as a dark or silver pickup truck pulling a trailer.

The trailer was orange on the bottom and had a black tarp covering a water tank, according to police. The suspect vehicle was followed by a similar truck and trailer that may have been traveling with the suspect vehicle.

Anyone who was in the area or has information about the accident or about the suspect vehicle and driver is asked to call the Rhome Police Department at 817-636-2400 or to call the Wise County Sheriffs Office dispatch at 940-627-5971.

The Rhome Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers are continuing the investigation.
Birchbox was acquired 10 years after launch for just $45 million. Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images

Birchbox pioneered the monthly beauty subscription box and was once valued at nearly $500 million.

But after some financial setbacks, Birchbox was acquired 10 years after launch for just $45 million.

Now, vendors say Birchbox owes them money, and customers say they haven't gotten a box in months.

In 2014, Birchbox was considered a pioneer of the subscription box industry, boasting hundreds of thousands of subscribers and a $485 million valuation.

But late in 2021, the brand was acquired for $45 million, a fraction of its former valuation, following layoffs and a dwindling customer base.

Now, Birchbox seems to have all but disappeared, leaving frustrated vendors and customers in its wake who say the company owes them money. Neither Birchbox nor its parent company, FemTec Health, immediately responded to Insider's request for comment.

Here's how a once-hot startup got its start, defined a category, then seemingly "vanished."

Birchbox was founded by two Harvard Business School grads

Birchbox cofounders Katia Beauchamp, left, and Hayley Barna attend the opening of the Birchbox flagship store on July 10, 2014, in New York City. Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Katia Beauchamp and Hayley Barna came up with the idea for Birchbox back in 2009 while they were students at Harvard Business School.

The company was modeled off of what Netflix was doing at the time for movies: sending customers DVDs in the mail for a flat monthly fee. But instead of movies, Birchbox customers would receive designer beauty products, many of them in miniature size, from the likes of Nars and Kiehl's for $10 per month.

"We were inspired by other companies doing similar things  Netflix and Zappos," Beauchamp told Insider in 2011. "Our goal was to change the way that consumers shop online."

Beauchamp and Barna secured $1.4 million in seed funding prior to launch, and by 2011, had raised another $10.5 million in Series A funding from the likes of Accel Partners and First Round Capital. By then, 45,000 customers had signed on for monthly beauty boxes and the company had begun expanding to other categories, like men's grooming.

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Birchbox opened its first retail store in 2014 in New York's SoHo neighborhood, where shoppers could test out products and build their own Birchbox. The company also raised another round of funding, this time $60 million, which pushed the startup's valuation to $485 million. By the time it raised its Series B, Birchbox counted 800,000 subscribers and had acquired a French competitor.

The subscription box market quickly became crowded

Birchbox headquarters in 2014. James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images

While Birchbox was an innovator in the world of monthly subscription boxes, by the mid-2010s you could subscribe to regular deliveries of anything from razors to lingerie to dog food.

But the startup had also spawned imitators in the beauty industry, which meant that Birchbox was losing market share. In 2016, The Wall Street Journal counted at least 300 subscription beauty services and noted that rival service Ipsy was beating Birchbox in terms of subscribers: Ipsy had over 1.5 million, while Birchbox had just over 1 million.

And while Birchbox offered customers the option to buy full-size products after they'd tried the mini version, it didn't result just in more sales for Birchbox  the company was bolstering sales at traditional retailers too. Bloomberg reported Sephora and Ulta were getting a 5% and 6% sales boost, respectively, from Birchbox subscribers. Meanwhile, Sephora had launched a monthly beauty box of its own.

Barna, the cofounder and co-CEO, announced in 2016 she was leaving the company to join venture capital firm and Birchbox investor First Round Capital. That same year, Birchbox started scaling back its growth plans, pausing on new physical store openings, suspending plans to expand in China, shrinking its New York City headquarters space, and cutting about 50 of its 300 employees, The Journal reported at the time.

After funding struggles and layoffs, Birchbox was acquired

A Walgreens Birchbox shop. Business Insider/Jessica Tyler

By 2018, Birchbox was struggling to secure more funding or find a buyer. The company ultimately raised debt financing following a $15 million buyout and later struck a deal with Walgreens to install Birchbox shops within select stores. Walgreens also took a minority stake in the company.

Meanwhile, Birchbox's subscriber count was dropping, and the company raised its monthly subscription price for the first time in its history. Birchbox conducted another round of layoffs in early 2020, downsizing its global team by roughly 25%.

In October 2021, Birchbox was acquired by FemTec Health, a startup focused on using technology to "transform the total healthcare experience for women." FemTec Health paid $45 million for Birchbox and the deal resulted in Beauchamp, the remaining cofounder and CEO, leaving and selling her stake in the business. Beauchamp has since become CEO of Victoria Beckham Beauty.

Customers are now accusing Birchbox of having 'vanished'

Birchbox's monthly box includes sample sizes of high-end beauty products. Birchbox

But a year later, red flags had started to appear. An Axios investigation found that FemTec Health hadn't paid some of its vendors and a content creator. Some of those bills still hadn't been paid as of January, and one vendor has taken the company to court over the missed payments, Retail Dive reported. Birchbox was said to be considering filing for bankruptcy in November, WWD reported, around the same time that the brand posted a statement on Instagram acknowledging its struggles.

"Birchbox is facing a host of unprecedented setbacks that are affecting all of you, our cherished members," the post read. "Within the next couple of weeks, we will be able to share details about the future and what you can expect."

But Birchbox hasn't posted since, and the comments on that post and an identical one on Facebook are flooded with frustrated longtime customers, many of whom say they haven't received a box since October.

"What a joke," one Instagram user wrote. "I paid for a year subscription and only got 3 months worth before the company just vanished. And I've been a customer for YEARS."

Birchbox's website also appeared to be disabled for several weeks. Though it has since come back online, it's not possible to complete the check-out process.

"We are experiencing some technical difficulties at this time," the website reads. "Please check back at a later time."

Read the original article on Business Insider
For years, as Israeli politics marched steadily to the right, the growing backlash among its traditional supporters fueled concerns and warnings that the U.S. government may ultimately be forced to reconsider its role as Israels most important  and often most unflinching  ally.

Until now, they have remained just that: concerns and warnings. But, with Israels new government stocked with ultranationalists and stoking profound questions about the nations democratic future, there is a sense that this time may be different.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus plan to weaken the Supreme Court has triggered nationwide protests and a growing constitutional crisis. An eruption of violence in the occupied West Bank  including near-daily Israeli raids, a rampage by Jewish settlers and attacks by Palestinian militants  has led the CIA director to warn that a third intifada could be imminent.

And the international community is aghast over the rise of some far-right figures, including one senior minister who recently called for Israel to wipe out" a Palestinian village.

Israelis protest against the government's controversial judicial reform bill, in front of the residence of Justice Minister Yariv Levin, in Modiin (Gil Cohen-Magen / AFP - Getty Images)

For the Biden administration, which has echoed many of those concerns, the urgent question is whether they necessitate any change in policy toward a nation heavily reliant on assistance, military cooperation and international political support from Washington.

The United States should back up our concerns with actions, said Daniel Kurtzer, who was U.S. ambassador to Israel under President George W. Bush. In an interview, he said the U.S. should consider curbing bilateral programs  but not security aid  and supporting U.N. Security Council resolutions criticizing Israel that the U.S. has historically blocked.

Maybe its time to send that kind of signal, he said.

Last week Kurtzer, now at Princeton, joined nearly 150 other current and former ambassadors, rabbis and Jewish organization leaders who signed a letter opposing a planned U.S. visit this week by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has referred to himself as a proud homophobe and a fascist. Others have called on the Biden administration to deny Smotrich a visa.

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The State Department has called Smotrichs comments about erasing the Palestinian village of Hawara disgusting and repugnant. Although the U.S. hasnt addressed his status, citing confidentiality, a spokesperson for Smotrich told Israeli media on Thursday that he had been granted a diplomatic visa to enter the country.

However, the Biden administration appears to be boycotting the visit; a National Security Council official told NBC News that no U.S. government officials planned to meet with him.

Already, the rise of the Israeli far-right has shifted the political dynamics in the U.S., with criticism of Israel that was once limited to the most left-leaning Democrats and human rights groups now increasingly common among moderate Democrats and mainstream American Jewish organizations.

In Congress this week, more than 90 Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, sent President Joe Biden a letter urging him to use all diplomatic tools available to prevent Israels current government from further damaging the nations democratic institutions and undermining the potential for two states for two peoples.

And late last year, a group of more than 300 rabbis published an open letter declaring that members of Netanyahus governing coalition were not welcome to speak at their synagogues.

Its a different moment, in terms of the potential damage that would be done should the policies that key figures in this new coalition have called for be implemented, Rabbi David Saperstein, former U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom, said in an interview. Those changes would significantly damage the democratic character of Israel.

Especially problematic for the Biden administration is the Israeli governments retreat from even rhetorical support for a two-state solution and eventual Palestinian statehood, which for decades has allowed the U.S. to defend Israel and to overlook its occupation of the West Bank by regarding it as temporary and best resolved through negotiations.

In a stark example of how Israels multiple crises are already creating headaches for the U.S., Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin this week was forced to cut his Israel trip short and relocate meetings as mass protests against the judicial reforms threatened to obstruct his safe passage into Tel Aviv.

When he did meet with his Israeli counterpart, at a site near the airport, Austin made a passing reference to the importance of an independent judiciary and the need to de-escalate West Bank violence, but made clear the U.S. government had no intention of reducing its commitment to Israels security.

It will not change. It is not negotiable, Austin said.

Image: (Ohad Zwigenberg / AP)

So far, there are no indications the Biden administration intends any substantive shift in its relationship with Israels government, beyond more frequent public calls for de-escalation in the West Bank and gentle reminders about the importance of democratic institutions.

Even if the U.S. did opt for a change in policy, its unclear whether it could force Israel to change course.

A former senior Israeli government official said the emergence of a major threat to the country's democracy was a big dilemma for its closest ally. But the official said any U.S. efforts to condition elements of the relationship would likely be fruitless because Netanyahu, under the delicate coalition he formed with far-right parties to secure a return to power, is now beholden to them.

Its quite pointless at this moment, the former official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to criticize the current prime minister. His own members of his coalition are escalating the situation. Hes not managing to control the members of the coalition.

Any U.S. move to reduce or leverage support for Israel would undoubtedly trigger fierce blowback from nearly all Republicans and many Democrats, not to mention Orthodox Jewish and evangelical groups in the U.S. that have been more supportive of Netanyahus approach.

The U.S. could seek to impose conditions on the billions of dollars of annual assistance to Israel, most of it military. Yet conditioning aid to Israel has generally been considered a third rail in U.S. foreign policy, and even many lawmakers now speaking out against Israels rightward shift oppose that step.

U.S. support for  or at least refusal to block  resolutions calling out Israel on the world stage could be one option to signal a shift in policy, as Kurtzer suggested.

For Israels government, perhaps the most alarming shift so far in response to the proposed judicial reforms has been economic, potentially jeopardizing its status as a Mideast economic powerhouse that punches above its weight.

Last week former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a self-avowed Israel supporter, said some businesspeople were already pulling their money out of the country or reconsidering whether to invest.

As the owner of a global company, I dont blame them, Bloomberg wrote in a New York Times op-ed under the headline Israel Is Courting Disaster.

Those concerns have already sent the shekel plummeting to the lowest level in years. U.S. financial services firm JPMorgan, in an internal research memo first disclosed by Israeli media and obtained by NBC News, warned the increased risk stemming from the judicial plan could negatively affect Israels credit rating.

Another potentially explosive flashpoint is looming over opposition to the judicial plan from elite members of Israels military, including more than three dozen reservist fighter pilots whove announce theyd boycott a planned training, voicing concern about serving a dictatorial regime.

Some reservists have raised concerns that, if Israel undermines its democratic institutions, troops could be vulnerable to war crimes or other allegations in global venues like the International Criminal Court. The fact that Israel has an independent court system to appropriately handle such allegations has been a key Israeli defense in the past.

Dan Shapiro, U.S. ambassador to Israel in the Obama administration and now a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, said there could be further challenges for U.S. security cooperation if the situation devolves into a full-blown constitutional crisis, with Israels parliament and Supreme Court both claiming to have overruled the other.

If that happens, those in uniform will have to decide whose order to follow. They may not all decide the same way, Shapiro said. In that scenario, U.S. officers may not know who to coordinate with.

Any dramatic shift from the U.S. remains unlikely under Biden, said the former senior Israeli official, pointing to the 80-year-old presidents close friendship with Israel forged over decades as U.S. senator and then vice president. But younger Democratic lawmakers have been much quicker to say U.S. cooperation with Israel isnt guaranteed.

Few of these kinds of friends of Israel exists anymore, the former official said. The biggest cause of concern should be the next generation of leaders.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has put more than a quarter of Rokus cash at risk. The streaming company had $487 million, representing 26 percent of its cash, in Silicon Valley Bank, the company disclosed in an SEC filing Friday.

The future of those funds is now uncertain as federal regulators have taken over the financial institution amid the second-largest bank collapse in United States history. The Companys deposits with SVB are largely uninsured, Roku wrote in its filing. At this time, the Company does not know to what extent the Company will be able to recover its cash on deposit at SVB.

In a statement on Friday, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said that it will pay uninsured depositors an advance dividend within the next week and that uninsured depositors will receive a receivership certificate for the remaining amount of their uninsured funds. But theres still a lot of uncertainty about how long that process will take to play out, and how much of their uninsured funds companies will ultimately be able to recover.

However, Rokus situation is, at least for now, a lot less dire than many of the smaller startups that relied on Silicon Valley Bank, some of which are now unable to pay their bills or their employees.

In its SEC filing, the company noted that it has more than a billion dollars in cash at multiple other banks. As stated in our 8-K, we expect that Rokus ability to operate and meet its contractual obligations will not be impacted and we continue to have access to $1.4 billion in cash and cash equivalents which are distributed across multiple, large financial institutions, a Roku spokesperson said in a statement to Engadget.

While Silicon Valley Bank was previously a little-known institution, it was known for its close relationships with startup founders, who made up much of its clientele. But, as Bloombergs Matt Levine explains, the banks reliance on fixed-rate assets, also made it uniquely exposed to the conditions that ultimately led to a run on the bank Thursday after prominent venture capitalists urged founders to move their money out of the institution.

Roku is not the only major public tech company now facing losses as a result of the banks collapse. Roblox had about 5 percent of its $3 billion in cash, at Silicon Valley Bank, the company told the SEC. Regardless of the ultimate outcome and the timing, this situation will have no impact on the day to day operations of the Company, it wrote in a filing. Video service Vimeo also disclosed that it had less than $250,000 with the bank.

Updated to clarify that Roblox had 5 percent of its $3 billion in cash balances at SVB.
WASHINGTON - Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.

House votes

Chuck Edwards

House Vote 1: VA ONLINE RECORDS REQUESTS: The House has passed the Wounded Warrior Access Act (H.R. 1226), sponsored by Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., to require the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to make a tool on its website for veterans to make requests for records related to their claims and benefits status at the VA. Aguilar said the current claims filing process is cumbersome and time-consuming, and the website tool would be "a commonsense solution that cuts this red tape and will help American veterans." The vote, on March 7, was unanimous with 422 yeas. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th).

House Vote 2: MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND CYBERSECURITY: The House has passed the Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act (H.R. 1123), sponsored by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Calif., to require a report on the cybersecurity of mobile telecommunications networks from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Eshoo said the report was needed because "we lack a comprehensive assessment of what vulnerabilities exist on these networks, what issues have been resolved, and where mobile cybersecurity policymaking should be focused." The vote, on March 7, was 393 yeas to 22 nays. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th).

House Vote 3: SYRIA WAR: The House has rejected a resolution (H. Con. Res. 21), sponsored by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., that would have required the withdrawal of all U.S. soldiers from Syria. Gaetz said: "We have tried this time and again to build a democracy out of sand, blood, and Arab militias, and time and again the work we do does not reduce chaos. Oftentimes it causes chaos, the very chaos that then subsequently leads to terrorism." An opponent, Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, said: "Our small deployment of U.S. servicemembers is remarkably effective at working with local partner forces to achieve results and ensure the enduring and complete defeat of ISIS." The vote, on March 8, was 103 yeas to 321 nays. NAYS: Edwards R-NC (11th).

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House Vote 4: TREATING VA MEDICAL WASTE: The House has passed the VA COST SAVINGS Enhancements Act (H.R. 753), sponsored by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., to require the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department to put regulated medical waste treatment systems at VA health care facilities. Bost said installing on-site waste incinerators could save the VA tens of millions of dollars per year and "create a safer and cleaner environment at our VA hospitals." The vote, on March 8, was unanimous with 426 yeas. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th).

House Vote 5: GOVERNMENT AND CENSORSHIP: The House has passed the Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act (H.R. 140), sponsored by Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., to bar employees in the executive branch of the federal government from directly or indirectly censoring speech, with penalties imposed if employees censor speech. Comer said: "Federal officials, no matter their rank or resources, must be prohibited from coercing the private sector to suppress certain information or limit the ability of citizens to freely express their own views on a private-sector Internet platform." A bill opponent, Rep. Daniel S. Goldman, D-N.Y., said it would allow Russia, China, and other countries adversarial to the U.S. "to continue using social media platforms unfettered to wreak havoc on our democratic institutions, including the integrity of our elections." The vote, on March 9, was 219 yeas to 206 nays. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th).

House Vote 6: REGULATING WATERWAYS: The House has passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 27), sponsored by Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., to disapprove of and void an Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency rule issued this January that defines Waters of the United States (WOTUS). Such waters would be subject to regulation under the Clean Water Act. Graves said: "Returning to a more costly, burdensome, and broad WOTUS definition could have a massive impact on local communities and Americans' ability to do their jobs and manage their own private property." A resolution opponent, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said: "This resolution represents a giant step backward for clean water, increases uncertainty for farmers, homebuilders, roadbuilders, and all American families." The vote, on March 9, was 227 yeas to 198 nays. YEAS: Edwards R-NC (11th).

Senate voted

Sens. Ted Budd, left, and Thom Tillis

Senate Vote 1: VIRGINIA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Robert Stewart Ballou to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. A magistrate judge in the district since 2011, for the previous two decades Ballou had been a private practice lawyer in Virginia. A supporter, Sen. Timothy Kaine, D-Va., said: "Judge Ballou enjoys broad and deep support across the Virginia legal community." The vote, on March 7, was 59 yeas to 37 nays. YEAS: Tillis R-NC. NAYS: Budd R-NC.

Senate Vote 2: CALIFORNIA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Andrew G. Schopler to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. Schopler was a federal prosecutor in the district from 2004 to 2016, then assumed his current role as a magistrate judge in the district. The vote, on March 7, was 56 yeas to 39 nays. NAYS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC.

Senate Vote 3: NEW YORK JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Arun Subramanian to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Subramanian has been a lawyer at a New York City law firm since 2008, specializing in commercial litigation. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called Subramanian "an expert in consumer protection, with years of experience defending those injured by unfair, illegal practices. He also defended victims of child trafficking and pornography." The vote, on March 7, was 59 yeas to 37 nays. NAYS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC.

Senate Vote 4: D.C. CRIMINAL LAWS: The Senate has passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 26), sponsored by Rep. Andrew S. Clyde, R-Ga., to disapprove of and void a Washington, D.C., Council law that made various changes to the District's criminal laws, including reducing punishments and expanding the right to a jury trial for misdemeanor cases. A supporter, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the D.C. law was "going even softer on crime and putting violent convicts back on the streets even more rapidly" even as crime rates have climbed to high levels. An opponent, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said: "The Congress should not be overriding the will of the people of D.C. as reflected in their elected representatives." The vote, on March 8, was 81 yeas to 14 nays. YEAS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC.

Senate Vote 5: IRS COMMISSIONER: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Daniel Werfel to be Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner for a term ending in late 2027. Werfel was the IRS's acting commissioner late in the Obama administration, and previously was the Office of Management and Budget's controller. For the last nine years he has been at the Boston Consulting Group. A supporter, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said Werfel would "bring transparency to the job. That includes how the IRS will spend funding to improve taxpayer services, upgrade information technology, and crack down on those wealthy tax cheats." An opponent, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said Werfel's answers to inquiries about his nomination "did little to inspire confidence in his willingness to take back control of this agency" and stop what Blackburn called harassing audits of taxpayers. The vote, on March 9, was 54 yeas to 42 nays. YEAS: Tillis R-NC. NAYS: Budd R-NC.

Senate Vote 6: SECOND CALIFORNIA JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of James Simmons to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for Southern California. A county court judge in San Diego since 2017, Simmons was previously a prosecutor for the California government there. The vote, on March 9, was 51 yeas to 43 nays. YEAS: Tillis R-NC. NAYS: Budd R-NC.

Senate Vote 7: APPEALS COURT JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Maria Araujo Kahn to be a judge on the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Since 2006, Kahn has successively been a county superior court, state appeals court, and state supreme court judge in Connecticut; previously, she was an assistant U.S. attorney in the state. The vote, on March 9, was 51 yeas to 42 nays. NAYS: Tillis R-NC, Budd R-NC.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Here's how WNC's members of Congress voted March 3-9
Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, has emphasised that Russia is running out of the weapon stockpiles it had prepared; they have accumulated these for years.

Source: Danilov on Twitter

Quote:"Russia is running out of [previously] prepared weapons stockpiles. Missiles and military equipment have been accumulated for decades.

The calculations [by the Russian government] assumed blitzkrieg, not blitzutilisation [quick use of something for nothing  ed.].

A corrupt economy is unable to provide [needs of troops on] the front; [cutting] foreign aid for terrorist Russia is a matter of primary importance."

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Flag of Moldova

Read also: Split between Wagner and defense ministry widens, Kremlin seeks to undermine Moldova

According to White House National Security spokesman John Kirby, Moscow is attempting to weaken Moldovas pro-Western government and is spreading misinformation about the situation in the country. Washington also notes Russian efforts to foment dissent and anti-government demonstrations in Moldovas capital, Chisinau.

Furthermore, the authorities of Russia-controlled Moldovan region Transnistria recently claimed that Ukraine is planning to invade.

Read also: Moldovan parliament condemns Russias invasion of Ukraine

At the same time, U.S. officials say they do not register indications of a direct military threat to Moldova.

On Feb. 9, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainians intelligence revealed Russian plans to destabilize the political situation in Moldova.

On Feb. 20, Zelenskyy asserted that Moscow was considering a coup d'etat in Moldova by seizing an airfield in the capital of Chisinau and then transferring its troops there. Later, Moldovan PM Dorin Recean confirmed the report. He also called for Transnistrias demilitarization and expulsion of Russian troops from the region.

Read also: Zelenskyy announced Ukraine's readiness to help Moldova with Transnistria

On Feb. 21, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin rescinded his decree On measures to implement the foreign policy of the Russian Federation, signed back in 2012, which included a pledge to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova.

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Consequences of the Russian shelling of Zaporozhye on March 2

"Having no success in the battle with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russians shelled today (presumably with S-300) a life support facility of the regional capital, where several hundred thousand civilians live, including a large number of people who were forced to leave their homes and flee the Russian occupation," it said.

Read also: New Russian offensive may attack Zaporizhzhya, Kharkiv oblasts, says NSDC head

Read also: Number of victims of missile attack on Zaporizhzhya multi-apartment building rises to 13

All relevant services are engaged in eliminating the consequences of the Russian attack, the authorities said.

Later, the secretary of Zaporizhzhya City Council, Anatoliy Kurtev, reported that a fire had broken out in one of the city's districts after the missile attacks.

In the early hours on March 2, Russian troops carried out an S-300 missile attack on Zaporizhzhya. An enemy missile struck a five-storey residential building and destroyed over ten apartments. Thirteen civilians, including a child, were killed in that attack.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
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Nearly 96 percent of respondents to a recent global survey on China's development were impressed by the Asian country's achievements over the past decade.

Nearly 60 percent of the respondents were mostly impressed by China's "economic development" and "progress in science and technology" in recent years, according to the survey conducted by Xinhua News Agency, with the participation of 1,200 respondents from over 60 countries, most of whom were academics and professionals of politics, social science and business.

A total of 83.1 percent believe that the vitality and potential of the Chinese economy will be a continued source of confidence and strength for the world economy, showed the survey results.

"China's path to modernization," "Global Development Initiatives," "Human community with a shared future" and "Humanity's shared values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom" are among the many concepts and initiatives that China promotes in both state governance and global interactions that the respondents would like to know more about, according to the survey.

Meanwhile, respondents are mostly attracted by such keywords as "Higher-standard open economy," "Digital China (initiative)," "Smart cities" and "Rural revitalization," which China has highlighted in its development blueprint.

Eduardo Roldan, former Consul General of Mexico in Hong Kong of China, agreed with the results, particularly the part on China's achievement over the last decade. He said that he was amazed by the artificial intelligence projects run by Chinese universities during his last visit in 2019.

"(The Chinese path to) modernization was based on high-quality education, free trade, China's opening to the world, and technological innovation," said Roldan, adding that the modernization process is well planned.

For his part, Bhokin Bhalakula, former president of Thailand Parliament, agreed that the Chinese path to modernization emphasizes people's well-being and looks to improve their livelihood. China also shares its own development experience with other developing nations to achieve common development, Bhalakula added.

The survey also found that the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, has brought enormous development potential and cooperation chances to countries and regions while helping build strengthened international relations and peace.

Meanwhile, respondents say in the past decade, more and more "Chinese branded goods," "(China-related) Infrastructure projects" and "Chinese cultural products" have become familiar components of their daily life.

Christopher Mutsvangwa, Secretary for Information and Publicity for Zimbabwe's ruling Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU PF) party, told Xinhua that the Chinese development dividend has indeed been taken beyond China through initiatives such as the Belt and Road.

"It has been a zero-sum game up to now. What China has done is to make it a win-win game," said Mutsvangwa, also his country's former ambassador to China.

Mutsvangwa said Chinese cooperation with Africa today has brought connectivity to encourage infra-African trade, unlike when Africa's rail infrastructure was meant to plunder the continent's resources by colonial powers.

"The Belt and Road Initiative is one of the concrete manifestations of China's opening up," said Yersultan Zhanseitov, senior expert at the Institute of World Economics and Politics in Kazakhstan.

"This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Under the new pattern of China's opening up, I believe that the initiative will gain new driving forces for development," said Zhanseitov.
Ukrainian defenders shot down a Russian missile and a drone over Cherkasy Oblast on Saturday, 11 March.

Source: Ihor Taburets, Head of the Cherkasy Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "I am informing you about the aftermath of the latest air-raid warnings in Cherkasy Oblast. The pause was necessary to find out the details.

In particular, two enemy targets were "landed" in the oblast: a missile and a drone.

There were no casualties or damage. Relevant services are working."

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(Reuters) - Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Saturday asked Pope Francis and other religious leaders to persuade Ukraine to stop a crackdown against a historically Russian-aligned wing of the church.

Kyiv on Friday ordered the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) to leave a monastery complex where it is based, the latest move against a denomination the government says is pro-Russian and collaborating with Moscow.

Kirill urged religious leaders and international organisations to "make every effort to prevent the forced closure of the monastery, which will lead to a violation of the rights of millions of Ukrainian believers", said a statement posted on the church's website.

Kirill strongly backed Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The UOC says it has severed its ties with Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate, and is the victim of a political witch hunt.

Since October, the Security Service of Ukraine has regularly carried out searches at UOC churches, imposed sanctions on its bishops and financial backers, and opened criminal cases against dozens of its clergymen.

Kirill said it was regrettable that Ukrainian worshippers' rights and freedoms were being blatantly violated.

Among the many leaders to whom the appeal is addressed are Pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of Egypt's Coptic Church, Pope Tawadros as well as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk, the church said.

The Ukrainian culture ministry says the UOC has until March 29 to leave the 980-year-old Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery complex, where it has its headquarters.

Most Ukrainian Orthodox believers belong to a separate branch of the faith, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, formed four years ago by uniting branches independent of Moscow's authority.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Paul Simao)
KYIV (Reuters) -Russian shelling killed three civilians in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, denouncing what he called "brutal terrorist attacks" by pro-Moscow units.

Ukraine recaptured Kherson in November after nearly eight months of occupation by Russian forces who seized it soon after the start of the large-scale invasion. The area is now under almost constant bombardment from Russian forces on the opposite side of the Dnipro River.

One more person died in the eastern Donetsk region, regional officials said.

Zelenskiy said the three people killed in Kherson had gone to a store to buy groceries.

"I would like to support all our cities and communities that are subjected to brutal terrorist attacks," he said in a regular evening video address.

"The evil state uses a variety of weapons ... to destroy life and leave nothing human behind. Ruins, debris, shell holes in the ground are a self-portrait of Russia."

Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said three people, including an elderly woman, were also wounded during the artillery shelling of the city.

Pavlo Kyrylenko, Donetsk regional governor, said one person was killed and at least three civilians were injured in the city of Kostyantynivka following several rounds of Russian shelling during the day.

Donetsk region has seen some of the heaviest fighting since Russia sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 last year.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash and David Ljunggren; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Daniel Wallis)
As a result of the attack on Donetsk Oblast on Saturday, one civilian was killed, and four others were injured.

Source: Prosecutor General's office

onsequences of the attack on Donetsk Oblast on 11 march

All PHOTOs: THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE

Quote: "On 11 March 2023, the Russian armed forces used tubed artillery and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems to attack the city of Konstiantynivka, the villages of Mykolaivka, Kramatorsk district, and Maksymilianivka, Pokrovsk district.

As a result of the attack on residential areas, a 52-year-old man was killed. Four citizens suffered injuries of various severity. One of the wounded is in critical condition.

They are currently receiving qualified medical care."

Details: It is noted that the Russians targeted private and multi-apartment residential buildings; some houses burned to the ground.

Outbuildings, vehicles, and civil infrastructure were significantly damaged.

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On Saturday, 11 March, Russian troops made unsuccessful offensive attempts on the Kupiansk and Lyman, Avdiivka, Marinka, and Shakhtarsk fronts; they also continue the assault operations on Bakhmut.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 18:00 on 11 March

Details: During the day, Russian forces launched 12 air and 2 missile strikes on the city of Zaporizhzhia. The S-300 air defence system hit a civilian infrastructure facility, causing damage to one building. There were no casualties among the civilians.

Also, Russian forces launched 34 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems. One of them hit the civilian infrastructure facility in the city of Kherson. There were victims among the civilian population; two were killed and three wounded. The probability of further missile strikes throughout the territory of Ukraine remains pretty high.

The Russians main goal is still to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The occupiers are concentrating their efforts on conducting offensive actions on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka, and Shakhtarsk fronts.

There were no significant changes on the Volyn, Polissia, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts; the situation remains stable. The Russian Federation maintains a military presence on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, but the formation of offensive groups has not been detected. At the same time, Russian forces continue engineering equipment on the border of Bryansk and Kursk oblasts. During the day, the enemy carried out mortar and artillery attacks in the areas of Chervona Zoria, Krasne, Ohirtseve, Kolodiazne, Krasne Pershe, Novomlynsk and Kamianka in Kharkiv Oblast.

On the Kupiansk and Lyman fronts, Russian forces maintain a significant military presence in the border areas with Ukraine to prevent our units from being transferred to other fronts. Besides, during this day, they unsuccessfully tried to break through the defence of Ukrainian troops, shelling the areas of numerous settlements along the combat line  in particular, Dvorichna, Hrianykivka, Masiutivka, Kyslivka and Pischane in Kharkiv Oblast; Novoselivske, Nevske, Kuzmyne, and Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast, as well as Dibrovy and Rozdolivka in Donetsk Oblast.

Story continues

Russian forces also made unsuccessful offensive attempts in the areas of Hrianykivka in Kharkiv Oblast and Spirne in Donetsk Oblast. Having suffered losses in manpower and equipment, they retreated to the previously occupied positions.

On the Bakhmut front, Russian troops never stopped their assault on Bakhmut; however, our defenders fought back decently and repelled numerous attacks. Russian forces shelled the settlements near the contact line, in particular, Vasiukivka, Zaliznianske, Dubovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Bohdanivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Kostiantynivka, Bila Hora and Zalizne in Donetsk Oblast.

On the Avdiivka, Marinka and Shakhtarsk fronts, invaders carried out unsuccessful offensive actions against the settlements of Kamianka, Sieverne, Pervomaiske, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka and Marinka in Donetsk Oblast. The vicinities of settlements near the contact line, including Berdychi, Lastochkyne, Avdiivka, Vodiane, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Bohoiavlenka, Vuhledar, Zolota Nyva and Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast were shelled numerous times.

On the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts, the Russian forces are on the defensive. At the same time, Russian forces continue to carry out intensive shelling of the nearest settlements, namely, Malynivka, Huliaipole, Huliaipilske, Bilohiria, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanylivka, Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaky and Kamianske in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, as well as Novodmytrivka, Mykhailivka, Dudchany, Zmiivka, Vesele, Ivanivka, Antonivka, Bilozerka and Dniprovske in Kherson Oblast and the city of Kherson.

The Russian occupying authorities continue forced passporting of the population of the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Thus, the military leadership of the Russian Armed Forces forces all those mobilised from previously occupied territories to sign long-term contracts for military service in the Russian army. For that to happen, it is necessary to provide a copy of the passport of a Russian citizen, among the rest of the documents. Thus, the occupiers are trying to force them to give up the so-called DPR/LPR [Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics] passport in favour of Russian citizenship. Otherwise, servicemen and members of their families are threatened with the denial of all established payments and social protection provided for servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces.

During the day, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out six strikes on clusters of Russian personnel and military equipment, while units from Rocket Forces and Artillery hit four clusters of Russian military personnel, an ammunition storage point, a d two places of the location of electronic warfare stations.

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Consequences of the Russian shelling of Kherson on March 11

The incident took place on Mykolaivske Shose (highway). A car caught fire due to the impact of the projectile.

Rescuers, medics, and police are working at the scene.

Read also: Russia kills three civilians after hitting another public transport stop in Kherson

Read also: Russian attack on Kherson Oblast kills one woman, two children

Prokudin later clarified on national television that there are three people known to have been injured in the attack.

The enemy projectile hit near a supermarkets parking lot, said the Kherson regional prosecutors office. Civilian infrastructure was also damaged in the enemy attack.

Law enforcement started a pretrial investigation on the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with intentional murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

On March 10, the Russian army carried out 71 attacks on Kherson Oblast, resulting in three civilian deaths and five civilian injuries. The city of Kherson was shelled four times.

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Consequences of the Russian shelling of Kostyantynivka, March 10, 2023

According to Kyrylenko, two civilians were killed in the village of Krasnohorivka.

Nine civilians were injured in the town of Kostyantynivka, two in the village of Molocharka and the town of Bakhmut each, and one was injured in the village of Maksymilyanivka, he said.

Read also: Invading Russian forces strike residential building in Kostyantynivka

Read also: Strong explosion, fire reported at prosecutor's office in center of Ukraines Russian-occupied Donetsk

Kostyantynivka was attacked with Uragan self-propelled Soviet-designed 220 mm multiple rocket launchers, Kyrylenko said. There was damage to houses and a gas pipeline.

In total, 1,405 civilians have been killed and another 3,158 have been injured in Donetsk Oblast since Russia began the full-scale war against Ukraine.

These numbers do not include civilian casualties from the city of Mariupol and the town of Volnovakha, where it has not been possible to provide estimates.

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During the day, the Russians lost 221 soldiers killed and 314 wounded on the Bakhmut front.

Source: Colonel Serhii Cherevatyi, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on the air of national television

Quote: "During this day, the enemy groups on the Bakhmut section of the front fired 157 times, using various types of artillery... 53 skirmishes took place, 16 times Bakhmut alone was shelled, and 23 skirmishes took place in the area of the city itself.

Throughout the fighting, 221 enemies were killed, [and] 314 suffered wounds of various degrees of severity."

Details: Answering the question whether it is possible to supply defenders of Bakhmut with necessities, Cherevatyi answered: "Our engineers and unit commanders are doing everything so that the defenders of Bakhmut have the necessary ammunition, medicines and food, and that they can transport our wounded to safe places from there."

Earlier: On 10 March, Cherevatyi suggested that the inglorious history of the Wagner PMC was coming to an end because of their losses in the city of Bakhmut.

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Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) denied that he has done anything of criminal activity on Friday in response to an allegation that he orchestrated a credit card skimming operation in 2017.

CNN reported that Santos told reporters he is innocent and that he cooperated with the Secret Service, FBI and everybody that asked for his help in the investigation.

Never did anything of criminal activity, and I have no mastermind event, he said.

Santos denial comes after a man named Gustavo Ribeiro Trelha sent a sworn statement to authorities that Santos was responsible for organizing a scheme to steal ATM and credit card information. Trelha pleaded guilty to credit card fraud, served seven months in prison and was then deported back to his home country of Brazil.

Trelha said he met Santos when he rented a room from the now-congressman in Florida. He claimed that Santos taught him how to clone ATM and credit cards, and he went to Seattle to steal the information from ATM terminals before being arrested.

Trelha also claimed that Santos made threats toward his friends for Trelha to not reveal his involvement in the scheme.

CNN reported that Santos denied that he was even roommates with Trelha and said he only met him a couple times throughout his life.

Audio recordings obtained by multiple outlets last month revealed that Santos appeared at Trelhas bail hearing in 2017 and claimed to be a family friend. Santos falsely told the judge at the hearing that he worked for Goldman Sachs, one of the many false claims Santos has made about himself since he began running for his House seat.

Santos is facing multiple investigations from the Nassau County district attorney, the U.S. attorneys office for the Eastern District of New York and the New York attorney generals office over the false claims he has made and potential financial misconduct he might have committed.

Brazilian prosecutors are also investigating him over allegations that he stole a checkbook in 2008 and paid illegal purchases amounting to $700.

The House Ethics Committee also launched an investigation into Santos last week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Putin congratulates Xi on election as Chinese president

Xinhua) 12:22, March 11, 2023

BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday sent a message to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, warmly congratulating him on his election as Chinese president.

Putin said he would like to extend his warm congratulations to Xi on the occasion of his election as president of the People's Republic of China.

The decision adopted by the National People's Congress of China shows that Xi, as the head of state, enjoys high prestige and that the strategies he has formulated on promoting China's economic and social development and on safeguarding China's interests on the international stage have won the support of the Chinese people, Putin said.

The Russian side speaks highly of Xi's contribution to strengthening the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, Putin said, expressing his firm belief that with joint efforts of both sides, the Russia-China cooperation in various fields will continue to yield fruitful results.

Putin said he will continue to maintain close communication and coordination with Xi on major regional and international issues. He wishes that Xi will make new and greater achievements in promoting the welfare of the friendly Chinese people.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Sheng Chuyi)
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One person was killed and eight others, including children, injured in an explosion at a ceremony in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital city of nothern Afghanistan's Balkh province on Saturday, provincial hospital spokesman Khair Mohammad Khair Khwa said.

Provincial police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri also confirmed the explosion.

The blast took place at 11:00 a.m. local time at a cultural center during a ceremony held to honor journalists, police said.

No group or individual claimed responsibility for the blast.

Late Friday, a blast rocked Police District 5 of Kabul and injured two people.
New satellite images show the extent of damage in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut as fighting intensifies in the key industrial region.

The Kremlin has launched a fierce assault on the city as the war passed its one-year mark.

Russian forces have made progress in the front-line hotspot of Bakhmut, a key target of Moscow's monthslong campaign in eastern Ukraine that has resulted in staggering casualties, but their assault will be difficult to sustain without further harsh losses, UK military officials said in an assessment Saturday.

Smoke seen from above during fighting in Bakhmut (Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies)

The UK defence ministry said in its latest Twitter updates that units from the Kremlin-controlled paramilitary Wagner Group have captured most of eastern Bakhmut, with a river flowing through the city center now marking the front line.

Images from Maxar Technologies show smoke billowing in parts of the battered city, while whole bridges are destroyed across rivers in the region.

The UKs update on the fighting added that it will be highly challenging for Wagner forces to push ahead, as Ukraine has destroyed key bridges over the river, while Ukrainian sniper fire from fortified buildings further west has made the thin strip of open ground in the center a killing zone.

At the same time, Ukrainian troops and supply lines in the mining city remain vulnerable to continued Russian attempts to outflank the defenders from the north and south, as Russian forces try to close in on them in a pincer movement, the ministry said.

A roadway destroyed in southern Bakhmut (Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies)

A railroad bridge destroyed in Bakhmut (Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies)

Meanwhile, Russian military bloggers and other pro-Kremlin Telegram accounts on Friday claimed that Russian forces have entered a metal processing plant in northwestern Bakhmut. A Washington-based think tank late on Friday also referenced geolocated footage showing Russian forces within 800 meters of the AZOM plant, a heavily built-up and fortified complex.

The Institute for the Study of War assessed that Moscow's apparent focus on capturing the plant, rather than opting for a wider encirclement of western Bakhmut by attempting to take nearby villages, is likely to bring a further wave of Russian casualties.

Story continues

Much of Bakhmut damaged by fighting (Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies)

Industrial facilities hit by shells (Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies)

Ukraine's ground forces on Saturday signaled their intention to hold the city, reporting on Facebook that their top officer continues to oversee the most important sectors of the front and take the necessary measures to deny Moscow a long-awaited battlefield victory.

Colonel general Oleksandr Syrskyi has made several visits to the Bakhmut and other eastern front line hotspots over the past month.

Across Ukraine, repair work continued Saturday following a massive Russian missile and drone strike two days earlier that killed six people and left hundreds of thousands without heat or electricity.

Countless buildings destroyed in Bakhmut (Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies)

A building on fire in Bakhmut (Satellite image 2023 Maxar Technologies)

Ukraine's state grid operator said that power supply issues persisted across four regions following the barrage, which saw 80 Russian missiles and a smaller number of exploding drones hit residential buildings and critical infrastructure across the country.

In a Facebook post, Ukrenergo said that scheduled blackouts remain in operation in the Kharkiv and Zhytomyr regions in Ukraine's northwest and northeast, respectively, as well as parts of the Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv provinces in the southeast. The company added that the situation in Zhytomyr was especially challenging, with some consumers still knocked off the grid.
A proposal that would make all Florida students eligible to receive taxpayer-backed school vouchers is headed to the full House, after getting some changes Friday.

The Republican-controlled House Education Quality Subcommittee approved the proposal (HB 1) in a near party-line vote. The bill would massively expand eligibility for vouchers, including allowing families of home-schooled students to receive the assistance.

Also, it would establish what is commonly known as education savings accounts, or ESAs.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

The vouchers could be used on a range of purchases, including such things as instructional materials and fees for various exams.

The House panel approved changes Friday that brought the bill closer to alignment with a Senate version (SB 202).

For instance, one change would require the State Board of Education to develop recommendations designed to reduce regulation of public schools.

Read: 2-year-old killed in deadly Osceola County crash, troopers say

Lawmakers could consider the recommendations next year. But critics of the bill questioned the proposal for deregulation.

Marie-Claire Lehman, with the group Fund Education Now, said that part of the bill feels a little bit insincere given the number of bills this session that is going to continue to overregulate our public schools.

Another change adopted Friday would allow using vehicles other than buses to transport students. Rep. Susan Valdes, D-Tampa, said a shortage of bus drivers, in part, prompted the change.

Read: FHP troopers investigating deadly Orange County crash involving pedestrian

What this will do is, it will allow for  there are some companies that have been vetted through the (state) Department of Education to provide these services, Valdes said.

Another change, which is not included in the Senate version, would direct the education commissioner to develop an online portal aimed at helping families choose from the range of school choice options offered in Florida.

Read: Kissimmee boy, 4 who accidentally shot and killed himself remembered as happiest baby alive

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.
Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa in 2017. Getty Images

Selena Gomez opened up about the impact Francia Raisa had on her life in an Apple TV+ series.

Raisa, an actor, famously donated a kidney to Gomez, who suffers from lupus, in 2017.

"I will never ever ever be more in debt to a person than Francia," Gomez said on the show "Dear...".

Selena Gomez called Francia Raisa her "best friend" and said she would never be more "in debt" to anyone else because she donated her kidney.

In the Apple TV+ docuseries "Dear...," Gomez is among several celebrities who read letters from people inspired by their work. The "Rare Beauty" founders episode, which is the latest one from the second season, was released on Friday.

Midway through the episode, Gomez, 30, opens up about her struggle with lupus, an autoimmune disease affecting some 1.5 million people in America, according to the Lupus Foundation. In 2017, she said her health took a turn for the worse when she required a kidney transplant due to complications from the disease.

Around that time Raisa, an actor, who has reportedly been friends with Gomez for years, famously donated a kidney to Gomez.

"In my early twenties, my lupus got really bad and it was now attacking my kidneys intensely," Gomez said in the Apple+ docuseries. "I was terrified for my life completely."

Gomez said she understood that there were "crazy waiting lists" of others in need of a kidney transplant.

Selena Gomez accepts the 2017 Woman of the Year Award with Francia Raisa at the Billboard Women In Music awards. Michael Kovac/Getty Images

"My best friend, her name is Francia, she said 'No, I'm absolutely getting tested,'" Gomez added. "Within three days, she went to do it, and she was a match."

"I will never ever, ever be more in debt to a person than Francia," Gomez said, adding that Raisa did not even second guess her decision. She also said she and Raisa later got matching tattoos of the date of the kidney transplant.

Gomez's latest comments about her relationship Raisa are the first since she received criticism on social media for saying Taylor Swift is her "only friend in the industry" in a Rolling Stone profile in November.

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After the article went online, E! News posted a graphic to Instagram featuring a photo of best friends Gomez and Swift accompanied by the quote.

Raisa then reportedly commented "interesting" on the E! News post before quickly deleting it, according to a screenshot obtained by Pop Crave. Raisa then appeared to unfollow Gomez on Instagram. She does not follow Gomez as of Saturday, while Gomez does appear to follow her.

Gomez later responded to a TikTok speculating about her relationship with Raisa.

"Sorry I didn't mention every person I know," the popstar commented about her friendship with Raisa, who is starring in "How I Met Your Father" on Hulu.

Representatives for Gomez and Raisa did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider made outside normal working hours.

Read the original article on Insider
Its the real estate version of the chicken-or-egg dilemma: Which comes first  buying a new house or selling the old one? Unfortunately, there is no right answer. Most people would prefer to do both simultaneously: perhaps close on the old house in the morning, then settle into the new home in the afternoon. But even if that scenario is possible, it opens you to a lot of possibilities, most of them bad.

For example, if there is a problem with the sale and you cant close, you wont be able to settle the next deal if you need the sale proceeds to do so. Meanwhile, your stuff will be locked away in a moving van, leaving you and your family with nowhere to go.

Ive done several back-to-back closings over the years, and things dont always go smoothly. Thats why some folks prefer to close on their new home first, then finalize selling the old one a few days or weeks later. That tactic gives you some extra time to load up and move out, but it also opens you up to the very real possibility of carrying two mortgages. If it takes a while to sell the old house, youll be on the hook for double payments that whole time.

Some people facing that possibility opt for a bridge loan, which helps bridge the gap between your current mortgage and the new one. The loan pays off your current mortgage, then covers your new one until the old house is sold. At that point, you use the proceeds to pay off the bridge loan. Easy-peasy. Except that its not always easy  not a lot of lenders offer bridge financing  and its not exactly cheap. Theyre out there, Keith Gumbinger of HSH Associates, a mortgage information and reporting company, says about bridge loan providers. But it takes some work to find them.

I dont think your biggest-of-the-big banks or mortgage lenders can much be bothered with bridge loans, Gumbinger told me. After mucking around for 15 minutes or so, he could find only a mix of smaller banks, some credit unions, mortgage bankers and brokers that offered them. As far as cost is concerned, he says you can expect to pay the prime rate plus a margin of 2% to 4% for what is basically a short-term loan of three to 12 months.

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But a new player believes it has a better answer to the buy-sell riddle. Enter Fortuna Finance, a Chicago-based company that promises to buy your home and then hand you back 90% of the proceeds when it finally sells.

Many real estate companies or agents will offer to buy your place if it doesnt sell quickly. But most often, they want to buy it at a deep discount. They might spend a few dollars to fix it up, paint it, whatever it needs, then sell it and pocket the difference.

Fortunas model is somewhat different. Under its Home Sale Assurance program, it guarantees it will buy the house in advance, then gives the agent 90 days to sell it at your asking price. If it sells within that period, the deal ends there. If not, Fortuna buys it at a discount.

The promise to buy your place serves as a backup contract that tells your lender the trailing house is sold. Consequently, your lender can disregard your current mortgage when qualifying you for financing.

It feels like youre working with someone who doesnt even have a house to sell, says Maryland agent Josh Plevy, who is working with a family who just closed on a new house but still has to sell the old one. Fortunas program has reduced the financial burden and allowed them to move on.

Theres a cost, of course: $1,000 upfront to go under contract and another $2,500 to end the contract when the sale closes. As for the discount Fortuna gets on your house, if it comes to that: According to company president Eric Meadow, the cut is between 20% and 30% of your asking price, depending on a number of variables. Those include local and national market conditions and what you owe on your current mortgage.

The discount is somewhat larger than iBuyers are offering these days. (An iBuyer is a company that buys houses quickly, often sight unseen and completely online.) But youll know the price reduction going in; it will be stated in the backup contract. In Plevys case, his client agreed to a 37% discount, but he is convinced it wont come to that. The backup offer is just a placeholder, he told me, a bridge that allows (homeowners) to move forward seamlessly.

Once Fortuna takes over, it relists with your agent at a discounted price. And if the property sells within a second 90-day window, Fortuna rebates 90% of the net proceeds from the sale back to you. iBuyers, on the other hand, pass nothing back to their customers.

Were not trying to compete with iBuyers, Meadow said in an interview. Our goal is to provide a solution to the buy-side problem, not as a means of stacking up inventory.

In beta testing before its official launch, Fortuna says it helped 15 sellers solve the buy-sell conundrum. Thats the companys modus operandi. Our mission, Meadow told me, is to help homeowners transition from one house to another. Were here to give people peace of mind that in the worst-case scenario, they are assured their houses are sold and, more importantly, let them know they can move on to their new homes.

Lew Sichelman has been covering real estate for more than 50 years. He is a regular contributor to numerous shelter magazines and housing and housing-finance industry publications. Readers can contact him at lsichelman@aol.com.
The following convicted sex offenders recently registered to live in Pierce County.

Each is categorized as a Level 3 sex offender  those considered most likely to commit similar crimes. None is wanted by law enforcement officers at this time.

All convicted sex offenders registered to live in Tacoma and Pierce County are listed on the Pierce County Sheriffs Departments website at piercesheriff.org.

Dustin Hulbert

Age: 45.

Description: 6-foot-4 and 150 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.

Registered address: 1700 block of East 64th Street, Tacoma.

Criminal history: Convicted in 2002 of attempted aggravated sexual assault and attempted aggravated burglary in Salt Lake County, Utah, for forcing his way into an unknown womans apartment and trying to sexually assault her at knifepoint.

Sex offender treatment: Its unknown if Hulbert has participated in a sex offender treatment program.

For more information: Call detective Christie Yglesias at 253-591-5869 or Nicole Faivre at 253-591-5476.

Nicholas Wagner

Age: 42.

Description: 5-foot-6 and 202 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

Registered address: 1700 block of East 64th Street, Tacoma.

Criminal history: Convicted in 1992 of first-degree child rape in Thurston County for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl. Convicted in 1994 of first-degree child molestation and first-degree rape of a child in Thurston County for sexually assaulting two boys, ages 9 and 11, on multiple occasions between 1994 and 1995. Convicted in 2020 of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation in Thurston County for sexually assaulting a female in 2019. Convicted in 2021 of second-degree assault and indecent liberties in Thurston County for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl between 2018 and 2021.

Sex offender treatment: Its unknown if Wagner has participated in a sex offender treatment program.

For more information: Call detective Christie Yglesias at 253-591-5869 or Nicole Faivre at 253-591-5476.

William A. Manus

Age: 54.

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Description: 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Registered address: 100 block of East 50th Street, Tacoma.

Criminal history: Convicted in 1991 of third-degree rape in Pierce County for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. Convicted in 1996 of second-degree attempted rape for sexually assaulting a woman.

Sex offender treatment: Manus has not participated in a sex offender treatment program.

For more information: Call detective Christie Yglesias at 253-591-5869 or Nicole Faivre at 253-591-5476.

Todd R. Smelser

Age: 56.

Description: 5-foot-9 and 222 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.

Registered address: 100 block of East 50th Street, Tacoma.

Criminal history: Convicted in 1988 of first-degree attempted statutory rape in King County for sexually assaulting a 3-year-old girl. Convicted in 1996 of second-degree child rape in King County for sexually assaulting a girl over a five-year period starting when she was 9 years old. Convicted in 2015 of attempted commercial sexual abuse of a minor in King County for trying to have sexual contact with someone who he believed was a 15-year-old girl.

Sex offender treatment: Smelser participated in a sex offender treatment program while incarcerated.

For more information: Call detective Christie Yglesias at 253-591-5869 or Nicole Faivre at 253-591-5476.
(Getty Images)

Sharon Stone has joked that she marked her 65th birthday with extensive plastic surgery, quipping she went Hollywood for the occasion.

On Friday (10 March), the Basic Instinct star posted a photo in which her lips looked dramatically plumped-up.

Her new pout was courtesy Wax Lips, the common name for a cherry-flavoured candy in the shape of oversized, red lips.

In the picture, Stone is wearing black and white polka-dotted pyjamas and glasses, while posing next to a birthday balloon.

She captioned the post: I did it. Finally. For my birthdayI went Hollywood. Sometimes u get EXACTLY what u wish for.

Looks completely natural, one of Stones followers quipped.

Another fan left a light-hearted comment: You can barely tell the difference. Nicely done.

Actor Kristin Chenoweth joked: I have a pair in my nightstand.

Stone has previously opened up about getting Botox treatments frequently, until she suffered a stroke which made her reconsider the procedures.

Last Septemeber, in a cover story forVogue Arabia, she revealed: There were periods in the super fame when I got Botox and filler and stuff, and then I had this massive stroke and a nine-day brain hemorrhage and I had to have over 300 shots of Botox and filler to make the one side of my face come up again.

This harrowing experience changed the way Stone viewed cosmetic surgeries, she added, turning them from cute luxury to some kind of massive, painful neurological need.

In the interview, Stone recalled how one of her recent partners asked her if she uses Botox.

It would probably be really good for your ego and mine if I did, Stone replied, adding that the relationship ended shortly after that conversation.

I saw him one more time after that and then he wasnt interested in seeing me anymore, she said.

Despite the experience, Stone told the magazine, she feels really happy and has never been this joyful. I feel like this is the most exciting and creative period of my life, she said.
Over 60 YC-backed Indian startups have more than $250,000 stuck in accounts with Silicon Valley Bank and nearly two dozen have more than $1 million tied with the lender, according to a survey by and among the startups seen by TechCrunch, illustrating how the worst bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis is also impacting firms 8,000 miles away.

Dozens of young Indian startups backed by the likes of YC, Accel, Sequoia India, Lightspeed, SoftBank and Bessemer Venture Partners banked with Silicon Valley Bank, sometimes as their only banking partner, and couldnt take out the money on time on Thursday, multiple people familiar with the situation said.

VCs are cautious about divulging the names of the impacted startups out of fear that it might impede the young firms prospects of raising capital in the future. Regulators stepped in Friday to shut down Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest in the U.S. and lifeblood for startups, citing "inadequate liquidity and insolvency." The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will work to recover "the maximum amount possible from the disposition of assets," it says on its website.

Some Indian firms couldnt timely yank their deposits from Silicon Valley Bank because they didnt have another US banking account readily available to hold that capital, many venture capitalists recounted. Indian gaming firm Nazara said two of its subsidiary had about $7.75 million stuck in SVB.

Many Indian startups are incorporated in Delaware to make it easier for them to raise capital from U.S. venture firms such as Y Combinator. Some SaaS firms are registered in the U.S. because even as they operate from India, they want to serve the international markets and want to be seen as a US-firm.

India-based founders dont know who to turn to as an alternate to SVB. Likely true for founders in other countries too. From what I hear, SVB was the only bank whod bank a Delaware C Corp with founders who didnt have a SSN. Unique, tech forward bank. Shame whats happening.  Gokul Rajaram (@gokulr) March 10, 2023

Moreover, many firms that "flipped" their home base to the U.S. from India, Silicon Valley Bank was the preferred choice, another person familiar with the matter said, pointing to the fact that many events in India were sponsored by SVB as the lender's executives pushed to increase ties with Indian firms.

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Nearly all Indian SaaS startups with large presence in the U.S. banked with Silicon Valley Bank, a partner at one of the top venture funds said. Over a dozen Indian SaaS unicorns and many more "soonicorns" are headquartered in the U.S.

Many of these young firms did not diversify their funds into multiple banks because in the early days of a firm, operators tend to avoid increasing admin costs. A U.S.-based investor, who requested anonymity speaking candidly, said he knew for a fact that many Indian firms had about $4-10 million parked in their SVB accounts.

Indian SaaS startups and otherwise those backed by YC who set up their companies in the U.S. and raised their maiden round there often had SVB as their default bank, Ashish Dave, India head of Mirae Asset, tweeted. "Uncertainty is killing them. Growth ones are relatively safer as they diversified."

Garry Tan, the president of Y Combinator, said more than a 1,000 YC-backed startups are impacted by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. 30% of YC companies exposed through SVB cant make payroll in the next 30 days, he tweeted.

This is a CREDIT event & credit events are not to be taken lightly. The ripple effect of this could be that some early stage startups will have to raise quick rounds at lower valuation to survive. This means markdowns or write off's for funds, layoffs at firms. #SVB  Ashish Dave |   (@ashishdave) March 11, 2023

black swan is here  Rahul Chandra (@rahulchandra77) March 11, 2023
In the wake of the stunning collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, depositors who kept their money with the lender wonder when they'll get their money back  and if they do, whether they'll be able to retrieve all their funds.

The bank's funds are currently in the hands of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Since SVB was an FDIC-insured lender, all who banked with it had their money guaranteed by the federal government  but only up to $250,000.

That's left anyone with more than that amount  totaling 90% of SVBs deposits  in financial limbo. It's a group that includes Roku, which said it has nearly $500 million with SVB; Roblox, which said it has $150 million with SVB; and numerous others  SVB claimed to have approximately half of all U.S. venture-backed tech and life science companies and more than 2,500 venture capital funds as its customers. Other firms, including Etsy, have already told customers they are facing payment processing delays.

This weekend, the FDIC will attempt to find an entity that will buy SVB outright, said Morgan Ricks, a professor of banking and finance at Vanderbilt University.

But the FDIC has already telegraphed that it does not expect to find such a purchaser, Ricks said, having announced Friday that it intends to issue "receivership certificates" to customers for deposit amounts in excess of $250,000. The FDIC also announced that "as it sells the assets of Silicon Valley Bank, future dividend payments may be made to uninsured depositors."

"It gives you the sense FDIC doesnt place a super high probability on finding a buyer," Ricks said.

If there is no buyer, what happens next? Ricks said customers with uninsured funds will likely eventually see their money  but there is no guarantee they'll get all of it back. The FDIC will commence a liquidation process of assets that SVB valued at more than $200 billion  but the actual dollar amount those assets fetch is likely to be less.

"Uninsured depositors will get a recovery, and may even get a full recovery, but that will happen at some point in the future," Ricks said.

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For a company that needs to meet payroll, Ricks said, "it's far from ideal."

"But its definitely not going to be the case that uninsured depositors are wiped out, meaning that there's no recovery whatsoever," Ricks said.

People line up outside of the shuttered Silicon Valley Bank headquarters (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Over the weekend, a mix of Silicon Valley investors and California politicians called on the FDIC to make all depositors, including ones with uninsured amounts, whole. Saturday afternoon, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statement saying he had been in touch with the Biden administration and other Washington officials about SVB.

Everyone is working with FDIC to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible, to protect jobs, peoples livelihoods, and the entire innovation ecosystem that has served as a tent pole for our economy, Newsom said.

But Ricks said that in order for the FDIC to use public money to help uninsured depositors, it must declare a "systemic risk exception"  something that requires two-thirds of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, two-thirds of the board of the FDIC, and the Treasury Secretary, in consultation with the president, to approve.

"That seems to me extremely unlikely," Ricks said.

For the average person or business, the collapse of SVB sets a troubling precedent, Ricks said. While it never hid its financial issues, for a bank of the size, scale and reputation of SVB to go down suggests customers should have been more acutely aware of the problems, a concept Ricks finds "ridiculous."

"Most businesses dont want to be in the business of evaluating financial institutions' balance sheets  it's not their comparative advantage," Ricks said.

Going forward, he said, more firms and individuals are likely to take their business to too-big-to-fail banks that they know would receive governmental support in a worst-case scenario.

"That's unfortunate for our financial system," Ricks said.

If you're someone who does not plan to bank at a major bank going forward, Ricks said: Start boning up on bank safety and soundness.

"That's the whole theory of it," he said. "I think its sort of silly  it's a silly way to manage our monetary system."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Happy Friday, folks. It's Kyle again, Greg's stand-in for Week in Review. (He'll be back in a few weeks' time, not to worry.) If you're a WiR newbie, it's the newsletter where we recap the past five days in tech news. I might be biased, but I'd say it's the best way for the busy person to stay informed. We do our best to serve you, dear reader, over here at TC.

Before the news, a few plugs:

TechCrunch Early Stage is fast approaching -- it's on April 20 in Boston this year. If you haven't been, expect an annual founder summit with sessions from top experts and opportunities to meet fellow entrepreneurs.

Looking farther down the line, there's Disrupt, TechCrunchs annual flagship conference, taking place September 1921. Excitingly, it'll feature new stages with industry-specific programming tracks across climate, mobility, fintech, AI and machine learning, enterprise, privacy and security, and hardware and robotics. Don't miss it.

Now on to WiR.

most read

Silicon Valley Bank implodes: Silicon Valley Bank Financial, the publicly traded holding firm of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), is in crisis. Venture firms advised portfolio companies to move money out of SVB after the bank said it would book a $1.8 billion loss related to securities sales. Then, after halting trading and asking staff to work from home -- reportedly as SVB sought a buyer -- customers were struggling to wire funds out of the bank. And on Friday, SVB was shut down by regulators, which are now in charge of the banks deposits. There's no doubt far more to come, so stay tuned -- the entire TC edit team has been killing it with coverage.

Decentralize all the things: Meta is working on a decentralized text-based app, Ivan writes. As first reported by MoneyControl, the new app, code named P92, will let users log in through their Instagram credentials. Not coincidentally, the project is being overseen by Instagram head Adam Mosseri, according to Platformer, and is widely perceived as Meta's attempt to build a Twitter alternative or Mastodon competitor.

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Malware hiding in the woodwork: The U.S. government on Thursday announced that it seized a website used to sell malware designed to spy on computers and cell phones, Lorenzo writes. The malware in question, NetWire, was reportedly advertised on hacking forums and marketed on a site that made it look like it was a legitimate remote administration tool.

Apple launches a new service: Sarah writes that Apple is launching a music streaming service focused exclusively on classical music. Based on Apple's 2021 acquisition of Amsterdam-based streamer Primephonic, the new Apple Music Classical app will offer Apple Music subscribers access to more than 5 million classical music tracks, including new releases in high-quality audio, as well as hundreds of curated playlists, thousands of exclusive albums and other features like composer bios and deep dives on key works.

Display-sporting HomePod: On the subject of Apple, the company could be working on a new HomePod device featuring a built-in display for 2024. The rumor comes from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who says the new product might look like a speaker with a small tablet -- akin to the Amazon Echo Show or Googles Nest Hub.

Arrival headed for bust: Arrival, the commercial EV company that went public in 2021, posted its preliminary fourth-quarter and full-year earnings reports Thursday. The gist? Arrival is burning through cash and is on the hunt for more. As Kirsten reports, the company has yet to generate any revenue and Jaclyn writes that it doesnt expect to until 2024. Taking into account the companys expenses, Arrival's cash position -- $205 million -- is not going to be enough to keep its wheels turning through the rest of the year.

No guarantee of privacy: Cerebral has revealed it shared the private health information, including mental health assessments, of more than 3.1 million patients in the U.S. with advertisers and social media giants like Facebook, Google and TikTok. The telehealth startup, which exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, disclosed the security lapse in a filing with the federal government this week, Zack reports.

ChatGPT goes enterprise: ChatGPT, OpenAIs viral, AI-powered chatbot tech, is now available in a more enterprise-friendly package. Microsoft this week announced ChatGPT is generally available through the Azure OpenAI Service, the companys fully managed, corporate-focused offering designed to give businesses access to OpenAIs technologies with added governance and compliance features. Customers, who must already be "Microsoft managed customers and partners," can now apply for special access.

Discord embraces AI: Discord announced this week that its launching a set of new AI experiences to a number of servers. Most notably, the platform plans to update its Clyde bot with ChatGPT, allowing users to have extended, more realistic conversations with the chatbot. Beyond that, Discord is updating its moderation tool to harness the power of large language models and rolling out AI-generated conversation summaries.

audio

Looking for quality listening material from experts in their fields? Look no further than TechCrunch's podcast collection, which grows substantially by the day. This week on Equity, Alex, Mary Ann and Natasha M gathered to riff through the week's biggest startup and venture news, starting with the situation at SVB. Over at Found, TC's show about founders and company-building, Matt, Darrell, and Becca spoke with Matt Rogers, an entrepreneur who turned his sights to solving food waste -- starting in the kitchen. On Chain Reaction, Jacquelyn interviewed Jack Mallers, the founder and CEO of Strike, a bitcoin-based payment network and financial app that's trying to grow cross-border payments and remittance markets. The TechCrunch Podcast covered the proposed bipartisan bill that could lead to banning TikTok in the U.S. and the dangers of startups selling our data. And on TechCrunch Live, Matt spoke to Trulioo co-founder Tanis Jorge, as well as David Blumberg of Blumberg Capital about finding a co-founder, building partnerships, and navigating the equity split.

TechCrunch+

TC+ subscribers get access to in-depth commentary, analysis and surveys  which you know if youre already a subscriber. If youre not, consider signing up. Here are a few highlights from this week:

SVB and the funding dilemma: Alex writes about the nightmare that the SVB situation has become for many startup founders. His take? This crisis is going to kill a host of startups, either quickly or by simply adding enough operational friction to bring them to their knees.

Computer vision, disrupted: Computer vision could be a lot faster and better if we skip the concept of still frames and instead directly analyze the data stream from a camera. At least, thats the theory that Ubicept  the newest brainchild spinning out of the MIT Media Lab  is operating under. Haje has the full report.

Crypto continues its downward spiral: Jacquelyn reports that another massive crypto-centric firm bit the dust this week, leading some analysts to forecast bigger problems for the overall ecosystem. Silvergate Capital, a publicly traded crypto bank, announced Wednesday that it would wind down operations and voluntarily liquidate its bank division.
 Flash

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Saturday made remarks on the Saudi Arabia-Iran Talks in Beijing this week, which has received extensive attention from various quarters.

Wang Yi (C), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, attends a closing meeting of the talks between the Saudi delegation led by Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban (L), Saudi Arabia's Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers and National Security Advisor, and Iranian delegation led by Admiral Ali Shamkhani (R), Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2023. Wang Yi presided over the closing meeting here on Friday. (Xinhua/Luo Xiaoguang)

In response to the initiative of President Xi Jinping of China's support for developing good neighborly relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the delegation of Saudi Arabia headed by Dr. Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers, and National Security Advisor, and the delegation of Iran headed by Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held talks in Beijing from March 6 to 10, the spokesperson said.

Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi held talks with the two delegations respectively and chaired the opening and closing ceremonies of the talks, the spokesperson added.

Noting China, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement and issued a Joint Trilateral Statement, the spokesperson said Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, resolve the disagreements between them through dialogue and diplomacy, respect the sovereignty of states, and not interfere in internal affairs of states.

They agreed to resume diplomatic relations, and carry out cooperation in various fields, the spokesperson added.

The three countries expressed their keenness to exert all efforts towards enhancing regional and international peace and security, the spokesperson said.

Saudi Arabia and Iran also expressed their appreciation and gratitude to China for hosting and sponsoring the talks, and the efforts it placed towards its success, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that China looks forward to seeing closer communication and dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran and stands ready to continue playing a positive and constructive role in facilitating such efforts.

With the concerted efforts of all parties concerned, the talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Beijing produced major outcomes, the spokesperson said.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have identified the roadmap and timeline for improving their relations, which provides a solid foundation for their cooperation going forward and turns a new page in their bilateral relations, the spokesperson said.

"Their dialogue and the agreement set a good example of how countries in the region can resolve disputes and differences and achieve good neighborliness and friendship through dialogue and consultation," the spokesperson said, adding this will help regional countries to get rid of external interference and take the future into their own hands.

The spokesperson said that Saudi Arabia and Iran reaffirmed their adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms in international relations including non-interference in internal affairs of states. "This is in line with the trend of the times. China applauds this and congratulates both sides," the spokesperson added.

Stressing that China pursues no selfish interest whatsoever in the Middle East, the spokesperson said China respects the stature of Middle East countries as the masters of this region and oppose geopolitical competition in the Middle East.

"China has no intention to and will not seek to fill so-called vacuum or put up exclusive blocs," said the spokesperson, adding China always believes that the future of the Middle East should always be in the hands of the countries in the region.

"China always supports the people in the Middle East in independently exploring their development paths and supports Middle East countries in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation to jointly promote lasting peace and stability in the region," said the spokesperson, adding China will be a promoter of security and stability, partner for development and prosperity and supporter of the Middle East's development through solidarity.

China will continue to contribute its insights and proposals to realizing peace and tranquility in the Middle East and play its role as a responsible major country in this process, the spokesperson added.
By Lananh Nguyen and Pete Schroeder

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Employees of Silicon Valley Bank were offered 45 days of employment at one and a half times their salary by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, the U.S. regulator that took control of the collapsed lender on Friday, according to an email to staff seen by Reuters.

Workers will be enrolled and given information about benefits over the weekend by the FDIC, and healthcare details will be provided by the former parent company SVB Financial Group, the FDIC wrote in an email entitled "Employee Retention" late on Friday. SVB had a workforce of 8,528 at the end of last year.

Staff were told to continue working remotely, except for essential workers and branch employees.

The FDIC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Silicon Valley Bank imploded after depositors, concerned about the lender's financial health, rushed to withdraw their deposits. The frenetic two-day run on the bank blindsided observers and stunned markets, wiping out more than $100 billion in market value for U.S. banks.

SVB ranked as the 16th biggest bank in the United States at the end of last year, with about $209 billion in assets and $175.4 billion in deposits.

"Everyone is working with FDIC to stabilize the situation as quickly as possible," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

The lender's main office in Santa Clara, California and its 17 branches in California and Massachusetts will reopen on Monday, the FDIC said in a statement on Friday.

SVB Securities, a broker-dealer owned by the bank's former parent group, said on Saturday that its business would not be directly impacted by Silicon Valley Bank's failure.

Some businesses with holdings at the failed bank are already receiving offers from hedge funds to buy their stranded deposits for as little as 60 cents on the dollar, Semafor, a news website, reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter.

(Reporting by Lananh Nguyen in New York and by Pete Schroeder and Jason Lange in Washington; Editing by Megan Davies, Franklin Paul and Paul Simao)
By Pete Schroeder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Silicon Valley Bank's high level of uninsured deposits helped kick off the run that led to the bank's closing down, and now any of those depositors will need to hold their breath to see if bank regulators can recover enough to make them whole.

Fridays announcement by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation that the bank was closed came with few specifics on what will happen to bank customers who held more than the $250,000 per account that is guaranteed by the government.

In prior large bank failures like IndyMac and Washington Mutual, the FDIC found other firms to take on the assets and keep deposits intact. But failing that, uninsured depositors will be left with a portion of whatever funds the FDIC can raise selling off the bank's assets.

SVB Financial Group's Silicon Valley Bank had a relatively high amount of uninsured deposits as it courted tech workers and venture capital firms. The FDIC said on Friday the amount of uninsured deposits at the bank was undetermined, likely complicated by the rush of bank customers to remove uninsured funds. But data submitted to the FDIC by the bank at the end of 2022 showed that 89% of its $175 billion in deposits were uninsured.

All insured deposits will be accessible in full no later than Monday morning, but the FDIC said uninsured depositors will get a receivership certificate, and that future dividend payments may be made to pay off uninsured funds as the banks assets are sold. Customers with uninsured deposits were told to call the FDIC.

An SVB spokeswoman referred questions to the FDIC. An FDIC spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

Regulatory experts say account holders with uninsured funds are not typically individuals. Usually, accounts with such high funds are companies that need cash on hand for payroll and other expenses. But Silicon Valley Banks relatively well-off clientele could be the exception, and the push for full repayment was already coming from some corners.

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We must make sure all deposits exceeding the FDIC $250k limit are honored," tweeted U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat. "Banking is about confidence. If depositors lose confidence on the safety of their deposits over 250k then we are in trouble.

Beyond selling off the assets piecemeal, another possible move by the FDIC would be to find another firm to take on all or a portion of the assets. This move is typically preferred by the regulator as a smoother process that ensures depositors are minimally disrupted and usually kept whole. But that process can be lengthy, leaving uninsured depositors in the dark.

This will likely be similar to the failure of IndyMac Bank in 2008," said Joseph Lynyak, a partner with Dorsey & Whitney who specializes in bank failures. "The FDIC closed that bank but had not already lined up an assuming bank. It took several weeks to find an investor.

The FDIC is likely negotiating a similar arrangement as we speak, with the result that virtually all assets and liabilities of Silicon Valley Bank will be transferred to the assuming bank in a short period of time.

(Reporting by Pete Schroeder in Washington; Editing by Megan Davies and Matthew Lewis)
A Mammoth Lakes resident shovels snow on Davison Road. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Snow began falling early and hard this season at the Mammoth Mountain ski resort, and the record-breaking amounts don't look like they'll stop anytime soon.

While ski operators in the eastern Sierra Nevada are hoping the buildup of snow will allow them to stay open as late as July 4, the storms have added a dangerous edge to life in nearby towns as residents confront impenetrable snowbanks, high winds, road closures, avalanches and flooding.

In a worst-case scenario, massive snowmelt in the coming weeks could inundate towns along U.S. Highway 395, which winds along the base of snow-clad Sierra peaks that reach up to 14,000 feet. At the same time, officials with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are worried that record runoff in Mono and Inyo counties could overwhelm the city's network of aqueducts.

"Getting significant rain on top of snow is a scary proposition," Inyo County Supervisor Jeff Griffiths said Friday, when the first of several anticipated atmospheric rivers swept across the region, triggering warnings of avalanches and wind gusts of 120 mph. We have at least two more storms coming in over the next 10 days, so the big concern is all the precipitation on the mountains coming down all at once.

As of this week, Mammoth Mountain  the massive extinct volcano that catches freshly brewed storms like a sail  had recorded a stunning 672 inches of snow at the summit and 528 inches at the main lodge of its resort complex, which attracts a million skiers each year.

This is already one of our biggest snow years ever  and we still have many more months to go, said Lauren Burke, a spokeswoman for the resort about 300 miles north of Los Angeles. We expect to get another 100 inches of snow within 10 days, which could put us above our all-time record of 668 inches  thats about 55 feet  at the main lodge.

With the eastern Sierra Nevada saddled with 243% of its normal snowpack for this time of year, the DWP was scrambling to steer anticipated snowmelt from its century-old water infrastructure in Inyo Countys Owens Valley, about 60 miles south of Mammoth Lakes.

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"Only two out of the last 100 years have experienced higher runoff than this year's estimate," said Anselmo Collins, senior assistant general manager of the water system. "Right now, DWP crews are mainly focusing on maintaining capacity within the system by cleaning sand traps, canals and other waterways and getting areas ready for the anticipated water flows."

Meanwhile, in Mammoth Lakes, a scenic town of 7,500 people in Mono County, residents are struggling to adapt to what has become an eerie world of frozen precipitation piled as high as rooftops.

Street names have been hand-painted on walls of snow where signposts are no longer visible. Property owners clad in heavy coats and rubber boots endure the ear-splitting roar of snowblowers between banks 20 feet high that test the limits of the equipment. Underfoot, the snow has turned to ice thick enough to skate on.

Local meteorologist Howard Scheckter stands in front of his house in Mammoth Lakes. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

This is the roughest winter Ive been through since I moved here in 1978, said Howard Scheckter, a real estate broker who doubles as the regions weather sage, posting daily forecasts on his Mammoth Weather website. The problem is that snow continues to stack up, because this has been an unusually cold winter with very little runoff.

Nodding glumly toward 15-foot walls of snow on each side of the narrow lane he lives on, Scheckter said, This is a dangerous situation, and there will be impacts, including structural damage to homes and businesses buried under deeper and deeper layers of heavy snow.

A three-day storm a week ago triggered power outages in communities north of Bridgeport, about 50 miles to the north of Mammoth Lakes, after several large avalanches buried a half-mile stretch of Highway 395 above Mono Lake and north of Lee Vining, a gateway in warmer months to Yosemite National Park. The park, much of which is buried in record snow, has been closed since Feb. 25.

Separately, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency declaration in Inyo County allowing the DWP and other agencies to take steps necessary to protect the Los Angeles Aqueduct from destructive floodwaters rushing off the High Sierra.

As it did in 2017, when record-breaking rainfall ended a five-year drought in the region, the DWP plans to reinforce ditches and stream banks with rocks and boulders and to bulldoze new berms to protect the lattice of plumbing and acres of gravel beds it built as part of its $2.5-billion dust-control project on Owens Lake, which L.A. drained to slake its thirst.

The DWP is already spreading snowmelt cascading down the slopes in areas of Owens Valley.

"We began preparing our spreading grounds in December," Collins said, "based on lessons learned from the extremely high runoff experienced in 2017."

A cabin at Tamarack Lodge in Mammoth Lakes is buried. The lodge, at 8,600 feet, is expecting another 100 inches of snow this week. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

On Friday, rain drummed down on the Long and Owens valleys, dumping floodwater into normally dry ditches and arroyos and hurling mud and debris across key transportation routes, including Highway 395, portions of which were temporarily closed throughout the day.

Avalanche and evacuation warnings were issued for the unincorporated mountain community of Aspendell and the Fort Independence Indian Community of Paiute Indians, which operates a casino and commercial complex north of Independence.

The important message were trying to get out to the public today is harsh: Travel is strongly discouraged this weekend," said Carma Roper, spokeswoman for the Inyo County Sheriffs Department. "There is a high likelihood that you wont make it to your destination due to highway closures from heavy snow and/or flooding. Do not plan on using this weekend to take your family on vacation or recreate outside.

Amid warnings of even more severe flooding to come when the weather starts to warm up, Inyo County officials, emergency responders and leaders of the regions seven Paiute tribes have been making evacuation plans.

In the event of a disaster, our people would be moved 15 miles north to the Bishop Paiute Tribe reservation near Bishop, said Leaux Stewart, chairwoman of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe, whose 400 members reside on a floodplain.

Right now, all our creeks and streams are raging, she added. So a primary concern is rounding up sandbags to hold the water back and cleaning out old canals and water diversions.

The eastern Sierra region has a history of destructive flooding.

In 1982, Main Street in Mammoth Lakes was submerged beneath 2 feet of water. Businesses closed, and the roofs of five mobile homes collapsed under the weight of rain and snow.

In 1989, cloudbursts driven by 60-mph winds gouged out the dirt that fortified a 1,000-foot section of an aqueduct near the community of Cartago and closed a 63-mile stretch of Highway 395. The heavy rains also buried two miles of a ditch under an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of debris.

In 2008, a massive debris flow along the south fork of Oak Creek just north of Independence destroyed 25 houses and wiped out the entire stock of one of Californias oldest fish hatcheries.

Five years later, mud and debris triggered by unusually heavy rains and flash-flooding were blamed for the sudden mass death of fish and other aquatic life along a portion of the Lower Owens River south of Lone Pine.

A worker shovels snow off a roof in Mammoth Lakes. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The eastern Sierra's current predicament holds a certain meteorological irony. Only six months ago, drought-stricken residents and business owners in Mammoth Lakes  sometimes referred to as Los Angeles farthest suburb  would have been relieved to know March forecasts would call for rain and snow.

Its been snowing here every few days since November, and folks are getting tired of it, said Steve Johnson, 69, an independent contractor who has lived in Mammoth since 1972. We cant travel anywhere we might need to, and its making daily routines a struggle  so were falling behind in everything.

For Johnson, that means he is a month behind schedule in finishing construction of a custom home.

No sooner do I remove enough snow to allow my crew to get back to work on the house, he sighed, than it gets buried in snow again.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Michael Tony Satterfield, son of Gloria Satterfield, points out Alex Murdaugh during Murdaugh's double murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C. Sam Wolfe/The State via Associated Press

The son of the Murdaugh family's former maid said he wants his mother's body to be exhumed.

Gloria Satterfield died in 2018 at the Murdaugh home. The Murdaughs said she had a "trip and fall" accident.

Tony Satterfield told NewsNation he doesn't believe his mother was killed, but wants to rule out "foul play."

The son of the Murdaugh family's former housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, who died in what the Murdaughs said was a "trip and fall" accident, is calling for his mother's body to be exhumed.

In a recent interview on NewsNation, Tony Satterfield said that he doesn't think his mother was killed, but wants to "see if there's any foul play."

Gloria Satterfield worked for the high-profile family for more than 20 years before she died in February 2018, as Insider previously reported. She was 57 years old at the time of her death.

Maggie Murdaugh, the wife of disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh, was the one who reported Satterfield's fall to law enforcement, according to KIRO 7. Maggie Murdaugh and her son Paul were the only witnesses at the scene. Both Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were murdered in 2021 by Alex Murdaugh, who was sentenced to life in prison for the crime earlier this month.

WJCL-22 reported that Gloria Satterfield's death was not reported to the coroner, nor did it undergo an autopsy. Last June, South Carolina officials said they would exhume the body.

Authorities first opened a criminal investigation into Gloria Satterfield's death in 2021, three years after her death, as Insider previously reported.

During the NewsNation interview, Tony Satterfield said he was "shocked" to learn that Alex Murdaugh failed to give his family millions of dollars worth of insurance money following his mother's death.

Satterfield's attorney, Eric Bland, said Alex Murdaugh "capitalized on Gloria's death financially and used it as an opportunity to enrich himself.

"Everything around Alex is danger, lies, deception," Bland told NewsNation.

Read the original article on Insider
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday that South Australia state would be a "big beneficiary" of the landmark AUKUS defence pact, which is expected to see Australia buy up to five U.S. Virginia class nuclear powered submarines.

Reuters, citing four U.S. officials, reported this week that Australia would likely buy the submarines in the 2030s as part of the agreement between Washington, Canberra and London, in what would present a new challenge to China's military build-up.

Albanese's federal government has indicated construction would be in South Australia's capital Adelaide, but state premier Peter Malinauskas said this week he was unclear about the number of orders.

On Saturday, Albanese, when asked how many submarines would be built in Australia as part of AUKUS, said an announcement would be made on Monday.

"This is about jobs, including jobs in manufacturing, and Adelaide in particular will be a big beneficiary of this announcement as will Western Australia," he said in a TV broadcast from New Delhi, India, where he is on a visit.

Albanese will leave India later on Saturday and go to the United States to meet U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for talks on AUKUS.

"When you talk about the issue of manufacturing submarines in Australia, that's an absolute priority for us," Albanese added.

Adelaide was chosen as the site in 2016 when France won a A$50 billion ($33 billion) deal to build 12 submarines for Australia before Canberra scrapped that in favour of AUKUS, causing outrage in Paris.

AUKUS is expected to be Australia's largest-ever defence project and offers the prospect of jobs in all three countries.

China "firmly objects" to AUKUS, its foreign ministry said this month.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Students reciting Pledge of Allegiance in classroom. Hill Street Studios/Getty Images

A South Carolina 9th grader sued her school after a teacher forced her to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

Marissa Barnwell, 15, was walking to class when a teacher pushed her into the wall, the lawsuit says.

Lexington County School District policy allows students to not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance, according to court documents.

A South Carolina high school freshman is suing her school and her teacher after she alleged her teacher pushed her against the wall and tried to force her to say the Pledge of Allegiance, according to court documents.

Marissa Barnwell, 15, was walking to class when the pledge of allegiance began playing on the school's intercom in November 2022, according to a lawsuit filed by her parents in the United States District Court District of South Carolina in February. Barnwell is an "African American honor roll student" and a standout in several extra-curricular activities at her school, the complaint says.

Barnell decided to continue walking to her class when a teacher, Nicole Livingston, demanded that she stop walking and "physically assaulted" her by pushing her onto the wall and "forcefully touching her in an unwanted way, without her consent, so that she would stop walking in recognition of the Pledge of Allegiance," the lawsuit says.

Barnwell at a press conference that she was "just in disbelief" when Livingston grabbed her, according to The State.

Alex Tejada ABC Columbia (@AlexTejadaNews) March 9, 2023

Livingston took Barnwell to the principal's office after the altercation in the hallway, which caused Barnwell to be "extremely upset and emotionally disturbed" as "she believed she was being punished for having done something wrong," the lawsuit says.

According to the lawsuit, the Lexington School District and River Bluff High School policy requires all students to say the Pledge of Allegiance at around 8:40 am each school day, but the policy allows students who don't wish to participate the option to leave the classroom or express "nonparticipation in any form which does not materially infringe upon the rights of other persons or disrupt school activities."

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While in the principal's office, principal Jacob Smith told Barnwell he would review the security footage of her interaction with Livingston, but he did not inform her that school policy allowed her to not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance, the lawsuit says.

The Lexington County School District One did not immediately return Insider's request for comment on Saturday. Livingston is still listed as a special education teacher on the high school's website.

The lawsuit demands a trial by jury and an unspecified amount of damages. Tyler Bailey, an attorney for Barnwell's family, did not return Insider's request for comment, but he told The State that "students in our schools should feel safe."

"They should not be feel threatened for exercising their constitutional rights," Bailey told The State.

Bailey said that Barnwell's family didn't hear from the school district or the school after the incident, which is why they decided to file a lawsuit.

"Nobody did anything," Bailey said. "This is why the federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed."

Read the original article on Insider
A Charleston man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to fraudulently obtaining $81,600 in COVID-19 relief loans through a fake lawn care company.

Antonio Brown-Sanders, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for falsely claiming that he owned a lawn care business in order to secure emergency loans designated for small businesses under the CARES act, according to a statement released by the United States Attorneys Office, District of South Carolina.

He faces up to a 20 year sentence in federal prison and a fine of $250,000, according to the statement.

The original indictment said Brown-Sanders obtained two loans  for $10,000 and $71,600  from the Small Business Administration.

The money was paid to Brown-Sanders Wells Fargo bank account in July 2020 after he submitted an application that falsely represented the number of employees and gross revenues for the fraudulent lawn care business, according to the US Attorneys Office.

The money Brown-Sanders obtained was designated as an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. It was intended to aid businesses that had been financially harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a request to change the status of his detention, Brown-Sanders attorney, assistant federal defender Cody Groeber, said Brown-Sanders currently worked at a restaurant.

He is also attempting to start his own business collecting and cleaning trash receptacles, Groeber wrote, describing Brown-Sanders as the sole provider for his household.

After his arrest, Brown-Sanders was issued an unsecured bond but was placed under home detention and GPS monitoring, according to court records.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Amy F. Bower prosecuted the case.

The guilty plea was accepted by United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel who will sentence Brown-Sanders after reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
Insider's reporter made some mistakes during her first backpacking trip to Europe. Joey Hadden/Insider

I recently spent two weeks backpacking through four European countries for the first time.

I made mistakes along the way, like booking a regular seat on an overnight train instead of a bunk.

Here are the things I'll do differently next time when it comes to packing or planning my days.

In 2022, I spent two weeks sleeping on trains and staying in budget Airbnbs while backpacking through four European countries for the first time.

The author went to Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland in October 2022. Joey Hadden/Insider

In October 2022, I took a two-week backpacking trip through four European countries. I traveled by train from Berlin to Vienna, Venice, Rome, Milan, and Zurich, spending one to two nights in each city.

My trip was amazing. Experiencing new cultures while navigating foreign places inspired me to explore and challenged me to be adaptable.

Five months later, I'm still thinking about my trip, including some things I plan to do differently next time.

Insider's reporter took a one-week solo backpacking trip in Berlin and Vienna, sleeping in budget Airbnbs and shared train cabins. Joey Hadden/Insider

While I took the trip of a lifetime, I also faced daily challenges and small problems at each step of the way. Often, I made mistakes before I learned what I should do differently next time.

Most of all, this trip reminded me that the world is so much bigger than me and I'll never run out of new things to discover. I'm certain I'll backpack in Europe again, but there are a few things I'll do differently next time to make my trip easier and more enjoyable.

Here are the biggest insights I took away for this type of travel, and the mistakes I won't soon repeat.

Looking back on the trip, two weeks wasn't enough time for me to explore six different cities. Next time, I'll plan for fewer destinations to spend more time in each place.

The author's calendar shows her time spent in Europe. Joey Hadden/Insider

I wanted to spend my trip seeing as much of Europe as possible. Since I was going for two weeks, I thought one or two nights in each city would help me make the most of my trip by allowing me to see a variety of places in a short time.

But instead, I found myself wishing I visited fewer locations and spent more time each place.

From stunning architecture to rich histories, these cities impressed me upon arrival. With less than 48 hours to explore each destination, I was only able to hit the top tourist highlights, like the Colosseum in Rome.

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I didn't have a chance to dive deeper into what life in each city was really like. If I had more time, I would have cruised on Lake Zurich, shopped in Milan, or gone to a night club in Berlin.

Next time I'm only traveling to Europe for two weeks, I'll pick a couple of cities, say Berlin and Vienna, and spend a full week immersing myself in their art scenes, night life, local cuisine, and history.

I'll also pack less into my backpack to make it easier to carry.

The author wished she packed fewer socks and skipped the maxi dress for her Europe trip. Joey Hadden/Insider

This was my first time traveling for two weeks with just a backpack, and getting used to carrying it around was challenging. I thought I packed pretty light, but it felt heavy on my back and made me a third larger than I usually am, making it hard to travel through crowds.

Looking back, I think I could have packed even lighter to avoid some of this strain.

I brought around 10 pairs of socks since I was worried about not having enough time to wash and dry them at each location. But I found that two nights was plenty of time to dry my thickest socks, so next time I'll bring half as many pairs.

I packed a maxi dress for days when I wanted to dress formally. But apart from different jackets over top, my dress looked the same to me every time I wore it. And since it was so long, I thought it took up a significant amount of space in my bag. So next time I'll leave it at home.

I also could have brought half as much film for my camera, as I didn't use it all.

If I book another red-eye flight, I'll be sure my accommodation is in the city I'm arriving into to ensure an easy commute.

The author arrives in Berlin (L) and waits at a train platform near the airport (R). Joey Hadden/Insider

When I travel internationally, I think booking accommodations outside of cities gives me a better sense of life in less-visited areas. But I'll never do it again following an overnight flight.

This was the case when I flew on Norse Atlantic Airways from NYC to Berlin. I opted for a red-eye flight to give me more daylight hours at my destination.

My flight was quiet with many empty seats, but I hardly ever sleep well on planes, and this was no exception. I woke several times through the night. When I arrived in Berlin, I felt completely exhausted due to a lack of sleep, but my travels didn't end there. My Airbnb was in Neustrelitz, a town two hours from the airport by train.

This local journey was one of my most challenging train trips ever. Aside from it being my first two hours in a foreign country, the route from the airport to my Airbnb required two transfers. This meant I had to get off twice at large, busy stations and find the platforms for my next trains. My restless night made all of this feel even more complicated.

Looking back on those two hours, I still can't believe I made it to my Airbnb. But I never want to be in that position again. While most flights from the US to Europe are red-eye flights, according to USA Today, I'll do everything I can to avoid them in the future. And if I can't, I'll be sure to book accommodations near the airport.

And when it comes to overnight trains, I'll never book a regular seat again.

A seating carriage onboard a Nightjet train traveling from Berlin to Vienna in October 2022. Joey Hadden/Insider

My trip included two overnight train rides between Berlin, Vienna, and Venice. I decided to travel through the night to maximize my days in each destination.

For my ride from Berlin to Vienna, I rode in a regular seat in a carriage of six. Though the seats did recline, they didn't lay fully flat, and the small space felt like a tight squeeze for six people with limited legroom. I got zero sleep during this ride and arrived in Vienna at 7 a.m. feeling completely depleted. Instead of spending the day exploring as planned, I frantically booked a last-minute hotel room to nap in near the station.

When I later traveled in a shared sleeper cabin from Vienna to Venice, I was in a shared sleeper car with six bunks. I still felt cramped, but having a lay-flat bed made it a bit easier to sleep. I was still tired when I arrived in Venice, but not nearly as exhausted as I felt when I got to Vienna.

From now on, I'll only book overnight train rides in sleeper cabins with a lay-flat bed.

The biggest mistake I made was dwelling on them. Next time I'll begin my journey with a flexible mindset and let go of the factors I can't control.

The author arrives at her Airbnb outside of Berlin (L) and enjoys a kebab in Vienna (R). Joey Hadden/Insider

From booking the wrong accommodations to packing too many socks, my first backpacking trip to Europe wasn't perfect. There also were times when I went to the wrong train station, got caught in the rain, and felt more alone than I was anticipating.

For the first few days of my trip, I dwelled on these mishaps. But focusing on what was going wrong made me feel really negative and spoiled the beginning of my adventure.

So along the way, I made a conscious choice to push through and focus on what I could control, like buying an umbrella for downpours, arriving at train stations early, and contacting my family when I felt lonely. By shifting my focus, I was able to find peace in not knowing exactly what was going to happen and push through these experiences.

Looking back on my trip, my biggest regret was not realizing this sooner. I know I could have enjoyed those first few days so much more if I wasn't feeling so down about my mistakes.

Next time I'm on a red-eye flight to kick off a European adventure, I'll remind myself that everything may not go according to plan, and that's okay. In fact, it might even challenge me to grow.

Read the original article on Insider
Stabilising power outages, which were implemented in some areas in Kyiv in the morning, have been cancelled.

Source: DTEK [the largest private investor in the energy industry in Ukraine]; Kyiv City Military Administration

Quote:"Ukrainian power company Ukrenergo cancelled the restrictions, which allowed it to restore electricity supply to all residents of the capital at 16:45. Because of this, stabilising power outages are no longer applied.

The situation in the power system remains difficult, so stay tuned."

Details: On Saturday morning, 11 March, DTEK reported that stabilising power outages were implemented in some areas of Kyiv.

Thus, scheduled power outages were implemented in certain areas of the Holosiivskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Svyatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts. DTEK explained that due to the damage to equipment, energy facilities cannot transmit energy to all residents of these areas.

At the same time, the Kyiv City Military Administration reported that 5% of Kyiv residents are currently without heat after the Russian missile attack on 9 March.

"Five percent of the city's consumers are currently without heating. The main problem is a large number of electric cables damaged by the fire. Their restoration makes it possible to connect the pumps of the centralised heating supply system. The work continues. According to the plan, we should restore the heating supply completely today. The water supply is working as usual. Power outages are absent," said Serhii Popko, Head of Kyiv City Military Administration.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
A podcaster and her husband were murdered by a stalker at their home just days after being granted a no-contact order.

Podcaster Zohreh Sadeghi, 33, and her husband, Mohammad Milad Naseri, 35, were killed at their home in Redmond, 15 miles away southwest of Seattle, Washington. Their killer, 38-year-old Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, was also found dead at the scene, according to the Associated Press.

Khodakaramrezaei broke into the couples home through a window in the early morning hours of Friday, just a week after the victims had obtained a protection order against him. Officers had tried to locate Khodakaramrezaei, a truck driver from Texas, to serve the order but were unable to find him, Redmond Police Department Chief Darrell Lowe said at a press conference.

Sadeghis mother managed to escape the scene and fled to a neighbours house, where she then called police.

This is the absolute worst outcome for a stalking case. This is every victim, every detective, every police chiefs worst nightmare, Chief Lowe said.

When police arrived at the scene, they found a wounded Naseri lying on the floor by the door of his home. They attempted to perform CPR but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Sadeghi and the shooter were found dead inside the residence.

Mohammed Naseri, 35, and Zorah Sadegui, 33, were killed on Friday (LinkedIn/FB)

According to Chief Lowe, Sadeghi and Khodakaramrezaei met up in person last summer after becoming acquainted in an online chat room on the app Clubhouse for Farsi speakers looking for jobs in the tech industry.

Khodakaramrezaei reportedly told Sadeghi that he had listened to the podcast she hosted.

But on 6 November, she first told Khodakaramrezaei to stop contacting her when began harassing her and calling her from different numbers, according to the application for a protection order obtained by local news station KOMO.

She first alerted police in mid-December after Khodakaramrezaei showed up at her door and gave her flowers while her husband was away.

He reportedly told her that he would show up to my door and burn himself and set fire on my house by burning the tree that I love.

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Khodakaramrezaei obtained her friends numbers and continued to send her gifts even after police gave him warnings.

Sadeghi said that he had bursts of anger and is completely delusional. These delusions make me fear for my life and the lives of my loved ones.

All of this has caused me great distress and pain, and now I am suffering from a deep-seated fear for my safety. It has taken a toll on my recovery [after surgery], the slain podcaster wrote in the application.

I havent been able to open the curtains in my bedroom out of fear of him being outside watching me.

Ramin Khodakaramrezaei (Redmond PD)

At one point, Khodakaramrezaei called Sadeghi more than 100 times a day, and left more than 20 voicemails for her husband.

The couple, who married in 2011 after moving to the US from Iran, tried changing numbers. However, Khodakaramrezaei would find out their new contact information and call them from different hotels he stayed at while visiting Redmond.

He also told Sadeghi that he wouldnt stop until he killed himself or died.

Sadeghi followed up with police again in December and January, when she filed for a protection order.

In late February, Khodakaramrezaei left her two voicemails that were vulgar, angry, and threatening, according to the documents obtained by KOMO. Chief Lowe said his officers had attempted to serve the order but were unable to because Khodakaramrezaei was a long-haul truck driver and was always on the move.

The police chief said Sadeghi did everything right but noted that a restraining order cant stop someone [who] is intent on causing ... harm.

I do not want to create a false sense of security, just because a restraining order or a protective order is obtained that that is some type of shield, Chief Lowe said.

...This is an incredibly sad situation and the worst possible outcome of a stalking case. We will continue investigating what led to this tragic loss.
CANTON  A 32-year-old Canton woman was arrested Friday after police say they executed a search warrant at a home in the 1300 block of 18th Street NE and found evidence of drug trafficking.

The woman was charged with the felonies of aggravated trafficking in drugs, heroin trafficking, cocaine trafficking, aggravated drug possession, heroin possession and cocaine possession, according to a statement by the Stark County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office's Metro Narcotics Unit. the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Canton police department's Coordinated Response Team took part in the search and investigation, the statement said.

Officers say they found at the home several ounces of suspected cocaine and suspected heroin and more than a pound of suspected methamphetamine, pills, two handguns and about $5,000 in cash.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Stark County Sheriff's office at 330-430-3800 or the Anonymous Crime Tip Line at 330-451-3937. Or people can submit tips through the sheriff's office's mobile app, which can be found with the search in an app store with "Stark sheriff Ohio."

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. Twitter: @rwangREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Sheriff: Woman arrested after search, discovery of suspected drugs
Elizabeth Forward High School administration have a new timeline for when students can return to the school after a fire.

RELATED >> Fire severely damages Elizabeth Forward auditorium; Community raises money to support students

PHOTOS: Fire burns through roof at Elizabeth Forward High School

In a letter sent to parents, the superintendent said if progress continues, students may be allowed back into the building in April.

Demolition of the auditorium is nearly complete and generators are providing power to the building.

To ensure a safe return, school officials said these things need to happen: the air quality needs to be tested, a complete inspection and a stamp of approval from the Allegheny County Health Department.

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Helga and Zohar are back in Cologne after their trip to space.

NASAs Artemis 1 mission may not have had real astronauts on board the Orion capsule, but there was an inanimate crew that went on the lunar trip. Two of the manikins that took part in the inaugural mission have been returned to their home in Germany, where the data they collected will be used to design ways to mitigate the effects of radiation on astronauts.

On November 16, 2022, the Orion capsule lifted off from Floridas Kennedy Space Center, carrying three manikins on board: Moonikin Campos, named after Apollo 13 engineer Arturo Campos, and two torsos mimicking the female form nicknamed Helga and Zohar. Following a historic 1.4-million-mile (2.25-million-km) journey to the Moon and back, Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on December 11 and the three manikins were extracted from the spacecraft in January.

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Campos was shipped off to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston where it will be analyzed to see how much the Orion spacecraft protects astronauts on their way to the Moon. Helga and Zohar, on the other hand, were returned to the German Aerospace Center in Cologne.

Helga and Zohar were part of the Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment (MARE) investigation, a collaboration between the German Space Agency (DLR) and Israeli firm StemRad. The pair were both equipped with radiation detectors but only Zohar was outfitted with a protective vest known as AstroRad while Helga had a less enjoyable experience, basking in all the space radiation unprotected.

The active radiation detectors have delivered consistent, high-quality data, Thomas Berger, head of the MARE experiment at the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine, said in a statement. At the DLR Institute in Cologne, we will now begin the evaluation of the more than 12,000 passive radiation detectors made of small crystals located throughout the two measuring bodies.

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The data will create a three-dimensional image of the human body that will reveal the overall radiation exposure on the bones and organs during the trip to the Moon and back. Additionally, the information provided by the two manikins will show the effectiveness of the AstroRad vest.

At its maximum distance, Orion was 268,554 miles (432,194 kilometers) from Earth, away from Earths protective magnetosphere that shields us from harmful radiation. Women also may be at a greater risk of suffering from the harmful effects of space radiation, which could affect their reproductive health and put them at greater risk of developing cancer.

As the space industry prepares for longer-duration spaceflight ventures, there is a growing need to mitigate the effects of radiation on the human body. Radiation exposure is one of the main unsolved medical challenges of human spaceflight, Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chair of the DLR executive board, said in a statement. We need to understand it more precisely to develop effective measures to protect humans in space.

The evaluation process will take several months, with the results of the experiment expected to be announced by the end of the year. We can already see that some of our assumptions about radiation exposure during lunar travel are confirmed, Berger said. Now that we have access to all of the available measurement data, we can begin to draw more detailed conclusions.

More: NASA Will Soon Reveal Whos Flying to the Moon for the Artemis 2 Mission

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JERUSALEM (AP)  News of the rapprochement between long-time regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran sent shock waves through the Middle East on Saturday and dealt a symbolic blow to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made the threat posed by Tehran a public diplomacy priority and personal crusade.

The breakthrough  a culmination of more than a year of negotiations in Baghdad and more recent talks in China  also became ensnared in Israels internal politics, reflecting the countrys divisions at a moment of national turmoil.

The agreement, which gives Iran and Saudi Arabia two months to reopen their respective embassies and re-establish ties after seven years of rupture, more broadly represents one of the most striking shifts in Middle Eastern diplomacy over recent years. In countries like Yemen and Syria, long caught between the Sunni kingdom and the Shiite powerhouse, the announcement stirred cautious optimism.

In Israel, it caused disappointment  along with finger-pointing.

One of Netanyahu's greatest foreign policy triumphs remains Israels U.S.-brokered normalization deals in 2020 with four Arab states, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. They were part of a wider push to isolate and oppose Iran in the region.

He has portrayed himself as the only politician capable of protecting Israel from Tehrans rapidly accelerating nuclear program and regional proxies, like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel and Iran have also waged a regional shadow war that has led to suspected Iranian drone strikes on Israeli-linked ships ferrying goods in the Persian Gulf, among other attacks.

A normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, the most powerful and wealthy Arab state, would fulfill Netanyahu's prized goal, reshaping the region and boosting Israels standing in historic ways. Even as backdoor relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia have grown, the kingdom has said it won't officially recognize Israel before a resolution to the decadeslong Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Since returning to office late last year, Netanyahu and his allies have hinted that a deal with the kingdom could be approaching. In a speech to American Jewish leaders last month, Netanyahu described a peace agreement as a goal that we are working on in parallel with the goal of stopping Iran.

But experts say the Saudi-Iran deal that announced Friday has thrown cold water on those ambitions. Saudi Arabias decision to engage with its regional rival has left Israel largely alone as it leads the charge for diplomatic isolation of Iran and threats of a unilateral military strike against Irans nuclear facilities. The UAE also resumed formal relations with Iran last year.

Its a blow to Israels notion and efforts in recent years to try to form an anti-Iran bloc in the region, said Yoel Guzansky, an expert on the Persian Gulf at the Institute for National Security Studies, an Israeli think tank. If you see the Middle East as a zero-sum game, which Israel and Iran do, a diplomatic win for Iran is very bad news for Israel.

Even Danny Danon, a Netanyahu ally and former Israeli ambassador to the U.N. who recently predicted a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia in 2023, seemed disconcerted.

This is not supporting our efforts, he said, when asked about whether the rapprochement hurt chances for the kingdom's recognition of Israel.

In Yemen, where the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran has played out with the most destructive consequences, both warring parties were guarded, but hopeful.

A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemens conflict in 2015, months after the Iran-backed Houthi militias seized the capital of Sanaa in 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile in Saudi Arabia.

The Houthi rebels welcomed the agreement as a modest but positive step.

The region needs the return of normal relations between its countries, through which the Islamic society can regain security lost from foreign interventions," said Houthi spokesman and chief negotiator Mohamed Abdulsalam.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni government expressed some optimism  and caveats.

The Yemeni governments position depends on actions and practices not words and claims," it said, adding it would proceed cautiously until observing a true change in (Iranian) behavior.

Analysts did not expect an immediate settlement to the conflict, but said direct talks and better relations could create momentum for a separate agreement that may offer both countries an exit from a disastrous war.

The ball now is in the court of the Yemeni domestic warring parties to prioritize Yemens national interest in reaching a peace deal and be inspired by this initial positive step, said Afrah Nasser, a non-resident fellow at the Washington-based Arab Center.

Anna Jacobs, senior Gulf analyst with the International Crisis Group, said she believed the deal was tied to a de-escalation in Yemen.

It is difficult to imagine a Saudi-Iran agreement to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies within a two-month period without some assurances from Iran to more seriously support conflict resolution efforts in Yemen, she said.

War-scarred Syria similarly welcomed the agreement as a move toward easing tensions that have exacerbated the country's conflict. Iran has been a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assads government, while Saudi Arabia has supported opposition fighters trying to remove him from power.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry called it an important step that will lead to strengthening security and stability in the region."

In Israel, bitterly divided and gripped by mass protests over plans by Netanyahu's far-right government to overhaul the judiciary, politicians seized on the rapprochement between the kingdom and Israels archenemy as an opportunity to criticize Netanyahu, accusing him of focusing on his personal agenda at the expense of Israels international relations.

Yair Lapid, the former prime minister and head of Israels opposition, denounced the agreement between Riyadh and Tehran as a full and dangerous failure of the Israeli governments foreign policy.

This is what happens when you deal with legal madness all day instead of doing the job with Iran and strengthening relations with the U.S., he wrote on Twitter. Even Yuli Edelstein from Netanyahu's Likud party blamed Israel's power struggles and head-butting for distracting the country from its more pressing threats.

Another opposition lawmaker, Gideon Saar, mocked Netanyahus goal of formal ties with the kingdom. Netanyahu promised peace with Saudi Arabia, he wrote on social media. In the end (Saudi Arabia) did it  with Iran.

Netanyahu, on an official visit to Italy, declined a request for comment and issued no statement on the matter. But quotes to Israeli media by an anonymous senior official in the delegation sought to put blame on the previous government that ruled for a year and a half before Netanyahu returned to office. It happened because of the impression that Israel and the U.S. were weak, said the senior official, according to the Haaretz daily, which hinted that Netanyahu was the official.

Despite the fallout for Netanyahus reputation, experts doubted a detente would harm Israel. Saudi Arabia and Iran will remain regional rivals, even if they open embassies in each others capitals, said Guzansky. And like the UAE, Saudi Arabia could deepen relations with Israel even while maintaining a transactional relationship with Iran.

The low-key arrangement that the Saudis have with Israel will continue, said Umar Karim, an expert on Saudi politics at the University of Birmingham, noting that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank remained more of a barrier to Saudi recognition than differences over Iran. "The Saudi leadership is engaging in more than one way to secure its national security.

_____

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria, contributed to this report.
A couple does their taxes next to one another. katleho Seisa/Getty Images.

Here are three of the week's top pieces of financial insight, gathered from around the web:

Tax status: Happily separate

A growing number of married couples are finding savings through separate tax return filings, said Laura Saunders in The Wall Street Journal. One factor likely boosting the trend is the income-driven loan repayment program for student loans. Borrowers in this program pay a percentage of their monthly income, and the remaining debt may be forgiven after a term of years. This incentivizes couples to "file separately to lower their income." Not all states require filers to use the same status for the state return as the federal one. One couple "reaped substantial savings by having one spouse file separately for Illinois" while the other, who is retired, claimed residence in Florida. "They filed jointly on the federal return." One downside: "Married couples filing separately can't take certain tax breaks," including child- and dependent-care credits.

COVID disability benefits

Social Security disability benefits are now available if you're a COVID "long hauler," said Steven Perrigo in Kiplinger. Last year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ruled that long COVID  when COVID symptoms last for weeks or months after a patient tests negative  is a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. That entitles some sufferers to claim Social Security insurance if their lingering symptoms are so severe that "full- or even part-time work is no longer an option." But approval is tricky. SSDI is only "designated for disabilities that have lasted" at least 12 months. There's also "no standard process for diagnosing long COVID." Applicants should maintain "a detailed record of symptoms," along with proof of regular doctor visits.

Underwater auto loans

More drivers are at risk of carrying auto debt that exceeds their vehicle's value, said Paige Smith and Michael Sasso in Bloomberg. With car prices still elevated and inventory low, regulators are worrying about consumers spending their depleted savings on auto loans that could quickly put them underwater. "About 2 out of 13" new car buyers are making monthly car payments of $1,000 or more. To make the costs more manageable, "lenders keep extending loan terms." For a pricey used vehicle, that could mean "owing on a car that won't even run." There is short-term risk, too, once used-car prices finally begin to slide back to Earth: "Anyone who bought at the top of the market will fall further into the trap of negative equity."

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This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here.

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A podcaster and her husband were gunned down by someone who broke into their Washington home.

Police said that the suspect, who also shot himself at the scene, had been stalking the victim for months.

The suspect once called Zohreh Sadeghi 100 times in a day and later turned to in-person stalking.

A podcaster and her husband were murdered by someone who police described as a stalker that broke into their home.

Police said that trucker Ramin Khodakaramrezaei, had stalked his victim for "many months," after he heard her on a podcast that she was "affiliated with" about "gaining employment in the tech industry," The Daily Beast reported.

Authorities said that the suspect entered the Washington house of Zohreh Sadeghi, 33, and her husband, Mohammed Milad Naseri, 35, who joined Amazon in January 2022 as a software engineer, according to his LinkedIn page. hodakaramrezaei broke in and shot them through an open window at 1:45 a.m before fatally shooting himself, police said.

Sadeghi's mother, who was in the home at the time, was able to flee to a neighbor's house from where she called the police.

When police reached the house in Redmond, Seattle, they performed CPR on Naseri before he succumbed to his injuries. Sadeghi and Khodakaramrezaei were both pronounced dead at the scene, police said in a statement.

Police said that Khodakaramrezaei began communicating with Sadeghi after listening to her on a podcast, and the two became friends. It is not clear what the name of the podcast was.

Redmond Police Chief Darrell Lowe said that Khodakaramrezaei first came into contact with Sadeghi after tuning into a podcast that she was "affiliated with" on the subject of "gaining employment in the tech industry."

However, things escalated and she later filed a no-contact order against him.

Chief Lowe told The Daily Beast that he first became aware of "harassing behavior" by the suspect in December, and was told that Khodakaramrezaei once called the victim over 100 times in one day.

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This later developed into in-person stalking, authorities said, with the suspect visiting the victim's home as well as following her to a conference in Denver, Colorado.

Zohre Sadeghi, podcaster. LinkedIn

A judge issued a temporary protection order in March, which would have forbidden Khodakaramrezaei from contacting Sadeghi, but it had not yet been served at the time of the murder, Lowe told The Daily Beast. His work as a trucker made him difficult to locate, said polcie.

"I think the key piece here is that a protection order is simply a piece of paper that does not prevent a person from causing harm to another person," Lowe said, suggesting that it would not have protected her from the attack.

Lowe noted that the victim did not know that the suspect was planning to come to her home, and if she had known then police would have been there to issue the order.

Read the original article on Insider
office of the lt. gov/wikimedia commons

After leading the Tennessee state senate as it passed laws this year banning gender-affirming care for minors and all-ages drag performances, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R) faced charges of hypocrisy earlier this week when he was caught leaving admiring comments on nude Instagram photos of a gay Knoxville man.

But McNallys interest in pictures of barely clothed members of the LGBTQ community doesnt stop with that Knoxville man, Franklyn McClur. The lieutenant governor has liked shirtless and swimsuit pictures of gay men and transgender women for years, according to the Instagram activity of McNallys official verified account reviewed by The Daily Beast.

For example, McNally has liked a number of Instagram pictures of a Texas man in a tight-fitting swimsuit. The man told The Daily Beast in Instagram messages that he didnt know McNally personally, but that the politician had been interacting with his social media accounts for years.

Anti-Drag Tennessee Lt. Guv Really Loves This LGBTQ Mans Thirst Traps

He has been liking my photos on Facebook since 2020, the man told The Daily Beast in an Instagram direct message. Im not sure where he first saw me online.

A spokesman for McNally referred The Daily Beast to a statement issued on Wednesday, in which the lieutenant governors office said he enjoys interacting with constituents and Tennesseans of all religions on social media and said he has no intention of stopping.

Yet McNallys Instagram favorites extend far beyond members of his own states LGBTQ community, touching on both influencer-level users and far smaller ones. He also favorited several revealing pictures of a transgender woman with tens of thousands of followers in Florida, and a shirtless gay man with only a couple of hundred followers in California.

Still, McNally appears to have left most of his comments on McClurs page. Commenting on a close-up picture of the 20-year-old McClurs butt, McNally wrote that the much younger man could turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine!

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In an interview Thursday with Nashvilles NewsChannel5, a red-faced McNally tried to explain his headline-grabbing social media activity. McNally claimed he commented on McClurs pictures because of a personal revelation that LGBTQ people are still individuals and they still have value.

I try to encourage people with posts, and try to help them if I can, McNally said.

Were you trying to help this man in some sort of way? a reporter asked him.

Uh, just basically try to encourage him? McNally responded.

Then McNally faced a question about why he had favorited a post in which McClur self-identified as a HOE, rather than a prostitute, who provides sexual favors for marijuana.

I dont recall reading the part about the weed, McNally said.

What about the prostitute? the reporter asked.

I might have read that, McNally said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Three women in Texas are being sued for wrongful death by a man who claims they helped his now-ex-wife obtain medication for an abortion. It's another test of state-enforced bans since the U.S. Supreme court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision.

In a lawsuit filed late Thursday in Galveston County, Marcus Silva alleges assisting in a self-administered abortion is tantamount to aiding a murder. Silva is seeking $1 million in damages.

The woman who took the medication in July  weeks after the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion that had been in place since 1973  is not named in the lawsuit. Texas law protects women who get an abortion from being held liable.

Abortion rights groups condemned the lawsuit, calling it an intimidation tactic.

This is an outrageous attempt to scare people from getting abortion care and intimidate those who support their friends, family, and community in their time of need," Autumn Katz, a lawyer with the Center for Reproductive Rights, said Friday in a statement. The extremists behind this lawsuit are twisting the law and judicial system to threaten and harass people seeking essential care and those who help them.

Silva is being represented by Jonathan Mitchell  a former Texas solicitor general who helped create one of the states abortion bans  attorneys from conservative legal group Thomas More Society and state Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Houston-area Republican.

Anyone involved in distributing or manufacturing abortion pills will be sued into oblivion, Cain said in a statement from the attorneys.

According to the lawsuit, the manufacturer of the pills will also be named as a defendant once it is identified in the discovery process.

The lawsuit claims it has text messages from among the women discussing how to obtain medication that could induce an abortion and how to aid the woman who was pregnant in planning to take the medication.

Lawsuits challenging abortion restrictions have arisen across the U.S. as clinics have shuttered in Republican-dominated states. Earlier this week in Texas  which has one of the strictest bans in the country, outlawing the procedure in nearly every case with the exception of medical emergencies  five women who said they were denied abortions even when pregnancy endangered their lives sued the state.
(Photo illustration: Kelli R. Grant/Yahoo News; photos: HBO MAX, Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library/Getty Images)

The HBO series The Last of Us, inspired by the video game of the same name, has captured many peoples imaginations, by proposing the possibility of an extinction-level threat from a seemingly innocuous organism: fungus.

The popularity of the show has provided a massive PR boost for fungi  an area of science that experts argue has been ignored and underfunded for decades. But while a fungus zombie apocalypse or COVID-19-like pandemic is extremely unlikely, many in the infectious disease community do believe fungi will pose a greater threat in the future as new fungi adapt to infect humans.

Dr. Andrej Spec, who specializes in fungal infections as associate director of the infectious disease clinical research unit at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, told Yahoo News that fungi are chronically misunderstood, although they pose a major health threat. Many people associate fungi with toenail infections or benign skin rashes; meanwhile, fungi are responsible for about 1.7 million deaths each year, and some species have incredibly high mortality rates.

I think it's unlikely we're going to have a billion-person death event from fungus. But it's quite likely that we'll have an emergence of a new fungus that may, in the next 20 years, be responsible for a couple 100,000 deaths a year, Spec said.

And you know, we already have many fungi that cause a couple 100,000 deaths a year  we just ignore them, because we have this narrative that fungi are rare, he added.

The truth behind that fungus in 'The Last of Us'

Cordyceps is a real fungus thats featured in The Last of Us. On the show, a species of cordyceps gets into the food supply, manipulates the brains and bodies of anyone who eats it and turns them into zombielike creatures intent on spreading the fungus to every living person.

A worker processes cordyceps flowers on the production line at a fungus company in Suining, in China's Sichuan province. (Liu Changsong/VCG via Getty Images)

In reality, cordyceps can be safely ingested by humans; its been used in Chinese medicine for years, and it has been claimed that it can give your immune system a boost.

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The real threat posed by cordyceps is to arthropods, like insects or spiders. As The Last of Us suggests, the fungus does indeed drug its victims brain, compelling it to migrate to a humid environment that helps it to spread, eventually killing its host and growing out of its body to spread more spores and ensnare more prey.

But fortunately, our brains are very different from the brains of an ant.

We're very different from arthropods. We're evolutionarily almost, I think, a billion years separated at this point, Spec said. So in that sense, cordyceps is not dangerous. It has never to the best of my knowledge ever infected any vertebrates, and so it's unlikely that it would ever cross to us.

The real fungal outbreaks: From drug-resistant threats to one that 'literally eats your face'

While cordyceps are harmless to humans, hundreds of other fungi are indeed toxic  and some deadly. Last year, in response to the increased threat of invasive fungal disease the World Health Organization released its first ever list of fungal priority pathogens.

Unlike bacteria and parasites, Spec said, scientists only discovered fungi relatively recently; so understanding their role in history is tricky.

One decades-old and controversial theory, for example, attributes the 17th-century Salem witch trials to hallucinations caused by the fungus known as ergot  although Jason P. Coy, history department chair at the College of Charleston and author of The Devils Art: Divination and Discipline in Early Modern Germany, said that has been largely debunked by historians.

A doctor inspects a patient of mucormycosis, or "black fungus," in a dedicated ward for similar patients at Noble Hospital in Pune, India, in May 2021. The fungal infection afflicted thousands recovering from COVID-19 in India, where doctors were running out of an antifungal drug used to treat it. (Pratham Gokhale/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

This 1976 theory proposed a medical explanation: convulsive ergotism, which is caused by ingesting a fungus that grows on wet grain. It produces hallucinations like LSD, Coy said in an email to Yahoo News, but doesnt help explain the Salem afflictions, because the accounts from 1692 dont mention many of the symptoms associated with convulsive ergotism, like vomiting, diarrhea, or gangrene of the limbs (and eventually, with prolonged exposure, even death).

But other fungal outbreaks are verifiable, much more recent  and perhaps even more gruesome than anything Hollywood could concoct. In 2021, as the COVID-19 Delta variant swept through India, so too did a wave of black fungus known as mucormycosis. Like most fungi, it doesnt spread through person-to-person contact. However, reduced immunity caused by misuse of steroid treatments during the COVID pandemic, the wet weather season and higher instances of diabetes in the population created the perfect confluence of circumstances for mucor to take hold, with tens of thousands of people infected in one year.

It's barbaric, and honestly, I am not exaggerating when I say it literally eats your face, Spec said of the fungus. Itll eat the face, eat the eyes, and eventually end up in the front part of their brain and liquefy the brain and eat it.

The treatment, Spec said, involves aggressive, often disfiguring surgery, combined with aggressive antifungals.

Another fungus that currently poses a threat, called Candida auris, was first discovered in humans in 2009. Since then, Spec says hundreds of thousands of cases have been identified in countries around the world, including in the United States. Researchers believe the fungus, which is highly drug-resistant and fatal in one-third of patients, was able to adapt to infect humans thanks to rising temperatures due to global warming.

And its not the only fungus that may be adapting to survive in human hosts.

We also have emergence of random fungi that have never really caused human disease before, Spec said of his clinic. We get these cases two, three or four times a year, where it's a fungus that has never before been described to cause human disease before, so it's a whole new fungus.

Climate change and losing 'one of our biggest protections against fungi'

In the first episode of The Last of Us, theres a scene where an epidemiologist from the 1960s sits calmly on the stage of a television program, cigarette in hand, and coolly describes how fungi could evolve to infect humans.

Fungi cannot survive if its hosts internal temperature is over 94F, and currently, there are no reasons for fungi to evolve to withstand higher temperatures, he says. But what if that were to change? What if, for instance, the world were to get slightly warmer? Well, now there is reason to evolve.

That opening scene from The Last of Us, there's many of us who were like, We could have given that exact same speech.Dr. Andrej Spec, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Spec said that scene struck a chord; while something akin to a zombie apocalypse is extremely unlikely, he said the increasing crop of emerging fungal infections probably has something to do with the rise in average temperatures.

It's kind of like that opening scene from The Last of Us. There's many of us who were like, We could have given that exact same speech, Spec said. Much of it is largely true; as we warm up, we lose one of our biggest protections against fungi: our body temperature.

Fungi, Spec explained, don't do well at 37C  or 98.6F, which is the average body temperature of humans  and thrive best at temperatures around 25C (or 77F). But more and more instances of extreme heat are weeding out those fungi that can only survive more temperate temperatures, and enabling more heat-resistant fungi to thrive.

Every time we have these genetic bottleneck events  like two years ago, where France reached 45C [113F] for like four days  that causes massive die-offs in the fungal microbiome in the soil. And we are selecting for isolates that are more temperature-resistant, Spec said.

A recent study from Duke University found that an increase in temperature caused fungus to turn its adaptive responses into overdrive, prompting it to mutate and evolve at higher rates  which may enable it to acquire higher heat resistance and perhaps greater disease-causing potential.

The biggest, scariest thing is that some of these molds actually may have all the things in terms of their environment, in terms of their molecular machinery, to infect a human and kill a human  and to be drug resistant to all of our therapies, Spec said. All that they're missing, kind of the missing link, is that they're not temperature-tolerant.

Warmer temperatures also mean that certain disease-causing fungi can now thrive in areas that were once uninhabitable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that Valley Fever, for example  a disease caused by the fungus Coccidioides, which is usually found in areas with dry, hot soil  has spread to the Pacific Northwest.

As the difference between environmental temperatures and human body temperatures narrows, new fungal diseases may emerge as fungi become more adapted to surviving in humans, the CDC says, also noting that more flooding and natural disasters due to climate change may increase the risk of mold growth in general, which could lead to more fungal infections.

Fungi spread through spores that are all around us, in the air we breathe, all the time  and usually our immune systems can handle them. Those with compromised immune systems tend to be much more susceptible to fungal infections than immunocompetent people, although Spec does point out that around 15% to 20% of patients he sees with infections are otherwise healthy and immunocompetent.

The concern that a lot of us have is that it's a tipping scale, Spec said. If you have an organism that can just barely infect some of us  like one of the things that it doesn't like about us is temperature, and so it has to deal with the temperature. Well, what if it gets so much better at dealing with the temperature of our bodies that now it doesn't need that weakened immune system in order for us to be more prone?

Could we have a fungus pandemic?

Computer illustration of the unicellular fungus (yeast) Candida auris. C. auris was first identified in 2009. It causes serious multidrug-resistant infections in hospitalized patients and has high mortality rates. (Getty Images)

One study estimates that over 150 million severe cases of fungal infections with about 1.7 million fungus-related deaths occur worldwide each year. But while emerging fungi do pose a possible threat, Spec said its unlikely we would see a fungal pandemic at the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic, where a single virus has been responsible for over 6.8 million deaths worldwide since emerging three years ago.

The fact is, it hasn't happened ever, so it's very unlikely to actually happen, Spec said. But if it did, we don't have a game plan, because we've also systematically underfunded research and fungus for a century.

There are currently zero antifungal vaccines, though many antibiotics and some cancer drugs are derived from fungi. Spec said we are still discovering all the things that fungi are uniquely capable of, from eating radiation to increasing and lowering its own number of chromosomes  something, Spec said, that no other organism is capable of.

I respect fungus more than viruses, Spec said. Viruses are so much less capable in terms of what they do. Fungi are just these brilliant architects of biochemistry, and they can do some of the most amazing things. And we have barely begun to scratch [the surface of] what they do.
This week in style, Fashion Month leaves plus-size models behind, Gabrielle Union launches grants for Black female entrepreneurs, and more.

This week, the top names in Black Hollywood and entertainment gathered in Los Angeles for Essences 16th annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards Luncheon.

As one of Black cultures most coveted tickets during awards season, the awards ceremony recognized the extraordinary achievements of Black women who are helping diverse Black stories to be told, including Sheryl Lee Ralph, Danielle Deadwyler, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Dominique Thorne, and Tara Duncan. The inspiring event was hosted by Boris Kodjoe, with appearances by Chloe Bailey, Viola Davis, Yara Shahidi, Quinta Brunson, Chinonye Chukwu, Daniel Kaluuya, and Ryan Coogler.

While the honorees shined on stage, the luncheons attendees shined just as brightly on the red carpet!

Photo: courtesy of Essence

Yara Shahidi

Yara Shahidi at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Quinta Brunson

Quinta Brunson at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Meagan Good and Paige Hurd

Meagan Good and Paige Hurd at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Marsai Martin

Marsai Martin at 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Viola Davis and Chloe Bailey

Viola Davis and Chloe Bailey at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Storm Reid

Storm Reid at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Danielle Deadwyler

Danielle Deadwyler at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Boris Kodjoe

Boris Kodjoe at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Gail Bean

Gail Bean at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards  Red Carpet

Dominique Thorne

Dominique Thorne at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Lorenz Tate and Adrian Holmes

Lorenz Tate and Adrian Holmes at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Teyana Taylor and Lena Waithe

Teyana Taylor and Lena Waithe at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

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Lisa Ann Walter

Lisa Ann Walter at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Ryan Coogler

Ryan Coogler at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards  Red Carpet

Neicy Nash-Betts

Neicy Nash-Betts at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Bianca Lawson

Bianca Lawson at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Karrueche Tran

Karrueche Tran at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

<br>Osas Ighodaro

Osas Ighodaro at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

J. Alphonse Nicholson

J. Alphonse Nicholson at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Award

KJ Smith & Skyh Black

KJ Smith & Skyh Black at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Amber Riley and Mona Scott

Amber Riley and Mona Scott at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Kiki Layne

Kiki Layne at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards  Red Carpet

Jerrie Johnson

Jerrie Johnson at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Teyonah Parris

Teyonah Parris at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Baby Tate

Baby Tate at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Danielle Pinnock

Danielle Pinnock at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Claire Sulmers

Claire Sulmers at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Kelly Jenrette

Kelly Jenrette at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Caroline A. Wanga

Caroline A. Wanga at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Michael Hyatt

Michael Hyatt at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Crystal Renee Hayslett

Crystal Renee Hayslett at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Pinky Cole

Pinky Cole at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Bresha Webb

Bresha Webb at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Shaun Robinson

Shaun Robinson at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Brandee Evans

Brandee Evans at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Patina Miller

Patina Miller at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Laura Harrier

Laura Harrier at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Emayatzy Corinealdi

Emayatzy Corinealdi at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Shoniqua Shandai

Shoniqua Shandai at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Tamera Mowry-Housley and Tia Mowry

Tamera Mowry-Housley and Tia Mowry at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Tristan Wilds

Tristan Wilds at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Skai Jackson

Skai Jackson at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Yara Shahidi

Yara Shahidi at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards

Fashion Month included fewer curve models

Photo: Getty Images

Although social media has embraced the body positivity movement in recent few years, Spring-Summer 23 Fashion Month revealed that the industry still has a long way to go with regard to inclusivity. Only 31 out of the 3,200 models cast during New York Fashion Week fell within the guidelines of plus-size this season  a notable decrease compared to last season, which included 49 plus-size models.

Usually, Im sent to maybe 10-15 castings for NYFW, but this year there were 0-2 castings that I heard of that were inclusive, model Roseline Lawrence told Nylon. I felt very unseen and also worriedwhat does that mean for the rest of the year? Outside of plus-size brands, am I even going to work?

London Fashion Week noted 71 plus-size models out of 2,640 who walked. Similarly, Milan fashion week reported 77% fewer plus-size models than London, with only 14 curve models.

Its really disheartening to witness a return to a very singular celebration of body types on the catwalk after the last few years of greater inclusivity across the spectrum, said Naomi Pike, fashion writer and former Vogue editor, per Independent UK. Looking at the casting this season so far, in London and New York, it really seems like were regressing.

Coming into this new year, many predicted the end of the BBL era. With celebrities like the Kardashians drastically changing their once curvy silhouettes in favor of slim, heroin chic physiques, the industry turning its backs on the curvy models it once tokenized is little surprise.

Oscar nominee Brian Tyree Henry loves his curves

(Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)

Actor Brian Tyree Henry might just be our body-positive style king.

Ahead of the 95th Oscars Awards this Sunday, in which Henry is up for Best Supporting Actor, the Causeway actor spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about his red carpet style, fashion icons, and how much he loves his curves.

The Emmy winners style has gone through quite an evolution since he first entered the scene. Henrys style has gone from, as he puts it, someone who gets dressed in the dark to a vibrant celebration of color and fashion. He also has never been concerned with molding his body into a type designers and stylists typically want to style.

I love every curve that I have. I love the build that I am, and I want to make sure I accentuate all those things, Henry said.

Lets hear it for the stylists!

(Photo by Emma McIntyre/FilmMagic)

Before we commemorate another Oscars ceremony and our feeds begin to fill with red carpet and after-party looks from our favorites, we would like to take a moment to celebrate the stylists who bring us all that glamour  especially when it comes to breakout style icons like the creator and star of Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson, and actress Zendaya.

In the case of Brunson, since Abbott Elementarys premiere in 2022, she has been showing up and showing out on the red carpet for petite girls everywhere, wearing head-turning looks from Dolce & Gabbana, Prabal Gurung, Bibhu Mohapatra, and more. Old rules warning against floor-length gowns and dramatic trains have been completely  and thankfully  thrown out by Brunsons stylist, Bryon Javar. When speaking to HuffPost last year, Javar said Brunsons height has been a fun challenge to work with.

I love that because Quintas 4-foot-11, and Ive been able to make her seem not so short  and enter the chat as a new fashion girl, he said.

Javars trailblazing looks for Brunson and her rise to the top of best-dressed lists in such a short time (no pun intended) reminds us of what celebrity stylist Law Roach has done for Zendaya, who in 2021 became the youngest person ever to win the Council of Fashion Designers of Americas Fashion Icon award.

Both stylists appear to have an eye for not just style but also the ability to recognize star power in emerging talents. Zendaya became a style icon during her Disney transition years, setting the stage for more mature roles that have made her a household name. Brunson endured an awkward red carpet and magazine cover novice era and has now arrived packing style as elevated as her talent.

I love being able to show the world what weve already known, Javar said, adding, I love being able to make a woman, in general, feel good, especially a Black woman. It just does something to me when a Black woman feels amazing.

Raid top stylist Aleali Mays closet

(Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images)

In celebration of Womens History Month, NTWRK is gearing up to host The Archives, its first female-focused live auction show with stylist, model, and sneaker designer Aleali May on Monday, March 20 at 7 p.m. (ET). The Archives is one of NTWRKs newest programs, predominantly featuring celebrities and star-studded hosts.

According to a press release to theGrio, May will auction off over 50 of her most prized possessions straight from her closet, including some of her greatest design collaborations. Those who check out the auction will have their pick from a range of items, including jackets, denim, track pants, hoodies, tees, sneakers, slides, gloves, sunglasses, and luxury home items. Clothes will range in size from S to size L, and shoes from size 5 to 11.

In order to participate, bidders will need to download the NTWRK app. For more information, follow @NTWRK and @alealimay on social.

Flawless by Gabrielle Unions inaugural grant initiative

(Photo by David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Gabrielle Union and longtime stylist Larry Sims have partnered up to support small minority women-led businesses. Flawless by Gabrielle Union is offering a grant initiative awarding three Black female beauty and fashion entrepreneurs $25,000 each. In addition to the financial support, the co-founders have partnered with LinkedIn to offer mentorship sessions for the grant recipients.

We are so grateful to have a platform to support other Black female entrepreneurs, said Union in a press release. For these founders, the barrier to entry is often unreachable, and we are proud to be a supporting anchor in their climb to success.

Industry experts like B. Pagels-Minor of DVRGNT Ventures, the first Black trans-VC founder, and Antoine Gregory, founder of Black Fashion Fair, will assist Union and Sims in evaluating participants and selecting the six finalists who will move on to the virtual pitch on May 10. The official winners of the grant will be announced on May 17th. In the meantime, applications are open for submissions and close on April 19, 2023.

Halle Berrys winning dress makes the Academy Museum

American actress Halle Berry accepts the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Monsters Ball, at the 74th Annual Academy Awards, held at the Kodak Theater In Hollywood, California, March 24, 2002. Applauding her (left) is Australian actor Russell Crowe. (Photo By Getty Images)

Ask any designer, and theyll most likely tell you its an honor to see their dresses strutting down the red carpets on Hollywoods biggest names, but its an even greater triumph to see those duds up on the stage as the actor or actress collects a coveted award. Designer Elie Saabs name has become synonymous with the historic night Halle Berry became the first-ever Black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress at the 74th Oscars in 2002.

As she clutched her award, Berry was memorably dressed in a burgundy gown designed by Saab with a sheer embroidered bodice and crescendoing taffeta skirt that enveloped her. Berry herself recently announced that this glamorous piece of cinematic history will now be on display at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, where she said it will be accessible to generations of people while forever being a reminder that all things are possible.

Billionaire Girls Club celebrates Womens Month

Courtesy of Billionaire Girls Club

In celebration of Womens History Month, Billionaire Girls Club, the sister brand to Pharrell Williams Billionaire Boys Club, launched its Womens Month capsule. Designed by collaborative partner Jillian Evelyn and in-house creative director Pan Jin, the collection features Evelyns artwork. From graphic tees to embroidered bowling shirts, shorts, and sweatshirts, the capsule captures the effervescence of spring and is lightweight enough for summertime layering. In addition to the capsule collection, the brand will also be hosting three unique experiences in NYC, Miami, and Atlanta throughout March.

Shop the collection at bbicecream.com.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. TheGrios Black Podcast Network is free too. Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to Writing Black with Maiysha Kai.

The post theGrio Style Guide: Black Women in Hollywood, Brian Tyree Henrys self-love, and Halle Berrys museum-worthy gown appeared first on TheGrio.


This series of ocean temperature maps through time shows the equatorial Pacific cold patch, which is the defining characteristic of La Nina, shrinking between December 2022 and March.

After a particularly extended stay, the La Nina weather phenomenon thats persisted for the past three years, contributing to extreme weather worldwide, has finally come to an end.

Pacific Ocean waters along the equator have warmed up to near-average temps, ending the La Nina state, which is diagnosed via Pacific sea surface temperature. The news came in a Thursday statement from the U.S. Climate Prediction Center, titled Final La Nina Advisory. Along with the marine temperature change, climatologists and meteorologists foresee a corresponding shift in some of the weather regimes that have taken hold over the past few years.

Read more

La Nina is linked to lots of different precipitation and heat trends around the planet. It contributes to drought in the southern and western U.S. and in South America, as it drives rainfall east, across the Pacific. Accordingly, La Nina generally means intense rains and flooding for Southeast Asia and parts of Australia, as has happened over the past three years.

Elsewhere in the U.S., La Nina often means more rain (but less snow) for the northeastern states. Moreover, air currents dictated by ocean temperatures during La Nina years contribute to worse Atlantic hurricane seasons. Africa and East and Central Asia also feel the phenomenons effects.

This recently concluded La Nina event began in spring 2020 and became one of the most intense in historical record dating back to 1950, Michelle LHeureux, a NOAA climatologist, told Axios last year. During the three years it lasted, it caused all kinds of trouble. California and many other western states descended deeper into an extreme drought that shrunk reservoirs to record lows, killed crops and forests, brought on water restrictions, and more.

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Simultaneously, the eastern U.S. was hit by two very active hurricane seasons in 2020 and 2021 that resulted in multiple billion-dollar disasters, including Hurricanes Ida and Laura. In 2020, more than 30 storms formed, breaking records. Though 2022's Atlantic hurricane season was calmer, it was no cakewalk, spawning multiple devastating late-season storms, like Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Fiona.

La Nina is one side of the ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation) recurring climate pattern that shapes weather around the globe. When the ocean surface is abnormally warm in the tropical pacific, its called an El Nino period. When the same waters are abnormally cold, its La Nina time. When tropical Pacific waters are on par with the historic average, its considered an ENSO-neutral condition.

And thats where we currently are, per NOAA and the National Weather Service: neutral territory. At the last temperature check, the central Pacifics sea surface temperature was just 0.2 degrees C (0.4 F) below the long-term average, while the threshold for La Nina is -0.5 C, explained prediction center researchers in a blog post. During ENSO-neutral conditions, worldwide weather is expected to be basically average, whatever that means anymore. But its unclear how long well be staying in the neutral zone, the NOAA/NWS forecasters noted.

Theres about a 60% chance that the Pacific warms up enough to slingshot the world into El Nino conditions by the fall, the ENSO post said. Though, the forecasters added that predictions made in the spring are notoriously unreliable. The Climate Prediction Center hasnt yet instituted an official El Nino watch.

If El Nino were to happen before summer, the U.S. could expect an abnormally light hurricane season. An El Nino event would also likely bring wet conditions to the Southwest, dry weather to some eastern states, and warm temperatures to many northern states.

The ENSO cycle is a fluctuation that occurs separately from human-caused climate change. But that doesnt mean the two arent linked. Research suggests climate change is shifting ENSO patterns, causing more extreme La Nina and El Nino events. Climate change can also intensify weather patterns brought on by ENSO shifts, like heatwaves and storms.

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Cop lights

SOUTH BAY  Three males were found shot and wounded Friday afternoon in a car on U.S. 27, police said.

Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies responded to the 100 block of U.S. 27 at about 4:30 p.m. in response to gunshots. There, they pulled over a car fleeing the area and found three males inside who were bleeding from gunshot wounds, deputies said. No information about their ages or names was provided.

Deputies took the three males to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No suspects or motives are known at this time, a sheriff's spokesperson said.

Detectives from the Violent Crimes Division are investigating the shooting. The Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS or their app www.pbsoapp.com.

Valentina Palm covers Royal Palm Beach, Wellington, Loxahatchee and other western communities in Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on Twitter at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Three shot, wounded on South Bay street; no arrests made
Three women in Texas have been sued for wrongful death over allegations that they helped a friend obtain abortion pills to receive an abortion, the first case of its kind since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June.

A complaint filed Thursday states that Marcus Silva alleges three women helped his ex-wife obtain abortion pills to have an abortion, which he states violates Texas law prohibiting someone from helping a pregnant woman obtain an abortion themselves.

The complaint states that two of the women helped Silvas ex-wife receive an abortion through illegally obtained abortion pills in July 2022. It alleges they received the pills from a third woman, who is also being sued for wrongful death.

Silva, who was the father of the unborn fetus, also filed a charge of conspiracy against the women, alleging that they told his ex-wife to not tell him about their actions.

The case comes as the Food and Drug Administration is battling a lawsuit from a conservative Texas group arguing that an abortion pill should not be allowed for national distribution.

The complaint states Silvas ex-wife became pregnant in July 2022, but she did not tell him about it. They divorced last month.

The Texas Tribune reported that the ex-wife filed for divorce in May 2022, two months before becoming pregnant, and the couple have two daughters together.

The lawsuit includes screenshots from a group chat that the ex-wife had with her two friends, showing that they said Silva would snake his way into your head, the Tribune reported.

Delete all conversations from today. You dont want him looking through it, one of the women allegedly told her at one point.

The Tribune reported that the state of abortion law in Texas in July 2022 was uncertain, as the states trigger law did not go into effect until August. That law means someone who performs an abortion can face life in prison.

But Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and other Texas politicians have said laws that were passed before Roe was handed down in 1973 immediately made abortions illegal in the state once Roe was overturned.

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A law from the 1850s made it illegal for anyone who performs an abortion or furnishes the means for one and allowed for them to face a prison sentence of up to five years.

The Tribune reported that Silva is requesting $1 million in damages and for an injunction to prevent the women from providing abortion pills in Texas. His attorneys, former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan Mitchell and state Rep. Briscoe Cain (R), told the outlet that they plan to name the manufacturer of the pills in the lawsuit once they learn the name.

Mitchell was involved in crafting the Texas law that banned abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy, the Tribune reported.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Timberland has turned up the volume on its most important messaging with the opening of its new global flagship in SoHo.

The soft opening Friday of the 3,254-square-foot store at 550 Broadway between Prince and Spring Streets marked the reveal of a design concept intended to showcase the brands dual mission of outfitting people for both work and the outdoors.

More from Footwear News

This is the best representation of our DNA, said Susie Mulder, Timberlands global brand president.

The concept also puts more of a focus on womenswear, a key growth category for the company, by presenting female-skewed footwear and apparel right inside the entrance.

The store also features The Shed, a customization space where customers who sign up for Timberlands newly launched membership program can have their shoes or clothing personalized. Timberland has a larger version in its New Hampshire headquarters that also serves as a prototyping lab.

Timberland may be a New England brand, but we consider New York City to be our second home, said Tracy Smith, vice president and general manager of Timberland, Americas. Stepping inside the 550 store, consumers will be fully immersed in all aspects of Timberlands outdoor and work heritage. Driving a strong phy-gital retail presence in key cities is a key business priority for Timberland. And New York City is arguably the most important city in the world for us. We wouldnt be the iconic brand we are today if it werent for New Yorkers.

That sentiment was echoed by Mulder, who was in town to christen the new location.

The company had long operated a store in SoHo  a shop at 474 Broadway opened in 2009  and continues to be attracted by the high traffic the neighborhood draws from both tourists and locals. But this new space better represented what we do, she said.

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The materials used in the stores design speak to the companys ethos. The palette is centered around the brands signature wheat and safety orange colors. Movable metal fixtures are inspired by New York City scaffolding while white oak and Oriented Strand Board wood panels help soften the look of the interior.

During the renovation of the space, crews uncovered the original brick walls from 1850, when it was a Tiffany store, and Timberland left the walls uncovered and intact.

As a nod to the brands commitment to sustainability, there are 10 3D-printed mannequins from Hans Boodt created from Poly Lactic Acid, a bio-based material made from cornstarch; the OSB wood panels are made of 100 percent recycled material; the white oak is from 90 percent recycled wood; the metal fixtures from recycled materials, and LED lighting was used throughout the space.

In the rear is a Timberloop drop box where customers can bring product that has reached the end of its life to be refurbished or reused. Customers are then given a 20 percent discount that can be used in the store or online.

The space sells a full range of footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children from the companys outdoor, Timberland Pro and lifestyle categories. The location will also carry exclusive, limited-edition and collaboration products.

There are separate footwear walls for each gender showcasing the breadth of the assortment, which ranges from the trademark boots to boat shoes and sandals. One of the companys newest additions, the Motion 6 hiking boot collection, is being sold in the store. And the Original Timberland Boot, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is a key part of the mix. The Edison Chen design of the Original boot is expected to launch at the store on March 30.

Apparel, much of it featuring the brands tree logo, is displayed throughout the store by category. Displays next to key pieces in the store  such as waterproof jackets, graphic Ts, quick-dry shorts and others  have QR codes that consumers can scan to get more information on the product.

Mulder said the store offers the largest selection of womenswear and Pro offerings in the companys fleet of stores.

Womens is a huge focus for us now, she said. In fact, its one of the single biggest priorities for the brand. She said Timberland draws a lot of female customers, but it is still seen primarily as a mens brand. So internally the company is reorganizing to have separate womens and mens teams in order to capitalize on what she termed as a missed opportunity.

Womenswear represents less than 20 percent of the brands business and the goal is to see it grow. Id love to get it to 50-50, but Id be happy to see it north of 30 to 40 percent, she said.

The enhanced focus on womens is already paying off in stores where the assortments are broader and the merchandising is appropriate, she said.

Apparel is also seen as an opportunity, Mulder added. That category, too, only represents 20 percent of sales globally with higher numbers in Europe and Asia-Pacific and lower numbers in the U.S. Were continuing to enhance our apparel offering as we seek to provide a head-to-toe offering, Mulder said.

She said although Timberland is seen as a distinctly American brand, 50 percent of its business is outside the U.S. The brand is distributed in more than 100 countries and there are 173 company-owned stores worldwide. The count is even higher when adding partner and franchised stores, with more than 600 units in Europe and the Middle East and more than 500 in Asia.

The SoHo store is only the brands ninth full-price unit in America, joining 46 outlets. While there are plans to open additional stores, no details or time frame have been revealed. Even so, elements of the design of the New York unit will be used in the other stores, Mulder said, including the heightened assortment of womens and Pro products.

She similarly has high hopes for the membership program, which had been used in Europe but was unavailable in the U.S. and Canada until now. The free program is intended to build a true community of Timberland fans by offering members benefits such as early access to products and sales, in-store boot cleaning, free standard shipping, birthday discounts and more perks.

At the SoHo store, the program is being amplified by offering workshops with local community business owners and authenticators, styling sessions, city hiking excursions and other events. Members are able to take advantage of the laser etching, heat pressing and embroidery on any purchase for free.

Mulder, who joined Timberland two years ago after working for Nic+Zoe as well as McKinsey, believes that by cultivating a community, it will help Timberland continue to grow its market share. She acknowledged that like most other brands, the company had faced challenges due to supply chain disruptions, but the situation has turned around in recent months.

Were excited about our trajectory, she said. I can say confidently that Timberland is back in a big way.

Timberland, which has been owned by VF Corp. since 2011, had revenue of $1.8 billion in fiscal 2022. In the third quarter, it reported a sales increase of 6 percent to $596 million.

The brand was founded in 1952 as the Abington Shoe Company and its work boot, The Timberland, was introduced in 1973. The Pro workwear brand made its appearance in 1999.

The new store was designed in partnership with The Rosie Lee Group.

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OLDENBURG  Every day, thousands of people drive past an Indiana dive bar serving perhaps the Midwest's best fried chicken.

An exit off Interstate 74, about halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, leads to a typical Indiana strip mall, then typical Indiana houses surrounded by typical Indiana trees. But keep rounding the hilled corners of State Road 229, and you'll find it  Oldenburg, the Village of Spires, so named for the towering Holy Family Church and its beautiful buildings with steeples hundreds of feet above the town's main road.

And in Oldenburg, population 647, a former 19th-century general store houses Wagner's Village Inn  a local favorite since 1968 and winner of this year's James Beard Foundation America's Classics Award for best local restaurant in the Great Lakes region of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

Another popular local haunt, the Brau Haus, serves its own specialty fried chicken just down the road. While both are known in southeast Indiana, it's Wagner's recent win that has put Oldenburg on the fried chicken map.

A comically large metal chicken invites you in. The restaurant is unassuming and dim, covered in wood paneling with light panels buzzing away in its ceiling and sports glowing on a few televisions.

In the kitchen, five or six 14-inch cast-iron skillets bubble away filled with the current menu's only main course: Fried chicken, lightly seasoned and fried in pork fat using an original method dating back hundreds of years.

Texture, not flavor, is the key to a dish that has attracted hundreds of out-of-towners in recent days, since the Beard awards were announced Feb. 22. The chicken is simultaneously crispy and moist, owing to the unique cooking method. Don't miss the sides, either.

Between Wagner's and the Brau Haus, the town stands against any in the poultry-preparing universe, said Daniel Saccomando, Wagner's owner.

"The best fried chicken in the world is made here in Oldenburg," he said.

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More on Wagner's Village Inn:Eat James Beard worthy fried chicken in this obscure Indiana town

James Beard Award brings business

Saccomando bought the restaurant that bears his grandfather's name from his mother in 2020. A lawyer by trade and IU grad, he works 9-5 as a policy analyst for NASA's Glenn Research Center from his home above the bar.

He did not submit his restaurant for the Beard, probably the nation's most prestigious culinary award, nor did he immediately realize its significance. A friend and fellow Oldenburg chef first informed Saccomando of the win.

The news brought an immediate surge of business. A typical Wednesday draws 50 to 80 people, Saccomando said. On March 1, one week after his win, he served more than 200. About 600 customers flooded in on March 4.

"Everyone who tries it says it's the best chicken they've ever had," Saccomando said last week, propped behind his bar. "And it is."

Fried chicken at Wagner's Village Inn in Oldenburg, Indiana.

Even Gov. Eric Holcomb is a fan. When asked about Wagner's win, Holcomb said anyone who has tasted the chicken should not be surprised.

"Their fried chicken has long been a Hoosier magnet bringing visitors from all over to Oldenburg," Holcomb said.

To keep up with demand, Saccomando has eliminated everything on the menu apart from the chicken dinner and essential sides: A half-chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes with homemade chicken gravy and German-style coleslaw for about $19 per person. No more sandwiches, soups or burgers.

"The whole town is pissed at me," he said of the change, "but it's the only way. I don't have salad anymore. We don't have bread. We do chicken."

Indy's best ramen?Where in Indianapolis can you find otherworldly ramen? At the tiki bar, of course

Wagner's chicken

Saccomando grew up in the apartment above Wagner's, where he now lives with his wife and child. Twenty-five years ago, before the kitchen was upgraded, the smell of fried chicken would float into his family home.

"I used to go to school and girls would come up to me and be like 'You smell like French fries,'" he recalled. "And I'd say I'm sorry. And they're like 'no, I love it.'"

He manned the skillets, alone, before he could drive. He took the evening shift after high school to give his mother a break.

Oh, the skillets. Don't even get Saccomando started on those.

"They've all been used every day since 1968  even longer. They've been soaking up that grease and seasoning for all that time. They're (each) worth about $1,500, at least, but it would be impossible to replace one," he said.

Who makes Indy's best pizza?Tell us in the IndyStar Pizza Bracket Challenge

The key to perfect chicken is cold lard, Saccomando stressed.

Wagner's does not brine the chicken or dip it in anything prior to frying. The chicken is local. It is seasoned with salt and pepper, dredged in flour and placed into a cold pan over high heat.

It takes 30 minutes to fry a single batch of one or two half-chicken orders. As such, wait times can reach two hours or more during a rush.

"You never want to start with hot lard," Saccomando explained. "Those bubbles when you put chicken in hot fat is the moisture leaving your chicken. (If you start with hot lard), you boil off the moisture before the inside is cooked. And nobody likes that."

He swears the pork fat cooking method is healthier than frying in vegetable or canola oil, which he says are absorbed by the chicken while lard is not.

As evidence, he cites his family's longevity.

"My grandfather lived to be 94. My grandma is 91. They ate this chicken all the time," Saccomando said.

A boon for Oldenburg

But Wagner's is not the only fried chicken in town.

Cindy Ziemke, the region's former state representative, has owned nearby Brau Haus for 21 years. Her restaurant dates to the 1940s, though it did not start frying chicken until the 1980s.

"We are happily taking care of Wagner's overflow," Ziemke said. "We've had an extremely busy stretch since Wagner's got the award."

Both Ziemke and Saccomando insist no rivalry exists between the two restaurants. Ziemke started at Wagner's as a dishwasher for Saccomando's grandparents some 50 years ago.

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"We all work together," Ziemke said. "We get our chickens from the same supplier. We'll borrow back and forth from each other if we need to."

Ziemke said the award is a boon for Oldenburg, which was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The town was founded by German settlers in 1837 and named after the German city.

"We have such a pride of place here," she said. "It's a lovely town, and everyone in the town works to maintain it beautifully and maintain our heritage."

Jim Meyer lives across Main Street from Wagner's in a blue stone home built in 1840. The former history teacher runs Carriage House Antiques, which sits a little higher than Wagner's on the hill Main Street winds down. Since the Wagner's news spread, he's seen an influx of customers from all over the region.

The shop specializes in antiques with local ties, from vases and art from the Immaculate Conception Convent, now a retirement home for Franciscan nuns, to luxury furniture built in an Oldenburg factory around the time of the Civil War.

Patrons eat fried chicken during dinner service Thursday, March 2, 2023 at Wagner's Village Inn in Oldenburg.

Together with Sister Cleo, an 88-year-old nun who belongs to the convent's Sisters of St. Francis, Meyer runs a small ice cream shop out of his store, the town's former bank building.

The octogenarian rides her scooter over from the convent, often with fresh fruit from Michaela Farm at the top of the hill, which the nuns ran for generations before a Cincinnati-based nonprofit, Greenacres, took over. Meyer and Cleo handmake every scoop. A sign above the front door displays their slogan: "We're old n' cold in Oldenburg."

Wagner's visitors have pouring through his doors to top off their fried chicken with something sweet, Meyer said.

"We sold more ice cream in three days then we did all of last March," Meyer said.

Wagner's future

At Wagner's, Saccomando is trying desperately to staff up as crowds flood his dining room. A plea for help on the restaurant's Facebook page offers prospective kitchen staff up to $25 an hour. Warmer weather also tends to bring its own cyclical increase in business.

Saccomando has spent the past few years updating the restaurant's decor and fixing the wear and tear of previous generations. He has curated an eclectic mix of music, from The Who to Ace of Base, to fill both the bar area and an adjoining dining room.

If he can expand his staff, Saccomando hopes to bring back the full menu.

Saccomando will not be able to attend a June gala for Beard winners due to the impending birth of his second child. But his staff has taken to wearing the win with pride.

Patrick Sanders, who commutes daily from Greensburg, is one of the few employees Saccomando trusts to man the skillets. He's worked at Wagner's for about eight months.

Sanders recently received a gift from his grandmother: A sweatshirt with lettering printed on the back.

"Patrick Sanders. Wagner's chef. James Beard Award winner."

Looking for things to do? Our newsletter has the best concerts, art, shows and more  and the stories behind them

Rory Appleton is the pop culture reporter and columnist at IndyStar. Contact him at 317-552-9044 and rappleton@indystar.com, or follow him on Twitter at @RoryDoesPhonics.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Wagner's Village Inn serves Award-winning fried chicken from Oldenburg
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  Thousands of farmers and other anti-establishment demonstrators protested Saturday in a park in The Hague against Dutch government plans to reduce nitrate emissions, while elsewhere in the city climate activists angry at what they call state support for the fossil fuel industry broke through police lines to block a major road.

The simultaneous demonstrations  a few kilometers (miles) from one another  come days before Dutch voters go to the polls in provincial elections Wednesday that indirectly also elect the national parliaments upper house and could have an effect on proposals for reducing nitrate pollution.

Police said they stopped an unknown number of tractors that were headed for the farmers' demonstration. The municipality banned all but two symbolic tractors from participating, citing safety concerns.

As thousands of people, many carrying the upside-down Dutch flags that have become synonymous with farmers' protests and balloons emblazoned with the logo of the far-right Forum for Democracy party, gathered peacefully in front of a stage for the demonstration, the two permitted tractors drove slowly across the park.

Earlier, Rotterdam broadcaster Rijnmond showed video of a convoy of tractors crossing the citys Erasmus Bridge early Saturday, apparently on their way to The Hague. One of the tractors was emblazoned with a banner saying in Dutch #proudofthefarmer.

As the farmers were gathering in a park in the south of the city, Mayor Jan van Zanen gave police permission to use a water cannon on Extinction Rebellion protesters who blocked a major highway in the downtown area near where it runs past the temporary home of the Dutch parliament.

Police said demonstrators who refuse to leave the road would be detained. The highway was blocked in both directions, but police did not immediately use the water cannon.

The twin demonstrations prompted authorities to place army trucks near some crossroads ready to block the streets if tractors or other protest vehicles tried to drive into the city center.

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Anger at moves to cut nitrate emissions have spread from the Netherlands to other European nations. Just over a week ago, farmers drove hundreds of tractors into the heart of the Belgian capital, Brussels, snarling traffic.

At protests in recent years, farmers have driven hundreds of tractors into the center of The Hague and also used them to blockade supermarket warehouses.

The government has said that nitrate emissions, which are produced by livestock, transport and industry, must be drastically reduced close to nature areas that are part of a network of protected habitats for endangered plants and wildlife stretching across the 27-nation European Union.

The coalition wants to cut emissions of pollutants, predominantly nitrates, by 50% nationwide by 2030. Ministers call the proposal an unavoidable transition that aims to improve air, land and water quality, and have warned that it will mean "that not all farmers can continue their business.
A child holds a pair of trans pride flags on the steps of the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson as they protest House Bill 1125, which bans gender-affirming care for trans children, on Feb. 15, 2023. Rogelio V. Solis / AP

If you saw the word transgenderism trending on social media last weekend and felt a sinking feeling in your stomach, youre not alone. The word was used at CPAC, the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, by the Daily Wires Michael Knowles, who said during his March 4 speech that transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely.

After his words at the conference were characterized as sounding genocidal , Knowles attempted to claim that he was not calling for an eradication of transgender people when he said transgenderism must be eradicated. But turning an experience intrinsic to the lives of trans people into a noun doesnt separate it from those people, whose rights and safety are currently under mounting attack.

Transgenderism is a phony term made up by anti-transgender activists and used to dehumanize transgender people and target them, their lifesaving healthcare, and access to society, Sarah Kate Ellis, the president and CEO of GLAAD, told Rolling Stone . Similar hate speech about eradicating human beings has been used by extremists throughout history.

The term transgenderism was actually used by trans activists in the 1990s and early 2000s, but as language evolves, words are both reclaimed by communities and coopted by oppositional forces. The latter happened in the 2010s, when so-called trans-exclusionary radical feminists, or TERFs, employed transgenderism, as writer Julia Serano described in a 2015 blog post , in a way that confuses the state of being transgender with a potentially dangerous political ideology  a usage that Knowles echoed at CPAC.

This incident reinforces that journalists must examine the language being used by people who promote the stripping away of basic human rights. Several states have already banned gender-affirming healthcare for people under 18  care that can be lifesaving . And its not just children being targeted. In January alone, South Carolina and Oklahoma introduced bills to block people younger than 26 from getting gender-affirming healthcare  which seems to contradict the conservative talking points of parental rights and characterizing healthcare for trans kids as child abuse.

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Facts vs. fearmongering

Language is intertwined with disinformation campaigns launched by anti-trans advocates. Whether its promoting terms like rapid onset gender dysphoria, which is not recognized by any medical organization and was coined based on studies with methodological problems , or overinflating detransitioning statistics (and ignoring the environmental factors that overwhelmingly contribute to detransitioning), inaccurate information plagues reporting on trans issues. Getting the facts right is vital, especially when such journalism is being cited in legal proceedings related to anti-trans legislation and one fearmongering first-person narrative has sparked a multiagency state investigation .

Research methodologies with more credibility are randomized, controlled, double-blind, or cohort. Studies that are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals are also generally more reliable than informal surveys or data published by laypeople, and the larger the sample size, the more precise the results will typically be. (Sample sizes in the double digits tend to be difficult to generalize to an entire population regardless of how small that population may be.) Unfortunately, these types of studies are also much more expensive to perform, making them less common.

In terms of evaluating the scientific conclusions made about trans people, journalists should also be careful to identify the funding source of the research, the expertise  including publication history  of the lead researchers, and any conflicts of interest that are disclosed in the researchs pages. Reporters should always ask who benefits from the conclusions a study draws, especially if that benefit is financial or political in nature; they should also ask whether the data conflicts or agrees with prior research. Because scientific consensus is a cumulative process  if, for example, 15 peer-reviewed studies suggest that gender-affirming care is beneficial for trans peoples mental health and one bombshell study out of nowhere disputes that  it will always be worthwhile to dig deeper.

Biases creep into research in both conscious and subconscious ways. If a study asks participants, How old were you when you realized you were confused about your gender? the results will likely be very different than if participants had been asked, How old were you when you realized you were trans? Studies can also be  p-hacked   that is, when researchers force interpretations that are not actually backed up by the data presented  to ensure that the conclusion lines up with their original hypothesis. Make sure that you view the original research data instead of relying on secondary sources, as it will allow you to analyze the methodology in more detail and determine whether the data has been reported on accurately.

The style and reporting guidelines we follow

For the recent news coverage on anti-trans legislation, weve been turning to some of these particularly pertinent reminders in our style guide:

Use transition or gender-affirming care, not outdated, cis-gazey terms like sex reassignment or sex change.

No need to hyphenate nonbinary.

When mentioning someones pronouns, use the more specific phrases he/him pronouns and she/her pronouns instead of saying male pronouns or female pronouns, which conflate sex with identity. Likewise, cut out preferred or identifies as; we can use more neutral, straightforward language: X person is nonbinary; they use they/them pronouns.

Sidestep the phrase opposite sex/gender; the mention of opposite sneakily suggests there are only two. Likewise, the phrase both genders. Use different sex/gender and all genders when you need to.
Traute Lafrenz, the last survivor of the White Rose resistance movement against Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and his grip over Germany, has died. The courageous medical student who became an activist survived imprisonment and evaded execution. She was 103.

Though the Hamburg-born activist died Monday at her home in Meggett, South Carolina, the White Rose historical foundation announced her death Thursday, according to The Guardian. Her son, Michael Page, confirmed her death to The New York Times on Friday.

The White Rose was one of the most renowned anti-Hitler movements in Nazi Germany. Its most distinguished members, leaders Christoph Probst and Hans and Sophie Scholl, were beheaded for treason at the Stadelheim prison in Bavaria in 1943.

Lafrenz met Hans Scholl in the summer of 1941, The Guardian reported. When she spotted an anti-war leaflet as a medical student at Munich University the next year, she recognized he was involved by its quotes, which included the words of Lao Tzu, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller and Aristotle, according to the Times.

These pamphlets were distributed across campuses until 1943 in hopes of sparking a revolution. The first said that no one would be able to imagine the degree of shame that would befall every honest German when the Nazis awful crimes finally came to light.

Lafrenz was arrested for her participation in the White Rose anti-Nazi movement.

Lafrenz was arrested for her participation in the White Rose anti-Nazi movement.

The second pamphlet condemned the genocide of 300,000 Jews in the most bestial manner imaginable, an undeniably terrible crime against the dignity of mankind, a crime that cannot be compared with any other in the history of mankind, according to the Times. Postwar estimates put the number of Jews eventually killed in the Holocaust at 6 million.

Lafrenz not only distributed these pamphlets, of which six are known, but helped the group acquire ink to print them. She was hopeful, like many of her peers, that open rebellion would follow the German Armys defeats at Stalingrad in 1942 and 1943. It never did.

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We will not keep silent, read the fourth of the groups six leaflets, according to the Times. We are your guilty conscience. The White Rose will not let you alone.

The movement fell apart when the Scholls were arrested while distributing flyers on Feb. 18, 1943, after a Munich University janitor, Jakob Schmid, alerted the Gestapo. They were executed four days later, joining about 5,000 other German resisters who were put to death.

Lafrenz was arrested in March and spent the rest of the war behind bars, the Times reported. The beheadings, in which Hitler reintroduce the guillotine, didnt stop until January 1945. Lafrenz survived because the Allies liberated the prison before she was tried.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier kneels at the White Rose Memorial in Bavaria on Feb. 6, 2023.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier kneels at the White Rose Memorial in Bavaria on Feb. 6, 2023.

Lafrenz immigrated to the United States after completing her medical studies and married an eye doctor named Vernon Page. She had four children, and when the family moved to Chicago, she ran the Esperanza Therapeutic Day School for disadvantaged kids.

Lafrenz, whose husband died in 1995, would move one last time  and spent the rest of her life in South Carolina. On her 100th birthday on May 3, 2019, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier awarded Lafrenz the Order of Merit  one of the highest civilian honors.

Lafrenz belonged to the few who, in the face of the crimes of national socialism, had the courage to listen to the voice of her conscience and rebel against the dictatorship and the genocide of the Jews. She is a heroine of freedom and humanity, he said, according to an account in the Times.

Trauate Lafrenz is survived by her sons Michael and Thomas, daughters Renee and Kim, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Related...
Big Ice Cream is wilding out. On the one side of ice cream innovation we have immediately tantalizing flavors like Ted Lasso-themed biscuit-flavored ice cream. On the other side, the daring: chicken and waffles and mac and cheese flavors that have divided audiences in the freezer aisle. Now, a new contender emerges: This time, utilizing the flavors of Americas most popular salad dressing.

On March 8, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream announced the launch of seven new flavors for the upcoming spring season  but the one on everyones lips is its new ranch flavor.

Hidden Valley/Van Leeuwen Ranch Ice Cream (Courtesy Hidden Valley/Van Leeuwen)

Created in honor of National Ranch Day on March 10, the ice cream company has collaborated with the top-selling ranch brand in the country, Hidden Valley Ranch. The 14-ounce packages will be sold for $4.98 exclusively at Walmart locations nationwide starting March 20 through May 28.

In a press release, reps for the brands admitted that ranch and ice cream may not be a typical pairing, but that the Hidden Valley Ranch x Van Leeuwen flavor delivers a surprisingly tasty twist on the sweet treat. (The brands kindly sent me a carton, so Ill be the judge of that. More on that later.)

The companies said the ice cream boasts the savory flavors of ranch, and includes buttermilk, flavorful herbs and a touch of sweetness, suggesting that the unique treat pairs well with salty snacks.

Were so excited to debut this new series of flavors and unveil what is possibly our most surprising ice cream yet: Hidden Valley Ranch, Ben Van Leeuwen, co-founder and CEO of Van Leeuwen Ice Cream in a press release. We have done some creative collaborations and cant wait for Walmart shoppers to try this new and exciting flavor along with our other Spring specials.

We know that Hidden Valley Ranch goes with just about everything  pizza, carrots, French fries  but ice cream is a first for us, added Rachel Garrison, associate director at Hidden Valley Ranch, in a press release, adding that the company is excited about this creamy mix of savory and sweet. Insider tip? Top your scoops with crushed pretzels or potato chips for a perfect salty crunch.

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Hidden Valley/Van Leeuwen Ranch ice cream (Courtesy Hidden Valley/Van Leeuwen)

The other (much more conventional) flavors offered in Van Leeuwens spring lineup include Carrot Cake, Strawberry Shortcake, Honey Graham Cracker, Limoncello Cake, Sweet Maple Cornbread and Blood Orange Chocolate Chip.

So, what does it taste like?

Ranch dressing ice cream isnt Van Leeuwens first savory-leaning ice cream flavor, releasing in the past year a mustard ice cream (which Ive never personally tried) and a caramelized onion ice cream (which I tried and really enjoyed).

I seemed primed to enjoy a savory-sweet pairing in this vein  after all, Im someone who typically goes for a honey mustard or poppy seed dressing when given the option. Still, admittedly, a spoonful of this ice cream threw me for quite the loop.

Right before the spoon hit my tongue, my nose got a heavy whiff of garlic, which is attributed to the fact that theres both garlic powder and onion powder in the ice cream. This made my brain expect something savory, but as there is a healthy amount of cane sugar in the ice cream  more than the garlic and onion  the resulting taste was a shock to the senses.

The Hidden Valley x Van Leeuwen ice cream, which begs to be paired with potato chips. (Hidden Valley/Van Leeuwen)

I did also try a few spoons with crushed potato chips on top, and the flavors of the ice cream did in fact mesh a little better together on my palate. But, after trying a full scoop to be absolutely sure, I can say though the ice cream is a beautiful shade of chartreuse, it is not for me.

Still, for ranch stans, this may be up your alley, and though it doesnt taste exactly like Hidden Valley Ranch to me, it's certainly in the same neighborhood. The addition of buttermilk definitely helps that association ring true.

But the garlicky-chiveness of the treat really lingers on the tongue, so maybe curious souls should skip this one on date night.

Van Leeuwen's Ice Cream (TODAY illustration / Courtesy Van Leeuwen)

The mischievous flavor-makers over at Van Leeuwen did, however, send me all of the other flavors in its spring offering, and the standout to me is the Sweet Maple Cornbread flavor.

Who can resist maple ice cream with pieces of honey cornbread? No one that weve met. Well, maybe Joe but he wears white after Labor Day and doesnt love puppies, reads the flavors description on the press release.

I know this cant be referring to me, even though I do proudly wear white year-round. Unlike that other Joe, though, I think this new cornbread flavor is magical. And I love puppies, too.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Former President Trump is reportedly on the brink of facing charges related to a hush money payment during the 2016 campaign, throwing a wrench into the nascent 2024 GOP presidential primary.

Trump has already said in interviews that he plans to continue his campaign for the presidency even if he is indicted, and he was defiant in posts on Truth Social late Thursday that made clear he was undeterred by the latest specter of criminal charges.

But a possible indictment in New York would be another blow for Trump, whose extensive legal woes already has some Republican voters and leaders suggesting it may be time for the party to move on to a candidate with less baggage.

Given all the unknowns right now, its far too early to know the political impact, said Alex Conant, who worked on Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) 2016 campaign.

That said, its hard to see how this is a positive for Trump, added Conant, who now works with Firehouse Strategies. At a minimum, its a distraction from the relatively well-disciplined campaign hes run in recent weeks. It will remind a lot of voters about the chaos that they really disliked during his administration.

The New York Times reported Thursday that the Manhattan district attorneys office has signaled to Trumps lawyers that he could appear before a grand jury next week, a strong indication that the former president could face criminal charges over a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet an alleged affair during the 2016 campaign.

A conviction would not be assured, but a decision to charge a former president and current candidate for president would be a significant step from district attorney Alvin Bragg.

Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels, and in a lengthy statement late Thursday denied any wrongdoing while casting the probe in Manhattan as the latest in a slew of politically motivated investigations into his conduct.

This is a political Witch-Hunt, trying to take down the leading candidate, by far, in the Republican Party while at the same time also leading all Democrats in the polls, including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Trump wrote.

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It is appalling that the Democrats would play this card and only means that they are certain that they cannot win at the voter booth, so they have to go to a tool that has never been used in such a way in our country, weaponized law enforcement, Trump added.

The prospect of criminal charges is just the latest case of legal issues hovering over Trump and his 2024 bid, which some have speculated was launched last November in part to try and stave off an indictment.

The Fulton County District Attorney in Georgia is investigating whether Trump interfered in the 2020 election, and experts believe that probe could be the first one to bring charges against the former president. Portions of a grand jury report in that investigation were made public last month.

A Justice Department special counsel is simultaneously investigating Trumps efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, including the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when pro-Trump rioters violently stormed the Capitol, as well as whether Trump mishandled classified documents after dozens of sensitive materials were found last year at Trumps Mar-a-Lago home.

Trump and his team have been unflinching in arguing that the pileup of legal threats will only harden support among his most loyal backers, who represent enough of the Republican primary electorate that it could even be enough to win in a splintered field.

Its only going to embolden a lot of his supporters, one Republican strategist said. With a lot of Trump supporters, youve gone through the Russia hoax, youve gone through so many different impeachments, so when he is targeted like that it causes a lot of people to double down.

Trump himself told reporters at the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this month that he wont even think about leaving the 2024 race if hes indicted.

And national polls still largely show Trump garnering the most support among declared and potential 2024 presidential candidates, with only Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) coming close or surpassing him in some surveys.

But there are signs the party may look to move past Trump even if he wont bow out himself.

Republican strategists have for months raised concerns that Trump may be the only GOP candidate who could lose to President Biden in a general election due to concerns about his conduct and character.

DeSantis has seen his star rise in the last few months since his resounding reelection victory in November, and he is making the rounds in early voting states as he moves closer to a 2024 campaign of his own.

Ken Cuccinelli, a former Trump administration official, launched an outside group to draft DeSantis into the 2024 race, and former Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), who Trump backed for a 2018 Senate run, tweeted Friday in support of DeSantis launching a presidential bid.

A poll of Iowa voters released Friday underscored the partys Trump problem at its core.

The poll of 805 Iowans, including 257 self-identified Republicans, found 80 percent of them hold a mostly favorable or very favorable opinion of Trump, a higher rating than any other potential GOP presidential candidate. Seventy-five percent said they had a very or mostly favorable view of DeSantis.

But the poll also showed that Trumps grip on the party may not be as iron-clad as it once was. Forty-seven percent of Iowa Republicans said they would definitely vote for Trump if he became the partys presidential nominee, down from 69 percent in June 2021.

Iowa is where the competition starts, pollster J. Ann Selzer told The Des Moines Register of the data. And someone who has already held the office and who won the state twice would be presumed to be the front-runner, and I dont know that we can say that at this point.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Multiple fire departments throughout Miami County responded to a two-alarm fire at a commercial building Saturday overnight.

>> TRENDING: I was just shocked; Parents say Preble County teacher put her hands on their daughter

Tipp City, Troy, Vandalia, West Milton, Bethel, and Elizabeth Township Fire were dispatched to the 1400 block of Commerce Park Drive in Tipp City at around 3:35 a.m. on reports of a commercial fire, Miami County Dispatch confirmed to News Center 7.

When crews arrived on scene, they reported flames shooting out of the roof and heavy smoke emanating from the building, dispatch informed.

Mutual aid from surrounding fire departments were called into help, dispatch said. The fire was then upgraded to a two-alarm fire.

A full evacuation was in progress by the time the first responder arrived on scene, a spokesperson for the fire department stated. There were no reported injuries; however, medics were called to the scene as part of procedures.

The cause of the fire was still yet to be determine. However, crews at the scene noted that a chemical salt bath caught on fire and fueled the flames, dispatch said. The fires intensity and volume burned nearby machinery and the roof.

Fire crews managed to control the fire at around 4:20 a.m., 45 minutes from when they responded to the call. The fire was fully extinguished at around 4:50 a.m., an hour and 15 minutes from the initial call.
The United States House of Representatives voted unanimously Friday to declassify intelligence about the origins of COVID-19.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former CDC director says he believes coronavirus originated in Wuhan lab

The bill, COVID19 Origin Act of 2023, was introduced after news surfaced that the virus had potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a research institute in China that is administered by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and reports to the State Council.

The United States Energy Department concluded with low confidence that COVID-19 could have originated from a laboratory leak, AP News reported. Their report rekindled conversations about where COVID-19 came from.

Researchers initially pointed to a Wuhan market where live animals were sold, allowing for an interspecies transfer of the virus to humans, AP News continued. The market was considered the epicenter of the outbreak and bats, the original species carrying the virus.

However, as the pandemic progressed and long after it ended, intelligence communities began arguing that the virus was a laboratory leak. One of the fervent supporters of this theory was FBI Director Christopher Wray who stated that the FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the pandemics origins are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan.

With growing public interest in the origins of the pandemic and the assessment that the virus was likely not a laboratory leak, COVID19 Origin Act of 2023 was introduced and voted on throughout the month of March.

The United States Senate passed the bill unanimously back on Wednesday, March 1.

On Friday, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill as well, 419-0.

Now, the bill will await President Joe Bidens signature to become enacted as a law of the land.

The bill will mandate the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify all information relating to potential links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of COVID-19, as described on Congress online database of legislative information.
By Nick Starkov

(Reuters) -Ukraine and Russia claimed on Saturday that hundreds of enemy troops were killed over the previous 24 hours in the fight for Bakhmut, with Kyiv fending off unabating attacks and a small river that bisects the town now marking the new front line.

Serhiy Cherevatyi, a Ukrainian military spokesperson, said that 221 pro-Moscow troops were killed and more than 300 wounded in Bakhmut. Russia's defence ministry said that up to 210 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the broader Donetsk part of the frontline.

While Moscow did not specify Bakhmut casualties, the eastern Donetsk town, now nearly deserted, has been the site of one of the bloodiest and longest battles of the year-long war.

Both sides have admitted to suffering and inflicting significant losses in Bakhmut, while the exact number of casualties is difficult to independently verify.

British military intelligence said on Saturday that Russia's Wagner mercenary group has taken control of most of the eastern part of Bakhmut - an advance that the group's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed on Wednesday.

"In the city centre, the Bakhmutka River now marks the front line," the British Defence Ministry said in its daily intelligence bulletin.

Ukraine insisted that it was holding on in Bakhmut and was giving a "decent rebuff" to Russian forces, with the commander in charge of defending Bakhmut saying its protection was key for a Ukrainian counter-strike.

"It is necessary to gain time to accumulate reserves and start a counter-offensive, which is not far off," the military cited Colonel general Oleksandr Syrskyi as saying on Saturday.

Moscow says capturing Bakhmut would punch a hole in Ukrainian defences and be a step towards seizing all of the Donbas industrial region, a major target. Kyiv says the battle is grinding down Russia's best units.

Prigozhin said on Saturday that he is now 1.2 km (0.75 mile) away from the administrative centre of the city. The centre is on the west side of the Bakhmutka River.

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British intelligence said that with the river running through some open ground, "this area has become a killing zone, likely making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westward."

But the situation remained dangerous for Ukrainian forces.

"The Ukrainian force and their supply lines to the west remain vulnerable to the continued Russian attempts to outflank the defenders from the north and south," it said.

(Writing by David Ljunggren and Lidia Kelly; editing by Grant McCool and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Volodomyr Zelenskyy

As many as 287 enterprises and 120 individuals were sanctioned, including Parimatch.

Other companies sanctioned include Sportloto, First International Bookmaking Company, Bet.ru, CreditService, Sportbet, Betcity, and Matchbet.

Read also: US and allies freeze over $58 billion worth of sanctioned Russian assets

The companies assets will be frozen, licenses will be canceled or suspended, and trade operations will be prohibited  including the withdrawal of funds from Ukraine.

Read also: Are Sanctions Working?

The sanctions list includes businesspersons from the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Turkey, the Netherlands, Poland, and Armenia.

Zelenskyy entrusted National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksiy Danilov with monitoring the implementation of the sanctions.

The NSDC decision is effective immediately. Decree No. 145/2023 states the application and introduction of changes to personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) shall take into effect from the date of publication.

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
Key developments on March 10:

Ukraine's Defense Ministry acknowledged on March 10 that the battle for Bakhmut is becoming more difficult as Russia keeps up its offensive and continues trying to "break through the defenses of our troops."

The Ukrainian military said that 57 attacks were recorded on the Bakhmut sector in the northern Donetsk Oblast over the past day.

Recent satellite images of Bakhmut  a city nearly emptied of its 70,000 residents  captured by American private satellite company Maxar Technologies published on March 10 showed an apocalyptic-looking city with damaged buildings and a railroad bridge.

Eight-month-long battle for Bakhmut has reduced once a cozy small city into rubble.

Ukraine's reports of tough battles in the Bakhmut area come a day after the military leadership warned that "every move and decision can radically change" the situation, and the battle remains "very difficult."

Russia has been intensifying its offensive on the Bakhmut front since mid-January, slowly capturing settlement after settlement to encircle the city.

Capturing Bakhmut would mark Russia's biggest victory since early summer when it seized the last Ukrainian strongholds of Luhansk Oblast.

On March 10, Kostyantynivka, a city some 25 kilometers southeast of Bakhmut, underwent a heavy Russian attack. At least eight were wounded after residential areas were struck by Russian S-300 missiles and Uragan multiple rocket launchers, the regional prosecutor's office reported.

As Russia's offensive rages on near Bakhmut, more nearby settlements  like Kostyantynivka  are coming under frequent attacks.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a D.C.-based think-tank analyzing the war in Ukraine, said that it confirms the Wagner mercenary boss' March 9 report of Russian forces advancing northwest of Bakhmut.

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"Russian forces likely advanced northwest of Bakhmut on March 9 amidst a likely increased tempo of Russian offensive operations in the area," the ISW said.

However, the report also said that Wagner's offensive has likely entered a "temporary tactical pause" in eastern Bakhmut after conducting "highly attritional frontal assaults" there.

It added that the Russian forces have seized all of eastern Bakhmut located east of the Bakhmutka River as of March 7, and "it remains unclear if Wagner fighters retain their operational preponderance in future Russian offensives in the city."

Ukrainian servicemen ride atop a tank near the frontline city of Bakhmut on March 10, 2023, amid Russia's military invasion Ukraine. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

Mourning the fallen hero

More than 600 kilometers west of Bakhmut, thousands of Ukrainians gathered in central Kyiv to say their last goodbyes to the fallen soldier Dmytro Kotsiubailo, killed in action near Bakhmut on March 7.

The 27-year-old battalion commander, better known as "Da Vinci," was from the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade and had been fighting in the war for nine years.

Kotsiubailo was severely wounded by a Russian tank in Donetsk Oblast back in 2014 but immediately returned to the front line after three months of recovery. He has fought Russia ever since.

Kotsiubailo was among the most decorated Ukrainian soldiers, being awarded the Hero of Ukraine national title in 2021.

Vuhledar front

The situation near Vuhledar, in the southern Donetsk Oblast, remains difficult, Colonel Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, a spokesman for the Ukrainian forces in the area, said on March 10.

Speaking on television, Dmytrashkivskyi said that the Russians continue to conduct shelling and ground assaults.

Dmytrashkivskyi predicted that Russia had to reduce its pace of offensive near Vuhledar because its logistics  including equipment and manpower  have been disrupted by Ukraine in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The military official claimed that on the Vuhledar front, Russian forces were unable to keep up their offensive due to heavy losses. He suggested that Russia was restoring its forces after two battalions  each usually up to 1,000 soldiers  were depleted.

However, the ISW said in its March 9 report that Russia could be planning to resume its offensive around the town of Vuhledar, but its logistics problems would make it hard for them to progress.

"Persistent personnel and ammunition issues will likely continue to constrain Russian forces from advancing," the ISW said.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Ukraine's foreign minister urged Germany in an interview published on Sunday to speed up supplies of ammunition and to start training Ukrainian pilots on Western fighter jets.

Dmytro Kuleba told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that ammunition shortages were the "number one" problem in Ukraine's attempt to repel Russia's invasion.

He said German weapons manufacturers had told him at the Munich Security Conference last month they were ready to deliver but were waiting for the government to sign contracts.

"So the problem lies with the government," Kuleba was quoted as saying.

Kuleba made clear he did not expect Western allies to give Ukraine the fighter jets it has been asking for any time soon.

But he said Ukrainian pilots should be trained anyway, so they would be ready once that decision was taken, the paper wrote.

If Germany were to train Ukrainian pilots, that would be a "clear message of its political engagement", he said.

Separately, Kuleba said Ukraine would keep defending the town of Bakhmut, the focus of a Russian onslaught for the last six months.

"If we withdrew from Bakhmut, what would that change? Russia would take Bakhmut and then continue its offensive against Chasiv Yar, so every town behind Bakhmut could suffer the same fate."

Asked how long Ukrainian forces could hold onto the town, he declined to give a specific answer, comparing them to people defending their house against an intruder trying to kill them and take everything they own.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation" to combat what it describes as a security threat from Ukraine's ties to the West, an argument that Kyiv and the West reject.

(Reporting by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Editors Note: This is issue 78 of Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly, covering events from March 4-10, 2023. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission.

Ukrainian SOE Weekly is an independent weekly digest based on a compilation of the most important news related to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and state-owned banks in Ukraine. This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union within the project Supporting Ukraine in rebuilding and recovery implemented by the KSE Institute. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the editorial team of the Ukrainian SOE Weekly and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Corporate governance of SOEs

Kobolyev fails to post bail, SAPO demands a tougher one. On March 7, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAPO) reported that former Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev did not pay his required bail of Hr 229 million ($6.3 million).

As of March 7, almost Hr 97 million ($2.7 million) has been paid for Kobolyevs bail, according to SAPO prosecutors. Per the court decision, the bail must be paid in full to the accounts of the State Treasury Service of Ukraine no later than five days after the court ruling is announced. The final deadline was March 6, SAPO said.

As a result, a SAPO prosecutor filed a motion requesting the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) to apply a more stringent preventive measure to the suspect, namely detention with a bail of Hr 365 million. This is the equivalent of $10 million, which Kobolyev received as the first tranche of his allegedly illegal bonus, according to SAPO.

SAPO added that neither Kobolyevs Ukrainian nor foreign bank accounts have been seized, despite requests to do so from NABU and SAPO.

Kobolyev wrote on his Facebook page that his foreign accounts are currently blocked until the circumstances of the criminal proceedings are clarified. According to Kobolyev, his accounts in Ukraine were arrested at the end of December 2022 for reasons that are still unclear to him.

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He added that after he was able to access them, he deposited all the funds from these accounts as part of the bail. This was about Hr 1 million ($27,000), according to Kobolyev. He also mentioned that he has kept his assets abroad since he was issued a personal Hr 8 billion ($219 million) fine in the past.

On March 9, the law firm Miller which represents Kobolyev in this litigation reported that the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) held a meeting on March 10, at which the SAPO reiterated its request for Kobolyevs arrest, with the bail of Hr 365 million ($10 million).

The law firm said that it filed an overview of correspondence between Naftogazs corporate secretary (Mariya Sukhan), chair of the supervisory boards nomination and remuneration committee (Amos Hochstein), the legal advisor (Olena Kuchynska), and others. This correspondence should show that the bonus decisions were made in several steps, Miller added.

The HACC will continue to consider the matter on March 13.

In SOE Weekly (Issue 71), we reported that on Jan. 19, NABU and SAPO notified Kobolyev that he was suspected of misappropriating (illegally awarding himself) over Hr 229 million ($6.3 million) in 2018.

This payment was part of the bonuses granted to Naftogazs team in May 2018 for the companys historic victory against Russias Gazprom in Stockholms court of arbitration.

It is unclear why NABU and SAPO posed no questions to supervisory board members who took the primary decision on paying this bonus, including members of the boards nomination and remuneration committee, which should have examined any decisions relating to the remuneration of the CEO and provided a recommendation to the supervisory board regarding the approval of such decisions. Under Ukrainian law, supervisory board members of joint-stock companies (as well as CEOs and company officials) are responsible for losses caused by their actions or inaction.

For a more detailed overview of this case, see SOE Weeklys Issue 71.

In SOE Weekly (Issue 72), we reported that on Jan. 23, the HACC refused to grant the NABU detectives request to detain Kobolyev.

In SOE Weekly (Issue 73), we reported that the judge of the HACC ruled that SAPOs motion to detain Kobolyev was unfounded. On Jan. 31, SAPO challenged the HACCs decision.

In SOE Weekly (Issue 77), we reported that the Appeals Chamber of the HACC partially satisfied the motion of SAPO and NABU, setting bail at Hr 229 million ($6.3 million), which Kobolyev had until March 6 to pay.

Chair of MGUs supervisory board resigns. According to media reports, the chair of the supervisory board of the Main Gas Pipelines of Ukraine  Mahistralni Gazoprovody Ukrainy (MGU), Huberte Bettonville, filed her resignation notice to the companys shareholder, the Energy Ministry.

According to Ukrainian law, such a resignation notice should be filed at least two weeks in advance. If Bettonville filed her resignation notice on March 6, as media reports appear to suggest, then her resignation should be effective on March 20 or later.

Despite my sincere efforts for the sake of the company and the war effort of Ukraine, some of the (supervisory board) members have proven that they will not and cannot apply EU standards and corporate governance principles, and they should be ashamed of themselves. They are the main reason for my resignation, Bettonville wrote in the reasoning behind her decision. She also stated that she could no longer participate in the decision-making process and create additional value for the company.

Speaking with the intelligence services agency ICIS a day after her resignation, Bettonville said that her efforts to liquidate MGU, appoint a new CEO at the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), and reduce the GTSOUs dependence on Russian transit income have been thwarted. She said that she felt frustrated that in 15 months of tenure, the supervisory board could not achieve anything tangible, depending instead on approvals from the government.

Bettonville said that she felt that some members of the supervisory board had an agenda although she did not specify whom she was talking about or what this agenda entailed.

In the past, sources close to the GTSOU raised concerns about nepotism and attempts by some of the state representatives on the supervisory board to appoint closely connected people to high-ranking positions, ICIS wrote.

The supervisory board of the MGU consists of five members, including two state representatives (Viktor Pynzenyk and Tetiana Fedorova) and three independent members (Huberte Bettonville, Jan Chadam, and Iryna Marushko). Bettonville chaired the MGUs board.

Decisions of the supervisory board are made by a simple majority of votes, with the chair having a casting vote in case of a tie.

This suggests that Bettonville was dissatisfied with at least one state representative and at least one independent member of the board.

Bettonville also bemoaned the fact that the GTSOU did not have a permanent CEO after the previous CEO, Serhiy Makogon, was dismissed by the MGU in September 2022. She also added that she considered Makogon a good person with strong lobbying abilities.

The decision to dismiss Makogon was made by the MGUs supervisory board. Bettonville did not make it clear whether she voted in favour of Makogons dismissal in September 2022.

She said that a new CEO, Dmytro Lyppa, was selected by the MGU on Dec. 31, but he could not take over the position because decisions by the Ministry of Energy and the Cabinet of Ministers were still pending, raising questions about the independence of the MGU.

The sole shareholder of the MGU is the Ministry of Energy. The MGU is the owner of the GTSOU, and the MGUs supervisory board acts as the general meeting of the GTSOU.

Bettonville also noted that the acting CEO of the MGU (Oleksandr Lisnichenko) left the company and fled the country earlier in February.

Instead, Dmytro Fudashkin took over (apparently, as acting CEO). A source close to the GTSOU told ICIS that Fudashkin is a close associate of Viktor Pynzenyk, one of the state representatives on the MGUs supervisory board.

It is unclear when or how Fudashkin was appointed. According to the MGUs website, Lisnichenko is still the acting CEO. According to SMIDA, the acting CEO is Valeriy Nozdrin, who had been appointed as such when the MGU was established in 2017.

Makogon wrote on his Facebook page that this was not the first time that Bettonville was announcing her resignation, which was yet to be confirmed.

In SOE Weekly (Issue 76), we reported that the supervisory board of the MGU has yet to appoint a new CEO for the GTSOU, more than five months after the dismissal of the previous CEO, Makogon, in September 2022.

The MGUs supervisory board announced a competitive CEO selection on Nov. 2. No further information has been released publicly, including how many candidates applied or when the selection would be completed.

According to Ukraines law, the CEO candidate for the GTSOU must be first approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and only then appointed by the MGUs supervisory board.

In SOE Weekly (Issue 67), we reported that the candidate list leaked to the media. According to Ekonomichna Pravdas sources, 19 candidates were longlisted by Dec. 19. The submission deadline was Dec. 12, suggesting that all applicants were screened, and the longlist was drawn up in less than a week.

In SOE Weekly (Issue 67), we reported that the previous CEO, Makogon, was dismissed by the MGUs supervisory board on Sept. 16. Makogon was succeeded by acting CEO Pawe Jozef Stanczak. Prior to that, Stanczak worked as the GTSOUs Deputy CEO for Development and Transformation.

Makogon criticized the new competitive selection, noting that the longlist included no foreign candidates. He said that the selection procedure was for show, and he had no doubt as to who would be shortlisted. Makogon said that many reputable candidates, who were contacted by the executive search company supporting the selection (Odgers Berndtson), flatly refused to apply.

Earlier, Makogon said that before his dismissal, the MGU wanted to establish an executive board, allegedly aiming at diluting Makogons powers without dismissing him. However, now that he has been dismissed, the MGU no longer requires any executive board and merely wants to appoint a loyal CEO, Makogon claimed.

According to media reports, in June 2022, the MGUs supervisory board formally proposed Serhiy Oleksiyenko and Andriy Khomenko as CEO candidates without a competitive selection, but the Cabinet did not approve either.


During the height of the pandemic, May Lee-Yang watched in horror as her community members began to die.

In Hmong American neighborhoods like hers, families that lived several generations to a home were the first to lose loved ones. Then, all at once, things accelerated, and tragedy crept closer to home. Her best friend came close to death. She watched from a painful distance as her first family member became ill and died.

Lee-Yang, 44, knew, as did her loved ones, that Covid was ravaging Hmong lives in a way that was starkly different from other groups in her home state of Minnesota.

But the official numbers being released told a very different story. The Minnesota Department of Health, like most other governmental bodies in the country, reported deaths of Hmong people, an ethnic minority group of Southeast Asia, as broadly Asian American. And when looked at as a whole, Asian Americans in Minnesota were dying at a rate of 4%. That didnt seem right to Lee-Yang.

May Lee-Yang, a Hmong American writer. (Courtesy Sher Stoneman)

A year later, an independent study revealed Hmongs comprised nearly 50% of all Asian deaths, though they only comprised around 30% of the Asian populace. Had they known that fact earlier, experts say in-language information and personal protective equipment resources could have been allocated from the get-go  Hmong lives could have been saved.

Many of our communities were overlooked, Lee-Yang told NBC News. How things function in this world, you need numbers to prove anything.

In an era defined by pandemic, violence and growing inequality, the stark differences between Asian American communities have never been more clear. Asian American represents dozens of ethnic groups, nationalities, languages and religions; the communitys wealth gap is now the largest in the country. Community leaders agree: Aggregate data isnt working in everyones favor anymore.

Though a common identity has helped build political coalition and power over time, the term Asian American is burying subgroups. Its time, advocates say, to break the data down.

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According to federal data, an Asian American has a median household income of $86,000 a year. They likely speak English and, if theyre an immigrant, their journey to the U.S. was probably the result of a skill-based visa. With a college education, they now work in a white-collar job.

Its a picture that obscures deeper truths about the 18.5 million people who share the umbrella term. Over the last few years, that image has begun to fall away.

It coincides with the community asking itself central questions: What does Asian American even mean anymore? Do Indian Americans, who earn a $119,000 median household income, belong in the same statistical category as Burmese Americans, who earn $44,000? Does a first-generation Bangladeshi family have anything in common with a fifth-generation Japanese one?

For decades, advocates have been fighting to disassemble aggregate data to gain a clearer picture of these individual communities. And with states like New York and California beginning to pass legislation mandating it, a picture of what that could look like on a large scale is taking shape.

If youre trying to understand the Asian American population, you have to take into account its diversity, said Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and co-director of AAPI Data who has spent years pushing for data equity. When you collect data and all you have is a checkbox that says Asian, it does not do justice to the needs of the community.

Disaggregation is a life-or-death issue, experts say

The term Asian American was forged in civil rights spaces of the 1960s, and activists pushed for it to be added to the census so meaningful data could be collected on its communities. But as the immigrant population from the continent grew, more identities were folded in and thorough data collection didnt always follow.

The statistics are dominated by the two largest groups, thats Chinese and Indian, said Janelle Wong, co-director of AAPI Data. And those groups have very different experiences from smaller groups.

Disaggregation and data equity dont just apply to Asians, Ramakrishnan said, and ethnicity isnt the only area in which government agencies collect and release broken-down data. The U.S. already disaggregates most population data by characteristics like age and sex. Its how researchers identified that women in the U.S. make 82 cents for every dollar a man makes or that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men.

On a more granular level, its information that could mean the difference between life and death in underserved communities, he said.

In fall 2021, in the hours before Hurricane Ida struck New York City, millions of urban dwellers received warning messages to their phones. Flash flood alerts were blasted in English and Spanish: This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation, they said.

When the sun came up the next morning, 18 people were dead. The majority were lower-income Asian American immigrants from Trinidad, Nepal and China who werent proficient in either of those two languages.

New York Attorney General Letitia James later acknowledged not all communities were given the equal chance to survive.

When it comes to education, language access, food access and health care, not knowing the numbers means resources simply wont be allocated, experts said, and community organizations and government service providers are forced to operate without direction.

Local governments wont know if they need to offer their materials in Nepalese or Bhutanese or Bangla in addition to English and Spanish. Translators cant be hired for hospitals or polling locations, and education initiatives wont know whos graduating and whos not. Health officials wont know that vaccine information should be made more accessible in Hmong neighborhoods.

The urgency of language access

Elaisa Vahnie was one of the earliest Burmese refugees to arrive in the U.S. After a journey out of Myanmar and into India in the 1990s, he eventually found himself in Indianapolis, where he started building a support system for the immigrants who followed him.

Vahnies network began to expand, he established the Burmese American Community Institute to help the new arrivals, and he noticed a distinct pattern playing out in his refugee community.

Members of Indianas Burmese Community Institute during a group trip to Washington D.C. Courtesy Burmese Community Institute. (Courtesy Elaisa Vahnie)

The lowest-income Asian American group, most Burmese immigrants to the U.S. have only been educated through high school or less. English proficiency isnt common in new arrivals, and immigrant kids in Vahnies community struggled to keep up in the grades in which they were placed, he said.

Adults and older teenagers faced an even more daunting decision. They could either focus on getting an education and learning English, or they could start supporting their families by working blue-collar jobs that dont require speaking.

Some of them never had a chance to go to primary school, Vahnie said. A few of them start to learn English and do a high school equivalency diploma. Many of them just work at the warehouse because they need to support themselves and their family.

With more community understanding could come more aid, English as a second language teachers, and Burmese speakers in local government, he said. Those things are not always simple to access, especially when Burmese immigrants disappear into larger Asian American narratives.

We are always looking for resources, he said. There is a great deal of need, but there are opportunities and resources out there. Its a matter of how we put together those resources and direct them to the most in need.

A social disconnect between Asian American groups

Those who are lower-income, brown or in minority ethnic groups say, from the time they were in school, theyve felt shut out of the Asian American umbrella.

Before Richard David, 36, moved to the U.S. from Guyana, he and his family always identified as Indian. Like 40% of the Guyanese population, they could trace their roots back to the subcontinent. He grew up in a small farming community speaking Guyanese Creole, a mix of English, Dutch and languages from India and Africa.

Richard David and his family in Guyana before their immigration to the U.S. (Courtesy Richard David.)

He moved to New York City neighborhood Jamaica, in 1995 when he was 10 and lived in a multifamily home with several others who had recently arrived to the country as well. For the first time in his life, his identity felt like a question mark.

He remembers sitting in a Queens Social Security office with his dad, mulling over the different choices listed under ethnicity.

My dad picked Black because he didnt know which one to pick, he said. Asian American for him meant Chinese or East Asian, and so he didnt pick that one. If you asked him the same question in Guyana, he would never have picked Black; he would pick Indian.

David runs an organization, Indo-Caribbean Alliance, dedicated to helping his community members find identity and face unique community needs. But without a large-scale data breakdown or even a proper count of the population, its hard to work with anything other than anecdotes, he said.

I dont think Indo Caribbeans are typically thought of when you think of the Asian American umbrella, David said. I dont even think were thought of when talking about South Asians.  I dont know that Indo Caribbeans identify that way either.

As a brown person who grew up after 9/11, Indian American activist Sruti Suryanarayana, who uses they/them pronouns, said they share the most experiences with people who have been racialized the same way as them. While they still see the Asian American umbrella as a useful political tool, theyve always felt a little lost within it.

Since the war on terror began, I think theres been an interesting intersection between Muslim communities who are not from South Asia and South Asians who are racialized as Muslim, they said. Thats another unique sub-identity within Asian American.

Sruti Suryanarayana as a child with their parents and sibling. (Courtesy Sruti Suryanarayana)

Kamrul Khan, who was raised in a Bengali neighborhood in Brooklyn, said hes seen his community time and again be overshadowed in larger narratives. Where he grew up in New York City felt like Bangladesh, he said. And he still translates government documents into Bangla for his parents.

I think culturally, East Asians are as different from South Asians as South Asians are from Caucasians, he said. They have very different cultures and needs. I dont think were represented.

States are beginning to enshrine AAPI disaggregation into law

Several states in the U.S. have signed into law some form of AAPI data disaggregation in the last few years. Some of the laws would require state agencies to offer residents the opportunity to pick from a larger list of ethnicities on official forms.

New York began requiring disaggregation of Asian American and Pacific Islander data by all state agencies beginning in 2021.

In Washington, disaggregation by ethnicity for K-12 public school data was enacted in 2017, with the goal of closing the gap in educational attainment between ethnic groups. The bill specifically called for the further disaggregation of Asian student data by country of origin, Black student data by whether they immigrated here or were born in the U.S., and white student data by Eastern European nationalities.

Similar bills passed in Minnesota in 2016 and Rhode Island in 2017 require disaggregation of the Asian ethnic groups in the state by population.

Californias Department of Fair Employment and Housing mandated disaggregation and release of disaggregated data as early as 2011. The states Department of Public Health was the subject of legislation passed in 2016 requiring AAPI disaggregation to better understand the health needs of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

It means that government programs that serve Asians have to take into account particular needs of particular communities, Ramakrishnan said.

The timely implementation of disaggregation laws can be a struggle of its own, he said, and thats just the first step. The next is analyzing that data and implementing real, community-based outreaches based on it. Across sectors, that might mean unique things.

What disaggregated data might look like, say, for educational attainment might look very different from the patterns that you find for language needs, he said.

How is Asian American still salient?

Despite the differences in AAPI communities, data experts agree that theres one major factor that still ties them together: political interests. Asian Americans are building power as a voting bloc, and everyone is taking notice.

There is power in numbers, Wong, of AAPI Data, said. Despite the fact that diversity is the hallmark of the Asian American community, theres a tremendous convergence of political interests and shared values on particular issues.

Those issues include health care, gun laws, the environment and access to reproductive care, she said, all of which Asian American groups share strikingly similar opinions on.

While the disparities between Asian communities may necessitate disaggregation and data equity, Suryanarayana said umbrella terms still have a place.

Data disaggregation is one step to unpack how that term Asian American has been used to homogenize us, they said. I still have a lot of fondness for the term Asian American. To me, it indicates a very American analysis of how race, immigration, xenophobia and different forms of violence intersect. And in that, I see a lot of resilience.

Complete data equity will take time, advocates say, and it might never represent everyone perfectly, but starting the process will make tangible differences in peoples lives.

The end goal is to make sure that our community members are not disenfranchised because of language barriers and cultural barriers, and consistently othered in a country that is ours, said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director of the National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum.

Asian Americans, long tied together in political coalition, can push for this reality together, she said.

When you say AAPI, is it one group, two groups or many groups? The answer is all three of those are true, Ramakrishnan said. Disaggregation does not mean disunity.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON (Reuters) -The United Steelworkers union (USW) said in a letter to members it was misled by Lyondell Basell Industries about possible buyers for the companys Houston refinery, which the company has set for permanent closure late this year.

The International Union has been approached by buyers who say not only are they willing to buy the refinery at a fair market price but have been trying to do so since before the closure notice, the USW said in a letter seen by Reuters on Saturday.

The letter was sent on Friday to members who work at the Lyondell refinery.

According to the letter, the union said it would contact government officials about the would-be buyers of the refinery and take further actions involving union members in the future.

Lyondell spokesperson Nick Facchin said the company "disagrees with the allegations" made by the union.

"Lyondell Basell is working to retain as many of its Houston refining employees as possible through a phased redeployment process, which we recently announced," Facchin said.

Offers made on the refinery when Lyondell was weighing a possible sale in 2021 fell short of the refinery's value, he said.

The letter was signed by Marcos Velez, assistant to the director for USW Region 13, which includes Texas.

Velez said on Saturday Lyondell "flat-out" refused to offer redeployment when it announced in April 2022 that the 263,776 barrel-per-day refinery would close by the end of 2023.

"Now only because staffing is so low that they cannot safely run the facility are they discussing potential redeployment to other sites," Velez said.

Petrochemical maker Lyondell began the attempt to find a buyer in 2021 because the refinery is no longer a necessary part of its global plastics manufacturing operations.

In a July 2022, Lyondell Chief Executive Peter Vanacker said the company was considering "very large investments" at the site after the refinery closes to make it part of a recycled plastics manufacturing system in the Houston area.

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Sources familiar with the matter said Kinder Morgan Inc, which operates a terminal near the refinery, approached Lyondell about a possible sale.

Kinder Morgan spokesperson Amy Baek declined to comment on Saturday.

Lyondell told Kinder Morgan it wasn't interested in selling, the sources said.

After a purchase, Kinder Morgan planned to operate the refinerys logistics while an undisclosed partner would manage production.

(Reporting by Erwin Seba, Editing by Franklin Paul and Grant McCool)
Malcolm X on June 29, 1963. Bettmann via Getty Images

The University of Rhode Island removed a partial Malcolm X quote from its library following student protests.

The quote included Malcolm X's love of reading but ignored his perspective on "battling the white man."

In 1992, students protested that the quote was misrepresented, instigating a decades-long removal effort.

The University of Rhode Island removed a partial quote by Malcolm X from its library after a decades-long effort by protestors who said it was misrepresented.

The quote about reading from "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" was inscribed at the university's Robert L. Carothers Library and Learning Commons in 1992, according to The Associated Press.

"My alma mater was books, a good library ... I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity," read the inscription quoting Malcolm X, who was assassinated in 1965.

Instead of coming across as an homage to Malcolm X, students at the time were angered that the civil rights leader's overall message from the quote was watered down.

Per the AP, the full quote read: "I told the Englishman that my alma mater was books, a good library. Every time I catch a plane, I have with me a book that I want to read  and that's a lot of books these days. If I weren't out here every day battling the white man, I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity  because you can hardly mention anything I'm not curious about."

Following the inscription's installation, more than 200 students from the university's Black Student Leadership Group took over a campus building, according to the school's alumni magazine. They presented the school administration with a list of demands and were met with support from the administration, alumni told the magazine.

When the protestors held a 30-year reunion in November, university president Marc Parlange said the quote would be removed, according to the AP.

"The removal of this inscription started 30 years ago, when a group of URI students had the courage to stand up and speak out against injustices happening at that time," Parlange said in a statement. "Our university is grateful to those students for their courage, and I am grateful to today's generation of student leaders who, advocating in that same spirit, continue to inspire our ongoing work to foster a truly inclusive and equitable community."

Insider has contacted the University of Rhode Island for comment.

Read the original article on Insider
Rep. Blake Moore, who represents Utahs 1st Congressional District, speaks with John Boyer of North Ogden at a Republican watch party in Ogden on Nov. 8, 2022. | Ben B. Braun, Deseret News

The large corporate tax increase in President Joe Bidens proposed 2024 budget would hurt Utah businesses, according to Utah Republican Rep. Blake Moore.

Moore had a chance to question Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Bidens proposal at a House Ways and Means committee hearing Friday. Later on Friday, he spoke to the Deseret News about his thoughts on the budget and on the debt ceiling debate.

I am concerned ... that theyre just going to raise (corporate taxes) just to cover more spending that were seeing from the presidents budget, Moore said to Yellen. What am I to tell these companies and individuals? He said that the proposed increase from 21% to 28% would be an enormous burden on companies in his district.

Yellen agreed with Moore that before Republicans lowered the rate in 2017, the previous corporate tax rate was too high compared to others around the globe. But she said she believes lowering the rate to 21% caused a race to the bottom, that could reduce future federal revenue collection when additional funds are necessary for essential investments like those proposed in the presidents budget.

During his questions, Moore referenced business leaders in Box Elder County who told him they were able to give raises to employees because Congress lowered the corporate tax rate. But Yellen said the Treasury hasnt seen the economic payoff in the form of great increases in investment spending to make the tax decrease worth it.

Due to time constraints at the hearing, Moore wasnt able to ask a follow-up question. But the Deseret News caught up with him shortly after the hearing to ask about why he views the low corporate tax rate differently than the Biden administration.

Democrats arent looking at those second and third order benefits to lower taxes, the congressman said. Middle class wages significantly increased since the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act.

He further claimed the federal governments record tax revenue collection in recent years is partly due to Republicans lowering the tax rate. Moore is concerned Americans could lose jobs if the federal government starts creeping (the tax rate) back up to where its an easier decision for companies to offshore some of their work.

Story continues

Related

Whats in Bidens 2024 budget proposal

Democrats have criticized the Republican 2017 tax reform bill for cutting taxes that benefited the rich, a line used again Thursday by Biden when he gave a speech about his budget proposal.

For too long, working people (have) been breaking their necks, the economys left them behind  working people like you  while those at the top get away with everything, Biden said to a crowd gathered at a Pennsylvania union hall.

The presidents budget requests a tax increase in order to increase funding for defense, immigration, health care and clean energy programs. Bidens 2024 budget would cost $6.8 trillion, significantly increasing federal spending from his $5.8 trillion 2023 budget proposal.

Biden proposed tax increases on the wealthy as a means to fund his plan. The president says his budget will cut the deficit by $3 trillion over the next decade.

Besides raising the corporate tax rate, Biden proposed raising the individual tax rate to 39.6% from 37% and hiking the take rate for top income earners on Medicare to 5% from 3.8%.

He also pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy to shore up support of Social Security.

Related

Republican response to the budget proposal

Bidens budget request is largely considered dead on arrival in Congress. With the House controlled by the Republican majority and a Democratic Senate majority, the White House will have to negotiate with lawmakers in both chambers  and parties  to find a compromise deal.

Related to that, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and fellow Republicans have threatened to block an additional debt ceiling limit increase unless Biden agrees to rein in federal spending, but Bidens budget disregards those demands.

At the hearing, Yellen likewise urged Republicans to raise the debt limit without conditions and without waiting until the last minute.

Moore told the Deseret News that Biden will not get Republicans to support a irresponsible debt ceiling increase.

We have to make some significant changes in reduction of costs and reduction of spending, Moore said before mentioning that the GOP goal is to incentivize a cultural shift by reinstating Clinton-era work requirements for those on government welfare programs.

Moore also said Republicans have proposed terms for budget negotiations they want Senate Democrats to agree to before they come to the table. They no longer want to fund government through continuing resolutions, but instead want Congress pass regular appropriation bills.

His comments mirrored some of what his colleagues in the House Freedom Caucus said Friday that they would like to see from the White House before agreeing to a debt ceiling increase.

I wholeheartedly supported this effort by the House Freedom Caucus. This is how compromise can be achieved on the debt-ceiling discussion. https://t.co/hsSC0BweHw  Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) March 10, 2023

On Friday, Utah GOP Sen. Mike Lee tweeted his support of the House Freedom Caucus budget demands, which include: restoring Clinton-era work requirements for welfare programs, and top lining discretionary spending at 2022 levels for 10 years with only a 1% annual growth rate, which they say will save money by cutting the wasteful, woke and weaponized federal bureaucracy.

Moore said he is optimistic that the two sides can work it out if they are willing to negotiate. Time to approve a debt ceiling limit increase is quickly running out as the Treasury has indicated it is already utilizing extraordinary measures after the country hit the current debt ceiling in January.

We are ready to negotiate, Moore said. The Speakers office has reached out again and now that the (presidents) budget request is out, hopefully hes willing to engage and do a thoughtful, good faith negotiation.
Key Insights

Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, New York Community Bancorp's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions

A total of 25 investors have a majority stake in the company with 45% ownership

Insiders have sold recently

A look at the shareholders of New York Community Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE:NYCB) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 60% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

And so it follows that institutional investors was the group most impacted after the company's market cap fell to US$5.0b last week after a 15% drop in the share price. Needless to say, the recent loss which further adds to the one-year loss to shareholders of 29% might not go down well especially with this category of shareholders. Often called market makers, institutions wield significant power in influencing the price dynamics of any stock. As a result, if the downtrend continues, institutions may face pressures to sell New York Community Bancorp, which might have negative implications on individual investors.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of New York Community Bancorp.

View our latest analysis for New York Community Bancorp

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About New York Community Bancorp?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

New York Community Bancorp already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at New York Community Bancorp's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

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Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. New York Community Bancorp is not owned by hedge funds. BlackRock, Inc. is currently the largest shareholder, with 11% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 9.6% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 5.2% by the third-largest shareholder.

Our studies suggest that the top 25 shareholders collectively control less than half of the company's shares, meaning that the company's shares are widely disseminated and there is no dominant shareholder.

While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of New York Community Bancorp

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

We can report that insiders do own shares in New York Community Bancorp, Inc.. This is a big company, so it is good to see this level of alignment. Insiders own US$96m worth of shares (at current prices). Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

With a 38% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over New York Community Bancorp. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for New York Community Bancorp you should know about.

Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Join A Paid User Research Session

Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here
Walgreens, the nations second-largest pharmacy chain, has found itself embroiled in the abortion battle after confirming that they will not dispense abortion pills in certain states, even in some where its still legal to do so.

The move has churned up a storm of political outrage in Congress and among Democratic state leaders, who said they were concerned about a slippery slope.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) accused Walgreens of caving to extremists and said the state wont renew its multimillion dollar contract.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and state Attorney General Letitia James (D) called on the company to commit to making abortion pills available in the state  though New York already guarantees abortion access and does not have any restrictions on abortion pills.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said she also wants assurances Walgreens that will continue to ensure mifepristone is available in her pro choice state.

They shouldnt just decide the law themselves, Cortez Masto told The Hill.

Sen. Richard Blumethal (D-Conn) told The Hill he thinks Newsom has the right idea, and that if Walgreens refuses to change its policy, Im going to be urging consumers to vote with their feet and their pocketbooks and just go elsewhere with their business.

Medication abortion is the most common method for ending a pregnancy, and access to the pills has become the latest flash point in the nations culture wars.

Walgreens isnt the only pharmacy that will dispense abortion pills, but its facing the brunt of the criticism after its competitors like Albertsons, Costco, CVS, Kroger and Walmart have refused to comment.

In a statement to The Hill, Rite Aid said only that it is monitoring the latest federal, state, legal and regulatory developments regarding mifepristone dispensing and we will continue to evaluate the companys ability to dispense mifepristone in accordance with those developments.

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Experts said the tightrope Walgreens is walking as it tries to navigate a patchwork of constantly changing state laws is an example of the chaos unleashed when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer.

I think what other companies are probably watching very closely are the non-legal repercussions, said Rachel Rebouche, dean of the Temple University Beasley School of Law. What is happening in the court of public opinion? Are they going to lose customers? Are they going to gain customers? And the landscape is so dynamic, its hard to know.

The decision from Walgreens came after 20 Republican state attorneys general in a letter last month warned of legal consequences if the company started distributing the drug.

A Walgreens spokesman said the company responded to each attorney general who signed the letter, telling them the company will not dispense mifepristone, a medication used to end pregnancy, in its brick-and-mortar pharmacies and will not mail it to those states.

Included among the states were Alaska, Iowa, Kansas and Montana, where abortion remains legal and restrictions on dispensing abortion medication have been paused or even permanently blocked in court.

In Kansas, for example, voters said the right to an abortion is protected by the state constitution. A state law prohibited anyone except a physician from dispensing mifepristone, but it has since been blocked in court. A hearing is set for later this month.

Abortion is also legal in Montana, and the states requirement for a patient to have an in-person visit with a physician before being prescribed mifepristone is being challenged.

Rebouche said she understands why the company may want to proceed cautiously in states where theres active litigation.

But mifepristone has been on the market and approved by the Food and Drug Administration for more than 20 years and Rebouche said pharmacies shouldnt be intimidated from legally dispensing it.

The legal landscape after the end of Roe v. Wade is complicated and changing constantly, she said, but the Republican AGs wrote as if the law was settled.

Threatening action, where its very unclear that anybody could take that action, and its even more unclear that that action would be successful, and having companies make decisions about which legal drugs to dispense based on that? Yeah, thats not a great pattern, Rebouche said.

In an effort to try to clarify its position amid the growing backlash, Walgreens said it will continue with plans to dispense mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permissible to do so.

We will dispense this medication consistent with federal and state laws. Providing legally approved medications to patients is what pharmacies do, and is rooted in our commitment to the communities in which we operate, the company said in a statement.

On Capitol Hill, Senate Democrats are pressing the company to be more specific.

A letter led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asks Walgreens to commit to selling mifepristone even in states where legislation banning medication abortion has been enjoined by the courts.

The law is clear that medication abortion is legal in Kansas, Iowa, Montana, and Alaska  all states where it appeared that Walgreens, in response to saber-rattling from anti-abortion extremists  would not be providing it, the Democrats wrote.

The refusal to dispense a medication that is legal and safe to patients in need would be a betrayal of your customers, and your commitment to champion the health and well-being of every community in America, they added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Crew Dragon Endurance seen departing the International Space Station after a five-month Crew-5 mission on March 11, 2023.

Update for 3 a.m. March 11: The four Crew-5 astronauts of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endurance are on their way back to Earth for a planned splashdown tonight at 9:02 p.m. ET (0202 GMT on March 12). You can watch their splashdown live here starting at 8 pm ET (0100 GMT).

SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA departed the International Space Station on Saturday (March 11) at 2:20 a.m. EST (0720 GMT) after more than five months in space.

A SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the Crew-5 quartet  NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann, Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina and Japan's Koichi Wakata  undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 2:20 a.m. EST (0720 GMT) on Saturday.

"It's been overwhelming to be at the International Space Station," NASA astronaut Josh Cassada said after the capsule backed away from the orbital outpost. "The crew are incredibly proud of the work we've accomplished while we were there. We are excited to get back to that beautiful planet of ours and those wonderful people there."

NASA delayed the departure from the ISS twice due to weather concerns from previous announced timings on Wednesday (March 7) and Thursday (March 8).

The deorbit burn kicking off splashdown will occur at 8:11 p.m. EST on Saturday (0125 GMT on Sunday, March 12) with splashdown expected to occur around 9:02 p.m. EST on Saturday (0202 GMT on March 12). NASA coverage of Crew-5's return home will resume at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT on March 12) and you an follow it on Space.com or directly via NASA's livestream page.

Related: Auroras, spacecraft mods and more: SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts reflect on their time in orbit

Crew-5 launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Oct. 5, 2022. It was a historic liftoff, making Mann the first Native American woman to reach space and Kikina the first Russian to fly to orbit on a private American spacecraft.

The Crew-5 astronauts have spent an eventful five months off Earth. They've been treated to some gorgeous auroral displays, for example, and two Russian vehicles docked to the ISS  a Soyuz crew-carrying craft and a robotic Progress freighter  sprang leaks during the spaceflyers' stay on the station.

Story continues

Crew-5's Dragon, named Endurance, was briefly modified to accommodate an extra passenger  one of the three Soyuz astronauts, NASA's Frank Rubio  in case an emergency evacuation of the ISS were required. But those mods were removed last month, after Russia launched a replacement Soyuz that will take Rubio and his two Russian crewmates home to Earth this fall.

Related stories:

 Auroras, spacecraft mods and more: SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts reflect on their time in orbit

 Meatball mishap: SpaceX Crew-5 astronaut launch marked by distorted NASA logo

 With a 'wiggle and nudge,' spacewalking astronauts install stubborn array mount outside space station

There will still be a SpaceX mission at the ISS after Crew-5 departs: Crew-6 arrived at the orbiting lab early Friday morning (March 3) aboard the Dragon Endeavour.

The Crew-6 astronauts  NASA's Woody Hoburg and Stephen Bowen, the United Arab Emirates' Sultan Al Neyadi and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev  are scheduled to live aboard the ISS for the next six months.
This week in coins. Illustration by Mitchell Preffer for Decrypt.

It was the third consecutive week of market-wide depreciation in 2023.

The repercussions of the announced "wind down" of Silvergate Bank were still unfolding when Silicon Valley Bank failed. Market leaders Bitcoin and Ethereum saw heavy losses, but they werent the only losers: virtually every leading cryptocurrency is down by double-digit percentages coming into the weekend.

The markets were first roiled by the demise of crypto bank Silvergate. The writing was on the wall last week when the bank delayed filing its annual 10-k report with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, leading to a sustained pullback in prices throughout the previous week.

The speculation continued on Tuesday, when the White Houses press secretary said Washington was monitoring the situation. The following day, Silvergates parent company announced the bank was shutting operations. The news led to a market-wide selloff which sent the combined market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies back below a trillion dollars.

By that point, concerns about Silicon Valley Bank were already clogging the rumor mill.

According to CoinGecko price data, Bitcoin (BTC) is down 10.5% and is sitting right at the $20,000 support level at the start of the weekend. Its at $20,055 at the time of writing.

Ethereum (ETH), the worlds No. 2 cryptocurrency by market cap, had a similar trajectory this week. It's down 9.5% over the last seven days and is starting the weekend around $1,425.

Similar losses of around 15% were posted by Polygon (MATIC), which is now worth $1.04, Polkadot (DOT) is worth $5.52, Shiba Inu (SHIB) trades at $0.00001024, Avalanche (AVAX) changes hands at $14.76, Uniswap (UNI) is worth $5.63, and Chainlink (LINK) trades at $6.20.

The steepest losses this week (around 20% or more) were posted by Filecoin (FIL), which is currently worth $5.30, OKB trades at $39.74, Solana (SOL) changes hands at $17.74, and Dogecoin (DOGE) trades at $0.065269.

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Regulators talk risk, environment, and the Digital Dollar

U.S. regulators were also in the spotlight this week as they aired their concerns about crypto.

On Monday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that while the U.S. central bank doesnt want to stifle innovation, regulated financial institutions must take great care when engaging with the crypto space due to the prevalence of fraud and the lack of transparency in the space.

Elsewhere on Capitol Hill that day, the U.S. Senate chaired what lawmakers have called the first-ever hearing on crypto minings environmental footprint. Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) led the session of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, and said that mining deserves the spotlight because it is extremely energy-intensive and enables the creation of heavily-concentrated wealth.

Markey is also the sponsor of a bill pushing for more transparency from miners regarding their environmental impact.

On Wednesday, U.S. Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA) questioned Jerome Powell as the latter testified before the House Financial Services Committee. Lynch asked Powell whether a tokenized version of the U.S. dollar would wipe out other cryptocurrencies.

Powell replied that he never understood the valuation of [cryptocurrencies] and argued that they don't have any intrinsic value, but nonetheless, trade for a positive number. He refrained from speculating on the impact of a digital dollar.

That same day, Rostin Behnam, chairman of the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), told the Senate Agriculture Committee that Ethereum is a commodity. The CFTC is considered one of the most likely regulators of crypto, alongside the SEC, but Benhams opinion is at odds with SEC chair Gary Gensler, who has repeatedly made clear he sees all cryptocurrencies except Bitcoin as securities.

Finally, at a panel hosted by the Cato Institute on Thursday, Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) warned against a central bank digital currency (CBDC) Thursday, arguing the concept was an affront to American values of privacy, individual sovereignty, and free markets.

As the federal government seeks to maintain and expand the financial control to which it has grown accustomed to, the idea of the central bank digital currency has gained traction within the institutions of power, Emmer said. I'm confident that American values will always prevail against the power-hungry whims of unelected bureaucrats.
A "technical issue" was causing some Wells Fargo customers to see missing deposits in their accounts, the bank said Friday.

In response to complaints on Twitter, Wells Fargo representatives said that the issue may be leading customers to see incorrect balances or missing transactions but that their accounts "continue to be secure."

Wells Fargo said in a statement on Friday afternoon that it was aware that some customers direct deposit transactions "are not showing on their accounts."

"We are working quickly on a resolution and apologize for the inconvenience," the statement said.

The bank issued a new statement Saturday saying it was working to resolve the issue, which was affecting some customers who weren't able to see direct deposit transactions in their accounts.

Wells Fargo said the issue would be resolved "no later than Saturday, March 11." The bank added it would refund fees incurred by the issue.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Just because a business does not make any money, does not mean that the stock will go down. For example, although software-as-a-service business Salesforce.com lost money for years while it grew recurring revenue, if you held shares since 2005, you'd have done very well indeed. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com?

So should Alligator Energy (ASX:AGE) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. First, we'll determine its cash runway by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves.

View our latest analysis for Alligator Energy

How Long Is Alligator Energy's Cash Runway?

You can calculate a company's cash runway by dividing the amount of cash it has by the rate at which it is spending that cash. As at June 2022, Alligator Energy had cash of AU$27m and no debt. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through AU$4.6m. Therefore, from June 2022 it had 5.9 years of cash runway. Even though this is but one measure of the company's cash burn, the thought of such a long cash runway warms our bellies in a comforting way. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.

How Is Alligator Energy's Cash Burn Changing Over Time?

Alligator Energy didn't record any revenue over the last year, indicating that it's an early stage company still developing its business. Nonetheless, we can still examine its cash burn trajectory as part of our assessment of its cash burn situation. Its cash burn positively exploded in the last year, up 225%. We certainly hope for shareholders' sake that the money is well spent, because that kind of expenditure increase always makes us nervous. Alligator Energy makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth.

Can Alligator Energy Raise More Cash Easily?

Given its cash burn trajectory, Alligator Energy shareholders may wish to consider how easily it could raise more cash, despite its solid cash runway. Generally speaking, a listed business can raise new cash through issuing shares or taking on debt. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash and drive growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn.

Alligator Energy's cash burn of AU$4.6m is about 4.0% of its AU$116m market capitalisation. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money.

Is Alligator Energy's Cash Burn A Worry?

It may already be apparent to you that we're relatively comfortable with the way Alligator Energy is burning through its cash. In particular, we think its cash runway stands out as evidence that the company is well on top of its spending. While we must concede that its increasing cash burn is a bit worrying, the other factors mentioned in this article provide great comfort when it comes to the cash burn. Considering all the factors discussed in this article, we're not overly concerned about the company's cash burn, although we do think shareholders should keep an eye on how it develops. Taking a deeper dive, we've spotted 3 warning signs for Alligator Energy you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit unpleasant.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts)

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Join A Paid User Research Session

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CHARLESTON, W.Va.  A child marriage bill was passed by the West Virginia Senate on Friday night after it was changed to prohibit anyone younger than 16 from getting married and to ban age gaps of more than four years for 16- and 17-year-olds.

The Senate passed the bill on a 31-1 vote. It now goes to the House of Delegates, which previously passed its own version. The legislative session ends Saturday.

I want us to pass something because our current situation is intolerable, Morgan County Republican Sen. Charles Trump said.

Currently, children can marry as young as 16 in West Virginia with parental consent. It allows anyone younger than that to get married with a judges waiver.

The Senate bill would remove the possibility that anyone younger than 16 could marry. Those ages 16 and 17 would have to obtain parental consent and they couldnt marry someone more than four years older than them. Existing legal marriages, including those done in other states, would be unaffected.

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In this photo provided by West Virginia Legislative Services, state Sen. Charles Trump stands in the Senate chambers in Charleston, W.Va., Friday, March 10, 2023.

The bill was thought to be dead on Wednesday night when the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected it, but the bill was resurrected by Trump on the Senate floor Thursday and moved to Fridays final vote.

According to the nonprofit group Unchained At Last, which seeks to end forced and child marriage, seven states have set the minimum age for marriage at 18, all since 2018. Supporters of such legislation say it reduces domestic violence, unwanted pregnancies and improves the lives of teens.

Trump said most states allow 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with some requirements attached.

I know this has been a contentious issue among a number of people, Trump said. My hope is this will be viewed as a reasonable and acceptable compromise and a necessary change to our law. It would bring West Virginia in line with the vast majority of states in the country.

Story continues

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Although recent figures are unavailable, according to the Pew Research Center, West Virginia had the highest rate of child marriages among the states in 2014, when the states five-year average was 7.1 marriages for every 1,000 children ages 15 to 17.

Putnam County Republican Sen. Eric Tarr said he got married in high school at 17 and his first child was born five days after graduation. He said he liked Trumps version of the bill because it protects family.

Kanawha County Republican Sen. Mike Stuart said his mother was married at 16 and his parents are still together.

I dont say that with any amount of shame, he said.

A former federal prosecutor, Stuart added the bill wouldnt be a cure to child sex exploitation in the state. He said that challenge would be helped through more education, funding, law enforcement and prosecutors.

Our law in West Virginia is pretty darned good. With this amendment it becomes even better, Stuart said. And theres not a state in the country that can hold a candle to West Virginia on these issues.

The lone vote against the bill came from Cabell County Democratic Sen. Mike Woelfel.

Our state has invested a lot of money in improving our national image, Woelfel said. Every time we have a debate like this talking about child brides, we add to that negative image. Lets leave it at 18. My God, its marriage. How in the world can teenagers negotiate a marriage at this point. Marriage is for adults.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: West Virginia Senate passes bill outlawing teen marriages
Participants attend the groundbreaking ceremony of BYD Passenger Vehicle Manufacturing Base in Thailand, in Rayong, Thailand, March 10, 2023. China's leading electric vehicle manufacturer BYD held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for its first car plant in Thailand, marking the latest move by Chinese automakers to expand their footprint in Southeast Asia. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

RAYONG, Thailand, March 10 (Xinhua) -- China's leading electric vehicle manufacturer BYD held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for its first car plant in Thailand, marking the latest move by Chinese automakers to expand their footprint in Southeast Asia.

The new factory, located in the Eastern Economic Corridor Special Zone in coastal Rayong province, is expected to serve as a hub for the production and distribution of electric vehicles (EVs) in Thailand, neighboring ASEAN countries and other regions.

As a major player in the global EV market, BYD's cumulative sales of new energy vehicles exceeded 1.86 million units in 2022, representing a year-on-year increase of 208.6 percent, according to the company.

Joining SAIC Motor's MG and Great Wall Motor, BYD becomes another Chinese car brand to establish manufacturing operations in Thailand, a market that has long been dominated by Japanese brands.

Last year, BYD brought its most popular model, the ATTO3, to Thailand. Liu Xueliang, general manager of BYD Asia-Pacific Auto Sales Division, described the sales scene as "booming" with people lining up overnight to purchase the car. The sales target of 10,000 units was achieved in just 42 days.

On the day of the groundbreaking ceremony, BYD also held a delivery ceremony for the 9,999th and 10,000th ATTO 3 cars.

The plant is scheduled to start production in 2024 with an annual capacity of 150,000 new energy vehicles.

BYD's investment in Thailand is also in line with the Thai government's goal of having 30 percent of vehicles manufactured in the country be EVs by 2030.

"BYD's decision to make Thailand its production base in the Asia-Pacific region aligns with Thailand's bio-, circular and green (BCG) economic model and the direction of China's green and sustainable development," said Wang Liping, minister-counsellor for economic and commercial affairs of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.

"This move will not only create more job opportunities and drive economic development in Thailand but also promote the deep integration of the new energy vehicle industries in China and Thailand," he added.

Thai officials, including Thailand Board of Investment Secretary General Narit Therdsteerasukdi and Rayong Province Deputy Governor Suphot Torartharn, warmly welcomed BYD's entry into Thailand. They believe that BYD's presence in the Thai market will invigorate the country's EV industry.

According to data from the Thailand Automotive Institute and the Department of Land Transport, sales of pure electric vehicles in Thailand reached 13,454 units last year, a sharp increase over the past few years, representing a year-on-year increase of 588.5 percent.

Many EV brands have joined the government's subsidy measures, including Chinese, Western and Japanese companies, said Kevalin Wangpichayasuk, assistant managing director of Kasikorn Research Center, adding that this is not only good news for car buyers who will have more choices, but also for the Thai automotive industry during the transition period to catch up with future trends. 
The Biden administration denied multiple media reports that it will announce its approval next week of a controversial Arctic oil drilling project long opposed by environmentalist and Native American groups.

CNN, The New York Times and Bloomberg reported on Friday that the Interior Department will officially give ConocoPhillips the nod to proceed with the Willow Project, an $8 billion endeavor that would be the single largest oil operation in the U.S., next week. A White House official denied the reports to The Hill, however, and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that no final decision had been made.

The proposed site for the project is part of the National Petroleum Reserve in the northwest of the state, an area the oil company began the process of acquiring in the 1990s. It formally applied to develop the site in 2018.

The proposal has long been backed by Alaska lawmakers, including Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Mary Peltola (D), who wrote a joint CNN op-ed last week calling on Biden to approve Willow. The lawmakers called the project the most environmentally responsible choice to meet immediate energy needs while transitioning to renewable fuels.

Murkowski also told the Times she had not been informed of any decision Friday, saying we are not celebrating yet.

However, environmental and native organizations have vocally opposed the project, calling it an environmental disaster in waiting and antithetical to the Biden administrations decarbonization goals. A federal review of the proposal indicated that it could result in the release of just under 280 million metric tons in carbon emissions, the primary driver of climate change.

If true, the Biden administration is betraying its core commitment to stop runaway climate change. Conoco Phillips Willow project shocks the conscience. It will open up the whole of the Western Arctic to drilling over many decades, devastating a fragile ecosystem and people who depend upon it, Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen said in a statement Friday. We are out of time for massive fossil development. Now is the moment to harness unprecedented federal funding to transition the Alaskan economy rather than doubling down on oil. If the Biden administration makes the wrong call on Willow, it will matter globally both for emissions and leadership credibility.

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Meanwhile, representatives of Nuiqsut, the Native American village nearest the proposed site, blasted the public input process for the project as deeply flawed in January public comments to the Interior Department. In the comments, representatives claimed the Bureau of Land Management has managed the comment process in a way that stifles participation by opponents of the project, such as a 45-day window that coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Providing equal access to the decision-making process is a fundamental requirement of environmental justice, but the people of Nuiqsut, who would be most impacted by Willow, have had the least access to decision-makers in this process, they wrote.

In January 2021, President Biden signed an executive order halting all new gas and oil leasing on federal lands. Since then, the administration has resumed leasing after the order suffered a series of court setbacks, although the reported Willow approval is unrelated to any court challenges.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
From L-R: Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council; Wang Yi, China's most senior diplomat; and Musaad bin Mohammed al-Aiban, Saudi national security adviser, at a closed meeting in Beijing on March 11 - Luo Xiaoguang/Xinhua

Fridays roadmap agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran signed in Beijing has provided the world with a fascinating window into a new era of geopolitics, where the United States is no longer the sole arbiter of international affairs.

The simmering tensions between the two heavyweights of the Gulf have threatened at times to explode into conflict. So of course, its a good thing that theyre sitting to work their problems out. With the Ukraine conflict showing no signs of stopping, no one wants another interstate war on their hands, especially not in a region that provides nearly 20 per cent of the worlds oil daily output.

However, the fact that it was Beijing and not Washington that sat the two sides together to sign the deal is the big story here.

In terms of great power politics, the Middle East has always been the domain of the United States to manage. Its military resources spread across bases in Cyprus, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE afford it enormous influence and power. Washingtons close ally Israel is a nuclear armed state with strong diplomatic and defence interlinkages, and Turkey to the north is a NATO ally with a sizeable 1 million strong army.

Although many countries in the Middle East have found American leadership difficult to accept, they never questioned the basic facts. The US was the big power in the room, and if something needed doing you talked to Washington first, and then to everyone else.

Even at times when Washingtons perceived biases made the US a poor arbitrator, mechanisms such as the Quartet in the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or the E3+3 in the case of the Iranian nuclear negotiations were found to disguise US leadership. Yes, others have been in the room, Russia, France, the UK, but it was always the Americans setting the agenda. Not so this time.

Beijing hasnt done this alone, Oman hosted rounds of secret talks, and the Iraqis (with significant US and European encouragement) also provided a diplomatic talking shop for the Saudis and Iranians to air their grievances. So in a way, the Americans have got what they wanted. A lessening of tensions between the Middle Easts two big powers, which is one less headache for President Biden to worry about.

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But the fact that Americans werent in the room during the signing, and didnt shape the agreements parameters is significant, and is a sign of things to come. The Chinese have shown regional nations that they can be trusted to deliver, and this agreement will only serve to bolster Beijings rapidly growing regional influence and power.

President Biden has made no secret of his belief that the Middle East is a diplomatic side show; global competition with China, and Putins invasion of Ukraine have relegated it to a distant priority for his administration. But this has allowed China to present itself as a genuine alternative in the Middle East.

Beijing may lack Washingtons deployed firepower, this agreement has shown that it has one thing the US doesnt have, credibility, and that is something that no amount of tanks, planes and bombs can make up for.

Michael Stephens is Senior Research Fellow at The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) and Associate Fellow at The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Prime Video

The new adaptation of Daisy Jones and The Six is a big fat lie. Why? The answer is in the title. While there certainly is a Daisy Jones (Riley Keough)you cant make the show without the leadthe second half of the title isnt true. While the original band in the book that the show is based on has six members, this new series completely erases one of the main characters from the novel.

The group originally was called The Dunne Brothers, before non-Dunne-related members of the band wanted to rename the act. Sure, Billy (Sam Claflin) and Graham Dunne (Will Harrison) are the two leading members. But what about smooth keyboardist Karen (Suki Waterhouse), drummer Warren (Sebastian Chacon), and jealous bassist Eddie (Josh Whitehouse), none of whom are part of the Dunne family?

Lacey Terrell/Prime Video

The name The Five doesnt sound so great. In the show, the rockers make the point that there are already enough bands using the word five in their names: The Dave Clark Five, The Jackson 5, Maroon 5 (Okay, maybe not that last one.) So, they include Billys girlfriend and photographer Camila (Camila Morrone) as an honorary band member and settle on another name instead: The Six.

This makes far more sense in Taylor Jenkins Reids original novel, which actually involves a six-person band before Daisy Jones joins. Theres Billy, Graham, Karen, Warren, Eddie, and Pete, Eddies brother who actually starts the band with the Dunne brothers and later invites Eddie into the group.

The Juicy, Real-Life Fleetwood Mac Stories That Inspired Daisy Jones and The Six

While theyre still called The Dunne Brothers at the start, the same argument occurs in the novelanyone who isnt Billy or Graham wants a name change. They settle on The Six, partially because it sounds like The Sex, and thats the whole appeal of this rock n roll group. Theyre sexually appealing and theyre all (allegedly) sleeping with each other, so The Sex/Six fits well.

In the show, though, Petes character is completely erased. Theres also another band member in the book that this adaptation neglects to includeChuck Williams, who dies serving in the Vietnam War and is then replaced by Eddie, since Petes already in the band at the start of the novel.

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There's a reason behind this removal. Because the showrunners wanted to examine the side characters in more depth, they decided one of the band members was unnecessaryand that member happened to be Pete.

Lacey Terrell/Prime Video

We did a little consolidation, showrunner Will Graham told TVLine. For anyone who loved Pete, were sorry, but we got to spend so much more time with Teddy, and so much more time with Eddie, and so much more time with Simone, and really realize full arcs for those characters. So that was kind of the root of that decision.

Is Pete missed in this TV adaptation? No, not really. Even OG book author Reid agreed with Graham, saying, We dont need Pete. And we dont! Still, calling a band of five members The Six is pretty goofy.

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - (NewMediaWire) - March 11, 2023 - (King NewsWire) - Wilstech Sdn Bhd, a leading provider of innovative technology solutions, has been recognized for its outstanding achievements at the Star Outstanding Business Awards 2022 (SOBA 2022). The company has won two categories: Best in CSR and Best Use of Technology, cementing its position as a leader in the industry.

Wilstech has always been committed to conducting its business in a socially responsible manner, and this recognition for Best in CSR is a testament to its continued efforts. The company's CSR initiatives have made a positive impact on the environment and the community, and it is an inspiration for others to follow in its footsteps.

Additionally, Wilstech has been acknowledged for its innovative use of technology, which has helped the company stay ahead of the competition. The company has utilized technology to streamline its operations, enhance its productivity, and improve customer satisfaction. This award recognizes the company's dedication to incorporating technology to improve its business practices.

Wilson Low, founder and CEO of Wilstech, expressed his gratitude for the awards and stated that it was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the company's employees, partners, and stakeholders. He said, "We are honored to receive these awards, which are a recognition of our team's hard work and dedication. Our commitment to delivering innovative solutions and promoting sustainable business practices will continue to be a driving force for our company."

Ernie Tan, co-founder, and COO of Wilstech, expressed his pride in the company's achievements and highlighted the importance of teamwork in Wilstech's success. He said, "We are incredibly proud to have won these two awards, which are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, partners, and stakeholders. At Wilstech, we believe that teamwork and collaboration are essential to achieving success, and these awards are a reflection of our shared commitment to excellence."

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The SOBA awards are a highly respected industry recognition and represent a significant milestone for Wilstech Sdn Bhd. The company's commitment to providing innovative technology solutions, promoting sustainable business practices, and delivering exceptional customer service has earned it the trust and loyalty of its clients. Wilstech is looking forward to building on this success and continuing to deliver exceptional services to its clients.

About Wilstech Sdn Bhd

Wilstech Sdn Bhd (Wilstech) provides B2B IT solutions specializing in ERP, HRMS & CRM solutions, custom web and mobile apps, web solutions, IT infrastructure, IT security and support services. Wilstech is a proud member of PIKOM, MDCC, SME Malaysia, KLSCCCI and UN Global Compact.

Media Contact

Contact Name: Joe Lim

Company Name: Wilstech Sdn Bhd

Email: joe.lim@wilstech.com

Website: https://wilstech.com/

City: Kuala Lumpur

Country: Malaysia
The Seattle Police Department announced Friday that it arrested a woman in connection to a fatal south Seattle shooting on Saturday, March 4.

Detectives arrested the 26-year-old woman and booked her into the King County Jail on Friday.

Police responded to reports of a woman shot just after 2:10 a.m. Saturday in the 4200 block of South Othello Street. Seattle Fire Department medics arrived and provided aid at the scene, but the woman died from her injuries.
Bruce Valley: It is time for those who love Rye to set aside their differences

March 8  To the Editor:

I grew up and attended school in Rye, then left for Annapolis and became a Navy pilot, flying rescue missions in Vietnam. Living years in Europe and Asia broadened my perspective. I still view my town to be much the same as when I left in 1962; but, in other ways, it is much changed.

Like our country, Rye now endures political division. A registered Democrat, I believe the energies absorbed by this division find much higher value if applied to our town. As we celebrate the 400th year since settlement, the art of bipartisanship  a proven method for getting things done  needs to be restored and re-energized. With that should come the realization that we are all in this together. The joining of many friendly hands in concerted action has no peer in creating success.

There's a growing sense that our country is now pushing back against today's political and cultural status quo, and that the nation is beginning to regress. What will hopefully emerge from this dissatisfaction will be an intention to replace failure with something better  by getting back to first principles, such as merit, accountability, and transparency  back, in fact, to reality.

Politics is said to be the art of compromise. We each practice that art every day of our lives. Compromise makes the world go round. Is it not time then to abandon "I win-you lose" methodologies, which often insure everyone's losing, and chose a path where all can win.

I believe the moment has arrived for those who love Rye to set aside differences, and bring the town together, learning anew to treat those we meet with the respect that we ourselves wish to receive. The choice is whether we allow relationships to be damaged by the usual worries or, in contrast, simply give each other the benefit of the doubt, and work together for the peaceful and unfettered enjoyment of our community and its vibrant life.

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Now is the time to heal. As a leader or follower  and perhaps as both  I look forward to being part of a restorative process here in my once and future hometown.

Bruce Valley

Rye

Many Seacoast communities hold their town elections on Tuesday, March 14.

Borne: Some thoughts and endorsements on upcoming Rye election

March 9  To the Editor:

Attending or watching most Select Board meetings the past dozen years and skimming most other town/school/water meeting minutes or videos, I have a somewhat unique Rye perspective. There are only two contested races and no highly debatable warrant articles, but that does not mean you should not make the time to vote March 14 and see if we can get more than 30% of residents to take responsibility for the almost $30M in local government we fund.

I wanted to wait until after candidates night (video recording at www.ryecivicleague.org town and School election) to weigh in. We will be fortunate to have current School Board Chair Matt Curtin serve another term. PHS social studies teacher and Rye parent Michelle Wheeler presented herself as the next best option for School Board.

It is nice that other residents have chimed in on the Select Board candidates, but from my many hours sitting on the courtroom benches and intimate knowledge of Ryes top challenges, Cathy Hodson is the better fit for our current board and needs. If it wasnt for a major red flag and one minor concern from the other candidate present at candidates' night I may have leaned the other way.

For warrants, it is only Article 3 Amendment 9 that I oppose. Rye needs to fix root cause problems first, not shift authority to administrator roles.

Steven Borne

Rye

Vote Cathy Hodson for Rye Select Board: She checks all the boxes for service

March 9  To the Editor:

We are writing in support of Cathy Hodson for town of Rye Select Board. As longtime friends and supporters of Cathy, we share a bit of information regarding Cathys assets and ability to serve.

Cathy the grant writer:

Cathy wrote a successful LCHIP Grant (New Hampshire Land and Community Heritage Investment Program), negotiated with the Portsmouth Fire Department, for a delay in closing a building that provided workforce housing. She is skilled in grant writing and acquiring free (smart) money for our many municipal needs.

Cathy for climate change concerns and Rye water:

Dudley Dudley, a well-known admirer of our natural seacoast environment  who battled against Onassis years ago and won  has provided the following support for Cathy Hodsons candidacy for Rye Select Board:

Rye voters always field good candidates for election, and this year is no exception. As she runs for Select Board, Cathy Hodson's commitment to the environment and her concern for the effect of climate change on Ryes harbor and beaches makes her a standout in my eyes! -Dudley Dudley

Community service: Rye Historical Society, Rye schools, local nonprofits for women in crisis and the homeless. Cathy checks all the boxes of service! Treasurer for our Rye 400th celebration. FormersSecretary of the Rye PTA. Board member for A Safe Place, secured grant and was instrumental in locating an appropriate neighborhood for the new shelter. Womens City Club  president and treasurer, obtained $75,000 in grants.

Cathy has a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and a master's degree in accounting from Northeastern University in Boston. She was a senior auditor at Arthur Andersen & Co. in both Boston and Los Angeles. Later she held various finance related positions including assistant controller at a manufacturing company, mutual fund treasurer, controller for Abenaqui Carriers, finance director at a theater and an accounting instructor. Cathys varied experience, business acumen, and community service make her the best candidate for the Rye Select Board. You can expect she will be fiscally responsible, responsive and transparent to voters and will prioritize protecting our endangered water supply and surrounding wetlands through climate change.

Vote Cathy Hodson for Rye Select Board, Tuesday, March 14.

JoAnn and David Hodgdon

Rye

Why would anyone punish companies for boycotting Israel?

March 9  To the Editor:

Why would anyone be pushing for legislation to punish companies which boycott Israel at a time when Israels new government is trying to neuter its Supreme Court and called for a Christian and Muslim village to be wiped out by the state?

Hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens have been demonstrating for weeks to stop their parliament from passing a law which would give politicians the right to overrule the Supreme Court. (This is possible because the country does not have a constitution.) Americans should be on the side of preserving democracy in Israel, not protecting politicians who want to destroy it.

Israel said it sent in its army to arrest 3 Palestinians. The army killed 11 and wounded over 100. Two Israeli settlers were killed in retaliation. In response, 400 settlers rampaged through the Christian and Muslim village of Huwara, burning cars, businesses and homes. The army did nothing to stop them. When asked about the attack on Huwara Israels minister for the settlers, Bezalel Smotrich, said "I think that Huwara needs to be erased. I think that the state of Israel needs to do it.

There is only one country that is Jewish. If Jews in this country vocally support that country when it acts badly then those actions will be associated with being Jewish. That is dangerous. Look at how Muslims were seen and treated after 9/11. Donald Trump got elected by saying he would ban Muslims from entering this country. If you think it could not happen to Jews here, you dont understand why Israel has to exist.

Walter Hamilton

Portsmouth

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions a peaceful way to protest

March 9  To the Editor:

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a peaceful way to protest the violent, ongoing atrocities being committed by the extreme right -wing government of Israel against the Palestinians. Since the beginning of the year, 78 Palestinians, including 14 children, have been killed by occupation forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem. Therefore, I read with disbelief the disingenuous claims of Spillane and Berch that BDS is anti-Semitic and a hate movement."

BDS is supported by Jewish Voice for Peace, so it is hardly some kind of antisemitic movement. I, for one, choose not to support the Apartheid government of Israel. I choose not to support an extreme, right wing, government committing genocide against the Palestinians. I choose not to support the Israels ongoing occupation. And I will do this by peacefully refusing to buy goods manufactured in Israel or in the illegal Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

Sadly, the op-ed by Spillane and Berch is a false narrative which fails to truthfully portray BDS and Israels ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians. Moreover, on March 5, 2023, Jewish New Yorkers rightfully rallied and marched on the home of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to demand that the US end all military funding to Israel. As stated by Jewish Voice for Peace member Jay Saper, .we will not just sit in horror as the state of Israel carries out ethnic cleansing in our name.

Bonnie Rodriguez

Hampton

On McIntyre, demand the facts and then decide

March 9  To the Editor:

I have zero interest in getting into a prolonged ding-dong battle with the group, or their representatives, who sent that very misleading letter to the feds, full of Portsmouth McIntyre building-related points that simply are not true, but I do want to make just a couple more comments.

Careful readers will note that the Bills Hamilton and Downey, along with former councilor Peter Whelan, were not able to rebut a single one of the false statements I called them out on. Just as one example, theyre now saying that the post office just left is a far, far cry from their stating in their letter to the feds that the post office was evicted. Its not a question of semantics. Whats the value in telling an unnecessary lie?

In fact, their response includes a couple more things that have a very tenuous relationship with the truth. First, the Director of the UNH Survey Center would be horrified to hear these guys describe the survey the McIntyre subcommittee designed as a UNH Survey. I checked. He confirmed what I already knew: they were called in after the survey to clean up a mess. The UNH experts were brought in to try and make sense of data that resulted from the subcommittees botched survey instrument. Interpreting it proved beyond the capability of the city staff. In no way would UNH want to own that survey. Does this really matter? Yes. Making the survey seem more credible than it actually was is bending the truth. One thing the UNH experts did emphasize, however, was that the city should not make any serious decisions based on quantitative survey data alone. Instead, they strongly recommended the subcommittee commission a qualitative analysis of the thousands of comments residents had written unbidden on the survey form. The subcommittee ignored that advice.

As for my personal motivations, someone should just call me, instead of spreading mean-girl rumors. Ill set them straight. I can tell them one thing: part of my motivation sits right there in their response. Its that nasty edge to their campaign that has been there all along and that does little but breed suspicion rather than create clarity. I was very happy to be the only speaker at the Jan. 9 City Council meeting who spoke in favor of the $150,000 appropriation for the project. Objection is always louder and more likely to show up. The city management and council have to come to a decision point soon. That money is going into professional analysis and data that will give them a shot at making the best decision. I should point out that mine was also the only voice that objected to the former Rick Becksted-led council, triggering outside counsel fees that by now amount to over $150,000. Or the almost half a million that that council had to set aside for the mothballing and maintenance of the federal building.

I have no idea how the people of Portsmouth fall on this topic. The data doesnt exist. At least I can admit that. Maybe its 50-50, but who knows? The only thing I would say to my fellow citizens now is to study the facts carefully and with an open mind. I encourage people to treat the various contributions to the topic, including mine, with generous skepticism. Ive emphasized the concept of facts and being well-informed, which was at the heart of my recent op-ed. Facts dont have to be an endangered species. We should demand them. Then decide.

Gerald Duffy

Portsmouth

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Writers make pitches on Rye elections, McIntyre, BDS and more: Letters
Vince Yakopovich

Vince Yakopovich has been named the new police chief for the city. He was sworn in at Councils March 9 meeting by Mayor Nick Molnar, and replaces the retired Jon Golden.

A press release issued March 9 said Molnar is honored to announce that Vince Yakopovich has been selected as the next chef of the citys police department. He will be paid $120,000 per year.

I am honored to have been selected as chief of police, and I look forward to serving the community in this new role, said Yakopovich, who is a Nordonia High graduate.

He [Yakopovich] has served the police department with distinction for several decades as lieutenant, and was selected as the most qualified candidate for the position after competing in rigorous testing pursuant to city and state civil service rules, the release said.

The testing was specifically designed and administered by independent reviewers to select the best and most able candidate to be promoted to chief, and involved written and ral examination components.

Chief Yakopovich possesses the skill and extensive knowledge needed for the position, and to continue modernizing the police department, said Molnar.

The mayor conveyed his confidence that Yakopovich will continue working to ensure the city, its residents and its businesses will receive top-level service from the police department.

We all look forward to working with him in the years to come, said Molnar.

Golden sent congratulations to Yakopovich via email to Council clerk Jon Hoover. You have certainly earned this promotion, he wrote. Without taking anything away from the other candidates, it was clearly the best choice, and quite frankly the only choice.

The next six months are going to be a challenge, but you have the knowledge, skills and ability to accomplish things. I cant thank you enough for all your support, loyalty and guidance while I was chief. I couldnt have accomplished half the things without you.

Golden worked for the city for nearly 33 years. He began his career with the city on April 30, 1990, as a full-time patrolman, was promoted to sergeant in mid-1998 and served as chief from Feb. 1, 2002 to Feb. 3, 2023.

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Council adopted a resolution of appreciation for Golden at its Jan. 26 meeting.

Councilwoman Jan Tulley credited Golden with instituting 12-hour shifts and community policing, updating equipment and computers and being instrumental in bringing the Nixle alert system to the city.

Golden said he was very lucky to have worked for the city. Its been an adventure, he said.

Contact the newspaper at newsleader@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Macedonia welcomes Yakopovich as new police chief
It was cool to be able to vote finally  so our voices are heard, said first-time voter Ellyott Buettner, 18, a Marquette University freshman from Mendota, Illinois, who voted in Milwaukee on Nov. 8, 2022. Buettner is majoring in accounting and voted at the Alumni Memorial Union at Marquette.

The Gordon Dining Center voting ward on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus usually draws about 50 voters in spring primary elections.

But this February, 515 voters cast their ballots there, according to turnout data from the city of Madison clerk's office. Other campus-area voting wards reported similarly high voting rates. A dorm along Lake Mendota reported 39% turnout.

Those are the numbers Democrats are banking on for April 4, when liberal candidate Janet Protasiewicz and conservative candidate Dan Kelly face off in a race that will determine control of the state Supreme Court.

The matchup is already the most expensive state Supreme Court race in U.S. history and carries enormous policy stakes. The race will likely determine the fate of abortion rights, voting rights and legislative maps that have kept Republicans in control of the Legislature for more than a decade.

Young people tend to vote for Democrats, but they also tend not to vote in off-year spring elections.

In Madison, for example, single-digit turnout is common among college students during the primary, and campus voting wards are often consolidated into fewer locations, said Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell.

That wasn't the case in last month's primary, he said. Poll workers at some county locations, including campus wards, had to print out more ballots on site because the number of preprinted ballots wasn't enough. Dane County ordered ballots for each ward based on an assumption of 40% turnout. As a whole, Dane County recorded 36% turnout.

It's anecdotal at best, but in McDonell's visits to precincts and review of pollbook signatures, he noticed a lot of women voters.

Young people are the age group most supportive of abortion rights, and two in five of them nationwide said the overturning of Roe v. Wade made them more likely to vote, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

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Political groups educate college voters about issues

The Supreme Court race wasn't on the radar of Molly McGee, a Marquette University freshman from Illinois who didn't vote in November and didn't plan to cast a ballot this spring either. But McGee changed her mind after hearing the court could rule on Wisconsin's 1849 law banning abortion.

More than a dozen Marquette students offered similar responses, initially saying they weren't following the race or planning to vote but later indicating they'd like to cast a ballot after learning about the issues at stake.

Michaela Brooke, a Marquette senior from the Chicago area, knows about the race and is planning to vote. But for others, it can be a hard sell.

The school has a large share of out-of-state students who often aren't tapped into Wisconsin politics or are unwilling to go through the registration process, she said. For some students, including herself on Election Day last November, finding time to vote during a busy day of classes is also a barrier.

"If they knew the stakes of this race, I think they would show up," Brooke said.

That's where groups like NextGen America come in. The liberal youth turnout organization founded by former Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer has dominated college campuses of this battleground state in midterm and presidential elections, with organizers arranging celebrity visits, installing bouncy houses and wearing costumes to draw attention to voter registration tables.

"Traditionally, NextGen hasnt had a field program as robust in off years," said Sonja Chojnaki, the group's Wisconsin director. "But were making that investment now."

NextGen launched a statewide tour this week, with plans to ramp up as Election Day nears. Speakers include abortion patients, local hospital staff and Planned Parenthood workers. Some local celebrities may appear at future events.

About half of the students NextGen organizers speak with are aware and planning to vote, Chojnaki said. "It's a little hit-or-miss. There's still more education to be done. The future of abortion access and voting rights is on the line, and making that clear to young voters is important."

The College Republicans at UW-Madison aren't avoiding abortion in conversations with college voters but they are talking about a range of issues on the ballot, such as school choice, voter ID laws and Act 10, which ended the ability of public-sector unions to negotiate over any issues other than raises.

"To boil this race down to just abortion ... its not the whole picture," said group co-chair Ali Beneker. "Theres so much more on the line than that."

Beneker and others are spending every weekend knocking on doors and interacting with voters.

"We're treating it like any fall election because its just that important," she said.

Wisconsin college students face voting barriers

At UW-Milwaukee, most students a reporter spoke with were aware of the race and said abortion was the big motivator driving them to polls.

UWM student Natalie Hernandez, who is from Illinois, is casting her ballot for Protasiewicz. She registered to vote in Wisconsin after the 2020 presidential election and recognizes how much more power her vote has in a swing state.

Ever since becoming eligible to vote in Wisconsin, Ive felt more encouraged to vote because I feel like my vote can do more than in Illinois," Hernandez said. "Especially for the Supreme Court where I could help elect someone who will fight for reproductive rights."

Olivia Davis, a UWM freshman who also plans to vote for Protasiewicz, said she sees it as her duty to make sure friends cast their ballots, too.

"Im definitely the most politically aware in my friend group," she said. "I try to motivate them to vote especially because this is an election that they say is so minor.

For less politically engaged students, making the process as easy as possible increases voter participation.

Nancy Thomas, who studies college voting rates as the director of the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education at Tufts University, said Wisconsin's restrictions on mail-in ballots, elimination of drop boxes and requirement for university-issued photo IDs that expire within two years are serious deterrents for students to cast ballots.

"Wisconsin has a history of trying to suppress the student vote," she said.

UWM student Duncan Lalond usually drives back to his home state of Illinois to vote in major elections. Will he make the effort to register in Wisconsin this spring?

I had trouble registering in Wisconsin in the last election, so I still have to figure that part out, he said. I mean, I want to vote, but Ill have to see when the time comes.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Will College voters turn out in Wisconsin Supreme Court race 2023
BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) and Middle East countries have welcomed an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic ties, saying that it will contribute to regional security and stability and promote constructive cooperation that will benefit the region and the world.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions within two months. They have also agreed to hold talks between foreign ministers to arrange ambassadors' exchanges and explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations, according to a tripartite joint statement between Iran, Saudi Arabia and China in Beijing on Friday.

On behalf of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Spokesman Stephane Dujarric welcomed the agreement, stressing that good neighborly relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are essential for the stability of the Gulf region.

"The Secretary-General reiterates his readiness to use his good offices to further advance regional dialogue and to ensure durable peace and security in the Gulf region," said Dujarric in the daily press briefing on Friday.

What has been reached, in terms of affirming the principles of respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal affairs of states, is considered a basic pillar in the development of relations between states and enhancement of security and stability in the region, which would, in turn, benefit both countries and the region in general, and strengthen regional and international peace and security, said representative for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al-Aiban on Friday in Beijing.

"We value the agreement we reached, and hope we will continue to maintain a constructive dialogue, in accordance with the principles and foundations included in the agreement, while expressing the value and appreciation we attach to the continuous, positive role played by the People's Republic of China in this regard," he said.

Noting that the agreement will hopefully enhance security and stability in the Middle East, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on Friday called on Arabs to engage in an Arab-Iranian dialogue based on respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and good neighborliness.

"It is hoped that this step will contribute to strengthening the pillars of security and stability in the region and the consolidation of positive and constructive cooperation that will inevitably benefit the countries of the region, their peoples and the world," Bou Habib was quoted as saying by the Lebanese National News Agency.

Applauding the positive Chinese role that contributed to reaching the agreement, the Palestinian Presidency expressed hope that it would lead to stability and strengthening of the positive atmosphere in the region.

It is hoped that the step will enhance stability and security in the region in a manner based on the preservation of the sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs, Jordan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

As a country that has hosted several rounds of Saudi-Iran dialogue, Iraq also welcomed the agreement, saying that "a new page of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries begins," according to a statement by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The resumption of Tehran-Riyadh relations will "lead to the development of regional stability and security," Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani told Nour News, a news outlet affiliated with the SNSC.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian tweeted that restoring normal diplomatic relations with Riyadh will provide the two sides, the region, and the Muslim world with "great capacities."

Both Saudi Arabia and Iran extended their appreciation and thanks to Iraq and Oman for hosting multiple rounds of dialogue between 2021 and 2022, and to Chinese leaders and the Chinese government for hosting, supporting and contributing to the success of the talks, the tripartite joint statement said.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in protest against the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following the Saudi execution of a Shiite cleric.

To improve bilateral relations and ease regional tensions, Iraq hosted four rounds of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2021 and the fifth round in April last year. 
Yung Miami is hitting back at people who had things to say about her BMF debut.

The City Girls rapper appears in this weeks episode of the Starz crime drama. BMF. She portrayed a character named Deanna, a woman married to an affiliate of Big Meech (Demetrius Flenory Jr.).

In the scene, Meech returns to Deannas home to tell her that her husband was killed.

The post Yung Miami Responds To Critics Of Her Acting In BMF Debut: Its Only The Beginning For Me appeared first on Shadow And Act.

She asks, Meech wheres my husband? After, he tells her there was a shooting outside the club and hands her his necklace.

Miami, whose real name is, Carehsa Brownlee, then begins to cry and eventually slaps Meech out of anger and yells, I want whoever did this to pay. Get the f**k outta here!

Although her first role was as Tiffany in Netflixs original movie, You People, this was her time to shine with a significant storyline. While skilled as a rapper and host of the podcast, Caresha Please, the 29-year-old, is new to acting.

Some BMF fans trolled Miami for her acting skills or lack thereof, but the rapper didnt let it get her down.

One Twitter user shared the clip of Miamis performance, commenting that she and her character seemed to be the same people.

: 1/2 of City Girls Yung Miami and Caresha Please hostess being herself in a short film . #Careshaplease #Yungmiami #Citygirls *Chile did she get whoever did that to her husband *  pic.twitter.com/dvqDBpUJKM    (@dominoesbey4) March 10, 2023

Fans had mixed reactions.

Story continues

I hope Yung Miami stick to making music bruh this really the worst acting I ever seen in my life #BMF pic.twitter.com/WOFf81n420  Nasir (@Nasir22xx) March 10, 2023

Nah that scene with Meech and Yung Miami definitely was some Tubi shit lmaoo  2  (@jaynumbaa2) March 10, 2023

Yung Miami need some acting classes  what was suppose to be sad and emotional was just funny asl #bmf  o (@crownedM_) March 10, 2023

Never the one to let haters stop her or shut her up, Miami responded to the critics.

If Im crying why yall laughing??? Yall play to much   Yung Miami (@YungMiami305) March 10, 2023

Despite all the hate, Miami is expanding her brand and stepping into any lane she chooses.

She confirmed this was only the beginning for her.
Kremlin

The petition, which attracted more than 25,000 signatures, states that the historical name of Russia is Muscovy (from the Latin Moscovia).

This name was used in European and some Asian languages, the petition explains. This name also appears on many historical maps of the 16th-19th centuries, which were produced in Europe before and after the renaming of the Muscovite Empire to the All-Russian Empire.

Read also: Six dangerous illusions about Russia

Read also: Petition to rename Russia to Moscovia attracts enough support for Zelenskyy to consider

The use of Russia has existed for only 301 years, since Moscow Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great) started calling his Moscow kingdom the Russian Empire on Oct. 22, 1721.

President Zelenskyy provided a measured response.

The issue raised in the petition needs to be carefully worked out both in terms of the historical and cultural context, and in view of the possible international legal consequences.

Zelenskyy said that he had asked Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to comprehensively work out this issue together with scientists.

In November 2022, Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, called on Ukrainian officials and parliamentarians to pass a law according to which Ukraine would officially call the Russian Federation, Muscovy.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has reviewed an electronic petition, the author of which proposes to officially rename Russia to Muscovy and to change the terms Russian to Muscovian, as well as the Russian Federation to Moscovian Federation.

Source: President's response to the petition

Details: The author of the petition, which has gathered more than 25,000 signatures, points out that "the historical name of Russia is Muscovy."

"This name was used in European and some Asian languages. This name also appears on many historical maps of the 16th-19th centuries, which were produced in Europe before and after the renaming of the Muscovite Empire to the Russian Empire," the petition says.

The author of the appeal emphasises that "Russia has existed for only 301 years" since 22 October 1721, when Muscovian Tsar Peter I proclaimed the Muscovy Kingdom to be the "Russian Empire".

In his answer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that "the issue raised in the petition needs to be carefully worked out both in terms of the historical and cultural context, and in view of the possible international legal consequences."

Zelenskyy also announced that he had asked Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to comprehensively work out this issue together with scientific institutions.

Earlier: Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, believes that Ukraine could approve a law according to which Russia will be called Muscovy.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the latest round of sanctions introduces measures against Russian-related gambling and betting firms and puts an end to scams worth tens of billions Ukrainian hryvnias. He added that this is not the last such sanctions package.

Source: President Zelenskyys video address

Quote from Zelenskyy: "We have implemented new sanctions against individuals and legal entities associated with the evil state.

The relevant decree has been issued. [It implements sanctions against] more than 280 legal entities and 120 individuals who created gambling scams to defraud Ukraine, withdrawing funds from our state to finance various Russian schemes.

This decision has been in the works for some time. It has been thoroughly researched and will put an end to scams worth tens of billions [hryvnias]. This is not the last such decision."

Previously: On 10 March, Zelenskyy signed into law the National Security and Defence Councils decision to impose sanctions on 120 individuals and 287 legal entities.

The following legal entities operating in Ukraine were subject to the latest round of sanctions: Parismatch, Pokermatch.UA, Pointloto, Your Betting Company, Play Fun Investment, Leo Financial Company, and others.

UAH 250 million belonging to the company's clients are now blocked on the current accounts of Parimatch LLC.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
A video of a group of men assaulting a Japanese tourist during Holi celebrations in Delhi went viral on social media and it has led the Delhi Police to seek assistance from the Japanese embassy in identifying the victim.

According to the sources, the Japanese embassy has denied having any knowledge of the incident. The victim, believed to be a Japanese tourist staying in Paharganj, has reportedly left for Bangladesh.

Sources said that three boys, including a juvenile, have been apprehended by police and have confessed to the crime. The video is under analysis for further details. No complaint has been received from the victim, and the police have reached out to the Japanese embassy for help in identifying her and gathering more information about the incident. ...continue reading
Here, turkey, turkey, turkey 

DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge will host turkey hunts for youth and for mobility-impaired hunters on separate weekends in April, according to a press release from the refuge. The number of participants will be limited to provide a safe and enjoyable hunt for all.

The refuge will hold one youth shotgun turkey hunt on April 8-9. Interested Iowa or Nebraska youth hunters may apply for the hunt by sending a letter with their name, address and telephone number, along with the name and phone number of the adult mentor who will accompany them. Applications should be sent to DeSoto Refuge, 1434 316th Lane, Missouri Valley, IA 51555 or emailed to Park Ranger Peter Rea at peter_rea@fws.gov.

Participants will be determined in a random drawing on March 10. Selected hunters will receive a letter regarding hunt details and refuge-specific regulations. All applications must be received by March 9 to be included in the drawing. Any remaining slots will be filled on request.

A shotgun hunt for mobility-impaired hunters will be held on April 22-23. During this hunt weekend, the refuge provides a limited number of accessible hunt blinds. Those interested can find out more about the hunt or sign up by calling Peter Rea at 712-388-4803 or emailing him at peter_rea@fws.gov.

DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is located north of Omaha, Nebraska along on U.S. Highway 30 between Missouri Valley, Iowa and Blair, Nebraska. For more information, call 712-388-4800 or email the refuge at desoto@fws.gov. For refuge updates, visit fws.gov/refuge/desoto/ or search for DeSoto Wildlife Refuge.
Law enforcement agencies in Iowa and Nebraska are urging people to do their St. Patricks Day celebrating safely.

Council Bluffs Shamrock Shuffle will be held Saturday morning, and no doubt festivities will continue through the weekend.

St. Patricks Day is actually next Friday, March 17, which will kick off another weekend of revelry.

To help keep Iowas roads safe, the Governors Traffic Safety Bureau is partnering with local law enforcement March 11-19 to spread the message about the dangers of impaired driving.

Last year, during the week of St. Patricks Day (March 11-19), 48 people were either seriously injured or killed in car crashes on Iowa roadways, according to a press release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. Nationally, St. Patricks is one of the deadliest times on the nations roads.

Impaired driving is not only illegal but also a matter of life and death. As Iowans travel to festivities, law enforcement officials are asking them to help spread the word: Buzzed driving is drunk driving.

This year, St. Patricks Day falls on a Friday, which means more parties throughout the weekend, the press release stated. Those who choose to drink need to make the smart choice and plan for a sober ride. Meanwhile, designated drivers need to make sure they keep that promise of safety to themselves and their passengers.

Its vital people plan ahead, said GTSB Bureau Chief Brett Tjepkes. If you wait until youve been drinking to make a smart decision, you might not. Designate a sober driver, call a taxi or use a rideshare service. Our law enforcement partners across Iowa will be looking for impaired drivers.

The Governors Traffic Safety Bureau works with city, county, state and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce deaths and injuries on Iowas roadways using federally funded grants.

Across the river, the Omaha Police Department will participate in two nights of DUI operations March 10-11. Enforcement will take place during the evening and night timeframes and will focus on youth alcohol enforcement and impaired driving enforcement. In cooperation with Project Extra Mile and local law enforcement agencies, Project Extra Mile is helping fund the operations. Project Extra Mile is a statewide network of community partnerships working to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harms.
A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts:

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Posts misrepresent rioter's actions in Jan. 6 Capitol attack

CLAIM: Footage from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol shows that Jacob Chansley, who participated in the riot sporting face paint, no shirt and a fur hat with horns, was "led through the Capitol by police the entire time he was in the building."

THE FACTS: Court documents and video footage from the attack on the Capitol make clear that Chansley, who is widely known as the "QAnon Shaman" and is one of the most recognizable Jan. 6 rioters, entered the Capitol without permission, was repeatedly asked to leave the building and was not accompanied at all times.

After Fox News host Tucker Carlson broadcast previously unseen Jan. 6 security footage on his Monday night primetime show, social media users began sharing segments from his program that misrepresented Chansley's involvement in the riot. "BREAKING: Never before seen video of January 6 shows Jacob Chansley, the QAnon Shaman, being led through the Capitol by police the entire time that he was in the building," reads a tweet that includes a clip from Carlson's show.

But the footage leaves out important context about Chansley's time in the Capitol that day.

A statement prepared by the Department of Justice, which was signed by Chansley and his attorney, provides a timeline of the rioter's movement in the Capitol. For example, the statement explains that Chansley entered the Capitol through a broken door as part of a crowd that "was not lawfully authorized to enter or remain in the building" and that he was one of the first 30 rioters inside. It goes on to note that although officers asked Chansley and others multiple times to leave the Capitol, he did not comply and actively riled up his fellow rioters. The statement describes Chansley's interactions with officers, but also points out that he "entered the Gallery of the Senate alone."

Chansley pleaded guilty in September 2021 to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding. He was sentenced in November 2021 to 41 months in prison.

Asked about claims that protesters were led through the building, a Capitol Police spokesperson pointed The Associated Press to an HBO documentary about the riot, "Four Hours at the Capitol," in which an officer describes his encounter with Chansley, including how he asked the rioter and others to leave the Senate wing. Footage from the interaction appears in the documentary. "Any chance I can get you guys to leave the Senate wing?" the officer says as Chansley sits in the presiding officer's chair on the Senate Dais. A video of Chansley walking into the Capitol through the broken door is publicly available on the website of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger lambasted Carlson's segment on the Jan. 6 footage in an internal memo Tuesday. "Last night an opinion program aired commentary that was filled with offensive and misleading conclusions about the January 6 attack," Manger wrote. "One false allegation is that our officers helped the rioters and acted as 'tour guides.' This is outrageous and false."

 Associated Press writer Melissa Goldin in New York contributed this report.

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No, the military hasn't recorded a 500% increase in HIV cases

CLAIM: The U.S. military has recorded a 500% increase in new HIV infections since COVID-19 vaccines were introduced.

THE FACTS: The U.S. military has not recorded any such increase, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Defense. Conservative commentators are baselessly claiming that rates of HIV in the military have skyrocketed since COVID-19 vaccines were rolled out to sow suspicion about the shot.

"The Armed Forces of the United States recorded a five hundred percent (500%) increase in AIDS after administering the COVID-19 Vaccine to US Troops. The COVID-19 Vaccine is implicated," wrote Hal Turner, a right-wing radio host, on his website last week. Turner gave no evidence for his claims. He did not respond to a request for comment.

But figures from the Defense Department and the Congressional Research Service show that the 500% figure is massively exaggerated. Further, medical experts have repeatedly emphasized that COVID-19 vaccination has not been linked to developing HIV, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, which is caused by HIV. Nor does a condition called "VAIDS"  vaccine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome  exist.

A total of 1,581 service members, including those in the National Guard and Reserves have been diagnosed with HIV infections since 2017, said Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman, a spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Three-hundred and seventeen service members were diagnosed with HIV in 2017; 280 in 2018; 314 in 2019; 237 in 2020; 309 in 2021; and 124 in 2022. These rates are consistent with figures that were cited in a 2019 Congressional Research Service report. That report cited estimates from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center showing that approximately 350 service members are diagnosed with HIV annually.

COVID-19 vaccinations first became available to the public in December 2020. In 2021, 72 more cases of HIV were diagnosed compared to 2020, constituting a 30% increase  but nowhere near the 500% claimed. And in 2022, when the vaccine rollout was well underway, 185 fewer new HIV cases were diagnosed, marking a 60% drop from 2021.

Though Turner did not give the source of his data, it matches claims spread about other illnesses purportedly linked to COVID-19 vaccination among military members that have been shared in the past. In those cases, the numbers stemmed from what the bloggers and social media users said was "leaked" data from Defense Medical Epidemiology Database, or DMED, an internal database that documents medical experiences of service members throughout their careers. It is only accessible by military medical providers, epidemiologists, medical researchers and clinical support staff. However, Schwegman told the AP that the claims citing this database were flawed due to an error in the data for the years 2016 to 2020. The Defense Health Agency's Armed Forces Surveillance Division reviewed the data in the system, comparing it to the source data, and found that the total number of medical diagnoses from 2016 to 2020 that were accessible in DMED "represented only a small fraction of actual medical diagnoses for those years," said Schwegman. In contrast, the total number of medical diagnoses for the year 2021 were accurate, which temporarily made it appear that there was a disproportionate increase in medical conditions between the 2016 to 2020 figures and those reported in 2021. She said that the Armed Forces Surveillance Division has since corrected the data corruption.

 Associated Press writer Sophia Tulp in New York contributed this report.

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Hospital COVID payments tied to patient treatment, not deaths

CLAIM: U.S. hospitals are earning a $48,000 government subsidy for every patient that dies from COVID-19 in their care.

THE FACTS: Hospital industry officials and public health experts confirm the federal government provides hospitals with enhanced payments for treating COVID-19 patients, but the payments are only currently applicable to those on Medicare and aren't contingent on a patient's death.

Social media users are claiming American hospitals have a financial incentive to let people with coronavirus die under their watch. But hospitals have never been compensated by the federal government based on a patient dying of COVID-19 in one of their facilities, say industry officials and public health experts. During the pandemic, hospitals have received additional money for treating COVID-19 patients as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES, the 2020 law meant to address the economic fallout of the pandemic. But those increased payments don't apply to every COVID-19 patient treated in a hospital, just the ones under Medicare, which is the federal healthcare program serving people 65 and over.

Colin Milligan, a spokesperson for the American Hospital Association, confirmed that hospitals are currently eligible to receive a 20% increase in Medicare payments for caring for COVID-19 patients. "These patients are often very costly and time and labor-intensive for hospitals to treat," he explained in an email Wednesday. And despite what the social media posts claim, the enhanced COVID-19 payments aren't based on whether the patient lives or dies, experts said. In general, Medicare payments are based on the severity of the patient's condition and the types of treatments provided, said Juliette Cubanski, deputy director of Medicare policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. The average cost of a COVID-19 hospitalization for a Medicare patient is about $24,000, she said, citing claims data from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. But the reimbursement for more severely ill patients  such as those placed on a ventilator for multiple days  is roughly $40,000, according to KFF's analysis. Social media posts citing a $48,000 subsidy for COVID-19 deaths appear to be taking that $40,000 average cost for treating the sickest COVID-19 patients and factoring in the special 20% reimbursement rate increase.

But Cubanski argued that's not a fair assessment of the potential payout to hospitals. "My understanding of the estimates from CMS is that they already include the 20% payment increase in the stated amount," she wrote in an email. "So the payment for an extreme case would be $40k including the 20% increase, not $40k plus 20%." Spokespersons for CMS and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the agency, didn't respond to emails seeking comment this week. But President Joe Biden has announced the federal government's declaration of a public health emergency for COVID-19 will end on May 11. That means the enhanced Medicare payments  along with other measures the federal government enacted to weather the pandemic  will soon be a thing of the past.

 Associated Press writer Philip Marcelo in New York contributed this report.

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Florida blogger bill falsely tied to DeSantis

CLAIM: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wants bloggers to register with the state or face fines.

THE FACTS: A bill filed in the Florida Senate  that DeSantis says he does not support  would require bloggers to register with the state and submit periodic reports if they are paid for posts about elected officials.

Social media users have erroneously claimed in recent days that DeSantis is in favor of the bill, which was filed last week and introduced to the Senate on Tuesday. But it was Republican Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur who filed the bill and DeSantis has not publicly supported the legislation since it was filed. DeSantis clarified his position on Tuesday at a press conference following his State of the State address.

"I see these people filing bills and then there's articles with my face on the article saying that oh, they're going to have to  bloggers are going to have to register for the state," he said. "And then it's like, attributing it to me. And I'm like, ok, that's not anything that I've ever supported, I don't support."

Brodeur's bill would require bloggers to register with the state of Florida if they are paid for posts about its governor, lieutenant governor, cabinet members or legislative officials. They would also have to file periodic reports with the state disclosing information such as who paid them and how much. Failure to file a report would result in fines of $25 a day, up to $2,500. The legislation states that it would not apply to content "on the website of a newspaper or other similar publication." Bryan Griffin, the governor's press secretary, confirmed to the AP in an email that DeSantis "does not support the bill." However, Griffin also explained that "the governor will ALWAYS consider every bill on its merits in final form if and when a bill passes the legislature and reaches his desk" before making a decision. The AP previously reported that DeSantis' office was not aware of the blogger registration legislation until it was filed. First amendment groups have argued that the proposal violates press freedoms.

 Melissa Goldin

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